Author's note: This only took 4 years. I'm thankful to ocappreciation on Tumblr and January Lily for getting me back to my story.
September 1, 1989
I held tightly to my mother's hand as she pulled me through King's Cross station. There were so many people. It made me nervous. Uncle Remus was beside us pushing my trolley as we made our way to the barrier. It was my first time off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I had overheard my mother and Uncle Remus talk of it for years. They thought I wasn't listening when they would talk about it but I was. I soaked in every morsel about the place but whenever would ask either of them about Hogwarts, they immediately went silent.
Now, it was finally my turn to make my own memories at Hogwarts. I had never really had friends before. In fact, the only people I really knew were my mother and Uncle Remus. My mother and I lived in a small cottage overlooking the sea on the outskirts of Tinworth, Cornwall. Once I met some people visiting family on the beach, but their relative's house was still miles from where I lived. They were the only people I had ever met that weren't family. Mother, of course, grounded me when she found out. She said she was just trying to protect me. I didn't understand.
I was overwhelmed by all the people we were passing. I had never seen so many people before. Mother held tighter to my hand. "I don't know how I let you convince me into this, Remus," mother said.
"You can't hide her away forever," Remus said to my mother, thinking I couldn't hear him. But I did. He then looked down at me and smiled. "The safest place for her is Hogwarts. You know that."
Mother pursed her lips and then sighed. "I know."
I wasn't sure why it mattered how safe I was. I just knew Mother and Remus often spoke of my safety. However, I did not know who or what I needed protection from.
We came to a sudden stop outside a brick wall between platforms 9 and 10. "You need to run straight at that wall, darling," mother said to me. "Platform 9 ¾ is on the other side."
"It's perfectly safe," Uncle Remus responded.
I nodded my head. I wanted to believe them but I couldn't help but doubt.
"Come, now, darling." Mother began to quicken her pace toward the wall, still holding onto my hand. I followed her. Although, I must confess that I did close my eyes right before she should have made contact. We never did make contact though.
Instead, I found myself on Platform 9 ¾. When I opened my eyes I saw a scarlet steam engine and hundreds of children with their parents. Mother looked down at me and smiled. Her smile was the happiest smile I had seen on her face in a long time.
"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Mother said lightly.
Remus nodded his head.
"Let's find you a spot on the train."
"I will take care of her trunk," Remus said. "I will find you on the train."
I quickly hugged Remus before Mother led me onto the train. We passed by several compartments. Kids seemed excited to see one another. Mother stopped when we came to an empty compartment. "This one should do nicely," Mother said before she ushered me inside. She looked at it nostalgically. "You know, this might be the very compartment I rode in on my first ride to Hogwarts."
She patted the seat and I sat down. Mother looked over her shoulder before she knelt before me. She tugged at my blonde curls before she rested her hand on my cheek. "Promise me you'll be careful."
"Yes, Mother," I said, tilting my head.
"Write to me every day."
"Every day?" I questioned.
"At least for a while. I'm going to want to know everything that is happening, how your classes are going, if you're making friends." I knew it was more than that. I had overheard Mother and Remus talking about the fact that this was going to be the first time we had been separated. I was also a little nervous about that.
"Yes, Mother."
"And if anyone tries to talk about your father…"
"Mother," I groaned.
"Darling, I'm being serious." Mother seemed startled by the words that came out of her mouth, like she had said something wrong. She closed her eyes and sighed. "You might hear rumours. I want you to know that whatever they say…"
I sighed. "They're not true. I know." I wasn't so sure why she was always so concerned about my father. I never met the man. I hadn't a clue who he was. All I knew was that he left when I was little and never came back and Mother never married after having her heart broken. Uncle Remus looked in on us from time to time. That was that.
Mother tugged at my curls again. "Always remember that I love you."
I smiled sweetly at my mother. "I love you too, Mummy."
She pressed a kiss against my forehead. She then kissed each of my cheeks.
I scrunched my nose and groaned. "Mum, you're embarrassing me."
"She has a point, Emmeline," Uncle Remus chuckled as he leaned against the doorframe. I smiled at him and he winked at me.
Mother rolled her eyes. "I see how it is," she said before pressing one more kiss on my forehead. She then stood up and walked toward Uncle Remus.
I quickly got up and ran toward both of them, flinging my arms around them. "Don't go," I told them. Truth was, as much as I was ready to be going to Hogwarts, I was going to miss them both terribly.
"It'll be Christmas before you know it, Anna," Uncle Remus said, patting my back. I hugged him tighter.
"I love you both," I said.
They each kissed one of my cheeks and then they left. I was all alone. I sat next to the window looking for them to reappear on the platform. When the I spotted them, I began to wave at them. They waved back at me. Mother had tears in her eyes. So did Uncle Remus.
The train whistle howled and soon we were moving. I continued to wave as the train pulled away. A few minutes later, two ginger-haired boys entered my compartment and changed my life forever.