Harry Paper and the Secret Legacy

HARRY PAPER AND THE SECRET LEGACY

By Superfolder Guillermo 

 Note from the Author:

This story takes place after Foldemort but at the same time as Gilderoy Lock-art!

—————————

On the edge of a table, there lay a boy, no more than 11 years old. 

His eyes were red and covered with tears, his hands, clenched into fists, were trying to hold on desperately to this said table, and one of the two was holding a piece of paper, a newspaper, to be exact.

To regrettably inform the passing away of Mr and Mrs Walker, two citizens of Ilkley, England. 

He couldn’t believe it. His father, and his mother were now gone, and he had never had the chance to tell them how much he appreciated everything they had done for him. 

THE EMAIL FROM SCHOOL 

By Dennis Walker 

I went down the stairs after a long time of reflection. 

The news of my parent’s death had only arrived one hour before I came out of my room, only to find a group of policemen out on the porch. 

“Yes, I know. No, of course not.” I could hear him mumble. “What? Oh the kid?” 

I heard the sound of someone coming my way, to the stairs, where I quietly sat. 

The last thing I wanted was to have to answer a bunch of questions to a policeman just so he could do his job. 

I just laid there, in a mixture of anger and sadness. I didn’t know what to do.

I thought about pinching myself, and seeing if this was all a bad dream.

“It isn’t,” I told myself, even though this hard reality did feel like a nightmare, because real life can’t even begin to hold this pain.

“Son,” The policeman put a hand on my shoulder, and my brown, watery eyes looked at him through the darkness of the room. He looked like he understood. 

But he couldn’t.

“I know what you are going through, son,” He said, “I really do. So please tell me if you need any help whatsoever.”

I tried to nod but, what was the use?

I continued to look forward. I didn’t even feel the need to blink. I hoped the sky would fall on us and this all ended here.

Why me?

“I know you don’t want to talk,” The policeman interrupted a second time, “But I need to know. Do you have any close relatives who can take care of you for now?”

I thought to myself.

“My big brother Henry is living in Leeds, relatively far from here-“

“-trouble at school?”

“He got expelled from the school I was going to enroll in this year.”

“Anyone else?”

“I don’t have any grandparents left.”

“Uncles?”

“Mom was an only child, and dad lost his brother-“

“Relatives?”

I looked at him defiantly. Did he not understand he was making me even more conscious of the fact that I was completely alone?

“But mom had a cousin in Illinois.”

“That’s gonna be of no help right now.” The cop told his partner, who had just come in.”

“Worst case scenario, the state can provide him a house right next to the school, and he can live there.”

“I think that’s gonna have to do for now.”

“There-“ Dennis interrupted them both, “My brother had a girlfriend. She was always nice to me.”

“- I was the guy who looked into your brother’s files. Your brother was expelled from hurting her, so If I were her, I wouldn’t want anything to do with this.” The other guy said.

The first cop bent down next to me.

“You should pack your things.”

I sat on my new bed and looked out the window.

This was a completely new part of Ilkley. The town center.

There was dirt on the window, which I scrapped out with relative ease.

That fixed my sight to the hill to my right, and on top of it, a giant castle-like school: Ilkley Grammar School.

I had never taken the duty of looking out for my email, so it wasn’t until the 4th of September that the apartment’s keeper knocked on my door and warned me that School started on the next day, and that I better start preparing.

I looked at my email for the first time in a long time., and then started reading.

To: Dennis Walker

Sapientia et statura proficiamus

ILKLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Dear Mr Walker,

From the department of Ilkley Grammar School, we offer you our most sincere regrets about your parents passing. We hope that you find strength in yourself and the people willing to help you.

As well, we use this email as a means to communicate to you that the next 5th of September, you will hopefully start attending our school, located just next to your apartment.

We send you a list of materials essential for your learning, and we wish you the best of luck,

Sincerely,

Dr Marshall,

Headmaster of IGS and  head of Chemistry.

 “Well,” I thought to myself, “At least I know I won’t be as alone as I have been this last week.”

