Chapter Text
Harry huffed as he stared at his timetables next to Ron and Hermione on the Gryffindor table for Breakfast in the Great Hall. Yesterday had been a mess. Summer had ended and it was finally time to board the Hogwarts Express for their second year, but for some reason, Harry and Ron couldn’t get through platform nine and three-fourths. Panicking, they resorted to taking Mr. Weasley’s flying car to Hogwarts instead. That had proven to be a scatterbrained idea, especially when they crashed into the Whomping Willow which proceeded to destroy the car, snap Ron’s wand and nearly crush them alive too. They both got detention for pulling off the stunt and then they got chewed out from a howler Ms. Weasley had sent.
Harry tried his best to remain optimistic for his second year, even if it had begun with a shaky start. He groaned when he read he had double DADA with the Slytherins this afternoon, but for now, he had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first period.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together, crossing over the greenhouse gardens. They arrived at the greenhouses, where the rest of the class had gathered while waiting for Professor Sprout. Less than a minute later, she came into view striding from across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart, whose arms were full of bandages and other medical equipment. With a twinge of guilt, Harry spotted the Whomping Willow far in the distance, several of its broken branches now wrapped in slings and bandages.
Professor Sprout was a squat, short little witch who covered her flyaway hair with a patched hat. She was usually covered in a large amount of Earth and dirt from gardening. Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was flashy and immaculate in sweeping robes of neon turquoise, his golden hair shining with a pair of silver designer shades resting on top of his head.
“Good morning, everyone! It is I, the remarkable Professor Lockhart!” Lockhart greeted, beaming around at the assembled students in red and yellow ties. “I’ve just been working with Professor Sprout on doctoring the Whomping Willow. I happen to have quite a bit of medical experience from the plethora of exotic plants and injuries I’ve encountered during my travels,” Lockhart recounted, eyes glazing with a faraway look like he was remembering a particularly nasty injury he’d seen.
“Greenhouse Three, boys and girls!” ordered Professor Sprout, who had a strange mixture of annoyed yet begrudged tolerance expressed on her face.
The students all rounded up and excitedly whispered about finally working in a different greenhouse than Greenhouse One. Professor Sprout took out an old key from her pocket and unlocked the door. Harry smelled an earthy whiff of damp dirt and fertilizer coming from inside the greenhouse. He was about to go in with Ron and Hermione when Lockhart stepped in front of them.
“Hold on, kids. Oh, you can go ahead, miss. I only need these two,” Lockhart said, shuffling aside so Hermione can walk past. She gave Lockhart a starry-eyed gaze and Harry and Ron a curious look before going through the door. “I’d like to have a quick word with you two. Can we have a couple minutes, Professor Sprout?” Lockhart asked her.
Professor Sprout gave him an aloof look, but still gave him her permission, stepping through the greenhouse door.
“It’s great to see you again, Harry. And what’s your name?” Lockhart asked, turning to Ron.
“Ron Weasley,” Ron curtly answered, glaring at Lockhart.
If Lockhart noticed him glaring, he didn’t respond to it. “Boys,” Lockhart said, shaking his head, gold strands glittering in the sunlight. “Boys, boys, boys.”
Harry remained nonplussed, not saying a word. Ron looked more impatient each passing second.
“Why, oh why did you think that was a good idea? I mean, of all the careless ways you could’ve gone about it, just why?”
Harry and Ron had no clue what Lockhart was talking about. Harry was about to voice this thought when Lockhart continued. “Don’t know what you two were thinking. Flying a car to Hogwarts! It’s like you two were trying to put yourselves into danger! Don’t you know, boys? By the gods, flying cars are not to be taken on detours! Especially without an experienced driver at least nearby!” Lockhart was now full on ranting, giving both boys an intense look. They stared at him in shock from his outburst.
“I mean, I could understand if you wanted to attain glory, like any youngster would, but for Fate’s sake, don’t do it by flying in a car! You could've very much died! In fact, you did very much almost die! I don’t know how much luck Tyche gave you, but somehow you both survived crashing the car and the Whomping Willow mostly unharmed. If things went just a little more wrong, the lasting consequences wouldn't have been so light! Believe me, I know. I’ve seen it happen first hand. It's dangerous, it’s deadly, you could crash, and whatever you do, Do. Not. Lose. Control. Of. The. Car.” Lockhart heaved, punctuating the last seven words individually. He wasn’t at all his cheery self and had a serious look on his face.
“That was all, boys. Just keep this conversation in mind and leave flying cars to the professionals, like me, next time you decide to try pulling off another stunt like that,” Apollo cheerfully said, his tone switching from serious to upbeat so quickly, it gave both Harry and Ron whiplash.
Lockhart gave them both a hearty wink before striding off. Harry and Ron stood stunned for a few seconds before they remembered they were supposed to be with the rest of the class in the greenhouse. Shaking off the strange encounter with Lockhart, they opened the door and slipped inside. Harry wasn’t sure what all that was about, but it didn’t matter right now.