The Gathering: The New Order of Merlin Book 1

52. Colin's camera

       Today was such an awesome day. Colin saw an exciting Quidditch game, where the balls flew on their own as if they were alive, and met a magical creature that looked like an ugly, skinny doll with an oversized head, huge round eyes, and ears so weird and big that it should be called an elephant-elf instead. An elephelf! He wondered if there were other types of elves besides house-elves. He would ask Merlin. Merlin knew everything. He was like the Yoda but with a much cooler Force.

Whoah. He just realized, all Jedis were wizards and the Force was simply magic. Star Wars was like Wizard Wars but in space!

The day was far from over. He was pumped and ready for more fun.

"Where are you going, Jack?" he asked, seeing him put on his shoes, which he only did when he was leaving the Gryffindor tower.

Jack was always nice, but there was an air of mystery around him. Colin couldn't quite put a finger on it, but something always felt a little off about him, like he was Clark Kent on the outside but an alien underneath.

"I have detention with Professor Sprout for the rest of the day. See ya later."

Jack ran out and Colin frowned while looking at the empty dorm. He wanted to do something. He went out to the common room, looking for friends. Harry was celebrating the victory with his teammates. It was so amazing to see him at the game. Colin watched him practice before, but it was nothing like the action of the game. Harry zoomed and zigzagged like a flash of lightning. He had so much more skill than the other players. He even nearly fell off his broom but hung on upside down like Spiderman. It was awesome.

Colin walked up to the group and tried to join in the post-game fun, but they were all taller than him and didn't even notice him. He tried to say something but his voice wasn't loud enough. Oh, well. He could catch up with Harry later when he wasn't surrounded by everyone.

He found Merlin getting up from an armchair. He looked like he was ready to do something fun. Perfect. "Whatcha doing?"

Merlin said in a rush, "Actually, I've got something important to do. I'll be back." And he left the common room through the portrait hole on some important Yoda business. Maybe later they would have some fun together. He wondered if Merlin had seen Star Wars. Would he get the Wizard Wars reference?

Colin looked around at who else he knew there. Ginny Weasley was walking down from her dorm, and he ran up to her. Ginny was always fun and had a snarky sense of humor although recently she'd been quieter.

"Hiya, Ginny. Doing anything fun?"

The girl didn't respond and walked right past him. She was pale and expressionless.

"Ginny, are you okay?"

She reminded him of zombies from Night of the Living Dead. That was a good movie. He wished there was a TV around. He'd love to sit down with a bowl of popcorn and watch a fun sci-fi flick with his friends.

Ginny also went out through the portrait hole.

All of his friends were busy today. What would he do? Colin sighed and decided to do the responsible thing—homework. He stuffed his bag, including his camera—you never knew when something interesting would happen—and went out.

The Study Hall had very few people there today. He didn't want to be alone so he sat down next to a Hufflepuff boy he'd seen in the hallway with Harry.

"Hiya, I'm Colin Creevey."

"Justin Finch-Fletchley, pleasure," the boy answered with a posh accent.