MERRY CHOTTER AND THE DRUM MAJOR'S STONE
By Kate
Rating: PG (Hooray! Fun for the whole family! Just like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," the best movie of the summer!)
Chapter Seven
Summary: Merry heads off to that strangely wonderful world called Smog- Hurts.
A/N: I'm back! Thanks to reviewers at the end!
Disclaimer: Yeah, it's all mine. That's right. Everything. All the Harry Potter stuff, all the marching band stuff, all the common sense. All of it. That's why I'm sitting here with not even enough money to go to the book store. Right.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Several hours after arriving at Try-Again Alley, Merry Chotter was equipped with more clothes and equipment than she ever knew existed. As Haggis-face led her back out into the "real" world (a.k.a., that of the Buggles), he pulled out the list of supplies she had been sent by the people in charge at Smog-Hurts.
"One standard-size cauldron," he read.
"Check," Merry replied, glancing into the cart in front of her.
"One parrot, owl, or cat," was next on the list. (They're the noisy animals, after all.)
"Check," squawked Merry's new pet parrot, Earlice.
"Beginning potions ingredients, school robes, and pointy wizard's hat."
"Got all three of 'em, Haggis-face."
"White marching uniform with medallion, practice clothes, concert trash-bag dress, marching shoes, concert shoes, letter jacket, hatbox, shako, plume, gloves, socks, hose, and school clothes."
"Thirteen-uple check." Merry's cart was full to the brim with Smog-Hurts supplies and she was sure that there was nothing missing.
"And the rest got sent ahead," Haggis-face concluded. "It looks like we've got everything here, Merry. Now I've just got to drop you off at the bus station and I'll meet you back at Smog-Hurts."
"Uh, Haggis-face?" Merry asked in a doubtful voice.
"Yes, m'dear?"
"About this bus. I don't need a TICKET, by any chance, do I?"
"Right, right, right. There's what I forgot. Good thing you remembered or Stumblemore'd have my head, y'know."
They were just arriving at the bus station, so Haggis-face handed Merry her ticket and began to give her instructions. "There's a whole section of the bus for first-years like yourself, so don't be scared. Try and meet people. And remember, make sure everything from your cart gets on the bus."
"Good stuff," Merry replied, glancing at her ticket. "Now, can you tell me which way to go to get to Platform Number," she paused to check the number, "One and a half? Haggis-face, I'm sure there's no platform one and a half." She looked up to confirm this, but the large marching tech was gone. Merry sighed and entered the crowd inside the station. By the time she reached Platform Two, she could tell that there was no 1 ½ to be seen. A station employee was nearby, though, so she stopped to ask for directions.
"Excuse me, sir, but how can I find Platform One and One-Half?" Merry asked earnestly.
"Stupid kids," the employee muttered. "There's no place for your jokes here," he informed Merry. "Go run in the streets and get hit by a car."
"Thanks a lot," Merry called to the man's now-turned back. She started to pace between Platforms One and Two when she heard a loud, clear woman's voice.
"Now, now, here we go again. Back to school for the lot of you. If only all these Buggles wouldn't have so many places to go, so fast, I could say a proper good-bye."
Merry's ears locked in on the word "Buggles." Haggis-face had used that word to describe tone-dear, nonmagical folk, so, logically, the woman who had been complaining about Buggles wouldn't be one of them.
She stepped around a pillar to see a whole family of redheads lined up between Platform One and Platform Two. "Uh, excuse me," Merry requested shyly. "Are you - can you - um - I'm"
"You must be headed for Smog-Hurts," the woman said kindly.
Merry nodded, still rather bashful.
"That's okay, dear, it's Rynn's first time, too." The child named seemed to be the youngest girl, looking rather frightened.
"Hi," Rynn said softly.
Merry nodded in reply as the woman continued. "My name is Dolly Feasibly. This is Pearcy - she's a Squad Leader this year, the twins are Freida and Georgia, and this little one is Linny - he's staying with me for one more year."
"That's great, but, uh, could you."
