Y/N spent much of the next day trying to think of exactly how they were going to rescue Harry if they needed to. He'd sent his address back off to Ron with an additional note saying that they'd need to be back as soon as possible to ensure he was not caught by his mother, but he didn't know Ron's plan.
'Maybe there's someone near where Harry lives whose house is hooked up to the floo network?' suggested Hermione after Y/N had told her of his worries. Well, more like she'd forced it out of him, she was getting very good at reading him.
'Maybe, but I feel like he'd have told me if that was the case because I'd need to get there. But he said they were going to come pick me up. As long as they don't come crashing out of our fireplace, that's just asking for trouble.'
'I doubt they'd be that foolish,' said Hermione, but she didn't even look like she believed that sentence.
Y/N sighed and turned to stare at the door into the back garden. He wanted to help, he really did, but his mother would tear through him if he was caught, possibly even stop him going back to Hogwarts, and that was the last thing he wanted.
He felt a hand wrap around his own and he looked into the eyes of his best friend.
'You'll figure it out, Y/N, I know you will. You'll get Harry out of whatever situation he's in. We both know he wouldn't ignore us for this long on purpose, there has to be something.' He wrapped his hand back around hers and squeezed.
'You want to try chess? I'm an easier opponent than Ron and if we practice hard enough, we may even be able to crush him next year.'
That evening, Minerva retired to her room at the same time Hermione and Y/N did. Y/N found himself lying in bed staring at the roof above it. He was waiting, listening out for any noise, trying to figure out when and how Ron and the twins would be arriving.
Not long after he'd first settled in however, he heard a faint knock on his door. He crept over and opened it to find Hermione there.
'Can I come in?' he nodded and stepped aside, letting her enter. She moved over to the chair at his desk and Y/N seated himself at the edge of his bed. 'Still no sign of them?'
'Nothing. What are they playing at? We only have so much of the evening, and I don't know how far away Harry lives but I'm fairly sure it's probably a distance.'
'Maybe they've forgotten? Or been caught? Could be that their mum found them before they actually managed to start their rescue attempt,' said Hermione.
'Well I can't give them all night; I'll end up falling asleep if nothing happens.'
'We'd best keep you entertained then,' came a voice from the window.
Y/N and Hermione span around. There, hovering right outside of Y/N's window, was a flying blue muggle car. In its driver window was Fred with George behind him, and watching them from the back seat was Ron.
'I swear to Merlin,' said Y/N as his face hit his palm.
'You can swear to him in the car,' said Fred. 'We're running late.'
'Course we are,' said Y/N, turning his eyes onto Hermione who immediately pressed the pouch of floo powder into his hands. 'I nearly forgot about this!'
'Good thing I didn't,' she said and smiled at him.
'You're a life saver,' and he pulled her into a quick hug. 'I'll see you later,' and he instructed the Weasley's to land in his back garden. He crept downstairs and snuck out just as the car landed. Ron opened the back door and Y/N slipped inside, and with a low quiet rumbling the car took off into the skies once again.
'Hiya Y/N!' said George brightly from the front seat. 'Been a while mate.'
'Good to see you both,' said Y/N grinning back. 'And you Ron. So what on earth is this?' and he gestured vaguely around him.
'Dads,' said Ron. 'He works in the Ministry, Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office, he's obsessed with anything Muggle. He got this off one of his raids and has been fixing it up. We figured he wouldn't mind us borrowing it to go get Harry. I think this is the first time it's been used to be honest.'
'Well that's reassuring,' said Y/N as the car lurched.
'Sorry!' called Fred. 'My fault, I haven't exactly passed my- what do Muggles call it? Driving test?'
'How's Hermione?' asked George, smirking at him.
'Perfectly fine,' said Y/N, staring George dead in the eye as if challenging him.
George held his eyes for a few moments before laughing and shrugging.
'Won't mock you for liking a girl, mate,' he said, leaning back into his chair.
'Well, we would,' said Fred.
'But doesn't look like it'll work well on you,' continued George.
'So we'll just poke fun at her when we see her instead,' finished Fred.
'If she curses either of you, I'm not reversing it,' said Y/N.
'Oh please, if she can come up with a curse that we haven't already been hit with or used on other people, I will be in shock. Pretty sure we've seen every spell in existence barring the unforgivables.'
'And how have your summers been?' Y/N said, dragging the conversation off himself and Hermione.
