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For copyright and disclaimers, please see chapter 1

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3 - Hogwarts and Scotland

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Saturday, June 20, 1998:
Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster's office

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We appeared in a circular office, filled with paintings on the wall, and an assortment of small silver devices that moved and chimed. An old man with white, waist-length hair and beard called from an armchair next to the fire, "Ah, good morning, good morning! How good to see you all! You must be the Waynes. I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster. Please forgive my not getting up. My foot was hexed off yesterday, and I'm having it regrown." He waved a wand, and more chairs appeared.

Dad stepped forward to shake hands, and said, "Good to meet you, Mr. Dumbledore. I'm Bruce Wayne. I'd like you to meet my wife Selina and daughter Mattie."

Mom shook his hand, and asked, "How long will you be laid up?"

Mr. Dumbledore dismissed it. "Oh, a day or so. Merely an inconvenience. Our school nurse has dealt with much more serious matters." He waved at the other people in the room, and added, "Allow me to introduce some of my staff, and the heads of our four houses." He indicated a severe looking woman with her hair in a tight bun. "First, we have Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and our Transfiguration professor, who is also head of Gryffindor house. Next to her, Professor Filius Flitwick, Charms instructor and head of Ravenclaw house." He moved on from the tiny professor to a chubby witch. "Next, we have Pomona Sprout, Herbology professor and head of Hufflepuff house. The young lady on the couch next to her is Miss Virginia Weasley, who is our head girl for the upcoming year." He last motioned to a lanky fellow in black with greasy hair, and added, "Last, but certainly not least, is our Severus Snape, Potions Master and head of Slytherin house." He smiled, and added, "Now then, while we entertain your parents Miss Wayne, why don't you join Miss Weasley, and have her give you a tour of the grounds? As we had to postpone our end of term Leaving Feast yesterday, all of you are of course welcome to join us tonight for dinner."

"That sounds like an excellent idea, Mr. Dumbledore," Dad said with a smile. "Please assume that I've made all the usual dire, bloodthirsty threats about harm to my little girl."

Mr. Dumbledore chuckled, and said, "Duly noted. Miss Weasley, please be sure to mention the moving staircases and such, won't you? Hmm. Well, then, off with you."

As we left, I heard Mr. Dumbledore say, "Now, I understand that Fawkes … " I chuckled and shook my head. "A bit … um, how should I say this?" I asked her as we rode down a moving staircase.

"Daft? Barmy? A crazy old man?" Miss Weasley chuckled, and added, "They've all been said about Professor Dumbledore. I'm Ginny, by the way."

"Mattie Wayne. What was that about socks?"

Ginny giggled. "Both Professor Dumbledore and Dobby, who's Harry's House-elf, are crazy about socks. The pair he had was a gift from my brothers a few years ago. They're charmed to sing 'Rule Britannia' if someone mentions Quidditch."

"Your brothers…" I looked at her, and said, "Isn't there something about a joke shop?"

"You saw it! Isn't it fabulous? Yes, Fred and George started it, with their mate Lee. Another brother, Ron, will be working there soon. Did you see Harry's picture?"

"The one about the Bangs? That's um … Harry?" I unrolled the Gringott's scroll, and added, "Harry Potter?"

"That's my Harry. What's that?"

"We were in Gringott's yesterday, and they gave us this while the fight was going on. It kept updating itself. You're on here, you know. Who's … H. Granger?"

"Hermione. Oh, they'll want to see this!" She gazed at me, then said, "You won't reveal where he's hiding?"

"Puh-lease! You don't recognize the name 'Wayne'?" Ginny shook her head, and I said, "Don't worry about it. Our family is used to keeping secrets. Dad put a bunch of money in my Gringott's account to make sure I'd have enough." I pulled out the little account bag, and Ginny recognized it.

"Tap the bag with your wand, and tell it 'Balance'." I did so, and three numbers glowed: 2847/7/16. Ginny whistled. "You're not hurting, but don't spread it around. I think you're used to our friends in the press. Come on, I'll introduce you to Harry and Hermione." As we walked, Ginny added, "I partnered with Hermione, who has got to be THE smartest witch in a long time. She scored EIGHTEEN OWL's! Eighteen!"

"What's an OWL?"

"Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations, you take them at the end of fifth year. I didn't do badly with twelve. At the end of seventh year, which is next year for me, there are the NEWT's. Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. Harry, Ron, and Hermione won't find out what they scored until the end of July. Oh, hello, Lady Gray."

