Messy Problems
"I think Malfoy knows something..."
"Not much," Ron jokes, laughing.
"I mean... Like something bad."
"That he's probably going to cause," Harry says, turning towards Ron, who nods in agreement.
"Come on, guys, the trains going to be leaving soon."
You felt there was more to what Draco had told you, but it wasn't like he was going to talk to you in school when people knew he didn't like you. You might have to get him alone.
"Are you listening, Y/n?"
You looked up at Ron and Harry, who were looking back at you. "I'm sorry."
Ron shakes his head, "We have to hurry."
You and Harry nod, as your brother leans into his trolley and then- Crash!- hitting the barrier and bouncing back into you and Ron. A guard glowers at both of you.
"What in blazes d'you three think you're doing?"
"Sorry. Lost control of the trolley." He turns to you and Ron, "Why can't we get through?"
"I dunno. The gateway's sealed itself for some reason." Ron presses his ear to the barrier and the clock chimes.
"The train leaves at exactly eleven o'clock. We've missed it."
"You've got to be kidding me," You look between the both of them.
"Can't hear a thing," Suddenly a thought hits Ron, "If we can't get through, maybe Mum and Dad can't get back."
"Maybe we should go wait by the car, guy."
Ron grabs your arms, "The car! You're a genius I could kiss you!"
You look at him wide eyed, taking a step back.
Pushing your trolleys madly, you all dash to the car, loading your belongings into the car.
"This is mad. We can't drive to Hogwarts."
"Who says we're driving."
"Oh, Ron, you don't mean-" You shake your head.
"Look, who knows when Mum and Dad will get back. And we've got to get to school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's an absolute emergency. Least that's what Fred and George always say..."
"You're going to get us all killed, Ron."
"Oh, blimey, I'd never let you get hurt," He leans back, looking at you and you roll your eyes.
"Watch it, that's my sister."
Ron puts his hands up in defeat, "Alright. Alright, let's just go." Ron taps the car, and it burbles to life.
"No offense, Ron, but are you sure you know how to fly this."
"No problem." Ron shifts. With a great jolt, the car lifts from the ground. "There. See. Now I reckon all we have to do is find the Hogwarts Express and follow it. Simple."
You and Harry nod, even though you were not entirely convinced. Harry peers out the window. Down below, two pedestrians stare in disbelief.
Hermione peaked into a doorway, before spotting Ginny. "Ginny?"
Ginny looks up, "Oh, Hi Hermione."
"Have you seen your brother, or Harry, or Y/n?"
"I would of thought you all were together."
"No, I couldn't find them."
"Do you want me to look with you?"
Hermione shakes her head, "No... I'm sure they're here somewhere."
Malfoy stared at his phone, knowing it'd be taken when on the grounds. A video was playing; A girl was standing on the edge of a rail, laughing. There was someone behind her, Malfoy recognized you almost instantly. The video may not have been the best quality, but you were very distinctive.
He watched as you reached out, trying to grab the girl, but you barely miss. The video doesn't show what happened, but Draco knew there was a loud splat, even if he didn't have the volume on. He has already seen the video a thousand times.
He tapped his chin, sighing. He may not have known much and he may not have liked that stupid house elf, but he hoped that Dobby had gotten to you and warned you. Malfoy may hate you sometimes and your friends, but he didn't want you to die.
"Any sign of the train?"
"There! Up ahead! Look..."
"Brilliant," Ron shifts, gliding down, until the car is only a few feet above the tracks. You all peer ahead, looking for the train.
"It must be around here someplace." Behind them, through the car's rear window, the Hogwarts Express appears, closing fast. You perk up, smiling when you hear it.
"Do you hear that?"
Then, you, Harry, and Ron finally register the direction of the sound. You all glance at each other, before turning and seeing the train.
"AHHH!" Ron spins the wheel, putting his foot on the gas and- at the last possible second- whips the car out of the train's path. The car spins around briefly, before tilting onto its side. As it jets under the bridge, you go sliding down across your seat and into the door, before falling out. Dangling upside-down from the open door, you watch the Hogwarts Express zips past and in one window you catch Neville and Seamus, with their mouths open in astonishment.
"Take my hand!" Harry reaches out for you, barely gripping your hand. Your fingers begin to lose grip.
"Hold on!"
"I'm trying! Your hand's all sweaty!" Straining, Harry yanks you inside, leveling off the car. You fall heavily into your seat, before buckling your safety belt.
"I think we found the train," Harry says, as you roll your eyes. Though, your eyes widen when seeing the Hogwarts Castle.
