Aftermath - Chapter 22 - The Hogwarts Express

"Harry! Harry!" Ron almost shouted as he pushed Harry's shoulder. "Time to get up!"

"I don't want to go to school," Harry mumbled.

"Yeah, well it's too late for that mate," Ron said as he flung open the curtains and let the sunlight in. "You're a ruddy teacher now so no excuses for being late."

Harry groaned and then got up and put on his glasses. "No, guess I can't be late. I have responsibilities now."

"You'll be all right," Ron said, trying to reassure Harry. "Come on, breakfast is ready."

They all ate quickly, and then it was time to wash up, clean up, and scramble for any last minute things.

"How are we getting to London?" Harry asked Ginny as he helped her carry her trunk into the kitchen. He had not even thought of that last night his mind was so full of other worries. He knew they couldn't Apparate since they had so much luggage and Ginny still couldn't do it.

Ginny shrugged. "Dad said he's got it all worked out, said it was a surprise."

George passed them on the way to the hallway to the stairs and had overheard them. He let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, you'll be the surprised ones when the train leaves without you lot."

"Don't talk rot," said Mrs. Weasley crossly as she put on her shawl in the kitchen. "Your father knows what he's doing. Where did he get to anyway? Ah, there he is in the front yard. My word what's that sound!?!"

Then they all heard it, the sound of a motor, and then BANG! A large car, maroon colored and four door, appeared in front of the Burrow, smoking and shaking all over.

"ARTHUR WEASLEY!" Mrs. Weasley shouted as she waved her hand to disperse the smoke. "What in the blazes is this…this….car!?!?"

"Ah, yes," began her husband as he then let out a cough. "Borrowed it from Wellington…ah there he is now."

A large man came out of the driver's side. He was tall and with a larger stomach than Professor Slughorn, with a full head of fair hair and blue eyes, wearing grey robes. "Ah, Arthur, all set are we? Good, good, let's be off, don't want to be late. Ah, hello Molly!"

"Jasper Wellington! Is this your car?"

"Yes, of course, Molly. Arthur mentioned the other day he needed to go to King's Cross Station in London and I offered my car."

"It's not magically enhanced is it?" Mrs. Weasley asked with a suspicious look at the still smoking vehicle.

"Of course," Wellington said as if it was normal to have a magical car. "How else do you expect to get there on time?"

Mrs. Weasley just glared at her husband. He wilted slightly, but held his ground. "Now, Molly, it's perfectly safe, not to worry. Right, Wellington?"

"Most certainly. Actually got the idea from Arthur. Used to rave about his…"

But then he fell silent as he saw Mr. Weasley shaking his head in warning. "About what?" asked Mrs. Weasley in a dangerous tone. "About that Ford Anglia that could fly?"

"Ah, yes…"

"Which got him in a heap of trouble when our son took it for a trip over every Muggle in England?!?"

"Ah, that's the one. Oh…why its Harry Potter!" Wellington exclaimed as Harry came out of the Burrow with his trunk. Introductions were quickly made, with Mrs. Weasley still fuming a bit. Harry and Ron helped Ginny and Hermione with their trunks and then Harry went back to get his cage with Merlin inside.

Soon all was loaded in the maroon car, the trunk wide enough for all. Ron and George and Percy said their goodbyes and Apparated away to work, with Hermione promising to come to Hogsmeade and visit Ron as soon as possible. Bill and Fleur also said goodbyes and after more handshakes and congratulations they Apparated to London, planning to drop by St. Mungos so Fleur could have an examination to make sure all was well with her baby.

Mr. Weasley got in the front seat with Wellington while Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Ginny and Hermione got in the back seat. Merlin's cage was on Harry's lap.

"All set?" asked Wellington and without waiting for an answer they were off. It was much like the ride they had in the Ministry's cars. They countryside flew past in a blur and soon they were on a major highway headed for London. They weaved in and out of traffic and squeezed into spots no regular car could have managed. But then they came upon a snarl in traffic with all lanes blocked. They slowed to a crawl.

