"(Y/N), quickly," Lucius Malfoy called over his shoulder. His long legs made quick strides through King's Cross Station. It was nearly eleven o'clock, and he did not seem to have much time to allow his daughter to catch up to him. "The train will be leaving soon, with or without you."

(Y/N) wanted to say that she knew, but she thought better of it. They'd only just made up after her scene in Flourish and Blotts and she didn't want to go off to school on a bad note with him. So instead, she steadied Alcestis' cage in her arms and said a hurried "Excuse me," to a Muggle who nearly ran right into her.

Finally, Platform 9¾ came into their view. Lucius made haste to pass straight through, and after sparing a glance over her shoulder to make sure no Muggles were looking, (Y/N) started towards the wall.

She closed her eyes, hugged Alcestis tight, and after a few steps, quickened her pace to a run. But, unlike the year before, instead of passing through to the busy platform, (Y/N) collided hard with the brick wall before her. Alcestis screeched defiantly in her cage, fluttering her wings in anger and (Y/N) struggled not to tumble over her feet.

"Just what do you think you're doing?"

A tall guard had approached, staring down his nose at her.

"I was only, um... The Platform..." She didn't know how to explain what she was doing to a Muggle. If she told him what she was trying to do, he'd probably think she was mad. "Sorry," She decided to say. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

The man dropped his gaze to the cage (Y/N) held in her arms. With a shake of his head and a click of his tongue, he walked away, muttering something about the youth.

(Y/N) could still feel a few of the Muggles gazing at her, but she didn't have the time to care. She pressed her hand to the wall in front of her, pushed with all of her might, yet she still wasn't able to pass through. She looked at the clock as her pulse began to quicken. There were only a few seconds left before the train would depart. What on earth was she to do if she couldn't get through to the Platform?

She pressed her back to the wall, bracing herself for a fall backward, but nothing came. It seemed to be nothing more than a normal wall, which was about the most abnormal thing (Y/N)'d ever experienced.

She willed herself not to panic. It would mean nothing if she missed the train. Lucius and Narcissa would return shortly and find a way to get her to school. After all, the Malfoys were particularly good at pulling strings. She'd be alright, (Y/N) assured herself, so long as she was patient.

However (Y/N) couldn't help but worry. As she moved to sit at a nearby bench, she wondered if she'd perhaps lost all of her magic. Or what if she was expelled and she didn't even know it yet? Even if she was still allowed at school, there was nothing stopping her parents from apparating home. There was no rule that required their return to King's Cross Station. Just what was she supposed to do then?

(Y/N) anxiously tapped her foot. Every so often she would glance back at the wall between Platform 9 and 10, but she didn't see anyone returning from bidding their children farewell. She began to think of what she would do if her parents didn't return. She could always call the Knight Bus. She didn't know much about it other than the fact that it was apparently a "Muggle-esque outrage," but she figured it would do the trick if the need really came. Or, (Y/N) thought she might run into Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. They could help her to Hogsmeade, and (Y/N) could simply walk the rest of the way to school.

Just when she started to calm down, she heard the squeak of old trolley wheels and hurried feet running across the concrete. Two boys were racing across the station as if their lives depended on it, and straight to the brick wall ahead.

(Y/N) got to her feet as quickly as she could. "Harry!"

Harry looked her way at the last second, and then with a loud crash, his trolley collided hard with the barrier before him. Both he and his belongings fell over, and Hedwig went rolling across the floor. A moment later, Ron ran into his things and flew over his cart, landing harshly on the ground.

She was almost relieved that they were kept off of the Platform, too. It meant she did not lose her magical abilities, nor had she been expelled. But she still didn't understand why they weren't being let through.

Harry and Ron had caused a much greater commotion than (Y/N). All the nearby Muggles gave them curious looks, some were muttering about animal cruelty, and the guard was already on his way back to say something else.

"Oi! What do you two think you're doing?"

"Sorry!" Harry got to his feet. He rubbed his arm as he tried to think of something to say. "Lost... Lost control of the trolley."

