As Harry and I walk away it suddenly occured to me. How are we gonna get to The Leaky Cauldron ? Are we gonna fly there on Harry's broom or something ? What if the muggles see us ?

As I have a mental breakdown, Harry continues walking seemingly unbothered by the fact that we have absolutely no idea of transportation. We stop at the playground and look around when suddenly I notice a shadow in the bushes I nudge Harry's arm and signal to him that there may be something watching us. We watch as it walks forward to reveal that it is none other than a ginormous black dog.

For some weird reason I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that seeing this dog meant that something horrible was going to happen. I was about to step forward when I heard a loud bang and Harry suddenly pulled me back, tripped on the curb causing him to fall down, bringing me down with him. When I looked up, I saw a triple decker bus in the shade of a very violent purple. I quickly stood up and notice that my blouse and jeans were soiled so i removed my jacket from my waist and put it on.

When I looked back at the bushes the dog had seemingly disappeared. A scrawny young man steps out of the bus, readjusts his name tag and introduces himself "Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike and I will be your conductor this eve-" Stan stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of me standing there and still looking at the bushes Stan stood right in front of me and he must have thought that I was looking at him and he blushed as deep a shade red as his pimples. Harry who was still on the ground, snatched up his wand in annoyance at Stan for looking at his sister and scrambled to his feet.

Close to, I saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than we were; eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and a few too many pimples.  "what were you doin' down there ?" said Stan dropping his professional manner and looking at Harry. "fell over" said Harry with an air of agitation. "Choo' fell over for ?" sniggered Stan. "He didn't do it on purpose" I said, slightly annoyed and looked at Harry. One of the knees in his jeans was torn, and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding. Harry suddenly remembered why he had fallen over, and turned around quickly to stare at the bush. The Knight Bus's headlight had flooded it with light, and it was empty. "Choo lookin' at ?" said Stan. "There was a big black thing" said Harry, pointing uncertainly at the bush. "Like a dog... But massive..." 

     We looked around at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open. With a feeling of unease, I saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead. "Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly. "Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. If the Ministry of Magic was looking for us, we didn't want to make it too easy for them. His attention then diverted back to me. "Woss your name?" Stan asked me. "Isla Malfoy" I replied airily to seem more convincing thinking about some of the people Harry had mentioned in his letters "And that's Neville Longbottom". "S-so this bus," Harry began  quickly "did you say it goes anywhere?" "Yep" Stan replied proudly, "anywhere you like, long's it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. 'Ere," he said, looking suspicious again "you guys did  flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand hand 'and, dincha?"

      "Yes," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?" "Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush in the colour of your choice." Harry rummaged through his trunk, extracted his money bag and shoved some silver into Stan's hand. We then lifted our trunks with the help of Stan, with Hedwig's and Midnight's cages balanced on top, up the steps of the bus.

      There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in the brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-panelled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs," and rolled over in his sleep. "You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under a bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. "This is our driver Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom and Isla Malfoy, Ern." 

    Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry and I, who nervously flattened his fringe again and sat down on his bed.  "Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in his armchair next to Ernie's.

    There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment I found Harry flat on his bed, thrown back by the speed of the Knight Bus. Pulling himself up, Harry stared out of the dark window and saw that we were now bowling along the a completely different street. Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment. "This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?" I already realised that he was trying to impress me, but I didn't think much of it. "Ar," Ernie said. 

      "How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry. "Them!" said Stan contemptuously, "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'." "Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute." Stan passed my bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Harry was still looking out of the window . Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lamp posts, letter-boxes and bins jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.

     Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a travelling cloak. "'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily, as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or toward the bus, the force of the brakes causing Harry to go flying from his bed and smack face first into the the glass window separating him from the driver's seat. at seeing that I couldn't help but the laugh at the look on Harry's face as he stood up, went back to his bed and sat down "S-shut up Lilz" he told me his ears turning red out of embarrassment. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and we were thundering down a narrow country lane, tree's leaning out of the way. 

           I wouldn't have been able to sleep even if I had been travelling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping at a hundred miles at a time. My stomach churned as I fell back wondering what was going to happen to us, and whether or the Dursley's had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet. I looked over at Harry, it seemed he was thinking the exact same thing I was. Stan had unfurled a newspaper titled the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at us from the front page. He looked strangely familiar.

