"Hey there! The car is over here!" The leggy young woman in the sundress
called out. The bright sun caught the auburn highlights in her hair and the
short, flirty skirt of the dress fluttered in the wind. The three young
people, accompanied by the tall man in the suit gaped at the transformation
of Kate Rhys. She was leaned up against an automobile that was a positively
indecent shade of red.
"Is this what your High Council deems suitable transportation?" The
man asked in a British accent.
"Council-schmouncil. This is my car. I've wanted a Mustang for heaven
only knows how long, and I have finally gotten one. The 'rents took off for
New York this morning, it was easier to leave from there than Washington,
you know. So we have Cannon Hill and the entire surrounding area all to
ourselves... no other witch or wizard has the balls to approach a twenty-
mile radius of the place. So, hop in, I'll get us onto the interstate, and
we'll be in good old G-town in about two hours, give or take traffic and a
couple anti-speed detection spells. This baby purrs even better than my
cat. Well, what are you waiting for? I am most definitely not taking you
four sight-seeing. Not till I am properly attired.... in jeans and a tee
shirt."
"I don't think that's the problem, Kate," Harry said. " Ron's not used to cars like that; you've heard about the Anglia. Frankly, I love it."
"Of course you love it, it is a Mustang! Now, you three in the back. The front passenger's seat is the only one with enough legroom for the Professor. Pile in!" Kate herded the people her age into the cherry red convertible. Snape opened the door to the passenger side without assistance. "Hell, I even got my nails done for this!" Kate grumbled laughingly and got in. She put on her seat belt, motioning for the others to do the same. Then she threw the car into gear, pulled out of the parking lot, and zipped down the road. She looked at Professor Snape. He was sitting with his hands clenched on the armrest and his eyes staring blankly at the road. Laughing, Kate leaned over and played with the radio till she found a station she liked. She looked at him sideways, hit the gas and said, "Heigh-ho silver!" Then she cranked the music and they very nearly flew. The three teenagers in the back seat adored the pick-up and speed the car had. Kate herself reveled in it. It was flying without ever having to leave the ground, and her hair was loose and she was at the wheel. It was absolutely hilarious to see the only adult in the car completely terrified, like he had accidentally gotten onto the roller coaster which had nine upside down loops. He breathed a sigh of relief when they stopped for lunch somewhere in the wilds of Maryland. "I will take care of the bill, and for pity's sake, behave yourselves," Kate said, "You all should be able to read the menu. Just don't order grits or chitlins and we will all survive. Personally, I suggest slippery chicken soup... it's chicken and dumplings, and really very good. I have to put more gas in the 'stang. I trust you can find us a booth or something?" Snape rolled his eyes. Less than an hour into the 'vacation', she was already ordering them around as though they were idiots or children. And what was her mother thinking when she let a sixteen year old out in that dress? She was asking for trouble. He let the children sit at an open table, preferring a booth for himself. Kate came in and motioned him over to the table where she sat herself at the head. The foot was empty, save for a chair. "We must keep up appearances. You're supposed to be looking after us. The chaperone." She said pointedly, with her trademark brow raised. She smirked when he got up and sat down at the foot, glowering. "Much better. Now, where is our server?" Kate said, looking about for a waiter. The young man appeared, dressed in the uniform of the restaurant. "How can I help you today? Can I get you some drinks?"
"Four vanilla Coke's and an ice tea with lemon. No, wait, make that three vanilla Coke's and two iced teas with lemon." She shot the young man a dazzling, 100 watt smile. He rushed off at once to take care of it. "You'll like this place. It's a bit out of the way, but I prefer places like this to McDonalds or other fast food. I hope you don't mind I ordered drinks? The Coke's for everyone but the Professor and I. I'm trying to cut down on soda." "No, Kate, we don't mind. I know I have no clue what I'm doing. Order around all you want," Ron said. She grinned in return and looked at the menu. She knew precisely what she wanted. The food was not as good here as it was at Farnsworth House, but then, nothing really was.
"I don't think that's the problem, Kate," Harry said. " Ron's not used to cars like that; you've heard about the Anglia. Frankly, I love it."
"Of course you love it, it is a Mustang! Now, you three in the back. The front passenger's seat is the only one with enough legroom for the Professor. Pile in!" Kate herded the people her age into the cherry red convertible. Snape opened the door to the passenger side without assistance. "Hell, I even got my nails done for this!" Kate grumbled laughingly and got in. She put on her seat belt, motioning for the others to do the same. Then she threw the car into gear, pulled out of the parking lot, and zipped down the road. She looked at Professor Snape. He was sitting with his hands clenched on the armrest and his eyes staring blankly at the road. Laughing, Kate leaned over and played with the radio till she found a station she liked. She looked at him sideways, hit the gas and said, "Heigh-ho silver!" Then she cranked the music and they very nearly flew. The three teenagers in the back seat adored the pick-up and speed the car had. Kate herself reveled in it. It was flying without ever having to leave the ground, and her hair was loose and she was at the wheel. It was absolutely hilarious to see the only adult in the car completely terrified, like he had accidentally gotten onto the roller coaster which had nine upside down loops. He breathed a sigh of relief when they stopped for lunch somewhere in the wilds of Maryland. "I will take care of the bill, and for pity's sake, behave yourselves," Kate said, "You all should be able to read the menu. Just don't order grits or chitlins and we will all survive. Personally, I suggest slippery chicken soup... it's chicken and dumplings, and really very good. I have to put more gas in the 'stang. I trust you can find us a booth or something?" Snape rolled his eyes. Less than an hour into the 'vacation', she was already ordering them around as though they were idiots or children. And what was her mother thinking when she let a sixteen year old out in that dress? She was asking for trouble. He let the children sit at an open table, preferring a booth for himself. Kate came in and motioned him over to the table where she sat herself at the head. The foot was empty, save for a chair. "We must keep up appearances. You're supposed to be looking after us. The chaperone." She said pointedly, with her trademark brow raised. She smirked when he got up and sat down at the foot, glowering. "Much better. Now, where is our server?" Kate said, looking about for a waiter. The young man appeared, dressed in the uniform of the restaurant. "How can I help you today? Can I get you some drinks?"
"Four vanilla Coke's and an ice tea with lemon. No, wait, make that three vanilla Coke's and two iced teas with lemon." She shot the young man a dazzling, 100 watt smile. He rushed off at once to take care of it. "You'll like this place. It's a bit out of the way, but I prefer places like this to McDonalds or other fast food. I hope you don't mind I ordered drinks? The Coke's for everyone but the Professor and I. I'm trying to cut down on soda." "No, Kate, we don't mind. I know I have no clue what I'm doing. Order around all you want," Ron said. She grinned in return and looked at the menu. She knew precisely what she wanted. The food was not as good here as it was at Farnsworth House, but then, nothing really was.