Then I looked at the other email, which contained only a list of two materials:

IGS uniform: blazer, dark pants and a tie (in your case, red)

I-Pad (from 2015 on)

Thankfully, my parents had bought me my new I-Pad this summer while Henry went on dates with Eva (this seems like ages ago now), but where was I supposed to get the uniform?

The bell rang, as if my mind had been read.

I didn’t know if I was supposed to unlock the door by myself, but I did it anyway. 

A big, tall and blonde guy stood at the entrance.

THE KEEPER OF PEAS 

By Dennis Walker

“Hi Lucas! I’m Dennis!-  I mean,” He started, “You’re Dennis, I’m Lucas.”

“Yes, I know who I am.” I replied.

“No you don’t – I mean.Yes!!!”

I looked at this guy.

“I’m sorry. But who are you?”

“Lucas Redmayne, keeper of peas and student on IGS. Bagrid, really. I was a friend of your brother’s.”

“Excuse me,” I was super confused, “Keeper of what? What’s a Bagrid?”

He laughed.

“Hagrid plus bag… Bagrid!”

I didn’t nod in agreement, something he expected, because he started making more sense.

“Come on!” He continued, “Didn’t your brother tell you anything about what we did at school?”

I didn’t know who the tall guy was, but he sure looked like he knew more stuff about me that I actually did at the moment.

At the moment.

“I was a friend of his.” Lucas repeated.

“Oh,” I was relieved there was someone I was supposed to know, at least from a distance, “Hey then.”

“I heard you were staying here, I just wondered if you need any help.”

I thought for a second.

“Actually, I was wondering where I could get the school uniform.”

“Ah yes, I’ll take you there! Come with me and take your wallet.”

It wasn’t long before I was walking with him through the street.

“What does the tie colour actually mean?”

He leaned close to me, and he whispered: 

“You’re a student, Dennis.”

“Gee, thanks-“

“- And for good or bad, your brother was rather popular at school. He and Alastor Bismarck were the best of rabblemakers. You’ve got a legacy to live up to.”

“Rabble maker legacy? No thanks.” I replied to him.

We shortly arrived at the shop. I suddenly had a vivid flashback from many years ago, when Henry had come here for the first time. I was with him.

“How may I help you?”

“We want some IGS uniform, ma’am.”

“Of course, of course.” She left in search of the uniform, but came back later, “Colour of the tie?”

Lucas looked at me, inspecting.

“Well my guess is red. Like his brother.”

“Red, then.”

It had been a weird experience, going with this guy. Not gonna lie.

He left me at my door and I thanked him, even though I wasn’t very sure what he’d been up to, still.

Never mind. I had to go to sleep. I had to wake up early the next morning.

REUBEN

 By Dennis Walker

The alarm clock went off with ‘walk on the seaside’ playing.

That’s what you get when the only thing your parents have you as a phone was a Samsung Galaxy S3 from your older brother.

Thanking about that hurt. I missed my parents, and just realising that made me feel worse .

I need strength

I sighed.

The pants came in easily, and so did the white shirt and black blazer – which showed the school symbol proudly stamped on the chest along with the school motto: Sapientia et statura proficiamus

“Whatever that means.” I thought to myself.

I was as hungry as I could be, but I hadn’t been told where to have breakfast or anything. Nor had I bothered to check anywhere.

“Darn.” 

I looked through the emails. The letter from school didn’t say anything.

I searched the school site.

“Join the book club… heck no, what am I… Breakfast club? Yes!”

I clicked on it. Very honestly, I hadn’t expected anything like a breakfast club. Henry hadn’t told me about it.

But then again, he never did tell you anything, did he?

I locked the door behind me and in a matter of five minutes, over the top of the Ilkley Town hill, there was the school I had heard so much about.

Only it was closed, and only a person wearing a blue coat was there waiting.

“Good afternoon, young man,” He said, “You lost?”

This surprised me. 

“I’m looking for the breakfast club.”

“Breakfast club?!” He replied, and immediately opened the school gates -which, not to my surprise again, had the school logo on them, “Straight ahead. In the cafeteria.”

