Thank you to the ppl who reviewed.
I don't own anything. 'Cept my box. I sleep in it.
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A World Unknown-- Chapter 7: The Hogwarts Express
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The Kings Cross station in London Central was a sight to behold. It was a huge hanger with a polished glass ceiling. Every crevice of it was buzzing with activity and a sense of haste. Train whistles sounded throughout the corridors and steam filled the air.
The trip to London had been...interesting. She had gotten stuck on a seedy old bus that rumbled down the street at a walking pace and a 40-something year old man who smelled supspiscously of sickly-sweet marijuana, had slumped down next to her and fallen asleep at her shoulder.
Twice, Maggie had gotten on the wrong tram and had to ask for direction. Five times she had found herself moving in circles on the streets. Then, when she had finally found the station, she was faced with yet another frustration.
There was a platform 9 and a platform 10 but no platform 9 3/4 in sight.
Ok.
Once more. The ticket was printed on thick purple paper with gold leaf along the edge. No mistaking was the Large PLATFORM 9 3/4 printed near the top.
Any station attendants she dared to point this out to sneered down at her and sauntered off without reply.
A huge brick pillar separated the platforms 9 and 10 and arched up to the ceiling. Maggie leaned back on it and took into account her situation.
It was 4:23 in the morning.
She was in a train station.
In London.
With little money.
No food.
And a ticket That led to an imaginary place from an imaginary platform.
And not to mention that she looked like she had crawled out from under a rock. At her first opportunity, she had rushed into the ladies room to survey the damage. Her dress was torn, frayed and dirty. Blood was smeared across her leg and hands and had dried on the dress, barring the flowery pattern with its rusty color. Maggie almost thought this an improvement.
Almost.....
Her hair was in disarray and little wisps clung to her face. Thankfully, she had managed to hold on to her little leather waist pouch, which she had worn under the dress. It had a tiny bit of money, her first aid kit and a few pictures of her friends and family.
Things were beginning to look bleak.
.......................................
A few hours had passed since she had arrived at Kings Cross, and still, she had found no clue to the platforms whereabouts. She had kept moving so as not to attract any unwanted attention from the police, but she was running out of excuses to stay in the place where platform 9 and three frickin- quarters should be. Worst of all, she was running out of time! The 'Hogwarts Express' was scheduled to leave the station in 40 minutes!!
The confusing thing was, several strange looking people had disappeared into mid air when the got close to her.
Just like that bus......
Here comes another odd one, this time it was a boy about her age. He had flaming red hair and he was a few inches taller than most people in the crowd. That wasn't what made him odd though. Behind him was a huge trunk, not unlike the one that Harry had with him. Naturally, this made Maggie wary.
Mabye she was over-reacting. Possibly, this was normal behavior for people in London.
She was starting to doubt herself, when from around the corner, another figure followed the first boy. He was Maggie's height, he had glasses....black hair....
Oh Shit!!!
Maggie dropped down to her knees and hugged the ticket to her. She could just barely see Harry and the red-head from under the bench she was crouched behind. They walked up to the red brick pillar and leaned against it, chatting casually. She managed to pick up some of the conversation...
".....will be along soon," the tall one said. "Dad and mum are helping her with her trunk."
" Right." Harry nodded and lowered his voice before continuing. "What about that Maggie girl thought. She has my ticket. Will i even be allowed on?!"
"Don't be daft harry!" The other replied "You're the boy who lived! Of course you'll get on!"
The conversation was cut short when a pretty girl came around the corner. She had the same red hair as the boy but nowhere near the height. She was soon followed by a small man, and larger woman, also with the bright fiery hair. Between them, they carried a trunk and a cage, with a tiny noisy owl. It flitted its wings and chirped as loudly as it could.
"Shuttup Pig!" The boy said and threw his sweater over the cage to muffle the noise.
They all muttered a few words and leaned against the other side of the platform. A crowd passed between them and when the people thinned out, all of them were gone!
"NO!!"Maggie shouted and jumped to her feet.
The people around her jumped back, trying to get away from the crazy girl, and one of the platform officials fought through the crowd to grab her shoulder.
"You've been here all morning young lady!" The man said. "I think you had better come with me. We'll find your parents. What's your name then?"
Maggie frantically looked back and forth between the platform barrier and the Officer. That was twice now that he had gotten away! But how?
The officer gripped her wrist and pulled her through the crowd, away from the barrier and towards the office.
It would all be over. She would never know what happened to her aunt and uncle. She would never know what was so strange about Harry Potter. She would go back to Canada, and live a normal High-school life.
Nuh-Uh!
She struggled against the Man's grip, but he only tightened his hold and kept moving, so Maggie did the only thing she could think to do...........
She bit down on his wrist. Hard.
A sharp crunch and the metallic taste of blood in her mouth told her that she had succeeded.
With a shout, the officer pulled his hand away from hers and cradled it to his chest, but Maggie didn't give him time to act.
She tore through the crowd, heedless of the people that she knocked to the floor. The barrier was just ahead! All she needed to do now was......
...what? Disappear? !
Oh-man oh-man oh-man oh-man
She tried to grind herself to a stop before colliding with the hard brick of the barrier, but she was moving to fast, A foot came out of nowhere and sent her flying towards the wall. so instead, she threw up her arms to shield herself from the impact.
But it never came.
Well...not in the way she had expected.
