Chapter Three

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Chapter Three

Express Delivery

The rest of the holidays passed in a blur of last minute homework, quidditch matches and chess games. Finally, September 1st rolled around. Harry couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. He still had to give Professor Dumbledore the jarred rat. Sirius would finally be free, and he would have a home go to in the holidays. He couldn't wait.

The Weasley household was its usual disorganised self. The twins had set off some Filibuster Fireworks, and had left some of their new inventions on the breakfast table. Ron was running around doing last minute packing, sporting a lovely lemur tail. Ginny had a pair of shimmering wings, and Hermione was recovering from a bout of boils. Harry, being a silent partner in the twins' business, had been warned what not to eat. He was the only one not affected, and was sitting on his bed laughing as Ron shut the lid of his trunk on his tail for the second time.

Mrs. Weasley was not amused. She was too busy trying to organise those going back to school to reverse the effects of the charmed food. The Ministry cars had arrived, but none of the kids were ready. Hermione, being the most organised, started to reverse the charms while the rest hurriedly threw the rest of their belongings together. Harry was running around, frantic. While he was laughing at Ron, Nirah had slithered off and he couldn't find her. Simbi found the whole situation very amusing, and refused to tell him where the little snake had gone.

Finally, at 9:50, the Weasleys, Hermione and Harry were in the cars and speeding away from the Burrow for another year.

*~*~*

King's Cross was as busy as ever. Wizards and Muggles alike were milling around everywhere, the latter giving the former strange looks as they wheeled their luggage around with a collection of strange pets. Owls in cages could be seen everywhere, and the odd broomstick was sticking out of a bulging trunk. When the group finally got to the entrance of platform 9¾, it was already 10:55. They only had five minutes to get on the train. Quickly moving through the barrier, Mrs. Weasley pushed them towards the train. The twins were the first there and quickly disappeared from sight to find their friend, Lee Jordan. The rest piled onto the train just as it started to move and went to find an empty compartment. Finding the only one left, right at the end of the train, they relaxed back into their seats and placed their trunks in the middle where they could easily get things out of them.

Harry gently placed Hedwig's cage by the window so she could see outside. Opening his trunk he pulled out the jar that contained Wormtail. An evil little voice in his head told him to torment the traitor a little. Taking out his wand, he enlarged the jar back to its original size end sat it on the windowsill next to the owl cage. The rat squirmed around as Hedwig stared at it hungrily. Harry smirked, before pulling out his new amulet book and beginning to read. Before he got to the part about his amulet, the door of the compartment was pulled open. Three figures stood in the doorway, one small and weedy, the other two large and strong, with blank looks on their faces.

“ Well, if it isn't Potty, Mudblood and Weasel. Fancy seeing you here. And what's this? Another Weasel. Not got any friends your own age?”

Ginny blushed and glared back at the annoying blond.

“ I'm surprised you know what a friend is, Malfoy. It's not like you've ever had any that you haven't bought.”

Malfoy turned red at this and turned to Crabbe and Goyle.

“ Hurt her.”

Before they could move they had four wands trained on them. Freezing, they looked back at Malfoy for instructions. The `aristobrat' shrugged and nodded at them to attack. Before anyone could do anything, Simbi glided out of Harry's sleeve, quickly followed by Nirah. Both raised their heads and hissed at the three Slytherins. Malfoy's face paled. He obviously knew how poisonous magical coral snakes were. One bite could destroy a wizard's magic and leave them as powerless as a squib. Grabbing his two bodyguards, he made a swift retreat, throwing one last comment over his shoulder as he left.

“ Think this is over, Potter? I'm looking forward to seeing what's left of you once the Dark Lord's had a go at you. That day can't come soon enough.”

*~*~*

After the `Malfoy incident' the four went back to what they were doing. Ginny and Ron were engaged in a game of Exploding Snap, Hermione was checking over her Arithmancy essay, and Harry was reading about his amulet. There was a small picture, with a passage underneath detailing its origins and purpose. When he got to it uses, he interrupted the others to tell them what he'd found.

“ Hey, Hermione, I found a passage about that amulet you got me for my birthday. Apparently, if you hold it and speak this spell, it gives you `great personal wealth'.”

Ron's eyes lit up at this. Snatching the book away he read over the passage and grinned at the others.

“ Great personal wealth! He's right! Let's give it a try.”

“ No, Ron, we can't! It could be dangerous. We don't know what it means by personal wealth, it could do anything to you.”

“ Oh, stop worrying `Mione. It can't be that bad. It might give us a load of gold!”

“ I doubt it. It could turn you into gold for all you know. I think we should wait and ask Professor Dumbledore.”

“ I don't see the harm in it, `Mione. It can't be that bad,” Harry interrupted. He could see another one of Ron and Hermione's famous arguments starting, and he wanted to stop it as soon as possible, plus that fact that he was curious about the amulet.

“ I think we should try it too, it can't be that dangerous. Anyway, you bought it for him, Hermione.”

With Ginny on their side, the boys turned and waited for Hermione to agree. It was three against one, after all…

“ Oh, alright,” she agreed, “ But if it goes wrong, I'm blaming you.”

The four moved off of their seats and sat in the middle on their trunks. It was the only way they would all be able to reach the small object. Harry pulled out the amulet and took it off his neck. Holding it in front of him, they all put a finger onto to smooth metal and waited as he looked at the spell in the book.

“ Ready?”

After receiving three nods, Harry read the unfamiliar words on the page.

“ Tempus Vehere.”

With a blinding flash of light, Hedwig and Wormtail were alone in the compartment.

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