A Whole New World
James landed onto a hard paved floor with a loud thud. He groaned with pain; between the past two days he was convinced half of his bones were broken. Once his Aunt and Uncle found him, they'd break his few remaining bones. James wasn't exactly sure where he was and he was hoping that his Aunt and Uncle didn't know either.
James surveyed his surroundings keenly. He was sitting on a dark street corner nowhere near the attic and the treasure chest he had grabbed was nowhere to be sight nor could he see any people. He gingerly got onto his feet. Everything moved somewhat properly so his fears of injury proved to be largely misplaced.
James didn't spend too much time thinking about what had just happened to him. The past two weeks were beyond bizarre. How often does one accidentally bring snails to life and then go spinning and flying anyways. All James knew was that he'd better keep careful or he'd end up hurt, (or at least more hurt than he was now. Bruises covered every square inch of his torso and his had to walk with a limp because of his sprained ankle)
James walked along the street for some time. It was a rather creepy place to be at night. The streets weren't lit at all and James could hear eerie shrieking in the distance. The noise ended abruptly as the sun set. It was replaced by an eerier silence; even scurrying rats could be heard. James passed by a store, whose display was filled with nasty looking masks glaring down at him a few surprisingly lifelike hands placed upon a purple cushion. Large rusting metal instruments dangled from the wall like glass chandeliers. This was a shop straight out of his nightmares and in all likelihood James thought to himself that this all was a nightmare too. An old lady with a grisly rat's tail on her head, long creepy black robes and mossy teeth accosted him as he was passing by offering him a tray of thumbs, (literally, thumbs cut off from people's hands) to eat. James quickened his pace avoiding her eyes and hoping to wake up as fast as possible. He pinched himself hard but he didn't wake up, maybe that only worked in the movies. His gait quickened to a jog and soon he was all out running. The alley he was in got only uglier and uglier as he passed row after row of grisly shops selling crushed kidneys and levitating brains. James crashed with a thud as he crashed head long into a building. On further inspection, James realized that he hadn't run into a building but a giant. The man was twice as tall and three times as wide as any person should be allowed to be. His one leg was the size of a tree trunk and the other actually was a tree trunk. He had a wild gray beard and long matted hair. He was wearing a long moleskin coat that looked like it was a relic from the Middle Ages and his boots were covered with dirt. Strangely, he was holding a pink umbrella though there were absolutely no signs of rain. His gnarled and crinkled face stared at James questioningly at first without a hint of anger in his face. Nevertheless the fact James was quaking with fear seemed entirely justified by the size of his massive fists which could have easily strangled him.
His face contorted with thought for several moments while he whispered things like, "No, can' be him. Bu' I though'…. No but it looks like him…" Finally, he decided to actually say something that was comprehensible, "Yeh aren' James Potter are yeh?" he asked on a soft voice.
James nodded his head nervously. Who was this man? With one swoop, the giant picked James up and embraced him in a bear hug that left James gasping for breath. James could feel drops of joyous tears stream down his eyes.
"Yer alive James, I never would o' believed it but yer alive!" The only words that could come out of James's mouth though were, "Who are you?" "Almos' forgot," said the Giant, "Should interduce myself I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys, Groundskeeper and Professor of Care of Magical Animals at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yeh can call me Hagrid, everyone else does. Yer James Potter though, righ'." James dimly nodded his head again. "We bes' be gettin' yeh out o' here." said Hagrid, "Knock Turn Alley isn' exactly safe if yeh know what I'm sayin'. Yeh know what I'm sayin' or don' yeh?" James simply shook his head confusedly. "Do yeh know anythin 'bout the wizarding world?" asked Hagrid.
James shook his head some more.
"How 'bout yer parents?" asked Hagrid.
James kept shaking his head.
"Or Hogwarts?" asked Hagrid.
James began to feel like a bobble head nodding and shaking his head. Still, the thousands of questions that were popping into James's head failed to become words. "Did yeh get yer letter for Hogwarts yet?" asked the giant Hagrid eagerly.
James nodded remembering just how much trouble those letters were going to get him in once he woke up. "Feel like I'm interrogatin' yeh," said Hagrid abruptly, "So tell me, where have yeh been fer all these years." "Where have I what?" replied James entirely lost.