When she opened her eyes again, she was tumbling across a platform, but neither platform 9 or 10.
She crashed into the legs of a boy with wicked-cool dreads and sent him falling backwards over her. Maggie lay there, not daring to open her eyes, so instead she pulled her arms around her and didn't move.
Not until the boy sat up, his legs still draped over.
"Wow!" He started." Are you ok? You must have tripped over something before you got to the barrier, right?" He stood and dusted himself off before holding a hand out to Maggie. She took it, if cautiously.
"I don't think I've seen you around her before... Are you a Ravenclaw? My name's Lee Jordan, by the way."
Not knowing what to do she just mumbled " ummm, yeah.. Ravenclaw." And because she didn't need anymore trouble than she all ready had, she told him her name was Kaliey Heinen.
"My friends are over there, so i have to go now." He said. " Hope to see you at Hogwarts Kaliey!"
Maggie's heart jumped in her chest! Hogwarts! She was on the right track! And sure enough, hanging above the platform was a purple and gold sign engraved with :
PLATFORM 9 3/4 : Hogwarts Express-- 7:15.
She waved to Lee as he walked off and smiled to herself. This wasn't so hard. Now all she needed to do was find out who these people were and where they were going. She spotted a girl, about her age with bushy brown hair spilling down her shoulders. She was sitting all alone on a bench, reading a book that was big enough to sink the British fleet. Maggie sat down next to her and started.
"Good book?"
The Girl jumped in her seat and slammed the book shut. Oops. I guess i startled her. Thought Maggie. Way to go.....
"Sorry!" Said the girl. "I didn't see you there!"
"Oh!" Maggie said "No, i should have given you some warning there."
They both started to laugh.
"My social skills need some help!" The girl managed to get out between giggles." My name is Hermione, what's yours?"
"Kaliey," Maggie said, using her alias. "I was just wondering.... (Oh man, she thought...i should have worked this through!) Ummm, ...what.... I mean... I'm an ..Exchange student!!!" She shouted the last part as it came to her. "From Canada!!"
Hermione gaped at her with her mouth hanging open. "I didn't know there were any wizarding schools in Canada!!"
Maggie almost fell off the bench. A WHAT school?! Are these people all insane?! Of course she didn't say this out loud. What she said was:
"Only the one....its..a shaman school! For old native wizarding healing techniques!" She stammered out.
Hermione Looked doubtful...
" What I was wondering," Maggie continued." Was if you could tell e anything about Hogwarts?"
Hermione Beamed. "As a matter of fact, I know all about Hogwarts." She said. " It's four houses are named after the founders.....................
Hermione went on for 15 Minutes and Maggie listened intently to every word. She learned about the houses, The founders, the sorting hat, the Headmaster Dumbledore, the moving staircases, the history, and countless other things.
".... And all the paintings are very friendly!" She said.
What the hell? Riiigghhhhtttt. Maggie thought.
Hermione surely would have continued for hours if the boarding whistle didn't interrupt her. She jumped up and her book spilled out of her lap. "Oh dear.." She said "we had better get on the train now."
Maggie helped Hermione load her trunk into an empty compartment near the back of the train and sat down across from her.
"Oh!" She said. "I almost forgot!! Wait till you meet Harry and Ron!"
Maggie's head snapped to attention. "Who? and Ron!?!?!"
"Harry Potter, of course! You must know all about him! Defeating you-know-who and all." She added. "They're my best friends and we usually sit in this compartment together. In fact, i think i hear them out there now!"
Maggie had nooo idea who you-know-who was but she wasn't about to let Harry Potter know that she was following him! She stammered something about needing to check on a friend and pulled the compartment door open. Hermione followed her into the corridor.
The train had already begun to move, so there was no getting off that way. As she turned towards the nearest door, to leave, Hermione gave a girlish squeal and said "Oh! Here they come!"
Sure enough, the Red haired boy from the platform was pulling open the opposite door. He hadn't spotted her yet because he was talking to somebody behind him, who Maggie had no doubt was Harry Potter.
Before Hermione had a chance to speak, Maggie was sprinting towards the door. Just as she hurled herself through it, she caught Hermione saying:
"Ron! Harry! I want you too meet Kaliey! She's from Canada, isn't that exciting?!"
Maggie doubted that either Ron or Harry found that exciting at all but she didn't care, she was too happy that she had escaped notice yet again. She checked in every compartment until she found an empty one.
Maggie stared out the window at the English countryside, blurred by speed and her weary eyelids. Her last thought before she drifted off to sleep was of The Grand Castle called Hogwarts that this train would bring her to see.
TBC.
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A/N: I don't think Maggie is going to see Harry again for a couple of chapters but that is OK. She will have more to think about! Thanks to all my reviewers!!:
Lalala: that's a key part of the plot, but I can't explain it till later chapters. Sowwy!
Soupofthedaysara: Thanx for reviewing. Like i said you ppl: go read the Book Of Jude NOW!!! Grrrrrrrrrr! *Shakes fist at you*
Tajuki: Yes. Yes. The dress is evil. Doesn't it make you want to just burn one right now?!
Shdurrani: wow, i can't pronounce your name. But thanx a lot!!
Anonymous: Mary-Sue needs some "help".........
Oh my! The reviews!! I like it so, yes. Please keep it up. It motivates me to write more often.
REVIEW!!
