3 "What's it Do?"

Jerrod watched the Leaky Cauldron, and a waving Tom, disappear into the distance. The Knight Bus made an explosive sound, and began racing through the city.

'Where to than?' asked Stan Shunpike, the ageing conductor.

'King's Cross Station' said Jerrod. Moment's later, the bus screeched to a halt.

'Here we are than, King's Cross Station!' Stan shouted. Jerrod stepped off the bus, and trudged downwards to platforms 9 and 10. Following the instructions on the school letter, he found the barrier in question. Huddling around it was all manner of people, lining up to get through. Jerrod slung his electric guitar over his back, and wormed his way into the crowd.

'Hi' said a voice behind him. It was Rebecca.

'Hey Rebecca' he said, turning to face her. Her light copper hair was tied back in a ponytail, but a few strands had worked themselves free and wavered in front of her face. Her parents stood behind her, her father looking him over with a stern eye.

'Everyone calls me Beck. I'm sorry; I didn't get you name before.' Her ears turned pink.

'Jerrod Reilly.' Beck pointed at the man staring him down.

'This is my dad, Ron Weasley' said Beck. She then pointed at the woman, 'this is my Mum, Hermione Granger.' Beck and her mother looked remarkably similar, except for Beck's red hair, which came from her father.

'You said you name was Reilly? You wouldn't be Jackson's kid would you?' asked Mr. Weasley. Jerrod began to answer but Ms. Granger interrupted.

'Ron! That's a bit rude' she said. The two adults began arguing loudly.

'I heard they were like this in school too' whispered Beck to Jerrod.

'We were not!' they both shouted at their daughter.

'Come on, the train will be leaving soon' said Ms. Granger, ushering them all toward the barrier. Jerrod felt a bit hesitant about running at a brick wall.

The magnificent red Hogwarts Express steamed away on the hidden Platform 9 and ¾'s. Jerrod and Beck found an empty compartment, and quickly put their stuff in.

'What's that?' asked Beck, pointing at the guitar bag.

'It's a guitar.' Beck looked at him, completely blank faced. He pulled the black bag down, and unzipped it. A polished black bass guitar lay nestled inside. Beck stared at it.

'What's it do?' she asked. It was Jerrod's turn to look blank.

'You've never seen a bass guitar before?' Beck shook her head. 'You're lucky than. I enchanted this ages ago, so that it could play without an amp.'

'What's an amp?'

'Never mind; do you play anything?' Jerrod asked, plucking a few notes. The sound bounced around the compartment for a few seconds before fading.

'Mum made me learn the violin for a few years when I was a kid, but than they told me about the whole magic thing, and it kinda went out the window.' Beck smiled. Jerrod played a few more notes, from a song he knew.

'What song is that?'

'Pink Floyd, "Money". Good song.' Right then the compartment door burst open and a sneering young woman stood there, with a few girls behind her.

'Hello, I've just come to introduce myself.'