'Alright,' answered Ron. 'Ginny hasn't shut up about Harry all summer, keeps wondering if he's going to come and see us and if she can get him to sign her notebook. Pretty sure she's written him a poem in there, could have sworn I heard her reciting something when I walked past her room.'
'Going to give her a heart attack when you show up with him. You'll be dragging her off him,' laughed Y/N.
'Nah,' said George. 'She's all talk our Ginny, she'll do all these things thinking she can get his attention, but I guarantee the moment she sees him she'll panic and lock herself away in her room. Remember that time when she told us she'd be better than us at Quidditch one day, Fred? Still never seen her on a broom.'
'What's it been like living with the deputy headmistress?' asked Fred
'Same as ever. She's still my mum, me starting school hasn't changed much. She had another go at me over Quirrell, but I notice she doesn't seem too bothered when she's staring at the house cup. Hermione doesn't know how to act around her though. Keeps calling her Professor accidentally. Speaking of, any of you heard about Gilderoy Lockhart?'
All three of the Weasleys groaned.
'I'll take that as a yes.'
'Mum loves him,' groaned George 'She won't shut up about him whenever he comes on the wireless for something, most charming smile award or a book signing. Honestly, you'd think she wasn't married when he's mentioned.'
'Then I'm afraid I have some very bad news for you. Apparently, he's signed up for the Defence position. In fact, he's the only one who has.'
'Oh no,' said Ron. 'She's going to be insufferable.'
'Mum reckons he's going to have us buy all of his books for the school year. Hermione and I are planning on dropping by the Alley on the 16th to pick up all our stuff, assuming we have our lists by then obviously. He's meant to be doing a signing and we want to get an early look in at what we'll be dealing with.'
'We'll let mum know and see if we can go the same day,' said Ron, 'doubt it'll be difficult to convince her if that melt is doing signings.'
'What does Hermione think of him?' asked Fred. 'He seems to attract a lot of witch's attention.'
'Called him good-looking first-time mum mentioned his name, but after mum had a bit of a rant and called him a fraud, she seemed to change her tune. She doesn't seem as keen on him now that she knows mum isn't.'
'I mean, McGonagall wouldn't just call people a fraud for no reason, would she?' asked George and Y/N shook his head.
'No, that's not her style, there will be a reason. I'm just worried she's going to be right. Can't say I want an arrogant teacher with no idea of what he's doing.'
'Easy classes,' shrugged George.
They spent much of the rest of the trip talking about Lockhart's books and what the new year may bring. Y/N was enjoying catching up with Fred and George. It was nice to see Ron too of course, but it'd been a long time since he'd had a proper conversation with the twins.
Before long, the lights of civilization began to dim as the night got later and they began to sink.
'If I'm right,' said George as he stared at a map he had open. 'We're about 5 minutes out.'
They soared over the houses of Little Whinging before eventually Ron called.
'There!'
Y/N pressed his nose against the window and could also see it faintly, a sign at the end of a street below them read 'Privet Drive'.
'Number four wasn't it?' said Fred as he steered the car up the street. Ron nodded, and they floated along towards the house.
'Think I've found him,' said Y/N angrily. On one of the upper windows towards the side of the house was a window that had bars bolted into place over it. 'Can't believe Harry has to put up with this.'
They floated closer to the window and glancing in, Y/N could see Harry in his bed. He looked like he was muttering something.
'Harry!' he hissed, tapping on the window but Harry didn't move. He grabbed the window and began rattling it, this seemed to get a reaction though Harry still didn't wake. Fred leant out the driver side window and began tapping on the window as well. Finally, the figure began to stir.
His eyes fluttered open and he looked at Y/N.
'Y/N!' he breathed, creeping over to the window. 'How did you-?' but he stopped as he looked at the three accompanying Y/N and what they were in.
'All right Harry?' asked George.
'What's been going on?' called Ron from over Y/N's shoulder. 'Why haven't you been answering my letters? I've asked you to stay about twelve times, and then Dad came home and said you'd got an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles-'
'Wait what?' said Y/N, spinning around to look at Ron. 'We've been travelling for like an hour and a half and now you choose to mention that part?'
'It wasn't me,' said Harry, cutting across Y/N. 'And how did he know?'
'He works for the ministry,' said Ron. 'You know we aren't meant to use magic outside of school.'
'You lot can talk,' said Harry, looking at the car.
'Blame them,' said Y/N, gesturing at the Weasleys. 'I just got conscripted into this, and apparently not told everything either.'
