The Hogwarts Express thundered north through the British countryside beneath a sky painted in soft shades of silver and blue. Fields rolled endlessly beyond the windows, dotted with grazing sheep and ancient stone walls that seemed untouched by time. Inside one of the larger compartments near the middle of the train, the atmosphere was considerably warmer. Trunks were stacked overhead, chocolate frog wrappers littered the seats, and the scent of pumpkin pasties mingled with the faint smell of steam drifting in whenever the compartment door opened. Mira sat curled near the window, absently watching the landscape blur past while turning the pages of a newly purchased book. Neville occupied the seat beside her, carefully holding a container of Mimbulus Mimbletonia cuttings he refused to leave unattended. Across from them sat Draco, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, and Daphne Greengrass. For nearly twenty minutes Draco had been suspiciously quiet, which everyone present recognized as an omen of some kind. Finally, unable to contain himself any longer, he leaned forward dramatically and announced, "You lot still haven't heard what happened in Flourish and Blotts."
Blaise immediately looked interested. Theodore closed his book with a resigned sigh that suggested he knew resistance was futile. Daphne straightened slightly, sensing entertainment. Neville smiled nervously because whenever Draco described events, the truth usually survived only in spirit. Mira already knew exactly what story was coming and silently considered whether stopping him was worth the effort. After a moment she decided it wasn't. Experience had taught her that once Draco entered storytelling mode, interruption merely encouraged him. Outside the compartment window, sunlight flashed across a distant river, but nobody was looking anymore. Their attention had shifted entirely toward the blond boy whose silver eyes were gleaming with anticipation. Draco folded his hands together and lowered his voice as though preparing to reveal state secrets. The effect was immediately ruined when Mira muttered, "This should be good."
"You need to understand the setting," Draco began. "The crowds were enormous. Absolute chaos. Witches fainting. Children screaming. Owls losing control of themselves. It was like a dragon had landed in Diagon Alley." Theodore raised an eyebrow. "You mean Lockhart was signing books." Draco pointed accusingly. "Do not interrupt artistic expression." Blaise snorted into his pumpkin juice. Daphne covered her mouth to hide a smile. Neville shifted awkwardly, remembering the actual scene had been nowhere near that dramatic. Yet even he had to admit Draco's confidence made the exaggerations strangely entertaining. Mira kept her eyes on her book, though the twitch at the corner of her mouth suggested she was listening very carefully.
Draco rose from his seat and began pacing the compartment as though reenacting a grand historical event. "There we were," he continued. "The noble heroes of the story. Myself, Mira, and Neville. Innocent children attempting to purchase educational materials." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUyxjWynqf
Theodore muttered, "You've never been innocent a day in your life." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMje3r3qgw
Draco ignored him completely. "Then suddenly Mira spotted the threat." He pointed dramatically toward her. "A predator lurking amidst the shelves. A menace to education. A danger to common sense itself." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAw6IH0RVP
Daphne blinked. "Lockhart?" 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfiCfwKsn2
Draco nodded gravely. "Lockhart." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXECqKARQj
Neville remembered Mira immediately changing her appearance and chuckled softly. "She did disguise herself pretty quickly." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EHM0BflOo
Draco spun toward him. "Exactly! Even Mira recognized the danger. One glance and she transformed into an entirely different person."
Mira finally lowered her book. "I changed my hair and eyes because I didn't want him bothering me." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUxqf54WbK
"A likely story," Draco replied. "You sensed evil." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaS1A4z7MK
Blaise laughed outright. The compartment rocked gently as the train rounded a bend, causing sunlight to sweep across the polished wood paneling. Outside, rolling hills gave way to patches of forest. Inside, the atmosphere had become wonderfully relaxed. Even Theodore looked more amused than annoyed now. Daphne leaned forward, resting her chin on one hand. She had learned long ago that Draco's stories were most enjoyable when treated as theater rather than testimony. Mira, meanwhile, had settled into the familiar role of long-suffering audience member. Unfortunately for her, Draco was only getting started.
