Harry Potter books, and all characters therein are belong to J. K. Rowling, © 2001/2002 Warner bros. In short, they aren't mine, so please don't sue.
kkisblpeen@aol.com
Once upon a time
By Kirkis
Chapter three: Becoming Robin
"Wake up!" shouted Harry. Ron sat bolt upright tossing his head from side to side.
"Wha- where are we-" he muttered, taking a look around. A slow morbid realization waxed over his face. "I thought it was just a dream." He smothered a yawn with one hand and threw off his blanket.
"Breakfast will be ready soon," said Harry, as Ron foraged through the trunks and drawers in the hut. "If it's anything like dinner last night, we definitely don't want to miss it." He turned and walked back out onto the front balcony and leaned on the railing, looking down on Sherwood Village. It was amazing to Harry that anyone could've built such a place without magic, or modern Muggle technology.
Harry let out a sigh and wondered where his wand had gone. He hoped that he was right; that its absence was merely a side affect of being in the book. Provided, that is, that the book wasn't part of a plan by Voldemort to get to him. He wasn't quite sure if he and Ron could get through the story without any magic. Harry suddenly felt the need to laugh. He had never noticed when magic had become such an integral part of his life. His eyes wandered to the people below. Will had told them everyone there was wanted for not being able to pay the outrageous taxes Sir Guy of Gisbourne had levied against the commoners. They were all hiding in Sherwood Village.
It was little surprise to Harry. Wizards and Witches kept their world hidden from Muggles. Harry had known about the Wizarding world since his eleventh birthday, when a half-giant named Hagrid had rescued him from his Aunt and Uncle. It had been four years, but somehow it seemed like a lifetime already.
"You think Will could find me a pair of trousers?" asked Ron stepping out of the hut and joining Harry on the balcony.
"You could ask, but I wouldn't get my hopes up," Harry replied.
They headed down to the large meeting hall (which was basically an extra large hut) in the center of the village. The smell wafting out of the nearby kitchen hut filled the air and strengthened their appetites. The thought occurred to Harry has they headed into the meeting hall that all the Sheriff had to do was come out here in the morning and the smell would probably lead him right to the place.
"Well, Robin," said Will the moment Ron had set his tankard down. He dropped into the seat beside Ron and went on. "Now that you've eaten, we need to cook up a plan for tonight."
"Tonight, right," muttered Ron, casting a worried glance in Harry's direction. Harry only shrugged, leaving Ron to turn back to Will in helpless confusion.
"Hit your head good," said Will. He shook his head but to Ron and Harry's relief, he explained. "Tonight, the Prince's Banquet, the one Sir Guy is holding," he said, obviously trying to jog Robin's memory. "We need to bust it up or something, need a plan, Robin. Got to go, Lady Marion will be there," he teased, nudging Ron in the side.
Ron turned sharply toward Harry at this. "Har- I mean, Little John. Hermione and Ginny got sucked in too, what if one of them is playing Maid Marion?" said Ron.
"Could be. She's the only female part I can remember, so it would only account for one of them," replied Harry. Will leaned in closer to them looking completely confused.
"What are you two talking about? You didn't hit your head too, did you, Little John?" he asked.
"No, it's nothing," Harry said dismissively. "So, have any suggestions for tonight?" he asked Will. The slack-jawed expression on Will's face wasn't very reassuring.
"Robin always comes up with the plans," he muttered, shaking his head. "I don't have a clue how to plan stuff like that."
Harry glanced over at Ron, who looked almost as worried as Will, if not more. Harry was good with strategy, though he knew Ron was better. No one had ever beaten Ron at Wizard's Chess before. "Do we know the layout of Nottingham castle?" he asked. As if he'd flicked a switch, Ron's face relaxed ever so slightly. They'd been through scrapes before and this was not much different. Though Harry hoped he wouldn't find Voldemort at the end of this adventure.
The agreed upon plan followed canon as closely Harry could remember. He found himself wishing Hermione was with them. She probably knew the entire story, instead of just bits and pieces like Harry.
The first step was to sneak into the castle. They'd go in three teams, fifteen or so Merry Men would stay outside the castle and make sure everyone could get away quickly. Two teams would go into the castle itself, one team of ten men and another of seven. The team of ten would secure an escape route for the other team. The team of seven, which would include Ron, Harry and Will, would make an appearance at the Banquet.
