Sorry for the delay guys, I went on vacation and then it was my birthday and now I have lots of stories to catch up on. I promise, I'm, working really hard though. My bf thinks I'm obsessed, what about you guys? Enjoy.

Chapter Four:

Platform nine and three quarters was crowded. Harry was overwhelmed by the number of people around him. His mental facilities were on overload as his mind brushed those around him. He pushed his cart forward as quickly as he could, eager to get out of the crowded atrium. Hedwig hooted in protest as the cart swung sharply around a pillar towards the train. He pushed the cart up next to the loading dock and forcefully threw his trunks in. I hope nothing is broken, he thought as he grabbed Hedwig and ran up the nearest entrance into the train. He ran all the way to the back of the train until he found an empty compartment. He slammed the glass doors closed behind him and sat down upon the worn red velvet seats. He sagged against the window and tried to catch his breath. He was sweating through his clothes, and his mind was barely calming down from all the other consciousnesses around him. At least the small closed in compartment afforded the sense of aloneness that he so desperately needed. When at last he felt ok again he sat back up and looked around him. It was a simple little room with plush red seats on either wall and a large window against the side. Through the glass doors he could see other people, his age and over, walking by, joining their friends in their compartments. Lucky them, thought Harry, bitterly. Even as he thought that, the view from the glass door was taken up by a person. A really tall kid with bright orange hair, freckles splayed all across his nose, and a maroon sweater embroidered with the letter R in bright yellow across his chest. He knocked on the glass and shouted through it, "Oi, can I sit in there?" One person couldn't be too bad, right? He nodded, and the other boy pulled the doors apart, letting in a torrent of sounds and thoughts to crash down on Harry like a wave. It was gone just as quickly when he shut the doors behind him. "Thanks," he said, as he sat down on the seat opposite Harry. "Blimey, its crowded out there. Was afraid I wouldn't be able to get a compartment," he chuckled, "Or worse, have to sit with my brothers, that would be so embarrassing." he makes it sound like the end of the world, thought Harry, I wish I had brothers. Harry reached out and tentatively felt the boys mind, it was a jumbled mess, like most people's were, but he was able to glean that he had a lot of brothers and that they also picked on him a lot.

Harry looked out the window at the same time as the big train whistle began to exactly that. He watched as the crowds of loving families waved goodbye to their sons or daughters. They slowly began to move backwards, picking up speed as the train pulled out. Soon he was looking at a beautiful green landscape that didn't match the London they had just come from at all. He turned around to look at the boy who was still sitting across from him. His mouth was moving and his face was animated. Harry tuned back in, "-ter is supposed to be on the train! Can you believe it? I had no idea that he was supposed to be in our year or even going to Hogwarts! You are first year, right?"

Harry nodded, wondering how one person could talk so fast, "I thought so. My favorite Quidditch team is the Ch-" Harry cut him off, "So what's your name?" he asked in what he hoped was a friendly manner.

"What? Oh, yeah, I suppose we haven't been properly introduced," he held out a hand, "I'm Ron Weasely."

Harry took it and said "Harry Potter." Ron's hand went limp in his hand. "Blimey," he looked stunned, "Are you really? You're not just having one over on me?"

Harry dropped Ron's lifeless hand and brought his own up to his forehead. He lifted the hair above his forehead, revealing the scar that Hagrid had told him was his mark, his reminder of what had killed his parents, the scar that made him famous.

"Oh wow. You are him, I mean you. Why didn't you say anything when I was talking 'bout you before?" he suddenly looked embarrassed, like a young boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Now Harry felt sheepish, "I wasn't really listening," he said, while tweaking Ron's mind a bit so that he wouldn't care. Ron looked relieved and pulled a small brown rat out of his pocket.

Harry could instantly tell there was something not right about this rat, but he couldn't tell what. Its mind was shielded, which in itself was odd. He didn't press the matter though. Ron pulled out his wand and said eagerly, "Wanna see this spell my brothers told me? I dunno if it'll work, though."

He placed the rat gently on his lap and recited, while tapping the rat, "Butter mellow, daisies, essence of pillow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" and brandished his wand and then jabbed the rat with it. The rat remained entirely stoic. Ron looked disappointed, "I bet they knew it wouldn't work," he grumbled under his breath, in reference, Harry felt sure to the brothers he continually mentioned.

"You've got an owl, that's so much better than a stupid rat," he said enviously.

Just then a girl walked in. she had a wild bush of curly brown hair, gleaming chocolate eyes, and was already wearing the communal school robes just like the ones Harry had purchased with, Hagrid in Diagon Alley.

She walked in and announced, "A boy named Neville lost his toad. Have I either of you seen one?" then, before they had a chance to shake their heads, she saw Ron's wand and said, "Oh , are you doing magic then? Let see it."

Ron looked rather sheepish, "Erm, ok."

"But you've just done—" Harry began, but Ron shot him a look. Harry felt around his mind and smiled, he wanted to impress her so he was going to do a spell he knew worked. "Incantato Filerium!" he exclaimed. His eyebrows became bright green, and from what Harry could glean that was not what was supposed to happen. He had to keep from chuckling. Ron looked completely confused and said, abashedly, "It was supposed to turn my rat green. I don't know what happened."

The girl was also giggling, "Well, I do," she said, "She gently pushed his chin so that he was looking at his reflection in the glass compartment doors. "Oh no," he cried.

The girl, still giggling, leaned forward and said, "Don't worry, I can fix it." She pulled out her wand and simply said, "Finito," and gave him a sharp tap on the head with the point of her wand. As ron cringed, his eyebrows returned to their original color. Ron, checking himself in the mirror, said, "Thanks," and turned to smile at her. She smiled back and as she turned to leave the compartment said, "No problem, and my names Hermione. Hermione Granger."

Harry grinned and thought, those two definitely like each other. I bet he'd be grateful If I helped them get together. And Harry started making plans.

Some of you might wonder why Harry doesn't take over every mind he comes in contact with. There are two reasons for this. One is because he isn't evil! And two is because it takes a strong burst of emotion to trigger his ability to control people. Like the hate he felt for Vernon and Petunia and Dudley when Vernon tried to lock him out. He may or may not find out about this later. I haven't decided yet.