Chapter 141: Bumped into the Gun
After a series of crashing sounds, all the windows of the Ford car shattered, and the body was covered in whip marks. Even more exaggerated, there was a deep dent on the roof.
The two people inside the car screamed in panic, but this could not stop the Whomping Willow's attack.
A battering ram-like branch crashed in from behind the car, piercing from the back seat to the front, grazing past their ears. At the same time, countless branches as thick as fingers rained down like hail.
The Ford car was battered and teetering under this storm-like assault, and was soon knocked down by a thick branch.
Bang!
The semi-wrecked car landed on the ground. Before the two could catch their breath, they heard the low growl of the Whomping Willow, like a desolate autumn wind.
The enormous main trunk, along with all its branches, bent into a bow shape. Several tips, larger than the car itself, were raised high like clenched fists, as if they were about to crash onto the car the next moment.
"We're finished," Harry murmured in despair, as if he saw them being flattened into a patty.
At the critical moment, the bottom of the car suddenly vibrated, and the engine restarted.
A glint flashed in Harry's eyes, and he immediately shouted, "Drive!"
Ron stomped on the accelerator, and with a roar, the car shot forward.
They had only gone for two seconds when half of the Whomping Willow crashed down, making the ground tremble slightly.
Phew!
The car stopped in an open space. The two exchanged glances and, by unspoken agreement, sighed in relief, both secretly thankful to have escaped with their lives.
However, at that moment, the car doors automatically opened, throwing the two out.
And the trunk opened, ejecting their suitcases and their two pets.
Overall, it was still relatively humane, as their pet owl Hedwig and rat Scabbers both landed safely in their hands, without any injuries.
After clearing out all the items, the car closed its doors and trunk, and, trailing its numerous scars, drove through the Castle gates into the night.
"My car!" Ron shouted, putting down his pet and chasing after it with Harry.
But two legs really couldn't catch up to four wheels. In the end, they watched helplessly as the car drove into the Forbidden Forest.
"My dad is definitely going to kill me," Ron said weakly.
Harry looked at him sympathetically, not knowing how to comfort him. "Don't worry about that for now. Let's get our suitcases to the Castle. Maybe we can still catch Ginny's Sorting Ceremony.
As for the car, Hagrid is the gamekeeper; let him help us find it!"
"That's all we can do," Ron said with a wry smile.
The two cautiously bypassed the enormous Whomping Willow and placed their respective suitcases and pets on the steps where such items were piled.
Then, dragging their tired bodies, they quietly walked outside the Great Hall and secretly watched the first-year Sorting Ceremony through a window.
It wasn't that they didn't want to watch up close, but their attire was a bit out of place.
Except for the Principal, Professors, and staff at the faculty table, all the students were wearing black Wizard robes, while they were in casual clothes. Coupled with the not-so-small injuries inflicted by the Whomping Willow, they would be unusually conspicuous in a crowd.
Fortunately, Ginny had not yet been sorted. Although they were not inside the Great Hall, they didn't completely miss this special moment.
However, in the hearts of the two, they were clearly quite oblivious, as a portion of the people inside the Great Hallhad already noticed something amiss.
Aaron looked at Professor Snape, who was constantly searching for something at the faculty table, and a wry smile involuntarily appeared on his face. How could he have forgotten him?
The Dean of their Slytherin had an unusually complex perception of Harry Potter, and naturally paid more attention to his situation than others.
"Aaron, I keep feeling like something isn't quite right!" Dracowhispered.
"Don't talk nonsense, everything's normal."
"No, I just feel like something is missing." Draco frowned in thought, and gradually his gaze fell upon the Gryffindorlong table. His pupils widened slightly. "Look, Harry Potterand Ron Weasley don't seem to be here."
"No way!" Aaron said, feigning surprise. "Could it be that they've already arrived, but you didn't see them?"
Draco paused, then suspiciously scanned the Gryffindorlong table. Now he was 100% certain: Harry and Ron were indeed absent.
"They really didn't come!" Draco said excitedly. "Should I tell Professor Snape? He'll definitely be happy to hear this news."
"Don't..." Aaron was about to advise him not to stir up trouble at this moment when he accidentally met Snape's gaze from the faculty table.
