Harry Potter in Arcadia

Joan was relieved. Finals were DONE. She had gotten mostly Bs, but had eked out an A- in AP Physics. It was very satisfying.

She was officially now officially done with her Junior year. Just like the year before, there was a party in the quad to celebrate the end of the school year.

She deliberately went to find Mr. Price: An action which shocked her friends. She finally spied him. "Mr. Price!"

Gavin Price, one of the most disliked faculty members at Arcadia High, turned in surprise at hearing the voice. "Ms. Girardi. How can I help you?"

"I seem to recall that we have unfinished business. Although we have had our issues, I submit that we are capable of putting aside our antipathy, apathy, and any other 'pathies' in a common goal: Mr. Hornsby has to go down."

Gavin Price quirked his lips as he observed one of his more … odd students. "Yes. Hornsby's gloating was particularly tiresome last year. I accede to your conditions."

All in all, the students had fun. Many of the Seniors had disappeared – they where done with High School – but there were a few around.

Luke and Grace had collaborated in the three-legged egg race with the idea of outdoing Joan and Price. Grace had actually proposed it. "Hey. Your sister has that look about her: She wants to win no matter what. We HAVE to enter: Price CANNOT be allowed bragging rights."

Luke demonstrated his intelligence by NOT pointing out that she had previously rejected such activities. Luke realized that Grace just wanted to act like a normal teenager for once.

When the race was done, Joan addressed her partner for the event. "Well, next year we have one more chance. At least we beat Mr. Hornsby as well as my brother and his girlfriend. I did NOT want to have to live with that all summer."

Gavin Price, bureaucrat extraordinaire and all around teenage-dream-killer, smiled in agreement. "It's a date. At least Mrs. Sims isn't one who'll hang this win over my head."

Unlike the year before, there were no trips to the hospital, no tragedies, no drama – Joan was almost shocked. As she made her way back home, she was unsurprised to find a cute boy in a corduroy jacket walking beside her suddenly.

As soon as she looked over to see who was walking next to her she groaned, "Oh, God."

"Yeah. That's me."

Joan looked at Cute-Boy God with irritation. "You always do that."

He shrugged. "Well, you're the one who tries to use my name in vain," he said with a small smile.

Joan chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah. Anyway, thanks for not getting on me during finals … I really didn't need the drama."

He shrugged. "You have to live your life, be true to yourself. Same as it ever was."

Joan sighed. "Same as it ever was." She looked nervously over. "I still don't know what to do about Ryan Hunter. I don't know how to oppose him. He's got a lot more pull than I do!"

"It's not about opposition. It's about fulfilling your true nature. Being a counterbalance," He replied.

"Yeah. THAT seems to be working," Joan said sarcastically as she sighed.

"Like I said before, you have everything you need. You could also get advice from Harry."

Joan thought about it. "Where's he been anyway? I haven't seen him around."

He chuckled. "He had to visit a friend back in England. He'll be back soon. He was going to come back yesterday, but it was suggested that he could use a break."

Joan looked at her ultimate Creator. "Why can't you give ME assignments like that? There've been a few times I could have used a break!"

He looked at Joan with a hint of admonishment. "You heard his story. He has spent literally years helping out here and there. He doesn't need to be reminded to fulfill his nature – he does it every day. Sometimes he forgets that he needs a bit of time for himself."

Joan was a little confused. "I don't understand."

He considered that. "Imagine a life where you're expected to instinctively know what you're supposed to do. All of these little talks we've had? Imagine if we never had them but you were expected to achieve the same results. And that's without time for going to school, or working a job, or having a relationship. That's kind of what Harry's life has been."

Joan was privately horrified. "Oh, God!"

"Yes?"

With an embarrassed look Joan said quietly, "Sorry. That vain thing again."

"I know. Omniscient here. Just having a bit of fun with you."

Joan chuckled. "Well, at least I know that God has a sense of humor – even if I'm the butt of it sometimes." She sighed. "Anyway, any hints?"

He looked over at her with that smile and said, "You'll know. Remember, it's about fulfilling your nature. Think about it." He turned off down a side-street, waving over his shoulder as he went.

Joan really hated that wave sometimes.

