Hi,
I'm just starting this one – bear with me, I promise it will get better! And don't forget – read and review, because no-one did for my last one and it made me feel very sad indeed. Just to let me know someone's there!
Chapter One
"Do stop moaning, Ron, I promise you, it's coming!" One gloomy afternoon, the trio could be found at a rather anonymous train station, on the outskirts of a fairly average town, somewhere in the middle of England. Built up around them, on a row of three plastic chairs were the following: Two neat blue suitcases (matching) A rather singed leather holdall, with the letters RH just visible under an unsightly stain An owl cage, stuffed with an array of lumpy jumpers, and oddly sized trousers A Zonko's Joke Shop carrier bag, crumpled (having hastily been turned inside out) A much-patched rucksack A hat box, circled many times with spellotape
Perching on a blue case, Hermione pulled out a biro from her pocket and flipped to the crossword on the back of her newspaper. Suddenly, her hair began to flap and blow around her face, there was a huge screeching and a bright yellow train pulled into the platform opposite them. Harry pulled his scarf around himself tighter, Ron, terrified, shrieked at the noise; Hermione filled in 7 down.
"We'll be going in one of those?" Ron whimpered, "Any minute now", said Harry, glancing at his watch, at which Ron looked distinctly unhappy and muttered something about "avoiding things" where "you can't see its brain". Suddenly, the announcement came over the loudspeakers – "The 14:01 from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston, calling at ..... Northford..., , , " "Oh, that's us!" exclaimed Hermione. She lifted her cases and elbowed Ron, who was staring intently at the ceiling, trying to locate the voice. "Off we go Ron, mind the gap!" she said cheerfully, and the motley crew stepped aboard.
The train rattles out from the station, and we see the group more clearly. Harry has cosied himself in a corner, the bags stacked up opposite him. Hermione and Ron are in the aisle seats, around the table. Ron was surveying his luggage somewhat miserably. "I just don't have anything!" he lamented, "everything I own has magic in it! Even my jeans are anti-stain, so mum couldn't tell what Fred and George had been up to! All I have is a bird cage of jumpers, and a pair of [he enunciated this carefully] track- suit trousers!"
Hermione softened, the stress of travelling momentarily gone, "I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about Ron – they wouldn't let us do anything dangerous!"
The train lurched (as English trains often do), and Hermione pulled out the map and started to show Ron the route, "Look, we're nearly there – all we have to do is go through Rutherton and Hillborough, and then it's us!" She drew a wobbly line with her pen; Ron's eyes widened – why don't I have one of those?" he whispered, overcome by this inkless-wand/ quill contraption.
Hermione sighed, and threw her (unfinished) crossword, with the offending pen, on the chair opposite, and took out the envelope they had each been given.
Dear students (the letter read),
To help you revise for your forthcoming exams ["You don't need help, Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, to which Ron replied "Yeah, but she can't get enough of it can she! The more the merrier, as Hermione likes to say when it comes to revision. Every little helps as she- "Ron do be quiet!", Hermione snapped, "in fact, I just thought it would be very funny to see how you coped with things. So far, I've been right!" Ron turned pink, and took over the reading of the letter] the muggle studies department of school has organised a trip for you to spend a fortnight as muggles, in an average muggle town. To do this, you will be divided into small groups, including (for the sake of numbers), at least two members who have grown up with muggles so you are not totally at a loss.
In this time, you will attend a muggle school, go shopping, cook, discover muggle entertainments as well as numerous other surprises just waiting to be discovered! Every day, we will make contact with you and give you another task to complete; if you ever need us, you can dial 0800 HOGWARTS on the telephone (they measure 6x 8 inches; lift receiver, press numbers, put top of receiver to ear and speak into bottom part). Today, you must reach your town on the train, then walk to your house (they have deliberately been chosen as close to the station), the address of which is given below:
8 Ashcroft Road, Northford
To enter your house, use this key. After that, it's up to you!
Warmest regards,
Professor Heckler
The train shuddered to a halt at the station, the three gathered their bags, and off they stepped onto the grey platform.
