A/N: So, this is my first FF in a very, very, long time. I was writing this for another contest, and I figured that I might as well post it since I have it all written and everything. It's a small ficlet, just a couple chapters. I have ideas for future stuff, so let me know if you want to read more. I tried keeping this as canon as possible, and hopefully some of you actually enjoy this! Please review!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. JK Rowling owns everything. End of story.
Chapter One: The Platform.
"Mum, are you sure this is going to work?" Alice Longbottom asked, peering the platform entrance hesitantly. They were currently standing in front of Platform 9 and ¾, but thus far, Alice had not seen a sign for it.
"Alice, dear, don't doubt me," her mother, Hannah said with a small smile, gently nudging her daughter with the cart towards the wall. Alice nodded and as she closed her eyes fearfully, she ran towards the wall.
Much to her surprise and delight, when she opened her pale blue eyes and saw a scarlet train, the words Hogwarts Express painted onto the side in an authoritative script, a sign hovering above her head for Platform 9 and ¾. With a large amount of relief filling her, she began to walk away from the wall and waited for her mother.
"Alice!" Lily Potter, her good friend, exclaimed excitedly as she skipped towards her. Her flaming red hair was down, swishing behind her in the light wind, her brown eyes shining with excitement.
"Lily!" Alice said, returning her enthusiasm. Their parents, especially her father, had been good friends for ages, since Hogwarts, and Lily and Alice would always play at parties together, talking about when they would finally get to go to Hogwarts. Lily would tell her stories that she heard from her brothers, Albus and James, who were already there and having adventures of their own.
"I can't believe we're finally here!" Lily smiled brightly, jumping up and down slightly. She was full of energy at all times. Alice was more quiet and reserved than Lily; that was evident. She had blonde hair, often parted into pigtails, and a round face, quite like her father's. Dad often said she looked a lot like her grandmother, her namesake.
Due to both wars with You-Know-Who, she had never had the chance to meet her grandparents. Her mother's parents were killed during the war 21 years ago, while her father's parents, well, they never passed away, but she wasn't allowed to see them. They were in St. Mungo's, in a state of mind different from her own. When she asked her father if she could meet them, he said when she was older, and was ready. Alice never touched the subject after that. But, that was part of the reason she was excited about going to Hogwarts. She hoped that she would learn more about her family there, and find out what her family was like, what her parents had kept from her.
"I know! I'm really excited," Alice said, whipping her head around, trying to find her mother. She frowned slightly. She should be coming out of the platform right about now. Where was she? Alice wanted to say goodbye before the train left. She wouldn't be able to see her mum until Christmas…
"Alice!" Hannah Longbottom called out from somewhere in the crowd. Alice's awkward ears perked up, hearing her mother's voice.
"Mum?" she called back, and was about to walk towards her, when a large group of 6th years plowed through, accidentally taking Lily and her with them, making Alice lose her mother again. She sighed, trying to find her way around now.
"Oh! Look! It's Uncle Ron and Hugo!" Lily said, dragging Alice with her cart farther away. Alice nodded, looking around once again for her mother before Lily took her pudgy arm and dragged her.
"Hey Lily," Mr. Weasley smiled, his hand on his son's shoulder. "Hey Alice. It's good to see you here. Haven't heard from your dad lately," he said.
Alice nodded. "Yeah, he had to head back up to Hogwarts early because of the extra work. This year is the biggest year of students they've had up there," Alice said, repeating the very words her father had told her just a couple weeks ago. One consoling part about going to Hogwarts was that she would have the chance to see her father more. He was gone most of the time, growing up, due to his teaching position, mainly getting to see him on weekends and holidays. Now though, she could see him whenever she wanted. The very idea was enthralling.
Ron chuckled. "I imagine so. I don't remember the platform being this crowded before," he said, looking around, being knocked into by an overeager third year.
"Dad, I just found Mum, and I'm going to say goodbye to her first," Hugo said, his red hair askew as he pushed his way through the thick crowd of parents and students of all years, making his way to a woman of bushy brown hair saying goodbye to a third year girl, her daughter, Rose.
Ron smiled proudly at his son, before looking down at Lily. "Your mum and dad are by the train, helping Albus with his owl," he said, nodding his head behind him.
Lily's brow scrunched. "I wanted a cat. How come he got an owl?" he asked her Uncle Ron, who seemed to find her anger amusing and just shrugged, pointed her in the other direction. "See you on the train, Alice!" Lily said, waving before finding her parents. Alice nodded, looking around again. Where was her mother?
The sound of the whistle of the train only heightened Alice's nerves. Mr. Weasley had offered to put her stuff on the train for her while she found her mother, but that was only half the problem. She wanted to say goodbye. She needed to say goodbye. She didn't want to sound like a crybaby or anything, but she loved her mother with all her heart. She was always there for her, always there for her when no one else was. And this would be her last chance to see her.
"Mum! Mum!" Alice started shouting out, pushing through the dense crowd, slightly lessening since all the students were getting on the train. Tears began to press against her blue eyes. She was going to miss the train, or not get the chance to see her mother. "Mum!" Alice shouted, as she tripped over someone's foot.
"Alice!" Hannah said, furiously pushing through the crowd as well and picking her daughter up from the ground. Looking into her eyes, Alice saw tears in hers too. They gave each other a watery smile before hugging each other fiercely.
"You can write to me whenever you want. You can use your father's owl there," Hannah said, kissing the top of Alice's head.
Alice nodded, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her robe. The sound of the whistle, signaling last call for all students rung through the air, heavy in Alice's heart. Though she was excited for Hogwarts, she was going to miss her mother. "I'm going to miss you," Alice whispered, hugging her mother once more.
Hannah smiled, doing her best to keep her tears away. "I'll miss you too. We only have a couple months until Christmas. And believe me, you'll have the best time of your life at Hogwarts. It will be worth every minute," she assured her, Alice nodded, being filled with confidence.
"I know," Alice said meekly, allowing to be led towards the train's door, which was beginning to pull away. The mother and daughter quickened their pace, Hannah helping Alice onto the train, Alice having to keep a firm grip on the railing as the train's speech began to increase.
"Be safe! I love you!" Hannah called out quickly, Alice returning the words before being forced to close the door. She went to an open window as quick as possible and kept waving back to her mother, before she could no longer see her waving back. She wiped away her last tears and began to look through the Hogwarts Express for the first time, taking in her surroundings. This was it. It could only go up from here, right?