Chapter 5
Platform 9 ¾
The train puffed into the station and Mandy and her mother were standing on the platform. They were to catch the train to Kings Cross in London, then catch the Hogwarts express from platform 9 ¾. Platform 9 ¾? She looked down at her ticket. That's what it said.
When they arrived at Kings Cross station, Mandy could see no obvious platform 9 3/4.
"Where is it then, platform 9 ¾?" She asked her mother.
"Just through there," she replied and pointed to the wall between platforms 9 and 10.
"You mean… through the wall?"
"Yes," she said simply
Just then a gang of red haired people followed closely by a boy with untidy black hair and glasses bustled past them.
"Look, I think they're going to Hogwarts to," said Mandy and she hastily pushed her way through the crowd to join them.
"Excuse me? Are you all going to Hogwarts?" she asked them
"Yes dear, would you like to know how to get through the barrier?" Replied the red haired woman.
Just then her mother stepped in.
"Morning Molly!" she called enthusiastically
"Emily, dear, I haven't seen you since we left school!" Said Mrs Weasley (I can't be assed to say Molly and all the other stuff.)
Mandy looked blankly at the red haired people and the boy with glasses. Mrs Weasley noticed this and said:
"You must be Emily's daughter, we are the Weasley's: this is Ron, this is Fred and this is George, this is Ginny, and Percy. Not forgetting you of course Harry."
"Harry? Harry Potter do you mean? Wow, cool!"
"I'm Mandy, so how do you get through the barrier, do you just run at the wall?"
"Yep," said her mother simply.
"We'll have to hurry, it's already 10 to 11, Fred, George, Percy you first!"
Fred, George and Percy ran at the barrier within the blink of an eye they seemed to have melted into the wall. Mandy blinked.
"You can go next Mandy dear," said Mrs Weasley's voice from behind her.
So she took a deep breath and ran straight at the barrier and found herself a second or two later on another platform. She looked up at the sign. Platform 9 ¾ it said, and there was the Hogwarts express.
She was joined a second or two later by Mrs Weasley, her own mother, Ron, Harry and the little girl called Ginny.
"Now Mandy, please don't go causing chaos with that new spell I taught you and just… behave yourself alright? Promise?"
"Alright I promise," she said but she had her fingers crossed behind her back.
"Good, now are you going to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas and Easter or do you want to come home?"
"I'll stay at Hogwarts," she said with a menacing smile.
"Go on then on the train, keep in touch with Shadowfax."
So they all got on the train and the guard blew his whistle and the train began to steam out of the station. Ginny started running along side with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Don't worry Ginny!" Called George out of the window, "we'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat!"
"George""Only joking mum!"
Ginny, half sobbing half laughing ran and ran until she couldn't run anymore.