Teenage Detective
Chapter 1: The Surprise Call
Harry blinked his eyes open and swiftly sat up in his bed. "There's no way it is snowing now," he said to himself.
There was a knock at his door. "Harry, are you awake now?" Ron asked, from behind the door.
"Yeah, I'm awake now," he said, swinging his legs out of bed and letting them hang over the side.
A tall red haired boy stuck his head inside the room. "Breakfast is already made. Mum made it especially big for us," he said with a wide grin. "Like always,"
"I'll be down in a minute," he answered back with a grin too.
"Kay," Ron said dismissively and closed the door.
Harry got up and did his morning ritual. He lived in his new room at Grimmauld Place; it was actually Sirius old room, but Harry decorated it to suit him. Dropping the book he read last night before he went to sleep on the desk, he went to the bathroom, which connected to his room.
I was just two weeks after the Smiths case and Harry did not know what was going on in the world and in school. And wouldn't for another couple of weeks as they were in the middle of their vacation.
After finishing his morning ritual and dressing up he made his way down to the kitchen. It was a familiar sight these past few days. Hermione spotted him first and greeted him. "Morning, Harry," she said merrily, and then followed up by the others - Ron, Ginny, Mr. Weasley and the other Weasleys.
"Morning everyone," he greeted back with a bright smile and sat at his space between Ron and Hermione. Then Mrs. Weasley made her way with a pot full of baked beans and filled Harry's plate with it.
"Sorry, dear, not much of breakfast left," she said while filling Harry's plate with whatever left of breakfast. She did this while glaring at her sons.
"We're sorry mum, we can't help if we're growing," said Fred, mocking innocence.
"Besides, Ron finished your lovely scramble eggs alone," George added for his brother.
"What?" Ron snapped, but flushed shyly. "I did not," he added.
"Ickle Ronniekins, whipped out the whole table in seconds," said George, furthering their jokes.
"No wonder he's a bit tubby," said Fred briskly, as the room erupted in laughter.
"Mum!" Ron whined, pleading with his mother to end this.
"Stop it you two this instant, you should be more conscious towards your younger brother, who was trapped by a mad doctor for a month, and be thankful that's he's alive," she scolded the twins. Ron smiled smugly. Then she turned to her youngest son. "And Ron you do need to exercise. You are beginning to look fat," she said with motherly concern.
Ron grimaced, while his friends and family snickered, including his father.
The door opened and in came Remus, in his unusual muggle attire. "Morning everyone," he greeted everyone politely like greeting a class he was teaching. They all greeted back. "Harry, there's a phone call for you," he said, his face showing a bit of concern.
The table turned quiet and Mrs. Weasley stopped her dish washing.
Harry turned to Remus, a spoon about to enter his mouth. "Who?" he asked.
"I think it's for you to find out," said Remus.
Harry was mildly surprised with Remus' words. He stared at his friends and nodded to excuse himself. He stood up form his seat and left the kitchen, going to the phone, which was near the stairs. He picked up the receiver, hanging by the side of the phone. He put the receiver by the ear and spoke "Hello."
"Hullo Harry!" the voice belonged to a delighted young man.
Harry thought he recognised the voice, but was shocked and surprised to hear it. It had been a decade since he had last heard the boy on the other side of the connection and he had to confirm it. "Who's this?" he asked cautiously.
"It's Kevin, Kevin Laporte, remember?"
With that single answer, everything flooded back into his mind. "Ah, Kevin! I remember, from the Dark Snow Village," he said with delight.
The voice from the other line too was happy. "Glad you remembered me, Harry," said Kevin, though Harry thought he was hiding some sadness behind his voice.
Harry laughed a bit and scratched the back of his head. "It's been a long time. We were in second grade, and that was like nine or ten years ago," he said jokingly.
"I sent some Christmas cards but you didn't reply to any of them!" Kevin mocked in anger.
"Umm… sorry, you know how it is with me relatives and all," said Harry sheepishly.
"It's all right. I'm glad you're living in a new place, away from those brooders," said Kevin in full understanding.
"By the way, how did you get this number?" Harry asked curiously, he only gave this number to six people only: the Dursleys, Dumbledore, the Weasleys, Hermione, Dennis Creevey and the late Susan Bones. Then Harry remembered another one who has his number.
"Oh, I called your relatives; they gave me your number while saying disrespectful things about you. Your bloody uncle even asked me if I was a 'freak'? What was wrong with him?" said Kevin in disbelief.