"Don' know if I'm the righ' person ter tell yeh this." said Hagrid stopping to reflect, "Tol' Harry, yer father, the same thing. Yeh know he didn' know anythin' abou' the wizarding world when I firs' met him either. But someone has ter." "It all starts a long time ago. Back then there was an evil wizard. 'Bout as evil as yeh can get killin' lots of innocent people. Well, ter make a long story short, yer father Harry was the only person ter ever survive an encounter with him. He was jus' an infant when he did it. Called him the boy who lived after tha'. Voldemort the evil wizard called himself. Lot o' folk still afraid ter say his name. Anyways, Harry defeated him. Don' know exactly how but he beat him but he did. We all though' he was gone fer good after tha'. "But ten years ago; on yer firs' birthday we all had a massive party planned for yeh, bu' instead o' yeh and yer family comin' all we got was a no' tellin' us tha' yeh were gone fer good. We looked everywhere for yeh bu' in the end mos' of us gave up. Not a trace o' yeh anywhere till know. No one knew who took yeh either. Nothin' terrible happened durin' those ten years so it was easy ter forget Harry and Ginny or whoever done it. But yer back after all these years. James suddenly opened his mouth, which felt like it was glued shut before, asking, "What were my parents like?" Hagrid gave James a broad smile, "We were friends. Bes' people I ever knew. Yer dad looked jus' like yeh." "You mean he even had my eyes," interrupted James who blushed immediately.
"Ter tell yeh the truth," said Hagrid chuckling embarrassedly, "I can' quite see color no more. My eyes aren' wha' they used ter be." James noticed an abrupt change as they walked out of the alley. They were in a large avenue filled with scores of shops. James could hear the echoing of shutters clanging down.
"Hey Ernie," called out Hagrid, "Can yeh get me some chocolate frogs." "Where are we?" asked James, "This isn't London is it?" "Diagon Alley," said Hagrid proudly, "Can get anythin' here." James observed the street in shock for a moment. Like the streets before, everything being sold was beyond bizarre but nothing was frightening like before. There was an apothecary ahead of him, a magical joke shop to the left and a wand shop to the right. "Who'd want powdered beetle wings?" asked James reading one of the signs. Indeed, it seemed everything from a dungeons and dragons book, could be bought here. Dozens of people were mulling around the street all of them wearing long robes. Some wore gray and somber while others wore bright explosions of pink and purple. This dream was becoming rather fascinating. "Wizards," said Hagrid brusquely, "Everyone here's a wizard. Yer one too." "I'm a what!" exclaimed James in shock.
"Tha's righ' yer always was a wizard always will be too. Don' listen ter anyone who says yeh ain't somethin' special cause yeh are. An' it isn't cause o' who yeh father was it's cause o' who yeh are. Remember tha' always." "But how am I wizard. I'm not anything special." replied James.
"Anythin' ever happen ter yeh tha' yeh couldn' explain. Tell me who yeh know tha's like yeh." rebutted Hagrid.
James walked in silence for a few seconds, his face contorted with thought. Yeah, strange things always did seem to happen around him. Snails coming to life and teacher's dentures being lit on fire. And he definitely was special. (Princess preferred Unique rather than special. Hagrid ruffled through his pockets, (there must have been dozens of them. That was all his jacket seemed to be) handing him a crinkled letter. "Don' if yeh got one o' these bu' here's yer Hogwarts letter an' here somethin' ter eat. Yeh look like a twig. Jus' like yer father when I saw him." James pulled out the scraps of information he had pulled from trashcans throughout the Goldman's grinning, "Yeah I got into a bit of trouble trying to get those letters. Only have these scraps. So what exactly wasn't I supposed to read anyways?" "This," said Hagrid beaming.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Headmaster: Remus Lupin (Order of Merlin First Class)
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later that July 31. James read and reread the letter a dozen times feeling dizzy with shock. This couldn't be happening to him. This had to be a dream, but it such a wonderful dream. "They'll make an exception fer yeh." said Hagrid, "Don' worry 'bout sendin' yer acceptance a bi' late." "Are you a wizard?" asked James.
