Thanks to everyone who followed/favourited/reviewed or just read the first chapter.
Enchiladas: Thank you so much, I'm glad you love it. Hope you like this chapter too ;-)
Guest: I'll do my best
Now on to the chapter! Enjoy reading! Don't forget to review :)
Platform To A New Life
Elsa woke up early the next morning. Today was the day. Today was the day, she would go to Hogwarts. She got up and dressed herself. She shook her head as she saw her still sleeping sister; snoring soundly and her strawberry blonde hair was a mess. How did Anna manage to get such a mess of hair? She didn't know. After she was in the bathroom and braiding her platinum blonde hair she packed the last few things in her large and heavy trunk. Then she was ready.
Gerda knocked on the door at 9:00am, informing Elsa that she and Kai went downstairs into the dining hall of the hotel. Elsa promised to wake Anna up and then both would join their foster parents for breakfast. Waking Anna up was not as easy as waking Elsa up. "Anna, time to get up." Elsa said softly into her sister's ear. But Anna didn't respond. Elsa tried again, "Anna, you have to get up. I am going to Hogwarts today. We don't have much time".
"Sure… you… Hogardz…"
Elsa shook her head. Before she could try again, Anna suddenly threw her eyes open and quickly got to a sitting position, looking Elsa straight in her eyes. "You are going to Hogwarts!" Anna said joyfully. Elsa nodded. "We don't have much time, Anna. Kai and Gerda are waiting for us down in the dining hall."
Anna quickly got up, washed her face, dressed herself and let Elsa help comb her hair. Didn't there exist a spell to magically do your hair? Apparently not. When Anna was ready, the sisters went downstairs to join Gerda and Kai for breakfast.
At ten-forty, they arrived at King's Cross, where the Hogwarts Express would depart. On their way to King's Cross people, who they passed, stared curious and confused at the four. Who wouldn't? They were carrying a large and heavy trunk, a snowy white cat and a cauldron. A cat wasn't so unusual, but a heavy trunk and a cauldron were. At King's Cross Kai put the trunk, cauldron and cat on a trolley and pushed it. That was the easy part. The more difficult part was to find the platform 93/4.
It seemed as if the platform didn't exist. But Elsa and Anna knew it had to exist. They went up and down the platforms nine and ten, but there was no sign of platform 93/4. "Maybe we should ask someone who works here." Gerda suggested after glancing at the clock on the platform. It should almost ten minutes to eleven. Time was running out. "I don't think someone knows how to get to the platform." Elsa said quietly. "Maybe we should look for other children with a large trunk." Kai said. They looked around, but saw no one with a trolley on which was a heavy trunk. Kai then decided to take his wife's advice and wanted to ask a man in uniform.
"-of course, a huge amount of Muggles here… like every year-" a plump woman said a few feet away from them. She had flaming red hair and was talking to four boys. Each of them pushed a full packed trolley.
Also the four didn't they a word to each other, they decided to follow the woman and her four kids. The four boys and their mother stopped suddenly a few feet before the wall between platform nine and ten. "Charlie, Percy, you first." she ordered. The two oldest boys, who appeared to be a few years older than Elsa, stepped forward. They quickly walked straight to the wall, but didn't seem to be scared that they would hit it. "Oh my god, they will crash into the wall!" Anna exclaimed shocked. The woman heard Anna and turned around. In the same moment, the two older boys disappeared. Anna blinked curious. "Where are they gone?" she asked. The woman chuckled. "It's the way to get to platform 93/4." she explained with a warm smile. "Actually we wondered how…"
"…to get there." the woman finished Kai's sentence. The four simultaneously nodded. "It's your first year at Hogwarts, isn't it dear?"
Elsa nodded again. "It's the first year for my younger boys Fred and George too." she said and pointed to her twins. "Don't worry, it's not difficult. You can go with us, if you want. Besides, it's almost eleven."
"Then, we probably should say goodbye here." Gerda said und hugged Elsa. "I wish you a great school year. I am certain you will do fine there."
