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Josephine pries open her trunk, retrieving the crumpled note with the Gaunt address scrawled upon it. Today, she hopes to acquire the horcrux.
Her means of transportation is the Knight Bus.
Aware of the formidable protective charms Tom likely places around the horcrux, she braces herself for the inevitable pain of bypassing them.
Prepared, Josephine double-checks her belongings before departing her room, overhearing Karina and Alora's laughter in the living room.
Approaching them, a tinge of melancholy paints her expression. "I'm off to hang out with my friends," she announces.
Karina beams. "Stay safe, dear!"
As she turns to leave, Alora halts her with a touch on the shoulder, a grave and worried expression etched on her face.
"Don't touch the box," Alora cautions. "Remove the death curse first."
Death curse.
Josephine momentarily freezes under Alora's touch, quickly composing herself. "Thank you," she replies, stepping away and exiting the house.
A death curse. Nothing can be straightforward, can it?
They are challenging to dispel but not impossible—just an irritating inconvenience.
Walking away from the house and the town, she continues until the streets are nearly deserted. Despite the daylight, the sunny weather only worsens her mood.
Ensuring no one is nearby, she draws her wand and aims it at the road. With a familiar bang, the Knight Bus materializes, causing her to flinch involuntarily.
The three-story bus looms before her, adorned with glistening gold lettering: "The Knight Bus."
Clovis, the familiar bus conductor, scans his paper before looking up abruptly. Recognition dawns on him. "I know you! You're...."
"Josephine," she confirms.
"Ah, yes, Josephine," he acknowledges, stepping aside for her to board. The warm interior of the bus feels sweltering compared to the outside heat.
The bus is vacant this time, all the beds unoccupied.
"Where to?" Clovis inquires.
Josephine retrieves the address from her pocket and hands it to him. "Here."
He reviews it quickly before handing it to the driver. "Let's go!"
Josie promptly settles into one of the cots, avoiding the inevitable jostling around the bus. Clovis, leaning against the bus wall, raises his eyebrows.
"You look better than last time," he remarks.
"Thanks," she replies.
Clovis chuckles softly, turning back to face forward as the journey continues. Time passes, and Josephine finds herself growing increasingly bored until the bus finally halts.