"It's 10:40 Arthur!' Mrs. Weasley said with worry. "The train leaves in 20 minutes!"

"Guess we'll have to find another route," said Wellington. "Hold on!" He pressed a few buttons and then in a second they were in the air. Mrs. Weasley let out a shriek and Ginny and Hermione both grabbed Harry's arms and looked with fear out the windows.

"Jasper!" Mrs. Weasley shouted after she got over her surprise. "The Muggles!"

"We're invisible, dear," said Mr. Weasley. Then he cast a worried look at Wellington. "Aren't we?"

"We most certainly are."

After a few moments everyone got over their fright and began oohing and awing at the passing landscape far below. In five more minutes they were over London and soon Wellington had landed the car in a small alley near King's Cross Station, with just a slight bump. He turned off the invisibility feature and in a moment they had pulled up in front of the station. After many thank yous and quick goodbyes, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys were on Platform Nine and Three Quarters, just in time.

The platform was crowded with hurrying children and teens and parents hugging them goodbye. Harry was in for a large number of stares and he was sure there were whispered comments behind his back. Ginny started to say goodbye to her parents and then Hermione spotted Neville talking to his grandmother.

"It's Neville, Harry," Hermione shouted over the din.

"Neville!" Harry shouted and Neville turned around.

"All right, Harry, Hermione?" he said in a cheery voice.

"Yeah," Harry said and looked at Neville's grandmother. "Hello, Mrs. Longbottom."

"Good-day to you Professor Potter," she said as she shook Harry's hand. Then she turned to Hermione. "And I guess it is Professor Granger too, isn't it?"

"Just part-time," said Hermione but it still felt good to be called professor.

"Now you two make sure my grandson does his homework and send me an owl if he steps out of line."

"Gran!"

"No worries," Harry said. "We'll keep an eye on him."

"I know you will," she said. She looked at Neville and then gave him a hug which clearly embarrassed Neville. "Be good, dear. I'll see you for Christmas."

"Bye, Gran." After a quick goodbye to the others, Neville's grandmother left.

"Give us a hand with the trunks, will you Neville?" Harry asked and soon the two of them were lugging the trunks on board.

"Hello, Hermione," came a dreamy voice from beside her elbow. It was Luna Lovegood, dressed in a bright pink sweater and blue skirt accessorized with her radish earrings and butterbeer cork necklace.

"Hello, Luna. Have a good summer?" Hermione asked in a cheery tone. She hadn't seen or heard from Luna since Harry's birthday party.

"Quite good. Father and I went to Scotland looking for the Sharp Nosed Quillow Nook."

Hermione wanted to scream at this absurd statement, but stopped herself and pretended to be interested. "Oh? And did you find it?" she asked, already knowing there was no such thing. Luna and her eccentric father were famous for their belief in things that did not exist.

"We spotted one, in a deep lake, but couldn't catch it," Luna said, sounding disappointed. "Perhaps next year. Are you still dating Ron Weasley?"

"Ah…yes, I am," Hermione replied, taken aback by the sudden shift in topic.

"That's lovely. He's such a funny boy, though a bit mean sometimes. And he was very jealous of you and Viktor Krum, so I heard."

Hermione didn't know whether to be mad or laugh, because everything Luna said was true, painfully true. "Yes, he was, but that was in the past."

"That's nice. I think I'll go find a seat. The train leaves in a few minutes."

And then Luna just skipped away as if she didn't have a care in the world. Hermione looked at her watch and realized Luna was right. She looked around and through the crowd of scurrying students she saw Ginny saying goodbye to her parents and then Harry was at her elbow.

"Come on," Harry said. "Train's about to leave."

"We have to say goodbye."

"Now don't forget to write when you get settled," Mrs. Weasley said as she hugged Ginny. "And you and Harry…well…just be sensible!"

"Of course we will Mum," Ginny said in a casual way that earned her a sharp look from her mother. Then her mother gave Harry and Hermione hugs and Ginny's father hugged her.

