HOGWARTS OVEREXPOSED
SALAZAR'S RETURN Chapter One
The Streets of Fort Lauderdale
Friday, August 5, 2005
"They look like they're having a great time," Jamie said, watching enviously from the window in the staff
tower as the Giant Squid tossed the girls ten to fifteen feet in the air and then permitted them to splash back down
into the lake before scooping them up and repeating the process.
"Why don't you go join them, Jamie?" Hermione suggested. "It's not like we have that much packing to do."
"I'd love to except I haven't written to Alex today, and we pledged to owl each other every day," Jamie answered.
Jamie and Alex would be starting their seventh and final year at Hogwarts in the autumn and had been best friends since their first year. Last year they had finally acknowledged that the feelings they shared for each other went far beyond friendship. Both Alex and Jamie planned to train as Aurors after they completed Hogwarts and then, in due course marry.
When Jamie's parents died during her fifth year, she had thought that life, as she knew it, would come to a crashing halt. Jamie envisioned saying good-bye to Hogwarts and having to seek some sort of menial employment in order to support herself and her then ten-year-old sister, Emily.
Professor Granger, who had been a mentor to Jamie, refused to think about this alternative. Since the girls had no living relatives, she and her fiancé, Harry Potter, insisted on caring for Jamie as a sister and becoming guardians to Emily. Harry and Hermione did this without hesitation despite Hermione having previously adopted Caitlin, a then eleven-year-old girl who had been orphaned and abused.
And so Harry Potter, now at the ripe old age of twenty-five and married for only slightly over a year, finds himself the father of three children: Caitlin, who would soon turn thirteen and start her third year at Hogwarts; Emily, now twelve and entering her second year; and Benjamin, Hermione and Harry's newborn son, just over two months old.
"Harry, will we be able to Portkey all the way to Fort Lauderdale or will we have to do it in phases because of the distance involved?" Jamie inquired as Harry entered the room.
"That is the one advantage a Portkey has over Apparating," he answered. "There is no limit to the distance you can travel. Our group is rather large, however, and so I've arranged for three Portkeys."
"Three? Why so many? And what about Timmy and Ben?" Jamie inquired. "Timmy is rather young to understand he must hold onto the Portkey and Ben, well he just can't."
Timmy is the four-year-old son of Samantha Bowman, an American witch. Sam had originally come to England searching for Timmy's birth father but, after a year of no leads, had given up and settled in Hogsmeade where she met and fell in love with Ron Weasley, who suffers from lycanthropy. He had just been released from Azkaban and, at the time, was working in a joke shop owned by his twin brothers, Fred and George.
It was at Harry and Hermione's wedding that Samantha and her son were initially observed by Timmy's birth father, none other than Draco Malfoy. Draco made a legal attempt to gain custody of his son, but upon failing, begrudgingly accepted the state of affairs and his current role in his son's life.
"I secured three Portkeys mainly because of Ben and Timmy," Harry explained. "Traveling by Portkey can be rather rough treatment, especially with a large number of people thrashing their limbs about. I propose that you girls use one Portkey. That will allow Hermione and me to secure Ben between us and the Weasley's to do the same with Timmy."
"But will all three Porkeys have the same coordinates?"
"Yes," Harry said assuredly. "The only drawbacks are that we have to allow ten minutes between departures, and that we will be arriving in an area that none of us are familiar with. But I'm sure everything will go well."
* * * * * *
"I'm tired," Kim whimpered, "Can we get out of the water for a bit and take a break?"
"I'm rather exhausted myself," Caitlin agreed.
"You two are worse than two old ladies," Emily complained, but she conceded and headed for the shore. "I wish we could shrink Elmo and take him on holiday with us," she said glancing back at the Giant Squid.
"I'm sure that would go over spectacularly with the other ship passengers," Caitlin said sarcastically. "Somehow I don't think they would take kindheartedly to a giant squid in one of the ship's swimming pools."
"Nah! I guess not," Emily said sadly. "I'm going to miss him though while we're away."
"I've never been on a cruise ship before," Kim said excitedly. "I'm so glad your parents invited me to go along."
"We are going to have a great time," Emily commented enthusiastically. "I understand that they have food available twenty-four hours a day and you can eat as much as you like."
