Heh heh! They finally ran into each other! Took forever…but they made it! And don't worry... The Takumi and another (surprise) paring I have planned will show up after a while. After they all get settled into school, I mean.
Disclaimer: You know I don't own Digimon…And do I look like J.K. Rowling to you?!
Chapter 8: The Way To Platform 9 3/4
Kouji woke up the next day to a very unfamiliar weight pressing down on his chest, a very unfamiliar rumbling sound filling his ears, and a very unfamiliar ticking sensation under his chin.
He groaned a bit, batting at the fuzzy bits under his chin. The response was a sharp pinch on the finger and he sat up with a yelp.
Yugure flopped off his chest and into his lap, flipping over in mid-fall to land on her feet. She looked up at Kouji and gave a cheery meow, as though to say "Good morning."
Kouji blinked at her blurredly a moment, then leaned down a little to look at the animal more closely. "What are you doing here?"
There was a chuckle from the other side. Yugure suddenly sat up and sprung to the opposite, already-made bed. Kouichi pulled his jacket the rest of the way on and reached over to stroke the cat pleasantly.
"I think she likes you, Kouji." he mentioned as the cat butted up against his hand, purring. "Decided to give you a wake-up call so you wouldn't be late."
"You're up early." Kouji muttered, getting out of bed and grabbing his comb from the dresser table.
"Actually, it's 9 o'clock." Kouichi mentioned, starting to pack his textbooks into his trunk. "We've got two hours before the train leaves for school, remember?"
"Then how long have you been up?" Kouji asked blankly. Usually, he was the one who woke up early, and Kouichi slept in to the closest possible time. The older brother tended to be more of a night owl.
"Tom came by and woke us all two hours ago, remember?" Kouichi stifled a bit of a yawn. "We both rolled over and went back to bed…I just got tired of sleeping sooner than you did."
Kouji threw his comb at him. Kouichi, expecting something along those lines, caught it in one hand and tossed it into his brother's trunk as Kouji grabbed a towel and headed for the showers.
An hour and a half later, the trunks were stuffed to the brim with spell books, wizard robes, muggle clothes, and various other supplies, Yurei was put back in his cage and Kouichi somehow managed to coax Yugure into a wickerwork basket the woman in the pet store had supplied. The twins carried their things down to the lobby, turned in their keys, and waited.
Ten minutes later they were joined by Kenkyo and Izumi, and fifteen minutes after them came Junpei, Takuya and Tomoki. After a short squabble over whose fault it was that the last three were ten minutes late, they headed for King's Cross Station.
"Come on now." Kenkyo said brightly as they came through the doors of the trains station a short time later. "Step lively, and try to stay together. Platform 9 3/4 is an unusual place, you know. You can only find it if you know the trick…"
"You can hide something here?!" Takuya nearly exclaimed, trying to force his way past a group of travelers, pushing his trunk its Muggle-style trolley. "There're so many…people! And why can't we just shrink these things like we did before?"
"Because, Kanbara-san." Kenkyo turned and smiled at him brightly. "You're going off to school, of course! People would be suspicious if they saw six students heading off with nothing but a few animals! Now, let's see…we're at Platform 7, so it should be right over here…"
The group slipped after her as quickly as possible, without running down any passerby. It was hard, with their trunks and everything, they had to shift to a somewhat single-file line to get through.
Kouichi, at the end of said line, was concentrating on making it past a group of older tourists when a loud meow suddenly broke his thoughts. Yugure had somehow undone the latch on her basket and suddenly leapt out, pausing a moment on his shoulder before jumping away. The boy spun around just as the black animal slipped into the crowd.
"Ah…" he sighed, abandoning his cart to go after his cat. "Yugure, come back here!"
He caught up to her in a gang of kindergarteners, who were giving the animal all the attention she could ever want. Kouichi gathered her up in his arms, thanked the kids in a very small whisper and returned where they'd come from.
"Did you just want me to chase you, or what?" he muttered to her. Yugure just snuggled a bit more into his arms with a content purr. Kouichi sighed. "You can't just go running off like that, you'll get lost…"
He left off as he got back to the cart. There was something missing…His items were all there, that was easy to see, what was missing was the rest of the group.
"Oh no." he put Yugure back into the basket, then hurried in the direction they'd gone in. He passed Platform 8...Platform 9...10...11...
Nine and three-quarters, he reminded himself. Kenkyo said that the train would be at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. He turned the cart around and went back through the platforms, pausing between nine and ten. There were a few stone pillars, but nothing that looks even vaguely like the train for a wizarding school.
What had Kenkyo said? "You can only find it if you know the trick…" What trick? Had she done something back where he'd lost them, that got them all to 9 3/4?
