After enduring the cockney accent of an overly-elated cabby for ten minutes, I paid in credit for the ride and rapidly grabbed my bags from the trunk, looking up at the towering building with the words "Kings Cross Station" strewn across them. After finding the nearest washroom, I dropped my luggage beside me, cursing at the reflection I saw, and rinsed my face in the sink. After pinning up my hair behind a scarf and clip, I scrutinized what was looking back at me. Deep circles were under my eyes, looking as though they were drawn on with coal. I cursed the overly-large man who'd sat beside me, taking up not only his seat but half of mine, who had an uncanny ability to cause nearby furniture to shake with his deep snores as I rummaged through my suitcase for makeup. Although not always wearing it, I did much prefer myself with a touch here and there, and seeing as I would be meeting new people within the hour, I began to conceal my tiredness and give myself an artificial healthy glow. Finally as satisfied as I believed I could be given the circumstances, I seized my luggage and walked out to the nearest sitting area.

After humming along to a suitable CD to calm my nerves for what felt like hours, I glanced down at my watch to see that I had ten minutes remaining in the station. I plunged back into my bags, finally emerging triumphantly holding my ticket. Platform 9 ¾, it indicated, and hesitantly I covered the platform number with my thumb. Stuffing my Discman back into carry-on bag, I began to look around for any suspicious characters, feeling like I did when I pretended to be Harriett the spy early in life. Shrugging off the building feeling of uneasiness sparked by my lack of knowledge of where I was, I finally heard someone say magic. Looking around casually, I then heard the word Hogwarts, followed by Dumbledore. I was now sure this was where I needed to go, stalking towards the sound of a squeaky young voice and a soothing mother.

My inward instincts kicked in, forcing my voice into an awkward tone as it always did when I was nervous. Following the child carefully on his journey across the station, I found him parked straight in front of a wall between platforms nine and ten, and glowered as he strode right through it. I took in a gasp at my own daring as I did the same, with only my luggage for company. I didn't have time to spare, as I realized that only two minutes remained before the train's prompt departure.

Feeling no strange sensation at all as I marched through the wall, I jumped on the nearest step on the train, feeling my stomach churn madly. Walking down the halls of the train, and realizing that all of the carts were taken, I sank at the back of the hall, with no where to sit and no one to see. The train jolted forwards as the hum of steam emitting from the engine blasted out, and still I remained hopeless, grumpy, and friendless sitting in the hallway of the train.

After five minutes of careful deliberation to sit still, I began to study my surroundings. The train seemed completely average to me, and slowly suspicions began to rise that I'd mounted the wrong train altogether…Perhaps I'd walked onto the wrong one?

I realized, though, that I had much more in store for me than I'd bargained, as I saw a pair of enthralling baby blues meet my own amber eyes. Smiling weakly, and unsure if he was looking at me or not, I broke his gaze, not wanting to seem attached. He, on the other hand, seemed completely unafraid of this happening, as he waltzed towards me, his strong features drawing me in. Crouching down, he offered me his hand gallantly, shaking mine with a firm grip and an enticing smile as he gazed into my eyes. Feeling self cautious of his look, I smiled warmly, careful not to reveal my teeth, as I had been indulging in a great amount of After Eight I'd packed for myself in case of an emotional emergency.