Harry thanked the driver as he was dropped off. The Embassy had arranged for a room in Arcadia for him, paid for by his modest stipend. They would guarantee the funds and get reimbursed from the account in the Bank of England.

It really helped to have Royal support.

He, of course, didn't know exactly how long he'd be in this world, but it didn't seem like it would be a quick-fix situation.

Finally, he got settled. He had also gotten a few changes of clothes. Cleaning charms didn't take the place of a good, thorough washing and fresh clothes. If there was one thing he didn't enjoy about his current … mission … it was that he very rarely arrived anywhere with more than the clothes on his back and his two wands. He was almost shocked to realize that his jacket had survived over a thousand jumps. His jeans, t-shirts, underwear, and trainers were changed here and there and he even replaced his glasses on occasion. But the jacket stayed the same.

Once he was ensconced in his room, he decided to make a list.

Synagogue – volunteer, repair, ward

Other places of worship? – visit, ward

Help to find or expose perpetrator – talk to Girardis?

Temporary communications – pre-paid cell phone?

Figure out what G meant about a Dimensional Brother.

He considered the list and then sighed as he added one more item.

?Take G-s advice – live a little?

He really didn't know about the last item. He was so used to being the Traveler full time that he didn't know if he had it in himself to relax fully.

Will was frustrated. Just the night before there was some vandalism on a Baptist church in the city. Because it was only paint bombs and no significant damage, he couldn't justify applying as many resources as he would like other than pointing Carlisle toward seeing if there was any connection that could be made to their two open cases.

Suddenly his phone rang. "Chief of Detectives, Will Girardi." It was kind of annoying effectively being the Police Chief again without the official title. The Sherriff's Department hadn't made a decision yet. And the city was at least another year away from being reconstituted as its own political entity.

"Hello, Chief Girardi. This is Harry and I just got back into town."

"Harry! How was the trip? Did you see the Queen?" Will was suddenly much more cheerful.

"Yeah. I checked in with Her Majesty. She wanted to deliver some papers as well as hear an explanation on a few things. She was, thankfully, un-Alarmed. So I was spared the pokey."

Will laughed. "Well, that's good to hear. What do you need?"

"Well, I still have some time. So I was wondering to whom I would speak about helping out at that Synagogue."

Will sat back. "Well, Rabbi Polonski would be the obvious choice."

"Yeah – but I'd rather not just show up cold. He's only met me the one time and he was a bit distracted by the big fire going on."

Will looked at his watch. "Well, why don't you eat with my family tonight? I think Luke is planning on inviting Grace – the kids just finished the school year. We can ask her to help coordinate."

"Sounds good to me."

"I'm going to be leaving here soon – maybe 20 minutes. Where are you now?"

"Motel over on 4th, Arcadia Econo. Room 106. The Embassy helped set it up for me – took a while to convince them I didn't need a 4 or 5-star hotel. They couldn't understand that some people don't need all the trappings of privilege."

"Bureaucrats are the same the world over. Half an hour work for you?"

"Sure."

"See you then."

He hung up and then took his cell phone out. He'd have to warn Helen that they'd be having an extra guest.

Joan walked into the kitchen to get a glass of juice. Her mother was on the phone. "Okay then. With you? Alright. Dietary restrictions shouldn't matter – because Grace is coming I'm not making pork anything. Alright. See you then. Love you."

Joan, who had quietly retrieved her juice, asked, "What was that about?"

Helen turned. "Oh! Hello. That was your father. We're having another guest tonight."

"Who is it?" Joan asked before taking a sip.

"Remember Harry?" Joan got suddenly more interested as she nodded. "He came back from a short trip back to England and wanted our help to set him up with Grace's father. Anyway, you Dad invited him to dinner."

"Great!" Joan said cheerfully. "I wanted to talk to him about a few things."

Helen was curious. "What about? You're not planning on trying to date him right? I mean, he's at least … ten years older than you."

Joan made a face. "Eww! No! I just wanted to ask him about some things he's seen on his travels. I was so busy with exams when he was here that I didn't get a chance."

"Oh," Helen replied, feeling slightly embarrassed. She smiled. "Well, he'll be here tonight."

"Umm. Yeah. Thanks." Joan walked away, muttering about parents and assumptions and some other things Helen didn't hear.

Sometimes, having a teenage daughter could be amusing.

Harry sat with the Girardi parents, Joan, Luke, and Grace for dinner. Kevin was out with his girlfriend Lilly.

Helen then asked, "So, where were you anyway?"

Harry looked at Will as he finished chewing. "You didn't tell her?"

Will shook his head, his amusement easy to see. "It was your business."

Harry said. "Right." He turned his head back to Helen. "Just a quick trip to answer a Royal Summons. Had a few things to take care of."

Luke was curious. "Royal Summons?"

"Yeah. Her Majesty didn't have the chance to deliver the Warrant personally and she wanted to rectify that."

Grace was now curious. "Warrant? What, are you being charged with something?"

Harry laughed, as did Will. The rest were curious. "Nooo. I'm using Warrant as a general term. When I was named Knight Commander for the Order of the Bath, a document was created and published by her Majesty confirming that. I wasn't available to receive it from her hand though. She was quite keen on seeing it personally delivered – and questioning me for a good hour on details of what I've done and been doing."

Joan asked, "So are you technically 'Sir Harry'?"

"No." Harry drank some water. "If I had been named Knight Grand Cross, I would have been entitled as 'Sir.' But the secondary level of Commander doesn't give that. At least I wasn't referred to as Sir when I visited the Royal Household. Of course, I wasn't in uniform – nor was I wearing the insignia. Only the highest levels for each Order of Chivalry – Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross – give you a new styling."

Luke said, "Tell us about the visiting the Queen."

Harry entertained the family as he ate, giving an amusing rendition of his visit and of his Royal audience. He obviously didn't give full details but did give enough to keep them occupied.

When the dinner was done Will said to Grace, "Harry came back to Arcadia to volunteer at your father's synagogue."

Grace looked at Harry incredulously. "You left to go 3000 miles away to visit the Queen of England and came back to help clean up a synagogue? Are you doing penance or something?"

Will and Helen winced – they were worried that Harry would be offended. Luke was looking between Grace and Harry with wide eyes. Joan, for some reason, just calmly observed.

However, Harry wasn't offended in the least. He was smiling as he answered her.

"Yeah. Kind of weird, I know. But I wasn't doing anything more important and I offered when I heard about it. I keep my word."

Grace was staring at Harry as though he was a creature from another planet. She managed to drag Joan upstairs very soon after to grill her about Harry. He just seemed to be too good to be true. After, Luke and Grace spent some time together as Joan went to her room to continue working on some things.

Helen, Will, and Harry had a good time talking about random things. They didn't get enough adult conversation in their life and they quite enjoyed it.

At 9:00, Joan came back down with the other two teens.

Joan sighed as she accepted the keys from her mother. She wasn't overly fond of driving, but she had a license and she wanted to talk to Harry.

Harry wanted to clarify. "So, instead of Luke walking Grace home, Luke and Grace will be dropped of by Joan and then Luke will walk back alone." Luke and Grace nodded. "Joan will drive me back to where I am staying so as to allow time to ask me some questions."

Harry turned to the two parents. "I hereby ask your permission to keep your daughter for perhaps an extra hour. We will go to a public place, likely a coffee shop, and talk about a few things. I give my word that I will watch out for her safety. I will only stop watching when she is safely locked in the car ready to return after she drops me off." Harry looked at the clock. "She should return by 11:00. As she is done with school, this shouldn't be too inconvenient."

Helen and Will looked at each other. Helen saw that Will was okay with it – he was thoroughly convinced of Harry's trustworthiness. Helen was slightly hesitant – she was a mother – but having spent time with Harry, she wasn't truly worried. So she nodded as well.

Harry got in the front passenger seat. Joan was diligently checking the mirrors and the seat position to make certain she was completely comfortable – some accidents happened because people drove cars without setting the mirrors for their height and position.

Luke and Grace climbed in the back. Grace asked, "Why did you assume that I wanted to sit back here? Maybe I wanted to sit in front."

Harry glanced back and with a grin said, "Your boyfriend is in the backseat. I assumed. Besides," Here he paused and looked directly at her, "Shotgun!"

