Chapter 10 - Getting to Hogwarts, Episode 4

Breakfast was finished on time and Harry went through the preparations again while Ginny doubled checked their bedroom and Hermione triple-checked her list of things to accomplish before they left Potter Manor. Dobby had already taken their trunks to Hogwarts so all that the three of them were going to be carrying this morning were small backpacks that just contained the bare essentials for traveling on the Hogwarts express. Shrunken robes (even the detested green kind for Ginny), a book to read (three for Hermione) and some snacks - courtesy of Fred and George in Harry's case.

Daphne and Astoria were meeting up at the Davis' house to travel with them and Draco to King's Cross. Narcissa and her son had an early breakfast and both had left just as the three Potter's were coming into the dining room. None of them had seen Severus for over a week and although Hermione asked Cissy where he was, she just replied that he would be around 'somewhere or other' and they might see him later.

That alone sparked some conversation during the meal and it was Ginny guessing that Professor Snape had found employment as the engineer for the Express that drew the biggest laugh of all their conjectures. Harry had an eye on the clock and finally announced it was time to go. Sirius was bringing Gracie to Platform 9¾ himself to help her get over her nerves and the Weasleys had a Ministry car picking them up at the Burrow to bring them into London. Ginny had objected at first to the friendly wager between her spouses as to how close to departure her family would be but then laughingly took the five minute slot that was still open.

The arrival at the Leaky Cauldron was different for Harry this time as Ginny and Hermione were lined up to catch Harry's usual untidy arrival. Two wands were brandished and Harry's ever-tumbling exit was caught without much damage to Harry or breakage of nearby furniture. Harry was standing there slightly amazed as his wives made a show of stowing their wands away. Harry watched them nod at each other and head for the front door before he could raise his voice thanking them.

He caught to them outside on the curb as a number of other magical families had come through the Leaky Cauldron to get to Kings Cross. Since this was the first time the Potters had tried this so they weren't sure if this was usual or not. Harry and his girls greeted some of their Hogwarts classmates by name and took up their place in the queue waiting for the next taxi.

Harry eventually arrived at the front of the line and waved forward the next taxi in line. When he opened the door to the back seat, Sirius walked by him and entered the back seat of the taxi. Harry looked over his shoulder to see that Gracie was still hugging Hermione. Ginny stepped into the can and dragged Harry in after her and the two other girls quickly climbed in after them. Despite the crowding in the back seat, the five passengers arranged themselves as best they could for the short drive over to Kings Cross. Harry piled out of the cab once they had arrived there and told Sirius that since he was the one that was employed, he could pay the driver.

Sirius blustered a while about it and then told Hermione and Ginny he would just take the difference out of Harry's allowance. Harry laughed at that and took up Hermione's hand as they made their way towards the train platforms. Sirius unshrunk Gracie's trunk and then gave her a hug and a kiss before he said he had to leave for Hogwarts. Hermione and Ginny gave Sirius a hug before he apparated away from a secluded corner. Harry helped Gracie find a cart for her things and helped her push it toward the train platforms.

The four saw a number of classmates also loaded up with carts and/or being accompanied by their parents. The closer they all got to the train platform the more Aurors Harry recognized, either mixing in the crowds or keeping a watchful eye on all the people for sudden trouble. Evidently Minister Bones was taking the possibility of Death Eaters very seriously and had strengthened the patrols and presence of the Aurors at this annual event.

Ginny took over for Harry and helped push Gracie's cart through the portal with her. The sixteen year old almost stopped in surprise and delight as she saw the crowded platform and her first glimpse of the Hogwarts Express. Ginny pulled on her arm and the two girls stepped aside to let Harry and Hermione come through.

They had only gone a few steps when Harry and the others heard a distinctly Irish voice call out. "Lord Potter? Sir?"

Harry looked to his right and saw two people he recognized and one he didn't. Colin and Dennis Creevey were standing by their own carts and a tall brunette with a smattering of freckles on her face was striding toward him with her hand outstretched. "Rebekka Creevey, Mr. Potter. I'm Colin's and Dennis' mother."

