Chapter Three

Arriving at Platform nine and three quarters, the family and Harry hurried along the platform towards the barrier between nine and ten. Making sure no one was around, Fred and George ran straight at the wall and disappeard through it. Next Percy and then Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with Ginny.

"Alright mate, our turn," said Ron.

They cheked to make sure the coast was clear. When Harry noticed an old lady sitting on a bench right in viewing range, Harry ran up to her screaming and flailing his arms about at her. Terrified she hurried off.

"Just like with pidgeons," he remarked.

The coast was clear.

They both took off at top speed. Crash!

They hit the barried full speed.

Bouncing back, Harry shook his head and looked up. Ron was plastered against the wall. Getting up and brushing himself off, he went to the wall and began to peel Ron off it. He gave him a good shake, much like a blanket, and Ron popped out again and was okay.

"Why do you think we can't get through?" Ron asked.

"Maybe we have to pay that troll over there," Harry pointed to a slumped figure leaning against the barrier.

"Harry, that's a homeless woman."

"Oh."

Stepping out into the parking lot, they set their stuff by the Weasley family car.

"What do you think we do now?" Ron asked.

"We could always fly there. Your mum and dad can Apperate home."

"Yeah!" That was it. They were going to fly. High into the sky, over roof tops and then dive deep into the sea. Okay, maybe not quite like that, but close.

--"I can show you the world," Harry sang.

"Harry, I swear to Merlin if you don't stop singing that song, I'm going to fling you from this car," Ron warned.

Harry stopped and scowled, crossing his arms.

Ron ignored him.

Harry noticed and began to kick the dashboard.

"Harry. Don't make me pull this car over..."

He gave another good kick, sticking out his tongue.

"That's it!"

--Back in the car, there was a rather red faced Ron and a bruised and sniffling Harry.

"I'm sorry." Ron broke the silence.

Harry turned to look out his window, wiping his nose on the back of his hand.

"You okay?" Ron continued.

"You want to go get some ice cream?"

Harry shook his head.

"No? Maybe some cotton candy?"

Harry chook his head again.

"Well, we're almost there. I think. Where's that damn Hogwarts Expressive?!"

Suddenly Hedwig let out a screech that sounded like, "Shiiit!"

Ron and Harry spun around. Right behind them was the train they were looking for.

To avoid being hit, Ron turned the wheel so fast the car rolled and Harry was flug out his door, clinging to the handle.

"Harry! You fell out of the car!" Ron cried.

"No shit Sherlock! Help me!"

Ron reached over out the door and grabbed Harry's hand.

"What are you doing?!" cried Ron when Harry began hitting at his hand.

"I don't know. I saw people do this in the movies," said Harry.

"Yeah, when they want to be let go of!"

"Oh."

With a good tug, Ron managed to pull Harry back into the car.

"Woah, that was some scary ass stuff there," said Harry.

--It was late when they finally arrived at the Hogwarts grounds. All the windows were lit and the lights in the Great Hall were dancing around; the feast had already begun.

About to land, the car began to jerk violently. Ron tried grabbing the wheel, but the wheel was doing it's own thing. They were flung about in the air before violently crashing into a tree.

"Well, it's a good thing trees can't hit back," said Ron brushing glass from his shirt.

Harry pointed out the window.

Wrong. Trees could hit back. At least this one could.

With the force of a million seagulls, the side of the car was slammed and dented in. Harry and Ron screamed. A branch came in from the back window, shook hands with Ron and exited back out.

The car was lifted even higher then slammed to the ground.

"Yeah! Take that bitch!" the tree shouted.

Harry and Ron were flung from the car. Next their stuff and Hedwig came flying out at them. The car honked and took off into the forest.

--"So a House Elf shows up in my bedroom, we can't get through the barrier on Platform Nine and Three Quarters and-" Harry and Ron were cut off. There, standing in front of them was Argus Filch; the school caretaker and every students worest nightmare.

"Well, well. What do we have here? Oh, dear, we are in trouble..." He smiled, his nasty yellowed teeth showing. "You're coming with me. I think Prefessor Snape would like a word."

Harry and Ron gaped. Great...On top of encountering Filch, they had to go see the dreaded Professor Snape.

