HP/LOTM: Hogwart's Mind Dragon

The morning of their departure was utter chaos. A magical alarm clock shrieked, and the house stirred to life. Molly was in a frenzy, running around looking for spare socks and quills. Arthur, while helping Ginny carry her trunk through the garden, tripped over a stray chicken and nearly broke his neck. The rest of them were half-dressed and still bleary-eyed, with Aiden and Harry, both holding half-eaten pieces of toast, repeatedly bumping into each other on the crowded staircase.

"Haaah," Aiden yawned, stretching languidly. "Aunt, just let me sleep a little longer. I can just Apparate to Hogsmeade later." His heterochromatic pupils were hazy, and his dazed expression made him look like a large, sleepy cat.

"No," Molly said firmly, flicking his forehead. "You will go to school on the train like everyone else. Now, get moving."

Thanks to Aiden's liberal use of the Undetectable Extension Charm on their luggage, the family managed to arrive at King's Cross Station at 10:49.

"Come on, Percy, you and Aiden go first," Molly directed.

Percy grabbed the still half-asleep Aiden and pulled him through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Molly then followed, dragging Arthur and Ginny with her, and the twins went in right after.

Unfortunately, Harry and Ron, who were at the very back, ran full tilt into the solid brick wall. The crash of their trolleys attracted confused stares from nearby Muggles.

"Why can't we get through?" Harry whispered, rubbing his shoulder.

"I don't know—" Ron replied, equally bewildered.

The station clock struck eleven with a loud chime. The Hogwarts Express had officially departed without them.

"What do we do?" Harry asked desperately. "Maybe we should wait next to the car?"

"The car!" Ron's eyes lit up.

The two of them ran back to the car park. Fortunately, the vehicle was still under the influence of the blood-bound Confusion Charm Aiden had placed on it, and its subsequent flight through London went completely unnoticed by the Muggles below.

On the Hogwarts Express, Percy found an empty carriage and unceremoniously deposited Aiden inside. "You can rest here," he said briskly. "I have matters to discuss with the Ravenclaw prefect." Seeing that Aiden was barely conscious, Percy left without another word.

In a daze, Aiden felt something tickling his nose. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a familiar, smiling face.

"Don't make trouble, Arsesi," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

Arsesi, who was holding a long quill, just smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. She gently helped Aiden lie down so that his head was resting on her lap, then softly covered his eyes with her palm, shielding them from the light.

Sunlight streamed through the window, the gold and silver light weaving a beautiful, tranquil picture. The rhythmic clatter of the wheels on the track and the occasional distant whistle of the train filled the air with a peaceful harmony.

Unfortunately, that peace was soon shattered.

"Aiden, do you have—" Hermione burst into the carriage, then stopped short, stunned by the scene. She took two steps back, but the worry for her friends overcame her awkwardness, and she rushed in.

"Aiden, Ron and Harry are gone!" she said anxiously. "I've searched every single carriage, and I can't find them anywhere!"

Finally shaking free from his drowsy state, Aiden's eyes shot open as he remembered his cousin and friend. "Oh no," he groaned, slapping his forehead. "Staying up late always causes problems."

Just then, he felt the faint thrum of the runes he'd carved into the Ford Anglia approaching from outside. He looked out the window and saw the excited faces of Ron and Harry peering in from the flying car. Ron even raised his head proudly toward Hermione, a smug look on his face.

'Look, Hermione,' his expression seemed to say. 'We're resourceful, aren't we?'

Even from a hundred meters away and through a pane of glass, Aiden could feel the smugness radiating off Ron. 'Well,' he thought with a sigh, 'those two unlucky fools are going to get what they deserve.'

Ron stepped on the accelerator, and the Ford Anglia shot past the Hogwarts Express, disappearing into the clouds.

"They—they—!" Hermione was so angry she couldn't even form a sentence.

"Think of the bright side, Hermione," Aiden said soothingly. "At least they won't be late."

After a few moments, Hermione managed to calm down and ran out of the carriage, presumably to report the incident to the prefects.

"Is it really okay to ignore them?" Arsesi asked. "Mr. Weasley might be held accountable by the Ministry of Magic."

"I wouldn't have expected Miss Greengrass to have such a firm grasp of the law," Aiden smiled.

Arsesi gave him a light pat. Aiden dropped his playful expression. "Then you have to admire my uncle," he said mysteriously. "The loopholes he left are very well hidden. Even if this is exposed, they would be difficult to close."

"Tell me more," Arsesi said, leaning in with a gossipy look.

"Simply put," Aiden began, "the law prohibits the abuse of Muggle items, which my uncle framed as a prohibition on wizard ownership. However, since the Hogwarts Express itself is a long-standing magical modification of a Muggle item, a supplementary clause was inserted allowing for the use of magically modified transport."

He paused, taking a sip from a bottle of lemonade. "Not only that, but the word 'ownership' itself is a huge loophole. If you want to use a Muggle item, you can legally separate its 'ownership' from its 'right to use' via a contract. That way, when facing Ministry accountability, you can use the contract as evidence to prove you never actually possessed the Muggle item in question."

Arsesi listened carefully, writing it all down. Aiden didn't think much of it at the time, but her notes would give him a big surprise in the future.

Time passed with the steady rhythm of the train. Miles ahead, Ron and Harry, driving the flying car, arrived at Hogwarts first. The car, having been fully upgraded by Aiden and Arthur, should have been nearly indestructible. But Ron, high on adrenaline and eager to show off, couldn't help himself.

"Welcome home!" he said to Harry. "Watch this, I'll show you a real stunt."

He stepped on the clutch, grabbed the gearshift, and prepared to show Harry a downshift brake. An accident was inevitable. When designing the car, Aiden had not considered that someone would be foolish enough to use the gearshift for braking. Therefore, every single gear was engraved with a powerful acceleration rune.

Ron gently moved the gear lever, preparing for a handsome maneuver, but instead got much more than he bargained for. The Ford Anglia lurched forward with incredible speed, accelerating directly into the Whomping Willow.

The violent impact snapped Ron's wand in two. The ancient tree, furious at the assault, began to whip the car with its powerful branches. The protective runes on the car's chassis flared to life, and the branches that struck it shattered on impact. Enraged, the Whomping Willow's entire canopy began to tremble. With a mighty heave of its trunk, it threw the Ford Anglia to the ground.

"Oh no, my wand's broken!" Ron cried, holding up the two halves of the Weasley family heirloom. "I didn't think things could get any worse!"

At that moment, the car's doors flew open, and both boys were violently ejected. All their luggage was then spat out of the trunk after them. The Ford Anglia started up on its own, revved its engine, and disappeared into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest.

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