73. : Incident at a pub – Years ago in Ottery St. at Ol’ Tom’s Pub (No longer there now)

“I came to warn you,” he told the boy. “Dark times are coming.”

The boy shivered, though he tried to hide it. Holding his bottle of butterbeer with both hands. The crazy old man always ran into the pub. Mostly he kept to himself but now on the stormiest night on the darkest day he had chosen to walk over and lay a horrible warning on the poor boy.

“Don’t scare my guests,” Old Tom said, throwing the old man back out in the rain.

Young Arthur Weasley smiled bravely at the pretty waitress, but Molly turned up her nose.

26. : Love’s Confession – Stoatshead Hill

“Couldn’t find one. Looked and looked … me Gran must’ve thrown ‘em away … I couldn’t not a bloody quill. Then the owl’s shot … daft muggle hunters. A-a-and I … had to come.”

Luna Lovegood stood there on the hill, the wind throwing her hair like a white flag on a bright spring day. Yet she said nothing. It was his turn to talk. Neville who was always so quiet.

“I had to tell you … so … I got on a broom and … and …” he kissed her.

“Some things you don’t need words,” she answered smiling.

58. : Ron’s Childhood -The Burrow

The boy’s should have left the book alone, but being curious about magic, and only too eager to start learning it — already Bill and Charlie were dueling around the house — Ron and Ottery had opened the book Mr. Weasley had forbidden them to touch.

Molly Weasley walked in to the kitchen and dropped both bags of groceries, crushing the bread under the ham. Ron was spitting out eggs and Ottery when he tried to talk would hoot like an owl.

“Arthuuuuuuuuur!” Molly screamed. Men could be so careless. She’d only left him to mind the children for five minutes …

---------------------------------------------------------
AN: Being a sequel to no. 52, in which a six year old Ron and six year old Ottery get into all kinds of mischief.

72. : Hermione’s Midsummer Night’s Dream – The Theban Woods in Hermione’s Dreams while at the Burrow

“He doth vex me so, Master Ottery Goodfellow,” the lady said, picking up her dress, walking through the Theban woods. “The crude ruffian,” she began to fan herself.

“Odd place for a meeting is it not, milady?” the fairy boy asked following, “The woods I mean.”

“Come now Ottery, I am quite put out by that red haired boy’s advances. He thinks me unkind, and does me injury with his lips,” Lady Hermione objected.

“Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” Ottery replied, his gossamer wings fluttering.

“He comes hither,” the fairy boy said laughing at his lady’s blushed cheeks.

----------------------------------------------------------
AN: Wherein Ottery plays various and sundry jests with his readers the more intelligent picking up the more subtle readings. This story is inspired by my Shakespearean Homework, which I even now should be doing LOL. My sincerest apologies to Will.

41. : From the journal of Luna Lovegood - Love’s Lane No. 25 the Lovegood Household

Thestrals haunt my dreams.

Rather they haunted my nights as a child. Soon after mother died, after I had gone to Hogwarts. They scared me. I tried telling others but they thought I was mental and they started calling me Loony.

I don’t mind it so much now, but then …

It was spiteful, but you learn to deal with life’s cruelties. Mother always said to be true, to myself. And I try to be with everyone else as well. But truth is a fickle thing; it changes in everyone’s mouths.

Luna put the quill down, blew out the candle.

42. : Bacchus Atis or Artist’s go hungry don’t they? The starving arts – Madame Maison Boarding Chateau

The notice on the door read the usual. If rent wasn’t paid soon he’d be out. It wasn’t the first time Bacchus had entertained the thought of obliviating the landlady. But it would have to be a monthly thing so it was better not done.

He snuck into his apartment. Easels stood in the room, blank or half painted canvases, tarp on the floor and paint in bottles, tubes, everywhere—as much on canvas as on the floor or his smocks.

But this next portrait would take him out of debt for a while, his subject, a young Master Malfoy.

AN: My own character, its own tragedy, a different story.

47. : The night the lights went out in Ottery St. Catchpole – Stoatshead Hill

By cover of darkness they came. Not all foul deeds are done in the dark but this one would be. A group of death eaters had come to the sleepy little town.

“Raze it,” had been the Dark Lord’s only order. With the closing of his fist, and Bellatrix’s wicked smile the town’s fate was sealed.

The boy took a deep breath and dropped the watch, his portkey, still too young to apparate, but obviously not to kill.

Bellatrix smiled at Draco giving him courage.

“Come sweetling. Tonight we rid this filthy town of all its muggles and blood traitors.”

45. : The Morning After – The town square

The city lay in ashes — what was left.

Not since the Romans had attempted to reassert their empire, what depression nor even the Luftwaffe could accomplish a simple torch had.

The town was empty, devastated. Leaving only the bones of a dead goliath.

Harry picked up a picture. It was a daguerreotype of the city. Streets busy with people and carriages, old stone buildings — now no longer there.

“What was it all for?” Ron asked, his face sooty like a chimney sweeps. Hermione wiped his cheeks with her kerchief.

