You Bust Slug

You Bust Slug

Excerpt from page 81 of Goblet of Fire, US edition:

A tiny boy no older than two was crouched outside a large pyramid-shaped tent, holding a wand and poking happily at a slug in the grass, which was swelling slowly to the size of a salami. As they drew level with him, his mother came hurrying out of the tent.

"How many times, Kevin? You don't - touch - Daddy's - wand - yecchh!"

She had trodden on the giant slug, which burst. Her scolding carried after them on the still air, mingling with the little boy's yells- "You bust slug! You bust slug!"

-()-

A young, brown-haired boy of eleven stared angrily at the display window of Quality Quidditch Supplies. His mother refused to buy him a broom. He didn't care if first years weren't allowed to have them - he wanted one anyway.

His Hogwarts letter had arrived last week. It had been expected, of course; according to his mother, he had been taking his father's wand since the age of two (even though he wasn't allowed) in order to grow bugs and such to gigantic sizes.

He smiled at that thought. He would finally get a wand of his own. No more of his mother yelling at him not to 'touch Daddy's wand'. He knew wouldn't be able to use magic outside of school - you had to be of age to do that - but at least he would be able to use it at school without getting in trouble. Well, not too much trouble anyway. Plus, his mother wouldn't be around to tell him that 'Harry Potter wouldn't have done that'. Not that he had ever understood why - to his knowledge his mum had never met the bloke, so how would she know what he would and wouldn't do?

His mother came up beside him, lugging a bag filled with books. "Kevin, you know better then to go off on your own like that," she scolded.

Kevin rolled his eyes at her. "Mum, it's not like it's dangerous or anything."

"Oh, Kevin. You were too young to remember how it used to be," his mother sighed. "Everyone was afraid all the time. Why, you couldn't go anywhere without being searched. Most just stayed locked up in their homes. They were too terrified to leave, knowing that their family could be next..." she trailed off and patted her dark hair back into place. "Well, come along. We need to get your wand."

They walked to Ollivander's, the wand shop, and waited for Mr. Ollivander. Kevin thought the man was a bit dodgy. He had suddenly returned after the war was over, and besides a few Ministry officials hovering around his shop, no one had seemed to care much. Kevin figured they hadn't wanted to make a big deal about it, seeing as how Ollivander's was practically the only place around to get wands. Kevin glanced around and spied Ollivander appearing quietly from the back and Kevin's mother gave a start when he spoke- she hadn't seen him coming.

"Good day," he greeted them. "I see you are in need of a wand. Starting Hogwarts, are you." It was hardly a question and Kevin chose not to answer him. "Which is your wand hand?"

"Left," Kevin told him, distractedly. His attention was focused above the counter on two broken wands mounted high on the wall in a glass case.

"What are those wands there for?" Kevin asked, pointing.

"Ah," Mr. Ollivander said knowingly. "Yes, yes. A curious thing, those wands." He levitated the glass case down until it rested gently on the counter top. "Brothers, and very powerful, but the wizards they belonged to were even more so."

"Whose were they?" Kevin asked.

"This one," Ollivander pointed to the one on the left, "belonged to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and this one-"

"Was Harry Potter's, wasn't it?" Kevin interrupted him.

"Correct. They were both destroyed the night He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was defeated. Harry Potter brought them to me himself and asked if I would keep them safe." He tapped the glass case. "This glass was made by the owners of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. There are so many hexes and charms on it that anyone who tries to open it will be incinerated within seconds."

"Wow."

Ollivander pulled a tape measure from his robes and it stretched itself magically around Kevin while Ollivander pulled boxes from the shelves.

"That will do." The tape measure stopped its ministrations and Ollivander handed Kevin a wand to try. "Nine and three quarter inches, oak, core of unicorn hair. Go on, give it a wave."

Kevin swished it through the air several times but nothing happened. Ollivander snatched it from his hand, shaking his head, and gave him another one. That one didn't work either and neither did the next one. Then finally, six tries later, the wand Kevin was holding shot out bright gold and blue sparks when Kevin waved it through the air.

His mother cheered and Ollivander nodded. "A very good choice. Eleven and a quarter inches long, beech, and core of dragon heartstring." He took the wand from Kevin and, after placing it back in its box, wrapped it up.

