At least the next Nine chapters are available on my pat reon. The link is at the bottom of the page.
Thank you to my Hero Patrons, Cory A Cinquini and Stewart Baird.
Thank you to my Superhero Patrons, Marcus Lane, Gregory, Conradt Moore and Luis Antonio Aguilar Ocaña. Thank you for all your support.
Thank you to my Legendary Hero Patrons, Alex Borthwick, Parzivel, Jason Lopez, Tobias Schwarz, 2Bizzy and Faisal Salih. Thank you for your immense support.
Thank you to my Galactic Hero Patrons Luis Barreda, Spoder man, TheBerryMan, OettamLass, reader 76, Phil Meyering, Shynatuk, Milo Farrell, Boltaruas, Warwick Robertson, Greatestkhan and Daoist Mufasa. Thank you for your extraordinary support.
Thank you to my Mystic Hero Patron Pato Senalima. I can't thank you enough for your support.
Thank you all for your support. I truly appreciate it.
If you wish to become a supporter: "DragonField", on pat reon.
Or use the link at the bottom.
------------------------------------
Disclaimer: If you recognise it, surprise, I don't own it.
Chapter 42– Train Trip.
------------------------------------
Walking through the wall wasn't at all weird because it didn't last more than a second. Less than that, even. I walked through it, and then I saw a gleaming scarlet train. It was very interesting, for a train, that is. I guess to my modern mind, seeing an old train like this is kind of cool, but it isn't anything close to the bullet trains from the modern day. Still, it is magical, so maybe there are some secrets to it. Hell, if there aren't, I will make sure to get my hands on it and do something with it. Maybe make it a Transformer or something.
I quickly look around and notice that everyone is pretty much lined up along the train, talking through the windows to their children and saying their final goodbyes. I spot the Weasleys easily enough, their bright red hair standing out among the crowd. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both stand in front of a window through which I can see the young form of Ginny Weasley talking to her parents. I look on with interest, wondering how freaked out they will be when they realise Ron and Harry aren't here.
I move on when I realise that they clearly don't know that, and they probably won't until they get back to the car and find that it is missing. Most likely, they are too focused on Ginny since it is her first time going to Hogwarts, and they assume that the rest of the family, including Harry, have all gotten onto the train already. Well, they will sure be in for a shock when they realise they will have to use the Knight Bus to get home.
I don't recognise anybody else of worth, which is probably more my fault and not theirs, and so I quickly slink onto the train with nobody noticing. Of course, once I am on, I see a lot of kids still walking around the train corridors, and so I walk along, ignoring all of the kids besides smiling politely at the ones that see me. They are so stunned to see me on the train that they don't respond in time, and I quickly move on before they can. I sit down in the first empty compartment I see, making sure to confundus charm some so they don't see which one I entered.
And now, with my compartment secure, I lock the door and relax on a seat. I don't want to interact with anyone just yet since they will probably be hyped up and annoying. Also, the train has yet to leave, and so a few parents can still accost me, and I want to make sure the train is on time. And so I sit and relax for a second as I look out the window, having used a privacy spell so they can't look in. I didn't bring a trunk with me. Call me crazy, but I don't particularly feel secure letting some House Elfs take it to Hogwarts and then sort out my room as well, especially since they obey Headmaster Dumbledore above all.
No, thank you. When I get there and settle into my room tonight, I will use the floo because every professor has a private one, and I will use it to go home and get my shit. And after I make sure the room is secure and a whole bunch of other things, I will relax and settle into my role properly. Which probably won't be for a few weeks.
With a sudden jolt, I feel the Hogwarts Express shudder to life before beginning to slowly move forward. I can feel the wheels moving and the jittering of the engine or whatever that drives it, along with the steam shooting out and the choo choos sounding out. It took me by surprise because, unfortunately, my current privacy charm isn't without flaws.
Don't get me wrong, I know a few of them, and while there are others that have good use on occasion, this is my go-to. And that is because it employs a slight aversion effect as well, making it so that unless someone is looking for me or something in the area, they won't be able to find me. The downside of this one is that it is complete privacy, inside and out, so I can't tell what is going on outside. It's useful for some situations as the other privacy charms just make it blurry with a few other different effects.
Still, with the train having set off for a minute or so now, I undo my charm so I can appreciate the view outside of the window. I also close the curtains to my compartment so people won't be able to see in. And now I can enjoy the green fields we will be passing by, and the streams and other such sights. Maybe a babbling brook, along with a slight flying Ford Anglia. Can't wait for that last one. I will definitely be on the lookout. I also notice that the noise of the train and the engine is now gone except for the steam and the choo chooing. I guess they magicked up the sounds for the aesthetics.
