HARRY POTTER and the Prisoner of Azkaban CHAPTER 3
Chapter 3
THE KNIGHT BUS
Harry walks down the street for a long time. He is very angry and does not know where he is going. Finally, he sits down because he is tired. He has been carrying Hedwig’s cage and pulling his heavy trunk for a long time.
Harry is angry, but now he is also worried. He feels scared. He is alone in the dark Muggle world with nowhere to go. He thinks he might be punished for using magic. Maybe he will be expelled from Hogwarts. Wizards and witches are not allowed to use magic in the Muggle world.
He is also lonely. He thinks of his friends Ron and Hermione. He knows they would help him, but they are traveling with their families. Hedwig, his owl, is not with him, so he has no way to contact his friends. He feels completely alone. He has no Muggle money, only a little wizard gold in his trunk, which he cannot use here.
Harry starts to think clearly about his situation. He thinks that if the Ministry of Magic has already expelled him from Hogwarts for using magic, he can use more magic now. He has nothing to lose. He decides to use his invisibility cloak, fly on his broomstick, and go to London. There, he can go to Gringotts bank and get the rest of his money. Then, he will live the rest of his life as an exile. It is a terrible thought.
Harry opens his trunk to look for his invisibility cloak. But suddenly, he feels something strange. The hairs on his neck stand up and tingle. Something is happening around him. He doesn’t understand what it is, but he is nervous. He takes out his wand to protect himself. He feels like someone or something is watching him.
The strange feeling gets stronger. “Lumos,” he says quietly. The point of his wand glows brightly. There, across the street, between two buildings, he can see something. It is very large and very tall. It has the shape of an animal, like a massive dog. It is still in the dark shadows, but Harry can see two very large, bright eyes looking straight at him…
Suddenly, there is a bright light and the loud sound of car brakes. Harry falls to the ground and covers his face. He is scared! When he looks up, he sees a giant, bright purple bus with three levels! On the front of the bus are the words “Knight Bus.”
A man in a purple suit jumps out of the bus. He speaks loudly. “Welcome to the Knight Bus! Emergency transportation for witches and wizards in trouble. My name is Stan Shunpike. I am your bus conductor tonight. Show your wand, and you can come on the bus. We will take you wherever you want to go!”
Harry looks at Stan. Stan is a little older than Harry, maybe eighteen or nineteen. He has big ears and many pimples on his face. “You, there!” says Stan. “What’s your name?” Harry is nervous. “I’m Neville Longbottom,” he lies. “Will you really take me wherever I want to go?” “Yes,” says Stan.
“How much does it cost to go to London?” Harry asks. “Eleven Sickles,” says Stan. Harry opens his trunk and takes out his wizard money. He gives Stan the coins. Stan helps Harry put his trunk on the bus. Harry looks around. There are no seats on the bus, only beds. In one bed, an old wizard is sleeping and snoring loudly.
“This is your bed, Neville,” says Stan. He puts Harry’s trunk under the bed. The bed is behind the driver. “This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom, Ern.” Ernie is an old wizard with thick glasses. He nods his head up and down to say hello. “Let’s go, Ern!” says Stan. There is a loud noise, and the bus takes off!
Harry falls back onto his bed. He sits up and looks out the window. The bus is moving very fast. Harry does not recognize where they are! Stan laughs at Harry’s surprise. “Do the Muggles hear the bus?” Harry asks. “Muggles?” says Stan. “They don’t listen or look properly. They don’t notice us at all.”
The bus speeds through the night. It stops sometimes to let off wizards and witches. Each time it stops, Harry flies forward. When it starts again, he flies back onto his bed. His stomach feels sick. It feels like the bus jumps one hundred kilometers each time it starts!
As they drive, Stan reads a copy of the Daily Prophet, the wizarding newspaper. On the cover is a picture of a man with long, dirty hair. Harry looks at the picture. The man looks familiar. “That man!” Harry says. “He was on the Muggle news!” Stan looks at the picture. “Sirius Black?” he says. “Of course he was on the Muggle news, Neville.” Stan gives the paper to Harry. Harry reads:
BLACK ESCAPES, STILL MISSING
“Sirius Black is the most infamous prisoner at Azkaban prison. He has escaped, and the Ministry of Magic cannot find him. ‘We are doing everything we can to find him,’ says the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. ‘We ask the magical community to stay calm.’
‘We had to tell everyone,’ continues Fudge. ‘Black is crazy. He is dangerous to everyone, magic or Muggle. But we did not tell anyone his real name.’ The Ministry says Black has a gun (a kind of metal wand Muggles use to kill each other). The magical community is scared of Black because he killed thirteen people many years ago with one magic spell.”
“He killed thirteen people with one curse?” Harry asks. “Yes,” says Stan. “In front of many people, in the middle of the day. It was a big story, wasn’t it, Ern?” “Yes, it was,” says Ernie. “Black supported You-Know-Who,” Stan continues. “Who, Voldemort?” Harry says without thinking.