I'm just starting this one – bear with me, I promise it will get better! And don't forget – read and review, because no-one did for my last one and it made me feel very sad indeed. Just to let me know someone's there!
Chapter One
"Do stop moaning, Ron, I promise you, it's coming!" One gloomy afternoon, the trio could be found at a rather anonymous train station, on the outskirts of a fairly average town, somewhere in the middle of England. Built up around them, on a row of three plastic chairs were the following: Two neat blue suitcases (matching) A rather singed leather holdall, with the letters RH just visible under an unsightly stain An owl cage, stuffed with an array of lumpy jumpers, and oddly sized trousers A Zonko's Joke Shop carrier bag, crumpled (having hastily been turned inside out) A much-patched rucksack A hat box, circled many times with spellotape
Perching on a blue case, Hermione pulled out a biro from her pocket and flipped to the crossword on the back of her newspaper. Suddenly, her hair began to flap and blow around her face, there was a huge screeching and a bright yellow train pulled into the platform opposite them. Harry pulled his scarf around himself tighter, Ron, terrified, shrieked at the noise; Hermione filled in 7 down.
"We'll be going in one of those?" Ron whimpered, "Any minute now", said Harry, glancing at his watch, at which Ron looked distinctly unhappy and muttered something about "avoiding things" where "you can't see its brain". Suddenly, the announcement came over the loudspeakers – "The 14:01 from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston, calling at ..... Northford..., , , " "Oh, that's us!" exclaimed Hermione. She lifted her cases and elbowed Ron, who was staring intently at the ceiling, trying to locate the voice. "Off we go Ron, mind the gap!" she said cheerfully, and the motley crew stepped aboard.
The train rattles out from the station, and we see the group more clearly. Harry has cosied himself in a corner, the bags stacked up opposite him. Hermione and Ron are in the aisle seats, around the table. Ron was surveying his luggage somewhat miserably. "I just don't have anything!" he lamented, "everything I own has magic in it! Even my jeans are anti-stain, so mum couldn't tell what Fred and George had been up to! All I have is a bird cage of jumpers, and a pair of [he enunciated this carefully] track- suit trousers!"
Hermione softened, the stress of travelling momentarily gone, "I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about Ron – they wouldn't let us do anything dangerous!"
The train lurched (as English trains often do), and Hermione pulled out the map and started to show Ron the route, "Look, we're nearly there – all we have to do is go through Rutherton and Hillborough, and then it's us!" She drew a wobbly line with her pen; Ron's eyes widened – why don't I have one of those?" he whispered, overcome by this inkless-wand/ quill contraption.
Hermione sighed, and threw her (unfinished) crossword, with the offending pen, on the chair opposite, and took out the envelope they had each been given.
Dear students (the letter read),
To help you revise for your forthcoming exams ["You don't need help, Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, to which Ron replied "Yeah, but she can't get enough of it can she! The more the merrier, as Hermione likes to say when it comes to revision. Every little helps as she- "Ron do be quiet!", Hermione snapped, "in fact, I just thought it would be very funny to see how you coped with things. So far, I've been right!" Ron turned pink, and took over the reading of the letter] the muggle studies department of school has organised a trip for you to spend a fortnight as muggles, in an average muggle town. To do this, you will be divided into small groups, including (for the sake of numbers), at least two members who have grown up with muggles so you are not totally at a loss.
In this time, you will attend a muggle school, go shopping, cook, discover muggle entertainments as well as numerous other surprises just waiting to be discovered! Every day, we will make contact with you and give you another task to complete; if you ever need us, you can dial 0800 HOGWARTS on the telephone (they measure 6x 8 inches; lift receiver, press numbers, put top of receiver to ear and speak into bottom part). Today, you must reach your town on the train, then walk to your house (they have deliberately been chosen as close to the station), the address of which is given below:
8 Ashcroft Road, Northford
To enter your house, use this key. After that, it's up to you!
Warmest regards,
Professor Heckler
The train shuddered to a halt at the station, the three gathered their bags, and off they stepped onto the grey platform.