"Show you how to get on the platform?" Mrs. Feasibly finished for the baffled girl. "Sure. You just walk straight through that pillar right there." The pillar mentioned was part of what a band nerd would recognize as a dotted quarter note. To Merry, it just looked solid. "It's best to do it at a sort of run if you're nervous. Pearcy, why don't you go first?"
Smoothing the white dot on her robe that showed that she was a Squad Leader, Pearcy headed straight for the pillar. Merry cringed as the older girl got close to the brick structure, but Pearcy and her cart just disappeared when they should have been colliding.
"Georgia, you can go next," Mrs. Feasibly decided, motioning to one of the twins.
The twin in question lined up in front of the pillar, then threw a roguish grin toward her mother. "I'm not Georgia. I'm Freida. Gosh, woman, to think you call yourself our mother!"
Mrs. Feasibly sighed. "Fine. Whoever you are, go before the bus leaves."
"Just kidding. I really am Georgia," she laughed as she took off into the pillar. Freida followed within seconds.
"Here, dear, why don't you give it a try?" Mrs. Feasibly offered Merry.
"Okay," Merry said shakily. She grabbed her cart and began to walk calmly in the direction of the pillar. Losing her confidence, she broke into a flat-out run and went soaring towards the wall - into the wall -through the wall?
All of a sudden, Merry found herself on a much cleaner, happier platform. Everyone there had carts with similar supplies and was dressed in school robes like Merry's. An air of excitement was evident as Merry looked around in wonder. Just as she moved away from the pillar through which she had arrived, Rynn came flying through.
"Why, hello again," the redheaded girl greeted Merry with a big, dimpled grin.
"Hey," Merry replied, becoming a bit more at ease with the whole situation. She watched both of their luggage get loaded onto the bus. "I guess we can board now."
"Yeah, the first years have to sit in the front. Seventh-years get the back, but some people get back there earlier. We're all in the front, though." Rynn sounded as if she was used to this.
Merry followed Rynn down the platform, smiling at the bright sign with the large "1 ½" on it. Before long, they found empty seats and settled down in them. "Man, these seats are ghetto. I mean, you'd think they could replace the fabric every twenty years."
"Ghetto?" Rynn asked. "As in, nasty homes for exiled Jews?"
"Not quite," Merry replied, "but I guess words like that are lost on you non-Buggle folk."
Rynn just stared out the window as the bus pulled away. This was hard, as their garment bags were covering most of it, but Rynn still managed.
A while later, a sixth- or seventh-year came walking down the aisle with a big bag of candy. "Help pay for Spring Trip! I have sugar!" he called out. Stopping at each seat, the student seemed to be doing pretty well, money-wise. As he came to Merry and Rynn, the boy asked, "Anything for the trip, guys?" (A/N: I'm Canadian. We call everyone "guys" instead of that "y'all" or "you all" or "youse guys" stuff they do in the States.)
Rynn held up a tuna-fish sandwich that was pretty squished and awfully bad- smelling. "No, thanks. I'm all set."
Merry took one look at Rynn, one look at the bag, and one look at the money she had left over from shopping. "We'll take some of everything," she decided.
The student grinned and started handing Merry the yummy, sugary goodness. Rynn helped her count out the still-foreign money she had gotten from Bring Your Dots, the bank on Try-Again Alley.
After the candy-seller left, Merry looked at the assortment in front of her. "So, what is all of this stuff?" she asked Rynn.
"The stuff that's gonna save your life," Rynn answered with a wry smile.
A/N: Okay, that's it for now. Many thanks for reviews to the following lovely people:
Mellie: I figured the punishment for magic outside of Smog-Hurts would have to be heavier than Hogwarts and I didn't want any big trouble going on. You know how much band loves to punish :o)
Rosaline: Somebody's feeling nice today! *sighs* Glad someone appreciates me. lol
MK: Hi!
Texas Rio Star: Hey, I live in Texas too! *shudder*
Lori: Well, if you think your friends would like it. have 'em read it!
Some one: Is this the same "someone" as before?
