When the Cast Gets Magical
Copyright © 2004
Genesis Gabriel
Edited by Cinna Schmidt

Cover design by Cinna Schmidt

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise - without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright owners.

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either ficticious or are used ficticiously.

Published by Secret of Hogwarts Publishing Company

Table of Contents

Part One: Trouble at the Set
Part Two: The Surprising Journey
Part Three: The Wizarding World
Part Four: The Journey to Hogwarts

Part One: When the Cast Gets Magical

     "Where in the heck is he?" Chris Columbus, the director of the Harry Potter movies, was about to blow his top. "This is the 4th time this week, and he's been doing this since we've been shooting the first film! This is the third film and I don't have time for this!" He was pacing up and down in the cast waiting room, a giant room that could fit about 300 people. It was where everyone would meet before going to the set. Fourteen-year-old Daniel Radcliffe, the star playing the role of Harry Potter, and 13-year-old Emma Watson, who was playing the lead role of Hermione Granger, were tapping their feet on the ground nervously, occasionally looking at Chris to see when their cue to run would come. They had expected Rupert to turn up soon, but he didn't until about 30 minutes later.
     Fifteen-year-old Rupert Grint strutted into the room with that same lackadaisical smile. He was a lead role along with Emma and Dan, playing Ronald Weasley, the comedian of the group.
     "Hello, guys!" He grinned. "Sorry I'm a little late!" Chris flinched at hearing this. "I was just busy you know! Such a beautiful morning; I had to do so much! You guys want to hear what I did?"
     The rest of the set crew retreated to the back of the room, far away from where Chris, Dan, and Emma were standing, just in case Chris unleashed his wrath they would have a near escape at the doors. Dan and Emma were tempted to get closer to the big double doors, but instead were standing behind Chris, who was turning more scarlet by the second. They were mouthing, "No, Rupert! No! Quiet!" They tried shaking their heads furiously and running their hands across their necks as a symbol for him to stop, but Rupert clearly overlooked this, which turned out to be a bad idea.
     "So I woke up this morning, and I said to myself, maybe I should just stay in bed a few minutes longer!" He grinned proudly. "But then 10 minutes later I decided I might be late! So I took some time to bathe because the water was just so enticing!" Rupert chuckled a little, as if he was in a stand-up comedy routine. "Then I was half way here when I realized that I could really have used a second breakfast! So I turned to go back to my trailer!"
     Dan could have sworn he saw steam coming out of Chris's ears. It was only a matter of time before Chris would explode.
     "So then I was right outside this building, but I noticed this beautiful flower on the ground! I just had to stop and smell it! Oh, today's been great! So, what scene are we going to start with today? Lot's of work to be done you know! Can't waist any time!" Rupert grinned. To all of their surprise, except perhaps Rupert's, Chris's aggressive, loathing look had turned to a strange smile, half with anger and half with a quite troubled look of amusement.
     "So, Rupert! You had a fine morning did you?" Chris questioned dangerously, but Rupert was oblivious.
     "Oh, yes! Like you wouldn't believe!"
     "And, of course, it's all right to be a - little - late right?"
     "Well - er... yes, I guess! I mean, being a little late isn't that bad!"
     That was it. The Volcano had erupted.
     "Well that's nice...because you weren't just a little late!!" Chris spat with rage. "It has been this way since we were making the first movie! How am I going to make this clear to you, Rupert? This is not a club! This is a professional movie that needs to be made... on time! A professional movie needs professional actors! If you are not going to deflate that air-head of yours soon, we will be in big trouble. I will have no more fooling around Mr. Grint! There is no room here for amateurs. There is only room for excellence and those who can provide it! Do you understand me? Watch it, Rupert, or I'm going to have you out of here so fast you won't even have enough time to stop and smell the beautiful flowers!" On that horrible note, the director stormed out of the room and slammed the door shut; you could almost feel the room shake. Then followed a long and disturbing silence.
     Rupert turned back to look at everyone in the room, who were looking down at him with shock, but not too much sympathy, in their eyes. Rupert was so red with embarrassment that you could hardly see the features on his face.
