Chapter 6

"So... Uncle Vernon. Are you driving me to the station tomorrow morning?" Harry asked as he lounged on the sofa with a wizarding newspaper in his hand. His uncle just glared at the television. "If you do, I'd be gone for at least ten months. Imagine that, ten whole months of normalcy, no wizarding books, no wands, no owls, and no wizards."

Uncle Vernon grunted, his glare intensified.

"You right, it's far too much to ask, I'll just ask my new wizarding friend to pick me up at seven in the morning..." No reaction, "On a flying carpet."

"FINE! I'll drive you to the ruddy train station!"Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat, and took, what he thought to be, an intimidating stance, "You tell those frea— your friends that I don't want to see them around these parts, in fact, I never want to see them around these parts. UNDERSTOOD!"

And with that Uncle Vernon stomped up the stairs, mumbling to himself. Harry just nodded and turned back to the Daily Prophet, if the butterfly effect was going to screw with every small detail, he was at least going to be comfortable. Upon arriving back at Privet Drive, after shopping with Hagrid, he sat himself down in front of his Aunt at the supper table and stated he was going to ignore them, if they ignored him. It worked out quite well actually.

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"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Broomsticks lost all their twigs did they?" Uncle Vernon asked as he drove up to King's Cross, a sneer across his face.

"Broomsticks are illegal for transportation, muggles you know, and they're also uncomfortable for great distances. Wizards actually prefer Apparition, that's the ability to disappear and appear, depending on the strength of the witch or wizard, anywhere in the world." Harry stated, "But, like a muggle driving lesson, one needs to be of age. Too much worry about splinching oneself, damages the brain you see." Harry slipped out of the car and grabbed his trunk from the boot. With a nod to his uncle he walked into the building, dragging his truck and owl cage behind him. Hedwig was flying to Hogwarts.

It wasn't until he was in the building, and far away from his uncle, that be began to curse his lack of height and strength. His Hogwarts trunk felt like it weighed a ton, and he wasn't allowed to use magic within the muggles King's Cross. Grimacing he walked up to one of the muggle security guards and asked for help setting it on the trolley. Previously, his uncle and set it down for him, this time, he hadn't.

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"Disgusting, look at all these muggles father. Who ever thought to build the Hogwarts express in the middle of a busy muggle train station was a bloody dunce." The familiar voice of Draco Malfoy carried through the crowed as he walked past him.

"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, Draco?" Harry asked as he leaned up against the wall facing the barrier. "Although, you do have a valid point... who did build the Hogwarts express here?"

Draco just rolled his eyes and walked through the barrier, Mr. Malfoy however, looked at him oddly. Harry smiled in greeting until he too walked through the gate. Harry was still wearing his old muggle clothing.

"Arse." Although Harry respected, and even liked, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy, he didn't have to like Lucius Malfoy. One snotty Malfoy was enough for him, thank you very much.

"Where's the platform number again?" Harry's heart stopped, his chest tightened and his eyes began to water. He blinked a couple of times before he whipped his head around. Molly Weasley. A red headed, plump woman who had a motherly aura around her was making her way toward the magical gate. She was followed closely by five other red heads, each one pushing a trolley, with the exception of one. Harry just watched her.

"Nine and three quarters, mum" Gin was sitting on George's trolley as he pushed it, "Just like it's always been."

Harry slowly began to walk toward, what he considered to be, his adoptive family. He noted that all of Ron's brothers were still alive. Fred and George were conspiring together in whispered giggles, and Percy had his nose held up high while he thrust his chest out, showing his new shiny perfect badge. Harry smiled bitterly, come four more years, and his family would begin to tear apart.

"Alright Fred, you next." Molly said as she turned toward one of the twins.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George!" Fred exclaimed, "Honestly woman, and you call yourself our mother!"

"Oh sorry George, just go through the gate now would you."

"Only joking, I'm Fred." He impishly grinned before racing for the entrance. Just in time, because Molly Weasley's eyes narrowed and her lips pursed in anger, Harry also noted her hand reaching for her wand. It was amazing what one noticed when they weren't nervous. George took one look at his mother before wisely making a mad dash to follow his brother, Gin still clinging to the trolley.

"Excuse me... ma'am" Harry asked in his best lost boy voice. Molly immediately looked down at him.

"Hullo dear," she said, "First time at Hogwarts? It's Ron's first time too." She pointed toward her youngest son. Harry just pretended to smile nervously; Ron was a far cry from what he would look like in the future. He was like a small puppy right now, all limbs and paws, later he would grow into his height with broad shoulders and toned arms, and maybe a couple less freckles.

