Chapter 7

They found a spot on the train about halfway down, and when they placed their trunks on the metal shelves above them (as they both struggled to get their luggage atop it) they both took seats next to the windows on the opposite sides of each other. At first conversation was thin, talking about pointless things like how their summer had been. Then, out of nowhere, Harry broke the pointless talks. "So what was your favorite thing you got from Diagon Alley?" Michael was hoping that something like this would come up in their talks, and he immediately moved his hand to his right hip and said, "Probably my wand. I know you grew up with Muggles but seeing my dad use his wand over the years and seeing other wizards use their wands makes you want to know the feeling personally." When he mentioned his father he noticed Harry tense up and looked more intently out the window: apparently that conversation was a soft spot for him, and Michael couldn't blame him. He grew up knowing the story of the famous Harry Potter, knowing the horrors that he had to live with, and the things he must have just recently found out. He felt ashamed that he could be so thoughtless about what he had said to him, and he made sure he made up for it.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to cause any pain for you. I know a thing or two about what you're going through though…" Michael looked down at his lap and started fidgeting with his hands, and Harry broke the silence.

"What do you mean, 'you know a thing or two'?"

Michael looked up and knew that he had no way out of this. There was no way of sugar-coating the story now, and he just had to man-up and accept that. He took a deep sigh, and then decided to get on with it. "Well, when I was only a couple months old, my mother was murdered. By Voldemort. People know my story but I don't get all the unwanted attention that you get. People don't understand what it feels like, when they come up to you and ask what happened or if they can see your scar, and you have to relive the moment, the story, as if it doesn't bother you. It's honestly nothing that anyone should have to live with, and I lost my mom to him. I hate him, and you may not know of him because of where you grew up, but I'm sure that when you learn about him you'll feel the same way. I'm sorry to just drop all this on you like I have but, I figured you deserved to know that you're not alone here, at least not anymore."

To that statement, Harry cheered up a bit, and they started talking about Diagon Alley again, mainly about the owl Emporium. They started talking about Hedwig and Ollie, and about the many different owls that they saw. Then came the thought of Draco Malfoy and Michael couldn't help himself but to bring it up, "Actually while I was in there I ran into another boy who is going to Hogwarts this year, he said his name was Draco Malfoy. Did you happen to run into him by any chance?" Harry raised his eyebrows at the name and replied with "Actually I ran into him while I was at Madam Malkin's getting my robes fitted. He seems like a bit of a…" Michael couldn't help but interrupt "git." They both laughed at that comment, but out of nowhere the door slid open and a boy was standing in front of them with all of his things still in hand. He had bright red hair, pale white skin, and freckles practically covering his entire face. He looked exhausted, with a small patch of sweat starting to surface on his forehead.

"Du'ya mind if I join you? All the other trolleys are full…" They both agreed and then helped the red-head with his luggage, this time not struggling as much because of the support of three people. As they all settled in, it was back to square one with conversations.

"Thanks for that, I had a hard enough time carrying the luggage halfway down the train, I probably would've dropped the bloody things all over me if you two hadn't helped me. Muh'names Ron by the way. Ron Wesley. How 'bout you two?" He looked over at Michael first so he answered, and when he did his eyebrow's shot up and his eye's had widened. Then he looked over at Harry, and when he told him who he was Ron's eyes got even wider and his jaw dropped. He stuttered at first, but then he said, "My god I'm sitting with the two most famous wizards of our time! Well besides Dumbledore I suppose. Do you two actually have the… well the…" He couldn't finish his sentence. Michael looked over at Harry and they both exchanged smiles, both knowing that this would not be the last time people would ask about it. Harry removed his hair to show the lightning scar on his forehead, and Michael lifted his shirt slightly to show his scar, which was a bit less sporty if he said so himself. Ron looked at both scars and after they covered them up, Ron couldn't help but blurt out how cool they were even though Harry and Michael knew that they both were thinking they would trade them back in a heartbeat.

Suddenly, two boys barged into the room almost as if they had been waiting for the moment. They looked completely identical, with the same red-haired, freckled-covered face that Ron had. The only difference was that they were much taller and slimmer than Ron, which Michael took to be that they were a few years older than he. As soon as they came in they practically both spoke in unison.

"Hello, Ron, care to join us in Lee Jordan's trolley? She's about to show us something that's going to 'BLOW YOUR MIND' quite literally, actually."

Ron laughed a little then replied, "No I'm alright. Fred, George, this is Harry Potter and Michael Morgan. Harry, Michael, these are my brother's Fred and George."

Once they had heard the names, their faces made the same expression that Ron's had when he first heard them, but they quickly went away, clearly dying to ask questions but too busy at the moment to bother.

"Alright see ya later then." And they were off.

The three boys were enjoying a conversation, mostly Harry was asking questions about magic and what it was like to see and use it. Michael showed him a spell he had learned from his father's personal book collection, repairing Harry's glasses and leaving him surprised and excited. As they talked they noticed the train come out from under a bridge and the sun was nearly completely set over the hill out their window. At this they decided that it would be best to change into their robes because they were told the train would be arrive sometime after the sun set by one of the older students. While they were in the middle of changing their robes, the door swung open only to hear a squeak and a clap of the hands. Michael was standing in his jumpers with his pants about half-way up his legs, Harry was just pulling on his shirt, and Ron was completely barren besides his jumpers.

When they all looked towards the door to see who was standing there they saw a girl, about their age, with bushy-brown hair that seemed to be everywhere. She had brown eyes, as they were as wide as she could've made them, and her skin was white (although her cheeks said otherwise, being as bright as scarlet-red). Michael finished pulling up his pants and then spoke first, "Sorry, we're kind of in the middle of changing but is there something you needed to tell us?" Ron nearly fainted and Harry looked a bit queasy himself but Michael kept his cool even though he knew he wasn't entirely fond of the situation. The girl removed her hands and kept her eyes on Michael's, and said "I'm so sorry I didn't know! I was coming in to ask if you had seen a toad because a boy named Neville has lost one but I can see you haven't a clue where it is, I'll just be going now!" and she ran out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

Michael couldn't help but laugh at what had just happened, while Ron's whole body had turned the scarlet-red color that the girl's cheeks had been, and Harry seemed a bit quieter now than he had before, but Michael knew it was just because of that moment. Pretty soon this would be pushed behind them, because just as they all took their seats, the train had slowed down and they had just arrived at Hogwarts, and things couldn't have gone any better so far.