Scribble

The Ultimate Writer: Round Three

I don't own Hogwarts or any of the characters mentioned in this fanfic that are also in the story. However, Natalie and the rest of the new characters are my creation.

You find yourself in front of seven identical doors. A voice from above tells you,

"These seven doors lead to seven different places: Hogwarts, Neverland, Wonderland, Narnia, Camelot, Middle Earth and Westeros."

Which door do you go through? Why? What happens?

"Could you maybe give me a bit more information?" Natalie yelled up at the direction the voice was coming from. Since there was no answer, she sighed and pushed through the center door.

Almost immediately, a strong breeze started whipping her dark hair around. She was standing in a thick, dark forest, where the trees were being almost blown over.

Natalie heard a door slam behind her and turned to where she had come in from.

The door was gone.

"Great," she murmured. "Now how do I get out?" Where even am I? she thought, turning. It was a normal forest, except-

There! A huge man, walking behind the trees. Natalie debated. What if he was evil? But he looked nice enough, and the frilly umbrella he was carrying couldn't be much of a weapon.

"Ex-excuse me?" she called out, stepping into where she had last seen the man. "Sir? I-I think I'm lost."

She heard a cracking sound from behind her and whirled to see the giant man, pointing his umbrella at her. He relaxed slightly when he saw her face, but still held the umbrella ready.

"Who are yeh?" he rumbled.

"My name is Natalie," the frightened girl said. "Natalie Starling."

"Yer not a student," he mumbled. "I'll have to take yeh up ta Dumbledore."

"Student? There's no school. And who's Dumbledore?"

"No questions now!" the giant barked. "Follow me." And he disappeared into the dark forest.

Natalie stood, shocked for a second, then ran after him. No one would want to be alone in the creepy woods.

Finally, the pair burst out of the forest onto a manicured lawn, leading up to a castle. "What is this place?" Natalie exclaimed, her eyes trailing up the imposing building.

"Hogwarts," the giant answered. "Now don't let anyone see ya." 

Natalie dogged his footsteps up the slight hill towards the castle. When they got inside, she gazed around in wonder. They had entered a huge entrance hall full of students in dark robes with sticks tucked into their bags or hair.

Natalie and the man walked up three flights of stairs before abruptly turning and stopping in front of a large gargoyle. "Chocolate frogs," the man announced.

"What are-" Natalie began, but she stopped when a circular staircase began revolving. There must be some sort of password that activates the mechanism, she thought. But as she passed the ugly gargoyle, she could've sworn she saw it wink at her.

The two stood on the staircase in silence as it moved them up to a small foyer with a large stone door set into it. The giant let the griffon-shaped knocker fall three times.

A soft voice called out, "Come in."

They entered the room, at the end of which a man sat reading over papers at his desk. He looked up at them through half-moon glasses and smiled.

"Ah, Hagrid!" he said, setting down his papers and rising. "And who might this young lady be?"

"My name is Natalie Starling," Natalie said boldly. "And I think I might be lost."

"I found her in the Dark Forest, Professor," Hagrid said, settling down into an extra large chair by the stairs that led up to an upper level. "She didn't seem to know where we were."

The professor gazed at Natalie unblinkingly, and she stared back at him. Blue eyes into blue eyes. Finally, the old man smiled. "She'll do quite nicely. Hagrid, bring me a few chocolate frogs, will you?"

"O' course, Dumbledore," the giant said, straining to get up and grab a few small wrapped candies in a jar on the table near him. He crossed over and set the small boxes on the desk.

"Frog, Natalie?" Professor Dumbledore asked, holding an unwrapped treat out to her.

Natalie took it, unsure about what was going on. "I'm sorry, sir, what do you mean, 'I'll do quite nicely?' And is this a real frog?" she added, for she had thought she felt a small wriggle under her fingers.

"It's not a real frog, it's chocolate. Although it can jump quite a ways." Natalie shrieked and dropped the small creature, which crawled under a chair and disappeared. Dumbledore merely smiled.

"And I meant, you'll do quite quite nicely here." He spread his arms wide. "Welcome, Miss Starling, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Natalie raised an eyebrow.