"You're starting to sound like Professor Weasley," Caitlin observed. "I think that's the only reason he's agreed to go."
"Speaking of food; could any one else go for an ice cream cone?" Emily suggested.
"That sounds good," Kim said. "Do you know how to get down to the kitchens? Will the elves give us a little?"
"I don't think Emily is interested in asking the elves," Caitlin said. "Actually, I don't think its even ice cream she truly wants, but rather the clerk that serves it."
Kim looked at both Emily and Caitlin questioningly, not understanding what Caitlin was talking about. Kim, who was Emily's best friend and dorm mate, had gone home at the end of school to visit her mother, only returning yesterday in order to go on the ten day holiday cruise with the Potters and Weasleys.
"When you shopped for your school items last fall in Diagon Alley, did you happen to notice Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor?" Caitlin asked.
"Oh yes!" Kim answered. " My mum and I stopped there for a sundae after we first met you at Madam Malkin's."
Meeting Kim at Madam Malkin's had been the first of a succession of events that changed Emily's life. The final event was Emily asking the Sorting Hat to place her in Slytherin House, instead of Gryffindor with Caitlin and her sister, so that she could watch out for Kim.
"Mister Fortescue has opened a parlor in Hogsmeade and his son Roger is running it," Caitlin stated. "Emily seems to find him more attention grabbing than any sundae on the menu."
"He may not be a sundae," Emily proclaimed, "but he is quite tempting."
"May I remind you that he is also twenty and you are only twelve," Caitlin said shaking her head.
"No reason I can't look," Emily insisted. "Besides, I think he likes me."
Kim gave Caitlin a questioning look, as if to ask if this was true. Caitlin nodded her head in response. "He can't take his eyes off her. It's revolting."
"So, who wants to walk into Hogsmeade for ice cream?" Emily asked hopefully.
"We'll have to go back to the castle first and change and get money," Kim said.
"I have enough money with me," Emily said, "and the shop is right on the edge of town; we can go as we are."
"In just our bathing costumes?" Kim questioned, looking nervous. "Emily, yours is practically nonexistent."
Kim was wearing what would be considered a very reserved one-piece costume. Caitlin had on a small bikini and Emily…. Emily's swim costume was very minimal. At a distance, she appeared to be nude.
"Actually, both Caitlin's and my bathing costumes are non existent," Emily responded. "We are only wearing the concealment charm."
Kim looked at her best friend in disbelief and then reached out and touched her. Physical contact negated the charm and allowed her to see Emily in what she was actually wearing, which was absolutely nothing.
"I should have known you guys wouldn't actually wear swim costumes," Kim said. Then she stared at Emily. "Even micro-mini ones."
Both Emily and Caitlin are naturalists and preferred to be unclothed whenever possible. Jamie and Emily's parents were nudists and they raised their daughters in the naturists' ways. Both girls feel extremely uncomfortable when clothed and would much prefer to always be naked even if others about them are clothed. They don't see being unclothed as wicked or sexy, but rather as natural and comfortable.
Jamie befriended Caitlin when she first started Hogwarts, and was the first real friend and positive role model Caitlin had ever had. It was by accident that the young girl discovered Jamie was a naturist. Caitlin was so impressed by Jamie and her explanation of her lifestyle that she was tempted to try it. She became an immediate convert.
"Okay!" Kim agreed. "I'll walk into Hogsmeade with you, but only if we all cover ourselves with our towels."
Emily and Caitlin both raised their eyebrows in annoyance, but agreed to the condition.
"Should we tell your parents?" Kim asked Emily. "They might become concerned when they see we are gone."
"We won't be gone that long," Emily said reassuringly. "Besides, if they miss us, I'm sure they'll guess where we are."
"She's been dragging me into Hogsmeade almost daily," Caitlin complained quietly to Kim as Emily walked away to get her towel. "Mum and Dad would have a stroke if they knew the true reason why."
"I can understand her having a crush on an older boy, but," she looked fretfully at Caitlin, "why would a twenty year old boy be interested in her? Don't get me wrong. I'm not putting her down. Emily is very attractive, but after all she is only twelve."
