Muggle Camp

Chapter Five - Murder by Numbers

'Oh aren't they cute?'

He woke up with a jolt.

'The perfect couple...'

He had been having a very odd dream.

'...you mean trio!'

People were laughing.

He opened his eyes and realized with a shock that he had been sleeping on somebody's shoulder! He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, turned his head and let out a sigh of relief that it was not Hermione's shoulder. Ron probably wouldn't notice anyway he had slept on his shoulder anyway. By the looks of it he had been asleep since before he had dozed off.

Yawning, he went to stretch his arms but found he couldn't; Hermione was asleep on his shoulder. He smiled and laughed quietly.

'Enjoying that, Harry?'

'Yeh, looks fun. Can we join you?'

The smile vanished from his face and he sat up immediately nearly throwing Hermione over her seat and into the aisle of the coach.

'Harry what s'matter?' she said worriedly, trying in vain to shake off her sleepy demeanor. Harry looked up to see Dean, Seamus and Neville bent over in silent laugher with Parvarti and Lavender standing next to them, smirking.

'Oh God,' Harry moaned sleepily. 'You guys suck!'

He rubbed his head and stretched. Hermione did the same and frowned at the gathering masses.

'What did you do that for?' she moaned.

'The bus arrived ten minutes ago. Professor McGonagall told us to wake you up, but we just couldn't do it!' said Seamus, who was nearly in a state of collapse from laughing so much.

'You all just looked so cute asleep together,' Parvarti simpered.

'So we did the only thing one can do in this kind of situation...' said Neville through badly stifled giggles.

'And what,' Hermione started, her anger slowly rising, 'would that be?'

'Make fun at your expense of course!' Dean piped up to renewed laughter.

'Alright, alright! Get lost and let me wake up,' Harry moaned again still feeling tired.

Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder and attempted to wake him. 'Ron! Oi! Ron!' He rustled and moaned.

'Mm...I love you too.' He pursed his lips and kissed the window of the coach.

The laughter came in gales.

'Oh...my...God!' choked Seamus through bucketfuls of laughter. 'This stuff is priceless!'

Harry started laughing as Ron realised what was going on. He straightened up and immediately went scarlet.

'So tell us Ron,' Lavender started seriously, 'who do you love?' Her eyes were widening with genuine curiosity. Ron was so red that Harry wouldn't have been surprised if he's of died of embarrassment on the spot.

'It was just that stupid movie in my head. It was nothing.' He gave a fleeting glance in Hermione's direction and Harry could tell that he wasn't telling the truth.

Harry turned to share a laugh with Hermione but stopped suddenly at the look on her face. She was also very red and was sitting there with her mouth open.

'What's the matter Hermione?' asked Harry, looking worried.

'I...I...'

She seemed beyond words.

'Sorry to break up the party,' came Professor McGonagall's stern voice, 'but I did ask you ten minutes ago to exit the coach.' Professor McGonagall had come on to the coach.

'Oh but Professor, free comedy!' Seamus indicated the trio who were now fully awake. The Gryffindors started laughing again.

'Come on, out!'

Harry watched as Dean, Seamus, Neville, Lavender and Parvarti traipsed down the aisle of the coach. He got up to follow but was obstructed. 'Come on Hermione!' She was just sitting there looking very alarmed. 'Hello? Hermione!'

'Miss Granger! You are already in trouble as it is. I would not make it worse if I were you.' Professor McGonagall gave them one look of annoyance and exited the coach.

'Hermione are you alright?' She stood up. Looking across Harry she stared at Ron looking horrified. Then she turned and ran off the coach.

Harry turned to give Ron a confused look.

'What was that all about?' he asked.

'I don't know,' Ron replied shaking his head. 'Women!'

They got up and exited the coach. It was still dark outside, although the first rays of the sun were starting to puncture darkness. It was deathly cold. He looked around. He was standing in front of a small square building which was flanked by two longer ones. They looked very depressing and their sides were flanked with many windows. In front of him and to the left of the buildings was what looked like a large square of bitumen surrounded by a two metre fence. What that was for he did not know.

He looked down at his watch - it was five in the morning. He stretched his arms and yawned widely hitting someone in the face. 'Oh! Sorry Ernie! Didn't see you there.'

'No problem. It is early after all,' said Ernie looking just as tired as he was.

'I wonder where we are,' said Harry inquisitively.

'There was a big sign above the gates as we came in but it was too dark to read it. It looks like some kind of army base doesn't it? There were men at the gates holding those big metal wands that kill people - what do you call them? We learned about it in muggle studies...'

'Guns,' said Harry knowlegebly.

'Settle down!' shouted Professor McGonagall over the chatty crowd. 'I want you to all go and stand over there in three lines one behind the other.' She had indicated the big bitumen square. 'Go on...Now! Harry shrugged in Ernie's direction and followed Ron onto the square.

'What does she think we are?' said Ron in an undertone. 'Soldiers?'

Harry lined up next to Neville in the second row and Ron stood beside him. He shot a worried glance at Hermione who was standing at the front in between Susan Bones and Padma Patil and looked oddly tense - as though she were thinking about something very important.

'Now, I'm sure you are all wondering where we are and what is going on.' There was a murmur of agreement. 'I shall explain. Every year we change the location of Muggle Camp not only to make it different, but also so as not to ruin the surprise if you have older brothers or sisters in the school. This year, we have decided that Muggle Camp will take place here,' she paused as if for effect, 'at RAF base Verington.'

An RAF base! They were going to have to act like soldiers! This was going from bad to worse.

