Categories > Books > Harry Potter > The Nightmare Before Hogwarts
The Nightmare Before Hogwarts
By: USA Tiger
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling. The Nightmare Before Christmas is the property of Touchstone/Disney and Tim Burton. Corpse Bride /is also the property of Tim Burton and Warner Bros. Pictures. /Beetlejuice is also property of Tim Burton.
Author note: Happy Halloween everyone! We’re finally reuniting the Potters in this chapter, I hope everyone likes it.
Edit 5-10-18: This chapter has now been betaed by The Patient One.
Chapter 8
As James and Lily looked around in suitable awe of the creepy little town, a black hearse stopped by the fountain and a squat candy-corn shaped man climbed out, Lily gasping softly as she saw he had two faces.
“Jack, where have you been? Did you look over the plans I sent you?” the Mayor said as he walked up to Jack.
“Of course, Mayor, there are a few good ideas to start planning next year’s Halloween,” Jack said. “I was out of town, picking up our new citizens.” He waved a bony hand at the Potters. The Mayor quickly turned to them, rosy cheeked face in front, and quickly laid on the charm since they would be voters.
“Welcome to Halloween Town!” He said. “We’ve certainly been getting many new faces around here. I’m the Mayor. If you have any concerns, or praises, just bring them to me.”
“Mayor, perhaps you could do me a favor,” Jack quickly said catching the other’s attention again.
“Of course, Jack my boy,” the Mayor said.
“Call a town meeting for tonight,” Jack requested. “It’ll be a great way to introduce everyone!” The Mayor hummed then nodded, still grinning widely.
“Not a bad idea, I’ll get right on that,” the Mayor said as he climbed back into the Mayor-mobile and drove off, speaking into the loudspeaker announcing a town meeting.
“I never thought I’d see a literal two-faced politician,” James said with a little laugh. “Is he always like that?”
“Worse,” Jack said with a grin.
“That’s nice and all, but I want to see my son,” Lily said an impatient tone, James nodding in agreement.
“Of course, this way,” Jack led them toward his house on the outskirts of the town.
****
“And we had Ice Scream and they told me about a really mean monster called O-O-Oogie,” Harry said, telling Sally about his day. He stood very still as Sally carefully took in the shirt so it would fit Harry better.
“Yes, he was very mean,” Sally agreed having been kidnapped and nearly killed by Oogie more than once. “But you had a lot of fun, right?”
“Uh-huh,” Harry nodded then added softly. “I never had friends before, it’s nice. At least Dudley can’t scare them away, they’d scare him first!” Sally laughed, enjoying the pure joy and delight of Harry’s words. They both turned their heads as they heard the front door open, Zero barking and rushing into the other room.
“A ghost dog!” a male voice said.
“Hello, Zero,” Jack’s voice followed. “Sally?”
“In here, Jack,” Sally said as she stood, Harry moving to hide shyly behind her legs. He watched as Mr. Jack came back in with a blue-skinned woman and man, the woman was looking around frantically and then saw him hiding behind Miss Sally.
“Harry?” Lily whispered as the tiny boy peered around the Ragdoll. Harry studied her in turn then noticed her eyes were the same color as his.
“Mummy?” he asked, Mr. Jack really had gone and found his mom and dad! He came out from behind Sally and ran over to Lily as she slid to the ground, pulling Harry in close to her.
“Oh, Harry, baby,” Lily said as she held him close, feeling James get down with them on the floor and pulling his family into a hug. Why was her baby so small and skinny? What had Petunia and Vernon done to him?
Jack looked at Sally and motioned her to follow him outside so the Potters could have a bit of time to themselves. Zero followed his master out, stopping for a moment to look back at the little family then floated out.
Harry couldn’t believe it; he was being hugged by his Mum and Dad. There was no heartbeat under his ear and their skin was cold to the touch but they were hugging him and whispering softly to him.
“Merlin, I almost can’t believe it,” James said. “My little Prongslet, you got so big.” He gently rubbed Harry’s back and smiled down at the boy as Harry looked up at his shyly.
“You’re really here,” Harry said softly, reaching out to his daddy, James eagerly pulling Harry into his lap though Lily kept a hand on their son.
“Of course we are, Prongslet, as soon as we heard where you were we came for you,” James assured him.
“Harry, baby, I’m so sorry we left you,” Lily said cupping Harry’s cheek, her thumb caressing the skin that should have been plump still with baby fat but hardly had any. “We never wanted too.”
“Then why did Daddy crash the car?” Harry asked.
“Car? What car?” James asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Uncle Vernon said you was a… a drunkin and crashed the car, killing you and Mummy,” Harry said. James fumed in anger and gave Lily a side-glance.