         "That man!" Harry said, jumping out of his train of thought. "He was on the Muggle news!" Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled. "Sirius Black" he said, nodding. "Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville. Where you been?" He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harry's face, removed the front page and handed it to Harry. "You oughta read the papers more, Neville." after he received the paper from Stan I stood up, made my way towards Harry's bed and sat down beside him. Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read:

                                                                   BLACK STILL AT LARGE 

Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. 'We are doing all we can to recapture Black,' said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, 'and we beg the magical community to stay calm.' Fudge has been criticised by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. 'Well, really, I had to, don't you know,' said an irritable Fudge. 'Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it-who'd believe him if he did?'  While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun(a kind of metal wand which Muggles use to kill each other). The magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.

     I looked into the shallowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive. I had never met a vampire, but I had seen films of them because my friends at my old Muggle school used to invite me over to their homes and would make me watch them, and Black, with his very waxy white skin, looked just like one. "Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching us read. "He murdered thirteen people?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?" 

     "yep," said Stan. "In front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?" "Ar" said Ern darkly. Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry. "Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-Oo," he said. "What, Voldermort?" said Harry, without thinking. Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus. "You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?" 

       "Sorry," said Harry hastily, "Sorry, I-I forgot" "Forgot!" said Stan weakly, "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast..." "So-so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically. "Yeah" said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say... anyway, when little Arry Potter put paid to You-Know-'Oo" Harry nervously flattened his fringe down again "All You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second in command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over." 

      "Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf of the street apart, 'an a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' yo ry of Magic got there, 'e went with 'em quiet as anyfink, still laughed 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?" 

   "If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now" said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind... after what he did..." "They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?"

          "Gas explosion," grunted Ernie. "'An now 'es out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I 

don't fancy 'is chance against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?" Ernie suddenly shivered. "Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles." Stan put the paper away reluctantly and I leaned against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. I couldn't help imagine what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time. "Ear about 'Arry and Lily Potter? Blew up their Aunt! We 'ad 'em 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? They was tryin' to run for it..."

        I, Lily, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black. Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land us in Azkaban? I didn't know anything about the wizard prison, though everyone who had ever spoken of it did so in a fearful tone. According to Harry's letters Hagrid the Hogwarts gameskeeper had spent two months there only last year. 

        The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and bollards, telephone boxes and trees, and there I lay, restless and miserable, on my feather bed. After a while, Stan remembered that Harry had paid for hot chocolate, but poured it all over Harry's pillow when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesea to Aberdeen. One by one, wizards and witches in dressing-gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go. Finally, we were the only passengers left. "Right then, Neville" said Stan, clapping his hands, "where-abouts in London?" "Diagon Alley," said Harry. "Righto," said Stan, "'old tight, then..." BANG

        We were thundering along Charing Cross Road. I sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a little lighter. We would lay low for a couple of hours, go to the bank as soon as it opens, then set off-where, I didn't know. Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley. (I went there a while ago with Hagrid to go purchase my books, robes, wand and my pet owl Midnight which was a birthday present from him)

       "Thanks," we said to Ern. We jumped down the steps and helped Stan to lower our trunks, Midnight and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement. "Well" I said "bye then!" but Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus, he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. "There you are, Harry," said an unfamiliar voice. Before Harry could turn around, a hand was placed on his shoulder. At the same time Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!" Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and I followed his gaze it was a rather portly little man in a long pinstriped cloak, who looked rather cold and exhausted. "Neville?" the strange man repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter." "I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!" "Yes," the man said testily, "Well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside of the Leaky Cauldron now..." 

       I stood beside Harry "Do we know this man?" I whispered "He is the Minister of Magic, Lily. His name's Cornelius Fudge" he replied quietly. At hearing that my breath hitched, THE MINISTER OF MAGIC?! DOES HE KNOW THAT WE BLEW UP OUR AUNT? IS HE GOING TO PUT US INTO THE WIZARD PRISON? my mind was flooded with so many questions, when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder, causing me to jump. 

     "And who might you be, young lady?" Fudge asked "L-lily. Lily Potter" I answered. "Lily Potter? are you Harry's cousin? although I don't think Harry has any family." "I-I'm his sister" I replied looking over at Harry "twin sister to be more exact". "Well isn't that just wonderful. I didn't know that you had a sister, Harry. Why not we take this conversation inside? Perhaps over some tea," Fudge said increasing the pressure on our shoulders, I then found myself being steered inside the pub. A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. "That's Tom, the landlord" Harry whispered to me. "You've got him,  Minister!" said Tom. 'Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"

         "Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let us go. There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind us, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying our trunks, Midnight and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly. "'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville?" said Stan, beaming at Harry, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder. "And a private parlour, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly. "Bye" said Harry miserably to Stan and Ern, as Tom beckoned Fudge towards the passage that led to the bar. I turn around and give them each a small wave before following Harry. "Bye Neville! Bye Isla!" called Stan. 

