The Knight Bus

           HarrywasseveralstreetsawaybeforehecollapsedontoalowwallinMagnoliaCrescent,pantingfromtheeffortofdragginghistrunk.Hesatquitestill,angerstillsurgingthroughhim,listeningtothefranticthumpingofhisheart.

           Butaftertenminutesaloneinthedarkstreet,anewemotionovertookhim:panic.Whicheverwayhelookedatit,hehadneverbeeninaworsefix.Hewasstranded,quitealone,inthedarkMuggleworld,withabsolutelynowheretogo.Andtheworstofitwas,hehadjustdoneseriousmagic,whichmeantthathewasalmostcertainlyexpelledfromHogwarts.HehadbrokentheDecreefortheRestrictionofUnderageWizardrysobadly,hewassurprisedMinistryofMagicrepresentativesweren’tswoopingdownonhimwherehesat.

           HarryshiveredandlookedupanddownMagnoliaCrescent.

           What,wasgoingtohappentohim?Wouldhebearrested,orwouldhesimplybeoutlawedfromthewizardingworld?HethoughtofRonandHermione,andhisheartsankevenlower.Harrywassurethat,criminalornot,RonandHermionewouldwanttohelphimnow,buttheywerebothabroad,andwithHedwiggone,hehadnomeansofcontactingthem.

           Hedidn’thaveanyMugglemoney,either.Therewasalittlewizardgoldinthemoneybagatthebottomofhistrunk,buttherestofthefortunehisparentshadlefthimwasstoredinavaultatGringottsWizardingBankinLondon.He’dneverbeabletodraghistrunkallthewaytoLondon.Unless...