To SnWfLaKeSwEeTy: I love the fact that you have read the Belgariad. It was the first fantasy series I EVER read. And, yes you are absolutely right. Susan's character is based on Polgara, however much younger. I always thought that Polgara's character is so strong. That's why I chose it. Susan is not strong. Well, at least not at first. I thought that would add a strange angle to my story. Tell me how you feel about it.
Harry was impressed with his first look at the dining hall. It was a massive room with three impressive chandeliers. On each chandelier, Harry could see hundreds of light bulbs. The nine tables in the room formed a circle surrounding the large wooden dance floor.
Harry could see the rest if the Gryffindors already in conversations with students from Stillwater. Ron and Hermione were chatting with a group of students. They all seemed to be getting along.
Good, Harry thought. It was a positive sign that the students form Hogwarts and the students from Stillwater were getting along. It would be easier to convince them to help in the fight against Voldemort.
Harry noticed the girls from Salem all standing in one corner. They seemed content to talk amongst themselves as if conversation with the other students was too much of a hassle. They all wore simple, gray, woolen dresses. Harry saw that everyone of the girls had the same white lock of hair that he had seen on Susan. Some were less white, barely more than gray, but it was still noticeable. Harry made a note to speak to Susan about it, if she could ever be brought into any conversation.
Quentin led Harry to a small table with four chairs. On a white card in the middle of the table was the word Representatives. Quentin sat down in one chair, and Harry sat next to him. After a moment, Susan glided over to the table and sat down on the other side of Harry. She didn't look at either boy. She stared at hands as if they held the answer to some impossible puzzle.
Harry turned to Quentin and motioned to Susan with a jerk of his head. Quentin looked over at Susan and shrugged.
After a few minutes, Headmaster Gabriel stood up and motioned for silence. All talk ceased as the students listened to what the Headmaster had to say.
"Welcome, students." he said with his arms wide. "I hope you all are enjoying yourselves. Meeting new people, getting to know each other. It's not every day that this meeting is possible. So make good use of it." He turned to McGonagall and Headmaster Corey. "And unless my colleagues have anything to say, we can begin eating." Both women shook their heads, and Gabriel clapped his hands dramatically.
Out of a door in the corner of the room came dozens of younger students, carrying plates of food. They went immediately to the table where Gabriel, Corey and McGonagall sat and laid the platters down. Once they were serve, the students made their way over to Harry's table and began serving them. On Harry's platter was a large steak with seasonings and peppers. Harry could smell the delicious aroma emanating from the meat. His mouth began to water.
Harry, Quentin and Susan dove into their food. Susan kept her eyes on her food, refusing to look at the boys. Harry was content to talk with Quentin about this and that until he noticed that Susan had drop of steak sauce on her chin.
His normal impulse would have been to laugh, but he knew that Susan was already nervous. He turned to her slowly and quietly said, "Excuse me, Susan."
Her eyes whipped up. She was surprised he had addressed her.
Harry didn't know exactly what to say. "Uh...you have a little something on your chin." He pointed to his own chin to make the point clear.
She looked at Harry suspiciously, as if she believed he was lying to her. She slowly brought her napkin to her chin and wiped. She looked down at the napkin and saw the steak sauce there. Her blushed brightly, but a small smile formed on he lips.
"How silly of me." she said in an embarrassed tone.
Quentin snorted. "It's OK. It happens to the best of us."
Her smile widened and Harry could almost see the tension leave her body. Her shoulders relaxed slightly and her face became more expressive. Again, Harry had to admit she was very beautiful.
Harry, seeing this as the best chance at conversation that he might get, asked her. "So, how do you like school at Salem."
The smile left her face, but she didn't look away. A good sign, harry thought.
"I love Salem. It is my home." she said as if that explained everything.
"Yeah, Hogwarts is my home, too. We don't live at school like you do, but I love it their."
She nodded but said nothing. Harry knew that the conversation stood on his shoulders. "I hope I'm not intruding, but I am pretty uninformed when it comes to the customs of this countries and it schools." Yeah, that was good. Sophisticated but humble. "And I was wondering if you could school me on a few things. I was wondering about the white lock of hair that al the girls at Salem seem to have."
Harry noticed Quentin lean forward in his seat as if a long unanswered question was going to be answered for him.
Instead of being insulted, as Harry feared she might be, Susan sat up straighter in her chair. She brought a hand to her hair and tugged lightly on the white lock. "This lock of hair is a measure of power amongst the girls at Salem." she said proudly. "When you first come to the school, spells are cast on this portion of your hair. As you advance in skill and power, the lock grows whiter. When it has become completely white, you are ready to leave the school."
Harry glanced at Susan's lock. It was completely white except for a few strands of black. She must be very powerful, Harry thought.
Quentin nodded. "I've been wondering about that for a long time. Whenever I met one of you girls from Salem for a formal occasion or something, I asked about it. But no one ever answered me."
Susan nodded. "It is no secret. The girls you have met were probably just scared of you. You are, after all, very large." Quentin blushed slightly, but Susan continued. "That is one of the reasons I was chosen for this Representative position. I have shown to be the most responsive to males among the girls at Salem."
If Susan is the most responsive, Harry thought, then I wonder how the rest of the students are doing talking to these girls.
Harry, Quentin and Susan continued their conversation throughout dinner. Susan slowly but surely relaxed more and more, and by the end of the meal she was speaking freely with Harry and laughing loudly at Quentin's jokes.
When the younger students of Stillwater came to collect Harry's plate, he felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. He looked around the room and saw that almost everyone was staring at the center of the dance floor.
"Here we go." Quentin muttered under his breath.
There was a loud bang, and suddenly nine figures were standing in the center of the dance floor. Apparently the Bourbon Street Academy had arrived. They had made the flashy entrance that Quentin had warned Harry about. They had Apparated into the building. All nine of them.
They were wearing the strangest clothing. It looked like something straight out of the late 1800's. They wore black top-hats in their heads. On their backs they wore black capes, thrown over to expose their right shoulder. Under their capes, they wore white silk shirts with black bow ties. On their legs they wore black riding pants and black, knee high, leather boots. In each of their hands was a black cane with a pewter top. The pewter formed what looked like a crow. Harry would have laughed at them if the clothing didn't seem to match their personality.
All nine males were looking at the surrounding students with disdain. They had sour looks on their faces as if what they saw did not please them. Their noses were scrunched up like they smelled something awful. Harry hated them already.
