A Muggle at Hogwarts



Sylvia Esterson stares out the window at the endless row of fields in the car she and her brother are riding in. She fiddles around with her braided brown hair out of boredom. Sylvia was a fourteen year old girl that never seen another country until now. She came from the Americas to visit her brother, William.
William moved to England two years ago after he turned eighteen. This was the first time she got to see him within that time. Sylvia came to England during her school year. It took some time to convince her parents of the idea. They were concerned that Sylvia would get behind in her school work. She convinced them other wise, and is now going to a deserted castle William's friend's uncle found during the summer.
William's friend, Derrick, wasn't all that sure if that was a very good idea. He believed in ghosts and was afraid that the castle maybe haunted. He figures that that maybe that's the reason why it's deserted. It took Sylvia's berating on about going on an adventure that convinced him to take them there. Ghosts were the one thing she did not believe in. She finds them to be no more than old wife's tails. That and that magic is nothing more than cheap tricks.
Sylvia is going to soon learn from this trip that there are such things as ghosts, and that magic is not a bunch of cheap tricks.

****

"Your doing what?!" cried Remus.
Sirius said, "I'm using my cold as an excuse to skip class."
Remus stated, "Sirius, sense when did you use a thing such as a cold as an excuse to skip class?"
Sirius answered, "Sense (sneezed).. ag. now."
James, whom have been keeping a close eye on Sirius ever sense an incident, asked, "What are you going to do? Cause I know that you're not going to stay up in the dormitory."
Sirius playful look went serious, "Relax. I'm not planning to do anything to Snivellus.."
"Ok, I just wanted to make sure on this. That was too close of a call when you told Snivelly about the tree."
"I know. I was almost expelled. You don't have to remind me."
Peter glances down the hallway and saw Severus coming down the hallway to get to class, "You know he's going to suspect that you're up to something when he finds out about this."
Sirius said, "He can suspect all he likes. Besides, that village idiot always suspects that we're up to something."
Remus chuckles, "We never gave him a good reason not to."
"Well, well, isn't it the famous Marauders."
The group turns unsurprised by Severus'es appearance.
Peter, with a smirk on his face, said, "I see that you got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning as usual."
Severus glares at him, "Shut the wise crack 'Wormtail'," emphasizing on the name, "I have a word to say to James that doesn't include you."
James turns to the Marauders, "I'll see you all in class." He gives Sirius a look that said, 'Stay out of trouble.' Unfortunately Sirius's vision of 'trouble' is getting caught.
As the group heads on to class, James turns back to facing Severus, "Ok, what is it this time?"

****

Sylvia almost got too far ahead of Will and Derrick in her hurry to get to the castle on the bike she was riding. She finally looks back at them, and saw that they were a ways behind her. She decided to stop and look around. The sun was at high noon, but the lighting in the place made it look like dusk. Sylvia pulls out the map she got from Derrick's uncle. They should be no more than a half hour away from the place.
Will and Derrick finally caught up with her. Will said, "Having fun leaving us in your dust?"
Sylvia laughs and tells them that they are now getting close. It was decided that they would eat lunch when they got to the castle.
They rode on through the forest. As they did so, the forest began to get darker and darker. By the time Derrick was going to suggest going back, the light in the place improved. Then the grounds of the castle came into view. The castle was just as Derrick's uncle has describe if, "an old run down piece of stone in the ground."
The three got off their bikes and set them over against a tree. Will took the sandwiches out of a bag for them to eat, "OK, Sylvia want your sandwich?"
Sylvia was already heading down to the castle, "Hold on. I want to look around first."
Will said, "Be careful. That place doesn't look all that safe."
Sylvia mumbles, "Yes mother."

*****

The three Maraders were heading down the hallway when Severus harried up to them, "Too sick with a cold? Don't make me laugh."
Remus said, "Why don't you just mind your own business for once?"
Peter stated, "Yea, you remember the last time you.." He was cut off by James shouting at him, "Peter!" Remus looks over to the side not looking at any of them. He has no memory, but he has heard of what happened.
Severus turned very sour at that moment, "Yea I remember. Thanks for the reminder."
Seeing how things are turning James said, "Come on. Let's go."
Severus gets a smirk on his face, "You know. Maybe I should go looking for him. Just one stunt. Just one stunt is all it would take to get him 'expelled'."
Peter turns and said, "Yea, that is if you can find him."

