It was a very agreeable way to travel. They occupied themselves by trying to find shapes to the clouds surrounding them. Ron couldn't stop going on about how Fred and George would be really impressed of their spectacular landing in a few hours. Megan, on the other hand, just wanted to get to Hogwarts. It was home to her, she couldn't wait to be back. She didn't tell Ron this but part of her was impatient to see Cedric again too. Every so often they went down to check on the train's progress. They saw villages, towns, woods... all seemed tiny from there. Megan had to admit though, after a few hours, that the trip would have been more comfortable in the train with the others... why hadn’t they been able to get through?

“Shouldn't be too far now...” Ron said.

Just then the car started hiccupping again.

“Oh no...”

“What's wrong with it?”

“I think it's getting a bit tired...” Ron said. “It's never done such a long ride before... Good thing we're almost there.”

The sky was getting darker. Megan pulled her jumper back on as the temperature dropped. And at long last, they could see the castle.

“Welcome home, Megan,” Ron smiled.

Megan didn't answer. She just beamed. Suddenly, the car jerked.

“Oh no...”

The complaints of the car were getting noisier and noisier. Even worse than that, it was losing speed and altitude.

“Pull up! Pull up!” Megan yelled.

“I'm trying!”

He pulled out his wand and tapped the steering wheel. But he did so with such force that it snapped. And suddenly, Megan yelled:

“WATCH OUT!”

She yanked him downwards as they waited for the crash. They hit the huge tree with a sickening crunch. After a few seconds they stopped, caught in the branches.

“Ron? Are you all right?”

He was looking at his wand.

“My wand...”

It was snapped in two, one half dangling limply from a tiny thread. The unicorn hair.

“Be grateful it wasn't your neck.” Megan answered.

Just then, the car swayed backwards and forwards, and the branches beside them... began to move.

“AAAH!” They shouted as one came towards them.

“Quick, reverse!” Megan shouted

He did, and the car managed to extract itself from the branches and land hard on the ground. Ron sped backwards to avoid further assault. But then, Megan suddenly noticed he wasn't holding the wheel! The car stopped a few seconds later and very unceremoniously threw her, Ron, their trunks, Hedwig and Mira out onto the grass before speeding off towards the forbidden forest. Megan pulled Hedwig upright, checked Mira hadn't hurt herself, then turned to watch the car go, along with Ron who stared hopelessly after it.

“Dad is going have my neck for this...” He moaned.

Megan said nothing.

“Out of all the trees to hit, we had to hit the one that hits back...!” Ron said as they made their way, tired and bruised, up to the castle.

It was dark now, and they had to follow the lights and watch their feet to keep from tripping, as Megan painfully experienced by falling over a tree stump. Megan could see this wasn't the glorious entrance he'd envisioned. She was exhausted and didn’t understand. Why hadn’t they been able to cross the barrier? Ron had said his family had never been any problems… But something bugged her about the incident, yet she couldn’t quite put her finger on what. After a while, they finally reached the castle and made their way up to the Entrance Hall.

“The feast will have started by now,” Ron said as they left their baggage with the rest.

“Yeah. Come on, let’s get it over with…”

She knew the other students were going to gawk at them all evening, press them for questions…

They hurried up the stairs and reached the door to the Great Hall. They peeped through the gap in the door. They could see a group of students gathered in front of the staff table.

“Oh, it's the Sorting.” Ron whispered. “Blimey, it’s weird to think we were there last year, isn’t it?”

Megan nodded.

“D’you suppose we should try and sneak in?”

Megan sighed.

“Yeah. But I doubt we'll go unnoticed with a door this size... it would be hard enough with a regular door.”

Ron agreed.

“I suppose… but it’s not like we have much choice, really is it?”

We haven’t had much choice with anything lately, Megan thought bitterly. Just then, something caught her eye. Or rather, its absence. Megan was glancing at the teacher's table. And frowned.

“Hold on... where's Snape?”

They had never been too fond of Snape, their Potions master. But sure enough, he was nowhere to be seen.

“Maybe he's sick!” Ron suggested.

“Or maybe he's waiting to hear the explanation as to why you two didn't arrive on the train, like the rest of the students,” said a cold voice behind them.

Megan's heart skipped a beat. She and Ron turned around and looked up at Professor Severus Snape. His long black robes emphasising his long thin body. He was watching them coldly.

