Welcome to the 3rd installment of Hogwarts Drama Co.! There isn't much to say, so just read on!
Ficlet Challenge #3: Write Yourself In
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All the American Asks of You
"You wanted to see me?" asked Harry, walking into the headmistress' office.
"Yes, thank you Harry," she nodded.
It had been a week since the final performance of Anastasia, and the show had been met with rave reviews from everyone.
"Everyone's really happy about how well we did," commented Harry. "Especially with the article the Prophet wrote."
"Yes...I was a bit surprised at that, to be frank," nodded McGonagal. "But it was quite welcome, nonetheless."
"A lot of people have been asking me what our next production will be and when we can start on it," said Harry.
"Which is precisely why I called you up here," said McGonagal, reaching for a sheet of parchment. "The Board voted on the suggestions you gave us."
Harry took the parchment and read it carefully.
"I was rooting for The Wizard of Oz, but I think everyone will be happy with Phantom of the Opera," he smiled.
"Yes, well..." trailed McGonagal.
"What is it?" asked Harry, seeing her lack of enthusiasm.
"Before I tell you this Potter, I want you to know I voted against it, but lost anyway."
"Lost what?"
"The Board of Governors was contacted by one of the eastern American academies a few days after the first show," she said. "The one in Salem, to be exact."
"And?" asked Harry.
"The Salem Academy's Drama Company was disbanded last year due to lack of membership," said McGonagal. "And after much discussion between the schools' respective boards...it was agreed that the former director would come and 'guest direct' this production to 'strengthen' international relations, if you will."
Harry balked.
"Say what now?"
"I am sorry, Harry, but it's completely out of my hands," sighed the headmistress. "He'll be here in three days."
"I see," said Harry.
"Please try and treat him as if he were one of us," asked McGonagal. "From what I hear, he's extremely bright and observant. He's being sent over for a reason."
"I know," he nodded. "I just...he's not going to be a tyrant, is he?"
"I doubt it," replied McGonagal. "From what I've heard, he was offered several positions in various professional companies, but turned them down to finish school."
"What's his name?"
"Greg," she replied. "He was spoken very highly of."
"Alright," nodded Harry. "Might as well go and tell the troops."
"Good luck," smiled McGonagal as Harry nodded again and left the office.
He made his way back to the Gryffindor common room in silence...the company wasn't meeting again until the next afternoon.
"Macbeth," said Harry to the portrait of the fat lady.
"Something wicked this way comes," she replied with a grin, swinging open while Harry restrained himself from rolling his eyes.
"Hey, mate," nodded Ron, as Harry stepped through.
"'Lo," nodded Harry. "I'm not directing the next production."
"Say what?" asked Ron, looking up at Harry from the armchair next to the fire.
"We're having a guest director," he sighed, sitting down on the couch next to Hermione. "The Governors seem to think it will promote international relations...or something like that."
"Who is it?" she asked.
"Someone named Greg S.," shrugged Harry. "McGonagal didn't know any more than that."
"Where's he from?" asked Ron.
"America," replied Harry. "He goes to the academy in Salem."
"Well we'll just have to welcome him and treat him like one of us," said Hermione.
"He's a bloody Yank," pointed out Ron.
"And?" asked Hermione.
"I'm just saying," shrugged Ron.
"There's no point in dwelling on it," interjected Harry. "We'll just have to make do."
"Right," nodded Hermione. "And he might turn out to be brilliant."
"Sure," said Ron sarcastically.
"You never know," replied Harry. "And I don't want you giving him a hard time, Ron."
"Fine, fine," he nodded. "You have my word."
"Good."
"So what are we performing?" asked Hermione.
"Phantom of the Opera," replied Harry.
"That was the popular vote," she commented. "Everyone will probably be happy."
"I just hope it isn't marred by our guest," he said. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."
=====
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ernie were standing on the platform at Hogsmeade Station waiting for the train to arrive with their new director. It was cold and cloudy and as a result the four of them were in fairly sour moods.