Stan’s face turns white! Ernie almost crashes the bus into a farmhouse! “Are you crazy?” says Stan. “Why did you say his name?” “Sorry, I forgot,” says Harry. “You forgot?” “Sorry. So… Black supported You-Know-Who?” Harry asks. “Yes, big supporter,” says Stan.
“When Harry Potter defeated You-Know-Who…” Harry pushes his hair down to cover his scar. “...most of his supporters changed their positions. But Sirius Black didn’t stop supporting You-Know-Who. He thought he would be second-in-command when You-Know-Who took control.”
“The Ministry tried to stop him. They found him in a street full of Muggles. Black took out his wand and blasted the whole street. He killed a wizard and twelve Muggles. It was horrible, wasn’t it, Ern?” “Horrible,” says Ernie.
“It was hard to hide the story,” Stan continues. “Especially since all those Muggles were killed. They said it was a gas explosion. Now Black has escaped. No one has ever escaped from Azkaban. But the Azkaban guards will find him, won’t they, Ern?” Ernie looks scared. “Don’t talk about the Azkaban guards, Stany. They scare me.”
Harry sits back on his bed. He looks out the window. He feels terrible. The Knight Bus continues to speed through the night. After a while, Stan says, “Neville, we’re almost in London. Where do you want to go?” “Diagon Alley,” Harry says. “Hold on tight!” Suddenly, the bus stops with a loud screech!
The bus stops in front of a small, dirty bar—the Leaky Cauldron. The entrance to Diagon Alley is behind the bar. “Thank you!” Harry says to Ernie. Stan helps Harry take his trunk off the bus. “Goodbye, everyone!” Harry stands in front of the Leaky Cauldron.
Then he hears a voice. “There you are, Harry.”It is Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic! “I’m glad you took the Knight Bus, Mr. Potter. I’ve been expecting you.” “Did you call him ‘Harry Potter’?” Stan asks in surprise. “Hey, Ern? That’s Harry Potter! I knew it! I saw his scar! Wait till I tell the guys at Central Station!” “Yes, yes,” Fudge says, annoyed. “This is Harry Potter. Now, move along. I need to talk to him.”
Stan pushes Harry’s trunk off the bus and into the bar. Then the Knight Bus speeds away. Fudge takes Harry into the dark bar. They sit at a table. “I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry,” says Fudge. “I am the Minister of Magic.” Harry already knows this. He saw Fudge when he was under his invisibility cloak in Hagrid’s house.
“I’m sorry, Minister Fudge, about my Aunt Marge,” Harry says. He thinks Fudge is here to punish him. “Oh, Harry, don’t worry!” Fudge says. “We know it was an accident. We fixed the problem. A team from the Ministry went to your house and deflated your aunt. They also erased her memory. She won’t remember anything.”
“So, you won’t expel me from Hogwarts?” Harry asks. “Expel you?” says Fudge. “Of course not, Harry.” Harry is relieved. “I’m here because you scared us! When you left your uncle’s house, we didn’t know where you were. We need to decide where you will stay until school starts.”
“I’ve asked Tom, the owner of The Leaky Cauldron, if you can stay here. He agreed. We can’t lose you again… I mean, it’s better if we know where you are. But you must not go to the Muggle world. Stay here or on Diagon Alley, but return before the sun goes down.”
“Here is your key. Room eleven. Tom will watch you while you’re here.” Fudge stands to leave. “Mr. Minister?” Harry says. “Can I ask you a question?” “Of course,” Fudge says. “Have you caught Sirius Black yet?” Fudge looks surprised. “What? Oh, you’ve heard about the escape, have you?”
“No, we haven’t found him. But the Azkaban guards will find him. They are very angry and always find who they’re looking for. Well, goodbye…” “Mr. Minister,” Harry interrupts. “One more question?” “Alright,” Fudge says patiently. “Third-year students can visit Hogsmeade by themselves, but I don’t have permission. Can you give me permission to visit the town?”
“I’m sorry, Harry. I can’t do that. In fact, it’s better if you don’t visit the town for now. Maybe next year. Enjoy your stay at the Cauldron, Harry.” Fudge shakes Harry’s hand and leaves. Tom, the bar owner, appears. He takes Harry to room eleven.
Harry opens the door and is surprised. Hedwig is there! “She arrived a few minutes after you, Mr. Potter. She’s a smart owl,” says Tom. “If you need anything, ask me.” Tom leaves. Harry is alone with Hedwig. He can’t believe it.
He used magic illegally, ran away, rode the Knight Bus, wasn’t expelled from Hogwarts, and now he can spend two weeks without the Dursleys! “It’s been a very strange day, Hedwig,” Harry says, yawning. Before he knows it, he is fast asleep.
