Hogwarts (Somewhere in the UK) It’s unplottable, what? Do I look like a ruddy map?

The tea had long since gotten cold but it sat there, the cups, the sugar, the milk and honey, as well even the tin of German biscuits Professor McGonagall had given Dumbledore last Christmas, all waiting for Ottery’s arrival. The Headmaster was busy pacing up and down the room his mind on other things than the cold tea, far more perilous things. Rumors of danger were circling like vultures over a dying carcass. Voldemort would return, and there was still the matter of the artifacts that Ottery never seemed to take seriously. It almost seemed as if the boy enjoyed being such a young boy, when by all rights he should have been celebrating his hundredth birthday or something. Absent-mindedly Dumbledore took a licorice snap and was about to pop it into his mouth when it bit his finger.

“Bother,” he said, “Still it beats rotten egg flavored jelly beans any day.”

Ottery St. Catchpole, the town not the hero you lot…

“Boys are such prats,” Ginny was saying to Hermione as she sighed. The girls were walking behind Harry and Ron. Hermione merely nodded agreeing though she wasn’t sure exactly why — it wasn’t a question of whether or not boys were prats, they clearly could be, but why they were prats — so she kept her silence and waited. “Ron’s been hogging Harry ever since he got here … and … well,” Ginny gave a heavy frustrated sigh and tried to smile but Hermione could see her eyes tearing up with anger.

“You’ve got to see him play, mate. He’s bloody brilliant,” Ron exclaimed, as he and Harry, the girls following a distance behind them, walked down the streets of the quiet little town of Ottery St. Catchpole.

They were taking a stroll after coming from Murgatroid Candy Co. [it’s like Tiffany’s of candy companies yo!] the town’s hidden magic candy shop. Harry was sucking on a sugar quill smiling and listening to Ron go on about the Bulgarian Seeker. To hear the boy tell it, Krum made the sun rise and fall with his quidditch skills. He could win a match all by himself and there was no one who could best him in the game.

“You should have seen him in that last match. I heard it over the radio…” The boy was saying animatedly.

“Seen it Ron? Yet, you heard it over the radio,” Harry said picking on his mate. Ron however was too busy enumerating all the wonderful things Viktor Krum could do to pay any mind to his friend’s remark.

“The Italians didn’t stand a chance against Krum. That’s why Bulgaria made it to the Finals, they owe it all to him.”

Harry just smiled so very happy to be with his friends again. They hadn’t been apart so long since the end of term but Hermione and the Weasley’s were his real family, not the Dursley’s. He could never feel at home there at Privet Drive.

“There’s this thing he does on his broom, it’s like…I don’t know how to describe it…it’s like…you’ve just got to see it, mate.” Ron said laughing happily.

“Fancy Krum do you Ron?” Ginny asked a little cruelly, and her brother turned around to say something but seeing Hermione’s smiling face it caused him to blush instead.

“Leave off Ginny,” Harry said smiling and then it was Ginny’s turn to blush.

“You know there’s more to life than Quidditch, Harry,” Hermione remarked as if explaining a great mystery to a child.

Just then a Muggle fire engine siren sounded in the distance down the lane. It was up the street and turning sharply in front of them in seconds.

“C’mon then,” Harry said, and Ron nodded and the boys turned back around and started chasing the fire engine.

“I suppose we should follow them.” Hermione said rolling her eyes.

“I don’t think so,” Ginny replied, opening a box of Droobles Best Blowing Gum, she handed one to Hermione and they started walking across the street and to the park. Ginny turned back to see Ron and Harry laughing and running. She sighed wistfully and moved on.

India

Outside of a busy street in New Delhi a young boy in a turban sat playing his flute to a basket sitting in front of him, eyes closed and for all-the world completely oblivious to the goings-on around him. A group of men dressed in dark suits ran past him, paying him no mind. He discreetly looked in either direction and seeing them gone began playing a different tune. The basket opened suddenly and a little bear chomping on a cigar peered out, winked at him, then went back to hide in the basket.

Smallville, Kansas

Lionel Luthor had brought over the Luthor Castle from Scotland, because it could be done, but most importantly because only he could have had it done. The gesture was an ostentatious display of wealth clearly meant to awe and inspire. It was, even years after having been brought over, one of the most talked of events in Smallville, even a bit of a tourist attraction.

Ottery walked up to the gate and smiled at the guard, “Yo Jeeves,” he said, and the tall blonde bodyguard looked the boy up and down.

The boy really did look a fright, his pants in tatters, his shirt untucked, and smudges of dirt on his face. The guard did nothing to stop him or to correct him either, the boy clearly hadn’t cared to memorize his name, but it was like that with rich people wasn’t it? What did he care if Lex’s pet brat was a jerk, he still got paid well? The guard opened the gate for the boy but otherwise didn’t acknowledge him.

Ottery looked up and smiled warmly at him, but was met with a cold indifferent stare. “Thanks Mike,” he said, but the man was not listening.

The boy felt a cold shiver run down his spine. His sense of humor didn’t go over very well with everybody.

Ottery knew everyone thought of him as a spoiled brat because he was Lex Luthor’s ward. They all thought (and wrongly too) that he stood to inherit the whole Luthor fortune. “I’m not Di ck Grayson you dorks,” he thought to himself and walked up to the castle angrily. It was the last time he would bother trying to be friends with the help.

A quick change and he was walking down the stairs from his room, in time to see Clark Kent walking out of the mansion.

“Hey Clark,” Ottery said, stars in his eyes, positively running down steps.

“Hey Otts. What are you doing here? I thought you were in France, at some boarding school.”

“Holidays,” Ottery lied, and Clark gave him a funny look as if he could tell the boy was lying.

“Staying around a while?”

“I don’t know…I could be persuaded.” Ottery said, blushing suddenly at his audacity.

Clark for his part seemed to have missed the hidden meaning of the remark, or perhaps he didn’t mind indulging the boy’s silly infatuation, or he might have mistaken it for hero worship. “If you do, come around the house, Mom and Dad would love it. I’ll see you around then,” the cute farm boy said smiling back.

“You can count on it,” Ottery replied, jumping down and skipping the last three steps of the stairs. Clark just smiled and walked out as Ottery blushed. “I’m such a dork,” the dark haired boy said and flinched when he heard his name being called out in a loud yell from Lex’s office. “Gee thanks Jeeves,” Ottery mumbled and walked towards the office.