"Bye Gerda."
Then Kai hugged her tightly, while Gerda took Anna's hand and pulled with her free hand a handkerchief out to dry her wet eyes. "Have fun there. I wish you a great term too."
"Why can't I go with her?!" Anna complained.
"Anna you are too young."
"But, I want to see the Hogwarts Express. Please?" Anna protested, making a pleading look. She knew Kai and Gerda couldn't withstand that look. "No Anna not this time. We can't go there and look after you… And we both know, you gladly would just jump in the train."
Okay, Anna had thought about taking the chance and jump aboard the Hogwarts Express, but it seemed as if Gerda knew her too well. "You know Anna, you can go with me, if your parents allow it. You can wave your sister goodbye and then I will bring you back to your parents. What do you think?" the woman suggested kindly. "You would do that?" Kai asked surprised. "We don't know each other."
"It won't be a problem. I am Molly Weasley, by the way." she replied, shaking Kai's hand. "Kai Frost and this is my wife Gerda." Kai introduced them and then pointed to Anna and Elsa. "And these two girls are Elsa and Anna."
"Nice to meet you."
"Just walk straight at the barrier between platform nine and ten. You three wait on the other side of the barrier." Mrs. Weasley instructed them. Gerda and Kai hugged Elsa once more, before they let her go and watched how Elsa disappeared a moment later. Fred and George also disappeared. And then Mrs. Weasley and Anna were gone.
Elsa had closed her eyes and waited for the impact that she expected when she was a few inches away from the barrier. She had expected to crash right into the wall, but surprisingly, she didn't. When she opened her eyes again, she stood between Fred and George in an archway. When they walked a few steps further, they saw the scarlet engine waiting next to the platform. A huge crowd of people was at the platform. Parents said goodbye to their children, talked with other children, some students maneuvered their trolleys through the crowd. And some were hurrying along the platform. A sign over the engine read: Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock.
"Wow" Elsa heard her sister gasped in astounding behind her. "Come on, let's search a compartment for you three." Mrs. Weasley said and pushed George forward.
It wasn't easy to maneuver the heavy trolley through the crowd, but all three managed it. They found an empty compartment on the end of the crowd. Mrs. Weasley and Anna (as good as she could) helped to stow the trunks and other stuff above their seats. Then they exited the train once more to say goodbye. "Do you have to go?" Anna asked in a low voice, so low, that Elsa almost couldn't hear it. "I will be back in a few months Anna." Elsa replied encouragingly. She knew it would be difficult for her little sister. "I am writing every week to tell you what is going on at Hogwarts and you are telling me what you have done at home." Elsa said.
"Promise me?"
"I promise." Elsa nodded. Elsa wrapped her arms tightly around Anna, pulling her closer. She herself didn't want to let Anna go. A whistle then was heard and smoke drifted over the platform. It was time to get into the train. "Bye Anna, I love you."
"Bye Elsa."
Anna tried to sound brave, but her shaky voice betrayed her. Elsa got into the train, while Mrs. Weasley took Anna on her arm, though she would be able to be at eye level with Elsa for a few more minutes. In the compartment Fred and George opened the window and all three looked out. "Don't forget to write!" Anna shouted over the loud noise. Slowly the train started moving. "I won't forget!" Elsa shouted back. All five waved at each other, while the platform slowly departed from the platform. A few moments later they couldn't see it anymore.
"Excuse me, is there an empty seat?" a boy asked shyly, while Fred and George closed the window. "Yeah, sit down." George said. The blond-haired boy closed the compartment door and sat next to Fred. "Hi, I am Fred, Fred Weasley and this is my twin brother George." Fred introduced himself and his brother to the boy.
"Hi."
"Who are you?"
"I am Kristoff Bjorgman." Kristoff said in a low voice. Then everyone looked at Elsa. "Hi Kristoff, I am Elsa." she greeted the boy. An uncomfortable silence then lay over them, because neither of them knew what to talk about. After a few minutes Elsa got up and let Skjebni out of her box. "Hey, it's a nice cat. What's his name?" George asked when Skjebni jumped on George's lap.
