Dumbledore strolled casually down to the kitchens, remembering words that Harry and Remus had exchanged days prior. Harry always felt better when he was cooking, so the logical place to search for his young protégé would be in the kitchens.

When he opened the door, he was met with the sound of clanging and muttered curses towards the corner of the room. He slowly walked over towards the noise when a bottle of wine flew past his head and smashed into the wall.

"ARRGGHH!" shouted Harry, stabbing the knife down into the cutting board.

Dumbledore gathered up all the glass and deposited it into a waste basket that a house-elf had carried over quickly. Then he walked over to Harry placing his hand on his young man's shoulder.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Dumbledore. "What is troubling you?"

Harry shook his head furiously and began stirring what looked like cheese, apple pieces, and breadcrumbs together in a large bowl.

Dumbledore took a step back and allowed him to vent his anger on the ingredients and the utensils.

"I forgot how…unfair…these books were." said Harry slamming two hands down on two pieces of wax-papered covered chicken breasts.

"They do have their good points Harry." said Dumbledore kindly.

"And yet, they seem to want to make my life a living hell." he spat angrily.

"We want to know these things, Harry. There isn't a person here who doesn't care for your well-being. Well…except for a select few, but still. Your friends, the Weasleys, Sirius, Remus, Dr. Clark, myself and the rest of the staff, we want to be able to help you. We worry about you." said Dumbledore sadly.

"But why did it have to show that!" shouted Harry angrily. "Now Mrs. Weasley, Sirius, Remus, everybody, is going the think that I'm a CRIMINAL!" shouted Harry even louder. "I don't steal to take things! I don't steal here!" he shouted, pounding the counter hard.

"You did nothing wrong, Harry. I remember what that man said, he welcomed anyone into his home to try and get past that system of his. You were merely testing to see if it was as great as he said." said Dumbledore calmly.

"Did you see Sirius' face? Or Mrs. Weasley's?" yelled Harry.

"I didn't, but I do know, that if they feel you did something wrong, they find themselves in the wrong." said Dumbledore. "They will come to their senses in due time, rest assured."

Harry looked down and poured the stuff in the bowl on top of the flattened chicken breasts.

"What are you making, Harry?" asked Dumbledore interestedly.

"It's 'Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast' do you want some?" said Harry absently as he rolled the meat up.

"I'd love some, aside from the cookies, pizza and those delightful 'glories' I haven't had the chance to partake in any other culinary masterpiece you bring to light."

After a short while, Harry brought the chicken breast to Dumbledore's golden plate and poured gravy on top.

Dumbledore carved a slice of the chicken and placed a bit into his mouth.

"This is utterly delicious, Harry. Miss Weasley was correct. Your cooking is worth more than what you charged at the police department!" said Dumbledore happily, relishing the flavors dancing in his mouth.

"Thanks." said Harry glumly, as he put the fork to his mouth.

"I wouldn't worry about what your Uncles or Mrs. Weasley thinks, dear boy. You are almost a man now, and besides, you seemed to really enjoy what you did." said Dumbledore with a smile.

"So that's why you didn't see their faces, you were watching me." said Harry with a grim smile.

"You were enjoying yourself, until something changed it." said Dumbledore softly.

"Their faces." said Harry simply.

"It'll be alright, Harry. Just give them time. They'll come around." reassured Dumbledore. "Don't worry, if anything, I'll take care of it."

A few hours later, while Dumbledore was looking over some papers in his office, Sirius and Remus came in with Dr. Clark close behind, who was marveling at everything his good eye saw.

"What can I do for you three gentlemen tonight?" said Dumbledore.

"Where is Harry?" asked Remus quickly.

"He's in the Gryffindor dorms, sleeping." said Dumbledore smiling in amusement at the wonder on Dr. Clark's face. Dr. Clark was staring intently at Fawkes with a longing gaze.

"So he didn't eat?" said Remus sternly.

"Actually he made his own dinner, a wonderful 'Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast'. It was quite delicious." said Dumbledore with a wide smile. "Now, could you tell what is troubling you?" said Dumbledore, staring at Remus intently.

""I don't know what you mean." said Remus stiffly.

"Remus…" said Sirius wearily. "You've been snapping at Dumbledore since the books first started, and then you start inadvertently picking fights with Harry. What's up?"

"Full moon's coming." said Remus sharply.

"That excuse isn't going to work today. Cough up another one." said Sirius tiredly.

"I'm worried about him, so sue me." said Remus still sharply.

"That doesn't explain what going on with you and Albus." said Dr. Clark still staring at Fawkes.

"I haven't forgiven you for dropping Harry off at the Dursley's on a cold night and LEAVING HIM WITH THOSE BASTARDS!" said Remus angrily to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore sighed and leaned back in his giant chair. "Remus, I never said that my actions were justified. Now that I know the truth, I regret my actions every single time that I look in Harry's eyes."

Remus gnashed his teeth and turned away, he then turned to Sirius and Dr. Clark.

"Why the hell aren't you pissed?" said Remus angrily to Dr. Clark.

"Harry told me what happened, I was angry, but…I just couldn't bring myself to blame him." said Dr. Clark.

"What?" shouted Remus.

"When James did the investigating when Harry was first hurt, James went and talked to all the teachers and neighbors that knew the Dursleys, they couldn't and wouldn't believe it. If we hadn't of had James' keen mind and his observations, we wouldn't have had any idea that Vernon had done it. Harry never spoke of it to anyone, nor had he shown the bruises to others."

"He can bloody look into people's minds!" shouted Remus, pointing to Dumbledore.

"Unless he lets you in, you can't tell that he's hurting." said one of the portraits behind Dumbledore shortly. "Even a Legimency master can't break through such a powerful emotional block."

Remus stared.

"When he was still in rehabilitation for his legs, we finally earned his trust. He still never told us the worst of it, from all the old breaks and internal bruises we both could tell that this was not the first time he was smacked about that severely. And it wasn't' the worst one, it was most likely the third to worst one." said Dr. Clark sadly. Dumbledore covered his eyes with both hands and wept silently. Remus and Sirius both paled.

"When he opened up, we caught a glimpse of the pain he experienced, the pain he felt deep in his heart and soul. I don't know how we managed to feel what was going on in his soul, but we felt…crushed, buried. I don't know how he could have survived the force on his mind, it just about killed me." Dr. Clark finished quietly.

Dumbledore looked up from his hands quickly. "You felt the pain?"

"I felt it, and almost saw it, I guess." said Dr. Clark. "Why do you ask?"

"Harry's core must have been screaming out for help." said Dumbledore taking out a black notebook.

"You have one of those too?" said Sirius staring at Dumbledore.

