If Aiven were to describe this trip in two words, it would be "terrible." Especially as they approached Hogwarts, the car, clearly exhausted, made a screeching skid before crashing into the Whomping Willow next to the school's Forbidden Forest, turning an already bad journey into an absolute nightmare. The insane branches whipped wildly, and seeing the risk of being flattened, Aiven closed his eyes in fear, hearing Ron and Harry's screams.
The car was severely dented, and scattered glass shards cut the boys' faces. Aiven tried to pull out his wand but failed; the car shook violently, and he and Harry crashed heavily into each other. Outside, a branch as thick as a battering ram was furiously pounding the roof, which seemed about to cave in.
"Run!" Ron shouted, pushing open the car door with all his might, only to be violently knocked back by another branch.
"We're done for!" The roof was collapsing, just one more hit away.
Just as the three were despairing, the car engine suddenly restarted, pulling them out from under the Whomping Willow. Before Aiven could breathe a sigh of relief, he was thrown heavily out of the car, landing next to Harry, Ron, and their luggage. Then, he watched the car drive into the darkness without a backward glance, its taillights still flashing angrily.
"Can you believe such bad luck? With so many trees, we just had to hit the one that fights back!" Ron said with a bitter face, bending down to pick up Scabbers. His wand had snapped during the landing, held together by only a few splinters. He looked back at the ancient tree, which was still menacingly waving its branches.
"Let's go!" Harry said wearily. "We'd better get into the school. Aiven still needs to be sorted, and there's just enough time."
It was not the triumphant arrival they had initially imagined; the three boys were stiff, cold, and aching. They grabbed their broken trunks and began dragging them up the grassy slope, heading towards the two oak doors.
"Look, the feast has already started!" Ron pointed to a bright window in the Great Hall in the distance. "Hey, we'd better hurry! I see Professor McGonagall has taken out the Sorting Hat; the Sorting Ceremony is about to begin!"
Harry and Aiven looked into the window in the direction Ron was pointing. In the spacious and brightly lit Great Hall, countless candles floated in mid-air, below which were four long tables full of people. Golden plates and goblets shimmered on the tables, reflecting the stars on the ceiling. Aiven had read in "Hogwarts: A History" that the ceiling was enchanted to reflect the sky outside.
Over a dense sea of black, pointed Hogwarts hats, Aiven saw the new students nervously entering the hall in a long queue. Ginny was among them, her face pale, constantly looking around as if searching for him. Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall, wearing spectacles and with her hair tightly pulled back into a small bun, placed the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat on a stool in front of the new students. Professor McGonagall began calling out names, and a very small, grey-haired boy was called forward to put on the Sorting Hat.
"Let's go, it'll take five minutes to get to the Great Hall through this corridor. Hopefully, we won't run into Peeves."
"Wait!" Harry suddenly whispered. "There's an empty seat at the staff table. Where's Snape?"
"Who knows? Maybe he's sick!" Ron said hopefully.
"Maybe he left!" Harry said excitedly. "Because he didn't get to be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher again!"
"Maybe he got fired!" Ron joined in the excitement. "Think about it, everyone hates him!"
"Perhaps he's standing outside the gate, waiting to hear us explain why we didn't take the school train," Aiven sighed heavily. He saw a gaunt, sallow-skinned, hook-nosed, black-haired man with greasy long hair falling to his shoulders, standing on the steps outside the castle gates, looking at them coldly. The smile on Snape's face told Aiven that their situation was very bad.
"Ah, look who I've found, the famous Harry Potter and his two good companions." With a slight, low hiss, Aiven saw Professor Snape's disgusted gaze sweep over him. "You must have thought the school train wasn't exciting enough and wanted to do something thrilling, didn't you?"
"Sir, we didn't, it was the barrier at King's Cross Station, it…."
"Silence!" Snape said coldly. "Follow me!"
They followed Snape up the steps and into the empty, echoing, torch-lit entrance hall. The smell of food drifted from the Great Hall, but Snape led them away from the warmth and light, down a narrow stone staircase to the dungeons.
"Sir, we have to go to the Great Hall. Aiven still needs to be sorted," Harry said, mustering his courage.
"Silence!" Snape interrupted Harry again. He opened a door in the chilly corridor and pointed inside, saying, "Get in!"
Under Snape's gaze, the three boys shiveringly entered his office. The walls were dim, and shelves along the walls held many large glass jars, in which floated disgusting liquids of various colours. The fireplace was empty and dark.
Snape closed the door and turned to face the three of them. Like a venomous snake observing its prey, he remained silent for a long time before asking coldly, "What did you do to the car?"
"What?!" Ron was dumbfounded. He didn't understand why Snape knew about the car; could he read minds?
"Weasley, although I have never harboured any illusions about your empty brain," Snape unfolded a copy of that day's Daily Prophet, "it's quite clear you were seen!" He showed them the headline: "Flying Ford Anglia Amazes Muggles."
A cold sneer appeared on Snape's face as he read aloud, "Two Muggles in London claim they saw an old car fly over the Post Office building… At noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bayliss was hanging out her washing… Mr. Angus Fleet of Peebles reported to the police… There were six or seven Muggles in total."
"I believe your father works for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, doesn't he?" He looked up at Ron, smiling more sinisterly. "Oh dear, his own son…."
Aiven noticed Harry and Ron's expressions were very dejected; they seemed to have just realised the dire consequences if someone discovered Mr. Weasley had enchanted the car.
"And!" Snape continued, "I found during my garden inspection that a very valuable Whomping Willow appears to have suffered significant damage."
"That tree caused us more damage!" Ron blurted out.
"Silence, Weasley!" Snape snapped again, his gaze turning to Aiven. "And you, Mr. Mason, I imagine you've discovered that being the Saviour's sidekick isn't a wise choice. I think you'll be the first student in history to be expelled from Hogwarts on the very first day of school."
"No, you can't expel Aiven!" Harry shouted.
"Quite clearly, I have that right!" Snape's gaze returned to Harry and Ron. "As for you two, what a pity, you are not students of my House, so I have no right to make the decision to expel you. I will now go and find the person who truly possesses that pleasant privilege. You wait here."
Harry watched Snape's retreating back, his face pale. He wanted to comfort Aiven, but he opened his mouth and didn't know what to say. If Snape brought Professor McGonagall, he and Ron wouldn't be in a better situation. She might be a little fairer than Snape, but equally strict. If Aiven was expelled by Snape, he and Ron would certainly receive the same punishment from Professor McGonagall. He wasn't sure where he would go after leaving Hogwarts; the Dursleys would definitely not welcome him. Perhaps he could go with Hagrid and become the school's gamekeeper.
While Harry was lost in thought, Professor McGonagall entered, followed by Snape. Her lips were tightly pursed, and as soon as she entered, she raised her wand, making the three boys flinch, but she merely pointed it at the empty fireplace, and flames immediately sprang up.