I woke up at seven in the morning. I had a hard time sleeping and Ariel seemed to sense my anxiety and excitement because she was restless too. When I bounded down the stairs with my trunk and Ariel's cage, I was surprised to see another trunk with a barn owl in it's own cage next to it. Placing my belongings next to it, I walked into the kitchen with Ariel following me. Let me tell you, I was shocked to see Stefanie up and eating too.
"Stefanie, what are you doing up so early?" I asked, getting a bowl of cereal down for myself.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to Hogwarts too." She whispered to me.
I gave a gasp and almost dropped my bowl. I turned to look at her with surprise.
"You're a witch too!?" I whispered back, sitting across from her.
"Yes. I'll be going for my last year. I'll be able to get a job and move out." She smiled at me.
"That's the school you've been going to, the boarding school." I pointed at her accusingly, spooning a spoonful of cereal into my mouth.
"Yes, and now you'll be going too." She nodded to me.
We ate together, her telling me stories about her friends, but she didn't tell me about the houses even though I asked. She didn't even tell me how we got sorted into the different houses. Stefanie just winked and shook her head at me.
Finally the time came for us to leave around nine o'clock. Stefanie grabbed her stuff and I mine. Charlotte came down and gave us hugs good-bye. Stefanie took out her wand (unicorn hair, hornbeam, nine and three quarters, she told me.) Stuck it out in the air and with a bang, a purple bus was in front of us. I gave a gasp as an ugly man with boils over his face started muttering something about the Knight Bus being at their service.
Stefanie helped me get my stuff on the bus, she told the man that we needed to get to King's Cross Station. There was a little head next to the driver and it kept repeating itself. With a blast I fell onto a bed while Ariel hissed at the sudden rush of air. Stefanie's owl didn't seem to like it either, he fluffed his feathers when the bus kept hitting the gas and breaks.
We couldn't get to King's Cross fast enough. When we made it, I couldn't get off the bus fast enough. Stefanie was laughing at me when I was out of it and on the sidewalk with Ariel growling at the bus.
"Everything alright there Cassie?" She asked with a giggle, walking over to where the trolleys where.
"Just peachy." I nodded, walking with her.
She helped me settle my trunk and animal cage on the trolley and lead me into the station. I followed her, and she kept looking over her shoulder at me making sure I wasn't getting left behind.
"This way." Stefanie turned around, and pointed to a column of brick.
"We're going to hit a column?" I asked skeptically.
"No silly, we're going through the column. Remember? Magic." Stefanie winked at me before running towards the column.
I scrunched up my eyes, waiting for the crash. But it never came. I peeked one eye and saw that she had disappeared! Looking around the column I couldn't find Stefanie, not trusting the column I sat on my trunk waiting for another magic family to come by. I didn't have long to wait thank goodness.
"-packed with muggles, of course-" Turning around I saw a familiar family with red hair.
"MRS. WEASLEY!" I shouted, jumping and running over to her.
"Cassie! What a wonderful surprise!" Mrs. Weasley gave me a hug.
When I pulled away Ginny gave me one as well. I waved to the boys and they waved back, Percy however just nodded at me politely.
"I'm not sure I understand Mrs. Weasley, my friend who was showing me the way said we had to go that way. But I didn't see her go through, I was to scared of her crashing into it." I explained when Ginny pulled away.
"Oi what's wrong with your face?" I heard an unfamiliar voice ask.
"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley scolded, turning to the youngest looking boy.
"I woke up with it one morning." I answered, shaking my head at him.
"If you would like, I could show you how to get to Platform nine and three quarters." Percy offered, tapping my shoulder.
"Oh would you be so kind?" I asked, a smile on my face.
"No problem, just watch okay? Don't close your eyes this time." Percy said to me before taking a running start to the column.
I kept my eyes wide open and when I saw him go through the column I put my hands on my mouth to keep from squeaking.
"Think you can do it now dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked me.
"I think so... But I can watch that again?" I asked, looking at the twins with a wide grin.
"I don't mind do you Fred?" One asked the other.
"I don't mind." The other answered.
"Wait! Could you tell me which one is which?" I asked.
"I'm George." The first said.
"I'm Fred." Said the one who ran through the column.
"Okay, I'm never going to remember that." I told Mrs. Weasley who just laughed, as George went through the column.
"Excuse me!" A voice said from behind us.
The rest of the Weasley's and I turned around to see a boy come up to us.
"Hi Harry!" I waved to him.
"Oh hi Cassie!" He waved back with a shy smile.
"Excuse me." He said to Mrs. Wealsey.
"First time at Hogwarts? It's Ron and Cassie first time too." Mrs. Weasley pointed to her youngest son and then me.
"Yes, the thing is- The thing is I don't know how to-" He pointed to the column.