“I’m going to kill your sister and brother-in-law,” he growled then looked down at Harry. “Kiddo, that isn’t what happened. I wasn’t a ‘drunkin’ and I didn’t kill myself or your mother in a car crash.”
“Harry, sweetheart…” Lily hesitated for a moment, how could you explain to a five-year-old that you were murdered? But they had to say something; neither of them were going to let Petunia and Vernon lie to their son like that. “Your father and I, we were killed by a very bad man.”
“Yeah, see there was this very bad wizard who didn’t like certain type of people and went around hurting everyone with other wizards and witches just like him,” James took over explaining. “He didn’t like your mother and me, we fought against him because he was bad.”
“So… you’re like superheroes? Like on the telly?” Harry asked. “What’s a wizard?”
“A wizard, or witch, is a person who can use magic,” James said, casting a quick look around and grabbing random item off the floor. Holding it in front of Harry, James transfigured the object into a little stuffed stag.
“Wow!” Harry gasped, taking the stag from James when his father handed it to him. The word ‘magic’ almost made him repeat what his aunt and uncle said to him all the time, ‘there was no such thing as magic’ but Harry was still young enough to believe in magic wholeheartedly and he was in a town with real monsters and he had both his parents there with him.
“And guess what, you’re a wizard too,” James said, grinning as Harry’s green eyes lit up in wonder.
“Really?” Harry whispered.
“Yep, you’ll get to learn all sorts of spells and charms,” James said. “And I’ll teach you all the best ways to pull pranks.”
“I think maybe we should get back to our story,” Lily said as she stole Harry back from her husband who gave them a playful pout. “We’re not superheroes, baby, we were just doing the right thing. But the bad wizard didn’t like us and he didn’t like you. He wanted to hurt us so we went into hiding using a very special spell.”
“But we trusted the wrong person to help hide us,” James added with a dark scowl on his face as he thought about Pettigrew’s treachery. Harry never did like Peter when he was a baby, refused to be held by the man and always cried when Peter was around. James wondered if somehow Harry sensed that Peter was no good. “He was helping the bad man in secret and told him where we lived.”
“Why would he do that?” Harry asked hugging the stuff stag close to his chest as he cuddled with his mother.
“We don’t know, sweetheart,” Lily said with a sigh as she finger combed Harry’s hair, thinking that it was just as unruly as James’s hair. “Some people are just like that.”
“What happen then, mummy?” Harry asked as he relaxed further against Lily as he enjoyed the feeling of her fingers running through his hair while he played with the stuffed stag.
“Well, Peter—that’s who we trusted to keep us hidden—told the bad wizard where we were and he came to our home,” Lily took up the story again.
“I had you and your mother run while I fought him,” James said. “But he used very bad magic to kill me.”
“We were in your room and I used a special spell to help keep you safe,” Lily said as she traced her fingers over the lightning bolt-shaped scar on Harry’s forehead, wondering where he got it. Just under her fingertips she could feel a sort of magic that made her feel sick. “Then the bad wizard broke down the door and he used the same bad magic that he used on your father.”
“The green light,” Harry said. James and Lily froze for a second, sharing a look.
“What do you mean by that Prongslet?” James asked.
“I have bad dreams, I see a green light when I try to remember the car cra… I mean, that night,” Harry whispered.
“Oh, Merlin, James, do you think…” Lily was horrified that Harry remembered even that much from that night!
“Yes, buddy, the bad magic looks like a green light,” James said. “We don’t know what happened afterward but somehow the bad wizard went away and you lived.” There was a lot they were leaving out of the story they told Harry, but there would be time in the future, when he was much older, to tell him the whole story.
“Then I went to Aunt Petunia,” Harry said hugging the toy close.
“Yes, but baby, you should have never gone to live with your aunt,” Lily said. “I knew how Tuney felt about magic and our kind, so I left special instructions for you not to live with her. We had many people and families picked out for you to live with instead.”
“Why did I go there then?” Harry asked.
“We don’t know, Prongslet,” James said with a shake of his head. “Someone we trusted went against our wishes but that doesn’t matter now. We’re here and we’re not leaving again, Harry.” Harry smiled happily as James ruffled his hair and Lily kissed his forehead. He felt loved for the first time in as long as he could remember. He was so glad that he followed that monster.
******
“You did a good thing,” Sally said as she leaned up to kiss Jack’s cheek. “Thank you for finding his parents.”
“Well, you were right, he should have his parents,” Jack said as he smiled down at his Sally. “And they are delightful people, their magic and creatures are so interesting.” Sally sighed and just shook her head grinning.
