Harry and Ron awake the Friday morning to Fred and George shouting.
"Mum will be furious Ron!" yells Fred.
George hands them the the morning Daily Prophet.
=== ARTICLE ===Harry Potter and his close friend Ronald Weasley were expelled late Thursday evening from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Finally achieving his goal, Severus Snape has managed to get Harry Potter expelled. All decent people are appalled by the actions that this convicted Death Eater has taken to humiliate the boy who lived. Once again, Severus Snape has acted in the best interests of You-Know-Who.
================Ron says, "Well, I guess I won't return to the Burrow."
Hermione enters and says, "It's already seven thirty."
Harry and Ron quickly dress.
Harry says, "Hedwig, I'm leaving today. You can fly or take the train in a cage. Your choice."
Hedwig gives Harry an affectionate nip and flies off.
Harry stuffs Hedwig's perch into his backpack.
"Where are your trunks?" asks Fred.
Ron replies, "Well, I don't need it anymore and the wood does make for decent fire material."
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Gia exit the dormitory. On the way down the stairs, their fellow ex-schoolmates line the halls as a token gesture.
Dumbledore and other teachers are waiting in the Entrance Hall.
"Miss Granger?" asks McGonagall.
"I will share the same fate as Harry and Ron." says Hermione.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione hand Dumbledore their letters. Hermione also surrenders her wand.
Dumbledore reads their resignation letters with a frown. He says, "I will consider all three of these later. Miss Granger, consider yourself suspended like Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley."
"The Prophecy?" asks McGonagall.
"We must be the wrong students." says Harry.
"Get Neville to lead it." says Hermione.
"Albus, this is madness and half the students are threatening to follow in their footsteps." says McGonagall.
"Good, then I can cut the staff. The governors have been pressuring me about our expenses." says Dumbledore.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Gia board the carriage and it heads for the train station.
"It is still not too late. Will you return?" asks Lupin, already in the coach.
Ron says, "It is too late. We will not be returning. With those letters, Dumbledore has no choice in the matter."
"It's been nice knowing you Lupin." says Harry.
Lupin says, "Same here. I wish we were parting under better circumstances. It's been nice knowing the four of you." He shakes hands with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Gia.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Gia board the train and it starts to move.
Harry and Ron pass the time play Exploding Snap. About one, the speaker starts to crackle with an announcement.
The voice of Draco Malfoy rings out, "We're sorry. This train will be momentarily experiencing technical difficulties. We will be derailing on a scenic bridge. Passengers are advised to kiss their asses goodbye. That is all." Draco accidentally leaves the speaker on.
"Draco, you enjoyed that." says the voice of Voldemort.
"Come on son, you can't Apparate yet." says Lucius Malfoy.
Harry and Ron see the figure of Draco flying away from the train on a broom. Quickly, Harry and Ron retrieve their Firebolts. They mount the Firebolts.
"Come on!" says Harry.
Reluctantly, Hermione and Gia get on. Together, Hermione, Ron, and Harry blast a hole in the side of the train. The train starts to shake and shudder. The train jerks to the side and starts to plunge. Harry and Ron fly out of the train and just under the bridge. At the end of the bridge, they dart along, up the hill.
They see the wreckage of the Hogwarts Express burning. Harry and Ron head for Catchpole to the best of their reckoning.
"That was close." says Hermione.
"Just wait for tomorrow's Daily Prophet." says Ron.
"Are you going to submit again?" asks Harry.
"No. The Hogwarts Express does not crash, period. It requires someone to make it crash." says Ron.
"Especially given that we were supposed to be on board." says Hermione.
"We nearly were." says Gia.
Ron says, "Gia, the Hogwarts Express is usually very safe. It cannot crash on its own accord. Dark Arts can. Hermione, aren't you glad that your trunk is in my pack?"
Hermione says, "Yes, otherwise it would be burning right now. I suppose you're adding breaking the secrecy decree to your list. Flying in broad daylight?"
Harry says, "We have already been expelled. Besides, a crashing Hogwarts Express is an emergency."
Ron says, "We are approaching Muggle villages, fancy the clouds?"
Harry and Ron fly upward.
"What the?" asks Hermione, grabbing Ron tighter.
"Hermione, don't break my ribs." says Ron.
