On the day school started, almost as soon as the rooster crowed, they climbed out of bed, quickly ate breakfast, and Mr. Weasley called everyone to set off together.
"Got everything?" Mr. Weasley asked with a cheerful smile.
"We got it, Dad." The kids replied in unison—most of their luggage was conveniently inside Harry's wallet.
Mr. Weasley stood by the Ford car and patted it.
"Come on, kids, get in the car."
"This car..." Harry hesitated, "can it fit all of us?"
He calculated; Auntie Molly and Uncle Arthur would sit in the front, which meant five Weasley kids and him in the back.
But it was obviously a sedan, and the backseat could at most fit three people.
This reminded him of when he watched TV at the Dursley family's house, those Indians—
Oh my, a minivan managed to squeeze in over thirty people.
"Don't worry, Harry." Mr. Weasley smiled kindly, "Not just you guys, even if Bill and Charlie joined, it could still fit everyone."
Fred and George squeezed in first, followed by Percy, Ginny, and Ron.
"Come on in." Ron reached out to pull Harry.
Harry got in and was surprised to find the backseat was wider than a bench in the Great Hall.
"Muggles are smarter than we thought," Mrs. Weasley said, "From the outside, you can't tell it's this spacious inside, can you?"
"Yes—" the five kids drawled in unison.
Harry initially thought Mr. Weasley would make the car fly, but he didn't—driving all the way to the highway like the Muggles, even chatting eagerly with them at the toll booth.
"It really is amazing, isn't it?" Mr. Weasley pulled his head back inside the window, "We don't pay when we leave, but on the way back, they charge us..."
"So you definitely choose to fly back, right?" Fred suddenly said.
George immediately picked up, "Dad, really, not letting us experience the feeling of flying together."
The twins nudged Ginny's arm.
Ginny got the hint and said, "Dad's really not cool at all."
What dad can tolerate not being a 'cool dad'? Hearing his little darling say so, Mr. Weasley immediately said, "Alright, since the kids are asking..."
He placed his hand on a lever.
"No! Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.
"But, Molly, the kids..." Mr. Weasley tried to argue.
"I said no, and I mean it, Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley glared at her husband, "In broad daylight, what if someone sees? You'll lose your job because of it!"
"No one will see, Molly." Mr. Weasley was still intent on being a cool dad, "Look, this is an invisibility booster button—just push it and the car will turn invisible..."
But seeing his wife's expression, Mr. Weasley chose to go with his heart.
"Alright, kids, it's not that Dad's not cool." He said helplessly.
When they arrived at King's Cross Station, it was already half past ten.
But that was alright, there was still half an hour, enough time for them to get through.
After parking the car, the Weasley family and Harry stepped out of the car one by one, to the stunned stares of the surrounding crowd.
Harry's ears were sharp; he could hear words like 'India' among the crowd.
They stopped in front of the platform barrier.
"Percy first, then Fred and George," Mrs. Weasley instructed, "Ginny, sweetheart, your dad and I will take you in, Ron and Harry, follow me."
Following Mrs. Weasley's directions, Percy and the others entered the platform in succession.
Finally, it was Ron and Harry's turn, and the two walked toward the wall...
"Wait." Harry suddenly grabbed Ron, frowning, "Something seems... off."
"What's off?" Ron said as he walked in, only to bump his head hard against the wall with a dull thud.
He hit it quite solidly.
"Hahaha..." Harry laughed gleefully.
"Oh shut up, Harry."
Ron said, also unable to stop himself from laughing.
"I think we should figure something out," he said, "The train will leave soon, and if we miss it, the professors will punish us!"
"Don't you think it's odd?" Harry examined the hidden wall to the platform, "There's still over twenty minutes until departure, they shouldn't have closed the entrance..."
Just then, Hermione's voice came from behind.
"Harry, Ron?"
"Hermione!" Ron showed a silly grin, looking behind her but not seeing her parents, "Why are you here alone, where are your parents?"
"They had to return home due to something," Hermione looked a bit worried, "Dad said British Pounds aren't doing well and wants to exchange some for US Dollars."
"Oh." Out of his depth, Ron didn't ask further and said, "Alright, but I wouldn't suggest you rush onto the platform, the magic seems to have failed, the false wall has turned real."
"Really?" Hermione asked skeptically.
"See for yourself." Ron lifted his hair to reveal a swollen forehead.
Hermione considered using a Healing Spell with her magic wand, but thought better of it with so many Muggles around.
"The urgent thing is to find a way to enter the platform," Ron said anxiously, "If we get a warning or points deducted for missing the train, my parents will scold me!"
"No time to explain." Harry said, "Let me try breaking this magic—"
"No, Harry!" Hermione pulled his arm, "We're not allowed to use magic outside of school, remember the prohibition you got? They'll expel you to Azkaban!"
Ron suddenly had a bright idea.
"Hey, I've got a plan, we can take the car! Dad's car!"
"Car?" Hermione frowned, "Do you know the route? I mean, from London to the Scottish Highlands, which way to go, do you know?"
"I don't know, but the car can fly." Ron said smugly, "We can follow the Hogwarts Express all the way to school..."
Just then, Mr. Weasley's voice appeared behind Ron.
"I have to admit, it's a good idea." He said, "Provided I didn't hear it—alright kids, the problem's solved, let's go in."
Ron shrugged, disappointed he wouldn't be experiencing some high-speed flying action in the sky.
Honestly, flying felt pretty nice.
Walking into Platform 9 3/4, Harry saw Fred and George standing there looking dejected.
"What an over-the-top prank!" Mrs. Weasley fumed, "My goodness, if your dad hadn't found out in time, Harry and Little Ronnie would have been stuck outside!"
Ron was somewhat shocked; he didn't expect his close encounter with the wall was due to his brothers' prank.
Then he was somewhat relieved, as this wasn't the first time his doltish brothers pranked him—or the nastiest one.
"Oh, looks like they are trouble?" Hermione raised her little face, her rabbit-like big teeth gleaming in the sunlight.
"Hello, Hermione, dear." Mrs. Weasley turned to greet Hermione, "Yes, you're right, they're just walking trouble—"
"No, we're not!" The twins protested in unison.
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