"Hello, Ginny. Congratulations on making Head Girl. Who do we have here?"

I guess they expected me to freak on seeing a ghost. I nodded my head politely, and replied, "Hello, ma'am. I'm Mattie Wayne. Ginny has been kind enough to give me a tour while my parents meet with Professor Dumbledore."

"Most interesting, your reaction. You've seen ghosts before?"

"Yes, ma'am, although usually in a different … format. Like a long, thin flickering candle flame, although that doesn't mean I can't talk to them. However, I seem to be the only one that can."

Lady Gray transfigured herself to my description, then back. "My dear, I would advise you to keep this ability to yourself until needed, as you did with yours, Ginny. Necromancy is still considered a dark art by many, and the additional difficulties you would encounter at the start of your magical education would be … unwelcome. You may trust Ginny's discretion." She turned, and said, "Peeves is approaching. Head to my Tower, and I shall distract him. Hurry."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you!" Ginny took my hand, and took off running, while the Lady floated off. After a brief run, we arrived at a large statue of a raven. Ginny told it "Antipodean", and it ground open, allowing us to slip inside.

"Hello, Ginny," a blonde with slightly protuberant eyes and a distracted air said. "How did you get the password?" She stopped putting up notices, and asked, "Who are you?"

"Mattie Wayne, this is Luna Lovegood. Luna, I'm Head Girl next year, so Professor Dumbledore gave me the current faculty password, and the Gray Lady suggested we head here to avoid Peeves."

Luna nodded, and said, "Welcome to Ravenclaw Tower, Mattie. Please feel free to look around." She returned to putting up notices.

Ginny said, "I was planning on showing you Gryffindor tower, which is where I live. Each House has a common room, like you see, and separate dormitories for boys and girls. The girl's staircases are set so guys can't go up them. Luna, can I show her your dorm?"

"Certainly, although I'm still packing. Go up the left staircase to the sixth landing. The loo is off to the right when you go in."

As we walked up the staircases (these didn't move), Ginny glared at a descending witch, and said, "Edgecombe." There were faint marks on her face, and she sneered, "Weaslette." After we got in the dorm, Ginny sent another glare after her, then said, "Edgecombe there betrayed the DA, sorry, the Defense Association to that toady Umbridge in my fourth year, and ran afoul of one of Hermione's hexes. Did you notice her forehead?"

I nodded, and Ginny grinned, and said, "The loyalty hex wrote 'SNEAK' on her face - one of Hermione's nastier little jinxes. You can see she's still got the scars. Fortunately, you won't have to deal with her, she's graduating." She opened a window, and added, "These dorms can be pleasant in spring and summer, but they're drafty in winter. You can do homework here, although most people do theirs in either their common room or the library. When you get your school trunk, get one with built in expansion and lightening charms. They're more expensive, but you can pack a lot more in, including a broom." She indicated a wall, with four of the six horizontal hooks occupied by broomsticks. I poked my head in the loo, and found it typical.

"Anything else you want to see?" I shook my head, and Ginny checked her watch, then said, "Let's go see the library, and then we can get lunch in the Great Hall." I followed her down the stairs.

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"So … tell me about you and Harry," I prompted.

"Well, I had a crush on him initially, all based on that whole 'Boy who lived' malarkey," Ginny said as we walked down a staircase. "Once I got here in my first year, I got to know him better, because I was sorted into Gryffindor, and saw that he…STOP! Hop down the next two steps to where I am. Those next two are trick steps - you'll be trapped in them if you step on them."

"How long does it take to learn all of these?" I asked, carefully jumping down. With a grinding sound, the staircase started to shake, and I hurried after Ginny to the landing. My jaw dropped as the staircase moved away, leaving us on a landing in the middle of the air, seven floors of nothingness under us.

"Couple of months. 'Lo, Neville. Mattie Wayne, meet Neville Longbottom," Ginny said, introducing the round-faced boy. She didn't seem to be worried we were standing on a six by six-foot stone slab in the middle of the air.

"I still haven't learned them all," Neville said mournfully. "Hello, Mattie. Mind the edge, there." I nodded, wondering what I could do here with a decel line.

"I was taking Mattie on a tour, but it looks like the most direct route to the library is gone for now," Ginny said.

"Were you going to introduce her to Harry?" Neville asked. "They moved to Myrtle's loo."

"Okay, who's Myrtle, and why is she in a bathroom?" I asked. I was curious and didn't have anything else to do.

