Chapter 5

It was like riding a bike. Magic was just one of those things you never forgot. She stood on the kerb and took a deep breath then held out her wand arm, with a loud bang the Knight Bus appeared in front of her. The door opened and a pimply young man stepped out wearing a purple conductor's uniform.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you wherever you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening."

Rebecca smiled at the falsely professional manner Stan adopted.

"May I take your trunk ma'am?"

"Thank you," she said as the two of them began to heave her heavy trunk onto the bus.

"How much is it to go to Hogwarts?"

"Er. well, it'll be a bit more seein' as it's overseas from here."

"That's fine. How much?"

"Just make it a Galleon, but for two Sickles more you get 'ot chocolate, and for another two more you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush."

Rebecca put a slender hand into her moneybag and handed Stan some gold and silver.

"Fanks, ma'am." Stan led her to a bed near the front of the bus.

"Just a couple o' stops first."

Another bang and they were off. Rebecca had ridden on the Knight Bus enough times not to be upset by the sudden lurches and leaps it made and settled down to sleep, but try as she might, she could not manage to drift off. Thoughts of Sirius and Harry filled her head.

After about half an hour Stan came over with her hot chocolate.

"You from London?" Stan asked, curiously wondering at her bizarre accent.

Rebecca shook her head. "Glasgow, but I've been living abroad for... some time."

"Whatcha goin' to Hogwarts fer?"

"I am going to speak with the Headmaster."

"You with the Ministry?"

"No."

Stan was silent. Rebecca wondered why he wasn't up at the front with the driver. Why he was asking her so many questions.

"Tell me," said Rebecca, trying to be polite, "Does Ernie Prang still work on this bus?"

"Yep, how? Do you know Ern?"

"I used to travel on the Knight Bus a lot, Ernie was a conductor back then."

"Yeah? He's driving now."

"He used to tell the funniest stories."

"You wanna come up front and see 'im?"

"I don't think that's such a good..."

"Ern, lass here knows you," Stan interrupted, bellowing at the driver.

Ernie took a double take, throwing the Knight Bus about half a mile in the wrong direction as he did so. Rebecca held onto her chair to keep from falling.

"Rebecca Carus?" Ernie said, disbelieving. "Is it really you?"

"It's nice to see you again Ernie."

"Fourteen year." Ernie whistled through his teeth. "I remember like it was yesterday, you getting on this here bus for your first day o' Hogwarts." Enrie blinked stupidly and seemed to recall himself to the present moment. His countenance changed and he looked upon Rebecca with an aspect of decided mistrust.

"So whatcha comin' back now fer? It's no a very good time to come back what with all the arguments wi' Dumbledore and the Ministry." His tone was less than friendly and he looked at her through narrowed eyes. There was no need to ask where Ernie's loyalties lay. He was devoted to the Ministry and would tell anyone who would listen how Cornelius Fudge himself had collected Harry Potter from the bus.

"I'm here to help, Dumbledore wrote to me and asked me to come back."

"Did 'ee now?" Ern looked her in the eye. "Is that really why you're back? It aint anything to do wi' that Sirius Black?"

"Dumbledore wrote to me, that's the only reason I'm here." The Knight Bus lurched through mountains and woods and thudded to a halt at the gates of Hogwarts School. Rebecca felt the nerves of a first year as she left the bus and moved towards the gates.

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Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling