A/N: The journey, in both the small and bigger sense, is beginning...
So why have I chosen Halifax in West Yorkshire as the general area for getting to Little Hangleton?
The exact location of the village is not really known. Several discussions on forums over the years have placed it anywhere from north Wales to Lincolnshire, in a wide strip north of the Midlands. I know nothing much at all about Halifax, but at the time I was writing down basic notes for this story I had just watched again on DVD the BBC's film of "The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister" and although it may not have been filmed in that area, both the real book and the film...and the documentary on the area Anne lived in, near to Halifax, just reminded me of how I imagined Little Hangleton. The terrain seemed right to me.
I do not know for sure the trains and services to Halifax in WW2 Britain...but in some bored online moments I discovered that present day trains do go from King's Cross station in London to Halifax...so that sealed it for me. :)
As a side note, anyone with an interest in social history of women, and in particular lesbianism in history, I highly recommend "The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister", both the real book(a limited number of years of her diaries have been published) and the DVD. The diaries were written in code during Anne's lifetime in the late 1790s and early 1800s, it's a fascinating look at life in general at that time too. Amusingly nearly everything she dislikes she calls 'vulgar'. :)
Okay...the info out of the way, let's rejoin our girls...
14: King's Cross
A short sensation of squeezing, pushing, pulling and tugging, all felt much worse by Ginny, and the two young women Apparated to The Leaky Cauldron, arriving almost on the doorstep of the pub.
"Watchit!" said a wizard in a top hat, who had opened the pub's door to leave just as Hermione and Ginny appeared there. The man gave a few 'tut tuts' and he was mumbling something about women always being in pairs gossiping, as he walked away down the street.
"Well excuse me!" Ginny said, not at all impressed. The redhead shook her head a little to get rid of the dizzy sensations she had from her Side-Along Apparating trip. She was used to it, having been Apparated by her parents and brothers at various times during her life, but that didn't make it any more pleasant.
Hermione got hold of her arm and moved them away from the Cauldron's door, to avoid being stepped on or sworn at by other patrons.
Looking around, they could see the street becoming mildly busy; people on their way to whatever London people did on a Sunday in World War Two. A few vehicles, taxis and buses went past, but nowhere near the amount of traffic they were used to in their own time, and the vehicles looked vastly different too.
"What should we do next?" Ginny asked in a low voice, as Hermione looked in her gas mask bag, putting on a show of looking for something so as to appear just a normal muggle, rather than two people looking awkwardly out of place.
"We need to get to King's Cross station from here, but first I thought me might just walk a bit further up the street."
For some reason, both of them took a deep breath, knowing that their first step was truly the beginning of the next stage of this so-called 'plan'.
Walking around the bend in the street, both were left speechless by what they saw. Hidden from view at The Leaky Cauldron, but visible now they were on the muggle street, they saw three buildings reduced to rubble. One building was still smouldering, releasing whisps of black smoke into the air.
The air smelled of the cordite from the bombing, mixed with burned brick, wood and other unknown items. A truck was parked next to the bombsite and a couple of women and an older man were sorting through the rubble and chucking some of it into the truck's open trailer. A couple of members of the fire brigade were checking for further risk of fire and were talking to an ARP warden.
"My god!" Ginny said as she took in the damage.
"Hmm," Hermione uttered, transfixed by the scene too. "It's pretty shocking."
"Do you think people were in there?" asked Ginny, nodding towards the heaps of rubble.
"I don't know. I hope not. I hope they went to a shelter when the sirens went off and are safe," replied Hermione, unable to take her eyes from the bomb damage. They walked slower, but carried on along the street.
"It's like Hogwarts, all over again," Ginny said suddenly. "Ruins, stones, rubble, destruction."
The rest of the buildings on the street were standing, but some had broken windows and cracks in brickwork.
"How strange," Hermione said after they had walked for another few minutes.
"What?"
"We're not far from where Ron, Harry and I Apparated to after the chaos of Bill and Fleur's wedding. I even recognize some of the buildings...just."
"You went here?" Ginny asked. "Of course, I know you mean in our time, but I always wondered where you went that day?"