Joan smirked, Luke chuckled, and Grace just gave him a snarky look. "I spent years with a professor who could snarl much more effectively. You don't scare me, missy."

He saw Helen and Will watching them from the door. He rolled down the window and called out, "Can I ask a question?"

Helen, who was the most nervous, stepped closer to the end of the porch and replied, "Sure."

"Does she drive much?" Harry pointed his thumb toward Joan, who was finally settled in with her hands on the wheel.

"Not really. But she's pretty good."

Harry glance back and then said with a grin, "They way she's checking things puts me in mind of a rookie. You happen to have a crash helmet I could borrow?"

The Girardis heard Joan's loud, "Whatever!"

Harry just grinned at the parents as Joan pulled back and out of the driveway.

Will looked at his wife. "I think he was just going for a laugh."

Helen smiled and said, "I know."

Will looked at the car driving away and back at his wife. "We have an hour and a half with no kids."

Helen looked back at Will with a smile he recognized quite well. Will promptly took his mind off of kids and cars and strange British visitors.

Joan and Harry had dropped off the couple at Grace's house. She told Harry she would give her father his information and where he was staying.

They then continued on. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Harry asked.

Joan sighed heavily, even as she watched the road. "Our mutual friend suggested that you would be a good sounding board."

"Okay. What's the problem?"

Joan stopped at the side of the road and threw the car into park. "I don't … know … what I am supposed to do!"

Harry sighed. "You still haven't told me anything."

Joan grabbed the wheel and took a deep breath. "Okay. Ryan Hunter. He's the guy behind the attacks against churches and the synagogue. I'm supposed to stop him."

Harry was curious. "Who said you were supposed to stop him?"

"God!"

Harry paused. "That doesn't sound like the same guy who's been talking to me since I got into this universe. I think you need to start at the beginning."

Joan looked around. "Can we go over to that park?"

Harry shook his head. "Nuh-uh. I promised your father and mother a public place. We need to find a public place."

Joan was frustrated. "But people who hear us will think we're crazy!"

Harry grinned. "You DO remember that I have magic, right?"

Finally, the two found a 24-hour diner near to Harry's motel. The two sat down and the waitress came over. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

Joan looked up and then over at Harry. "I'm buying. Get whatever you want."

Joan looked back up. "Lemonade."

Harry looked up. "You wouldn't happen to have tea would you? Hot tea?"

The waitress made a note. "Sure, Honey. Would you like the tea?"

"Absolutely."

Soon the drinks arrived. Harry took out a five and handed it to the waitress. "That's all we'll need. Keep the change." She nodded and thanked him.

Harry, who was against the wall and could see the whole diner saw that no one was looking. He discretely drew his Holly wand and cast a few charms.

"Okay. The waitress will see us if we try, but won't be too interested. Everyone else will kind of ignore us totally."

Joan looked around. When another customer glanced over, she waved her hands wildly. The man just looked back to his plate. "Heh. Useful."

Harry smiled. Showing magic to someone who wasn't used to it was always fun. "Okay. So. Tell me the whole story."

Over the next thirty minutes, Joan gave a fairly detailed description of Ryan Hunter and a bit of the back story. It took that long because Joan tended to leave things out and Harry had to work to get her to give details.

They were unexpectedly interrupted when a pretty girl sat down at the adjoining table and looked at them. Joan tried to ignore her when the girl said, "Hi, Joan!"

Harry looked at Joan, who looked nervous, and then looked over. "Hello. Who are you?"

Joan looked at Harry in shock. "You can … see her?"

Harry shrugged. "Sure."

The girl was trying to hold her laughter – and not being that successful. "Yeah. Harry's a particularly interesting story on this side of things." She turned toward Harry. "Hi. I'm Joan's dead friend Judith."

"I'm Harry Potter, Joan's current guidance counselor and occasionally Fate's whipping boy – although that seems to be true less and less."

Judith laughed. "It's amazing to meet Harry Potter. I mean, in this world, you're a story."

Harry chuckled. "I know. I've read the books – they're pretty consistent from world to world. Not always accurate, but a much cleaner result than I experienced." Judith just smiled at the two and shrugged. "Anyway, you have anything that you can add to Joan's story?"

