Hairy Potter

A story

By: Stanley Komarniski

Hairy Potter sat quietly in the cellar in the dirt where his bed was. He lived with his alcoholic uncle, Vern Potter, who for the most part kept him locked in the cellar. Vern had no wife or children and only took care of Hairy for the money provided from Hairy’s estate that was setup when Hairy’s mother died. No one knew who Hairy’s father was. Since no one really cared about Hairy, no one tried to find out.

His uncle Vern associated with a guy named Ernest the Weasel that abused him regularly. Ernest would come over and destroy his uncle’s stuff, not really caring what Vern had said. Ernest would say to Vern when he did this, “No what I mean, Vern?” Vern would only grunt in reply because he knew of no one else that would spend time with him. He took the abuse because he did not want to be alone.

Hairy would sit in the cellar making pottery for his uncle. His uncle would sell the pottery for extra cash while not caring about Hairy. His uncle kept him alive so that the stipend each month would keep coming. Hairy hoped his uncle would care some day for him rather than the money.

Hairy worked an area in the cellar, it provided him with clay for the pottery he would make. Today he was making his uncle a coffee mug. As he shaped the cup, he was extremely happy with how the mug turned out. He used an old stove to bake the pottery. As Hairy pushed the dirt aside, part of the cellar wall crumbled and he could see daylight. As he dug a bit more carefully, he now had a route to go outside.

As he crawled up out of the cellar into the bright sunshine he had to close his eyes. He had not seen the sunshine since his mother’s death 6 years ago when he was 4. He just fell on the ground outside the cellar feeling the sun’s warmth. After about 20 minutes he could finally open his eyes and look around. He peaked around the house and saw Ernest leading his uncle away with the usual, “know what I mean, Vern!”

He covered the hole that led to the cellar with some of the junk from his uncle’s backyard. He ventured off into the yard finding a shed, hoping to find something he could use as he searched the shed. He found a box with his name on it. Opening the box, he found a letter written by his mother asking his uncle to take care of Hairy because she was sick. At the bottom of the box was a crooked stick. The stick had a tag on it that read, ‘For Hairy when he is ready.’

Hairy held the stick in his hand, pulling the tag off. My mom died and left me a stupid stick. He asked no one in particular, “what am I supposed to do, wave this around like a magic wand and ask for things?” Hairy was angry, as if living in the cellar for the past 6 years wasn’t bad enough, the only thing his mother left him a stick.

He waved the stick around mockingly and said, “I want a box of donuts!” To his surprise a box of donuts appeared. Since he was hungry, he ate all the donuts immediately. Feeling thirsty after eating so many donuts he figured he would try it again. He swung the stick again saying this time, “I want milk!” Immediately he was covered in milk from head to toe. He just shook his head in realization and clarified, “I want a glass of milk!”

As he gulped down the glass of milk, he realized that he was something more than an orphan living in a root cellar. In the bottom of the box was written the following words, ‘Find the Witches Rock!’ He realized that his mother must have planned this for him. He would begin his quest to find the witch’s rock!

He wasn’t sure how to start this quest. Since he had been locked in the root cellar most of his life, he knew he needed help. As he walked down the street, he saw a strange girl who appeared to be his age. She had a twig and was waving it around saying weird words.

“What are you doing?” he asked her. “what are you trying to accomplish by saying things that are not even words.”

She rolled her eyes at him and said, “Don’t you recognize a future witch before you?” She continued by saying while taping the twig she was holding on the rock. “blathers!” absolutely nothing happened. “I am trying to turn this rock into a chocolate cake. If you hadn’t broken my concentration we would be eating cake right now.”

Hairy took out his stick and tapped the rock and said simply, “make this rock chocolate cake.” Immediately it became a chocolate cake.

She stared at it, not believing her eyes. “How did you do that?”

“I used the stick that my mom left me.” He showed her the stick.

She snatched the stick out of his hand, immediately she tapped another rock and said, “make this rock chocolate cake.” The rock did not change, but the stick shocked her until she let go of it. When she let go it immediately floated back to Hairy. He snatched it mid-air.

“it is not yours, so it won’t listen to you.” Hairy explained. “My name is Hairy!” He held out his hand to shake hers.

“My name is Missenger!” She ate some of the chocolate cake. “This is the best chocolate cake I ever tasted.” She gobbled down the whole cake and then looked up at Hairy. “Your name is Harry, like Harold?”

“No, my name is Hairy as in the hair on my head.” He lifted some of his long hair to show her.

