Chapter Eight; Driving Lessons

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Snape quickly raced out of the building and towards the car. Harry and Ron were the first ones there and both grabbed the handle of the driver's door. "What did I say?" Harry questioned. "This is my car so I get to drive it." He said before turning over to his father. "Keys." He said while holding out his hand.

"You know maybe this isn't such a good idea after all." His father began while slowly digging them out of his pocket. "Wouldn't you rather ride a broomstick? I mean there are hundreds of people in the world that wish they could but can't because they're muggles." He pointed out.

"Keys." Harry repeated as his father rolled his eyes and reluctantly placed them inside the palm of his hand.

"Alright here you are, and may the Lord be with us." He said while glancing up at the sky as Harry pushed the unlock button and climbed into the driver's seat. Meanwhile Ron and Hermione got in the back as Snape climbed into the passenger's seat. They slammed their doors shut behind them and Harry started examining the inside of his car. The seats were made out of black leather and he had the shiniest blackest steering wheel that he had ever seen.

"Whoa,.. this is so totally awesome." He said softly as a wide grin stretched a crossed his face while he ran his hands alongside of the steering wheel.

"Would you like to start driving now or would the two of you like to be alone?" Ron questioned him.

"Oh right, sorry." Harry said as he turned around to grab his seatbelt and strapped himself in.

"Good, because I was afraid that Ginny would get jealous." Ron said as everyone else buckled themselves in and Harry placed the key into the ignition and turned on the engine. "Please tell me that you know what you're doing." Ron pleaded as Harry stepped on the brake.

"Relax, I watch my mother do this all the time." He said as he put the car into reverse and turned his head to look over his shoulder before moving his foot onto the accelerator and started backing up. Once he was backed up further enough he stopped and pulled the gear shift out of reverse before stepping on the gas pedal again and accelerating forwards while slowly beginning to turn the wheel.

"You know what, I've got to admit it. You must have been paying close attention because you really are a natural." His father told him as he stopped at the end of the driveway and turned to grin at him.

"See? I told you." He said while putting on his turn signal and stepping down on the gas as he turned to the right.

….

Harry continued on driving down the road while listening to a muggle song on the radio. Ron was bopping his head to the music while singing on the top of his lungs. "Hey now you're a rock star, get the show on, get paid!" he sung as Hermione turned over to look at him and scowled before rolling her eyes at him.

"What!? I like this song." He said. "Just because I don't know too much about the muggle world doesn't mean that I don't like their music." He told her when suddenly Hermione gasped as she saw something from the corner of her eye leap out into the middle of the road.

"Harry look out!" she cried as Harry slammed on his brakes and the car came to a screeching stop as a stag continued leaping a crossed the road. Ron felt his heart pound frantically against his chest as he started breathing heavily.

"Listen Harry, I know that you can't wait to get to Heaven and be reunited with Dumbledore and your father and godfather, but some of us aren't too thrilled about leaving the earth just yet." He told him.

"Sorry." Harry apologized as a car honked behind him and he moved his foot back over onto the gas pedal while Ron turned over to look at Hermione.

"Thanks Hermione." He told her with admiration before Harry stopped and turned the corner into a driveway. "You know maybe there's a reason why witches and wizards shouldn't drive." Ron said as Harry stopped again and put the car in park.

"You're the one who was so eager to do it yourself." Hermione pointed out as they all turned over to look at the house.

"Is this it?" Harry questioned.

"I think so." His father began. "But you better let me do the talking." He finished as they all unbuckled and stepped out of the car.

"Good idea, in fact why don't you do the driving too?" Ron suggested while they slammed their doors behind them.

"Oh c'mon Ron, Harry's not that bad." Hermione told him.

"We almost got killed by a deer!" Ron hollered. "And if you hadn't have been here we would have!" he cried but she just simply shook her head at him.

"Not necessarily. Besides that accidents happen. And you're at risk anytime you step outside." She pointed out before they started walking up to Mundungus' doorstep together. Snape rang the doorbell and Mundungus answered it.

His eyes immediately darted to Harry's scar. "Harry Potter." He said with a gasp of astonishment while his mouth gaped wide open at him.

"No, Harry Snape. This is my adoptive son." His father told him before Harry had a chance to speak. It was the first time that his father had been the one to do the correcting. "Listen Mundungus we were sent here because we found out that you have information regarding one of the horcruxes." He explained.

"What?" Mundungus asked with uncertainty.

"This." Snape said as he took the locket from Harry and dangled it in front of him. "It's fake. And we need the location of the real one." He said.

"The last time I saw something like that Dolores Umbridge was wearing it." He said as Harry's mind flashed back to the time where she had tried to shoot him dead before his father stepped in and killed her out of defense.

"Well that's no use Umbridge is dead." Snape said slowly turning his head away from him not going into the details why.

"Uh Professor," Hermione began as he glanced over at her. "Umbridge worked for the ministry of magic, what if the real horcrux is in the department of mysteries?" she asked him.

"Hmm, maybe you're onto something Granger but how would we get in?" he asked her.

"Don't you remember our second year at Hogwarts? What did we brew to try and get information out of Malfoy for the chamber of secrets?" she questioned him as they all exchanged looks with each other as Snape grinned when he realized the answer.