Previously…

…"Girls, your mission is this: find Platform 9 ¾ and get on the train there. If you do not find it, you will be required to find your own way back to the school. Or so says the Headmistress." Then he resumed the role of chauffer, exited the car, and opened our doors for us. We stepped out into a bustling train station, unaware that our platform wasn't even visible from here, thinking to ourselves, How is this considered even slightly difficult? Finding a platform?

We had no idea what chaos the next half hour would bring.

"Where the hell is the platform?" Macey ground out between her teeth. None of us could offer an answer, as we had been searching for this so called "9 and three quarters" platform for 15 minutes and had yet to see a glimpse of it. Of course, we had a big problem with asking for help. That's what happens when you go to a school like ours – you become accustomed to doing everything on your own.

Somehow, Liz had no such qualms and marched over to a security person, literally quivering with confidence. The girl has too much faith in authority figures. As I watched them talk, I could see Liz practically deflate before my eyes. She stomped back over and said, "He told me I was insane. Insane. Can you imagine? Me, Liz, insane?" While Macey snorted, Bex asked her, "But did he know where the platform was?"

"No! That's the thing; he said there's no such thing as a 'three quarter' platform!" she cried. My stomach started quivering as I realized what this meant – an adventure! A small one, sure, but I'd barely been out from under my mother's watchful eye since Blackthorne first came to visit. Finally, the chance to be part of the team again. "Okay guys, let's split up. Macey and Liz, you two go see if you can find anything about it on the security system – use Macey to get in, then Liz can hack. Don't leave any traces, obviously. Bex and I will see if we can overhear anyone mention it."

As Bex covertly tossed a comms unit to each of us, I glanced around the crowded station. Of course, I wouldn't have any problem slipping through the crowd unnoticed, but Bex was going to be a different story. It's pretty near impossible for Bex to not be noticed, what with her glowing skin and gorgeous features. But for this mission, that probably wouldn't be such a big deal. I mean, we were just listening in on unsuspecting people's conversations; they shouldn't be trained to not talk about sensitive subjects around us. At least, I hoped not.

As we began forcing our way through the crowds, Bex started up a casual conversation. I only gave her half my attention, and I'm sure she wasn't devoting much of her's to our little chat. Unsurprisingly, which is good for fitting in, she asked me, "Do you think there will be any hot guys there?"

"Oh, I hope so!" I answered, giggling and leaning against her to whisper in her ear, "Redhead group at 2 o'clock. Has to be fake."

She frowned slightly as she glanced at them and said out of the corner of her mouth, "There can't be that many redheads in one group. They're trying too hard to look like a family." I nodded my assent and flicked my finger – secret cool kid signal for 'let's follow them'.

We headed off in a diagonal that would intersect the redheads' path, continuing our cover conversation. "So Bex, do you think any of the guys will compare to the ones back home?"

"Psshhh, the guys back home are wimps! Roseville boys are weenies, I prefer my men a little tougher."

"God, Bex, you sound like you're going to eat them! Anyways, sometimes a little puppy fat is cute!"

She shoved my arm and made the universal are-you-kidding-me face. It looked like she was about to answer, but we were almost to the intersection point so I glared pointedly at her and she shut up.

A chorus of voices overwhelmed my ears as we walked by the family, surreptitiously glancing at them. There were three redhead boys, one redhead girl, and, very surprisingly, a black-haired boy. The two younger boys were talking to each other while the girl stared at them. The two older boys, who were quite obviously twins, had been whispering but looked directly at us – well, most likely at Bex – as we passed by.

Once we'd gotten out of earshot, we gradually turned back around to watch them. I noted, "They probably are real. The random black haired kid convinced me they aren't trying to hide. I mean, did you see his scar? That's something you'd cover up if you were going in disguise! Anyway, I wonder how Liz and Macey are doing."

Bex nodded and turned towards me to start talking into her comms unit. "Bookworm, Peacock, any luck?"

There was static for a moment, but then Liz's voice came through. "I'm here Duchess. We didn't find any mention of any fraction platforms in the database!" She sounded as if she had just been told that all holidays had been canceled – to Liz, databases are supposed to be able to help any problem. Bex's soothing voice answered, "Alright guys, meet us over here between platforms neun and zehn. We may have a lead."

I wasn't sure exactly what lead she was talking about, besides the possibility of those redheads ogling her (which was 100%, if you were wondering) until she pointedly looked at the group we had been trailing. Or what was left of them, as one of them had just stepped through a wall and disappeared!

Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry about the long wait in between chapters! I can't really promise any sort of update schedule (I'm not that disciplined!) but I'm actually hoping to get another chapter up tonight – the one where they finally get to Hogwarts! Or maybe just the train ride; depends how long that takes.

Anywayyyy, I pretty much have the basic idea of what I want to happen, but I still have a lot of filler stuff to think of. I'm not gonna be one of those mooch authors who begs their reviewers for ideas, but if you think you have an awesome idea for this story, I'd be honored if you shared it with me.

So if you're still reading this from last year, thanks for hanging on to this story, and I hope to start updating more frequently. This story is definitely not abandoned!