VII
At eight, after checking over their trunks one more time, they were off to Hogwarts. Harry, so very happy to be going away from the Dursleys, stuck out his tongue to them as they passed the house in the Slytherin family car, a brand new Fort Escort in shining black that Harry knew Stanley's father polished at least twice a week. It easily fitted all the Slytherins, Harry and their luggage. Stanley's younger sister was coming too, hoping to catch more glimpses of magic. He had heard from his friend that Selena was magical too, and in the next year, would attend Hogwarts as well. Sad to have to wait a year, she practically begged to come along.
Seeing no harm done and the fact that the car could easily seat five, Stanley's father agreed. Not willing to leave their owls in a dark trunk, they kept their new pets on their laps, feeding them owl treats and playing with them on the path to London. Despite it being a Sunday, Stanley's father was unwilling to risk them getting stuck in traffic, and had planned three hours for a trip that normally took only an hour and a half.
While a wise decision, this inadvertently led to them being at King's cross station at 10 AM, a whole hour too early. With tickets to a platform that was inherently not ''there'' to what Hagrid had called the ordinary people. Muggles. Not knowing even remotely what to do, they resorted to buying an icecream at a nearby parlor (which Harry noted, did not taste half as good as Fortescue's work) they simply stood on the platform between lines nine and ten for what seemed to be an eternity.
Harry started to worry. Perhaps it was all just a big joke, Hagrid just an overly large man who did optic tricks. Hogwarts was just a lie by a delusional man, and his uncle was right after all.
But it was during this moment of self-doubt that a girl their age entered the platform with her parents and it was her Stanley, and soon after, Harry, noticed. She had very bushy brown hair, and her front teeth were obviously a tad too large, but she was pushing forward a cart with a large trunk very similar to theirs. She seemed happy and was almost running down the platform with her trunk, her initials spelling H.G.
Their curiosity peaked, Stanley and Harry left their carts behind and walked over to the girl. It was Stanley that approached first.
Not knowing truly how to approach without revealing the existence of the wizarding world (which would surely not get them to Hogwarts) it was Stanley that spoke in a soft tone :
''Excuse us, but could we ask you a strange question ?''
The girl merely nodded as her parents looked on.
''We are going to this exclusive boarding school named Hogwarts in Scotland, and we had to get trunks just like yours. Are you going too? If so, do you know what platform we need to take ? We can't find it.''
The girl giggled. ''I'm Hermione Granger. You are going to Hogwarts too ? Nice to meet you ! Don't worry, I read all about it in Hogwarts: A History . Just follow me and watch carefully. ''
Hermione Granger grabbed her cart, had her parents hold onto her and started running, what appeared to be straight into a wall. But when Harry and Stanley expected a bang, no such thing happened and she had disappeared.
Ever brave Harry had the courage to go next. He grabbed his cart, made into a run, and disappeared into the wall.
Seeing what seemingly no-one else had seen, the Slytherin family did the same and ran straight for the wall. Despite seeing the opposite happen two times before, they still expected a crash. Instead, they were met with another platform. Platform 9 3/4 it read in a beautiful vintage sign, with a train board reading Hogwarts Express, 11 O'clock.
On the left side of the platform was an old steam train, painted a beautiful red and reading on the front ''Hogwarts Express''. The platform was still empty, seeing as the train would not be leaving for another fifty minutes yet. Harry, the Slytherins and the Grangers simply stood still for a second, in total awe.
Samuel was the one to realize they were probably blocking the entrance for other wizards, so urged them to move.
Not long after, they said their goodbyes to their parents after setting down the trunks in their compartment.
Being ever the gentlemen, Harry and Stanley helped Hermione put her trunk in place, but not before she grabbed her copy of Hogwarts : A History from the trunk.
Seemingly almost ready to delve back into what they could tell was her favorite book, she barely did not forget her courtesies.
''Thank you ! You know my name but I never quite heard yours. Who are you two ?''
But before he got a chance to speak, she spotted Harry's weird scar on his forehead. A lightning bolt, its shape was.
''Oh ! '' She exclaimed. ''I know who you are. You must be Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived ! You're in all the books with Magical History !''
Then, she turned to Stanley.
''Well, you are a tall one aren't you ?''
''My name is Stanley. Stanley Slytherin.
Hermione's eyes went wide, and then she collapsed into her seat.
They were over her in a moment, and she looked utterly terrified.
Sss...slytherin... she managed to stutter while pointing at Stanley
His face took a dark expression, but not an angry one. Or a proud one, which she had expected. Being herself, she had read about prejudice against her type, the so called Muggle-born wizards.