"Almos'," replied Hagrid, "Kinda got kicked out in my third year." "Why," asked James. "Have some frogs," suggested Hagrid ignoring James's question, "Would o' made yeh somethin' if I knew but these don' taste half bad." James could here croaking emanating from the frog; James was half expecting to have to eat a real frog. To James shock, there really were frogs inside the box wiggling impatiently.
"Don' worry," said Hagrid stuffing a frog into his mouth, "The' aren' 'live." James also grabbed a frog, slowly nibbling on its leg while Hagrid ate. Inside James found a card. "Wizardin' cards," said Hagrid noticing James's discovery, "Chocolate frogs always have 'em." There was a picture of a man on the card. He had the same wild jet-black hair James had. He was skinny like James, but a lot taller. His nose, his ear his mouth everything about him was exactly the same as James. The only differences were a thin scar the shape of a thunderbolt on his forehead and his eyes were a vivid green. It was a picture of his father; the famous wizarding hero.
Harry Potter Considered one of the greatest heroes of the modern wizarding world for defeating the Dark Lord. Known as the bow-who-lived ever since the Dark lord attacked his family when he was only an instant. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named suffered a mysterious demise at the hands of the infant Harry. After spending eleven years with his muggle aunt and uncle, Harry faced You-Know-Who many times at Hogwarts culminating in his eventual victory of the Dark Lord. Seventeen years later, he and his wife and son disspaeared from unknown causes. His interests included Quidditch and Chess.
James stared at the picture for hours. His father waved at him from to time, smiling pleasantly. James hardly noticed Hagrid or the passage of time as he numbly walked in Hagrid's wake. James focused his entire attention on the picture trying to memorize his every detail, (It wasn't very hard considering they were the exact same as his)
James only realized where he was when he felt Hagrid tapping him gently on his shoulder. They were in a small room with a couple of beds with crisp white bed sheets and a warm looking comforter to the side. A small lamp that gave the room a strange ambience dimly lighted the room and James could have sworn he smelled cats. James had a beautiful view of Diagon Alley from the window. "Hey James," said Hagrid, "We'll be spendin' the nigh' here in the Leaky Cauldron." "Sorry for ignoring you," said James feeling a little bit embarrassed.
"Yer dad was amazin'," said Hagrid accepting the apology, "It's 'bout time we go ter sleep anyways. Busy day tommorow buying all yer school stuff." He fell asleep almost immediately after falling into the bed. All of the days excitement had drained him of energy. James expected to wake up that next morning back in the damp old cellar. The noise James was hearing was the boiler boiling again. But blazing light shone through the window and the groaning noise was only Hagrid yawning. "This wasn't a dream!" shouted James excitedly, "I'm really a wizard. I'm really going to Hogwarts!" "Yeah, yeah," said Hagrid, "Wha' else could yeh be. Bes' we get an early start. Blimey it's early. Want ter get all yer stuff fer Hogwarts." The bed creaked furiously as he got out of it. The wooden frame of the bed bent so much under Hagrid's girth that the mattress was almost touching the floor. "So what's Hogwarts like?" asked James.
"Yeh'll love it," replied Hagrid with relish, "I still do." "So what do you do at Hogwarts?" asked James.
"Loads a stuff," replied Hagrid, "I'm a Professor there," "So what do you teach?" asked James "Magical Creatures. Dragons and Chimaeras like. Blimey, I'd love a dragon." "There really are Dragons!" said James excitedly.
"Three types out here in Britain," explained Hagrid, "Common Welsh, Norwegian Ridge Back and (I'll look this up later) Hagrid dug into his pockets spilling all sorts of things, dog whistles, moldy old biscuits, bird feed and various assorted keys. "Here it is," said Hagrid triumphantly, showing James a picture.
"This here is Norbert. Hatched him myself." The dragon was a frighteningly beautiful. It was flying ethereally in the sky, covered in shiny green scales from head to tail. Its body was slim and graceful, looking almost lizard like. It had a long wide snout and sharp fangs that shone like daggers. The claws were perfectly made for ripping and clawing animals. The dragon was beautiful in a way but James was glad it was flying in the picture far, far away. The beast, Norbert Hagrid called him, could rip him to shreds in seconds.