"Bloody train," said Ron, teeth chattering. "Could it get here any slower?"
"Always," replied Hermione.
"Oy, look," said Harry, pointing down the tracks, where a single light had appeared in the distance.
"Finally," sighed Ron.
"Good," said Ernie. "I wonder what he'll be like."
"Probably a git," muttered Ron.
"He will not be a git," chastised Hermione. "And I swear Ronald, if you embarrass us in front of him because you forget your manners..."
"Whatever," shrugged Ron.
"What's got in your arse lately?" asked Harry, turning to his friend.
"Huh?" replied Ron, taken aback at being called out so candidly.
"I asked you why you're being so bloody anal about this guy," answered Harry. "He hasn't done any wrong to you."
"Yet," replied Ron.
"Why are you even here?" asked Hermione furiously, turning to him. "All you've been doing is complaining lately."
"I don't know, maybe it's the weather," he shrugged.
"I thought you got turned down by Luna," commented Ernie.
"Where did you hear that?" snapped Ron, turning bright red.
"I overheard Susan talking about it to Padma Patil," he shrugged.
"She didn't turn me down," muttered Ron. "She just...didn't hear me."
"That's what's got your knickers in a twist?" asked Hermione, raising her eyebrows. Harry snorted at this. "What?"
"I didn't expect you to say something like that," he chuckled, as the train pulled into the station.
"Yeah well, don't really tell anyone," said Ron. "I need to handle this on my own...and I don't like not knowing what Luna or I'll be doing for the show."
"Alright, well, if it helps, I'll talk to him about it," said Harry as the train stopped.
The door opened to reveal a stocky young man with dark brown hair, who was wearing glasses almost identical to Harry's. His black jeans and t-shirt were an indication that he didn't expect it to be as cold as it was.
"Wow..." he said stepping off the train. "Cold, huh?"
"Yeah," nodded Harry.
"I'm Greg," said the boy, extending his hand.
"Harry," nodded Harry. "This is Ron, our Treasurer, Hermione, the Secretary, and Ernie, our Vice President."
"They sure sent out a welcoming party for me," commented Greg. "I was expecting to have to find the castle on my own."
"Well, it's not like you can really miss it," said Hermione warmly.
"I see that," replied Greg, nodding at the castle. "I don't mean to be a jerk, but could we start back? I'm freezing my ass off."
"Sure," nodded Ernie. "I'll get your bags."
"I've got them," said Greg. "They're in my pockets."
"Oh...alright."
"His language is so...American," whispered Ron to Harry as they starting trudging back to the castle.
"I can speak proper English if you'd like me to," laughed Greg. He chuckled when Ron raised an eyebrow at him. "When you direct for several years, you develop good hearing for when people are talking about you."
"Sorry," muttered Ron, reddening.
"Not at all," he chuckled. "You all seem nice enough...I didn't expect to be treated this kindly at all, actually."
"Why not?" asked Hermione.
"Well, if I were you, I wouldn't be too pleased that some Yank was coming in to steal your show from you," replied Greg. "Though I confess...I've always wanted to direct Phantom."
"Well, you'll get to test your mettle against the entire company when we get back," said Harry. "The next company meeting is in an hour."
"Perfect," said Greg, rubbing his hands together for warmth. "Just enough time to make an arse of myself."
"You'll be fine," said Hermione. "You seem to have a level enough head."
"Yes well, we'll see what you have to say about that once we start working," replied Greg. "I can be...overbearing sometimes."
"Oh we all can from time to time," nodded Ernie.
"I saw your production of Anastasia, by the way," commented Greg, as they crossed onto the grounds. "It was rather brilliant."
"Thanks," nodded Harry.
"How'd you manage that?" asked Ron.
"The Academy bought one of the recordings for me to watch."
"Oh."
"You'll be staying in the teacher's quarters," said Harry, as they entered the castle. "The headmistress will show you where they are."