“Uh... we...”

“Follow me.”

They exchanged a glance. Ron looked worried. Megan sighed and nodded towards Snape. Silently, they followed him to his office, down in the dungeons. It was just as dark and uninviting as the room they took their classes in. They stood in front of the desk as he shut the door. Then he turned to them.

“So. The Hogwarts Express just wasn't good enough for you, was it Potter? Had to come in with a bang, did you?”

“No, sir, we-” Megan began.

“Silence!” He interrupted her fiercely. “What became of the car?”

Megan heard Ron gulp. It was not uncommon with Snape to feel he read your mind. But without letting them answer, he pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet and held it up. Megan read the title: “Flying Ford Anglia terrifies Muggles”. She had to admit she hadn't thought of being seen after they left London...

“You were seen by no less than seven Muggles!” Snape said.

“We only took the car because we had no other choice, professor...” Megan said, before he could stop her. “The barrier at King's Cross wouldn't let us through, and we missed the train...”

“Nonsense, Potter.”

“But it's the truth!” Ron protested.

“Silence, Weasley. I believe your father works at the Regulation of Muggle Artefacts Office, does he not?” he tutted. “Dear me, his own son...”

Megan could have slapped herself. How could she not have thought of that?! Especially after Molly had gotten angry at Ron, Fred and George for flying it to get to her. She had never intended to get any of them into trouble...

“During my search in the grounds, I noticed a valuable Whomping Willow had been damaged.”

“Not as much as it damaged us!” Ron said. “It almost smashed us to a pulp!”

“Silence! However, you do not belong to my house, therefore I cannot expel you. So, I shall have to call upon those who have that happy power. Wait here.”

He swept out of the room. Megan sighed. He probably meant Gryffindor head of house Professor McGonagall. And though she would probably be fairer than Snape, she still was strict.

“Sorry, Megan...” Ron said. “I had that stupid idea... we should have just sent an owl...”

“No, I'm sorry... I don't know why, but I think it might be related to that stuff Dobby warned me about.”

“How's that?”

“... I don't know, just a hunch.

Just then, the door opened again, and not only Snape and McGonagall, but Professor Dumbledore appeared. He looked down at them.

“Could you explain why you did this?"

Megan took the disappointed hint in his voice very hard. She forced herself to look into his eyes as she answered.

“You have to believe us, sir, we never intended to cause trouble for anyone... but we missed the train in London because for some reason, the barrier wouldn't open... we didn’t know what to do…”

She went on to how they used the car and followed the train. But she didn't say it belonged to the Weasleys. She doubted Dumbledore would be fooled, but he asked no questions about the car. He just looked at her through his glasses.

“We'll go and get our stuff, then...” Ron said in a resigned voice.

“What are you talking about, Mr Weasley?” McGonagall asked.

“We're expelled, aren't we?” Megan asked.

Dumbledore and McGonagall looked at each other.

“Not today, Miss Potter,” McGonagall said. “However, I must impress upon you the seriousness of your actions. You will eat here and then go straight to your house common room.”

“Yes, professor.”

She conjured two chairs, lit the fire and a platter of sandwiches and pumpkin juice appeared, presumably from the kitchen, as Megan knew you couldn't conjure food out of thin air. The teachers left, Snape looking like Christmas had been cancelled. Dumbledore opened the door and let the other teachers through and was about to follow when Megan said:

“Professor?”

He turned to look at her.

“I... We really never meant any harm... we would never have done it if we'd known all the trouble it would cause...”

“That, we know. However, that changes nothing to the events.”

“We understand... And sir?”

“Yes?”

“Since term hadn't started before we borrowed the car, we won't cost Gryffindor points, will we?”

“No. However, you will both receive detention.”

Megan sighed in relief. She had had a taste of costing points to her house last year, and didn't want to go through it again. But detention wasn't so bad.

“Anything else, Megan?”

She thought of telling him about Dobby and the warning, but didn't want to sound like she was scared, so she decided against it.

“No, thank you sir.”

He nodded and left. Ron went to the table.

“C'mon, I'm starving! Wish they'd let us go to the feast...”

“We're lucky they let us stay at all,” she reminded. “And I suppose they didn't want us parading in the Great Hall. It's not the best example to give people like your brothers.” Megan added, pouring them pumpkin juice. “Oh, Ron, I hope your Dad doesn't get into trouble...”