“That’s a weird name. It suits you though with all your hair.” She thought for a second. “What are you doing? Are you a witch?”

Hairy thought for a moment, “Missenger, I am not sure. Since I was four, I have been locked in my uncle’s root cellar. I only escaped and found this stick. And this note.” He gave her the note.

Missenger read the note out loud, “Find the witch’s rock!” she thought for a second. “we have a quest.”

Hairy shook his head at her, “Who is we?”

“You do speak English, don’t you? We, is you and me. I am sure since you have been locked in a root cellar for the past 6 years that you don’t know your way around. You definitely need my help.” Missenger smiled at Hairy hoping he would take her.

Hairy reluctantly asked, “How do we start this quest?”

She said confidently, “Ask the stick!”

Hairy felt foolish and posed the question to the stick, “Where is the witch’s rock?”

The stick replied, “I don’t know!”

Hairy was surprised that the stick replied. He thought and realized what he would need to ask the stick next. He held out his hand for Missenger to take. When she paused, he said, “Well, do you want to come on this quest or not.”

She took his hand gingerly, “why of course I do.”

Hairy looked at the stick and said, “take us to someone who might know where to look for the witch’s rock.”

They both vanished with a flash and a pop, a moment later they were standing in front of a rabbit just as tall as they were. He turned and looked at them both and said, “Hello there!”

Hairy and Missenger stood there with their mouths open. Not believing what they saw.

“Haven’t you seen a talking rabbit before?” the rabbit said. “I guess you haven’t.” The rabbit squinted as he looked them over and then asked. “Hairy is that you?”

“You know me?” Hairy asked.

The rabbit pulled on Hairy’s ear. “I recognize this long scar on your ear. You got it the night your mother died.” The rabbit showed them his ear where a similar scar resided. “I got this when I rescued you.”

“You knew my mother?” Hairy asked

“Oh yes, and introductions are definitely necessary. I am Haggard.” The rabbit bowed at Hairy.

Hairy replied, “Well you know my name is Hairy, this is Missenger. We are on the quest to find the witch’s rock.” Missenger nodded at the rabbit not knowing what else to say or do.

The rabbit immediately sat Hairy down and started cutting his hair. After which he dragged Hairy by the ear into the bathtub while Missenger waited in the living area of the rabbit’s den. The rabbit took Hairy back into the living area about 20 minutes later, Hairy was clean and dressed and wearing square glasses with a nice short haircut.

“Wow, everything is so clear!” Hairy studied everything with his square rimmed glasses.

Missenger said out loud when she did not mean to, “Wow Hairy, your actually handsome.”

“Really!?” Hairy replied. He studied his feet as it had been so long since he wore socks and shoes.

The rabbit sighed, “Focus hairy. You have a big quest about you. I assume Missenger is now your apprentice since you figured out the stick.”

Missenger said as a lost question, “Apprentice?”

The rabbit was annoyed, “Yes apprentice. I really don’t like to repeat myself.” He dug around in one of his cupboards saying to himself, “where did I put that map?” Things were being tossed everywhere when finally, he retrieved a wooden tube. He strapped the tube around Missenger and explained. “You must carry all the stuff because it is the apprentice’s job.” He also strapped a satchel containing supplies and potions on her shoulder.

“Am I a witch? I can’t be because I have no training. How am I supposed to teach her?” Hairy pleaded with Haggard.

Haggard placed both of his paws on each of Hairy’s shoulders and looked directly at him. “Hairy understand that you were placed at your uncle’s house for a reason. It was known that he would lock you in the cellar and you would learn to work with the earth and clay. Your hands are trained and understand how to create.” Haggard held Hairy’s hands and showed them to him. “That is why the stick listens to you and that is why you are a witch. You must teach this to Missenger. Teach her how to create, help her find her stick. The one that will listen to her. All this happened for a reason to help prepare you for this very moment.”

Hairy looked at Missenger and she nodded at him. Haggard then ushered them out of his den and into the forest. “Just walk that way.” He pointed. “for about a half of a day. Then Missenger take the scroll from the tube, and it will give you a clue and a direction to the witch’s rock. Don’t take the scroll out before then, as it won’t show anything until it is that far from me. There is a magic that prevents it from revealing its secrets. It was to prevent me from being tempted to getting the witch’s rock myself. Good luck on your journey Hairy and Missenger, I am sure we will meet again.” Haggard slammed the door.

Harry and Missenger started out in the direction that Haggard had pointed. Their quest to find the witch’s rock had begun!