Caitlin nodded her head in agreement. "I feel the same as you; it's weird. Guys that age shouldn't be attracted to a little girl," she declared. "But don't try telling Emily that. She'll bite your head off."
Once Emily had retrieved her money, the girls wrapped themselves in their towels for the long walk.
Although the girls are best friends, they have uniquely different personalities and attitudes. Caitlin and Emily both abhor clothing and prefer being nude, even when in the company of clothed people. Caitlin accepts the fact that they live in a textile world and nudity under certain circumstances is just not acceptable. Emily, however, is and always has been an extremist when it comes to nudity, sometimes pushing the limits of socially acceptable behavior. She resents being forced to wear clothing and considers the term 'private parts' ridiculous. To her mindset, a body part is just a body part, and she shouldn't be forced to cover any of hers just because other people have dirty thoughts.
Kim is a most unenthusiastic nudist. In order to avoid lingering embarrassment from a cruel prank on the Hogwarts Express in her first year, she had all her cartoon-imprinted underclothes destroyed. This caused her dorm mates to mistakenly assume that she, like Emily, was a nudist. She now uncomfortably lives that lie. She has actually become at ease being naked with Caitlin, Emily and their family. The cruise, on the other hand, will be her first experience at public nudity, and she is exceedingly apprehensive.
Even the way the girls draped their towels about them was indicative of their different feelings. Kim used the towel to its fullest extent, wrapping it around her body just under the arms with it reaching mid thigh. Caitlin wrapped hers around her waist as a long skirt reaching near her ankles, but leaving her tummy and bikini top exposed. Emily folded her towel several times and then wore it as a short skirt. Her torso was bare except for two triangles of material that barely covered anything. .
Kim looked briefly at Caitlin, but then stared blatantly at Emily. "I'm going to be nude on this cruise for the next ten days," she said entreating. "Can't you guys at least humor me by fully covering yourselves whilst we walk to Hogsmeade?"
Caitlin and Emily exchanged aggravated glances, but then begrudgingly repositioned their towels in a manner similar to Kim's before they began walking toward the path that led to the main gate and eventually to the all wizard village of Hogsmeade.
"Its just not fair," Emily complained as they approached the pair of magnificent wrought iron gates that were flanked with stone columns, topped with winged boars and guarded the entrance to Hogwarts. "What harm would befall the world if we were allowed to stroll into Hogsmeade nude? I want the feel of air and sunlight on my body, not a damp, clammy towel." Emily looked like she was about to shed the object of her frustration, but instead looked at Kim and relented.
They had only gone a few hundred feet past the gate, when Caitlin came to a sudden stop. "Did you feel that," she cried nervously.
Kim looked at her questioningly. "Feel what?" she asked, a bewildered look on her face. "I didn't feel anything."
"I did," Emily piped up. "It felt as though something hot was trickling down my back. Kim, remember when Professor Flitwick demonstrated the Disillusionment Charm on us last Christmas, the charm that made us blend in with the decorations. It felt exactly the same as when he lifted it."
Kim nodded her head. "I remember the charm and the feeling it created when it was applied and lifted, but I didn't sense anything like that just now."
"That's exactly the sensation I had," Caitlin agreed. "But what caused it and why didn't Kim feel it. I'd think it had something to do with the wards that hide the castle from Muggle view, but I've never had that feeling before when entering or leaving the grounds. Besides we're all witches. Why would you and me experience it and not Kim?"
The rest of the journey was occupied with questions and hypothesizing, but as they approached the edge of the village, they agreed to table the discussion until they returned to the castle. If anyone could give them an answer, it would be Hermione.
"I can't get over how fast they built that store," Kim said, admiring the colorful ice cream shop. "They hadn't even started construction at the end of the school year, and now in just over a month, it's open."
"It's been open for three weeks," Caitlin commented.
"Wizard contractors take some short cuts not available to Muggle builders," Emily added.
"Yeah!" Kim said. "One might call it magic!" They all chuckled.
It was nearing two o'clock as they entered the nearly empty shop, the lunch hour rush having ended.
"Well, what have we here?" the clerk behind the counter asked. It was undoubtedly a rare sight to have three towel-clad girls enter his establishment. Although he had addressed all three girls, his eyes only inspected Emily. "Did you girls just get out of the shower?"