"Skjebni."
"An unusual name… but cool."
Kristoff nodded, totally agreeing with Fred.
"Do you have an animal with you?"
"No not really." George said briefly. "Our older brother Charlie has an owl and our brother Percy has Scabbers, a fat grey rat." Fred clarified. "Mom said, it's too expensive to buy another animal."
"So, the two older boys were your brothers?"
"Yeah, Charlie and Percy aren't our only brothers."
"How many brothers do you have?" Kristoff asked curious. "We have three older brothers. Bill is out of Hogwarts since a year now. He found a job in Rumania and Charlie is in sixth year now. Then comes Percy."
"He is in the third year now." George added.
"And there is Ron our younger brother, who will join Hogwarts in two years and our younger sister Ginny."
"Do you have any sisters?"
Kristoff silently shook his head, while Elsa nodded.
"You met Anna on the platform."
Fred and George nodded. "Hey Kristoff, do you have a pet?"
Kristoff also had a cat, whose name was Sven. It was a brown cat, who quickly got along with Skjebni.
At lunch the compartment door was slipped open and a plump woman with a trolley packed with sweets and other things to eat. "Anything you want off the trolley dears?" she asked with a smile. Fred and George shook their heads. "Mom made sandwiches."
But Elsa and Kristoff were hungry and bought Bertie Botts Every-Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and other things. Elsa of course bought a few Chocolate Frogs. They would be Anna's favourite too. The woman wished them a good journey and walked along the corridor, while Elsa and Kristoff got their seats again, after paying and closing the door. Fred and George shared their sandwiches with Kristoff and Elsa, while Kristoff and Elsa shared their sweets.
George took one of the beans into his mouth and grimaced. "Ewww!"
"What flavour was it?" Fred asked, noticing his brother's grimace. "You don't want to know that!"
"Come on, it can't be that bad." Kristoff said unconvinced.
"Sure it can! It was a bogy-flavoured bean."
Fred and Kristoff laughed, while Elsa looked wide eyed at George. "What is so funny? It's true!"
"You should eat something else to get the taste out of your mouth." Elsa suggested and handed him one of her Chocolate Frogs. "Thanks."
"Better?"
George nodded.
Time seemed to pass quickly. The four chattered the entire time, telling each other about their lives and family, although Elsa didn't say much about her own family. Neither Fred, nor George or Kristoff asked further questions and Elsa was grateful about that. At sunset, opened and closed compartment doors could be heard. A few students passed, wearing now their Hogwarts uniforms. "I think we should change into our uniforms too." Elsa said. The other three agreed and all four got up to take their uniforms out of the trunks.
Ten minutes later all four sat in the compartment, wearing their uniforms. "What do you think, in which house you will be sorted?" George asked after a few silent moments.
Elsa and Kristoff shrugged. She had never thought about it, since she has received her acceptance letter. Her grandpa, her father and her mother had been in Gryffindor. Though there was a high chance she would be sorted there. But you could never be sure, when it came to the sorting. Her grandpa had told her that a while ago. "And you? Do you know in which house you will be sorted?" Kristoff asked Fred and George.
"Well Mom and Dad had been in Gryffindor, like Bill."
"Charlie and Percy are in Gryffindor too."
"So, you think you will be in Gryffindor too." Kristoff concluded. He received a nod from Fred and George.
"We will be reaching the Hogwarts in five minutes!" a loud voice said, "Please leave your luggage, because it will be taken there separately!"
Elsa and Kristoff took their cats back into their boxes and left, together with Fred and George their compartment. Before the door, they met other students. Most of them seemed to be their age.
Five minutes later, the Hogwarts Express reached the train station and came to a stop. Everyone got out. The train station was a tiny dark platform. Everyone was pressed against each other. Fred blew some air into his closed hands. "Man, its cold."
Kristoff and George nodded. The air had cooled down, but due to her ice magic, Elsa couldn't feel the cold.