"For some reason Tottenham Court Road was the first place I thought of, and there wasn't time to consider other options." Hermione answered. "And I think we're almost on that Road now."
The people they met on the street were diverse, from older men wearing smart three-piece suits with black bowler hats, to women in all kinds of uniform and men in even more different uniforms.
Two soldiers were coming towards them, dressed in khaki. One had his hands in his pockets, and looked like he was whistling, the other man was smoking. They both looked up to see who was approaching them and the one with his hands in his pockets seemed to stand a bit straighter and almost bounce on his toes as he walked.
Hermione was dreading any interaction, but she just had a feeling it would be unavoidable. "Be prepared," she said for Ginny's ears only.
Ginny had noticed the two army lads herself, and knew exactly what Hermione meant.
Maybe they would just smile and carry on, but Hermione highly doubted that. Some men just have to open their mouths and make a show of themselves, she thought.
"Morning ladies," said one of the soldiers, the one with his hands in his pockets.
Hermione nodded her head to him and made for her and Ginny to carrying on walking.
"Wait up," said the man, as he and his friend blocked the path. "Why don't we walk you to wherever you're going? We've got a day's leave."
"No thank you," Hermione said.
"What harm is there in that? We only want to walk and talk with you?"
Not being able to think of anything to say to that, Hermione was pleased when Ginny came to the rescue.
"Sorry boys, you can't follow where we're going," said the redhead firmly.
"Why? Are you going to the Ladies?" laughed the man, with a cigarrette bobbing up and down at the corner of his mouth as he spoke. Hermione thought of him as 'Smokie' in her mind.
"It's none of your business where we're going," Hermione said, still trying to find a way to walk around these annoying men.
"Oo-oo, listen to her?" said the man Hermione thought of as 'Pockets'. "I like that in a girl, I bet you're a real goer?" he said winking at her.
Hermione's cheeks flushed, not from being flattered or embarrassed but from sheer anger; yet again Ginny came to the rescue.
"Have you ever heard of doing things for the military and not being allowed to talk about it?" Ginny said evenly. When the men nodded, but were still wearing ridiculous expressions, she added, "Well that's why you can't go where we're going. We're on WAAF business, now please get out of the way and let us pass."
The boyish grins disappeared on both men. "Only trying to be friendly, girls," said Pockets, as he stood to the side and gestured with his arm that they could pass.
As Hermione walked passed Pockets, he reached out and grabbed her bottom with both hands. She jumped, and then spun around to face the man, who was nearly doubled up laughing. Before he had time to move and before Ginny could stop her, Hermione lashed out and slapped the man hard across the face, making him stagger back. Ginny was astounded and dreading the reaction that might come, thankfully Pockets and his cronie friend Smokie, just laughed more.
Ginny put an arm around the furious Hermione and turned her, walking her away, and got them to keep moving. However, they both heard Pockets say to his pal, "That was worth it, such a gorgeous little arse on her! She'd have been a hell of lay, mate."
Understandably, Ginny felt Hermione tense up, but kept them walking. She had heard, how several years ago Hermione had punched Draco Malfoy in the face and she didn't think a WAAF brawling with a soldier in the middle of a London street was a good idea for keeping a low profile.
They walked further along the road, with Ginny checking over her shoulder a few times, to make sure the two men hadn't followed; luckily they hadn't. She could sense that Hermione was still wound up, and wondered what she could do to help. It was then Ginny saw a cafe coming up that was open; not that they were thirsty, but it was always a good idea in times of trouble.
"Hey, let's get a cuppa," Ginny said, pointing to the cafe coming up on their side of the street. Hermione nodded.
There were several people in the cafe, from all walks of life, possibly due to few places being open on a Sunday, but they found a little table for two and Ginny sat Hermione down at it. In her concern to calm her friend down, she felt braver than she might have down otherwise and went to the counter for the teas without a second thought.
Thankfully the stout woman serving at the counter was very pleasant and Ginny thought she heard the amount to pay as so many pence, so she handed over a shilling and had some change. She said a mental phew in her mind and took the teas over to Hermione.
Hermione was staring at an opposite wall, deep in thought when Ginny got back to the table.
"I'm sorry, Ginny," said Hermione, quietly. "I don't know what happened. I just felt so angry."
