A Different Halloween

Chapter 40

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Monday 2nd September. St Andrews P. S. Crawley. 

Harry, Hermione, Dudley and Neville were enjoying their first ever break at their new school. The kids were desperate to do a bit of exploring but were currently waiting on Susan and Luna, both girls had been experiencing a completely different type of desperate. That the six made up almost a quarter of the primary one class at St Andrews had them settling in very quickly. The lovely sunny day was calling to them through the large glass windows of the single story brick structure. While they waited, the three boys couldn't help but smile as Hermione raved about how much she'd enjoyed her first class and was looking forward to more.

The smiles changed the instant that a voice they all knew well cried out in obvious pain. The four were moving at speed in the direction of the shout without a word having to be spoken between them. They rounded a corner to see a large boy with blond hair was currently trying to part Luna from hers. "Listen squirt, when I say I want your lunch money, you hand it over. That's the way things work here."

His two friends were laughing while holding Susan by the arms. The four showed no intention of slowing down as they raced along the corridor.

"Oh, what's this? Your little friends..."

The big bully's words were cut off and his grip on Luna's hair broken when Dudley and Neville hit him. There were no punches thrown or fighting moves used, their concern for getting Luna free saw them just run straight into him at speed. The top of Dudley's head caught the bigger boy just above his chin and burst his mouth open. Neville's shoulder hit the big blond in the chest as all three ended up on the ground, the two younger on top.

Harry and Hermione flew at the other two that were holding Susan. Both these boys had witnessed what just happened to their friend so now knew these kids weren't going to stop. They aimed punches at their inrushing would-be attackers. Susan was struggling like crazy now and it threw their aim off. Harry was missed completely as he barged into the bigger boy, forcing him to release his grip on Susan to maintain his balance. Hermione wasn't so lucky and the boy's punch caught her on the cheek. Her yelp of pain signalled a change in the fight as both bigger boys suddenly found themselves knocked off their feet and about five yards along the corridor. Harry was standing there, fists clenched and seething with anger when a shout froze them all in place.

"What's going on here?" Demanded a teacher they hadn't met yet, effectively ending the fight.

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Duncan Murdock was used to getting his own way. His father was a local shop owner and, more importantly, leader of the local council. He wasn't sure what happened earlier but someone was going to pay for it. Duncan's lips were burst, one tooth was broken and at least one more knocked loose. He didn't really have to fake the tears as he spun his story about being violently attacked in the corridor, Duncan was in a lot of pain and not getting much sympathy from the headmistress.

The three ten year old boys thought they would rule the school this year, only to be knocked on their arses by a gang of five year olds on their first day back. Duncan wasn't worried though, after today the six of them would be gone from St Andrews. Between his BAFTA winning performance in the headmistress's office and his father's influence, those primary one brats were toast! There was no other outcome possible.

They were dismissed and walked out the office, past the six who had attacked them. Duncan would have liked to give them all an evil grin but that wasn't possible at the moment. He was waiting on his father arriving to take him to the dentist, confident in the fact that he'd never see these little thugs again.