Harry laughed in nervousness. "Pressure form work, I guess," he answered. Kevin replied in agreement, then Harry popped the question, "So, why calling me all of a sudden?" he asked directly and a bit rude, but he had to asked. The other end of the line was silent long enough that Harry was about to ask if Kevin had hung up on him, but Kevin spoke in a grim voice.
"Truthfully, I called you because of bad news,"
"What?"
As Kevin spoke, Harry remained gravely quiet.
The view of the green hills, filled with trees, untouched by the December snow was a relaxing view as he train cut threw the hills to get to the shores. Harry watched the scene outside while reminiscing about what happened two hour ago with his bestfriends.
"I'm sorry, but I have to spend Christmas somewhere else," he said sadly.
"Bloody hell, Harry, this is our last Christmas in school," Ron began to protest.
"I know, but…"
"But what?" Hermione asked suddenly just as furious as Ron. "We're your bestfriends. We're here to celebrate the holidays with you, to make up for last year," she said. Her reasons were strong and Ron nodded in agreement.
Harry gazed at them, but by the look on his face Ron and Hermione knew Harry had a better explanation. He was serious about this. "I know you're my bestfriends, but I also have other friends… long lost childhood friends," he explained, surprising Ron and Hermione. Though when it came to Harry, it was always full of surprises.
"The thing is…" he began an explanation that left a big scar in their just repaired friendship.
He knew made the right decision, following his heart and gut feeling, and hopefully his friends would understand it. His thoughts were back with the real reason for this trip, but his thoughts were cut short when someone sat in front of him, abruptly waking him from his reverie. What was more surprising is that it was a bushy haired girl in jeans and blue hooded sweater.
"Hermione?" he asked bluntly, puzzled at her appearance before him. "What are you doing here?"
She grinned beamingly at him. "I can't well leave you alone for Christmas," she told him, while adjusting her snow cap.
"But I'm not alone there," he said blankly, a small smirk playing on his face.
"I know but you need someone from home, don't you?" she asked, giving him a hurt look.
Harry gave her a smile. "It's good of you to be here… but what about your family? And the Weasleys?" he looked frantically around the train, poking his head into the corridor. "And Ron? Is he here?" he asked excitedly, but all Hermione could give was a sad look.
"No he's not here, sorry," she answered sadly. "He's spending Christmas with his family. He really wanted to follow, but Mrs. Weasley wouldn't allow him… but he sends you his regards," she said and Harry too felt sad.
Hermione noticed the gloomy tension in the air, changed the subject. "Now tell me more about this Dark Snow Village," she said interrogatively.
Harry smiled. "You do get to the point, huh?" he asked slyly.
"Well I wouldn't be me if I didn't, right?" she shot back as slyly as she can, with a toothy smile.
Harry nodded and proceeded to tell her about when he was eight. The Dursleys brought him along on one of their cheap vacations. At first he thought it was going to boring but it turned out otherwise. The village used to be called St. Edwards, but now it is called the Shading Snow Village. He was there for only two weeks, but it as one the most memorable part of his childhood life. He made seven new friends back then.
"The best part was the day before the vacation ended, the eight of us buried a time capsule right in the school field," he told Hermione excitedly.
"When do you guys planned to open it?" Hermione asked curiously leaning forward in her seat.
Harry let out a sigh and leaned back into his seat. "At that time we promised to open it up ten years from then," he said, looking back at the moving view outside the window. "The whole thing was planned by Darren Milner – he and Kevin were called 'The Battery Pair' in the football club, only he can catch Kevin's powerful kick from a far," he explained this Darren fellow. He laughed all of a sudden. "Never understood muggle sports," he said honestly, Hermione let out a snicker. "I bet there are loads of scouts looking for them," he said. Harry then told Hermione about the other five people.
Amy Hancock, a natural in tennis and always pretty. Hermione frowned and her stomach felt a little uneasy.
Farah Tornberg, an intelligent girl, but hard for people to socialize with her. Bestfriends with Amy.
By the time Harry told her about the two girls, the train was nearing his intended destination. "Ah, we're nearing there and it's almost one, we got to hurry or the bus will go without us," he said, a little panicked.
Harry quickly grabbed everything he brought with him on this trip, a simple dufflebag and grabbed Hermione by the hand. Hermione, a bit stunned by his action, quickly figured that she just had to follow Harry's lead.
They arrived at the bus station, but encountered another problem.
