Disclaimer: Please see all the previous chapters for the Disclaimer and please note that it will disappear for a while as it is written in the summary and all over the last chapters…that being said on with Chapter 8!

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Chapter 8 : Aboard the Hogwarts Express

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Two days later, it was time to go to King's Cross Station to board the Hogwarts Express.

"Are we seriously getting to Hogwarts on a plain old normal train?" Celia asked.

"Of course not! No normal trains go to Hogwarts, but we get on the Hogwarts Express from this station." Hermione told her. "We have to go to Platform 9 ¾."

"Oh." Celia said, and then what Hermione had told her registered. "What? Platform 9 ¾? There's no such thing! Is there?" Ron nudged Harry with his elbow.

"Sound familiar?" He asked, a smirk on his face. Harry shoved him.

"Shut up!" He said, laughing. Celia was still confused.

"They had to hide it so some muggle didn't stumble aboard wondering what was going on." George explained. "Trust me, you'll get it soon enough." He finished with a smirk.

"Right." Celia said, not sure if she liked the idea of George smirking. 'I guess I'll just go with it.' She thought to herself.

Inside, Mrs. Weasley led them to the wall separating platforms 9 and 10.

"Alright Arthur, why don't you go first and make sure it's safe." Mr. Weasley nodded and walked to the wall. Leaning on it, he looked around him quickly to be sure no one would see and then quickly went through. Celia's eyes went wide. Suddenly, his hand came back through, gave a thumbs up, and then vanished again. Celia went into shock. She grabbed Fred's arm.

"We have to go through the wall?" she asked in a loud whisper.

"It's the only way onto the platform." He told her.

"I - but- uh." Celia gaped.

"Ok Fred, George, you next." Mrs. Weasley ordered. Fred and George took the wall at a run, and they were gone.

"Alright! Celia, Ron," Celia lined up next to Ron in front of the barrier. "Ok, now, all you do is go straight through the wall. Do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous." Celia nodded a bit unsure of herself. She could just see herself ramming into the wall and making a big scene. Ron put his hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him.

"Don't worry; you don't even have to pay attention, just run." Celia smiled at him, less nervous this time. They both grabbed their trolleys and looked around to make sure no one was watching.

"Ok," Ron said. "Go." They both took off at a run and went right through the barrier. Celia opened her eyes and looked around. Above her was a sign that read 'Platform 9 ¾.' Suddenly, it struck her as funny. Harry and Hermione appeared behind them, followed by Ginny and Mrs. Weasley

"Ok!" Mrs. Weasley began "Lets see if we can find a compartment." Before she had even finished Fred & George were leading the way to the back of the train. Near the very end they found a compartment big enough for them all. Fred, George, Celia, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny put their trunks overhead and went back out to say goodbye.

At exactly 11:00, the train made its last call and the group of them bid farewell to Mr. & Mrs. Weasley.

"Thank you so much for everything you've done for me." Celia thanked them.

"Oh! Not at all dear!" Mrs. Weasley told her. "Glad to have you! You have fun now!" She said. Celia smiled and gave both Mr. & Mrs. Weasley a hug before getting on the train. As the train pulled out, the 7 of them settled down in their seats to talk.

Celia sat in the seat by the window across from Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron. Fred and George both took the seats next to her.

"So," started Hermione, "What do you think so far of the wizarding world?" She asked Celia. "It's really nothing like the muggle world is it?" She added.

"No, nothing," Celia answered. "It's really amazing! I had no idea wizards were real! I always thought it was all just a fairy tale!" Hermione and Harry smiled. They knew exactly what she meant, Hermione being muggle-born, and Harry muggle-raised.

"So, tell me about Hogwarts." Celia asked them. "What are the classes like? Where do we sleep? How's the food?" At the mention of food, all three Weasley boys moaned with longing. Celia laughed and the 7 of them told stories and played games the whole ride. About halfway to Hogwarts, the twins' friend Lee Jordan joined them, and shortly after, a boy named Neville Longbottom came in with his toad Trevor. When the food trolley came by, Harry and Celia bought some of everything on it and Lee laughed when Celia got a dirt-flavored Bertie Botts Every-Flavor Bean.

After what seemed like not nearly enough time, the train was slowing and they were changing out of their muggle clothes and into their wizard robes. When they stepped off the train, Celia followed the others to where there were carriages that were standing all alone. Some of the carriages up in front that were loaded were even moving.

"The carriages are moving on their own!" Celia exclaimed excitedly. She was in complete amazement. The castle was beautiful and the grounds were amazing. On the way up to the castle, she looked out the window at the grounds and tried to imagine the look on everyone's face at home when they saw she wasn't in school.