'Harry can explain once he's out of there,' said Ron, 'and this isn't ours, its dad's, we didn't enchant it.'
'Look, can you tell them at Hogwarts that the Dursleys have locked me up and won't let me come back, and obviously I can't magic myself out, because the Ministry'll think that's the second spell I've done in three days, so-'
'Shut up Harry,' said George as Fred repositioned the car.
'We've come to take you back with us,' said Ron.
'But you can't magic me out either,' said Harry.
'Harry, look who's driving,' said Y/N impatiently.
'Tie this around the bars,' said Fred, throwing Harry a piece of rope. 'And stand back.'
'If the Dursleys wake up, I'm dead,' said Harry.
'Don't worry so much,' said Fred. 'We've done this before.'
'You have?' whispered Ron as Harry backed off into his room.
'Nope!' said George happily as Fred span the car around and drove away. The car stopped dead as the rope tightened and then a moment later there was a crunching sound and the bars came free from the window. Y/N and Ron grabbed the rope and hauled it into the back of the car with them.
They floated back to Harry's window and backed right up against it.
'Get in,' said Ron.
'But all my Hogwarts stuff, Hedwig.'
'Where are they?' asked Y/N.
'Cupboard under the stairs. The Dursleys locked them up.'
'No worries, out of the way Harry,' said Fred and George as they crept into Harry's room through the window. It was quite impressive. Y/N clambered over between the two front seats and took the wheel, getting them as close as possible to the window without hitting it.
He watched as Fred and George made their way across Harry's room and seemed to unlock his door, Harry whispered something to them before he began rushing around his room grabbing anything that was in there and passing it out to Ron.
Y/N was trying to learn how to control the car. He was okay with the wheel, that made sense and he thought he knew what two of the pedals did, but there was a third one he didn't understand, and there also seemed to be a stick on his right that was locked in place. It felt like it should be able to move, it just didn't.
Just as Y/N thought he had most of it figured out, Fred and George returned.
'Feeling brave?' smirked Fred as George climbed into Y/N's old seat and began pulling Harry's trunk, Fred was pushing it from in the bedroom.
'Not even slightly,' said Y/N. 'But if we need a quick getaway.'
A few more seconds of effort later and Harry's trunk slid into the back with George and Ron, George clambered through into the passenger seat and Fred hopped into the back.
Harry was just about to climb through the window when there was a screeching noise from his bedroom and Y/N heard someone shout in one of the other bedrooms.
'I forgot Hedwig!' called Harry and he quickly span around and grabbed her cage. He passed it through to Ron just as his bedroom door flew open.
Y/N saw the round face, and handlebar moustache of Harry's uncle stare at them in horror as Harry began climbing through the window again before he cried out and lunged at Harry' grabbing his ankle.
Fred, Ron, and George all leant back and grabbed Harry and started pulling.
'Petunia!' roared Harry's uncle. 'He's getting away!'
The Weasleys all gave one massive pull and Harry's leg slipped out of his uncle's grip. The moment Harry was in and the door was closed, Y/N span the wheel and pressed his foot to the 'Go' pedal.
The car lurched forward and began making a louder sound than usual, the car sounded like it was trying to imitate a lion.
'Left pedal, Y/N!' called Fred from the back, Y/N placed his foot down on it and George reached out and moved the stick into a different position. The roaring noise quieted, and the car sped away from the window.
'Was wondering what that one did,' said Y/N as he glanced down at the stick.
'Whenever you hear the roaring sound or see a light pop up, just move it to the next number,' said Fred. 'Not sure if that's right, like I said, I never passed any test. That was working for me though.'
Harry had leant out the window to call something back at the now diminishing form of the house and he relaxed back inside, looking ecstatic.
'Let Hedwig out,' Harry told Ron. 'She can fly behind us; she hasn't had a chance to spread her wings all summer.' Fred leant over and a moment later Hedwig soared out of the window alongside them.
'What's been going on then?' Ron asked Harry.
Harry launched into a story about a house elf by the name of Dobby that had apparently dropped by to warn him not to return to Hogwarts, the elf had been so insistent that he had used a hover charm to drop a large cake on the head of one of Harry's Uncle's dinner guests. Harry's Aunt and Uncle had believed it was his fault, as had the ministry, hence the warning. The elf had apparently also been intercepting every piece of mail sent to Harry.
'Very fishy' said Fred once Harry was done.
'Definitely dodgy,' said George. 'So he wouldn't even tell you who was planning all of this stuff?'