"No silly," said Emily dreamily. "We were swimming and had the urge for some ice cream. This is my good friend Kim. She is going on holiday with Caitlin and I."
Roger gave Kim a smile of recognition, but quickly turned his attention back to Emily. "I'd say Kim was extremely fortunate. I would really enjoy being on vacation with you for a week."
At this comment, Emily blushed, but Kim and Caitlin exchanged uneasy glances. This smooth talking git might entrance Emily, but, although she didn't know why, Kim had taken an immediate dislike to Roger.
"I was hoping perhaps you had come to visit me," Roger said suggestively. "But since you prefer ice cream, what can I get you?"
Emily seemed content to stare at Roger; therefore, Kim decided to place her order. "Could I have a small cone of chocolate, please?"
"I'll have a small cone also," said Caitlin, "but make mine vanilla, please."
"And what about you, beautiful," Roger said.
"Could I have one of those swirl mixes of both kinds?" Emily asked sweetly.
Roger purposely served Caitlin and Kim first. The girls sat down at one of the many empty tables as Emily waited to be served and pay.
As Roger handed Emily her cone he got a mischievous grin on his face. "Do you know what they say about people who get mixed ice cream?" Emily shook her head, no. "They say they go both ways."
Emily blushed a deep shade of red, but made no comment. Instead she asked, "How much is the total bill?"
"That depends," Roger said devilishly. "Perhaps we could work out an agreement that would be both easy on your pocket and easy on my eyes."
"What do you mean?" Emily asked innocently, not understanding.
"I envisage you looking quite nice in your swim costume," he said, licking his lips. "If you drop the towel and model it for me; all three cones are on the house."
Emily licked her ice cream, both to prevent it running down the cone and to give her time to think. Her bathing costume was rather skimpy and dropping her towel and modeling seemed like a rather sexual thing to do. On the other hand, she was a naturist. If the world were fair, she'd be happily standing here completely nude at the present time. Besides, she'd sort of like Roger to see her in her bathing costume and free ice cream in the bargain sounded like a great deal.
Emily looked around the room. There were only six other patrons in the shop; four pre-teen boys at a table near the rear and a young couple near the window. This felt so weird. She had absolutely no qualms with the entire world seeing her naked. She had even walked naked to the grocery when she was ten, yet modeling a bathing costume in an ice cream store somehow seemed wrong.
"I'd really love to see how nice you look," Roger said entreatingly.
Her decision was made. "Would you hold my ice cream?" she asked passing the cone back to Roger. "Now don't snicker. I'm only twelve and with a bit of luck my figure will develop considerably more."
"I'd never laugh at you, besides I think you have an excellent figure," Roger said.
"Okay, here goes," Emily said, stepping back from the counter. She couldn't believe how nervous she was as she undid the towel and in order to avoid seeing Roger's expression stared anxiously up at the ceiling.
As she felt the towel brush her body on its way to the floor, she began turning slowing, allowing Roger plenty of time to scrutinize her before finally looking him in the eyes and saying, "Well, what do you think?"
Roger had dropped Emily's ice cream on the floor. The young girl that was sitting near the window had grabbed her spellbound boyfriend and dragged him from the shop as the four young boys at the rear went wild. Caitlin and Kim, who had been absorbed in conversation and paying little attention to Emily, jumped to their feet.
"What happen to your swim costume!?" Kim asked in a panic as Caitlin ran to pick up Emily's towel and toss it to her.
It was only when Kim asked what had become of her costume that Emily realized that she was indeed standing there starkers.
"Roger, I'm sorry," Emily said. "I don't know what happened. I'm sorry if I made you ill at ease you. Somehow the concealment charm that covered me was canceled." She started to wrap the towel around herself.
"I'm not embarrassed," Roger said, not taking his eyes off Emily, "and you shouldn't be either. You're splendid."
"I'm not embarrassed," Emily said, letting the towel slip off and into her hand. "Do you really think I look nice?"
Roger corrected her. "I'd say fabulous. Nothing would please me more than to have you spend the balance of the day in my shop just as you are."
"Maybe that could be arranged," Emily said boldly.
"I don't think so!" Caitlin said, giving Emily an appalled look. "We have to go! Emily, please cover up!"