     A man stepped forward. "S-so, according to the director," he paused to clear his throat. "Today's recording of the last scene is postponed until tomorrow." He took a moment to look around at everybody, then left. Rupert was next to leave shortly after that. He found could not bare the tension of everyone staring at him. Dan and Emma followed without talking. They followed him all the way outside in the beautiful weather, but it didn't seem as beautiful with Rupert so depressed. He picked up some small rocks, slumped down on a rock, and started throwing them into the huge lake. Dan and Emma both sat on either sides of Ron and looked at each other, as if deciding who should talk first.
     "Um...Rupert, it wasn't that bad, I mean...it could have been worse." Emma said in a comforting but intimidated voice. It was no help.
     "How could he do this to me? I didn't do anything to deserve it! Why did he have to scream like that? I mean - if he had talked to me in private about the fact that I was supposedly wasting time, I wouldn't have continued! But did he even bother to reason with me? No! He just started yelling like a damn headless monkey! Bloody hell, if he wants to fire me then he might as well do so! It's not like I was going to stick around any longer!"
     Dan looked up at this. "And what's that supposed to mean?" Emma was now sitting up and staring at Ron.
     "Oh... I... er... didn't I tell you guys?" Rupert smiled sheepishly.
     "No!" Emma snapped.
     Rupert looked down and seemed to be suddenly very interested in his fingers. "Well... I was kind of thinking of, erm... taking a break... a long break... a permanent break." He winced, as though preparing for a yelling showdown from Dan and Emma. He guessed right.
     "Rupert! How could you? I mean... What in tarnation?" Emma screamed.
     "Did you even - what were you thinking?" Dan put in.
     The screaming went on for a long time. "That is completely unfair-"
     "-Stupid idea - "
     "To even dare thinking about-"
     "-Without even thinking about us!"
     "Always thinking about yourself!"
     "What are we supposed to do?"
     Finally, Emma and Dan both stopped, breathing hard, looking around to see if anyone was watching.
     "Sorry guys... it's just... I didn't really feel like I belonged here anymore..." Rupert trailed off.
     Dan was confused. "What is that supposed to mean, Rupert? You belong here as much as the rest of us!" Emma nodded in agreement, with a pleading expression on her red face.
     "No, guys, it's not you... it's kind of... Chris. I mean, the first year, things were great! We all got along and everything. I would arrive about 20 minutes time after we were supposed to meet, and he would be like 'Oh, that's ok, Rupert! Can't blame you myself!' You know what I mean? But then second year, he was kind of meaner... he was always giving me these mean glares, but I didn't know what I was doing wrong! You know he could have prevented this! If only he had the common sense to just talk to me first before wiggin' out! Is it my fault? I'm just a tardy kind of guy!"
     Dan and Emma agreed with his last statement. Rupert had no idea that arriving a little off schedule was wrong. But they also felt guilty not doing anything. They too could have prevented this if they had talked to Rupert themselves. It had just never occurred to them.
     "So... Rup, what are you gonna do?" Dan was hoping that Rupert would give this one more chance. What would the movie be without him?
     "Guys...I, um...Yeah, I think I'm gonna pack my things and get out of here- but- but- but- I'll write and stuff, don't worry!" He added quickly just in case Dan and Emma started screaming again. This time, they didn't. Instead they settled down on the rock again, looking down at the lake.
     "Are- aren't you guys going to yell at me?" He looked from one to the other.
     Dan smiled a melancholy smile. "No, Rup... it's your life, not ours... we can't stop you from doing what you want to do... if you... you know... want to go... it's fine with us." Dan could have slapped himself. He knew what he was saying was a lie. Emma glared at him for a moment, but then looked down too in the lake, understanding Dan.
     The silence was joined with the slight ripples of the water making soothing sounds and the little water fall at the other end, water splashing on the rocks. Rupert looked at his watch. "It's 10:06 am. Do you guys want to- well if you don't mind- never mind I could do it my-"
     "No, it's okay, Rupert. We'll help." Dan smiled. His anger seemed to subside and if his best friend was to leave, he was going to leave happy, not leaving Dan to regret not giving him a proper goodbye. Rupert was going to break the news to Chris after lunch, but he wasn't worried about doing it. He knew Chris would have fired him anyway and he couldn't care less.
     They spent about four hours packing his belongings. They made it highly entertaining, playing monkey in the middle: Emma throwing Rupert's boxers over at Dan, who threw it back continuously. Rupert was busy trying to jump as high as he could. "Guys, come on, stop! I'm serious!" Even though he claimed he was serious, he grinned widely and laughed as he toppled on the floor. The idea of a challenge was calling to him.
