The Harry Potter Prequel - READ IT HERE!
June 11, 2008 by Wendy Boswell
SWEEEEEETTT! The book publisher Waterstone’s website has now updated with J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter prequel, which sold for a ton of money in a charity auction this week (you can read more about the prequel’s other authors here). Here, in its entirety (800 words), is the Harry Potter Prequel.
The Harry Potter Prequel, by JK Rowling
The speeding motorcycle took the sharp corner so fast in the darkness that both policemen in the pursuing car shouted ‘whoa!’ Sergeant Fisher slammed his large foot on the brake, thinking that the boy who was riding pillion was sure to be flung under his wheels; however, the motorbike made the turn without unseating either of its riders, and with a wink of its red tail light, vanished up the narrow side street.
‘We’ve got ‘em now!” cried PC Anderson excitedly. ‘That’s a dead end!”
Leaning hard on the steering wheel and crashing his gears, Fisher scraped half the paint off the flank of the car as he forced it up the alleyway in pursuit.
There in the headlights sat their quarry, stationary at last after a quarter of an hour’s chase. The two riders were trapped between a towering brick wall and the police car, which was now crashing towards them like some growling, luminous-eyed predator.
There was so little space between the car doors and the walls of the alley that Fisher and Anderson had difficulty extricating themselves from the vehicle. It injured their dignity to have to inch, crab-like, towards the miscreants. Fisher dragged his generous belly along the wall, tearing buttons off his shirt as he went, and finally snapping off the wing mirror with his backside.
‘Get off the bike!’ he bellowed at the smirking youths, who sat basking in the flashing blue light as though enjoying it.
They did as they were told. Finally pulling free from the broken wind mirror, Fisher glared at them. They seemed to be in their late teens. The one who had been driving had long black hair; his insolent good looks reminded Fisher unpleasantly of his daughter’s guitar-playing, layabout boyfriend. The second boy also had black hair, though his was short and stuck up in all directions; he wore glasses and a broad grin. Both were dressed in T-shirts emblazoned with a large golden bird; the emblem, no doubt, of some deafening, tuneless rock band.
‘No helmets!’ Fisher yelled, pointing from one uncovered head to the other. ‘Exceeding the speed limit by - by a considerable amount!’ (In fact, the speed registered had been greater than Fisher was prepared to accept that any motorcycle could travel.) ‘Failing to stop for the police!’
‘We’d have loved to stop for a chat,’ said the boy in glasses, ‘only we were trying -’
‘Don’t get smart - you two are in a heap of trouble!’ snarled Anderson. ‘Names!’
‘Names?’ repeated the long-haired driver. ‘Er - well, let’s see. There’s Wilberforce… Bathsheba… Elvendork…’
‘And what’s nice about that one is, you can use it for a boy or a girl,’ said the boy in glasses.
‘Oh, OUR names, did you mean?’ asked the first, as Anderson spluttered with rage. ‘You should’ve said! This here is James Potter, and I’m Sirius Black!’
‘Things’ll be seriously black for you in a minute, you cheeky little -’
But neither James nor Sirius was paying attention. They were suddenly as alert as gundogs, staring past Fisher and Anderson, over the roof of the police car, at the dark mouth of the alley. Then, with identical fluid movements, they reached into their back pockets.
For the space of a heartbeat both policemen imagined guns gleaming at them, but a second later they saw that the motorcyclists had drawn nothing more than -
‘Drumsticks?’ jeered Anderson. ‘Right pair of jokers, aren’t you? Right, we’re arresting you on a charge of -’
But Anderson never got to name the charge. James and Sirius had shouted something incomprehensible, and the beams from the headlights had moved.
The policemen wheeled around, then staggered backwards. Three men were flying - actually FLYING - up the alley on broomsticks - and at the same moment, the police car was rearing up on its back wheels.
Fisher’s knees bucked; he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher’s legs and fell on top of him, as FLUMP - BANG - CRUNCH - they heard the men on brooms slam into the upended car and fall, apparently insensible, to the ground, while broken bits of broomstick clattered down around them.
The motorbike had roared into life again. His mouth hanging open, Fisher mustered the strength to look back at the two teenagers.
‘Thanks very much!’ called Sirius over the throb of the engine. ‘We owe you one!’
‘Yeah, nice meeting you!’ said James. ‘And don’t forget: Elvendork! It’s unisex!’
There was an earth-shattering crash, and Fisher and Anderson threw their arms around each other in fright; their car had just fallen back to the ground. Now it was the motorcycle’s turn to rear. Before the policemen’s disbelieving eyes, it took off into the air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.