****

Sylvia approaches the front doors of the castle. Off to the side of them is a sign that says 'Danger' on it. Sylvia was glancing around when she heard the door opening. Pearly on instinct, she ducks into a nearby bush. Groups of kids wearing what looked like school uniforms only with an extra covering came out of the castle. She heard them mention stuff that didn't make any sense to her. Like, 'Quidditch' for example. She heard one group of girls talking to this red head girl that was blushing.
"Oh, come now. What did he say?"
"He said.... " she whispered to the girls something Sylvia could not hear, but she can guess that the who ever they were talking about said something sweet because the group of girls started going 'aohh.'
One of the girls commented, "You know, seeing how you two were only two years ago one would not have expected this from you."
"Well he did start to grow up."
They turned a corner and were gone.
When everything was close and cleared, Sylvia steps out of her hiding spot wondering what is going on. This place was suppose to be too dangerous to go into. But then why is it that there are students here having a casual day. She had to get answers. Before sanity got a hold of her, she runs on into the castle.

****

Sylvia walks up the stone staircase. Right in front of her she sees a room that was just emptying of kids. It looked very much like a cafeteria. None of this made any sense to her. It was like as if she had just stepped into the Twilight Zone. She continues on by the cafeteria and came to a hall way that was full of paintings. Sylvia looks over at this one painting of a man that has a very vain look on his face. As she was about to look at another, she heard someone say, "Excuse, me. But may you do me a huge favor?"
Sylvia jumps at the voice. She looks around her, but didn't see anyone. "Excuse me!" Sylvia looks back at the painting and found that that was the one that was talking to her. "Ah, uh... Sure. What is it?"
"Thank you. Now may you most dearly tell me what is my best side? Is it this side," turning his head to the right, "or this side," turning his head to the left.
"Uh, ... I guess the right."
"I thought so. Peeves keeps trying to convince me other wise. Saying that my scar makes me more dignified."
Sylvia walks away wondering what scar was he talking about. She spotted a group of older kids running down the hall way at the other end.
"Like Snivellus to hold us up!"
"Well, if you hadn't of...." the voices faded out as they got further away.
Sylvia folds her arms as a smile came to her face, "Well, I guess magic does exist." She looks around with mounting excitement. A giggle escaped her lips as she thought of exploring this castle more.

****

Will glances around for Sylvia, "What's taking her so long?"
Derrick finishes off the last few bites of his sandwich, "Relax. I'm sure she'll turn up sooner or latter. I mean one can't stay hungry for long."
Will said, "Ah, you don't know my sister. She'd skip super if it means finding something."
Derrick now gets why Will was getting worried, "You're not thinking that she went inside that dangerous place?"
Will said, "With out a doubt." With that in mind, he begins heading toward the castle.