It is a while later, with me enjoying the sights, that there is a knock at the door. There have been a few that I have ignored, but with the sights now seeing a lot of repetition and no blue magical car to be found, I am bored. And so, I look towards the door and ready myself for my first proper interaction as a professor. I can't be too overbearing or strict, but I can't be too nice as well. I need to get a nice balance where the little shits know they won't be able to pull any shit on me but that they can also come to me for problems because I am reliable and helpful.
"Professor Lockhart?" I hear a voice call, and it is young but distinctly male. I don't really know who it is, but the voice sounds familiar. Someone I have met before? But, I must not have paid much attention to them since I can't place a name to the voice. Also, I haven't met a lot of kids, so I have no clue who it could be.
"Who is it?" I ask, still waiting to grant them access. After all, it might turn out to be someone I don't really want to talk to. The door is open and not locked, so they could come in, but by now, I assume word has spread that this is my compartment. And so to just enter without knocking would be rude and give a bad impression to their new teacher. Now, I wonder who could have come to see me? Maybe a fan? Or perhaps somebody is having a problem, and they need my help? I wonder.
"Uh, it is Draco- Draco Malfoy, sir. I was wondering if I may have a moment of your time." Well, isn't that interesting? I do indeed remember hearing his screeching voice in Flourish and Blotts while he was annoying Harry, but I didn't talk to him. His voice is a lot more polite and gentle than it was then, which I am glad for since otherwise, I would have to discipline the guy. Still, what could this spoilt, arrogant little boy be here for?
"Very well. You may enter." I say, and consequently, the door slides open gently. And then a pale face pops in, slick blonde hair covering the scalp. The boy turns around before entering and addresses the two big, lumpy boys behind him, who look like they don't have much sentience in their eyes. Like seriously, they are shockingly dim as they stand there with their mouths open and breathing heavily, waiting for orders.
"Crabbe, Goyle. Stay outside and make sure nobody disturbs us. I have sensitive matters to discuss." The boy's tone changes, and he is imperious and commanding, ordering the two beefy boys to stay outside. Sensitive matters? I wonder what that could mean. Given that he is a Malfoy, and his father is Lucius, then he could simply be relaying something to me for him.
"So, what sensitive matters do we have to discuss, Mr. Malfoy?" I ask as Draco shuts the door closed behind him and then makes sure the curtain is properly shut, ensuring security. Hearing my words, he turns around, and then, he takes a big breath and reaches behind him into his bag.
"Yes, pardon me, sir. But my mother has given me a task." He says, walking closer, rifling through his bag, and looking for something. This is indeed interesting. His mother, Narcissa Malfoy? What could she have to do with me? I mean, through osmosis from spending time with Andromeda, I know that she is basically a trophy wife. Don't get me wrong; apparently, she was brilliant and intelligent, but Lucius doesn't really let her get involved in the business. She just stays home and makes some appearances by his side, and that is that. So, I wonder what she wants.
"Oh, and what is this task?" I ask, but Draco doesn't respond, more focused on trying to find whatever it is he is searching for in this bag of his. When I realise that he has essentially ignored me, I get a bit annoyed and give a slight cough, making his head jolt up.
"Uh, right. My mother asked me to come here to-," He begins, still rifling through the bag before he pauses and pulls out something with a look of relief on his face. "I am here to get you to sign these books for my mother." He says, shoving one towards me, his hand in the air as he looks at me expectantly. I merely stare on back at him, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Uh, I mean, if it isn't much bother, sir. My mother is a big fan. Sometimes, it seems all she does is sit around at home and read your books." He quickly adds, remembering his manners. But that isn't the thing that surprised me. It was the fact that his mother sent him here to get my autograph on those books. I was kind of happy, thinking something interesting was happening and I would be getting an opportunity for business, but no. Just a signing. Why couldn't she have come when I was doing it at the bookstore?
"Of course, anything for a fan," I say, taking the stack of books from him and reaching into my robes to pull out my autographing pen, signing the books one by one. The Malfoy boy just stands there awkwardly, looking like he would rather be anywhere else at all. I'm guessing his mother forced him to do this, and he would probably get in trouble if he didn't return with them. Hmm, maybe she originally wanted to come to the book signing but couldn't because Lucius wanted to go and enact his plan with the diary. Well, I can make guesses all day, but in the end, it doesn't matter.
