Chapter 494 - Knight Bus (2/2)
”No, thank you,” Rowan politely declined and doled out the exact amount for the trip.
The three of them boarded the bus as Petunia merely stared at finding half a dozen brass bedsteads beside curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. An elderly witch in a nightcap rolls over and lets out a rather loud snore, before falling silent again.
”You'd think given that they have magic, they'd know to keep fire away from a bed,” Petunia muttered.
They warily made their way past the driver, the elderly, Ernie Prang thick glasses. But still the elderly wizard already looked positively ancient. Just why was such an old wizard driving a bus full of people? And why on earth was he still driving some twenty years later?
Sitting down on a bed, Petunia and Rowan shared one, while Andrew sat down on the bed next to them. With a tremendous Bang, the Knight Bus pulled away. Petunia gulped as Rowan felt nothing whatsoever. She'd already gone through her grandfather's drives from Hell, this was nothing in comparison.
”I'd really wish this had a seatbelt,” Petunia said through gritted teeth.
”What can I say,” Rowan said with a shrug. ”Wizardkind lack common sense at times.” Petunia mutely nods in agreement as does Andrew.
The Knight Bus goes on its way up the pavement and yet the bus does not hit anything on its rampage as lampposts, mailboxes, trash cans jump out of its way, and then back into their original locations. Rowan idly wondered if that worked on living beings. Like would the bus shove a drunk muggle out of the way or a stray cat for instance?
Hopefully or else, Ernie Prang's license better be revoked! Not that she thought he had a driving license to begin with. And he did not seem to understand the purpose of a steering wheel.
Stanley rushes into the back and wakes the sleeping elderly witch as the us slammed to a stop. The elderly lady was helped down the stairs before her bag was tossed after her and the doors slammed shut. With another loud BANG, the bus set off down a narrow country lane only in this case with trees leaping out of the way.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Stanley says, ”Where to in London?”
”Diagon Alley,” Rowan instantly replied.
”Right then,” Stanly said. ”It'll just be a second.”
The bus thundered across Charing Cross Road as buildings and benches squeezed themselves out of the way. Ernie Prang slammed on the break as the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron.
”Thank you,” Andrew politely said, while Rowan and Petunia most certainly did not say so. They were not grateful whatsoever. Petunia especially was simply happy to be alive and not have to contemplate the afterlife quite so suddenly.