Chapter Nine.

The Train Journey.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, whilst cats of every colour and breed wandered around between our legs. Milo purred wanting to be let out but I refused, I didn't want to loose him before we'd boarded the train. Owls hooted to each other happily, Hedwig joined in.

The first few carriages were already packed with student, some wearing their school robes whilst others remained in normal clothing. Some were hanging out the windows talking to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry and I pushed our way down towards the end of the train where all the compartments were empty, we passed a round faced boy who was complaining about loosing a toad. His brother, or I assume his brother by the similarities they shared, was looking around on his hands and knees.

Once we were down by the end of the train, we opened the door that lead into a thin corridor, big enough for two people to walk past, we chose the compartment to the right, I opened the door and Harry passed me Hedwig and Milo's cages, I put them in the compartment first before going back out to try and help Harry put our trunks in but it was no good, they were too heavy.

"Want a hand?" a familiar voice asked, I turned around to see one of the red-haired twins, who we'd watched go through the wall.

"Yes please." I said, the twin smiled.

"Oi! Fred get over here!" he yelled, meaning that this twin was George.

Fred – the other Weasley Twin – jogged over to help without question, its only then I try to figure out how these twins differ, trying to find different ways to tell them apart. George is slightly taller then Fred however Fred's eyes are a slightly darker colour than George.

The twins put our trunks into the overhead shelves, when they had done, there foreheads where dampened with sweat. It was then when Fred turned around to look me square in the face his eyes dropped to the scar on my cheek.

"Are you –?" he whispered.

I remained silently as George and Harry spoke.

"Grace Potter," he whispered again with slight excitement in his voice. I gulped but before I could speak asking him to to say anything, he'd already smiled fondly, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me for now."

"Thank you." I say, making it appear as if I was thanking him for hauling my trunk into the shelf, I knew eventually people would know who Harry and I were but I'd like to ease into it, not be suddenly thrown into the deep end.

"Come on, George, lets go say goodbye to mum and Ginny." Fred said, George nodded and said goodbye to us, no doubt we will see them at school anyway. Harry and I slid the compartment door close and took our seat on the comfortable benches provided. I let Milo out and he stretched thankfully. Hedwig remained in her cage on the shelf as she couldn't fly about but we opened the door giving her the option.

The trains whistle sounded before a large hiss, from the window of the corridor I watched the station disappear, houses flashed past the window. I felt a leap of excitement spark in my heart but nerves hung heavily in my stomach like a lead weight. Harry grinned at me, showing the same nervous yet excited expression I had. We didn't know what was in store for us, but it had to be better than what we were leaving behind.

Not long after the train had left the station, the compartment door slid open and the youngest red-haired boy enters. And just as he does, Milo leaps off my lap and exits the compartment.

"Oh no!" I exclaim pushing the book off my lap and sprinting after my kitten. Milo is a lot faster than I could of imagined because he bolts off down the train corridor. Student of different ages crowd the corridors. "Excuse me," I say pushing my way through, pushing my hair behind my ears I had unknowingly revealed my scar and several students pointed and mumbled to their friends.

"Milo!" I call.

A boy actually turned around, he was probably fifteen with dark hair and brown eyes, wearing robes with a badge sewn onto his left breast. The badge had a blue background, a silver helmet from an old suit of armour on top with blue decorations and a golden outline with black raven in the center with a golden banner across the bottom saying Ravenclaw. "Yes?"

"Oh, sorry, that's the name of my cat." I laugh, thankfully he does too.

He then points to my scar, "Oh my... your –"

"Bye!" I say loudly before darting off down the corridor in search of my kitten. Eventually I find him down the other end of the train, he was playing with another kitten about the same age, this cat was jet black with large emerald eyes.

"Milo," I sign heavily, he purrs around my ankles, I scoop him up carefully in my hand and he nuzzles into the crook of my neck. I stroked him gently as the cat on the floor stared up at me with its large eyes.

A male voice then called the name, "Jester!" throughout the train, the black cat gave me one last glance and purred in the direction of Milo before strolling off elegantly through the crowd towards the caller. I let out a sign of relief as for a moment I thought the cat – Jester – was going to claw at my ankles.

Turning swiftly, I walked straight into a person, a boy who by the looks of it was the same age as me, he had slick blonde hair and bright blue eyes with pale skin. He was accompanied by two large boys who were the same age.

"Watch out." the blonde boy spat pushing my aside.

"Idiot," I mumble about to stork off in the opposite direction when I hear female laughter.

"You got that right," a girl said, she stepped beside me, she had a mane of frizzy brown hair with a evenly cut fringe, she had nice hazel coloured eyes with large front teeth. "I'm Hermione Granger."

"I'm Grace." I reply.

Hermione grins, "Ah, I didn't believe the rumours that the Potter Twins where here, but now I do." she says with a little chuckle, I couldn't help but laugh slightly as well, "I don't suppose you've seen a toad? A boy called Neville has lost one."

