Harry Potter prequel
An 800-word, untitled short story, unofficially known as the Harry Potter prequel, was written by J. K. Rowling in 2008 as part of a charity auction event, for which it fetched £25,000. The story recounts an encounter with muggle police experienced by Sirius Black and James Potter, taking place before the events of the Harry Potter series.
Background
On 11 June 2008, Waterstones held a charity event called "What's Your Story?". Thirteen authors, including Rowling, were invited to write stories on an A5 card for auction with proceeds going to English PEN and Dyslexia Action. Rowling's card was sold for £25,000 to Hira Digpal, president of Tokyo-based investment-banking consulting company Red-33. The total raised from the sale of all thirteen cards was £47,150.[1]
Plot synopsis
Two Muggle policemen chase a speeding motorbike into a dead-end alley, cornering its riders: Sirius Black and James Potter. As the policemen confront the pair, three men fly down the alley on broomsticks. James and Sirius magically upend the policemen's car and the broomsticks crash into it, rendering their riders insensible. As the policemen clutch at each other in fear, Sirius and James return to their motorbike, which flies away.
Rowling concludes the story card with the words, "From the prequel I am not working on – but that was fun!"[2]