'You are to pose as new recruits of the Liver Military School who are here to learn the ways of the forces. You will be taught drill and expect to use it around the base. For those of you who do not know, drill is a disciplined form of movement used by all of the Muggle armed forces. Most importantly, you are now and will be for the rest of our camp, in the presence of Muggles. Therefore, you must act like Muggles from this point onwards. If I catch any of you taking about, using or doing anything in relation to magic, you will be punished. You are no longer to refer to this as Muggle Camp, but as Recruitment Camp or RC for short.' Harry heard Ron choke beside him.

'Are you okay? Harry asked quietly.

'Yeh...yeh. Just thinking of something Fred and George said to me.'

'...and so now I would like you to split up into two groups. Can I please have the girls on my left and the boys on my right?' Harry shrugged at Ron and moved over to her right.

'There is one last thing that I think is important for you to know. The main aim of Muggle Camp is not to learn about Muggles and Muggle ways. I must tell you that it has, in fact got an ulterior motive. The main aim of it is to promote teamwork and to bring you closer together. In these times of trouble, one must find their friends and stick by them. I quote a great man in saying "we are as strong united as we are weak divided"

'Therefore, for the remainder of RC there will be no school houses. As of this moment, Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw cease to exist. This is only temporary so don't worry,' she said hurriedly as a response the disbelieving looks on everyone's face. 'They will return as normal when the school term commences. As such I have chosen a male and female prefect from our normal group of prefects. These are Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. I expect you to carry out your roles responsibly. Harry smiled at Hermione whose chest had swelled with pride.'

'What! As if! Malfoy as male prefect! Is she mad?' Ron looked livid.

'And now,' she bent down and picked up two containers which were sitting on top of a clipboard on the ground next to her. 'I have here two containers with slips of parchment inside. Each piece of parchment has a number of it. I would like you to take one and return to your place in line. Do you understand?' There was a murmur of agreement. Harry got in line behind Neville.

'I wonder what this is all about,' he said to Ron. Ron shrugged in answer and mimicked Harry by pulling a number out of the container. Harry unfolded it. It had a red number nine written on it. 'I've got an eight. What've you got?' he asked Ron.

'Seven. How about you Neville?'

'A five. Hm...I wonder what they're for.'

When everyone had taken a number, they came together again in their lines and waited for McGonagall to tell them what was going on.

'This is the number of the room you will be staying in.' Ah, so this was what it was thought Harry relieved. He had thought it might be something more sinister.

'However,' she continued, 'there are not enough rooms for each person to have one to themselves. Therefore, to make it fair, I have put two of each number in this container. The person who has the same number as you do will be the one who you will be sharing a room with for the next two weeks.' Harry sighed unhappily as he realised that he would not be sharing a room with Ron. Ron seemed to be thinking the same thing judging by the look on his face.

'The small building that divides the two long buildings over there is the toilet and shower block. Behind that you will find another small building which you may use as your common room. The long building on the left is the girls' dormitory and the one on the right is the boys'. The boys are not allowed in the girl's dormitory and vice versa. Fraternisation will NOT be tolerated. If you do not know what that means then look it up.

'As I call out your number, could you please step forward with your hand raised so I can write your names down. When I have done so, you may pick up your bags and take them to your room. It is now quarter past five. You will return here at five minutes to six to meet Corporal Ebbs. I suggest you use your time wisely. Can the girls who have the number ones please step forward?'

Two Ravenclaw girls that Harry had not spoken to before stepped forward with their hands raised.

'Thank you Miss Turpin and Miss Brocklehurst. The number twos please.'

Harry watched as Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bullstrode stepped forward. Lucky for Hermione.

'Number threes please.'

Another couple of girls that Harry had never spoken to stepped forward.

'Megan Jones and Su Li,' she mumbled to herself. 'Number fours.'

More Slytherin girls. At least Hermione wouldn't have to stay with them.

'Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass...' she murmered again, her tongue between her teeth, 'right, number fives.'

More girls Harry had not spoken to. He made a mental not to at least say hello to them during RC.

'Sally-Anne Perks, Morag MacDougal. Number sixes?'

Another two girls, one Harry recognised as Blaise Zanbini - one of Pansy Parkinson's gang of Slytherin girls.

'...Moon. Number sevens?

Susan Bones and Padma Patil walked forward.

'Number eights please...Alright, who are the real number eights.'

Lavander, Parvarti and Hannah Abbot had all stepped forward. Lavender put her hand down and stepped back.

'So that leaves you Miss Brown and Hermione Granger.' She scribbled on her clipboard. 'Right, can I have the boys step forward please? Number ones...'

A Hufflepuff boy stepped forward.

'Congratulations Mr Hopkins! Room number one only contains one bed. You have a room to yourself. Number twos.'

Harry saw Crabbe and Goyle walk forward. At least they were out of the way - he couldn't imagine having to share a room with one of them.

'Number threes?'

Terry Boot walked forward with Theodore Nott who looked sour.

'...Nott. Okay number fours please.'

'That's me! See you later Harry,' said Ernie before he stepped forward.

'Mr Goldstein and Mr Macmillan,' she scribbled for a minute on her clipboard. 'Right, number fives.'

'Michael Corner and...'

'Neville! That's you,' Harry whispered and Neville jumped and hurried forward.

'Mr Longbottom, do pay attention! Number sixes.'

Dean and Seamus looked triumphant as they walked forward. Talk about luck of the Irish. There was only Ron, Justin, Malfoy and himself left. Hold on...

'Number sev...' but she was interrupted by Hermione who had come running form the direction of the girls dorms.

'Erm Professor,' she started, 'there's a problem in the girls' dormitory.'

'Okay Miss Granger, I will sort it out in a minute. Number sevens please.' If he wasn't with Ron...

Ron walked forward.

And he wasn't Justin...

Justin walked forward.

'Ah...' Oh no...

'And so we are left with Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy. My, my...this should be interesting...'