Hagrid though, was petting the picture as if it was an oversized scaly teddy bear. "She's so cute isn't she?" asked Hagrid.
"Umm. Yeah," was the only thing James could say not wanting to sound churlish. "She's in Romania wi' a couple o' friends. So tell me a bit 'bit yourself. Who'd yeh been stayin' with. What yeh've been up to?" asked Hagrid as they walked out of their room.
At first, James didn't know how to start, but the more he talked, the more comfortable he felt. Telling Hagrid how miserable his Aunt and Uncle had been to him felt like someone was taking a huge load off his summer. He vented every angry thought he had, described the injustice of it all dredging every detail he could think of. James was breathing very hard by the time he was finished.
"Sounds miserable," commented Hagrid, "But I don' get how yeh got over there." "What do you mean?" asked James, he was expecting Hagrid to have the answer to his whole puzzle. "Neither o' yer parents had any relatives named Ursula or Midas," elucidated Hagrid, "The whole thing sound fishy ter me." They walked down the steps in silence. "Here have scourgificus mint," advised Hagrid popping one into his mouth as they reached the bottom of the stairs, "It'll make yer breath smell better." James felt a strange sensation of having ice instead of teeth in his mouth as the mint went down his throat. James could see the cold vapors blowing out of his mouth. "Useful these things are," said Hagrid, "On'y invented 'em a week ago." "So where exactly are we," asked James as he walked into a small shabby tavern.
"This," said Hagrid importantly, "Is the Leaky Cauldron." The tavern was mostly empty. There was an old man whose round baldhead which looked like a basketball was buried inside a newspaper. A fat old but jovial looking bartender called out eagerly. "Want a drink Hagrid?" The man reminded James vaguely of Santa Claus.
"Nah," said Hagrid, "Got a guest today." "Well who is it," asked the man curiously.
"Yeh'd never guess," replied Hagrid.
"Just tell me you oaf," snapped the waiter in mock anger.
"James Potter," said Hagrid beaming with pride. "You mean Harry Potter's son." said the bartender excitedly, "You mean he's back from the dead." "I was never dead," replied James meekly, but the bartender nevertheless leapt over the table nearly knocking half a dozen drinks in the process.
He gave James a massive hug yelling out, "James's Potter's back from the dead. Come on everyone lets welcome him." Soon he was surrounded by the half dozen people drinking in the room all wanting to shake his hands.
"Glad to meet you, so glad to meet you," said a witch named Eloise Midgen, "You remind me so much of your father." James swelled up with pride each time he got that compliment. His father was real hero. A wizard named Ernie Macmillan went to shake his hands at least a half a dozen times before he was satisfied. It was a verbal barrage of questions. "Where were you?" "How's your father." "What happened to you." "Are their any favors I can do for you." "What's with your eyes." "Is anyone in your family still alive." James managed to answer them as best as he could though he really didn't know the answers to most of them. Hagrid managed to pull him out of the heap muttering, Can' give yeh any privacy these days." "What was that all about?" wondered James all about.
"Told yer yeh was famous." said Hagrid, "But we got ter get some work done firs'" "So where exactly are we going to get?" asked James looking through his course requirements.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Uniform First year students will require: 1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (for day wear)
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black silver fastenings)
Course Books The Standard Book of Spells (grade 1, edition IV)
Miranda Goshawk A History of Magic Bathilda Bagshot Theoretical Magic Mortimer Myopius Transfiguration for Beginners Brutus Fountainhead Sycamore's List of Essential Herbs and Fungi Olive Sycamore Potions and Draughts for Imbeciles Vincent Crabbe The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Magical Beasts Godfried Fry Defeating the Dark Arts, Volume 1 Norlina Nufflesprouts Other Equipment 1 Wand 1 Cauldron, (Pewter Standard Size 2)
1 Set Glass or Crystal Phials 1 Telescope 1 Set Brass Scales PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS The two walked out of tavern as stealthily as they could, (Hagrid struggled at the stealthy part because of the loud clang his peg leg made every time it touched the ground and the more obvious fact that he was somewhat large) "Yeh can get all o' tha' in Diagon Alley," replied Hagrid, "Bu' we have ter get yer money firs'" "I have money," said James in shock.
