Part 17
September 1st dawned sunny, but raw and chilly, promising rain.
Star and her mother arrived at King's Cross ten minutes early.
"What platform are you supposed to be at, Star?" her mother asked.
"Nine and three-quarters," Star answered.
"Okay, Nine and three-quarters…" her mother mused, passing Platform Nine, then Ten, then doubling back to halt somewhere between the two.
"I don't see it, do you?" Star asked.
"Star!" shouted a familiar voice. Star turned, Draco was running toward her, pushing his trolley. Star watched him draw nearer, but he didn't stop. He just kept running at the brick wall between Platform Nine and Ten.
'Is he crazy??' Star thought as Draco jumped onto the back of his trolley and whizzed past her. He grinned at her.
"Follow me!" he yelled, just as he hit the barrier-but the funny thing was, he never hit it. He had simply gone through the barrier.
Star stood there for a full thirty seconds, stunned. Then, she did the only thing she could do- followed Draco's advice. Taking her trolley, and tossing a "Bye!" over her shoulder to her mother, started to run at the barrier. But instead of hitting the wall, she simply slipped through it, just like Draco had.
Star found herself before a scarlet steam engine. Behind her was a wrought- iron archway that said Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, right where the barrier had been. The entire platform was packed with boys and girls all with trolleys.
"About time," Star jumped and whirled around. Draco was a few yards away, leaning on his trolley, grinning. "I was just about to go back and get you!" Star made a face at him.
"C'mon," he said. "I've got us a compartment saved." He helped load her trunk and Orion's cage into the compartment, then loaded his own. They sat down, Crabbe and Goyle were already there.
"Do they have to sit with us?" Star whispered. "They give me the creeps."
Draco promptly turned to his cronies.
"Crabbe, Goyle," he said to them. "Find somewhere else to sit, this time." They stood and filed out of the compartment, looking completely unoffended.
A moment after they left, the compartment door slid open, and Pansy Parkinson peered in.
"Oh, hi, Draco! I didn't know anyone was in here! Mind if I sit with you?" she squealed, completely ignoring Star's presence.
"Oh, darn, Pansy!" Draco said, looking disappointed. "I would love for you to sit with us, but Crabbe and Goyle are sitting here."
Pansy's pug face fell. "Oh…" then she brightened. "Well, next time, then!" she shrieked, and then was gone, leaving Star and Draco with that familiar drained feeling.
"Hey, I almost forgot to ask," Star said to Draco presently. "At your party, when we played 'Seven Minutes in Heaven'…" she blushed. "Who did Pansy really end up with?"
Draco let out a snort, and began to giggle uncontrollably, doubled over in his seat. Star's eyes widened as she stared at him, bewildered.
"What?" she said. "Who was it?" Draco opened his mouth, but no sound came out-he was laughing too hard.
"C'mon, tell me!" Star demended, her curiosity now peaked.
Draco sat back, the back of one hand across his mouth, still shaking with silent laughter. Fighting to keep a straight face, he finally composed himself enough to whisper the name,
"Goyle!" before collapsing into another fit of snorts.
Star snorted too, and was soon overcome with giggles, and started Draco laughing again just as he was calming down.
The train picked up speed. Draco and Star spent a good ten minutes laughing. Just as one was just beginning to sober, the other would snort, "Goyle!" and that would set the other one off.
September 1st dawned sunny, but raw and chilly, promising rain.
Star and her mother arrived at King's Cross ten minutes early.
"What platform are you supposed to be at, Star?" her mother asked.
"Nine and three-quarters," Star answered.
"Okay, Nine and three-quarters…" her mother mused, passing Platform Nine, then Ten, then doubling back to halt somewhere between the two.
"I don't see it, do you?" Star asked.
"Star!" shouted a familiar voice. Star turned, Draco was running toward her, pushing his trolley. Star watched him draw nearer, but he didn't stop. He just kept running at the brick wall between Platform Nine and Ten.
'Is he crazy??' Star thought as Draco jumped onto the back of his trolley and whizzed past her. He grinned at her.
"Follow me!" he yelled, just as he hit the barrier-but the funny thing was, he never hit it. He had simply gone through the barrier.
Star stood there for a full thirty seconds, stunned. Then, she did the only thing she could do- followed Draco's advice. Taking her trolley, and tossing a "Bye!" over her shoulder to her mother, started to run at the barrier. But instead of hitting the wall, she simply slipped through it, just like Draco had.
Star found herself before a scarlet steam engine. Behind her was a wrought- iron archway that said Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, right where the barrier had been. The entire platform was packed with boys and girls all with trolleys.
"About time," Star jumped and whirled around. Draco was a few yards away, leaning on his trolley, grinning. "I was just about to go back and get you!" Star made a face at him.
"C'mon," he said. "I've got us a compartment saved." He helped load her trunk and Orion's cage into the compartment, then loaded his own. They sat down, Crabbe and Goyle were already there.
"Do they have to sit with us?" Star whispered. "They give me the creeps."
Draco promptly turned to his cronies.
"Crabbe, Goyle," he said to them. "Find somewhere else to sit, this time." They stood and filed out of the compartment, looking completely unoffended.
A moment after they left, the compartment door slid open, and Pansy Parkinson peered in.
"Oh, hi, Draco! I didn't know anyone was in here! Mind if I sit with you?" she squealed, completely ignoring Star's presence.
"Oh, darn, Pansy!" Draco said, looking disappointed. "I would love for you to sit with us, but Crabbe and Goyle are sitting here."
Pansy's pug face fell. "Oh…" then she brightened. "Well, next time, then!" she shrieked, and then was gone, leaving Star and Draco with that familiar drained feeling.
"Hey, I almost forgot to ask," Star said to Draco presently. "At your party, when we played 'Seven Minutes in Heaven'…" she blushed. "Who did Pansy really end up with?"
Draco let out a snort, and began to giggle uncontrollably, doubled over in his seat. Star's eyes widened as she stared at him, bewildered.
"What?" she said. "Who was it?" Draco opened his mouth, but no sound came out-he was laughing too hard.
"C'mon, tell me!" Star demended, her curiosity now peaked.
Draco sat back, the back of one hand across his mouth, still shaking with silent laughter. Fighting to keep a straight face, he finally composed himself enough to whisper the name,
"Goyle!" before collapsing into another fit of snorts.
Star snorted too, and was soon overcome with giggles, and started Draco laughing again just as he was calming down.
The train picked up speed. Draco and Star spent a good ten minutes laughing. Just as one was just beginning to sober, the other would snort, "Goyle!" and that would set the other one off.