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JUNE 11, 2008 at 1:26 AM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: Waterstone's via MuggleNet
The shorter-than-short Harry Potter prequel by author J.K. Rowling is now available to read online at Waterstone's web site. The story, handwritten on the front and back of a note card, was one of 12 from various authors auctioned for the bookseller's What's Your Story? charity fundraiser. Rowling's went for nearly $50,000.
It begins:
The speeding motorcycle took the sharp corner so fast in the darkness that both policemen in the pursuing car shouted...
Click here
and then click on "Read our authors' stories" and then J.K. Rowling to view the entire prequel!
UPDATE: The auction winner, Hira Digpal, president of Tokyo-based investment-banking consulting company Red-33, says that he wants to raise more money for charity with his purchase and has notified Rowling's publishers of his wishes:
Here I am, owning a piece of literary history. I think I got a bargain. Hopefully, we can raise much more than the sale.
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Squib
Points: 158
elfyears18 says:
Pretty amazing stuff. :D
Sort of looks like my handwriting.
Hahahaha.
Posted Jun 13, 2008 at 2:00 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2852
H/HrShipper4Ever says:
oh my gosh!! I have to go and read it now!! I'm soo excited!!
Posted Jun 13, 2008 at 4:14 PM EST
Squib
Points: 163
OceanBaBY says:
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 light, 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 brick wall and the police car, which was now crashing towards them like some growling, luminous-eyed 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 wind 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, tuneless rock band.
'No helmets!' 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.) 'Failing 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 knees bucked; he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher's legs and fell on top of him, as FLUMP - BANG - CRUNCH - they heard the men on brooms slam into the upended 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-shattering 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 the air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.
TYPED OUT- COURTESY OF snitchseeker.com!
Posted Jun 13, 2008 at 8:07 PM EST
Student
Points: 285
NicoleHalliwell says:
It was really cute. It's a little too short for me, but as a book freak I like stories roughly more than 600 pages~!
Posted Jun 13, 2008 at 10:20 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 68
saiyanwizardgurl says:
"Elvendork! It's unisex!" That's just classic!
Too bad it's the prequel she's not working on...one can only dream...but it was definitely a nice taste of James and Sirius in their younger yet post-Hogwarts days (I think).
Posted Jun 14, 2008 at 5:27 AM EST
Squib
Points: 150
icar says:
I loved it..its an interesting idea -- to have a prequel for Harry Potter..I am kinda having a "dreamy" moment right now; but as she said..its something that she's NOT working on..hehehe..sigh! so I guess, I just have to wait for the last two or three (?) movies and that's it. =(
Posted Jun 14, 2008 at 2:33 PM EST
Student
Points: 205
Loving HBP says:
I was skeptical about Rowling writing a prequel, but upon reading it I found it rather entertaining. I think that for the special edition DVD of the final film that should act out this prequel. That would be kind of cool...
Elvendork....hilarious....
Posted Jun 14, 2008 at 2:40 PM EST
Prof. Alfred W. Mandoore
Points: 2445
JAYSTARR says:
Brilliant...But, not long enough to be use in a Movie?
Posted Jun 14, 2008 at 3:57 PM EST
Mistress of Music
Points: 8865
ViolaNut says:
*grin* I must agree with JKR's own assessment there - that WAS fun! :-) Wonder who the fliers were though...
Posted Jun 15, 2008 at 9:38 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1453
smart hermione says:
Erm...ok. Was hoping it would be more about james and sirius and less about the policemen, but...
Posted Jun 15, 2008 at 5:31 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1098
Tonks' Twin says:
It was so great to read this, I don't think I'm the only one who want's to know a lot more about the Marauders and the first war. Ahh well... I suppose we'll have to wait for the encyclopedia.
Posted Jun 16, 2008 at 8:00 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2424
bonniewrightrulz says:
Amazing prequel..and dont forget Elvendork its unisex!!loved that part
Posted Jun 16, 2008 at 3:58 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1878
Welshgreen says:
ha that's great, it's almost like a one-shot!!
ha, Elvendork, "It's unisex!!"