When Emily made no effort to do so, Caitlin grabbed her arm. "Suit yourself," she said with frustration. "Kim, please help me."
Before Emily realized what was happening, Caitlin and Kim had dragged her out the door and on to the thankfully deserted street. "Now will you put that towel on?" Caitlin asked.
"Why?" Emily answered defiantly. "There is no one about, and I'm quite comfortable like this." Emily tossed the towel to Kim and started boldly walking away from the shop and in the direction of the path that would return them to Hogwarts.
Kim and Caitlin exchanged exasperated looks before following after her.
"What happened in there?" Kim asked Caitlin as they followed a few steps behind Emily. "What happened to her swim costume?"
"I'm not sure what canceled out the charm," Caitlin answered, turning to Kim and flipping open her towel. "Did it affect me, too?"
"Yes," said Kim after glancing at Caitlin. "You're totally starkers, too. You don't think I was affected, do you?
"I doubt it," Caitlin answered. "You're wearing an actual costume. Let me have a look just to be positive." Kim lifted her towel confirming that her swim costume was indeed intact.
Suddenly, Emily stopped walking and turned back in their direction. "That was so humiliating," she said crossly. "I can't believe the two of you actually dragged me out of Roger's shop. I'll never be able to face him again."
"You don't consider your actions embarrassing or what he was doing with you over the line!?" Caitlin shouted. "There is a huge difference between being a naturist and being put on display. What you did in there today was not naturalism, and I'm ashamed of you and furious at Roger!"
Emily was about to retort, but then glanced at Kim who was hanging her head sadly. "What's the matter, Kim?" Emily asked concernedly.
"I don't think I've ever seen you two fight before, and I don't like it," she answered.
Emily's anger came to an abrupt halt as she turned to Caitlin. "I was a real tart, wasn't I?"
"No!" Caitlin answered with a smile. "Had you had an actual bathing costume on, you would have been a tart. I'm not sure they've even invented a word for what you were today. How does tart-arse sound?"
Kim giggled. "Emily, I love you. Caitlin loves you. We're just concerned for your welfare."
"I know," she said pulling them into a group hug. "Sometimes I don't use my head when it comes to boys. I try too hard. Maybe I am a tart-arse."
"In some cases, maybe you shouldn't be trying at all," Kim said tentatively, then quickly changed the subject. "Do you want your towel back?"
"No, she doesn't," Caitlin answered for Emily.
Emily stared at her in surprise.
"Now you are being a naturist, and I'm envious," Caitlin said as she unclasped her towel. "I've always wanted to walk this route with the sun and air caressing my body."
"I can't believe you two," Kim said, as she watched her two friends walk naked, arm in arm toward the main gate. "What if someone comes along and sees you?"
"Then they'll see us," Emily responded. "Why don't you take that confining damp swim costume of yours off and join us?"
Before Kim could respond, a horseless carriage, apparently coming from the castle, came into sight around the corner. Even if Emily and Caitlin had wanted to cover up, there was no time because the carriage was rapidly upon them before it came to a halt.
"Good afternoon ladies," Professor Malfoy drawled. "You've certainly adopted the proper attire for our humid, hot summer weather."
"I wish I had such courage when I was your age," Ginerva Weasley added, seeming quite sincere.
"You're never too old to practice nudism," Emily suggested enthusiastically. "Your brother is going on a cruise with us. Why don't you and Professor Malfoy join us for a swim?"
"I'm afraid we'll have to pass," Draco said. "Miss Thatcher, it was my understanding that you were also going on this clothes free- cruise. Shouldn't you be adapting your skin to the sun?"
"The Professor has a point," Ginny added. "Skin that has never experienced sunlight has the tendency to easily burn. The last thing you want to do is spend your holiday stuck in your cabin with sunburn."
"I'll take that into consideration," Kim said timidly as the carriage continued on its way.
As they watched the carriage disappear, Kim turned to Emily and Caitlin with a look of beaten acceptance on her face. "They're right about one thing," she said admittedly. "If I'm going to play the part of a nudist for ten days, I best get accustomed to it." Without another word, she unclasped her towel and subsequently wriggled out of her bathing costume.
"Now what?" Kim asked.
