One Bar of Signal

Gavin really did go back to the Forbidden Forest the next day.

After dinner, the trio were heading to Hagrid's Hut when they ran into Gavin on his way out through the Entrance Hall.

When Ron heard where Gavin was going, he stared in disbelief.

"You're really going to see it?"

"Yeah. I told it I would."

"Alone?" Ron glanced toward the Forbidden Forest and shuddered. "Into a forest full of spiders at night?"

"Hagrid's Hut is right next door." Gavin misunderstood him. "You can come along if you want. It's on the way."

Ron's mouth twitched.

"I think I'll pass this year. I've already exceeded my spider quota."

Hermione and Harry, on the other hand, looked eager. The idea of exploring the Forbidden Forest at night seemed to appeal to them.

"What are you planning to do with the car?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Start with a static inspection of the powertrain."

Gavin thought for a moment before continuing.

"I need to confirm whether the magic output feeds into the crankshaft, the transmission, or bypasses the mechanical drivetrain and provides lift directly to the body. Then I'll check whether the magic circuit interferes with the carburetor's fuel-feed vacuum, whether the ignition timing is normal at idle, and whether engine load is linked to flight altitude."

As one technical term followed another, Hermione's mouth slowly fell open without her noticing.

Gavin didn't notice either. He kept going.

"The original low-voltage electrical system seems to be intact, so the starter motor, ignition coil, and headlights probably still draw electricity. But it obviously can't run on the battery alone while it's flying, so I also need to check whether the DC generator is wired in parallel with the magic source."

"In parallel?" Hermione repeated mechanically.

"Both power systems are connected to the same