What's Said Is Said

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. "Me and Julio Down the School yard," belongs to Paul Simon. We don't know which works the Shakespearean Quotes are from this time, if anyone knows, feel free to drop us a line. Also, we used quotes from Edgar Allen Poe. As always, reviews are welcomed, flames aren't. By request, we won't be posting the last three paragraphs of the last chapter any longer.--GF

Chapter 33: Down By the School Yard

Summer hols finally came. The headmaster tried, once again, to find out more about Harry's adoptive parents, and once more he failed miserably.

Uncle Cory's Summer Stock Theater did its best to weave its usual magic around his nephew's heart, but the lighthearted innocence of youth had given way to cold reality. All the fae blamed Dumbledore for that.

Harry, now Garion, returned to his tutors for refresher courses. His dreams told him that he'd need all the help he could get to face the upcoming year in the wizarding world. He went to Sirius for help in pranking, and researched ways to deal with toads.

In England, Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore were reviled in the press. Fudge was running amok with his campaign to smear the two beacons of the Light. Sirius kept abreast of the situation through his subscriptions to both the Quibbler and the Daily Prophet. He and Garion had long talks on the situation in England, politically as well as morally.

Jareth watched both closely and refused to allow either of them to do anything that might harm the timeline. So any payback was put on hold for now.

Sarah, being Sarah, did her best to help her son through the nightmares that Cedric's death had caused. In the old timeline, no one had cared enough to help him through his grieving. He'd been left to face the grief and the guilt alone. Now Sarah held him when he woke screaming, and encouraged him to release the pain and sorrow that was eating him alive.

Garion adored his mother all the more.

0o0o0o0

Late that July, despite an unseasonably cold and overcast sky, a lone guitar player perched on top of a severely damaged picnic table. A guitar case rested at his feet, seeded with bits of loose change. He seemed out of place in this run-down, vandalized park in Surrey, England.

He had been there for sometime and some of the park visitors gave him a wide berth while others enjoyed the many songs he was performing. Currently he was singing a Paul Simon song:

And I'm on my way, I don't know where I'm goin'
But I'm on my way, takin' my time, but I don't know where

Goodbye to Rosie, the Queen of Corona
See you, me and Julio down by the schoolyard
See you, me and Julio down by the schoolyard

"Hey! Look at the Freak!" shouted a very fat whale-like teenager, causing many of those listening to scatter.

"He has sissy hair!" shouted another.

"Let's show him who's boss around here, Big D!"

Garion stopped his playing to study the gang of teen age boys that were walking menacingly towards him. The fat teen was cracking his knuckles.

Dudley Dursley was exactly as Garion's dream memories portrayed him, hugely fat, blond and very spoiled. His little sycophants fanned out behind him.

Time it seems hadn't changed his cousin for the better. The goblin king had offered Dudley a chance to live his dreams, but it looked like his dim-witted cousin hadn't taken him up on the offer.

Garion hid a sigh. Today was the day that the two dementors came to Surrey to attack Harry Potter and his cousin. It was thanks to goblin magic that the ministry records showed that Harry Potter lived on Privet Drive. Garion Williams, on the other hand, lived quite happily with his adopted family across the pond.

A cold wind started up, as the teens continued to threaten Garion. This time, Garion wasn't about to run or use under-age magic. For one thing, no dementor would dare harm a child under the Goblin King's protection and, for another, Garion didn't need to use his wand. Bardic Magic was undetectable to the Ministry.

The teens started to scatter as the bitterly cold wind increased. Only Dudley and his second in command, Piers Polkiss, remained. Garion stood and looked to the sky, ignoring the two teens as two dark objects soared towards them.

"I'm out of here!" shouted Piers, shivering as he stepped back. "This is too freaky, even for me! Come on Big D!" He then broke and ran. Dudley locked his eyes on his cousin and stood shaking, too scared to move.

Throwing a fist skyward, Garion shouted into the wind, "The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins? Be Gone Foul Spirits! Haunt us no more!"

A bright light shot from Garion's palm as he uncurled his fist towards the two black shades menacing them. Unearthly screams filled the air as the light burst upon them.

Seconds later, a shower of black ash fell to the ground like blackened snow as the light faded and the wind died to a whisper.

"FREAK! I wished you away!" Dudley shouted. "Why are you back?"

Garion, in a tired, melodramatic pose, looked down at his cousin and expounded elegantly, "You cram these words into mine ears against the stomach of my sense! I am not bound to please thee with my answer. Goblins! Come and take me hence from this foul place! My work here is done!"

Dudley shook his head as his cousin disappeared. "Freak!" he muttered again, as he gathered himself and headed home. "At least I still have my dreams."

0o0o0o0

Dear Sirus,

I need your help!!!!!!! The toad woman I dreamt about is real!!!!!!! She is so much UGLIER in person than in my dreams. Thank Merlin! It's bad I see her in class, I'd hate to see her true ugliness in my dreams! I'm swearing off pink. Tell mother never to come visit me in pink! It is butt ugly – especially on the toad!