Gabriel stood up and addressed the tallest of the group, a pale faced, older man. "So glad you could join us, Headmaster Campion." He seemed to be forcing the smile onto his face.
The pale faced man, who Harry guessed was Headmaster Campion, sniffed at Gabriel and began to walk towards the table where the Headmasters sat. He had a self-righteous smirk on his handsome face. "I would have come earlier, Thomas, but I didn't want to waste the effort pretending to eat the filth you call food."
The forced smile left Gabriel's face at the insult.
As Campion strolled toward the head table, the students surrounding him broke off to fill the empty chair at each table. A thin-face boy with black hair waltzed over to the table that Harry sat at. He took one look at the sign on the table and sat down. He glanced around at Harry, Quentin, and Susan. He seemed amused by something. "You three are the best your schools could send?" he asked with in a condescending tone. "Pity."
The boy fiercely reminded Harry of Draco Malfoy. He had the same I'm-better-than-you look on his face.
Harry ignored the insult and stood up. I have to make the best of this situation, he thought. He extended his hand and said, "James Evans. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The boy completely ignored Harry and looked at Susan. He reached out and grabbed Susan's hand. He brought it to his lips. "My, my, you are a beautiful young woman."
Susan ripped her hand away, and stiffened her back. Harry could almost see her put the defenses that he had been slowly taking down over the last hour. He sat down with a groan.
The boy seemed to take offense at being denied and Harry could see him ready to retort.
But Quentin stopped him. "Back off, Silas." he growled.
Silas whipped his head to Quentin and his eyes widened as if he were seeing him for the first time. "Quentin Boyd." he hissed. "Surely that pitiful wasteland you call a school could have done better than you."
Harry saw Quentin's hands tighten on his arm rest. Harry knew that if he didn't do something, it would turn ugly.
"So, Silas is it?" he asked, diverting his attention away from Quentin. "How do you like school at the Bourbon Street Academy?" Harry knew that it was a weak question, but at least it prevented a fight.
Silas' eyes focused in on Harry. "You must be one of the foreigners." he said maliciously. He gave a short laugh before continuing. "In answer to your question, I enjoy school at the BSA entirely. You should join. There, you can practice magic at your own pace, without the distractions of everyday life."
"What kind of distractions?" Harry asked.
Silas smiled evilly. "What kind of distractions? Let me begin by telling you that the BSA is an all boys school."
"I'm aware."
"We practice magic without the distractions that the female body can induce." he said suggestively, looking over at Susan. "Also, all students at the BSA are purebloods. We don't have to waste time coddling those that aren't fit to practice magic."
Harry couldn't believe it. An all male, all pureblood school. If all the boys there had the same attitude as Silas, joining the school was the last thing on Harry's mind.
"But that's not all, James." Silas turned his beady eyes back to Quentin. "We only accept Anglo-Saxon males."
"You mean white." "Harry said evenly.
Silas nodded. "So, you see, James, that Quentin here would never be able to go to my school. And for that I am grateful. We don't have to worry about cleaning up fried chicken bones and watermelon seeds."
Quentin seemed on the verge of explosion. He was breathing loudly and staring holes into Quentin's head. Harry reached under the table and grabbed Quentin's arm. Quentin felt it and relaxed. As much as Harry would have enjoyed watching Quentin beat the hell out of Silas, he didn't want Quentin to get into trouble.
"I'm impressed with your entrance, Silas." Harry said. "Apparation is a tricky thing."
Silas snorted. "That is another benefit of my school. It doesn't baby the students. True, a student does die occasionally, but I think it is well worth the risk. Don't you?"
Harry was about to answer when he heard music coming from behind him. He turned to see three, young Stillwater students playing violins. The dancing portion of the night had begun.
Silas didn't waste any time. He extended his hand to Susan and said, "Dance with me." It sound more like a command than a question.
Susan looked absolutely repulsed. But she obviously was too scared to know what to say. Harry stepped in and put a hand on her shoulder.
He turned to Silas. "Sorry, mate." he said while unbuckling the sword on his hip. "You'll have to wait your turn. She promised me the first dance before you arrived." Harry lied through his teeth.
Quentin smiled broadly. "He's right, Silas. I was there."
Silas gritted his teeth at the rejection.
Harry handed the sword to Quentin with a smile. Susan stood up out of her chair and walked toward the dance floor with Harry. As they walked, she whispered, "Thanks for that. I really didn't want to dance with him."
Harry nodded. "I could tell. But you don't have to dance with me either, if you don't want to. I was just getting you away from him."
Susan slipped her arm around Harry's. "No it's OK. I want to dance with you."
"You do?"
"You're the nicest boy I've met in a long time. I figure I'll take a chance." she said with a smile.
Harry found himself smiling too. At least, until he noticed that the dance floor was completely bare. No one else was dancing. They would be alone and every one would be staring at them.
Susan must have noticed the same thing because she started to slow down. "I don't know if I can do this. Not alone."
Harry was forced to agree with her until he saw Ron stand up from his table. He held out his hand to Hermione and she grabbed it. They began walking toward the dance floor as well.
Harry was given courage by the presence of his friends. "We're not alone anymore." he said to Susan.
She nodded and they stepped onto the wooden dance floor. Harry heard gasps from the Salem girls around the room. They were obviously surprised that Susan was dancing.
Once they reached the center of the floor, Harry held up a hand for Susan to grab onto. He wrapped his other hand around her back and pulled her softly towards him. She didn't resist, but he could feel her trembling through her wool dress.
"It's OK. Don't be scared." he said
She smiled mischievously. "Scared? Is that a challenge, James?"
"You bet." Harry said with a laugh.
And with that, they began. Harry led her slowly through a dance he had learned for the Yule Ball in the fourth year. Harry could tell she didn't have any experience at dancing. Surprisingly, Susan was very athletic. It only took her two complete turns before she had memorized the steps. Before long, they were twirling their way along the dance floor.
Ron and Hermione had also begun dancing. They began the same dance that Harry and Susan were doing. They both knew the dance well.
Harry was thoroughly enjoying himself. Never before, dancing had given him this sense of togetherness. Maybe, because on every other occasion, Harry had been the nervous one. Now, he felt like he had to be strong for Susan. She was the nervous one.
