PARRY HOTTER:
And The Disturbing Smell From Down Under

By: Erin Sanchez

Chapter 2

The Warthogs Express finally pulled up to the platform at Warthogs, and the scene was buzzing with activity. Students were everywhere, running, laughing, stretching their legs, collecting their bags and heading towards the carriages that would take them up to the school. For Won, Germione, and Parry, this sight was nothing new. This was their 5th year at Warthogs, and it was beginning to take its toll on Parry. The three of them piled into a carriage that was being pulled by a beautiful black Belgian horse, and they settled into their seats for the short ride that would take them up to the school.

Parry stared out the window of the carriage, completely lost in thought. He wondered what unusual things would happen this year, and how many times he would be blamed for something he did not do. He was beginning to question his reasons for returning to Warthogs. Parry was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the carriage stop in front of the school until Won smacked him upside the head.
"C'mon, let's get a move on then!" Won said, anxious to get out of the carriage.
Parry stepped out of the carriage, and that's when he smelled it.
Yes, he smelled it.
"What is that horrible smell?!"
Germione sniffed the air, and a puzzled expression crossed her face.
"It smells like burning plants."
"No, it smells like burning nuts!" Won said, grabbing his stomach in fear that he might launch his lunch all over the steps into the school.

Professor McGoner-Gall emerged from the school, followed by Professor Snarpe, Gilch, and Drigah. They were all carrying boxes, and wore stern expressions, except for Drigah, who couldn't be 100 serious even if his life depended on it.
"As some of you have already noticed," began Professor McGoner-Gall, "there is a strange odor in the air around Warthogs. Until we have solved the mystery as to what is causing it, you will wear these masks. On a lighter note, I want to welcome you back to Warthogs, it will be a great year."
Professor Snarpe and Gilch had already began passing the strange masks out to the students.
Won, Germione, and Parry all stared at each other. They all had the same thing in mind, there was another mystery at Warthogs, and they were going to solve it.

After getting their things to their rooms, the three sat down to talk about a plan of action.
"Do you think any of the teachers know anything?" Germione asked.
Parry shook his head. "If they had known anything, Dumbledoofus would have figured it out and fixed the problem by now. Perhaps Foldemart has come back again, and is stirring up trouble in a secret chamber under the school."
Won and Germione stared blankly at Parry.
"You're out of your mind, Parry." Won said. "You got rid of Foldemart years ago. There's no way he can come back again!"
"I don't think it was Foldemart. I think someone at the school is up to something, and I bet it has to do with world domination. Everyone wants to take over the world. I bet it's one of the prefects." Germione said, flipping her hair over her shoulder in blatant arrogance.
Parry sighed and held his head in his hands. He was growing weary of Germione's know-it-all attitude.
"I think we should investigate." Parry said.
Won scratched his chin, and Germione pulled out a big, thick book and began flipping through its pages. Won was sniffing the air occasionally, as if he were making sure the smell were real, or had not disappeared.
"Maybe it's nothing, maybe it's a weed growing outside. Maybe Drighad's gone and adopted another freaky animal that no one knows about, and it has some kind of diarrhea." Won said, laughing at the idea. Drighad was famous for doing things like that. He would adopt strange creatures as pets, and they would tear up the schoolyard, or get into the school and leave droppings all over the floor. He had a big heart for animals, but he always kept the wrong ones.
"Let's start with Drighad then. He always knows too much, and talks too much. It should be easy to get information out of him." Parry said.
Germione glanced at Won; she was starting to worry about Parry. He never talked about Drighad that way before, and it was starting to upset her. Drighad had been their closest adult friend since they started coming to Warthogs, especially close to Parry. Something was different this year, she knew Parry had a hard time last year, but he usually recovered and came back better than ever, but this year was definitely different.

After school was out, Parry, Germione, and Won raced across the courtyard to Drighad's little house. Parry began pounding on the door.
"Drighad! It's us! Open up! We've got to ask you something!"
Drighad opened up the door, smiling at the three teens on his doorstep.
"Well, hello Parry, Won, Germione! What brings you all the way out here?"

Drighad stepped out of the way, letting the three enter his little home. Parry sat down at the small table in the middle of the room, and began questioning Drighad.
"Drighad, do you know anything about the strange smell around the school?"
After a moment of silence, Drighad looked at each one of them with shifty, untrusting eyes, and began to speak.
"I don't know much, but I do know this. The smell showed up not long after school let out earlier this year. A man started coming by to see Dumbledoofus every month, carrying a big black bag with him. When he left, the bag was empty. It's not much, but everytime he comes and goes, the smell gets stronger. The teachers asked Dumbledoofus who the man was, he said that the man was providing him with special ingredients for a new potion."
Parry listened intently, soaking in all the information. "What did the man look like? Has anyone seen what was in the bag?"
Drighad shook his head. "The man had long, shaggy brown hair. He had strange body art, weird metal things hanging off his ears, and always wears a bright swirly shirt, with all the colors of the rainbow on it. Nobody knows what's in that bag, only Dumbledoofus, and he won't tell nobody."