--"What are you two doing?" Filch asked back, leading them to Snape's office.

"Listing things we'd rather do that talk to snape," replied Harry.

"I'd rather shove bamboo under my fingernails, than talk to Snape," said Ron.

"I'd rather shove a pinecone forwards up my ass, than talk to Snape," added Harry.

Filch held a hand up to silence them when they reached Snape's office.

Entering, Harry and Ron looked around. Iron maidens, chains, leather straps? What the hell went on in here?

Hermione appeared suddenly from the adjacent room looking flushed.

"Hermione?! What are you doing here?" Ron asked, incredulous.

"She just came from the Great Feast, right?" Snape looked at her.

She nodded and left. Ron and Harry just stared at eachother and Snape. Snape and Hermione pairing?! How incredibly messed up that is! That's just one imagination that needs to be put down...Shut it down people; shut it down...

"You were seen my no less than seven muggles!" Snape said, tossing the news paper on his desk.

"Actually, it was more like eight-"

Ron nudged Harry in the ribs. Mmm, ribs. Now Ron was hungry. He lit one up just a few moments after Hermione walked out and everyone was trying to work out the awkward tension.

"You two have damage a tree that's been around since before you were born..."Snape hissed.

"Honestly Professor, I tink it did more damage to us!" exclaimed Ron.

"Ne, ne, ne, ne, ne," Snape mocked.

"Now," he composed himself, "It is most unfortunate that I don't have the authority to expel you, but lucky for you, the people who do are on their way right now," he sneered.

Harry and Ron felt their hearts drop.

While they waited in silence, Harry was looking around until his eyes fell upon a piece of paper on the ground by Filch's feet. Filch wasn't paying any attention, so Harry bent down to pick it up.

'Are you completely incompetent at even casting the simplest of spells? Have you been told 'what's the point of being a wizard/witch?' Well then we have the programme for you!' The paper was sudden;y snatched from his hands. A fuming Filch was crumbling the paper and shoving it back into his pocket. Before he could say anything, the dungeon door opened.

In walked Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonnagle.

"Headmaster," Snape greeted. "These boys have flouted the decree for underage wizardry; as such-"

"I am well aware of our by-laws Severus, having wrote several of them myself," Dumbledore's eye twinkled. "Now if you'd be so kind to proceed Professor McGonnagle."

McGonnagle stepped forward.

"We'll go pack out shit then..." Ron moped.

"What are you talking about Mr. Weasley?"

"You're going to expell us aren't you?"

"Not today, Mr. Weasley."

Harry and Ron beamed.

"But I will be writing home and points will be deducted from Gryffindor."

Ron's lighter than air feeling came craching at the thought of his parents reading about what happened. Ron thought he felt his nuts fall off at the thought.

--Heading back to the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron met up with Hermione who was coming out of the girls bathroom. They thought it best to just pretend that they didn't find her in Snape's office. "So how are you?" Harry asked. "I'm doing just fine. Busy summer. I had to come back early for-"

"We don't want to know," Harry and Ron said in unison.

"I was going to say to find my books that I left here," she gave them a pointed look.

The trio together again, they headed back to the common room.

"Ah! There you three are!" A famliar voice called down the hall. It was Just About Completey Headless Nick, floating irredecently towards them.

"I have a favor to ask you three."

Harry, Ron and Hermione stood there, wondering what on Earth Nick could want with them. Maybe if they weren't so impatient I could get to that?!

"I have a Death Day party coming up and a bunch of my friends are going to be there and I need you three to come and act like I'm really scary."

"But you are really scary," said Ron. Nick's irredecent eyes shimmered as if filled with tears. "Thank you, young man."

"Well, I don't know if-" began Harry.

"Come, come! Out with it already. I don't have all day. I have this parrot that seems to be malfunctioning or something and I need to go see someone about it."

The three looked at eachother, deciding, then realizing that this meant a lot to Nick.

"Ok, sure. We'll be there."

"Great!" Nick beamed. "It'll be tomorrow at four in the storage closet right over there," he pointed.

They decided to run back to the common room before anyone or anything else catches up with them.

Tomorrow was the start of term, and Harry just looked forward to catching up with his friends; other than Ron and Hermione. They were ok, but you know...they can get kind of annoying after a while...