The Girl Who Lived (Draco Malfoy x OC)

The Wolves

September 1st 1992

"Silence!" Snape's voice boomed through his office. Harper flinched while Ron cowered behind held up arms. "What have you done with the car?"

Harper took a deep breath. After the barrier to Platform 9 and 3 quarters froze on them, she and Ron had no choice but to drive Mr. Weasley's bewitched car to Hogwarts. As if driving the Ford Anglia wasn't stressful enough, they were attacked by the Whomping Willow. Harper was convinced this day couldn't get any worse. Just as her heart started to return to a normal resting beat, Snape stood over them. Now she was at the brunt of one of his lectures in their office. She clutched her seat tightly, surely he wouldn't expel them, right?

"You were seen," he hissed, shoving the Evening Prophet into their faces. "Two Muggles in London, convinced they saw an old car flying over the Post Office tower," he read out loud, "at noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out her washing. Mr. Angus Fleet of Peebles reported to police," she glimpsed terrifyingly at Ron. "Six or seven Muggles in all."

"We're sorry!" Harper cried and he shot her a glare, "Sir," she gulped.

"Not to mention, considerable damage has been done to our Whomping Willow after your ridiculous stunt!" He stared into Harper's eyes. "Don't you realise you could have died, Potter!"

"I nearly died too!" Ron blurted out to which Snape held a hand up to silence him.

"Whatever adrenaline fueled reason motivated you to do this..." He shook his head with looming disappointment and Harper's heart wilted. She hated disappointing Snape.

"We had no choice, we couldn't get on the train," she hurried to explain. "The barrier at King's Cross wouldn't let us through."

"The car's invisibility booster was faulty!" Ron added. "I tried to keep the car hidden above the clouds-"

"Silence!" Snape snapped again and then noticed something behind them. Harper chanced a glance over her shoulder to see Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore standing gravely at the door. She stared at Ron who resembled her white face. Now she felt extremely sick, she tried not to look at the large, slimy something suspended in green liquid behind Snape's desk.

They were worse off in McGonagall's hands. At least she could have swayed Snape to give them a fairer punishment like she did in first year when he caught her out after curfew. Ron and Harper didn't know what it was, but the Slytherin Head always seemed to make exceptions for Harper. It was no secret he favoured Slytherin's, but he took a shine to Harper that Ron explained he'd never done for a Gryffindor before. The reason as to why drove Hermione mad.

Ron gripped Harper's wrist under the desk as McGonagall rounded the table with Dumbledore. Either Harper had forgotten just how thin the Transfiguration teacher's mouth could go or she had never seen her this angry.

"You have spoken to them, Severus?" She asked, her voice as cold as the wind had been in the Scotland skies.

"Indeed, Miss. Potter believes the gateway between platforms nine and ten sealed and they were unable to take the Hogwarts Express."

Harper shrunk in McGonagall's angry stare. "Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe you have an owl?"

Harper rubbed her scar and winced, when Ron and she returned to the old Ford Anglia in the carpark, the decision to drive it to Hogwarts seemed like the smartest choice at the time. How foolish they were.

"I... didn't think to-"

"That," McGonagall interrupted, "is obvious."

Dumbledore stared down his nose at them, and Harper found herself wishing the Whomping Willow had squished her. "I must impress upon both of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to both your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."