"Firs'-years!" a deep booming voice echoed over their heads. "Firs'-years come to me! Come here!"
Fred, George, Kristoff and Elsa turned around and saw a giant man waving and shouting. The giant man was standing at the end of the platform, holding a lantern in his big left hand and waving with the right hand. Although his face was almost completely hidden by long shaggy hair and a wild tangled beard, his black beetle-like eyes were visible and held warmth and joy in them.
"Firs'-years!" he shouted again.
The four fought their way through the crowd of students and went to the giant man. A few first-years stood next to the giant man, looking intimidated by him. Elsa figured if he wanted to be intimidating, he had no problem in doing that. Fred, George and Kristoff looked stunned with wide eyes and dropped yaw at the giant man. "Wow."
"He is so tall." Fred whispered in his brother's ear. George nodded. "Name's Rubeus Hagrid… am the Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." Hagrid introduced himself nonchalantly.
It took a while until all first-years were here. When Hagrid was sure, no first-year student was missing, he instructed them to follow. Stumbling, they followed Hagrid down a dark and narrow path which led to the edge of a large lake from where they had a clear view to the other side of the like, where a mountain was. A large castle was on top of the mountain, under the starry sky. Most windows of the castle where lit and due to the darkness it looked like the lights in the windows were floating in the air. In each boat sat four students; only Hagrid had a boat for himself. Elsa, Fred, George and Kristoff climbed into one boat. When everyone was in, Hagrid said 'forward' and the boats started moving.
While the boats glided smoothly through the dark water, Elsa, Fred, George and Kristoff stared stunned at the castle, which grew larger with every inch they came closer to the other side of the edge. When they reached the other side of the lake, they docked at an underneath harbour and got out of the boats. Again, Hagrid waited until everyone gathered around him. After another 'follow me', they went up a passageway and then walked over smooth grass and a few stone steps, until they reached the large dark oak door on which Hagrid knocked three times.
Only a moment later the door opened and Professor McGonagall in her emerald-green robes stepped forward. McGonagall's gaze fell on Elsa. A small, but warm and kind smile graced her face. But as soon as her smile appeared, her smile disappeared. Professor McGonagall thanked Hagrid and instructed the first-years to follow her into the castle. They stopped outside the Great Hall. "Welcome to Hogwarts. As long as you are attending Hogwarts, you will be in one of the four houses. Your house will be like your family. The houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Triumphs will earn you points for your house, when you break the rules, your house will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will award the house cup. The sorting ceremony will begin any moments." McGonagall greeted the students and explained the most important rule at Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall excused herself to see if the sorting ceremony could begin.
The professor came back a minute later and told them to follow her in the Great Hall, which definitely deserved its name. The other students sat on four long tables. A bit higher than the other four tables on the opposite side of the entrance, was another table, where the teachers sat. In the middle of the table sat Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster. When they entered the all, all first-years looked astonished at the high ceiling, which showed the night sky outside. Hundreds of candles were floating high above under the ceiling. Elsa couldn't take her eyes off. It was different seeing everything with her own eyes than hearing someone describe everything. They stopped in front of a stool on which an old hat with many slits laid. When Kristoff asked, if one of the others knew, why the old hat was there, the hat started singing.
Professor McGonagall unrolled a scroll of parchment. "When I read your name, you will step forward and sit on the stool. Then I will put the Sorting Hat on you, which will sort you into one of the four houses." McGonagall explained. "That's all? We just have to put the hat on?" asked Fred in a whispering voice. Elsa, George and Kristoff nodded absent minded. The first student, who got sorted, was Nicole Anderson. She became a Slytherin.
"Kristoff Bjorgman" McGonagall called out. The blonde-haired boy reluctantly stepped forward. After a moment the head shouted: Hufflepuff. Sarah Crowley became a Hufflepuff too. "Elsa Dumbledore"
Elsa swallowed. It was death silent as she stepped hesitantly forward. She practically could feel all eyes on her; they stared holes in her back and she knew Kristoff, Fred and George were staring at her too. She slowly sat down and McGonagall put the hat on.
