The night chill made everyone pull their cloaks tighter. Looking at the distant silhouette of Hogwarts, Hermione brought up the most practical problem they faced.
"How are we supposed to get back now?"
Curfew had long since started. They couldn't just stroll back in. If Filch caught them, it was game over.
"Isn't the biggest issue right now Nicolas Flamel's identity?" Harry countered instinctively. His mind was still racing with the clues they'd just uncovered. "We finally have a lead!"
He was certain he'd seen that name somewhere before, but he couldn't pin it down. Between the mystery and Hermione's grounded realism, Harry felt a wave of restless irritation.
"Do you think you can just stand here and think your way to an answer?" Hermione's words were like a bucket of cold water on Harry and Ron's adventurous fire. "We can easily look him up in the library tomorrow after class. But if we get caught tonight, lose points, or get detention, then all this was for nothing."
"She's right," Ron muttered. The mere thought of detention—and Percy writing a letter to their mother to tattle—made him shudder. "And Hagrid has a point, Harry. Think about that three-headed dog. With Fluffy guarding it and Professor Dumbledore's own enchantments, it's not something we need to worry about. My dad always says there's a Muggle saying: 'Curiosity killed the cat'... oh, Tom, I didn't mean you."
The Trio at this point hadn't lived through the high-stakes drama of the original timeline: no troll invasion, no suspicious professors trying to steal the Stone, and no Hagrid trading Fluffy's secret for a baby dragon. Right now, they were investigating the trapdoor out of pure curiosity rather than a fear of imminent theft.
Because of that, Ron was more than ready to back out.
Seeing both his friends agree, Harry's enthusiasm dampened further. Coupled with Hermione's plan for the library, he gave a reluctant nod. "Fine, you're right. Getting back is the priority. But how?"
Tom and Hannah were Hufflepuffs, so they were fine—their common room was right near the Great Hall. But the Gryffindors were a different story. Their dorms were on the eighth floor. Between here and there, they could be spotted by Filch, Mrs. Norris, or Peeves at any moment.
"Why not just let Tom help?" Hannah suggested. She had personally experienced Tom's teleportation—smooth, comfortable, and nothing like the stomach-turning sensation of Apparition. "He can just teleport us back."
Tom straightened his back, preparing to show off, but Ron beat him to the punch. Ron had a look on his face that said, Finally, something I actually know about.
"Impossible," Ron said firmly. "First off, Apparition is a high-level spell for upperclassmen. Even if Tom somehow knows it, there's no way he has enough magic to carry this many people. Plus, the Hogwarts grounds are protected by ancient magic. You can't Apparate here! When Charlie was learning, the instructors made a huge deal about it."
He spoke with total conviction. It was one of the few reliable bits of info he'd picked up from his older brothers. In that moment, Ron felt that having a bunch of brothers wasn't all bad. (Though he certainly wasn't thinking of Fred, George, or Percy).
"But..." Ariana blinked. As a former Obscurial who never went to school, and a resurrected girl who was still new to the wizarding world, she didn't know much about "common sense" rules. However, she clearly remembered Tom teleporting her from the castle to the cabin just a few hours ago. Plus, she'd seen House-elves pop in and out of her brother's office. Didn't that mean Ron was wrong?
"Just because you don't believe it doesn't mean Tom can't do it," Hannah countered. As one of the only two people who had actually "ridden" the Tom-Express, she had absolute faith in him. If Tom told her he could blow up the castle, she'd... well, she might not believe that, but she believed this.
"It's not a matter of belief," Ron insisted, his voice wavering slightly but his stubbornness holding firm. "It's too far. Teleporting is dangerous anyway. What if the castle's defenses cause a Splinching accident?"
"Enough!" Harry interrupted before the debate turned into a shouting match. He looked at Tom sincerely. "Tom, could you please get us back to the Gryffindor dorms? Or at least just near the castle?"
Harry's logic was simple: Ron said it was impossible, so why not just test it? If it worked, great. If not, the girls would have to drop it.
[Nope!]
Tom went on strike. He flicked his tail and turned his head away. Question my abilities and then ask for a favor? Do you think I'm just a tool? A cat has pride, you know.
After a moment of thought, he added a postscript:
[At the very least, I'm not taking Ron!]
Tom was a fair cat. If Ron doubted the quality of the "Tom-Express," he clearly wouldn't be interested in a complimentary ride.
Ron's face turned bright red. "Fine! I don't think you can do it anyway! Heaven knows where you'd end up dropping us!"
Tom ignored the grumpy boy and elegantly licked a paw. Then, without even looking at Ron, he reached out and pulled back a curtain of pure darkness.
Ron felt a sudden flash of black. When the light returned, he was standing entirely alone in the silent, desolate wilderness.
"Harry? Hermione? Where are you?!"
The sudden isolation hit Ron like a physical blow. He spun around, calling out, desperately hoping his friends were just "hiding" nearby to prank him.
---
Hogwarts, Eighth Floor, outside the Gryffindor Common Room.
When Harry and the others opened their eyes, they were standing safely inside the castle. Every single one of them was there—except Ron.
---