The last bell finally rang and the hideous doors to the school closed behind her one more time as Foxie escaped into the glorious freedom of summer holidays. She fairly skipped her way home, where she swiftly changed out of her uniform and into her play clothes, tossing her drab school outfit to the closet floor in an act of final defiance. Then she rushed from the house, slipping stealthily past her little brother’s room so he wouldn’t figure out where she was going and decide to tag along.

She ran out of the house and down the road towards the Field, where her friends would be waiting. The air was warm and breezy and the sun shone brightly on her face, welcoming her to a summer full of possibility and promise. Foxie felt a lightness in her heart that she hadn’t experienced in quite some time, and she was convinced that if she was any happier she could fairly fly.

The Field was a vast expanse of flat grass, wildflowers and ancient trees, a gateway to the Village on its east side and to the Deep Woods to its west. Foxie and her friends had adopted the Field as their meeting place and would gather there to decide what the day’s adventures would entail. This afternoon they had planned a celebratory outing into the Village, specifically to Kellyz Korner, a wonderland of fun and frolic provided by Ms. Nibbles for the children’s free and unlimited use. No one knew how Nibbles could afford to run a free amusement center, but the children did know not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Foxie’s heart beat faster as she neared the Field, thinking of all the free ice cream and video games that awaited her.

She caught sight of her friends and waved joyfully as she ran through the soft grass to meet them, but just as she neared the clearing where they had gathered she tripped over a dead log and fell flat on her face. Good-natured laughter filled her ears as Foxie gathered herself to her feet in a sheepish fashion, brushing dirt and grass from her knees.

“Well done,” a boy named PHJ called out as she approached. “Ten-pointer, if you ask me.”

Foxie stuck her tongue out at PHJ.

“You okay?” asked Flirty Berry. She was seated on a large rock, her legs folded, drawing something on a pad. Foxie nodded.

“Right, then,” she grinned. “Shall we head to the Village?”

“Nah, Katy and NAH still aren’t here,” replied sweetclover, who was lying in a patch of wildflowers, sunning herself. Foxie sighed impatiently and sat next to Flirty, then looked wonderingly at PHJ, who was tossing an egg in the air and catching it.

“Having brekkie this late?” she asked.

PHJ shook his head. “It’s for when we pass Old Man Shatna’s,” he replied. “Haven’t given him a proper egging in some time.”

Foxie giggled. “You’re going to get in such trouble for that one day!” Mr. Shatna was well-known among the neighborhood kids as a cranky old fart, though Foxie was rather fond of him in her own way.

“Nah,” PHJ shrugged. “I think he likes it, secretly. Keeps him from getting lonely.”

Catalina Marina laughed and tried to intercept the egg as PHJ flipped it off the heel of his hand, but he was too quick for her. Foxie sighed and closed her eyes, tilting her face to the warm sun, feeling utterly content.

“Hullo, everyone,” came a voice. Foxie looked up, shading her eyes, to see Angriest Angel loping up to the group, a glum expression on his face. “I’ve got some bad news,” he said gloomily. “Kellyz is closed.”

A stunned gasp arose from the group.

“You mean forever?” sweetclover exclaimed, as AA shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against a tree. He shook his head.

“No, but at least for today. Nobody knows why, or where Ms. Nibbles is.” He shrugged. “I guess we have to find something else to do.”

“Oh, bother!” Foxie exclaimed, smacking the rock under her. “I was so looking forward to a fun day at Kellyz.”

Flirty looked thoughtful. “Let’s go hang out at TrekBBS, then.” Some of the children nodded agreeably, but Foxie shook her head.

“Don’t like it over there, too noisy and crowded.” She frowned. “Except the Voyager room, of course, but still.”

All of the children settled into silence at this. Foxie planted her cheeks in her hands and puzzled over this most unwelcome development. What was there to do, then? This first day of summer holiday had shown such promise.

“Hey!”

As one, the children looked up to see NAH and KatyJane approaching, carrying a picnic basket between them.

“Going to Kellyz is out,” PHJ informed them. “Closed today.”

KatyJane nodded. “We know. We’ve decided to go on a picnic instead.”

AA eyed their basket hungrily. “All of us?”

“Nope,” KatyJane laughed. “Sorry. We just wanted to let you guys know we won’t be around.” She smiled knowingly at NAH, who blushed and grinned.

“See ya,” he said to the group, and he and KJ disappeared down the hill.

PHJ tossed his egg in the air and let it fall to the ground, where it cracked to pieces and oozed into the grass. “Well, that’s it then. Anyone fancy a game of football?” “I’m in,” AA replied. Catalina nodded as well.