"Welcome home," Ron says though the car starts to groan.
"Just out of interest, Ron. Have you ever landed a car before?" You ask.
He chuckles, before looking back at you, "Well... no. But, until a few hours ago, I'd never taken off in one either." With that, the car lurches and the nose drops, "Uh oh."
The three of you and the car go pitching through the night. Ron rakes the gears, hurtling madly towards the castle wall.
"IT'S NOT WORKING!!"
"GO UP! UP!"
Ron shifts desperately, and the car finally lurches up, barely clearing the castle wall. You all exchange a look of relief, when the car groans again, lurching down.
"Mind that tree!" Harry yells, but when Ron tries to pull it up again, it fails.
"TURN! TURN!" Harry reaches over and together he and Ron spin the wheel. It's useless, the car was heading straight for the tree. Ron desperately tries whacking the dashboard, performing slight magic."
"God! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"
"STOP! STOP! STOP!" You don't know what happened, but Ron must have hit his dominant hand wrong, because you all hear a crack and Ron screams. Though you all scream as the car meets the tree, hanging dreamily, balanced on the highest limb.
"My HAND! My MAGIC HAND!"
"Be lucky it's not your neck!" You snarl at him. There's a loud thump. Something heavy hits Harry's door and sends a shudder through the car.
"What's happening?"
Slowly, you all look up and, in disbelief, watch one of the tree branches pull back, curl into itself and came lashing forward like a massive fist. THRUMP!
You all scream as the car goes into the air, before falling onto a lower branch.
"What kind of tree is this?"
Before you or Harry could respond, the tree begins to pummel the car from all sides, tossing you all about like popcorn. The window shatters and heavy dents appear on the roof. Then the car falls again slamming heavily to the ground. Instantly, the tree's lower branches shoot through the front and rear window screens and begin shaking the car back and forth.
You all continue to scream as the car continues to get beaten up by the tree. Though, Harry finally screams for Ron to reverse it. The car finally shoots backwards and you all jump out onto the ground. The bags fall from the trunk and you groan, when getting up.
"Dad's going to kill me."
"That might be the least of our problems," You point to the luggage and bags behind you from the students who had probably left already for the castle.
"A house elf shows up in our bedroom, we can't get through the barrier to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, we almost get killed by a tree... clearly someone doesn't want me and Y/n here this year."
"Guess they gave us a double nothing," You joke, and Harry lightly laughs.
"Well, take a good look, lads and lady...This night might well be the last you spend in this castle." Flich chuckles.
Professor Snape stands at his desk, newspaper in hand as you, Harry, and Ron stare with dread. Filch lurkes in the doorway, eyeing them with pleasure.
"You were seen! By no less then seven Muggles. Do you have any idea how serious this is? You have risked the exposure of our world. Not to mention the damage you inflicted on a Whomping Willow that has been on these grounds for hundreds of years."
"You can't prove that's us in the car. Or that we were even there." You quickly deny and Snape snarls.
"Are you stupid? Or do you think I'm stupid, little girl."
"Well, your face isn't doing you many favors."
Snape looked like he was about to blow, but Ron is quick to steer the conversation back.
"Honestly, Professor Snape, I think it did more damage to us."
"Silence! I assure you, were you in Slytherin and your fate rested with me, the both of you would be on the train home tonight. As it is-"
You put your hands together, "Thank Merlin we're not."
"They are not," Dumbledore says at the same time as your remark. You all turn to see him standing by the doorway, Professor McGonagall alongside him, looking annoyed.
"Professor Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall..."
"Headmaster, these children have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry. As such..."
"I'm well aware of our bylaws, Severus, having written more than a few myself. However, as Head of Gryffindor House, it is for Professor McGonagall to determine the appropriate action."
"Oh, we're definitely getting expelled. We'll get our bags."
"What are you talking about Ms. Potter?"
"Well, you're going to expel us right?"
She laughs, as if you told her a funny joke, "Not today, Ms. Potter. But I must impress upon the three of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be sending owls to both of your families tonight. And you will each get a detention." She wipes some mud off her chin that was dripping.
Snape casts you all a look of pure venom, making a shiver run down your neck. You wondered what his problem was. Probably mad you and your brother weren't getting expelled.
"Families? Yeah, like they'd-" Harry quickly elbows you.
"What was that Ms. Potter?"
"Nothing."
"Mr. Filch. You dropped this..." Harry holds out an envelope towards the zombie.