He wheeled his trunk back one more time, going back the way he came and keeping his eyes pealed for anything unusual. Nothing. He went back up the station, then down again, checking even more carefully. Still nothing.
Once again outside Platform 8, he paused to adjust the strap on Yugure's and checked a large wall clock. It was 10:30.The train was leaving in thirty minutes. He had to find that platform!
The only problem was, he had no idea how…
. . . . . .
They'd actually woken up on time that morning, which was why they made it to King's Cross at 10:35, at least twenty minutes earlier than usual. So they had a nice chance to take their time, even if being in close proximity with so many Muggles made Mrs. Weasley more than a little nervous.
"Come on, boys, step to it." she instructed, waving her hand at Ron and Harry, who were lagging behind. "If we can get there early, you can all find a good place on the train."
Hedwig gave a slight hoot, disgruntled at being stuck in her cage. Harry tossed her a few owl treats, not being able to control the cart with only one hand for long. Mrs. Weasley reached over and adjusted Ginny's hat, and then tightened the strap on Hermione's trunk a bit.
"Just a bit more." she sighed, looking up at the plastic sign indicating Platform Seven. "Why it had to be Nine and Three-Quarters, I don't know. Considering how hard it is to move around this place, with all the Muggles, it could be so much easier just going to a closer one, like Platform Four and Two-Eighths or something along those lines…"
"Excuse me."
Mrs. Weasley suddenly stopped, a bit surprised at the unfamiliar voice that was hailing her. A teenage boy they didn't recognize was wheeling a cart over, not quite making eye contact. He was about Harry's size and build, and, from the state of the Muggle clothes he was wearing, not a lot higher on the social ladder than the Weasleys when it came to money. His hair was not-quite-short and black, but an odd kind of black that looked almost blue in the bright lights of the station. His eyes were a deep navy blue, though they could hardly see them, he wouldn't look directly at them. He was, rather, staring at a black cat that was sticking its head out of a wickerwork basket on top of his trunk.
"Oh…Yes, dear?" Mrs. Weasley said kindly. "How can I help you?"
The boy shifted slightly, brushing hair away from his eyes nervously. Harry noticed that he wore something like a navy blue hearing aid planted in his right ear.
"I…I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am." he muttered, with a slightly shaky movement that was unmistakably a bow. "But…Could you please tell me the way to Platform 9 3/4? I've been…separated…from my group, and I don't know how…"
"How to get there? Well, naturally, it is tricky the first time. Hogwarts, of course?" A smile spread over Mrs. Weasley's face. "You can come with us, we'll be glad to show you. It's almost lonely without a big group, anyway. Just come along, now."
The boy seamed just a mite surprised, but recovered quickly with another fast bow. "Th-Thank you, ma'am." he murmured nervously, turning his cart slightly to follow her.
"No trouble at all, dear. No trouble at all." she nodded, obviously both flattered and a bit curious about the boy's manners. "And my name is Molly Weasley. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Mrs.…Weasley?" the boy whispered, obviously connecting the face (or voice) with the name it belonged to.
"That's right." her smile widened a bit as she reached over to put her hand on Ron's shoulder. "And this is my youngest son, Ronald…he's going into 6th year…and my daughter Ginny, going into 5th."
"Hi." Ginny said cheerfully, waving.
"'Ello." echoed Ron.
The boy didn't say anything, just nodded his head in what could have been another bow.
"And these two are close friends of the family." Mrs. Weasley nodded towards the remaining two. "Hermione Granger and Harry Potter."
The newcomer did a slight double-take at the last name, but he was either too shy to do anything else, or more concerned with not being rude. He just lowered his head a bit, muttering, "Pleased to meet you." once again.
Mrs. Weasley obviously thought he was just being shy, so she reached over to get his attention. "And what's your name, dear?"
"It's…Kouichi."
Hermione blinked. "Koo-ee-chee?" she pronounced carefully.
"Yes…Kimura…ah." he seamed a bit confused for a moment, then tried again. "Um…Kouichi Kimura. I'm…pleased to meet you."
Harry wondered briefly why he had stumbled on his own name. Hermione smiled, pulling her cart up to walk next to the newcomer's. "It's nice to meet you, Kouichi." she said brightly. "I know you're going to like Hogwarts. It's an amazing place."
If anything, Kouichi's shyness seamed even worse when speaking to girls. He just mumbled slightly and looked down at his feet.
Ginny, up at the front next to her mother, looked back at him pointedly. "You look too old to be a first-year." she pointed out. "What year are you in?"
Kouichi thought a moment, lifting his head a bit when he muttered. "…Sixth."