Posted Jun 17, 2008 at 2:03 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1333
humes says:
Usually I just go straight to the forums, but I'm not on my work computer right now.
Interesting, but not much there.
Posted Jun 17, 2008 at 4:58 PM EST
Celtic Epona
Points: 6699
Val-Halla says:
I want to know more. How can she leave us at a cliff-hanger like that? She must write more! A prequel is a really good idea and I have a sneaking suspicion she's actually writing one! It would also be really good if she could write full versions of the Hogwarts school textbooks & any other books in the magical universe...and of course the HP encyclopedia and prehaps an 8th or 9th book...
The prequel itself is ok. I just want to know more...that's the only disappointment for me.
Posted Jun 18, 2008 at 8:05 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 442
Adria_Tonks says:
'And don't forget: Elvendork! It's unisex!'
Oh my gosh, I love that line. I'll remember it forever.
It's really cool that she did this. I love James and Sirius!
Posted Jun 19, 2008 at 12:16 AM EST
Rickmaniac to the Core
Points: 2564
snaily says:
ginny weasleypants
Thanks for the transcript. I couldn't decipher some of her writing and your transcript was a great help.
Posted Jun 19, 2008 at 5:14 AM EST
Auror
Points: 3656
Anastasia Popovick says:
Wonderful! I hope someone can talk JK into writing more! I miss my summer reading. Now I'm forced to re-read, which is fun none the less.
Posted Jun 19, 2008 at 9:28 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2108
phoenix_feathers says:
That is seriously soo cool! I haven't read the prequel yet, but I am willing to bet my bonnet (figuratively, of course, for I'm fond of my bonnet:)) that it is Sirius on his motorbike!
Posted Jun 19, 2008 at 11:25 PM EST
Student
Points: 278
AurraPhoenix says:
I'd like more, but it isn't bad for a snippet of story on a post card.
Posted Jun 20, 2008 at 12:27 AM EST
Squib
Points: 131
DonnaK says:
That was fun to read.
I imagine James and Sirius got into a lot of tight situations with Muggle authorities. But you would think that they modify the memories.
Posted Jun 22, 2008 at 3:12 AM EST
Harry’s Egg, Dan’s Duck
Points: 4742
Pearl* says:
In honesty, I thought it a bit lame... I know its hard to be well funny in such a short piece, or even make a good story at all, but this was almost like some little scene she wrote in the early Harry years (like how 1 & 2 are much worse written than 6 & 7 y'know).
Anyway, I'm fine with the Potter series being as it is, no need for pre/sequels (and this bit of - frankly - disappointing writing (happens when the expectations are so high :-) reinforces this belief in me.
Besides JKR, did anyone read other postcard-pieces too? I'd particularly recommend Welsh & Appignanesi (if you've read Jane Eyre)
Posted Jun 25, 2008 at 1:39 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2572
Mystique says:
How exceedingly cool. If only she would really write a prequel!
Posted Jun 26, 2008 at 2:07 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2407
KissingDraco says:
Like it very much, of course it isnt anything near a novel, but still very interesting. I wonder who those people on broomsticks were? I probably said this a dozen times already, but pleeeaaaase JK Rowling write another novel! Anything, Harry Potter would be awesoeme but something else would be so cool as well.
Posted Jul 7, 2008 at 12:14 PM EST
Witch
Points: 883
Bossy Boots says:
Oh wow!! I wish her writing a little more ledgible, but still!! I hope she does write a prequel. That was such a tease!!
Posted Jul 16, 2008 at 5:58 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1763
hufflepuff_babe says:
I love it! Her writing style is so unique - detailed yet not too overbearing. I love hearing more about James, and my favorite character, Sirius!
Posted Jul 22, 2008 at 1:40 AM EST
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