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Chapter 43: The Hogwarts (Not-So) Express
The Knight Bus was far faster than the Hogwarts Express—William had no idea where the Minister for Magic who established the express train got the nerve to call that sluggish vehicle an "express."
William lay down on the bed with practiced ease, ignoring the Gryffindor beside him, who was protesting with her uncooperative attitude.
When a place that should have chairs is filled with beds, you should lie down obediently and consider the reason later, not sit there being uncooperative.
The next moment, the bus took a sharp turn. Everyone lying down gripped the pillars securing the beds tightly, while the one sitting fell heavily to the floor with a thud.
"We've arrived at Hogsmeade."
The conductor, Stan Shunpike, came over with a smile.
"So fast?"
William asked in surprise. The last time he took it, the trip to Diagon Alley had taken quite a while.
"You're lucky. There just happened to be no customers hailing the bus today, so we made several jumps in a row. It only took a few minutes—it jumps a hundred miles at a time."
"What a brilliant ride."
William praised sincerely, patting Stan Shunpike's shoulder and glancing at the Gryffindor who was getting up, wincing in pain.
"Let's go. Hagrid told me last time that younger students aren't allowed in Hogsmeade, so consider this an early preview."
"Mmph!"
The light inside the bus wasn't very good, so William couldn't quite make out her expression, but the girl walked off the bus briskly, huffing with anger. William waved goodbye to Stan Shunpike and also hurried off.
By the time William arrived at Hogwarts with the student, who hadn't made a single sound the whole way due to her anger, it wasn't even one in the afternoon.
Knocking on the gate, William looked at his watch, appearing very patient.
"Mmph mmph!!!"
The student beside him made some noise, trying to get his attention.
But William was determined not to give her any opportunity to cause trouble before handing her over to Professor McGonagall. Once she was in Professor McGonagall's hands, any problems would no longer be his concern.
"Oh, William, Professor McGonagall said you'd be arriving with a student tonight. How did you get here so early?"
Hagrid greeted him enthusiastically from a distance, through the school gates.
"I've prepared some excellent drink, just waiting for you to enjoy after the feast. Coming early is great, too. You just can't drink too much, since you still have to attend the feast."
"Perfect. My luggage is still on the train. There was a small accident, so I had to take the Knight Bus here early. By the way, is Professor McGonagall in her office?"
William wanted to resolve this problem as quickly as possible and get this brat off his hands.
"Oh, the professor isn't in her office. She's busy arranging today's feast and the Sorting Ceremony."
So, the owl hasn't arrived either, has it?
Considering the speed of the Knight Bus, William felt his speculation was probably correct—unless the Ministry of Magic used its emergency communication channel with Hogwarts. But just for a flying car, William thought that unlikely.
"That's great. I need to go to the castle first to hand over my charge, then I'll come find you on the grounds."
"Alright then, see you later—Hermione?"
The giant's voice was filled with surprise.
"Mmph!"
The Gryffindor called Hermione tried to say something.
"What's wrong with her?"
"You two know each other?"
William was surprised for a moment, then he realized he'd asked a stupid question. Hagrid and Harry were close; how could he not know Harry's friends?
"Yeah, she's my friend. Is she under a hex?"
"No, but she used an excuse to get off the train, used magic off-campus, and attacked a Ministry of Magic official."
"Good heavens! Her? If you had brought the Weasley Brothers, I would've thought you were covering for them, but Hermione—she's top of her year."
If she wasn't top of her year, how would she have the skill to take down a professor?
William looked at the cards in his inventory and acknowledged Hagrid's point.
"Mmph!"
"Rest assured, Miss Granger. Once I've delivered you to Professor McGonagall, I will, of course, dispel the spell. For now, please reflect on your mistakes."
"Mmph!!"
Probably insults, but William ignored them.
"It seems she doesn't want to continue her reflection. I need to get her to Professor McGonagall quickly. See you later, Hagrid."