The man looked from the pair of boys to (Y/N), who'd just saved Hedwig from a pair of Muggle children eying her cage. He seemed to put two and two together: those two troublesome boys and that strange girl knew each other, but he didn't press the matter any further. He merely shook his head and walked away.

(Y/N) hurried over to her friends. "Are you two alright?" She set Hedwig atop of what remained on Harry's trolley.

"Thanks," Harry said. "And we're fine, but--"

"We can't get through!" Ron frantically patted the wall before him.

"Yes, I saw." (Y/N) said. "And the train's already left. It's past eleven."

Harry's eyes widened. "The train leaves--"

"Exactly at eleven, yes, I know!"

"If we can't get through," Ron said. "Maybe Mum and Dad can't get back!"

"They're already on the Platform?" (Y/N) questioned.

"They went ahead to help Ginny," Harry told her. "But we had to go back to the car. Ron left Scabbers behind."

"The car!" Ron exclaimed.

"What?" (Y/N) watched as Ron hurried to gather his things. She could tell he had an idea, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was. "Should we wait there for your parents?"

"No, (Y/N)," He set his last suitcase atop his trolley and met her eyes with a smile. "It's our ticket to Hogwarts!"

She was still very confused. "What's he on about?" She asked Harry. "Driving to Hogwarts?"

Harry looked just as dumbfounded as she felt. "No idea,"

"Well come on," Ron waved them forward. "We have to be quick if we want to catch up with the train."

***

(Y/N) didn't know much about Muggle transportation, but she was almost positive that cars were not supposed to fly. Even still, the Weasleys managed a way to attain a blue Ford Anglia that could soar high over the streets of London.

Once Ron figured out exactly what he was doing, the car rose high above the clouds until all they could see was a vast expansion blue sky and bright, warm sun. It was as if the clouds turned themselves into their own personal road. (Y/N) watched the fluff pass by underneath them for a long time. She'd grown up with magic her entire life, but from time to time, she found something like that which reminded her of how lucky she really was.

"So what were you doing by yourself at King's Cross?" Ron met (Y/N)'s eyes through the rearview mirror.

"Waiting for help," She answered. "Father and I were running late because I had to go back home to pick up Alcestis. The gateway closed just after he went through."

"Do you think it closes right at eleven?" Harry asked.

(Y/N) shook her head. "It was sealed before eleven. And it makes no sense for it to close. How will everyone's parents get back?"

"How'd you forget your owl?" Ron asked incredulously.

Harry gave him a defiant stare. "You forgot your rat."

"Yeah..." Ron conceded. "But an owl's different. Right? Scabbers can't do much anyway. Alcestis is actually useful."

"I was just excited to finally leave my room." (Y/N) admitted. "Father had been keeping me locked up until today. Something about embarrassing him and being disobedient. But I think it's just because I stood up for Muggles and he didn't like it."

"They kept you in your room?" Harry's eyebrows raised in surprise. He looked very concerned, and (Y/N) instantly felt bad for worrying him.

"It's alright, I've been put away for much longer and for doing much less." She tried.

"Bloody hell," Ron sounded very tired. "What is it with your families and locking you two away?"

"What?" (Y/N) looked to Harry. "Your aunt and uncle had you locked up, too?"

"They had bars on his window and everything!" Ron exclaimed. "He was in there all summer until Fred, George, and I rescued him."

"Bars!" (Y/N) repeated in horror. She suddenly felt bad for complaining about being kept in a cozy bedroom. She wasn't allowed to leave, but at least they hadn't transformed her room into a physical prison. "That's terrible, Harry!"

"It was worth it when I got to leave," He started to smile. "The look on their faces made up for it."

(Y/N) tried to remember what Harry's family looked like. Large Dudley Dursley, even larger Uncle Vernon, and tall, narrow Aunt Petunia. She imagined their stunned faces would make up for such terrible treatment. She merely wished she were there to see it herself.

Suddenly, the car's engine sputtered and they lurched forward. (Y/N) held out an arm to keep the owl's cages in their seats, and with her other hand, steadied Scabbers' crate in her lap.

"What's happened?" She asked.

