The Truth | Draco Malfoy

Chapter 5: The Whomping Willow

"Her name is Jean." Zoe told them.

The screen showed Zoe's face, her eyes widen. The screen showed her point of view. She saw the Anglia fly past the window, for a brief second she saw red-hair and black-hair. "Harry and Weasley. Typical." She scoffed.

"What do you mean, typical?" Harry asked.

"Gryffindors." Zoe shrugged, as if that answered everything - it did to the Slytherins.

***

As Hogwarts Castle came into view, the Anglia entered frame.

"Welcome home, Harry." Ron said.

Harry smiled at the sight of it, when the Anglia groaned. "Just out of interest, Ron. Have you ever landed a car before?" Harry asked.

"Well... no. but, until a few hours ago, I'd never taken off in one either." Ron smiled, sheepishly. With that, the car lurched, the nose dropped. "Uh oh." Ron muttered. Harry, Ron and car go pitching through the night. As Ron raked the gears, they hurtled madly towards the castle wall.

"IT'S NOT WORKING!" Ron screamed.

"UP! UP!" Harry panicked.

"UP! UP!" The marauders repeated.

Ron shifted the gears desperately. The Anglia lurched up, barely clearing the castle wall. Harry and Ron exchanged a look of relief, when the car groaned again, lurched... downward.

"MIND THAT TREE!" Harry yelled.

Down below a Giant Willow Tree loomed. Ron shifted gears.

"That's not any tree." Remus muttered, remembering when it was planned.

Nothing.

"TURN! TURN!" Harry reached over and, together, he and Ron spun the wheel. But it was useless. The car was heading straight for the tree. Desperately, Ron whipped out his wand and whacked the dashboard.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" Ron demanded.

The wand snapped in two and the car met the tree. Harry blinked. They hung dreamily, balanced on the highest limb.

Molly, Lily, Arthur and James sighed in relief. Their sons were okay.

"My wand! Look at my wand!" Ron cried.

"Be thankful it's not your neck." Albus Severus said.

"Be thankful it's not your neck." Harry muttered.

Something heavy hit Harry's door, sending a shudder through the car. "What's happening?" Ron asked.

"The Whomping Willow is happening." Zoe said.

Slowly, they looked up and, in disbelief, watched one of the tree's branches pull back, curl into itself, and come lashing forward like a massive fist. "Aaaaahhhhh!" The boys screamed.

The Anglia tilted crazily, slid backwards and free-fell through the air and landed on lower grid of branches. "What kind of tree is this?" Ron asked. Before Harry could respond, the tree began to pummel the car from all sides, tossing Henry and Ron about like popcorn. Windows shattered. Heavy dents appeared on the roof above Ron and Harry's heads. Then the car fell again, slamming heavily to the ground. Instantly, the tree's lower branches shoot through the front and rear windscreens and, gaining purchase, began to shake the car back and forth.

"Start driving!" Lily, James, Molly and Arthur yelled.

"Aaaaahhhhh!" They screamed

The tree pitched the car into the air. As the Anglia slammed down again, bobbing on its squealing shocks, the engine burbled back to life. Harry looked up, peering through the shattered windscreen. The willow's branches, as one, reared back, ready for one last punishing blow. Harry cried out. "Reverse! Reverse!"

Ron shifted the gear and the car shot backwards, and the willow pummelled the tread-marked ground they just vacated. Safely clear, the doors flew open, the seats tipped sideways, and Ron and Harry are ejected. As they hit the ground, their trunks flew from the boot, Hedwig's cage rocketed out the back window, and Hedwig herself flapped into the night. Taillights blazing angrily, the battered car sped off, fishtailing into the Dark Forest.

"Dad's going to kill me." Ron muttered.

"Honestly, I'm just glad you're okay." Arthur said; Ron smiled at him.

They heard a tremendous groan, turned back, and saw the Whomping Willow assume its natural form, waiting for its next victim.

"That tree is so terrifying." Barty said. Everyone agreed.