"How to get onto the platform?" I offered.
Harry nodded.
"Not to worry dear, I'm sure Cassie can show you how." Mrs. Weasley smiled to me encouragingly.
"Sure..." I nodded slowly and faced the column with hesitancy.
"Best to do it at a run if you're nervous." Mrs. Weasley said, giving me a little nudge.
I nodded, to scared to speak. Slowly I started to run towards the column and I'm sure my hair turned from brown to green as soon as I went through I was so nervous! When I felt a rush of air I opened my eyes and gasped, there really was a platform nine and three quarters. Stepping away from the doorway I waited for the next person to come through. Thankfully it was Harry and when he paused to gawk at the scene I pulled his trolley away from the door.
"Don't want to get run over now do you?" I asked when he looked at me.
"Guess not." He answered, walking down the platform with me.
"This is amazing." I whispered to him.
"Yeah it is." He agreed, together we found an empty compartment and he helped get my trunk in the carriage.
Ariel and his owl were already in the compartment and we were struggling with his trunk.
"Want a hand?" A voice asked above us.
Looking up I saw George, or Fred. I couldn't tell the two apart.
"Yes please." Harry and I answered.
"Oy Fred! C'mere and help." George called to his brother.
Finally Harry's trunk was in the compartment and I sat down with a huff.
"Thank you Fred, thank you George." I nodded to the two red heads.
"No problem." George waved to me about to walk out.
"What's that?" Fred asked, pointing Harry's forehead.
"Blimey, are you-?" George turned around to stand next to his twin.
"He is," Fred nodded vigorously, "aren't you?"
"What?" Harry and I both asked, giving each other confused looks.
"Harry Potter," the twin chorused.
"Oh him," Harry nodded, "I mean, yes I am."
I looked between the boy, confused. The twins kept gawking at him and he started to turn red. As I opened my mouth to ask what was going on but a Mrs. Weasley's voice came through the open train door,
"Fred? George? Are you there?"
"Coming mom." The twins answered, with one last look at Harry they left the compartment.
Harry sat down across from me, looking out the window at the Weasley family. I turned my head to look out the window with him. Mrs. Weasley had pulled out a handkerchief and was scrubbing at Ron's nose.
"Mom- Geroff!" He managed to squirm out of her grasp.
"Aaah, does ickle Ronnie got somfink on his nosie?" I'm pretty sure it was Fred asked.
"Oh shut up." Ron crossed his arms in a huff.
"Where's Percy?" Mrs. Weasely asked.
"He's coming now." George pointed to the eldest Weasley, who was walking with his chest puffed out.
He was already dressed in robes and had a little badge on his chest, I couldn't see what it said on it.
"Can't stay long, Mother," He said as he walked up, "I'm up front, the prefects have two compartments to themselves-"
"Oh are you a prefect, Percy?" George exclaimed with an air of mock surprise.
"You should have said something we had no idea." Fred added, also with an air of mock surprise.
"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," George looked at his twin, "once-"
"Or twice -"
"A minute-"
"All summer-"
"Oh shut up." Percy rolled his eyes.
I was giggling at the spectacle and even Harry cracked a smile.
"How come Percy gets new robes anyway?" Fred asked.
"Because he's a prefect." Mrs. Weasely said fondly, giving him a kiss on the cheek and he turned around and went back the way he came.
"Don't forget to send an owl when you get there!" She called to his back.
"Now you two," she turned to the twins, "this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've - you've blown up a toilet or-"
"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet." George turned to Fred with a wink.
"Great idea though, thanks mom!" Fred grinned at Mrs. Weasley.
"It's not funny, look after Ron." Mrs. Weasely rolled her eyes.
"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us." George threw an arm around the boy.
"Shut up," he rolled his shoulder.
He was almost as tall as the twins and his nose had a tinge of pink from where Mrs. Weasley had scrubbed it. I was holding my mouth trying to contain my laughter so that they didn't hear. Harry had a grin on his face.
"Hey mom, guess what. Guess who we just met on the train?" Fred said.
Harry pulled himself into his seat, so as not to be seen.
"You know that black-haired boy Cassie knows? Know who he is?" George added.
"Who?" Ginny asked.
"Harry Potter." They both said.
I heard Ginny's voice and Harry seemed to blush.
"Oh, mom, can I go on the train and see him, mom, oh please..." Ginny started to beg.
"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really Fred? How do you know?" Mrs. Weasley looked at her two boys while Ron shuffled next to them.
"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning." George explained.
Harry seemed to shrink in his seat with a deeper blush on his cheeks.
"Poor dear- no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform." Mrs. Weasely looked through the windows and I slammed myself back into the seat so as not to get caught eavesdropping.
"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?" One of the twins asked.