I nodded and rapidly pushed myself through said gates.

“Do I know you?” The blue uniformed guard asked before keeping on doing whatever he had been doing.

I thought maybe he was mistaking me with my brother. I was about to tell him, but I figured it was best if I kept that information to myself. 

After all, he wasn’t in the school anymore, and not because he did something pretty, either.

CAFETERIA (YEARS 7-9)

I was a year seven, that’s all I knew. A seventh grader basically, but that’s how we call it here.

The cafeteria was HUGE. It had around 15 different tables spread around the hall and a stage at the back. At the front was a tray dispenser and the kitchen. There were a fairly decent amount of kids sitting and talking while they ate.

“Hey,” A blond haired boy snapped me out of my subconscious, “I’m kinda confused. Is this the line to get breakfast?”

I mumbled.

“I. Um. No?”

“Oh, then where is it?”

“I’m kinda new here, so I don’t know.” I said, nodding.

We looked around until we just realised that there was no line at all. 

“Hey guys, I’m lunchan Joe, good morning,” The Lunchman said, and quickly gave us a toast and something which I couldn’t identify, “Wanna pudding mate?”

“I want to do what?” I was very confused, “Oh, yeah.”

“Name?”

“Dennis Walker.”

His eyes widened.

“You wouldn’t happen to know Henry Walker, right?”

“He’s my brother.” I figured lying would only make matters worse.

“Straight ahead.” He pointed at a nearby desk without taking his eye off me. Him, or any other teacher around the area.

The blond haired boy sat down next to me.

“What’s up with your brother? It’s fine if you don’t wanna tell me, I’m just curious.”

“My brother’s name was Henry Walker, he’s not very popular around here, so to say.”

“Oh,” He looked at me with a mixture of perplexity and astonishment, “You are Henry’s brother?”

“You know him?”

“Yeah. I mean no. I heard from him,” He corrected himself, “My brother, Dylan Yeates broke his leg or something because of a rugby match on the opposite team.”

“My brother was good at Rugby.” I poked my toast, reminding myself of the time he came home from school with a Rugby school team medal.

“I won! We won!” He said.

“I’m so proud of you.” Mom replied, smiling.

That all seemed so far away. Now my brother has ruined his reputation for trying to hurt his girlfriend. And got himself expelled for good ( I sometimes wish that that guy who caught him, William Michaels – the new school hero – hadn’t caught him. But then again, what would have been of Eva if Michaels hadn’t intervened?

I had heard the story several times. After all, that’s what stopped me from seeing my brother in a long time.

And then my parents… My parents were now gone. And there was nothing I could do.

“Dylan told me about him.” 

There was an awkward pause.

“What’s your name, by the way?” 

“I’m Dennis, you?”

“Reuben Yeates, nice to meet you.”

“Cheers.” I replied and looked around with my eyes.

The guy I met the night before, that Bagrid guy, was heading to our table.

I WONDER

By Darren Graham 

My new job, or employment as one may call it, as a finger puppet seller has become one of the things I most enjoy doing: Meeting newcomers in the school and giving them their first origami finger puppets (which represent an unique character which legacy they can live up to).

Now when Dennis Walker accompanied by Lucas Redmayne came to my locker and asked where I was, I knew what part I was going to play in all of this.

“Darren!” Lucas laughed, “How was the summer, my friend?”

“It was great, man! I did some stuff with Gary. He took me to horse riding lessons, and then went out with my friends a lot, you know?”

“I’m glad,” He replied.

“Anyways, new boy, right?”

“Here he is.” 

I could tell this new seventh grader was kind of confused.

“There are many new seventh graders today, Lucas. What makes you think this one is special enough to wield a puppet character?”

Lucas raised an eyebrow and smiled.

“And not just any puppet, Darren… The one.”

At first, I didn’t know what he meant, but then I remberes he could only e talking about one single puppet. The one.

“Can I talk to you privately, Lucas?”

He patted the boy who I would later know as Dennis Walker on the shoulder (a boy only 4 years younger than Lucas, but looked even younger), and came to talk to me.

