Chapter Six: Platform Nine 3/4

"UHN, UHN," Malcolm said as he stepped out of the fireplace into his living room. A five-year-old boy had turned around from the couch and was staring at him.

"It's only Malcolm," Dewey said and they both went back to watching television.

"Malcolm?" Lois asked. "Are you OK?"

"Y-Yeah," Malcolm answered. "That isn't the easiest way to travel."

"It's fast though," Lois pointed out. "What did it take? Two minutes? And all the way from England."

"Who's the kid?" Malcolm asked. "Mr. Weasley said someone came here by mistake."

"That's Elliot," Lois said. "He was supposed to go home today but his mom begged me to keep him, at least until school starts." She smiled. "We worked out a deal. And that extra money comes in handy."

"Hey, Elliot," Malcolm called out.

Elliot raised his hand and waved without turning away from the TV.

He's fitting in without any problems.

"AAAAHHHHH," Malcolm said as he returned to the Burrow. He stepped out of the fireplace and dropped his suitcase on the floor. He then dropped on top of his suitcase, panting.

"Malcolm?" Ron asked. "Are you OK?"

"Y-Yeah. That isn't the easiest way to travel."

"It is fast though. How long does it take? Two minutes? And all the way from America."

Yeah. It's Deja Vu all over again.

"Ron, there aren't any stray kids here. Are there?"

"Only you," Ron smirked. "Are you hungry?"

"NO."

The days of August flew quickly by and Malcolm flew with them as he was ushered out to the practice field almost every day. The twins had decided that he was their secret weapon, and they wanted to start training him. Because it was an excuse to fly, Malcolm never complained. Ron was always there as well. These were his last few chances to use a broom for almost a year.

"Catch, Malcolm," Fred called and tossed him a makeshift quaffle.

"Block him," George called to Ron, who moved to block his path.

Malcolm flew upward and Ron followed. He did a quick reverse, and Ron tried to copy him. Ron was too slow and Malcolm was past him, eyeing George carefully. He wove to the right and George did the same. He swung back to the left and threw a quick pass to Fred, who had used Malcolm's diversion to get behind his brother. Fred caught the quaffle and flew past the tree which was the goal.

"That's 3 to 1," Fred told George, "our lead."

"Let's have another go," George challenged.

"Right." Fred went to toss the quaffle into the air.

"MUM WANTS YOU," Ginny called from the ground. As the four boys flew down, she told them, "Mum wants to talk to you about what you're taking to school."

"She went through our trunks again," George complained. "You were right, Fred, we should have waited until the last minute."

Ron smirked. "I hope the two of you have fun. Malcolm and I will miss you."

"Mum wants to see you, too," Ginny said.

"But I . . ." Ron started to say then scowled at Fred and George. "You put some of your things in MY TRUNK?"

Fred shrugged his shoulders. "We thought it was safe. Best come along and get it over with."

"Is Mum mad?" Ron asked.

"Furious." Ginny's look showed she was telling the truth.

"Malcolm," George called. "You have to come, too."

I bet they put stuff in my luggage, too.

"Mum doesn't need to talk to Malcolm," Ginny told her brothers.

"And Mum doesn't want him out here alone."

"I'll stay with him," Ginny offered. "I heard Mum when she found those fireworks. I don't need to hear her again when she yells at you."

"That's great," Malcolm said, at the thought of being able to fly some more. And not having to listen to anyone yelling. "She can help me train."

"That's a good idea," Fred agreed. "She can watch you train." He leaned into Malcolm as though he was going to whisper, but spoke loud enough for Ginny to hear. "Mum and Dad don't want her on a broom. She's too young."

Ginny frowned as Malcolm said he understood completely. As the brothers walked back to the house, taking their brooms, Malcolm tried to be polite. "Would you like to see me do anything?"

"The twins said you do an excellent reverse. Could I see that?"

Malcolm nodded. He flew toward the hedges that bordered the clearing and reversed his direction at the last moment. Hr flew back to where Ginny was and did the reverse again, right in front of her. After the second time he paused and saw an eager look in her eyes.

Normally, I would never do this, but they did tell me not to.

Malcolm looked to make sure that Ron and the twins were out of sight, then asked, "Would you like to give it a try?"

"Yes," Ginny said, eagerly, and ran back toward the house a short way to a clump of bushes. She reached inside and pulled out a broom, mounted, and flew back to Malcolm. "It's Percy's. I snuck it out of the house, just in case. Show me that reverse again, please."

They shared a grin as Malcolm began to fly toward the hedge. He glanced over and saw that Ginny was next to him. As they reached the hedge, Malcolm twisted his broom around and began to fly in the other direction. Ginny twisted her broom the same way but lost her grip. She continued into the hedge while the broom followed Malcolm. He grabbed it and flew back.