Sitting behind his desk, looking at his laptop and not at the dark haired boy’s faux penitent walk (pouty lips, staring intently at the floor, hands clasped behind his back), Lex took a drink.

“What are you doing here?” Lex asked, disappointment dripping from his voice, and Ottery’s heart broke. He hated disappointing people he loved.

“It’s complicated,” the boy started.

“Anything to do with you Ottery usually is,” Lex said smiling sarcastically as he took another drink. He got up and walked over to the glass table where he kept his brandy.

“Well it’s like this Lex…” the boy started.

“Who’s trying to kill you now?” Lex asked, the sarcasm no longer in his voice, but replaced instead with a kind of weariness. It was no secret Ottery had a knack for getting into trouble.

“No one’s trying to kill me, Lex. Well I mean they are but…well…”

“This time it is your fault. Is that it?”

“Well…” Ottery said smiling sheepishly. Teddy usually argued that it was always Ottery’s fault people wanted to kill him (Yes, even his family). That was how Teddy excused his many attempts at trying to murder the boy — he was just following everyone else’s example. Besides, wouldn’t it be more merciful if Teddy did it?

“I got a message from Baron Wolfram. Again. Seems you’ve been breaking and entering now.” Lex took another drink and walked back around to his desk.

“Don’t be mad at me Lexy?” Ottery said.

“Explain to me again why I keep you around?”

“I’ve got secrets,” Ottery said, looking past the bald headed man out the stain glass windows.

“Exactly. You know things about the Kents…that’s why I took you in…”

“Well that and Teddy’s always giving you good tips on the stock market,” the boy mumbled under his breath.

Lex smiled at that. Teddy had made Lex over 180 million in the last two months.

“But you still won’t tell me Clark’s secret,” Lex remarked.

“I promised I wouldn’t tell,” the dark haired boy replied looking him in the eyes then. He hated disappointing people he loved.

“Yes, I know. You consequently left that out during the adoption hearing.”

Ottery smiled back mischievously. “Aww c’mon Lex, you know you love me. Besides if you’re so interested in aliens…”

There was the sound of a large book being slammed shut. “What was that?” Ottery turned to look up at Lionel Luthor. He had been listening to the whole conversation from the library terrace.

“Grandpa!” Ottery exclaimed, and Lex’s father gave the boy a withering stare. “How was prison Gramps?”

“Lex. I thought you were having the exterminators in. Just look at the size of these vermin.”

“Father,” Lex exclaimed. “Ottery, behave.”

“He started it!” Ottery yelled stomping his foot on the floor.

It was going to be a long evening in the Luthor household. Lex was seriously considering going to The Talon and just drowning his sorrows in coffee or maybe the Kents would have him over for dinner.

The boys (Fred, George, Ron, & Harry, since Percy really wasn’t much for sports T: *cough* Like Ottery *cough*) had played themselves tired and hungry in a crazy quidditch match having even convinced Mr. Weasley to play the last round. Ginny had sat the game out to help her mother with supper and keep Hermione company.

Dinner begun as a quiet affair, everyone eating the delectably delicious food that Mrs. Weasley and the girls had so expertly prepared — well at least for the first twenty minutes while everyone concentrated on eating — soon enough things exploded into a melee of conversations; and by dessert the twin’s pranks and Charlie’s arrival had turned dinner into a joyous raucous celebration.

It was everything that Harry remembered. He loved visiting the Weasleys, to them he was family one of their own, and they always welcomed him with open arms. Midway through dinner, smiling he had turned to look at Hermione who smiled back at him and shrugged. They were family.

Charlie kissed Hermione on the cheek when he walked in, Ron glared, but it was lost on Charlie who then gave Ginny three pecks one on each cheek and her forehead, Charlie then pushed George down into his seat as the twin had been sticking his cheek out if asking for his kiss.

Mrs. Weasley ran up around the table and hugged the young man in a warm embrace, looked him over and hugged him again all the while commenting on how skinny and malnourished he was and how she’d missed him and generally doting over him. In short making a general fuss like a mother usually does over a son who doesn’t live at home anymore.

In the late evening, once dinner had been finished, everyone settled to their leisure. Molly sat in the living room before the fireplace knitting, having left the dishes in the kitchen to wash and dry themselves, the laundry too (there’d been a bit of a food fight when Hermione passing Ron one of the twins’ prank cupcakes screamed as it exploded covering everyone in chocolate). The rowdiness of the dessert food fight had given way to the quiet contemplation of the early evening.

Charlie and Arthur were outside, Mr. Weasley smoking his pipe while his son told him all about work. Percy of course had left in a huff, Molly had not allowed him to beg off dinner, not with Charlie coming home and possibly Bill too, but afterwards he had gone back upstairs to work on some report or other, followed closely by the twins who said they were tired and wanted to go to sleep early — well at least they would have, had Molly not caught them snickering and put a quick stop to their mischief. So Fred and George settled on working on something or other rather secretively. (If you guessed the order forms for Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes, you’re right).

Hermione and Ginny were sitting in front of the fireside talking quietly, with Mrs. Weasley occasionally smiling at some comment or other, and gasping a time or two. You could almost swear there was a time or three when Mrs. Weasley had stopped herself from actually saying something to the girls, because she was not supposed to be listening to their conversation in the first place.

Seeing everyone settled down Harry and Ron looked at one another.

“C’mon then,” Ron said, nodding to Harry to follow him. They both stepped out for a walk.

In the company of each other’s silences, under the moonlight they walked around the lake stopping only to throw rocks into the water.

Harry knew something was on Ron’s mind, but he knew well enough not to pry. When Ron wanted to, he would talk. For his part, Harry could not have been happier. It was shaping up to be a glorious summer, full of mischief and frivolity. Candy shopping, tree climbing, swimming, pranking on Percy, and all sorts of fun things of that sort. It was still early enough in the summer that there was the promise of more days filled with fun like that.

He looked up to the sky and noticed a twinkling star. It was the Dog Star, Sirius. Harry was filled with a sudden pang of guilt for his Godfather somewhere out there in the big world. Cold and alone…probably running for his life, and eating what scraps of food he could…

Narrator: We interrupt the author’s guilt trip of Harry *glaring at Ottery who’s eating chocolates and trying to look innocent* to inform our dear readers of the true whereabouts of Sirius Black at the very moment that Harry Potter is feeling so sad.

New York City

“You’re a nurse then?” He asked the pretty girl who blushed coyly.