"How could I forgotten to bring some mug- coins with me," Harry said, panicking again. He turned to Hermione, who too was distressingly checking her pockets for any muggle money. She shook her head sheepishly.
Harry turned to the driver and smiled apologetically. "Sorry sir but… can we pay some other time?" he asked politely, bowing his head a little. Hermione supported him with a pleading look to the large conductor man.
But luck came to them.
"Here Harry, I got some for you," said a brightly cheerful voice from behind them. They both turned around and down the steps at the sliding door of the bus, stood a boy, same age as them both and a little taller than Harry.
He had an oval shaped face, small blue eyes, and messy short blond hair. Harry was mostly surprised to see this person. "Ah you!" he blurted.
"Long time no see," said the boy, cool and grinning.
"Corbin McGavin," Harry said excitedly. "You've not changed a bit," he added.
"You've change a lot but still…." Corbin looked at Harry's wild hair, "Something do not change," said Corbin. He did not give Harry a chance to reply when he noticed Hermione. "And who's this lovely person here, your girlfriend?" he asked slyly, elbowing Harry in the stomach softly.
Hermione blushed and smiled kindly. "Hermione Granger, his friend from school, pleasure to meet a friend of his from childhood," she introduced herself graciously.
"She's just a friend," Harry said quickly, though could not hide his embarrassment.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, c'mon we're holding up the bus," said Corbin.
It was a twenty minute ride from the bus to the village. Inside the bus, Harry, Hermione and Corbin chatted to pass the time.
"Are you still keen on playing the guitar? I heard you wanted to become a 'Rock Star'?" Harry asked curiously interested.
Corbin was hesitant to reply but nervously answered back. "Em… right, once in awhile, for fun. Now whenever the school holidays come, I must come back and help my father at the dock. I don't have much time to play the guitar," he said while scratching his head.
Harry was tremendously surprised but did not show it. Instead he let out an 'oh!' Then he noticed Corbin's fingers on the hand that was scratching his head. Corbin's fingers used to be soft like a girl's, but were now hard as a sailor's.
"We're here!" announced Corbin ecstatically to Harry and Hermione.
The first thing Harry did was to smell the cool breeze of the ocean air. "The smell of the sea," he said ardently and examined the village. Placed between the bay and small green hills, it was an old place, with houses made of bricks and wood that were lined neatly. The dock was an eye-catcher, seven boats parked by the pier and one small raft by the steps. Harry grinned delightedly.
"It hasn't changed. Nine years and it's still the same," he said honestly. Harry turned to Hermione, and smiled at the look of appreciative awe on Hermione. "What do you think?" he asked.
"It's beautiful," she said, clearly never having seen a village so beautiful.
Corbin however let out an irate sigh, "In the Shading Snow Village its like time has stopped forever," he said in irritation, but smirked.
Then someone called from behind them. "Harry," called a giggly voice. The three spun around. A girl, as tall as Corbin and wearing a school uniform, ran to them. "It's really, really you!" she said in disbelief, waving frantically while running towards the three. She had wavy black hair, a chubby face, small nose and black eyes. And she had this cheerful expression, something special she had since she was little.
"Alin?" Harry said in mild surprise. "Avlin Alin."
Alin did not hug him, instead mussed his hair. "So miss you… you still haven't grown a lot," she said teasingly.
Harry grinned. "It's you who have grown, giant girl!" he joked back.
Then she beamed at Harry full of admiration. Hermione noticed this and felt a turning in the pit of her stomach. "When Kevin told me that you were coming, I was amazed!" she said earnestly. Hermione felt the churning continue to tighten. "Like always you can stay at my place," she told him, and Hermione felt her stomach quivering violently but it stopped immediately and disappeared when Alin noticed her. "Oh, who's is this?" she asked, smiling brightly at Hermione.
The bushy haired girl came out of the unusual feeling and replied anxiously," Hermione Granger, Harry's friend form school."
"A friend, even better. There's a lot of room at my place," Alin said brightly.
Harry asked quickly. "Where's Kevin?"
Alin turned silent but her cheery face remained. "He's at Elizabeth's house… all of us will be gathering there," she said solemnly.
Then all four turned silent. The breeze was the only sound that could be heard.
A/N: First chapter and phew... i put my heart into this, thanks again to rackhmar, oh yeah, if you want me to continue, please kindly submit three reviews ofr this chapter. After all, this is a sequel to Teenage Detective.
