JK Rowling's Harry Potter Prequel now online!
UPDATE: Some readers are saying they're having a hard time reading Jo's handwriting. If that is the case, click the "Read More..." link at the bottom of this post to read a typed version. Thanks, Jessica!At long last, JK Rowling's Harry Potter prequel, which raised nearly $50,000 for charity, is now online! To view the works of Jo and 12 other authors, click here, then click "Read our authors' stories".
If you're having a problem viewing it on their site, you can see page one here and page two here. Enjoy!
The Story:
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 lights, 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 brickwall and the police car, which was now crawling towards them like some growling luminous-eyes 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 wing 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, timeless rock band.
"No helmet!" 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.) "Failure 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 knee bucked; as he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher's legs and fell on top of him, as flump-bang-crunch- they heard the mean on brooms slam into the suspended 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-shaking 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 thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.
From the prequel I am not working on-but that was fun! J.K. Rowling.2008
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 lights, 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 brickwall and the police car, which was now crawling towards them like some growling luminous-eyes 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 wing 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, timeless rock band.
"No helmet!" 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.) "Failure 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 knee bucked; as he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher's legs and fell on top of him, as flump-bang-crunch- they heard the mean on brooms slam into the suspended 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-shaking 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 thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.
From the prequel I am not working on-but that was fun! J.K. Rowling.2008
Posted by Andrew on Jun 11th |
238 Comments
Visitor Comments
I agree with halfbloodprincess 62 and ingridtk...this is a harry potter fansite..not a site to bash Jo and her writing... it's a card for charity and a little something to entertain the fans...which it has ;) at least most of us anyway. seriously get over yourself...you don't have the right to bash Jo, just because you're an english major and supposedly know what good writing is...jeez!!!
The names Sirius rattled off-- I wonder if those were the names of the guys on broomsticks. And it would be just like James and Sirius to wear shirts linking them to the Order of the Phoenix. Oh--- I wish we could read the whole story!
Bluntly, I didn't like it. I mean, I didn't hate it. But it was pretty bland, as far as JK writing goes.
WOOOOOW!! can everyone pleez stop complaining about her handwriting!?? like just get a life and stop being so ungreatful! its not the way the words look, its the way they sound so stop being stuck up, arrogant snobs and get a life! preferably one that doesn't invole one of the greatest authors ever cuz I'd like to see u write something half that good u friggin losers (well at least most of you) and im sorry ur wee brains can handle having to decipher something thats not typed up in perfectly legible print! ur lucky to even be reading it so stop complaining and GET OVER YOURSELFS and by the way, i don't really think u have the right or credibility to talk about how u would have done it or blah blah blah becuz this is J.K. ROWLINGS world, imagination, and she can make it anyway we want and we should be proud and not just look for every excuse to critisize her and she is doing her best and if you think u can do soooo much better why don't u get ur sorry a** out there and write a best selling book??? ya, that's what i thought, so SHOVE IT *loved it to death, you go j.k. rowling!*
WOOOOOW!! can everyone pleez stop complaining about her handwriting!?? like just get a life and stop being so ungreatful! its not the way the words look, its the way they sound so stop being stuck up, arrogant snobs and get a life! preferably one that doesn't invole insulting one of the greatest authors ever cuz I'd like to see u write something half that good u friggin losers (well at least most of you) and im sorry ur wee brains can handle having to decipher something thats not typed up in perfectly legible print! ur lucky to even be reading it so stop complaining and GET OVER YOURSELFS and by the way, i don't really think u have the right or credibility to talk about how u would have done it or blah blah blah becuz this is J.K. ROWLINGS world, imagination, and she can make it anyway she wants and we should be proud and not just look for every excuse to critisize her and she is doing her best and if you think u can do soooo much better why don't u get ur sorry a** out there and write a best selling book??? ya, that's what i thought, so SHOVE IT *loved it to death, you go j.k. rowling!*
WOOOOOW!! can everyone pleez stop complaining about her handwriting!?? like just get a life and stop being so ungreatful! its not the way the words look, its the way they sound so stop being stuck up, arrogant snobs and get a life! preferably one that doesn't invole insulting one of the greatest authors ever cuz I'd like to see u write something half that good u friggin losers (well at least most of you) and im sorry ur wee brains can handle having to decipher something thats not typed up in perfectly legible print! ur lucky to even be reading it so stop complaining and GET OVER YOURSELFS and by the way, i don't really think u have the right or credibility to talk about how u would have done it or blah blah blah becuz this is J.K. ROWLINGS world, imagination, and she can make it anyway she wants and we should be proud and not just look for every excuse to critisize her and she is doing her best and if you think u can do soooo much better why don't u get ur sorry a** out there and write a best selling book??? ya, that's what i thought, so SHOVE IT *loved it to death, you go j.k. rowling!*
Thanks Jessica for typing the story out, JKR's handwriting isn't the easiest to read, I think she makes up her own letters going along, such as using the zodiacal sign for Leo for the word " of ". It's a funny piece of fanfic - why can an author like JKr not be her own fan? And write her own fanfic, neh? But when this is to be incorperated into the canon, it does nothing to take away the image left of James and Sirius as utter jerks in their schooldays. It looks like they joined the Order of the Phoenix just for the fun of continuing kicking Slytherin buts as they had done for about 7 years at school, only on a higher level. It still baffles me that the almost saintlike Lilly Evens married that toerag.