"Are you hurt?"

"Mostly my pride," Ginny said as she crawled out of the hedge. Her jeans had a rip at the knee, and her face and arms had a few scratches, but she was none the worse for it. She looked at her jeans and moaned. "Mum's going to kill me when she sees me. I'm not supposed to be on a broom at all. Even though they let Ron fly when he was eight."

It's funny, but I was just thinking what Reese would do.

"You know, Your mom's going to kill you for being on a broom. So it doesn't make any difference how long you're on a broom."

Ginny stared in surprise and then smiled. "Malcolm, that's brilliant."

"Care to try that reverse again?"

"Definitely."

They were laughing after the latest mishap. Ginny had tried to block but ended up running into Malcolm and both went rolling across the grass. As she picked herself up, a noise was heard coming from the direction of the house. Her smile became a frown.

"It's time to pay the piper, Malcolm."

"Why? Was that your mom calling?"

Ginny nodded. "And when she sees us, it will be obvious what we were doing."

"Trying to kill each other?" Malcolm grinned as she laughed. Both of them were dirty from the recent fall, and it wasn't the first. Ginny looked the worst but he wasn't as far behind. He had fewer scratches but that was about it.

The two children walked back to the house with brooms in hand, and talked about how they would explain themselves.

"Be direct," Malcolm suggested. "They'll be surprised. Use that time to tell them that this time at least you were flying with someone who knew what he was doing."

"But they'll punish me worse because they'll know it wasn't my first time."

"Yeah, but then they'll know you can fly at least as good as Ron. And then they'll let you fly. You have to think in the long term."

Ginny shook her head. "I have to hope Mum's in a good mood. If she's not, that just gives her one more thing to yell about."

I can relate to that. My mom looks for reasons whenever she gets mad.

Mrs. Weasley was standing outside as Malcolm and Ginny walked around the corner of the house. They both stopped in their tracks because she wasn't looking at them. She was looking inside the house.

" . . . TOLD YOU A DOZEN TIMES. I WANT THAT HOUSE SPOTLESS. IT ISN'T SPOTLESS. CLEAN IT AGAIN."

Ginny's eyes went wide. Her mother was still furiously mad. And when she turned her head in Ginny's direction, she would probably reach a new height of anger.

"Malcolm," she whispered fearfully. "What should we do? Malcolm? Malcolm?"

Molly Weasley turned to see her daughter standing there dirty and disheveled, all alone except for the broom in her hand.

"WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?"

Okay, here's the deal. I told the Weasleys I slipped in earlier and they believed me. Ginny's in her room as punishment so she's missing supper. And I'm going to try to get her off without implicating myself. After dealing with Mom, this should be a piece of cake.

"Malcolm, you should have told us you came back early," Arthur Weasley said as he passed the bread to him.

"I was going to, Mr. Weasley, but Mrs. Weasley seemed so upset, I thought it better to keep a low profile."

"I don't blame you, " Arthur said with a light laugh. "Molly is truly fearsome when she's in her wrath."

Malcolm turned to Molly. "I should apologize, Mrs. Weasley. I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

"It wasn't your fault, dear. Ginny is a stubborn girl with a mind of her own."

"Gee, that's how my mom describes me, except for the girl part. She says I got the worst of both her and my dad."

Arthur and Molly looked at each other. That was exactly how they described their daughter.

I know. Ginny told me. I figured what the heck. Maybe if I get them to think about it, they might go easy on her. If not, at least I'm off the hook. Because I'm trying to help. Right?

Arthur looked at Malcolm, trying to think of what to say. Then suddenly he thought of something. He reached over and patted Malcolm's head.

"Why is there grass in your hair?"

Dang, I thought I brushed all of that out.

"Malcolm," Molly said in a frosty tone. "Why IS there grass in your hair?"

My mind is blank. I can't think of a thing to say. Oh no, I just realized. I'm going to tell the truth. She's giving me the MOM look.

"Look, the reason Ginny was standing there by herself was because she didn't hear me tell her to follow me." Malcolm took confidence from the shocked silence that immediately followed. "She's pretty good on a broom, though, especially when you think about how hard it is to sneak away in a family this size. She bumped into me a couple of times but that's because she wasn't used to flying with other people." He took a deep breath and waited.

Everyone waited for a reaction from either parent. Finally, Molly Weasley began to laugh.

"She's been sneaking out under our very noses. Arthur, that girl takes after your side of the family."

Arthur grinned at the remark. "I don't know. I've always said she was her mother's daughter."