"Do you really think Dumbledoofus is working on a new potion?" Germione asked.
"I don't know. Maybe you should ask Dumbledoofus." Drighad answered.
Parry nodded. "Maybe we should."
He stood up and walked towards the door, thanking Drighad for his time, and then they left.

As they were walking away from Drighad's house and back to the school, they started talking about what their next move would be.

"I don't think we have to worry about Dumbledoofus. If anything, I think that strange man is the one up to no good. He's probably trying to take over the school." Germione said.
"We should still ask Dumbledoofus about it, see what he knows."

"Parry, what makes you think Dumbledoofus would tell us anything? If he wouldn't talk to the teachers, why would he talk to us!?" said Won.
"Because, we're going to make him talk."
Won and Germione stared dumbfounded at Parry, as if they had no idea what he meant, even though they did. Parry was going to cast a spell on Dumbledoofus.

"Parry, you can't do that! He would find out and kick you out of Warthogs!" Germione said.
"I don't care!"
"Don't you want to finish school? Don't you want to be the greatest wizard in the world? What about Mraco, think of what he'd say!"
Won sat back and watched Germione and Parry exchange heated words, they would make a really cute couple if they could just learn not to fight with each other.

"Whatever, I don't care, Mraco can say what he wants about me."
Germione sighed sadly; she hated to see Parry throw this all away when he only had 1 year left before finishing. She didn't know what else she could do.
"If you want to throw it all away, that's fine. But I won't have any part in this, you are on your own Parry." Germione looked at Won, "What about you? Are you going to help him with this stupid and insane plan?"
Won looked from Germione to Parry, feeling very uneasy. "Uhh.. uhh.."

"He's coming with me." Parry said.
"Fine." Germione stomped off inside the school.

"Let's go Won, we've got to get to Dumbledoofus' chambers."

Won knew this was a stupid idea, he knew they would most likely be kicked out of Warthogs for it, but he could not help it. Secretly, Won longed for this sort of thing. He loved taking risks, and the thrill of danger, as long as it didn't have to do with spiders. Won grew increasingly excited as they walked up the windy staircase to Dumbledoofus' chambers.

"Now, here's what we will do. We'll go in and tell him Professor McGoner-Gall sent us, and then you can start telling him some made up story about Mraco and how you got in a fight with him. Then, when he turns his back, I'll cast the spell on him." Parry explained.

"Uhh.. Parry.. are you sure this will work?"

"Not at all, but we have to try!"
They walked into Dumbledoofus' chambers, and saw him standing in a corner; he looked like he was breathing smoke or something.

"Uh, excuse me Dumbledoofus.." Won started to say.
Dumbledoofus quickly turned around and threw the little white thing he had in his mouth into a cauldron.

"What are you two doing up here?" He asked.
Won started to walk around and tell Dumbledoofus some made up story. It wasn't believable at all, but for some reason Dumbledoofus looked like he was buying it.
While Parry waited for the right moment to cast the spell, he noticed that the strange smell was a lot stronger up here.

Dumbledoofus finally turned his back to Parry. Immediately, Parry took out his wand and cast the spell.
"Akemay isthay umbday anmay alktay!!"

A beam of light struck Dumbledoofus in the back. He turned around to look at Parry.
"What was that for, man? I didn't do nothin' to you, man."

Won and Parry looked at each other; did Dumbledoofus just say "man"?
"Tells what you know about the strange smell around Warthogs." Parry demanded.
"I don't know anything, man."
"You lie. What was that thing you were smoking when we came in? Why is the smell stronger up here? What's going on?!"
Dumbledoofus walked around the room, stumbling and tripping into things, laughing and making a complete ass of himself. "I said, I dunno anything man. I'm like, stoned."
Parry crossed the room, picked the white thing up out of the cauldron and sniffed it.
"Won, this smells just like the smell around Warthogs."
Won sniffed it as well. "Do you think Dumbledoofus has been causing the smell?"
"I'm positive."
"Hey man, put that down. That stuff ain't cheap you know." Dumbledoofus muttered from the floor, where he'd fallen.
"Tell us where the rest of this stuff is." Parry said.
"Why? So you can steal it? I paid good money for that stuff."

Parry sighed, this was pointless. Even with the spell he cast, Dumbledoofus was a complete fool who knew nothing.
"I'm sure there has to be more around here somewhere. Come on, let's look around before someone comes looking for Dumbledoofus."
"Hey man, if you want some, I'll give it to ya….."
"Yes, I want some, show me where it is." Parry helped Dumbledoofus get off the floor, and followed him to the bookshelf. Dumbledoofus pulled on one of the books and the shelf pulled away from the wall. Dumbledoofus opened the door behind the shelves and started to walk down the long narrow staircase. Parry and Won followed.
"I don't know what we're getting into here, Parry, but I don't like it one bit."
Parry smiled at Won. "Don't worry, if it's what I think it is, it won't be that bad."