THE LONELY GATE HOUSE
A Harry Potter UNIVERSE/ Sasporilla Bucket Fan Fiction
by Darren Kelly
Chapter 4
Classes didn't officially begin until after the Christmas break. This gave Sassy a few days to settle in and get used to Droorlily. She spent most of her time with her room mate Wendy Murphy, who showed her around the grounds. The center building and the lower floor of the East and West wings were class rooms and school areas where the second floors of the wings were dorm rooms. East wing was for the girls and west wing for the boys. It was by and far a lot smaller than Hogwarts but it's limited enrollment meant smaller class sizes and more personal attention.
"Why are there so few students here?" Sasporilla asked.
"Basic mathematics I'm afraid." Wendy said. "Less than four million people in the country and Wizards and witches only account for a fraction of a percent of that and of those, the fraction gets smaller for those of school age."
"Yes when you put it that way." Sasporilla said.
"Not to mention up to a few years ago Ireland was a very poor country. Damn near t'ird world." Wendy said. "You couldn't find a job if you wanted one!"
"I need to ask you," Sasporilla started, "why do people instantly cringe when they hear I'm English?"
"I imagine they don't teach you the parts of your history you should be embarrassed and out raged by." Wendy sighed. "My mum was ten when the English army invaded Ireland in 1969. They lived in Baile Draíochta, a magic community near Crossmaglen. The army was accompanied by da Ministry of Magic, broke down doors of every house in the village and slapped iron bracelets on our people. Do you know what dose did?"
Sasporilla slid off the silver bracelet she wore on her wrist and showed Wendy the brand on her wrist.
"Jaysus!" Wendy said. "Dey did to you too?"
"A death eater having fun, a couple of years ago, sent them to the schools. I was forced to wear it because I am an elf blood. The ministry said they had no idea where the bracelets came from." Sasporilla said ashamed and a little angry.
"Dey got dem from dare stock room." Wendy said. "After dey knee capped us with da bracelets dey put our men into camps wit' da Catholic muggle men and through the women and children over the border into de night to fend for demselves with nothin' to dare names. Da English took it all and left us with nothin'. Most of our men died as prisoners of war in the northern camps."
"That's atrocious!" Sasporilla said outraged. "What right does anyone have to do that to any other human being!"
"It was steeped in politics and religious hate but just increased the devide between da Irish people." Wendy said. "My ma and granny found jobs and raised dare kids in da south, without men in dare lives. Well at least wit'out new husbands."
"I am so sorry." Sasporilla said.
"Why?" Wendy asked.
"Because my countrymen committed such horrors on your family." Sasporilla said. "I don't blame your people for fighting back with bombs and such. I would have too!"
"Well you're a surprise Sasporilla Bucket." Wendy smiled. "Most English just change da subject or give excuses for da invasion."
"There is no EXCUSE for destroying peoples lives!" Sasporilla said firmly.
"Unfortunately da violence and hatred is still very much alive here." Wendy said sadly. "I had a cousin who was in de army on the Northern border. He made the mistake of comin' south one night and they found him with his t'roat slit."
"My god!" Sasporilla gasped. "How long ago was that?"
"Christmas eve." Wendy said.
"Barbaric." Sasporilla shook her head.
"Well it's an antiquated holiday but I wouldn' call Christmas barbaric." Wendy laughed.
"You are encourageable Wendy Murphy." Sasporilla laughed.
At lunch the final sixth year student and only one who's family could afford to bring them home for Christmas, returned to Droorlily. The tall red haired young man with jade green eyes came and sat at the sixth year table.
"Michael!" Jimmy smiled. "When did you get back?"
"Before breakfast this mornin'." Michael said. "I'd been on a tare with the boys in Dublin and just made my train. Needed a lay down after all dat. Just woke up."
"Have a good holiday?" Jimmy asked.
"Ya it was grand." Michael said. "Who's the girl with da pink hair sittin' in Lilys spot?"
"I'm Sasporilla Bucket." Sassy smiled. "I'm the exchange student from Hogwarts."
"Uckkk fekin' English." Michael said.
"Yes I'm English." Sasporilla stiffened. "But had I been in the North in sixty nine I've had fought against the forces that stole your peoples homes."
"You say dat." Michael sneered. "But ya don't know shyte about our peoples struggle an pain."
"No I don't know anything about being the blind end of someone's judgement based on where I come from." Sasporilla said sarcastically standing angrily taking off her bracelet and holding up her branded wrist. "I don't know anything about being forced to wear the iron bracelet and being branded for being an elf blood. Most importantly I don't know what it's like for people to look at me and think they know what I am all about because of my sex, my hair colour or my father was the town drunk! So before you judge perhaps you should get to know me first."
"Michael Kelly." The boy said smiling hold out his hand to Sasporilla.
Sassy stood there dumfounded for a second then shook his hand. "As I said, Sasporilla Bucket."
"You've got fire Sasporilla Bucket." Michael Kelly said. "I respect dat more than the usual false polite English ways."
"Dat's why she's my friend." Wendy smiled throwing her arm around Sassy giving her a noogie.
"So if I drew my wand and blasted you to the back of the hall?" Sasporilla asked Michael rhetorically.
"You want ta go out with me some time?" Michael smiled.
Sasporilla blushed not able to grasp how they got from blind hatred and sarcasm to bring asked out.
"Jaysus get a room you two." Wendy laughed.
"What planet am I on?" Sasporilla asked.
"Darlin'," Michael smiled, "dis's flirtin in Ireland.