Harry, Hermione and Ron all jumped a foot. "You're kidding!" Ron exclaimed.
"I've never seen you around before!" Hermione added.
"Which House are you in?" Harry quickly finished the joint train of thought.
Kouichi stared at them blankly. "Um…'House'?" he asked, confused. "What do you mean…'House'?"
Now it was the group's turn to stare at him blankly. His eyes darted back towards the floor and he shifted uncomfortably. "I-I'm sorry…" he stammered. "It's just that…It's my first…I've never been in England before. It's my first time…I'm a bit confused…"
"'First Time'?" Ron echoed.
"Where were you before?" Harry asked.
"…Japan." he said quietly. "Shibuya, actually…It's an area of Tokyo."
"Then why are you coming to Hogwarts?" Hermione pressed immediately. "Shouldn't you be learning magic in Japan?"
Kouichi shifted some more, obviously not comfortable with this much attention. "M-My friends and I…we're, um…I believe the right term is 'studying abroad'. We're staying here in England for a year…"
"An Exchange program?" Hermione started to get excited. "At Hogwarts? Oh, wow! There hasn't been any exchange students for…three hundred years! It must be terribly exciting…"
"Here we are!" Mrs. Weasley announced, much to Kouichi's visible relief. They stood at the pillar between Platforms 9 and 10. Mrs. Weasley came over and put a hand on Kouichi's shoulder.
"It's very simple, dear." she nodded with a smile. "Just walk directly at the divider between nine and ten here."
Kouichi looked more confused than ever. "That's it?"
"That's it." she smiled. "Ron, Ginny, why don't you two go first, all right?"
"Sure, Mum." Ron waved Ginny forward, and they both started for the barrier. They looked like any normal pair of siblings, moving past the Muggles and talking brightly, before coming to rest against the stone pillar. Ron leaned against it idly, pretending to listen to a joke his sister was telling, then they both slipped into the Platform and disappeared.
Kouichi blinked and rubbed his eyes, before snapping a hand out to hold back his cat before she jumped after the missing two. Mrs. Weasley nodded, turning back.
"You see? It's that easy." she contemplated a moment. "Harry, why don't you and Kouichi here go on ahead? Hermione and I will be right behind you, okay?"
"Sounds good." Harry nodded, looking to the other boy. "Right?"
"Um…Sure." Kouichi muttered, nodding slightly. He pulled his cart just behind Harry's, re-fastening the latch on his cat's basket.
Harry glanced back at him encouragingly, heading directly for the platform at a brisk pace. Kouichi followed, not as certainly. Harry turned back towards the pillar, trying to think of something to say.
"So…Are you excited about this Exchange Program thing?"
"Um…Sort've." Kouichi muttered. "I'm a…bit nervous…"
"Don't be. It's really not so bad…" Harry slid through the barrier rather quickly, reaching back to pull in a rather surprised exchange student.
The large, bright red engine was already parked at the platform, spewing out smoke from its stack. The train stretched further back than either of them could see, and Kouichi looked visible impressed.
Ginny and Ron were waiting for them, while Mrs. Weasley and Hermione appeared from behind. The red-haired woman smiled, wiping her brow. "Welcome to Platform 9 3/4."
Before anyone could say anything more, a new voice suddenly rang forward. "Kouichi-kun!"
The boy snapped his head up. A blonde girl, whom Harry recognized from the Quidditch store in Diagon Alley, was running up to them with a flushed look on her face.
A expression of relief passed over Kouichi's face, along with a real, if very small, smile. "Izumi-san." he said softly. The cat in his basket meowed joyfully, having once again undone her latch.
The girl ran up with a smile on her lips. "I'm so glad you made it! We were worried you weren't going to get through the barrier in time…"
"I got a lot of help…" he muttered, motioning his head in Harry's direction.
Izumi looked rather surprised, but she recovered quickly and smiled again. "Oh…Thank you very much." she bowed quickly, though she crossed her hand in front of her, where Kouichi had held them at his sides. "I'm sorry I can't introduce myself properly, but Kenkyo-sensei needs to see you, Kouichi-kun. She's about to leave any minute now."
"Right…We should go." Kouichi followed after her with the cart, then suddenly slid to a stop. He turned around and faced the group again with another, deeper bow. "Thank you very much. I hope to see you again at school."
The group watched as the two exchange students disappeared. Mrs. Weasley sighed, brushing off her hands. "Alright then…let's get you all set up now."
TBC…
- In Japan, everyone bows, weather they're greeting, saying thank you, or asking for forgiveness. However, men bow with their arms straight at their sides, while women fold their hands just in front of them.
- Next chapter you get to see the DADA teacher for the first time! Just wait and see!
