Chapter 3

Colin decided to try his excuse on her. "Yes, actually I did and it's a

good thing you found them because," he made his voice sound very official and

formal, "these pictures are the result of a ten-year long program funded by the

British government to make pictures that move."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "And I suppose the first thing

the government decided it had to take pictures off was a bunch of kids wearing

robs, surrounded by plants that don't exist, flying on brooms that can't fly in

front of dragons that also, for all intents and purposes, also do not exist?"

As far as Colin knew about the muggle government, it sounded plausible to

him. "Yes, exactly. See? You do understand." He tried to grab the picture out of

her hand but she wouldn't let go and forced his hand away from the picture.

"Though you don't seem to understand it, I'm not stupid. These pictures

are not fake and you," she looked his clothes up and down in a way that made him

squirm, "are not from the government. Though, if you'd like, I could call them

up and confirm that you aren't."

'Damn it,' Colin searched his mind for another excuse. "Umm...these

pictures are a result of a drug overdose? You're really hallucinating." He made

another grab for the pictures and this time she hit him. "Ow!" He rubbed his

hand. "That really hurt!"

"You've got one more chance before I make the call."

He looked up into her eyes and knew that she meant it and in the very next

moment, the secrecy laws of the wizarding world went right out the window. "What

do you want to know," he asked softly, hoping that, whatever it was, it would

involve him very quickly making up a cock-and-bull story that would satisfy her

intense desire to know about it and he could go on his way and never be bothered

again.

Instead, she pointed to his camera and asked, "Is that the camera you took

these with?"

Thinking this would be an easy way out, he answered, "Yes" and once again

reached for the pictures but the girl pulled her hand away. "Make me one."

"Make you one! I can't do that! That-that is," not ever, ever going to

happen because I only have a limited amount of potion left that I brought home

with me and I have a lot better things to use it on than you, he finished in his

head. Out loud he finished, "impossible! I'm not allowed." Ha! There! That was

even true, as far as any Ministry of Magic decree went.

"Not allowed? What do you mean not allowed? Are all these pictures illegal

then?"

Colin let out a breath of exasperation. "No, of course not," he replied

hurriedly. "I made them during the school year, we're allowed to do magic and-"

he broke off, his eyes widening in horror at what he'd just let slip past his

lips. His tormentor, on the other hand, was ecstatic.

"I knew it!" She jumped up and down on the porch excitedly. "I knew it!

There's magic and you're a magician and you say there's a school?" She stopped

jumping and pulled his head down so that his eyes were peering into hers. "This

is simply amazing! Brilliant! I-I-You must tell me everything!"

Colin threw her arms off of him in disgust. "I'll tell you nothing! And

I'm not a magician!"

She looked very taken a back and, for a moment, afraid. "What do you mean

you'll tell me nothing? I still have your pictures. You told me things. I could

tell the whole world."

His face reddened with anger and he leaned in close to her, holding her

head up so she would look him straight in the eye and spoke in a very quiet

voice that he hoped would have the same affect on her that Snape's had on his

classes. "No, you wouldn't because I would hit you with a memory modifying charm

faster than you could reach the phone. You wouldn't remember your own name, not

to mention anything about Hogwarts or the wizarding world or-" he clamped his

mouth shut tightly. No need to give away anything more.

She watched him thoughtfully for a moment and then spoke. "No, you

wouldn't. You couldn't do it; you just told me you weren't allowed. Besides,

you're not the type. Even if you were the type, you would have done it before

you let those-" she hesitated, "THINGS slip. You just want your pictures back

and because you want your pictures back, you'll do what I want you to." She

patted him on the cheek and he let go of her neck to get away from her. "Make me

a photo, dear?"

He could see no other way out and felt very irritated that he has already

let so many things slip through. "Fine. I'll make you a photograph. Just-just

promise you won't tell anyone about this or anything else I show you or tell

you. Do you understand?" She nodded and he felt anger rise inside him again.

"No, I mean it-" he searched for a name before realizing he didn't know one,

"What's your name?"

"Agnes."

"Agnes, you can't tell anyone, not your mum, not your dad, not your best

friend, you can't even breath a word of it in your diary."

She looked aghast. "How did you know I keep a diary?"

He shrugged. "Let's just say you struck me as the type. A clever

assumption."

"Fair enough."

"So you promise? You won't tell anyone?"

"I swear it on-on my autographed picture of the entire Fellowship of the

Ring." Colin had no idea what the "Fellowship of the Ring" was but as long as it

meant she wouldn't be telling anyone, he didn't care.

"Alright. Tomorrow then. Come by my place and I'll make a picture for

you."