Chapter 5: The Hogwarts Express
Dilandra was nervous. In a few hours, she would be making her way to her new school - Hogwarts. She checked the time on the kitchen clock for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was 9:30 am. She wasn't hungry, though her mother kept urging her to eat. Dilandra's stomach kept writhing and twisting inside of her, as though she'd swallowed a rather hyperactive snake. Her father was reading the morning paper as though it was just another ordinary day. He was already fully dressed. After forcing some toast and orange juice down her stomach, Dilandra climbed back upstairs to her bedroom. Nephthys was back from her overnight flight, and a small note was carefully attached to her legs. Dilandra hurried over, untied the string and opened the envelope. Two pieces of paper fell out - a ticket and a letter. Dilandra glanced at the gold writing on the ticket, which beared the words: HOGWARTS EXPRESS - PLATFORM 9¾ Slightly confused, Dilandra read the letter.
Dear Dilandra, This is your train ticket to Hogwarts. Stick to your ticket, Dilandra. It's very important. Your train leaves at precisely 11 o'clock at Kings Cross Station. You mustn't be late. Platform 9¾ is situated between Platforms 9 and 10. In order to catch your train, you must walk between the metal barriers between those platforms. Don't be scared - best do it at a run if you are nervous. Have a safe year at Hogwarts! Love, Uncle Nicky.
Dilandra glanced back and forth between the ticket and the letter. She had been wondering how she was actually going to be dropped off at Hogwarts. A train seemed a perfectly sensible idea. Remembering the time on the kitchen clock, Dilandra gave herself a strangled yell and hurried back downstairs. Getting to Kings Cross Station would take at least an hour - perhaps even more if there was heavy traffic. She burst into the kitchen, waving the letter in front of her mother and father's bewildered expressions. 'I have to get to Kings Cross Station by 11 o'clock!' she gasped. Dilandra allowed her parents a few seconds of letting the information sink in, before her mother snatched the letter out of her daughter's grasp. 'Mark, do you think it ok to take a few hours of work off this morning?' Angela Bryden asked her husband, in an utterly calm manner. Dilandra's father nodded, and put down his teacup. 'Best be off, then.' This was not the reaction Dilandra was expecting. A little panic from her parents would help, maybe - just as so to make sure Dilandra wasn't the only one with a twisted stomach. 'Right then,' she said, 'I'll be upstairs, err- getting ready. Hang on .' Dilandra mounted the stairs two at a time, thinking that it was a shame Celeste was out shopping with her friends. Grabbing her textbooks and stuffing them into her trunk, she felt strangely separated from the reality - as though this was not - could not - be happening. Dilandra pushed away those thoughts and reached for Nephthys' cage.
They arrived at Kings Cross Station with 15 minutes to spare. Pushing her trolley and striding purposefully towards Platform 9 and 10, Dilandra stared doubtfully at the barrier - it looked too solid for her liking. Taking a deep breath and feeling very nervous, Dilandra strode purposely towards the metal wall. Feeling now quite nauseous, she shut her eyes as the barrier drew closer - and closer . She didn't feel a crash. She ran a bit more. Opening her eyes as though to expect the worse, Dilandra found herself squinting at a rather large scarlet engine, its front proudly bearing the words: HOGWARTS EXPRESS. She'd made it. A few seconds later, Dilandra's parents appeared out of nowhere, they were absolutely thrilled at the fact, but nervously began to shuffle her onto the train, helping her to lift the heavy trunk off the trolley. Nephthys was asleep in her cage. Other students had also arrived and there was a sound of scraping trunks and chatter over the platform. Dilandra's mother fussed over her daughter. 'Make sure you write to us as soon as you arrive at Hogwarts, dear.' 'Yes, mum.' 'Are you cold? Do you want your jumper?' 'No, I'm fine, thanks .' 'Here's your lunch, make sure you eat it - all.' 'Yes, mum.' 'We'll all miss you - I daresay even Celeste -' 'Yes, mum.' Dilandra felt a lump in her throat. She glanced at her father. 'Good luck, honey.' 'Thanks, dad.' she whispered 'Tell Celeste I'll miss her - in my own way.' 'Yes, dear.' The train hooted and steam issued from the side of the engine. It was time to go. Dilandra stepped back onto the train and leaned against the compartment window. Her parents were still standing on the platform; her mother dabbed at her eye with her handkerchief. Dilandra felt quite hollow and stretched inside - half of her wanted to leave but the other half wished to remain behind. Guards were walking along the train, shutting the doors. But before they reached her compartment, Dilandra had leapt from the train and ran to her parents, embracing them with a large bear hug. 'Oh, darling . we'll miss you too.' Her mother kept whispering, stroking her daughter's hair 'But you have to go, sweetie.' Dilandra nodded but didn't let go. A whistle sounded and the train began to move. Her mother pushed her back towards the train and threw open the door. Dilandra reluctantly boarded then waved goodbye to her parents, as though she couldn't stop. Until the train turned a corner and they had disappeared.
