Search and Destroy

Chapter 001

The following takes place during Harry's second year at Hogwarts- what would have happened if these events had occurred.

            The guard watched as another person passed through the brick wall onto Platform 9 and three quarters.

"Yes it happened again."

He spoke into a barely recognizable earpiece to another guard four platforms down. The guard hurried over, and they stared, wide-eyed as another boy passed through the wall. The first guard slowly crept stealthily after him, until he reached the barrier. He cautiously reached out his hand towards the wall. His hand slipped through the barrier, to his surprise.

            "Quick!" he snapped to the other guard. "Call for backup!"

            The guard nodded quickly, and walked away at a brisk pace. Within a few minutes, the guard returned with several policemen. Together they ran through the barrier.

            They ran through too quickly, and stumbled onto a set of train tracks on the other side. They would have never have found it, except for the fact that one guard he tripped and fell onto the rail, cutting his hand.

            "Hey," he yelled. "The rail's vibrating!" The guards turned to see a train heading south, now just a speck on the horizon. The guard swore. "We lost it!" he snapped. He turned moodily to see another one of the policemen smiling. "What's so funny?" the guard, who happened to be the lead guard, Mr. Graves, said.

            "We haven't lost them yet, sir." The policeman pointed into the air.

            "What the-"

            A small blue car flew overhead and visible for a split second before it disappeared into the clouds. Two policemen reached down to their belts, and pulled out their guns.

            "Hold your fire," Mr. Graves ordered. "Wait until it comes low enough…"

            All of a sudden the car was right above their heads, only fifty feet up into the air.

            "FIRE!" Graves yelled. The policemen pulled the trigger, and the explosion rocked the quiet British countryside. The bullets hit their target. A small burst of fire erupted from the bottom of the car, and it spiraled down to the earth. The two guards, Graves and Jones, rushed over to the downed car. Both of them drew their weapons and leveled them at the wrecked front doors. Two kids, both maybe in their early teens climbed out. One was a bit taller than the other with red hair and ragged clothes. The other was thin, with jet-black hair and glasses.

            "Names." Jones spat the word.

            "I'm Ron, and he's Harry," the taller boy said. "What's that thing you're holding?"

            "Ron…" the boy named Harry muttered. Jones and Graves exchanged glances.

            "It's a gun, moron," Graves snapped. "And if you keep asking questions like that you'll see just what it does, which was probably your next question."

            "Oh." Ron shut up.

            "You two are both under arrest for underage driving and flying a car in airspace without a permit, so you both should…"

            Graves cut Jones off. "Will let you off this time," Graves said. Both kids relaxed. "If you tell us where that train was heading."

            Both boys shot each other a nervous glance. "We don't know," Harry said.

            "Then I guess you should come back with us," Graves said.

            "Wait!" Ron yelled, who obviously was afraid of the thought of being arrested and what the gun could do. "We'll tell you!" Graves raised his eyebrows.

            All right then," he said. "Tell us."

            Ron took a deep breath. "That train is the Hogwarts Express. It travels to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry every fall. Witches and Wizards go to the school for seven years to learn spells and learn how to manage themselves in the wizard world.

            " The Hogwarts Express can be boarded, as you probably found out, by going through Platform Nine and three quarters. Harry and I couldn't get through, so we stole my dad's magical car and tried to fly to Hogwarts."

            There was silence. Then Jones started to laugh.

            "That's the lamest story I've ever heard," he said, laughing. Graves, on the other hand, looked totally calm.

            "If we help you fix the car, could you fly us to Hogwarts?" Ron's heart sank. "I don't think so," he said slowly.

            "I do," Graves said menacingly. Suddenly policemen, guns drawn, surrounded Harry and Ron.

            "Okay," Ron squeaked. "We'll take you."

            Within half an hour they had the car fixed and the eight people crammed into the small car uncomfortably. After a few tries Ron had the car started, and the biggest disaster ever had started its journey to Hogwarts.