Hagrid looked conflicted. He seemed to want to persuade William to release the binding spell, but what William described was indeed quite serious. In the end, the giant gave up on stopping William. After all, she would be sent to Professor McGonagall shortly, and the spell would surely be dispelled then.
By the time William stepped into the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall was assigning tasks to a group of house-elves. From the thick stack of parchment in her hands, it was clear she was extremely busy today.
"Professor William? You're here so early?"
Professor McGonagall's voice was filled with pleasant surprise.
"Excellent," the professor exclaimed as she pulled a sheet from the stack of parchment in her hand. "The school's stock of candles is running low. Could I trouble you to go to the Owlery and send this order form to the general store in Hogsmeade?"
Professor, it's my first day, and I'm not familiar with the layout. Isn't it a bit much to press-gang me into service already?
William took the order form while stepping aside to reveal the Gryffindor following behind him. She had been hiding in his shadow since entering the Great Hall.
"Professor McGonagall, there was a small problem with the train."
"The train?" Professor McGonagall was taken aback. Then she suddenly remembered the ticket she had sent to William.
"What happened?"
Her expression immediately turned stern.
"Two students were blocked from the platform and missed the train. After inspecting it with Ministry of Magic investigators, we found it had been deliberately blocked, but we couldn't find who did it."
"Miss Granger was blocked? And the other? Which House are they from?"
"No, Miss Granger wasn't blocked. Her two friends were. Miss Granger slipped off the train when I disembarked, so I brought her here early."
"Slipped off the train?"
Professor McGonagall's eyes showed surprise, but she instantly thought of more.
"Two friends? Are you referring to Potter and Weasley?"
"According to her, yes."
"And what about them?"
The professor's tone grew urgent.
"If the information I received from the Ministry of Magic investigators is correct, the two of them are in a flying car, currently floating above the Hogwarts Express."
"Merlin's beard!"
William swore that for a moment, he had the illusion of seeing an angry eagle.
"Slipping off the train, chasing the school train in a flying car…"
William felt the figure beside him shrink as Professor McGonagall muttered to herself.
(end of chapter)
The Knight Bus was far faster than the Hogwarts Express—William had no idea where the Minister for Magic who established the express train got the nerve to call that sluggish vehicle an "express."
William lay down on the bed with practiced ease, ignoring the Gryffindor beside him, who was protesting with her uncooperative attitude.
When a place that should have chairs is filled with beds, you should lie down obediently and consider the reason later, not sit there being uncooperative.
The next moment, the bus took a sharp turn. Everyone lying down gripped the pillars securing the beds tightly, while the one sitting fell heavily to the floor with a thud.
"We've arrived at Hogsmeade."
The conductor, Stan Shunpike, came over with a smile.
"So fast?"
William asked in surprise. The last time he took it, the trip to Diagon Alley had taken quite a while.
"You're lucky. There just happened to be no customers hailing the bus today, so we made several jumps in a row. It only took a few minutes—it jumps a hundred miles at a time."
"What a brilliant ride."
William praised sincerely, patting Stan Shunpike's shoulder and glancing at the Gryffindor who was getting up, wincing in pain.
"Let's go. Hagrid told me last time that younger students aren't allowed in Hogsmeade, so consider this an early preview."
"Mmph!"
The light inside the bus wasn't very good, so William couldn't quite make out her expression, but the girl walked off the bus briskly, huffing with anger. William waved goodbye to Stan Shunpike and also hurried off.
By the time William arrived at Hogwarts with the student, who hadn't made a single sound the whole way due to her anger, it wasn't even one in the afternoon.
Knocking on the gate, William looked at his watch, appearing very patient.
"Mmph mmph!!!"
The student beside him made some noise, trying to get his attention.
But William was determined not to give her any opportunity to cause trouble before handing her over to Professor McGonagall. Once she was in Professor McGonagall's hands, any problems would no longer be his concern.
"Oh, William, Professor McGonagall said you'd be arriving with a student tonight. How did you get here so early?"
Hagrid greeted him enthusiastically from a distance, through the school gates.
