Wizard of Hogwarts – Part 7

(This was written for a Harry Potter/fairytale fan fic contest.)

(part 1) (part 2) (part 3) (part 4) (Part 5) (part 6)

The group split up to search for Toto. They scrabbled through the rubble-strewn basement and finally found the dog locked in a silver cage that was buried under a pile of mortar and bricks.

Dorothy squeezed the dog tightly to her as the boys led her through the basement and to a long narrow tunnel that delved through the earth, the sound of pursuit following them. As they neared the exit, the horde of black clad pursuers was almost on top of them.

“Don’t worry!” Darwin cried back to them. “Just keep running!”

Dorothy did as she was told, though her legs were aching from all the walking and running she’d done already. How she missed Kansas! It might be boring, but at least no one chased you around all the time!

They broke out into the fading sunlight and Sid shouted “Duck!” and grabbed Dorothy and flung her to the ground.

The DE horde burst out behind them, but the swinging branches of the hoary willow caught them, flinging them far and wide.

“Follow me,” Darwin yelled, crawling along the ground as quickly as he could, and avoiding the still swaying branches overhead.

Dorothy did as he said, still clutching Toto tightly, the grass damp on her stomach and her legs as she wormed through the grass.

At last they were out of reach of the willow’s branches and all stood, stopping to brush themselves off. Dorothy gazed ahead at the castle, now revealed to her in all its glory, and she visibly lit up. “We’re almost there! The enchanted castle and the great Dumbledore!”

“Look, about that, sweetheart,” Darwin began, but was quickly silenced when Sid punched him in the back.

“What?” Dorothy asked innocently.

“Nothing,” Eric answered for them. “Come on.” And, leading the way, he headed across the smooth green lawn.

The three followed him, Dorothy cheerful and the two boys silent and brooding. Dorothy wasn’t sure why they weren’t delighted, but she was distracted as they neared the castle, for she could see people milling about all dressed in the same black robes that the boys were in, and all staring at them.

“Who are they?” Dorothy asked, tugging on Sid’s sleeve.

“They’re other students,” he answered, shrugging as though it should have been obvious.

“Students,” she muttered. Imagine, an enchanted castle filled with students! This really was an odd place!

They soon reached the castle and entered it. A few of the students followed them curiously, asking the boys who she was and what they were doing. Sid and Eric both started to answer the questions when Darwin interrupted them and made sneery remarks about how it was no one’s bloody business and they’d best get lost before he turned them wrong side out.

Dorothy stared in wonder at the stone walls decorated with hangings and moving pictures. Her eyes grew wide as they passed suits of armor singing songs about the Might of Gryffindor, and she nearly cried out in fright when they came across what looked for all the world like a ghost.

“Well hello there, Eric! I say what a jolly group you have here!’ the ghost said jovially.

“Nearly headless Nick,” Darwin snorted. “What do you want?”

“More to the point what are YOU doing?” the ghost asked, sounding irritated.

“Escorting a Muggle to the headmistress’s office, what does it look like?” Darwin retorted.

“A muggle?!” Nick gaped, shaking his head. “That will never do!”

“She has some kind of magic slippers or something,” Sid said quickly. “The DE are all after them!”

“You don’t mean THE enchanted scarlet slippers?!” Nick moved through the air, his face pressing close to the frightened Dorothy’s feet before swirling around the group. “I must alert the headmistress!” and he took off down the hallway.

“Well that’s done it,” Darwin muttered, glaring at Sid. “For being a Ravenclaw you sure are stupid!”

“And you sure are bloody mean for a Hufflepuff!” Sid snapped back.

“You don’t want to tell everyone, you know,” Darwin continued as they started walking again. ‘There ARE Slytherins skulking around here!”

“Sorry,” Sid mumbled, looking at his feet.

Dorothy clutched Eric’s arm, surprised at how calm he’d been about the ghost. Wow, she must have done a really good job getting all of his cowardliness out! She’d been petrified!