"Oh, no, this is Harry's, I borrowed it. However, he did warn me reading it is not so easy, and I fear that this book is more protected than what magic could ever do." said Dumbledore holding up the book. "It's in code. From what I've deciphered so far, it's staggering. He and I really must talk on a scholastic level." said Dumbledore beaming widely.

Remus stared at the floor with a stern gaze. "I'm not ready to forgive you yet."

"I'm not ready to forgive myself either. Let's just work together to ease Harry's life." said Dumbledore with a small smile. "I at the very least owe him that. Well then, would you care for a nightcap? I have an intense feeling that we will be in for a rough day tomorrow."

The next morning, Harry walked down to the Great Hall and the moment he walked three feet beyond the door Remus came walking up to him.

"Harry…you okay?" said Remus quickly.

"Fine, you angry?" said Harry seriously.

"About your 'summer job'? No. Captain Lionus explained everything to us." said Remus with a smile. "More pissed at Dumbledore, than you any day."

"I'd say something, but I don't need you being moody." said Harry walking past Remus towards the breakfast table.

"What's that?" said Remus with a smile.

"You're mad at Dumbledore for not getting me out of there sooner, so, where were you?" said Harry not facing him. Remus blanched and looked down at the ground, his face contorted in pain.

"Harry!" said Mrs. Weasley sharply. "He's only concerned about you!"

"Well aware of it, but the both of you need to lay off him." said Harry nodding towards Dumbledore.

"Harry…We're adults, we can treat people the way we see fit." said Remus growling at the floor, still reeling from the pain of Harry's words.

"And I'm a teenager, and I have the capacity to act rebellious and reject your affections. Either we can play nice and accept each other's wishes, or cause each other harm. Pick you poison." said Harry shortly. "I don't need to sit by you; I'm a big boy now. I can sit by myself." said Harry with his brows raised.

Sirius rushed up and smacked Remus' head. "Agree to the terms, dammit. Bury the bloody hatchet!"

Remus rubbed the back of his head and nodded.

Harry turned to Mrs. Weasley, "I hate to pull this card, but looking around, you owe me a favor."

Mrs. Weasley looked at all of her children and her eyes rested on Ginny, and nodded slowly.

After breakfast everyone took their regular seats. Remarkably, Harry sat next to Remus.

"I promise to take a chill pill, if you do." said Harry with a smile.

"If it avoids a fight with you, I'll do it." said Remus with a smile.

"Let's press on, shall we?" said Dr. Nicodemus. "Who'd like to read now?"

"I will!" said Neville excitedly.

"The Whomping Willow

"What are you doing near that thing?" said Remus quickly.

"Hey now." said Harry with a smirk. "You promised."

"Sam, I'm switching with you." said Sirius quickly.

"What could a willow do to you?" said Dr. Clark with a cynical smile as he switched positions.

"I hope you don't find out. Least not till the next book." said Sirius worriedly throwing an arm around Harry.

The end of the summer vacation came too quickly for Harry's liking.

"Exact opposite of the year before that." said Ernie.

He was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts, but his month at the Burrow had been the happiest of his life.

"Nice of you to say that mate." said Ron happily.

It was difficult not to feel jealous of Ron when he thought of the Dursleys and the sort of welcome he could expect next time he turned up on Privet Drive.

"Did you think about it often while you were at our house?" asked George.

"About every other day towards the end of summer, why?" asked Harry.

"Cause you kinda did full body shivers every once in a while." said Fred.

On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley conjured up a sumptuous dinner that included all of Harry's favorite things, ending with a mouth-watering treacle pudding.

"Where Harry's concerned, you could've just made an entire meal of treacle tart." said Remus with a smile.

"I made sure that he had other food, not just treacle tart." said Mrs. Weasley with a smile. "He had seconds of everything and still had two platefuls of treacle tart."

"Did you get sick later?" asked Dr. Clark with a smirk.

"Nope, it was treacle tart, I wasn't going to allow myself to get sick." said Harry indignantly.

"Sounds like me and that pizza you make, I could eat thirty helpings of it and I tell myself that I'm not going to get sick." said Dr. Clark with a smile.

Fred and George rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster fireworks; they filled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to wall for at least half an hour.

"So you don't mind them setting off fireworks in the kitchen?" asked Tonks quickly.

"We kinda just did it, we didn't bother asking." said Fred with a smile.

"We got told off for it later though." said George.

Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed.

"Their hot chocolate is the best." said Harry wistfully. "I've tried again and again to replicate the recipe, but it never turns out right."

"I can teach it to you, Harry." said Mr. Weasley. "It's a family recipe."

"I thought mom came up with it." said Percy quickly.

"No, your father's great-great-great grandmother came up with it." said Mrs. Weasley with a kind smile to her husband.

It took a long while to get started next morning.

"Yeah, that always happens on first day of school, you can plan all you want, and still you can't get out of there on the time you want." said George.

"Mum tries to keep us on a schedule, never works." said Fred.

They were up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do. Mrs. Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills;

"I forget, who was missing the socks?" asked Ron.

"Me." said Harry. "It turns out you shoved my socks in your trunk."

"Oh, yeah, at least I gave you them back." said Ron with a smile.

"Percy was the one missing the quills." said Fred. "He lost his somehow."

"Yeah, I wonder how." said Charlie looking suspiciously at the twins.

people kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands;

"Ginny dropped her piece when she saw Harry coming down without a shirt on, Mum had all of his on the line and forgot to take them off." said George wickedly.

"I had a shirt on!" said Harry quickly blushing. "It was a sleeveless shirt!"

Fred and George merely shrugged. "We didn't see it."

and Mr. Weasley nearly broke his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk to the car.

"Were you okay dad?" asked Bill quickly.

"I was fine, it was funny though." said Mr. Weasley.

"What was?" asked Charlie.

"Watching all the boys trying to catch that chicken and put it in the coop. Molly was too busy fussing over me to use magic to catch it." said Mr. Weasley with a laugh.

Harry couldn't see how eight people, six large trunks, two owls, and a rat were going to fit into one small Ford Anglia.

"You mean it can't normally?" said Mrs. Weasley quickly, she turned to her husband who began to look up and interest himself with the clouds overhead.

He had reckoned, of course, without the special features that Mr. Weasley had added. "Not a word to Molly," he whispered to Harry as he opened the trunk and showed him how it had been magically expanded so that the luggage fitted easily.

"Arthur…" she said warningly.

"Uh…umm…" said Arthur.

When at last they were all in the car, Mrs. Weasley glanced into the back seat, where Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Percy were all sitting comfortably side by side, and said, "Muggles do know more than we give them credit for, don't they?"

"We tried to pretend that that was normal for a car. Apparently it worked." said Ron.

She and Ginny got into the front seat, which had been stretched so that it resembled a park bench. "I mean, you'd never know it was this roomy from the outside, would you?"

"Sorry, Molly." said Mr. Weasley apologetically.

Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard, Harry turning back for a last look at the house. He barely had time to wonder when he'd see it again when they were back. George had forgotten his box of Filibuster fireworks.

"I thought Fred had it." said George with mock angry look towards his twin.

"You said that you left some of your potion ingredients!" said Mrs. Weasley angrily.

"Well…uh…" said the twins softly.

Five minutes after that, they skidded to a halt in the yard so that Fred could run in for his broomstick.

"I was quickly losing my patience." said Mr. Weasley with a smile.

"And that is a bad thing if he does." said Fred

"Even worse than Mum sometimes." said George. Percy nodded.

They had almost reached the highway when Ginny shrieked that she'd left her diary.

Some of the people in the Hall couldn't figure out why the Weasley family was growling, Harry baring his teeth like a wrathful wolf, and Dumbledore's eyes lost their twinkle.

Even Bill and Charlie were looking curiously at their own family.

"What's going on? Why are you upset over her forgetting a diary." asked Bill.

"It wasn't hers." said Harry angrily.

Sirius tugged on Remus' cloak. "You never looked that pissed." he said glancing at Harry.

"Wonder what has him so upset." said Remus quietly.

By the time she had clambered back into the car, they were running very late, and tempers were running high.

"Tempers? Only Mum's temper was running high." said Fred in a whisper.

Mr. Weasley glanced at his watch and then at his wife.

"Molly, dear —"

"No, Arthur —–"

"You wanna fly don't you?" said Sirius excitedly.

"He wouldn't, not with Molly right there." said Remus smacking Sirius on the back of his head.

"No one would see — this little button here is an Invisibility Booster I installed — that'd get us up in the air — then we fly above the clouds. We'd be there in ten minutes and no one would be any the wiser —"

Sirius smiled broadly to Remus who groaned loudly. Remus leaned his head over, and taking the cue, Sirius smacked the back of his head.

"I said no, Arthur, not in broad daylight —"

"Seems your son and his leader didn't hear you." sneered Snape.

Ron and Harry both looked about uncomfortably.

They reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station.

"That is cutting it really close." said Sirius shaking his head.

Harry had caught the Hogwarts Express the previous year. The tricky part was getting onto platform nine and three-quarters, which wasn't visible to the Muggle eye. What you had to do was walk through the solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. It didn't hurt, but it had to be done carefully so that none of the Muggles noticed you vanishing.

"Why does it say stuff like that? It's common knowledge." said Zacharias irritably.

"Not to me." said Dr. Clark indignantly.

Zacharias opened his mouth to argue, but was elbowed by a nearby Hufflepuff.

"Stuff it Zach." said Ernie sharply.

"Percy first," said Mrs. Weasley, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through the barrier.

Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next; Fred and George followed.

"I'll take Ginny and you two come right after us," Mrs. Weasley told Harry and Ron, grabbing Ginny's hand and setting off. In the blink of an eye they were gone.

"Let's go together, we've only got a minute," Ron said to Harry.

Harry made sure that Hedwig's cage was safely wedged on top of his trunk and wheeled his trolley around to face the barrier.

"You always worry about her." cooed a sixth year Ravenclaw.

"I didn't want her p…angry with me." Harry said with a quick glance up at Remus.

He felt perfectly confident;

"This won't go well." said Dr. Clark with a smile.

"Why not?" asked Remus quickly.

"Call it a feeling." said Dr. Clark.

this wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as using Floo powder. Both of them bent low over the handles of their trolleys and walked purposefully toward the barrier, gathering speed. A few feet away from it, they broke into a run and —

CRASH.

Sirius and Remus both stared at Neville.

"Did it really say 'crash'? Or was that an attempt at a joke?" said Remus, a little hopefully.

"No, it said 'Crash'." Neville said regretfully.

"I wonder what happened to the barrier?" said Luna dreamily.

Both trolleys hit the barrier and bounced backward; Ron's trunk fell off with a loud thump, Harry was knocked off his feet, and Hedwig's cage bounced onto the shiny floor, and she rolled away, shrieking indignantly; people all around them stared and a guard nearby yelled, "What in blazes d'you think you're doing?"

"Stupid idiot, what does it look like happened. They ran into a brick wall." said Fred.

"And crashed and burned." said George.

"Lost control of the trolley," Harry gasped, clutching his ribs as he got up.

Dr. Clark turned and looked at Harry quickly. He had to lean forward very far to see him, for Sirius had turned his entire body to look at Harry.

"Were you alright?" asked Remus as Sirius stared at Harry.

"Are you nuts? He probably broke several ribs!" said Dr. Clark anxiously.

"No, I just had the wind knocked out of me. I've crashed into a wall worse than that before." said Harry quickly.

"When?" said the three men in the bowl together.

"If the Scroll had let you seen, I smacked the wall like a birds smacks a window." said Harry with a smile. "And I got out of there just fine, obviously."

Remus looked at Harry skeptically, but Sirius thought about the mental picture and snorted.

"As worried I am about you that would have been really funny to see." said Sirius.

Ron ran to pick up Hedwig, who was causing such a scene that there was a lot of muttering about cruelty to animals from the surrounding crowd.

"No one grabbed her that time?" said Parvati earnestly.

"No, someone tried though, when I handed her back to him." said Ron with a smirk.

"I kicked him right where it counts." said Harry with a smile.

"A skinny shrimp can't kick all that hard." said Pansy nastily.

Ron whispered something in Hermione's ear and she conjured up a padded chair.

"Here you go mate, kick through that." said Ron magicking it over to the bowl.

Harry stood up and met the chair halfway. In one swift movement, he brought his back and then brought it up like a rocket shooting up from the ground. The chair broke in two and laid splintered on the ground.

"Oohh!" moaned every male in the room. Remus even gasped and leaned forward, clutching his knees.

"Bet he sounded like a chipmunk." moaned Dean. "After that."

"Why can't we get through?" Harry hissed to Ron.

"That's what we'd all like to know." said Kingsley thoughtfully.

"I dunno —"

Ron looked wildly around. A dozen curious people were still watching them.

"We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself —"

Harry looked up at the giant clock with a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Ten seconds… nine seconds…

"Crap, even if you could get through the barrier now, you wouldn't have made it." said Tonks.

He wheeled his trolley forward cautiously until it was right against the barrier and pushed with all his might.

"I was ready to start kicking the damn wall to get in there." said Harry.

The metal remained solid.

Three seconds… two seconds… one second…

"It's gone," said Ron, sounding stunned. "The train's left. What if Mum and Dad can't get back through to us?

"Could they get through?" asked Remus.

"It turns out that, if we had waited two more minutes, they would have come out." said Harry bitterly. "The barrier was only blocked for the time it took the train to leave."

"How do you know?" said Charlie.

"I owled your dad later." said Harry.

Have you got any Muggle money?"