Seeing she had recovered, he reached inside his pocket and withdrew a coin she knew was a knut. The knut he gave to Harry.
''Should have known better. You are not the first to be bewildered by my surname. Lets try again.''
He extended his hand to the terrified girl, this time with a smile on his face.
''Stanley Slytherin, at your service.''
She shook his hand, noting his preference for a strong handshake, yet not crushing her own hand while he did it.
''Hermione Granger, she mumbled. Ever shy and bookish.
''So, you must know all about magic already. You are related to one of the Founders of Hogwarts.''
''No.'' He bluntly replied.
''That is not possible, Slytherin's family has been wizards for a thousand years ! You-Know-Who himself prided himself on being descended from the Serpent-Tongue !. It's all here, in this book !''
He smiled.
''My parents, grandparents and theirs before them have all been muggles. I may carry his name, but the relationship is distant.''
Hermione's curiosity got the better of her.
''Are you a Parselmouth then ? Like Salazar Slytherin himself ?''
''I do possess that... ability. I read it was only limited to my kin, yet Harry here is perfectly able to follow any conversation I hold in Parseltongue'' Stanley casually mentioned.
That earned another puzzled look from Hermione, but the fright previously on her face had disappeared, and she was now truly only curious. A certain measure of courage was within her, he could see it well.
''Best to keep my last name to yourself Hermione. Enough people have been frightened because of it.''
She nodded, but spotted the shoddy state of Harry's glasses. Ducktaped together and cracked in the glass itself, it was a miracle by itself that they still held together, or that Harry could even still see through them.
''That won't do.'' She held her wand in her hand, did a light swish and said Oculus Reparo . Before his eyes, the cracks disappeared and the ducktape that had been needed to hold the glasses together disappeared completely. The glasses Harry now had on his nose were as good as new.
''Now that's better, isn't it ?
Harry was shocked, but still congratulated the strange girl anyway.
It was then that they heard a knock at their compartment door.
Outside the compartment was a boy with flaming red hair, freckles, skin as pale as paper and eyes as blue as the sky on that September day.
''Excuse me, do you mind ? Everywhere else is full.'' He said with a sweet and sorry smile.
''Not at all'' Harry said, and the boy entered.
He sat down next to Hermione.
''I am Ron by the way. Ron Weasley. ''
''Hermione Granger. Pleasure.'' the girl said.
''I am Harry. Harry Potter.''
''And I am Stan. Stan.. Smith.''
The hesitation was clear in Stanley's voice was swift and painfully obvious, but the freckled boy did not hear it.
''Are you really Harry Potter ? '' Ron blurted out.
Harry simply nodded.
''You really have that scar ?''
Harry pulled his hair back, revealing a lightning bolt scar he preferred to keep hidden under his unruly hair. Ron simply stared.
''So that is where You-Know-Who- ?''
''Yes,'' said Harry, '' But I cannot remember anything but green light.''
''Are all your family wizards ? '' Harry asked, who was just as interested in Ron as Ron was in him.
''Er- Yes, I think so.'' said Ron. '' I think Mum's got a second cousin who is an accountant, but we never talk about him.
''So you must know loads of magic already.''
It was clear to Stanley and Harry that the Weasley's were an old family indeed, much like the boy that they had met in Madam Malkins'
''I heard you went to live with Muggles, '' said Ron. ''What are they like ?''
''Horrible - well, not all of them are. My aunt, uncle and cousin are though. Stan's parents are nice though. ''
Ron pulled out a fat grey rat, which was asleep.
''This is Scabbers,'' he said. ''He's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. My brother Percy got an owl for being made prefect but they couldn't aff - I mean, I got Scabbers instead.
He looked rather gloomy.
Harry, knowing very well his own poor situation prior to this month, did not find anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. To cheer Ron up, he told how he had to wear Dudley's old clothes and never got any proper birthday presents.
''... And until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort -''
Ron gasped.
''You said You-Know-Who's name ! ''said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed.,'' I'd have thought you, of all people -''
''I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name,'' Harry said. ''I just never knew you shouldn't . See what I mean? I've got loads to learn ... I bet, '' he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him lately ''I bet I'm the worst in the class.''
''You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families, and they learn quick enough.
By now, the train was about ready to leave. Hearing the train whistle and it picking up speed slowly, they all went to the window and waved their relatives goodbye. They were quiet for a time, watching the city make way for the countryside.
Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor, and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, ''Anything of the trolley, dears ?''
It was Stanley who first lept to his feet and into the corridor. Despite the extensive English breakfast they had eaten in the morning, he could not deny feeling hungry again.
The trolley witch did not have any ordinary candy however. Whereas Harry came and asked for Mars bars, she instead had Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pastries, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and a number of other, even stranger things that he barely identified as candy.
Not wanting to miss out on anything, Harry paid well over eleven sickles for all his candy, while Stanley paid just over one for his personal picks, which he mostly wrapped for later consumption at Hogwarts.
Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it on to the empty seat next to him.
''Hungry, are you ? ''
''Somewhat, said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.
Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches in there. He pulled one of them apart and said, ''She always forgets I don't like corned beef''
''Swap you for one of these, said Harry, holding up a pasty, ''Go on -''
''You don't want this, it's all dry.'' said Ron. ''She hasn't got much time,'' he added quickly, ''you know, with five of us.''
''Four brothers ? Stanley asked.
''And a sister, actually. Oldest two have already graduated from Hogwarts, then you got Percy, who is a prefect, then Fred and George, they're twins by the way. Ron added. ''Then you have me in first year, and finally Ginny, who will be coming to Hogwarts next year.
They all shared Harry's various candies and everyone but Ron ate their sandwiches too.
After finishing the pastries, they came to the Chocolate Frogs.
What are these Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs ''They're not really frogs, are they ?'' He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.
''No, but see what the card is. I'm still missing Agrippa. '' Ron said.
''What ? ''
''Oh, of course, you wouldn't know - Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy. ''
All four unwrapped a frog, and chaos ensued as spelled chocolate frogs jumped from their package and around the compartment. Everyone but Ron failed to catch theirs at the first jump, and it took a whole three minutes before all of them either lost power in their spells or were caught. After eating their frog, they checked their cards.
''Another Morgana'' Ron sighed, as he offered him the card. Do you want it ? I got six of her, you can start collecting.
''I've got Dumbledore !'' Harry said.
''I have Miranda Goshawk'' Hermione shrieked, ''She wrote one of our books !''
''And you Stan ? Ron asked.
''Salazar Slytherin.''
Never before had Stanley seen a portrait or photo of his infamous ancestor, yet there it was. An old, monkeyish man with a long goatee-beard and piercing blue eyes. Like his own.
Ron paled at that. ''I don't have him, but I don't want him. Keep him, he's pretty rare.''
''Why not ? He's one of the Founders !
''Slytherin and his house stink ! They hate my family for being interested in Muggle's. Blood traitors they call us.'' Ron darkly said.
''Ah.'' Stanley understood.
Hermione was the next one to speak up.
''What houses do you think you will be in ? I was hoping for Gryffindor, they sound by far the best. Dumbledore himself was a Gryffindor, but I suppose Ravenclaw would be fine too.
''I don't know'', Harry said.
''My whole family's been in Gryffindor. I hope to be too. Hufflepuff would be fine too, I guess.'' Ron added.
''Slytherin. You can say many things about Slytherin, but they are cunning and calculated. I like that. '' Stanley sheepishly admitted.
''All dark wizards come from Slytherin'' Ron said.
''Not all Slytherin's are bad, the Minister for Magic is a former Slytherin in fact ! '' Stanley countered.
After that, silence reigned in the compartment, Stanley ending up with Dumbledore, Merlin and Helga Hufflepuff from his remaining chocolate frogs as they continued to unpack them.
Towards the end of their journey, a boy named Neville Longbottom came by, looking for his toad. No-one in that compartment had any idea, but Hermione went off with Neville to help him look for it, after changing into her Hogwarts robes. She advised him to do the same.
The Malfoy boy Harry and Stanley had met passed by, but when he saw them, he hurried along.
Not much later, they arrived at Hogsmeade station. It was already dark.
The giant that had guided Harry through Diagon Alley was calling for them.
''Firs' Years, Firs' Years over here. You alright there, Harry ?
It would not be long now until they arrived at Hogwarts.
And that is a wrap. Many parts of this chapter were copied straight from the book or only slightly edited. Criticism is always welcome, I still need a name for Stanley's owl. Next chapter, the Sorting (at last) which is where I will introduce some of the major OC's that will play a big part in this story. Stay tuned for that.
What I can give as a teaser, is initials.
A.M.B
R.C.L
If anyone suggests the names more or less correctly, or even the parents, they will receive a special mention as a 7th year student at Hogwarts in a future chapter ;)
