disclaimer: not mine!

a/n: my, my...I'm updating! Considering the amount of crucial work I have unfinished, it's....well, actually no wonder, but a real shame on me! Luckily, only you know about my lazy habits. But, anyhow, I'm finally getting on with my story, or at least I have gotten a grasp of it. SO, here you go: the further adventures of the pink hat:

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Real Dangers and Ultimatums

It must be the hat. Poppy Pomfrey wouldn't feel so intimidated, otherwise. The hat was making her feel weak! Just when she had thought she had gotten to the boy, he had proved her wrong. Now she was lost. What was she supposed to do? They had discussed  parents who didn't want their children going to Hogwarts, but the kids should have been happy to come. Albus himself had told her most of the Muggle-born children were utterly relieved when someone at last told them they were magical and not just odd freaks. Why was this boy different? Why he didn't want to go? Why had  she chosen him as the first child she was to meet? Was she going to fail each and every one of her  meetings?

Suddenly, Poppy Pomfrey decided she had had enough of it. She was used to people listening to her and doing as she told them to do. Even Severus usually did. She wasn't going to let that little boy discourage her! Decidedly, she drew her wand and pressed her lips together. She was going to show him!

"Mr. Summers. Let me assure you that we are not dealing with foolish tricks, here. Even if an Accio!" as she spoke the word, the boy's jacket opened itself and peeled away off him floating to Madame Pomfrey, "is quite a frivolous spell, there are worse to come. A full-grown wizard can easily make things catch fire," she muttered something and a branch lying on the ground burnt merrily, "or explode." Again, a branch did as she had ordered it to and blew up in a burst of red and yellow flames. "Do you really think you can handle it by yourself, Mr. Summers? When you reach puberty, you have to have learnt how to control your magic. Otherwise it would be too dangerous for others around you. Can you," now she addressed the elder Mr. Summers, "honestly say you wouldn't be intimidated of him?"

Kevin couldn't help himself. That odd lady really had gotten him scared. And worst of all, he was scared of himself. What if the lady was right? What if he did harm to his dad, or his mum, or Laura? He looked at his father. Brian Summers was trying to look cool and uninterested, but he was failing miserably. Kevin saw his wary glances and the way his large hands trembled. He looked at the odd lady in the pink hat and saw her smugness over her triumph. She had made his dad scared of him, she had made him scared of himself and she was feeling good about it? Kevin narrowed  his eyes and silently decided never, ever to like that woman in his life.

"Do you understand me, Mr. Summers, Kevin?" Madame Pomfrey had felt a short moment of elation over getting the boy's attention, but immediately afterwards she was beginning to see that her approach maybe hadn't been the best possible one. She had lost her temper, she had deliberately tried to threaten a child and his Muggle parent, and she hadn't even checked if there were other Muggles around before casting the spells. Albus wouldn't be happy with her. Why had they sent her instead of Minerva or Severus? Or well, she knew why they hadn't sent Severus, but why not Minerva? Or better still, Pomona? Or Irma, for Merlin's sake! Why had it be her? She could handle anything and everything when it came to her own field, but she really only understood children when they were sick.

She had no other option than to carry on, though. It really was important that they realized Kevin didn't got any choice on the matter. It would be a total negligence to leave a child with magical talent to cope alone. It just wasn't done. What had the child argued? Something about money and career choices? Better to deal with it right away.

"Kevin," she tried to make her voice softer, in the way she usually spoke to first-years in pain, "I'm sorry, but you really can't decide not to come. It'd be dangerous. With proper education, your magic ceases to be a danger and can be a great benefit. From Hogwarts, you'll graduate at the age of seventeen, much earlier than in the non-magical world. After that, you can choose whether you want to seek a magical or a Muggle career. Now, however, you really have no choice."

Kevin wasn't one to easily trust people, most of all people who were trying to cover their irritation and were talking to him like he was a little kid. Furthermore, the odd lady really didn't have her arguments in check. How could he possibly choose a Muggle career at the age of seventeen with only magic tricks on his educational history from his eleventh year on? Yeah, right.

Only one of her arguments rang true to Kevin: him having no other choice but to obey her. And, bugger it, Kevin really hated it when he was forced to do as others told him to. Out of pure anger, he decided to be so difficult as he ever could. He had had a lot of practise on that particular trait with his current teachers. In fact, he was a champion at it: irritating adults was Kevin's choice of sport. He placed an expression of sober nonchalance on his face and interrupted the lady's fake pleasantries.

"We don't have any fucking money. And I'm a lousy student. Do you take charity cases with no talent?"

Madame Pomfrey stuttered: "Y-young man! You are not to use that kind of language in my presence!"

Whooa! What kind of school was that if the lady had never heard an f-word before? His teachers hardly even blinked anymore. His calm and calculated attitude was more often the feature that got to them. He decided to let the lady's indignation pass. He talked in the same manner she had earlier, emphasizing every other word.

