King's Cross Station.
Once more, they stepped into the bustling station, preparing to board the Hogwarts Express. As Tom and the others passed through the solid barrier leading to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, disaster struck when it was Harry's turn.
Bang!
Pushing his trolley, Harry charged toward the wall and collided head-on with solid brick.
Bystanders looked upon the Boy Who Lived, now sprawled on the floor, with undisguised pity.
"What in Merlin's name just happened?!"
Malfoy, sensing something was amiss, stepped forward and rapped his knuckles on the wall.
"Solid… it's really gone?"
Malfoy stared at the unyielding surface, dumbfounded.
"What's gone?"
Ron, trailing behind, also felt the shift in atmosphere and hurried forward, reaching out to touch the wall. "The passage! It's gone!"
"What? The passage is gone?!"
Lockhart materialized suddenly, his face a mask of shock.
"What are you doing here?"
Harry, still rubbing his throbbing forehead, looked up at Lockhart, bewildered.
"Why shouldn't I be here?"
Before anyone could answer, Lockhart launched himself at the wall, pounding on it with both fists. "Hey! I haven't gotten on the train yet! I haven't gotten on the train yet!"
Onlookers recoiled in disgust, sidestepping the flailing wizard.
"There's no other way; this is the only way now…" Ron's expression hardened with resolve. He was clearly steeling himself for a momentous decision.
"What way?"
Malfoy eyed Ron with undisguised curiosity.
Hearing this, Ron smiled mysteriously. "My dad has a car…"
"Driving to Hogwarts? Are you still asleep?"
Harry looked at Ron incredulously.
Ron shot Harry an annoyed glare. "Hey! Don't interrupt! My car is different! It flies!"
At this revelation, Harry and Malfoy exchanged glances, both sets of eyes wide with surprise. "A flying car?"
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Lockhart leaped into action, seizing Ron's arm and dragging him out of the station.
...
After a mad dash halfway across London, the four of them finally crammed into the flying car Ron had boasted about.
"Actually, I know quite a bit about Muggle automobiles. I'm known as the 'Car God by Big Ben'!"
Lockhart didn't hesitate to thrust himself into the driver's seat, his fingers twitching excitedly as he gripped the steering wheel.
"By the way, did you fellows bring a camera? Someone needs to take a picture of me later. I want to…"
"Shut up! Let's get going! Otherwise, we'll miss the Opening Feast!"
Lockhart was cut off by Harry, the other two chiming in unison before he could finish speaking.
Reluctantly, Lockhart started the engine and sent the car soaring skyward.
The three students pressed their faces against the windows, marveling at the scenery rushing past.
"This is awesome! It really flies!"
"Look! The Muggles below are staring at us!"
"..."
"Damn it! I forgot to activate the Disillusionment Charm!"
Ron, perched in the passenger seat, hastily flipped a miniature switch next to him.
Meanwhile.
A middle-aged man on the ground gaped in disbelief as a flying car vanished into thin air.
After a long, stunned silence, he finally fumbled for his mobile phone.
"Hey bro, I really saw a flying car!... You're asking where it is?... Oh, it's gone… I'm not crazy! I swear it's real!"
...
About half an hour later.
Harry and the others in the airborne automobile finally spotted the Hogwarts Express chugging along in the distance.
"We've caught up with them!"
"Now all we have to do is follow the train to Hogwarts!"
The three of them leaned against the windows, drinking in the sight of the rolling hills and verdant grasslands as the Express steadily approached.
Just then, Malfoy, seemingly lost in thought, glanced at Ron. "Hey, Weasley, this time… thanks."
Malfoy's voice was soft, but audible in the confines of the car.
"Hmph, anyway… I was going to take the train here too."
Ron retorted with a touch of self-importance, but only he knew the truth behind his words.
It could only be said that although these two were always bickering, they were happier than ever when they received each other's approval.
Harry looked the two of them up and down, then seemed to remember something. "Oh, right! Why don't you just join the Death Eaters?"
"Huh???"
Ron thought he must have misheard.
"Yeah, let's join forces and work for Tom Riddle."
Harry stared at Ron expectantly. If Ron joined them, the Death Eaters would finally have an inside man in Gryffindor!
If things continued like this, one day, all of Hogwarts would be under their control!
After a lengthy pause, Ron sighed, sounding defeated. "Forget it. If I actually did that, my family would kill me."
A family of Dumbledore fanatics suddenly producing a Dark Lord's henchman… what was this? A family tragedy?
"What are you afraid of? Tom Riddle will protect you! Or do you still think we're dark wizards? Have you ever heard Dumbledore call us dark wizards? No, right? Even the greatest wizard of this century doesn't consider us dark wizards…"
Ron's head began to spin, and he had to admit, they did have a point!
"Just think about Tom Riddle's elegant and powerful persona. Who else would teach you those powerful spells? And picture the scene of so many Death Eaters fighting together… Aren't you even a little tempted?"
Harry's voice echoed in Ron's mind.
Tom Riddle, transformed into black mist soaring into the sky, Tom Riddle amidst raging flames, Tom Riddle revered (and feared) by thousands… vivid images flashed in his mind, and Ron muttered subconsciously, "Damn, that's so cool…"
He used to idolize Dumbledore because the storybooks said he was powerful, but now he genuinely idolized Tom Riddle more because Tom Riddle was undeniably awesome.
Sensing that Ron was wavering, Harry and Malfoy immediately launched a full-scale verbal assault.
Under the combined onslaught of the two, Ron quickly "saw the light."
Ron simply interrupted them, "No need to say another word! I'm in!"
Clap clap clap…
Hearing this, Harry and Malfoy clapped and cheered.
Lockhart, still driving nearby, wore a strange expression the whole time but dared not speak, fearing a beating.
"Then the Death Eaters' development in Gryffindor rests in your capable hands."
Harry clapped Ron on the shoulder with solemn gravity.
Feeling the weight of the trust placed upon him, Ron nodded resolutely. "Leave it to me. I'll conceal my true identity until I've fully infiltrated their ranks."
Just then, Malfoy, as if struck by a sudden revelation, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "There's an animal called a pangolin. Even if it's weak, through tireless digging, it will eventually carve through a towering mountain."
"Alright! From this day forward, I, Ron Weasley, am a true Death Eater! Codename: Pangolin!"