Revolutions

Chapter 2: King's Cross

By Seadragon

~

I followed my parents back into the kitchen, and was surprised to see a trunk where there hadn't been one only half an hour ago. It was now nine forty-five am, and according to that letter, I am supposed to catch a train in an hour and fifteen minutes, and I still have no idea what is going on.

But apparently there is no time for that now. The second I stepped foot in the kitchen, Dad sent me upstairs to grab any last things I might need. Shrugging my shoulders, I did so.

There wasn't really much I wanted to bring. What I did bring was a photo of me, Dad, and Da just last summer, after my football team won the championship game, my favorite football, my watch, and my favorite book, It Could Be Worse, by Alanna Westerly.

Looking around my room for what might be the last time in a while, I noticed quite a few things were missing. Mostly clothes, and stuff like that, and my football posters. Something strange was going on, those things had been in here when I woke up, and no one had been in my room since then. I shrugged again, and headed downstairs.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, Da took my things from me and tossed them into the open trunk, which, I was pleased to notice, had my full name stamped across the top. I also noticed they weren't wearing their normal clothes anymore. Instead, they both wore robes like Mr. Ollivander had, except a lot nicer.

Dad's were emerald green, almost exactly the same color as our eyes. Da's were silver. They both looked more comfortable than I had seen them in all my twelve years.

It hit me then how little I really knew about my parents.

"Come on James! We only have an hour before your train leaves." Da said, taking my hand and pulling me towards the front door. Dad was waiting there, my trunk next to him.

Dad lifted the trunk and carried it to the open boot of our car, Da and I following closely behind. I was still in a kind of shocked daze. Things were happening so fast. Only an hour ago I had woken up to my dad yelling up the stairs. Since then I had found out I was a wizard, gotten a wand, and had begun moving out. And I'm only twelve years old.

I got in the back of the car, Da was driving, and Dad was riding shotgun.

Thinking about all that had happened today led me to wonder what Mr. Ollivander had meant when he said I was a year later. I had only gotten my letter an hour ago, after all.

I sunk down into my seat as we pulled out of the driveway. It was only a thirty minute drive to King's Cross Station, so we should get there with time to spare. But I still have no idea what is going to be waiting for me there. I had never heard of this place before today, by Mr. Ollivander had treated my parents like he knew them.

And what had he meant by I was a year late? That part was still really bugging me. We drove in silence for all of about three minutes before Dad turned around to face me.

"Don't worry James, you'll love it there." Da nodded in agreement, even though we could only see the back of his head.

I couldn't help it any more. I had to know. "Dad, what did he mean by I'm a year late?"

They both shuffled uncomfortably, but in the end Dad sighed. I took that to mean he was going to explain even though he didn't want to. So I waited patiently.

"Young wizards and witches generally start Hogwarts when they're eleven. You would have too, but there were," Dad paused for a second, I think he was trying to find the right word. "Circumstances." He finished, nodding to himself.

I nodded along with him, not really knowing why. Was he telling me that I could have gotten away from Roger and co. a whole year ago? I felt angry for a minute or so, but it soon passed. Obviously they had had a good reason for keeping me back.

"Does this mean I'll skip a year? Or will I be with people a year younger than me?" I asked nervously, already I was worried people would find something to tease me about. Being held back a year is not a good way to start at a new school.

"They'll probably put you up with the second years, you'll catch on quick, don't worry." Dad said reassuringly. I don't know if he meant I was smart, or that the work was easy. For the sake of my ego, I went with the first.

Contrary to every other car trip, or any trip for that matter, that we had ever been on, we lapsed into silence. It was more comfortable that way today. I still don't understand what exactly is going to happen now, but I should sooner or later. Now, I'm just nervous. I won't know anyone, or anything about this place.

But as we pulled into the parking lot, I felt the first flutters of excitement at the pit of my stomach. It was my parents turn to be nervous, I could see it on their faces even as we got out of the car. Dad ran to get a trolley for my stuff and Da got the trunk out of the boot of the car with a little difficulty.

