Chapter 3 – The Sealed Window

The bars were installed before lunch.

Thick iron rods. Bolted deep into the brick around the bedroom window.

Uncle Vernon supervised the entire process with folded arms and a smug expression.

“There,” he said firmly once the workers left. “Let’s see you get out now.”

The bedroom door slammed.

The key turned twice.

Harry walked straight to the window.

He gripped one of the bars.

It didn’t move.

“They’re serious,” he muttered.

Y/N stepped closer.

The metal looked heavy. Solid. Cold.

Harry ran a hand through his hair. “We’re stuck.”

“No,” Y/N replied quietly.

He glanced at her. “No?"

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she placed her hand around one of the bars.

Firm grip.

Steady breath.

Then she pulled.

At first, nothing happened.

Then—

A low metallic creak.

Harry froze.

“Did it just—?”

The bar bent slightly inward.

Not dramatically.

Just enough to notice.

Harry stared at it.

“Wait. Do that again.”

Y/N adjusted her grip and pulled harder.

The screw anchoring the bar into the brick cracked loose with a sharp snap.

Dust fell onto the windowsill.

Harry’s eyes widened.

“How did you do that?”

She let go of the metal.

“Adrenaline?”

He blinked. “Adrenaline doesn’t bend iron.”

She shrugged lightly.

“Maybe Uncle Vernon used cheap bolts.”

Harry stepped forward and pushed the loosened bar.

It shifted.

“You’ve never done that before.”

“Never had to,” she said calmly.

She grabbed the second bar.

Pulled.

Another bolt snapped.

The metal bent enough to create a narrow opening.

Harry just stared.

“Blimey… remind me not to annoy you.”

A faint smile appeared on her face.

“Noted.”

He leaned closer to inspect the damage.

“You didn’t use magic, did you?”

“No.”

And she hadn’t.

Not in the way the Ministry would detect.

Harry hesitated.

Then, instead of questioning it further, excitement replaced confusion.

“We can get out.”

“Yes.”

“But Hedwig—”

“We take her.”

Harry moved quickly to gather his things.

Y/N stood by the window, listening.

The sky outside was darkening.

Clouds rolled overhead.

Rain began to fall lightly against the glass.

Harry dragged his trunk toward the opening.

“Think we can squeeze through?”

“Yes.”

He paused.

“You’re not even surprised, are you?”

“About what?”

“About any of this.”

She looked at him evenly.

“Being locked in a room isn’t new.”

That shut him up.

A sudden flash of lightning lit the street below.

For a brief second, shadows stretched long across Privet Drive.

Harry climbed halfway onto the windowsill and peered outside.

“No one’s there.”

“Not yet,” Y/N murmured.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

A car engine sounded faintly in the distance.

Then closer.

Harry leaned forward.

Headlights turned the corner at the end of the street.

The engine was louder than it should’ve been.

And the car was moving strangely.

Too smoothly.

Too… high.

Harry blinked.

“Is that—?”

The car rose slightly above the road.

Y/N didn’t look surprised.

She stepped aside from the window.

“Looks like we won’t need to climb down after all.”

The small blue car lifted fully into the air and drifted toward their house.

Harry’s mouth fell open.

“No way.”

The car hovered level with their broken window.

Ron Weasley’s freckled face appeared in the driver’s seat.

“Evening,” he said casually. “Fancy a lift?”

Harry laughed in disbelief.

Behind him, Y/N calmly picked up Hedwig’s cage.

The bars lay bent behind them.

Unnoticed.

Unexplained.

And unquestioned.

For now.

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