"'Course yeh do," said Hagrid, "Didn' think yer mum and dad would o' left yeh with nothin' did yeh. They've got a nice lil bank account for yeh in Gringotts."
James didn't spend too much time thinking about what had just happened to him. The past two weeks were beyond bizarre. How often does one accidentally bring snails to life and then go spinning and flying anyways. All James knew was that he'd better keep careful or he'd end up hurt, (or at least more hurt than he was now. Bruises covered every square inch of his torso and his had to walk with a limp because of his sprained ankle)
James walked along the street for some time. It was a rather creepy place to be at night. The streets weren't lit at all and James could hear eerie shrieking in the distance. The noise ended abruptly as the sun set. It was replaced by an eerier silence; even scurrying rats could be heard. James passed by a store, whose display was filled with nasty looking masks glaring down at him a few surprisingly lifelike hands placed upon a purple cushion. Large rusting metal instruments dangled from the wall like glass chandeliers. This was a shop straight out of his nightmares and in all likelihood James thought to himself that this all was a nightmare too. An old lady with a grisly rat's tail on her head, long creepy black robes and mossy teeth accosted him as he was passing by offering him a tray of thumbs, (literally, thumbs cut off from people's hands) to eat. James quickened his pace avoiding her eyes and hoping to wake up as fast as possible. He pinched himself hard but he didn't wake up, maybe that only worked in the movies. His gait quickened to a jog and soon he was all out running. The alley he was in got only uglier and uglier as he passed row after row of grisly shops selling crushed kidneys and levitating brains. James crashed with a thud as he crashed head long into a building. On further inspection, James realized that he hadn't run into a building but a giant. The man was twice as tall and three times as wide as any person should be allowed to be. His one leg was the size of a tree trunk and the other actually was a tree trunk. He had a wild gray beard and long matted hair. He was wearing a long moleskin coat that looked like it was a relic from the Middle Ages and his boots were covered with dirt. Strangely, he was holding a pink umbrella though there were absolutely no signs of rain. His gnarled and crinkled face stared at James questioningly at first without a hint of anger in his face. Nevertheless the fact James was quaking with fear seemed entirely justified by the size of his massive fists which could have easily strangled him.
His face contorted with thought for several moments while he whispered things like, "No, can' be him. Bu' I though'…. No but it looks like him…" Finally, he decided to actually say something that was comprehensible, "Yeh aren' James Potter are yeh?" he asked on a soft voice.
James nodded his head nervously. Who was this man? With one swoop, the giant picked James up and embraced him in a bear hug that left James gasping for breath. James could feel drops of joyous tears stream down his eyes.
"Yer alive James, I never would o' believed it but yer alive!" The only words that could come out of James's mouth though were, "Who are you?" "Almos' forgot," said the Giant, "Should interduce myself I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys, Groundskeeper and Professor of Care of Magical Animals at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yeh can call me Hagrid, everyone else does. Yer James Potter though, righ'." James dimly nodded his head again. "We bes' be gettin' yeh out o' here." said Hagrid, "Knock Turn Alley isn' exactly safe if yeh know what I'm sayin'. Yeh know what I'm sayin' or don' yeh?" James simply shook his head confusedly. "Do yeh know anythin 'bout the wizarding world?" asked Hagrid.
James shook his head some more.
"How 'bout yer parents?" asked Hagrid.
James kept shaking his head.
"Or Hogwarts?" asked Hagrid.
James began to feel like a bobble head nodding and shaking his head. Still, the thousands of questions that were popping into James's head failed to become words. "Did yeh get yer letter for Hogwarts yet?" asked the giant Hagrid eagerly.
James nodded remembering just how much trouble those letters were going to get him in once he woke up. "Feel like I'm interrogatin' yeh," said Hagrid abruptly, "So tell me, where have yeh been fer all these years." "Where have I what?" replied James entirely lost.