I shake my head, "No sorry, you could come ask my brother." I suggest, she nods and we head back to the compartment where Ron and Harry were sat on the left-hand bench at either end with a large pile of what looked like different types of sweets along with empty wrappers. On Ron's lap was a ugly brown rat with its head stuck in a sweet box, he had his wand in his hand when we entered.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville has lost one." she asks politely but with an underlining tone of bossiness. Harry and Ron shook their heads, Hermione signed heavily, I went and took a seat opposite Harry who offered me what appeared to look like a jelly bean, putting it in my mouth and chewing I realised that the sweet tasted like vomit, I spat it out in my hand as the boys laughed, "Are you about to do magic?" Hermione asks Ron who hadn't put his wand away, the red-haired boy nods, "Lets see then."

Ron looked nervous for a second but then cleared his throat, "Sunshine, daises, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow." He waved his wand, but nothing happened, except a spark that's yellow inside the sweet box that flew off the rats head, however the rat remained a dull brown colour.

I laughed in good humour, Hermione however looked at Ron in confusion, "Are you sure that's a real spell?" she said, Ron went to reply but she spoke before he even had the chance, "Well, it's not very good, it is? I've tried a few simple spells for practise and they've all worked for me – I'm Hermione Granger."

"Ron Weasley." said Ron through a mouthful of what looked like sandwich.

"Pleasure." Hermione replied. She then looked at Harry, her eyes hovered over the sellotape, she pulled out her wand, it was a light brown with long vines made of wood, there was also small flowers. She stood in front of Harry and pointed her wand in his face, I stand up protectively, "Don't worry, it's a simply spell to fix glasses," she says, I sit back down but on the edge of my seat ready to jump in if needed, "Oculus Reparo." says Hermione confidently, the sellotape around the middle of Harry's glasses removed itself to reveal a fresh new joint in his glasses.

"Wow." I mumble.

"Thanks." Harry says removing his glasses to examine the unbroken middle, revealing his scar.

"Oh Grace, this is your brother!" Hermione grins, "Hello Harry."

Looking confused, Harry but smiled nonetheless. Hermione turns swiftly on her heels, she slid the compartment door open, I clasped onto Milo to ensure he didn't run off again, "You've got dirty on your nose by the way," she informs Ron rudely, he rubs his nose where the dirt is, "And you all should change into your robes, I suspect we should be arriving soon."

And then she left. Ron looked at me, I looked at Harry and Harry looked at Ron and almost in unison, we all burst out laughing, Hermione was certainly interesting and I actually really liked her but her bossy personality was something else entirely. We ignored Hermione's advice and Ron spent a solid fifteen minutes educating us on wizard sweets, there was: Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and so many more that I couldn't think of.

"What are these?" I ask Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs, "They aren't real frogs are they?" It wouldn't surprise me if they were. It was getting to a stage where I felt nothing could anymore.

"No, it's just a spell, each pack has a card with a famous witch or wizard," Ron explained.

I unwrapped my Chocolate Frog, the frog croaked, it wasn't alive but it certainly moved like it was, I wasn't quick enough to grab the sweet before it had crawled up the window and jumped. I signed heavily in disappointment, I turned over the box to see that the card I'd been give was Dumbledore, the card came with a paragraph of information;

Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Considered by many to be the greatest wizard of modern times, Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for: his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel.

Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

I turned the card back other to look at Dumbledore again, but to my astonishment, Dumbledore's face had disappeared. "He's gone!" I gasp.

Ron laughed, "You can't expect him to hang around all day, can you?" he asked.

With confusion, I put the Chocolate Frog card on the seat as I stand up and access my trunk pulling out my white blouse, black skirt and tights with my long black robes. plain black tie that was sold along with first year uniforms and sensible school shoes. I leave the compartment so the boys could change into their robs, I found a female toilet and changed quickly before walking back to the compartment and waiting outside until the boys had finished changing, in the meantime, I stared out of the windows as I stood in the corridor, I could see mountains and forests under a deep-purple key and the train did seem to be slowing down.

A few minutes later, the blinds on the compartment windows opened and I was allowed to enter, just as I close Milo securely into his cage, a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes, please leave your luggage – including animals – on the train as it will all be taken to the school separately."

Harry, Ron and I all went pale and no doubt all of our stomachs lurched with nerves. This was it, our new life. Ron and Harry crammed their pockets with the left over sweets, Ron offered me a few and I took them gratefully, then we all joined the crowd within the corridor.

The train slowed right down and then finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door and out on to the black platform. We all shivered in the cold night air, then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and a calming feeling came over me as a familiar voice began calling: "Firs'–years! Firs'–years follow me!" he yelled, a swarm of first years began crowding before Hagrid, I began feeling like a sardine in a can.

"Follow me!" he instructs before walking off. Every first year followed in a sort of rush of excitement and nerves, we slipped and slid as we followed Hagrid down a steep and narrow path. It was so dark either side of the pathway there had to be trees. Then suddenly, the narrow path had opened into a black lake.


A/N: I know this is a short chapter, but I felt it was necessary, p.s the next chapter will be very short as well, please view, follow and favourite!