Hermione and Ginny had heard the name and left Gracie to look at her surroundings while they came up beside their husband. Harry went forward a step to shake hands with Mrs. Creevey and talk to her. "It's just Harry Mrs. Creevey. I would say it's a pleasure to meet you but my wives and I are sorry for the injury you sustained and your family's loss."

Mrs. Creevey bowed her head for a second in reflection and Harry mentally kicked himself for inadvertently reminding her of her dead husband. But Mrs. Creevey was smiling as she looked back up at the three Potters. "I usually let the boys come with some of our magical friends to catch the Express but I felt I should come today especially to see them off. Mrs. Potter, I wanted to thank you for staying with my boys at the hospital until my friends could arrive. You were all gone by the time I was released to go home."

"It wasn't a problem" Ginny said. "I think everyone knew someone that was affected by the Death Eaters that night. None of us wanted to leave the boys alone in that waiting room without someone to talk to or keep them company. Hermione and I have spent more than a few hours worrying about our loved ones in similar circumstances and know how lonely it can be."

"We didn't have much life insurance at all in spite of the Ministries 'official' explanation for Charles death so I wasn't very sure if I could afford to even sent Colin back to school, let alone Dennis. It was quite a surprise when we got the owl from the Lily Potter Foundation stating that they would be funding the tuition for both my sons this year and the next until my finances stabilize a bit."

Harry tried being very careful as he told Mrs. Creevey a little white lie. "It's something I didn't find out until last year when my mother's will was read. She had a special place in her heart for sons and daughters of …of…"

"…families that might be going through hard times for one reason or another" Hermione finished for Harry. "The foundation can also provide some temporary funds for widows if the need is there."

"Thank you for the kind offer but I have found at least some temporary employment as a beginning tutor for some magical families in our town. Between that and our relatives and friends, I think we shall make a good go of it."

"That's nice to hear Mrs. Creevey."

"Boys?" Mrs. Creevey stepped back and Colin and Dennis came forward. Both did a little bow toward the girls but Harry said they shouldn't do it and shook both the boy's hands. Colin swore he would never take another picture of Harry unless he or his wives authorized it. Dennis spoke up and hoped he would get in Gryffindor so he could hear all the stories about Harry from his housemates. Harry rolled his eyes at that but Colin jabbed his brother in the back and said that wasn't the way to make friends. Hermione and Ginny rescued Harry then as they said he had to make sure his sister got on the train properly. Colin was explaining to his mother and brother about Gracie and the two families separated.

Harry walked away shaking his head at the encounter but was kissed on the cheek by Hermione who said she was proud that Harry's ideas were already helping out others in the magical world. Harry blushed just a bit but started responding to all the calls and waves they were receiving from their friends and classmates.

Ron and Luna were the next familiar faces they came on to. They had spent most of the summer together but Harry didn't dare ask how the Lovegood's annual search and hunting excursion for incredible creatures had gone this year. Both Luna and Ron looked very tanned and relaxed as they came up and greeted the three Potters and Gracie. Luna was very excited and wanted to start introducing Gracie to her housemates from Ravenclaw. They took off toward one of the cars hauling Gracie's trunk between them.

Ginny gave her brother a hug. "You shot up over the summer. All those near misses of catching … what was it this year?"

"Ploisterned vashprets… northern Spain. The mountains were nice but the food took a while to get used to. I'm going to go make sure Luna and Gracie are set up okay and I'll be by later for a proper visit." Surprising Ron, Hermione grabbed his hand before he took off and looked him in the eye. "You and Luna good together."

Ron blushed and sort of pushed on Hermione's shoulder before he took off. He was on the last step on the stairs when he looked back at the trio and his face lifted in a smile. To Harry's astonishment, he ran back but rushed past Harry, Ginny and Hermione. Harry looked over and saw that his friend had hurried to meet his parents. Arthur, Molly, the twins and (surprisingly) Percy had finally arrived and there was still ten minutes left before the Express left the station.

The twins rushed up to the three Potters but immediately picked up Ginny and Hermione and carried them onto the train. Arthur had come up to talk to Harry but they were both chuckling at George and Fred's antics.

"They forgot something important methinks" Harry said to his mother- and father-in-law.

"And what would that be?" Molly asked.

