Harry stepped out onto platform nine and three quarters, his breath making
a fog in the gloom. The Express had never left at such an antisocial hour
before, preferring to mask the schoolchildren in the usual bustle of Kings
Cross. Now, however, the extra security surrounding the school seemed to
include opening the station in the small hours and bewitching muggle
porters to shuffle around in a Zombified state, mimicking normal
operations. It crossed Harry's mind that there must have been a shift to
emphasising anti-wizard protections recently. Usually interference with the
non-wizarding world was kept to a minimum. One of the new anti-dark
measures no doubt, and not a comforting thought. The complete silence and
darkness of the place certainly added a creep factor to proceedings.
But where was everyone? The owl with his joining instructions had specified an extremely early joining time and although his magical encryption slug had revealed the words on the parchment itself (and left a trail of slime on the Dursleys' carpet which had taken many hours to clean up), Harry worried for the first time that he might have been tricked in some way. After all, it was just two years ago that Voldemort had tried to kill Harry by enchanting a Portkey to pull him away from the safety of Hogwarts. Harry had survived, but his friend and sometime rival Cedric had been killed by the Dark Leach at a younger age that Harry was now.
But he couldn't just stand here and reminisce. If this was a trap, he had to hide, and if it was a new security measure then he had to get to the right place. Harry couldn't just stand around on the platform waiting for the Grand Negativity to take a pot-shot. The brief image of Vodemort as a Ferenghi made him snicker. He palmed his wand to be on the safe side and walked along the platform to the nearest door, seemingly an entrance to some kind of daytime café. There was absolutely no sign of a train and peering through the windows he couldn't make out any people in the grey and unwelcoming interior. Still, it couldn't be any colder than out on the platform and he would feel better if he were less exposed.
When he opened the door, he had a shock. There was a warm crackling fire with many comfortable armchairs gathered around it. An old witch with her hair in and ice white bun was handing out Crackle Cakes and tea. He saw his friends Ron and Herminone nearest the fire toasting their cakes, which were crackling out streams of marshmallow in the most delightful way. There were a few dozen others from school propping up a Bubbling Chocolate bar and swapping summer stories.
When she looked over at him standing next to the open door, Herminone let out a yelp and ran over. Harry smiled when he saw his friend, and held out his arms, but Herminone just pushed past him and slammed the door shut with a bang.
"Harry, you idiot!", she admonished. "Didn't you know that an Inclusion Totalis spell only works when the door is shut? Or didn't you notice that we were invisible in here?"
He flushed, realising that she was entirely justified.
"I'm sorry Hermione. You know I'm so removed from the wizarding world during the summers that I forget quiet how concerned people are about his Evil Self. I'll be more careful from now on, really."
"Well, mind that you are. Oh Harry", she went on, "How worried I've been about you, after those horrid letters Voldemort sent you last year." With that she flung her arms around him. Harry hugged her back and finally felt himself unwind inside. He was back with people who loved him and he felt happy and safe. Catching sight of Ron over Hermione's shoulder, they exchanged a half smile, acknowledging her rather demonstrative affection.
"Just going to the bar", said Ron when Harry emerged. "Want anything?"
"Bournville Lava, thanks", said Harry. Herminone wrinkled her nose at this.
"I don't know how you can like your chocolate so bitter, Harry. I'll have a double Fudge Cream Geyser, Ron."
"What, another gooey Granger? Sure, but don't blame me when you get sick later."
Harry and Hermione made their way over to the fireplace and sat on the floor near the hearth. The place was getting more crowded now, parents Apparating directly into the building with their children. The legal age for Apparation had been lowered to eleven recently, under adult supervision only. Harry had learned how during his fifth year but without magical parents he had not been allowed to use his ability over the holidays.
The room may have been crowded, but there didn't seem to be nearly as many people as Harry was expecting.
"Hermione", he said in a low voice, "Where is everyone? I see Fred, George, most of the House Quidditch teams and Prefects, but it looks like this is only a cross section of the upper years. And where is the train?"
"I don't know", she answered. "There are a few strange things, now you come to mention it. The most notable being Malfoy, separated from his fat shadows."
Harry looked where she pointed and caught sight of the moody blonde standing near a window, talking to a Slytherin fifth year, Clare Avery. He seemed to be without his normal entourage, and a quick glance around the room told Harry that very few from his house were here. Curiouser and curiouser, he thought.
"Maybe they are sending us to school in shifts," he said. "That would make sense, not leaving everyone on the same transport- whatever that turns out to be. Less of a target for Dark terrorists."
"But then why not send a cross section?" she asked. "Look at us Harry- the guys here are the ones that stand out in a crowd. The students who do best in the tests and the best fliers. Or am I missing any selection criteria?"
"You might be on to something." Harry scanned the crowd, cataloguing the faces. It turned out that he knew them all, at least by sight. "Dumbledore must be behind this- maybe he wanted to round up anyone with influence and talk to them to set the tone for the new school year. You know- a pep rally of some kind."
"Everyone with influence- that's it! That's exactly the common denominator." Hermione's face lost her smile. "Harry, we're sitting ducks here. The backbone of the school- imagine if someone released some killer bug or something"-
"Well deducted Miss Granger!", came a voice from just behind them. Harry and Hermione jumped and turned round to be arrested by Dumbledore's compelling twinkle. He had Apparated into a squashy pink armchair just behind them. An armchair which Harry was certain had been occupied by two Ravenclaws making out just seconds before. "I would give points to Griffindor for such insights but unfortunately these things will be of little import this year. However, you are happily mistaken and there are in fact no agents of Voldemort abroad tonight."