"Sorry. But you didn't answer my question. How do we finance me going to that fancy tricksters' school of yours?"

Madame Pomfrey was still a little shaken. In Hogwarts students didn't calmly curse before her. Severus maybe, and even him only when he was in pain, and not with those kind of words. Madame Pomfrey was no prude, it's impossible to be one when constantly treating adolescent Quidditch players and adult ex-Death Eaters, but straightforward, deliberate rudeness was something she wasn't used to. And the boy's father hadn't said one word! What was it with these Muggles? Actually, Brian Summers had totally withdrawn himself from the conversation...oh yes, after she had blown up the branch. Oops. Maybe she had better just answer the boy and get out of there. She would return later, and better prepared. She took a deep breath and started.

"Kevin, Hogwarts doesn't have any tuition. It's a special school and the Ministry of Magic has obligated it to instruct all magical children born in the United Kingdom. Also the board and accommodation are free of charge. You only have to buy your own school supplies, which you most certainly have to do at your current school, as well."

Kevin nodded. There was no point to argue anymore. He had irritated the hat-lady, but it hadn't really helped any. He could have said his father wouldn't manage without him, but then he would have to tell the lady about her mother and he didn't want to. He didn't want the pink-hat taking a look at his Mum, and Dad was probably so frightened of him after what the hat-lady had done, that he would only be happy when Kevin left. Great.

"Well, here's a little booklet about Hogwarts, some information on the Magical community," Madame Pomfrey tried to give them to Kevin's father, but he kept his hands firmly by his sides and finally, Kevin reached for the leaflets, "and a list of supplies you'll need. I'll be coming back next week...let's say Tuesday, at four o'clock. All the new Muggle-born children will meet each other then and we'll make a nice little trip to Diagon Alley. It was very nice meeting you, Kevin, and I'm certain you will enjoy yourself at Hogwarts."

 She knew she was babbling and she knew Kevin resented her for her conduct and the way she kept stressing her words and fidgeting and trying to run away. She resented herself. She hadn't acted like this for...years! Still she did exactly what she most resented about her own behaviour: she ran away. When she had already taken a few strides, she suddenly remembered something and whirled around:"In no circumstances, Kevin, Mr. Summers, will you tell anybody about magic! Otherwise, the consequences may be severe! Have I made myself clear?"

Suddenly, the odd lady with the pink hat radiated power and authority and Kevin couldn't help his mouth slacking open. Silently, he only nodded. The lady took still a couple of steps, then she hurriedly glanced around her and disappeared from the sight. Kevin and his father were left to stare after her, or actually at the space she had stood a moment ago.

Finally, Kevin turned to his Dad and said:"Wasn't it nice to meet the magical chap?" He tried to act cool, but he was shaken himself and remembering the way his father had a moment ago shrunk away from him didn't help any. Fortunately, Brian Summers now showed the traits he was widely liked and befriended for.

"Oh, yeah. The Terminator in a pink headwear. Weird, how scary she was, huh?" Brian wrapped his arm around his son's shoulders and tried to peek the leaflets in his hand. "The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is situated in an unknown location..." Suddenly, the man guffawed loudly. "Hey, Kev, you'll be going to a secret school in an unknown place and the train there will leave on a nonexistent platform! And..." now he reached for the list of supplies,"you'll need a pointed hat and a cauldron! But no broomstick for the first-year students!"

Now, Kevin was laughing, too. First he thought his Dad was making it all up to cheer him, but when he saw it really was true, he cracked up. He laughed and laughed, and he didn't know why. Maybe he was laughing because the only other options were to cry or to freak out and he rather laughed.

He laughed with tears in his eyes.

"Brian!" A woman was hurrying towards them. "I'm sorry, but I have to get going. Will you manage, already?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Maggie." Brian Summers wiped tears from his face and grinned at the woman.

"It's nothing. She was really coherent, today."

"Yeah. It's been a good day."

"Never too much of those! Got to be going, now! Bye! Bye, Kevin!" Maggie hurried along and the boy and his father started to walk towards their home.

"How will you manage without me here?" Kevin asked hesitantly.

"I have to talk to Laura about it." Brian Summers shook his head. "It's a bigger problem how we'll convince her you have to change schools and buy a fucking cauldron."

"And a pointed hat."

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a/n: I know people don't curse any worse than bloody in the canon, but Muggle kids do. Especially the ones like Kevin. His character is founded on the kids I worked with in a pretty notorious suburb, as well as on myself at the age of eleven. Those kids and yours truly didn't act the same and didn't have same reasons for their behaviours, but Kevin has both sets of motives, theirs and mine, as well as both of our conducts ;)

Interested? Not at all? Irritated? Baffled? Bored? Read this far, anyhow? Do review! (Please? I deserve a prize for neglecting my true work in order to write fan fiction, don't you think? (Yeah, sure...))