Chapter 131 — This Is a Lesson for You

Chapter 131: Chapter 131 — This Is a Lesson for You

Chapter 131 — This Is a Lesson for You

Harry and Ron were horrified.

They realized almost simultaneously that it would be disastrous if Snape had caught them.

Losing a few House Points was one thing. They might even be expelled!

"Follow me!"

Snape looked at the two of them coldly.

Harry and Ron swallowed nervously, having no idea what kind of punishment awaited them.

Snape sneered and led them through the bright, warm Great Hall before taking them down the stairs into the dungeons.

He opened a door, pointed inside, and said,

"Get in."

Harry and Ron could only obediently walk inside.

The two of them exchanged a glance, both seeing the panic in the other’s eyes.

Snape closed the door behind them.

Then he turned around, an ominous expression on his face, and spoke in a soft, slightly mocking voice.

"Ah, the famous Harry Potter and his friend Ronald Weasley drove a flying car to school because they wanted to have some fun. I see."

Harry hurriedly explained,

"No, Professor! We weren’t trying to have fun. It was because the passage—"

"Shut up!"

Snape sneered.

"What exactly did you do to that car?"

Harry and Ron were confused by the sudden change of subject.

Snape snorted.

Then he smiled and pulled a newspaper from his pocket.

He thrust it in front of their faces.

"Look! The two of you were seen by Muggles, causing considerable trouble for the Ministry of Magic. They had to send people to those Muggles who witnessed the incident and use Memory Charms on them."

His gaze shifted to Ron.

He sighed softly.

"I believe your father is the head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, isn’t he? What sort of punishment do you think he will receive?"

Harry and Ron’s hearts nearly stopped.

If the Ministry of Magic discovered that Mr. Weasley had bewitched the car, then...

They didn’t even dare imagine what would happen.

"When I was inspecting the school, I found a Whomping Willow. The Whomping Willow was seriously damaged..."

Before Snape could finish, Ron couldn’t help saying,

"It also caused some pretty serious consequences for us..."

"Shut up!"

Snape shouted again.

He looked at Harry with a sneer.

"What a fine brother you are. You made your sister run around the school begging people for help, all because you wanted to show off by riding in a flying car..."

Harry felt even more miserable.

Only now did he realize that Vesey’s behavior earlier hadn’t been because she had been bullied.

She had been worried about him.

He hadn’t even thought of that.

"Vesey..."

He wanted to ask about Vesey, but Snape was far too cunning to give him the chance.

He smiled coldly.

"What a pity. You’re not students in my House, so I can’t decide whether to expel you. But I can find someone who can."

He gave them a gloating look.

"Just wait here."

With that, he opened the door and left.

Harry and Ron’s hearts raced.

Every little sound made them think a professor had returned to announce their expulsion.

Harry felt that he would rather face the back of Quirrell’s head than experience this again.

Are we really going to be expelled?

What about Vesey?

She was already so weak and vulnerable. What if he left and other students bullied her?

And besides...

Harry’s thoughts were a complete mess.

Suddenly—

The door opened.

Harry and Ron’s faces went pale.

They knew this was probably the final verdict.

Snape entered with Professor McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall had almost never looked this angry.

Her expression was extremely stern, and even her lips were trembling with anger.

The moment she entered and saw Harry and Ron, she drew her wand.

Harry and Ron nearly thought she was about to smack them over the head with it.

But she didn’t.

Professor McGonagall waved her wand, and the fireplace immediately burst into flames.

"Sit!"

She shouted.

Harry and Ron nervously sat down.

"Explain yourselves!"

Professor McGonagall stared at them.

"Did you really drive a flying car simply to show off? Did you want to make a grand entrance at Hogwarts?"

Harry and Ron shook their heads vigorously.

Although they had entertained such thoughts while driving the car, that certainly hadn’t been their original intention.

By now, they deeply regretted it.

Afraid that Professor McGonagall might actually expel them, they explained everything that had happened in detail.

"We had no choice. We were afraid Hogwarts wouldn’t let us through the barrier and we’d never make it to school..."

Harry and Ron explained miserably.

Professor McGonagall’s expression softened slightly.

But she still asked,

"Why didn’t you send an owl to inform the school?"

Harry opened his mouth.

At that moment, he suddenly felt that writing a letter to Professor McGonagall would have been much easier.

They might even have finished dinner by now instead of sitting here waiting for their final judgment.

"I didn’t think of that..."

Harry said helplessly.

Professor McGonagall snorted.

Just then, there was another knock at the door.

Snape went to open it.

Dumbledore was standing outside.

Harry and Ron became even more frightened.

Their situation had actually reached the Headmaster.

Surely they weren’t really going to be expelled now?

Snape obviously thought the same thing.

He even smiled triumphantly.

Harry felt numb all over.

He looked into Dumbledore’s blue eyes behind his spectacles.

There seemed to be a trace of disappointment in them.

Harry nearly choked.

"Tell me. Why did you do this?"

Harry and Ron lowered their heads and explained everything to Dumbledore again.

However, they didn’t mention where the car had come from.

They made it sound as though the car had simply been sitting outside and they had somehow found it.

When they finished, the entire room fell silent.

Finally, Ron couldn’t take it anymore.

He said miserably,

"Just tell us what we’re getting."

Professor McGonagall frowned.

"Mr. Weasley, what are you talking about?"

"We’re expelled, aren’t we?"

Ron sounded slightly aggrieved.

Harry hurriedly looked toward Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked at the two boys and quietly said,

"Not today, Mr. Weasley."

Harry and Ron’s hearts immediately began beating again.

In other words, they weren’t being expelled today?

Dumbledore spoke seriously, as though he hadn’t noticed their relieved expressions.

"Although you won’t be expelled, I will write to your families to tell them everything about what happened today. Consider it a lesson."

Harry didn’t know what Ron’s expression looked like.

As for himself, he was actually rather excited.

The Dursleys didn’t care about him.

They would probably only regret that the flying car hadn’t killed him.

But Harry celebrated too soon.

Dumbledore looked directly into his eyes.

"Harry, I will also write to Vesey and tell her about all the dangers you encountered today."

Harry nearly jumped out of his seat.

"No! Please don’t!"

If Vesey found out, she would definitely cry.

Just imagining Vesey’s tears the next day made Harry feel as though his heart were breaking.

Dumbledore looked at him seriously.

"This is a lesson for you."