Harry added new steps to the dance, and Susan learned them quickly. Soon, their dance brought them to all four corners of the dance floor, with Ron and Hermione dancing in the middle, staring lovingly at each other. It must have looked like they rehearsed it, but it was only possible through pure skill and inspiration.
Throughout the course of the dance, Harry had forgotten about everyone but Susan. Her brown eyes were like wells, and Harry found himself staring into them. She was so beautiful.
Harry regretted it when the music came to a finish. He didn't want it to end.
He was slowly brought out of his trance by the sound of clapping. He looked around to see the entire hall on its feet. Everyone was clapping. Well, not everyone. Silas looked extremely angry at something, and a few other boys from the Bourbon Street Academy weren't clapping.
But Harry didn't care about them anyway. He saw Quentin howling and clapping and Seamus was pounding his feet to make as much noise as possible. Harry looked over at the Headmasters' table and saw McGonagall, Gabriel and Corey giving the dancers a standing ovation. Headmaster Campion had stayed in his seat and he had a sour look on his face. Harry couldn't help but laugh.
Harry and Susan began walking back to their table. Susan was leaning heavily onto Harry as if she wanted to keep as much physical contact with him as possible. Harry didn't mind.
When they got back to their table, Quentin pounded on Harry's shoulder affectionately. "Way to go, man. That was cool as hell!" Quentin handed Harry the sword and sat down.
Harry and Susan sat down and took great gulps out of their water glasses. The dance had really taken a lot out of them.
Another dance started up, but Harry was too tired to dance again so quick. Their performance had obviously given the rest of the students inspiration, because almost everyone was trying to get onto the dance floor.
Silas stood up and offered his hand to Susan again. "Now that your dance with Mr. Evans is completed, you will dance with me." he said in a tone that expected no debate.
Susan scooted closer to Harry and said, "I'm still tired from the last dance. Go find another partner."
Silas fixed Harry with a look full of pure hatred. Harry, who was used to that kind of look from Malfoy, stared back calmly. Silas sniffed loudly and stomped away in search of a different partner.
Harry noticed Quentin staring wistfully at the dance floor.
"Why don't you find a dancing partner, Quentin?" Harry asked.
Quentin's cheeks became slightly rosy. "I can't do that, James." he said miserably. "I go to pieces when I get around girls. And believe me, when you're my size, you can't afford to go to pieces. Last time I tried to dance with a girl, I broke her toe."
Harry was surprised to hear this coming from Quentin. He seemed so open and friendly, it was impossible to imagine him nervous.
Harry scanned the room, and saw that Lavender didn't have a partner. He got an idea. "What if I set you up with a partner? You probably wouldn't even have to talk to her."
"James, if you could do that, I'll be your friend for life." Quentin said honestly.
"OK, then." Harry waved his hands until he got Lavender's attention. He motioned her over to his table. She walked over and said, "What is it?"
Harry smiled. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind dancing with Quentin, here." he said motioning to Quentin, who was staring at his shoes.
Lavender sized Quentin up. She was obviously impressed, because she said, "Sure!" and grabbed Quentin's large hand. She led him towards the dance floor. Quentin looked over his shoulder at Harry and gave him a thumbs up.
Susan was staring at Harry with a bewildered look. "How do you do that?" she asked.
"Do what?"
"Get people to listen to you."
Harry laughed. "I didn't do anything. They both wanted to dance with each other. They just had to be pointed in the right direction."
Susan gave Harry a searching look. "People flock to you, don't they? They listen to you."
Harry wanted to deny it, but part of what she said was true. He thought back to the aftermath of the Ron-Kyle incident and how the rest of the students had followed his lead without question. "Yeah, I guess."
"I'm only saying it because I feel drawn to you, as well." She suddenly seemed really embarrassed. "I didn't mean to say that. It just came out. I'm sorry."
"No. It' OK." Harry said. "In some ways I feel drawn to you , too. Like during that dance. It might has well have been only you and me in the entire building."
Harry realized what he had just said and felt himself blush. Susan saw this and laughed. "I didn't know I could have such power over a man." she said, smiling.
Harry couldn't help but smile back at her. It felt so right to be with this girl. More so than any other girl before. He remembered his infatuation with Cho Chang and realized how childish it seemed right then. Harry had liked Cho even before he had talked to her. This seemed so much more real.
Susan seemed to be revving up to say something big. Something that took a lot of strength. "James, I-"
But she was cut off. McGonagall had stood up and all conversation throughout the building had stopped. She was smiling widely. "I just wanted to thank all of your American schools for giving me and my students such a warm welcome. Our stay in your country has been great so far, and we hope it will continue to be great. However, there is a threat on the horizon so large that all happy days may become a thing of the past. This threat is Voldemort."
Harry saw a few faces among the Americans flinch away from that name. They had obviously had heard of him.
McGonagall continued. "Voldemort had become a thorn in the side of all things sacred. In England, he is on the tip of everyone's tongue and is the central figure of everyone's nightmares. He is a foul beast, who murders in the same way that we breath- without thought. To help you better understand, I call forth Ronald Weasley." She sat down and motioned for Ron to come forward.
Ron stood and marched into the center of the dance floor, so every one could see him.
"What's he doing?" Susan asked from beside Harry.
"I have no idea." Harry mumbled.
Soon, all side conversations stopped throughout the building as the students waited for Ron to begin whatever it was that he was going to do.
Ron looked around at the students surrounding him and Harry thought he would chicken out. But Ron didn't chicken out. He did something even more strange. He smiled and began to sing.
The first thing Harry noticed was that Ron had a wonderful voice. He wondered how he had never known that Ron could sing well. Then again, Harry didn't think he had ever heard Ron sing before.
Ron's voice echoed deeply in the perfect acoustics of the dining hall. His voice was sweet and strong.
The second thing Harry noticed was that Ron wasn't singing in English. Or any other language Harry had heard before. The words were so complex, that Harry wondered how Ron even how to get them out. Then it hit him. The ancient Druidic writing. That what Ron was singing. The words from the papers.
The final thing Harry noticed was that Ron wasn't simply singing a song. He was casting a spell. After five years at Hogwarts, Harry had learned to sense magic. And the air was so thick with it right now, that Harry thought he could cut it with knife. This must have been how the ancient druids did their magic- through song.
Harry listened as the song seemed to fill his soul. It's words echoed over and over in his brain as Ron sang them. It was absolutely beautiful. While watching Ron, Harry reached out and grabbed Susan's hand, not wanting to experience such wonder alone.