But the man was handsome, and had those been tattoos she’d seen under his shirt?

“Then maybe you can mend my broken heart,” Sirius exclaimed slyly, kissing her hand delicately.

“You don’t think I’m going to fall for that old line do you?” the young woman replied, turning away from him.

She made as if she were going to cross the street in the direction opposite his. They were standing under the bright city lights of Times Square. He took her hand and pointed up to the sky, where a full moon shone down.

“You know…” he started, “They say when you get caught between the moon and New York City…the best that you can do, is fall in love.” Sirius had said it with such sincerity and emotion, as he placed her hand over his heart she could not help but melt. But she had melted over men before, so she was not so easily taken in. Still, you only live once, nay? She pulled her hand back away suddenly and had her arms around him kissing Sirius before he knew what was going on.

“So it’s dinner and dancing then?” He asked her a few minutes later when she had released his lips from her kiss. She laughed coquettishly, it wasn’t usually how she said yes, but there it was. “What’s your name anyways? I mean…it’s only fair…”

“Lisa Marie, but you can call me Lissy, Sirius,” she said as she smooched him again under the big city lights in the middle of Times Square.

Narrator: You can take it away again you vicious, pessimistic, sad little *Teddy throws a cannon ball bowling ball at the narrator.

It grew late in the evening and as the lights of the big house went out one by one it signaled the boys that it was growing late. But being on holiday meant that they could stay up as late as they liked, so long as they woke up in time for breakfast — which they usually did, rushing back to bed soon after.

Ron was standing next to Harry, who was sitting on the tiny dock letting his bare feet sway gently in the water as he looked out over the lake.

“You all right mate?” Ron asked, worried about Harry.

Harry sighed, and looked up at his friend, and it was then Ron knew he was in serious trouble…

Nepal

The cold winds buffeted the side of the mountain like a giant’s hard slap, but still though his hands were covered with frost he climbed up and onward. He had to get out of the cold. It was more than enough to freeze any man, but Teddy was no ordinary man. Well, technically Teddy wasn’t a man at all, though he could curse worse than any sailor and that was exactly what he was doing just then as he climbed the side of the mountain. Why the only word allowed on SS of the one’s he was spouting was “Ottery” everything else was some kind of curse or threat directed at the boy. Still the little bear climbed on, cursing so much the monks he finally came across blushed as red as the Chinese flag.

Who knew Teddy could curse in fluent Nepali?

Return to Smallville

“The guards intercepted another bomb in the mail for you Ottery,” Lex said nonchalantly.

“Fancy that,” Lionel said. “Someone trying to kill your young charge. Such a delightful person. I couldn’t begin to understand why.”

“Father,” Lex said glaring at Lionel across the table, as Ottery contemplated taking his wand out and turning Lionel’s duck into a flambé course.

After the dangerously cold, infinitely more sarcastic and well completely different from the Weasley’s dinner Ottery and Lex retired to the library, which served as Lex’s office.

“It’s not that I’m not happy to see you, it’s just … well I wasn’t exactly expecting you, now was I? What is it you wanted to tell me Ottery? What did you find out that was so important you had to cause an international incident, lose Teddy, and has you skipping school?”

“The Martians are coming Lex.”

“The Martians are coming,” Lex sighed, and smiled patiently at the boy. He was used to Ottery’s shenanigans. If it weren’t for Teddy’s invaluable stock tips, and that there was something about the boy, some odd secret he seemed to have of his own (not unlike Clark’s) that kept drawing him back to Ottery, Lex would never have agreed to take him in. He was too young to be in charge of a kid, much less one less than half his age.

“Where’s your proof Ottery?” he asked.

“Well Teddy’s got the disk…but…”

Lex smiled.

“You’re on the next plane to France, Ottery. I’m not throwing away lots of good money to send you to this Beauxbatons Academy so you can skip out whenever you feel like it.” He walked over to the tall glass table and served himself a glass of brandy.

Ottery ran over to him and wrapped his arms around him pretending to cry, “Please Lex, don’t send me away. Wherever shall I go…whatever shall I do?”

Lex drank down his glass quickly and served himself another. If Ottery was up to his dramatics he would definitely be in need of a few drinks. “You’re doing the Southern Belle thing again Otts. Don’t.”

“You don’t love me,” Ottery complained pouting.

“Limitless credit with the Bank of Switzerland, no questions asked…and you say I don’t love you.” Lex said walking over to his desk, Ottery clinging to his leg was being dragged across the floor.

“That isn’t love, it’s money, Lex.” Ottery said, sitting on Lex’s lap.

“Ottery, you’re my ward, and you’re way too young, and … and you’re a boy,” he stood up sending Ottery crashing to the floor. “And you’re on your way to Beauxbatons first thing tomorrow.”

“And you’re in love with Lana,” Ottery muttered under his breath.

“What was that?” Lex asked.

“I said Smallville doesn’t have an airport,” the dark haired boy complained from where he was lying on the ground.

“Come back with proof of little green men invading earth and I’ll build you anything you want Otts.” Lex took another drink, and Ottery could tell he was being deadly serious. But that was not what Ottery was truly after. All Ottery ever wanted was love. And chocolate. And Rupert.

Meanwhile back at the Burrow ...

Ron was standing next to Harry, who was sitting on the tiny dock letting his bare feet sway gently in the water. He looked out over the lake.

“You all right mate?” Ron asked, worried about Harry.

Harry sighed, and looked up at his friend, and it was then Ron knew he was in serious trouble. Before Ron could do anything the boy on the dock had pulled on his shirt and sent him flying into the cool water of the little lake. A loud splash sent water over Harry as his friend fell into the cool waters. As Ron’s wet red haired head came up out of the water it was met with Harry’s boisterous laughter. “I’m all right now,” Harry replied, his worries gone for the moment.

That was what he loved about the Burrow and about Ron and the Weasleys, they were so warm and wonderful, they could make him forget his problems, and they were always there when he needed them. Harry did not know what he would do without Ron. A more fiercely loyal friend he could not ask for. Whatever else, Ron was what kept him going, he and Hermione were what had helped him through his first term at Hogwarts, what had driven him to defeat the Basilisk and Tom in the Chamber of Secrets, and it was thanks to them that the mystery of his Godfather’s innocence had been revealed and the true traitor Wormtail had been discovered.

“You prat!” Ron said smiling, as he swam forward and pulled on Harry’s arm and yanked him into the cold waters next to him.