"Moaning Myrtle is one of the resident ghosts," Ginny said. "She was killed in that loo about fifty years ago. It's not used, because it's not nice to be in having a pee with Myrtle crying and flooding the bloody place."

"She's ALWAYS crying, and flooding the first floor," Neville added. With a grinding noise, a staircase swiveled into position; Ginny led me on.

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"Um, Ginny? This is the second floor." I pointed over the railing, and added, "That's the first."

"No, that's the ground floor, this is the first. Welcome to the UK, Yank." Ginny said with a grin. We splashed through some water, and went in a door labeled 'Female W/C'. Inside, a young man with messy black hair, and a young woman with bushy brown hair sloppily pulled back were pointing wands at us.

"Hi, Ginny," the brunette said. "We heard Rita Skeeter was nosing around again."

"Haven't seen her," Ginny said cheerfully. "I'd like to introduce Mattie Wayne. Her parents are with the Headmaster now. Mattie, this is Hermione Granger and Harry Potter."

"So, why are you guys hiding?" I asked, leaning against a circular stand of sinks. Everything about the castle gave the appearance of age and hard use.

"The bloody press," Harry answered. "They all want pictures, and interviews, 'Oh, just one more, please, Mr. Potter!' - a great bloody nuisance, they are."

"I agree. Even a private school is no guarantee of privacy with the press," I groused.

"You're still a celebrity, though, even in class, instead of being 'normal'," Harry agreed. I sighed and nodded, and he asked, "So, what about you?"

"Parents are celebrities, and Dad's a billionaire. You?"

"Famous scar, prophecy, and an evil wizard trying to kill me every year."

"That sucks."

Harry nodded, and glanced at his watch, said, "Shall we brave the Great Hall for lunch?"

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I walked with Hermione, while Ginny and Harry trailed behind, down the stairs to the first … er, ground floor, turning left and going through a set of double doors. I leaned over, and asked, "Er, am I hallucinating, or did that portrait just wave at me?"

She laughed, and said, "It did, and it does take a while to get used to. I come from a muggle family myself. My parents are dentists. Look up at the ceiling."

"Oh, my." The sun peeked out from behind scudding clouds. If I looked hard, I could see the beams in the ceiling.

"Get out of my sight, mudbloods. I can't breathe with your stench in the air."

Hermione turned to face the speaker, and sighed, "Pritchard. Does being rude come with a bloodline now?"

"Oh, that's quite all right, Hermione." I smiled at the twerp, and held out my hand. "Helena Wayne." I waited as he sneered, and then added quietly, "Good breeding means you at least acknowledge a greeting." He sniffed, then touched my hand, mumbling "Graham Pritchard."

I shook his hand while patting him on the shoulder, then nodded politely and moved off. Pritchard's eyes rolled up in his head, and with a bang, his forehead hit the table. I smiled at Hermione, and said, "Where do we sit?" Hermione's mouth dropped open, and I asked again, "Sit? Food?"

"Over here, Mattie," Ginny called. I poked Hermione, who shook herself, and we walked over to the far table against the wall. I sat on the bench, smoothing my skirt, and Ginny asked, "What did you do?"

"Me? Nothing. I just shook his hand. Why do you ask?" I examined the heavy gold plates and cutlery, which seemed to be 24 karat. Ginny poured some orange juice into a goblet, and then passed it to me.

"Well, he's still unconscious," Harry said.

"Perhaps he was tired," I suggested, as I took a sip, then winced. "What's this, and what's the food like?"

"It's pumpkin juice, and the food's excellent. There's also plenty of it," Ginny said. "Oh, look, post is here!" I looked up to see several dozen owls enter the hall, and circle over the table. Harry groaned, and hid his head in his hands as they started to land.

"Harry, do you mind?" Hermione asked. He waved a hand with a 'mmuph' sound, as I took a sip of pumpkin juice. I twisted my face, and decided that it must be an acquired taste. I untied a note from an owl's leg, and passed it my goblet of juice. It hooted in thanks, took a drink, and then took off. Another one waddled up to me, and I relieved it of its burden, adding it to the growing pile in the middle of the table.

"It's a thank you letter. A rather effusive one," Ginny said. I untied another scroll, stroked the owl's head, for which it nipped my finger affectionately, took a drink, and then took off. I moved to the next patiently waiting owl, and asked, "Is there anything besides pumpkin juice to drink?"

"Water, milk, coffee, tea. What's your pleasure?" Hermione asked.

"A couple of large goblets of water for the owls, if you don't mind." Hermione passed me two, and I set them down so the owls in line could drink, and resumed untying messages.