“Well, I’m going to TrekBBS,” Flirty announced, hopping to her feet. “Anyone who wants to come along, I’m leaving now.” She looked at sweetclover, who nodded, and then at Foxie, who scowled.

“This isn’t what I had in mind for today at all,” she declared.

“What did you have in mind?” Pointy asked.

“I don’t know! Something less mundane than footy, or hanging around some busy crowded mall. I wanted… oh, I don’t know, some adventure, perhaps!”

AA laughed. “How much adventure could you have gotten at Kellyz? I mean, sure, we would have had fun egging old man Shatna’s house on the way, but that’s about it.”

Foxie pursed her lips in frustration. She had no idea how to explain her restless energy or her inexplicable need for something to happen, preferably something unexpected and wondrous, something far from the grinding norm of her school term. Kicking around a ball or hanging out at TrekBBS didn’t fit the bill, not even close.

“C’mon,” PHJ said to AA. “Let’s go grab a ball and show Catalina how to shoot some goals.” AA nodded in agreement, and Catalina followed them, folding her arms and sighing.

“Guess I have to teach you two a lesson,” she said, and the trio walked off to find a football. Flirty and sweetclover started to leave, but then hesitated, looking at Foxie. “You sure you don’t want to come?” asked Flirty. Foxie drew her knees to her chin and shook her head. “Right, then,” sweetclover said, and the two girls went off in their own direction.

Foxie was now alone. She sighed heavily and peered off into the distance, surrounded by nothing but the pleasant buzzing of the Field and the beating warmth of the sun. She thought about how nice it would be to go somewhere cool and dark where she could be alone with her thoughts. There was no place in the village that fit the bill, but then she suddenly thought of the woods. Yes, of course! A brisk walk in the woods would suit her; she could explore and climb and otherwise pursue at least some semblance of adventure. Hopping to her feet, Foxie turned to the entrance of the woods, but then stopped in mid-stride. She’d never been in the forest alone, only on field trips or with other children, and it suddenly occurred to her that she didn’t quite know her way around the darkling trees and thick underbrush. A feeling of slight nervousness overcame her as she gazed at the looming thicket of trees before her, both ominous and beckoning. She looked back to see if any of her friends were still in sight, but they had all disappeared. Foxie took a deep breath and considered her decision carefully.

“Oh, what am I afraid of!” she said in a scornful tone. “It’s not the Black Forest or something, it’s just a bloody small wood and I’m a resourceful girl. Such nonsense!” Foxie often scolded herself, even more sometimes than she did her brother, and it always made her feel better somehow. She began striding confidently towards the woods, tossing her hair impudently and tamping down the growing, irrational fear inside her.

The woods were cool and dark and deep, and the instant she entered them, Foxie felt her heart leap with excitement. Several trails led off in several directions, and as she had no idea which one led where, she closed her eyes and hopped forward, deciding that wherever she landed would be her path. Opening her eyes, she saw that her sneakered feet had chosen a middle sort of path, which she deemed perfect.

Even as the warm daylight of the Field gave way to a sort of moist darkness of mossy trees and dead branches, Foxie felt more strongly that she had made the right decision. To help herself along, she thought about what Captain Janeway would do. Certainly her main hero would think nothing of setting off on a quest like this; the woman was an explorer, after all. Foxie imagined herself on an away mission with the captain, pretending Janeway was leading the way down the path, and her fears began to ease, and her heart felt lighter with every step. What fun it was to set off into the unknown! She knew her captain would be proud.

It was some time before Foxie even paid attention to where she was, having spent at least half an hour pretending to gather alien soil samples and fighting off the odd Kazon or Borg with a stick that stood in for a phaser rifle. She suddenly stopped in mid-path and looked around, with no idea of which direction she had come. The imaginary Janeway abruptly vanished, and there was suddenly nowt but silence all around her. Foxie’s eyes widened.

“I’m not lost, surely I’m not,” she muttered, glancing back at the trail behind her. It seemed unfamiliar, as she had paid little attention to landmarks, and as she peered back as far as she could she noticed with consternation that the path split off in at least half a dozen directions. There was no telling which one she had taken to get here.

“Oh, bother, I am lost,” Foxie whispered, her voice quavering slightly. She turned and started to make her way back along the trail, but there seemed to be no end to the thick, green tangle of trees and brush that surrounded her. Foxie’s heart began to beat faster, and she bit her lip as she walked first in this direction and then that. This would not do. To get lost in the woods, alone, with evening on the horizon… why, not only would she get in trouble for wandering off alone, but the other children would tease her relentlessly for getting lost like some baby in a department store. Foxie clenched her fists and began running a bit, determined to get out of the woods all on her own.