     After they finished packing they collapsed on his bed. Packing was especially hard for the three of them. They had to look around every nook and cranny of the trailer, because Rupert's things were everywhere. When Rupert had successfully reclaimed his boxers in a last round of monkey in the middle, he had to do his victory dance before he checked his watch again.
     "Oh, would you look at that! We are five minutes late for lunch," he remarked mildly.
     "Oh no!" Dan cried. "We're missing Monday Madness!" Monday was their favorite day because it was when lunch was rather like a feast, with different varieties to choose from. Also, in the other room, they had different arcade games and a haunted roller coaster machine that you sit in and it twists and turns and goes upside down. In the front, there were also four wide screens surrounding you inside that shows you are on some kind of roller coaster track with ghouls and skeletons chasing after you and it made it look all too real. That was the main reason Dan, Emma and Rupert lived for Monday Madness.
     "Come on!" Emma dashed for the trailer door, tripping on the stairs towards the floor, head first. Dan merely jumped over her and kept going. "Dan!" Emma yelled after him.
     He turned back, still running, only to say, "It's each man for himself!" He added a maniac smile and turned back, still running.
     Soon, Emma and Rupert caught up to him, both heading for the Monday Madness Building. Suddenly Rupert stopped.
     "Would you look at that flow-"
     "Rupert, come on!" Emma and Dan said in unison, grabbing his arms and dragging him along. The three of them dashed in the building just in time. It turned out they had just finished setting out the foods.
     "Oh, we're just in time..." Dan gave a satisfied smile. They had so many varieties, that in the first two years, they hadn't even tasted all the foods here.
     The three of them looked at each other with excited grins on their faces and dashed to the foods. Dan stuffed his face with pudding. Rupert was busy at the candy section, filling his mouth with candy corn, skittles and M&Ms. Emma, while trying to be sophisticated and at the same time rush the food, wasn't doing too well. She finally gave up being sophisticated, and due to the lack of patience she had, threw all the food she could in her mouth.
     Tom Felton, having the lead role of Draco Malfoy was right above them, watching them eat like they hadn't seen food in days.
     "Herhum...." They kept eating. "Herhum!" They overlooked this, still eating ferociously. "HERHUM!" Tom bellowed. They stopped in surprised and turned around, to see Tom's startled face. All three of them were messes. He had to stop himself from laughing out loud.
     "Are you three quite finished?" he chuckled. Emma, who was clearly the most embarrassed because she wasn't used to someone as handsome as Tom look at her in her messy state.
     Although Tom played the role of Malfoy, who was the mean boy with a pale face and bleach peroxide hair, he was the complete opposite of his role. He was the heart throb of the cast, and was used to all the hundreds of girls with the roles of background Hogwarts students chasing him around. Emma looked so embarrassed, she wanted to just crawl away, and Tom seemed to have read her mind, so he gave her one of his heart melting, 'you still look beautiful' smiles. Emma forgot all about her embarrassment and smiled too as she reached for a napkin wiped her mouth with it.
     "So you guys up for that virtual roller coaster?" Tom asked excitedly.
     "Yeah, of course!" Dan and Rupert agreed.
     "Wait, Rupert!" Emma whispered. "What about Chris?"
     Rupert shrugged. "Emma, you worry too much, he'll be there when we're done! I mean, he's not going to fly away is he?"
     "Right this way guys!" Dan led the way, followed closely by the other three. The four of them got in saw some more of the cast also enjoying the arcade games.
     Emma yelled through the window. "Oliver Wood! We have to win the Quidditch cup today! Hahaahaa!"
     Sean Biggerstaff, the handsome boy playing the role of 17 year old Oliver Wood yelled back. "Hey, Hermioninny, did you read the next volume of Hogwarts, A History?" He wasn't the only one laughing. Inside the roller coaster machine, the three boys were also laughing, Tom slapping her on her shoulder.
     She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Men."
     The ride was great. They all were screaming and yelling because it looked so real, especially the jolting of when they would hit the 'ground' when the screen would show they had flown off the track and had to make it to the other side. Although they had been on the ride every Monday for the last two years, they still screamed like babies when they appeared to be mid air.