****

Sylvia came into a hallway that had a statue of a witch with a hump on her. Wondering if this one did anything, she approached the statue.
"I'm still not sure if it was a wise choice."
Sylvia ducks behind the statue.
"He almost got a student killed."
Two people came into view. One was an elderly woman, and the other was a very elderly man.
"Minerva, I am quite certain that I have made the right choice."
"Yes, I know. But Dumbledore, I still could not help but wonder what might have happened to Mr. Snape if. if Mr. Potter had not have went in after him."
The two were only five feet away from the statue at that moment. The Dumbledore turns to Minerva. When he did, Sylvia could have sworn that he saw her.
"Be of comfort to know that nothing 'did' happened when he 'did' go after Mr. Snape, Minerva. And hopefully they all have learned a lesson from all of this."
"I really do hope so."
The two turn back to continue on there way. Sylvia knew that the old man had seen her. He looked right at her for a split second. The look on his face was one of surprise, but at the same time curious. Sylvia took comfort of the fact that he did not reveal her. When the two left the corridor, Sylvia steps out of hiding. She looks where the two left.
Sylvia said, "I wonder what happened." She felt a tap on her shoulder, and she jump as she turned around. Right behind her was a boy that looked around the same age as the other boys she saw. He had black hair, and a smirk like as if he just caught someone with their hand in the cookie jar. Sylvia tries hard to catch her breath, "Uh, hi."
The boy looks at her with that mischievous look, "Hi. Your not suppose to be here now are you?"
Sylvia stutters, "No... I mean yes. Yes.. Uh, I'm here to learn magic. As this is a school. right?"
The boy just nods his head as she spoke and the grin on his face grew. He looked as if he was about to burst into a fit of laughter, "Where's your wand?"
"My wand?"
"Yea, your wand. You know that little stick you use to do your spells?"
"Oh, right... Uh, I..... it's.. it's being repaired right now. I accidentally brook it and"
The boy couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed at her, "Relax. I already figured that you're a muggle."
Sylvia looks at the boy dumbfounded, "A 'muggle'?"
"Non-Magic folk. My name is Sirius Black. (sniffs)" He holds out his hand to her. Sylvia accepts it and was in the middle of introducing herself when Sirius said, "Sylvia Esterson. Yea I know." To answer her question that was on her face, Sirius pulls out a map. It was like any other. Only this one had the markings of where everyone in the school were at. Sylvia spotted that her brother and his friend entered the school.
Sirius points over where they were standing, "See? You can get away with a lot of stuff with this... Oh, no." It appeared that a dot was heading in their direction. The name by it was 'Severus Snape'. Sirius takes a quick look at his watch, "Come on. Hurry, the stairs up ahead are going to change soon." No sooner as they left the corridor, they hear a shout, "Sirius! I saw you." They ran down to a room full of stairs going in different directions. By the time they got to the middle of the stair case that they were going down on, the stairs began to move. Sylvia saw a boy stop at the top with a snarl on his face.
He shouts, "Sirius, I'll get you."
Sirius said, "Be my guest, Snivellus."
'So that's who those boys were talking about,' Sylvia thought to herself. Severus pulled out his wand at top speed. He looked like he was about to cast something till he spotted her.
"Who are you?"
Sylvia is getting a lot of humor from this kind of escape. The stair case finally stopped it's rotation. "Oh, just a local muggle looking for an adventure." The two made the rest of the way down.
Snape looks at her with disbelieving eyes, "What?!"
Sirius waves up to him, "By Snivellus. Hope you don't get caught."
Snape shouts, "Oh, yea, really. That would be the first thing you hope would happen."
"Mr. Snape, what are you doing out of class." Came a voice from behind him.
Sylvia waves up at him as she too left the room.
Sirius looks over at Sylvia as they were running. He noticed that she was slowing down for some reason, "What is it?"
Sylvia didn't know how to tell him what was bothering her all of a sudden, "He seems quite keen to get you."
"He always is," said Sirius, but he can tell by the look in her eyes that she knew more of what was going on, "It has something to do with what happened a few days ago... Come on. Lets get out of here before those stairs change again, and he starts up the chase again."

****

"Are you positive about this?" asked McGonagall.
Nearly-Headless Nick replied, "Quite positive. One is in complete shock after they noticed the paintings were moving. Shouting about this place being haunted by evil spirits in the extreme."
McGonagall said, "Oh dear. Alert the other teachers about this. I'll go tell Dumbledore."

****

Sirius and Sylvia were walking down the hall when Sirius stop, "Oh, dear. I should have been watching the map."
"What is it?"
"Well, I don't see any problem with that." It looked as if he was talking to thin air.
"Who are you talking to?"
"Oh, right. You can't see him."
"See who?"
"Hold on a sec.. I know that....... She's really reacting allot better than that. In fact she seams amused."
"Who are you talking to?"
"Nearly-Headless Nick."
"Nearly Headless. You're joking right. Are you saying that you're talking to a ghost?"
"I am.. Hay, Nick, why don't you do that thing ghost do to allow muggles to see them."
Sylvia then sees a ghostly figure appear out of thin air. "Greeting." And the old wives tails prove true.
Nick looks down at Sylvia as Sirius tries to wake her back up, "Your right. She is reacting better. The other two just screamed."