"It's still early," Caitlin said. "Let's see if Elmo is still in the mood to toss us around."
"Like we are?" Kim questioned.
"I don't think Elmo cares if or how we dress," Emily answered casually, and then added. "Mum likes us to use the concealment charm, but it's really not necessary anymore on the school grounds. Most of the staff has seen at least one of us nude. It's really no big deal any longer."
'Maybe not to you', Kim thought and then turned toward the castle and said, "let's go."
* * * * * *
Sunday, August 7, 2005
"Ron, will you please cheer up," Sam said with annoyance, as she and Ron finished packing. "We're
starting our vacation tomorrow, not going to a funeral."
"That's easy for you to say," Ron groaned. "If I had your body, I wouldn't be concerned with being seen nude either."
"If you had my body, I doubt we'd be married," Sam said with a laugh.
"It's not funny," Ron moaned. "You know what I mean. I feel like I'm the king of the string bean geeks going on vacation with the Perfect Body Club."
"We don't all have perfect bodies," Samantha insisted. "Well, maybe Jamie and Hermione do. Hermione is going to have men losing concentration and falling overboard."
"Perhaps you haven't looked at yourself in a mirror lately," Ron commented, "but you should put yourself in the same category."
"You're sweet," Sam said brushing against him as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"And that's another problem," he said, looking down at a specific part of himself. "It's totally out of control. It's ready for action and you barely touched me. If it were the day before a full moon, that's to be expected, but the next full moon is a ways off. I think I'm turning into some sort of sex manic. Emily and Caitlin caused a reaction the other night and they're little girls."
"They aren't that little anymore," Sam declared. "Their bodies are becoming more womanly every day. Besides, I don't think that even calm, cool Harry could have handled what happened to you."
"I wasn't doing too badly watching them play Twister , although I had to turn away a few times," Ron said. "Don't they realize the view they afford when they get into some of those positions?"
"I'm sure they do, but they don't care. I have to admit that it bothers me a little knowing that my now smooth front will afford people a better view of me. I'm not nearly as comfortable with my body as the girls."
"Well I certainly wasn't comfortable when the two of them fell into my lap while they were horsing around after their game," Ron sighed.
Sam laughed. "I'm sorry Ron. I know I shouldn't laugh, but I wish I had a picture of you with Emily on top of you."
"It wasn't funny," Ron protested. "It seemed like they took forever to get up."
"It wasn't forever, and they thought it was comical. You do realize that they both trust you completely. They know you'd never do anything wrong."
"And they're right," Ron affirmed. "But that didn't prevent me from getting a stiffee anyway. Sam, I love you. You mean everything to me. I would never even think about cheating on you. But… I'm afraid I'm going to spend the next ten days with a semi permanent erection."
Sam smiled. "In that case, I hope we can get the girls to watch Timmy often because I know just the remedy for that problem. Would you like me to demonstrate?"
"That would be nice…"
* * * * * *
Monday, August 8, 2005 8:00 AM
"The Weasleys will be here any minute now," Harry said anxiously. "Are one and all sure they have
everything they need packed?"
"Why are you insisting we take so much clothing?" Emily questioned. "We are permitted to be unclothed at all times aren't we?"
"When on the ship and at nude beaches, yes," Hermione answered as she did a cleansing charm on Ben's bottom and readied him for the trip. "But when we travel about the islands or go souvenir shopping, you will need to be dressed and not just by the concealment charm. I have qualms about any of us even using that anymore now that you girls have discovered yet another imperfection with it."
Crookshanks and Alfred both paced the room as if sensing that the family was shortly going to be deserting them.
"Can't we take them with us?" Caitlin begged. "They're going to be lonely."
"No we can't," Harry said emphatically. "Beside, they will be much more content here, where they have free rein to roam about our quarters and the castle grounds, than they would shut up in a ship's cabin all day."
"You are sure that Professor Bell won't forget to look in on them and see that they are properly fed?" Emily asked concernedly.
"Katie loves animals," Harry responded. "She'll see to it that our pets are well taken care of."
As the others finalized their packing, Kim had been reading the cruise brochure and checking their itinerary with animated anticipation.