Adulaith: Deep breath. deep breath. be careful there.
By Kate
Rating: PG (Hooray! Fun for the whole family! Just like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," the best movie of the summer!)
Chapter Seven
Summary: Merry heads off to that strangely wonderful world called Smog- Hurts.
A/N: I'm back! Thanks to reviewers at the end!
Disclaimer: Yeah, it's all mine. That's right. Everything. All the Harry Potter stuff, all the marching band stuff, all the common sense. All of it. That's why I'm sitting here with not even enough money to go to the book store. Right.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Several hours after arriving at Try-Again Alley, Merry Chotter was equipped with more clothes and equipment than she ever knew existed. As Haggis-face led her back out into the "real" world (a.k.a., that of the Buggles), he pulled out the list of supplies she had been sent by the people in charge at Smog-Hurts.
"One standard-size cauldron," he read.
"Check," Merry replied, glancing into the cart in front of her.
"One parrot, owl, or cat," was next on the list. (They're the noisy animals, after all.)
"Check," squawked Merry's new pet parrot, Earlice.
"Beginning potions ingredients, school robes, and pointy wizard's hat."
"Got all three of 'em, Haggis-face."
"White marching uniform with medallion, practice clothes, concert trash-bag dress, marching shoes, concert shoes, letter jacket, hatbox, shako, plume, gloves, socks, hose, and school clothes."
"Thirteen-uple check." Merry's cart was full to the brim with Smog-Hurts supplies and she was sure that there was nothing missing.
"And the rest got sent ahead," Haggis-face concluded. "It looks like we've got everything here, Merry. Now I've just got to drop you off at the bus station and I'll meet you back at Smog-Hurts."
"Uh, Haggis-face?" Merry asked in a doubtful voice.
"Yes, m'dear?"
"About this bus. I don't need a TICKET, by any chance, do I?"
"Right, right, right. There's what I forgot. Good thing you remembered or Stumblemore'd have my head, y'know."
They were just arriving at the bus station, so Haggis-face handed Merry her ticket and began to give her instructions. "There's a whole section of the bus for first-years like yourself, so don't be scared. Try and meet people. And remember, make sure everything from your cart gets on the bus."
"Good stuff," Merry replied, glancing at her ticket. "Now, can you tell me which way to go to get to Platform Number," she paused to check the number, "One and a half? Haggis-face, I'm sure there's no platform one and a half." She looked up to confirm this, but the large marching tech was gone. Merry sighed and entered the crowd inside the station. By the time she reached Platform Two, she could tell that there was no 1 ½ to be seen. A station employee was nearby, though, so she stopped to ask for directions.
"Excuse me, sir, but how can I find Platform One and One-Half?" Merry asked earnestly.
"Stupid kids," the employee muttered. "There's no place for your jokes here," he informed Merry. "Go run in the streets and get hit by a car."
"Thanks a lot," Merry called to the man's now-turned back. She started to pace between Platforms One and Two when she heard a loud, clear woman's voice.
"Now, now, here we go again. Back to school for the lot of you. If only all these Buggles wouldn't have so many places to go, so fast, I could say a proper good-bye."
Merry's ears locked in on the word "Buggles." Haggis-face had used that word to describe tone-dear, nonmagical folk, so, logically, the woman who had been complaining about Buggles wouldn't be one of them.
She stepped around a pillar to see a whole family of redheads lined up between Platform One and Platform Two. "Uh, excuse me," Merry requested shyly. "Are you - can you - um - I'm"
"You must be headed for Smog-Hurts," the woman said kindly.
Merry nodded, still rather bashful.
"That's okay, dear, it's Rynn's first time, too." The child named seemed to be the youngest girl, looking rather frightened.
"Hi," Rynn said softly.
Merry nodded in reply as the woman continued. "My name is Dolly Feasibly. This is Pearcy - she's a Squad Leader this year, the twins are Freida and Georgia, and this little one is Linny - he's staying with me for one more year."
"That's great, but, uh, could you."