"I've been trying to explain to her. She's pretty close, but kind of fights it."

Another voice spoke from the other side and the two looked over. "I tried to explain that there was a disturbance in her electro-magnetic field."

Joan said, "And this is my other dead friend, Rocky. I once watched him for a few days so his mom could go to night school. "

The boy was standing there in a white suit. Harry said, "Kind of a cliché look: 'Official representative of the Ghost Realm'."

Rocky just shrugged and smiled.

"Anyway. I assume you two are visiting because you have some input? And the fact that I am a 'Master of Death' helps?"

Judith replied, "Well, yeah. With no magic in this universe, we kind of occupy the part of the electro-magnetic spectrum not in use by people."

Harry tsked at her. "No magic? There's magic everywhere. It so happens that there doesn't seem to be people with a magical core, but that doesn't negate the fact that magic is a part of life. Without it, there would BE no life."

Judith scoffed. "Whatever. I didn't pay too much attention to Physics when I was alive. The stuff you run into on my side is clearer, but what you're talking about is part of the really advanced, secret stuff that takes years to get to. I haven't been dead that long. The 'electro-magnetic spectrum' explanation is good enough for me."

Harry glanced over at Rocky. Rocky shrugged. "I actually read that stuff. I'm faster than most."

Harry chuckled ruefully. "You remind me of Hermione."

Rocky smiled. "Thank you. One of the versions of her is one of my tutors."

Harry smiled sadly. "Tell her I said hello."

Joan interrupted, horrified. "There's studying when you're dead? Don't we get to, you know, REST when we get to the other side?"

Judith looked at Joan apologetically. "Sorry. But it's not too bad. Much better than high school. Much less pressure. And it doesn't take up too much of your time."

Joan groaned. "Great. Just when I thought there was an end in sight."

Judith gave a playful admonishment. "You've got loads of time before you have to worry about it! Suck it up!"

Joan gave her a venomous look.

Harry called, "Aaaanyway … to get back on track: You two have something to add?"

The two dead people looked at each other and then back at Harry. "She's forgetting what happens when Ryan and God are in the same area, how the environment reacts."

Harry looked at Joan curiously. "Tell me about those times specifically."

Joan described the two instances where Ryan and God talked to her and were in the same area. There was something that Harry noticed.

"Wait. So, when Ryan is talking to you, God doesn't talk to you?"

"Umm. No. Now that you point it out."

Harry thought for a moment. "And these two are never around after you see him either?"

"No." Joan wondered where he was going with this.

"Wow. So he carried a kind of … disruptive aura around with him you would say?"

"Aura? What's an aura?"

Harry sighed. He forgot he was speaking to a non-magical. "Every living thing has field around it, a kind of … bubble you could say. Their part of the electro-magnetic spectrum. This bubble is a person's aura. Magic makes it visible at times, but every living thing has this field. It's kind of interesting that Ryan's field seems to interfere with your field. You have a natural affinity toward the … non-corporeal side of things. And his aura interferes with that."

Joan was confused. "Non-corporal?"

Harry shook his head. "Corp-or-eal. Corporeal means having a physical presence or a physical substance. Ghosts appear corporeal but they have no actual physical form – or such a small one that their effect on the world is minimal. There's obviously something about this guy that doesn't quite fit. We just have to figure out what it is."

Joan sighed. "So what do I do?"

Harry thought about it. "Get a journal. A diary of some kind. Write down everything you know. Exactly what you see. What you feel. Exactly what happens. Exactly what's said. The order it happens in. When you think you have it all, I'll take a look."

Joan was worried. "If someone sees that, I'll get sent back to crazy camp. And without Judith I wouldn't survive crazy camp!"

Harry said, "Well buy one. I'll cast a few charms to keep it safe. That okay?"

"Suuuure."

Harry looked up at the clock. "Well, I have a bed to go to and so do you. I'll get in touch with you in the next couple of days. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Now: My motel is over there. I'm going to walk you to your car and you're going to lock the doors and drive. I promised Helen and Will that I'd keep an eye out and that's what I'm doing to do."

The two spirits cheerfully said goodbye. Rocky disappeared into a window and Judith walked through a wall.

"You have interesting ghost friends."