"And you say she can fly already?" Molly was laughing again. "Ron, go get your sister and tell her to come to dinner."

"But Mum, she's being punished?"

"Punished? For showing how clever she is? Not my daughter."

"We were being clever," Fred offered.

"Not with fireworks," Molly Weasley said, her anger returning in a flash. She smiled and turned back to Malcolm. "How did she get all those cuts?"

"I was teaching her how to do a reverse and, um, she went into the hedge."

"That must have hurt," Arthur chuckled, then added eagerly, "she didn't let that stop her?"

"No, Sir. She was on the broom again in a flash, demanding to know what she did wrong."

Maybe it's me, but the Weasley's actually seem like decent people. I wish my family was like this.

"There she is," Molly said as though Ginny had just come down from taking a nap. She called her daughter to the table and sat her down. "Why didn't you tell us you knew how to fly? Why did we have to learn about it from one of our guests?"

Ginny gave Malcolm a confused look, and Malcolm gave her a weak smile and a shrug in return.

"I thought you'd be mad," Ginny admitted. "You always tell me I'm too young."

"For some things, you are, dear. But you have to let us know when something like this means so much to you. Promise me. No more secrets."

"I promise, Mum," Ginny said with believably sincerity.

"I don't believe this," Ron muttered to Malcolm. "She always gets away with everything."

"It gets worse every year," Molly said as she led the troop of Weasleys into Kings Cross Station. She patted Malcolm's shoulder and added, "Look at this. Muggles. All over the place."

It's weird, but nobody is noticing us, not even Percy and his owl.

"Here we are," Molly Weasley said and everyone came to a stop. "Percy, you first."

Percy obligingly moved forward, aiming his cart at a spot in the wall and disappeared through it.

Malcolm's jaw dropped open. "That was amazing."

"That's just to keep the muggles out," Molly explained. "Fred, George, you're next."

"Right, Mom." The twins obediently followed their older brother.

"You should have checked their luggage again," Malcolm said as a joke.

"I did," Molly replied. "They always try to sneak something into the school. It's your turn, Malcolm. Try it at a run if you're scared. It's easier."

"Bye, Malcolm," Ginny said as she stepped up to him. "And thanks for the broom lessons." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before he could react, then stepped back, giggling.

Malcolm quickly said goodbye as he began to blush, and ran for the partition. Behind him he could hear Molly Weasley. "Ginny, don't embarrass the boy like that. What will people think?"

"That I like him?" Ginny asked with a smirk.

Malcolm passed through the barrier, followed quickly by Ron, and both boys stopped to stare at the train, the Hogwarts Express. Fred and George helped them get settled into a compartment then turned to face their mother again for a last minute inspection. As she went through their pockets, Ginny looked into the compartment.

"Malcolm?"

"Yeah."

"You were a lot of fun to have around."

"Careful," Ron whispered, "she fancies you."

"I do not," Ginny said indignantly. "And Malcolm probably has lots of girls after him."

Yeah, I wish.

She turned back to Malcolm. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

I know what you're thinking. She's ten and I'm eleven. We're too young for things like this. But Ginny is different. She's not afraid to get dirty, and she likes sports, and she can even spit farther than I can. Ginny's not like other girls.

Malcolm grinned. "Yeah. I do."

Ginny grinned right back at him, then waved goodbye when her mother began calling.

"That put her in her place," Ron said appreciatively. "Do you really have a girlfriend?"

"Um?" Let's see. Brother is best friend whom I will be at school with? "No way, I was just saying that."

"Malcolm, move over," George said as he entered the compartment with Fred. The whistle blew and the train began to move. At the same time, a spasm of pleasure went up Malcolm's spine.

This is it. I'm actually on my way to school to learn magic.

"Malcolm?" Fred was looking at him. "We need to borrow your trunk for a few minutes."

"Sure, but what did you do with my clothes and stuff?"

Fred and George exchanged a quick look of surprise. "We put them in Ron's trunk. We couldn't risk trying to use his again."

"You didn't?" Ron asked indignantly. He looked at his brothers' smiles. "You did? And Malcolm, you let them?"

"He didn't know," Fred explained. "At least we thought he didn't."

"Not until I went to get my toothbrush," Malcolm answered. "I'm not sure what a filibuster is, but it doesn't work well when it's wet. And Fred?"

"Malcolm."

"I want a commission."

Fred and George smirked. "We could let you have a couple of Whiz-Bangs." They grabbed his suitcase and went to leave. "Ron, want to join us? Lee Jordan has a live Tarantula."

Ron paled slightly. "No thank you." After they left, he added, "I hate spiders."

Malcolm nodded. Ron had told him about the teddy bear.