Their clothes lay drying on large rocks by the side of the lake, the boys swimming while they waited for them to dry in the moonlight. It didn’t really matter that they could have them pressed and smelling spring fresh in seconds with a wave of a wand, it was that they were at the Burrow. There was no bedtime, while they were on holiday, and chores could wait (at least for the first few days that Harry was there). It was a simple country life, and for all his grousing about it, Harry could tell that Ron didn’t mind it so much (where else could you take a skinny dip in a lake late at night?). It was being poor that bothered him more than anything. Harry would have given everything to help that, but he knew better than to say it…worse than pity it would be a slap in the face to his friend and Harry’s other family.

Harry was skipping rocks on the surface of the water, when Ron called out to him.

“Look what I found.”

Harry swam over. Ron was holding a glowing stone.

“What do you reckon it is?” Ron asked.

“Well, it’s a rock,” Harry said and was met with a look from Ron that seemed to ask: “No, really?” Harry smiled, “You’re the expert on the wizarding world Ron.”

“Well if this is magic I don’t know what kind it is.” He paused and then a thought occurred to him, “You don’t reckon it’s one of the twins gags do you?”

Harry shrugged.

“I’m going to keep it just the same.”

“If it turns out to be grindylow dung or something don’t go blaming me,” Harry said laughing as he swam away.

“Prat,” Ron said smiling. He swam over to the edge of the lake and looking around to make sure no one was about, as he hadn’t a stitch of clothes on, he climbed out of the lake and dropped the rock by his clothes. He climbed the tree by the lake the breeze feeling wonderful on his bare skin in the cool evening.

“What are you doing?” Harry asked.

Ron was smiling mischievously as he ran over to a tree whose roots dipped into the lake and whose branches hung over it. He climbed and tread carefully along a long branch of the tree that served as a jumping board.

Oblivious to what was happening Hermione walked towards the lake to the little old wooden dock where sometimes in the late evening Ron and Harry would sit and talk. They were not at the edge so she walked out to the end to look across the lake. Maybe the boys had gone off walking in the woods, it was not completely impossible, after the Forbidden Forest anything they could come across in the woods around the Burrow was likely to be tame.

“I swear I should get paid for watching those two,” Hermione thought to herself when the sound of splashing down the river caught her attention. She couldn’t see very well, but she suspected Harry and Ron had gone for a midnight swim so she ran back to the shore and towards the sound of the water and the laughter.

“You’re going to crack your skull and drown,” Harry was saying.

“Who’s going to drown?” Hermione asked laughing.

“Bloody he — ,” Hermione turned to the sound of the red-haired boy’s voice and blushed crimson, as did Ron, who let go of the branch above him, the one he had been using to balance himself. As he tried to cover himself the branch started to shake and he fell into the water.

Hermione turned away, Ron hadn’t been wearing anything, of course she’d only caught a glimpse of his bum but — she smiled, he’d looked so cute scared to death there.

“Hermione! What, what are you doing here?” Harry asked ducking down further into the water.

“I…I came…I came to get you all. It’s midnight and…I. You should be in bed.”

There was the sound of water breaking, and spluttering and then Ron yelling, “Hermione, what the bloody … what are you doing?”

“It was late Ronald,” she said turning and seeing his face, she blushed and looked away. “I’m going back to the house. She started to walk away, equal parts embarrassed, angry, and surprised, Ronald really had more muscle than she had thought. She took out her wand and dried their clothes before rushing back to the house.

“Did she see anything?” Ron was asking Harry nervously, and the other boy just shrugged.

“At least you didn’t crack your skull and drown,” Harry told him, and Ron glared at him.



End Chapter Two:National Geographic

I have one of them! Not a metal one made for killing, er, a plastic one. Um, yeah, a plastic one. I bought it at a theme park once.

And I've just remembered, Hadoken is fireball, Shuriyuken is where they do an uppercut whilst flying in the air. Memories of Street Fighter


I really liked that, how it was written and how it actually gives you an image in your mind.

And Ron is fanatical about Krum, just how it is in the books. Nice!
“You know there’s more to life than Quidditch, Harry,” Hermione remarked as if explaining a great mystery to a child.

Now why do I find that funny But on a serious note Ginny moving on in italics, is that ambiguous? Like she's moving on from something else.

Yay, the Smallville stuff, something I missed. It was always cool to read Ottery causing chaos with people from other fandoms. Adoption, was Ottery adopted by Lex? Or is that a way of saying recruited as a double agent


Will be back to finish this off soon, my eyes are dying again and they're making puddles on my sleeves .


Hehe, I’m baack.

That was amusing when Charlie kissed Hermione and Ron glared, hehe. And then him not kissing the twins, that could be seen as being mean

And the whole Sirius thing was cool, was the nurse Lissy as in Lissy of SS?

Lepracauns! Whee That post was good, with the whole someone trying to kill Ottery. I would wonder why…

And the next post, I think I remember it from “Mars Attacks”. I remember bursting out laughing at that bit, although I don’t remember the part with the rock on the ground. Hmm…

I’ll get down to Sgt.Otts soon, might get some read tonight, the rest tommorows.

I'm Red? How Come I'm Red?

hi Otts! this story again, eh? lol, peppy says that if u don't tell her about ur ficlets next time, she's gonna get'cha get'cha get'cha get'cha!

I could have sworn I'd replied in this fic this time 'round already...why haven't I replied in this fic already?

Hey all *glomps* Mugglesupporter haven't seen you in a long while ... and tell Peppy why hasn't she posted here yet that's for Peppy btw LOL but this story is a repost ...

I should change the name to the Director's cut of Mars Attacks ... I so should ... LOL I haven't forgotten it's just Sgt. Ottery comes first ... but I will be back ... soon ... I hope.

LOL

Until then ... feel free to spam with Rupert piccies ...

“It’s the end of the world, as we know it and I feel fine…” Or "Mars Attacks!"
By Ottery St. Catchpole
In which Ottery falls madly in love…Ron’s just cute…Harry *sighs* is trying to save the world AGAIN…Teddy tries to take it over…Hermione knows it all…Seamus & Dean are at it again…and I introduce an umpteen number of new characters even more subplots and a lot of chaos, crossing my fingers and praying that this whole mess makes sense soon to someone.

++++

Chapter Three: This fic has aliens in it doesn’t it? Or With enemies like these who needs family…LOL…no wait, they are my family.