"The invisibility booster must be faulty!" Ron slammed his hand into a silver button once, twice, then three times, but nothing came from it at all.

"Well come on then, let's go lower." Said Harry. "We need to find the train."

Ron nodded and shifted gears and suddenly they were descending to the rolling hills. They kept going until they found the familiar tracks they'd traversed twice before. (Y/N) was glad to know they'd been going the right way. After being up in the clouds so long, she wasn't entirely sure what direction they were headed.

"Now all we've got to do is catch up with the train." Harry sounded very pleased with where they'd found themselves.

"We can't be far behind." Ron said.

(Y/N) nodded in agreement. "With how fast this car goes, I wouldn't be surprised if we were ahead."

Just as she finished, (Y/N) heard the Hogwarts Express whistle from somewhere in the distance.

"Do you hear that?" Harry questioned.

"We must be getting close!"

(Y/N) heard the chugging train grow louder and louder, but she still couldn't see it ahead of them. She felt her stomach drop and ventured a look over her shoulder. Sure enough, she was right: they were ahead of the train, though not by very much. In fact, if it was any closer, it would've been right on top of them.

She tried to say something, but all she could do was scream. Harry and Ron turned around to see what was the matter, but upon seeing it, they only screamed louder.

(Y/N) felt the car speed up, but it wasn't doing much good for them at all. The train was still right on their bumper, and having had enough, (Y/N) finally found her words and shouted, "Get us out of the way!"

Ron obeyed instantly, turning the wheel hard, and they were sent flying off the tracks and spiraling through the air. With the owls in the back, (Y/N) found the sensation to be more than unpleasant. Hedwig and Alcestis seemed to be having a competition over who could shriek the loudest, and Scabbers was running around his crate so much it made it hard for (Y/N) to keep hold of him.

Ron finally steadied the wheel, but not before the passenger door swung open and Harry toppled out of the front seat.

(Y/N) screamed and lurched forward, and she would've fallen out herself if Ron hadn't thrown out an arm to stop her. "Harry!" She cried.

She was more than relieved to see he hadn't fallen to his demise. Instead, Harry was gripping the door handle for dear life, dangling over the ground far, far below.

Ron leaned towards the opened door, stretching his arm as far as it would reach. "Take my hand!" He shouted over the wind.

But as he moved, so did the wheel, and suddenly the car was flying sideways. Ron began sliding closer and closer to the opened door, though not on his own accord. If they didn't straighten the car soon, both he and Harry would be falling away.

(Y/N) sat Scabbers in a nearby cup holder and hoped he wouldn't topple out too, and then she began climbing over Ron to the front seat.

"Hold on!" Shouted Ron, still teaching out for Harry's hand. He didn't even seem to notice (Y/N) moving past him in all the commotion.

"I'm trying!" Harry yelled back. "Your hands are all sweaty!"

(Y/N)'d found herself behind the wheel and gripped it tightly. She hadn't ever been in a car before, let alone flown one, but she'd been watching Ron manage it for about an hour. She was sure she could figure it out.

She glanced over at the two boys, saw Harry's hand firmly around Ron's and figured that was as good a time as any.

"Hold on!" She shouted.

Harry's terrified eyes met with her's for a fraction of a second, and right after that, Ron looked back at her, too.

"Are you mental?" He screamed.

(Y/N) turned the wheel the other way and Harry and Ron came tumbling back into the car. The door shut after them, and after a few moments of confusion, and flying second years, (Y/N) managed to get the car right side up and steady.

Ron and Harry tumbled back into their seats, lacking all grace. As the three sat in silence, catching their breath, (Y/N) could already feel a few bruises coming on. Especially where Ron's elbow slammed right into her side. Harry's glasses were askew, Ron's hair was a windswept mess, and (Y/N)'s pristine look had been resorted to a haphazard appearance. They looked as beat up as they normally did at Hogwarts, and it was that moment when (Y/N) realized her second year would be no quieter than her first. Not with those two as her friends.

Finally, Harry found his voice. "I think we found the train,"

"Yeah," Ron nodded.

"No kidding," (Y/N) said blankly.