A car radio tunes itself to a clear station.
"It's a hot day out here on the grounds and that means one thing, Quidditch..."
Through its windows are the trees of the Forbidden Forest, the hut of Hagrid ornamented with a sign post reading "Potter #7", three Wizards pulling up to The Three Broomsticks, this is Hogwarts. The radio continues to play through the speakers of this beat-up green car as it flies without pilot. On the other end, two commentators duel on the mics originally calibrated by muggle expert, Arthur Weasley.
"It feels like First Years that pulled up in their boats just months ago are now preparing for what looks to be an exciting new season."
"Well what I'd like to see is if this Headmaster Taylor can turn around what can only be described as a rag tag Hufflepuff offense."
"I am stupified that the Hufflepuff headmaster would even accept the help from this muggle who's only experience in coaching is for a game called 'football'."
"Just be happy that Minerva had the good sense not to release her command of the Griffendor team. With Potter missing this season the last thing they need is input from someone who doesn't know the sport. Forgive me, but even though Dumbledore may have vouched for this Taylor as a headmaster, I just don't see him wrapping his head around this... well, I'll say it... Wizards' game."
With the rush of the morning, Eric Taylor speeds into his kitchen as Tami is already washing breakfast's dishes. Gracie Bell sits in her high-chair chewing on something long and droopy.
"What is..."
Headmaster Taylor grabs the slobbery mess out of her mouth, revealing the what looks like a mangled ear.
"Tami, what is this?"
"I don't know, is it alive?" she asks genuinely as she takes it from his hand and bangs it against the table.
"OW!" shouts Julie as she bursts into the room clutching the side of her head.
"Julie, what is this?" asks Headmaster Taylor.
"It's an extendable ear. Everyone has one."
His jaw drops with disdain. He tongues his cheeks as if they were coated with a strange taste.
"Oh I've seen these around... Hey, were you listening to me and your mother this morning?"
"What's the point of living in this stupid magic castle if we can't use the magic?!"
She grabs the extendable ear from her mother and stuffs it into a bag without end.
"And you can't enroll Matt just so I stop going out with Hagrid. He found his Chicago already and Hagrid is mine!" Her voice softens.
"You should be happy for me. You're the ones who wanted me to like this place."
Julie storms out the portrait door and into the hallway. The stairs move away as she climbs them. A nearby student remarks how he hasn't seen those stairs move in the castle since 2001.
Headmaster Taylor looks at Tami, a little defeated but mostly with an air of delegation, "you're going to have to talk to her."
Headmaster Taylor opens the portrait door to find Buddy Garrity pretending that he wasn't just eaves dropping.
"Hey Eric, look what I found! Someone told me it belonged to a guy named Madeye... neat, huh?" Buddy exclaims as he holds up an enchanted eye that seems to roll on its own accord.
"Not now Buddy." Headmaster Taylor walks past him. Buddy looks to Tami like a puppy who just found an alternate source of attention.
"Not now Buddy," she restates as she closes the portrait on him and turns to Gracie Bell with a sigh.