Filch turns, eyes the envelope with embarrassment, then snatches it from Harry's hand and stuffs it into his pocket.
"What was that?"
"I don't know?" Harry whispers back.
"Detention? On the first day?" Neville says, screwing his hand back on.
"That has to be a school record."
You shake your head, irritated.
"I should think you'd count yourself lucky that's all you got."
They glare at each other. Professor Sprout, a woman with flowers blooming from her body, taps her hand on a stack of pots. She had flowers wrapping around her arms and neck and her skin was a nature green.
"Welcome to Greenhouse Three, Second Years. Today, we will be re-potting Mandrakes. Now, who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake? Yes, Miss Granger."
"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is used to return those who have been transfigured to their original state. It's also quite dangerous. The Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it."
"God, Merlin, Hermione, couldn't even wait a few minutes before going back to being a smarty pants."
"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor. As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet. However, they will knock you out for several hours. That is why I have provided each of you with a pair of earmuffs. If you would then..."
You hear a whisper behind you and look back. It was Blaise Zabini. The only thing you knew about him was that he was in Slytherin.
"You trying to come here and help me?"
You laugh. "And why would I do that?"
"If we fail we fail together."
"If that's what I wanted to do, why wouldn't I just stay with Ron?"
He laughs, before sticking his hand out. You look back at Professor Sprout who was checking that everyone had on her puffs. You get up to him and he scoots over for you.
Professor Sprout grasps one of the Tufty Plants before her and pulls. Instead of roots, a small, muddly, extremely ugly baby pops out of the Earth, leaves growing right out of its head. Neville's eyes roll back and he faints. Professor Sprout plunges the bawling creature deep into a pot, removing her earmuffs and others following suit. You look over at Neville, who lies stretched on the ground.
"Hm. Looks as though Mr. Longbottom neglected his muffs."
"No ma'am. He just fainted."
"Very well. We'll just leave him then. Come now. Four to a tray, plenty of pots to go round..."
"You know.."
You look towards Zabini, "Know what?"
"That video. Everyone's seen it."
"What video?" You ask, not realizing what he was talking about.
"You know... The one with that Ravenclaw girl."
"Oh! Yeah."
"Sad, really. Do you know what happened?"
You shake your head, before finally putting on your earmuffs and messing with the pot.
Ron stares at his broken wrist, "Say it. I'm doomed."
"You're doomed."
Flash! There's a burst of light and you blink your eyes trying to gain your composure back. When you're finally able to see, you see a small boy holding a camera.
"Can I help you?"
"Sorry, about that Y/n. I'm Colin Creevey. I'm in Gryffindor too."
You look towards your brother and then back at Colin, "Well, hello to you too Colin. What is the uh-" You gesture towards his camera, "You know, the camera for?"
"They're for my dad -- the pictures. He's a milkman, you know, a Muggle, like all our family's been until me. Well, as far as we know. No one knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till we got my letter from Hogwarts. Everyone just thought I was mental."
"You? Mental? Imagine that," Ron sarcastically says and you glare at him.
"Leave the kid alone, Ron."
"It's fine. Say Y/n, d'you think your friend could take a picture of me, you and Harry standing together? Ya' know, to prove I've met you?"
You glance at Ron, who looks positively homicidal. Thankfully the Owls stream into the hall.
"Post is here!"
One after another, the birds swoop gracefully down, clutching letters from home. Well, not all of them. Errol went beak first into Ron's soup.
"Bloody bird's a menace," Ron shakes his head, before his eyes widen. "Oh... no."
"Heads up, everyone. Weasley's gotten himself a Howler."
You frown, knowing that the letter was probably about taking off with the car and you knew it was your fault, too.
"Go on, Ron. I ignored one from my Gran once... and it was horrible."
Ron looks pale looking at the damp red envelope in Errol's beak. His hands shake as he takes it, opening it and Mrs. Weasley's voice thunders, sending plates and spoons rattling. You're ashamed as she speaks.
"RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THE CAR! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER'S NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!"
"Oh, and Ginny dear. Congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud."
Ginny, who was sitting a bit apart from the others, looks up shyly, before returning back to her small black book she was scribbling in. You all watch the envelope rip itself to pieces, then endures the howls of laughter from the other House tables. You look back to see Malfoy and his friends laughing, possibly the loudest. You roll your eyes, before turning back. Colin Creevey continues to snap a few more pictures, annoying you more than you'd like to admit.
"Look at it this way. How can it get worse?"
"Why would you jinx us like that?"