"Your mother is right, you know," he said to her quietly so no one overheard. "I know you love Harry, but he's a professor now and you have to remember that."

Ginny knew her father would not say that unless it was very serious. She just nodded. "Yes, Dad. I'll try. But…it's not very fair. I didn't see him for almost a whole year and he was so busy this summer and now…this happens."

"Would you rather Harry wasn't a professor?"

"Well…no, that would be rather selfish of me."

"True. Just remember, you've got your whole lives ahead of you," Mr. Weasley said. Then the whistle for the train blew and after one last hug they were off and on board.

The Hogwarts Express was crowded as usual. Harry felt a bit like he did when he was 11 years old, boarding the train the first time. He was nervous and excited at the same time. It really was almost like the first time he was on board, except Ron wasn't there. But Hermione was and so was Neville and of course he was now joined by Ginny, in more ways than one. They found a compartment where only Luna sat, alone as usual, and it seemed like the other students still treated her with the same distain as in the past, despite her heroics and winning of the Order of Merlin. As they chatted and talked about their summers and plans for the future, and ate things from the trolley, two hours passed before Harry knew it. He wished time would slow down. A whole new life and things he couldn't imagine were before him. It was also a little daunting, knowing by evening he would be a full time Hogwarts professor.

After the second hour, Ginny got up and said she needed to stretch. She gave Harry a knowing look and he said he'd join her.

"No snogging in the corridors," Hermione teased him as he left and Harry shot her a wide eyed look. Then Luna said what Harry was sure other people were thinking.

"Yes, I suppose Harry and Ginny cannot date now that he is a professor."

"Of course they can," Harry heard Hermione say. "Just…well…" And the rest of the conversation was lost as he followed Ginny towards the back of the train. People kept looking at him as he walked and he said quick hellos to a few people he knew. Ginny stopped at the end of the last car, where there was a small spot away from most prying eyes.

"Well," she said as Harry joined her. "I guess we only have a bit of time left."

"Yeah," Harry replied with a heavy heart.

"Unless," Ginny started with a mischievous look on her face. "You give me your father's cloak."

"My…whatever do you…wait a minute!"

She giggled. "Harry, do you really think we can stand to keep our hands off each other for a whole ten months?"

"It won't be ten months," Harry started in a kind of protest. "There's a Hogsmeade visit in October and it's less than four months to Christmas and, and…blimey…that is a long time, isn't it?"

"Very long," she said a bit glumly. "My Dad…well…he said we have our whole lives ahead of us…but I don't think I want to wait. Do you?"

As she said this she put an arm around his waist. Harry just shivered at her touch and knew what he had to say. "Cloak's in my trunk. I'll…"

"No, it isn't," she said quickly, that teasing look on her face again. "I put it in mine last night."

Harry almost laughed, but held himself. "Got it all planned, haven't you?"

"Yes. Just need directions to your quarters now. Sorry if I've been a bad girl. Not mad are you?" She said this last in a little girl's voice and Harry felt his heart beat into overdrive. He leaned into her and whispered in her left ear.

"Miss Weasley, you have stolen a professor's property. You must be punished."

"Yes, professor," she whispered back, her lips close to his ear, hot breath sending a shiver up Harry's spine. "When shall I serve my detention?"

"My quarters," he whispered in her ear. "Tomorrow night after dinner."

"Yes, professor."

Harry took a quick look back along the corridor and saw no one about and then quickly kissed her. "Now run along, Miss Weasley." And as she went past him he playfully smacked her bottom. She turned sharply and gave him a Weasley glare as her face turned red, but then she grinned and with a toss of her flaming red long hair she was gone.

Harry let out a big breathe of air and leaned back against the wall of the rocking train corridor. Was he mad? It was her. She drove him mad! All could go up in smoke, said one voice inside his head. I don't give a hoot, said another. But what about the rules! To hell with the rules. McGonagall stuck her neck out for you! True, but I've stuck my neck out for all of them, more than once. Ginny will get in trouble! Not for the first time and probably not the last. What about her parents? I'll deal with them if we get caught. You will! It'll be worth it. There. He decided. He couldn't bear to be separated from Ginny for so long.