An hour passed. Still there seemed no end to the woods, nor to the seemingly infinite amount of trails and paths that stretched out before her. She realized that she had spent much more time being lost than she had wandering her way in, and it was all she could do to fight down a feeling of panic.

“I won’t cry, I won’t,” she said to herself over and over. “Even if I starve here and they find my poor wee body all curled up in a ball, they’ll see no trace of tears. PHJ would have a field day with that!” It helped her fear to be so defiant, but she knew deep down that she was in trouble. There was no way of knowing which direction she faced, as the roof of leaves high above her head blocked the sun and sky completely. Brambles and thorns seemed to whip out at her as she passed, and soon her bare legs were covered with itchy scratches. Finally she slumped to the mossy ground by a tree, leaning her back against it and catching her breath. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked around her, frustrated and afraid. Where to go, which direction, what path? She was suddenly very tired of making decisions that only led her nowhere, and with a sigh she relaxed against the tree. “Fine, I’ll die here then,” she said to the silent forest. “Have it your way. I suppose there are worse ways to go. Drowning, for one. I’m at least not lost at sea or stuck in a bog.” She rested her arms on her knees and started straight ahead.

It was when she looked to her far right that she noticed the streaming light. As the afternoon had worn on it had become darker in the woods, and now the brilliant sunlight was easier to discern. She leapt to her feet and craned her neck. Yes! There definitely was an area to her right that was lit up with sun, and surely that was the way out! Foxie sighed with blessed relief and ran towards the light, her heart pounding with happiness. What an adventure she’d had! Well, that was enough for today. She’d earned an afternoon of reading or playing on her computer.

She soon reached what turned out to be a massive clearing in a section of the woods, surrounded on all sides by thick and ominous bunches of trees. Foxie realized with a sinking feeling that she had merely discovered a glade, an open area, not a way out to the Field. She let out a sigh of despair, and was very tempted to cry when she saw it.

In one corner of the glade stood what appeared to be a small, abandoned one-story house. It was covered with vines and moss and looked very old, but still very much in one piece. Foxie wondered if anyone lived there, but then she noted that the grass growing around it was nearly as tall as she was, and so she doubted it. As she stepped cautiously towards the house she saw a small, friendly-looking porch built on the front of it. In all, it was a cute and very appealing cottage, but things being as they were it only served to remind her how lost she still was and how far away she was from human contact.

“Well, if I’m to die than at least let it be indoors, where no animals can make a meal of me,” Foxie told herself, with more bravado than she felt. Once again she imagined that Captain Janeway was leading the way ahead of her, phaser drawn just in case. Foxie reached for a large branch on the ground and “followed” her captain, feeling at least a bit braver. As she drew closer to the porch she suddenly noticed a wooden sign hanging above the door to the house, and she stopped, her mouth dropping open, the branch falling from her hand. Burned into the sign were large block letters, as clear as day, and the word they spelled out shocked and thrilled her at the same time. The sign read: LIBRARY

“Oh, my!” Foxie gasped. What in the world? Of all the things to find here in the woods! She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was hallucinating, but no, the sign said what it said. A thrill ran through Foxie. Who would build a library all the way out here, she wondered. She stepped hesitantly onto the porch, which groaned and creaked under her feet, and slowly reached for the door’s brass knob. Her heart beat with excitement. Surely this place couldn’t still have books in it, not after all this time being abandoned. But perhaps whoever had closed the place up had left even one wee little book behind, and the thought of spending her last hours on earth reading cheered Foxie up considerably. With a trembling hand, she reached for the rusty knob and turned it.

The door was unlocked, and Foxie jumped back slightly as it creaked open. Inside it was cool and dark, but she could make out bulky shapes. As her eyes became accustomed to the dim light, Foxie gasped again.

Books. Everywhere she looked, she saw stacks and stacks of them, packed into freestanding shelves and ones along the wall, endless rows of books, more than Foxie could have possibly dreamed would even fit in a tiny house such as this. On one side of the main room she could make out a librarian’s desk, and on the other was a cozy little fireplace area with comfy-looking sofas and armchairs and an oaken coffee table. Foxie forgot all about being lost and near death, and walked slowly and reverently around the small, silent library. A layer of dust which covered everything made her want to sneeze, but otherwise the library looked completely intact and undisturbed, as if it had just been closed for a few days. It was fantastic. Who would build a library deep in the woods, and then just abandon it without removing a single item?