As Ron continued to sing, Harry noticed sweat beginning to build up on his forehead. The spell must be extremely difficult, Harry thought.
Ron began swaying back and forth as if the very act of standing was almost too much for him. His voice became strained as the ancient dialect poured out of his mouth, out of his soul. Ron drew a great breath and screamed the final word of the song.
As this last word left his mouth, every light bulb in the room exploded. People screamed in the darkness and tried to find their way towards the exits. Harry reached out and put his arms around Susan, protecting her from being trampled. Complete pandemonium threatened to overtake the students when something began to glow on the dance floor.
All of the students paused their screaming as they turned to look at the glowing vision rising out of Ron's body. Ron was illuminated by the glow, and Harry could see he was on his knees. The power of the spell had taken much out of him.
Harry fixed his eyes on the vision. It was slowly coming into focus. At first it was merely a white glow, but it began to take the form of a chessboard. A giant chessboard with life-size figures.
Harry realized the vision was a memory. It was of the time that Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone under the school to try get the Sorcerer's Stone before Quirrell could get it. It was from Ron's point of view. Slowly, voices came coursing out of the vision, filling the room with sound.
"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go next to him instead of that castle."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to be a knight."
As Harry watched, he saw himself, Hermione and Ron take positions on the board, ready to play. The memory was extremely vivid. As the crowd watched, the opposing team came alive and the game began. Harry saw himself standing in his square with a scared look on his face. He had changed so much since then. He didn't worry about anyone recognizing him.
The crowd of students gasps when the first piece was taken in brutal fashion. They gasped even louder when they heard the conviction in Ron's voice when he said,
"Yes...it's the only way...I've got to be taken."
"No!" Harry heard his and Hermione's voice echo through the room.
Harry heard the intake of breath from everyone in the dining hall as the white queen moved slowly toward Ron. The queen whipped back her hand brought it crashing into the side of Ron's head. The vision went black.
Harry heard the excited talking going on around him.
He felt a tug come from inside him. It felt like something was being taken directly from his mind. When the feeling faded, the vision flared up again.
This time, however, the vision depicted the Chamber of Secrets. It was from Harry's point of view. But there was no sound. Perhaps because it was Ron who had cast the spell and not Harry.
As Harry watched, he saw himself sprint through the Chamber until he came upon Ginny's body. He knelt down to touch her, and Harry remembered the feel of her skin. It had felt like death.
The vision continued and Harry saw Tom Riddle come out of the shadows to mock him. He felt himself tremble in rage as he saw Riddle come to stand over Ginny's nearly dead body.
The crowd of students screamed in horror when the basilisk came to attack him. And they screamed in triumph when Harry stabbed the sword of Gryffindor through its head. They moaned when they saw the effects the poison had on Harry's body and they cheered when Harry drove the basilisk tooth through Riddle's diary. The vision faded again as Fawkes the phoenix carried, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Lockhart up and out of the Chamber.
But it wasn't over yet. Harry felt the slight tug on his mind again and cringed when the vision reappeared. He knew what was coming.
The vision showed Harry and Cedric grab the Goblet of Fire. It showed them being whisked away by the Portkey, and it showed Voldemort standing over Harry. Harry heard people scream at the very sight of Voldemort and cry when they saw Cedric viciously murdered.
The vision continued and Harry felt tears slide down his face when he saw his and Voldemort's wands connect. The ghosts of his mother and father came out of the tip of Voldemort's wand and spoke to him.
Harry saw himself battle with Voldemort and finally grab Cedric's body. He saw himself summon the Goblet of Fire. The vision ended abruptly.
Harry knew that the vision was over.
He heard a voice call out. "Lumos!"
McGonagall stood at the Headmaster's table with her glowing wand extended over her head. It looked like she had been crying.
"Thank you, Ronald." she said.
Ron nodded from the ground, too tired to get up.
McGonagall continued. "I trust you all have heard of Harry Potter." she said solemnly, looking out at the crowd of students. "Harry Potter has almost single-handedly kept Voldemort in check for the last sixteen years. Before he was old enough to walk, Harry Potter defeated Voldemort and forced him to flee. But he can't do it alone. We need help. As I'm sure you all saw, Voldemort has returned even more powerful than before. He will murder everyone in his path as he did to young Cedric Diggory. I am asking you. Please help us."
Headmaster Gabriel was weeping openly. His tears fell unashamed into his beard. He turned to McGonagall and said in a cracking voice, "I had no idea it gotten so bad, Minerva. I felt my school and I were safe with the ocean in between us and Voldemort. I see I was wrong. Of course I help you. You have the support of myself, my faculty and my students."
McGonagall smiled widely. "Thank you, Thomas. You have no idea how much you help will mean to those on London."
Headmaster Campion pushed himself to his feet. He was smiling wickedly. "You are all fools. You'll never stop the Dark Lord. He is invincible. You will not have my help in this matter."
McGonagall glared at the pale faced man. "I never expected help from you, Campion. I wouldn't be surprised if you had the Dark Mark tattooed on your forearm."
Campion's eyes widened maliciously. "The day of reckoning is coming. All those who do not stand at Voldemort's side will die!"
His proclamation made several of the students gasp. Campion had all but admitted to being a Death Eater.
Campion walked briskly towards the center of the room. "Come, boys." he screamed.
All of the Bourbon Street Academy students walked into the center of the room. After a moment, they all Disapparated, leaving nothing but emptiness where they had stood.
McGonagall turned to Headmaster Corey. "What about you, Abigail. Will you join in our fight."
Corey seemed to be battling with herself. She was trembling violently. "We can't involved! Salem School of Witchcraft was founded to be safe haven for tormented young women. We don't know how to do battle. Especially against one as evil as Voldemort. We just can't!"
She got out of her seat and began walking towards the door. Harry could see the girls from Salem getting out of their chairs to follow her. Susan turned in Harry's arms and looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry, James. I must follow my Headmaster." She stood on her toes and kissed Harry lightly on the cheek. "Thank you for showing me that all men aren't evil." She turned again and began walking briskly towards the door.
Something has to be done, Harry thought. Something big. In a flash of inspiration, Harry ran towards the door and cut off the girls from Salem. "Wait!" he screamed. He brought a hand to his forehead and pushed up his bangs, revealing his lightning bolt shaped scar. "I am Harry Potter."
