Title: Hey, Where Are the Kangaroos?
Authors: Silver Sparklze and The Great Muses
Summary: When Voldemort starts to wonder why Virginia Weasley managed to escape him so long ago, not only are Harry and his friends in danger, the rest of Hogwarts is too. So Professor Dumbledore hatches a brilliant plan to send Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and the twins Fred and George, to the last place on Earth that Voldemort would ever look for them…Australia.
Chapter Title: Ah, embarrassment, how I love thee
Author's Notes: This story was written by both Silver Sparklze and The Great Muses. We hope you like it, and review accordingly. In other words, review or we'll stop writing.
Reviewer's Response: Skittles713: Thanks, we're glad you like it. Here's the next bit.
Angel St. James: yes, we like it too. Thanks for the review
Duke20104: don't worry, you don't sound redundant. All comments are welcome. And yes, we suppose the characters are a bit oc…but we're working on it. Kinda hard for them to be in character in this kind of story…
Dragonsile: there are no kangaroos.
GNatgirl: sorry…here's the next chapter, though, so perhaps you can forgive us?
Neely61: dunno…it's already got about 12 chapters written. Only this and the prologue typed though. Give us a bit of time…
Eat paper: we live in Australia too.
BuckNC: we plan to try.
Keara: yes, we know you live in Oz…Newcastle, right? Silver used to live there…before she moved. Muses has lived in Vic all her life. Thanks for the review.
~*~
"Kia! Kia! Kiarna Blythe!" Kia jumped, startled. Her twin sister Kira was standing in front of her, oceanic blue eyes snapping.
"Oh, sorry Kira. I didn't hear you," Kia said, pushing a troublesome lock of red hair out of her own eyes.
"You never hear anyone when you're drawing. Or when you're reading," She pointed out rather angrily.
"I know, I know." Kia sighed, she'd heard this all before. "What was it that you wanted to speak to me about?" Her own blue-green eyes were an odd navy at the moment, reflecting her darkening mood.
"We've got choir practice in 5 minutes!" Kira stamped her foot.
"Why are you worried then? You're never early for anything," Kia said, grinning. Kira frowned.
"I promised Mum that I'd be early for a change," Kira said desperately.
"That'll be the day," Kia replied snorting, returning to her drawing of a stormy sea surrounding a lone rock that had a battered shack on top of it.
"It will be today if you put that stuff away and move your lazy butt!" retorted Kira, using the 'final' weapon. Kia's eyes flashed angrily, turning a deep black. She slammed her pencil down and grabbed her choir book, glaring at Kira. She stalked out of the room with Kira hurrying along.
***
"Girls, girls!" Mrs. Shadebon tapped her baton. "We don't have time for chit chat. Now, I'd like to make an announcement – Congratulations to Kia and Kira for being on time!"
Everyone applauded sarcastically. Kia and Kira grinned embarrassedly.
"Don't expect it all the time – today's a special occasion!" replied Kia jokingly.
"And the occasion is?"
"It's Banana Day today," said Kira, straight faced. The choir laughed.
"Banana Day? Ok, the one we started last week…""I Still Call Australia Home?" suggested Amy, a girl up the front.
"Yes, yes. On three; right, one, two, three."
"I've been to cities that never close down," sang Kira,
"From New York to Rome, and Old London Town," joined in Kia, whose voice was different to Kira's. Both of them in unity sounded divine.
"But no matter how far, or how wide I roam, I still call Australia home…"
And then the rest of the choir filled the hall with a sound to be compared with the angels in heaven.
"I love being free."
"Stupid ho," muttered Kira, directing her comment at Kia.
"And so I believe in the sun and the sea."
"Stuck up, prissy bitch," whispered Kia, nudging her Twin.
"I still call Australia home."
"Slut," they said together.
"ENOUGH!" yelled Mrs. Shadebon. Everyone stopped. "Do you two want a detention?"
"I will not be swayed but your sweet words of temptation!" Kira said.
"In other words - no," translated Kia, glaring at her Twin.
"Well, sort it out you two!" Mr.s.. Shadebon said angrily. "From the second verse, one two three!"
"All the sons and daughters."
"I did promise Mum," reminded Kira quietly.
"Away from their family and friends."
"So?" said Kia, shrugging her shoulders.
"And as the world gets colder, and colder."
"So, I had to keep that promise. You know what Mum's like with promises."
"You still didn't have to yell at me though," sulked Kia.
"Anyone wouldn't know you're the oldest," muttered Kira irritably under her breath.
"When all of the ships, return to the shore."
"What?"
"I'm sorry for yelling at you, alright?" mumbled Kira, urgently aware of Mrs. Shadebon looking at them.
"I dunno, why should I forgive yo- ow!"
Kira nudged Kia and nodded towards Mrs. Shadebon. They both smiled and waved to her. She was not impressed.
"That's why," said Kira through her teeth.
"Oh. Right. Ok," said Kia. Kira rolled her eyes.
"I swear girl, one day your life span's going to shorten quite considerably," thought Kira.
~*~
"Hey, Hermione – is Hedwig back yet?" Harry asked, leaning on the door of her room. She stood up and hastily stuffed a black lacy garment in her trunk.
"Uh … n-no. I don't know."