Cool story!! Loved it!! Hey in this story, Sirius is mentioned as " his insolent good looks reminded Fisher unpleasantly of his daughter's guitar-playing, layabout boyfriend." Is this by any chance in reference to Stubby Boardman?? Remember, in OOTP, Purkiss, Doris - A witch interviewed by The Quibbler who believed that Sirius Black was the same person as Stubby Boardman, lead singer of the group The Hobgoblins. ???????
WAIT, I just noticed this.. they had Order of the Phoenix t- shirts on? Oooh, they ROCK!!! :D
once again jk rowling is brilliant and i love every piece of her work and idc what other people say, i loved it! but its kinda confusing cause... "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." THREE MEN?
Okay that was amazing. There's no else to say. haha. but i wish that we could've had more. It would be a great read. James and Sirius are so much like Fred and Geore. And I loved them. Especialy "And don't forget: Elvendork! It's unisex!" hahahah. Thanks Jo!
its amazing how in so few words, jkr can really put the reader right into the scene! i think mcgonagall said this once, that fred and george sort of remind her of james and sirius. maybe george will be sort of like sirius now that his "james" is dead. just a speculation. great mini-prequel though!
Wow, that was really good. I'm glad she wrote something like this, because it was just one of the many adventures James and Sirius had.
that was good. jks writing was a little hard 2 read. i had to go 2 the typed 1, but it was a gr8t story
oh my gosh!!!! that was amazing!!!! i just may have to name my child Elevendork!!! hahahah that was so freakin awesome!!!!! MORE MORE!!!!!
To me, this seems more like it would be the first chapter of the "prequel that she is not writing". Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this story and I completly understand the there will NOT be a prequel, but I feel the same way I did after reading the first chapter of HBP or even DH. These chapters portary familiar characters from anothers point of view, just like this story. Also, this seems like the opening of a plot--mysterious strangers, the protagonists escaping a close encounter, but with not enough action to be considered a climax of any sort. I liked the story, and found it quite intriguing and thought provoking, all i'm saying is it seems like poor Jo is having trouble NOT writing a prequel. And BTW, I don't think that Sirus and James were incredibly arrogant. They reminded me alot of Fred and George.
To all people unsatisified with this: Of course its like a fanfiction! Fanfiction are stories written by other people. Its not like JKR is not a 'people' if you will. THe difference between JKR and the people (other then writing style) are the ideas. A person who can write jsut as well, or better then JKR could still write grade A fanfiction abot it, the one problem is that they don't have the right upbringing and influences. And if this was some unbelievable piece of gold, then it would be a sequel. Or a prequel. BUT ANYWAY, as an author I have though up plenty of stories about my characters that I could never put in my comic book (dont ask). JKR probably has hundereds of ideas in her head that just wouldn't fit in the potter series. Whaddya think the encyclopedias gonna be about? Its not going to be just a giant reference book in alphabetical order. The fact is, that when you develop a character, you think up situations adn how they would react. Its not supposed to be epic, or amazing, or a ZOMG moment. its just a story. one little story.
wow. that was so funny. it was what i had expected, but it was cool. i wish she would write more about james and sirius's childhood. you know how they met, why they became such good friends and so on... i always wanted to know more about what kind of troubles they would have gotten themselves into. i wanted to know more about how james and lily went from hating each other to married with a kid. it'd be cool to know the extra things too. this was awesome though!
ahhh that was soo awesome! We need more! It was wayyy tooo short!
umm ya that was reallly hard to read.. then again i'm terrible at reading handwriting... i was on the site, and i was trying to read it and coming up with all these words that made no sense... then came back here and realized someone had posted the story typed!! don't i feel stupid anywa y that was a good story.. james and sirius are just as mischevious as i imagined them to be!! aww now i really want her to write a prequel:( one day she will do it , i can feel it!
