A.N. — Here lies an empty date in canon, so it was a blank in my outline for this story too. But I got a few stellar ideas. This one was received first, so it slots in here. The other goes into October, where all haunted/spooky things lie in wait. And boy, did I have fun with this one.
254. The Whomping Willow
The Whomping Willow didn't hold its limb damage against the flying Ford Anglia. It logically placed the blame with the magicians who flew and enchanted the car in the first place.
Despite leeching off Hogwarts' ambient magic and gaining sentience (in decades, not centuries, thank you very much!), the Willow disliked that its habitat was unnaturally altered. As a being of nature, the Willow preferred things in pristine, untouched condition. Untouched included herself, and the students didn't respect that, poking her in a particular knot repeatedly.
How would they like it if she poked them in a private place, huh?