Harry and the Snail Races

Harry and the Snail Races

Bredon Wimsey, the Duke of Denver, his wife Duchess Deirdre, their daughter Lady Mary Wimsey, her younger brother Mortimer Wimsey, the Viscount Saint George, Duke Bredon's mother, Duchess Dowager Harriet, and Lord Saint George's school friends, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, were having tea on the terrace of Bredon Hall Castle, Duke Bredon's residence. It was July, and summer sun shined on a spotless white tablecloth, a china tea-pot and cups with tea, dishes with muffins, pancakes and sandwiches, the marble rails of the terrace, the old oaks, chestnuts and beeches in the park and the proud peacocks trailing their long tails on the green grass.

'They say Mark is a cert' Lord Saint George said, biting a buttery muffin. 'He is the favorite this year'.

'Mark?' Harry asked. "What races are these?'

'The Condham Snail Races, man' Lord Saint George said. 'Condham Snail Races, Harry, are a major sports event in Norfolk'.

'SNAIL races?' Harry said. 'I did not know there were snail races. Of horse races and dog races and even cockroach races I heard, but I never heard of any snail races'.

'Harry! Not to know about the Condham Snail Races!' Hermione said reproachfully. Lord Saint George smiled:

'Condham Snail Races are Norfolk event, 'Mione, dear. Harry is of Shropshire and so how would he know?'

'Well, maybe, Mortie darling' Hermione said.

'Condham Snail Races are not widely known outside Norfolk, Harry, but they are very interesting', Mortie said. 'In July the owners of the snails and the onlookers gather before St Andrew's Church, they draw a circle one foot one and a half inch in diameter, and the snails crawl from the center of the circle to its edges. There are about fifty and hundred owners of the snails each time, and still more onlookers, many of them of gentle and even noble birth. This year Condham is on July the eleventh. Dad, Mum, Molly and me are going to Condham. I think you, 'Mione and Ron will go to Condham with us?'

'Of course', Harry said. 'Never saw anything like it!'

'I will go with Harry', Ron said, holding Harry's hand. Harry smiled and pressed Ron's hand.

'I will certainly go', Hermione said. 'I have never been at the Condham Snail races. It will be interesting'.

Harry and Ron grinned to each other. Mortie smiled.

'I am very thankful to you, Your Grace, that you invited me to Bredon Hall this summer', Harry said. Duke Bredon smiled, understanding:

'Don't mention it, Harry. You are Mortie's friend'.

On the eleventh of July Duke Bredon sat at the wheel of his Royce, Duchess Deirdre by his side, the Duchess Dowager, Lady Mary, Mortie, Harry, Ron and Hermione at the back. Duke Bredon started, and they drove through Norfolk marshes.

'I bet four shillings on Mark', Mortie said.

'I bet five', Lady Mary said. 'He is a cert'.

'Pay four from me, Mortie', Harry said.

'And from me four, too, Mortie', Ron said.

'Hmm. I will bet three', Hermione said

'Me, five, the Duchess Dowager decided.

They arrived to the ancient church. A great crowd was already gathered there. Duke Bredon stopped and went out of the car, Duchess Deirdre after him. The Duchess Dowager opened the back door, and Lady Mary, Mortie, Harry, Ron and Hermione went out of the car with the Dowager. Their little company made its way to the center of the crowd, where the circle was already marked. A man greeted them:

'Denver! Good afternoon. Good afternoon, Deirdre, good afternoon, Dowager, good afternoon, Mary, good afternoon, Saint George. And who is it with you?'

'Good afternoon, Lord Havershot', the Wimseys answered.

'Good afternoon, Havershot', Duke Bredon said. 'They are Mortie's friends from the school, Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger. Harry, Ron, Hermione, this is the Earl of Havershot'.

'Good afternoon, my lord', Hermione said, Harry and Ron repeating after her.

'Good afternoon, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger', Lord Havershot said. 'Oh, my dear, here you are. Denver with his folks is here. These are Saint George's friends from his school, Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger. My wife, the Countess of Havershot'.