There was a flash of orange light from the direction Harry's wives had been carried off to and then a loud squawk of protest. Ginny and Hermione walked calmly back to rejoin Harry and the Weasleys; they were followed a few seconds later by the twins who were begging the pair to unhex them. George and Fred were currently wearing high heels and dark blue skirts that they were tugging the hems down to cover their extremely white legs.

Harry smirked at the scene and explained. "They forgot that we've spent an extensive amount of time with Sirius this summer. You wouldn't know it to look at her but Minister Bones has fairly well developed sense of pranking and, well, we…."

"… got a lot of experience and ideas about taking care of unruly relatives" Ginny finished.

"Unruly?"

"Us? The epitome of gentlemen…"

"… and scholars?"

The twins were doing some serious groveling in fact and made all kind of promises to be restored to their normal appearances before their girlfriends caught them in drag. With a laugh, Ginny finally removed the hexes and the twins got farewell hugs from their parents before departing with their trunks.

Percy was shaking his head as he joined the group. "Did you really have to do that to them Ginevra?"

"No, I didn't have to … but there is a certain tradition to uphold."

Harry hadn't gotten around to asking his father-in-law about his new job before the whistle blew for the final boarding of the Hogwarts Express. There was another round of hugs and handshakes and Ginny slipped a note into Percy's hand when she hugged him goodbye. The three Potters hurried to the car steps and turned and waved to everyone as the Express started to move.

Searching for a place to settle for the trip, Harry saw that Neville was waving at them from a compartment near the end of the car they were on. When they got there, Harry and the others saw that Neville had been saving a bench for them. Hannah and Susan rose to greet Ginny and Hermione when they entered and Harry sat down next to Neville.

"You're much later than normal this year" Neville said.

"Inlaws" Harry said shrugging. "Unavoidable but necessary."

Just then Hannah and Susan started shrieking and jumping up and down as they held Hermione's hand up to the light. 'They must have got to the wedding' Harry thought.

Neville looked a little askance at the celebrating girls and then turned to Harry. "What did you do now and why am I going to be hearing about it until Christmas?"

"Hermione and I got married over summer vacation" Harry said with a smile.

"Again? Harry - why?

"Other than having another honeymoon?" Harry said with an evil grin. "It was so Hermione's parents could be there and could give away the bride like they all wanted."

"Then you're excused from setting a bad example" Neville said with a laugh.

"Who's a bad example?" Ginny said as the huddle of the four girls broke up. Hannah came over to sit on Neville's lap and Harry moved to the other bench to let Susan snuggle into her boyfriend's other side.

Ginny and Hermione settled next to Harry and Hermione draped her legs over Harry's lap to get comfortable.

"Harry is just being Harry and spoiling you two. It makes the rest of us blokes look bad" Neville grumbled good-naturally.

"Don't get upset Neville. You and Grams brought us along to Paris for a few days. That was a nice spoiling even if the lodging wasn't the best."

Ginny raised a questioning eyebrow at the girls and Neville blushed. "We ended up getting two rooms; one for me and the girls got to room with my grandmother for three night. You wouldn't believe the alarms and wards that were put on the doors and windows. No snuggling at all."

"To say nothing of the other activities" Susan muttered.

"At least we got permission from Augusta to help Nev in their greenhouses over the summer" Hannah smiled.

"That went really well" Susan and Neville said together.

Everyone laughed at that comment and the six began catching up with all their travels and activities (well not ALL their activities) as the Express rolled through the British countryside.

It was about a half hour after the Express left King's Cross that there came a knock on the door and a familiar blond stuck her head in the door. "Okay, what are going to make me wear? I want to get this over with as quickly as possible."

Daphne pushed her sister into the compartment as Harry explained the wager that the two of them had made on vacation. Susan shook her head sadly. "You bet against Harry? You deserve what you get for doubting him."

"That's what I told her" Daphne said chuckling.

"Can we get on with this? Please? Maybe everyone will forget by the time we get to school."

"Okay, I guess now's just as good as later. Ginny?"

Ginny reached into her backpack and pulled out a pair of swim goggles and a snorkel. She handed them to Astoria who looked at them suspiciously.

"Is that it? This doesn't seem too bad."