"I've prepared some excellent drink, just waiting for you to enjoy after the feast. Coming early is great, too. You just can't drink too much, since you still have to attend the feast."
"Perfect. My luggage is still on the train. There was a small accident, so I had to take the Knight Bus here early. By the way, is Professor McGonagall in her office?"
William wanted to resolve this problem as quickly as possible and get this brat off his hands.
"Oh, the professor isn't in her office. She's busy arranging today's feast and the Sorting Ceremony."
So, the owl hasn't arrived either, has it?
Considering the speed of the Knight Bus, William felt his speculation was probably correct—unless the Ministry of Magic used its emergency communication channel with Hogwarts. But just for a flying car, William thought that unlikely.
"That's great. I need to go to the castle first to hand over my charge, then I'll come find you on the grounds."
"Alright then, see you later—Hermione?"
The giant's voice was filled with surprise.
"Mmph!"
The Gryffindor called Hermione tried to say something.
"What's wrong with her?"
"You two know each other?"
William was surprised for a moment, then he realized he'd asked a stupid question. Hagrid and Harry were close; how could he not know Harry's friends?
"Yeah, she's my friend. Is she under a hex?"
"No, but she used an excuse to get off the train, used magic off-campus, and attacked a Ministry of Magic official."
"Good heavens! Her? If you had brought the Weasley Brothers, I would've thought you were covering for them, but Hermione—she's top of her year."
If she wasn't top of her year, how would she have the skill to take down a professor?
William looked at the cards in his inventory and acknowledged Hagrid's point.
"Mmph!"
"Rest assured, Miss Granger. Once I've delivered you to Professor McGonagall, I will, of course, dispel the spell. For now, please reflect on your mistakes."
"Mmph!!"
Probably insults, but William ignored them.
"It seems she doesn't want to continue her reflection. I need to get her to Professor McGonagall quickly. See you later, Hagrid."
Hagrid looked conflicted. He seemed to want to persuade William to release the binding spell, but what William described was indeed quite serious. In the end, the giant gave up on stopping William. After all, she would be sent to Professor McGonagall shortly, and the spell would surely be dispelled then.
By the time William stepped into the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall was assigning tasks to a group of house-elves. From the thick stack of parchment in her hands, it was clear she was extremely busy today.
"Professor William? You're here so early?"
Professor McGonagall's voice was filled with pleasant surprise.
"Excellent," the professor exclaimed as she pulled a sheet from the stack of parchment in her hand. "The school's stock of candles is running low. Could I trouble you to go to the Owlery and send this order form to the general store in Hogsmeade?"
Professor, it's my first day, and I'm not familiar with the layout. Isn't it a bit much to press-gang me into service already?
William took the order form while stepping aside to reveal the Gryffindor following behind him. She had been hiding in his shadow since entering the Great Hall.
"Professor McGonagall, there was a small problem with the train."
"The train?" Professor McGonagall was taken aback. Then she suddenly remembered the ticket she had sent to William.
"What happened?"
Her expression immediately turned stern.
"Two students were blocked from the platform and missed the train. After inspecting it with Ministry of Magic investigators, we found it had been deliberately blocked, but we couldn't find who did it."
"Miss Granger was blocked? And the other? Which House are they from?"
"No, Miss Granger wasn't blocked. Her two friends were. Miss Granger slipped off the train when I disembarked, so I brought her here early."
"Slipped off the train?"
Professor McGonagall's eyes showed surprise, but she instantly thought of more.
"Two friends? Are you referring to Potter and Weasley?"
"According to her, yes."
"And what about them?"
The professor's tone grew urgent.
"If the information I received from the Ministry of Magic investigators is correct, the two of them are in a flying car, currently floating above the Hogwarts Express."
"Merlin's beard!"
William swore that for a moment, he had the illusion of seeing an angry eagle.
"Slipping off the train, chasing the school train in a flying car…"
William felt the figure beside him shrink as Professor McGonagall muttered to herself.
(end of chapter)