"Alright, there you go. I hope your mother enjoys it." I say, handing the book over to him, and I watch as he quickly stuffs them into his bag.
"Thank you, sir," Draco says, turning around and heading towards the door. Well, I can't just let him leave like that, can I?
"Draco, a moment please," I say, and though I phrase it like that, he knows it isn't a request, and so he turns around and looks at me, caution in his gaze. He doesn't say anything, so I take it as my cue to speak.
"I am going to be your professor for the next year, so I expect excellent behaviour in my class. I already know how you act, so I will ask you to refrain in my class. You can do whatever you want in your first time, but in my class, you will learn and only learn. That is the one thing I expect, so don't think you will get away with anything." I say, just trying to assert dominance. I don't want to hear this kid whining and talking about his dad all the time, so it's best to nip it in the bud now. Assert dominance.
"Right. Enjoy the rest of the trip, professor." Draco says after a moment of pause, turning around and leaving the compartment, calling to his two henchmen before leaving. Hm, he said he understood, but I get the feeling that he really doesn't. Still, I guess he must know he can't be a petulant child in front of a professor. But I doubt he will give me no trouble in the year. Maybe I will have to have a parent-teacher conference with his parents... that's an idea.
With Draco gone, I relax into my seat and look back out the window. I really should have brought a book with me. After Draco, quite a few people stopped by, but I made it explicit that I would not be signing any autographs and with that, most of them left. Some stuck around to ask me questions, and I responded with them to actually read their new books since it was evident with the questions that they were asking, that they hadn't. I made those books the real deal for the new curriculum.
There were also a few... older students that came by. Mainly schoolgirls who were in the upper years and really wanted to stick around in the compartment. Needless to say, I acted oblivious and subtly got rid of them. I mean, technically, I was around seventeen mentally, so it wouldn't be weird. But I am also a professor, so I won't be doing anything like that. Well, maybe later. A certain Miss Clearwater certainly was enthusiastic with her questioning. She actually wasn't one of the ones wanting to get funky, but she drew my interest the most. Well, later, if things work out like that, I wouldn't mind.
With the journey halfway through, another knock on the door brought me out of my boredom. The students had stopped coming by after they realised that I wouldn't exactly sit there and answer their every question or sign anything... or anything else. The sudden knock on the door interests me, as it had already been an hour or so since my last visitor, and so I watched the door with interest.
"Professor Lockhart!" Before I can even answer and tell them to come in, the door slams open, and a loud voice calls out. Coming into the train compartment is a brown frizzy-haired girl who looks very frazzled, already dressed in her school robes and with her two front teeth being a bit bigger than her other teeth. Trailing along behind her is a red-headed girl, looking around worriedly and clutching her bag to her chest. I can see a black book just popping out of the rim of the bag, and I already know what it is.
"Yes, how can I help you? It must be something quite urgent for you to enter so rudely." I say to Hermione Granger, who baulks at my insinuation and then turns bright red when she realises I am correct and she was very rude barging in here. I can already tell she is mortified, having learned that she just basically made a very bad impression on her new Defence Against The Dark Arts Teacher. On the other hand, Ginny just stands behind her, subdued, holding onto her bag as if everything she had ever owned was inside. She was a far cry from the spitfire in that bookstore, and I think she is a little bit paler now as well, or I could just be imagining that. Still, she is already very dependent on that book. Riddle doesn't waste any time.
"Ah, yes. I am sorry, Professor Lockhart. I wouldn't have come in if it was not an emergency. I hope you can forgive the intrusion. I am usually quite-" Hermione starts to blabber on and tries to defend herself. Or, more accurately, improve her image in my eyes and make out that she wouldn't be doing this if it was not an emergency, which would be much more effective if she actually told me what the problem was. She really has a respect for authority or a dependence or something. There is probably a better word for it.
"Ahem. Okay, I understand. Now, can you tell me what the issue is?" I cough, interrupting her blabbering, gesturing to the seat across from me. She flushes again before moving to take a seat. Ginny nervously closed the door behind her and sat down as well but did not say anything.
"Ah, um, where to begin. I mean, I thought my friends Harry and Ron were on the train, but when they didn't come to find me, I got worried. And so I started looking compartment by compartment, and I asked the Weasleys on board, but they all said they hadn't seen them. Ginny came with me, and we searched the whole train except this compartment. They are not on board." Hermione blurts out, getting it all out at once, and then there is silence. She looks at me with expectation, as if I can magically make them appear right next to me.