"Don' know if I'm the righ' person ter tell yeh this." said Hagrid stopping to reflect, "Tol' Harry, yer father, the same thing. Yeh know he didn' know anythin' abou' the wizarding world when I firs' met him either. But someone has ter." "It all starts a long time ago. Back then there was an evil wizard. 'Bout as evil as yeh can get killin' lots of innocent people. Well, ter make a long story short, yer father Harry was the only person ter ever survive an encounter with him. He was jus' an infant when he did it. Called him the boy who lived after tha'. Voldemort the evil wizard called himself. Lot o' folk still afraid ter say his name. Anyways, Harry defeated him. Don' know exactly how but he beat him but he did. We all though' he was gone fer good after tha'. "But ten years ago; on yer firs' birthday we all had a massive party planned for yeh, bu' instead o' yeh and yer family comin' all we got was a no' tellin' us tha' yeh were gone fer good. We looked everywhere for yeh bu' in the end mos' of us gave up. Not a trace o' yeh anywhere till know. No one knew who took yeh either. Nothin' terrible happened durin' those ten years so it was easy ter forget Harry and Ginny or whoever done it. But yer back after all these years. James suddenly opened his mouth, which felt like it was glued shut before, asking, "What were my parents like?" Hagrid gave James a broad smile, "We were friends. Bes' people I ever knew. Yer dad looked jus' like yeh." "You mean he even had my eyes," interrupted James who blushed immediately.
"Ter tell yeh the truth," said Hagrid chuckling embarrassedly, "I can' quite see color no more. My eyes aren' wha' they used ter be." James noticed an abrupt change as they walked out of the alley. They were in a large avenue filled with scores of shops. James could hear the echoing of shutters clanging down.
"Hey Ernie," called out Hagrid, "Can yeh get me some chocolate frogs." "Where are we?" asked James, "This isn't London is it?" "Diagon Alley," said Hagrid proudly, "Can get anythin' here." James observed the street in shock for a moment. Like the streets before, everything being sold was beyond bizarre but nothing was frightening like before. There was an apothecary ahead of him, a magical joke shop to the left and a wand shop to the right. "Who'd want powdered beetle wings?" asked James reading one of the signs. Indeed, it seemed everything from a dungeons and dragons book, could be bought here. Dozens of people were mulling around the street all of them wearing long robes. Some wore gray and somber while others wore bright explosions of pink and purple. This dream was becoming rather fascinating. "Wizards," said Hagrid brusquely, "Everyone here's a wizard. Yer one too." "I'm a what!" exclaimed James in shock.
"Tha's righ' yer always was a wizard always will be too. Don' listen ter anyone who says yeh ain't somethin' special cause yeh are. An' it isn't cause o' who yeh father was it's cause o' who yeh are. Remember tha' always." "But how am I wizard. I'm not anything special." replied James.
"Anythin' ever happen ter yeh tha' yeh couldn' explain. Tell me who yeh know tha's like yeh." rebutted Hagrid.
James walked in silence for a few seconds, his face contorted with thought. Yeah, strange things always did seem to happen around him. Snails coming to life and teacher's dentures being lit on fire. And he definitely was special. (Princess preferred Unique rather than special. Hagrid ruffled through his pockets, (there must have been dozens of them. That was all his jacket seemed to be) handing him a crinkled letter. "Don' if yeh got one o' these bu' here's yer Hogwarts letter an' here somethin' ter eat. Yeh look like a twig. Jus' like yer father when I saw him." James pulled out the scraps of information he had pulled from trashcans throughout the Goldman's grinning, "Yeah I got into a bit of trouble trying to get those letters. Only have these scraps. So what exactly wasn't I supposed to read anyways?" "This," said Hagrid beaming.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Headmaster: Remus Lupin (Order of Merlin First Class)
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later that July 31. James read and reread the letter a dozen times feeling dizzy with shock. This couldn't be happening to him. This had to be a dream, but it such a wonderful dream. "They'll make an exception fer yeh." said Hagrid, "Don' worry 'bout sendin' yer acceptance a bi' late." "Are you a wizard?" asked James.
"Almos'," replied Hagrid, "Kinda got kicked out in my third year." "Why," asked James. "Have some frogs," suggested Hagrid ignoring James's question, "Would o' made yeh somethin' if I knew but these don' taste half bad." James could here croaking emanating from the frog; James was half expecting to have to eat a real frog. To James shock, there really were frogs inside the box wiggling impatiently.