Classes didn't officially begin until after the Christmas break. This gave Sassy a few days to settle in and get used to Droorlily. She spent most of her time with her room mate Wendy Murphy, who showed her around the grounds. The center building and the lower floor of the East and West wings were class rooms and school areas where the second floors of the wings were dorm rooms. East wing was for the girls and west wing for the boys. It was by and far a lot smaller than Hogwarts but it's limited enrollment meant smaller class sizes and more personal attention.
"Why are there so few students here?" Sasporilla asked.
"Basic mathematics I'm afraid." Wendy said. "Less than four million people in the country and Wizards and witches only account for a fraction of a percent of that and of those, the fraction gets smaller for those of school age."
"Yes when you put it that way." Sasporilla said.
"Not to mention up to a few years ago Ireland was a very poor country. Damn near t'ird world." Wendy said. "You couldn't find a job if you wanted one!"
"I need to ask you," Sasporilla started, "why do people instantly cringe when they hear I'm English?"
"I imagine they don't teach you the parts of your history you should be embarrassed and out raged by." Wendy sighed. "My mum was ten when the English army invaded Ireland in 1969. They lived in Baile Draíochta, a magic community near Crossmaglen. The army was accompanied by da Ministry of Magic, broke down doors of every house in the village and slapped iron bracelets on our people. Do you know what dose did?"
Sasporilla slid off the silver bracelet she wore on her wrist and showed Wendy the brand on her wrist.
"Jaysus!" Wendy said. "Dey did to you too?"
"A death eater having fun, a couple of years ago, sent them to the schools. I was forced to wear it because I am an elf blood. The ministry said they had no idea where the bracelets came from." Sasporilla said ashamed and a little angry.
"Dey got dem from dare stock room." Wendy said. "After dey knee capped us with da bracelets dey put our men into camps wit' da Catholic muggle men and through the women and children over the border into de night to fend for demselves with nothin' to dare names. Da English took it all and left us with nothin'. Most of our men died as prisoners of war in the northern camps."
"That's atrocious!" Sasporilla said outraged. "What right does anyone have to do that to any other human being!"
"It was steeped in politics and religious hate but just increased the devide between da Irish people." Wendy said. "My ma and granny found jobs and raised dare kids in da south, without men in dare lives. Well at least wit'out new husbands."
"I am so sorry." Sasporilla said.
"Why?" Wendy asked.
"Because my countrymen committed such horrors on your family." Sasporilla said. "I don't blame your people for fighting back with bombs and such. I would have too!"
"Well you're a surprise Sasporilla Bucket." Wendy smiled. "Most English just change da subject or give excuses for da invasion."
"There is no EXCUSE for destroying peoples lives!" Sasporilla said firmly.
"Unfortunately da violence and hatred is still very much alive here." Wendy said sadly. "I had a cousin who was in de army on the Northern border. He made the mistake of comin' south one night and they found him with his t'roat slit."
"My god!" Sasporilla gasped. "How long ago was that?"
"Christmas eve." Wendy said.
"Barbaric." Sasporilla shook her head.
"Well it's an antiquated holiday but I wouldn' call Christmas barbaric." Wendy laughed.
"You are encourageable Wendy Murphy." Sasporilla laughed.
At lunch the final sixth year student and only one who's family could afford to bring them home for Christmas, returned to Droorlily. The tall red haired young man with jade green eyes came and sat at the sixth year table.
"Michael!" Jimmy smiled. "When did you get back?"
"Before breakfast this mornin'." Michael said. "I'd been on a tare with the boys in Dublin and just made my train. Needed a lay down after all dat. Just woke up."
"Have a good holiday?" Jimmy asked.
"Ya it was grand." Michael said. "Who's the girl with da pink hair sittin' in Lilys spot?"
"I'm Sasporilla Bucket." Sassy smiled. "I'm the exchange student from Hogwarts."
"Uckkk fekin' English." Michael said.
"Yes I'm English." Sasporilla stiffened. "But had I been in the North in sixty nine I've had fought against the forces that stole your peoples homes."
"You say dat." Michael sneered. "But ya don't know shyte about our peoples struggle an pain."
"No I don't know anything about being the blind end of someone's judgement based on where I come from." Sasporilla said sarcastically standing angrily taking off her bracelet and holding up her branded wrist. "I don't know anything about being forced to wear the iron bracelet and being branded for being an elf blood. Most importantly I don't know what it's like for people to look at me and think they know what I am all about because of my sex, my hair colour or my father was the town drunk! So before you judge perhaps you should get to know me first."
"Michael Kelly." The boy said smiling hold out his hand to Sasporilla.
Sassy stood there dumfounded for a second then shook his hand. "As I said, Sasporilla Bucket."
"You've got fire Sasporilla Bucket." Michael Kelly said. "I respect dat more than the usual false polite English ways."
"Dat's why she's my friend." Wendy smiled throwing her arm around Sassy giving her a noogie.
"So if I drew my wand and blasted you to the back of the hall?" Sasporilla asked Michael rhetorically.
"You want ta go out with me some time?" Michael smiled.
Sasporilla blushed not able to grasp how they got from blind hatred and sarcasm to bring asked out.
"Jaysus get a room you two." Wendy laughed.
"What planet am I on?" Sasporilla asked.
"Darlin'," Michael smiled, "dis's flirtin in Ireland.
PLEASE REMEMBER
I am in no way affiliated with Warner Bros. or with J.K.Rowling. My work is purely that of fan fiction & do not ask for, nor accept money, gifts or other compensation for my work. If you really feel you must do something, research which charities J.K.Rowling donates to, then donate to them as such.
I am in no way affiliated with Warner Bros. or with J.K.Rowling. My work is purely that of fan fiction & do not ask for, nor accept money, gifts or other compensation for my work. If you really feel you must do something, research which charities J.K.Rowling donates to, then donate to them as such.