"Okay, and when was the last time you saw them, young lady?" I say, directing my question towards Ginny. She jolts, not having expected to be called upon, but she quickly answers me.
"I- I last saw Ron and Harry at Kings Cross Station, just before I went through the barrier to platform nine and three-quarters. I went with Mum, and only Harry and Ron were left on the other side, supposed to come through after us. I didn't see them after that." Ginny says, adding her two cents. I already know what has happened. I watched it after all. But still, it feels pretty cool to act like a detective and figure out what happened. Hey, that's a thought. Maybe I can be a magical detective in the future. Seems like a fun idea.
"Okay, so the last time you saw them was before the barrier and not after. Nothing at all?" I ask, and instead of Ginny answering, Hermione intercedes, answering for her.
"No, I have already asked around, and nobody has seen them since. Every other Weasley says the last time they saw them was before the barrier, and they are not on the train, so I surmise that they must have been unable to cross over in time for some reason, and they must have missed the train." Hermione exclaims, worry on her face. It's as if she thinks the world is ending and that she will never see her friends again.
"Okay, well, if that was indeed the case, then they will meet up with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and they will make arrangements and contact Hogwarts to get Harry and Ron to school. So don't worry, just because they missed the train does not mean they will miss the school year." I tell them, knowing that right now, they should be in the Ford Anglia, flying through the skies somewhere above this train.
"Really?" Hermione asks, a sense of vulnerability in her tone. I can guess why. Ron and Harry are kind of her only friends at this point since she is kind of still a stuck-up know-it-all. She is worried that she is going to be all alone this year if they don't come. Well, she shouldn't worry. They are definitely on their way.
"Really, really. I bet they are already waiting for you at Hogwarts." I say, finding it hard not to chuckle since I know that they are just flying above me. At this point, I happen to actually glance outside the window and see a flash of blue shoot past, and I find it hard not to smile. It seemed that Harry and Ron were right beside us, if just for a moment, so Hemione needn't be worried.
"Oh, well, that's a relief... Can I ask you some questions?" Hermione says, and before I can respond, she already starts barraging me with questions.
"How come you made new, more accurate books for the rest of your series but not for the Abominable Snowman? Also, I believe you mixed up your poles in that book since the Eskimos live in the other one. But I am sure you know that. Of course, you didn't make a mistake. There are probably Eskimos there that haven't been discovered yet. There are all sorts of aborigine tribes that are undiscovered." Hermione rambles on, and I quickly try to answer her questions.
"Ah, yes, well, I didn't have time to rewrite all the books so they read more accurately for learning purposes. As for the pole thing, it must have been a typo. But there probably won't be any retractions or reprints since a lot of copies have already been made. And.." As I get trapped in a conversation by Hermione, I notice Ginny pull out her black book in the corner and start to write in it with a smile on her face.
I feel a bit bad, but I know this will be better in the long run. Still, I can't help but feel a bit off as she happily gets manipulated by a Horcrux.
Still, this will all work out... right? Right.
------------------------------------
I want to talk more with you guys, so I am starting to leave little notes at the end of each chapter like this.
The finale of Gen V. It was great. Things ramped up like crazy until, finally, boom. I wonder what will happen in the next season of The Boys.
Loki is getting good as well. Though, well, it ain't as good as it used to be. I really want to see some actual consequences instead of using time travel to fix everything.
I have been playing Spider-Man 2 like crazy, and it is such an excellent game. I finished it, Platinum Baby. I have been playing it on Twitch and uploading it on YouTube, so if you want to watch it, which I would greatly appreciate, come on by. The link is below.
Also, I have finished season 3 of Fargo, and it is good but weird. The murder and stuff were good, and VM Varga is a crazy, scary guy. I find it funny that both Dennis and Mac from Sunny in Philly have been in this show. It is still a little weird how they have a slight sci-fi thing going on, though, like the woman not activating motion senses and stuff.
If you want to chat more about this or any other topic, come to my Discord through the link.
The link to everything you need and my patronage:
https://linktr. ee/dragonfield
(Remover the space between the dot and the ee)
That is all for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will see you in the next one!
Stay safe, and have fun!
At least the next NINE chapters are available on my pat reon. The link is at the bottom of the page.
Thank you to my Hero Patrons, Cory A Cinquini and Stewart Baird.
