~7~
Harry stirred as the Knight Bus pulled to a screeching halt. He heard Stan stuttering nearby.
" 'Ello there! How would you like a bit of hot chocolate, on us, for your..." Stan suddenly stopped talking, but Harry could hear him still breathing heavily. Harry glanced over to Mrs. Figg's bed, where she was no longer snoring, but lying stiff as a board. He thought he heard her "sshhh" him, but he wasn't sure.
A tall figure in a dark cloak stepped into the aisle and started walking slowly, each footstep thudding loudly on the purple carpet. Harry closed his eyes, in an attempt to appear as if he was sleeping. The footsteps stopped, and peering through his squinted eyes, Harry saw the figure at the foot of his bed. In a harsh attempt to keep his breathing under control, he found his chest aching and trembling.
To his relief, the figures continued, and eventually, he heard them walking upstairs. Mrs. Figg quietly and quickly jumped out of her bed, wand ready by her side, already repaired. Harry did the same and began towing his trunk to the door. Stan stood still, his lower lip shaking slightly, his eyes transfixed on some uncertain point behind them. Mrs. Figg paid them 20 sickles over in her haste, or maybe out of goodness.
"Take good care of yourselves," she whispered and whisked out of the purple Knight Bus. Harry jumped out onto the dirt. It squished underneath his old tennis shoes.
He had no idea where they were. It was a vast expanse of grass and trees in the distance at the end of the dirt path in one direction. Mrs. Figg and Harry both turned to look in the other direction. At the end, far off, was a little village glowing softly against the rough, majestic forest.
Harry stirred as the Knight Bus pulled to a screeching halt. He heard Stan stuttering nearby.
" 'Ello there! How would you like a bit of hot chocolate, on us, for your..." Stan suddenly stopped talking, but Harry could hear him still breathing heavily. Harry glanced over to Mrs. Figg's bed, where she was no longer snoring, but lying stiff as a board. He thought he heard her "sshhh" him, but he wasn't sure.
A tall figure in a dark cloak stepped into the aisle and started walking slowly, each footstep thudding loudly on the purple carpet. Harry closed his eyes, in an attempt to appear as if he was sleeping. The footsteps stopped, and peering through his squinted eyes, Harry saw the figure at the foot of his bed. In a harsh attempt to keep his breathing under control, he found his chest aching and trembling.
To his relief, the figures continued, and eventually, he heard them walking upstairs. Mrs. Figg quietly and quickly jumped out of her bed, wand ready by her side, already repaired. Harry did the same and began towing his trunk to the door. Stan stood still, his lower lip shaking slightly, his eyes transfixed on some uncertain point behind them. Mrs. Figg paid them 20 sickles over in her haste, or maybe out of goodness.
"Take good care of yourselves," she whispered and whisked out of the purple Knight Bus. Harry jumped out onto the dirt. It squished underneath his old tennis shoes.
He had no idea where they were. It was a vast expanse of grass and trees in the distance at the end of the dirt path in one direction. Mrs. Figg and Harry both turned to look in the other direction. At the end, far off, was a little village glowing softly against the rough, majestic forest.