'Kept saying he couldn't,' said Harry. 'Every time he said anything or even got close, he started hitting himself with something.'
'House Elves are servants,' said Y/N from the drivers seat, following the general directions George was giving him. 'They can't disobey their masters, can't even say bad things about them, even if they want to. They're bound by an enchantment. It's quite barbaric to be honest but most of them seem to like it. There's a bunch who work in the kitchens in Hogwarts, mum told me. They love it apparently.'
'Oh yeah' said Fred. 'Super helpful, me and George go down their all the time. Ask them for anything and they'll get it for you. Quickly too, can give you fully roasted meats in about five minutes.'
George looked a little bit off at this however and shared a look with Fred.
'You think he was lying to me?' asked Harry.
'Well, from what we know of the Elves they'd never speak ill of someone, like Y/N said they're bound by an enchantment. He could have been put up too it. Commanded to tell you not to return and just to make a show of it, some kind of practical joke or something. Can you think of anyone at school with a grudge against you?'
'Yes,' said Harry and Ron together as Y/N laughed.
'Draco Malfoy,' Harry explained. 'He hates me.'
'Draco Malfoy?' said George, turning around. 'Not Lucius Malfoy's son?'
'That's him,' said Y/N.
'I've heard Dad talking about Lucius,' said George. 'He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who.'
'And when You-Know-Who disappeared,' said Fred, 'Lucius Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of dung. Dad reckons he was right in You- Know-Who's inner circle.'
'I don't know whether the Malfoys own a house-elf…' said Harry.
'Well, whoever owns him will be an old wizarding family, and they'll be rich,' said Fred as Y/N nodded from the front seat.
'Yeah, Mum's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing,' said George. 'But all we've got is a lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the garden. House elves come with big old manors and castles and places like that; you wouldn't catch one in our house.'
'Going to have to meet that ghoul one day though,' said Y/N excitedly. 'Never met anyone who had one before.'
'He's nothing special,' said George.
'He's annoying,' said Ron grumpily.
'Ron lives directly under him,' said Fred. 'Always keeps him up at night.'
'I'm glad we came to get you, anyway,' said Ron, ignoring Fred. 'I was getting really worried when you didn't answer any of my letters. I thought it was Errol's fault at first.'
'Nearly bloody was,' said Y/N. 'Nearly knocked himself out twice on my roof. He's a menace.'
'Who's Errol?' asked Harry.
'Our owl. He's ancient. It wouldn't be the first time he'd collapsed on a delivery. So then I tried to borrow Hermes-'
'Who?'
'The owl Mum and Dad bought Percy when he was made prefect,' said Fred.
'But Percy wouldn't lend him to me,' said Ron. 'Said he needed him. So I borrowed Ves instead.'
'Excuse me?' said Y/N spinning around. 'When exactly-'
'Percy's been acting very oddly this summer,' said George, cutting off Y/N. 'And he has been sending a lot of letters and spending a load of time shut up in his room… I mean, there's only so many times you can polish a prefect badge. You're driving too far west, Y/N,' he added, pointing at a compass on the dashboard. Y/N span the steering wheel.
'So does your mum know you're out driving a muggle car through the air, Y/N?' Harry asked him.
'Course she doesn't, you think I'd still have a head on my shoulders? Hermione's been staying at mine for the summer and I've got her covering for me, assuming it doesn't get too late into the day of course.'
'Hermione's okay with this?' asked Harry, incredulously.
'Not even slightly,' said Y/N, 'but she'd rather know your safe than tell me off. And by me, I mean Ron.'
'And does your dad know you've got the car?' Harry asked, turning to Ron.
'Er, no,' said Ron, 'he had to work tonight. Hopefully we'll be able to get it back in the garage without Mum noticing we flew it.'
'I still need to borrow your fireplace remember, Ron,' said Y/N.
'What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyway?' asked Harry.
'He works in the most boring department,' said Ron. 'The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office.'
'The what?'
'It's all to do with bewitching things that are muggle-made, you know, in case they end up back in a muggle shop or house. Like, last year, some old witch died, and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. This muggle woman bought it, took it home, and tried to serve her friends tea in it. It was a nightmare. Dad was working overtime for weeks.'
'What happened?'
'The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all over the place and one man ended up in the hospital with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was going frantic, it's only him and an old warlock called Perkins in the office, and they had to do Memory Charms and all sorts of stuff to cover it up.'