"Interesting mode of travel. Cross country by broom." says Gia.
"If anybody prefers the burning train, we can go back." says Harry.
Harry and Ron reach the clouds and increase speed. They continue to fly for hours. Periodically, they swoop below the clouds to get their bearings.
It's evening when Harry spots Catchpole and Stoatshead Hill. They swoop down and land in the yard of the Burrow. They stop to hear a vivid conversation from inside.
"Dumbledore assured me the plan was safe." says Molly.
"Relatively safe." says Arthur.
"Albus wrote this morning. They handed him letters of resignation! He won't accept them of course, but this plan is really stretching! Whatever Ron is hiding must be serious." says Molly.
"Will you and them mellow about this? Like I said before, Harry may be famous but that gives us no right to poke in his affairs. Whatever it is, Ron intends to keep it between him and Harry. A true friend." says Arthur.
"If this were any less important, Albus and I would agree." says Molly.
"Molly, why must everything about Harry be published in the Daily Prophet? We know expulsion won't work and I doubt that the threat of a Killing Curse would do any good." says Arthur.
"Don't talk about the Killing Curse! Ron has had numerous mortal peril alerts this week and the Hogwarts Express crashed! They've already pulled one body out of the burnt wreckage. What about Ron and the others?" says Molly. She starts sobbing.
Ron enters the Burrow and says "Hi Mum!"
"Ronald Weasley, don't 'Hi Mum' me. You have been suspended from Hogwarts!" says the now scolding Molly.
Harry, Gia, and Hermione enter. Ron says, "Guess we'll leave then. Mind if we use the fireplace?"
"It is nice to see that you're alive, but weren't you on the train?" asks Molly.
"Yes, we left before it crashed." says Harry, holding up his Firebolt.
"You-Know-Who crashed the train after Malfoy had a bit of fun." says Hermione.
"They did? So, why the suspensions?" asks Arthur.
"The teachers didn't like us sneaking out of Hogwarts." says Ron.
"Or giving Voldemort a UHP membership packet." says Harry. Arthur and Molly flinch.
"You gave You-Know-Who the packet? That means you had to get close enough for his thumb." says the very irritated Molly.
"At the time, he was speechless." says Ron.
"Molly, that is why the Ministry was called Wednesday night. We Apparate to find You-Know-Who and a circle of Death Eaters all bound and unconscious. Those name tags were a nice touch boys." says Arthur.
"Which is why we are suspended and about to be expelled." says Ron.
"Dumbledore didn't mention this when he wrote about your suspension." says Molly.
"If you'll excuse us, we do need to see my parents." says Hermione.
Ron is holding the baby. He says, "So this is Edward. His red hair is coming in already."
"Maybe he won't get expelled like an older brother of his." says Molly.
Ron says, "Hmm, guess I'll be around as a perfect role model. Harry, we need to start teaching him some tricks."
"Oh no you don't." says Molly and she grabs Edward from Ron.
Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Gia head to the fireplace. Gia is a bit nervous, but she goes through with Harry.
They emerge out of the fireplace at the Grangers. Linda and Charles Granger are on the sofa in the living room.
"What the? You are supposed to be at Hogwarts." says Linda.
"Hi Mum and Dad." says Hermione. She explains the suspensions and the teachers' plot.
"So are you suspended? Expelled?" asks Charles.
Hermione replies, "The Headmaster has informed us that we have been suspended. Although we are aware of their plan, why refuse a holiday?"
"Hey Hermione, mind if I use your phone?" asks Gia.
"Go ahead." says Hermione.
"We wish we could take holiday whenever. With scheduled appointments, it's a real hassle when they're not planned." says Linda.
"Harry, Brian says they're going hiking tomorrow. Care to join?" asks Gia.
Harry replies, "Sure. Can Ron and Hermione come?"
"Yes." says Gia.
"Sure" says Ron.
"Okay" says Hermione.
Ron calls Molly using the fireplace. Her head appears.
Ron says, "Mum, we will return sometime Sunday. Bye."
Molly says, "Ronald Weasley, you have been suspended. This is not a holiday."
Ron says, "Mum, that is true. However, I will spend the weekend here. Bye."
Ron tosses in some powder and the angry face of Molly disappears.
Hermione whips, "Ron, you just love trouble too."