"Did Ron know about your summer job?" asked Neville.

"Nope, he kept that a deep dark secret." said Ron and Hermione.

"And I didn't have money on me at all." said Harry.

Harry gave a hollow laughed. "The Dursleys haven't given me pocket money for about six years."

"Have they actually given you money?" asked Bill quickly.

"To get groceries, nothing else, and I needed to keep the receipt, there supposed to be nothing else on that receipt besides what I was sent for." said Harry.

"And if you got a candy bar or a snack?" said Sirius gritting his teeth.

"Read on Neville." said Harry quickly.

Ron pressed his ear to the cold barrier.

"Can't hear a thing," he said tensely,

"Don't ask me why I thought I could hear something through that." said Ron holding up his hands.

"What're we going to do? I don't know how long it'll take Mum and Dad to get back to us."

"Three minutes." said Harry and Ron glumly.

They looked around. People were still watching them, mainly because of Hedwig's continuing screeches.

"She was angry." said Harry shaking his head.

"I think we'd better go and wait by the car," said Harry. "We're attracting too much atten —"

"Harry!" said Ron, his eyes gleaming. "The car!"

"What about it?" said Remus and Sirius plainly.

"What about it?"

"Awesome." said the two Marauders together, giving Harry a one armed hug each.

"We can fly the car to Hogwarts!"

Snape leaned forward in the serpentine chair he sat in. "So, Weasley, it was your idea. Unfortunately, it seems that I owe you an apology, Potter."

Harry shrugged, "Evidence was there, and you've never seen Ron take charge, it was logical that I would come up with something that reckless and stupid."

"So, you did take the car?" said Remus rubbing both his eyes wearily.

"Yeah." said Ron and Harry.

"But I thought —"

"We're stuck, right? And we've got to get to school, haven't we?

"Send an owl." said all the teachers and adults together.

"Don't we know it, now at least." said Ron and Harry.

And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction of Thingy —"

"I don't believe I know that one, Mr. Weasley. How does that one go?" said Dumbledore, his eyes regaining their usual twinkle.

"I'd love to hear it." said Madam Bones good-naturedly.

Ron blushed and smiled, but remained silent.

"But your Mum and Dad…" said Harry, pushing against the barrier again in the vain hope that it would give way.

"I really didn't want to take their car." said Harry quietly.

"How will they get home?"

"They don't need the car!" said Ron impatiently. "They know how to Apparate! You know, just vanish and reappear at home!

"Did you know about it?" said Hermione quickly.

"Not before then. After he said that, and when we got to school, I looked it up real quick. Not too fond of that travel either, I can live without the chance of me missing a foot or something." said Harry shaking his head.

They only bother with Floo powder and the car because we're all underage and we're not allowed to Apparate yet…"

Harry's feeling of panic turned suddenly to excitement.

"Can you fly it?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm such an idiot. A stupid reckless idiot." said Harry angrily.

"You were acting like a kid, let it go." said Sirius in a whisper.

"No, problem," said Ron, wheeling his trolley around to face the exit.

"And who taught you to drive." said Mrs. Weasley sternly.

"Uh…" he said slowly, taking notice of the twins who were shaking their heads swiftly. "I just watched what Dad was doing." he said almost convincingly.

Fred and George wiped the sweat off their brows.

"C'mon, let's go. If we hurry we'll be able to follow the Hogwarts Express —"

And they marched off through the crowd of curious Muggles, out of the station and back onto the side road where the old Ford Anglia was parked.

Ron unlocked the cavernous trunk with a series of taps from his wand.

"Didn't have the key." said Ron shrugging his shoulders.

They heaved their luggage back in, put Hedwig on the back seat, and got into the front.

"Check that no one's watching," said Ron, starting the ignition with another tap of his wand. Harry stuck his head out of the window: Traffic was rumbling along the main road ahead, but their street was empty.

"Okay," he said.

"At least no one saw you." said Sirius heaving a sigh.

"Would rather he didn't do it at all." said Remus quietly.

Ron pressed a tiny silver button on the dashboard. The car around them vanished — and so did they. Harry could feel the seat vibrating beneath him, hear the engine, feel his hands on his knees and his glasses on his nose, but for all he could see, he had become a pair of eyeballs, floating a few feet above the ground in a dingy street full of parked cars.

"Write that down." said Fred to George, who whipped out a piece of parchment.

"Floating Eyes." said George as he wrote.

"Let's go," said Ron's voice from his right.

And the ground and the dirty buildings on either side fell away, dropping out of sight as the car rose; in seconds, the whole of London lay, smoky and glittering, below them.

"That must have looked so cool." said Blaise quietly.

Then there was a popping noise and the car, Harry, and Ron reappeared.

"Cool part over." said Blaise quickly.

"That's not good." said Dr. Clark, "we aren't supposed to see flying cars."

"Uh-oh," said Ron, jabbing at the Invisibility Booster. "It's faulty —"

Both of them pummeled it.

A few people laughed at it, despite them warning if the two boys were going to be caught, it was funny to picture them pummeling a button.

The car vanished. Then it flickered back again.

"Hold on!" Ron yelled, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator; they shot straight into the low, woolly clouds and everything turned dull and foggy.

"Weren't fast enough." said Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore.

"Now what?" said Harry, blinking at the solid mass of cloud pressing in on them from all sides.

"We need to see the train to know what direction to go in," said Ron.

"Dip back down again — quickly —"

They dropped back beneath the clouds and twisted around in their seats, squinting at the ground.

"…Sage idea, Harry, but perhaps, a double edged sword." said Dumbledore with a smile.

"How do you mean?" asked Sirius.

"They could see them/us." said Ron, Harry, Remus and Dumbledore.

"Oh…right." said Sirius grinning sheepishly.

"I can see it!" Harry yelled. "Right ahead — there!"

The Hogwarts Express was streaking along below them like a scarlet snake.

"That sounds awesome." said Fred wistfully.

"Really wish we had been with you guys." said George in a whisper to Ron.

"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 they shot up through the clouds. A minute later, they burst out into a blaze of sunlight.

It was a different world. The wheels of the car skimmed the sea of fluffy cloud, the sky a bright, endless blue under the blinding white sun.

All across the room, eyes closed and smiled as the picture formed in their minds.

"It sounds beautiful." sighed Hermione and Dr. Clark.

"All we've got to worry about now are airplanes," said Ron.

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 surely 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.

"That was the idea, anyway, a very stupid one at that." said Ron scratching his head.

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 wide, purplish moors, a great city alive with cars like multicolored ants, villages with tiny toy churches.

"Aww! That sounded like a wonderful way to go about." squealed a couple of fourth year girls.

"Sounds like my bike when I take it out." said Sirius with a fond smile.

"Yeah, but on this trip the good times leave eventually." said Harry glumly.

Several uneventful hours later, however, Harry had to admit 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.

"Yup, good times gone." said Sirius with a smirk.

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.

"Okay, now we're happy we didn't go with you." said Fred to Ron.

Why hadn't they been able to get onto platform nine and three-quarters?

"Can't be much further, can it?" croaked Ron,

"We were really getting thirsty." said 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 snow-capped mountain. It was much darker beneath the canopy of clouds.

"Wow, you guys were up really high, if you were up higher than that mountain." said Remus with a smile.

Ron put his foot on the accelerator and drove them upward again, but as he did so, the engine began to whine.

"Shit!" said Dr. Clark.

"What?" said Remus and Sirius.

"You don't want a car dying way up there." said Dr. Clark becoming pale, as did Sirius and Remus.

Harry and Ron exchanged nervous glances.

"It's probably just tired," said Ron. "It's never been this far before…"

"Couldn't you fix it, Harry? You seem to know everything." said Colin excitedly.

"I'm still reading up on car mechanics, and even if I did know how to fix it I wouldn't be able to fix it in midair." said Harry rolling his eyes.

And 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.

"They just turned themselves on, don't know how that happened." said Ron thinking back.

"Not far," said Ron, more to the car than to Harry, "not far now," and he patted the dashboard nervously.

"Why are you talking to the car?" asked Seamus.

"I was nervous, so sue me." said Ron shortly.

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!"

"Good thing he saw it, cause I didn't." said Ron.

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.

"Oh, dear." said Mr. Weasley looking worried.

"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.

"Were you scared." said Remus quickly.

"Yeah, but I hadn't seen anything yet." said Harry leaning harder against the werewolf and swinging his legs up onto the men's laps.

"I'm not going to like this one bit, am I?" said Remus seriously.

"That's why I'm laying like this." said Harry plainly looking up from Remus' side.

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 —

"Please don't hit the lake." said Tonks earnestly.

Remus took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"You're doing good Moony. I'll fret for you." said Sirius quietly.

the castle was right ahead — Ron put his foot down.

There was a loud clunk, a splutter, and the engine died completely.

Those that understood what happens when an engine died in a car, yelled and screamed.

"No! Harry! Ron!" shrieked Mrs. Weasley.

"Mum! You know what happens." said Ron gasping for air, his mother had hurried over and clutched her son to her.

"Uh-oh," said Ron, into the silence.

Few people started to snicker nervously.

"It was either that or screaming." said Ron sourly.

The nose of the car dropped. They were falling, gathering speed, heading straight for the solid castle wall.

Remus, Sirius and Dr. Clark gripped Harry tightly, he flinched from the pain (from holding him so tight) but he barely showed it.

"Noooooo!" Ron yelled, swinging the steering wheel around; they missed the dark stone wall by inches as the car turned in a great arc,

The three men in the bowl released the breath they held hostage slowly.

"You…are…never…ever…flying…in…a…car…again." said Dr. Clark sternly.

"I don't plan on it." said Harry with a smirk.

"This ain't funny anymore." said Sirius gripping Harry's right hand.

soaring over the dark greenhouses, then the vegetable patch, and then out over the black lawns, losing altitude all the time.

Ron let go of the steering wheel completely and pulled his wand out of his back pocket —

"ARE YOU MENTAL?" shouted Fred.

"PUT THE DAMN WAND AWAY AND PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BREAK!" yelled George.

"STOP! STOP!" he yelled, whacking the dashboard and the windshield, but they were still plummeting, the ground flying up toward them —

"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!" Harry bellowed, lunging for the steering wheel, but too late —

CRUNCH.

People covered their eyes and began to cry softly, they all forgot that the two who were in the car were in the room and alive and well.

Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasely were holding onto Ron tightly, while the three men were hugging any part of Harry they could. Even the teachers were holding each other's hands, and Dumbledore was quickly drinking a Calming Draught.

Neville gulped and continued on with the chapter, he knew they were fine, but it was hard reading about it.

With an ear-splitting 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 golf ball-size lump was throbbing on Harry's head where he had hit the windshield;

Trying to be subtle, Remus brought his hand up and started to pat Harry's head, looking for a lump, however, two other hands met his.

"What are you three doing?' said Harry not moving his head but looking over to each of them in turn.

"Nothing." said the three of them together.

"Sure." said Harry rolling his eyes.

"Were you hurt, Harry." said Dumbledore quickly. McGonagall looked over quickly, she remembered blood coming from a cut on Ron's head, but she didn't bother asking if Harry was alright.

"I was fine, just a knock on my head, nothing more." said Harry with a reassuring smile.

and to his right, Ron let out a low, despairing groan.

"Are you okay?" Harry said urgently.

"I didn't know you were hurt, and you ask how I was doing?" asked Ron incredulously.

"Do you remember how you moaned? I thought you were dying!" said Harry over to Ron.

"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.

"Ron, why didn't you tell us that your wand was broken?" said Mr. Weasley calmly from Ron's left.

"Howler." said Ron and Harry simply.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked at each other uneasily.

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.

"What now?" moaned Remus.

"You remember the title of the chapter?" said Sirius weakly.

"…oh…no…." said Remus faintly. "Please get out of this alright." said Remus burying his face in Harry's locks.

At that very moment, something hit his side of the car with the force of a charging bull, sending him lurching sideways into Ron,

Several people screamed and the men in the bowl whimpered and clutched Harry tightly.

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.

"What the hell!" shouted Bill, the entire school acted as if the tree were attacking them right then and there. People were scrambling to get under cover and hide under their chairs.

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.

"GET OUT OF THERE!" shouted Charlie, running over to join his mother and father in embracing his little brother. Bill couldn't move from shock. Percy, Ginny, Fred and George were rocking back and forth, whispering to themselves that they got of the situation alright.

"Aaargh!" said Ron as another twisted limb punched a large 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 in.

"Run for it!" Ron shouted, throwing his full weight against his door, but next second he had been knocked backward into Harry's lap by a vicious uppercut from another branch.

Mrs. Weasley shrieked loudly and hugged her son even tighter.

"We're done for!" he moaned as the ceiling sagged, but suddenly the floor of the car was vibrating — the engine had restarted.

"Harry's luck at work again." said Draco quietly.

"Reverse!" Harry yelled, and the car shot backward;

"Did Ron even get to the driver's seat?" asked Neville looking up from the book.

"No, Harry shouted and it just went backwards." said Ron smiling over to Harry. "Thank goodness for that."

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 —"

"Seriously?" said Sirius staring at Ron in disbelief.

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: 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;

"If I was forced to go over a hundred miles, with no rest, and nearly crashing into castle wall, and knocked about by a tree that unfortunately fights back. Yeah I would be a little irked with you two as well." said Remus with a sigh and a smile. He was highly relived that they got away from that horrible tree.