"Don't worry about it. They were a right couple of gits."
"I know, but I should be able to keep control better than that, especially..., " Hermione lowered her voice further, "...with the situation we're in. I could have blown it there and then."
"Well, you didn't. We got away and you had the satisfaction of slapping that prat of bloke across the chops." Ginny said, smiling.
"It's just...everything we've been through and what it's taking out of us to be here, and still we're faced with morons. I'm beginning to think some men never grow up!"
"I could have told you that," Ginny said. "Growing up with six brothers, proves it to me."
Ginny took a sip of her tea and nearly spat it out. "Oh my god!" she said, before quietening to a whisper. "What is this stuff? Ditchwater?"
Hermione actually smiled for the first time since before their incident with the soldiers. "There is a war on, you know," she said, amused.
"I know, I know," said Ginny. "But does that mean everyone has to drink hot muddy water?"
This time Hermione snorted with laughter and she felt a hundred times better with herself and the circumstances they were in.
"Well, at least you're laughing," said the redhead, genuinely pleased to see her friend looking happier. "Take a sip of yours and that smile will fade, believe me!"
Hermione took a sip of her tea and grimaced slightly. "I've tasted worse," she said. "Oh well, I guess that adds another person to my list of people who have had a feel-up of my behind. I mean, for goodness sake, do I have a sign on my bum saying 'Feel free to grope'?"
Ginny couldn't stop a giggle from escaping her. "I'm sorry Hermione. But I can definitely say there's no sign on there."
"We haven't been here hardly long enough to take a breath and already we've dealt with lewd sodding blokes." said Hermione.
"I think blokes are the same from wherever they're from and from whatever time. Although," Ginny paused in thought. "...it is a little creepy to think in our own time we might have met their grandchildren. I bet they never find out what grandad was really like!"
Hermione sighed. "There's a possibility they don't survive the war," she said solemnly. "Life is a very fragile thing here, just as it was from where we came from. I suppose that explains why people feel they can take certain risks, 'seizing the moment' and all that. I just wish that hadn't included seizing my backside!"
They were quiet for a few moments, taking sips from their tea, even though it was truly awful. Thinking over the events, Hermione was able to wash her hands and mind of it, and genuinely take some heart from her response to the soldier with the groping hands, only regretting that it hadn't been a punch instead of the slap she had chosen.
Ginny found that the amusement she and Hermione used to cover over the rather awkward event that morning, had faded and she was left feeling annoyed now. It just isn't right that that man felt he had the right to grab her backside or to then talk of her as something he wanted to shag and try out, she thought. Thinking on it now, she felt angry with herself that she hadn't either punched the man herself or preferably kicked him in the family jewels. Ron would have done the same and more, she thought, Yes, but he's not here, is he? Ginny knew she had to block it all out and try not to let the anger she felt now, fester. They were both all right and no real harm had been done, so they had to get on with things.
"So what next?" Ginny asked.
"It depends," Hermione answered. "If you're up for walking, we can walk to King's Cross, or take the tube. Only," she whispered. "I know nothing about the tube during wartime London."
"I'm fine for walking, if you are?" said Ginny.
"It might take a little while, but I know where it is from here, so at least that's one thing I'm sure of," Hermione smiled.
They left the cafe, thankful that the tea they had packed in their own refreshments would taste much better than the one they had just bought. They carried on walking the length of Tottenham Court Road. The streets were getting much busier, even though it was a Sunday, and more traffic was on the road, filling the air will the smell of burning oil and weak wartime petrol. It made both girls feel grubby, just walking in the street.
On looking up, Ginny noticed for the first time, what looked like to her, lots of strange shaped huge balloons floating above the buildings, and was so busy looking up at them that she walked straight into a concrete litter bin.
"OUCH! Bloody hell!" Ginny yelped as she had stubbed her toe and banged a knee.
"What did you do?" Hermione asked turning around. She had been deep in thought and hadn't notice Ginny fall back as she hit the bin.
"My fault," Ginny said, hopping slightly. "I was looking at those inflatable fish thingies and not at the pavement ahead."
"Inflatable fish?" Hermione asked.