He could hear a collective gasp from everyone in the room.
That was the assignment. Hope you like it. Let me know. If you don't understand something make sure you tell me. I'll try to explain it at the top of next chapter.
Harry was impressed with his first look at the dining hall. It was a massive room with three impressive chandeliers. On each chandelier, Harry could see hundreds of light bulbs. The nine tables in the room formed a circle surrounding the large wooden dance floor.
Harry could see the rest if the Gryffindors already in conversations with students from Stillwater. Ron and Hermione were chatting with a group of students. They all seemed to be getting along.
Good, Harry thought. It was a positive sign that the students form Hogwarts and the students from Stillwater were getting along. It would be easier to convince them to help in the fight against Voldemort.
Harry noticed the girls from Salem all standing in one corner. They seemed content to talk amongst themselves as if conversation with the other students was too much of a hassle. They all wore simple, gray, woolen dresses. Harry saw that everyone of the girls had the same white lock of hair that he had seen on Susan. Some were less white, barely more than gray, but it was still noticeable. Harry made a note to speak to Susan about it, if she could ever be brought into any conversation.
Quentin led Harry to a small table with four chairs. On a white card in the middle of the table was the word Representatives. Quentin sat down in one chair, and Harry sat next to him. After a moment, Susan glided over to the table and sat down on the other side of Harry. She didn't look at either boy. She stared at hands as if they held the answer to some impossible puzzle.
Harry turned to Quentin and motioned to Susan with a jerk of his head. Quentin looked over at Susan and shrugged.
After a few minutes, Headmaster Gabriel stood up and motioned for silence. All talk ceased as the students listened to what the Headmaster had to say.
"Welcome, students." he said with his arms wide. "I hope you all are enjoying yourselves. Meeting new people, getting to know each other. It's not every day that this meeting is possible. So make good use of it." He turned to McGonagall and Headmaster Corey. "And unless my colleagues have anything to say, we can begin eating." Both women shook their heads, and Gabriel clapped his hands dramatically.
Out of a door in the corner of the room came dozens of younger students, carrying plates of food. They went immediately to the table where Gabriel, Corey and McGonagall sat and laid the platters down. Once they were serve, the students made their way over to Harry's table and began serving them. On Harry's platter was a large steak with seasonings and peppers. Harry could smell the delicious aroma emanating from the meat. His mouth began to water.
Harry, Quentin and Susan dove into their food. Susan kept her eyes on her food, refusing to look at the boys. Harry was content to talk with Quentin about this and that until he noticed that Susan had drop of steak sauce on her chin.
His normal impulse would have been to laugh, but he knew that Susan was already nervous. He turned to her slowly and quietly said, "Excuse me, Susan."
Her eyes whipped up. She was surprised he had addressed her.
Harry didn't know exactly what to say. "Uh...you have a little something on your chin." He pointed to his own chin to make the point clear.
She looked at Harry suspiciously, as if she believed he was lying to her. She slowly brought her napkin to her chin and wiped. She looked down at the napkin and saw the steak sauce there. Her blushed brightly, but a small smile formed on he lips.
"How silly of me." she said in an embarrassed tone.
Quentin snorted. "It's OK. It happens to the best of us."
Her smile widened and Harry could almost see the tension leave her body. Her shoulders relaxed slightly and her face became more expressive. Again, Harry had to admit she was very beautiful.
Harry, seeing this as the best chance at conversation that he might get, asked her. "So, how do you like school at Salem."
The smile left her face, but she didn't look away. A good sign, harry thought.
"I love Salem. It is my home." she said as if that explained everything.
"Yeah, Hogwarts is my home, too. We don't live at school like you do, but I love it their."
She nodded but said nothing. Harry knew that the conversation stood on his shoulders. "I hope I'm not intruding, but I am pretty uninformed when it comes to the customs of this countries and it schools." Yeah, that was good. Sophisticated but humble. "And I was wondering if you could school me on a few things. I was wondering about the white lock of hair that al the girls at Salem seem to have."
Harry noticed Quentin lean forward in his seat as if a long unanswered question was going to be answered for him.
Instead of being insulted, as Harry feared she might be, Susan sat up straighter in her chair. She brought a hand to her hair and tugged lightly on the white lock. "This lock of hair is a measure of power amongst the girls at Salem." she said proudly. "When you first come to the school, spells are cast on this portion of your hair. As you advance in skill and power, the lock grows whiter. When it has become completely white, you are ready to leave the school."
Harry glanced at Susan's lock. It was completely white except for a few strands of black. She must be very powerful, Harry thought.
Quentin nodded. "I've been wondering about that for a long time. Whenever I met one of you girls from Salem for a formal occasion or something, I asked about it. But no one ever answered me."
Susan nodded. "It is no secret. The girls you have met were probably just scared of you. You are, after all, very large." Quentin blushed slightly, but Susan continued. "That is one of the reasons I was chosen for this Representative position. I have shown to be the most responsive to males among the girls at Salem."
If Susan is the most responsive, Harry thought, then I wonder how the rest of the students are doing talking to these girls.
Harry, Quentin and Susan continued their conversation throughout dinner. Susan slowly but surely relaxed more and more, and by the end of the meal she was speaking freely with Harry and laughing loudly at Quentin's jokes.
When the younger students of Stillwater came to collect Harry's plate, he felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. He looked around the room and saw that almost everyone was staring at the center of the dance floor.
"Here we go." Quentin muttered under his breath.
There was a loud bang, and suddenly nine figures were standing in the center of the dance floor. Apparently the Bourbon Street Academy had arrived. They had made the flashy entrance that Quentin had warned Harry about. They had Apparated into the building. All nine of them.
They were wearing the strangest clothing. It looked like something straight out of the late 1800's. They wore black top-hats in their heads. On their backs they wore black capes, thrown over to expose their right shoulder. Under their capes, they wore white silk shirts with black bow ties. On their legs they wore black riding pants and black, knee high, leather boots. In each of their hands was a black cane with a pewter top. The pewter formed what looked like a crow. Harry would have laughed at them if the clothing didn't seem to match their personality.
All nine males were looking at the surrounding students with disdain. They had sour looks on their faces as if what they saw did not please them. Their noses were scrunched up like they smelled something awful. Harry hated them already.
Gabriel stood up and addressed the tallest of the group, a pale faced, older man. "So glad you could join us, Headmaster Campion." He seemed to be forcing the smile onto his face.