"Nobody said we were finished Tori. Hermione's got the next piece."

Astoria looked on anxiously as Hermione reached into her traveling bag. Her hand emerged holding a large green stuffed eel, a prank gift Harry received from 'rescuing' Fleur Delacour from a supposedly vicious monster. Hermione wrapped the toy around Astoria's neck. "That's enough."

"NO!" came from a bunch of voices. Neville, Susan and Hannah were grinning witnesses to the younger Greengrass' embarrassment.

Harry held up his hand. "There's one more thing although you should know that Daphne and the lovely Mrs. Potters all had lovely suggestion about what to inflict on you."

Astoria turned and slapped her chuckling sister. "Traitors - all of you! At least this isn't too bad."

Daphne tapped her sister on the shoulder and pointer to Harry. He was holding up a pair of neon yellow colored swim fins!

"I'm dead meat; I'll never hear the end of this."

"It could be much worse Tori" Harry said. "Besides there will probably enough announcements at the Welcoming Feast to make everyone forget about your outfit."

"What's going to be going on then?" Astoria was slipping off her shoes and trying to put the oversized footwear on.

"All good things come to those who wait. You only have to walk to the front of the train and back; Harry's not going to make you wear those the whole trip..."

"…although he could' Ginny said giggling.

Astoria's face whitened and she stood up a little unsteadily

"I could chuck all this out a window you know."

"You wouldn't want Harry to call on Lord Gryffindor to impose a punishment would you?"

"Neville Longbottom – do not help me any further. I'm going, I'm going!"

Harry tugged on Astoria's elbow and turned her to face him. "There's a reward for finishing quickly."

"A reward? What sort of reward?"

Harry held up a thick envelope. "Our vacation pictures. You can show them around after you finish. Of course there's some of you, your sister and my wives in their swimsuits so I'd appreciate if no boys saw those particular shots."

"And we better not hear any comments about how good Harry looks in his swimsuit either" Hermione said.

Astoria's eyes got real wide and she got ready to run, shuffle, waddle out of the compartment. Harry bent over and whispered something quietly in her ear and made a small motion with his hand. Astoria smiled and then kissed Harry on the cheek before she left the compartment.

Harry turned around and found five sets of eyes looking at him. "What?"

"What was that last bit? She looked awful happy when she left."

"I told her a Marauder's prank spell in case she got hassled."

"Which one Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Singultatus."

"That's not too bad then" Ginny said. "We should count the people at the feast who were cursed."

"What was that spell Harry?" Susan couldn't hold in her curiosity. Her aunt was the Head Auror for a number of years and she had never heard the spell before.

"It's a spell for …"

"…uncontrollable hiccups" Hermione said with a grin. "I expect a number of members of Slytherin House will learn about picking on Daphne's sister."

"That's awesome Harry" Neville said. "Are you going to teach us those Marauder's spells this year in the DA?"

"Some of them; we have to keep some of them for ourselves after all."

"Of course - the twins don't know about them do they?" Hannah looked a little scared as she contemplated that knowledge in the hands of the school's best (or worst) pranksters.

"They'll learn when everyone else does" Ginny stated.

"Good."

Hannah got off Neville's lap and held out her hand for him. "Let's go check the rest of the train and visit the new transfers and those kids who are here for the first time from the embassies."

Neville pretended to be reluctant but with two girls using their bodies to push him along, he left the compartment smiling. Daphne made sure the door was locked behind them and then drew the curtain down to block anyone from looking in.

In a rare show of emotion from the 'Ice Princess", Daphne leaped into Harry's arms and carried him over backward on the bench. "Think they'll be back soon?" she asked as she kissed Harry very thoroughly.

"If Susan caught my hint when we talked earlier, they'll keep Neville entertained for about twenty minutes" Hermione said.

"That's barely enough time to get warmed up" Ginny said as she slipped down to kiss Daphne as she caught her breath from kissing Harry for so long.

Unfortunately, or not, the snogging in Compartment 16G only lasted for about five minutes before they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Harry groaned and tried straightening his shirt out as he climbed back to his seat. He made sure the three girls all looked presentable before he tore open the door with a snarl ready and stopped.

Standing grinning in the doorway were the Weasley twins, Katie Bell, Angelica Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet. All the remaining members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team were smiling a little evilly and the twins were pointedly ignoring the glare that Ginny was sending their way.

"Come on in" Harry said with a smile that was just a little forced.

The three chasers enters and then the twins who plopped down on the bench seat next to their sister. "Sorry for interrupting…"

"Anything you'd care to share with the rest of us?" George finished with a nudge to his sister's side.

"Ignore them Harry. We do" Angelina stopped and looked at Harry. "We were talking…"

"Snogging more likely" Ginny got out before the twins started shoving her side to side.

".. ahem, we were talking and wondered if you had got the Captain's badge in with your Owl scores Harry?"

"No, definitely not. I expected you or Katie to receive that."

"Not us?" the twins said.

Ignoring the pair, Harry explained. "I thought McGonagall would have chosen any of the three of you girls."

"Well, none of got that badge. So we're wondering what is going on?"

Harry knew the reason of course for the missing honor but couldn't just blurt out the truth. "Maybe Professor McGonagall wanted to talk to us before she chose or maybe she wants us to elect the next captain ourselves."

"I guess that's possible" Katie said. "I guess we'll find out when we see her. Sorry for interrupting you four."

"We were just sitting here talking" Harry said.

"Then that would explain why Hermione's jumper is buttoned up wrong" Alicia said with a little smirk.

Hermione blushed and turned around to fix the mistake as the compartment rang with laughter. There was another knock on the door and everyone inside turned to see a person of the group knew.

"Hello Kirk" said Katie.

"Harry Potter?" the tall boy asked in a quiet drawn out voice.

Fred stood up trying to be funny. "I'm Harry."

The boy raised his hand and produced a wand "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

A green bolt began issuing from the wand and then a number of things happened all at once. Two people dived and knocked Fred to the ground as a trunk came off the overhead bin to intercept the spell. The trunk was blown apart and four voices yelled "Stupefy!"

The four spells impacted the attacker and threw him through the door of the compartment across the aisle. The second-year Hufflepuffs who were quietly playing Gobstones shrieked and yelled as a body rocketed through the door and hit the window frame before falling to the floor.

Harry stepped over the debris as the terrified second-years were ushered out of the compartment by Hermione. Daphne yelled for somebody to go get the Head Boy or Girl and George took off at a run toward the front of the train after seeing his brother get up unharmed.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other and were careful as they entered the disrupted compartment. Harry picked up the wand that was lying next to the boy and nodded and Ginny checked the boy over before pulling him gently down to the floor to finish her exam.

"One broken and two cracked ribs and an awful knot on the back of his head. He's going to have one doozy of a headache when he wakes up in the Hogwarts infirmary."

Harry slumped down on the bench near the door and let go a deep breath. "Good then we didn't…"

"What in Merlin's name happened here?" a head leaned into the compartment and looked around at the splintered wood, clothes, and fragments of trunk that were strewn around the area. An unconscious body lying on the floor was the last thing he noticed.

"This bloke tried to kill Harry" Ginny said.

"He actually tried to kill Fred" Hermione corrected.

"What?" Barry Allen, the Head Boy had to put up his hands to stop all the various recitals that were coming from all the witnesses. When he finally got the silence he asked for he pointed. "Report Lord…Mr. Potter."

Harry handed the wand over he had picked up off the floor to the Head Boy and explained the turn of events from the time the unknown boy knocked on the door until he was hit with a number of stupefy spells. Barry stepped around Ginny and knelt beside the fallen attacker. "I know this fellow. Kirk Tollings. He's one of ours. A Ravenclaw, I mean. He's well liked although a little on the quiet side. I don't know how to explain it."

"I think you might have one of the professors check him once we get to Hogwarts and see if he had been put under the Imperius Curse" Hermione said. When everyone turned to look at her she explained. "He had all the classic signs I mean. Glassy eyes, slow or slurred speech, bad reaction times."

At the long stare from the Head Boy, Hermione huffed. "Am I the only one in the world that's read the Seventh Year Defense books?"

There was a chorus of "Yes" from most of the spectators and Harry held back a laugh. Barry Allen was not amused though. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Another voice spoke up from outside the crowd around. "Let's take him up to our compartment and watch him Barry. If he comes to we can start questioning him right away. He can be moved right Lady Ginny?"

