J. K. OWLING
. ARRY POTTER
AM) ‘l'llE HALF--
1.4.,
BLOUMSBTURY
BLOOD l’l’dthl-l
CONSTRUCTING HARRY
As JK Rowling gets set to launch her latest slice of Hogwarts on us, her loyal readers must be worrying about how HARRY POTTER will finally end. So, we asked a couple of them to write the final Chapter.
The Final Chapter by Jack Fletcher, aged 11 he headmaster of llogw arts sat hunched o\ er a desk. examining a map drawn on a piece of parehtttent on which lots of little dots were moving around. ()ld witches and w i/ards sat sleeping in their picture frames and a phoenix do/ed on a perch in the corner. There was a knock on the door. The headmaster slid the map into a drawer before looking up over his half-moon spectacles. ‘(‘ome in. \\'easley.’
.\ ganeg red—headed boy came in. looking ashamed and a little hit surprised. 'I had a feeling that was going to he you.. said the headmaster. kindly. '(iood. Perhaps you can help me answer a rather difficult question.” The boy looked at his shoes. He knew what was coming.
‘ls it really a good idea to ptlt carnivorous moths in someone's wardrobe. especially if that wardrobe belongs to Mr .\lalfoy I”
‘No. l’rolcssor.‘ muttered \Veasley.
‘Tlten why did you do it'."
'Because I wanted to get one over him.’ the boy said. 'l le lev itatcd lasagne into my face.‘
"That‘s not so terrible.‘
'lt is if you hate lasagne.~ muttered the boy. ‘and you‘re flying a hroomstick at the timef
The headtttastet‘ sighed. ‘\\'hat is the real problem between you and .\lall‘oy‘."
\Veasley exploded. ‘He‘s a misfit. professor? .\lalfoy doesn‘t belong in (iryflindor. He should he in Slytherin. The sorting hat must have a stitch loose.‘
'.\'ot liking people because they‘re "misfits" isn't always the kindest thing to do. is it‘."
20 THE LIST
Weasley looked at his shoes again. The professor smiled. ‘:\ppearances can be deceiving.
\Veasley. livery wi/ard should know that. For
example. let me tell you about someone else who didn’t fit in. Look up there.’ He pointed at a painting over the door. ‘l)o you know who that is."
'lle-who-must-Al.\\'.»\YS-be-namedf the boy gasped. ‘The boy who defeated V'oldemort!’ The face winked at Weasley. \Veasley‘s face went
‘HE WHO MUST ALWAYS BE NAMED,’ THE BOY
GASPED. ‘THE BOY WHO DEFEATED VOLDEMORT'
redder than his hair.
‘He winked at me. professor. N-N-Neville [.ongbottom winked at mel'
‘Yes. But before he was a hero or rather. before we noticed he was a hero. I'm afraid some of us made the mistake of thinking he was a mislitf
‘.'\ misfitf’ exclaimed Weasley. in disbelief. 'The saviour. the one who destroyed He-who- used-not—tti-have—to-be-namedI"
‘:\h. He didn‘t actually destroy him as such. He gave him what he wanted. liternal life.‘
‘liternal life'.’ But why?”
‘Because eternal life as a hamster with no magic powers is worse than death. In some circumstances. lispecially if those circumstances involve being the possession of a certain tnuggle family called l)ursley. At night their neighbours
Potter in pictures: ‘In the end Hermione and Harry get married’ by Lewis Graham, 11 (above); ‘Harry marries Hermione and they have a daughter. Then Harry and Voldemort have one last battle’ by Naomi Johnston, 12 (below). All of our young contributors are students at the Compass School, Haddington.
in Privet Drive find it hard to sleep because of the shrill noises coming from the house. No one knows if it's the hamster wheel that needs oiling. or the hamster screaming as Dudley Junior uses it for juggling practice again.’ ‘Yikesf winced the boy. ‘Yikes indeed. You may go now. Mr Weasley. And after you've helped Mr Malfoy repair his wardrobe you may want to spend a little time with a needle and thread on the seat of your own trousers. I think .\Ia|fo_v has returned the favour with the moths.‘ 'Aw no! Mum's going to send me a howler for this! That's the fifth pair of trousers this term.‘ ‘.»\ howler from Hermione: now that I would like to see.’ laughed the professor. '.\'ow run along. Rufus.’
‘Yes. Professor Potter.‘ He turned quickly. clutching his trousers.
‘So like Ron.’ thought Harry with a smile. as he watched him go. Tl lli li.\'l)
The Final Chapter by Francesca Dawson, aged 11
Harry swallowed the last of the revolting polyjuice potion and fell to the ground. Again he felt the horrible feeling of his skin bubbling. This time he did not turn into (ioyle. he turned wrinkly and old. He looked into the mirror and locked eyes with those calm. sky blue ones of Albus [)umbledore. Harry slowly stood up and walked over to the door. He hoped that one day this office would be his. The moving staircase was waiting for him. He stepped onto it and arrived in the hallway. He made his way out of the building to the centre of the l‘orbidden Forest. and prepared himself for battle.
‘Y()t'3’ cried the high voice that sent a shiver down Harry’s neck.
‘Yes. it is me. Tom.’ Harry said. amazed at his own voice. It sounded just like his headmaster. ‘I had heard that you would be here.’
‘\\'here's the boy'.’ Why have you come instead of him. l)umbledore‘."
“I know the prophecy. Tom. and it shall still be fulfilled..
‘I know. it says neither can live while the other survives.‘ whined Voldemort.
‘Yes. and that is exactly what shall happen. you shall live no longer. . . '
Harry drew out from inside of his cloak. not a wand. btit (iodric (iryflindor’s sword. He stood there facing Voldemort and the silence was deafening. Harry walked over to \"oldemoit.
‘I knew that one day you would die. Today is the dayf' Harry‘s hand shot forward and he plunged the sword into Voldemort's heart. Harry felt himself shrink. his hair grow shorter. The potion was wearing off. As Lord Voldemort slipped into the black arms of death the last thing he saw and said was . . . ‘Harry l’otterl’ Tl iii li.\'l)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is published by Bloomsbury on Sat 16 Jul.