I risked peeking out the window to watch the exchange. Mrs. Weasley seemed to get a darker shadow in her aura when she rounded on the twins.
"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."
"Alright keep your hair on." Fred muttered.
The whistle sounded.
"Do you think Cassie is alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked as the boys climbed onto the train.
"Do you want me to get her?" George offered.
"Oh would you please? Hurry up I want to say good-bye before the train leaves." Ginny jumped up and down.
"Alright, alright. Just a minute." George clomped his way to the compartment.
"Hey there." I looked up to him as he opened the door.
"Mom wants to say bye to you." George said before turning around.
"Why would she want to say bye to me?" I asked Harry, getting up from my seat.
"I don't know." He shrugged.
"Well, I'll be right back." I told him as I left the compartment to go to where the red headed family was.
"Cassie!" Ginny squealed and leapt into my arms.
"Hello again Ginny." I giggled, hugging her back.
"If you need anything dearie, don't be afraid to owl and ask." Mrs. Weasley also hugged me when Ginny pulled away.
"I won't." I nodded, a friendly grin on my face.
"Be good darlings." Mrs. Weasley kissed my forehead and then the cheeks of her sons.
I was to stunned to say anything in retort.
Ginny started to cry and I gave her an apologetic smile, "I'll write to you Ginny." I promised.
I walked away with tears starting to form and I tried to wipe them away before Harry saw. When I walked into the compartment Harry was watching Ginny half crying half laughing as the train started to move. We watched as the station move until the train turned a corner. Harry noticed me standing and gestured to the seat in front of him.
"What did she want?" Harry asked.
"Just wanted to make sure I was alright." I answered, taking a shaky breath.
"You alright?" He asked, leaning on his legs to get a closer look at me.
"She kissed my forehead. I've never had someone do that before." I smiled at him.
"Never?" He asked perplexed.
"Never, not even when I woke up at the hospital with this." I gestured to my face.
"I never have either..." He said, looking sheepish.
"Well I know I'm not a mother, but here!" I perked up and gave him a quick kiss on his forehead with a grin.
He shot back in surprise and started to blush.
"Don't be so embarrassed." I laughed.
"Sorry." He apologized, also laughing.
The door to the compartment opened and Ron came in.
"Anyone sitting here?" He asked, pointing to the seat next to me. "Everywhere else is full."
Harry and I shook our heads and he sat down, looking at Harry then quickly looking towards me. I saw that he still had the black smudge on his nose.
Ariel gave a meow and I turned to her and opened the cage. As soon as I did that she climbed into my lap and was purring away when the doors opened again.
"Hey Ron." The twins stepped in.
"We're going down to the middle of the train, Lee Jordan has a giant tarantula down there." Fred exclaimed while George came and started petting Ariel.
"Right." Ron mumbled.
"Harry, did we introduce ourselves? I'm George and that's Fred, this is our little brother Ron and you already met Cassie." George pointed at the respective people while scratching Ariel's chin.
"Hello." Harry waved.
"Well see you later then." Fred waved back, grabbing George by the back of his clothes and pulling him away.
"Bye!" The three of us said as they closed the compartment.
"Would you guys excuse me? I need to find my friend." I asked, moving Ariel off my lap.
"Oh no, go ahead." Harry said, his face clearly saying it wasn't okay.
I giggled and opened the door and Arial followed me down the hallway. Looking through the windows I couldn't find Stefanie anywhere. Once I finally reached the front of the train I saw two compartments labeled 'Prefects.' I knocked on the door and I was surprised to Stefanie open it. She had her robes on and a yellow tie with a matching badge that had a badger on it.
"Cassie!" She exclaimed.
"Stefanie!" I responded in the same tone.
"I was worried that you didn't make it through the column." She gave me a hug.
"The Weasley's showed me how to get through, the twins even helped my friend get his trunk on the train." I explained, feeling Ariel sitting on my foot.
"Oh that's good." She nodded, looking relieved.
"I just wanted to let you know I made it and I'm fine." I smiled at her.
"Thank you." She nodded.
"Welcome." I made to turn around walk back to my compartment.
"Have you already made friends?" She asked before I could.
"Yes, Harry Potter, and I'm hoping Ron Weasley too before we get to Hogwarts." I nodded.
"You're friends with Harry Potter?!" She asked, awe in her face.
"Yeah...?" I asked, taking a step back but not going far with Ariel on my foot.
"You're so lucky!" She gushed excitedly.
"I'm glad?" I answered.
"Well you best be off then, don't want to keep The Boy Who Lived waiting." She pushed me down the way, disturbing Ariel and making her growl.
"Um, okay. See you later I guess." I waved, bending down to pick up Ariel.
"Bye!" She waved, closing the door as I walked away.
"That was weird." I said to Ariel, who meowed at me.
