Above the sky, the sea of clouds rolled and tumbled.
An old Ford Anglia skimmed across the soft clouds, glittering under the dazzling sunlight like a mirror.
"Now, we just have to watch out for the rockets!" Ron shouted to Harry, "Just don't let a Muggle crash into us, we can't afford to pay for that!"
From Ron's tone, you'd think they were piloting an Imperial-class Star Destroyer rather than a car.
Harry leaned out the window excitedly, peering down below and laughing loudly. He laughed so hard that he nearly fell out of the car.
Ron quickly grabbed the back of Harry's trousers and yanked him inside. The car shook violently in midair, as though they were experiencing turbulence—only far worse.
The shaking lasted several minutes before Ron finally managed to pull Harry back inside.
Exhausted, the two collapsed into their seats, gasping for air. They exchanged glances and burst into satisfied laughter.
They were exhilarated.
Maybe too exhilarated.
Ron felt such a surge of euphoria that it seemed like it might spill out of him.
"If Malfoy saw us driving this car, he'd definitely be jealous!" Ron declared.
Malfoy would certainly be jealous, though not for the reasons Ron said.
Harry nodded cheerfully. He couldn't think of a better way to travel—sitting in a sun-drenched car, weaving through vortex-like, tower-shaped clouds.
It was like a dream.
Of course, if Ron were replaced with Cho, the dream would have been even better.
"We should descend a bit and find the Hogwarts Express. Otherwise, we might get lost," Ron said nervously, fiddling with the car's controls.
The car gradually descended below the cloud layer. Both boys craned their necks, squinting to scan the ground below.
"There it is!" Harry's Seeker instincts paid off; his sharp eyes quickly spotted the train below.
"Right there, up ahead!"
The Hogwarts Express sped along like a red snake beneath them.
"Due north, let's go!" Harry shouted.
Ron adjusted the car's altitude again and pressed a button, making the car visible.
"What are you doing, Ron?" Harry asked in alarm, "Why make the car visible? What if Muggles see us?"
William had warned them that it could cause trouble for Mr. Weasley. They'd only decided to use the car because they couldn't get through the barrier at King's Cross.
"Relax! We're way out of London," Ron said confidently. "William's modifications are excellent. No breakdowns so far, and Muggles won't notice us."
"Look, there's Fred and George!"
Ron lowered the car and waved enthusiastically at some figures leaning out of the train windows.
Of course, no one could see them while the car had been invisible.
Ron was eager to see Fred and George's jealous expressions, and perhaps he could even mock Malfoy a bit.
Students pointed excitedly at the flying car, shouting and waving.
Ron felt a rush of exhilaration, as though he'd just downed a liter of ice-cold soda.
"Harry, this year's entrance is definitely going to be the coolest! Remember last year when William showed up in style? I've been itching to try something like this!" Ron exclaimed.
Harry waved toward Cho, thoroughly enjoying the moment.
"All right, we just need to check in every half hour. Sit tight…" Ron floored the accelerator, and the car shot back into the clouds.
Inside the train, students buzzed with excitement, discussing the flying car they'd just seen.
In their compartment, William gathered his group before they all settled back into their seats.
"They're driving instead of taking the train?" Fred said incredulously. "What are those two thinking?"
"What idiots!" George exclaimed angrily. "That's definitely Ron's idea."
"They're going to get expelled!" Hermione was beside herself. "I can't believe what I just saw!"
"They've broken at least twenty school rules."
Ginny, on the verge of tears, clutched her collar. "They won't expel Harry, will they?"
"No, they won't," William reassured her. "Dumbledore wouldn't expel Harry."
In truth, their actions were expulsion-worthy. But Dumbledore wasn't likely to let Harry go.
"Do you think they'll fly to the moon?" Luna mused dreamily, "There are moon frogs there."
Luna drifted into one of her whimsical daydreams.
Meanwhile, Anne whispered conspiratorially into Hermione's ear. She seemed to be plotting to fly to school on a broomstick next year.
William lightly tapped her on the head with his wand.
"Will Mr. Weasley's job be affected?" Cedric asked, raising a more serious concern.
"If Muggles find out, he'll probably face a suspension or an investigation. But as long as Harry and Ron aren't reckless, they'll keep the car invisible," William analyzed calmly. "For now, we need to notify Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley."
The twins quickly wrote a letter, and Anne used her two-way mirror to contact Dumbledore.
When Dumbledore received the "good news," his face turned stormy, and his eyebrows knit together.
It was the first time William had ever seen him so angry.
In the headmaster's office, Snape let out an oily chuckle.
"Ah," he said softly. "The famous Harry Potter and his loyal sidekick Weasley. Finding the train too dull, are they? Seeking a bit of excitement, perhaps, Headmaster?"
Snape's sarcasm was cutting, as always.
The train continued its journey amidst the tension.
Before long, footsteps echoed in the corridor. Malfoy slid the door open and entered, flanked by his usual cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
Malfoy looked pale and gaunt, as though he'd been drained of energy.
The twins glared at him. The Weasley and Malfoy families had clashed over the summer, and the wounds were still fresh.
Malfoy, however, had come to buy some snacks. After spending several Galleons, he casually inquired, "Where's Potter? Isn't he here?"
Malfoy, having been unconscious earlier, had missed the spectacle of the flying car. He was now trying to gather information.
He always had an eye on Harry.
"He's in the bathroom," William said nonchalantly, "Got a bit of an upset stomach."
Malfoy shot William a suspicious look.
But he quickly froze as a voice called out from the other end of the corridor. "Draco! Where are you?"
It was Pansy's voice.
Malfoy grabbed his purchases and tried to climb out the window—only to remember he was on a moving train. Reluctantly, he signaled for Crabbe and Goyle to block Pansy while he bolted in the opposite direction.
As the day wore on, night gradually fell.
About fifteen minutes from their destination, William stood up.
"Well, we're off," he said casually.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Just need to see Hagrid about something. We'll meet you at the castle," William replied with a wink.
Cedric and the twins stood as well, each grabbing one of William's arms.
With a pop, William Disapparated with them from the train compartment.
The remaining girls stared at each other in confusion.
"What are they up to?" Cho asked, puzzled.
Even she didn't know.
Anne ground her teeth in frustration. "They're off to play! How dare they leave me behind!"
"Tch. Boys!" Hermione sighed, opening a book. "They're all bound to get expelled sooner or later."