Knight Bus

The movie Jaws turned out exactly as Rowan remembered. She had made sure to seat Petunia in the middle of the three of them, so that when she flinched, she would lean over to hug Andrew. And it worked in reverse as it was Andrew, who ended up reaching for Petunia's hand. Either way, Petunia did not let go of his hand which was just fine by Rowan.

After the movies, the three of them went their separate ways and each returned home. Rowan was treated to a dinner out at a local fine restaurant and did her best to be pleasant. But there were moment's where she wished to grab the magical ear plugs and put them in her ears to drown out the children's shouts. Times like these made her wonder how on earth Andrew had yet to murder his cousins. He must possess unimaginable mental fortitude.

The following days swiftly went by this way as Andrew and Petunia grew closer and closer. It seemed crazy, but the two of them fit each other perfectly. Andrew was just soft enough to do what Petunia said, but he was not a pushover either. He firmly stood his ground when he thought it was important, which made Petunia strangely happy enough to see that he had a backbone. By the third day, Andrew and Petunia had moved on to shy hand holding.

Rowan was not one to protest as they'd have plenty of time to write and get to know each other. It wasn't like Andrew as proposing or anything like that. He was just rapidly moving on to become boyfriend and girlfriend. And they said that Hufflepuffs were the dumb ones. As if, Hufflepuffs are hardworking and dedicated. If anything else, Hufflepuffs tended to know better than anyone else exactly what they wanted and just what they were willing to do in order to acquire it.

Thinking on her return to Hogwarts about swimming in the lake, Rowan asked, if the three of them might be allowed to go to London or another nearby city to go for shopping for a swimming suit. She thought that a light scuba diving suit might work as well. Not that she couldn't transfigure something, but she'd hate for the transfiguration to wear off and suddenly find herself wearing whatever the transfiguration item originally was.

Mr. and Mrs. Abbott didn't have a problem and neither did the Evans nor her grandfather as the girls would be accompanied by a boy. Never mind that Rowan did not need any saving as she could use her wand or fists if need be. Still, she wisely kept her mouth shut and didn't protest. Rather than taking the train or an ordinary bus, they would be taking the Knight Bus.

It was late, dark, and cloudy, when the three of them stood out in front of the Abbott home with Mr. Abbott and Mrs. Abbott periodically checking up on them. Petunia shivered and said, "Exactly what are we waiting for?"

"Move," is all that Rowan said as she pulled her wand back.

They all instantly stepped back onto the curve was with a deafening BANG, there was a sudden flash of light. A triple-decker, purple bus emerged from thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled The Knight Bus.

"That's our ride," Rowan muttered.

Petunia sniffed and grabbed her bag before Andrew could. Andrew tactfully understood this girlfriend wanted to be independent. He could handle that.

A conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night. "Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stanley Shunpike, your conductor for this evening."

Rowan couldn't help but wonder if this driver was related in any way or fashion to Stan Shunpike, the future drive in the 90's. They certainly had the same protruding ears. And they both certainly looked alike. But who knows, she might just be trying to make a connection to another figure of the future.

Petunia cleared her throat causing Rowan to blink out of her thoughts and ask, "How much to London for three passengers?"

"Eleven Sickles each, but for fifteen you get a hot chocolate, and for fifteen you get a hot water and a toothbrush in the color of your choice."

"No, thank you," Rowan politely declined and doled out the exact amount for the trip.

The three of them boarded the bus as Petunia merely stared at finding half a dozen brass bedsteads beside curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. An elderly witch in a nightcap rolls over and lets out a rather loud snore, before falling silent again.

"You'd think given that they have magic, they'd know to keep fire away from a bed," Petunia muttered.

They warily made their way past the driver, the elderly, Ernie Prang thick glasses. But still the elderly wizard already looked positively ancient. Just why was such an old wizard driving a bus full of people? And why on earth was he still driving some twenty years later?

Sitting down on a bed, Petunia and Rowan shared one, while Andrew sat down on the bed next to them. With a tremendous Bang, the Knight Bus pulled away. Petunia gulped as Rowan felt nothing whatsoever. She'd already gone through her grandfather's drives from Hell, this was nothing in comparison.

"I'd really wish this had a seatbelt," Petunia said through gritted teeth.

"What can I say," Rowan said with a shrug. "Wizardkind lack common sense at times." Petunia mutely nods in agreement as does Andrew.

The Knight Bus goes on its way up the pavement and yet the bus does not hit anything on its rampage as lampposts, mailboxes, trash cans jump out of its way, and then back into their original locations. Rowan idly wondered if that worked on living beings. Like would the bus shove a drunk muggle out of the way or a stray cat for instance?

Hopefully or else, Ernie Prang's license better be revoked! Not that she thought he had a driving license to begin with. And he did not seem to understand the purpose of a steering wheel.

Stanley rushes into the back and wakes the sleeping elderly witch as the us slammed to a stop. The elderly lady was helped down the stairs before her bag was tossed after her and the doors slammed shut. With another loud BANG, the bus set off down a narrow country lane only in this case with trees leaping out of the way.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Stanley says, "Where to in London?"

"Diagon Alley," Rowan instantly replied.

"Right then," Stanly said. "It'll just be a second."

The bus thundered across Charing Cross Road as buildings and benches squeezed themselves out of the way. Ernie Prang slammed on the break as the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron.

"Thank you," Andrew politely said, while Rowan and Petunia most certainly did not say so. They were not grateful whatsoever. Petunia especially was simply happy to be alive and not have to contemplate the afterlife quite so suddenly.