The pale faced man, who Harry guessed was Headmaster Campion, sniffed at Gabriel and began to walk towards the table where the Headmasters sat. He had a self-righteous smirk on his handsome face. "I would have come earlier, Thomas, but I didn't want to waste the effort pretending to eat the filth you call food."
The forced smile left Gabriel's face at the insult.
As Campion strolled toward the head table, the students surrounding him broke off to fill the empty chair at each table. A thin-face boy with black hair waltzed over to the table that Harry sat at. He took one look at the sign on the table and sat down. He glanced around at Harry, Quentin, and Susan. He seemed amused by something. "You three are the best your schools could send?" he asked with in a condescending tone. "Pity."
The boy fiercely reminded Harry of Draco Malfoy. He had the same I'm-better-than-you look on his face.
Harry ignored the insult and stood up. I have to make the best of this situation, he thought. He extended his hand and said, "James Evans. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The boy completely ignored Harry and looked at Susan. He reached out and grabbed Susan's hand. He brought it to his lips. "My, my, you are a beautiful young woman."
Susan ripped her hand away, and stiffened her back. Harry could almost see her put the defenses that he had been slowly taking down over the last hour. He sat down with a groan.
The boy seemed to take offense at being denied and Harry could see him ready to retort.
But Quentin stopped him. "Back off, Silas." he growled.
Silas whipped his head to Quentin and his eyes widened as if he were seeing him for the first time. "Quentin Boyd." he hissed. "Surely that pitiful wasteland you call a school could have done better than you."
Harry saw Quentin's hands tighten on his arm rest. Harry knew that if he didn't do something, it would turn ugly.
"So, Silas is it?" he asked, diverting his attention away from Quentin. "How do you like school at the Bourbon Street Academy?" Harry knew that it was a weak question, but at least it prevented a fight.
Silas' eyes focused in on Harry. "You must be one of the foreigners." he said maliciously. He gave a short laugh before continuing. "In answer to your question, I enjoy school at the BSA entirely. You should join. There, you can practice magic at your own pace, without the distractions of everyday life."
"What kind of distractions?" Harry asked.
Silas smiled evilly. "What kind of distractions? Let me begin by telling you that the BSA is an all boys school."
"I'm aware."
"We practice magic without the distractions that the female body can induce." he said suggestively, looking over at Susan. "Also, all students at the BSA are purebloods. We don't have to waste time coddling those that aren't fit to practice magic."
Harry couldn't believe it. An all male, all pureblood school. If all the boys there had the same attitude as Silas, joining the school was the last thing on Harry's mind.
"But that's not all, James." Silas turned his beady eyes back to Quentin. "We only accept Anglo-Saxon males."
"You mean white." "Harry said evenly.
Silas nodded. "So, you see, James, that Quentin here would never be able to go to my school. And for that I am grateful. We don't have to worry about cleaning up fried chicken bones and watermelon seeds."
Quentin seemed on the verge of explosion. He was breathing loudly and staring holes into Quentin's head. Harry reached under the table and grabbed Quentin's arm. Quentin felt it and relaxed. As much as Harry would have enjoyed watching Quentin beat the hell out of Silas, he didn't want Quentin to get into trouble.
"I'm impressed with your entrance, Silas." Harry said. "Apparation is a tricky thing."
Silas snorted. "That is another benefit of my school. It doesn't baby the students. True, a student does die occasionally, but I think it is well worth the risk. Don't you?"
Harry was about to answer when he heard music coming from behind him. He turned to see three, young Stillwater students playing violins. The dancing portion of the night had begun.
Silas didn't waste any time. He extended his hand to Susan and said, "Dance with me." It sound more like a command than a question.
Susan looked absolutely repulsed. But she obviously was too scared to know what to say. Harry stepped in and put a hand on her shoulder.
He turned to Silas. "Sorry, mate." he said while unbuckling the sword on his hip. "You'll have to wait your turn. She promised me the first dance before you arrived." Harry lied through his teeth.
Quentin smiled broadly. "He's right, Silas. I was there."
Silas gritted his teeth at the rejection.
Harry handed the sword to Quentin with a smile. Susan stood up out of her chair and walked toward the dance floor with Harry. As they walked, she whispered, "Thanks for that. I really didn't want to dance with him."
Harry nodded. "I could tell. But you don't have to dance with me either, if you don't want to. I was just getting you away from him."
Susan slipped her arm around Harry's. "No it's OK. I want to dance with you."
"You do?"
"You're the nicest boy I've met in a long time. I figure I'll take a chance." she said with a smile.
Harry found himself smiling too. At least, until he noticed that the dance floor was completely bare. No one else was dancing. They would be alone and every one would be staring at them.
Susan must have noticed the same thing because she started to slow down. "I don't know if I can do this. Not alone."
Harry was forced to agree with her until he saw Ron stand up from his table. He held out his hand to Hermione and she grabbed it. They began walking toward the dance floor as well.
Harry was given courage by the presence of his friends. "We're not alone anymore." he said to Susan.
She nodded and they stepped onto the wooden dance floor. Harry heard gasps from the Salem girls around the room. They were obviously surprised that Susan was dancing.
Once they reached the center of the floor, Harry held up a hand for Susan to grab onto. He wrapped his other hand around her back and pulled her softly towards him. She didn't resist, but he could feel her trembling through her wool dress.
"It's OK. Don't be scared." he said
She smiled mischievously. "Scared? Is that a challenge, James?"
"You bet." Harry said with a laugh.
And with that, they began. Harry led her slowly through a dance he had learned for the Yule Ball in the fourth year. Harry could tell she didn't have any experience at dancing. Surprisingly, Susan was very athletic. It only took her two complete turns before she had memorized the steps. Before long, they were twirling their way along the dance floor.
Ron and Hermione had also begun dancing. They began the same dance that Harry and Susan were doing. They both knew the dance well.
Harry was thoroughly enjoying himself. Never before, dancing had given him this sense of togetherness. Maybe, because on every other occasion, Harry had been the nervous one. Now, he felt like he had to be strong for Susan. She was the nervous one.
Harry added new steps to the dance, and Susan learned them quickly. Soon, their dance brought them to all four corners of the dance floor, with Ron and Hermione dancing in the middle, staring lovingly at each other. It must have looked like they rehearsed it, but it was only possible through pure skill and inspiration.