“Alright now this is rude to Dennis.” Lucas whispered.

“Dennis? Oh the boy!”

“Dennis Walker.”

Walker. I remembered the brother. That last name struck me like lightning when I heard it, and I could see Henry Walker laughing it off with Alastor Bismarck once again.

“And you want him to give him the puppet? After all his brother did?”

Lucas looked down, and then back up to face me with a determined look.

“Henry’s puppet was James Folder, or James Potter, father of Harry Potter. It only makes sense.”

“Yeah, but James Potter didn’t set Lily on fire!”

“This boy has potential. Do you think it’s a coincidence his parents died no more than a couple of weeks ago?”

“What are you saying?” I didn’t know if I was understanding correctly, or if he was just making stuff up.

“I’m saying you give him a chance.” Lucas retreated back to Dennis 

“Very well.” I opened my locker and inserted my hand. I got an origami puppet out, “I hope you’re right about this, Lucas.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Dennis asked, kind of scared, “What’s the piece of paper?”

“Dennis Walker, you have been chosen (Let it be casualty of fate), to wield Harry Folder.” I handed the origami puppet to him, he took it without taking his eyes off of me.

A couple of books fell from my locker when this happened.

Before Lucas turned his back to leave, I made sure to warn him.

“It isn’t just paper. It means something.” I stated.

“I know.”

“Then make sure he knows.” I signalled Dennis with the chin.

A WINDOW TO THE PAST

By Dennis Walker

That was a weird experience, but weirder was the puppet I know had in my hand.

It was a basic fold from what I could tell.

Heck, I wouldn’t be able to fold it, but I know what origami is and how complicated it can be… This was nowhere near that.

Simple fold, black paper reassembling the Hogwarts school robes (Who hasn’t seen the movies or read the books?), and a red lightning bolt on the head just below the black hair. Round glasses above his nose.

Everyone in the school would know I was holding a paper Harry Potter in my hand.

“Lucas, Someone’s gonna see me with this paper, and I don’t want to ruin my reputation just yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s weird! No one carries origami finger puppets around school!”

Lucas smiled, as what I said was funny.

“Maybe a year ago it would’ve been… But after that teacher, Mrs Eagle, started this whole Harry Potter puppet thing, and Tim Baker solved a school case with puppets… Having what you have is a ticket to school royalty.”

I stopped him with my hand. I was even surprised by my action, but I was desperate.

“What. Is. Happening,” I started, “And why isn’t anyone telling me anything? Do you know how much I’ve lost?”

“Dennis,” He sat down on a nearby bench, “Your brother was a very popular, funny guy, you know that?”

I nodded in agreement.

“He took the role of origami James Potter, or James Folder, and with his group of friends, he stopped a group of jerks led by William Michaels from, ehm, let’s say throwing Henry’s future girlfriend, Eva, into the river. Or so they say.”

“Or so they say?” I repeated, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s interesting that it’s the same summer. This summer, Henry and Eva went to a party with their friends. No one knows how, no one knows why, but your brother, Henry Walker, almost set Eva on fire, and nearly killed her.”

I couldn’t look at myself, but I was sure I was completely pale.

I heard he had done something bad. But that bad?

“No,” I said, “Henry was a jerk at times, but he wouldn’t do that.”

Lucas nodded.

Thankfully, there was a guy there, an athistic kid, that guy, Walter. He saw the scene and warned another guy, who warned the nearest group of kinds to help. Those kids were William Michaels and his friends.

If it hadn’t been for them, Eva wouldn’t have lived.”

This was all coming too fast for me. I could try to deny all that but, I wasn’t there, Henry didn’t tell me anything, and what good would it do? My brother was miles away from me already. It wouldn’t change a thing.

“I still can’t believe Henry would… do that. You know?” I looked at my new black shoes with laces. They were pointy at the end. School uniform thing.

“Sometimes it’s the people we expect nothing of that end up doing the most surprising things, Dennis,” Lucas said, “Now you better check your timetable, classes should start-“

The bell rang right then.

“-now.” 