Hedwig's cage flew through the air and burst open; she rose out of it with an angry screech and sped off toward the castle without a backward look.

"She still refuses to go near that tree." said Harry with a small smile.

Then, dented, scratched, and steaming, the car rumbled off into the darkness, its rear lights blazing angrily.

"How can you tell if a car is angry?" asked Zacharias with a sneer. "Can you speak car now?"

"I'm really against corporal punishment of any sort, but that kid is begging for a paddling." said Dr. Clark sternly to Sirius.

"You're telling me." said Sirius scowling at the youth.

"The car seemed to think for itself, so…" said Harry shrugging, ignoring the plotting men.

"Come back!" Ron yelled after it, brandishing his broken wand. "Dad'll kill me!"

"I would have guessed that your mom would kill you first." said Colin looking nervously to Mrs. Weasley.

"You'd think that, but this was Dad's car." said Ron pointedly.

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.

"I'd say it was good luck, the tree could have harmed you more than what it did." said Kingsley thoughtfully.

"Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back."

The twins and quite a few others snorted with laughter.

"When did you get to be so funny, Ron?" said Fred quietly.

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…"

"You were still hurting, weren't you boy." said Dr. Nicodemus searchingly.

"I was just tired." said Harry quickly. The Ranger scoffed in disbelief.

"He is like you. You don't come to me even if your arm is hanging on a thin piece of tendon." said Dr. Nicodemus to Lionus.

Lionus just smiled. He was getting more and more determined to have Harry join his ranks.

It wasn't at all the triumphant arrival they had pictured.

"Wasn't even close." said Ron and Harry together.

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!"

"That sucks, there is no way to sneak into the feast now." said Sirius ruffling Harry's hair.

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.

"You looked all around the Great Hall before watching Sorting?" said Ernie.

Harry shrugged.

Through the forest of pointed black Hogwarts hats,

"Good thing I wasn't there, my hat is nothing but burns and scorch marks, never did get a new one." said Harry with a smirk.

Harry saw a long line of scared-looking first years filing into the Hall. Ginny was among them, easily visible because of her vivid Weasley hair.

"Felt guilty then." said Harry.

"Why?" asked Ginny.

"I would have told you there was nothing to be worried about with the Sorting"

"Oh, Ron told me all about it, he told me not to listen to Fred or George." said Ginny with a smile.

"We wouldn't have lied to you!" said Fred and George together to Ginny.

"You lied to me! What would have stopped you from lying to her?" asked Ron quickly.

"She's a little girl, they tend to cry if you scare them too much." said Fred seriously.

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 (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin).

Each student, old and present, shouted and cheered when their house was called out.

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

"Sorry." said Harry sincerely to the members of Slytherin house.

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.

"Still say that it wasn't fair." said Pansy sorely.

"Here's an idea, get over it." said Harry irritably.

A very small, mousy-haired boy had been called forward to place the hat on his head.

"That's me!" said Colin excitedly.

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.

"Were you worried when you couldn't find him." asked Dr. Clark to Dumbledore.

"We received word of what had happened and I had someone waiting for them when they arrived." said Dumbledore with a calm smile.

"You drank a Calming Draught again haven't you?" asked Remus.

"Yes he did." said McGonagall sternly. "When that tree came about. So don't…"

"I know, I know." said Remus. "Just asking."

Several seats along, Harry saw Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in robes of aquamarine. And there at the end was Hagrid, huge and hairy, drinking deeply from his goblet.

"Nice to know that Hagrid isn't worried." said Charlie with a smirk.

"I wasn' aware o' them comin' ter school tha' way." said Hagrid "Missed tha' briefin'"

"Hang on…" Harry muttered to Ron. "There's an empty chair at the staff table… Where's Snape?"

"You picked him to meet them? You out of your mind?" said Sirius angrily.

"He volunteered." said Dumbledore with a smile.

"I'll bet he did." said Sirius bitterly.

Professor Severus Snape was Harry's least favorite teacher. Harry also happened to be Snape's least favorite student.

"Nice to know you two hold each other in such high esteem." said Moody with a laugh.

Cruel,

"Wow, you call him cruel, but you don't call your Uncle that?" said a third year Hufflepuff.

Snape flinched.

sarcastic, and disliked by everybody except the students from his own house (Slytherin), Snape taught Potions.

"Maybe he's ill!" said Ron hopefully.

"Ronald!" scolded Mrs. Weasley.

"Maybe he's left," said Harry, "because he missed out on the Defense Against Dark Arts job again!"

"I'm not that petty." said Snape sternly.

"Or he might have been sacked!" said Ron enthusiastically. "I mean, everyone hates him —"

"Students hating him isn't enough to get him sacked." said McGonagall. "Or someone here would have been out of here months ago." she said sternly, looking over to Umbridge, who was still straining against the bonds and gag.

"She still isn't giving up is she? I'm amazed she didn't say anything during the last scroll." said Sirius with a smirk.

"Tempest had her Circle blade to her throat, the entire time." said Nightstrike with a cruel smile.

"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."

"That would take a few years off of one's life." said Remus with a smirk.

Harry spun around. There, his black robes rippling in a cold breeze, stood Severus Snape.

"Nice dramatic touch." said Sirius with a bark like laugh.

"Why are you laughing Black?" drawled Snape.

"Ever since I heard you were a teacher here, I couldn't believe it, you were teacher material. But, with what I've just heard…you are. Wish Slughorn was like you, a veritable challenge. Besides the one McGonagall always was." said Sirius laughing again. "Would have been awesome to try and outwit you."

Snape stared, than looked down, his face a faint pink.

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 told Harry he and Ron were in very deep trouble.

"Yeah, he's happiest when Gryffindors get in trouble." muttered Fred.

"Follow me," said Snape.

Not daring even to look at each other, Harry and Ron followed 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.

"Wow, that's dramatic thinking." said Blaise laughing silently.

"In!" he said, opening a door halfway down the cold passageway and pointing.

They entered Snape's office, shivering. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, in which floated all manner of revolting things Harry didn't really want to know the name of at the moment. The fireplace was dark and empty. Snape closed the door and turned to look at them.

"If you hit him…" said Sirius warningly, switching from being in a good mood.

"He doesn't." said Harry quickly.

"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?"

"He didn't plan on missing the train!" said a first year Gryffindor.

"Yeah, something stopped him!" said a third year Hufflepuff.

"No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it —"

"Silence!" said Snape coldly.

"You asked them a question!" said Dr. Clark looking over at Snape incredulously.

What have you done with the car?"

"It drove itself away." said Fred.

"No, a tree ate it." said George with a smirk.

Ron gulped. This wasn't the first time Snape had given Harry the impression of being able to read minds.

"You can't read minds. The mind isn't a book." said Snape in a bored tone.

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.

"Damn, that's not good." said Sirius slapping his hand to his forehead.