Throughout the course of the dance, Harry had forgotten about everyone but Susan. Her brown eyes were like wells, and Harry found himself staring into them. She was so beautiful.
Harry regretted it when the music came to a finish. He didn't want it to end.
He was slowly brought out of his trance by the sound of clapping. He looked around to see the entire hall on its feet. Everyone was clapping. Well, not everyone. Silas looked extremely angry at something, and a few other boys from the Bourbon Street Academy weren't clapping.
But Harry didn't care about them anyway. He saw Quentin howling and clapping and Seamus was pounding his feet to make as much noise as possible. Harry looked over at the Headmasters' table and saw McGonagall, Gabriel and Corey giving the dancers a standing ovation. Headmaster Campion had stayed in his seat and he had a sour look on his face. Harry couldn't help but laugh.
Harry and Susan began walking back to their table. Susan was leaning heavily onto Harry as if she wanted to keep as much physical contact with him as possible. Harry didn't mind.
When they got back to their table, Quentin pounded on Harry's shoulder affectionately. "Way to go, man. That was cool as hell!" Quentin handed Harry the sword and sat down.
Harry and Susan sat down and took great gulps out of their water glasses. The dance had really taken a lot out of them.
Another dance started up, but Harry was too tired to dance again so quick. Their performance had obviously given the rest of the students inspiration, because almost everyone was trying to get onto the dance floor.
Silas stood up and offered his hand to Susan again. "Now that your dance with Mr. Evans is completed, you will dance with me." he said in a tone that expected no debate.
Susan scooted closer to Harry and said, "I'm still tired from the last dance. Go find another partner."
Silas fixed Harry with a look full of pure hatred. Harry, who was used to that kind of look from Malfoy, stared back calmly. Silas sniffed loudly and stomped away in search of a different partner.
Harry noticed Quentin staring wistfully at the dance floor.
"Why don't you find a dancing partner, Quentin?" Harry asked.
Quentin's cheeks became slightly rosy. "I can't do that, James." he said miserably. "I go to pieces when I get around girls. And believe me, when you're my size, you can't afford to go to pieces. Last time I tried to dance with a girl, I broke her toe."
Harry was surprised to hear this coming from Quentin. He seemed so open and friendly, it was impossible to imagine him nervous.
Harry scanned the room, and saw that Lavender didn't have a partner. He got an idea. "What if I set you up with a partner? You probably wouldn't even have to talk to her."
"James, if you could do that, I'll be your friend for life." Quentin said honestly.
"OK, then." Harry waved his hands until he got Lavender's attention. He motioned her over to his table. She walked over and said, "What is it?"
Harry smiled. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind dancing with Quentin, here." he said motioning to Quentin, who was staring at his shoes.
Lavender sized Quentin up. She was obviously impressed, because she said, "Sure!" and grabbed Quentin's large hand. She led him towards the dance floor. Quentin looked over his shoulder at Harry and gave him a thumbs up.
Susan was staring at Harry with a bewildered look. "How do you do that?" she asked.
"Do what?"
"Get people to listen to you."
Harry laughed. "I didn't do anything. They both wanted to dance with each other. They just had to be pointed in the right direction."
Susan gave Harry a searching look. "People flock to you, don't they? They listen to you."
Harry wanted to deny it, but part of what she said was true. He thought back to the aftermath of the Ron-Kyle incident and how the rest of the students had followed his lead without question. "Yeah, I guess."
"I'm only saying it because I feel drawn to you, as well." She suddenly seemed really embarrassed. "I didn't mean to say that. It just came out. I'm sorry."
"No. It' OK." Harry said. "In some ways I feel drawn to you , too. Like during that dance. It might has well have been only you and me in the entire building."
Harry realized what he had just said and felt himself blush. Susan saw this and laughed. "I didn't know I could have such power over a man." she said, smiling.
Harry couldn't help but smile back at her. It felt so right to be with this girl. More so than any other girl before. He remembered his infatuation with Cho Chang and realized how childish it seemed right then. Harry had liked Cho even before he had talked to her. This seemed so much more real.
Susan seemed to be revving up to say something big. Something that took a lot of strength. "James, I-"
But she was cut off. McGonagall had stood up and all conversation throughout the building had stopped. She was smiling widely. "I just wanted to thank all of your American schools for giving me and my students such a warm welcome. Our stay in your country has been great so far, and we hope it will continue to be great. However, there is a threat on the horizon so large that all happy days may become a thing of the past. This threat is Voldemort."
Harry saw a few faces among the Americans flinch away from that name. They had obviously had heard of him.
McGonagall continued. "Voldemort had become a thorn in the side of all things sacred. In England, he is on the tip of everyone's tongue and is the central figure of everyone's nightmares. He is a foul beast, who murders in the same way that we breath- without thought. To help you better understand, I call forth Ronald Weasley." She sat down and motioned for Ron to come forward.
Ron stood and marched into the center of the dance floor, so every one could see him.
"What's he doing?" Susan asked from beside Harry.
"I have no idea." Harry mumbled.
Soon, all side conversations stopped throughout the building as the students waited for Ron to begin whatever it was that he was going to do.
Ron looked around at the students surrounding him and Harry thought he would chicken out. But Ron didn't chicken out. He did something even more strange. He smiled and began to sing.
The first thing Harry noticed was that Ron had a wonderful voice. He wondered how he had never known that Ron could sing well. Then again, Harry didn't think he had ever heard Ron sing before.
Ron's voice echoed deeply in the perfect acoustics of the dining hall. His voice was sweet and strong.
The second thing Harry noticed was that Ron wasn't singing in English. Or any other language Harry had heard before. The words were so complex, that Harry wondered how Ron even how to get them out. Then it hit him. The ancient Druidic writing. That what Ron was singing. The words from the papers.
The final thing Harry noticed was that Ron wasn't simply singing a song. He was casting a spell. After five years at Hogwarts, Harry had learned to sense magic. And the air was so thick with it right now, that Harry thought he could cut it with knife. This must have been how the ancient druids did their magic- through song.
Harry listened as the song seemed to fill his soul. It's words echoed over and over in his brain as Ron sang them. It was absolutely beautiful. While watching Ron, Harry reached out and grabbed Susan's hand, not wanting to experience such wonder alone.
As Ron continued to sing, Harry noticed sweat beginning to build up on his forehead. The spell must be extremely difficult, Harry thought.
