The Journey From Platform Nine and Three Quarters

By the end of the day, James could feel a slight cough coming on. His sicknesses always started like this; at first they were mild coughs but in a couple days he was going to be having full scale vomit attacks. His luck wasn't about let him have two consecutive good days.

As if in revenge for having his first awesome day, the worst sickness ever befell James. He was stuck in bed for the rest of the week with a fever of 103 degrees. Hagrid brought James medicines every day but there was absolutely no effect from them.
He spent the rest of the few days sleeping mostly, leafing through his books with Hagrid. Although he read quite a bit and Hagrid explained many things about the wizarding world, it all often felt like everything was going through one ear and coming out the other.

Hagrid shook James out of bed early on a jumped out of his bed realizing he might be late. He showered as quickly as possible throwing on morning after a week of rest.

"Yeh got ter get ter school today," he said. James clothes haphazardly.

"Yer shirts on backwards," commented Hagrid as James dashed out the door without grabbing his bags.

"Sorry," said James hurriedly trying to figure out how to get his shirt on as fast as possible.

"Yeh know we still got plenty o' time ter get their," said Hagrid chortling, "Train isn' 'bout ter leave without yer."

"Thanks for telling me," said James sarcastically but smiling genuinely nonetheless.

They ate breakfast leisurely at the Leaky Cauldron avoiding the stares of most people. It was a Tuesday morning and everyone was busy to get to work.

"So how're we going to get to Kings Cross anyways?" asked James.

"Walkin'" said Hagrid through bites, "Lup' ol' me ter ta' yeh' li' 'at." James nodded his head dumbly not having understood a single word after taking.

Hagrid led James out of the Leaky Cauldron with all of his bags onto the street.

"We're supposed ter try an' blend in with the muggles," said Hagrid. James and Hagrid failed miserable in the process. Hagrid was far to big to be normal, (though he was excellent for parting crowds) and the luggage they were carrying made them stick out even more. Not very many people carried large pewter cauldrons around.

The driver of the taxi was also miffed when Hagrid tried paying him with a gold galleon. Hagrid pointed his pink umbrella at him and suddenly he quite pleasant about the whole thing.

"I got some work ter do," said Hagrid as the approached Kings Cross, "See yeh when we get ter Hogwarts."

James stared at the large purple tickets Hagrid gave him. All I have to do is get onto nine and three quarters. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to have built nine and three quarters yet. There was a big plastic sign saying nine and another big plastic sign saying ten; nothing in between. The nervous feeling in his stomach grew as the big clock over hear read he only had ten minutes to get onto the train.

"You know I heard muggles get here by escapators," James heard someone behind him. He reeled his cart full of luggage to see another person with a cartful of luggage. Yes! Someone going to Hogwarts who could tell me just exactly where nine and three quarters was.

"Umm, Excuse me, but how do I get on to the train?" asked James feeling foolish. He was speaking to a tall middle aged blond woman with a sharp aquiline nose.

"Just run through the barrier with you're ticket," she said lazily. He could have sworn he heard under her breath, "stupid muggle borns."

Just run straight through the barrier, James repeated over and over in his head. He doubted she would appreciate him asking her again and time was running out. Just do it, he told himself closing his eyes. He started running towards the barrier slowly gaining speed. Soon, his cart had gained a momentum of his own and he couldn't have stopped himself if he tried. He was expecting to painfully crash into the wall- very painfully. But he simply kept running.

He opened his eyes to large platform filled with wizards mulling around.

"This is all so strange," James overheard a perplexed mother next to him say, "I mean, this whole wizarding world, how could it all exist."

"Well it does and I'm going to Hogwarts," said her lanky brown haired son, "Don't be worried about me mom. I can take care of myself."

It felt comforting to know he wasn't the only person absolutely lost in this world.

James stepped onto the train slightly nervous. He'd never been by himself in the wizarding world. There was another boy in the compartment looking equally nervous. He was reading a large colorful book entitled, "Monster Madness: An insider's guide to dealing with the biggest, baddest beasts in the world." Like everyone else he had met, the boy stared at him as he entered to room. The book slid of off his lap landing on the floor with a loud thud.

He looked at the floor suddenly realizing what he was doing.

"Sorry about that," he said apologetically, "Didn't mean to stare."

"No problem," said James, "everyone else does. I'm James Potter, you?"

"Felix," he responded gloomily as if he was apologizing for something, "Felix Lestrange."

"Is this you're first year?" asked James; although his brother Wolfgang seemed nasty Felix wasn't half bad. James felt the train rumbling forward.

"Yeah," he said smiling, "Same with you, right."

The two stared at each other in a moment of awkward silence. Felix was tall and thin. He had short blond hair that he had at least made an effort to comb. Felix's deep languid blue eyes observed his surroundings lazily.

"Want a bite?" asked Felix passing a squashed sandwich out of his pocket. Although the sandwich wouldn't look appetizing to most people, years of malnourishment had significantly altered James's concept of palatable. Plus, it was nice to have someone offer to share something, normally people only took stuff.

"Mom forgot to get drinks so it might be a little dry," he explained, "It'll go down though."

"Are all you're family wizards," inquired James.

"Yeah," said Felix somewhat glumly, "Four brothers one sister and two parents."

"Wow!" said James failing to notice the dispirited way Felix said it.

"It's really not that exciting," said Felix despondently, "My oldest brother, Augustus, was Quidditch Captain and really popular. Nero, my second oldest brother was Prefect and Headboy. My younger brother Wolfgang's brilliant and their sending him to Hogwarts early. Compared to everyone I'm nothing but a waste. Everyone thought I was going to be a squib when I didn't get a Hogwarts letter last summer. Lucky they let me in late because my family was about to disown me. Only person in my family that doesn't hate me is my sister."

"It isn't that bad," said James consolingly. He then told Felix all about his life with the Goldman's trying to make him feel better.

"So do you remember anything at all about you're parents?" asked Felix awkwardly.

James shook his head. "Nothing at all," he whispered.

The scenery slowly got wilder and wilder. The rolling hills and gentle farms died away into a thicket of unkempt shrubs and dark forbidding forests. The road became hillier and hillier as the ride proceeded on ward.

"So do you know what we're going to do once we get to Hogwarts," asked James stopped telling him about the Goldman's.

"Nero told me we were going to have to fight a troll once we got in," said Felix nervously, "I probably wouldn't be a proper meal for a troll much less a fight."

"What exactly is sorting anyways?" asked James.

"Pick what house you're going to be in," explained Felix as if he were pronouncing his own death sentence, "bet I'm in Slytherin. All of my family is."

"But I thought Slytherin was only for dark wizards," blurted James out without thinking.

"That's why I don't want to go there," said Felix.

A clattering cart full of fascinating sweets and candies pulled out beside them breaking the moroseness.

"What would you like something?" asked the vendor politely.

"What have you got?" asked James.

The vendor rattled of a long list of sweets none of which James had ever heard of. He could get chocolate frogs, pepper imps, Bernie Bott's every flavor beans, and dozens more.

"Two of everything," said James handing him some silver sickles.

"We can share," said James as the cart clattered away.

The sandwiches lay on the side, entirely forgotten as they plowed their way through the sweets.

"When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor," said Felix tossing him some beans.

"I've gotten sardines, grass, Swiss cheese and spinach before," said Felix jokingly, "some of them are normal though."

"Blurgh," he said spitting out a bean that he claimed were boogers. James stared at a gray bean for minutes before taking the plunge and popping it into his mouth. It was only peppermint.

"These wizarding candies are real odd," commented James, "You'd never see anything like every flavor beans in the muggle world or moving pictures or anything like that.

Just as they were midway through their candy a dark haired boy barged into their compartment.

"They're everywhere," he moaned as he sighted Wolfgang looking extremely panicked.

"Have a bite," offered Felix cordially, "Don't worry, I won't bite."

"Thanks a lot," said the boy grabbing a handful of sweets, "Names Luke, Luke Monterey."

"What were you running from?" asked James intrigued.

"Some Wolfgang kids after my hide after I accidentally snapped his broomstick in half," he answered, "He had it hidden in his bag in some funny angle, I sat on his bag in it and it snapped. Said he was going to get me in trouble or something."

Felix spat his pepper imp out laughing heartily, "Nothing he can do," he explained, "He's not allowed to have a broomstick. Smuggled it in illegally. Probably a cheap one anyways. Can't see a quality broomstick snapping if you sat on it."

As if on cue, Wolfgang and his oversized pals sauntered into the room.

"Seen any filthy muggle borns in here," drawled Wolfgang nastily, half expecting a round of applause for his words.

"What do you know?" he said to his two very ogre like friends, "You'll get to beat up two dimwits instead of one."

"Sod off," said James scathingly.

"I gave you an offer at Gringotts," he said, "I want an answer once and for all. Do you want to be my enemy and suffer or be my friend? We can be great together you know."

James could hear Morder and Kriller cracking their knuckles ominously in the background.

"I think I'll pass," replied James icily.

"You should be more polite to your betters," sneered Wolfgang, "Morder, Kriller, go teach those three some manners."

They swaggered towards James, Luke and Felix who were cowering in the corner.

"Any chance those apes are weaker then they look?" asked Luke.

Felix's loud swallow answered the question wordlessly. James was wishing more and more his abyssal luck would just roll over and die, but James would like that so he that was about as likely as pigs flying.

Wolfgang pointed his wand at James and cursed, right as Kriller was about to lay his first punch, "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS"

But instead of doing whatever it was meant to, the curse ricochet off of the face of Kriller's watch back at him. The curse paralyzed him making him as stiff as a board. Unable to instruct his automatons, (Kriller and Morder,) the two stopped short of hitting James. They carried their master out of the room looking rather dazed.

James, Felix and Luke were convulsed with laughter as they watched Wolfgang and company walk out thoroughly embarrassed.