"Ah, you must be our new director," said McGonagal, coming down the stairs to meet them.
"Yes, ma'am," nodded Greg.
"A pleasure to meet you," she smiled. "Please follow me, I will show you to your quarters."
"Thanks."
"Meet us back here in forty minutes," said Harry. "We'll show you to the Room of Requirement."
"Room of Requirement?" asked Greg.
"You'll see," replied Harry, with a grin.
"Alright, see you then," he nodded, following the headmistress off up the stairs.
=====
"This place is huge," commented Greg, staring around the halls as he, Harry, and Hermione walked up towards the seventh floor. Ron and Ernie had gone ahead to brief the others.
"It isn't like this in Salem?" asked Hermione
"Nah," he replied, shaking his head. "It's all underground...the entrance is this tiny shack that looks like it's about to fall down."
"Must be depressing, not ever seeing the outside," said Harry.
"Well, we do play quidditch too, you know," he smiled, looking up from his stack of notes.
"Do you play?" asked Harry, perking up.
"Chaser," grinned Greg. "Best in the school."
"You should go one-on-one with Ron," suggested Hermione. "He plays keeper for our house."
"I'd love to," he replied with a grin. "I even brought my broom with me, so I have no excuses for losing."
"What do you ride?" asked Harry.
"A Firebolt," replied Greg offhandedly.
"You trying to take the mickey out of me?" asked Harry with a skeptical laugh.
"Not at all," shrugged Greg. "I'm a bit of a gambler back in the states...and fairly good at it too, so I saved up for a while. Wonderful broom."
"Harry has one too," smiled Hermione loyally. "He's quite brilliant."
"You play seeker, right?" asked Greg.
"How'd you know that?" countered Harry.
"Well, just because Voldemort wasn't in America, doesn't mean we didn't hear about everything that happened," replied Greg. "I wish I could've helped out...I'm sorry, it's not my place to say something like that."
"It's alright," said Harry. "We're here."
"This?" asked Greg, pointing to the small door in the middle of the wall. "How on earth did you manage to squeeze a full house through that?"
"Magic?" laughed Hermione, as they opened the door and walked through into the theater.
Everyone was already seated in their usual seats in the front rows, while Ron and Ernie were standing on the stage discussing something in hushed tones.
"Hey guys," called Harry, as the three of them walked up onto the stage. "As you all know, our production of The Phantom of the Opera is being guest directed by a student from the Salem Academy in America. I'd like you all to meet Greg...?"
"Just Greg is fine," he finished, smiling at the crowd.
"Right then," said Harry. "We've actually been waiting for you to make casting decisions, so how about we get started on that?"
"Sounds great," nodded Greg.
"Um," said Ron, stepping forward. "Ernie and I would kinda like to keep our positions of musical and technical directors."
"I don't mind," shrugged Greg. "Does anyone have a problem with that?"
No one said anything, and the new director turned to them.
"As I said before, you two did a brilliant job before, I'd be insane not to let you do it again if you wanted."
"Thanks," muttered Ron, the tips of his ears turning slightly red.
"So, shall we audition the parts?" asked Greg, turning to Harry.
"That's how we did it for Anastasia," he answered. "I think that should be fine."
"Alright then," said Greg as he and the other four took seats in the audience. "Let's just take it one role at a time and work from there."
"Okay, if you want to tryout for Christine, go on up to the stage," said Harry.
"Who are you planning on trying out for?" Greg asked him as Ginny and four other girls who were in younger years stepped forward.
"Piangi," he grinned. "Hermione's going for Carlotta."
"That ought to be quite the show," chuckled Greg, as the five girls on the stage began warming up.
"I wonder who's going to tryout for the Phantom," commented Ron. "It's got to be the most popular part."
"Me," said a voice from behind them. The five of them turned their heads to see Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle sitting behind them.
"You are?" asked Greg, thumbing through a stack of parchment.