"Don' worry," said Hagrid stuffing a frog into his mouth, "The' aren' 'live." James also grabbed a frog, slowly nibbling on its leg while Hagrid ate. Inside James found a card. "Wizardin' cards," said Hagrid noticing James's discovery, "Chocolate frogs always have 'em." There was a picture of a man on the card. He had the same wild jet-black hair James had. He was skinny like James, but a lot taller. His nose, his ear his mouth everything about him was exactly the same as James. The only differences were a thin scar the shape of a thunderbolt on his forehead and his eyes were a vivid green. It was a picture of his father; the famous wizarding hero.
Harry Potter Considered one of the greatest heroes of the modern wizarding world for defeating the Dark Lord. Known as the bow-who-lived ever since the Dark lord attacked his family when he was only an instant. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named suffered a mysterious demise at the hands of the infant Harry. After spending eleven years with his muggle aunt and uncle, Harry faced You-Know-Who many times at Hogwarts culminating in his eventual victory of the Dark Lord. Seventeen years later, he and his wife and son disspaeared from unknown causes. His interests included Quidditch and Chess.
James stared at the picture for hours. His father waved at him from to time, smiling pleasantly. James hardly noticed Hagrid or the passage of time as he numbly walked in Hagrid's wake. James focused his entire attention on the picture trying to memorize his every detail, (It wasn't very hard considering they were the exact same as his)
James only realized where he was when he felt Hagrid tapping him gently on his shoulder. They were in a small room with a couple of beds with crisp white bed sheets and a warm looking comforter to the side. A small lamp that gave the room a strange ambience dimly lighted the room and James could have sworn he smelled cats. James had a beautiful view of Diagon Alley from the window. "Hey James," said Hagrid, "We'll be spendin' the nigh' here in the Leaky Cauldron." "Sorry for ignoring you," said James feeling a little bit embarrassed.
"Yer dad was amazin'," said Hagrid accepting the apology, "It's 'bout time we go ter sleep anyways. Busy day tommorow buying all yer school stuff." He fell asleep almost immediately after falling into the bed. All of the days excitement had drained him of energy. James expected to wake up that next morning back in the damp old cellar. The noise James was hearing was the boiler boiling again. But blazing light shone through the window and the groaning noise was only Hagrid yawning. "This wasn't a dream!" shouted James excitedly, "I'm really a wizard. I'm really going to Hogwarts!" "Yeah, yeah," said Hagrid, "Wha' else could yeh be. Bes' we get an early start. Blimey it's early. Want ter get all yer stuff fer Hogwarts." The bed creaked furiously as he got out of it. The wooden frame of the bed bent so much under Hagrid's girth that the mattress was almost touching the floor. "So what's Hogwarts like?" asked James.
"Yeh'll love it," replied Hagrid with relish, "I still do." "So what do you do at Hogwarts?" asked James.
"Loads a stuff," replied Hagrid, "I'm a Professor there," "So what do you teach?" asked James "Magical Creatures. Dragons and Chimaeras like. Blimey, I'd love a dragon." "There really are Dragons!" said James excitedly.
"Three types out here in Britain," explained Hagrid, "Common Welsh, Norwegian Ridge Back and (I'll look this up later) Hagrid dug into his pockets spilling all sorts of things, dog whistles, moldy old biscuits, bird feed and various assorted keys. "Here it is," said Hagrid triumphantly, showing James a picture.
"This here is Norbert. Hatched him myself." The dragon was a frighteningly beautiful. It was flying ethereally in the sky, covered in shiny green scales from head to tail. Its body was slim and graceful, looking almost lizard like. It had a long wide snout and sharp fangs that shone like daggers. The claws were perfectly made for ripping and clawing animals. The dragon was beautiful in a way but James was glad it was flying in the picture far, far away. The beast, Norbert Hagrid called him, could rip him to shreds in seconds.
Hagrid though, was petting the picture as if it was an oversized scaly teddy bear. "She's so cute isn't she?" asked Hagrid.