Foxie made her way wonderingly down an aisle and ran her finger over the spines of the books, noting their aged and worn condition. A wonderfully musky smell of old paper and bindings filled her nostrils, and Foxie was nearly overpowered by the urge to read. She scanned the books, looking over the author names, and let out a small gasp at the sight of one that stood out from the others. JK ROWLING, it said in gold gilt lettering, and Foxie practically ripped the book from the shelf. Trembling with excitement, she stared anxiously at the cover. It was clearly a Harry Potter book, but one that looked to be several decades old, which Foxie knew was impossible. She scanned the cover closely. The title, which was nearly faded, was one she’d never heard of before, and the cover illustration showed Harry looking surprised at the sight of a group of children facing him, wands at the ready. Foxie shook her head, dizzy with confusion and excitement, and then clasped the volume to her chest, fairly skipping her way over to an overstuffed armchair that seemed to be made just for someone her size. She flounced down upon it and stretched her legs out over one arm, and sighed contentedly. Foxie then settled the book into her lap, opened it, and began to read.

“Miss Foxie,” drawled Snape, his voice thick with disdain. “Would you please answer the question?”

Foxie looked up at him, startled. “What? I… I mean, excuse me, sir, I cannae remember the question, sir…” She tried to fight the panic rising inside her.

Snape nodded, folding his arms and pacing slowly before the class. “Cannot… remember… the question,” he repeated slowly, each word dripping with an icy, sneering tone. “Very well, then. Ten points deducted from Gryffindor for Miss Foxie’s inattention!”

Certain members of the class, like Harry and Ron, groaned loudly, while others like Malfoy snickered with triumph. Foxie’s eyes widened and her face reddened as she slowly comprehended the meaning of Snape’ words…

Foxie clapped the book closed and sat up on the armchair, her entire body tingling and rigid. What on earth?!? She looked at the book’s cover again, noting the title, which again she’d never heard of before. Then she flipped the pages back to the section she had just read. There it was, a paragraph describing a character named Foxie, who had just been reprimanded by the hateful Severus Snape! It couldn’t be! Wait, she thought. What was the title again? Foxie discovered that as long as she looked at the book’s cover or spine, its title was quite clear to her, but if she looked away or opened the book she couldn’t remember it for the life of her. It dawned on her that this was no ordinary book.

“You’re bloody magic, aren’t you?” the astonished girl whispered, half-expecting the book to reply. Her hands shook as she opened it again, finding the spot where the Foxie character had just gotten into trouble.

Suddenly the room seemed to spin, making her dizzy, and Foxie closed her eyes, moaning. Oh, what a time to be sick! But then she felt her entire body being wrenched, as if unseen hands had grabbed her and were pulling her out of the library and into somewhere else. Foxie cried out softly at the queasy sensation, but then a moment later all was still.

She opened her eyes.

“Miss Foxie,” drawled a voice thick with disdain. “Would you please answer the question?”

Foxie looked up, startled. She was seated in what appeared to be a classroom, and was surrounded by children her age who were clad in what could only be Hogwarts school robes. She was astonished to see that she, too, was wearing a robe, one with a Gryffindor patch, and on the desk in front of her was an open book. Next to that was what could only be a magic wand. Foxie’s mouth dropped open and she looked up at the source of the voice.

Severus Snape himself stood a few feet away from her. The Hogwarts Potions teacher was real, more real and scary-looking than the actor who played him in the films; indeed, this Snape seemed exactly as she had pictured him in the days before there were Harry Potter movies. The library was gone, vanished, and Foxie was sitting in an actual classroom, and everything and everyone around her seemed unmistakably real. This was not an hallucination, or a vision. She glanced to her left and saw two boys seated together who could only be Harry and Ron, and again they looked far more like her own imagined version of them than the film actors.

Foxie looked with fright at Snape, trying desperately to unscramble her brain. “What? I… I mean, excuse me, sir, I cannae remember the question, sir…” She gasped to herself. It was just what the Foxie character had said in the book! She hadn’t meant to copy the words, they seemed to come out of her unbidden, as naturally as anything she’d ever said in her life.

Snape nodded, folding his arms and pacing slowly before the class. “Cannot… remember… the question,” he repeated slowly, each word dripping with an icy, sneering tone. “Very well, then. Ten points deducted from Gryffindor for Miss Foxie’s inattention!”

Certain members of the class, like Harry and Ron, groaned loudly, while others like Malfoy snickered with triumph. Foxie’s eyes widened and her face reddened as she slowly comprehended the meaning of Snape’ words.

“This cannae be real,” she whispered to herself. “I was in a library, in the woods! I can’t be at Hogwarts, it’s madness, utter madness…”

“We shall continue this lesson tomorrow,” Snape droned. “I trust that Miss Foxie will be just as enlightening then as she has been today, or at least as entertaining.” His eyes glowed with fierce sadism as he stared at Foxie, who couldn’t help but shrink back a bit. “You are,” Snape said directly to her, “dismissed.”