What did you think? Who do you think the guys in the alley were? Why were James and Sirius trying to go so fast on their bikes? So many questions!
Lauren please learn how to spell CEREAL and i think your slightly over exaggerating if you dont like it then why did you read it pml. just to say i love harry potter and this prequel was fun
I totally agree with you dobby x. There’s no need to insult this prequel. It was not done to be as brilliant as the Harry Potter series, but something for a fun short read. And that serial box comment was really unnecessary. If you don’t like it, then fine, that’s your opinion, but to make such nasty comments is uncalled for.
And I found the prequel to be quite entertaining, thank you very much. I really needed something with James and Sirius, so if someone can’t appreciate it, then go away. We don’t need your opinion.
AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Why? WHY?? Why did she end the series?? *twitch* and now, she’s just teasing us; she’s told us countless times No More Harry Potter. Dont get me wrong, I love the marauders, I love harry potter, but I’m struggling with the fact that ITS OVER!! *tear* Well, I found this prequel quite interesting, and if no one likes it, or dislikes harry potter, then why are you reading it, smartness. If you dont like it, just ignore all of this and go back to your “Life”
I thought this was really good.
In my opinion I would agree with the fact there about 17 years
and also come on its a story/fandom can’t we all just get along i don’t think j.k rowling would be happy if she knew all her fans were fighting about a silly thing like this so come on stop it
Hopefully She will write another book that would be brilliant, I would love to read something abut the marauders and there adventures
Ok, here goes writing this for the second time, Wish i could do magic…
Anyway, when Harry was born James and Lily were 21, worked it out from the dates on their gravestones in book 7, and as other peeps so rightly stated Moody showed Harry a photo in book 5 about the ootp, so it did exist. OBVIOUSLY.
Get it right.
Go Super Nerds!!!
Harry Potter rules and Sirius is the best…
Hope J.K makes this into a book i would pay so much to read it…
See you Super Nerds
I’m thinking Sirius and James were on the run from death eaters. but the t-shirts were defiantly Order of the Phoenix. it was a nice story. I have to laugh at some of the comments people made, a lot of you have trouble remembering dates etc from the books. May i suggest double checking facts before you post as you end up looking stupid! Sirius Black for life…
Okay, most likely, S & J were wearing OotP shirts, but I don’t think they were running from Death Eaters. Why would they leave the Muggle Police Officer unprotected if they were running from Death Eaters? They were mischevious yes, but not cruel or stupid.
I think they may have been running from Ministry people because they broke the rules? That’s a possibility.
Snapefan4life your wrong!!!! Sirius showed harry a picture of the original order in the order of the phoenix right before he left for school at the train station and then let him keep it.
I do not recognise the style of this prequel compared to the books but whoever wrote it I consider it both relevant and contributing to the Harry Potter saga.
i personally tought the last part was good. i have 2 theories, depending on timeset
first thought is it is after hogwars so they are 18/19. the bird is a pheonix (to represent being in the order)and the three men on the boomsticks were death eaters.
or… it is set while still in hogwarts in the holidays. from what i gather by 6th year hols they would have been full riots and rebels, as bad as fred and george put together with peeves during the umbridge times. the bird could have meant anything, maybes a quiditch team or a snitch. the three men could have been someone they had pissed off by pranking or still death eaters ho by then want the pottors
I agree with Beasley. To continue on from the end of DH would ruin it. To be honest, i think reading about their children’s adventures would ruin the originality and give it a more fanfic approach.
And to those who say that it could be griffins on their t shirts due to their place in Gryffindor; no! If that were true it would be lions.
The prequel was awesome!!!! and also there was a comment at the beginning saying that it was horrible because it just left you to ponder stuff… but that’s what makes a peice of writing so cool. you can just finish it off for yourself! if you have a different opinion thats cool but like… yeah…
I havent read all the comments but didnt everyone assume the three on broomsticks were
Lucius Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle’s fathers???
Excellent prequel, I doubt J.K. Rowling will make more Harry Potter books, but hopefully more stories like this would crop up!
Oh wow, that was awesome, I loved reading a bit from Sirius and James’ generation
And if I ever have a kid, be it boy or girl, then it will most certainly be called Elvendork.