When he got back to where the others were he found Hermione alone.

"I've asked them for a bit a of privacy for me and you," she said as she started laying out books on the seats.

"Ah…okay. Why?"

"Because you have to get ready for class tomorrow," she said as if it was the most important thing in the world. "Honestly Harry, you've got to take this more seriously."

He sighed as he sat down. "Right. Let's have a look."

They spent the next few hours going over the lesson plans Hermione had made for him and reading through the first few chapters of the books he was using. Time seemed to crawl as they worked and Harry was at least thankful for that. Ginny dropped by once to see how it was going. She and Neville and Luna had found Seamus and Dean and were playing various magic card games. One of the new fifth year prefects had tried to tell them to kept the noise down but they told him to sod off and he meekly left them alone after Ginny threatened him with her Bat-Bogey hex.

"Brilliant," Harry said with a grin.

"Not brilliant," Hermione said without looking up from her book. "We aren't supposed to encourage rule breaking."

"Suppose you'll have to take points from Gryffindor then," Ginny said in a mocking tone.

Hermione took a deep breath. "I knew this would happen. Not even at Hogwarts yet."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked sharply.

Hermione just looked at Harry. "You explain, please."

"Right," Harry said. "Ah…just…well...if you guys do something bad…better not to tell us. Okay?"

Ginny laughed and Hermione glared at the two of them. "No!" she said shrilly. "That's not 'okay'. We are supposed to enforce discipline. And prefects are too!"

"Look, Hermione," Harry said as nicely as he could. "If we don't know about it, we don't have to worry about it, right?"

"And I thought you were still one of us," said Ginny in an even tone to Hermione.

"I am!" Hermione almost shouted, then controlled herself. "I'm also one of…them." As she said this she glance over at Harry. Then her face screwed up in frustration. "Oh…I don't know what I am!"

"Maybe its best if you think of yourself as a student more than a teacher," said Harry. "Except when you are in class, of course."

"And maybe try to ignore some of the more…minor…rule breaking," Ginny added.

But Hermione shook her head. "Oh…you know me…I'll want to be perfect at both!"

"Can't," said Harry.

"Not a chance,' Ginny quickly added.

Hermione sighed. "No. I suppose not. Just…"

"Can't help yourself?" Harry asked.

She just nodded.

"Remember when you and Ron were prefects?" Ginny asked.

"Yes," Hermione said. "How could I forget. Your brothers gave me nothing but grief and Ron was no help."

"Just think of it like that," Ginny continued. "Some things you can take care of and others, well, best to leave them alone like Ron did."

Hermione was silent for a few moments. Then she finally spoke. "I…well…I guess so."

That seemed to settle the discussion for now. After more hours darkness fell and they knew they were nearing Hogwarts. Harry and Hermione finally put away the books and the others came back and everyone began to change into their robes.

Soon came the familiar sound of the brakes being applied and the training slowing down. There was a lot of hustle and bustle as students scrambled to get their trunks and bags and animal cages to make their way to the platform. Everyone in the compartment got up except Harry. Neville turned to look at him.

"Are you coming Harry?"

He wanted to stay, didn't want to go, knew everything would change. But he also knew he had to get up. "Course," he said and stood.

They got their trunks and bags and Merlin's cage. After much standing around and waiting for others to get off, they made their way to the platform. Harry suddenly felt a sense of reassurance as he caught sight of Hagrid and his big lantern.

"First years this way! Come on, first years follow me!" came the booming voice. A line of small little boys and girls in black robes followed Hagrid, all looking frightened. Then Harry spotted the carriages all lined up with a thestral in each harness. Suddenly Harry felt like he was going home after a long absence. A thrill of excitement ran through his body and he knew all would be all right. Harry smiled and looked at his friends.

"Come on," he said as he gazed up at the massive castle in the distance, the lights all twinkling in the cool night air. "Time to go back to Hogwarts."