"Ginny," Hermione said. "A marriage proposal," she said, passing the scroll over.

"Nobody but Ginny," Harry said. A tall black fellow sat down, and Harry added, "'Lo, Dean."

"Harry. Hi, everyone," he spied me, and stretched his hand out, "Dean Thomas".

"Mattie Wayne," I said as I shook his hand.

"Ah, the five pence tour," Dean said. He sighed, and said, "Blimey, I'm gonna miss this place. Lots of good times here." He looked at the stack of letters, and said, "Need a hand with the mail?"

Hermione was looking at me, and said, "Dean, you're still conscious." I turned my attention to the next owl.

"'O course. Why wouldn't I be?" He took a gulp of pumpkin juice. It must be an acquired taste, I thought.

"Mattie knocked Graham Pritchard out when she shook his hand."

"He's a blue-blooded ass," I said. I stuck my hand out, and Dean shook it firmly. I held my hands up, and said, "See? Nothing up my sleeves."

"'Cept your wand. May I?" I pulled it out of the holster, and handed it to Dean. He inspected it, then said, "I've never seen a silver wand before. Where'd you get it?"

"Boston, from Revere wands. May I see yours?" He nodded, and handed mine back, along with his, a smudged cherry wand. I handed it back when more owls came in, and started to circle.

"Oi, some of you owls for Harry, line up over here!" Dean called. Some of them broke out of their pattern, while the rest took place in line with me, where I resumed untying messages.

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"Harry! How good to see you!" I looked up, and saw a portly wizard with a lime green bowler striding toward us. A short, wide witch with appalling taste and Secretary Weasley followed him. All over the hall, people were rising, wands out, with expressions of hatred and loathing.

Hermione told me, "Get behind us, Mattie, we'll protect you."

"Who are they?" I asked.

"The fat bitch is Umbridge, and Minister Fudge in the green hat," Dean said. "Get behind us." I scooted behind them, and they said, "Protegro Unisys". A glimmering dome surrounded the three of us. Similar shields started appearing before other people.

"Harry! What's all this? Why, we're all friends here!" Fudge asked, stopping about ten feet away.

Harry motioned, indicating the Great Hall. "WE are friends, Fudge, but you and your toadies are not. FRIENDS come when one of them is in danger. Where were the Aurors yesterday? The only ones with us were the ones who ignored your recall order."

"Why did you recall the Aurors, and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Minister? Was there a greater danger than Voldemort attacking?" Ginny asked.

"Hem, hem. Now see here, little girl. You shouldn't be questioning your superiors. They know far better than you," Umbridge said in a sickening, little-girl voice.

"You are a fat little toady, Umbridge, and a disgrace to our house," a girl with long, straight black hair and violet eyes said. "I call a vote of Slytherin. All in favor of removing Dolores Umbridge from House Slytherin?"

"AYE!" Umbridge turned white.

"Opposed?"

"Not I." I turned, as did many people, and saw the tall form of the Potions professor, as well as three other professors. He turned, and asked the three witches, "Your vote?"

"Expel."

"Remove her."

A rail-thin witch with too many beads and shawls added, "The fates have foretold this, Dolores Jane Umbridge. I also vote to restore the honor of my house."

The Potions professor nodded, saying, "Thank you, Sybill. For the first time in 320 years, we remove a name from the rolls of House Slytherin. Now get out of my sight."

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Fudge looked after the departing Umbridge, and said, "Ahem. Well, now, Harry. The Ministry has decided to award you the Order of Merlin, First cla …"

"I don't want it."

"But Harry! We have a nice press conference all arranged at the Ministry, and …"

"I said I don't want it, Fudge. You and your bloody Ministry can shove off." Harry sat down and untied a letter from an owl's leg.

"Now, see here, Harry…" Secretary Weasley started.

Ginny asked, "Weatherby, did Harry ask for your opinion? Now shove off, or I'll hex you myself." She sat down and ignored him, untying another owl's leg.

"I suggest you depart, Minister," the silky voice of the Potions Master intoned. "You are not welcome. Or are you perhaps unaware of the number of wands pointing at you?"

Secretary Weasley looked about, gulped, and started to sidle toward the doors. I peeked out between Hermione and Dean, and saw ranks of students, some standing on tables, wands pointed at the two.

"But … Well, I'll be in touch, Harry!" Fudge said, as he moved quickly toward the door. The downdraft from the circling owls knocked his bowler off, and he paused, dithering a moment, before sprinting toward the door.

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