This story is a collaborative efforts between several members of the forums of www.harrypotterrealm.com . The members are listed in our profile, as well as some other information.
This is a sort of extra-chapter. It's called the intro, but its really just anther first chapter. The first chapter that really starts the story of is the longer one, which is posted second. At the end of each chapter you will find the name of the author. Thanks to our Ultimate Beta Reader, Zim! We are using the Jigsaw method, meaning that each chapter will end with a half written paragraph, the next author will pick up and finish that paragraph, moving into their chapter. Should be interesting.
Disclaimer: The Realmies do not own anything Harry Potter related, we are just using th characters to promote unity in the writing community. *smirks*
Intro:
It was the coldest night ever at Hogwarts. December 26th, I remember it well because the fire could not burn hot enough in the common room. The weather seemed to be a great backdrop for what happened that night. The night everything changed.....
Ginny had just entered the common room from eating dinner in the Great Hall. She looked as though she had seen a ghost.
"What's the matter Ginny..." I asked with concern.
"Nothing, don't pay me any mind." She walked to her room very slowly. She always seemed so strong...so calm. I wonder what she saw.
Suddenly my head felt a jolt followed by an immense amount of pain. I let out a scream that seemed to echo in my head. I could hear nothing else but my screaming voice. My head finally cleared but I wasn't in the common room anymore.
"You seem afraid Harry....what's the matter?" A voice whispered to me, but I couldn't figure out its source.
"Where am I?" I asked with some force hoping to not seem as afraid as I truly was.
"The question is not where you are Harry....to know where you are wouldn't help your situation. The true question is...who am I?"
"Who are you?"
"Can you not tell by my voice boy?"
"I wouldnt be asking if I could tell now would I?" Harry said, now getting fed up with this whole situation. He then felt a pain unmatched by anything he'd ever felt before.
"I run this here show boy...now smart lip like that and I will make you feel far worse pain then you just felt."
I truly could not figure out who this voice was. I knew it was a man, or was it? I couldn't think clearly at all...my head still ached.
"I grow tired of you boy.....either answer my question or I will have to kill you."
"Alright....Voldemort." I heard a cackle of laughter. I knew this laughter from somewhere.
"For the boy who lived, you don't seem to be the sharpest quill in the box."
"I know who you are....." Harry cleared his throat. "Peter Pettigrew…."
By Heart of the Lion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter One:
I thundered down the never-ending staircase of my best friends house. The Burrow. My Third home. First being Hogwarts, second being my own muggle residence. Kind of sad, really, that my school has been more like home these days. I guess it's understandable, seeing as how people really understand me there. Well, some people.
I ran into the kitchen and headed for the table where The Weasley family (minus Percy, Bill, and Charlie) along with Harry were seated, groggily eating their breakfast. I threw down my copy of The Daily Prophet, and waited. And waited. And--
"Harry, Ron, are you blind?" I snapped.
"What?"
Harry looked up at me, taking in my crossed arms and irritated expression; he wisely started to read the paper. Ron, however, was always thicker than our dark-haired friend, and he looked up at me indignantly.
"Hermione, it's bloody nine o'clock in the morning, I don't want to read!" he mumbled disbelievingly.
Harry had skimmed over the article and shoved it into Ron's chest. Ron looked at him, again with disbelief evident on his freckled face. He looked from the paper to Harry and back again.
"Read." Harry said.
Ron mumbled and complained but one look at the front page shut him up. He quickly buried himself in the paper and I could already see the wheels turning. He was planning again. Of course, that's what Ron did…he planned ways to get us all killed, or worse, expelled. Arthur Weasley came over to our side of the table to see what all the commotion was about. I felt my face flush as I realized I'd left the others completely in the dark.
Arthur's face turned three shades of red as he read the article, with his wife's eyes flitting quickly across the paper over his shoulder. Molly took in a deep breath and Arthur sat down, putting his head in his hands and passing the paper to Ginny and the twins.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Death Eater Escape
Yesterday, August 30, seven convicted Death Eaters escaped form the wizarding prison Azkaban. The escape is believed to have been organized and lead by one Lucius Malfoy, who was Voldemort's right-hand-man when he rose again nearly two years ago.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"It's started." Harry whispered heavily, throwing the paper down. "All over again."
"Nonsense, Harry." Molly said briskly, shooing us all upstairs. "Now get dressed and bring your trunks downstairs."
"Molly, I'm leaving!" Arthur called from the kitchen.
"Have a nice" -- Pop! --"Day." Molly finished weakly.
------------------------------
Every trunk, animal, Weasley, Potter, and Granger had somehow made it to Platform 9 ¾ unharmed, if not a little irritated. Harry, Ron, and I crammed into the backseat of one of the borrowed Ministry cars, with Remus Lupin in the front seat. He was coming back as DADA teacher.
The trip itself was pretty uneventful, until we got to the platform and through the barrier. I went through first; crossing to the wizarding side had always been sort of a big deal for me. It sort of symbolized my returning home to my own world. My shining moment, of course, was ruined. I found myself face-to-chest with Draco Malfoy.
He sneered down at me. He'd gotten taller over the summer, and now was at least a foot above me. I stared him defiantly in the eye, determined not to show any surprise at his sudden appearance, or the changes he'd been through. I noticed a small scar across his left eyebrow. He pulled my by the arm to a compartment in the back of the train.
"Potter, Weasley." He called over his shoulder. "Follow me."
When we were all settled and glaring curiously at Malfoy, he made a great show of making himself comfortable, and then opened his mouth to explain. Fat chance.
"Malfoy who in the hell do you think you are?" Ron hissed.
"If you'd shut your bloody mouth I'd tell you!" Malfoy hissed back, "Dumbledore wanted to speak with us. Apparently he'll be here shortly. Oh, you should know my father has disowned me. I refused to join the Death Eaters."
Utter silence followed this statement. He watched in amusement as we each processed the information. I was the fastest to figure it out, closely followed by Harry and then Ron. We glanced at each other curiously. The other two told me with their eyes that apparently I was to handle the situation. Joy.
"Err…why is that?" smooth, Hermione, real smooth.
"Contrary to popular belief not all Slytherins are Death Eaters-in-training." Malfoy said in his annoying drawl.
"Right." Ron snorted.
"Ron, let him talk." Harry muttered.
"I think…this…wow." was all I managed.
Pop!
Albus Dumbledore had appeared I the middle of our compartment. He beamed around at all of us, including Malfoy. Then he sat down and offered around a box of Lemon Drops, which each of us politely declined.
"I see you're all here, then." he said happily. "Now, to get started. We need your help."
"Help?" Malfoy asked.
"We need a few well placed spies within the ministry. As you know, the sixth years attend special career classes, designed to train them in their chosen field. We are using this as a cover. You will be taking on apprenticeships and internships within the ministry, and gaining information from within."
" Miss Granger, you will be interned in research and development. Mr. Weasley, in strategic planning, and Misters Potter and Malfoy will be apprenticed as Aurors. That is, if you all agree."
All of us nodded, the three Gryffindors more readily than the lone Slytherin. Dumbledore smiled, seemingly pleased, and disappeared with another Pop!
We looked around at each other nervously…this was going to be interesting. Malfoy stood up- This is where the next author picks up!
By Addison Rae