Hollywood, USA

Silvester Stallone was at the next table talking about his next movie, Rocky 7: Rambo’s revenge, and two tables further away Tori Spelling was letting her pet Chihuahua have it’s own cup of tea as she talked to her producer.

“I’m seeing you on the big screen baby. Just sign on the dotted line and I’ll make you a star. The biggest, the best, the richest,” the man said as he pushed the contract towards the little bear.

“Bigger than Brad?” Teddy asked chomping on his cigar, sitting outside the thousand-dollar-a-cup café.

“Bigger than Brad, bigger than Jen, bigger than Brad and Jen when they were together,” the agent said seeing dollar signs in his eyes. He was thinking of selling the little bear to a circus for loads of cash. Circus of the stars would love to have him as their mascot, of course that would mean no more cigars but what did he care, he would be making millions.

“Sounds like fun…but I’m looking for something a little bigger than Hollywood.” Like revenge on Ottery, I’m always the one who gets the raw end of the deal in these little fiascos. The little bear put out his cigar on the man’s hand without noticing. “I’ll get back to you Todd,” Ted said, thinking of how he was going to kill Ottery. It’ll be an air strike. He’ll never see it coming.

Teddy called for the check even as the man screamed. He started to walk away. Let the guy pay for it, he was going to need all his money to rent a plane, a B12 bomber even.

Ottery St. (the hero not the town, geez do I have to tell you all everything…LOL, okay, okay) Hogwarts

“Biscuit?” Dumbledore asked offering the dark haired boy some of the most scrumptious delights in the wizarding world, chocolate covered cookies.

“I’m worried Dumbledore, I don’t know where Teddy is. He hasn’t tried to contact me by cell phone or owl…” The boy was saying from where he sat across from the headmaster in his office.

“You don’t have a cell phone Ottery. You hate ‘those wretched things.’ That’s what you call them, isn’t it? And your last owl went on strike remember?” Dumbledore replied drinking his tea, and barely suppressing an urge to shake the boy. He would get those every so often, but there was just something about Ottery that seemed to say he needed a good shake to get him back to his senses.

The boy sighed, “Yeah, I guess Aristotle got tired of just owl treats. He didn’t seem to like dodging all those obstacles either. Then Teddy kept wanting him to send back those letter bombs Tia Isabel keeps sending me. Problem is they’re set to go off when they arrive.”

“Is she still trying to kill you?” Dumbledore asked politely.

The boy grinned embarrassedly. This was old news.

“They all are. You should have seen the last family reunion.” Ottery said, sighing as he remembered.

Interlude Ottery’s family reunion:

“Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!” Pepito said, pulling on his Tio Ottery’s leg.

“What duck, Pepito? I thought we were having cabritooooooooooooooooh!” The boy said throwing himself on the floor as a cannonball came soaring by. “Who was that?” Ottery asked. He had ducked enough cannonballs in his life to know what it was. He was more interested in knowing who had fired it in the first place.

“Abuelita and Teddy,” Pepito said jumping up and laughing.

Ten was a wicked age to be, Ottery thought to himself. He wondered if he’d ever been that evil at ten, probably.

“Here I thought Abuelita liked me,” Ottery exclaimed sighing dejectedly. Seconds later another cannonball exploded a few feet away. “I think I better keep a low profile until dinner,” the boy said crawling away towards the kitchen. The living room was becoming a war zone.

Dinner however proved to be an equally perilous affair.

“I thought the old mummy loved me.” Ottery remarked to Pepito, who simply smiled back. He was his uncle’s only ally. Somebody had to be neutral, no?

“Pass the butter Otts,” Teddy said from the other side of the table.

“You don’t eat,” Ottery said, ducking when he noticed the wicked grin on Teddy’s face. He heard the sound of a knife striking the back of his chair. He peeked over the table’s edge and looked further down the table to find his youngest brother whistling and making to reach for the potatoes. He really wasn’t subtle at all, was he?

Ottery was about to say something when his sister smiled and handed him the salad, which was consequently making a hissing noise. “What the?!” he knocked the bowl out of her hand where it spilled on the floor a cobra slithered away hissing obscenities. (No, Ottery is not a parseltongue, Teddy is, and having heard him curse enough times Ottery had picked up a few swear words). He looked up to see his sister’s face; all false innocence.

“Now how did that get there?” she asked and turned back to her plate.

“I’m just going to wait for dessert if that’s okay mom?” Ottery said, but before he could excuse himself from the table Tia Isabel handed him the green bean casserole.

“Green bean Ottery? It’s to die for,” she said, and there was something about the way she had said that which would have set off alarms in anyone’s head let alone the dark haired boy who knew to expect the worst from the evil hag.

Ottery noticed it was hissing too, more of a continual fizzing actually. He could tell what it was merely by the sound. He could see half of a black ball with a fuse sticking out of it. In the center of the casserole was a bomb. He took the dished, sighed dejectedly, and ran out of the house while his little niece laughed. It was no use ruining everyone’s dinner with an explosion.

End Interlude

“And that’s why I never invited you over to dinner Dumbledore,” Ottery finished explaining.

Dumbledore walked away from the pensieve, where they had both been standing, with a look of despair. Having seen Ottery’s family Dumbledore could now truly say that he had looked on the face of true evil [O: And you all thought Teddy was bad ]) then looking at Ottery Dumbledore’s expression turned to one of deepest sorrow.

“Licorice snap?” he asked. You really can’t blame the headmaster, he was just trying to make things a little bit better.

“Thanks.” The boy made to take one, “Ouch, nasty blighters!” Ottery exclaimed taking out his wand and zapping them as they bounced around trying to bite him.

“You like yours charbroiled?” Dumbledore asked smiled.

“BBQ style. Incendio!”

Soon enough nightfall had descended on Hogwarts.

“There are Martians on Mars Dumbledore,” Ottery remarked as they walked the empty, moonlit school grounds.

“I would…uhm…expect…if there were Martians…that that is were they would be.” Dumbledore replied cautiously as if he were dealing with an unstable bomb that might go off at any moment for no reason. Most people who knew Ottery handled him that way, the boy had a knack for exploding at the most inopportune times.

“Were nothing Wulfie. I know what I’m telling you, they’re there! They live in the canals, underneath the surface of the planet. It’s too dry on the surface…the one we can see anyway.” The boy replied with passion. Dumbledore was waving hello at the Giant Squid over by the lake.

