Chapter 2- The Flying Car (Reprised)
Rose bent her head down to dodge the way of the leaves and the vines as she entered the greenhouse. Robert Lane picked up one of his magic books and instructed Rose to turn to page 24. Today she was learning all about the Draught of Peace potion.
Fittingly, she learned it was a potion to help calm the nerves. 'Perfect' She thought to herself, 'With all these exams coming up I'm going to need this one.'
"Now," Robert explained, "Typically you need to be a fifth year for this potion but seeing as your insane work load being as it is the Ministry of Magic has given us approval to administer this potion to you early. You're going to need powdered moonstone," Robert pointed to a powder in a small brown bag that was tied up "And unicorn horn and porcupine quills-"
Robert was cut off when the door to the greenhouse slammed open. Rose jumped out of her seat and was astonished to find Fred, George, and Ron Weasley standing alongside Bridget in the doorway.
"What on planet Earth…." Robert Lane's voice trailed off.
"Sorry to barge in on you like this Rose," Ron said, "But we've got to go get Harry."
Rose's eyes widened. She nodded. "Sorry Mr. Lane," Rose said, "I've got a feeling this is kind of an emergency."
Robert Lane tried to speak but stuttered. "Now, just one minute, how do you all think you're going to get Harry?"
Fred pointed out the window and Robert Lane nearly dropped a pound of powdered moonstone when he saw a flying blue car floating casually in plain sight.
"Now, this is not a good idea…" Rose couldn't hear the rest of Robert Lane's voice as she followed the Weasley's out the door. As the five of them headed out the door they could hear Bridget's father call out: "Bridget, if your mother were here you know she wouldn't approve of this!"
They all rushed out of the home to the flying car. Rose turned to Ron.
"What have they done to Harry?" She asked him.
"They've put bloody bars on his window! And they haven't been letting us speak to him at all!" Ron exclaimed.
"What?" Rose asked in disbelief "He's been getting my letters just fine."
Ron shrugged in response. She suddenly felt a familiar warm touch on her shoulder- it was George. She smiled up at him.
"Hey." She said and hugged him quickly, "We've got to go."
"Yeah, only one problem, this car isn't going to fit all of us." Fred said.
They all turned to look at Bridget. Bridget sighed and threw her hands in the air. "I always have to miss the adventures don't I? Alright, whatever." She turned on her heels and went back into the house.
Fred scoffed in response to Bridget's sassiness.
"Come on!" Ron urged, and once the car had floated down to pick them up, they all clambered inside. Rose was squished next to George in the backseat, Fred was driving, and Ron was in the passenger side.
"How on Earth did you get this thing to fly?" Rose asked in exasperation as they began to lift off- Rose was actually very afraid of heights and she found herself clinging to George.
"It's an enchanted car!" Fred answered over the roar of the engine and he seemed to be concentrating very hard as he dodged a couple of clouds.
The sun was setting now, which Rose thought was relieved to find as it would lessen their chance of being seen by any Muggles below the sky.
"What's that thing called that Muggles have for a car?" George said aloud "It's like a card type thing-"
"A license you mean?" Rose asked. George snapped his fingers to signify his epiphany.
"Yeah how'd you get that?"
"It's honestly a very boring process." Rose replied. They all gasped as Fred dodged another cloud abruptly.
"Sorry!" He exclaimed.
They all fell silent as they passed over the city of London. Rose thought about what a life she had been thrown into- she was in a flying car going over one of the biggest cities in the world and had the best view of it. The stars were shining brightly over London bridge and she could see stretches of the Thames River going on for kilometers. She had found that she had leaned into George and they were now both watching out the window.
"Rose," Ron asked and she was awakened from her train of thought, "Do you know where we headed?"
"Yes, erm, number 4 Privet Drive," Rose paused, "It's, uh, in Surry."
She watched as George whispered something into the dashboard and smiled back at Rose. "No problems now the car will get us there on it's own."
And just like that the engine revved and they dipped down letting out another cry amongst themselves. The car sped up through the sky and slowly the buildings were becoming more and more familiar to Rose as they neared her suburb of Surry. Alas, when she could see the Dursley's car parked outside a home on Privet Drive, Rose moved up next to Fred and pointed down "There!" She yelled. Fred stepped on the pedal and pulled up next to a window. Rose gasped. Those evil people had in fact put bars on her brother's window.
Harry's eyes widened in surprise when he saw Rose's face. He gestured to the bars not knowing what to do. That was when pulled out a piece of rope from under the seat and handed it to Fred who tied a knot over the bar. Rose noticed that George had grabbed hold of her waist to keep her safely inside the vehicle. Rose liked how his hands felt around her waist.
"On the count of three…" Fred said and drove the car away from the window, a bar instantly popped off. Harry rushed to bring Hedwig and his Hogwarts suitcase closer for his escape.
"One more time!" Ron urged. Fred nodded and moved towards the window again and revved back up once more. The bar had popped off. George opened his door to get the window open for Harry who was already getting up on the window- just then Uncle Vernon slammed open the door and ran towards Harry.
"Hurry Harry!" Rose shouted out and grabbed Hedwig's cage to put in the backseat. George took the suitcase. Rose reached for Harry's hand just when Uncle Vernon had touched the back end of Harry's foot-
"OH NO YOU WON'T BE GOING ANYWHERE WITH YOUR FREAKY FRIENDS OF YOURS!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Rose looked to Fred in panic.
"You got him?" Fred asked. Rose held tightly unto Harry's hand "Uh huh" She said uncertainly and Fred kicked the car into gear, pulling Harry out the window. George quickly helped Rose get Harry up into the car in the back seat and they watched as the force of the car made Uncle Vernon fall down into the bushes on the street below.
"Good on us." George sighed relief and shut the door once Harry was safely in the back seat.
Rose smiled at Harry and gave him a long hug.
"You'll tell me about it later," Rose whispered to Harry who nodded in full agreement.
"Where to now?" Fred asked once the car had lifted up back into the clouds. Rose could see Aunt Petunia and Dudley rushing out to help Uncle Vernon.
"Home." Ron answered.
"The Burroughs you mean?" George asked.
"That's it, exactly." Fred replied. "Alright Matilda off to The Burroughs."
"Fred," Rose asked sardonically, "Did you really name the car Matilda?"
"What's it to ya?" He shot back. And the two of them bickered about Matilda as the car continued to glide across the London night sky back into the British countryside en route to the Weasley's home. Rose felt completely at peace here, sitting next to Harry and George and arguing with Fred and she wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else really.