Happry Potter: The New Player

If Evan were to assess the journey in one word, it would be dire.

Especially considering that upon arriving at Hogwarts, the car was losing power and ended up crashing into the Whomping Willow, turning the journey into a catastrophe.

Branches battered the car, Evan shut his eyes in fear while hearing Ron and Harry's cries.

The car was severely damaged, and the glass cut the boys' faces.

Evan tried to reach for his wand but to no avail; the car shook violently, causing Harry and Ron to collide against him. Outside, a branch as large as the car hit the car's roof, making it give way.

"Run!" Ron shouted and pushed the door with all his might, only to be repelled by another branch.

"We're doomed! If the branch hits the roof once more, it's certain the roof would collapse entirely."

Just as the three were losing hope, the car suddenly started and pulled them out of the trees' reach.

Before Evan could breathe a sigh of relief, he was thrown out of the car, and beside him were Harry, Ron, and their luggage. Then he watched as the car drove off into the distance.

"Can you believe our misfortune, so many trees, yet we crash into the one with a counterattack!" Ron exclaimed angrily while staring at his broken wand with only a few wood shards holding it together.

He glanced at the tree ominously waving its branches.

"Let's go!" Harry said wearily. "We need to reach the castle quickly, as Evan needs to be sorted into a house."

Little did Ron and Harry think they would make it to the school; the three boys were cold and sore. They grabbed their trunks and began dragging them towards the two oak doors.

"Look, it's already begun!" Ron pointed to a window, "Let's hurry, I saw Professor McGonagall bring out the Sorting Hat."

Harry and Evan looked through the window Ron indicated.

In the Great Hall, countless candles floated in the air, below were four long tables filled with people, shimmering with golden plates and cups, harmonizing with the stars on the ceiling.

As Evan had read in the History of Hogwarts, the ceiling was enchanted to reflect the outside sky.

Evan observed a long line of newcomers and among them was Ginny, who was searching for the boys.

Shortly after, Professor McGonagall placed the Hogwarts Sorting Hat on a stool in front of the newcomers.

Professor McGonagall began announcing names and called up a thin, blond boy to put on the Sorting Hat.

"From the corridor to the Great Hall will take us five minutes; I hope Peeves doesn't bother us."

"Wait!" Harry said quietly. "There's an empty seat at the staff table, where's Snape?"

"Who knows. Maybe he's ill!" Ron said hopefully.

"Perhaps he resigned since he couldn't become the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Harry said excitedly.

"Maybe he was fired because many people loathed him," Ron said enthusiastically.

"Perhaps he's standing outside the door, waiting to hear our explanation for not taking the train to school," Evan sighed.

He saw a slim man with sallow skin, a large hooked nose, and yellow, uneven teeth, standing outside the castle doors, staring at them coldly.

The smile on Snape's face told the trio they were in serious trouble.

"Look who I found, the famous Harry Potter and two of his companions," felt Snape's disdainful gaze on them, "You must be tired of hearing school excuses."

"Sir, we couldn't get through the barrier at King's Cross and..."

"Silence," Snape said coldly, "Come with me!"

Harry, Evan, and Ron followed Snape up the stairs to the vast and echoing entrance hall, illuminated by flickering torches. A delightful smell of food wafted from the Great Hall, but Snape led them away from the warmth and light, down a narrow stone staircase leading to the dungeons.

"Sir, we need to go to the Great Hall," said Harry, mustering his courage.

"Silence!" Snape interrupted Harry once again, "Inside!" he said, opening a door halfway down the cold corridor and pointing inside.

Under Snape's gaze, the three boys trembled as they entered his office.

The gloomy walls were lined with shelves holding large glass jars in which all sorts of repugnant things floated. The fireplace was dark and empty.

Snape closed the door, turned around, and looked at them.

The serpent eyed his prey for a moment before coldly asking, "What did you do with the car?"

"What?" Ron exclaimed, wondering how Snape knew about the car and if the other could read minds.

"Weasley, though I know your head is empty, I can't read minds," said Snape as he glanced at the Daily Prophet, "They saw you!"

He showed them the newspaper headline: "THE FLYING FORD ANGLIA BAFFLES MUGGLES."

He began to read aloud, "Two Muggles in London, convinced they saw an old car flying over the post office tower... at noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out the laundry... Mr. Angus Fleet, from Peebles, reported to the police... Six or seven Muggles in total. I believe your father works at the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?" he said, looking at Ron and smiling even more maliciously. "Dear, dear... his own son..."

Evan noticed that Harry and Ron looked crestfallen and seemed to be thinking that if people found out Mr. Weasley had bewitched the car, the consequences would be disastrous.

"I noted, during my patrol in the park, that significant damage has been done to a valuable Whomping Willow," Snape continued.

"That tree did more harm to us than what we..." Ron blurted out.

"Silence!" Snape exclaimed once more, his gaze turning to Evan, "And you, Mr. Mason, I believe you will be the first person in history to be expelled on the first day."

"You can't expel Evan!" Harry shouted.

"Obviously, I have that right," Snape's eyes returned to Harry and Ron, "Unfortunately, they are not in my House, and the decision to expel them does not lie with me, so I will go seek the individuals who hold that joyful power. You will wait here while I fetch someone who can."

Harry watched Snape's back as he walked away and tried to console Evan, but couldn't think of anything to say. If Snape was going to get Professor McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor House, they weren't much better off.

She might be fairer than Snape, but she was still extremely strict.

If Snape expelled Evan, he and Ron would be punished in the same way by McGonagall, and he wasn't sure where to go after leaving Hogwarts. The Dursleys would never take him in; perhaps he could assist Hagrid and become the school's groundskeeper.

Just as Harry imagined what would happen, Professor McGonagall entered with Snape.

Professor McGonagall's lips were so thin that as soon as she entered, she raised her wand, making the three boys shiver, but she simply pointed it at the empty fireplace, where flames suddenly burst into life.