“Professor Sinistra laughed when I told her your explanation,” The Headmaster told the boy delicately but firmly. He looked at Ottery with such compassion but he couldn’t hold the pose too long, he had known the boy for years and he broke out laughing hysterically. Martians on Mars, Ottery had told a few ones in his life but this one … well it took the cake, and the party along with it.

“Yeah well Nancy never did like me [Nancy Sinistra…yes kiddies that was a joke, feel free to laugh] she always thought I was weird,” Ottery went on. It was not the first time that someone had laughed in his face about an idea or other he had had. “Probably still mad about that astrolabe I turned into a rhino. I told her it was an accident.”

“Ottery you have no proof, and this…uhm NASA organization of the muggles, seems pretty convinced that there’s nothing there, now,” Dumbledore managed to reply between guffaws.

“What do they know? Like they’ve ever been there,” the boy reasoned. They hadn’t … if you didn’t count those funky probes.

Dumbledore looked at the boy with a straight face, as if asking, “And you have?”

“I’ve got a really powerful telescope,” Ottery answered then started to pout. “Well I do.”

“Ottery, without proof you can hardly expect me to present this to the Wizengamot on your behalf. The last time I presented them anything to do with you … well you know how that went don’t you?”

“How was I supposed to know the stupid giant monster was going to attack Japan instead of us? Dumb, stupid lizard. I swear, I ever see Godzilla this side of the pond I’m gonna single handedly kick his radioactive bum,” the boy threatened.

“Yes well, the muggles seemed to have handled it well enough on their own.”

“Running around and screaming in Japanese isn’t handling it Dumbledore. If Teddy & I hadn’t of piloted Mecha Godzilla it would have been a disaster.”

[Author’s Note: If you all ask nicely I might just write Teddy & Ottery versus Godzilla as it’s own side story ]

“It was a disaster Ottery. The Japanese seem to think it was actually because you and Teddy were piloting that Mecha Godzilla that he attacked actually. The Wizarding Diet has asked you never return to Japan. You’re persona non grata there if I remember. They had to call in Mothra to mop up, remember?”

“Stupid icky bug. Left that nasty cocoon on the Tokyo Tower. Serves them right … I should have used my Gundam and stomped the city myself. Ungrateful brats,” Ottery said to himself under his breath.

“Until Teddy gets here with your evidence, I’m afraid that I won’t be able to do anything for you Ottery. But about that cursed diamond I sent you to retrieve…”

“I’ve got tickets to the Quidditch World Cup, wanna come?” Ottery asked, smiling nervously trying to evade the issue.

“I don’t much care for the sport Ottery, but I’ve got a friend who would love to go in my place,” the Headmaster replied, a twinkle in his eye.

“I swear if you’re trying to set me up on another blind date again Dumbledore … ” Ottery threatened.

The Headmaster just laughed at that and Ottery watched him curiously.

Chapter Three & Three Quarters (a chapter in chaplets): The Wind Up to the Quidditch World Cup or Stop Stalling Already Ottery!

Neville & Luke: Baby you CAN drive my car

“Gran is going to kill me,” Neville said nervously. Luke turned to say something snappish but stopped when he saw the giant grin on the boy’s face.

Neville was loving it.

Heaven knew the old bat deserved what she got, with any luck she was having a heart attack over the notion that her Nevypoo had run away, or worse had been kidnapped. Luke wanted to get back at the old crone for making him hide out most of the time. Gran seemed to feel it was her job to manage most of Neville’s free time so Luke had been alone for the better part of the holidays, except at night when the boy could escape, or on those occasions when Gran had gone into town. Finally, Luke had had enough. He had gotten tickets to the Quidditch World Cup (yes very last minute, through a wizard scalper), and they had of course stolen borrowed Uncle Algie’s McLaren and had set off on a little road trip.

Neville for his part didn’t know, or much care really, for muggle transport anymore than he cared for brooms. The idea of apparition was out of the question, however, since neither of them could do it. For his part, Neville was happy with the idea of portkeys for getting around everywhere. But, Luke had insisted they take the car, after all, such a beautiful, fast piece of engineering just sitting in the castle garage gathering dust. It was a travesty.

“Your uncle Algie really knows how to pick cars doesn’t he?” Luke said when they had first seen the large collection of cars in the garage. BMW’s, Mercedes Benzes, Ferraris, a Mclaren, two Buggati roadsters, and some cars so rare Luke did not recognize them. They ranged in age since before the second World War to the very present.

“Sure thing,” Neville said politely. He didn’t know anything about muggle cars but if Luke thought they were cool, then they probably were.

“You brought the keys right?” Luke asked.

“Keys for what?” Neville replied.

So it had been a late start getting going, but they were finally on the open road.

Draco, Pansy, & Nott: A night on the town

“This is ridiculous Pansy. I don’t know what you think I did wrong … ” the blonde haired boy complained.

“You want to keep the tone of your voice a little less condescending Draco,” Pansy replied silkily as they walked down the city street.

“I’ll keep it … ” he sighed, forcing calm into his voice. “I don’t know what you think I did, but I don’t see how going out with … ” Here Draco Malfoy found himself at a loss for words — well those words you can use in polite company, “It! What the … ”

“If you yell at me again,” Pansy said stopping him suddenly in the middle of the busy street. “I’m going to scream!” She threatened. The blonde haired Slytherin boy knew her threats were as good as promises. Pansy had turned around to look at him, and though she kept the anger in her eyes, and murder in her stance she couldn’t help thinking, that God! Draco looked cute when he was angry. His hair a little disheveled from running after her, the fire still in his eyes. It took all of her self-control not to just snog him right then and there in the middle of Trafalgar Square.

“I … I didn’t … I’m … ” it seemed as if he were about apologize, and Pansy’s heart dared to soar for an instant before it fell shattering on the rocky cliff’s of reality. “Fine! Go with him and have fun,” Draco replied, strutting off with his pride and an extra ticket to the Quidditch World Cup.

She had overplayed her hand. Pansy could see that now, but she could not and would not go running after him, begging for his attentions. The very idea was preposterous. So she stood there under the lamppost as he walked across the wet, busy London Street. There was no use crying about it either, so she took a deep breath and started for a waiting muggle Taxi. Theodore lived in the city; she may as well go visit him seeing as she was going to accompany him to the World Cup tomorrow. The irony didn’t escape her. She couldn’t stand the game at all.

