Greetings, pixels! I have written another illustrious addition to this epic saga!
Yeah right. As promised, double chapter tonight! My favorite curly-haired sociopath appears in this one. Hope you enjoy!
I need a cork for all this babble…
-Psionic Arsonist
Chapter 4:
Holmes at Hogwarts
John followed Lestrade to a compartment near the back of the train. Lestrade slid open the partition. There was a curly-haired girl sitting next the window and a boy with a weird haircut sat next to her. "Oi, guys. This is John. He's gonna ride with us. John, this is Sally Donovan. She's in Gryffindor with me. The bloke next to her is named Anderson. He's in Hufflepuff. They're both in fifth year with me." John gave a small wave. Sally stood up. "Nice to meet you, John. I think I'm going to get something off the food trolley. Any of you want anything?"
Lestrade waved his hand at her. "Nah, I'm good. What about you John?"
John was starving. He hadn't eaten that morning because he was too nervous about going to Hogwarts. "Can I have a Mars bar?" he asked shyly. Anderson gave him a queer look. "What you want muggle food for?" Anderson asked. Lestrade turned to John. "Are you muggle born?"
John explained that his father was a wizard, but neither him nor his mother had known.
"Well, I'll just get you a bit of everything. How's that sound?" Sally said, with a motherly look at John. He nodded his head. "Come with me, Anderson. I don't feel like lugging all the sweets by myself." Anderson jumped up, and followed Sally out of the compartment. Lestrade shut the partition behind them. "Poor bloke. Sally has him wrapped around his little finger," Lestrade shook his head, smiling. "Do you have any questions about the wizarding world, John? I'm a muggle born, so I know how confusing it all is." He sat down, gesturing that John should do the same. John sank into the plush cushion, thinking about which question he should ask first. He decided to ask about the school first. "So what is Hogwarts exactly? And what are Gryffindor and Hufflepuff?"
"Hogwarts is one of the best wizarding schools in the world. Nearly all of the famous witches and wizards graduated from there. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are school Houses, along with Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each House has different characteristics. My House, Gryffindor, is for the brave and the chivalrous," Lestrade's chest swelled with pride. "Hufflepuff is for the hardworking. But to be honest," Lestrade leaned closer to John "I think it's full of dunderheads like Anderson." Both of them laughed.
"What are the other Houses like? I don't feel particularly brave or hardworking." John looked down at his feet.
"Chin up, John! Don't sell yourself short. You'll get sorted into whatever house fits you best. Just as long as you aren't in Slytherin…" Lestrade's face darkened. "There hasn't been a Dark wizard that hasn't been in Slytherin. That house believes itself to be cunning, but I think the lot of them are lying pricks. Ravenclaw is alright. That's the brainiac house. Bunch of weirdos, they are. That answer your questions?"
"Yeah, for now." Lestrade laughed. Sally and Anderson came back into the compartment, laden with sweets. They dumped it all unceremoniously into John's lap.
"What are these things?!" John asked, holding up what looked like a frog. "That's a chocolate frog," Sally answered. "There are trading cards inside." John opened up the package. He gasped. "The picture is moving!" Sally, Anderson, and Lestrade all laughed. "Who'd you get?" Anderson asked, leaning over to see.
"Some guy named Sebastian Nightshade. Who is he?" Lestrade sucked in a breath. "Who is he? Just one of the most powerful dark wizards of this century!" John looked back at the card in his head. Sebastian was mussing up his ink black hair. He didn't look very evil to John. "Well, what'd he do?"
Sally gave him a grave look. "He tried to wipe out the entire muggle population. Would have succeeded too, if He hadn't stopped him."
"He? He who?" John asked, confusion evident in his tone.
"No one knows," Lestrade said. "Some bloke just turned up out of the blue, and challenged Nightshade to a duel. Nightshade accepted, thinking he would crush this unknown wizard. Instead, the wizard nearly pulled the soul straight out of Nightshade. But before he could finish him off, there was a flash, and the stranger disappeared. Nightshade fled, and they say he's been living abroad, trying to find this stranger, and get revenge."
John's head hurt. There were evil people in the wizarding world too. Except they had wands that could do nearly anything. How joyful.
Then, the partition slid open. "Just thought you should know. We are going to arrive at Hogwarts soon, so you best get dressed into your school robes. Merlin knows you look dreadful in those muggle clothing," a boy's haughty voice said. John recognized him. It was Mycroft, Sherlock's brother.
Lestrade got up and pointed his wand at him. "Go away, Mycroft."
"Tisk, tisk, Lestrade. You wouldn't want to get in trouble before school has even started, do you? And you wouldn't dare curse a prefect?" He pointed at a shiny badge pinned neatly onto his robe. Lestrade stumbled back. "No," he whispered. "Not you!"
Mycroft let out a cold laugh. "Yes, me. Now, I demand that you show me respect, or else Gryffindor could lose the House Cup to Slytherin for the seventh year running. Good-bye, mudblood!" Mycroft left, his nose held proudly in the air, and a snide grin on his face.
Lestrade collapsed on the seat. Sally patted his arm. "It's all right. We'll show that pureblood git."
Anderson saw the questioning look in his eye. "They've been enemies ever since they laid eyes on each other," he whispered. "Mycroft is a horrible prick. But he's super intelligent, so the teachers never suspect a thing. I hear his brother is a first year. Now there are two Holmes at Hogwarts."
John nodded in understanding. He'd already met Sherlock. It'd make sense that his brother was like him.
As if Sherlock had hear John's thoughts, he appeared in the doorway.
"Have you seen my brother, Mycroft?" Sherlock's multi-colored eyes swept over the scene. "Quite obviously you have. If he does come back, tell him I came looking for him. The name is Sherlock." He looked at John. "Hello again. I do hope you make the right decision in the future about choosing your company." John's blood heated up. "Oh, I suppose you mean with you? Well, I would rather be cursed than to be in the same vicinity as you and your brother ever again!" Sherlock's pale face flushed in anger. He quickly left.
"I don't think that was a smart idea, mate," Anderson said. "The Holmes family is infamous for getting revenge if they feel they'd been scorned."
"Well, he damn well deserved it, the prick. Hand me my trunk so I can get changed, will you?" He could see the distant lights of Hogwarts twinkle outside the window. It was time for him to become a true wizard.
Babble time! That scene with Mycroft has been my favorite to write so far. I love writing antagonists. What do you think? Should John watch his back? You'll find out soon! (I hope)
I'm going to try to update on a more regular basis, so that there isn't such a long hiatus between chapters. I hate that! See you soon, potatoes and tomatoes. Bye!
-Psionic Arsonist