Chapter 5: The Hogwarts Express and Old Acquaintances
Author's Note: I'm Sorry for the extremely infrequent updates. It's been a rough several weeks for me. I'll try to update more often and make the chapters shorter. Thanks for the patience! This chapter is probably a bit below par but bare with me.
The station was bustling with people departing for work, school and parts unknown. As they approached platform nine Maria eyed her surroundings very suspiciously.
"What's wrong?" asked James
"Where's our platform?" she asked.
Samuel rubbed his temples and looked around with squinted eyes, "It's in between platform nine and ten," he said.
"Are you alright?" Maria asked.
"It's just the blasted memory charm they have on this place," Samuel replied, "I'm fine now." Maria frowned and walked around the column dividing the platforms. James shrugged and stared at the wall. He reached slowly to the wall to touch it.
"Oh for goodness sake," Samuel said as he walked right through the wall and on to platform nine and three quarters. James followed quickly after. Maria stood staring at the wall and reached out to touch it, then yelped when her husband's hand grabbed hers and pulled her through.
"Ow! You didn't have to do that," Maria said, rubbing her wrist.
"I'm sorry," Samuel said.
"Why are you so irritable?" she asked.
"Memory charm gave me a headache," Samuel said, "seems like they jacked it up a few notches since last year."
"Is that why dad couldn't go with us?" asked James.
"Elanus was afraid he'd ruin the enchantments," Samuel replied, "He's going to Apparate him to Hogsmeade."
"It's a wonder he can do that," Maria said.
"Dad can turn it off, so to speak," Samuel said, "He can't control it when he touches stuff though. It wouldn't be good for him to get his hand caught in the wall."
"Much less keep every student in Hogwarts from getting to school," James said.
"Shall we board?" asked Samuel, "We are early."
Maria and James nodded and helped an attendant pack their luggage. Maria thought the train to be quaint but comfortable. She had a sense of nostalgia as she looked into the glass doors of the compartments and saw what few students had already boarded the train. A few of them she knew, and almost all their faces she recognized with the exception of some of the younger students. The book bag Samuel had given her slipped down off her left shoulder a bit as she walked between two of the cars. It was hard to keep from playing with it as she'd never seen anything like it before. There were at least twenty pounds of books in it and it barely weighed a few ounces! Samuel led them into a compartment and placed his guitar case and his own book bag on a shelf over the benches. Maria and James did the same with their carry on luggage and sat down.
She sat across from her husband, staring at him. They'd been married and she loved him dearly. She felt a twinge of guilt when she thought about how he was several years younger then her, but it passed quickly. Their wedding was small and almost no one attended. It was sort of a spur of the moment decision after what had happened the year prior. They had declared their love for each other and since they both lived in the same house, marriage seemed like the best way to keep out of trouble. Their families had been approving and very supportive. Some of the people at their church had looked at them strange but they had always done that. How could they know what had happened to them?
Smiling, she remembered how her mother had shaken her head when she told her the news. Samuel was not a very handsome man, in fact he wasn't even as impressive to look at as his brother and father. Her mother always expected her daughter to marry a very good looking man and she'd opted for plain. Samuel was very good to her and everything she looked for in a man. Still it was a bit strange to be sleeping with the man who had been like her little brother for so many years. God works in mysterious ways, she thought.
A sharp knock was heard on the glass door and she turned her head to see a familiar looking girl with a head full of bushy brown hair standing outside it.
"Hermione!" come in, Samuel said as he stood up and opened the door for the young woman. She'd certainly grown up, Maria could tell, though she doubted anyone else would. The shapeless black Hogwarts robes did a good job at concealing the figures of their wearers.
"How are you? I'm glad to see you three are back!" Hermione said, nearly squealing with excitement.
"We're great," Samuel said as he placed her book bag on the shelf, "Please, sit down."
Hermione sat down next to Maria and smiled. "So is Mr. Gene coming back?" she asked hopefully, "I heard he might be teaching a new class."
"Yes, dad is coming, he'll be traveling a different route though," Samuel said.
"I saw your book at the bookstore," Hermione said, "A wizard's book and everything. I can't believe they published you so quickly. Read it cover to cover over the summer, it's very good."
"Thank you!" Samuel said, "I know, last year we had to get a favor from an American printer to get enough for the class. They said that a lot more were ordered this year, and they're even translating it into French for Beauxbatons."
"That's wonderful," Hermione said, "Maria are you teaching the fencing class this year?"
"Sure am, are you looking to sign up?" asked Maria.
"I think so, father said I should sign up for something less academic and more physical this year," Hermione said, "I'm thinking about taking Gene's class too."
"It'll be good for you," Maria said, "Need more girls in the class. I'm sure Gene will too."
"He's teaching metal working," James said with a chuckle.
"I think I can do that," Hermione said.
"Where are the others that are always following you around?" asked Samuel.
"Ron, Ginny and Harry are on their way I think," Hermione said, "They said they might be a little late."
"Any word on who the Gryffindor Prefects are this year?" asked James.
"And give you advance warning?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, who are they?" asked James.
"Ginny Weasley and Colin Creavey," Hermione muttered.
"Ohhh!" Hermione exclaimed, seeing the gold ring on Maria's finger, "Congratulations to you two! When did you get married?"
"July 17th," Samuel answered.
"I'm very happy for you!" Hermione said.
Just about that time another knock on the door was heard. Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley and her brother Ron were standing outside, waiting to be let in. James opened the compartment door for them and helped them stow their belongings. Ron and Harry looked at each other with large stupid grins on their faces as they sat down.
"How's it going, guys?" asked Samuel.
"Great! This is going to be the best year of school ever," Ron said.
"Why's that?" asked Maria.
"No Voldemort to worry about, and the best professors we've ever had are back," Harry said, "I'm also a bit excited about starting some of my first Auror classes."
"I think you'd make a good one," Samuel said, "So who all is taking my class this year?"
"I certainly am," Hermione said, "though I do have my reservations about the perspective you're teaching it from."
"I am," Harry said, "I need an easy class."
"Ginny and I are, we'll be sharing a book though," Ron said, "Different hours thankfully."
"Well it won't be as easy as you think," Samuel said, looking at Harry, "Though I doubt you'll find it very difficult to pass."
"What are some of the class projects?" asked Hermione.
"Well the newcomers will help rewire the telegraph we built last year. We might string one up to another part of the castle though, I haven't decided yet. Others will get to build a simple radio receiver. We'll be doing a good bit of basic electronic, and mechanical theory as that seems to be what confounds wizards the most," Samuel said, "You'll also learn some simple shielding spells that Flitwick developed to allow muggle devices to operate in Hogwarts for a limited amount of time."
"That sounds great!" Ron said excitedly. Hermione fidgeted and nodded.
"Well enough about class, the horrors will start soon enough, how were your respective summers?" asked Samuel.
"Mine was great," Harry said, "for the first time in my life. The Dursleys were actually somewhat nice to me. That might have had something to do with me being away from the house so much though."
"Where did you go?" asked Maria.
"Here and there, and I got a summer job loading delivery trucks," Harry said.
"Mine was alright," Ron said, "Not a lot to do about the Burrow though."
"There would have been if you didn't stare at Quidditch magazines all day," Ginny said, eyeing her brother with a look of disapproval.
"Well I for one had a wonderful summer," Hermione said, "My family and I went to Spain for a few weeks. I had an absolutely wonderful time in Barcelona."
"Do you think we'll be able to have Quidditch this year?" asked Ron.
"I don't see why not," Samuel replied.
"I can't wait," Harry said, "We haven't played Quidditch much in two years."