'But your dad, this car.'
Fred laughed. 'Yeah, Dad's crazy about everything to do with Muggles; our shed's full of Muggle stuff. He takes it apart, puts spells on it, and puts it back together again. If he raided our house he'd have to put himself under arrest. It drives Mum mad.'
'That's the main road,' said George, peering down through the windshield. 'We'll be there in ten minutes. Just as well, it's getting light…'
'Brilliant,' said Y/N as he began to steer the car downwards, glancing over towards the pinkish hue that was now beginning to appear on the horizon.
'We're a little way outside the village,' said George as Y/N brought the car sweeping over the nearby fields. 'Ottery St. Catchpole.'
Y/N brought the car even lower, winding it in between the trees and shrubbery nearby.
'Blimey Y/N,' said Fred from the back. 'Ever thought about trying out for Quidditch? You'd make a good chaser if you can fly a broom this well.'
'Not really my sport,' said Y/N. 'Haven't even been on a broom in a while, if I can borrow one of your brooms I may join for a practice or two, see what it's like? See if I can figure out what all the fuss is about.'
'Touchdown!' called George as the car sunk into a grassy patch next to a rather shabby looking garage.
They all got out, and Y/N and Harry glanced up at the Weasley's house.
It was a tall house that looked as though it had be built, and then built on, and built on as more room was needed until eventually what was left was a winding, sloping tower of rooms, chimneys, and windows. Y/N thought it looked magnificent, and apparently so did Harry.
'It's not much,' said Ron.
'It's wonderful,' said Harry.
They began moving forward towards the towering house, a sign on the grassy fields out front displayed 'The Burrow'.
'Now, Ron, you and Harry, go upstairs really quietly,' said Fred, 'and wait for Mum to call us for breakfast. Then, Ron, you come bounding downstairs going, 'Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see Harry and no one need ever know we flew the car. Y/N we'll lead you to the fireplace and help get you out.'
'Right,' said Ron. 'Come on, Harry, I sleep at the top-' but Ron stopped as his face began to go a nasty greenish colour.
'Oh Merlin,' said Y/N, his eyes following Ron's as the other three whipped around.
Mrs. Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for being such a short, plump, kind faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a vicious animal.
'Ah,' said Fred.
'Oh dear,' said George.
Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty Weasley face to the next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket.
'So,' she said.
'Morning, Mum,' said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice. Y/N facepalmed.
'Have you any idea how worried I've been?' said Mrs. Weasley in a deadly whisper.
'Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to- '
All three of the Weasleys were much taller than their mother, but much like Minerva McGonagall, she had a power when she was angry. A power to make anyone shrink away from her.
'Beds empty! No note! Car gone, could have crashed, I was out of my mind with worry but did you care? Never, as long as I've lived. You wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy- '
'Perfect Percy,' muttered Fred.
'YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!' yelled Mrs. Weasley, prodding a finger in Fred's chest. 'You could have died, you could have been seen, you could have lost your father his job- '
The shouting went on for a while. Y/N knew he had to get back soon but he didn't dare move. Despite the tirade not being aimed at him, he could feel himself glued to the spot.
At last she turned on him and Harry, Y/N gulped.
'I'm very pleased to see you, Harry dear,' she said. 'And it's a pleasure to meet you too, you must be Y/N? Minerva McGonagall's son?' Y/N nodded weakly. 'Come inside and have some breakfast won't you?'
'I appreciate it Mrs. Weasley but I really do need to get back, I only came to help drop Harry off, can I borrow your fireplace?'
'Of course dear, come on in, both of you.' And together, Harry and Y/N moved off after the four Weasleys, three of whom were not taking their eyes off their shoes.
They were led into a small, rather cramped room with a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle. Mrs Weasley gestured Harry to one of the seats and then lead Y/N through to their sitting room, where she pointed her wand at the fireplace and it roared into life.
'Thank you so much Mrs Weasley,' he said. 'And sorry about the car.' But she shook her head.
'Not your fault dear, you were just asked to help and I'm glad to see Harry safe.' Y/N breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped into the fire, throwing a pinch of his floo powder down beneath him.
'Good morning Y/N,' came a voice from one of the armchairs by the fire as he stepped out. Y/N's heart froze. Sitting there in the chair was Minerva, her eyes locked onto his own from over the top of her spectacles, and behind her, sitting at the table, with a very apologetic look in her eyes was Hermione. 'Did you have a nice trip?'