"Umm. Yeah," was the only thing James could say not wanting to sound churlish. "She's in Romania wi' a couple o' friends. So tell me a bit 'bit yourself. Who'd yeh been stayin' with. What yeh've been up to?" asked Hagrid as they walked out of their room.
At first, James didn't know how to start, but the more he talked, the more comfortable he felt. Telling Hagrid how miserable his Aunt and Uncle had been to him felt like someone was taking a huge load off his summer. He vented every angry thought he had, described the injustice of it all dredging every detail he could think of. James was breathing very hard by the time he was finished.
"Sounds miserable," commented Hagrid, "But I don' get how yeh got over there." "What do you mean?" asked James, he was expecting Hagrid to have the answer to his whole puzzle. "Neither o' yer parents had any relatives named Ursula or Midas," elucidated Hagrid, "The whole thing sound fishy ter me." They walked down the steps in silence. "Here have scourgificus mint," advised Hagrid popping one into his mouth as they reached the bottom of the stairs, "It'll make yer breath smell better." James felt a strange sensation of having ice instead of teeth in his mouth as the mint went down his throat. James could see the cold vapors blowing out of his mouth. "Useful these things are," said Hagrid, "On'y invented 'em a week ago." "So where exactly are we," asked James as he walked into a small shabby tavern.
"This," said Hagrid importantly, "Is the Leaky Cauldron." The tavern was mostly empty. There was an old man whose round baldhead which looked like a basketball was buried inside a newspaper. A fat old but jovial looking bartender called out eagerly. "Want a drink Hagrid?" The man reminded James vaguely of Santa Claus.
"Nah," said Hagrid, "Got a guest today." "Well who is it," asked the man curiously.
"Yeh'd never guess," replied Hagrid.
"Just tell me you oaf," snapped the waiter in mock anger.
"James Potter," said Hagrid beaming with pride. "You mean Harry Potter's son." said the bartender excitedly, "You mean he's back from the dead." "I was never dead," replied James meekly, but the bartender nevertheless leapt over the table nearly knocking half a dozen drinks in the process.
He gave James a massive hug yelling out, "James's Potter's back from the dead. Come on everyone lets welcome him." Soon he was surrounded by the half dozen people drinking in the room all wanting to shake his hands.
"Glad to meet you, so glad to meet you," said a witch named Eloise Midgen, "You remind me so much of your father." James swelled up with pride each time he got that compliment. His father was real hero. A wizard named Ernie Macmillan went to shake his hands at least a half a dozen times before he was satisfied. It was a verbal barrage of questions. "Where were you?" "How's your father." "What happened to you." "Are their any favors I can do for you." "What's with your eyes." "Is anyone in your family still alive." James managed to answer them as best as he could though he really didn't know the answers to most of them. Hagrid managed to pull him out of the heap muttering, Can' give yeh any privacy these days." "What was that all about?" wondered James all about.
"Told yer yeh was famous." said Hagrid, "But we got ter get some work done firs'" "So where exactly are we going to get?" asked James looking through his course requirements.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Uniform First year students will require: 1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (for day wear)
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black silver fastenings)
Course Books The Standard Book of Spells (grade 1, edition IV)
Miranda Goshawk A History of Magic Bathilda Bagshot Theoretical Magic Mortimer Myopius Transfiguration for Beginners Brutus Fountainhead Sycamore's List of Essential Herbs and Fungi Olive Sycamore Potions and Draughts for Imbeciles Vincent Crabbe The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Magical Beasts Godfried Fry Defeating the Dark Arts, Volume 1 Norlina Nufflesprouts Other Equipment 1 Wand 1 Cauldron, (Pewter Standard Size 2)
1 Set Glass or Crystal Phials 1 Telescope 1 Set Brass Scales PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS The two walked out of tavern as stealthily as they could, (Hagrid struggled at the stealthy part because of the loud clang his peg leg made every time it touched the ground and the more obvious fact that he was somewhat large) "Yeh can get all o' tha' in Diagon Alley," replied Hagrid, "Bu' we have ter get yer money firs'" "I have money," said James in shock.
"'Course yeh do," said Hagrid, "Didn' think yer mum and dad would o' left yeh with nothin' did yeh. They've got a nice lil bank account for yeh in Gringotts."