Thank you to my Superhero Patrons, Marcus Lane, Gregory, Conradt Moore, Luis Antonio Aguilar Ocaña and Evil_Bob. Thank you for all your support.
Thank you to my Legendary Hero Patrons, Alex Borthwick, Parzivel, Jason Lopez, Tobias Schwarz, 2Bizzy and Faisal Salih. Thank you for your immense support.
Thank you to my Galactic Hero Patrons Luis Barreda, Spoder man, TheBerryMan, OettamLass, reader 76, Phil Meyering, Shynatuk, Milo Farrell, Boltaruas, Warwick Robertson, Greatestkhan, Daoist Mufasa, Noname and JJTS. Thank you for your extraordinary support.
Thank you to my Mystic Hero Patron Pato Senalima. I can't thank you enough for your support.
Thank you all for your support. I truly appreciate it.
If you wish to become a supporter: "DragonField", on pat reon.
Or use the link at the bottom.
------------------------------------
Disclaimer: If you recognise it, surprise, I don't own it.
Chapter 43- Ford Anglia.
------------------------------------
"I can see it!" Harry yelled. "Right ahead - there!" The Hogwarts Express was streaking along below them like a scarlet snake. It had taken them a while to find it, but finally they did.
"Due north," said Ron, checking the compass on the dashboard. "Okay, we'll just have to check on it every half hour or so - hold on." And then they shot up through the clouds. A minute or so later, they burst out into a blaze of sunlight. It was a different world. The wheels of the car skimmed the sea of fluffy clouds, the sky a bright, endless blue under the blinding white sun.
"All we've got to worry about now are aeroplanes," said Ron. Harry never thought he would even ever be in an aeroplane, let alone have to look out for one to make sure he didn't collide with it. They looked at each other and started to laugh; for a long time, they couldn't stop. It was as though they had been plunged into a fabulous dream. This, thought Harry, was undoubtedly the only way to travel - past swirls and turrets of snowy cloud, in a car full of hot, bright sunlight, with a fat pack of toffees in the glove compartment, and the prospect of seeing Fred's and George's jealous faces when they landed smoothly and spectacularly on the sweeping lawn in front of Hogwarts castle.
------------------------------------
Well, I could not have rushed off of that train fast enough. That girl was ravenous, not letting go of me and not giving me a single chance to escape. Hermione just kept talking and talking. Sometimes, it wasn't even questions but her just trying to flex on me with her knowledge, which she thinks is impressive for a second year to have. Hell, it was impressive, but I didn't care. She was a lovely girl and all, but she could be annoying for long periods of time, or, you know, five minutes uninterrupted.
And Ginny, that girl just wouldn't stop scribbling in that fucking black book. It was constant, and she would have a permanent stupid smile on her face. The combination of Hermione talking and the continuous sound of quill upon the book was truly grating to the ears. I just used a slight noise-dampening sound to tune them out, and Hermione just continued rambling without my input.
I ended up falling asleep, which I thank Merlin for because I might have cut my own ears off with these two annoying girls. I know I could have just kicked them out, but, well, Tom was also here. Who knows, maybe I am a little rude and kick them both out, and Ginny gets a little angry with me, and therefore Tom comes after me or something. Maybe that doesn't make sense, but either way, I wasn't about to risk getting the attention of that cursed book. So, I let them both be.
Hermione woke me up when we finally arrived with a frustrated look on her face. I guess she had warred with her side of finding me rude falling asleep, but in the end, her obedience to authority won out, and she let me. She looked a bit miffed when I awoke, and Ginny was nowhere to be found. I quickly left as well, wanting to leave the girl behind. I walked away quickly, and the memories in my head guided me along the way. I promptly found the carriages with the Thestrals leading them along, but I didn't have time to admire them as I saw a frizzy bunch of hair getting close to me, and so I hopped on the closest one and let it take me to Hogwarts.
With that done, I immediately went to the Great Hall, and all of the Professors were already seated. I said my hello's, and a few of them responded back, but no one was in the mood for a chat, so I quickly took my seat. The only empty seat. And then I waited as the students all filed in.
I wonder how long it will be until the hero and his sidekick finally get here.
------------------------------------
They made regular checks on the train as they flew farther and farther north, each dip beneath the clouds showing them a different view. London was soon far behind them, replaced by neat green fields that gave way in turn to vast, purplish moors, a great city alive with cars like multicoloured ants, and villages with tiny toy churches.