As he put it on the trolley, I wasn't sure whether I was more nervous, or excited. It was a tough call. I mean, I was headed off to a whole other world that I knew nothing about. I could count on one hand the wizards and/or witches I had met. Actually, I can count them on one finger.

These are all reasons that I could be excited, or nervous. This is a fresh start, where no one knows who I am, or beats me up because I'm not normal. Because everyone at this school isn't normal. Not if they are all witches or wizards.

We walked into the terminal and my parents were going slowly whiter the farther we got. Dad was pushing the trolley, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles were as white as his face. I took Da's hand and he nearly broke my fingers.

I gave them both a slightly frightened look, but they didn't notice. As we got closer to platform nine, his grip just got tighter. Also, there were quite a few people with trunks like mine. Some even had owls in cages on top. I watched in fascination as one boy with his mother hurried along in front of us. Everyone was too busy to notice us, and my parents seemed happy about that.

We got to a certain point, and the people I had seen seconds ago were gone. I looked around curiously, and saw two girls, one about a year older than me, the other at least sixteen. They were headed straight towards a platform barrier, talking to each other, not looking where they were going.

I was about to shout out a warning to them but Da squeezed my hand and distracted me. When I looked up again, the girls were gone.

"Alright James, are you ready?" He asked, a tight smile on his face.

"Ready for what?" I said curiously. I mean, we were at the train station, but I had no idea where to go from there.

"To go through the barrier to the platform. Just do it at a run, this is where we have to leave you." Dad said, handing me the trolley.

I felt hot tears rushing to my eyes. I wanted to latch onto both of them and never let go. I was only twelve years old, not nearly old enough to leave home and go to a boarding school!

Dad smiled reassuringly, and gave me a hug. "Don't worry James, you'll see us before you know we're gone. You are coming home for Christmas holidays, aren't you?" I nodded into his shoulder.

Dad released me and Da gave me a hug as well. Willing myself not to cry, I sniffed. "Love you."

"I love you too James." Dad said with a smile.

"Love you always." Da added and they watched as I ran towards the barrier. I nearly froze with fear as I approached it, but blinked through the tears that were filling my eyes and kept running. Finally, I just squeezed my eyes shut, expecting a painful crash.

I was quite surprised when it didn't come. I opened my eyes and nearly shut them again and ran back through the barrier to my parents. It took a lot of willpower not to. There were at least a hundred people milling around the platform, which, I soon learned, was Platform 9 ¾, which was strange by itself. But add a bright red, old fashioned train? This just got weirder and weirder.

All around me, people were saying goodbye to friends and family and boarding the train. I didn't know what to do with my trunk, so I just pulled it off the trolley with a lot of effort, and dragged it over to the train. I stood there for a minute, looking at it stupidly. I nearly cried with relief when a boy who looked about fourteen stopped next to me.

"D'you need some help?" He asked me kindly, I nodded gratefully and he smiled. "Your first time here?"

I nodded again, feeling a little shy.

"You're gonna want your robes, and maybe some money on the train." The boy said, gesturing to my trunk. I nodded once again, feeling a bit like a puppet, and popped it open. I dug through it a bit and pulled out some folded black material, and a little bag that rattled when it moved. I hoped these were the right things, and shut the trunk.

The boy, who had shocking red hair, picked it up easily and tossed it into a storage compartment. "See you around." He said as he hoped onto the train. I muttered thanks as he disappeared, but I'm willing to bet that he didn't hear me. I checked my watch and got on the train in much the same way the other boy had, if somewhat awkwardly. There was only ten minutes until the train left now.

Slowly, I walked down the aisle way, passing by each compartment until I found an empty one. For some reason I didn't really want to sit with anyone unless I had to. I sat down and dumped my stuff on the seat next to me. Leaning against the window, I watched people's parents leaving through the barrier.

I guess this meant that everyone was on the train by now. I was proved right when the train started moving, slowly at first, but picking up speed as it went along. I watched the platform disappear into the distance and the landscape blur past.

And then the compartment door opened.