"And then," Draco declared, "we witnessed a crime." He lowered his voice dramatically. "The kidnapping of Harry Potter." Neville nearly choked on his drink. Blaise burst out laughing. Even Theodore's composure cracked for a moment. 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2edTEklbtU
"He wasn't kidnapping him," Mira said immediately. 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFdQCzwbjG
Draco looked scandalized. "He absolutely was." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8wNSGgc6G
"He was dragging him toward a photograph." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfC9yWDrVQk
"Against his will." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1biNtXMKW
"That's not kidnapping." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvxxATOTFa
"It's pre-kidnapping." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QOUt7LlWq
Daphne laughed so hard she nearly spilled her tea. Neville buried his face in his hands. Somewhere farther down the corridor, students could be heard arguing over exploding snap cards, but inside the compartment everyone was focused entirely on Draco's increasingly ridiculous narrative.
Draco stopped pacing and adopted what he clearly imagined was Alaric's posture. He folded his arms and attempted to look intimidating. The result would have been more convincing had he not been twelve years old. "Then," he said reverently, "he arrived." Blaise immediately knew who he meant. Everyone did. Alaric Silverthorne had a reputation that stretched across several continents. Aurors respected him. Dark wizards avoided him. Magical creatures seemed to adore him. Draco's admiration for Mira's father had only increased over the years. "The crowd parted," Draco continued. "The sun itself dimmed. Somewhere in the distance a dragon probably roared." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNLVquq11r
Theodore pinched the bridge of his nose. "That definitely didn't happen." 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0tVMivc9V
Draco pointed at him. "How do you know? Were you monitoring dragons at the time?" 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKqfcdoadD
Theodore decided not to answer.
Neville found himself remembering the actual moment. Alaric stepping between Harry and Lockhart. Harry's obvious relief. Lockhart's sudden loss of confidence. Unlike Draco's version, the real encounter hadn't involved dramatic music or trembling earth. Yet it had been impressive in its own way. Neville admired Alaric for reasons that had nothing to do with intimidation. He remembered how kindly the man had treated him over the years, how patiently he spoke with Alice and Frank during their recovery, how easily he could put nervous people at ease. That made the memory of Lockhart becoming increasingly uncomfortable even funnier. Neville smiled quietly to himself. Beside him, Mira noticed and smiled too. Neither interrupted Draco's performance.
The story reached its peak when Draco reenacted the warning. He lowered his voice into what he imagined was Alaric's calm tone. "'My daughter will be in your class.'" Draco placed a hand on an invisible shoulder. "'If anything happens to her, you'll become my Zouwu's chew toy.'" He paused dramatically. The compartment fell silent. 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxO97lxjni
Even Theodore was paying attention now. 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLAyi6m8oM
Draco slowly squeezed his hand into a fist. "'Got that?'" 16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ9n2ZYsgE
Blaise was openly grinning. Daphne's eyes sparkled with amusement. Neville remembered Lockhart's expression and nearly laughed again. Mira covered her face with one hand. The worst part was that Draco wasn't actually exaggerating much anymore.
Then came the shoulder incident.
Draco reenacted the cracking noises with alarming enthusiasm.
"Crack."
The compartment erupted into laughter.
"Crack."
Blaise nearly fell off his seat.
"Crack."
Daphne was wiping tears from her eyes.
Mira groaned. "You are enjoying this far too much."
"He deserved it," Draco said without hesitation.
"He was annoying."
"He touched Potter."
"That's hardly a crime."
"It should be."
The laughter started all over again.
Eventually the train continued its steady journey north while the conversation drifted toward Hogwarts, new classes, and speculation about what kind of teacher Lockhart would actually be. Yet the story lingered in everyone's minds. Theodore privately suspected the man would be incompetent. Blaise suspected he would be entertaining. Daphne thought he sounded exhausting. Neville hoped he would at least know enough to teach properly. Mira already knew exactly how disastrous the year would become, though she kept that knowledge to herself. Draco, however, remained completely convinced that the most important lesson of the entire encounter had been delivered by Alaric Silverthorne. As the castle slowly drew nearer and the countryside darkened toward evening, he leaned back in his seat with a satisfied smirk and announced, "If Lockhart has any sense at all, he'll spend the entire year terrified." Judging by everything they had heard, nobody in the compartment disagreed.
The rhythmic clatter of the Hogwarts Express filled the compartment with a steady, almost hypnotic cadence. Wheels rattled over the tracks beneath them while golden afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, painting shifting patterns across seats, robes, and scattered books. The excitement of departure day lingered in the air like static magic. Students passed through the corridor every few minutes, searching for friends or empty compartments. Laughter drifted from neighboring carriages, mingling with the distant cry of the trolley witch announcing her sweets. Draco had finally exhausted his retelling of the Flourish and Blotts incident and was now basking in the satisfaction of having thoroughly entertained his audience. Blaise was lazily examining a Chocolate Frog card. Theodore had reopened his book. Daphne was gazing out the window, watching the countryside blur past in shades of green and gold. For a few moments, the compartment settled into comfortable silence.
Then the door slid open.
A girl with waist-length pale blond hair stood in the doorway.
She wore slightly mismatched clothing, held a copy of The Quibbler upside down, and looked entirely unconcerned by the fact that she had just interrupted six students. Her silver-grey eyes moved calmly around the compartment, studying each occupant with the same quiet curiosity one might devote to an unusual cloud formation. The corridor behind her buzzed with activity, yet she seemed untouched by its noise. Luna Lovegood possessed a strange stillness that made the bustling train feel distant. Mira recognized her immediately. She had met Luna briefly before through various Ministry events involving magical creatures. Unlike many adults, Luna had never looked at Mira's unusual ideas with skepticism. Instead, she had simply listened. Mira rather liked that.
"Hello," Luna said pleasantly.
Nobody answered immediately.
Not because they were rude.
Because they weren't entirely sure how to respond.
Luna didn't appear bothered by the silence.
"I was looking for Wrackspurts," she continued conversationally. "I think they've been gathering near the middle of the train. There are quite a lot this year. They make people's thoughts fuzzy." She tilted her head slightly. "Have any of you seen them?"
Draco blinked.
Blaise lowered his Chocolate Frog card.
Theodore slowly looked up from his book.
Daphne glanced between Luna and the others.
Neville stared.
Mira smiled.
"No," Mira replied gently. "I haven't seen any."
Luna nodded as though this confirmed an important theory, "That's unfortunate."
The compartment fell silent again.
The silence wasn't awkward exactly.
It was simply... Luna-shaped.
The sort of silence that appeared whenever she said something and everyone needed a moment to decide whether she was joking.
Mira knew she wasn't.
Luna never sounded like she was joking.
She sounded like someone discussing the weather.
"You can sit with us if you'd like," Mira offered.
Luna brightened slightly, "Thank you."
She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
Neville immediately shifted to make room, nearly dropping his container of plant cuttings in the process. Luna sat beside him and folded her hands neatly in her lap. For several moments she simply observed everyone. Not staring. Not scrutinizing. Merely noticing them. Neville found himself becoming increasingly nervous under that calm attention. There was something unsettling about being examined by someone who didn't seem interested in social expectations. Luna's gaze eventually landed on the Mimbulus Mimbletonia container. Her eyes lit up.
"That's lovely," she said.
Neville blinked, "Really?"
"Yes."
Most people reacted to Neville's plant collection with polite confusion.
Luna sounded genuinely delighted, "The spikes are very symmetrical."
Neville smiled despite himself, "Thank you."
Draco watched the exchange with mild confusion. He had expected awkwardness. Instead, Luna seemed perfectly comfortable. Even stranger, Neville appeared to be relaxing. Blaise quietly studied Luna while pretending not to. Theodore turned a page in his book but wasn't actually reading anymore. Daphne found herself intrigued. Luna Lovegood had a reputation already despite being younger than most of them. Stories followed her through Hogwarts. Strange stories. Most students laughed. Others avoided her entirely. Yet sitting here now, Daphne couldn't detect anything threatening or unpleasant about the girl. Odd, certainly. But odd wasn't the same thing as wrong.
Luna's attention shifted toward Mira, "You changed your appearance recently."
The compartment froze.
Draco nearly choked.
Blaise's eyes widened.
Theodore finally abandoned all pretense of reading.
Daphne sat upright.
Neville looked bewildered.
Mira blinked.
"What?"
Luna tilted her head.
"Your hair was brown."
A pause.
"And your eyes were blue."
Another pause.
"Now they're not."
Nobody spoke.
Draco stared at Mira.