However, Harry had to admit several uneventful hours later that some of the fun was wearing off. The toffees had made them extremely thirsty, and they had nothing to drink. He and Ron had pulled off their sweaters, but Harry's T-shirt was sticking to the back of his seat, and his glasses kept sliding down to the end of his sweaty nose. He had stopped noticing the fantastic cloud shapes now and was thinking longingly of the train miles below, where you could buy ice-cold pumpkin juice from a trolley pushed by a plump witch. Why hadn't they been able to get onto platform nine and three-quarters?
"Can't be much further, can it?" croaked Ron, hours later still, as the sun started to sink into their floor of cloud, staining it a deep pink. "Ready for another check on the train?" It was still right below them, winding its way past a snowcapped mountain. It was much darker beneath the canopy of clouds. Ron put his foot on the accelerator and drove them upward again, but the engine began to whine as he did so. Harry and Ron exchanged nervous glances.
"It's probably just tired," said Ron. "It's never been this far before ..." And so they both pretended not to notice the whining growing louder and louder as the sky became steadily darker. Stars were blossoming in the blackness. Harry pulled his sweater back on, trying to ignore the way the windshield wipers were now waving feebly as though in protest.
"Not far," said Ron, more to the car than to Harry, "not far now," and he patted the dashboard nervously. When they flew back beneath the clouds a little while later, they had to squint through the darkness for a landmark they knew.
"There!" Harry shouted, making Ron and Hedwig jump. "Straight ahead!" Silhouetted on the dark horizon, high on the cliff over the lake, stood the many turrets and towers of Hogwarts Castle. But the car had begun to shudder and was losing speed.
"Come on," Ron said cajolingly, giving the steering wheel a little shake, "nearly there, come on -" The engine groaned. Narrow jets of steam were issuing from under the hood. Harry found himself gripping the edges of his seat very hard as they flew toward the lake. The car gave a nasty wobble. Glancing out of his window, Harry saw the smooth, black, glassy surface of the water a mile below. Ron's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. The car wobbled again.
"Come on," Ron muttered. They were over the lake - the castle was right ahead - Ron put his foot down. There was a loud clunk and a splutter, and the engine died completely.
"Uh-oh," said Ron into the silence. The nose of the car dropped. They were falling, gathering speed, heading straight for the solid castle wall.
"Noooooo!" Ron yelled, swinging the steering wheel around. They missed the dark stone wall by inches as the car turned in a great arc, soaring over the dark greenhouses, then the vegetable patch, and then out over the black lawns, losing altitude all the time.
------------------------------------
Ha, well, isn't that interesting? The first years had just entered, and before they were sorted, Dumbledore announced my position here as Defence Against The Dark Arts Teacher. I just gave a wave and smile in response, which sent half the room swooning. I will probably get tired of that. I was more interested in the sky above, finding the stars mesmerising, and then I looked out the window at the great lake and, as luck would have it, who just happened to rush by.
I saw a flash of blue go by the window so fast that I don't think anybody else noticed. Strangely, there was no sound to join it. I guess the Hall must prevent sound from coming in and maybe even going out. This place does get noisy. Harry, Ron and the blue magic car must be on their way to the Whomping Willow. Man, I wish I could ditch to go see that, but I can't just walk out of here. I am a teacher now.
------------------------------------
At this point, Ron let go of the steering wheel completely, finding it futile and pulled his wand out of his back pocket. "STOP! STOP!" he yelled, whacking the dashboard and the windshield, but they were still plummeting, the ground flying up toward them. Harry could only watch on in shock, knowing that wouldn't work but for some reason hoping that it would. That was until he looked ahead.
"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!" Harry bellowed, lunging for the steering wheel, but it was too late. CRUNCH. With an earsplitting bang of metal on wood, they hit the thick tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt. Steam was billowing from under the crumpled hood; Hedwig was shrieking in terror. A golfball-size lump was throbbing on Harry's head where he had hit the windshield, and to his right, Ron let out a low, despairing groan.
"Are you okay?" Harry said urgently. Speaking to his owl as well as his friend.
"My wand," said Ron in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand -" It had snapped, almost in two. The tip was dangling limply, held on by a few splinters. Harry opened his mouth to say he was sure they'd be able to mend it up at the school, but he never even got started. At that very moment, something hit the side of the car with the force of a charging bull, sending him lurching sideways into Ron just as an equally heavy blow hit the roof.