“Yeah... But we really ran out of luck, there didn't we? I mean, Fred and George flew that thing about a dozen times and they never had any problems! I really can't figure out why we didn't manage to go through the barrier...”

“Me neither,” Megan said. “But we'd better be careful, from now on.”

When they had eaten as much as they could, they went up to Gryffindor Tower and reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

“Password?”

Megan only then realised they didn't know the password! She exchanged a worried look with Ron, and were trying to figure out what to do when...

“There you are!” called a voice behind them.

Hermione appeared.

“Where were you? Some silly rumour’s going around about how you came in a flying car, and that you're being expelled...”

“We're not being expelled,” Megan said.

“But you didn't fly here, did you...?” she asked sternly.

“Forget the lecturing, Hermione and give us the password.” Ron said.

“Wattlebird,” Hermione said. “But I...”

She was interrupted by the cheers of the other Gryffindors as the portrait opened.

“What an entrance!” Lee Jordan said.

“You could have told us, we'd have come too!” Fred and George said.

“We didn't exactly plan to come that way.”

“They'll be talking about that one for years!”

Megan excused herself to go to bed. She was tired. Her things were there, and she gratefully pulled out her pyjamas before Ginny came hurrying up.

“Are you okay?” she asked, hugging her.

“Yeah, we're both okay.”

“What happened? You were right beside me and then... you were gone...”

“I wish I knew...” she answered. “Neither of us understand it at all. The barrier just got blocked or something.”

She and Ginny got ready for bed, yet Megan still wished she understood what had happened.

The next day was just one of those days. It started at breakfast. Hermione was a little cold when she greeted them. She apparently hadn't forgiven them. Harry and Neville greeted them warmly.

“Post should be here soon,” Neville said. “Gran should be sending me a few things I forgot at home..."

Megan smiled. Neville was a fellow second year Gryffindor. He was a nice enough person, but he was hopelessly clumsy and forgetful. Just as she was biting into her toast, a swoosh above her told her he was right. Looking up, Megan saw about a hundred owls swoop over their heads, delivering letters and parcels. Errol, the Weasley owl, tumbled onto the table. Megan only had time to lift the pitcher of milk before he hit it.

“Is he okay?” Neville asked.

“Yeah, I think so.” Harry said.

“Oh, no...!”

“What's that?”

“A Howler,” Harry said. “You'd better open it, Ron, get it over with.”

He took a deep breath and opened it.

RONALD WEASLEY!

Like most magical letters, it formed a mouth and eyes as it spoke. Or rather, yelled.

HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR! I WOULD'NT HAVE BEEN THE LEAST BIT SUPRISED IF THEY HAD EXPELLED YOU! I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WORRIED BOTH YOUR FATHER AND I WERE?!

Megan had heard Mrs Weasley shout before but the letter amplified it ten times. Ron said nothing, frozen in horror and shame.

I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME WHEN HE GOT DUMBLEDORE'S LETTER LAST NIGHT! WE DIDN'T RAISE YOU LIKR THIS! MEGAN AND YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!

Megan had been wondering when she would be mentioned.

YOUR FATHER IS FACING AN ENQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY, AND IT'S YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ONE TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!

The letter burst into flames and vanished. Silence had fallen. Ron sat frozen. Megan was unsure what to do. Even though she was happy Molly didn't seem mad at her, she thought it was a little unfair to blame everything on Ron, even if it had technically been his idea. But she also felt very guilty. If Mr Weasley lost his job, it would be her fault. So she swore to herself that she would give them some of her money to compensate until he found another if he did. Malfoy was sniggering with glee as conversations resumed.

“Well, whatever you were expecting, Ronald-” Hermione began.

“Don't tell me I deserve it,” he said hotly.

As soon as McGonagall had handed them their timetables, he pushed his plate away, pulled his bag onto his shoulder and left, the Slytherins laughing their heads off. Megan thought about following him, but Hermione said:

“He'll be okay. Come on, let's go.”

She got to her feet.

“Hermione?”

“Yes?”

“Look... it's not fair to give Ron the cold shoulder. We worked with what we could, okay?”

They left the Great Hall and were about to head to the grounds when Megan heard someone call her name. She turned around. And felt a lot more nervous all of a sudden.