I checked the timetable. Chemistry class was first. I was about to ask Lucas where the P12 classroom was, but Lucas had disappeared.

Not to worry, I found it anyway. 

An average height, red haired teacher was checking his computer. He saw me come in.

I already knew who he was. I knew there were two chemistry teachers in the school. One of them was Mrs Eagle, the one who Lucas told me started the whole origami Harry Potter mania, and then the one I had before me then: Doctor Marshall. Overall a very nice dude, from what I heard.

“Hey, man,” He high fives me when I came in, “You must be Dennis Walker. Yes I wondered where you’d be.”

I looked around, the others were already working on some project or whatever, mixing stuff.

“You go find a table and join a group, okay? Please tell me if you need anything whatsoever.”

I smiled.

“Thanks.”

It was hard to find teachers like this these days.

ALYSSON MOREAU

By Reuben Yeates 

I was super glad when I saw Dennis Walker coming my way with Doctor Marshall. The girl I got paired up with, Alysson Moreau, was starting to get on my nerves.

She got paired up with me because the other boys paired up, and the rest were all girls. I guess she didn’t fit in, so she came to me.

I couldn’t stand her perfectionism.

“You’re doing it wrong!” She halfway yelled at me, “It’s 90.0 milligrams, not 0.06 milligrams!”

“Oh!” I got the book in my hands, “Sorry. I had the book upside down.”

“Oh my gosh, Reuben!”

“Hey, Dennis!” I got his attention when I saw him. I was glad to see a familiar face.

“Reuben, am I glad to see you.”

“Okay, you two look like you need help,” Doctor Marshall observed, “Allyson, meet Dennis. Now I’ve got year 12 tests to correct. Dylan Yeates needs to revise a bit more-“

“-Not my problem.” I replied.

“How many brothers have you got?”

“4, and then me.”

“Cool,” Dennis nodded, “Now let’s do this chemistry thing.”

“Oy, thanks.” Alysson shot a raging look at Reuben and continued doing the mixture thing. 

When the time was finished, we packed up and headed out.

“Where are you guys going now?” Alysson stuck around, something I didn’t imagine she would do.

I quickly checked the timetable, but with all the anxiety I dropped it.

I guess it’s what happens when you talk to a girl for the first time in years.

“I, ehm, Physics.” I replied.

“Same,” She had a proud look on her face, “I hope we don’t have to do any more experiments thought, because you guys should revise the steps throughly.”

“We’ve only just started school today. Relax girl-“ I was annoyed, but was interrupted because I saw a black haired kid, probably a year twelve student, pass by and almost knock Dennis off the ground.

They both locked eyes for a moment, and then he left.

“You alright?” Alysson asked Dennis, concerned.

“Who’s the d*@k?” 

“I don’t know, but he looks very familiar…,” Dennis noted, still looking where he came from, “Like a friend of my brother’s or something.”

“I’d forget about that. Let’s go to Physics class.” Alysson finished the dialogue.

And they did.

RUGBY MATCH

By Dennis Walker 

Needless to say that weeks went by with a relative speed at first, and then the speed increased at an increasing rate.

Before I realised how fast time went by, we were already on Halloween.

The school had its panels on the walls for the occasion; large drawn pumpkins or whatever, you know what Halloween’s like.

The teachers weren’t cutting us any slack though. That exact same morning, we had PE, and we were starting with Rugby.

“I’ve never played Rugby before. How am I supposed to know what to do?” I was worried.

“I was told they separate us into two teams; the ones who know how to play, and the ones who don’t,” Reuben explained, “So I wouldn’t worry about that too much.”

“I hope.” Alysson added.

“Where did you come from?” Reuben asked her.

“I was behind you all along. You didn’t notice though.”

“Didn’t I? Oh, my bad.” Reuben puffed ironically.

“Alright, guys. We’re gonna start playing Rugby today,” Mr Peltier started talking, “Firstly I would like to remind you of any violence against team members, and you will be invited to leave the school forever, if you know what I mean.”

“Compare this guy to Doctor Marshall.” Reuben grunted.

“A student was injured last year, and we had to call an ambulance to pick him up.”