"What's happen -?" Ron gasped, staring through the windshield, and Harry looked around just in time to see a branch as thick as a python smash into it. The tree they had hit was attacking them. Its trunk was bent almost double, and its gnarled boughs were pummeling every inch of the car it could reach.
"Aaargh!" said Ron as another twisted limb punched a significant dent into his door. The windshield was now trembling under a hail of blows from knuckle-like twigs, and a branch as thick as a battering ram was pounding furiously on the roof, which seemed to be caving.
"Run for it!" Ron shouted, throwing his full weight against his door, but the next second, he had been knocked backwards into Harry's lap by a vicious uppercut from another branch.
"We're done for!" he moaned as the ceiling sagged, but suddenly the floor of the car was vibrating - the engine had restarted.
"Reverse!" Harry yelled, and the car shot backwards. The tree was still trying to hit them; they could hear its roots creaking as it almost ripped itself up, lashing out at them as they sped out of reach.
"That," panted Ron, "was close. Well done, car -" The car, however, had reached the end of its tether. With two sharp clunks, the doors flew open, and Harry felt his seat tip sideways. The next thing he knew, he was sprawled on the damp ground. Loud thuds told him that the car was ejecting their luggage from the trunk. Hedwig's cage flew through the air and burst open, and she rose out of it with an angry screech and sped off toward the castle without a backward look. Then, dented, scratched, and steaming, the car rumbled off into the darkness, into the Forbidden Forrest, its rear lights blazing angrily.
"Come back!" Ron yelled after it, brandishing his broken wand. "Dad'll kill me!" But the car disappeared from view with one last snort from its exhaust.
"Can you believe our luck?" said Ron miserably, bending down to pick up Scabbers. "Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back." He glanced over his shoulder at the ancient tree, which was still flailing its branches threateningly.
"Come on," said Harry wearily, "we'd better get up to the school. Hermione must be going crazy." It wasn't at all the triumphant arrival they had pictured. Stiff, cold, and bruised, they seized the ends of their trunks and began dragging them up the grassy slope toward the great oak front doors.
"I think the feast's already started," said Ron, dropping his trunk at the foot of the front steps and crossing quietly to look through a brightly lit window. "Hey - Harry - come and look - it's the Sorting!" Harry hurried over and, together, he and Ron peered in at the Great Hall.
Innumerable candles were hovering in midair over four long, crowded tables, making the golden plates and goblets sparkle. Overhead, the bewitched ceiling, which always mirrored the sky outside, sparkled with stars. Through the forest of pointed black Hogwarts hats, Harry saw a long line of scared-looking firstyears filing into the Hall. Ginny was among them, easily visible because of her vivid Weasley hair.
Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall, a bespectacled witch with her hair in a tight bun, was placing the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat on a stool before the newcomers. Every year, this aged old hat, patched, frayed, and dirty, sorted new students into the four Hogwarts houses of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Harry well remembered putting it on exactly one year ago and waiting, petrified, for its decision as it muttered aloud in his ear.
For a few horrible seconds, he had feared that the hat was going to put him in Slytherin, the house that had turned out more Dark witches and wizards than any other -but he had ended up in Gryffindor, along with Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasleys. Last term, Harry and Ron had helped Gryffindor win the House Championship, beating Slytherin for the first time in seven years.
A very small, mousy-haired boy had been called forward to place the hat on his head. Harry's eyes wandered past him to where Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, sat watching the Sorting from the staff table, his long silver beard and half-moon glasses shining brightly in the candlelight. Several seats along, Harry saw Gilderoy Lockhart dressed in robes of dark blue. And there at the end was Hagrid, giant and hairy, drinking deeply from his goblet.
"Hang on. . . " Harry muttered to Ron. "There's an empty chair at the staff table .... Where's Snape?" Professor Severus Snape was Harry's least favourite teacher. Harry also happened to be Snape's least favourite student. Cruel, sarcastic, and disliked by everybody except the students from his own house, Snape taught Potions.
"Maybe he's ill!" said Ron hopefully.
"Maybe he's left," said Harry, discarding his first dark thought of maybe he is dead. "Because he missed out on the Defense Against Dark Arts job again!"
"Or he might have been sacked!" said Ron enthusiastically. "I mean, everyone hates him -"
------------------------------------
I spotted Harry and Ron as soon as they entered, and I was more interested in them than these boring kids getting sorted. I cast a spell that would allow me to hear them from my seat across the Hall. I heard everything they had said, and then, seeing someone approach them from behind, I couldn't help but feel a tremendous amount of amusement. This ought to be fun.