"Malfoy," he smiled. "Draco Malfoy."
"Don't corrupt the American," chastised Harry. "If that line didn't work on me, it won't work on him."
"You're Lucius' son, aren't you?" asked Greg, looking him dead in the eyes.
"...I used to be," replied Draco, obviously caught off guard at such an up front question. "I don't have any ties left to what he stood for."
"You know he killed a good friend of mine who was on vacation here," said Greg evenly.
"I..."
"She was a muggle," he continued. "On vacation with her family...they had gone to see a Manchester United match and he killed her during the riot after the game...along with twenty six others, if my memory serves me right."
Draco turned away, obviously ashamed at his deceased father's actions.
"I wanted to come here and find everyone with the Malfoy surname and kill them," continued Greg, though there was no menace with which he spoke. "My friends had to tie me to a chair with anti-apparition cord until I had calmed down."
"I'm sorry," said Draco softly. "I didn't know."
"I know you didn't," replied Greg. "Which is why I'm not mad at you. I just wanted to make sure you were really his son."
"You have my word that I'm nothing like him...not anymore."
Greg glanced at Harry, who nodded discreetly.
"I'm here to direct an award-winning production, not exact revenge," commented Harry. "And my reminiscing about such dreary things has killed the good mood we were all in. Let's start with the audition!"
He and Ernie stepped off to the side together to discuss the candidates, while Harry, Hermione and Ron remained in their same seats.
"Do you think he's alright?" Hermione whispered to Harry as one of the younger girls stepped forward and began to sing.
"He seems like it," he answered as Greg watched the girl with rapt attention. "I think he's a lot like me, actually."
"How so?" asked Ron quietly.
"Like he was forced to grow up all too fast," said Harry as their director leaned back in his chair, a peaceful smile on his face as he listened to the girls sing.
By the time the day came to an end, the entire production had been cast, with Ginny as Christine, Neville as Raoul, and Draco as the Phantom (which came as a surprise to many people). Harry and Hermione had also been given the parts they desired, and in the end, everyone seemed to be satisfied.
"That was good," said Harry, as the last few people filtered out. "We got a lot done today."
"Wait until you see me actually have to do something," smiled Greg.
"Why'd you cast Draco in the part he wanted, after all that before?" asked Ron.
"I told him that I wasn't here for revenge," he answered. "And although there's a part of me that wants to make him suffer like I did, he doesn't seem to be a bad person. And he was also the best choice for the role, without question. It wasn't a hard decision for me...he'll be brilliant."
"Neville, Ginny, and Draco," commented Ernie. "It will certainly be very interesting."
"What makes you say that?" asked Greg.
"Well," continued Ernie, lowering his voice slightly and double checking to make sure the five of them were truly the only ones left. "From what I hear, Nev and Draco both share a slight attraction to our young actress."
The plaster statue Ron was moving across the stage fell from his hands with a tremendous crash, breaking into a million pieces when it hit the wood.
"What did you say?" he asked, not even caring that his prop was lying in a thousand pieces at his feet.
"I said they both like your sister," replied Ernie honestly. "Or so I hear."
"From who?" pressed Ron.
"Well, I know Neville likes her because Dean told me a while ago, and I overhead Blaise talking to Parkinson about Draco."
"It doesn't really bother you, does it Ron?" asked Hermione.
Ron didn't say anything, he just grunted and pulled out his wand, repairing the shattered statue a moment later.
"We'll have to work on that," laughed Greg. "But we have good people here. It should go swimmingly."
"Agreed," nodded Harry.
"Now let's get some rest, rehearsal starts tomorrow, after all."
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Of all the challenges, this one is my least favorite...I didn't like writing myself in at all, so please feel free to be candid in your reviews about how you felt. Next time:
Preparations for show time are in full swing, but a problem outside the company's control threatens to ruin everything. Next time on Hogwarts Drama Co.:
Music through the Night
Until next time!