DAY PORT ARRIVAL DEPARTURE
1 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, United States 5:00 PM
2 Princess Cays 9:00 AM 4:00 PM
3 At Sea
4 St. Thomas 7:00 AM 6:00 PM
5 St. Kitts 7:00 AM 3:00 PM
6 Barbados 8:00 AM 5:00 PM
7 Antigua 9:00 AM 6:00 PM
8 St. Maarten 7:00 AM 6:00 PM
9 At Sea
10 At Sea
11 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, United States 7:00 AM
"We'll actually be anchoring at six different islands," Kim stated with enthusiasm. "I've never been further away from home than Hogwarts."
"I'm looking forward to having a wonderful time," Hermione said as she began breast-feeding Ben.
"Professor Potter, there's one thing I don't understand. Why are we leaving so early?" Kim inquired. "Isn't the United States' east coast five hours behind us in time? If we leave at nine, it will only be four in the morning there, not even light yet."
"You're correct," Harry said rather perturbed. "The American Magical Authority, which is the counter part of our Ministry, insisted that we arrive before sun rise; less chance of us being seen."
"What the hell are we going to do from four o'clock in the morning until five in the afternoon," Emily blurted out.
"Maybe we should spend the time teaching you to talk like a proper young lady," Hermione suggested.
"I'm sorry Mum, but that's thirteen hours," Emily said apologetically.
Hermione looked concernedly at Harry. "Exactly what are your plans for all that time? she asked.
"It's not as bad as it sounds," Harry responded. "I rented a hotel room nearby, where we can all crash or watch the tele until checkout at eleven. Then we can head to the dock and board the ship. Even though we don't sail until five o'clock, there will be food and drink available for us from noon, and we can take a tour of the ship."
"That sounds like a good plan," Jamie said, tearing herself away from her latest epistle from Alex.
"Most certainly," Kim agreed. "I don't fancy getting lost."
"How can you get lost on a boat?" Emily chortled.
"You haven't read the brochure, have you?" Caitlin inquired. "The ship rises fourteen stories and measures nearly three hundred meters in length. I would imagine that it is extremely easy to become disoriented."
"Not only that, but the cruise is sold out. That means that there will be nearly 2,000 passengers on board," Hermione added.
"I just hope a good portion of those are our age," Emily whined. "I'm tired of seeing nothing but naked potbellied old bald-headed men. I want some young buff guys to ogle."
Hermione just shook her head in consternation at Emily's remark, but Kim literally trembled. If she had to be naked the next ten days, she'd much prefer it to be in front of old potbellied men rather than hunks of her own age.
A rapping at the door interrupted the conversation, as the young voice of Timmy called out, "We're here!"
Caitlin rushed to the door and ushered the Weasleys in.
"Why are you dressed?" Timmy asked disappointedly. "I thought we were going on a nudie coose?"
"We are Timmy, it's just that we can't get comfortable until we're actually on the ship," Caitlin responded.
Without warning, Timmy grabbed the hem of Caitlin's tiny skirt in his hand and pulled it up to her waist.
"Caitlin has no knickers. I can see her gina!" he shouted.
Caitlin leaned over and lifted Timmy into her arms. "You, young man, are getting to be more and more like your Aunt Emily," she said giving him a big hug. "Your mother better break you of that habit before you enter primary school in the village or all the little witches will be practicing hexes on you."
Ron looked at Caitlin and then around the room. He could not understand her and the others' lack of reaction to what Timmy just did. Then he finally comprehended that this girl was normally naked, and that it didn't bother anyone. Why was he so different? Why did it bother him?
"You're here!" Harry shouted in greeting as he entered the room. He checked his watch and then rubbed his chin. "I imagine that the first thing we should do is collect and miniaturize our luggage."
After everyone assembled their luggage, Harry performed the charm that shrunk it to doll size and then Ron and Harry placed all the tiny parcels into their pockets.
"We're scheduled for three portkey departure times: 9:00, 9:10 and 9:20," Harry stated. "Ron, suppose you Sam and Timmy go first, the girls will follow, and Hermione, Ben and I will bring up the rear."
Ron nodded in agreement and then they all waited nervously for the rest of their free time to pass.
* * * * * *
When the clock displayed 8:59, Harry picked the first of three Portkeys off the kitchen table; it was an old battered
umbrella. "Now Sam, if you and Ron will hold Timmy tightly between you and all grasp the umbrella in your hands.