"Or maybe," said a very cold voice right behind them, "he's waiting to hear why you two didn't arrive on the school train." Ron freezes up, his face paling, his mouth stuck open. Harry spun around. Severus Snape stood there, his black robes rippling in a cold breeze that had no place in the warm halls. He was a thin man with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair, and at this moment, he was smiling in a way that made it very clear Harry and Ron were in very deep trouble.
"Follow me," said Snape. Not daring even to look at each other, Harry and Ron quickly started following Snape up the steps into the vast, echoing entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches. A delicious smell of food was wafting from the Great Hall, but Snape led them away from the warmth and light down a narrow stone staircase that led into the dungeons. Not wanting to be left out of the fun and finding this welcoming ceremony quite boring since most of the professors are involved in their own conversations, I get up and move, following after them.
"In!" Snape said, opening a door halfway down the cold passageway and pointing. He spots me rolling up as well but just rolls his eyes and enters after the boys entered Snape's office, shivering. I came in after, closing the door behind me. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, in which floated all manner of revolting things that I didn't really want to know the name of at the moment. The fireplace was dark and empty. Snape turned to look at the boys, ignoring my presence. They also didn't notice me behind them.
"So," he said softly, "the train isn't good enough for the famous Harry Potter and his faithful sidekick Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we, boys?" Snape says, sneering down at them.
"No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it -" Ron started but didn't have a chance to finish.
"Silence!" said Snape coldly. "What have you done with the car?" Ron gulped as Snape's eyes bore down on them, and I got the distinct impression he was reading their surface thoughts. I decided to do the same, except I didn't need eye contact like Snape. And reading Harry's mind, I knew this wasn't the first time Snape had given Harry the impression of being able to read minds. But a moment later, he understood, as Snape unrolled today's issue of the Evening Prophet.
"You were seen," he hissed, showing them the headline: FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES. He began to read aloud: "Two Muggles in London, convinced they saw an old car flying over the Post Office tower at noon in Norfolk, Mrs Hetty Bayliss while hanging out her washing. Mr Angus Fleet, of Peebles, reported to police- Six or seven Muggles in all. I believe your father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?" he said, looking up at Ron and smiling still more nastily.
"Dear, dear, his own son..." Harry felt as though he'd just been walloped in the stomach by one of the mad tree's larger branches. If anyone found out Mr Weasley had bewitched the car... he hadn't thought of that.
"I noticed, in my search of the park, that considerable damage seems to have been done to an incredibly valuable Whomping Willow," Snape went on. "That tree did more damage to us than we -" Ron blurted out, trying to defend them, but Harry kept his mouth shut, knowing talking would only make it worse. The Dursleys taught him that.
"Silence!" snapped Snape again. "Most unfortunately, you are not in my house, and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the people who do have that happy power. You will wait here." Harry and Ron stared at each other, white-faced. Harry didn't feel hungry any more. He now felt extremely sick.
He tried not to look at a large, slimy something suspended in green liquid on a shelf behind Snape's desk. If Snape had gone to fetch Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, they were hardly any better off. She might be fairer than Snape, but she was still extremely strict.
I stopped listening to their thoughts when all Harry could think about was getting sent back to the Dursleys, and Ron could only imagine various scenarios of his mum throttling him. Since it was just me and the boys in the room now while Snape went to fetch, presumably McGonagall and Dumbledore, I decided to make myself known.
"Wow, you boys have really messed up this time, huh?"
------------------------------------
I want to talk more with you guys, so I am starting to leave little notes at the end of each chapter like this.
Gen V finishes, and then I have Invincible season 2 to watch. Damn, Prime is coming out with bangers, and then after this, at some point, it will be The Boys season 4. Awesome. I still need to watch the Loki finale, but I have heard contradictory views on it.
For those of you who follow the RGG series, Like A Dragon: Gaiden, The Spy With No Name came out, and I am streaming it and uploading it to YouTube, so come by. For those of you not familiar with the Yakuza series, I will say you are missing out. If you like anime and shonen, then you will probably like these games. There are about ten of them, and they are all good.
Anyway, the link to my Twitch and YouTube is below. Come by. I usually stream at night and sometimes in the morning, British time. I don't know what that is in other regions.
If you want to chat more about this or any other topic, come to my Discord through the link.
The link to everything you need and my patronage:
https://linktr. ee/dragonfield
(Remover the space between the dot and the ee)
That is all for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will see you in the next one!
Stay safe, and have fun!
You may also Like
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT