This wasn't Jon's first time riding the Knight Bus, nor was it his first encounter with its conductor, Stan Shunpike.
Not long ago, when Jon had disguised himself as an employee of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and traveled with Ministry officials to Blackpool to investigate the "West Coast Hurricane" incident, he had already crossed paths with Stan Shunpike once before.
Stan Shunpike looked to be in his early twenties, with a pair of large, flapping ears and several small pimples dotting his face. In Jon's memory, the bus conductor had been talkative and energetic.
Of course, that was only how Jon remembered him. The conductor standing before him now seemed far more subdued, his face almost completely expressionless.
"You're… Draco Malfoy?" he asked dully, sounding as though he were speaking to himself while also seeking confirmation from Jon.
"That's right." Jon looked at him, his face filled with confident ease.
The voice in Jon's mind told him that assuming the identity of Draco Malfoy would bring him good luck during this Knight Bus journey.
...
Astoria also glanced at Jon in surprise. She shot him a questioning look but didn't say anything.
"You said it can go anywhere, right?" Jon asked calmly.
"Yes!" Stan Shunpike replied proudly. "Anywhere you want, as long as it's on land… though underwater destinations are out of the question."
As he spoke, there was a noticeable spark of vitality in his tone.
"Then how much will it cost to take us to Hogsmeade?" Jon continued.
"One Galleon and six Sickles!" Stan answered without hesitation. "But if you pay one Galleon and twelve Sickles, you'll get hot chocolate. Pay two Galleons, and you get a thermos and a toothbrush—any color you like."
Jon reached into his pocket, took out two gold Galleons, and handed them over.
Then, lifting his suitcase with one hand and holding Astoria's hand with the other, he followed Stan Shunpike onto the Knight Bus.
Inside, there were no seats. Behind the drawn curtains along the windows stood six beds with brass posts. Candles burned on brackets beside each bed, casting warm light over the paneled walls.
All the beds were empty. At this hour, it seemed no one else was riding the bus.
"You two can rest over there," Stan said, pointing toward the two beds at the very back.
Then he gestured toward the driver seated in an armchair behind the steering wheel. "This is our veteran driver, Ernest Prang."
Ernest Prang was an elderly wizard wearing thick-lensed glasses. He turned around and nodded to Jon and Astoria in turn.
"Ernie, our two new passengers are heading to Hogsmeade," Stan added, though he didn't mention their names.
...
Jon and Astoria were assigned separate beds.
A thick curtain hung between them, dividing the space into two private compartments.
Astoria still seemed uneasy.
Jon had already prepared a cup of hot chocolate for her in her compartment, then smiled and reminded her gently, "Get some rest. In a few hours, we'll be back at Hogwarts… don't you miss the castle?"
Astoria nodded quietly. Her face was full of questions, but she didn't ask a single one.
No sooner had Jon left Astoria's compartment than a deafening crash rang out. If he hadn't grabbed the armrest in time, he would have been thrown to the floor. Glancing out the window, he saw the Knight Bus barreling forward at an almost insane speed.
Ernie, the so-called "veteran driver," clearly wasn't very adept at handling the wheel. Under his control, the bus constantly veered onto the sidewalk.
Though it never actually struck anything, rows of lampposts, mailboxes, and rubbish bins leapt out of the way as the bus approached, only to snap back into place once it passed.
Jon pulled aside the curtain of his own compartment. Just as he expected, someone was already waiting for him inside.
He glanced at the figure and asked gently,
"Hi, Stan Shunpike. Do you have something for me?"
...
"Draco… Mr. Malfoy…" Stan Shunpike said haltingly, his eyes unfocused as he looked at Jon. "Someone asked me to deliver this to Madam Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, and have her pass it on to you…"
A large crate sat at Stan Shunpike's feet.
"I see." Jon nodded unhurriedly. "Then you can just give it to me now."
"B-but…" Stan hesitated. "That lady… she never said… that Mr. Draco Malfoy would appear outside Hogwarts…"
"Is that so…" Jon said with a smile. "Actually, that's very easy to explain…"
Without any further courtesy, he raised his wand and called out loudly,
"Legilimency!"
...
Inside an unfamiliar pub, Stan Shunpike sat stiffly, his expression vacant and empty.
"Take this to Madam Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks, and have her deliver it to Draco Malfoy!" A haughty, sharp-edged female voice rang out before him. "This is a gift from the Dark Lord!"
Stan Shunpike nodded repeatedly at the witch, his posture humble and submissive, like a servant before his master.
The witch's identity was unmistakable, both by her voice and her appearance—she was Bellatrix Lestrange.
...
Just as Jon had anticipated, Stan Shunpike, the Knight Bus conductor, had been placed under a Death Eater's Imperius Curse not long ago.
It seemed his 'luck' really was living up to its name. By forging the identity of "Draco Malfoy," he had successfully lured the other side into taking the bait. As expected, Felix Felicis had indeed brought him good fortune.
Unfortunately, Shunpike's memories contained no other useful information.
But this was already enough.
Jon smiled as he glanced at the crate on the floor, then raised his wand toward Stan Shunpike once more.
"Obliviate!"
As Shunpike's eyes turned vacant again, Jon carefully stored the "Dark Lord's gift" inside his suitcase.
...
Two hours later, the Knight Bus came to a stop on the streets of Hogsmeade.
Jon took Astoria's hand and stepped down from the bus.
"It's so late… how are we supposed to get into the castle?"
Astoria asked softly, looking at the deserted street.
"It's fine. I know a secret passage," Jon replied without hesitation. "Follow me… through the Hog's Head."