“Just try not to run off to explore this new thing just yet,” she scolded playfully making Jack laugh and Zero flip happily.
By: USA Tiger
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling. The Nightmare Before Christmas is the property of Touchstone/Disney and Tim Burton. Corpse Bride /is also the property of Tim Burton and Warner Bros. Pictures. /Beetlejuice is also property of Tim Burton.
Author note: Happy Halloween everyone! We’re finally reuniting the Potters in this chapter, I hope everyone likes it.
Edit 5-10-18: This chapter has now been betaed by The Patient One.
Chapter 8
As James and Lily looked around in suitable awe of the creepy little town, a black hearse stopped by the fountain and a squat candy-corn shaped man climbed out, Lily gasping softly as she saw he had two faces.
“Jack, where have you been? Did you look over the plans I sent you?” the Mayor said as he walked up to Jack.
“Of course, Mayor, there are a few good ideas to start planning next year’s Halloween,” Jack said. “I was out of town, picking up our new citizens.” He waved a bony hand at the Potters. The Mayor quickly turned to them, rosy cheeked face in front, and quickly laid on the charm since they would be voters.
“Welcome to Halloween Town!” He said. “We’ve certainly been getting many new faces around here. I’m the Mayor. If you have any concerns, or praises, just bring them to me.”
“Mayor, perhaps you could do me a favor,” Jack quickly said catching the other’s attention again.
“Of course, Jack my boy,” the Mayor said.
“Call a town meeting for tonight,” Jack requested. “It’ll be a great way to introduce everyone!” The Mayor hummed then nodded, still grinning widely.
“Not a bad idea, I’ll get right on that,” the Mayor said as he climbed back into the Mayor-mobile and drove off, speaking into the loudspeaker announcing a town meeting.
“I never thought I’d see a literal two-faced politician,” James said with a little laugh. “Is he always like that?”
“Worse,” Jack said with a grin.
“That’s nice and all, but I want to see my son,” Lily said an impatient tone, James nodding in agreement.
“Of course, this way,” Jack led them toward his house on the outskirts of the town.
****
“And we had Ice Scream and they told me about a really mean monster called O-O-Oogie,” Harry said, telling Sally about his day. He stood very still as Sally carefully took in the shirt so it would fit Harry better.
“Yes, he was very mean,” Sally agreed having been kidnapped and nearly killed by Oogie more than once. “But you had a lot of fun, right?”
“Uh-huh,” Harry nodded then added softly. “I never had friends before, it’s nice. At least Dudley can’t scare them away, they’d scare him first!” Sally laughed, enjoying the pure joy and delight of Harry’s words. They both turned their heads as they heard the front door open, Zero barking and rushing into the other room.
“A ghost dog!” a male voice said.
“Hello, Zero,” Jack’s voice followed. “Sally?”
“In here, Jack,” Sally said as she stood, Harry moving to hide shyly behind her legs. He watched as Mr. Jack came back in with a blue-skinned woman and man, the woman was looking around frantically and then saw him hiding behind Miss Sally.
“Harry?” Lily whispered as the tiny boy peered around the Ragdoll. Harry studied her in turn then noticed her eyes were the same color as his.
“Mummy?” he asked, Mr. Jack really had gone and found his mom and dad! He came out from behind Sally and ran over to Lily as she slid to the ground, pulling Harry in close to her.
“Oh, Harry, baby,” Lily said as she held him close, feeling James get down with them on the floor and pulling his family into a hug. Why was her baby so small and skinny? What had Petunia and Vernon done to him?
Jack looked at Sally and motioned her to follow him outside so the Potters could have a bit of time to themselves. Zero followed his master out, stopping for a moment to look back at the little family then floated out.
Harry couldn’t believe it; he was being hugged by his Mum and Dad. There was no heartbeat under his ear and their skin was cold to the touch but they were hugging him and whispering softly to him.
“Merlin, I almost can’t believe it,” James said. “My little Prongslet, you got so big.” He gently rubbed Harry’s back and smiled down at the boy as Harry looked up at his shyly.
“You’re really here,” Harry said softly, reaching out to his daddy, James eagerly pulling Harry into his lap though Lily kept a hand on their son.
“Of course we are, Prongslet, as soon as we heard where you were we came for you,” James assured him.
“Harry, baby, I’m so sorry we left you,” Lily said cupping Harry’s cheek, her thumb caressing the skin that should have been plump still with baby fat but hardly had any. “We never wanted too.”
“Then why did Daddy crash the car?” Harry asked.
“Car? What car?” James asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Uncle Vernon said you was a… a drunkin and crashed the car, killing you and Mummy,” Harry said. James fumed in anger and gave Lily a side-glance.
