The Next Generation: Marauders3

Chapter 11: A Slap Upside the Head

It was late one night at Hogwarts. Richard Potter was sitting up in bed, fuming silently.

"That's it" he said quietly to himself. Quickly, he slipped out of bed, grabbing his Invisibility Cloak from the nightstand drawer. Throwing it over himself, he walked slowly down into the Gryffindor common room, climbing up onto the mantel and pulling out his wand.

"Moonium" he whispered as he tapped the Marauder crest located just next to Godric Gryffindor's portrait. With a slight creak, the portrait swung aside, admitting Richard into the Meeting Place.

A dark figure was seated at the table, not seeming to do anything in particular. He didn't look up as Richard approached. In fact, he was just sitting there, reading a book. Richard looked him over. Black t-shirt, pajama pants...nothing too special. Richard cleared his throat loudly. I jumped up in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. Richard's eyes narrowed.

"I want to know, my dear author, why YOU haven't updated recently! That hex you pulled on Snape through us was brilliant, but what are we going to do now? You planning to continue the story at any point?"

I sighed. "Hey, there have been extenuating circumstances. New job, new car...new girlfriend...not that you need to know about that. You're only 11. And yes, I will be updating eventually." Richard pulled his wand.

"No, I think you'll be updating now, actually. Get to work." I stared at him in shock.

"I'm sorry...are you serious? I'm not going to sit here and be threatened by a figment of my imagination!"

Richard waved his wand. I whipped my own out and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!" Richard went stiff as a board and fell to the ground. I stood up and walked over to him as he looked up in surprise.

"Now. I will update when I'm good and ready. And unless you'd like to be eaten by a manticore in the next chapter, let's not meet again, ok?" I snapped my fingers. Richard flew like a flash out of the Meeting Place, landing with a crash in the middle of the common room floor. I chuckled as I returned to my book.

"Kids just don't respect their elders these days" I said to myself. "I quite agree" an anonymous voice spoke from the shadows.

I stood up in shock, grabbing my wand. "Who is that?"

Professor Dumbledore stepped out of the shadows. "It was I, Scott...and I must insist that you no longer...'hang out' here, as I believe it's known. This school is meant for students, not writers." I sighed.

"If you insist, Professor. I assume you also want me to update?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"Actually, I would. I'm rather interested in seeing what happens to Professor Snape, myself."

I smiled. "I'll get right on it, sir." With that, I vanished in a flash of light. Dumbledore smiled as he turned towards the secret door in the Meeting Place that not even the Marauders knew about.

"Americans" he sighed to himself as he disappeared through the door.

(A/N: I needed to snap myself out of this drought...and I always wanted to talk to Dumbledore. A new chapter shall be forthcoming, since I have two days off from work. Read and review, if the spirit moves you!)