“My brother.” Reuben intervened again.

“Shut up!” Alysson snapped.

“That’s it, you two,” Mr Peltier was mad, “Reuben and Alysson out of the field. Now!”

“But-“

“Now!!!”

I saw them both head out. The bad news? Now I was gonna be alone in the match, without any friends.

Mr Peltier called my name, and I replied. 

“Have you ever played Rugby?”

“No, sir.”

As if we hadn’t listened, he grabbed the second list (where he was putting the experts) and took note of me there.

I was about to complain, but seeing how he sent my two friends out for nothing, I wasn’t going to take the chance.

Mr Peltier blew the whistle, and I looked across the field to where Reuben and Alysson had been sent. I could tell they were arguing already.

“Go, Walker!!”

I snapped out of my subconscious and ran to get the ball in the hands of the opposite team. Hands of Dorian Green, actually.

I didn’t know much about that guy, but I knew he was one of those teacher suck-ups. He pretended to be a nice kid, and yet he bullied the others when teachers weren’t looking.

I ran to him, my brown glasses were getting tarnished because of the wind, cold, and the little droplets of water that were starting to fall from the sky. Nothing but another day in England.

Dorian Green stopped mid-pitch. The rest were all behind us and it would take a while for them to come and get us. I stopped too. Was something wrong?

“I wanna see you try and take it from me, Walker.”

“Rubbish.” I turned my head back. The rest would get here soon.

When Dorian looked back too, I charged him and took the ball, only in a different direction. 

Dregen Yeates, one of Reuben’s brothers (he was one year older), told me to pass it to him, which I did.

The opposite team was starting to close around him, but I sped through and took the ball from Dregen, taking it to the goal.

We had won.

Mr Peltier called me after class.

“I hadn’t realised this. You must be Henry Walker’s brother.”

“Dennis Walker.” I corrected him. I was already getting tired of being connected to a brother I had no relation or connection with.

“Yes, well,” The teacher blinked, “You’re pretty good. That’s not so,etching everyone can do… Did you say this was your first time?”

“Yes.”

“Brilliant,” He got his famous checklist and once again, took note, “Very well, Dennis, we’ll be in touch.”

When I turned around, I could swear I saw another kid, older than me, searching through my PE bag.

“Hey, man!” I yelled at him. This seemed to set his alarm off, because he ran away.

A MESSAGE

By Alisson Moreau

After PE class, Reuben got so annoyed and mad at me that he didn’t have lunch with Dennis and I. Not that I cared, because he’s kind of a selfish guy, but I felt bad for Dennis because I bet he wanted to tell him he was going to be playing for the school Rugby team from then on.

Dennis turned out to be a great friend (and Reuben as well, most of the time). It was nice to enjoy someone else’s company rather than my own, which I had always had up to this point.

They really seemed like they did care, so that’s why I was kind of concerned with the letter.

We were finishing up our lunch. Actually, he was. I was already done. He had his mouth full but he kept talking about how happy he was to get on so well with a teacher like Mr Peltier, who didn’t like anyone else.

He finished, got up, and we marched towards the lockers in the hallway on M block.

We had to go through the entire field, and the wind was blowing in all directions.

“I really need to buy a scarf.” Dennis noted.

“Yeah, thank gosh my parents bought one for me.”

He stopped walking, and it hit me like lightning while he stared at me with a killing look.

“Oh, gosh. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that!,” I tried to rescue the friendship, which was starting to die, so to say, “Oh my. I’m sorry.”

He looked down.

“Don’t worry,” He replied , “It’s alright.”

I walked to him and put my arm around him.

“It’s going to be okay.”

We walked silently to the lockers, and he opened his up. A note quickly fell to the cold hallway marble floor.

I couldn’t read it, because Dennis quickly took it and read it. He smiled.

“Look at this!” He exclaimed.

I glanced at the letter.

Hey Dennis,

I really like you. Could we meet at the M12 classroom after school? 🙂

I opened my mouth to speak, but someone roared from the back.

