Sorry for the wait, our one reviewer *sob* (we are so sad) but someone (coucoughJuliacoucough) didn't finish writing this quick enough *glares pointedly at person*

Next chapter should be out quicker since I'm writing it.

~Rosey (who doesn't own any of the characters or plot)

Chapter Two

Platform Nine and Three Quarters

"Ron, hurry up! We're going to be late!" Mrs. Weasley called shrilly, herding the rest of her children to the portal where Ron would cross, for the first time in his life, into Platform Nine and Three Quarters and board the train.  His stomach was doing Wronski Feints and everything seemed very surreal, as if he were living in a dream.  "I can't believe we're going to be late!" His mother muttered once Ron had caught up.

"Mum, why can't I go to Hogwarts? I'm smart, loads smarter then Ron. I bet I could do better then he would at Hogwarts anyways. Please let me go…" Ron scowled at his sister. She was dropping to lower and lower measures to try and board the Hogwarts Express with him. In his heart of hearts, Ron really did not mind. He would have welcomed Ginny to come on the train with him. Even with her constant badger.

"Ginny, this is not the time to bother me. I'm on my last straw, we're going to be late, and your brothers are going to miss the train. Your father couldn't come because of work today and I'm going to hex the next person who bothers me…"

"Ah, ah, ah, Mum, can't do that in front of the muggles!" George cackled wickedly, wagging his finger in front of her.

"That's right, Mum," said Fred, with a maddening air of superior intellect, "your husband works for that field. You should know. Slipped your mind, perhaps?"

"Perhaps you were, busy, shall we say, last night?"

"Do tell, woman, we want the details…" Fred began, but Percy cut him off impatiently.

"Now really, you two, did you have to bring an image like that to mind?" The now-prefect snapped, casting meaningful looks at Ron and Ginny, who were completely clueless as to what was going on. Ron, however, had completely lost track of what the twins were insinuating, and knew from prior experience that that was a good thing.

"Come on," said Mrs. Weasley, breaking the conversation effectively. "We'll have to keep hurrying this station is packed with Muggles, of course. Now, what's the platform number?"

"Nine and three-quarters!" Ginny said. Ron frowned at her. "Mum, can't I go?"

"You're not old enough Ginny," his mother said for the thousandth time. "Now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

Percy pompously (but when wasn't he pompous?) hurried forward and, perfectly timed, disappeared among a crowd. "Fred, you next."

"I'm not Fred, I'm George!" Fred said. Ron rolled his eyes. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry George dear." Mrs. Weasley said, falling into the trap the twins always lay for her, every year.

"Only joking, I am Fred." Fred said with a grin and ran at the barrier.

"Hurry up Fred!" George called. Fred disappeared and George hurried after him.

 It was then Ron noticed that a boy with jet black hair was staring at them, almost… hungrily. As if they somehow contained the answers to all of life's problems. And the boy – he had to be Ron's age – looked as though he had many of those. And he was walking towards them.

"Excuse me." He said, very politely, Ron noted.

"Hello, dear."  His mother had adopted an expression that frightened Ron a bit. It was the sort of expression Ron had only seen her use on puppies and small children. If he were the other boy, he would be running. Fast. In the opposite direction. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."

His mother pointed at him and he felt himself flush.

"Yes. The thing is—the thing is, I don't know how to—"

"How to get onto the platform?" asked Mrs. Weasley kindly, warming up to the boy immediately.

The boy, looking thoroughly embarrassed now at being reduced to asking, nodded. Typical muggle-born. Ron thought to himself.

"Not to worry!" Ron rolled his eyes at her cheerful tone. As she explained the process of getting on to the platform, Ron tried to keep his breakfast down.

~

"Where ARE your brothers?" demanded Mrs. Weasley to Ron and Ginny, who were waiting with her. "Fred? George? Are you there?" she called into the first car they walked past.

"Coming, Mum." The twins replied in unison, jumping off the train. They each wore identical smiles that stated quite clearly that they were privy to very special information. Mrs. Weasley looked at her sons and opened her mouth as if to get something out of them, but closed it. Ron reckoned she probably decided it was safer not to know. His mother then turned to him with a handkerchief and, as if in loss, began to attack a spot on his nose with vigor.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose." She said, as if that were a reason for public humiliation beyond all belief.

"Mum-greoff!" Ron cried wriggling free.

"Ahh, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" simpered Fred.

"Shut up," Ron replied, feeling the tips of his ears redden.

"Where's Percy?" Mrs. Weasley asked, quick as always to diffuse an argument in the making.

"He's coming now." George replied sadly, taking his eyes off Ron. As if on George's cue, Percy came into view, his new crisp robes billowing around him and the Prefect badge in high prominence on his chest.

"Can't stay long Mother," he said pompously, adjusting his glasses. "I'm up front; the prefects have got two compartments to themselves-"

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" George asked with an air of great surprise. Ginny giggled softly, pressing a hand to her mouth. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," Fred said, a very large grin on his face, "Once-"

"or twice-"

"a minute-"

"all summer-"

"Oh, shut up," Said Prefect Percy, deflating a little. His ears had gone rather pink.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" Fred asked.

"Because he's a prefect." Said Mrs. Weasley fondly, straightening Percy's collar, much to Ron's disgust.. "All right, dear, well, have a good term - send me an owl when you get there." She kissed Percy and he left. She turned on the twins,

"Now, you two-this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've-you've blown up a toilet or-"

"Blown up a toilet?" Said George, his eyes widening. "We've never done that before!"

"Great idea though, thanks Mum!" Fred replied.

"It's not funny. And look after Ron."  Ron felt his ears redden again. His mother's lack of confidence in him was not very inspiring.

"Don't worry, Ickle Ronniekins is safe with us." Said Fred mock-seriously.

"Shut up." Ron replied testily.

Fred seemed to have noticed Ron's discomfort and quickly changed the subject. "Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?" Ah.  Thought Ron, So that was what the secret smile was about. He wondered vaguely if any famous Quidditch players went to Hogwarts.

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"

"Who?" Said Mrs. Weasley, looking very interested in spite of herself.

"Harry Potter!" Ron noticed that Ginny now looked more eager then he could ever remember seeing her, which figured, as she had been fascinated with his story ever since she had heard it.

"Mum, can I go on the train and see him? Mum, oh please…"

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo." She turned to Fred. "Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked him, saw his scar. It's really there – like lightning."

"Poor dear –" Mrs. Weasley began, and Ron was beginning to feel very, very sorry for Harry, if it was him. Dark Wizards were nothing compared to his mother when she was in her pity mood. "No wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."

"Never mind that, Mum," said Fred impatiently, "do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Mrs. Weasley switched her front very quickly to a much sterner one. "I forbid you to ask him, Fred, as if he needs to be reminded of that on his first day of school." The train whistled, and Ron's stomach, which was previously quiet, began to churn again in earnest. Ginny was beginning to sniffle a bit, and that didn't help much. He hated to see his sister cry.

"Oh, don't worry, Ginny." Said Fred desperately, he hated to see Ginny cry as much as Ron did. "We'll send you loads of owls."

"Yeah, we'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat." Added George.

"George!"

"I'm just kidding, Mum." The train began to move and Ron waved at his mother and Ginny, not trusting himself to speak, and ran onto the train, catching on and going inside the car.

He was off to Hogwarts.