"Up there," Ginny said pointing upwards as she rubbed a sore knee.
Hermione laughed. "I think you'll find they're barrage balloons. They're up there to deter aircraft from flying too low. They can be taken down and put up as needed," she looked up again herself. "It's kind of weird actually seeing them for real, I've seen so many old photos in books before."
Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "They still look like inflatable fish to me."
After passing many shops, most closed, with some boarded up from bomb damage, some empty, others showing a range of wares and services, the two girls reached the corner of Tottenham Court Road.
"We're getting nearer," said Hermione cheerfully. "We just turn right into Euston Road and King's Cross is the third large station on the left. I imagine it won't look that different to how it looked for us."
A building across the street had major bomb damage, leaving only the skeletal remains of the lower outer walls and broken floors further up. It was like a huge monster had taken a bite from it. It didn't look recent as there was very little rubble and debris near it; it just looked sad and lonely, despite it's presence on a busy London street.
Even Ginny recognized King's Cross station when they reached the crossroads it overlooked. Some of the nearby buildings looked the same, as did the station itself. It had a couple of windows boarded up and was missing a small patch of roof, but it stood there, just like it had for every time they had gone there to catch the Hogwarts Express.
It was a bit of a wait to cross the roads to get to the station, and there was a steady stream of taxis pulling up outside, dropping people off and picking people up. Most people were on foot, however. Soldiers in khaki green with huge kitbags on their backs; sailors with their flared trousers and white flat hats. There were also women in what looked like uniform, but not quite uniform.
Inquisitive over the women in their 'nearly a uniform' attire, Hermione walked closer to one and saw the badge on one of their overcoats. Women's Land Army. The backbone of Britain, doing the farm and land work that men would normally have done, but now couldn't, due to being called up to the military. The WLA were essentially feeding the people, when import supplies were hard to obtain and attain from the shipping being constantly attacked.
"We need to find a timetable," Hermione said to Ginny. "To see what trains stop at Halifax and when."
"It looks like there are some posters over near the ticket office," said Ginny.
They walked over to it, but it just gave the destinations and not specific times. Looking up Hermione spotted a sign over an office counter which stated "Information".
"I'll have to ask," said Hermione.
Luckily there wasn't anyone waiting at the Information Counter, but there wasn't anyone at the position either. There was a little handbell and Hermione picked it up and rang it. A woman railway clerk came to the counter not long after.
"Hello," Hermione started. "I was wondering if you could tell us, when the next train stopping at Halifax leaves, please?"
"Halifax?" the woman said, looking at some papers on the counter desk. "Ah, I'm sorry to say the only one leaving today left at eight o'clock this morning. There was some trouble on the line, a bomb was dropped on it fifty miles from here and they're down to a single lane track for a little while."
"Oh," said Hermione, sounding down. "When will the next train to Halifax be?"
The woman searched through some papers in a folder on the desk. "There should be three a day during the week, but we can't say when the track will be mended and there are other routes that use the line part of the way. However, there should be one at eight o'clock again tomorrow morning. It should leave from platform 9."
Ginny let out a stifled small giggle, which made the railway clerk woman look at her oddly. The redhead coughed, making out she had coughed all along and not giggled.
"Thank you," Hermione said. "Is there a Bed & Breakfast near here or a hotel we could use?"
"There are a couple of reasonably priced B&B hotels just across the street you could try. A lot of hotels are fully booked these days, but give them a try."
"One more thing," said Hermione, suddenly wondering about tickets and whether their papers gave them free travel or not. "We're travelling on orders from the WAAF, will we have to buy tickets or are the fares waived?"
"Do you have your papers?" the woman asked.
Hermione retrieved her papers from her pocket, and feeling a little nervous, wondering if they really were accurate enough, she handed them over the counter. There's only one way to find out, she thought.
"Hmm." said the railway clerk. "Yes...hm...right. You will need to have tickets, but you won't have to pay. It seems you are covered by the Air Ministry's office. Just show these papers at the ticket office tomorrow."
"Thank you for all your help," Hermione said.
"No trouble at all," said the woman behind the counter.
"What were you giggling at?" Hermione asked Ginny, as they walked back to the doors of the station.
