Alternate Universe; Yellow Brick Road

Chapter one: All stories should start with a bang.

"This is entirely your fault!"

"Oh so I cursed myself, now did I?"

"I still didn't start that duel!" Harry exclaimed adamantly. He paused for a second before continuing "So this is your idea of making me pay- transporting us several thousand miles away from Hogwarts!?"

"Oh be quiet, no one's listening to you," responded Malfoy distractedly. He looked around trying to get his bearings.

"So, where did you take us? Greenland?"

"How the hell should I know where we are? But what I do know is that Greenland is a far sight colder - not that I'd expect you to have any basic understanding of geography; especially with that addled Gryffindor brain of yours."

Draco continued to walk down the narrow road leaving an angry Harry huffing behind him. 'He really is quite extraordinarily stuck up,' Harry thought to himself as he ran to catch up with the blonde haired boy. But well Harry'd known that for years.

To top it off he began another rant about how this was completely Potter's fault as they made their way towards something that looked like a village. 'And he was wrong; Draco attackedme first...'

Luckily for Harry, he hardly had to deal with Malfoy on days without advanced potions. On the other hand, when he did bump into Draco, the boy's attitude was quite possibly worse than it had ever been. Whenever the two boys made eye contact, the Slytherin had an almost unconscious scowl on his face, although he covered it moments later with a blank look. Still, Harry could see that the little promise Malfoy had made the year before was clearly not forgotten. When he actually thought about this however, Harry found he didn't care; there was very little he could manage to dredge up emotion for nowadays - especially not for some pathetic vendetta against him.

However, when Malfoy cornered Harry the next day, it became obvious there was indeed somebody who did care.

"He never deserved Azkaban," Malfoy snarled. "You're so BLIND, Potter! Can't you see that you're on the wrong side? What you fight for isn't right; Muggles can never be anything more than vicious, petty fools."

Harry leaned against the wall of the room that Malfoy had sealed them in. "Really," he began lazily. "So a world of murder and dictatorship is the way to go? Your father, Draco, was vicious and petty." He paused for a second, smirking lightly. "And you know what, since he's the one currently banged up in prison, I'd say he's a bit of a fool too."

Sparks shot out of Malfoy's wand and fizzled away. " YOU'RE PITIFUL," the blonde screamed. "Getting my father put in Azkaban just because the Dark Lord isn't afraid to take the action everyone wants; just because he's trying to save us from incompetent Mudblood lovers. JUST because you can't stand it that your way might be WRONG!" Now thoroughly worked up, the blonde howled, "Disjecta membra!"

Perhaps it was a good thing that Draco missed and hit the vanishing cabinet instead of Harry. But then again, being pulled out of the room with a flash can hardly be called fun.

On the up side, they did get to find out where the vanishing cabinet disappeared.

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'...Had he still not shut up yet?'

"...So, if you think there is any possible way I would let you get away with this you are utterly mistaken. You may have the whole world slobbering at your feet but -"

"Malfoy do you ever tire of hearing your own voice? Because let me tell you that a great number of people do, myself included. If I wanted your opinion, I'd ask for it. Now just shut your great trap and try not to draw attention to us."

For Harry, it was extremely hard to control his temper. Sometimes, he would like nothing more than to break the damn Slytherin's perfect nose- properly this time. Luckily for Draco, Harry was able to restrain himself for the time being, although only barely.

The place that Malfoy seemed to sent them to was a village, in England hopefully, they'd come out somewhere in a field thick with corn, wind rippling the husks and making the boys shiver in their Hogwarts uniform, Malfoy had sent them to some sort of farming community.

As they neared the end of the field, they could see in the distance a small house. When they got close, however, they could see that it was hopelessly run down. They didn't even bother knocking.

Finding the next house to be empty, Harry took lead and dragged the other boy down a larger road, a road that he hoped would lead them to civilisation. After only twenty minutes, Draco found himself cold, tired, and completely fed up with Potter. He kept quiet however when they rounded the corner and found the first sign of life, simple life, simple peasant life wearing filthy Muggle clothing and doing ridiculous things with a weapon of some description.

Surely Potter didn't intend to ask this being the way back to Hogwarts.

"Excuse me sir" began Harry causing the man digging in his garden to look up, "could you tell me where we are? You see me and my... acquaintance are lost we'd really appreciate some help." The man lent on his spade and looked at them suspiciously.

'It wasn't often you saw young people getting involved in the community's doings. They must be though. They even went through the trouble of getting wands.'

"Aye, I'm seeing your problem lad. What ye need ter do is ter carry on straight down this here road and it'll take yer ter the village green that's where yer want ter be I'm guessin'?"

"I suppose, but you still haven't told me what village is this."