'Good afternoon', Lady Havershot said.

'Good afternoon, my lady', Hermione said, Harry and Ron after her. Lord Havershot, a tall, large, muscular man with bright-red hair, asked Duke Bredon:

'Who do you think to bet on, Denver?'

'Mark', Duke Bredon said. 'They say he is a cert. Deirdre, Mum, Molly, Mortie, harry, Ron and Hermione are going to bet on Mark too. And you, Havershot? '

'I, too', Lord Havershot said. 'And Sally too'

'They say Mark has the stamina', Mortie said.

'They say so, yes', Lord Havershot said.

'I hope so, or my money is lost', Duke Bredon said.

'I forgot what school it is you go to, Saint George?' Lord Havershot asked. Mortie answered:

'Hogwarts School, Lord Havershot'.

'Haven't heard of it', Lord Havershot said.

'It is in South Scotland', Mortie answered. 'A very old school, it was founded nine hundred years ago. A very exclusive school. Not many know of it. It is in an old castle on a shore of a large lake'.

'And you are in the second year, right?' Lord Havershot said. 'But your friends look much older'.

'Ron, 'Mione and me are in our sixth year, my lord', Harry said. 'Mione and me are prefects'.

'A lot of Latin in these public schools, eh?' Lord Havershot said sympathetically.

'Oh, yes, my lord', Harry grinned.

Been to Eton myself', Lord Havershot said. 'Young Saint George studies well, I hope?'

'He is one of the best students, my lord', Harry said. 'I won't wonder if Mortie will become a prefect by and by'.

'Hold on, young Saint George', Lord Havershot said.

Duke Bredon went to place their bets, and then returned.

'Look, Havershot, they release the snails', Duke Bredon said. The owners were really putting the snails in the center of the circle. Harry looked with interest:

'Which of them is Mark, Your Grace?'

'That big one with black shell', Duke Bredon answered.

'Yes, I see', Harry said and concentrated on the snail. Lord Havershot, Lady Havershot, Duke Bredon, Duchess Deirdre, the Dowager, Lady Mary, Mortie, Ron and Hermione looked at it attentively too. The snails - ten of them - crawled vigorously to the edge of the circle. Mark got past all of them, except one little, with brown shell.

'Look - he goes past him!' Mortie yelled. 'Go Mark!'

And indeed, Mark went past the little brown-shelled one.

'He will win', Lord Havershot said. 'He has the stamina'.

And at this precise moment, almost before the very line, something has happened. Mark slowed down, and the brown-shelled one crawled on with the same energy as it did before.

'You can't lose!' Harry yelled. 'Go Mark, you are my hope!'

And at once Mark livened, increased his speed and in one brave effort reached the line before the brown-shelled one. Many onlookers applauded, Lord Havershot, Lady Havershot, Duke Bredon, Duchess Deirdre, the Dowager, Mortie, Ron, Harry and Hermione among them. They went to receive their money. When they did it, Lord Havershot asked them all to lunch. When they were all sitting in a restaurant, Harry said:

'Gosh, when Mark slowed down, I was feeling the same I did when Professor Snape took the points off me for the explosion I produced - inadvertently, of course'.

'Yes, you felt greatly, Mr. Potter, and no mistake', Lord Havershot said. 'You even whistled with disappointment'.

Harry was about to say that he did not whistle, but Mortie cast a warning look on him, and he held his tongue.

When the lunch was over, and the Wimseys and Mortie's friends climbed into Duke Bredon's car and drove home, Mortie looked at Harry in admiration and said:

'I never knew, Harry, that the snails understood Parseltongue too. And you did not know too, I suppose? It is always the way with you naturals. It comes easy'.

Harry was looking on Mortie in bewilderment.

'You mean to say the thing heard me?' Harry said.

'Of course he heard you, or he wouldn't liven!' Mortie said. 'You look at him - he saved all our money and didn't even know it!'

'Harry, you made a discovery in magic!' Hermione said.

'I say, how about the Hogwarts Snail Races?' Mortie said. 'It came to me in a flash. Harry can train them!'