𝐀𝐈𝐌 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐘┊ᴴᵃʳʳʸ ᴾᵒᵗᵗᵉʳ

33 ✥ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘

The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Crystal, who was still sitting on the trunk, blankly looking up at the bus with her mouth open. She came back to her senses and scrambled to her feet tightly gripping her wand.

Close up, she saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than she was, maybe eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples.

"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner.

"I was sitting," said Crystal.

"On trunk?" sniggered Stan.

"Uh, yes," said Crystal, awkwardly. She quickly peeked around the bus, to stare at the alleyway on the other side of the road, between the garage and fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty.

'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.

"Nothing. . . Absolutely nothing. . ." said Crystal finding the alleyway empty.

"Woss your name?" Stan persisted.

"Clara, Clara Reese," said Crystal, not wanting to reveal her name in this situation, "So-so this bus," she went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes anywhere?"

"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, long's it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. 'Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"

"Yes," said Crystal quickly, trying to sound fine but her hand was getting worse and needed immediate treatment. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"

"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen, you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the colour of your choice."

Crystal took the money from her pocket and shoved some silver into Stan's hand. Stan lifted her trunk and she took Cash's cage, up the steps of the bus.

There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-panelled walls.

"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Crystal's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Clara Reese, Ern."

Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Crystal, who nervously looked back at him thinking whether it was the right choice to take the bus.

Indeed, it proved to be one of the scariest rides she had ever been on. By the time they reached the Leaky Cauldron, her head spinning as Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel.

◆◇◆◇◆

Fudge marched Crystal along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlour. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.

"Sit down, Crystal," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire.

"Thank you," Crystal sat down, feeling goosebumps rising on her arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite Crystal.

"The last we met was the day you were announced as the heiress of Calisto," said Fudge and Crystal nodded.

Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Crystal left the parlour, closing the door behind him.