     "We're not going to make it! Ahhhh!" Tom yelled, but they did, as always, and crashed on to the track at the other end. They went upside down a couple more times when from far away, a skeleton was running towards them, at the same time they were moving forward. Now this was the part they never got tired of. It looked so scary because the skeleton had flesh and blood still hanging from his skin. Finally they collided and they felt another jolt and for a split second saw the skeleton's face smash against the window with a maniac laugh. The ride finally came to an end, as the four walked out, looking like they were about to collapse, both winded and dizzy.
     "Th-that was great!" They spent an hour running around the place playing different games.
     Dan and Rupert chose fighting games that involved choosing a character to fight your opponent's character.
     "Oh! Is that the best you got! Huh!" Rupert yelled as he bit his tongue, trying to block Dan's good moves. Normally, Emma would take her time telling them how violent and stupid they were, but then she finally gave up when she realized that this was Rupert's last night here anyway.
     "I'll let you off the hook this time Rupert!" She laughed. "Only because your leaving!" Tom stopped laughing abruptly. His eyes darted at Emma, then at Rupert.
     "And...what was that supposed to mean?" The three of them explained everything to him, occasionally interrupted by Tom's loud gasps and shrieking.
     "What - you can't - No, Rupert, but-" Dan and Emma had to explain how it was Rupert's choice and not theirs.
     "Yeah...we thought the same thing but it's all narrowed down to the fact that we can't control his life, you know?" As much as Tom hated to admit it, they were right.
     e finally said, "Fine then, I understand." He turned around and walked away.
     "Poor Tom...he's probably heart broken..." Emma looked at him, as he walked out the arcade door.
     There again was that long silence, since everyone's sorrows had come back. "Well, er-I think I should go and talk to Chris now, guys, I'll be right back." Rupert spoke up.
     "Right...um...yeah." Dan mumbled. Rupert strode toward the door and passed through, and Emma and Dan heard him say, "Chris! Just the person I needed to talk to!" Dan and Emma dashed for the door and hid behind it, determined to hear every word.
     "Yeah, um...so, Chris! I just needed to talk to you about...well...my role. I sort of don't think that I'm the best Ronald Weasley out there and I think that you should look around for someone else to play the part because I'm giving up my role." Emma's ear was plastered on the door, listening for what Chris would say, but he didn't say anything. "I quit." Rupert said, after the silence. "I'm done. I'm just not cut out for this and I'll be heading home tomorrow morning because I would hate to sleep over in the air port." That painful silence filled the area again. The sounds of people walking had subsided, and Dan and Emma had come to the conclusion that they had probably cleared off in case Chris resurrected his wrath on them all.
     "Fine, Grint." Chris said in a short tone. "I suggest you call your parents and tell them you will be on your way home tomorrow." He turned and was walking away. Rupert gave a slight sigh of relief, but then it was cut short by rage.
     "Oh, and by the way, Rupert!" Chris turned back when he was several steps way. Rupert looked up. "Thanks for making this easy on me!" He shouted.
     "What do you mean?" Rupert asked, confused. He didn't know what Chris was talking about. "I was supposed to fire you 10 minutes from now, but you've prevented me from doing so, and I don't have to feel guilty so, thanks!" Chris walked away, leaving Rupert there in shock, feeling an urge to just go and tackle him... He turned to go back towards the arcade room where Dan and Emma were, and so they dashed towards a near by game and pretended like they had just finished playing it. Rupert came in and closed the door behind him, looking down the floor and dragging his feet.
     "That was a great game, wasn't it, Emma? I mean the graphics were jus-" Dan stopped when he saw Rupert's sad face.
     "I'm going home and no one's gonna miss me..." Rupert's voice quavered.
     "Rupert that not true! You know we'll miss you! I mean - what are we ever going to do without you?" Emma said, trying to cheer him up. Rupert just rested his head in his hands. Dan was sad too, but angry that they were just wasting away Rupert's day like this.
     Dan looked at the clock at saw it was 4:06p.m. He looked at Emma. "What time does it start to get dark?"
     "About 8:00pm. Why?"
     "I have a fun idea, for a kind of goodbye party, we should go exploring on the set of Diagon Alley you know? To get that real Harry Potter feeling before Rupert goes back! So we don't part and feel all sad and regret the fact that we didn't do anything special while it was his goodbye time! Let's say we meet at the Diagon Alley set at 8:00pm when it's all dark! Who's with me?" Dan said excitedly.
     Rupert smiled. "Yeah, sure," he said with a little enthusiasm.
     Emma shrugged. "Fine, whatever floats your boat Mr. Fun on a bun."