Oh, and people wondering how old they are in this, well they’ll be about 17ish in this, because Lily and James had Harry when they were about 20, and JK said that this is set 3 years prior to Harry’s birth
That was really funny. i like how they are such comedians. That’s exactly how I imagined them. The maruaders’ era is my absolute favorite. I almost wish Remus and Lily were part of it though. I’ve been reading maruader fanfic and its just not the same. I wish she would write the prequel!!!! I’d probably sell my soul just to get a copy!
Brilliant! Great story. But one of the comments was annoying me so I’ll have to say this. Brandon, you’re wrong not Snapefan4life. If you’d read the books you would know that it was Moody who showed Harry the picture of the original Order of the Phoenix when they were still at number 12 grimold place. They just changed that for the movie.
I believe that the bird in question is the Snidget - read “Quidditch Through The Ages” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” for a description of it. It was basically the bird that the Snitch was based off of.
I think it was great, Truthfully, i wish that JK Rowling would right and entire novel like this, but alas (Sigh) it isnt so
guys, the three guys on broomsticks were not Ministry people. James and Sirius may have cruel to Snape {with good reason >=)} but i really dont think they would go as far as to horribly injure or kill two Ministry employees like that
Brandon, your wrong. If you read the books, you would know that it is Moody that gives him the photo. They changed it in the movie.
There are a number of changes from the book in the film. Much of the book’s ending has been changed, with the climactic battle and Dumbledore’s funeral being removed. Heyman commented that the end battle was removed to “[avoid] repetition” with the forthcoming adaptation of Deathly Hallows. The funeral was removed as it was believed it did not fit with the rest of the film.[74] The collapse of a Muggle bridge mentioned briefly in the book serves as the film’s opening sequence.[75] Scenes of Diagon Alley being demolished by Death Eaters and an attack on the Burrow by Bellatrix Lestrange and werewolf Fenrir Greyback are added, as can be seen in the trailers. All but two of the memory scenes, including that of the Gaunts, have been cut. Only the flashbacks of Tom Riddle at the orphanage and Riddle asking Slughorn about Horcruxes, shown twice, remain.[75] Yates said they made the decision to compress the memories, but still “got some really cool ones”.[76] Characters who are cut include the Dursleys, Kreacher, Dobby, Bill and Fleur, Rufus Scrimgeour, Cornelius Fudge and the Muggle Prime Minister. However, Quidditch[77], being excluded from the previous film, returns. Bellatrix Lestrange will also participate in the battle of the astronomy tower, whereas she did not in the book, as seen in a picture with the Carrows and Greyback, celebrating Dumbledore’s death. In the book, on the Hogwarts Express, after he is paralysed and hidden under his Invisibility Cloak by Draco Malfoy, Harry is rescued by Nymphadora Tonks. In the film, Luna Lovegood saves him instead, using her Spectrespecs to find him.[78]
aravind_achu2000@yahoo.com
Men on the brooms: Death Eaters (Snape definitely one of them)
The reason James and Sirius were going so fast was because perhaps this was when James and Lily went into hiding and James and Sirius went out for a joy ride and were caught by the Death Eaters!
Also, the symbol on James and Sirius’ shirt: Order of the Phoenix symbol!!! =D
Honestly, the first thing that came to mind on why they were going so fast was that they were trying to get the motorcycle to fly! I imagine the people on brooms were ministry lackeys trying to arrest them for enchanting a muggle object. I mean it WAS obviously enchanted, going by the fact that the cop didn’t even want to imagine that a motorcycle COULD go as fast as it did.
She wrote this to take place 3 years before Harry’s birth. The shirts were they’re way of being proud of the ootp and of being in it, and the 3 men were deatheaters, the obviously died when they hit the police car
The prequel was nice, even though i couldn’t find anything in it related to the Harry Potter Books…
James and Sirius were probably running away from the ministry’s minions for using muggles properties and enchanting them. If the 3 men were death eaters the two policemen might be dead by then…
The shirt they are wearing bore the symbol, which i think belong Order Of The Phoenix.
I hope that J.K.Rowling could start writing another book on the Harry Potter Series…it could probably start on the four founders of hogwarts then to the lifes of James and Lily Potter, Sirius Black and Severus Snape when they were students at hogwarts (plus Dumbledore) OR the lifes of Harry Potter and his friends and family…maybe focusing on his children…something about them dealing with, probably, another evil wizard…
Its obvious that james and sirius were having a laugh and joking around. Why they weren’t arrested for breaking secrecy i don’t know. personaly, i don’t care cuz i love james and sirus i feel bad harry missed out on such a cool dad
This was cute, even if it was more of a drabble then anything. It was, however, exactly something that I could imagine James and Sirius doing.