       Fudge marched us along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlour. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room. "Sit down, you two" said Fudge, indicating to two chairs by the fire. I sat down, feeling goosebumps rising up my arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle green suit and sat down opposite us. "I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry. The Minister Of Magic." 

      Tom the inkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge, Harry and I, and left the parlour, closing the door behind him. 

      "Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd start to think... but your safe, and that's what matters." I didn't really like the fact that Fudge was acting as though I was invisible, but it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. 

      Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate to us. "Eat, kids, you look dead on your feet. Now then... You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done."

    Fudge smiled at us over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favourite nephew. Harry, who by looking at his expression, couldn't believe his ears, opened his mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again. "Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays." he pauses for a moment and looks over at me "And I suppose that goes for you as well".

    Harry unstuck his throat. "I always stay at Hogwarts for Christmas and Easter holidays," he said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."

      "Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other - er - very deep down." I was so anxious about what was going to happen to us now. "So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where the both of you are going to spend the last two weeks of your holidays. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and-" 

      "Hang on," blurted Harry, "what about my punishment?" Fudge blinked. "Punishment?" "I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree For The Restriction Of Underage Wizardry!" "Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!" 

     "Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" said Harry, frowning. "The Ministry Of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was anymore magic there!" Unless my eyes were deceiving me, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward. "Circumstances change, Harry... we take into account... in the present climate... surely you don't want  to be expelled?"

    "Of course I don't," said Harry. "Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge airily. "Now, each of you have a crumpet, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for the both of you." Fudge strode out of the parlour and we stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for us at The Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish us for we'd done? And now that I thought about it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister Of Magic himself  to get involved in matters of underage magic?

      Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper. "Room eleven's free, you two," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable. Just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand: I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And your to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on the both of you for me."

    "OK," said Harry slowly, "but why- ?" "Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no... we best know where you are... I mean..." Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak. "Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know." 

     "Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked. Fudge's fingers slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak. "What's that? Oh, you've heard- well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed... and they are angrier than I've ever seen them." Fudge shuddered slightly. "So, I'll say goodbye." He held his hand out to Harry, and while shaking it Harry asks "Er- Minister? Can I ask you something?" 

      "Certainly," smiled Fudge. "Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission. D'you think you could?" I suddenly remembered the Hogsmeade visit. Aunt Marge told me that I could ask Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia to sign it if I didn't cause any trouble. I looked up at the Minister hopefully, but Fudge was looking uncomfortable and turned to me to shake my own hand. "Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not your parent or guardian-"

     "But your the Minister For Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave me permission-" "No, I'm sorry Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly. "Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's better if you don't... and that goes for the both of you... yes... well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, kids." And with a last smile and a shake of my hand, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at us. "If you'll follow me, Mr. and Miss Potter," he said "I've already taken your things up..." We followed Tom up a handsome staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for us. Inside were two very comfortable looking single beds, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and perched on top of the wardrobe- 

        "Hedwig!" Harry gasped. The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm. "Very smart owl you've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need Miss and Mr. Potter. Don't hesitate to ask." He gave another bow and left.

         I watched Harry as he sat on his bed for a while, absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold steely grey and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold. I get up, walk over to his bed, take a seat beside him and rest my head against his shoulder. "What's on your mind?" I ask softly "I just can't believe that we'd only left Privet Drive a few hours ago, that we aren't expelled, and that now we get to spend two weeks Dursley-free." I got up, walked back to my bed and lay down facing the ceiling. 

       "Hey, Harry?" I asked "yeah?" "do you want to know what I found most amusing today?" "what was it?" I turned over to face Harry, my eyelids heavy "the fact that you lost your first kiss to a window" and at that my eyelids fell shut and I fell asleep.

Hey There Lovelies! How have you been? I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a while... It's just that this chapter took a very long time to write. I hope you enjoyed it:) Special thanks to @WafflePotterhead and @LeafyEars for helping me write this chapter. You should go check out their books as well cause their really good. also, don't be a silent and comment because I really enjoy reading all the comments I get :D By the way, don't forget to vote if you enjoyed reading this :) I hope your having a wonderful day/night Love Ya! :3