****

Some time after the discovery that ghosts do excise, and Sirius convinced Nick to not tell anyone, Sirius led Sylvia down a corridor. Sirius stopped in his tracks for some reason that Sylvia did not know, "Another ghost?
Sirius led Sylvia down a corridor that had pictures of fruit on the walls.
Sirius said, "No. This."
Sirius went up to the painting and started scratching at a pear. The pear started laughing and the painting fell forward with strong smells of food. Sylvia suddenly discovers how hungry she is.
Sirius said, "I'll Explain things to you in here." They step into what Sylvia would say was the largest kitchen she had ever seen. The cooks were little creatures with large ears. They looked very happy with what they are doing. Sylvia thinks back on how she feels when she has to clean her room.
Sirius asked, "These are House Elves. You hungry?"
Sylvia said, "I did skip lunch today." Like lightning fast work, the House Elves had a huge lunch set up for her. She could not believe the kind of food they had at this school. All she got at her school looks and taste like it came from a nuclear plant.
Sylvia looks over at Sirius as she was eating, "I was listening to two people going down the hallway. They said something about a student nearly getting Snape killed."
Sirius responded, "It's private. It involves a friend of mine, and I can't really tell anyone. For his sake."
"Oh," Sylvia can tell that she's not going to find out just what it is that happened. With that in mind, she decided to change the subject, "I still can't believe it. How in the world have you all kept all of this a secret?"
Sirius said, "That is not an easy thing. The guys at the Ministry of Magic at times have to work over time making sure that no muggle has any memory of seeing something magical. Especial in this time period."
"Oh, you mean with all the electronics we made in the muggle world. And the satellites."
"No, I mean that there is a wizard killing a lot of people."
Sylvia was caught off guard at that comment. She was all caught up in the excitement on what she found that she did not realize that danger can be involved. Sylvia felt very foolish for not thinking of that. "Killing people."
Sirius suddenly turned very serious, "Yea. The bad part is that he even has people on his side. We call him He Who Must Not Be Named."
Sylvia spats out, "He Who Must Not Be Named? Don't tell me that you all are THAT afraid of him. Come on. Hasn't anyone gone up against him?"
Sirius said as a matter of fact, "Yea, and their all dead. This is the only place that is safe from the creep."
Sylvia asked, "How is this the only safe place?"
Sirius said, "The way everyone figures, he's afraid of Dumbledore"
Sylvia pipes up, "He's the one I saw in that corridor. I swear that he had seen me, but he didn't say anything to the lady. I think her name was Menerva?"
Sirius nods his head, "There are a few times that he seems mysterious and wacked out, I think he does that on purpose, but when he gets mad..." He shivered as he remembers that night.
Sylvia said, "I get it. Like one of those ticking time bombs. You push the right button and things go cabluey."
Sirius lets out a weak laugh at that, "Yea, a ticking time bomb." 'What ever a time bomb is.' He thought.
Sylvia looks at her watch, "I think that it's time that I need to go." There was a hint of disappointment in her voice. This was a lot to soak in. First she finds that magic excised, then ghosts, now she's hearing about some murderer that's on the loose. It could be that information that made her want to leave at that time.
Sirius leads her on out of the castle to the front lawn. They said goodbye to each other and Sylvia went on her way. She got to the bikes with no problem. Sylvia was very glad that she came here. She got her first real adventure. One that she knows can only come to a few. To muggles that is.
"How did you like Hogwarts?"
Sylvia jumps even higher than ever. She turns around to see that Dumbledore was standing right behind her. She lets out a sigh, "I knew you saw me."
Dumbledore said, "Oh, I'm sure that I gave myself away by looking right at you. So, what did you think?"
The first thing that came out of her mouth was, "Waked out... Not in a bad way." She added quickly, "I mean really cool."
"I'm sure of that."
Sylvia notes the twinkle in his eyes. It was similar to her grandfather's when ever he found something rather amusing.
Dumbledore continued, "My, my. It seems to me that the muggle defense system doesn't work on you. You know that there are other places other than Hogwarts? Did you not find out?"

****

"There you are? You know we were looking all over for you." said Will as he came up the hill. Sylvia figures that Will and Derrick got caught in the halls. Dumbledore told her about the memory charm, so she wasn't all that surprised to see them coming up like this. It's did not matter to her. All that did matter was that she remembers, and this was the best day she has ever had in her life.
Besides, from what she heard, it might have been best that they didn't remember. She didn't want them to know the danger that was in the world.

****

Severus Snape slouches as he enters his common room. He got caught up at the stairs, and was given detention for skipping class. Severus was figuring that things could not get any worse than this. Then again, the Marauders are really good at making his life miserable. He got up into his dorm and glanced at his trunk. One of his shirts was hanging out of it. He runs over wondering who was going throw his stuff. As he opens the trunk, the answer came clear to him. The bad part about it was that he can't prove it! On the inside of the lid, in orange letters, it reads, "This trunk belongs to the village idiot" Severus slams the lid down, and began kicking at it.