Feeling that sharp gaze, Aaron's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned his face away.
But a few seconds later, he looked up, and Snape was still looking at him. What surprised him even more was that Snape's gaze also flickered towards the empty seats at Gryffindor, as if asking: Do you know where they are?
Holy cow!
He knew, but could he admit such a thing? Obviously not!
If he admitted it, what would he say? That Harry and his friends came by car, but he also genuinely climbed onto the train and greeted them, and provided some rather timely material assistance.
Aaron immediately responded to his most respected Professor with his eyes, shaking his head slightly, as if to say, Don't look at me, I don't know anything.
Snape frowned slightly at this, but soon a cold sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he glanced towards the window.
Aaron instinctively turned to look, only to see two sneaky heads peeking in, and he was speechless for a moment.
These two kids are beyond help; they've walked right into a trap.
Snape smiled meaningfully, no longer paying attention to the Sorting Ceremony, but subtly exited through a side door.
"This is going to be tragic."
"What did you say?" Draco asked.
"I said someone's going to have a bad day," Aaron replied calmly. "It's only the first day of school, but for some people, it's going to be quite an experience."
"So... what does that mean?"
Aaron patted his shoulder and smiled, "Good news, at least it's good news for you."
Outside the window, Harry and Ron also noticed that Snapewas no longer in the audience.
The two began to guess why he was absent, from being sick to resigning to being fired, they grew more and more excited with each theory.
Severus Snape was not only the Dean of Slytherin but also one of their most disliked Professors.
Regarding his absence, they naturally wouldn't entertain any positive thoughts.
However, neither of them noticed a figure growing closer behind them.
Hearing these two Gryffindors' malicious guesses about him, Snape's mood was calm, but his face was terrifyingly dark.
"Perhaps he's waiting to hear why you didn't take the school bus."
Harry and Ron froze, and involuntarily shivered.
The two turned around in unison, seeing a black robe fluttering in the cool breeze, followed by a familiar face, though at this moment that face was filled with a playful, cold sneer.
"Do either of you have anything to say?"
"Professor, I, we..." Harry stammered, about to say something when Snape interrupted him.
"Follow me, to my office. We'll have a good talk," Snape said softly, his tone unusually gentle, but to the two of them, it sounded particularly cold.
Harry and Ron followed closely behind Snape's footsteps, arriving at his office.
This was their first time visiting Snape's office. It was filled with various bottles and jars, and the atmosphere was particularly oppressive under the dim light.
"Come, take a look!" Snape meaningfully took out a copy of the Daily Prophet from a drawer, showing a Ford car soaring through the clouds.
"Our famous Mr. Harry Potter and his friend Ron Weasleyfound taking the train not exciting enough, and wanted to do something thrilling, didn't they?
Very impressive. If a Wizard hadn't happened to take a photo while on official business, you two would have really gotten away with it.
Do you know that with this one photo, he received two hundred Galleons from the Daily Prophet. I'm envious of how quickly he earned money."
"Professor, we..."
"Quiet," Snape snapped. "Actually, when I saw this newspaper, I knew you two would definitely come tonight.
But at the same time, I felt particularly confused. Someone had already explained the situation to Dumbledore, and you could have perfectly well returned to school tomorrow. Why did you insist on driving?
Do you know the consequences of doing that?
Fortunately, no Muggles discovered you, otherwise things would be even more serious.
Oh, and by the way, I think I just saw a magical plant that was injured. That was your doing too, wasn't it?"
"Professor, that was an accident," Harry said nervously.
"That tree hurt us more," Ron said.
"Silence. That tree is older than both of you, and its name is Whomping Willow.
If Professor Sprout saw it was injured, she'd probably bring bandages to heal it overnight."
"We're very sorry, Professor, but we..."
"Don't interrupt, Mr. Potter." Snape stood up from his seat, looking at their pale faces with a cold sneer. "Actually, what you should be most grateful for is that you are not students of Slytherin, otherwise I would expel you immediately.
Now I'm going to find the person who truly has that authority. I'm sure Professor McGonagall will be very surprised to see you. You two stay here and don't move."