Wow it was really good... just a little disappointing... I wanted to see Lily! oh and to lunapotter and imamandajulius: whats ur problem?
This is a really good short story!!! It's like a page of a Harry Potter book- Jo should just write these every once in awhile to keep fans happy!!
I really did not like that. I understand that she only had 800 words, but still...Maybe it'ts because I don't like James or Sirius. But I really did not enjoy that. :(
wow! that was pretty funny. I'm so glad she is putting out these little things to keep the potter universe alive even after the books are over. Young Sirius and James were two of my favorite characters and i am so happy that i got to hear a little bit more about them. "And don't forget: Elvendork! It's unisex!"
anything written by J.K Rowling about Harry Potter is treasure. this prequel is treasure. when we are all saddened by the end of the series, we get this little treat! I love Harry Potter!
Honestly Jo is the most amazing author of all time, she has managed to bring everyone together just through her books. Harry Potter has its own magic every time you read it, it is just so different to other books, and so special. xo Harry Potter fans xo J.K Rowling xo Harry Potter books and characters XO HARRY JAMES POTTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my lark, that was so good! I almost wish she would write the whole thing..
I liked it. And I had absolutely no problem with her handwriting.
@ Dragon_queen4ever , Why is this catagorised FANFICTION? because like fanfiction written by fans of JKR or the HP books, this story doesn't bear itself and is only worth reading by those who know the canon or the basics of the HP stories. When i should put this under the nose of the nextdoor neighbour who doesn't know anything about HP he could not make head or tails of it and just wonder what it is about.
not baaaad =) i kind of wish she could write a real prequel. this one was great, a real one would be amazingg haha elvendorkkk
Man, I knew I shouldn't have read that, because now I want MORE! More, more, MORE! I want to read more about the adventures of James and Sirius... (please cover your ears while this 44 year old cries...)
I want more!! Come on give us more .. dont tease us!! EMERSON FOR A WALK ON ROLE IN THE DEATHLY HALLOWS MOVIE WHOS UP FOR IT?! COME ON :)
That was funny, witty and entertaining piece of writing. I could just imagine those two poor policemen trying to explain how their car was all scraped and broken! I bet they made up a different story altogether. Who was going to believe their story of flying men on broomsticks and flying motor bikes! They would have been sent straight to the psychiatrist. I really can't understand the criticism - there is really no pleasing some people. They were obviously running away from deatheaters - laughing at the face of danger, one might say. It would have been ok for Fred and George but when it's James and Sirius, people have problems with their arrogance.
i really liked it, though i did have some issues with the handwriting. (worked them out, obviously.) i LOVED the banter b/w sirius and james and now i wish SO HARD that she was writing a prequel, even if it would be horribly star wars of her. i only wish Lupin had been in this. and the rest, while we're wishing.
I loved it, even if it was a bit hard to read. Wish it had been longer though, personally I think a book about the Marauders would do great, I would truly read it!
she should continue it!!!
omg!!!!!!!!!!!!! sooo good!!! i loved it !!!! i want more jo !! i miss u !!!
OMG!!!! i loved it once again like the last chappie of HP 7 it was slightly fanfic-ish but this time i adored it as it showed james/siri EXACTLY as I had pictured them... i was afraid it would have some "dark" moments that would make me cry or show james/siri as super bullies or something but it made me realize i fell in love with the right people: THEY ARE AS I IMAGINED them... WOOOHOO!! omg i hope she writes one for james/lily's wedding and something with remy in it. and i don't think her handwriting was that bad, i had no trouble reading it
that was SO good! I loved seeing a glimpse of Sirius and James's lives while they were out of school! gosh I wish she would write more! even though she probably won't :(
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