The Jedi and the ME'ers have arrived…Lee dishes out some Marauders' dares, involving wands, lightsabers, and singed hair…His own, of course…

(Conversations in elvish will be marked in bold italics)

Chapter 12: Singed Hair and Sindarin Suffixes

The next day was Saturday, and Morgan was meeting Emma to take her on a tour of Hogwarts. She found the hidden apartment after a few minutes and knocked softly on the door. A muffled "It's open!" came from within. She opened the door and slipped inside.

Legolas and Aragorn were up, it seemed, as was Emma, who was sitting cross-legged in one of the armchairs. Aragorn was in another, and Legolas was stretched across the couch, his eyes open but seemingly unseeing. Emma jumped up.

"Ready?"

"Uh…yeah. Sure…" Morgan was standing directly in Legolas's line of sight. She waved her hand back and forth. He just stared on, unblinking.

"Right, the tour… Is he drunk?"

Aragorn and Emma looked at each other and laughed.

"Nah, he's just asleep," replied Aragorn. He then barked something in a language that Morgan did not yet understand, though Emma translated it after they left.

"Legolas, get your lazy self up!" Legolas blinked and muttered something not worth translating.

"Mind your language! We have guests here!"

Legolas eyed Morgan. "Guests that don't speak Sindarin," he pointed out. Then switching to English, "Now go have fun and let me sleep!"

They left and started down to the hall. "Excuse my brother," said Emma, "he's in a mood. He's not exactly…pleased with the whole situation."

"Great. Just what I need to top everything off. An angry elf after me."

"Don't worry. He'll come around. Come on, cheer up. I want to see everything!"

They did a tour of the most used rooms first, before most kids were up. Dumbledore had said that the ME people should keep a low profile, to avoid arousing suspicion (cough Malfoy cough) until he had decided how best to inform the Ministry. The Jedi were told to change their clothes, lose the gear, and keep their mouths shut.

After the Great Hall they decided to get some food from the kitchens, before heading off to the dungeons. This led to Emma's rather comical first encounter with house elves. (It is interesting to note that, while maintaining there was only a distant connection between their species, Emma became a founding member and activist for SPEW.)

After getting some food and introducing Emma to Kirkby, they headed to the dungeons to check out Morgan's latest experiment.

Emma found it fascinating, and they messed about with it for a bit. Then Snape came out of his office, and after introducing himself to Emma, joined them in messing about for awhile longer. They were just cleaning up after a particularly loud and messy explosion (as it was Emma's first day in Hogwarts, Morgan had decided that this Saturday was a "blow things up" day) when Fred, George, and Lee came back from Hogsmead. Snape excused himself and went back to his office.

"Oi, who's this?" asked Lee, indicating Emma.

"Manners, Lee. This is Emma. She's visiting for a bit. Emma, this is Fred Weasley, George Weasley, and Lee Jordan."

"So where are you visiting from?" asked George. Emma looked at Morgan, who said, "You have to promise to keep this a secret. Marauders' oath."

"We promise."

Morgan told them about the events of the following night, and how Dumbledore was keeping it quiet for now.

"Well, well, well… I must say," mused Fred, "besides the ears, you look quite human."

"I'm a hundred and fourteen, I can keep watch while sleeping, and I've never had a cold in my life."

"Wow."

"Exactly. And I won't die unless I get myself killed. Or develop severe depression."

"Double wow."

They stood in silence for a bit, then George asked, "Emma, do you, um, have a surname?"

"Huh?"

"A last name, like Weasley or Jordan, or Ylime or-"

"Baggins," put in Morgan.

"Oh! Well… in Middle Earth only the Hobbits have proper last names… Dwarves and Men introduce themselves as son of, as in, George son of…"

"Arthur."

"Right."

"And Elves?"

"Well, -ion means son of in Sidarin, so it works out to… Thranduilion."

"Emma Thranduilion…rather fitting, really…" said Lee. "I say, let's have a dare!"

"Lee!!!!!!" groaned the twins.

"What? We haven't had one in ages. I won't dare you anyway. It's Morgan I'm thinking of…Emma too, if she's game…"

"Alright, Lee. Hit me," sighed Morgan.

"I'm in, I think…" agreed Emma, with a slight hint of wariness.

Lee's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Emma, I dare you to take one of our wands and try a spell with it. Morgan, I dare you to… nick a Jedi light sword."

"What!?!"

"And use it."

"Lee Jordan, are you out of you flipping mind?"

"You only have to turn it on! We'll have it back to them before they notice… unless you're scared of getting caught…"

"Fine. I'll do it. Emma?"

"Sure. What's that worst that could happen?"

Oh, how very wrong she was.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh. They're just down this hall."

"Good God Morgan, why are we whispering then?"

"I… I dunno. Just, somehow I think they can hear us…"

"You read way too many books Ylime…"

"SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! SHUT UP!" whispered Morgan fiercely. "I'm going in."

She crept down the hall, and put her hand on the doorknob. Turning it slowly, she opened the door and darted inside. On the hearth, next to the fire, lay the hilt of a lightsaber. She grabbed it and left as fast as she could, closing the door behind her.

"I got it. Now let's get out of here."

They ran for it, and didn't stop until they were safe in the Gryffindor common room.

"Now turn it on!" panted Lee, breathless.

"Okay… ummmm…" Morgan turned it over and over, looking for a switch. She found it and flicked it on. Unfortunately she hadn't realised she'd found it, and hadn't had time to warn Lee to get his head out of the way.

His hair was lopsided for weeks.

After Lee had stopped fussing over his hair ("It was your stupid idea Lee!") it was Emma's turn. Morgan handed Emma her wand (12 ¼", maple, curved) and they all stepped back.

"What do I do?"

"Just wave it, I think…" supplied Fred.

"No, that only works when you're looking to buy a wand," put in George.

"Try an easy spell, like… Wingardium Leviosa!"

"You call that easy?" asked Morgan, then shrugging, she added, "it can't hurt to try…"

They backed away, leaving Emma with a clear line of sight to the nearest table.

"Aim at the glass and say the spell," instructed Fred.

Emma gripped the wand tightly, then with a quick swish and a jerking flick cried, "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!"

She hand moved to fast, and her aim was off. The charm hit the table instead of the glass, sending it and all its contents skyward. It hit the ceiling with a tremendous CRASH of shattering glass, smashing marble and splintering wood, and they all stared at it for a moment. They were soon startled from their awe by Morgan's cry of "Get down!" which sent them all diving for cover.

The dust cleared and they looked up at the mess of the common room.

"What on earth is going on in here?" asked a stern voice from the entrance to the dormitories. It was a voice they knew all to well.

Hahaha! Cliffhanger! This wasn't actually one to begin with… It was getting too long…