"Show you how to get on the platform?" Mrs. Feasibly finished for the baffled girl. "Sure. You just walk straight through that pillar right there." The pillar mentioned was part of what a band nerd would recognize as a dotted quarter note. To Merry, it just looked solid. "It's best to do it at a sort of run if you're nervous. Pearcy, why don't you go first?"
Smoothing the white dot on her robe that showed that she was a Squad Leader, Pearcy headed straight for the pillar. Merry cringed as the older girl got close to the brick structure, but Pearcy and her cart just disappeared when they should have been colliding.
"Georgia, you can go next," Mrs. Feasibly decided, motioning to one of the twins.
The twin in question lined up in front of the pillar, then threw a roguish grin toward her mother. "I'm not Georgia. I'm Freida. Gosh, woman, to think you call yourself our mother!"
Mrs. Feasibly sighed. "Fine. Whoever you are, go before the bus leaves."
"Just kidding. I really am Georgia," she laughed as she took off into the pillar. Freida followed within seconds.
"Here, dear, why don't you give it a try?" Mrs. Feasibly offered Merry.
"Okay," Merry said shakily. She grabbed her cart and began to walk calmly in the direction of the pillar. Losing her confidence, she broke into a flat-out run and went soaring towards the wall - into the wall -through the wall?
All of a sudden, Merry found herself on a much cleaner, happier platform. Everyone there had carts with similar supplies and was dressed in school robes like Merry's. An air of excitement was evident as Merry looked around in wonder. Just as she moved away from the pillar through which she had arrived, Rynn came flying through.
"Why, hello again," the redheaded girl greeted Merry with a big, dimpled grin.
"Hey," Merry replied, becoming a bit more at ease with the whole situation. She watched both of their luggage get loaded onto the bus. "I guess we can board now."
"Yeah, the first years have to sit in the front. Seventh-years get the back, but some people get back there earlier. We're all in the front, though." Rynn sounded as if she was used to this.
Merry followed Rynn down the platform, smiling at the bright sign with the large "1 ½" on it. Before long, they found empty seats and settled down in them. "Man, these seats are ghetto. I mean, you'd think they could replace the fabric every twenty years."
"Ghetto?" Rynn asked. "As in, nasty homes for exiled Jews?"
"Not quite," Merry replied, "but I guess words like that are lost on you non-Buggle folk."
Rynn just stared out the window as the bus pulled away. This was hard, as their garment bags were covering most of it, but Rynn still managed.
A while later, a sixth- or seventh-year came walking down the aisle with a big bag of candy. "Help pay for Spring Trip! I have sugar!" he called out. Stopping at each seat, the student seemed to be doing pretty well, money-wise. As he came to Merry and Rynn, the boy asked, "Anything for the trip, guys?" (A/N: I'm Canadian. We call everyone "guys" instead of that "y'all" or "you all" or "youse guys" stuff they do in the States.)
Rynn held up a tuna-fish sandwich that was pretty squished and awfully bad- smelling. "No, thanks. I'm all set."
Merry took one look at Rynn, one look at the bag, and one look at the money she had left over from shopping. "We'll take some of everything," she decided.
The student grinned and started handing Merry the yummy, sugary goodness. Rynn helped her count out the still-foreign money she had gotten from Bring Your Dots, the bank on Try-Again Alley.
After the candy-seller left, Merry looked at the assortment in front of her. "So, what is all of this stuff?" she asked Rynn.
"The stuff that's gonna save your life," Rynn answered with a wry smile.
A/N: Okay, that's it for now. Many thanks for reviews to the following lovely people:
Mellie: I figured the punishment for magic outside of Smog-Hurts would have to be heavier than Hogwarts and I didn't want any big trouble going on. You know how much band loves to punish :o)
Rosaline: Somebody's feeling nice today! *sighs* Glad someone appreciates me. lol
MK: Hi!
Texas Rio Star: Hey, I live in Texas too! *shudder*
Lori: Well, if you think your friends would like it. have 'em read it!
Some one: Is this the same "someone" as before?
Adulaith: Deep breath. deep breath. be careful there.