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…"

"That was a low blow, Severus." said Dumbledore as stern as he could.

Harry felt as though he'd just been walloped in the stomach by one of the mad tree's larger branches.

"Why?" asked Dr. Clark.

If anyone found out Mr. Weasley had bewitched the car… he hadn't thought of that…

Mr. Weasley smiled over to him. "Nice of you to worry about me."

"Little late though." said Snape quietly.

"I noticed, in my search of the park, that considerable damage seems to have been done to a very valuable Whomping Willow," Snape went on.

"Oh, that's a lie. It's worth more to take the damn thing out than it is to keep it. Smacking that thing and knocking it right off its roots did a service to the school." said Remus snarling a bit.

"That tree did more damage to us than we —" Ron blurted out.

"That is true. The damage done to the three was very minimal." said Professor Sprout.

"Silence!" snapped Snape again. "Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me.

"He can't even expel people, or even decide it." said McGonagall sternly.

"Like he would go and expel someone in his house." said Fred skeptically.

"I've have had to ask for expulsion for a student or two from my own house." said Snape defensively.

I shall go and fetch the people who do have that happy power.

"Jealous much?" asked Lionus with a smile.

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.

"I didn't think he would appreciate me throwing up on his office floor." said Harry the sides of his mouth twitching.

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 thought we were dead before she and Dumbledore even got in there." said Ron faintly.

Ten minutes later, Snape returned, and sure enough it was Professor McGonagall who accompanied him. Harry had seen Professor McGonagall angry on several occasions, but either he had forgotten just how thin her mouth could go, or he had never seen her this angry before.

"Nope, she was madder than I have ever seen her before." said Harry.

"It was really scary." said Ron.

She raised her wand the moment she entered; Harry and Ron both flinched, but she merely pointed it at the empty fireplace, where flames suddenly erupted.

"What did you think was going to happen?" said McGonagall.

"We weren't sure, but our nerves just couldn't take any more surprises." said Harry in almost a whisper.

"Sit," she said, and they both backed into chairs by the fire.

"You two didn't even blink when you two sat down. Nor did you even turn around." said McGonagall.

"Explain," she said, her glasses glinting ominously.

"Wow single word sentences, you must be royally pissed." said Fred worriedly.

Ron launched into the story, starting with the barrier at the station refusing to let them through.

"— so we had no choice, Professor, we couldn't get on the train."

"Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe you have an owl?" Professor McGonagall said coldly to Harry.

"Like we said earlier, 'send an owl.'" said most of the teachers.

Harry gaped at her. Now she said it, that seemed the obvious thing to have done.

"I — I didn't think —"

"That," said Professor McGonagall, "is obvious."

"Ouch, that hurts real bad." said Remus shaking his head.

"Remember when she told that to James and us? Oh hell, we did something way worse than just get seen by a couple of muggles." said Sirius with a laugh. "Least by some people's opinions."

"What did you guys do?" asked Fred eagerly.

"We sort of…made all the toilets in the school have sticky glue on the lids." said Sirius with a smirk.

"Oh, she was angry!" said Remus shaking his head.

"It was hilarious seeing the Prefect hunched over with a towel around his waist." said Sirius laughing hard.

"How was that worse than being seen by muggles." asked Colin.

"Well we snuck some heavy duty laxative potions in the student's food." said Sirius smiling with glee. "Every student was in the bathroom! Classes were canceled till Slughorn could figure out how to release the students, from the toilet seat and a cure for the laxative."

"Couldn't you tell them how to get out?" said Hermione sternly.

"We were busy." said Remus with a frown.

"Making all new food without the potion we put in it." said Sirius. "We couldn't cook worth anything, so everyone got sandwiches for dinner."

"It didn't take him too long to figure out how to cure everyone." said Remus. "Only a few hours."

"Thank god you can cook, or we'd be living on chicken sandwiches." said Sirius with a broad smile.

There was a knock on the office door and Snape, now looking happier than ever, opened it.

"You're such a sadist." said Remus to Snape.

There stood the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. Harry's whole body went numb.

"Why?" said Sirius looking down at Harry.

Dumbledore was looking unusually grave. He stared down his very crooked nose at them, and Harry suddenly found himself wishing he and Ron were still being beaten up by the Whomping Willow.

"Yeah, Dumbledore has that ability." said Fred, George, Sirius and Remus.

There was a long silence. Then Dumbledore said, "Please explain why you did this." It would have been better if he had shouted.

"He doesn't yell, but when he does, you just want to curl up and hide. Kinda like when you shout, Harry." said Ron with a nervous smile.

Harry hated the disappointment in his voice. For some reason, he was unable to look Dumbledore in the eyes, and spoke instead to his knees.

"That's called shame." said Sirius giving Harry a hug.

He told Dumbledore everything except that Mr. Weasley owned the bewitched car, making it sound as though he and Ron had happened to find a flying car parked outside the station.

"I knew where it came from, but I did find it quite honorable that you skipped that little fact." said Dumbledore with a smile.

He knew Dumbledore would see through this at once, but Dumbledore asked no questions about the car. When Harry had finished, he merely continued to peer at them through his spectacles.

"We'll go and get our stuff," said Ron in a hopeless sort of voice.

"Oooh, Ron gave up." said Fred.

"Never give up, Ron!" said George.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Professor McGonagall.

"Well, you're expelling us, aren't you?" said Ron.

Harry looked quickly at Dumbledore.

"Not today, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore.

"That was an ominous way of putting it." said Dr. Clark.

"But I must impress upon both of you the seriousness of what you have done.

"Oh trust me, we knew how serious it was." said Ron tensely.

I will be writing to both your families tonight.

"Obviously Mrs. Weasley got it, but what about the Dursley's?" asked Ernie.

"They threatened that if I got expelled, It would be the last breath of freedom I would know." said Harry stretching his arms.

"What? Why didn't' you tell us?" said Ron angrily.

"I didn't want you to worry." said Harry.

"I thought they wanted you to never come here again." said Remus.

"After the whole car incident, they knew they couldn't keep me there when I have school." said Harry.

I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."

"At least they're giving you another chance." said Kingsley.

Snape looked as though Christmas had been cancelled.

"And interesting way of putting it." said Dumbledore with a smile.

"I didn't look like that." said Snape hotly.

He cleared his throat and said, "Professor Dumbledore, these boys have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree — surely acts of this nature —"

Sirius glared at Snape angrily.

"It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these boys' punishments, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly.

"As it always will be." said McGonagall. "No going behind my back." she looked sternly up to Umbridge.

"They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility." He turned to Professor McGonagall. "I must go back to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample —"

"That's his weakness." said Harry with a smile.

Snape stared at him. "How do you know?" he said in a hiss.

