Ah! It's been too long! :D Here's the next chappie- I know it's short, but the next one is nearly finished too!
Jack stumbled as he sucked in his breath. The group had appeared in Tortuga again by an unspoken decision. They all stood still for a moment, breathing heavily. The Harry said, "We need to get out of here. Lucius is bound to come here soon- he knows that this is one of the first places we would think to come to."
Hermione nodded, but then frowned and asked, "Where should we go, though?"
Before anyone could suggest anything, Jack said, "The Pearl." Everyone stared at him quizzically, and so he explained himself, telling how Hector Barbossa had 'stolen' his ship.
"I could just pop over there, vanish old Hector in a puff of smoke, and it'd all be right again," he concluded, smiling sincerely.
The other five exchanged looks that were a curious mixture of amusement and dismay. Catching this, Jack narrowed his eyes slightly and cocked his head questioningly.
"Jack… there's more to magic than just waving your wand and saying a few funny words," explained Hermione in a halting voice. "It's really very complex. We all went to a Wizarding school where we were taught- or, in most cases, supposed to be taught- for seven years…." She trailed off, uncertain.
Ginny cleared her throat. "If we brought Jack through Diagon Alley to Ollivander's and we didn't get blasted, then why can't we just bring him to Hogwarts?" she asked quietly, her eyes searching.
Ron whipped his head around to stare at her. "You're not serious, are you, Ginny?" he snickered. When she made no reply, his eyes widened and he said, "Ginny, you have to get a letter, remember? When you're eleven?"
An angry flush began to creep across Ginny's face, but before she could reply, Harry cut in, saying slowly, "You know… we could always just send a letter to the headmaster. My aunt Petunia did that when she was jealous of my mother for getting in… it's worth a try, isn't it?"
Ron stared at him incredulously as Ginny flashed him a triumphant look. Hermione nodded and said, "Great idea, Harry. None of us have an owl, so we might as well head to Hogsmeade for the post office, hm?"
The rest nodded (all except for Jack, who had never heard of Hogsmeade, or, by the look of his face, a post office), and they turned on the spot, Jack now instinctively reaching for Hermione's hand.
Moments later, they appeared in the bustling streets of Hogsmeade. As the scene unfolded before them, the five teenagers relaxed visibly, their tense muscles easing out and their mouths curving upwards. This was their home turf.
Jack, on the other hand, was attracting any stares again, and this time he noticed them. He recoiled from the people as they walked by him. His lips were drawn back and up over his teeth, and his eyes were wide and wild. Hermione stepped up to walk next to him. As they walked along, she began to talk cheerfully to him about what it was like to be a pirate, for she was afraid that he would run someone through with his sword if he weren't distracted.
Before long, they reached the Hogsmeade post office. Hermione began to walk towards the owls, but halted when Draco suddenly burst into laughter and shook his head. She looked at him questioningly, and he smiled. "What's the point of using an owl when the castle's so close? We can just walk up there and meet the headmaster in person! We're more likely to impress him that way, anyways," he explained.
Hermione flushed when she realized how thick that made her sound. In truth, she had thought of that option, but she had wanted to avoid contact with any more past people. Jack was difficult enough. Still, the others were nodding in agreement, and so Hermione had to accept it. She frowned, and Ron patted her on the back as they hurried out of the post office and began their walk up to the castle.
Hope you enjoyed! I know it was a bit of a filler, and the next one might be too... but after that, it'll really pick up! Promise! :D
~chickenwinglegolas