Dilandra was nervous. In a few hours, she would be making her way to her new school - Hogwarts. She checked the time on the kitchen clock for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was 9:30 am. She wasn't hungry, though her mother kept urging her to eat. Dilandra's stomach kept writhing and twisting inside of her, as though she'd swallowed a rather hyperactive snake. Her father was reading the morning paper as though it was just another ordinary day. He was already fully dressed. After forcing some toast and orange juice down her stomach, Dilandra climbed back upstairs to her bedroom. Nephthys was back from her overnight flight, and a small note was carefully attached to her legs. Dilandra hurried over, untied the string and opened the envelope. Two pieces of paper fell out - a ticket and a letter. Dilandra glanced at the gold writing on the ticket, which beared the words: HOGWARTS EXPRESS - PLATFORM 9¾ Slightly confused, Dilandra read the letter.
Dear Dilandra, This is your train ticket to Hogwarts. Stick to your ticket, Dilandra. It's very important. Your train leaves at precisely 11 o'clock at Kings Cross Station. You mustn't be late. Platform 9¾ is situated between Platforms 9 and 10. In order to catch your train, you must walk between the metal barriers between those platforms. Don't be scared - best do it at a run if you are nervous. Have a safe year at Hogwarts! Love, Uncle Nicky.
Dilandra glanced back and forth between the ticket and the letter. She had been wondering how she was actually going to be dropped off at Hogwarts. A train seemed a perfectly sensible idea. Remembering the time on the kitchen clock, Dilandra gave herself a strangled yell and hurried back downstairs. Getting to Kings Cross Station would take at least an hour - perhaps even more if there was heavy traffic. She burst into the kitchen, waving the letter in front of her mother and father's bewildered expressions. 'I have to get to Kings Cross Station by 11 o'clock!' she gasped. Dilandra allowed her parents a few seconds of letting the information sink in, before her mother snatched the letter out of her daughter's grasp. 'Mark, do you think it ok to take a few hours of work off this morning?' Angela Bryden asked her husband, in an utterly calm manner. Dilandra's father nodded, and put down his teacup. 'Best be off, then.' This was not the reaction Dilandra was expecting. A little panic from her parents would help, maybe - just as so to make sure Dilandra wasn't the only one with a twisted stomach. 'Right then,' she said, 'I'll be upstairs, err- getting ready. Hang on .' Dilandra mounted the stairs two at a time, thinking that it was a shame Celeste was out shopping with her friends. Grabbing her textbooks and stuffing them into her trunk, she felt strangely separated from the reality - as though this was not - could not - be happening. Dilandra pushed away those thoughts and reached for Nephthys' cage.
They arrived at Kings Cross Station with 15 minutes to spare. Pushing her trolley and striding purposefully towards Platform 9 and 10, Dilandra stared doubtfully at the barrier - it looked too solid for her liking. Taking a deep breath and feeling very nervous, Dilandra strode purposely towards the metal wall. Feeling now quite nauseous, she shut her eyes as the barrier drew closer - and closer . She didn't feel a crash. She ran a bit more. Opening her eyes as though to expect the worse, Dilandra found herself squinting at a rather large scarlet engine, its front proudly bearing the words: HOGWARTS EXPRESS. She'd made it. A few seconds later, Dilandra's parents appeared out of nowhere, they were absolutely thrilled at the fact, but nervously began to shuffle her onto the train, helping her to lift the heavy trunk off the trolley. Nephthys was asleep in her cage. Other students had also arrived and there was a sound of scraping trunks and chatter over the platform. Dilandra's mother fussed over her daughter. 'Make sure you write to us as soon as you arrive at Hogwarts, dear.' 'Yes, mum.' 'Are you cold? Do you want your jumper?' 'No, I'm fine, thanks .' 'Here's your lunch, make sure you eat it - all.' 'Yes, mum.' 'We'll all miss you - I daresay even Celeste -' 'Yes, mum.' Dilandra felt a lump in her throat. She glanced at her father. 'Good luck, honey.' 'Thanks, dad.' she whispered 'Tell Celeste I'll miss her - in my own way.' 'Yes, dear.' The train hooted and steam issued from the side of the engine. It was time to go. Dilandra stepped back onto the train and leaned against the compartment window. Her parents were still standing on the platform; her mother dabbed at her eye with her handkerchief. Dilandra felt quite hollow and stretched inside - half of her wanted to leave but the other half wished to remain behind. Guards were walking along the train, shutting the doors. But before they reached her compartment, Dilandra had leapt from the train and ran to her parents, embracing them with a large bear hug. 'Oh, darling . we'll miss you too.' Her mother kept whispering, stroking her daughter's hair 'But you have to go, sweetie.' Dilandra nodded but didn't let go. A whistle sounded and the train began to move. Her mother pushed her back towards the train and threw open the door. Dilandra reluctantly boarded then waved goodbye to her parents, as though she couldn't stop. Until the train turned a corner and they had disappeared.