Confusion erupted around her as the students arose from their seats as one, laughing and chattering as they gathered their books and belongings. Foxie looked around her in a daze, her face blank with confusion and a little fear. One boy, who could only be Draco Malfoy, sauntered over to her desk and sneered at her coldly.

“Nicely done,” he laughed tauntingly. “I thought Potter was the dumbest kid in school. Looks like I’ve reason to re-think that opinion!” He chuckled and joined his friends, who were laughing just as spiritedly. Foxie felt her ears grow hot and her face become more red as she watched them walk away. She gripped the edges of her desk and drew a deep breath, trying to collect herself.

“Don’t let them get to you,” said a voice. Foxie looked up to see Hermione Granger standing over her desk, shaking her head with sympathy. “He’s one to talk about being dumb. I don’t think there’s a single brain amongst the entire Malfoy family.”

Foxie merely nodded dumbly, staring with amazement at a girl she’d only known as a fictional character up till now. Like the rest of the characters, Hermione seemed more real than her filmed counterpart, and just as Foxie had pictured her in her head.

“I’ll help you with this spell, if you’d like,” the girl continued. “It’s not that hard, once you’ve had some practice.”

Foxie nodded and suddenly regained the power of speech. “Thanks,” she said, her voice coming out in a soft squeak. Before she could say more, Harry and Ron sidled up to Hermione, both glancing quickly at Foxie before addressing their friend.

“Come on, we’ve got to get to the library!” Ron said in an urgent whisper. “Harry’s learned a few things more!” Hermione looked questioningly at Harry, who nodded. Then she turned to Foxie again.

“You all right?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” Foxie replied. “You run along. I’ll talk to you later.”

Hermione seemed satisfied, and she and the two boys quickly left the classroom. Foxie was now alone, and she fell back in her chair with a deep sigh, rubbing her eyes. This was all too fantastic, and yet it seemed perfectly real. Foxie had always dreamt of something magical happening to her, but this was not how she expected it to be like. It was too confusing to seem fun, but there was a thrill at knowing that she was caught up in something so unlikely and unreal. Closing her eyes, Foxie buried her face in her hands and wondered just what she would do next.

A moment later, she was back in the library, seated upright in the armchair, with the fantastically titled book in her lap. Foxie looked around in wonder, then got to her feet and looked out a window.

It was getting dark, as afternoon began to give way to evening, and she felt like hours had passed since she’d first entered the library, though it actually couldn’t have been more then twenty minutes. But she was still lost, and a feeling of renewed panic swept over her. It was all very well to find a library with magic books, but she still had to report home and let everyone know she was alive. Oh, if she only knew how to get out of here!

Foxie glanced down at the Harry Potter book and suddenly noticed a piece of folded parchment sticking out of its pages, one she hadn’t noticed before. Puzzled, she slid it from the book and opened it, letting out a small cry as she read the words on it, which seemed to have been written by some elegant, artistic hand:

MARAUDERS MAP, LIBRARY EDITION

Includes all paths, trails and streams leading to and from the Field and the Woods, with landmarks and items of interest along the way

Foxie was further astonished to see a small black dot on the page marked “Foxie” that moved when she did – just like the map in the Harry Potter books! And just as the description promised, on the map were several squiggly lines denoting paths through the woods, each one leading out to the Field – and to safety. Foxie let out a cry of delight and grabbed the Harry Potter book, shoving it under her arm and made her way to the door. She now couldn’t wait to return to Hogwarts, only this time she’d do so from the safety of her bedroom. Her heart beating with excitement, Foxie reached for the doorknob, but the door refused to open.

She frowned. There was no lock on the door, as far as she could see. It must be stuck. She tugged on the knob again, but it did not give even one centimeter.

“Oh, bother!” Foxie muttered. She hadn’t gone through this strange and sometimes scary experience only to be stopped by a swollen old door! She brushed the hair from her eyes and set the book down on a nearby table, then tugged at the door as hard as she could with both hands.

It swung open, sending Foxie flying backward into the library, where she landed on her backside with an unceremonious thump. She looked at the open doorway with surprise, and, feeling rather stupid, scrambled hastily to her feet. Foxie scolded herself silently and grabbed the Potter book from the table, then began to head out the door once more. It creaked loudly as it swung shut with a loud slam, so swiftly that Foxie nearly ran directly into it. She stepped back with a gasp, then felt a bit afraid. Ghosts? she wondered, biting her lower lip. Again, she set the Potter book on the table. The door slowly creaked open, revealing the open woods.