"Hm…" a deep voice said into her ear, "you are definitely one of the most difficult cases I have ever had… loyal, brave and ambitious, when you have to… you are very powerful and intelligent… But where to put you?"
The head was silent for a moment, before it hummed in agreement to the decision it had just made. "Yes, that will be best…" the hat said, more to himself than to Elsa. Then it shouted out loud: Ravenclaw! Elsa was relieved, when McGonagall put the hat off of her and she went to the Ravenclaw table. Her Hogwarts emblem on her uniform changed to a Ravenclaw emblem and her tie coloured in the Ravenclaw colours bronze and blue. She sat down and looked at the teachers table. Her grandfather had risen his glass and nodded; a warm smile on his face. Elsa smiled and nodded back, and then she focused on the sorting ceremony again. Fred and George were the last once, who were sorted. They became Gryffindors.
When the sorting was over, Dumbledore greeted everyone. He spoke a few warnings, like no one was allowed to enter the Forbidden Forest and things like that. But then he sat down and golden plates and bowls with food appeared in the middle on each table. Elsa filled her plate and started eating, no and then she waved her hand to her friends.
After dessert, everyone was full and couldn't eat more. Dumbledore wished them goodnight and the prefects told the first-years to follow them. Elsa said goodnight to Fred, George and Kristoff, when she passed them. Then they headed into different directions.
The Ravenclaw prefects led the first-years onto the seventh floor. After they had reached it, they took a spiral staircase, which led into one of the castle towers. At the end of the staircase was a simple door on which was a bronze door knocker secured in form of an eagle. Michael Adams, one of the two prefects, used the door knocker. The eagle blinked and then said, "What is cold, beats and can only be thawed by affection?"
All first-years looked startled and puzzled at the door knocker. No one of them had expected something like that.
"Our door knocker gives us entrance, when we answer his philosophical questions; that means, you have to answer them wisely." Michael explained. He was in his fifth year at Hogwarts. He was tall, thin, had pale skin, curly black hair and hazel brown eyes.
"Do you know an answer?" Emily Glugg, the other prefect, asked.
The first years whispered. They guessed and mumbled something, but no one wanted to say something loud. Elsa had an answer, but wasn't sure about it. Emily, who was petite, thin and dark-skinned, had noticed Elsa's look and smiled. She kept her blonde hair in a ponytail and her eyes were green.
"What about you? Do you know an answer? Um… Elsa, right?"
Elsa nodded shyly.
"I think the eagle means a frozen heart." Elsa carefully said.
"A very wise answer, Miss." the eagle replied and the door swung open.
All students entered the common room. Elsa's gaze went to the arched ceiling, where stars shone. Over the walls hung silk wall covers in the Ravenclaw colours bronze and blue, which gave the room a cozy atmosphere. In addition to tables and chairs there were a fireplace and comfortable arm chairs. In one corner stood a tall white marble statue of Rowina Ravenclaw, the house founder. It seemed as if she looked demanding at her students, to become the best students at Hogwarts.
Elsa was sure that the high arched windows offered an impressive view of the castle grounds and the surrounding area. Everyone remained in the centre of the round tower room. Michael pointed behind him at the door opposite of the entrance door.
"Behind that door there are two more doors. The left one leads to the girls' dormitories, the right to the boys' dormitories. In the meantime your luggage has been brought up." Michael explained. After Michael and Emily said good night, the group of first-years parted ways and took the left and right door to the dormitories.
Elsa easily found her bed in the dormitory for the first-years. It was a four-poster bed with blue velvet curtains. Her bed stood next to one of the windows. After she got ready for bed, she climbed in. It didn't take Elsa long to fall asleep.
Side note: Since Dumbledore is one of the most powerful and wisest wizards in the wizarding world, he wouldn't only have friends, but also enemies and therefore, he would protect his family, while hiding them far away from the wizarding world, where no one knows them (similar to Hrry Potter).
