Driving Rain

"Welcome aboard the Knight Bus—emergency transport for stranded wizards.

"Just stick out the hand holding your wand, climb aboard, and we can take you anywhere you want to go.

"My name is Tod Spunk, and I'll be your conductor."

After handing Tod eleven Sickles, Snape boarded the bright purple, triple-decker Knight Bus.

Not long after the bus set off, a torrential rain like a barrage of bullets began splattering against the windows.

"Ernie—" Snape shouted, "how much longer until we reach Diagon Alley—"

But the roaring wind and rain drowned out his voice.

Ernie still gripped the steering wheel tightly, leaning forward as he struggled to make out the blurred road ahead.

"So you know Ernie's name. I thought this was your first time riding."

Tod came down from the second floor and shouted at Snape.

"You're the last passenger. I'm getting off early today. Once we drop you off, we're calling it a day and heading home."

"How many people are ahead of me?" Snape asked.

"Oh, we need to take Mrs. Coppett to Glasgow first, then the McKinnons are going to Dundee."

"McKinnon?"

Hearing that familiar surname, Snape immediately thought of someone he knew and asked curiously:

"Is Marlene McKinnon there?"

Tod answered without hesitation:

"If you mean a brown-haired little girl about your age, then I think so. Her family is on the second floor. Do you know each other?"

"Yes, we're in the same—"

Screech—

A piercing brake screech cut him off. Snape grabbed the handrail, barely managing not to fall.

"Are you insane?!"

Ignoring the downpour, Ernie stuck his head out of the driver's compartment and shouted at a black-robed figure standing in the middle of the road.

"We've finished operating for the day—"

Before he could finish, a searing red light shot toward him.

Ernie immediately froze, his mouth still hanging open. Then he lost his balance and tumbled out through the window.

"Hey!"

Tod sprang up from his armchair and drew his wand at the figure in front of the bus.

A series of whooshes sounded, and a powerful green light flashed after the red beam.

In an instant, the windows shattered. An eerie green glow shone from Tod's entire body as he slammed backward into the brass bed frame and fell to the floor, motionless.

With a bang, the door opened. Amid the howling wind, a figure dripping from head to toe stepped onto the bus.

Under the dim lights of the bus, the Metal Mask beneath the hood glinted with a savage sheen.

A Death Eater!

Snape recognized the intruder's identity.

"Drop your weapons. We will not harm innocent wizards."

A low, icy voice came from beneath the mask.

Taking a deep breath, Snape quietly tightened his grip on his wand beneath his robes.

"McKinnon, come out. We need a little assistance from you."

The moment he finished speaking, loud bursts of spellfire and fierce fighting erupted from upstairs, followed by a woman's scream.

More than a minute later, accompanied by tapping footsteps, a middle-aged man in a Green Printed Dress came down from the second floor sideways.

As he descended, he struggled to tear the yellow scarf tied around his neck free with one hand and toss it aside.

He pointed his wand behind him. The three members of the McKinnon family, bound into a bundle, floated a few inches above the ground and drifted down the stairs after him.

"This thing is disgusting. Next time, you're wearing it."

The Death Eater dressed as a woman complained to his companion.

"Enough. Now that we have them, let's get back as soon as possible."

"Wait, there's someone else here."

The Death Eater disguised as a woman pointed at Snape, who stood by the window.

"He saw my face."

Just as Snape prepared to fight back, the masked Death Eater said casually, "Oh, McNeil, I know him.

"Severus Snape. My son's classmate, and also a member of Walpurgis."

"Why did you say my name, Avery?!"

McNeil said angrily.

"Hello, Severus."

Old Avery sounded almost cheerful as he walked up to Snape.

"I've heard some amusing stories about you from my son."

"But this works out nicely. Since you're about to become a fine servant of the Master, I'm going to give you a chance to prove your loyalty in advance."

He pointed his wand at the McKinnon family.

"Kill that girl. Use the spell Bellatrix taught you."

Snape glanced sideways.

Mr. McKinnon's head hung against his chest, blood still soaking his temple.

Mrs. McKinnon and Marlene had their mouths tightly bound with coarse hemp rope, leaving them able to make only muffled whimpers.

"Mm..." Tears filled Marlene's eyes as she looked pleadingly at Snape.

"Kill... kill her?"

Snape tremblingly drew his wand from beneath his robes and looked at Old Avery with panic and fear on his face.

"But I... I've never successfully cast that spell before... Can I do it?"

"Tell me your choice. Do it or don't."

Old Avery said coldly, not answering Snape's question.

"All right..."

Fear filled Snape's voice as he slowly raised his wand.

"Sectumsempra!"

He forced the incantation through clenched teeth, wildly aiming his wand at Old Avery's neck and slashing it sideways with all his strength. At the same time, he threw himself beneath the brass bed frame.

Blood burst from Old Avery's neck, splattering like dark-red ink.

His eyes widened in disbelief and terror. His mouth opened, but he could only make a faint gurgling sound.

Old Avery's body swayed in place a few times before falling onto the bus floor with a heavy thud.

"AVERY!"

McNeil roared furiously. He moved his wand away from the McKinnon family, and beams of spell light crisscrossed as they shot toward Snape.

Snape rolled out from beneath the bed, blindly firing spells behind him.

The windows instantly shattered under the impact of the wildly flying spells, cracking in rapid succession as fragments rained down like hail.

Wind and rain poured into the bus from every direction, sending everything inside whirling through the air.

Curled up behind the armchair Ernie had just occupied, Snape panted heavily. McNeil's spells pressed him down so hard he could barely raise his head.

Just as his mind raced in search of a chance to escape, a loud, echoing crack tore through the tense air.

Snape cautiously poked his head out and saw a tall figure with graying hair suddenly appear inside the bus.

Before McNeil could react, the figure had already aimed a wand at him—

"Petrificus Totalus!"

His arms and legs snapped together, and his entire body became like a stiff wooden board as he fell backward with a thud.