The Boy Who Couldn't See: Year 2

The Whomping Willow

The end of summer comes way too quickly for Harry's liking. He's looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts but his month at the Burrow has been the happiest of his life. When he thinks about the Dursleys and how he's going to be treated when he gets back next summer, he feels a pang of jealousy toward Ron, though he never voices this.

On their last evening, Mrs Weasley cooks a big feast that includes all of Harry's favorites, ending with a large treacle pudding. Fred and George end the night with a firework display that Harry has to listen to for half an hour. They drink one last mug of hot chocolate and then head to bed.

They wake up at dawn and even though they had been completely packed the night before, there seems to still be so much to do.

Finally, they all pile into the car — which has been magically expanded to fit everybody's luggage and everybody themselves. Mrs Weasley is none the wiser as to why exactly the car is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside and Harry thinks it's quite funny that she doesn't know it's magic. By the time everybody grabs what they forgot — George with his Filibuster fireworks, Fred with his broomstick, and Ginny with her diary — they're running late and tempers are running high.

They reach King's Cross with fifteen minutes to spare and by the time trunks are on trolleys and they're standing in front of the barrier, they only have five minutes. Percy goes first, then Mr Weasley, and then Fred and George. Mrs Weasley goes with Ginny.

"We've only got a minute," Ron says to Harry.

"Go!"

Ron starts walking quickly and then they're running and then —

CRASH!

Harry is knocked off his feet and he hears Hedwig fall with a clatter onto the ground, screeching indignantly as she rolls away.

"What in blazes d'you think you're doing?"

Harry turns his head in the direction of the voice, gasping for breath, "Lost control of the trolley," he sits up, clutching his ribs.

Ron runs off to grab Hedwig, who is causing such a rukcas that people are muttering about animal cruelty.

"Ron," Harry hisses.

"I don't know," Ron sighs. "We can't get through. And... oh, bloody hell..."

"Ron, you can't just say that and not tell me what's happening, you absolute —"

"The train's gone. We've missed it."

Harry stops.

Hedwig is still screeching and Harry can feel eyes on them. Harry reaches out and finds her cage, sticking his hand through the bars. She claps her bill at him a few times and nips his fingers before nuzzling against his hand. Harry lets out a sigh of relief at the quiet.

"Mum and Dad — how are they gonna get back? What if they can't? Oh, Harry, this is bad."

"I realize that, Ron," Harry says. "Look, we're attracting too much attention, let's just... go wait by the car or something."

"Harry!" Ron's voice is no longer stunned and scared, it sounds as if he's had an idea. Harry, from experience, knows this can't mean anything good. "The car! We can fly the car to Hogwarts!"

Harry blinks, "Ron, no, we can't."

"We're stuck, right? And we've got to get to school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction of Thingy —"

"But your mum and dad," Harry tries. "How will they get home?"

"They don't need the car!" Ron sounds impatient. "They know how to Apparate! You know, just vanish and reappear at home! They only bother with Floo powder and the car because we're all