Harry Potter and the Ones to Finish It

Chapter Three

Goodbye

Weeks passed and the day drew closer that the girls would have to leave their homes. They had all told their families the truth, and had varied responses. Emma's parents thought she was joking, and it wasn't until Emma wrote another vanishing letter to Professor Mcgonagall asking her to explain to her parents that they believed her. They were shocked but supportive about her choice to leave. Jess's Mum thought Jess had gone crazy and sent her to a psychiatrist, who Jess obviously couldn't say anything to. Jess's Dad and Alan believed her after a bit of convincing and managed to persuade her Mum. Alan thought it immensely funny for some geek reason, and asked if Jess would have email at the castle. Lina's sister was suspicious at first, but when she saw the letter, went crazy with excitement because this meant that there was still hope for her. Lina's Aunty had no idea what Hogwarts was and insisted that Lina be sent to boarding school for making up stories. Instead she went to stay at Emma's for the remaining time they had in New Zealand.

They weren't allowed to tell their friends as McGonagall had explained in her reply to Emma's letter, and so had to come up with a believable excuse. On the fifteenth of August they decided to tell everyone. They were all sitting in G07: Annie, Zsofi, Robyn and Jen's form class.

'Ah, guys, we have something to tell you,' said Jess.

'What's up?' said Jen, seeing the reproachful looks on their faces.

'We're leaving New Zealand,' said Emma bluntly.

'What?' said Robyn. 'All of you?'

'Yea, th-the three of us,' said Lina.

'Where are you going?' asked Annie.

'Well, a while ago we applied for an acting school in England,' said Lina, telling the story they had agreed on.

'And we got in,' said Emma. 'We leave in five days.'

They looked around at the faces of their friends, surprisingly, they were laughing.

'Good one guys!' said Jen.

It took the rest of the lunch hour to convince everyone they were serious. And Uma, who hadn't believed anything since the time they told her Emma was getting married, refused to accept it.

Finally August the twentieth came. The girls went to school for the first two periods to say goodbye to everyone, and all left crying uncontrollably. It was especially difficult saying goodbye to Uma, who still believed they would be back the next day. They spent the rest of the day packing all their necessary possessions into large suitcases, and at six o'clock headed down to Burbank Park with their families. Lina's sister and Uncle were there when they arrived.

There was lots of hugging and crying, and the girls promised that they would learn to apparate as soon as they could. Then they had to look for the port key. After five minutes of searching they still hadn't found anything.

'It will look like rubbish,' said Lina.

'Hey, over here!' called Alan, who was standing under the fort.

The all crowded around an empty fanta bottle.

'It's almost six-thirty,' said Emma's dad.

The girls each laid a finger on the bottle, their other hands clasping their suitcases, tears rolling freely down their faces.

Chapter Four

The Leaky Cauldron

Suddenly there was a tug behind their navels and everything went blurry. They were pulled wildly along for three minutes before coming to an abrupt halt and landing in a tangled pile with their things. They lay there, stunned and bruised.

'Oww... where are we?' said Jess wincing as she stood up and recovered her suitcase.

'That must be the Leaky Cauldron,' said Emma, looking up at a small grubby-looking pub. The gathered their bags and lugged them towards the entrance to the building. Jess reached out to push open the door but before she could it burst open, smacking Emma in the arm, and a tall thin man with red hair strode out, glancing at the girls with a look of dislike.

'Don't worry, I'm fine!' called Emma sarcastically after him, rubbing her arm. They walked inside the dank, musty room. A strong smell of alcohol and smoke filled their lungs. There were only a few people in the bar, and no-one seemed to notice the three girls walk in. A man in the corner was wearing a long navy blue cloak and a dirty red wizard's hat with three bright green feathers tucked into a khaki coloured band around the rim. Emma looked down at her jeans and t-shirt.

'Wasn't someone meant to be meeting us?' said Jess.

'That would be me,' said a gruff voice behind them.

Jess, Lina and Emma slowly turned around. Facing them was a belt that was holding up the biggest pants they'd ever seen. They raised their eyes to the gigantic tangled beard and kind looking face of Hagrid.

'I'm Hagrid, keeper of keys at Hogwarts.'

The girls stared at him stunned.

'Emma, shut your mouth,' whispered Jess. Emma quickly closed her mouth which had dropped open in awe.

Hagrid laughed.

'Yeh want a drink then?' he offered.

'Yea, uh, ok,' said Lina. They headed over to the bar and sat down on the old bar stools.

'Four butter beers please, Tom,' said Hagrid.

The toothless old man behind the bar handed them each a bottle. They nervously took a sip.

'This is so good!' exclaimed Emma.

Hagrid laughed again.

'I 'spose you girls will have a few questions ter ask me then,' said Hagrid.

'Well, yea, we do actually Hagrid,' said Lina, digging around in her pocket for the list.

'If you don't mind that is,' said Jess, eyeing the huge man nervously.