“That’s awesome, man!” Reuben high fived Dennis, “You’re so lucky.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“And where did you come from?” 

“Therapy, actually.”

“Therapy?”

“From talking to you.”

“Guy, guys,” Dennis interrupted our commencing fight, “Should I go?”

“Dennis, you should think very-“

“Dude, GO!” Reuben exclaimed impulsively, “That chance doesn’t come very often.”

“You don’t even know who she is.” I tried to reason.

“And he won’t know unless he goes!” Reuben snapped back.

“Cheers.” Dennis said, smiling.

I crossed arms.

“Why didn’t she tell you in person?”

“She’s gonna tell him in person. Dude, go.” Reuben insisted.

Dennis looked at me, and then at the piece of paper.

“I’ll tell you guys who it is tomorrow!” He high fived Reuben.

I rolled my eyes.

“What ‘s all this?” A fair haired boy, probably a year twelve hallway monitor asked.

“Nothing.” Dennis tried to hide the piece of paper behind his back. The fair haired boy just looked at him, and smirked.

“Just checking. How are you doing, Dennis?”

Dennis blinked in surprise. He was probably thinking the same thing I was.

How did he know his name?

“I’m great. Thanks.”

“He just got himself a girl, man!” Reuben couldn’t hold the excitement. What a fool, “He’s gonna meet her today after class!”

Like I had done, this kid raised an eyebrow.

“Do you even know who she is?”

“Yes.” Dennis lied.

The kid nodded, said goodbye, and left.

CONFRONTATION 

By Dennis Walker

The final bell rang announcing the end of the day.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, sir.” Reuben joked and left.

I could see him join two older brothers I hadn’t met yet. They looked at me and they left.

I looked at my surroundings. No teachers in sight, good to go.

I went upstairs to M block and looked for the 12th class. It was empty.

“Oh, well,” I thought to myself, “Maybe she’s late.”

This gave me time to look around. This was Mr Dickson’s class. Philosophy.

There were pictures and photos of every great philosopher until today.

It was funny how these pictures were at first of statues, then around the second century turned into paintings, and from the 20th century on, they were black and white photos.

“Dennis Walker,” I turned around fast upon hearing my name. But something wasn’t right. It wasn’t a girl’s voice, no. It was a proud, formal voice of a kid, “So glad to finally meet you.”

I hadn’t seen this guy in my life.

His brown fringe covered his brown eyes. These eyes hadn’t seen sleep in days, or at least that’s what they gave away. They were purple around the sides, and red as well.

It kind of scared me.

“Who are you?” I asked him, but not daring to look at him.

He smirked and took one step forward and closed the door.

“You know what’s so funny about people? You promise to give them what they want, and no matter how bold your idea is, they will always fall.”

“Are you referring to the letter you wrote?”

“I didn’t write it, no. Not me,” He denied, “But you know what’s even funnier?”

“Please tell.”

“That the reason you are living on your own now, the reason you don’t have a brother with you, is because of all his bad choices. It wasn’t your fault.”

I looked at my feet. I wanted to get out of there, but something told me asking politely wouldn’t do the trick.

“Your brother was a maniac,” He continued, “He had such a talent for greatness. He was smart.”

“I know that.” I smiled.

“You still have a choice. Don’t choose wrong like he did.”

I started walking around.

“What choice did he make?”

“I’m the best, and always will be. I, the best student this school has ever seen. Your brother was in the way, he had to be taken out.”

“You haven’t even told me who you are yet, and I’ve still got to believe you?” I barked, “My brother was expelled for harming Eva!”

The boy laughed sinisterly, and pulled out an origami puppet. It was ugly. It had a black cloak, and underneath it was a grey face with red eyes. No nose though.

That was when I remembered my puppet. 

I put my hand in my pocket, and I touched it silently.

“No, young man,” He bitterly smirked once more, “I harmed her. That girl… I hated her! And when she started dating that guy, who topped my grades… I had to get the guy out. I just did.”

“You were the one who set fire to the-“ I couldn’t believe it. Everyone else told me I was wrong, but I knew my brother, he couldn’t have. And he didn’t, “Henry Walker is innocent!”