Ron, Harry and Will, as well as the five other men, would force their way into the dining hall and announce that they did not recognize the authority of Sir Guy, or of Prince John. The only authority they would be recognizing would be that of King Richard. Harry remembered that as an act of defiance, Robin was supposed to bring a slain deer to the feast. It was Illegal to kill game animals in the Prince's forest.
As the time to leave for Nottingham grew nearer, Harry and Ron were both starting to get nervous. Just like before important Quidditch matches, Harry's appetite abandoned him. Ron's apparently had too, because he spent the better part of lunch pushing his food around on his plate.
In no time at all, it was time to leave for Nottingham Castle. And in what seemed like even less time they were crossing a stone bridge that led into the Town of Nottingham.
Hermione paced back and forth, glancing every now and then toward the door. Nearly a day had passed since she'd been sucked into the old Robin Hood storybook they found in the attic of the Burrow. After being pulled into the book, Hermione landed in a soft, squashy bed in a rather luxurious, though medieval, bedchamber. Ginny hadn't been as lucky; she'd landed in the floor.
What's taking her so long? Hermione thought, glancing again at the thick oak door. She hoped Ron and Harry had had enough sense to go fetch Mr. Weasley and not try to save her and Ginny by themselves. Part of her hoped, that is. Another part of her knew better. She'd known Harry Potter and Ron Weasley since her first year, and in that time, she'd never known either of them to be sensible. Knowing that, she had a sinking feeling that they must be somewhere in the story too. She also assumed, since she and Ginny were playing parts in the story, that Ron and Harry, if they were here, would be playing parts too.
Confined to her room most of the time by the arrogant lord of Nottingham, Sir Guy of Gisbourne, ("it's unbecoming of a Lady to be seen wandering around here and there."), Hermione had to rely on Ginny to gather any information she needed. This presented a problem at the moment, as Ginny had been gone for almost three hours and Hermione, who had initially been frustrated that Ginny hadn't returned yet, was now starting to worry.
Hermione groaned angrily. If she's not back in another ten minutes, I'm going to look for her, unbecoming or not! she thought, plopping down into a fancy chair that stood in front of the vanity. She glared at her reflection in the mirror, growing even more frustrated. Even as Marion, one of the great fictional Heroines, she still couldn't escape her bushy hair.
She made a grimace and turned her head slightly to see herself at an angle. She'd definitely have to do something with her hair before the banquet tonight. She wasn't really vain, and she wasn't trying to impress anyone. She just felt it strange to be playing Marion and not put forth some effort to look beautiful. If only I could use magic, she thought with a sigh, pulling her hair up behind her head and holding it there with one hand.
The door latch clicked, distracting her. She let go of her hair, which flopped back into its usual bushy state. Ginny stepped inside, closed the door behind her, leaned back against the closed door and let out a harassed sigh.
"Everything okay?" asked Hermione. Ginny nodded and pushed off from the door. Hermione was sure part of Ginny's apparent frustration was due to the clothes she had to wear. Her role as Ophelia, Marion's lady-in-waiting, required her to wear rather stiff habit. Ginny wasn't happy about it, saying she felt like she was dressed for a snowball fight.
"Did you find out anything about Ron or Harry?" asked Hermione.
"No, no one's seen a boy with black hair, glasses and a lightning bolt-shaped scar, though a few people told me they knew someone with red hair, freckles and a long nose. But none of them were Ron. And everyone thinks I'm mad going on about 'trying to get out of the book'. No one seems to know they're stuck in a book at all,'" said Ginny, pulling the bothersome habit off her head. Her hair was quite tousled and damp from perspiration. "Do you really think Harry and Ron would follow us in here?" she asked. It had only been the fifth time she'd asked.
"I'm pretty sure Harry would've at least," Hermione said for the fifth time. "Ron would probably follow Harry if Harry got sucked in too," said Hermione. "I ought to do something with my hair, for the banquet, I mean," said Hermione, pulling her hair up again. Ginny nodded and began to work on Hermione's hair.
Crashing the banquet
Breaking into Nottingham Castle was easier than it looked. After scaling a low spot in the wall, they managed to catch a few guards unawares. They decided to have some of the Merry Men put on the Nottingham uniforms and stand guard near the front gate. Ron, Harry, Will and the others proceeded down to the Main Hall, Ron and Harry were carrying between them a small deer that Will had killed on their way to Nottingham. Ron had been cursing since they'd entered the castle that the deer was starting to turn.
