"It was..." Percy paused to think of the best word to use to describe the experience. "... exhilarating. A little hair raising, at first, because with a broom at least you have the handle to hold on to, but with the carpet, all there is, is a patented Safety Belt Charm, to help keep passengers from falling off the side. The one who steers the carpet sits near the front, in the center, and maneuvers the carpet by leaning to the left or the right, backward and forward. It's different from handling a broom, and takes some getting used to. But yes, I agree with you; apparation is much more time efficient. Floos are also, but restricted to locations that also have floos and they can be quite messy. I suppose there is a downside to every mode of travel."
From the corner of his eye, Percy saw George kissing the pastry chef, Audry, and he smiled faintly. "It's good to see my brother having a happy birthday."