Ginny was crying, arms at her side, hands fisted in rage.

36. : Bewitched – The courting stone on the South Hill

“I can’t marry you Jed, you’re a muggle.”

“Well, I know I’m not smart, Nancy but …”

“That’s not what I meant you lout,” she answered, rolling her eyes, “It’s just …”

“I love you Nancy O’Hara Reardon, and I mean to marry you if you’ll have me.”

“But our children Jed, you’d … ”

Jed was not a smart man, nor could he think up eloquent words, it was actions with which he spoke. He picked up Nancy over his shoulder and started for the church.

“Jedediah Abraham Rourke Witherspoon, you’ll live to regret this,” she screamed beating him.

49. : Old Jealousies - Walking down Main Street on a Sunday Afternoon

“If you’d wanted to go with me. If you’d wanted to dance,”

“Now I didn’t say anything about that,” Ron objected.

“Then why didn’t you just ask me to the Yule Ball, Ronald?”

“Yeah, because you’d have picked me over the greatest quidditch player, EVER!” The boy replied.

Hermione rolled her eyes, huffed and walked ahead of the boy. But Ron could be insufferable, “I don’t care about quidditch Ron!”

“I know … I just …” he gave her a funny look, “I don’t get that. Even Parvati and Lav—,”

“Of course you’d know what Lav-Lav thinks of Quidditch.”

59. : My Brown Eyed Girl or Love’s Funny when you’re six - The Ottery St. Catchpole Academy Playground, Recess

The boy thought he’d just ignore her, the pig tailed girl. But her laugh carried over the yard. The dark haired boy looked over his eyes in a squint. Did she have to be so, annoying? Ron on the other end of the seesaw got off while Ottery was up in the air. Letting him come crashing down.

Ottery flew off the seesaw and into the dirt.

Ron laughed.

“Why’d you do that?” he complained.

Of course she had to come rushing over to see if he was all right.

“You all right?”

The boy crossed his arms and pouted.

77. : Rainy days and Sundays always make me sad – The old oak tree off Main Street

It was raining and he didn’t have an umbrella having forgotten along with his wand. So he stood under the shelter of a tree, hoping the bursts of lighting wouldn’t strike him. He shivered with the cold.

Walking down the lane schoolgirls laughed as they walked past under and umbrella. Ottery pouted. Just then he wished he had his wand.

He sighed.

Then as if heaven sent a giant white umbrella with the words “cheerful love” on them popped out from up the street. Ottery recognized it.

“Looks like you need a friend,” Ginny smiled.

He grinned in reply, cheerful.

86. : Push comes to shove or doves have wings – The cliff overlooking Dead Man’s Drop

“You lack the daring,” she said. It was those words had brought him to the cliff.

“If you were ever going to do anything you’d have done it by now.” Those words had stung, in light of the fact Rosalind was with Orlando now. All because his faint heart had …

But that was going to change now.

“Albert don’t do anything rash,” she said, as the crowd gathered around her.

The boy waved.

“Nope. You should only ever do rash things,” he thought and jumped.

Fainting, she didn’t get to see Albert flying, as he flapped his makeshift wings.

100. : Heroes and villains - Love’s Lane No. 25 the Lovegood Household

Luna sat at her desk ignoring her homework, thoughts of Neville flittering through her mind. She could see him, carrying Hermione through the Department of Mysteries. It had been a horrid night … though filled with adventure.

Ron had looked so human … so frail, but Neville … he had been so valiant, trying to fight, unwilling to leave a fallen friend behind. She shivered a little at the thought.

Pushing aside her summer homework she pulled a blank parchment to write the boy a letter. She hoped he was well … and perhaps his holidays might bring him nearby.

40. : A game as old as time or giggling girls make me nervous!!!!! - The town square

Now a spell is a curious thing. They come in different forms and ways but none more subtly, or strongly than love, which strikes unawares. One minute he was a normal boy playing games, school, hanging out with his friends, his only worry the Saturday Morning line up. Then Bam!

Girls everywhere — mesmerizing and alluring.

It was Cindy who was pulling the strings of his heart. He watched her coming down the street, with a group of friends. Running a hand through his hair, he walked past, “Hey Cindy,” he said trying to be casual.

She smiled the girls giggling.

67. : “I didn’t do it Officer, I was framed, I tell you!” - Downtown, the Police Station of Ottery St.

“The job of the police O’Hanlan is to quell riots son, not to start them.”

Next to the officer, the dark haired boy sat whistling.

“But I tell you chief, I didn’t … the boy was the one riding the dragon.

“Riding a dragon, you say?” the chief asked, while the boy moved his finger next to his head still whistling in the international sign for, “Mental, that one.”

“Maybe you need a holiday son, you’ve been working too hard.”

“Aye sir, I could’ve sworn he’d been riding with a leprechaun too.”

Ottery shrugged, smiling at the Chief of Police.

60. : The Moon’s Knight – A country lane

Cedric didn’t like those kind of jokes. Luna Lovegood was standing covered in mud, while the boys laughed. Wand in hand he meant to hex them but he couldn’t. It was his first year at Hogwarts he couldn’t get booted out already. So, he handing Luna his wand he proceeded to trounce the boys.