Mira stared at Luna.
Neville looked between them.
The train continued rattling northward as though nothing unusual had happened.
Finally Draco broke the silence.
"How did you know that?"
Luna seemed genuinely surprised by the question.
"I saw her."
"Where?"
"Diagon Alley."
"Oh."
Draco paused.
That was... actually a reasonable answer.
Luna nodded calmly.
"I thought it was clever."
Mira smiled.
"Thank you."
The conversation gradually resumed after that, though everyone remained slightly fascinated. Luna accepted a Chocolate Frog from Blaise. Theodore cautiously asked what Wrackspurts looked like. Luna spent several minutes describing them in great detail. Draco attempted to determine whether she truly believed they existed. The results were inconclusive. Daphne found herself listening more than speaking. Neville discussed magical plants. Mira occasionally contributed to the conversation while secretly enjoying how comfortable the atmosphere had become. Luna had an unusual gift. She never seemed concerned with fitting into a group, yet somehow her presence altered the group's rhythm entirely. The compartment felt calmer now. Less guarded.
As the afternoon wore on, sunlight slowly softened into amber and gold. The train carried them steadily toward Hogwarts and the beginning of another school year. Outside, distant hills rose against the horizon. Inside, laughter occasionally broke the silence. Luna sat cross-legged on her seat reading The Quibbler, occasionally offering observations that left everyone uncertain whether they were brilliant or absurd. Sometimes they were both. Mira watched her friends interacting with the young Ravenclaw and felt quietly pleased. Most students saw Luna and immediately judged her. They saw her odd habits, her unusual beliefs, and her tendency to drift through conversations in unexpected directions. Mira saw something else. Kindness. Honesty. Curiosity. The same qualities Luna saw in magical creatures that others dismissed. As the first outlines of Hogwarts began appearing far in the distance, reflected faintly in the train windows, Mira found herself thinking that this year might prove far more interesting than any of them expected. And judging by the dreamy smile on Luna Lovegood's face, she seemed to think so too.
The peaceful atmosphere inside the compartment lasted for perhaps ten more minutes before the door slid open yet again. This time, however, the newcomers arrived with considerably more noise. The familiar red hair of the Weasley family appeared first, followed immediately by several voices speaking over one another. Hermione Granger stepped into the compartment looking slightly frazzled, her bushy brown hair already showing signs of having lost a battle against the train's humidity. Behind her stood Percy Weasley, standing as stiffly as ever with his prefect badge polished to a shine. Towering over everyone else were Fred and George Weasley, who somehow managed to look both completely identical and completely different at the same time. The twins wore matching grins that usually meant trouble for somebody. The corridor beyond was crowded with students moving between compartments, but Hermione's eyes were focused entirely on the group inside. She looked worried.
"Have any of you seen Harry or Ron?" Hermione asked immediately.
The question was met with a chorus of confused responses.
"No."
"Not since King's Cross."
"Haven't seen them."
"Nope."
Even Luna looked up from her copy of The Quibbler long enough to shake her head.
Hermione frowned.
That wasn't the answer she'd hoped for.
The train continued rattling through the countryside, its steady rhythm filling the brief silence that followed. Outside the window, rolling green hills swept past beneath a sky slowly shifting toward afternoon gold. Inside, however, concern was beginning to spread. Hermione crossed her arms and glanced toward Percy. Percy adjusted his badge, looking troubled despite his attempts to remain composed. Fred and George exchanged identical looks. For all their jokes and pranks, both twins were clearly worried too. Ron being late was one thing. Ron completely disappearing before the train departed was another matter entirely. Hermione had already searched half the train. She was running out of compartments to check.
"That's strange," Neville said quietly.
"Very strange," Hermione agreed.
"They weren't on the train when it left," Percy added.
The words settled heavily over the compartment.
Mira's expression grew thoughtful.
Draco frowned.
Theo finally closed his book completely.
Even Daphne looked concerned now.
Nobody wanted to admit it aloud, but everyone was beginning to think the same thing.
Something had gone wrong.
