Chapter 2
Harry had managed to survive the last few days on Privet Drive and was ecstatic to discover that today was September 1st, the day that he would be catching the train and heading off to school. His Aunt and Uncle had dropped him off at the station and sped off, not bothering to make sure he caught the train; honestly that was a blessing. Harry was glad to be rid of them.
He pushed the cart containing his trunk and Hedwig within her cage through the station, coming to the space between Platforms 9 and 10, here he would have to go through the dividing pole and enter Platform 9 ¾. But Harry had to be sure that no Muggles (Non-magic folk) spotted him in the act. He started to casually walk towards the pole and kept going, disappearing through the divider and finding himself on the familiar Platform staring at the train that brought him to Hogwarts, year after year. Well except that year he and Ron had traveled by flying car.
Harry looked around, all about him students were saying farewell to parents or boarding the train. The hoots and screeches of owls were heard all around; obviously the animals were excited to be getting back to Hogwarts as well. He looked around, trying to find a familiar face, so far none was to be found, "Maybe they're already on the train." Harry thought to himself.
At that moment though Harry was knocked forward. He fell to the ground and Hedwig gave an angry screech as her cage clattered onto the Platform. Luckily, Harry had stopped himself from falling flat on his face, he narrowed his eyes and got himself up, whipping around to see whom his assailant was. A girl sheepishly looked at him, blushing furiously. She had red hair that was down to her shoulders and had bright blue eyes.
"S-Sorry Harry." The girl stammered.
Harry grinned, immediately recognizing the girl before him, it was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister. She had grown over the summer since he had last seen her, by now she was about 15, one year under Harry and her brother. From behind her came a cart rushing their way, a boy who had about the same shade of red hair and freckles came trotting over. "Harry!" It Ron Weasley himself, and he had grown as well, in height. He grinned and excitedly started chatting with Harry, trying to catch up as quickly as possible it seemed.
"You're all going to miss the train." Came a calm voice from the direction of the train. The boys and Ginny looked over. There was a girl leaning out the train door, her brown hair and black robes being blown about by the wind that had picked up by the train, she had dark brown eyes and was proudly bearing the silver badge of a Prefect.
"Did you save us a place, the usual compartment?" Ron asked, smirking.
The girl rolled her eyes, "Yes of course, now hurry up." She turned to help some of the younger students find their way onto the train.
"Hermione's already is starting her Prefect duties." Ron muttered as he started for the train. Harry grinned and pushed his cart ahead, following after.
"Hey Hermione." Harry said with a smile as he dragged his trunk up.
".Yes, you'll get changed on the train, now go on, catch up with your friends." Hermione said with a smile to a first year. She turned back to Harry smiling even more "Hello, how have you been?"
"Alright I guess," Harry answered, starting for the usual compartment that the three shared.
"Aren't you going to ask about how I am?" Ron asked, nudging Hermione with an elbow.
She sighed, "Fine Ron. How are you?"
Ron grinned and pulled out a chocolate frog, which leapt onto Hermione's robes. The girl gave a startled shriek and then looked at the hopping sweet. She frowned. "Ron seriously, do you ever intend to grow up?"
"Oh don't be such a prude." Ron said with a mischievous smirk.
Hermione smacked Ron in the back of his head and started towards the compartment with a huff.
Harry couldn't stifle his laughter, "I think you deserved that."
Ron, who was rubbing the back of his head, grumbled a reply. "She is being a prude though."
Harry had managed to survive the last few days on Privet Drive and was ecstatic to discover that today was September 1st, the day that he would be catching the train and heading off to school. His Aunt and Uncle had dropped him off at the station and sped off, not bothering to make sure he caught the train; honestly that was a blessing. Harry was glad to be rid of them.
He pushed the cart containing his trunk and Hedwig within her cage through the station, coming to the space between Platforms 9 and 10, here he would have to go through the dividing pole and enter Platform 9 ¾. But Harry had to be sure that no Muggles (Non-magic folk) spotted him in the act. He started to casually walk towards the pole and kept going, disappearing through the divider and finding himself on the familiar Platform staring at the train that brought him to Hogwarts, year after year. Well except that year he and Ron had traveled by flying car.
Harry looked around, all about him students were saying farewell to parents or boarding the train. The hoots and screeches of owls were heard all around; obviously the animals were excited to be getting back to Hogwarts as well. He looked around, trying to find a familiar face, so far none was to be found, "Maybe they're already on the train." Harry thought to himself.
At that moment though Harry was knocked forward. He fell to the ground and Hedwig gave an angry screech as her cage clattered onto the Platform. Luckily, Harry had stopped himself from falling flat on his face, he narrowed his eyes and got himself up, whipping around to see whom his assailant was. A girl sheepishly looked at him, blushing furiously. She had red hair that was down to her shoulders and had bright blue eyes.
"S-Sorry Harry." The girl stammered.
Harry grinned, immediately recognizing the girl before him, it was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister. She had grown over the summer since he had last seen her, by now she was about 15, one year under Harry and her brother. From behind her came a cart rushing their way, a boy who had about the same shade of red hair and freckles came trotting over. "Harry!" It Ron Weasley himself, and he had grown as well, in height. He grinned and excitedly started chatting with Harry, trying to catch up as quickly as possible it seemed.
"You're all going to miss the train." Came a calm voice from the direction of the train. The boys and Ginny looked over. There was a girl leaning out the train door, her brown hair and black robes being blown about by the wind that had picked up by the train, she had dark brown eyes and was proudly bearing the silver badge of a Prefect.
"Did you save us a place, the usual compartment?" Ron asked, smirking.
The girl rolled her eyes, "Yes of course, now hurry up." She turned to help some of the younger students find their way onto the train.
"Hermione's already is starting her Prefect duties." Ron muttered as he started for the train. Harry grinned and pushed his cart ahead, following after.
"Hey Hermione." Harry said with a smile as he dragged his trunk up.
".Yes, you'll get changed on the train, now go on, catch up with your friends." Hermione said with a smile to a first year. She turned back to Harry smiling even more "Hello, how have you been?"
"Alright I guess," Harry answered, starting for the usual compartment that the three shared.
"Aren't you going to ask about how I am?" Ron asked, nudging Hermione with an elbow.
She sighed, "Fine Ron. How are you?"
Ron grinned and pulled out a chocolate frog, which leapt onto Hermione's robes. The girl gave a startled shriek and then looked at the hopping sweet. She frowned. "Ron seriously, do you ever intend to grow up?"
"Oh don't be such a prude." Ron said with a mischievous smirk.
Hermione smacked Ron in the back of his head and started towards the compartment with a huff.
Harry couldn't stifle his laughter, "I think you deserved that."
Ron, who was rubbing the back of his head, grumbled a reply. "She is being a prude though."