CHAPTER 3
~The Extraordinary Ride~
The weeks passed and in no time at all, Harry, Hermione and the rest of the Weasleys were packing up their trunks with their new school books, potion ingredients, parchment and quills. Ron had a particularly hard time trying to stuff a squealing Pigwedgion back into his cage because the tiny owl seemed so excited it looked as though it was going to have a heart attack any minute.
Finally, the Ministry cars Mr Weasley had borrowed (he works for the Ministry of Magic) were loaded with heavy trunks, Crookshanks (Hermione's flat-faced, ginger cat which was the size of a small tiger) and hooting owls. They rode to King's Cross Station with fifteen minutes to spare before the Hogwarts Express departs. All the same, they decided to cross the barrier to load their things into the scarlet steam train. Now the trick into getting there was going through the solid barrier between Platforms nine and ten into Platform nine and three-quarters.
Mrs Weasley and Ginny (Ron's younger and only sister) went first. Then Mr Weasley and the twins. And last were Hermione, Harry and Ron. They decided to act as though they were deep in conversation and leant very casually through the solid barrier so they wouldn't attract any Muggle attention.
The hidden Platform materialised before them. Hogwarts Express was already there, steam billowing from it. A lot of other wizards and witches were also boarding the train, with their parents helping them with their heavy trunks. Owls of every breed and colour were hooting to each other; cats were meowing here and there; and Pigwidgeon seemed like he was going to explode with all the excitement.
"We'd better put our stuff in," Ron said. "You know, so we can get a decent compartment." Harry and Hermione agreed and with a bit of extra hands, they were able to heave their trunk and pets in. The train whistled loudly signalling that it was to leave in three minutes. Harry turned to Mr and Mrs Weasley.
"Thank you so much having me over Mrs Weasley," he said in a very grateful voice.
"Yes, and thank you too for having me over," Hermione said, smiling.
"Oh it was nothing, dears," she said warmly, giving Harry and Hermione a goodbye hug each. "You're welcome anytime," she added. Then she turned to her sons and Ginny to give them a goodbye kiss and hug. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked into their compartment—Harry feeling very happy because he was about to go back to his school, the only place that really felt like a home to him except of course, the Weasley's home.
As the train started to move, the three of them leant out their window to wave their last goodbyes to Mr and Mrs Weasley.
"See you next summer!" they called, waving.
As they settled back in their seats, Ron and Harry played a game of wizard chess with Ron's old and battered chess set; Hermione entertained herself with one of their new school books: Extremely Interesting Things about Arithmancy by Gregoria Shillfeld. By the time the witch who pushed the trolley filled with food and drinks came, all three of them were ravenous so they bought themselves a handful of Cauldron Cakes, Chocolate Frogs, Fizzing Whizzbees, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, Pumpkin Pasty, Licorice Wands and loads of icy cold Pumpkin Juice for when they get thirsty.
They were eating away, Ron and Harry still playing chess when something odd happened. Ron's knight had just finished tackling Harry's king to the chess board when an unearthly song filled their train compartment. Harry suddenly felt relaxed and calm…every single worry completely driven from his mind. The song kept going…singing…making Harry sort of sleepy…but then it started to go away…as though someone was turning the volume down…Harry didn't want it to go…he liked it's song…please don't go…Harry thought desperately.
He opened his eyes with great difficulty and looked out the window. He saw a bird, flying fast…it's tails didn't look like an ordinary bird's though…in fact it was glittering and shining…twinkling in the light…rainbow colours shined from it…
It's song nearly gone now, the bird flew closer to the window and Harry was able to tell what it was—a Phoenix. He had seen a phoenix before; Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, owned one, his name was Fawkes and Fawkes had helped save Harry's life in his second year…
Then suddenly a voice…a voice that sounded from far away…distant…said the words which made Harry's hands fly to the scar on his forehead…Voldemort. And the song stopped. Harry lay crouched, on all fours, on the floor, his hands on his face, massaging his lighting bolt shaped scar. He turned to Hermione and Ron who looked scared.
"Harry, are you alright?" Ron said with uneasiness.
"I saw the phoenix outside the window," Hermione said looking outside as though expecting the phoenix to come back and suddenly say hello. "It was ever so beautiful when it was flying," she added dreamily. Then her face too, gave a worried expression.
"What do you mean? Y-you didn't hear it singing or w-what it said?" Harry looked at them.
"No, it didn't say anything did it?" said Ron, eyes wide.
"Y-You didn't hear what it said?" Harry asked quietly.
"Harry, what's up?" Hermione said looking at Harry with concern. "The phoenix didn't say anything did it?"
"Oh yes it did. You didn't hear it too? It said Voldemort's name when the song was nearly finished. Then it ended." Hermione and Ron were both looking at him as if he was talking in a different language. "What? You don't believe me?" He asked them incredulously.
"Well…Harry, I mean…are you sure you heard it right?" Hermione asked Harry in disbelief.
"Yeah…I'm sure…why else would my scar have hurt?"
The discussion ended there, however. Ron and Hermione were still looking at Harry doubtfully so he decided not to continue. Instead he looked out the window watching as different landscapes came into view.
