Redamancy (Harry Potter x Fem!Reader)

That Wretched Willow

The rest of the ride was quite smooth. The three first years went back to their proper seats, careful to use the seatbelts that time, and passed the remaining hours of the trip with idle conversation. There was some toffee tucked away in the glove compartment and they picked at it as they talked.

By nightfall, they arrived at Hogwarts. The castle glistened across the lake, almost like it was welcoming them back after their months of absence. (Y/N) could see the lights in Gryffindor Tower shining brightly and she thought of the nights she'd spend studying with Hermione. Or rather, talking at Hermione while she studied. She thought of the hours all four of them would spend in the common room, the way her friends would only ever be just around the corner, and how she would no longer have to pretend to be someone she wasn't for the coming months.

"Welcome home," Ron said, gazing ahead at the castle.

(Y/N) felt herself smile. She was home. How truly lucky she was.

The blissful moment was painstakingly short-lived. The Ford Anglia's engine groaned and the car wobbled unsteadily. For a moment, the car went about normally and (Y/N) began to think they would be okay. However, as soon as the thought crossed her mind, they were falling, nose first towards the Hogwarts grounds.

"Up!" Shouted Harry. "UP!"

Ron tried shifting gears and slamming pedals to no avail. "It's not working!"

"Well, do something!" (Y/N) demanded.

Harry slid over in his seat and helped Ron tug on the gear shift. It didn't do much good; it was still stuck, and the Anglia was still plummeting further and further down.

Ron reached for his wand and tapped it on the steering wheel. "Stop, stop, stop!"

It was not a very useful effort, nor very bright. All he managed to do was snap his wand nearly in half. It only remained in tact thanks to a few splinters, but (Y/N) doubted it would ever be of any use again.

"Mind that tree!"

As soon as Harry uttered the warning, there was a deafening scrape of metal against wood and they were lodged deep within the tree's branches, virtually unharmed.

Ron raised his wand with shaking hands. He looked like he might cry, and much paler than usual. "My wand," He said in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand!"

"Be thankful it's not your neck." Harry said.

(Y/N) opened her mouth to tell Ron that Mr. Ollivander may be able to mend it, but something hit the side of the car with a loud, heavy thud. She merely screamed instead and the owls beside her began screeching again.

"What's happening?" Ron squeaked. He was gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles had turned white.

"I don't know," Answered Harry.

(Y/N) looked out of the windshield just in time to see a fat, dangerous looking tree branch smash itself right into the hood. The car lurched forward, and all three of the second years began to scream. Chaos had broken loose. Another branch, the size of a python, smashed through the rear glass and nearly knocked (Y/N) out cold. Luckily, she was quick enough to duck out of the way. The roof had been hit so many times it'd started to cave in and the hood of the car looked to be almost folded in half.

With one final hit, they were pushed from the branch they landed on and the Anglia fell the rest of the way down to the ground. (Y/N) felt the floor of the car suddenly begin to vibrate; the engine had started back up.

"Ron, drive!" She shouted. "Now!"

"Come on, go!" Urged Harry at the same time. "Fast!"

He hurried to put the car in drive and pulled away just before all of the tree's branches came smashing down on the grassy field. The Anglia pulled just far enough for them to be out of harm's way before it stopped.