Harry
Harry was used to getting onto platform nine and three-quarters by now. It was a simple matter of walking straight through the apparently solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. The only tricky part was doing this in an unobtrusive way, so as to avoid attracting Muggle attention. They did it in groups today; Harry, Ron, and Hermione (the most conspicuous, since they were accompanied by Pigwidgeon and Crookshanks) went first; they leaned casually against the barrier, chatting unconcernedly, and slid sideways through it. . . and as they did so, platform nine and three-quarters materialized in front of them.
The Hogwarts Express, a gleaming scarlet steam engine, was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it, through which the many Hogwarts students and parents on the platform appeared like dark ghosts. Pigwidgeon became noisier than ever in response to the hooting of many owls through the mist. Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off to find seats, and were soon stowing their luggage in a compartment halfway along the train. They then hopped back down onto the platform to say good-bye to Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie.
"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," said Charlie, grinning, as he hugged Ginny good-bye.
"Why?" said Fred keenly.
" You don't know?" said a girls voice from behind them.
The Weasley's, Hermione, and Harry all turned to see a beautiful girl with blonde curly hair and intense stormy grey eyes, like she was calculating the best way to take you down.
"Know what?" George asked her.
"You'll see," Charlie answers for her. "Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it.. . it's 'classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it,' after all." He glanced at the girl who was now walking towards a crowd of unfamiliar teenagers.
"Yeah, I sort of wish I were back at Hogwarts this year," said Bill, hands in his pockets, looking almost wistfully at the train.
"Why?" said George impatiently.
"You're going to have an interesting year," said Bill, his eyes twinkling. "I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it."
"A bit of what?" said Ron.
But at that moment, the whistle blew, and Mrs. Weasley chivied them toward the train doors.
"Thanks for having us to stay, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione as they climbed on board, closed the door, and leaned out of the window to talk to her.
"Yeah, thanks for everything, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry.
"Oh it was my pleasure, dears," said Mrs. Weasley. "I'd invite you for Christmas, but...well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with. . . one thing and another.
"Mum!" said Ron irritably. "What d'you three know that we don't?"
"You'll find out this evening, I expect," said Mrs. Weasley, smiling. "It's going to be very exciting - mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules -"
"What rules?" said Harry, Ron, Fred, and George together.
"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you. . . . Now, behave, won't you? Won't you, Fred? And you, George?" The pistons hissed loudly and the train began to move.
"Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred bellowed out of the window as Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie sped away from them.
"What rules are they changing?" But Mrs. Weasley only smiled and waved. Before the train had rounded the corner, she, Bill, and Charlie had Disapparated.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione started heading back to their compartment when Ron accidentally bumped into a girl with short, spiky black hair and electric blue eyes.
"Sorry." Ron apologized when he received a glare from the girl who then stormed down do another compartment.
"Sorry about her," said the same blonde haired girl from earlier, only this time she was with 7 guys and 3 girls. "She's not used to being around so many guys." When seeing the confused faces on Harry, Ron, and Hermione's faces the girl tried to fill them in. " She swore of men a few years ago." None of them really knew what she was talking about or why she would swear of men but they decided not to question the girl.
"Are you new here? Harry asked. "I've never seen you around, and you seem to be a little to old to be first years." he finished with a smile.
"Yeah." the girl replied. "We're exchange students from America. I'm Annabeth and this is Percy, Jason, Leo, Nico, Frank, Conner, Travis, Katie, Reyna, Piper, and Hazel." she said gesturing to each on as she said his or her name and they said a chorus of Hi's and Hey's as she went. " And that was Thalia you just met."
"Exchange students?" Hermione asked. " I didn't know Hogwarts had an exchange program."
" Oh it doesn't." Annabeth replied. " Both of our ... schools... are coming to Hogwarts this year to participate in the 'classified' thing friend back on the platform was talking about. But the 13 of us wanted to ride the train instead of coming with the rest."
"You're from two different schools?" Hermione asked.
"Yup," Annabeth replied " Jason, Reyna, Frank, and Hazel are from a different school then the rest of us, but both work closely with each other."
"Oh, cool." Ron said
"So I guess we'll see you later at the school then." Percy said once we stood in an akward silence for a few minutes.
"See ya later." Harry said. and everyone in turn said 'See ya' or 'Bye' as they turned to go to their compartment.
"Well that was interesting..." Harry said once they were in their compartment.
"Yeah, I wonder what's going on this year that needs a whole other school anyway." Hermione said deep in thought.
"We all wonder that, Hermione." said Ron. The three then proceeded to discuss what could be happening.