"Right then, just walk toward the barrier... best do it at a fast trot if it's your first time. Here go before Ron so I can watch. That's a good dear." Pretending to be jittery, and ignoring Ron's muffled laughter, Harry stumbled through the barrier.

Harry straightened his back and pressed on through the crowds, he would have to get the compartment for everyone, he had no one to see off or say goodbye too. He would just have to wait for everyone else to appear.

Pulling out his wand he levitated his Hogwarts trunk into the end compartment and took a seat to wait. He didn't have to wait long.

"I handed the Net Mirror to Gin." Hermione said as she plopped herself down next to him, "Thankfully Fred, or was it George? Came racing through the gate with her, so never saw a thing."

Hermione reached into her trusty school bag and pulled out a silver flip mirror. "Draco bought them. He said he would split the cost with you if he saw you. I would offer, but I have nothing to my name right now."

"You create the spell work, I pay, Draco pays, and we all pretend to forget to tell Ron. Anyways, I already met with Draco, he lent me his wand before Gringotts." Harry leaned over so his head rested on her shoulder, "You never mentioned the goblins had three doors."

"Don't you ever read? Honestly. The Golden Arches are famous; it's what started all the goblin wars before the ministry took ownership." Hermione glared at the crown of his head, "The only way to stop the Arches from reading your emotions, or sometimes even your mind, is by being a skilled Occlumens. Which you are... lousy at." Harry had the odd feeling Hermione wanted to say something other than lousy, but let it slip.

"Hurry up!" Molly Weasley's voice cried out as she rushed the last of her children onto the train.

"Don't worry Gin Gin! We'll send you loads of owls!" Fred cried out.

"And a Hogwarts toilet seat!" George added.

"GEORGE!" Harry and Hermione burst into laughter, as the Weasley matriarch chased after the slowly moving train. Harry watched with a large grin as Gin waved the train away, holding onto her mirror.

"Gin is looking healthier." Harry said as he watched her smile at her brothers antics.

"She has her family again. She was never meant for your job you know, especially without her loved ones around her. A strong witch, but, only when she has something to fight for." Hermione pulled out of the window after waving her parents off, "I was luck, my parents were muggles, therefore less likely to be killed by the Shadows... Ginny though."

"Don't let her hear you call her that. Nearly took my head off with a stray Reducto." Harry leaned back on his seat, "Molly went down with a fight, it's just too bad none of us noticed the Shadows infiltration until it was too late."

"You're telling me! After the whole ritual, I awoke in the middle of eating breakfast, and thought my parents were Shadows for a good four minutes." Draco said as he opened the door a crack and slipped in, "Scared me to death. And before you ask, I'm hiding from those two buffoons."

Harry closed his mouth and nodded wisely.

"How do you work these things anyways? When I open mine it just shows grey mist." Draco was holding up his mirror.

"I call it a Net Mirror, it's very much like the muggle cell phones we used in the future. Speak the first and last name of the person you wish to communicate with into the grey mist, it will connect to their mirror and you can either leave a message or speak with them." Hermione held her mirror up, "The Merlin wards are still up so we can't use real cell phones, so this was all I could come up with. When you leave a message, your face and voice are recorded, if you want to chat with the person, the mirror can levitate or make a buzzing noise."

"One more question, why does Draco get black?" Harry asked

"Wait until the silver gets dirty Harry or, look it up in a book." Hermione said. He knew better than to state that she was, his book, and judging by Draco's expression, he agreed.

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Not as long as I initially wanted it to be, but this will have to go. Had my interview, when my beautiful background check goes through, I have a job! So, as long as the police don't notice all the dead bodies, I'm good. Anyway, so finally we are on our way to Hogwarts! Thank Heavens! I was starting to get irritated with how long it was taking, and I'm the author!

The three hour delay in my update, is because my mother put Star Trek (2009) on... best movie of the year! hands down! My friends refuse to go to the theaters with me cause I always make a fool of myself. -_- During Dark Knight, when Bruce crashes the Lamborghini, the entire theater went silent... but I cried 'the car!' It even appeared on the local radio station. lol. Anyways with Star trek, I cried at the beginning... I'm such a sap.

So yeah, blame Kirk and Spock 0_o that would be an interesting crossover (food for thought)... Actually, if any of you guys know a story with Harry/ Alice from Twilight, I really really want to read it!

~Siamh

PS. The best holiday present for an author is reviews! So review all the stories you read!