A brunette shouldered her way through the crowd and half the people recognized Dorothy Gale, the Head Girl this year.

"It's just Ginny, Miss Gale. Let me fix his ribs first and then he can be moved. I'm not quite up to working on his head yet – that's more in the line of Madame Pomfrey's department."

Harry and George blocked off the doorway from prying eyes and Ginny knelt down and gently laid her hands to the right side of the unconscious Ravenclaw. There was a yellow glow that lasted for about twenty seconds and then Ginny straightened up. "He's okay to be moved now. Be careful about his head though."

George and Fred yelled to clear the aisle and everybody got out of the way one way or the other as the "Mobilicorpus" spell was cast on Kirk Tollings. With the Head Girl clearing the way, Mr. Allen floated the unconscious lad toward the front of the train. The crowd muttered a bit and also headed back for their compartments.

Harry looked at the five Hufflepuffs who were staring at them and their ruined door. Harry shook his head and pulled his wand. "Reparo!" he cast quickly. Two of the young girls giggled as the door reassembled itself into something almost as good as new.

"I'm not sure that one will lock properly again but I hope you won't be bothered any further until we get to Hogwarts. We apologize for disrupting your trip."

The five Hufflepuffs quickly entered and closed the door behind them. The sound of giggles and whispered conversation started rising from the compartment as soon as it closed.

"They are going to be so popular for about a week for their part in this adventure" Ginny said.

"Adventure? Adventure? I almost get killed and you're calling it an adventure?" Fred was torn between laughing and going into shock. Harry didn't quite know what to say to the brother that only stood up and had a killing curse thrown at him.

That particular problem was solved when Angelina pulled Fred up into a hug. "I'm sorry that you were so scared about the experience that you only got two or three good gropes in when we were rolling around on the ground."

Fred looked around suspiciously and then pulled the girl into a hug. "I'm traumatized, simply traumatized. We should go back to our compartment and let me lie down with my head in your lap."

The other two chasers gave Fred a raspberry apiece and began pushing the twins out of the door. Harry reached out and grabbed Fred's shoulder. "Thanks Fred."

"I should learn to control my mouth" was the answer that came back to Harry.

Hermione, Ginny and Daphne all went to give Fred a group hug. "But that wouldn't be you if you did that" Ginny whispered as she leaned up to kiss Fred on the cheek.

"Yuck, ewwww. Sister boogies." Ginny was laughing as she pushed her brothers out the door.

Harry turned and looked at the disaster that was still present in their compartment. Clothes, broken ink wells, parchment and fragments of the trunk that had intercepted the curse were scattered all over the walls, benches and floor of Compartment 16G. There was a long whistle of disbelieve from the door and Harry didn't have to turn to know that Neville, Susan and Hannah had returned just at that moment and were looking at the disastrous leftovers that were spread across the area.

"What the blue blazes happened in here?" Neville asked. Before Harry could reply. Hannah spoke up. "Aren't those your sweaters over there Neville?"

Neville stared and then strode over angrily to remove some clothes from the hands of Hermione who had started to pick up the scattered items. "I'll have you keep your hands off my skivvies Hermione, thank you very much."

Neville took another look around the compartment and he turned to Harry with a half-worried frown. "What exactly did you do to my trunk Mr. Potter?"

Ginny was trying hard to contain her giggles as Hannah and Susan started scooping up the rest of Neville's clothes.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I will buy you a new trunk Neville. Would you believe….?"

The six wizards and witches cleared off the two benches and Harry described what had almost just happened. Neville swore he would go attack Tollings again when he woke up and Harry laughingly said he was suffering enough already. Hermione also stated that she didn't believe it was the Ravenclaw that had wanted to get to Harry. After Ginny sent her doe patronus on ahead to notify Madame Pomfrey and Professor Flitwick of the problem with the Ravenclaw sixth year, the group settle down to discuss who on the Express might have cast the spell. Various other friends and housemates drifted in and out of the room once word of the attack spread over the train.

Harry wondered if he would ever have a normal calm easy ride to Hogwarts.