Chapter 5

Trouble on the train

Everyone was running about, trying to do things at the last minute. It was only an hour until 11 o'clock, and they still hadn't left the house yet. Dumbledore, who knew about poor Mr. Weasley loosing his job, had provided Mr. Weasley with a large car that they would all ride in to King's Crossing. "Bless his heart," Mrs. Weasley had said.

Ron was trying to find Pig, his owl, who had strangely disappeared. Hermione was trying to get Crookshanks to stop tearing at her potion's essay, which she was hastily trying to shove into her luggage.

"Crookshanks, no!" she wailed. "I've spent all summer writing that!" Unfortunately she only managed to save half of it. But it probably wouldn't be a problem, since she had used three rolls of parchment, instead of the one that was required.

Percy on the other hand was sitting and relaxing while he watched everyone dash back and forth.

"Are you coming with us to King's Crossing?" Harry asked, as he spotted Percy in the hallway.

"Of course I am," he said, as if it was obvious. Harry found it rather odd that he would want to come along. He had been shut up in his room all day. But Harry had more important things to worry about.

"All right everyone, in the car, we can't miss the train," Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs. She handed everyone a piece of toast as they walked out the door.

"But mum, I can't find Pig!" Ron howled from upstairs.

"Don't worry about it, we'll send him to you when you get there," Mrs. Weasley hollered back. "And get down here would you, we're going to be late!"

Half a second later Ron came bustling down the stairs, carrying his trunk with clothes and papers sticking out the sides in one hand, his wand and Pig's empty cage in the other.

They all pilled there things in the trunk and hopped in the car. It resembled the flying car Mr. Weasley owned, before Ron and Harry had crashed it into the whomping willow. It was similar because, it was larger on the inside than it was on the outside. Though it was a good sized car, it wasn't nearly large enough for all of the Wesley's, plus Harry and Hermione.

"Are we all in? Good," Mr. Weasley said, not bothering to wait for an answer. Luckily, everyone was in; but he had hit the gas pedal before Harry had a chance to get settled so he was throw back and plastered to the seat of the car as they sped down the street.

"All right there Harry," Percy said, who had decided to sit next to Harry.

"Fine, thanks," he said as he peeled himself off the seat. Percy, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George were all sitting comfortably in the back seat. While Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Hermione occupied the front seats. It was a very nice car, with leather interior. Dumbledore had been very generous to lend it to them. The Weasley's tried to tell him they wouldn't need it, but Dumbledore wouldn't let them. He insisted that they drive it. He said it wasn't a good time of year for them to be using Muggle transpiration, so they finally gave in. Harry almost knew for sure half the reason was to make sure Harry had a safe trip to the train station.

"Hurry along now," said Mrs. Weasley. They all hustled down the cobbled path, stopping between platforms nine and ten.

"No time to be discreet," Mrs. Weasley called. They didn't need telling twice. They quickly formed a line, and one after the other, they ran through the brick wall that led to platform nine and three-quarters.

Two minutes to eleven, they all boarded the shinny red Hogwarts express. They had a hard time finding a compartment, making there way to the back of the train they passed by an open compartment containing Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe. Malfoy had his tall pointed black hat pulled over his ears. Most likely to hide his pink hair. Ron snickered as they passed, and Malfoy threw him a look of hatred.

Finally, at the very back of the train, they found an empty compartment.

"This should be nice," Hermione commented.

"Yes, we haven't had a compartment entirely to ourselves since our first year," said Harry. They stowed away their trunks and sat down. The train was speeding along now. They had made it on just in time.

"Finally we are alone, no one here to bug us, I'm sick of Ginny following us around all the time. It gets really annoying."

"Oh stop it Ron," said Hermione. She nudged him with her elbow. "She is your sister you know."

"Exactly," Ron said.

"Oh, don't start again," Harry moaned. "Let me do the talking. Besides, there was something I wanted to tell you when we were in the pub, but I never got around to it."

"What about," asked Ron excitedly.

"Well, you see," he started; he wasn't sure where to begin. "When we were traveling to Diagon Alley, I came out of the fireplace, inside the Hog's head."

"At least you didn't end up in Nocturne alley like last time," Ron commented.

"Oh no, I don't have anything against the Hog's Head, but there was this strange man sitting in the corner."

"What did he look like," asked Ron.

"Well, I was getting to that."

"Honestly Ron, do you have to interrupt everything?" Hermione said, annoyed.

"It's OK, really," Harry said. He just wanted to stuff a cork down each of their throats. He thought they argued a lot before they started liking each other, that was nothing compared to now.

"Not really," Hermione continued. Ron glared at her.

"Go on Harry," Ron said.