Suddenly it dawned on her. Foxie could not take the book with her. It was a magic book, and it apparently could only be read in the magic library, much like the large reference books one couldn’t take out from a normal library. “Ah,” she said approvingly, nodding at the room. “I see. My apologies. I shan’t break any of the rules.” Silence was the library’s only reply, which Foxie decided to interpret as acceptance. She started toward the open door, then stopped. “May I at least take this with me?” she asked, flapping the Marauders Map. “I’ll bring it back, I promise. It’s just that I cannae memorize things like this very well, and I’ll need to look at the map the whole way back, I’m afraid.” Again, no answer came. Foxie cautiously took a step forward, but the door remained open. She eased her way slowly until she stood in its middle, where it was clear that she would be permitted to be on her way.

“Thanks,” she called out. “I had fun! I’ll be back tomorrow, I promise!”

With that, Foxie held the map out in front of her, carefully comparing the little black dot that was her with the actual trail in front of her. The Field was absurdly close, but the thicket around this section of wood was easy to mistake for being impassable. It was no wonder she hadn’t found her own way back.

“Wait until I tell the other kids,” she thought excitedly, and sprinted off towards home.

"You're daft," said PHJ. "Crazy. Touched in the head. Deranged."

Foxie folded her arms crossly. “I am not deranged” and upon spying PHJ gesturing to AA and Catalina, she added “and stop tapping the side of your head like that!”

AA grinned and shook his head at his young friend, much to her obvious annoyance. “What are you on? I haven’t laughed this much in ages, thanks Fox.”

“It’s a pleasure” she grumbled through gritted teeth.

“Well I don’t think you’re crazy” Katy Jane said kindly, “It sounds great but just a little far-fetched, that’s all.”

“Hmm, almost sounds like a holodeck. I wonder if it could be done...” NAH pondered aloud from his perch on a low-hanging tree branch, “There have been studies conducted regarding this sort of occurrence. Maybe something could affect the brainwaves, probably using some kind of cerebral cortex stimulus. Yes, I’m sure if yo-”

He realised he’d been broadcasting his scientific notions when he looked down only to be met by his friends’ upturned faces, eyebrows raised. NAH blushed and stopped talking, noticing that only Katy Jane looked affectionately amused at his babbling.

“I’m sorry Foxie but try seeing it from our point of view. Would you believe what you’re saying?” chimed in Flirty whilst she shared a bag of sweets with sweetclover, who was looking at Foxie with as much sympathy as someone sucking a particularly sour sherbet lemon could muster.

Annoyance grew inside Foxie as she realised that if it was the other way round, she’d be acting exactly like PHJ, competing with him to come up with the wittiest comments. There was no way she’d believe it. She looked around at her friends’ alternately sceptical and mocking faces. Feeling tears of anger and frustration welling up in her eyes, Foxie sighed in exasperation and shoved her hands in her pockets. Her brow furrowed as her hand brushed against folded parchment. Then it hit her: the Marauders’ Map!

“Seeing as I can’t convince you, maybe this will” she declared as she withdrew the map and began unfolding it.

“What on earth?” asked Catalina as the others peered quizzically at the yellowing parchment in her hands.

“Planning to paper-cut us into believing you?” scoffed PHJ. A look of mingled alarm and confusion washed across Foxie’s pale face.

“I......I don’t understand. Where’s it all gone? It was all here yesterday” she said while turning her featureless map over and over wildly.

“What was there yesterday? What is it we’re supposed to be seeing?” asked Katy Jane, getting up to stand next to her friend.

“It’s a map, a map of the Woods. I found it in a book. It’s magic. All the markings were here yesterday, honestly.”

Foxie’s mind scrambled frantically to try and understand what was going on. Why wasn’t it all there? Had she broken it somehow? A thought flickered in her brain. Maybe all she had to do was what they did in the books. Foxie whispered “I solemnly swear I am up to no good” to the parchment.

The map remained defiantly blank.

“And I thought I’d seen it all, she’s talking to it now” laughed AA.

“Quick, get the straightjacket!” PHJ added, joining in with the other boy’s laughter.

“Leave her alone you” admonished sweetclover after poking PHJ just hard enough in the ribs.

Sinking down onto the log behind her, Foxie just stared in utter bewilderment at the traitorous map. How could it do this to her? She was a complete laughing stock. By now even she doubted the events of yesterday afternoon. Maybe it hadn’t been real after all. Perhaps she had dozed off somewhere and merely dreamt it. Foxie frowned and thumped the wood beside her. ‘Captain Janeway wouldn’t have this trouble’ she thought glumly, ‘Whenever something strange happened to her, everyone believed it. Well, of course that may have quite a lot to do with them living in the 24th Century but still. Even if they didn’t believe her at first, she wouldn’t just give up.’