“Oh... hello, Cedric...”

She turned to Hermione.

“You go ahead, I'll be right behind you.”

Hermione nodded and left. Megan looked at Cedric. He didn't look angry or upset...

“Hi, Megan.”

“Hi...”

“So, I hear you made quite the entrance.”

Megan sighed.

“... Wish I hadn't. The train would have been more than enough for me, believe me.”

“What happened?”

“... The gateway just wouldn't open... but it's too long to explain now... can we talk about it later? If you still... want us to be friends...”

“Of course I do,” he smiled. “I know you a bit now, you wouldn’t do something that crazy if you had another choice.”

“Thanks... it's nice to have someone not thinking I planned the whole thing...”

“Hey, don't forget to ask me for help if you need it, okay?”

“Thanks, Cedric. Sorry, but I really have to go...”

“Sure, no problem. See you around.”

They parted and Megan headed to the greenhouses. She hurried down and joined Hermione, Ron and Harry. And Megan heard an unpleasantly familiar voice.

“Of course, I've done it over fifty times myself, you see.”

“Yes, Professor Lockhart, thank you.”

Lockhart then saw the students coming over.

“Oh, hello, there everyone! I was just telling dear professor Sprout how to tend to a Whomping Willow! Of course, I'm not as good as her in Herbology, ha ha ha, what an idea!”

“What indeed. Greenhouse three, everyone!” she barked, a lot less cheerful than usual.

But Megan was pretty sure that Lockhart was responsible.

“Ah, Megan, perfect! Just the one I wanted to see! You don't mind, Professor?”

Judging by the look on her face, she did, but Lockhart pulled Megan away.

“I won't be long, professor!” she assured.

After a few seconds, he stopped and turned to her.

“Ah, Megan. Megan, Megan, Megan.”

Not very comfortable, Megan said nothing.

“When I heard... Oh, quite embarrassing, of course. I could have hit myself.”

Megan raised an eyebrow, not following. What did he have to be embarrassed about? She was the one who had come close to expulsion!

“Sir?”

“Of course, it was my fault. I mean, coming to school in a flying car...! But I saw through you immediately... Ah, Megan... Megan, Megan, Megan...”

Megan tried hard not to look away from his overly white teeth or show her annoyance at his repeating her name like that.

“I gave you a taste for publicity, didn't I?”

Megan stared in astonishment.

“What?!”

“You were on the front page once and couldn't wait to do it again.”

“Oh, no, professor, not at all, I-”

“I understand, Megan. Once you started, you always want more, it's natural. But you must realise that stealing cars to draw attention is not the way to go! Oh, I know what you're thinking 'It's easy for him, he's a world known wizard!' Good heavens, Megan, when I was twelve I was no more than you. I was even less! You've had a slight fame ever since you were little, haven't you? What with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and all that, eh?”

He glanced at her scar. Megan fought with her hands to not hide her forehead. And she bit back the retort that she had never wanted fame since she was a baby.

“I know, of course, that it's not the same as being awarded the Most Charming Smile Award five times running by Witch Weekly, but it's a start, Megan.”

He winked at her and strode off. Megan stayed frozen a few seconds, and then hurried off as fast as she could to the greenhouse.

She joined the others in the warmth of the greenhouse. She noticed with gratitude that Hermione had kept a spot next to her.

“Ah, Miss Potter. Mr Lockhart released you, did he?”

“Yes, ma'am. Sorry.”

“It's all right. Now, pay close attention, everyone. And I mean close. Today we will be re-potting creatures called mandrakes. Can anyone tell me the properties of the mandrake?”

Hermione rose her hand, to no one's surprise.

“Yes, Miss Granger?”

“It has powerful healing properties. It can restore to health victims of spells and transformations.”

“Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor.”

Megan grinned at her.

“She's right, the mandrake, not unlike a besoar, is a very good cure for most health alterations. But it is also very dangerous. Can anyone tell me why?”

This time, Megan rose her hand. Hermione did too, but seeing Megan had, lowered it.

“Yes, Potter?”

“Its cry is fatal to anyone who hears it,” Megan said.

She had had little better to do during her summer holidays at the Dursleys than read her schoolbooks.

“Excellent, another ten points.” Professor Sprout said. “Now these mandrakes are still babies, so they won't kill you, but they can knock you out for several hours. Hence the earmuffs in front of you.”