Viktor Krum: The night before the big match


He walked the lonely streets of the big city, lost in the anonymity that the muggle crowds guaranteed him. There was something about that, being someone … just another anyone … and not someone famous. Viktor enjoyed that.

Having led Bulgaria to the finals of the Quidditch World Cup, he had surrendered his common everyday anonymity in exchange for Wizarding World Fame. Viktor did not regret it, but it still took some getting used too. It was becoming increasingly difficult to go anywhere in the wizarding world and not have his name shouted at him, followed by mobs of people rushing at him. So Viktor walked the busy London streets at night under the rain, glad for it because people were more careful to look where they were walking, trying to get out of the downpour rather than care too much about whom they were walking next too.

He thought about stopping in at a pub. But then thought better of it.

It was a lovely night. His No-wet-duck-dry-cloak was warm, and it was fun running around in the rain and not getting soaked. Not to mention he had many things on his mind. Viktor had choices to make, a promising career as a seeker for the Bulgarian National Team, though there were other countries making offers as well. The Bulgarian Magical Mandate though was more interested in his very promising combat skills, if he wanted to he could become an auror but that would mean more schooling, then there was the Education Directive looking to make him a teacher of the Dark Arts where Durmstrang was sure to hold a place for him.

There were so many things he could do. His whole future lay before him, and while Viktor was not in any hurry to rush out and meet it, he knew enough about playing games that strategy and advance planning were the key to any victory. And somewhere in the midst of all of that … he was supposed to fall in love.

He jumped in a puddle letting the water splash around him, while people eyed him curiously, but Viktor did not care. If he wanted too he could run to Diagon Alley right now and have a mob of adoring people mob him. What did it matter what a few muggles thought? He started laughing at that.

Ron, Harry, Ginny & the gang at Floreans

It was the oddest thing sitting under the same London sky as the Muggles but then not, such was Diagon Alley. Looking up Harry could see all the stars more brightly (because you can’t see stars in the city) as if he were still at the Burrow with the Weasley’s; but such was not the case as Harry and the Weasleys were all staying at the Leaky Cauldron the night before the cup. Sudden business had popped up at the Ministry and Mr. Weasley had been reluctant to send the kids ahead with only Charlie to supervise them. As luck would have it Bill was going to be in London (ironically enough on a similar, last-minute work incident as well) so they planned instead to go catch the match first and set up camp afterwards to stay and celebrate (or cry really depending who your galleons were on).

Harry had decided to walk around the busy streets of the alley, watching wizards being wizards and loving every moment of it because they could be so open about their magic. Ron had gone ahead to get Bill over at Gringotts; he was still not talking to Hermione (well not without a lot of blushing those times he did manage to get a word out). Harry would have sworn that Ron had not looked at Hermione since that night at the lake he had been so embarrassed. It didn’t matter how many times she had apologized and said she really hadn’t caught a glimpse of anything, she’d confessed to Harry the same but poor Ron was sooooooooooooo embarrassed. It would have broken Harry’s heart had he not found it so funny.

It had been a month already.

“You’re being a prat Dean,” came a familiar voice from around the street corner.

“I’m sorry, what’d you say Seamus?” Dean replied, in a distracted kind of way.

As Harry turned the corner he saved his friend from having to reply. Seamus was staring at Dean angrily, and the other boy seemed to have a lost expression on his face, well it wasn’t so much lost as it was … happily lost…as in a dream. When Harry turned to follow Dean’s gaze, he could understand why.

Walking down the street was a very lovely blonde haired girl who seemed to be smiling at everybody (of the male sex) and yet really not at any of them.

Harry blinked, took his glasses off and wiped them, put them back on and continued staring when he suddenly felt a punch on his arm.

“I said, ‘hello Harry,’” Seamus was saying testily, as he turned to punch Dean on the arm again. Seamus had lost the boy’s attention again when he had turned to punch Harry hello.

Harry turned to look at the sandy haired boy; it was a full five seconds before he recognized him and the image of the very pretty girl disappeared from his mind’s eye, “Seamus?”

“Whose side are you all on anyways?” Seamus remarked.

“Ireland all the way!” Dean said, staring off. “I think I forgot my socks…”

“Oh, no you didn’t,” Seamus said putting his arms around Dean to restrain him. “My Mum told me about them,” he said, nodding in the direction of the girl. “Don’t look Harry, she’ll spell you! Veela’s they’re called.”

“You can call them what you like Seamus but they’re pretty,” Dean said, and Seamus started looking around for a bucket of water to douse his friend with. He would have transfigured one too right then and there if just then Ginny Weasley had not come out of Quality Quidditch Supplies the store they happened to be standing in front of.

“Oh, what are you lot doing here?” Ginny asked surprised, a bag in her hand.

“Slap him for me would you Gin, be a pal,” Seamus said struggling to hold back Dean.

“Okay,” she said, always glad to lend a hand. A hard slap across the face woke Dean out of his reverie.

“Thank you. I think,” Dean said seeing Ginny then, a hand at his cheek, which was smarting.

“You’re very welcome,” she answered smiling, as Seamus let go of the boy. She blushed a little just then when she spotted Harry standing behind the boys.

“What’ve you got there Ginny?” Harry asked politely, but she was saved replying (or not replying really) when the door opened again and a pretty dark haired girl stepped out between them.

It seemed to Ginny that whatever she had just slapped out of Dean had suddenly hit Harry square in the face. His eyes seemed to go dreamy and she stepped out of the way to let the raven-haired girl walk by.

“Thank you,” Cho said politely, and started down the street to catch up with some friends, a bag in her hands as well. She had not seen Harry … and well it was for him because he was still trying to croak out the words to say hello.

Ginny wondered if she shouldn’t slap Harry across the face too … she very much felt like doing it just then.

“What’ve you been up too kid?” Bill asked as he walked down the steps of Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

Ron stood up from the same steps where had been sitting. “Bill!” He shook his brother’s hand, and Bill gave him a hug.

“Where’s the little brat? I was hoping she’d be here to see me,” Bill said looking around for his favorite sibling.

“She and Hermione were … well … they went shopping and I didn’t …”

“Girls stuff. Yup, know what you mean mate. Last thing you want to do is stand around watching girls play dress up.” Ron had been about to reply but stopped, even before he had seen the look on Bill’s face the tone had been a dead giveaway. His older brother was being sarcastic.