'They'll probably think something's happened to me.' She thought. 'I wonder if they'll care, I hope they feel horrible and think that it was their fault! Then they'll see how much they hurt me!' She thought forcefully, her eyes tearing. Celia fought back the tears. 'No way! I don't want to bring that here! If they ask what's wrong they'll know and they'll feel sorry for me and treat me differently!' Celia felt her eyes and made as though she was yawning. Clamping her eyes shut, she rubbed them determined to wipe away the traces of tears. She looked around the carriage to make sure no one had seen her cry. Fred & George were talking to themselves, as were Harry and Ron. Hermione was watching their conversation almost too intently, but no one gave any clue that they had seen her cry. Content with the state of things, she went back to her thoughts.

'That was a horrible thing to think! I shouldn't be wishing ill on them!' She berated herself. Not wanting to think about it anymore as her emotions were making her tired, she turned toward the others in the carriage. 'They are all so nice.' She thought, looking around at them. Her eyes settled on Fred. She could still picture the scene in Diagon Alley from a few days ago. He had so casually put his arm around her. She had to admit that the thought of being his girlfriend didn't bother her much. As she thought about it she realized that the thought of dating George or Lee didn't bother her either. They had all accepted her straight off. That was what it was, the kindness they had already shown her, she had forgotten what it really felt like. It was somehow different when a guy was kind to you than when a girl was. 'Strange how easily the heart can love.' She thought to herself. Suddenly a great rush of terror swept through her, and she felt a chill on her back. 'No!' She thought. 'It hurt too much! I can't let that happen again! Never!' Celia had only just realized that the carriage had stopped, and she heard what sounded like the wind rasping outside. Suddenly, all the bad memories of last year attacked her all at once and she grabbed her head. She was faintly aware of shouting and saw something silver burst out of somewhere before everything went black.

She woke up with the awareness that someone was holding her hand. They were calling her name. There were people in the room.

"Ah Celia, you've awaken I see." She opened her eyes and smiled. Her uncle was looking down at her holding her hand. Fred, George, Hermione, Ron and Harry were also in the room.

"Uncle Albus!" She sat up to give him a hug. Her uncle smiled and hugged her back.

"It's wonderful to see you child. You've grown into a lovely young woman since I saw you last. I trust your trip here went well?" At this he raised his eyebrows at the twins. They smiled somewhat guiltily.

"We didn't do a thing!" George defended unoffended.

"George tried." Celia tattled teasingly.

"Yeah but it backfired." Fred joked, looking at ease; Dumbledore had been watching the exchange with growing amusement.

"He was molting canary feathers all the way back to my house." Celia finished hardly able to keep a straight face.

"Ah! I knew you'd be a good match." The three of them laughed. There was silence for a minute, which was broken by Hermione.

"Celia, are you ok?" She asked apprehensively

"Yes, well, I mean, what happened?"

"Dementors." Ron stated bluntly. "Nasty things; suck the happiness from you." He added.

"Harry got rid of them with his patronus." Hermione told her

"But you'd already passed out." Harry finished.

"How did I get here?"

"Carried you." Fred told her

"I don't understand why there are dementors here again though." George stated, looking to Dumbledore. He looked them over and then exhaled.

"The Dementors were accompanying Cornelius Fudge."

"The Minister? Why was he here?"

"He came to make sure I was in agreement not to tell the students about Voldemort's return."

"Not tell us?" Harry echoed. "But he is back!"

"Ah, yes, well I have learned that the best way to deal with Fudge is to let him believe what he wants." Dumbledore explained with a twinkle in his eye. "Now, I believe it is time to start our year. Celia, if you would stand, this is one of those things you shouldn't miss." With that, Dumbledore backed away from the bed in the hospital wing, and headed for the door. Celia moved to get out of bed.

"I'd eat the chocolate if I were you," Harry said, indicating the bar of chocolate that was on the bedside table. "I used to pass out too. The chocolate will warm you up, I promise." Celia smiled and opened the chocolate. As Harry had promised, the first bite warmed her considerably from inside out. When she finished the chocolate, she was ready to head down to dinner. Stumbling a bit, she held on to Fred and George, who had appeared at her side for support, and the 7 of them followed Dumbledore down to the Great Hall.

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Author's note: There see? I told you it would speed up! The next couple of chapters should be coming directly following this one. They are typed up, they just need to be edited. Everyone let me know what you think so far ok? Please review!!

A glimpse of what's to come : Chapter 9 -- There's a new sorting hat song and Celia is sorted. Not to mention the gossip that is going around about Fred and Celia's little stunt in Diagon Alley. Aw go on! Give them all something new to talk about…yeah, that works…Next time in Chapter 9 : The Start of Another Year. Coming Soon!