“So what, Dennis?”

“I’m going to turn you in! Right away!”

“Me? Please, I’m the best student in this whole school. The most well behaved guy, and who’s gonna believe the world of an eleven year-old against mine?”

I couldn’t hold it, I already hated this guy. I jumped on top of him and put my hand on his neck, but he punched me and put me on the ground.

“You’ve made your choice, then.” He kicked me, “Tomorrow, I’ll start telling the teachers and Dr Marshall what you did… And they won’t like it.”

“They won’t like what?” The door opened. A tall guy came in, and knocked the boy to the ground. He was carrying another puppet. Dumbledore from what I could tell.

“What the-“

“You know you shouldn’t reveal your plans,” The guy with the Dumbledore puppet pulled out a recorder, “Especially to people with lots of friends.”

“I hate you so much, Cam.” He roared.

This Cam guy played the recorder.

“No, young man, I harmed her. That girl… I hated her! And when she started dating that guy, who topped my grades… I had to get the guy out, I just did.”

“Ooh, someone’s in trouble.” Cam laughed.

Doctor Marshall, now the school headmaster, came into the classroom and ordered us both to leave. He’d take care of it.

After what I’d heard. I didn’t know what to think.

IN A JAR 

By Dennis Walker

The experience of being trapped in a classroom with a guy you’d never seen before, but looked strangely familiar and was paranoid was a bit traumatic.

“Cam?” I asked the guy I was walking with, “Am I in trouble?”

“I’m not the one to say, I’m just another student. However, I do know the other is in fact, in trouble.”

“He creeped me out.”

“His name is William Michaels, and he’s just messed up. Really bad.”

Then I remembered.

“My brother! He ‘s innocent!” I tried to find a teacher around, but the school was empty. Or that’s what I thought.

He put an arm around me and turned me around to face me. He got down and almost knelt.

“I know. I heard. But things are crazy right now, and even though we have some sort of evidence, this guy is often underestimated,” He deeply inhaled, “Very underestimated. I’m going to ask for your patience.”

I nodded.

“We’re going to do everything we can to get our friend back.” Cam continued.

“I’m sorry,” I felt better, “We? Our friend?”

He ignored my question.

“I’m going to talk to the student council about this, and then the police. You don’t have to worry, he won’t harm you again.”

 He took me to the school gates.

“Thanks, for everything, really.”

“Anytime, man.”

He went back in, but there was still one question I wanted to ask him, even though I already knew the answer.

“What puppet was that?”

He laughed.

“Oh, ehm,” He showed me the blue puppet, “This is Dumblefold.”

“And you are?”

“Camster Jenkins… We’ll be seeing each other again.”

I nodded in agreement and we went separate ways.

FRIENDS

By Reuben Yeates

Over the next few weeks leading to Christmas break, Dennis told us about what happened after class.

It was hard to get the information out of him most of the time, either because he didn’t want to talk about it, or because he got nervous because of his inability to take action to save his brother: innocent, from what Alysson and I had been told.

We asked him about the guy who helped him, and the most astonishing fact to me was that he wielded a puppet of Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series.

“Why are you so surprised?” Alysson asked me, “Many people in the school have a puppet already.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m not a know it all-“

“Even Dennis has one!” She pointed at him, and he got an origami Harry Potter out.

“Woah,” I was amazed, “How many origami Harry Potters are there?”

“Just one,” He said proudly, “Mine. Harry Paper.”

“So that means one character can only be held by a person? Don’t people run out of characters.”

Dennis got his biology book out.

“I’m not sure, but there’s a thing called The Ministry of Folders. They take note of the character one has,” Alysson explained, “To have an official puppet one must go there and ask. They’ll take note and take you in. Kind of like a game of sorts.”

“I know what we could be! You’re missing Ron and Hermione, Dennis!”

“Oh, no. I’m not having a puppet.” Alysson laughed nervously.

“Come on. Do you think it’s a coincidence? We’re meant for great things.”

The three laughed. Deep in, they hoped they were.

To be continued…

Advertisement