Lina pulled out the crumpled list and spread it out on the bar. Hagrid leaned forward and read it, mumbling every odd word.

'I see yeh've read the Harry Potter series then,' he said.

'Yeah,' said Emma. 'Everyone we know has.'

'Well then, at least that makes my job a bit easier. About fifteen years ago Harry Potter started at Hogwarts, so that answers yer first question,' said Hagrid. 'Yeh've read the books, they're the truth, cept that Joanne Rowling started at Hogwarts the same year. She was... err, a bit obsessed with Harry ter tell yeh the truth. She followed him everywhere. Obviously when she wrote the books she didn't include herself, but that's how she knew everything. She made a character to be her...Lavender I think it was, she had an owl called that, strange because it was brown... Why she decided to write it all down I have no idea. Anyway, she was banished from our community when she put out the first book, pretty stupid of Fudge, coz now she's free to say whatever she wants. Heard she's doing pretty well for herself now days.'

'Yeah, she sure is,' said Jess.

'So anyway, it was a disaster for the ministry, muggles knowing about us...'

'But no-one believes the books, Hagrid,' said Lina.

'Well, no, that's what saved us, muggle scepticism, but Dumbledore sure was furious. Anyway, those questions, yeah, well, Harry's a teacher at Hogwarts now, he'll be taking you for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Also does a bit of work with Hermione and Ron, who are married and working for the ministry as Aurors and for The Order of the Phoenix. Let's see now...Draco Malfoy's in the ministry too, he works for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, an' he's a good guy. Used to be a stupid little git, but then him an' his dad had a, uh, disagreement and he left home. His dad abused him... nasty man, still working for You Know Who. Yeah, You Know Who's still alive,' Hagrid added, seeing the surprised look on their faces. 'Snape was killed doing a job for The Order in Harry's seventh year, The Order's still up and running, tonnes of Hogwarts students join when they leave school these days, it's a huge organisation. An' now that Fudge is gone, The Order works with the Ministry a lot.'

'Fudge is gone?' asked Jess.

'Resigned,' replied Hagrid, finishing his Butter beer in one swig. 'Yeah, new minister is Kingsley Shacklebolt.'

'He's in the fifth book,' said Emma.

'Yeah,' said Hagrid frowning. 'Next question...me! Well, I'm still at Hogwarts teaching Care of Magical Creatures, and working for the Order.'

'What happened to your brother, Grawp?'

'He ran away, back to the mountains. Probably best, he never really settled in. Now then, next question, You Know Who, already told you about him.'

'Ah Hagrid, sorry to interrupt, but I thought the prophecy said that Harry couldn't live while Voldemort did, and vice-versa?' said Lina.

'Yeh, it did, they've battled lotsa times, neither one can seem to work out how to kill the other. They're still trying'

'Oh, talk about an anticlimax,' said Jess.

Emma laughed and Lina elbowed her. Hagrid raised a bushy eyebrow.

'Anyway,' he said. 'The Weasleys. They're doing pretty well for themselves these days. All of them are helping with the order. Percy was killed by You Know Who after being tortured for information a couple of years ago; he was a senior ministry member at the time. Mr Weasley was promoted to Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The twins have their joke shop o' course, but they've got their hands full with the Order so they don't work there much. Same with Bill, Charlie and Ginny. The Order pays its more important members nowadays, so they don't have jobs apart from that. Cho Chang moved to Singapore after Hogwarts to do some work for the Department of International Magical Co-operation. Her an' Harry never saw each other as more than friends after fifth year. Neville's a healer at St Mungo's. Shocked everyone when he got really good marks for his OWLS and NEWTS. I reckon he's trying to find a way to cure his parents. Answered those three already...ah yes, why yeh were accepted. Well ter be honest I've got no idea, but there's a good reason. Dumbledore will tell yeh when yeh get to school.'

'Thanks Hagrid,' said Lina.

'Not a problem, Tom will show yeh ter your room. I best be off.' Hagrid stood up and strode out.

'Wooow,' said Emma. 'Still doesn't seem quite real does it?'

'Nah,' replied Jess. 'But I'm really tired.'

'I'll show you to your room,' said Tom the barman. The girls trudged slowly up to their room, number eleven. Three large beds lined one wall of the room, the floors were polished and a large rug lay in the middle. At the end of each bed sat a wooden chest. They sat down on their beds and looked at each other.

'This room, number eleven, it's the one Harry stayed in his third year,' said Lina. Emma and Jess stared at her. 'You know, after he got off the Knight Bus!'

Jess and Emma burst out laughing.

'Linz, I bet even Harry doesn't remember that!' said Jess.

'Shut up,' said Lina defensively. 'That was my favourite book!'

After the laughing died down the girls got changed and slipped into their warm beds, nervous and excited about the adventure they were about to have, except Emma, who was still wondering what happened to Harry Potter, despite having just been told.