1.

It all started that day on platform Nine and Three-Quarters. I came along with mum and my brothers, they were going off to another year at Hogwarts, and they were leaving me behind. I wanted to go with them, but mum said I was too young to go.

Ronald or Ron, my youngest brother (I had six) was going for the first time. I envied him for that, because I Ginevra Weasley (Ginny for short) had to wait another year.

So, what exactly happened at the platform, you're asking?

Well, I'll tell you how it started,

I was walking a little behind the rest of my family. I was a little disgruntled. This year Ronald would go to Hogwarts too! I would have no one left to play! Looking down, I kicked a stone that lay in my path.

Another year before I could go.

Ron was pushing his trolley, while looking around nervously. I couldn't blame him. Fred and George, the jokers of the family, had told him all kinds of horrible stories about the sorting. Now Ron was looking awfully pale. I grinned to myself; he couldn't honestly believe them, could he?

My eyes fixed on the back of a head of a boy who was walking several metres before us. He had messy black hair and wore clothes that where miles to big for him.

Next to me I could hear Percy talking about his prefect duties, whatever they were. I glanced at Ron, I could see he wasn't really listening, I could see the wheel's turning in his head. I snickered, he was to busy worrying about the sorting "test" like F and G had told him. Little did he know that the sorting only included putting a rather old hat on your head. I knew all about it, I had already read Hogwarts A History, found it near Percy's room last summer. If he found out I had been sneaking around his room, don't want to think about it.

Now, back to the boy before us. He was around Ron's age.

He was looking even more nervous then Ronald. I knew he was also going to Hogwarts, the trunk and the owl were a dead give away. I frowned when he began to look around. It was as if he was searching for something.

Maybe he was Muggle-Born? Maybe he didn't know how to enter the platform?

"...packed with Muggles, of course-,..." I heard mum say.

That's when he swung around.

I knew he wanted to ask something, but he didn't. He looked at us. I studied him for a while. He hadn't seen me yet. He had green almond shaped eyes and a round visage. He looked lost.

Then I redirected my attention to mum.

"Now, what's the platform number? Mum asked, looking at Percy.

Before he could answer I piped in : "Nine and three-quarters !!"

The boy's green eyes met my brown-ones. A funny feeling made its way into my belly.

"Mum, can't I go?" I tried again, even if I knew the answer.

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy you go first"

I rolled my eyes when I saw my brother walking confidently towards platform 9 and 10.

A stern look on his face, one that said; look at me, I'm prefect !

Out of the corner of my eye I saw that boy was still watching us.

When is he going to ask? I mused silently. He didn't even blink, as if he was afraid to miss something. I wondered where his family was.

"Fred, you're next!"

Fred decided to be funny, at least he thought he was, "I'm not Fred, honestly woman, and you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?

Mum actually believed him, I knew better (yes I know, again I knew better). You see? They thought they were identical, they were to most eyes. But they forgot one, important detail. Their socks !!!!! Yes, yes, I know you must think I'm paranoid, what person studies other peoples socks! Well, the answer is obvious, isn't it? Me, Ginevra Weasley ! No, no, serious Fred's socks are green, today, and George's are bleu.

"Sorry, George, dear,..."

"Only joking, I am Fred" Fred said, and off he went. George called after him to hurry. ...Then he went after his twin, he too disappeared between platforms nine and ten.

The messy-haired boy stared with wide eyes. Finally he opened his mouth.

"Excuse me" he addressed our mother.

"Hullo dear" she responded with a friendly smile, "first time at Hogwarts? Ron's new too."

She pointed at my more than nervous brother.

"Yes"the boy said, "the thing is,...- I don't know how to—"

Mum caught on quickly "How to get on the platform?" she said kindly and the boy nodded.

Yes !! one point for Ginevra Weasley, I was right, he doesn't know how to get on it !

"Not to worry" mum continued "All you have to do is walk straight at the barriers between platform nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared to crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now, before Ron."

"Err-ok" he said, I could tell he was as nervous as ickle-Ronniekins.

He pushed his trolley round and looked at the barrier. The he started to walk towards it and broke into a run, within seconds he disappeared like Percy, Fred and George.

Shortly after that I ran trough the barrier too, I had already done it the year before.

The first thing I noticed was the thick black smoke that came from the big red Hogwarts express. I looked at it longingly. Next year, I would be in there too.

I spotted the boy from earlier. Fred and George stood beside him they helped him carry his trunk and owl into the train.

Mum was getting teary-eyed again. She had that each year. "Fred, George, are you there?"

Seconds later, they jumped of the train and made their way true the large crowd.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose." Mum had her handkerchief in hands.

Ronald tried to duck away from her as she attempted to get it of. She grabbed him and began rubbing it from his nose.

"Mum,...geroff!" Ron muttered.

"AAAhhh, has fickle Ronnie got some fink on his nosie?" the twins spotted.

"Shut up" Ron said sharply. There we go again, I thought.

Luckily mum interrupted them ," Where is Percy?"

Probably swooning over his prefect badge, but I didn't say that out loud.

"He's coming now"

And yes there he came, taking big strides, head high in the air. I shook my head. He'll never change, Will he?

The silver badge with the P, shone brightly in the sun.

"Can't stay long, mother" he said, "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves,--

"Oh, are you a prefect Percy?" Fred laughed, trying to get on Perce's nerves," You should have said something, we had no idea."

I loved their humour. Don't get me wrong, I love my Prefect brother, but he needs to laugh a bit sometimes, he's always so serious.

"Hang on" George continued, "I think I remember him saying something about it."

"once,-...

"Or twice" Fred said

"A minute"

"All summer" I tried not to laugh, but it was getting difficult, you should have seen Percy's face. It's getting purple !

"Oh shut up!!!" Percy barked.

"How come Percy gets new robes anyway?"

"Because he's a Prefect" Mum said fondly.

"All right dear, well, have a good term-send me an owl when you get there."

She kissed him on the cheek and he left, in such hurry that I could have sworn he apparated away.

Mum approached Fred and George " Now , you two-this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've – you've blown up a toilet or,-..." she ranted.

Fred looked surprised "Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea, though" George teased "thanks' mum"

"It's not funny, and look after Ron"

"Don't worry, fickle Ronniekins is safe with us"

If I were Ron, I would stay as far away from those two as possible.

"Shut up" Ron groaned.

Wise decision, I mused.

"Hey mum, guess who we met on the train?" The twin's began.

Mum didn't look interested.

But they continued " You know the,--...

I wasn't listening anymore, maybe they had met one or another king of the pranks or something.

"Harry Potter" I heard them say. WHAT? That boy was Harry Potter?

"Oh mum, can I go on the train and see him, mum?, oh, please?" I pleaded. Harry Potter was another thing I read about. He was FAMOUS and I hadn't even recognised him !!

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't some thing you goggle at in the zoo."

I pouted.

"Is he really, Fred, how did you know?" Mum asked.

"Asked him,..."

Again I spaced out. I had seen Harry Potter, I couldn't believe it !! And he was going to Hogwarts too !!! Aaarrgghhh , why couldn't I already be eleven!

I looked at the train, trying to catch a glimpse of him.

Never mind, I thought sadly, I'll probably never meet him properly.

How wrong I was, though,...;.