Pip, who had spent most of the journey curled comfortably beside Mira, suddenly sat upright. The little Niffler's ears twitched. His dark eyes focused intently towards the window. Mira noticed immediately. After spending years around magical creatures, she had become exceptionally good at recognizing when one of them had spotted something unusual. Pip rarely reacted without reason. The Niffler nudged her arm insistently. When she looked down, he pointed one tiny paw toward the glass. Then he pointed again, more urgently this time. Mira blinked. Pip was not normally interested in scenery. Treasure? Absolutely. Shiny objects? Always. Countryside views? Never.
"What is it?" Mira asked softly.
Pip pointed again.
Everyone noticed.
Neville leaned forward.
Draco followed Mira's gaze.
Hermione paused mid-thought.
Even Luna lowered her magazine.
Slowly, Mira turned toward the window.
For a moment, she wasn't entirely certain what she was seeing.
Then her eyes widened.
Outside the train.
Keeping perfect pace with the Hogwarts Express.
Was a car.
A flying car.
The compartment fell silent.
The kind of silence that arrives when reality suddenly decides to stop making sense.
The vehicle floated effortlessly alongside the train, sunlight flashing off its windows and blue paintwork. Wind buffeted its frame as it sped through the air hundreds of feet above the countryside. Students pressed against the glass. Several blinked repeatedly as though hoping the image would disappear. It did not. The car remained stubbornly present. Hermione stared. Neville stared. Daphne stared. Blaise stared. Even Luna looked mildly surprised, which was impressive in its own way. The Hogwarts Express thundered onward while the impossible automobile maintained its position just outside.
Theo was the first person to speak.
His voice sounded oddly calm.
"Why," he asked slowly, "is there a Muggle car flying beside us?"
Nobody answered.
Because nobody had an answer.
Not yet.
Percy moved toward the window.
His expression shifted from confusion to disbelief.
Then disbelief became horror.
Then horror became something far worse.
"Oh no."
The words emerged as little more than a whisper.
Everyone turned toward him.
Percy's face had gone pale.
Very pale.
The sort of pale usually associated with ghosts.
"What?" Fred asked.
Percy pressed both hands against the window.
His eyes widened.
"Oh no."
"What?" George repeated.
Percy swallowed.
"That..."
His voice cracked slightly.
"That would be our dad's car."
The compartment exploded.
"What?!"
"You're joking!"
"No!"
"That's impossible!"
"That's your father's car?!"
Fred and George lunged toward the window simultaneously. Their faces immediately mirrored Percy's horrified expression. Hermione's jaw dropped. Neville nearly dropped his plant container. Daphne looked completely stunned. Blaise appeared torn between concern and laughter. Theo simply stared at the flying vehicle as though questioning every law of nature he had ever learned. Luna tilted her head thoughtfully.
"I suppose that explains why it's flying," she observed.
Nobody responded.
They were too busy panicking.
Mira pressed closer to the glass.
Now that Percy had identified it, she recognized it immediately.
The enchanted Ford Anglia.
Arthur Weasley's beloved project.
The realization created a dreadful suspicion.
A suspicion everyone else seemed to be reaching at the exact same time.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Hermione turned toward Percy.
"Percy."
"Yes?"
"Who would be driving your father's car?"
Percy closed his eyes.
Fred groaned.
George buried his face in his hands.
The answer was becoming painfully obvious.
Then the car drifted slightly closer.
Everyone inside the compartment got a clear look through the windows.
Two familiar faces stared back.
Harry Potter.
Ron Weasley.
The compartment erupted for a second time.
Hermione looked ready to faint.
Percy looked ready to have a nervous breakdown.
Fred and George looked moments away from laughing themselves unconscious.
Neville was speechless.
Theo simply whispered, "They stole a flying car."
Draco stared at Harry and Ron soaring beside the train and slowly shook his head.
"They've been gone less than a day."
Another pause.
Then he added,
"And they've already committed a felony."
Even Mira couldn't stop herself from laughing.
Outside, the enchanted Ford Anglia sped onward through the afternoon sky, completely unaware that an entire compartment full of horrified students was watching history unfold in real time. Meanwhile, Percy Weasley stood frozen beside the window, wondering how exactly he was going to explain this to his mother when she inevitably found out. Deep down, however, he already knew the answer.
He wasn't.
Because nobody alive was going to survive that conversation.
ns216.73.217.55da2
and then Add to home screen.