Megan looked down. Indeed, there was a pair of large white earmuffs. She pulled them onto her ears. Then, they watched as Professor Sprout gripped the plant with her hand and held the pot down with the other. Then, she yanked out of the pot what looked to Megan like a large baby covered in earth. It was screeching, she could tell by its widely open mouth. She watched as Professor Sprout put it another pot, and covered it with soil. Then, she gave them the thumbs up and removed her earmuffs. They did too.

“You'll find the pots you need behind you, there. And watch the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething,” she added, slapping a large red plant sharply.

They quickly took a large flowerpot each and set to work.

“That Lockhart is quite something, eh?” a voice said near them.

They looked up. Another second year was standing there. He was taller than them, with dark hair and large brown eyes

“Justin Finch-Fletchley”, he said, shaking hands.

They gave their names.

“He's something, all right. Something to run away from screaming.” Megan said.

“I disagree. I mean, he wrote all that stuff, he must be good.” Justin said.

“That reminds me, what did he want with you?” Harry asked Megan.

“Oh, uh... nothing special. Nothing worth mentioning,” Megan said, embarrassed.

Megan was grateful they were tending to mandrakes, because that took all their attention, and their earmuffs were very often on their ears. Not to mention the mandrakes neither liked being unearthed or replanted.

Finally, aching and sweating, they headed to Transfiguration. Megan felt she had forgotten everything she'd learned because that day's lesson was particularly complicated. And Ron was having even more trouble because of his broken wand, which he'd tried to salvage with a lot of tape. But it kept spitting sparks, and Scabbers, who was supposed to have become a glass, was still furry and tailed.

“Maybe write a letter to ask for another one,” Harry suggested.

“Yeah, of course, so Mum can send me another Howler saying “It's your own fault your wand got broken...” and the like? No thanks.”

They went to lunch, where Hermione told them they had their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Megan groaned. She liked the subject a lot, but last year the teacher had tried to kill her, and this year he was an egotistic publicity freak. Just as she was eating her corn beef hash, a flash blinded her.

“Hey, what the-”

“Sorry, Megan!”

She looked up. A small jittery young blond boy stood there, a large camera in his hands.

“Hi, Megan... I'm Colin Creevey. I'm in Gryffindor, too, isn't that great?”

“Uh, nice to meet you, Colin...” she said, as her eyes returned to normal.

“Could I maybe take another picture with me in it? So I can prove I met you? It's great here, isn't it? A friend of mine told me if I developed these right, they'd move! Could... Could I possibly have an autograph? ”

Megan blinked.

“Uh... I...”

“Giving out signed photos, Potter?”

“Mind your beeswax, Malfoy.” Ron shot at him.

Loud and haughty, Malfoy marched up to them.

“Everyone gather round! Potter's giving signed photos!”

“No, I'm not!” Megan snapped hotly.

“You're just jealous!” Piped Colin, whose body was barely thicker than Crabbe's arm.

“Jealous? Who'd want a face destroyed by some ugly scar,” he snorted.

“Go eat slugs, Malfoy.”

“Now, now, Weasley,” he said in a cool voice. “We wouldn't want your Mummy to come and get you, would we?”

Ron glared.

“Maybe you should sign Weasley a photo, Potter, they could be worth more than their whole house...”

Megan and Harry both had to wrestle with Ron to stop him from grabbing Malfoy by the neck.

“Ron, stop!” Megan said. “Don't buy into him!”

“What's this about signed photos?”

Gilderoy Lockhart strode down, his usual oversized grin glued to his face.

“Oh, brilliant...” Megan muttered.

“Ah, I should have guessed. We meet again, Megan!”

Malfoy was feasting his eyes on this embarrassing moment as he walked away.

“Here, Mr Creevey, you can have two for the price of one, and we'll both sign it!”

Megan was unable to free herself from Lockhart's grasp as Colin took the picture.

“Now, it's time, everyone,” he said. "Off to class with you."

He strode off, releasing Megan who felt her shoulder gingerly. She sighed as they headed to the third floor to take their class. She had a feeling it wasn't going to be much fun.

**************************

Phew, an eventful first DADA class, wouldn't you say? What would you have done to stop the pixies? Let's hear all about it in the comments! And let's congratulate our friends with a vote!

What else will they have to deal with?  Let's find out in the next chapter!