You're My Destiny↣ Harmione

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter 27 - It Is Our Choices...

The incredible roaring assault on their eardrums wasn't the only thing terrifying the Hogwarts students, they were watching the impossible happen right before their eyes. As the mighty metal beast appeared to be thundering to its doom, the nose lifted and the brightly coloured hulking brute unbelievably became airborne. Something that seemed so ungainly while on the ground now looked totally different in the environment it was clearly designed for.

They were finding it hard to believe a machine that looked about the size of at least six knight busses, though held far more passengers, had just shot into the air and was now rapidly disappearing from sight at a speed no broom could hope to match.

Professor Dan Granger was telling them that the aircraft they had just watched taking off was by no means the largest available, or the fastest. Explaining the difference between short and long haul flights, and focusing on the economic reasons why different sized aircraft were used for each, had them again questioning their sanity. How could anything much bigger than what they'd just watched still be able to fly. Standing in the public viewing area of Aberdeen airport, the three muggle professors were finally being believed by their students. Not even Draco Malfoy could dispute something he'd just witnessed for himself.

These children were used to travelling from King's Cross to Hogsmeade station to reach Hogwarts. Watching the organisation needed however for all these people checking in, their luggage being taken away - and put on the correct plane, was impressive. They had of course seen the large information displays in King's Cross, they also had paid no attention to them whatsoever. The Hogwarts Express left King's Cross from the same platform, on the exact same date and time, and had done so for many generations. They had no need of information displays inside the station. Here however were displayed essential details for passengers travelling to all different parts of the world.

A helicopter arriving on a different flightpath to the plane and landing in the centre of a clearly marked area was also impressive, as was the explanation of just what was happening here. These children all flew brooms and clearly saw the advantages of the helicopter's much greater manoeuvrability, especially not needing a long runway for takeoffs and landings. A helicopter could easily land on Hogwarts quidditch pitch while there probably wasn't a big enough piece of flat ground that a passenger jet could land on within miles of the castle - it was the Scottish Highlands after all. Just the thought that one of these large flying contraptions, with rotor blades instead of wings, could land on platforms built by muggles out in the middle of the North Sea was mind-blowing.

Hearing that the bright orange clothing worn by the people getting off the helicopter were survival suits, a precaution in case the helicopter went down in the very cold sea, gave them all some idea of just how dangerous these people's jobs were. The impressed students trooped back onto the coach for the next part of their trip, a visit to the city of Aberdeen.

Hugh McDade was a muggle whose daughter was a fifth year Hufflepuff, and his son would be heading off to Hogwarts with his big sister come September. Hearing from his daughter of the school's new program that would enable both him and his wife to visit Hogwarts when Sam became a first year was certainly something they wanted to be part of. News of a planned trip into the muggle world saw Hugh contacting Hogwarts to offer his support - and free use of one of his coaches.

That McDade Coach Hire was based in Aberdeen saw that city being chosen for their visit. Phone calls between Hugh and the three professors involved soon had an itinerary worked out. The Hogwarts contingent had portkeyed into the empty McDade bus garage before boarding one of his coaches and heading for their first stop - Aberdeen airport.

Hugh was now giving commentary on the coach's PA system as they drove through Aberdeen. It had been arranged beforehand that he would park the coach where they had a good view of the large and busy harbour. They could all see multiple ships being loaded with equipment and supplies to take out to the oil platforms. The biggest ship in the harbour though was the massive ferry that took passengers, their cars and also vital supplies for the islanders who lived in the Shetland Isles. Again the organisation required and sheer scale involved in what they were witnessing here was staggering to those not raised in this environment.