“I’m going to kill your sister and brother-in-law,” he growled then looked down at Harry. “Kiddo, that isn’t what happened. I wasn’t a ‘drunkin’ and I didn’t kill myself or your mother in a car crash.”
“Harry, sweetheart…” Lily hesitated for a moment, how could you explain to a five-year-old that you were murdered? But they had to say something; neither of them were going to let Petunia and Vernon lie to their son like that. “Your father and I, we were killed by a very bad man.”
“Yeah, see there was this very bad wizard who didn’t like certain type of people and went around hurting everyone with other wizards and witches just like him,” James took over explaining. “He didn’t like your mother and me, we fought against him because he was bad.”
“So… you’re like superheroes? Like on the telly?” Harry asked. “What’s a wizard?”
“A wizard, or witch, is a person who can use magic,” James said, casting a quick look around and grabbing random item off the floor. Holding it in front of Harry, James transfigured the object into a little stuffed stag.
“Wow!” Harry gasped, taking the stag from James when his father handed it to him. The word ‘magic’ almost made him repeat what his aunt and uncle said to him all the time, ‘there was no such thing as magic’ but Harry was still young enough to believe in magic wholeheartedly and he was in a town with real monsters and he had both his parents there with him.
“And guess what, you’re a wizard too,” James said, grinning as Harry’s green eyes lit up in wonder.
“Really?” Harry whispered.
“Yep, you’ll get to learn all sorts of spells and charms,” James said. “And I’ll teach you all the best ways to pull pranks.”
“I think maybe we should get back to our story,” Lily said as she stole Harry back from her husband who gave them a playful pout. “We’re not superheroes, baby, we were just doing the right thing. But the bad wizard didn’t like us and he didn’t like you. He wanted to hurt us so we went into hiding using a very special spell.”
“But we trusted the wrong person to help hide us,” James added with a dark scowl on his face as he thought about Pettigrew’s treachery. Harry never did like Peter when he was a baby, refused to be held by the man and always cried when Peter was around. James wondered if somehow Harry sensed that Peter was no good. “He was helping the bad man in secret and told him where we lived.”
“Why would he do that?” Harry asked hugging the stuff stag close to his chest as he cuddled with his mother.
“We don’t know, sweetheart,” Lily said with a sigh as she finger combed Harry’s hair, thinking that it was just as unruly as James’s hair. “Some people are just like that.”
“What happen then, mummy?” Harry asked as he relaxed further against Lily as he enjoyed the feeling of her fingers running through his hair while he played with the stuffed stag.
“Well, Peter—that’s who we trusted to keep us hidden—told the bad wizard where we were and he came to our home,” Lily took up the story again.
“I had you and your mother run while I fought him,” James said. “But he used very bad magic to kill me.”
“We were in your room and I used a special spell to help keep you safe,” Lily said as she traced her fingers over the lightning bolt-shaped scar on Harry’s forehead, wondering where he got it. Just under her fingertips she could feel a sort of magic that made her feel sick. “Then the bad wizard broke down the door and he used the same bad magic that he used on your father.”
“The green light,” Harry said. James and Lily froze for a second, sharing a look.
“What do you mean by that Prongslet?” James asked.
“I have bad dreams, I see a green light when I try to remember the car cra… I mean, that night,” Harry whispered.
“Oh, Merlin, James, do you think…” Lily was horrified that Harry remembered even that much from that night!
“Yes, buddy, the bad magic looks like a green light,” James said. “We don’t know what happened afterward but somehow the bad wizard went away and you lived.” There was a lot they were leaving out of the story they told Harry, but there would be time in the future, when he was much older, to tell him the whole story.
“Then I went to Aunt Petunia,” Harry said hugging the toy close.
“Yes, but baby, you should have never gone to live with your aunt,” Lily said. “I knew how Tuney felt about magic and our kind, so I left special instructions for you not to live with her. We had many people and families picked out for you to live with instead.”
“Why did I go there then?” Harry asked.
“We don’t know, Prongslet,” James said with a shake of his head. “Someone we trusted went against our wishes but that doesn’t matter now. We’re here and we’re not leaving again, Harry.” Harry smiled happily as James ruffled his hair and Lily kissed his forehead. He felt loved for the first time in as long as he could remember. He was so glad that he followed that monster.
******
“You did a good thing,” Sally said as she leaned up to kiss Jack’s cheek. “Thank you for finding his parents.”
“Well, you were right, he should have his parents,” Jack said as he smiled down at his Sally. “And they are delightful people, their magic and creatures are so interesting.” Sally sighed and just shook her head grinning.
“Just try not to run off to explore this new thing just yet,” she scolded playfully making Jack laugh and Zero flip happily.
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