Sam perhaps you should hold Timmy's hand tightly beneath your own."
They stood waiting nervously, the others watching, waiting there turn.
"Forty-five seconds." Harry counted down. "Thirty seconds."
"Mummy, I have to go potty. I have to go really bad." Timmy wailed.
Sam looked anxiously to Harry. "When he says he has to go, he has to go. He always waits to the last minute," Sam announced.
"Damn," Harry murmured looking nervously around the room. Hermione could never get Benjamin into his harness quickly enough. Harry didn't like sending the girls first, but he had no choice. Fortunately, Jamie was a powerful witch, so he figured that they'd be okay.
"Girls! Hurry! Over Here!" He shouted. "Each of you, hold onto the umbrella. Don't worry! You'll be fine. The Weasleys will be along in ten minutes and your mother and me shortly thereafter. Move at least twenty-five feet from your landing point, but don't leave the area."
Jamie, Kim, Caitlin and Emily had barely clutched the old umbrella when Emily felt as though a hook just behind her navel had suddenly yanked her irresistibly frontward. Her feet left the floor; she could feel Caitlin, Jamie and Kim as their bodies bashed into hers; their legs becoming entwined as they sped forward in a howl of wind and whirling color; their hands stuck to the umbrella as though it was pulling them magnetically onward.
Emily had only expected the trip to last a few seconds, but instead it was minutes before they finally slammed to the ground in a bruised entangled mess.
"Emily, will you please get your privates out of my face," Kim asked as if gasping for air.
"Caitlin never complains," Emily retorted without thought and then looked nervously from Jamie to Kim and then Caitlin, hoping that in the confusion no one had heard her comment. Neither Jamie nor Caitlin seemed to be paying her any attention as they disentangled themselves, but Kim had definitely heard her and was staring at her piercingly.
_ _ _ _ _ _
"Will they be all right?" Hermione questioned nervously.
"I'm sure they'll be fine," Harry said in his most convincing voice. "I would have preferred that they not gone first, but under the circumstances, there wasn't much choice. They'll only be alone for ten minutes, I'm sure they'll be fine. I just wish I knew more about the area in which they are landing."
Hermione glanced nervously around the room.
"Hermione, they'll be okay," Ron said in his most reassuring voice. "What could possibly happen in ten minutes?"
_ _ _ _ _ _
"I wonder where exactly we are?" Caitlin said as she staggered to her feet. "That trip threw my
equilibrium out of whack."
"Me too," Jamie said leaning against a nearby wall.
"Well, one thing is certain," Emily commented. "Whoever programmed that Portkey has never actually been here."
"You've got that right," Kim added nervously. "I understand transporting to a discrete location, but this is a dirty, filthy back alley."
"Yeah, I'm glad we won't be alone here long," Jamie said. "Lets move closer to the main street and more light. It's eerie in here."
"Now you've gone and hurt my feelings," a voice echoed from the shadows ahead of them. "This alley is our headquarters. Perhaps we should clean up, but most ain't stupid enough to come here uninvited."
"And there are four of them," a voice from behind commented. "One for each of us."
"I get the older one with the big titties," shouted a third voice from the dark.
"Hey, they're just kids," said a fourth disembodied voice. "From the sound of them, from England and probably lost."
"Lance, are you a faggot? 'Cause if you are, how 'bout suckin' my dick," the first of the boys to speak responded. "Pete, what is the name of our club?"
"The 'Chasers', Art. And you're our president," answered the boy who had commented about Jamie.
"And what do the "Chasers" do, Phil?" Art asked his voice sounding as if he were extremely intoxicated.
"We're tit-and-pussy chasers." Phil answered, laughing raucously as he stepped from the shadows and was soon joined by his compatriots.
As the gang closed their circle on the girls, the one referred to as Art, snapped open a long switch knife and waved it menacingly.
Jamie whispered softly to the girls, "Wands on three. One… Two… Three…
End of Chapter One
Welcome to the third story in the Hogwarts series. Thank you for taking the time to read. Now please take a few more minutes and review.
Thank you to my wonderful betas: Amber, Paul, Peter and Matt. I'd be lost without them.
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