"It just struck me as funny about Platform 9. How close it is to, you know, our train."
"Oh," said Hermione. "I didn't think of that, I was concentrating so hard on what the woman was saying and hoping our papers were all right. But now you mention it, yeah, that is spooky."
It took some time to cross the busy road again, but while waiting to cross Hermione and Ginny had seen the signs across the street for two modest-looking hotels.
Finally getting across the road they tried the first hotel, with no luck. All rooms were booked, not so much as a single one available.
The second hotel they tried a few yards away had more luck for them.
"We'd like to rent a room for one night if you have one?" Hermione asked at the reception. "And we'd be leaving early tomorrow morning."
"We're very booked up," said the man at reception, flicking through the book in front of him. He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, balding, but had unfortunately taken the option of growing a long piece of hair from the side of this head and scraping it over his bald scalp. Never a good look, neither for muggles or wizards.
"Ah," he said, stopping on a page of the book. "We have one room left. But it's only a single."
"It's fine, it will do," Hermione said.
The hotel reception man charged them three shillings, and neither Hermione or Ginny knew if that was expensive or cheap. Hermione handed over the money and the man showed them to the room.
It was small and clean but as well as smelling a bit musty, it smelt of cigarette smoke. Hermione remembered that most places would smell like that in the 1940s; smoking was something the majority of people did, unfortunately. There was only the one single bed, and a tiny washbasin with small mirror above it, in the corner; there was also one small wardrobe, bedside cabinet and a small table with chair.
"The toilet and bathroom is down the hall," the man told them. "Remember the Blackout. As soon as you need lights, shut the curtains up. And if the sirens go, there's a large shelter outside at the back of the hotel. Get to that if you can. If you can't, huddle under the table, and pull some sheets and bedding over you. Breakfast is available at 7.30am. Here's your key, you can come and go as you please."
"Thanks," both Hermione and Ginny said, as the man left them, closing the door behind him.
"At least it's somewhere," said Ginny. "I'll take the floor, you can have the bed."
"I think there's enough room for both of us," Hermione said, almost measuring the bed with her eyes. She chuckled then, "We've been pretty snuggled up the past two nights, we've probably only used a single bed space anyway."
"All right, we'll try it," said Ginny. "But if it's not comfortable, I'll take the floor."
It was approaching midday now, but the two women decided to stay in the room and eat something from their picnic box. The rest of the day they thought they would read a little, and maybe take a short walk out later, before getting an early night.
"I suppose it would be too risky to try getting onto platform 9 and 3/4?" Ginny asked, as they sipped tea poured out from the flasks, savouring the flavour much more than the weak ditchwater-tea they had drunk earlier in the day.
"I think it would be very risky," Hermione answered. "I'd love to try it too, but it would look odd to see two WAAFs disappear through the barrier and equally odd for the magical world to see us appear too. Besides, doesn't the barrier shut completely when the train isn't there?"
"I don't think so," Ginny said, thinking. "That time Harry and Ron couldn't get onto the platform was because of Dobby blocking it."
"I think it's something we've got to leave well alone, sadly," said Hermione, feeling very wistful and remembering all the times she had been to the platform and boarded and unboarded the scarlet steam engine's carriages.
Hermione looked through some of her books to see if anything was written about that particular platform and any magical rules it might have, but neither she nor Ginny could find much information on it.
They did indeed go for a short walk, doing a circuit of the roads which surrounded the hotel, just wasting some time as much as anything, not really talking of anything in particular. Sometimes Hogwarts came into conversation, but it wasn't about the Battle, only talking of funny incidents and things they remembered from certain lessons, mostly gloating over anytime a Slytherin did something embarrassing or gained a bad homework mark and loss of House points.
Ginny and Hermione had a small snack from their food box again, for their dinner, and Hermione refilled the flasks with water from the washbasin. Using magic for making the tea was fairly safe where they were, and as she suspected the flasks had special properties, because the dregs of tea left before she refilled them were just as hot as the contents had been that morning, before they left Godric's Hollow. She was thankful that Ginny had insisted on taking lots of tea with them; at least they'd always have a fresh cuppa close at hand.
After a time the two girls prepared their things, ready for the morning, then set about getting ready for an early night.