Harry snickered. "Wait till I tell Ron you've got a black lace tho-,"
"Don't tell Ron," was all Hermione could manage to reply before slamming the door in Harry's grinning face. His smile faded and he turned away, stunned. His Hermione was growing up! Ron was coming up the stairs.
"Tell me what?" Ron said, a quizzical expression on his face.
"Oh, nothing," Harry smirked, and went into their room to continue packing.
"What?" persisted Ron. Hermione had insisted that she and Krum were just friends – and Ron had then tried to find out everything about her that he could.
"I'm sure that it won't take you long to find out yourself," said Harry with meaning. Ron gave up with a sigh.
"Hey," he said, "We haven't got our letters."
"Remus told me that we won't need them."
"Oh, right." All was silent for a minute until Ginny ran into their room.
"Hide me!" she pleaded to Harry.
"Why?"
"Just, please!" Harry was touched by the urgency in her voice.
"Oh, alright. In here," Harry shoved Ginny unceremoniously into the now empty closet. Just as Harry shut the door, George ran into the room.
"Seen Gin?" he panted.
"Nope – haven't seen her all day," Harry lied.
"Oh, ok," and he ran out again. Harry pulled open the door.
"Explain why I just lied to George,"
"Well…"
"The TRUTH"
"Oh, alright. Fred and George were teasing Hermione about a certain garment of hers, so I turned Fred into a pig to match his personality. I was going to do George too, alas the time ran out before I had to make my escape."
Ron snorted, but Harry managed to keep a straight face
"Hagrid tried to turn Dudley into a pig once," he said, "It didn't quite work out, though. Dudley ended up with a curly tail. He had to have it surgically removed in a private hospital." Ginny giggled.
"That sounds like Hagrid," she said. Something clicked in Harry's brain.
"Wait a second!" he exclaimed. "How did you know such an advanced spell?"
"Hermione told me," Ginny said, shrugging.
"Makes sense," Harry nodded. Then he began unpacking the bureau that he and Ron shared whenever he came over. "You'd better go and finish packing," he said, "we're leaving tomorrow."
"Yes sir!" Ginny gave him a mock salute and marched out.
~*~
"Oof!" Kia grunted, hefting her heavy backpack onto her back. Her poor muscles protested for a moment, before she got used to the extra weight.
She slammed her locker shut, spun the combination around a few times, and turned around, just it time to slam straight into Motoki Li, the cute Asian Exchange Student. She promptly dropped her armful of English and History books on the floor. Her cheeks reddened and she knelt down to pick them up, just as Motoki did, causing them to bump heads.
Kia quickly backed away, tripped over a bag and landed on the floor of the hallway. The carpet, while doing a little to save her posterior from injury, did absolutely nothing for her pride.
Meanwhile, Motoki had picked up all her books and was holding them under one arm. The other was extended to help her up. Kia took his hand, and got up, noting with a slight shiver that his hand wasn't sweaty, unlike the hands of most boys she knew. Although this didn't prove that she had a fetish for hands!
"Thanks," she mumbled, her cheeks burning. Motoki grinned, a dimple appearing in one cheek. He handed Kia her books.
"You...aren't…welcome?" He said haltingly. He frowned. "Sorry. You…is… welcome???" He looked hopeful. Kia hid a grin.
"You speak English well," she told him, speaking slowly.
"Thank you," Motoki replied, his delight at being understood showing clearly on his face. Kia guessed that he'd learnt the correct Western way to respond to a compliment, as Asians traditionally denied any compliment – which Kira found very frustrating, explaining why she had no Asian friends. "Are…you…hurt?"
"No, I'm fine. I'm sorry I bumped into you."
"It is good," Motoki said, waving one hand. They grinned at each other, Kia clutching her books, and Motoki holding his laptop. (Which he'd put on the ground while helping Kia up.) Kira shattered the moment.
"Kia! Get your arse into gear! Mum wants us home by four!" She held up the mobile that the twins shared. Kia sighed.
"Right. See you later, Motoki."
"Hi!" Motoki called after her retreating back.
~*~
Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys all stood on Platform 9 and ¾, waiting for the 2 o'clock train. Apparently, there were two trains that went to Hogsmeade from King's Cross everyday; the 11 am and the 2 pm.
Ginny, who had been the one to inform a rather surprised Dream Team of this fact, smirked smugly the whole while. Harry knew that she was thinking about their second year, he just knew it!
Finally the train arrived. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and the twins all turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley suddenly threw her arms around as many of them as she could, Ginny managing to skip out into safety, sobbing loudly.
"Mum!!" Ginny complained; "It's wet enough outside without you flooding in here too!"
"I'm sorry," Mrs. Weasley sniffed, "B-but I'm going to miss you all so m-much!" she burst into tears again, and pressed kisses to all of their cheeks, before stepping back and crying all over Mr. Weasley's shirt. Harry was bewildered. Why was she so upset!?!
"Take it easy Mum, we're only going to Hogwarts," Ron muttered crossly, his ears going red. A thought struck Harry suddenly, and he turned to Ginny, since she was the closest.
"Why are Fred and George going back to Hogwarts?" he murmured out of the corner of his mouth. "They left last year."
"How could we forget!" muttered Ginny, her eyes going round as she contemplated this, her freckled face confused. "I never thought of that!" She exclaimed, "I wonder why?" She sighed. "I guess we'll find out when we get to school, just like Remus said." Harry nodded in agreement.
"I suppose we will."