That final thought echoed clearly in Foxie’s mind. ‘Oh for God’s sake, I know I’m not bloody crazy, what happened was real and I’ve got to convince them’ she told herself firmly as she stood up and folded up the map. Full of renewed determination, Foxie strode back over to where the rest of the gang were chatting and kicking a can about.

“Uh-oh, Foxie’s gonna serve us another helping of crazy” joked AA good-naturedly as she approached.

Foxie feigned laughter, then dead-panned “Shut it.”

The tone of her voice made the group stop what they were doing and they looked at her expectantly. Having got their attention, she calmly began to speak.

“Look you guys, I know what I told you sounds pretty daft and unbelievable but I am telling the truth. Please, if you’d just follow me into the Woods, you’ll see for yourselves that I’m not making it up. Please?”

After looking from one to another for agreement, her friends shrugged and Catalina motioned for Foxie to lead the way.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the cool dimness of the Woods. On a hunch, Foxie fished the map out of her pocket and opened it cautiously. To her absolute delight and relief, all the map markings had reappeared and a large inky black dot labelled ‘Kellyz Korner Gang’ marked exactly where they stood. Oh, how she’d make PHJ and AA eat their words. Foxie grinned broadly and turned around to show her disbelieving friends.

“See, told you I wasn’t deranged.”

There was a chorus of gasps and “My God”s as they crowded around Foxie, staring at the map in astonishment. AA snatched the map from her hands and just stared. Then NAH seized it, scrutinising it closely, appearing to check for trickery. Out of the corner of her eye, Foxie saw PHJ hurriedly shift his expression from surprise to something resembling an obstinate refusal to believe what he was seeing. No matter, she thought, once they found the library a certain someone would be receiving a swift thwack upside his head with a book.

“Now if you’d all follow me, I’ll show you to the Library that is clearly shown on this map but apparently doesn’t exist according to you.”

It didn’t take long for the group to reach the leafy glade where to one side, a derelict building bedecked in green loomed in the shade. Foxie smiled again, it looked suitably real to her. She should be due a few apologies right now, judging by her friends’ still stunned faces.

“No way!” exclaimed sweetclover at the sight before her.

“My God!” Flirty and Katy Jane gasped in unison.

AA and PHJ just stared at the cottage, then back at each other in silence, obviously trying to figure out a suitable reaction.

“Well, what are we waiting for? I wanna see inside!” said Catalina as she ushered Foxie towards the intriguing building. The others followed and in their haste, clumsily shoved Foxie inside as soon as she’d opened the door. Immediately they swarmed around the dusty book-filled room, poking and prodding, flopping onto armchairs and generally nosing around.

“Aww, this place is so cute, real cosy” said Katy, who was curled up in an armchair.

“And there are so many books!” Flirty added, “I’ve never seen so many before. Not even in your bedroom Foxie.”

Foxie laughed and then spotted PHJ standing in the middle of the carpet with his arms folded. Grabbing a paperback off a shelf, she crept up behind him and whacked the back of his head.

“Ow!” he yelled.

“That was for taking the mickey out of me” said Foxie after sticking her tongue out at the boy, “Satisfied I was telling the truth yet?”

“No. Not until I’ve been inside a book, as you claim you have.”

“Yeah Foxie, how’d you get sucked inside the book?” asked sweetclover, “Does it matter which book you choose?”

NAH’s head popped out from behind a bookshelf, “I vote we go inside a Trek book.”

“How about Lord of the Rings?”

“Nah, a Discworld novel.”

“Hey you guys, I had to put up with an awful lot of ridiculing to get you here,” Foxie said, “so I think it’s only fair that I get to choose the book.”

“Fine by me” replied Flirty and the others, occasionally reluctantly, nodded in agreement.

Foxie motioned to her friends and they followed her through a tall maze of bookshelves. Eventually, she found her chosen book and pulled it from its shelf. Smiling slyly to herself, she found the right chapter then turned to face the others’ impatient faces.

“Well? Which book have you chosen?” AA asked.

“Oh, we’re all going back to Hogwarts.”

The instant she finished her words, Foxie opened the book and unleashed a sensation of nausea on her unsuspecting friends. Sickeningly, the room began to whirl. Dizziness fogged their minds. Each person felt their bodies being yanked from reality. Eyes closed and various exclamations merged together in the spinning confusion. Then there was a disorientating silence.

"What have you cretins gotten me into now?" grumbled PHJ as he tried to pick himself up from the cold stony ground where he had been hurled only moments before.