"Like I said, there was a strange man sitting in the corner of the pub. I couldn't see his face, because he was wearing a very dark hooded cloak. Then he started to walk towards me and-"

"He didn't hurt you did he?" Hermione asked in a worried voice.

"Who's interrupting now?"

"Oh shut up Ron. Sorry Harry, please continue." She glared at Ron.

"Um, oh yeah. Then he started to walk towards me. I thought he was going to tell me off or something, but he stopped and said "Hello...Harry Potter."

"How did he know your-," Ron began to speak but was cut short when Hermione nudged him in the side with her elbow.

"His voice was snake like and he hissed. And when I shook his hand, oh it was icy cold." Just thinking about it made a chill go down Harry's spine. "Then, he just stood there, staring at me, so I left."

"That's odd, who do you think he was?" Hermione asked.

"Dunno, but he-," said Harry.

"How did he know your name?" Ron asked.

"That's the same thing I've been wondering," Harry said.

Just then all the lights went out and the train came to a sudden stop. There was a loud thud.

"What's happening," Hermione shrieked. She grabbed hold of Ron.

"It's all right Hermione, the train just seems to have stopped."

"Why have the lights gone out then," she asked Ron.

"How should I know. You OK Harry," Ron asked peering through the dark, trying to see if Harry was still there.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Harry from on the floor. He had fallen off the seat when the train stopped.

"Maybe I should go see what's going on-,"

"No Harry, you can't!" Hermione yelled. She was still squeezing Ron.

"And why not?"

"Because, just stay here will you?"

"Fine," Harry snapped, frustrated.

Just then the compartment door slid open, and Harry could see a hooded figure stooped over them.

"Follow me," the voice hissed. Harry knew in an instant it was the man from the pub. Osric Dougal. Though he didn't say anything yet.

They quickly filed out of the train, along with all the other Hogwarts students, who were now standing out in a grassy plain in the middle of nowhere. Everyone looked scared and worried as they squinted in the bright sunlight.

"Silence!" Osric yelled. Everyone who was talking stopped and looked in his direction.

"Our engineer, Bill, iss going to follow through with the sstandard emergency proceduress. If every one will pleasse lissten up for a moment."

"That's him," Harry whispered into Ron's ear. "That's the man from the pub."

"But it can't be," Ron whispered back. "Why would he be on the Hogwart's Express? You don't think he is following you do you."

"Maybe he is, he did seem rather interested in me when we spoke before, but-,"

"Don't you get it?" Hermione cut in.

"Get what?" Ron whispered.

"Obviously, if he's riding the Hogwarts express and we have never seen him before, he must be the new defense against the dark arts teacher."

"Of course," Harry said. "That must be why he knew who I was."

"Harry, honestly. Don't you think? There isn't one witch or wizard alive who doesn't know who you are," Hermione said as she smirked.

"You're right," said Harry. "I don't know what I was thinking. But, he did seem highly suspicious."

"Wait a minute," Ron said. "Where is everybody?"

Where there once stood a thousand students, was now nothing but an empty field. While Harry, Hermione, and Ron had been chatting; everyone else had gone.

"They must have already left again for Hogwarts," Hermione said.

"But how did they get there?"

"I don't know Ronald, but maybe if you wouldn't talk so much, we would have been able to hear what was going on!" Hermione began to shout.

"Please, maybe if I-,"

"No Harry, I'll handle this ok?" Ron said forcing a smile.

"Oh no you won't Ronald! I am not just some thing, to be handled!"

"Listen Hermione-,"

"No, you listen Ron, why do you have to be so...so,"

"So what?"

"So...I don't know, but you always, you are just so-,"

Hermione's words were cut off as Ron kissed her. Ron felt more confident this time, though he still felt rather embarrassed to be kissing in front of Harry. Hermione again, was the one to pull away and brake Ron's moment of glory.

"Uh Ron, this really isn't the time." Hermione blushed.

"Ok...um, so....anybody got any ideas?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, actually I do," Harry said. "I was thinking, maybe we could use my broom, and you know, fly to Hogwarts."

"Fly, cool!" said Ron. "But...how will we all fit on your firebolt?"

"Oh, right. I didn't think about that."

"I know a simple enlarging charm that should do the trick." Hermione stated.

"Alright then, all we need now is our luggage and the broom."

Harry used his wand to summon their things from the train. The train was still sitting idle on the tracks.

Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it at Harry's broomstick. She muttered a few words and the broom handle shot out a couple of feet.

"Now," she said. "We'll just lighten up our load." She muttered another spell, then attached the luggage to the end of Harry's broom.

Harry mounted first, so he could steer, then Hermione and Ron.

"Everybody ready?" Harry asked.

"Are you sure we're not going to fall off?" Ron said nervously.

"Relax Ron, this isn't quidditch, I won't go too fast."

Ron grabbed on to the back of Hermione, and they were off.

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