"He's so hardcore that he's petrified," chortled Luke.

"You know my brother?" asked Felix as the two walked out.

"Met him by Gringotts," explained James.

"Kind of a jerk at times," said Felix quietly.

"An elephant sized jerk," said Luke grabbing a few every flavor beans. James was going to warn him about the Every Flavor Beans but Luke had already stuffed a half dozen into his mouth.

"Marmalade Spinach," said Luke spitting something out, "brilliant!"

"They should start making these in the muggle world," said James, "I doubt this'll ever get old."

"It get old once you get vomit," said Felix, "but I haven't gotten that one yet."

"Hey dweebs," called a girl from outside the compartment screen, "Get dressed before you get to Hogwarts." There was nothing unfriendly in her voice, just playfulness.

James could see tall towers looming in the distance. His heart skipped a beat as he realized he was almost there. Once again, he felt that familiar paralyzing anxiety. What if this had all been one big mistake. What if they were just going to send him back to the Goldman's after the sorting ceremony was over.

"Get moving or I'll dress you myself," called the girl.

"I'm coming in," announced the girl a few moments later. She had a lithe body and flaming red hair, rosy cheeks and thousands of red freckles. She looked like someone had dipped her into a barrel of red paint.

"Name's Mary Weasley," she said enthusiastically holding a hand out for them, "Hagrid's going to be coming around soon to lead you to Hogwarts. You three probably want to get studying for the test now."

"TEST!" the three cried out in unison.

"Well of course," said Mary impatiently, "there has to be some way of knowing which house you'll belong to. If you do good, you might get into awesome Gryffindor. It's the best by a mile. Don't study and you'll be stuck in slimy Slytherin with all the ugly gits. I'm rounding up all the other First years so see you later."

Soon afterwards, a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

James was suffering from an acute case of butterflies in his stomach and everyone looked pale with nervousness.

"I'll never be ready for that test," said Luke slumping into the chair, "And I'm not wizard born either."

"Hagrid would have told me if there really was a test," said James more confidently than he felt, "He'd have to wouldn't he?"

"I bet my brothers never told me about it so I'd fail," said Felix angrily, "I knew they'd do something cheap like that."

"All our books are packed so we can't really get them out, can we?" said Luke adding to James's nervousness.

"I bet she was kidding," said James laughing uneasily, "She couldn't be telling the truth could she?"

"But my brothers definitely couldn't be telling the truth," said Felix.

"If we're doomed we're doomed," muttered James.

"We're sharing all the answers," said Luke grinning, "I'll be real ticked if one of you two fools does better than."

"That means a lot coming from an idiot who broke a broomstick," joked Felix.

They walked onto the dark empty platform. They could see what at first appeared to be a disembodied lantern walking towards them

"Firs years, firs years," called out Hagrid from a distance carrying a large lantern, "Come on now. Follow me."

He hobbled with visible difficulty up a tall hill along a winding path. It was dark outside, the moon was hidden behind clouds. Although the older boys were arguing the finer strategic points of Quidditch and girls were discussing their latest horoscopes, the first years walked quietly. The path was steep long and narrow. Perhaps it was the excitement and nervousness of finally getting to Hogwarts, but no one seemed to be gawking at him right now as if he were a manikin in a store Though he couldn't clearly in the dark, James could almost feel the presence of forbidding groves of trees surrounding them.

"All righ' James," called Hagrid over a sea of hands.

"Righ' then," he said, "Hogwarts up around this bend here, so yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts. Its jus' 'round the corner. Love this place."

The glimmering towers that shimmered in the distance took James's breath away. The assortment of towers and turrets that Hogwarts was, was perched a top a tall hill. To James, it was Camelot and Disney World all rolled into one. The horde of Hogwarts bound students stopped abruptly as they approached a serene dark lake.

"No more'n for to a boat," ordered Hagrid brusquely as the "ooh's and aah's," subsided. The trio somehow separated in the hubbub to get onto the boat.

"Hey, you're James Potter!" exclaimed a blond girl sitting next to him, "Couldn't tell who you were in the dark. Hi! My name is Alexandra Brownstone, but everyone calls me Alex. Over there's my friend Molly Ackerman I'm in my fourth year so if you ever need anything you can just talk to me. "

The words burst out of her mouth like bullets from a machine gun and James barely had time to nod before she started chatting with her friend about horoscopes and boys. The dark, well that explained why no one was gawking at him, thought James ruefully to himself.

Another girl was sitting on their boat. She was staring intently at the castle above; probably a first year too.

The boat glided effortlessly on top of the smooth lake that was as smooth as glass and as black as his hair. Although James had seen magic performed dozens of times, he s

"Everyone Duck," yelled Hagrid as the boats reached a precipice. A veil of ivy blocked the entrance to an opening in the wall. They landed in some kind of harbor and trudged of onto a pebbly path straight to the castle door itself.

"Anyone los'? called out Hagrid as a throng of eager students crowded the flight of stairs at the entrance. Hagrid knocked loudly and the huge oak door in front