"Ah don't you worry lad, ye in the right place! This here's Someshead, school's just setting up down there."

Baffled by the unnecessary information, Harry nodded in vague understanding. He turned to Draco, who was leaning on a post and looking down the road.

"There's something happening over there," he said, not looking away. "What did the village idiot say?" His eyes flickered to Harry, waiting for an answer. Harry just looked irritated.

"Why do you always look down at people?" His voice was thick with exasperation. "And don't give me that 'because I'm a Malfoy speech.' I've heard it so many times I could probably recite it myself." Draco just continued staring at a distant cluster of people and didn't answer.

"I asked you a question, you know," Harry said, giving Malfoy a slight shove.

"And I asked you a question, which you still haven't responded to," Draco shot back, annoyed.

"Oh don't be such a-"

"Oi you two! What you doin' over there? Get over with the others," a man yelled, interrupting Harry.

"Is he talking to us?"

"Yes Malfoy, the peasant does dare to speak to you that way. Come on."

There was something off about this place, Harry decided. Perhaps it was the people running around with pointy hats and stuffed owls that threw him off. Could this be a trick? What if he'd been kidnapped again?

A sudden shout threw both boys from their thoughts. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Malfoy and Harry spun, drawing their wands and looking around wildly. They soon noticed, however, that they were the only ones who reacted.

"Ha! I'm gonna get you Malfoy!"

"What?" Malfoy looked at Harry, startled.

"I didn't say anything!"

"Then what in the hell is going on? Why are all these people wearing robes?"

"Keep your voice down," Harry hissed.

"Avada kedavra! AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"Missed me!"

"Didn't!"

"Did! Betcha can't catch me. You're not gonna turn me over to Voldemort!"

"Bet I can!" Yelled the boy and sprinted past Harry after his friend.

The two Hogwarts students looked at each other.

"This could not possibly get weirder," Draco muttered. Privately, Harry agreed, but he wouldn't admit that anytime soon.

Slowly, Harry walked towards the main stage area where everyone seemed to be congregating, all noting the paper signs proclaiming "Quidditch world cup final at 12:30" and "Hermione's reading corner".

"Welcome to our Harry Potter style charity event! Here," said some woman, thrusting a booklet titled National Reading Day-Reading is Witchy into their hands. "Why not have a go at Ron's chess challenge? It's for charity after all." As the woman left, Draco grabbed the flyer.

"Welcome to our Hogwarts! In an effort to raise money for Someshead Primary, we are holding a fair in dedication to J.K. Rolling's famous book, Harry Potter in our own magic way!" he paused

"What," Draco stuttered. He looked at Harry in horror. "I mean really what did you do!?"

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 'Arguing seems to be his favourite past time. And bitching,' Harry thought to himself. He had been letting Malfoy's grousing wash over him while he ate some of the free food. He popped some of 'Dobby's chocolate socks (mmm magical)' into his mouthand tried to process everything that had happened. Okay, they'd wrecked the vanishing cabinet first, and then there was white light. Surely, Malfoy hadn't done that; the ancient magic at Hogwarts wouldn't have let him transport them. But what in Heaven's name could have brought them here? "Oi! I asked you how we should find her." Harry looked at his fallen bit of chocolate. "Find who?" "You weren't listening to a word I said, were you? I said, how shall we find this J. K. Rolling? She seems to know something about you and the wizarding world. Plus, I heard she's just a few miles away." "How do you know that?" "The pouf wearing the sparkling purple cape went on stage and told everyone that rumour's of this woman's appearance were untrue, as she's returning to Edinburgh today. Apparently, she just has to finish her flims, whatever they are, and then she can go home and write something about half bloods, or whatever they said. From what I've gathered, she's not too far from here." "So what do you want us to do? Just go up to her and say, 'Hi could you give us directions back to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Oh, and I hope you don't mind if we Obliviate you. You know, just in case? Thanks that's super.'"

"Leave the sarcasm to those who can do it Potter. And why, pray tell, would we use a memory charm on a witch?"

"How do you know she's a witch?"

"I don't, but how else would she know about our kind? Besides, I would much rather risk it than stay around you any longer. Being civil is really starting to wear me thin."

"Right, so this is what you call civil. Missed a few of your etiquette lessons, did you?"

Malfoy sneered at him, but remained silent, so Harry took another dig. "Oh, and how do you suppose, dear genius, we get to her without money? Hmm?"

"I have Muggle money, Potter" and he flounced off.

Harry stared at his retreating back. Why in the hell would he have-? No, it doesn't matter. He shook his head and followed the Slytherin through the crowds. Malfoy had flipped; it was an undeniable truth. Well, at least one thing was clear. If he could find a way to get home faster, and away from Draco Malfoy, he'd do it.