I mean, I can understand why her mother named her 'Dolores'. At least it fits. Dolores means sorrows in Spanish, she would make any woman swear off motherhood! Personally, I think she should change her last name to 'Umbitch', would fit better with Dolores.

She looks and sounds like a toad. I mean, seriously, she's always clearing her throat and it sounds like the toad has a frog in her throat!

She spouts off about respect, but refuses to give any. Defense class is a joke as usual. I am sooooooooo glad Father had me take so many defense classes Underground!

Send prank ideas!!!! Send Anything, Everything!!!!! I'll even take a bottle of flies! Maybe I'll get on her good side! I'm desperate here! She needs to go!!!!!!

Well, I'm off for my first detention (of many I bet!). Seems she has a fondness for my company. NOT! Well, wish me luck! --G

0o0o0o0

The night air in the ancient castle was quiescent, heavy and cold, a layer of sadness hung in the still air like frost.

A drooping figure sat hunched in a tiny alcove with a guitar laying untouched on his lap. For once, the music was silent. The singer bereft of words. Goblins and house elves cowered in the shadows, watching and waiting anxiously.

A lone grey owl flew through a nearby open window. Garion watched silently as the owl hovered before him, morphing into the Goblin King. The regal fae didn't say a word but held out his gloved hand.

A small whimper escaped as Garion lifted the bandaged hand to his father. Jareth's mismatched eyes flashed in the flickering light from the wall sconces as he tenderly unwrapped the bloody gauze.

Neither spoke for there was no need. Both knew who was at fault and why the child had the words, "I Must Not Tell Lies," etched deeply into the back of his hand.

Jareth lightly brushed his thumb across the wound and a soothing sensation eased the pain. The bloody words stayed as a testament to one woman's cruelty and the timelines demand. Jareth couldn't and wouldn't removed them.

They both knew this was suppose to happen, but neither had to like it. Both also knew the penalty for intentionally inflicting wounds on a Bard under the protection of the Fae. The woman had just signed her own death warrant when the timeline merged.

Garion looked up into his father's eyes and gave a sad smile. "Will you be punishing her, Father?"

Jareth closed his eyes for a moment, then looked into his son's face. "I think, for now, we would be better served if the goblins and elves of this castle are unleashed on her, my son. We both know that she has the protection of the Ministry."

Garion smirked. "And we all know how well the Ministry protects its citizens, Father."

Jareth smiled. "Be patient, my son, until the timeline merges. After that, she is mine!"

A twittering sound echoed in the shadows as tiny footsteps scurried off to do what mischief they could.

0o0o0o0o0

Down the hall, a tall shadowy figure leaned against a wall and wondered why no music played.

Severus Snape had been drawn to the boy's music for the past five years. Tonight, however, there was eerie, echoing silence and for some strange reason, it left a matching silence within him.

He knew that the boy'd had a detention with the ministry's toady tonight. Severus couldn't help worry about what sadistic female had done. The staff knew that Albus could not refuse her application for the Defense position. The ministry was threatening to take over and due to the smear campaign in the Prophet, the headmaster didn't have the political clout he used to wield. The Tri-Wizarding fiasco from last year saw to that.

Severus could hear the boy talking to someone and he could hear the tiny chitterings of many small beings among the shadows. Shaking his head as he stood upright, he wondered. Should he give the boy another detention for being out after curfew? He hadn't before, why start now?

No. The boy had enough on his plate for the moment.

The sounds of Potter preparing to leave brought Severus back to the present. Hiding in the shadows, the potions master watched as the boy made it back to his common room, alone.

0o0o0o0

Dear Sirius,

The prank ideas worked. The Weasley twins are having a melt down with trying to figure who is pranking the staff. They see themselves as the next generation of Marauders. Should I arrange an introduction?

On the pranking front, my little playmates and friends are making the toad very jumpy. I have it on good authority that her new cologne is "Eau de toilette Eternal Bog." Unfortunately the poor dear seems to have lost her sense of smell, but she can clear a room in zero point nine seconds flat! She just can't understand why all of her students are getting violently ill in her classes. They've scoured her classroom five times now, to no avail.

Hermione and a few other students have come to me with a proposition. They want me to teach them Defense since the smelly toad can't do her job. I'm waffling about it. I know I did in the other timeline, but do I want the hassle? I do know what father would say about it.

Another person that is acting strange, or should I say two? Professor Snape is giving me these looks of speculation. I wonder what is going through his mind? Merlin himself knows with that one!

The other is the headmaster. You know in the past he has been hounding me about my life outside of Hogwarts. Now, for some reason, the man is avoiding me. I swear it's the truth! He has even turned and walked the other way when we meet in the halls and he never meets my eyes. Wonder what his problem is!

Strange huh?

Well, got to go! Hermione is in a hissy fit! Seems Ron said something to set her off, yet again. The story of my life.

--G

0o0o0o0

Sorry for putting this story on the back burner for awhile. We should be more regular with it now that HP and the Wardrobe is complete and Poison Pen is winding down.

We still haven't figured out how many chapters are left.

Thanks for everyone's patience. Until next time. – GF and the Frau.