Chapter 3: The Journey from Platform Nine and Three Quarters

The next few weeks were an exceptionally excruciatingly painful one in the Burrow. It had been a solid month and few days since I had gotten my new wand, but I was still unable to perform any magic. Ron and I were both itching to start using magic. However, since it was strictly forbidden to use magic outside school, I had tried to satisfy my curiosity by reading the school books, unlike Ron, who listened to Fred and George's made up rubbish about school.

Dealing with Percy was insufferable as well. He flashed his prefect badge everywhere to everyone at every possible moment and strutted about the Burrow with his nose in the air, bathing in self-righteousness of some sort. I honestly was happy for him, but was tempted to sock him in the face if he reminded me once more that he is a Prefect.

But finally, the day was here, September 1st. Percy, Fred, George, Ron and I all wheeled our trolleys as we navigated our way through the hoard of Muggles at the Kings Cross station, accompanied by Aunt Molly and Ginny. Ginny had been sticking very close to me, not speaking, but listening to Ron and I talk animatedly about the Sorting.

However, soon we were standing in front of the barrier between 9 and 10. Ginny looked as if she wanted to throw a tantrum as she looked up at me with hopeful eyes and then to auntie. "Mum can't I go…"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. Percy, you go first," Aunt Molly said.

I didn't pay attention to Percy going through the barrier as I looked at my cousin. She had been very upset since it became a reality that she would be the only one in the family to be staying back this year. I could only imagine, being the youngest in a family of ten must have been upsetting at times like these. She was watching everyone leave, and this year, I would be leaving too. I had been there for Ginny as the only female family member besides auntie and now I was going away.

"Alright there, love?" I asked her, giving her a sideway hug. She nodded her head once sharply and avoided my gaze as to hold back her tears. I sighed, but I was unable to continue as auntie waved me over, Ron looking at me expectantly.

I began to walk towards the barrier when we heard a voice call out to us. "Excuse me!" he called before he recognized my face and stopped. "Hey you're that girl from Madam Malkin's!" he said excitedly, almost as if he was happy to see me.

Just then auntie stepped up to him. "Hullo, dear? Are you a friend of Ella's?"

"We briefly saw each other when I was leaving Madam Malkin's," I provided before I turned to him and smiled. "I'm sorry I bumped into you that day, I was in a bit of hurry. Come, you could join Ron and me."

The boy glanced once over at Ron before he turned back to me. "Yes. The thing is – the thing is, I don't know how to -,"

"How to get on the platform?" auntie suggested kindly, making the boy nod.

"Not to worry. All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Here, Ella will show you, and you could go on before Ron," auntie said, nodding at me to go through the barrier. I smiled at the boy, giving a silent assurance before I walked through it, disappearing behind the barrier.

I waited on the other side of the Platform for the boy and Ron. Soon, the boy came running into the barrier, his eyes closed shut at the terror that had never come. He opened his eyes slowly and I couldn't help but laugh a little as he peeked at my face in disbelief. He then looked over at the sight of the scarlet steam engine waiting next to the platform. "Welcome. To Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Hogwarts Express," I said to him, as I came up next to him.

"Uh, thank you," he said, blushing a little. I motioned him to follow me and started to walk when I felt him falling into sync with my pace. I found an empty compartment near the end of the train, and looked back at him. "You don't mind if I sit with you?"

"Of course, if I didn't want you to, I would have never offered," I shrugged.

Just then, George came up in front of me. "Want a hand, Ella?" he asked. "You too of course," he added, looking at the boy that was beside me.

"Thanks George," I said.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" he yelled. Fred took the boy's trunk and George took mine and put it in the compartment while I got on with Horus, who was studying the boy's beautiful snowy owl.

"Thanks," the boy said, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"What's that?" George said suddenly, pointing at the boy's forehead. I cocked my head to see a lightning scar.

"Blimey," Fred said "Are you-?"

"He is" George said again. "Aren't you?"

"What?" the boy asked.

"Harry Potter," the two of them chorused, making me roll my eyes. They gawked at him for a long time and I saw that he was going red when auntie's voice floated through the open door.

"Fred? George? Ella? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mum."

I looked back at the boy who looked nervous to be left alone, but relieved of Fred and George's stupidity. "I'll be right back, auntie Molly will want to say goodbye," I provided him before bouncing off the train.

When I got there I saw my aunt and all of my cousins surrounding her. It looked as if auntie was yelling at Fred and George again, and I shook my head as I joined them.

"I don't want you to go," Ginny argued as she hugged me.

"I'll be back soon, and I'll write you," I assured her.

"You be good now, Ella. Make sure Ron doesn't get in too much trouble," she said to me.

I saw the train start to move and I quickly jumped on to the train, pushing Ron and Fred a little. Aunt Molly waved at us with smiles in her face and Ginny, half laughing, half crying, ran to keep up until the train gained speed and I blew her a kiss goodbye.

"Well then, Ron. I've got a compartment for us," I said as I walked towards the compartment, slid open the door and walked in. "You don't mind if my cousin Ron sits with us right? I wouldn't want his sorry arse to be sitting alone."

Soon, after beating out the awkwardness out of Ron, the three of us were speaking animatedly to each other, excited about our first year. Harry was particularly anxious about everything, claiming he would be the worst wizard. It was common knowledge that The Boy Who Lived was living with his Muggle relatives, who according to him was a nightmare.

Soon, the trolley lady had paid us a visit. While Ron and I sat there without buying anything, Harry had managed to get a lot of different types of sweets off of the trolley. It was only a little later I had noticed that he had not bought one of my favorites.

"Harry, you've got to try the Jelly Creatures," I said getting up from my seat. "I also think I should go change into my robes, so I'll be right back boys."

Soon, changed out of my regular ratty clothes into the formfitting uniform, I began to walk up the train in search for the trolley lady. It was unexpected when a solemn looking boy and a girl, both already dressed in first year uniform literally bumped into me.

"Sorry about that," I said as I dusted myself off and offered a hand to the girl with an enormous bushy hair and slightly oversized front teeth. "I'm Estella Prewett."

"Hermione Granger. Sorry, about bumping into you," she said. "Neville and I were a little preoccupied. Neville's lost his pet toad you see."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I replied sincerely, looking over at the boy. "Why don't you check all the lavatories next? I'm sure it just wanted to be near water."

"Thanks," the boy said. He looked away from me blushing, and I couldn't stop rolling my eyes. This damn Veela blood would never let me make any friends. But I just smiled at them sweetly as I walked further up, determined to buy some Jelly Creature.

Finally I caught up to the lady who was making her way back near the prefect compartments. "Excuse me," I called out, making her turn around. I smiled brightly as I came near the trolley and saw the last pack of Jelly Creatures and Sugared Butterfly Wings. "I'll take these two," I said, digging through my pockets for the few knuts and sickles.

"I've got it," a familiar voice said, as I felt a warm hand pushing away my hand and paying for the sweets. I looked up in surprise to find the boy that I had talked to in Madam Malkin's the other day in Diagon Alley. "Well, look who we have here. Hey, Pretty," I said with a little smile, before taking a long glance at him. His platinum blond hair was smoothed down on his head, and his pale complexion clashed with the dark school uniform. He really was a pretty one.

"Hey, Red," he said as he handed over the two sweets. "Having a little sweet tooth are you?"

"You could say that. Also, my new friend was raised by Muggles, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see him eating one of these jellies," I said.

"Oh, you were hanging out with Muggle-borns, were you?" he asked, his nose crunching a little.

I felt anger boil up at his question. It was no doubt that he was a pureblood supremacist. "No. I was hanging out with Harry Potter, who happened to have grown up with his Muggle relatives. But it is none of your concerns if I wanted to hang out with Muggle-borns. Anyway, goodbye, thanks for the sweets," I snapped, disappearing before he could say another word.

"Bloody git," I swore under my breath, stomping when I heard a little chuckle from one of the compartments. I looked to see a familiar face smiling down at me. "Cedric, it's great to see you," I said earnestly.

"Hey Estella, finally coming to Hogwarts?" he smiled. "I remember last year, when I thought you'd be joining us, but you didn't quite make it."

"Late birthday," I said, rolling my eyes. "So how was your summer? I haven't seen you around at all."

"Oh, I've been busy. You know, you're looking at the new Hufflepuff Seeker," he beamed.

"Bloody hell! Congratulations Cedric," I exclaimed, genuinely happy for him.

"Yeah, Dom graduated so I've been pulled out of reserve onto the real thing," he said happily. He opened his mouth to talk more but his older friends started to call out to him. "Sorry, I'd love to stay and chat…"

"Don't worry, Cedric. I'm sure Ron and Harry are beginning to worry about me. I'll see you later," I said to him.

"Hopefully sitting beside me at the Hufflepuff table," he smiled. "Bye Estella!"

(A/N) Sorry for the rather dry chapter but I thought it necessary to do more character development on Ella.

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- Bingum