“Well … not exactly,” Ron said shyly, looking up at his brother.

“And Harry, where’s he?”

“He’s probably at Floreans we were going to meet there just now actually,” Ron replied as the sound of the giant clock above the bank chimed eight o’clock.

“I’m late, sorry. Had to fend off a few mummies and some curses in this ancient vault, deep down in the old section. Seems no one had been by to look over it in ages, and the inheritor didn’t know what was in it so when they tried to open it they were attacked. Well they had to call me in. Kind of a last minute thing, I was handling the paperwork on it actually … but no need to ruin your plans, let’s go meet them. The brat’ll be there won’t she? Don’t need to ask you where the twins are. Either, in trouble with Mum or just in trouble.” He laughed heartily at that.

“Speaking of Mum, you know she’s going to hate your hair,” Ron warned.

“You should be thanking me. If she’s busy looking at me she won’t be watching you. So … what’s up with this Hermione girl Mum’s been writing me about?”

Ron blushed and clammed up suddenly.

“Nothing.” Ron lied. “Why would anything be the matter with her?”

Hermione was sitting in one of the cushy chairs that the bookstore had, completely engrossed in a novel. She had opted to wait for Ginny there rather than join her in the quidditch shop, as Hermione knew she would probably not find a thing to interest her there.

Interlude (Oh, c’mon you guys love these) Hermione’s Adventure:

Hermione was wearing a long pink *snickering* dress appropriately torn in just the right places (like the woman on the book’s cover), teasingly revelatory, without compromising a lady’s virtue as her hair swayed in the salt winds (away from her face which her hair framed perfectly). Hermione was bound — not very tightly though — to the mast of a ship. Her face was set, the picture of defiance in the face of the evil Pirate Lord (she hoped Harry didn’t mind playing the part, but it was her dream and she never planned to tell him anyways, so really who cared?).

“You’re not going to tell me the location of the treasure then miss?” Pirate Harry asked, a mean glint in his eyes, which were consequently underneath his glasses, as always.

Hermione gave one of her annoyed sighs as response.

“It’s not enough you spurn my advances, but now you choose to stand between me and my gold?” Harry said, taking his sword out of its scabbard. “Perhaps a walk with the sharks will change your mind,” he threatened.

“You can do what you like with me,” Hermione said defiantly.

“Well I was going to throw you to the sharks … I don’t know what you had in mind,” Harry said, and Hermione blushed.

“You’ll never make me yours Captain Harry,” the frizzy haired girl answered back.

“It’s really the gold I’m after,” he said winking at the red-haired pirate girl that was steering the ship. (Before you ask. Yes, it’s Ginny).

He ordered two of his corsairs to unbind Hermione, while the others set the plank on the side of the ship. Very gently but firmly they walked Hermione towards the board and made her step up to the ship’s side edge. She glared insolently at the Pirate Lord, and the corsairs (who were mostly Slytherin boys). Sure, Harry really wasn’t that bad looking really, but c’mon, he was like her brother or son or something Eeeeeewwwwwwwwwww.

“Ready to talk?” Pirate Lord Harry Potter asked one last time.

“I’ll die first,” came Hermione’s rebellious reply.

“Suits me,” Harry shrugged and turned his back as the corsairs took out their swords, those unlucky few who were stuck swabbing the deck used the handles of their mops to push her towards the edge of the plank.

“Leave off. I’ll handle this,” a blonde haired pirate (one of the ones Captain Harry had swabbing the deck of the ship actually) said taking a saber from one of the other corsairs. Crabbe made to complain but then thought better of it, seeing the angry look on Draco’s face. “In you go mudblood,” he said coming at the girl meaning to scare her.

The other corsairs were laughing and jeering when suddenly out of the clear, blue ocean a ship emerged. It was the HMS Jolly Roger and standing proudly by her mast … uhm soaking wet, since the boat had just emerged from the ocean … was its captain. A familiar red-haired boy who was just then spitting out seawater and tipping the water off of his hat.

“Bloody hell,” he said as he spat out a goldfish onto the deck.

“Rooooooooooooooonald!” Hermione screamed.

The boy turned to look up at her as Harry pushed Draco out of the way and grabbed the girl by the arm pulling her onto the deck of the ship.

“Unhand her you vicious fiend!” Captain Weasley cried out.

“You tell ‘im Cap’n,” a dark-haired boy said suddenly as he walked out of the ships lower decks. “You’re sooooooooooo cute when you’re being bossy,” Ottery whispered, as he took out his sword. “Do we board her sir? Or fire the cannons?”

Captain Weasley was thinking, and Hermione imagined he looked sooooo heroic with his wet shirt clinging to his skin, revealing the muscles underneath. If she hadn’t been screaming hysterically she might have sighed romantically, but captive heroines have to scream hysterically to show the urgency with which they want to be rescued.

A little teddy bear was running towards the cannon with a lit fuse, when Captain Ronald gave the command, “No time Ottery, we’re going to ram her.”

Hermione blushed, as Harry stuck his tongue out and his pirates jeered and taunted the corsairs on the HMS Jolly Roger. That however did not last very long as the Jolly Roger quite literally knocked the smiles off their faces as it rammed the Pumpkin Pasties (that’s Harry’s ship) on the open sea. The cannonball the little bear had fired went flying into the pirate ship breaking the mast in half. As to the top came crashing down Goyle fell out of the crow’s nest and landed splat on the very nicely swabbed deck of the ship.

“Hey watch it!” Draco yelled, “I just swabbed that.”

“Bloody ‘ell,” Captain Weasley said, and led the charge as the boys of the HMS Jolly Roger swung and climbed over to the enemy ship.

“Go get ‘em boys,” Ottery said sitting on a wine cask as he took out a flask of rum.

Teddy turned the cannons on the boy who promptly ran to join the rescue. It was short work and soon all of Harry’s pirates were captive.

“Nice work Seamus,” Ottery said clapping his mate on the back as the sandy haired boy held a cowering Draco at sword’s end.

It was then, standing center on the enemy ship, that the red-haired captain took the bushy haired girl by the arms in a firm but not rough gesture. She slammed into his chest.

“What are you planning to do with me, Captain?” Hermione asked breathlessly, while Pirate Lord Harry rolled his eyes. He had only been after the treasure; it never would have worked with that girl.

Hermione could see Captain Weasley smiling roguishly and she blushed as he bent down about to brush his soft lips against hers when suddenly…

End Interlude