A word to no one

"Now what I want to know is…" Padma said, her face turning towards Harry, suddenly catching everyone's attention, "how were you able to escape from your locked room? I mean, you're here in the flesh, but you were locked inside, right? Did you use magic? No… you would be trialled and sent to Azkaban if that was the case, so how did you do it?"

Her words roused everyone's curiosity, however, Harry himself flinched at the words Azkaban, giving the impression that he must have at least thought of using magic, tempted by the quick and easy solution it provided.

But he shook his head soon after, "I had some help," he answered before turning to Ron. I was surprised that the usually clumsy and useless redhead was actually able to be of help.

Ron nodded, "I was worried when Harry failed to answer my letters and so came to rescue him from the Dursleys. Me, Fred and George all hopped into our dad's flying car and came to his aid."

Whoosh!

"Hopped into-"

"-Our dad's car, you say"

A pair of voices rang out as the sliding door flew open. Two heads of red hair floated from the side of the door frame, peering into our room sideways. They had wide and cheeky smiles, their shiny white teeth like diamonds hanging from chandeliers. Their long fingers curled around the door like hooks.

Ron instantly paled at the sight of them as if faced with his mortal enemy, or in this case, two of them.

"You shouldn't-"

"-lie, dear little brother"

The two said, finishing each other's sentences. It seems to be their shtick. I had an impression of them, Fred and George Weasley, the 'candy smugglers' I called them.

Harry frowned at their words and looked at his friend, "Ron, you said your dad lent you the car…" his words trailing off at the sudden realisation. By now, everyone had already understood what had happened, beginning to snicker off to the side as they gazed at what was happening, like watching a play.

Ron was red-faced as he looked back at his friend, "w-well, I wouldn't s-say lent… more like st-stolen?" his face scrunching up pitifully as if getting ready to be hit. Harry sighed as he looked at his friend.

"And what are you two doing here? This isn't your cabin!" Ron said between gritted teeth, snapping towards the two, evidently letting out his frustrations on the twins.

"Now-now little bother, no need to-"

"-Be so angry, we came by to visit you, that's all"

Ron frowned and chased them off as they laughed. After all, they had succeeded in annoying their little brother. From what I had observed, they seemed to derive intense pleasure from it. though they never went too far. In fact, Ron once told us of the hunger strikes they put him on. my feelings of disgust for his eating habits from thereon changed to ones of pity. Like looking at a wounded puppy. Albeit an ugly freckled puppy…

As Ron returned to the room, snapping me out of my thoughts, he was faced with our stares, causing his face to turn red again.

"So this flying car of yours, where did you get it? After all, not many wizards care for muggle artefacts," Padma said, recognising the increasingly awkward silence lingering in the air. Her efforts were greatly appreciated by the group, thanking her with subtle smiles.

Ron's face brightened considerably at her question, entirely unaware of anything around him, happiness blooming in his eyes, pride almost. "Let. Me. Tell. You, that is exactly how we came to develop it. My dad has a rare fascination with muggle objects. He chanced upon this broken-down car in the countryside and decided to study it. by infusing several parts with magical runes found in our family library, he was able to bring it to life.

"it's cranky most of the time like an old hag, but it helps us get to places all the time. all in exchange for some oil." He finished with a satisfied smile as if waiting for the praise that he assumed would follow.

Yet, everyone in the room was silent as they heard this. even I found it absolutely mind-blowing. The implications of this were huge. If this was licenced and widespread within the magical community… if this was to be mass-produced, it would have massive effects on transportation. Even military application, if the same method was applied to vehicles of war like tanks.

I could see the same understanding in Padma, Dean and Parvati as our eyes met. We all turned to Ron, "do you know what this means?" Parvati asked solemnly.

Ron didn't understand but didn't seem totally oblivious, "not really… but my dad did say to keep it a secret- oh shit!" as if realising his mistake, his face paled instantly.

Everyone in the room facepalmed. How was this kid trusted with anything at all? But this explained made sense why it wasn't widespread. No one knew about it.

"Our parents work in the ministry, what you have just described is very serious Ron, serious enough that in the wrong hands, it could lead to war." Parvati's words made my hands turn cold. A tingle streaked up my spine as I thought of the person Tom faced last year, Voldemort. About dark wizards and their capability for destruction.

Everyone seemed to also be thinking the same thing, most of all Harry who had an impossibly serious face, dark to the extreme.

"Ron…" Harry said slowly, his voice an octave deeper than usual startling the red head.

"Y-yes…"

The bespectacled boy turned to him, "never, ever reveal what you have said here today."

Everyone nodded, the tension in the room was almost palpable, squeezing an audible gulp out of Ron.

"I don't know what your dad was thinking when he shared this with you, but you must make sure that you never speak of this. If I knew the unbreakable vow, I would have used it by now." Parvati said harshly. Her words shocked us all.

"I get that it's serious, but to use the unbreakable vow? Isn't that a bit too much?" Seamus voiced his thoughts in disbelief.

Padma shook her head, "No, it isn't. Sis is right. The consequences this knowledge would bring are unfathomable. Not to mention the increasing tension between the surrounding countries-"

"Padma! Enough!" Parvati interjected with a deep frown etched on her face like a chisel to stone.