Hogwarts Express: Time Travel

XXVIII. Scabbers and Crookshanks

XXVIII. Scabbers and Crookshanks

Through the window: the rooftops of London. A train passes in the room is Annie, standing with Hedwig. She turns, eyes her schoolbooks. She studies the growling tome -- The Monster Book of Monsters – then gives the rope a tug. Instantly... the book LEAPS to the floor, pages flying, book covers snapping. Annie gives chase, then the book turns, begins nipping viciously at her shoes. Annie vaults atop the bed, watches the book disappear underneath, then grabs her sock throw it on the ground. Seconds later, the book scuttles into view and Annie pounces-- FLUMPH! The book roars angrily, muffled beneath her feet. Annie takes the ROPE, prepares to rebind it.

"I told you book are dangerous!" Sirius wide eyed screams at Remus whom with every bookworm in the room roll their eyes at him even Bella surprisingly

"Shut up, they're not"

A young witch in maid's robes pushes a cart down the hall. Annie exits her room as the witch knocks on a door.

Witch: Housekeeping. [As she opens the door, she's greeted by a thunderous roar and a rush of wind] I'll come back later.

"Rude much!"

Something small and fast dashes by Annie's feet. Looking, he spies a rather ragged-looking rat (Scabbers), pursued by a decidedly ugly orange cat (Crookshanks). As Annie moves down the stairs, voices echo from below.

Ron: I'm warning you, Hermione! Keep that bloody beast of yours away from Scabbers or I'll turn it into a tea cozy.

Hermione: He's a cat, Ronald! What do you expect? It's in his nature. [As Annie reaches bottom, she finds Ron Weasley protectively cradling Scabbers, while Hermione Granger does her best to restrain a hissing Crookshanks]

Ron: A cat! Is that what they told you? Looks more like a pig with hair if you ask me.

Hermione: That's rich coming from the owner of that smelly old shoe brush. [cooing to the cat] It's all right, Crookshanks. You just ignore the mean little boy... [Then, sensing another presence in the room, both turn]

Hermione/ Ron: Annie.

A DOG-EARED clipping from The Daily Prophet. A HEADLINE SCREAMS: "GRAND PRIZE WINNER VISITS EGYPT!" In the accompanying photo, the entire Weasley Family stands before the great pyramids, waving. Smack in the middle is Ron, Scabbers perched on his shoulder. As Ron smoothes the dog-eared clipping onto the table, Annie studies it. Hermione ignores it, stroking Crookshanks.

Annie: Egypt! What's it like?

Ron: Brilliant. It's got loads of old stuff. Mummies. Death masks. Tombs --

Hermione: You know, the ancient Egyptians of the Nile River delta worshipped the cat goddess Beast. [Ron glares stonily at Hermione, then turns back to Annie.]

Ron: I also got a new wand. [Just then, a commotion is heard. The Weasleys -- Percy, Fred, George, Ginny, Arthur, and Molly-- arrive en masse, laden with purchases from Diagon Alley]

George: Not flashing that clipping about again, are you, Ron?

Ron: I haven't shown anyone!

Fred: No, not a soul. Unless you count Tom. The day maid. The night maid. The cook. The bloke that came to fix the toilet. That wizard from Belgium..[Fred trails off as his eyes fell on a smiling Annie] Hey Annie

Annie: [Smiling brightly] Hey Fred! George!

"Ohhhh she's not blushing anymore, tough luck my friend!" Fabian laughed