Kevin smiled. The wand had felt right. It had warmed in his grip and when he had waved it through the air his whole arm had tingled. His mother paid seven galleons for the wand and Kevin left the shop with it tucked tightly under his arm.

The walked to Madam Malkin's for robes and then went onto the Apothecary for Potions ingredients. The smell of the shop was making Kevin feel sick, so he left and went a few shops down to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

A man came out of the door just as Kevin reached the shop and stopped when he saw that Kevin was about to enter.

"Watch yourself in there," he told Kevin with a grin. "They're giving out free samples today..."

Kevin just stared up at the man in awe. "You're- you're," he stuttered, "H-Harry Potter!"

Harry Potter laughed ruefully. "Yes, I am."

Kevin just continued to stare.

"Kevin!" his mother screeched from behind him. "What have I told you about wandering off?" Kevin jerked out of his daze and looked at her.

"Mum," he said, completely ignoring her scolding. "Mum, look, it's-"

"Harry Potter," she breathed finally noticing who Kevin had been talking to. "Oh, my, we - my husband and I - saw you at the Quidditch World Cup years ago. Kevin was only two back then and was only interested in engorging slugs, but... Oh, it was such a terrible thing when those Death Eaters came. I can't thank you enough for what you've done. Stephan did everything he could to help, naturally, but it wasn't even close to what you-"

Harry Potter held up a hand to stop her chattering. "Please, don't thank me. I just did what I had to do," he told her kindly. He turned to Kevin. "I remember seeing a toddler playing with a giant slug. That was you?" Kevin nodded - his mum and dad had told him the story loads of times. Harry Potter continued, "You had that slug fairly big before your mum busted it." He laughed and gestured to the shop behind him. "Fred and George have some nice joke stuff for that sort of thing, if you're interested. And," he added with a wink, "they don't burst near as easily."

"Really?" Kevin asked amazed, already thinking ahead at the pranks he could play at school.

"Kevin, don't even think about buying anything to take with you to Hogwarts. I've heard all their products are banned and they would only get you into trouble. You should be focusing on your studies instead. Your father and I never-"

The door to the shop opened again, cutting off his mother's ranting. A very pretty witch with long, red hair came out onto the street carrying a baby with the same red hair, although the baby had bright green eyes instead of brown. A messy, black-haired boy no older then three followed behind her, clutching at her robes.

"Mummy," the child was crying, "I don't wanna go!"

"Sirius, you know we have to get to Grandmum's for lunch. I told you this morning."

"But- but," the child hiccupped. "Uncles Gred and Forge said I can have the some of the new toffees."

"Harry," the witch appealed. "Do something about your son, please."

Harry kneeled down in front of the crying boy. "Your mum's right, Sirius." Harry stood up with the boy in his arms. "Besides, taffy's not good for you."

"B-but-"

"If you behave, I'll take you flying after lunch."

The boy's tears stopped at once. "Really? Can I go by myself?"

Harry laughed. "No, maybe when you're a bit older." He turned to Kevin and his mum. "Bye, it was good to meet you."

Kevin watched Harry Potter and his family walk down the street towards the Leaky Cauldron until they disappeared from view. He had met Harry Potter. It was very odd though... from all the stories that were told of him, Kevin thought he would have been more... powerful looking. Harry Potter was only average height and a bit scrawny at that. His eyes were very green, but his hair stuck out all over the place. His wife was really pretty, though. Kevin walked around Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in a bit of a daze, picking up items but not really looking at them. He was trying to figure out what it had been about Harry Potter that he had found so odd. Then it struck him - Harry Potter was just a normal bloke. Sure, he had defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but aside from that he was just like everyone else. He had a family, kids, a job...

Kevin left the shop, hands filled with bursting slugs, Dungbombs, shrieking toffees, and Skiving Snackboxes. This year was going to be a blast. He didn't care what house he went into as long as it wasn't Slytherin.

And when he got detention at school for using Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and his mum told him, 'Harry Potter wouldn't have done that', he would reply, 'Course he would have, Mum. He all but suggested it to me.'

He trotted down the street ahead of his mother. He couldn't wait until September the first.