To their left the sun was setting, the two mud covered children walked down the country lane. Luna chattering away pleasantly about what she thought Hogwarts was like, Cedric with a black eye, and a bleeding lip. He smiled, feeling sorrier for the one’s who’d lost.

69. : Un amor exagerado – A street corner lamplight on 6th street

Her reply was a slap. It echoed down the street, in the twilight.
“Maria,” he said, running after her. She cried as she ran. “Maria I love you …”

And five years later, standing on the street corner where she had left him he stood under the street lamp in daylight. He was watching her across the street. She had walked over to the café, and he had meant to run over and say hello … but then the man had stood up and she had kissed him. Two children ran up to hug her and that had settled that.

32. : Old fools and Young Minds – The Burrow

“A common room, why that’d be any room anywhere,” the man puffed on his pipe smiling mischievously.

“No Grandpa, I mean the Gryffindor one, what was that like?”

“Oh that one,” he replied with feigned exaggeration.

“It was a grand hall. We’d sit there having D.A. Meetings …”

“No you didn’t Grandpa, that was the Come-and-Go Room, remember?” the boy corrected. The old man’s memory infallible.

“Why don’t you tell the story? You know it better.”

The boy started telling of the legendary school were once heroes like Godric Gryffindor, Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione Weasley had gone.

35. : Murder most fowl – A dark alley off of Main Street

“Pureblood,” the man said, turning his hat in his hand.

“That could only mean –”

“The killer was a wizard. It also narrows down the search.”

The body lay on the street under a white sheet.

“Poor lad, just a muggle in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Kingsley, looked at Arthur.

“Was he? Or did they look for him and do this so they could send a sign. Maybe you and Molly … ”

“They won’t run us from our home,” Arthur answered.

Kingsley sighed. The war was turning ugly, as all wars are. Always innocents would pay.

20. : Lord of the ring - The Lovegood Household Garden

“I got this for you at Hogsmeade,” the boy said nervously, handing Luna the ring.

“Is that a dragon?” she asked, looking at the design.

“Yeah,” Neville said blushing nervously.

“I’m not going to kiss you just because you gave me a ring,” she said, and she saw the boy jump back.

“That’s not why …”

Luna leaned forward and kissed the boy on the lips.

“I’m kissing you because I think you’re sweet,” she said.

From behind a tree, a boy yelled, “Score!”

Luna and Neville turned to see Ron, Ottery and Harry scurrying to hide behind the tree.

68. : Ottery loves Ron or I think he swallowed a lion – Tom’s Grocery

“Now that’s what I call an almighty roar,” the candy store vendor said, grinning.

The dark haired boy smiled looking in his pocket for change as Ron growled.

“Doesn’t your friend want any candy?” the shopkeeper asked. Ron roared at him again, so loudly and so much like a lion the vendor actually stepped back. “Now son don’t you thnk you should stop now?”

Ottery dropped the money on the counter, grabbing a hold of Ron’s hand dragged him out of there holding candy in his fist.

“That’s just the problem mister,” Ottery was thinking, “I can’t make him stop.”

30. : The needs of the many supercede the needs of the one – Main Street

Christmas eve and the streets were snow covered and empty. The little boy walked lost. He did not know where he was now, only that it was cold and he couldn’t stop walking.

His stomach ached. He was lonely and scared.

“Alone on Christmas eve?” a man dressed in white asked.

The boy shrugged, he looked oddly familiar.

“If you come with me, I’ll take you where there’s a feast.”

The boy smiled taking his hand. He could feel a cut in his palm.

Christmas dawned, people celebrating and happy while a boy’s cold form lay lonely, hungry no more.

10. : Nascent Love – The Living Room of the Burrow one summer’s evening

“Arithmancy, that’s magical math,” Ottery said.

“Like you’d know anything about it,” Ron remarked grinning, the dark haired boy threw his hat at him.

Ginny giggled.

“It’s what Ottery needs to help him with his math homework,” Harry added laughing. Surprised, Ginny couldn’t but laugh.

It had been lonely around. Ron and the twins gone to Hogwarts. Summer now Harry had come to visit. Ginny blushed most of the time or ran from the room when he was there. He was so cute in person, so sweet, but she couldn’t talk or fight the impulse to flee when he smiled.

6. : The art of Divination or pass the tea leaves please-Madame Zoinks Visionary Shoppe (A muggle establishment)

The boys were giggling mischievously as they walked past the old caravan with the loudly bright painted sign that read:

Madame Zoinks Visionary Shoppe
Visions of the future the past or the present
Assorted cataclysms and warding charms and spells
Most for under twenty quid

The old gypsy was standing outside. “You laugh at what you don’t know. Btu if you knew the things I see in your future maybe you wouldn’t be laughing so hard,” she screamed.

The boys roared even more loudly in peels of jubilant laughter.

Madame Zoinks sighed and said, “I gotta get outta this racket.”