Ten minutes later, they reached the great double doors that led into the Main Hall. Harry and Ron exchanged a determined glance, then Ron nodded to the rest of the men, who were waiting to open the door. On his signal, the men pushed open the doors and all eyes inside the Main Hall turned toward them. Music that had been playing only seconds before abruptly stopped and guards on either side of the doorway gripped their weapons nervously.
Ron and Harry stepped forward at almost the same moment, lugging the deer between them. Harry scanned the room for any sign of Hermione or Ginny and found it almost immediately. At the table, two seats to the right of a man Harry assumed was Prince John, sat Hermione.
She must be playing Maid Marion, thought Harry. Hermione was dressed in a very formal dress with an intricate lacy pattern that seemed to go all over it. He had just noticed a familiar freckled face surrounded by a stiff looking habit, when Ron suddenly stopped. Harry looked back at Ron. He'd obviously been looking around the room too, and stopped dead when he found Hermione. He was now looking at her with an expression that greatly resembled dread on his face. Hermione, for her part looked a little pink, but was trying to smile pleasantly.
Suddenly, Ron ripped the little hat off his head and thrust it toward Harry.
"Here," he said. "You be Robin!"
"What?" said Harry.
"Here, you take it!" said Ron, pushing the hat toward Harry.
"Ron," Harry started, lowering his end of the deer to the ground to relieve his tired arms. "I can't, I mean, the book picked you-"
"C'mon Harry, I don't even know how the story goes, and… I mean, Marion, she's supposed to be, you know, Robin's, you know…" Ron stammered. Harry had to raise an eyebrow.
"What's the meaning of this?!" shouted Sir Guy, who had risen from his seat.
"Let him come," said Prince John.
"It's only Hermione," said Harry, unable to keep from smirking. Ron wasn't pleased. "Just be thankful that Ginny isn't playing Marion," said Harry, turning Ron toward Prince John. Ron looked up and swallowed hard.
"Right," he muttered quietly. Then he set forth again toward the table, dragging the deer as he went. Harry hurried behind him to pick up his end. They (Ron mostly, as Harry was still trying to get hold of his end) hoisted the deer up onto the table.
"You've slain a deer from the Royal forests," said Sir Guy. He looked sharply from the deer to Ron.
"A very bold man, you are, Robin of Locksley," said Prince John, raising a glass to him. Ron obviously was at a loss. Harry had tried to tell him how to act like Robin Hood, but apparently Ron had forgotten. Prince John took a small gulp from his glass and continued. "The Sheriff tells us you fancy yourself the protector of the poor?" he said with a chuckle. Ron's memory must've kicked in, for he responded brilliantly.
"The protector of all those oppressed by Nottingham," he said. "Oh," he added, pointing at the deer. "Better cook it soon, think it's starting to turn."
Hermione stifled a snigger with her hand. Prince John turned to her, looking less impressed than he had to start with.
"I see someone here thinks your exploits are entertaining," he said offhand. "But you'll find, my dear Marion, that people like this brigand have no character. Obviously, breaking into the castle, fouling our meal with rotting, gamy meat, and of course, having no respect for the Crown," said Prince John.
"I have respect for the Crown, when it sits on the right head," said Ron. Hermione smiled again and spoke.
"Well put, Sir Robin," she started. Sir Guy shot a livid look at her. "But take care what you say, for the Crown may well sit on a vengeful brow," she finished. Ron quickly snuffed a snigger.
"I don't fear Nottingham," he said, "and especially not a pathetic little Prince who fancies himself King in the absence of the real one," said Ron, now smiling from ear to ear. Harry was impressed, Ron actually seemed to be taking it seriously. Hermione, however, looked very wary. Ron went on. "I intend to defy Nottingham, my people won't pay anymore ridiculous taxes." Now Harry was starting to think Ron might be laying it on a little thick.
"Er, Robin," he started.
"My, my, you are bold. But you speak treason, Robin Hood, and such a crime carries a heavy penalty," Prince John said, waving his hand.
"Guards!" shouted the Sheriff.
Before any of them knew what was happening, the Main Hall filled with armed soldiers, all with swords pointed toward Harry, Ron and Will.
"You never said anything about guards!" Ron hissed at Harry as two dozen guards pressed in on them, swords drawn.
To be continued…