"Ouch! Well, I have some idea, but I can't see anything" came the muffled voice of KatyJane from underneath the black cloak PHJ was now wearing. Shoving him out of her way, she climbed to her feet while dusting herself off. AA grabbed Catalina’s arm to support him as he rubbed his eyes and blinked at his surroundings.

“Who? What? Where?” he said somewhat groggily.

Foxie stood with her hands on her hips, looking at her unsteady friends with a grin. A tiny part of her felt a wee bit mean about not warning her friends about the sensation of changing realities. Ah well, she thought, they won’t hesitate to believe me next time.

“Hogwarts, I told you already.”

“What? How?”

“Through the book you fool. Told you it did that.”

“Well, I certainly I believe you now Foxie,” Flirty confessed, staring at the most definitely real and towering castle ahead of her. It seemed infinitely larger than the one used in the movies. Owls fluttered in and out of the tallest stone tower. Black and grey clad students bustled around the Kellyz Gang, seemingly unfazed by their sudden appearance.

“Me too” replied Catalina as she looked behind her and spotted the flapping coloured flags that crowned the nearby Quidditch pitch.

Scratching his head with a thoughtful look on his face, NAH gazed around at the castle and what could only be the Forbidden Forest. Foxie walked over to him and said “Surreal isn’t it?”

“Indeed. I just know it can’t be real though. What I really want to know is how the hell it’s done” the older boy answered, “Is it some form of holodeck? Or maybe mass hypnosis?”

"Best not to puzzle it over too much NAH, let's just enjoy it. Speaking of enjoying it, it's lunchtime and I'm so starving, I'd eat something I'd cooked!"

Sure enough, the tide of students was now heading inside to the Great Hall and the Kellyz Gang hurried forwards to join the throng. Upon reaching the castle steps, Foxie became aware that AA and PHJ were lagging behind.

"Oi you two! Shift your arses or there won't be anywhere for you to sit" she called.

When the two boys made no clever comebacks and sped up without protest, Foxie arched an eyebrow. As they got closer, she saw their matching grins and felt a flicker of wariness. These were the same smiles that the pair wore every time they passed Old Man Shatna's with pockets full of eggs.

‘They better not be plotting anything because I certainly did not come here just to end up spending my time in detention in some drafty bloody dungeon’ Foxie thought darkly.

Upon entering the Great Hall however, the sight before her and the delicious aroma of roast chicken wafted those worries clean away. The movies truly hadn’t done this room justice. Delicate wisps of clouds glided across the enchanted ceiling high above their heads. All along the house tables vast amounts of mouth-watering food were appearing from thin air. A buzz of happy chatter seemed to fill the hall right up to the lofty arches overhead. Foxie practically heard Flirty’s jaw hit the floor.

“Ohmigosh, look there’s Harry, Ron and Hermione!” she squeaked breathlessly, “We have to go sit by them!”

The gang surged forward through the crowd towards the Gryffindor table, with KatyJane dragging a bewildered NAH in her wake. Accompanied by choruses of “Ow!”s and “Watch where you’re putting that wand!”, they all reached the table.

Within minutes of sitting down, it was as if the Kellyz Gang had always been there. Living up to her name, Flirty was busy flirting with the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain Oliver Wood. KatyJane, Catalina and sweetclover were laughing and joking with Harry and Ron. The Weasley twins seemed to be hanging on PHJ and AA’s every word. From the way NAH was totally absorbed in inspecting the tablecloth and lifting his plate up and down, Foxie guessed he was still trying to work out how magic worked. She simply smiled and went about rapidly devouring her plate of food.

“Did you manage to figure out that Potions work Foxie?” enquired the girl sitting to her right.

“Huh?” answered Foxie as eloquently as a girl with a mouthful of mashed potato could manage. Wiping her mouth with the tablecloth, she turned to see who was speaking and found Hermione Granger looking at her intently.

“Don’t you remember, that thing Snape taught us last lesson? It’s not that hard really. I did straight away, but then I already knew how to do it before the lesson, learnt it for fun."

"Oh, yeah. I did get it in the end, thanks" she replied, rolling her eyes a little at Hermione's "learnt it for fun" comment. Don’t get me wrong, she thought, I’m all for being intelligent but I’d sooner let my little brother win an argument than study for fun! Ever since the Harry Potter books had come out, Foxie found herself being likened to Hermione more times than she cared for. Her reaction to these comments was always the same: a vehement “No I’m not!”, an indignant pout and a Janeway-class death glare.

Despite this, she found Hermione agreeable to chat to and they talked all the way through Foxie’s multiple helpings of food. The two girls found that they saw eye to eye on many subjects, including the belief that boys were often complete and utter idiots. Dessert arrived and they were just beginning a good-natured argument when Foxie heard something that made her fork clatter to the table.

To Be Continued....