As the Hogwarts Express rattled along the tracks, the countryside rolling past in wide green stretches, Luna leaned toward the window, watching the sky with quiet fascination.
"There's a flying car," she said suddenly.
Hermione frowned. "Cars don't fly."
Victor heard the comment and glanced toward the window.
He looked outside.
Then he paused.
A small blue car was drifting through the air beside the train, wobbling slightly as it kept pace with the Hogwarts Express.
Victor rubbed his forehead.
"...Hermione," he said, moving aside, "you might want to see this."
Hermione stood and leaned over to look.
The moment she saw it, her eyes widened.
"What?" she said, staring at the blue car flying beside the train.
Then Hermione leaned closer to the glass — and froze.
Harry was staring back at them from the passenger window.
For a moment she just blinked.
"That's Harry!" she said suddenly.
Victor watched as the blue car drifted dangerously close to the train before pulling slightly away again. Ron was gripping the wheel, clearly struggling to keep the flying Ford steady in the air.
"They missed the train," Victor said calmly, watching the ridiculous scene unfold beside the window.
But Victor already knew the likely reason.
Dobby.
Their house-elf had probably interfered again. Victor remembered the strange loyalty the elf had toward Harry Potter. If Dobby had overheard Lucius discussing the diary and the trouble it was meant to cause at Hogwarts, the creature would have panicked.
Stopping Harry from reaching the school would seem like the simplest solution to him.
So he must have sealed the barrier at King's Cross, forcing Harry and Ron to miss the train.
Victor watched the blue car wobble in the sky for a moment longer.
The elf meant well, he supposed.
But his methods were… disastrous.
Hermione looked horrified. "So they stole a car and flew it to Hogwarts?!"
"They are so screwed," said Draco, enjoying the thought that Harry Potter would be in trouble. Hermione shot him a look to shut up.
***
The Hogwarts Express finally slowed as it pulled into Hogsmeade Station.
Students poured out onto the platform, voices rising with excitement after the long journey. First-years gathered nervously near the lantern light where they would be led across the lake.
Luna drifted toward them, joining the small crowd of new students.
Hermione went with the older students toward the line of waiting carriages.
Victor followed.
The thestral-drawn carriage in front of them shifted slightly as they approached. The creature pulling it stamped a hoof and flicked its long tail.
Victor paused.
He could see it clearly — the skeletal black body, the bat-like wings folded against its sides, the pale, empty eyes.
Hermione noticed him staring at the front of the carriage.
"What are you looking at?" she asked as they climbed inside.
Victor looked away and stepped into the carriage.
"Nothing," he said calmly.
After all, only those who had truly seen death could see the Thestrals pulling the carriages. Hermione saw nothing there but empty air.
Victor said nothing.
The carriages rolled through the gates and up the long drive toward the castle, lanterns glowing in the evening mist. Soon the doors of the Great Hall opened and the students filed inside.
Candles floated high above the four house tables. The enchanted ceiling mirrored the night sky outside, deep and scattered with stars. First-years stood nervously near the staff table while the rest of the school settled in to watch.
The Sorting Hat was brought forward.
One by one the names were called.
Victor watched with mild interest until a familiar voice rang out.
"Luna Lovegood."
Luna drifted forward as if she had all the time in the world. The hat was placed on her head and quietly stood while it considered her.
There was a short pause.
Then the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"
The Ravenclaw table applauded politely as Luna wandered toward them, already distracted by the floating candles above.
Victor wasn't surprised. Curiosity and odd thinking suited Ravenclaw perfectly.
Soon the sorting ended and the murmuring in the hall settled.
Then Dumbledore rose from his seat.
The hall fell silent.
"Welcome," he said warmly, his voice carrying easily across the room. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts."
A few announcements followed — reminders about forbidden areas of the castle and the usual warnings.
Then Dumbledore continued.
"I also have the pleasure of introducing your new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor."
He gestured toward the staff table.
A man in bright lilac robes stood up with a dazzling smile and gave an enthusiastic wave.
"Professor Gilderoy Lockhart."
Applause broke out across the hall — loudest from the girls' tables, where several students were already whispering excitedly.
Lockhart bowed dramatically, clearly enjoying every second of the attention.
Victor watched the performance with a blank expression.
Second year had truly begun.
But Hermione wasn't enjoying the feast like the rest of the hall, because Harry and Ron still hadn't come.
She had seen the flying car beside the train. That alone was enough to make her worry. If they had actually tried to reach Hogwarts like that, then they were probably already in serious trouble.
And knowing those two—
Trouble rarely ended with just one mistake.
*****
A/N : 🔥 On Patreon, the story has already been updated up to Chapter 75🔥
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