"The house-elves have a platter of that stuff in the kitchen with your name on it, it's always there when I go down." said Harry.

Snape shot a look of pure venom at Harry and Ron as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office, leaving them alone with Professor McGonagall, who was still eyeing them like a wrathful eagle.

"You'd better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, you're bleeding."

"It was the only wound I saw, I didn't see the lump on Harry's head." said McGonagall.

"Not much," said Ron, hastily wiping the cut over his eye with his sleeve.

"That's not hygienic." said Madam Pomfrey.

"Professor, I wanted to watch my sister being Sorted —

"The Sorting Ceremony is over," said Professor McGonagall. "Your sister is also in Gryffindor."

"Oh, good," said Ron.

"I was almost expelled and killed in the same day! Give me a break!" said Ron looking at the false look of insult on his sister's face.

"And speaking of Gryffindor —" Professor McGonagall said sharply, but Harry cut in: "Professor, when we took the car, term hadn't started, so — so Gryffindor shouldn't really have points taken from it — should it?" he finished, watching her anxiously.

"You'd be one hell of a gambler." whistled Sirius.

"Yet, I lose on Poker Night." said Harry with a smile.

Professor McGonagall gave him a piercing look, but he was sure she had almost smiled. Her mouth looked less thin, anyway.

"I was impressed by your reasoning." said McGonagall with a smile.

"I will not take any points from Gryffindor," she said, and Harry's heart lightened considerably. "But you will both get a detention."

"We deserved much worse, so we were grateful." said Harry.

It was better than Harry had expected. As for Dumbledore's writing to the Dursleys, that was nothing. Harry knew perfectly well they'd just be disappointed that the Whomping Willow hadn't squashed him flat.

Growls emerged from people around the Great Hall.

Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and pointed it at Snape's desk. A large plate of sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appeared with a pop.

"You will eat in here and then go straight up to your dormitory," she said. "I must also return to the feast."

"She didn't want you to brag to people." said Dr. Clark.

When the door had closed behind her, Ron let out a long, low whistle.

"I thought we'd had it," he said, grabbing a sandwich.

"So did I," said Harry, taking one, too.

"Can you believe our luck, though?" said Ron thickly through a mouthful of chicken and ham. "Fred and George must've flown that car five or six times and no Muggle ever saw them." He swallowed and took another huge bite. "Why couldn't we get through the barrier?"

Harry shrugged. "We'll have to watch our step from now on, though," he said, taking a grateful swig of pumpkin juice. "Wish we could've gone up to the feast…"

"You really were way too tired, weren't you?" said Fred.

"You weren't thinking at all were you?" said George.

"Nope." said Harry with a slight smile.

"She didn't want us showing off," said Ron sagely. "Doesn't want people to think it's clever, arriving by flying car."

"Very good, Mr. Weasley, very good." said Dumbledore happily.

When they had eaten as many sandwiches as they could (the plate kept refilling itself) they rose and left the office,

"I ate about ten." said Harry.

"Fifteen for me." said Ron with a smirk.

treading the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower. The castle was quiet; it seemed that the feast was over. They walked past muttering portraits and creaking suits of armor, and climbed narrow flights of stone stairs, until at last they reached the passage where the secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower was hidden, behind an oil painting of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said as they approached.

"Er —" said Harry.

"You forgot to ask Professor McGonagall what the password was." said Bill smacking his forehead.

They didn't know the new year's password, not having met a Gryffindor prefect yet, but help came almost immediately; they heard hurrying feet behind them and turned to see Hermione dashing toward them.

"Hermione to the rescue!" shouted Ron and Harry.

"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors — someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car!"

"Half right, half wrong." said Harry.

"Well, we haven't been expelled," Harry assured her.

"You're not telling me you did fly here?" said Hermione, sounding almost as severe as Professor McGonagall.

"Skip the lecture," said Ron impatiently, "and tell us the new password."

"It's 'wattlebird,'" said Hermione impatiently, "but that's not the point —"

"I've learned to hold that kind of info till after I've scolded them." said Hermione.

"Which really sucks for us." said Ron and Harry.

Her words were cut short, however, as the portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping. It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake, packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull Harry and Ron inside, leaving Hermione to scramble in after them.

"We always celebrate stuff like that!" said Fred happily, to the quizzical looks from the other houses.

"Wish I was in Gryffindor then." said a second year Hufflepuff.

"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years —"

"We still talk about it." said a few fourth years.

"Yeah, it's sort of a saying now. 'I feel like I crashed into the Whomping Willow.' or 'make a Weasley and Potter entrance.'." said another fourth year.

"Wonderful." said Harry rolling his eyes, while Ron smiled.

"Good for you," said a fifth year Harry had never spoken to; someone was patting him on the back as though he'd just won a marathon;

"Oh, yeah, after…um…did anyone come to see you run?" asked Parvati.

"No, I just ran for myself, helped with my…summer job." said Harry quietly.

"Like I said, Lionus talked to us. It's alright, only…don't do it every night." said Remus.

"I don't, I only do three jobs a summer." said Harry.

Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?"

"Now we know we didn't want to." said Fred and George.

Ron was scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, but Harry could see one person who didn't look happy at all. Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years, and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. Harry nudged Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction. Ron got the point at once.

Percy looked at the two of them, insulted.

"Hey, you can be overbearing." said Bill shrugging his shoulders.

"Got to get upstairs — bit tired," he said, and the two of them started pushing their way toward the door on the other side of the room, which led to a spiral staircase and the dormitories.

"'Night," Harry called back to Hermione, who was wearing a scowl just like Percy's.

"That was scary." said Ron. "Please don't look like that again."

"Can't promise that, you two tend to do stupid stuff." said Hermione haughtily.

They managed to get to the other side of the common room, still having their backs slapped, and gained the peace of the staircase. They hurried up it, right to the top, and at last reached the door of their old dormitory, which now had a sign on it saying SECOND YEARS.

"It's nice to have the familiar dorms as opposed to someplace new." said Harry with a smile.

They entered the familiar, circular room, with its five four-posters hung with red velvet and its high, narrow windows. Their trunks had been brought up for them and stood at the ends of their beds.

Ron grinned guiltily at Harry.

"I know I shouldn't've enjoyed that or anything, but…"

"It was nice to be popular." whispered Ron to Hermione.

The dormitory door flew open and in came the other second year Gryffindor boys, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom.

"Unbelievable!" beamed Seamus.

"Cool," said Dean.

"Amazing," said Neville, awestruck.

Harry couldn't help it. He grinned, too.

"I felt really stupid later." said Harry.

"Who'd like to read now?" asked Neville.

"I'll do it." said Colin excitedly.

He took the book and almost dropped it in his excitement.

"Gilderoy Lockhart!" said Colin happily.

"Yay!" said Sirius sarcastically. "More adventures with Dazzle Gums."