Ron began swaying back and forth as if the very act of standing was almost too much for him. His voice became strained as the ancient dialect poured out of his mouth, out of his soul. Ron drew a great breath and screamed the final word of the song.
As this last word left his mouth, every light bulb in the room exploded. People screamed in the darkness and tried to find their way towards the exits. Harry reached out and put his arms around Susan, protecting her from being trampled. Complete pandemonium threatened to overtake the students when something began to glow on the dance floor.
All of the students paused their screaming as they turned to look at the glowing vision rising out of Ron's body. Ron was illuminated by the glow, and Harry could see he was on his knees. The power of the spell had taken much out of him.
Harry fixed his eyes on the vision. It was slowly coming into focus. At first it was merely a white glow, but it began to take the form of a chessboard. A giant chessboard with life-size figures.
Harry realized the vision was a memory. It was of the time that Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone under the school to try get the Sorcerer's Stone before Quirrell could get it. It was from Ron's point of view. Slowly, voices came coursing out of the vision, filling the room with sound.
"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go next to him instead of that castle."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to be a knight."
As Harry watched, he saw himself, Hermione and Ron take positions on the board, ready to play. The memory was extremely vivid. As the crowd watched, the opposing team came alive and the game began. Harry saw himself standing in his square with a scared look on his face. He had changed so much since then. He didn't worry about anyone recognizing him.
The crowd of students gasps when the first piece was taken in brutal fashion. They gasped even louder when they heard the conviction in Ron's voice when he said,
"Yes...it's the only way...I've got to be taken."
"No!" Harry heard his and Hermione's voice echo through the room.
Harry heard the intake of breath from everyone in the dining hall as the white queen moved slowly toward Ron. The queen whipped back her hand brought it crashing into the side of Ron's head. The vision went black.
Harry heard the excited talking going on around him.
He felt a tug come from inside him. It felt like something was being taken directly from his mind. When the feeling faded, the vision flared up again.
This time, however, the vision depicted the Chamber of Secrets. It was from Harry's point of view. But there was no sound. Perhaps because it was Ron who had cast the spell and not Harry.
As Harry watched, he saw himself sprint through the Chamber until he came upon Ginny's body. He knelt down to touch her, and Harry remembered the feel of her skin. It had felt like death.
The vision continued and Harry saw Tom Riddle come out of the shadows to mock him. He felt himself tremble in rage as he saw Riddle come to stand over Ginny's nearly dead body.
The crowd of students screamed in horror when the basilisk came to attack him. And they screamed in triumph when Harry stabbed the sword of Gryffindor through its head. They moaned when they saw the effects the poison had on Harry's body and they cheered when Harry drove the basilisk tooth through Riddle's diary. The vision faded again as Fawkes the phoenix carried, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Lockhart up and out of the Chamber.
But it wasn't over yet. Harry felt the slight tug on his mind again and cringed when the vision reappeared. He knew what was coming.
The vision showed Harry and Cedric grab the Goblet of Fire. It showed them being whisked away by the Portkey, and it showed Voldemort standing over Harry. Harry heard people scream at the very sight of Voldemort and cry when they saw Cedric viciously murdered.
The vision continued and Harry felt tears slide down his face when he saw his and Voldemort's wands connect. The ghosts of his mother and father came out of the tip of Voldemort's wand and spoke to him.
Harry saw himself battle with Voldemort and finally grab Cedric's body. He saw himself summon the Goblet of Fire. The vision ended abruptly.
Harry knew that the vision was over.
He heard a voice call out. "Lumos!"
McGonagall stood at the Headmaster's table with her glowing wand extended over her head. It looked like she had been crying.
"Thank you, Ronald." she said.
Ron nodded from the ground, too tired to get up.
McGonagall continued. "I trust you all have heard of Harry Potter." she said solemnly, looking out at the crowd of students. "Harry Potter has almost single-handedly kept Voldemort in check for the last sixteen years. Before he was old enough to walk, Harry Potter defeated Voldemort and forced him to flee. But he can't do it alone. We need help. As I'm sure you all saw, Voldemort has returned even more powerful than before. He will murder everyone in his path as he did to young Cedric Diggory. I am asking you. Please help us."
Headmaster Gabriel was weeping openly. His tears fell unashamed into his beard. He turned to McGonagall and said in a cracking voice, "I had no idea it gotten so bad, Minerva. I felt my school and I were safe with the ocean in between us and Voldemort. I see I was wrong. Of course I help you. You have the support of myself, my faculty and my students."
McGonagall smiled widely. "Thank you, Thomas. You have no idea how much you help will mean to those on London."
Headmaster Campion pushed himself to his feet. He was smiling wickedly. "You are all fools. You'll never stop the Dark Lord. He is invincible. You will not have my help in this matter."
McGonagall glared at the pale faced man. "I never expected help from you, Campion. I wouldn't be surprised if you had the Dark Mark tattooed on your forearm."
Campion's eyes widened maliciously. "The day of reckoning is coming. All those who do not stand at Voldemort's side will die!"
His proclamation made several of the students gasp. Campion had all but admitted to being a Death Eater.
Campion walked briskly towards the center of the room. "Come, boys." he screamed.
All of the Bourbon Street Academy students walked into the center of the room. After a moment, they all Disapparated, leaving nothing but emptiness where they had stood.
McGonagall turned to Headmaster Corey. "What about you, Abigail. Will you join in our fight."
Corey seemed to be battling with herself. She was trembling violently. "We can't involved! Salem School of Witchcraft was founded to be safe haven for tormented young women. We don't know how to do battle. Especially against one as evil as Voldemort. We just can't!"
She got out of her seat and began walking towards the door. Harry could see the girls from Salem getting out of their chairs to follow her. Susan turned in Harry's arms and looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry, James. I must follow my Headmaster." She stood on her toes and kissed Harry lightly on the cheek. "Thank you for showing me that all men aren't evil." She turned again and began walking briskly towards the door.
Something has to be done, Harry thought. Something big. In a flash of inspiration, Harry ran towards the door and cut off the girls from Salem. "Wait!" he screamed. He brought a hand to his forehead and pushed up his bangs, revealing his lightning bolt shaped scar. "I am Harry Potter."
He could hear a collective gasp from everyone in the room.
That was the assignment. Hope you like it. Let me know. If you don't understand something make sure you tell me. I'll try to explain it at the top of next chapter.