With that he stood up and clapped his hands for everyone's attention.
A small dais rose from the corner of the room, startling Fred, who had been standing there demonstrating a Screaming Yoyo to Ginny. He soon cleared a space when he saw who was coming towards them. Dumbledore climbed the platform and faced the crowd of children and adults who gathered expectantly before him.
But where was everyone? The owl with his joining instructions had specified an extremely early joining time and although his magical encryption slug had revealed the words on the parchment itself (and left a trail of slime on the Dursleys' carpet which had taken many hours to clean up), Harry worried for the first time that he might have been tricked in some way. After all, it was just two years ago that Voldemort had tried to kill Harry by enchanting a Portkey to pull him away from the safety of Hogwarts. Harry had survived, but his friend and sometime rival Cedric had been killed by the Dark Leach at a younger age that Harry was now.
But he couldn't just stand here and reminisce. If this was a trap, he had to hide, and if it was a new security measure then he had to get to the right place. Harry couldn't just stand around on the platform waiting for the Grand Negativity to take a pot-shot. The brief image of Vodemort as a Ferenghi made him snicker. He palmed his wand to be on the safe side and walked along the platform to the nearest door, seemingly an entrance to some kind of daytime café. There was absolutely no sign of a train and peering through the windows he couldn't make out any people in the grey and unwelcoming interior. Still, it couldn't be any colder than out on the platform and he would feel better if he were less exposed.
When he opened the door, he had a shock. There was a warm crackling fire with many comfortable armchairs gathered around it. An old witch with her hair in and ice white bun was handing out Crackle Cakes and tea. He saw his friends Ron and Herminone nearest the fire toasting their cakes, which were crackling out streams of marshmallow in the most delightful way. There were a few dozen others from school propping up a Bubbling Chocolate bar and swapping summer stories.
When she looked over at him standing next to the open door, Herminone let out a yelp and ran over. Harry smiled when he saw his friend, and held out his arms, but Herminone just pushed past him and slammed the door shut with a bang.
"Harry, you idiot!", she admonished. "Didn't you know that an Inclusion Totalis spell only works when the door is shut? Or didn't you notice that we were invisible in here?"
He flushed, realising that she was entirely justified.
"I'm sorry Hermione. You know I'm so removed from the wizarding world during the summers that I forget quiet how concerned people are about his Evil Self. I'll be more careful from now on, really."
"Well, mind that you are. Oh Harry", she went on, "How worried I've been about you, after those horrid letters Voldemort sent you last year." With that she flung her arms around him. Harry hugged her back and finally felt himself unwind inside. He was back with people who loved him and he felt happy and safe. Catching sight of Ron over Hermione's shoulder, they exchanged a half smile, acknowledging her rather demonstrative affection.
"Just going to the bar", said Ron when Harry emerged. "Want anything?"
"Bournville Lava, thanks", said Harry. Herminone wrinkled her nose at this.
"I don't know how you can like your chocolate so bitter, Harry. I'll have a double Fudge Cream Geyser, Ron."
"What, another gooey Granger? Sure, but don't blame me when you get sick later."
Harry and Hermione made their way over to the fireplace and sat on the floor near the hearth. The place was getting more crowded now, parents Apparating directly into the building with their children. The legal age for Apparation had been lowered to eleven recently, under adult supervision only. Harry had learned how during his fifth year but without magical parents he had not been allowed to use his ability over the holidays.
The room may have been crowded, but there didn't seem to be nearly as many people as Harry was expecting.
"Hermione", he said in a low voice, "Where is everyone? I see Fred, George, most of the House Quidditch teams and Prefects, but it looks like this is only a cross section of the upper years. And where is the train?"
"I don't know", she answered. "There are a few strange things, now you come to mention it. The most notable being Malfoy, separated from his fat shadows."
Harry looked where she pointed and caught sight of the moody blonde standing near a window, talking to a Slytherin fifth year, Clare Avery. He seemed to be without his normal entourage, and a quick glance around the room told Harry that very few from his house were here. Curiouser and curiouser, he thought.
"Maybe they are sending us to school in shifts," he said. "That would make sense, not leaving everyone on the same transport- whatever that turns out to be. Less of a target for Dark terrorists."
"But then why not send a cross section?" she asked. "Look at us Harry- the guys here are the ones that stand out in a crowd. The students who do best in the tests and the best fliers. Or am I missing any selection criteria?"
"You might be on to something." Harry scanned the crowd, cataloguing the faces. It turned out that he knew them all, at least by sight. "Dumbledore must be behind this- maybe he wanted to round up anyone with influence and talk to them to set the tone for the new school year. You know- a pep rally of some kind."
"Everyone with influence- that's it! That's exactly the common denominator." Hermione's face lost her smile. "Harry, we're sitting ducks here. The backbone of the school- imagine if someone released some killer bug or something"-
"Well deducted Miss Granger!", came a voice from just behind them. Harry and Hermione jumped and turned round to be arrested by Dumbledore's compelling twinkle. He had Apparated into a squashy pink armchair just behind them. An armchair which Harry was certain had been occupied by two Ravenclaws making out just seconds before. "I would give points to Griffindor for such insights but unfortunately these things will be of little import this year. However, you are happily mistaken and there are in fact no agents of Voldemort abroad tonight."
With that he stood up and clapped his hands for everyone's attention.
A small dais rose from the corner of the room, startling Fred, who had been standing there demonstrating a Screaming Yoyo to Ginny. He soon cleared a space when he saw who was coming towards them. Dumbledore climbed the platform and faced the crowd of children and adults who gathered expectantly before him.