This piece is a late birthday present for a friend of mine who is obsessed with trains, uploaded a day late because of wifi difficulties.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All rights to their respective owners.
On the Right Track
By Naomi Nocturne
July 9th, 1980
Every wizard and witch in London is familiar with King's Cross.
Besides being home to the famous Hogwarts Express, King's Cross is home to many other magical platforms that have become a normal part of everyday life in the wizarding community, but it was only a decade ago that London had no mass magical transportation.
If it wasn't for the works of one muggle-born wizard, this would still be the case. Timothy Thomas is the name of the wizard responsible for this much-needed change in the wizarding community.
Thomas graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1966, from Hufflepuff house, back when the families of students were responsible for travel to Hogwarts. Hailing from Scotland from a muggle family, with no access to floo powder or portkeys, transportation was difficult for the Thomases. When he became a prefect in his fifth year, one of the first year Hufflepuff students complained of similar difficulties.
So Thomas decided to do something about it.
Thomas used connections with his uncle, who worked at King's Cross, to develop a plan for a magical version of a muggle train station. At first, Thomas petitioned the Ministry of Magic for a separate train station for wizards. Not only was he ridiculed for taking inspiration from a muggle form of transportation, but the ministry decided the project was too costly.
Thomas would not give up so easily. He found support in several other muggle-born and half-blood wizards, all who agreed that the wizarding community in London needed mass transportation, especially concerning travel to Hogwarts and back. His uncle also gavehis support, and soon Thomas had designed a different plan that would be more cost effective.
While many pure blooded wizards still resented the muggle-inspired plan, Thomas eventually won the ministry over and the construction of the magical portion of King's Cross began.
"If it wasn't for King's Cross," muggle-born Hogwarts student Alisa Clink stated during an interview. "I would have never made it to Hogwarts."
"We would definitely lose many students if it wasn't for King's Cross," Professor Pasko, Hogwarts current Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, added. "Including some of the best."
While going to King's Cross is still difficult for many distant families, finding the muggle train station has proven easier than finding Hogwarts or Hogsmeade, as both are protected by many charms.
"I hope to expand the magical portion of King's Cross in years to come," Brittany Burns, from the transportation department in the ministry, stated. "And maybe in the future add more magical stations. I think it would... benefit many families."
Happy belated birthday!