Chapter 3: Hogwarts Express

Padma spent the rest of the summer reading through her schoolbooks. She sat in her room, the garden and the living room, all of the time poring through them and absorbing the information. Parvati skimmed her books in the last week, but most of the time she read Witch Weekly and was taught how to read tea leaves by her grandmother.

By the time the first of September arrived, Padma had read each book twice. On the morning they had to leave to start their new school, she was sitting at the breakfast table reading the Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) for the third time. It was propped up against the tea pot which she had to move every time anyone decided that they wanted another cup. Padma picked it up as her mother took the pot and poured some tea for herself.

"So, are you two looking forward to be going to Hogwarts at last?" she asked.

Padma and Parvati nodded happily and smiled at each other. They would at least have each other when they were away from home.

"We'll be in the same house, won't we mum?" Parvati asked.

Surya Patil glanced at her husband. He frowned slightly, pushed his glasses back up his nose and turned back to the Daily Prophet. Padma felt her stomach lurch at the uneasy silence.

"I would think that would be the case," her mother began, "but there is no guarantee. Families aren't always in the same house. Just don't get too hopeful."

Meera nodded and sipped her tea.

"You may be identical in appearance, but you are most definitely different people." She looked at the twins in turn. "Different qualities apply to different houses at Hogwarts, as your mother has told me."

Padma glanced across the table at her twin sister. Parvati was staring at her bowl of cereal, deep in thought. They'd never been apart for so much as a night before. If, by any chance, they weren't in the same house, it would be hard for them.

Their father stood up as a horn beeped outside. He was wearing Muggle clothes instead of his usual robes and walked out of the room. He returned moments later, holding a bundle of coats in his arms.

"The taxi's here," he said. "Now remember, be on your best behaviour. No mentioning anything about magic or Muggles, or the driver will think we're unusual in some way. Understand?" Padma and Parvati nodded. "And try to keep your owls quiet."

Padma pulled on her jacket and grabbed her trunk, allowing her father to take the cage with her owl, Rama, inside. She hauled her trunk down the hallway and steps, allowing the taxi driver to put it into the boot. He frowned as her father handed him the cages containing the owls.

"You allowed to keep these, then?" he asked curiously.

Parmesh looked at him as if he was mad.

"Of course," he said nonplussed. "Doesn't your family have one?"

The taxi driver shook his head and muttered something under his breath that sounded like 'nutter'. He bundled the two owls into the back of the cab and got into his seat, swivelling around.

"Where to then, guv?" he asked.

"Kings Cross Station," Surya said clearly.

o0o

The taxi ride was fairly uneventful, except for when the pulled up near some roadworks and the two owls began to flap and screech loudly because of the noise. An hour and a half later they reached the station and Padma's father eventually managed to pay the driver with Muggle money that he'd got from Gringotts.

Rama and Parvati's owl, Shiva, were hooting loudly as they were piled onto trolleys with the trunks. The whole family walked into the station and headed towards the wall dividing platforms 9 and 10, pushing their way through the crowds. They stood at the wall for several moments, glancing about in a casual way.

"You go first, Parvati," her mother said. "Remember to be casual, and don't draw attention to yourself."

Padma watched as her sister wheeled her trolley back a little and looked about, seemingly checking the time on a large clock. Then she took a deep breath and ran right through the barrier between the two platforms. Padma's mother nodded at her and she trotted forwards. The trolley squeaked loudly and swerved slightly, but she kept running and passed through darkness for several seconds, finally emerging on Platform 9¾.

She smiled broadly. On tracks in front of her was a huge red steam train, smoke pouring from its funnel and floating over the heads of everyone on the platform. There were hundreds of people standing on the platform, chatting loudly and shouting to one another, and some children were in the carriages already, hanging out of the windows to chat to their families.

Parvati waved from beside a carriage and Padma hurried over, her trolley still swerving.

"I can't believe we're actually going to Hogwarts!" Parvati said excitedly.

"I know," Padma said. "It's fantastic!"

They hugged each other tightly. Padma pulled away as their parents and grandmother hurried over. Her mother was crying, and she kissed the twins, hugging them tightly. Their father hugged them in turn, his face full of pride.

"Don't forget to pay attention to your lessons," their grandmother said, hugging them.

Padma smiled at Parvati. She felt happier than she had ever felt before.

"You'd better get on board now," her mother said as a whistle blew shrilly. "There's only five minutes before you leave, and you need to get a seat each…" she trailed off crying.

Padma hugged everyone one more time, leaving Parvati who was crying now. She hauled her trunk off the trolley and dragged it behind her, Rama's cage held under one arm. Struggling to lift her trunk onto the carriage, she put the cage down and managed to get on board eventually. The first couple of compartments were filled with chattering pupils, but she found an empty one and dumped her things onto the floor.

"Hey, Parvati!" she said, noticing her twin passing by.

"I don't think I could have got much further!" her twin grinned, collapsing on the seat opposite her.

She was breathless and laughed rather nervously. Another whistle blew and the train began to move, the pistons hissing loudly. Padma knelt on her seat and pilled down the window, waving to her parents and grandmother who waved back, all smiling happily, although her mother had tears in her eyes. Parvati followed suit, waving madly.

"Don't forget to write as often as possible!" Surya cried out.

With another whistle blast she waved one last time then buried her face in her husband's shoulder. Padma sat down as they pulled away, but Parvati continued to wave until they had disappeared from sight. She sat down after closing the door and stared at the wall.

Padma looked around as the compartment door slid open. It was Terry Boot, the boy who she'd met in Flourish and Blott's. She hid a grin as he smiled at Parvati and sat down beside her.

"Hello again!" he said cheerfully.

Parvati glanced at Padma and raised an eyebrow.

"Do I know you?" she asked.

Terry frowned and looked confused. Padma coughed loudly and he looked over at her. She smiled at his expression as he looked from her to Parvati and back again.

"You have an identical twin?" he asked Padma.

She nodded. Parvati giggled and stretched out her legs.

"You should've seen your face," she said.

Terry stood up and sat down next to Padma instead.

"How am I meant to be able to tell you apart?"

Padma shrugged.

"Parvati usually wears her hair tied back, and I usually leave it down," she said. "But that's no guarantee. Sometimes we like to mix it up to confuse people," she added with a grin.

The twins smiled at each other. Terry looked just as confused as he had done before. Parvati opened her trunk and pulled out a copy of Witch Weekly, while Padma started to read a Standard Book of Spells again.

"So," Terry began, "how have you been since I met you?"

"Fine, thanks," Padma said. "I've just read most of the time. Every schoolbook twice through."

She grinned at him and he smiled back.

"I've only read them once through," he said, clearly pretending to sound disappointed.

Padma smiled briefly at him then turned back to her book. For a while the carriage was silent, the only sound the rushing of wind outside and the clacking of the train on the tracks. When a plump witch arrived at the compartment door with a trolley full of sweets, they were in the middle of the countryside.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" she asked cheerfully.

Padma bought some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and a Liquorice Wand for Parvati, who chewed on it silently as she continued to avidly read her magazine. Opening her box of sweets, Padma pulled out a pink one and held it to her nose, sniffing at it carefully. She took a tiny nibble from one corner.

"Coconut cream," she said, relieved.

She held out the box to Terry who discovered that the one he picked was salt rather than icing sugar, swallowing it with a grimace. He began to chew on some Drooble's Best Blowing Gum and started to blow small, bluebell coloured bubbles that bobbed around the ceiling of the compartment. Padma laughed and sifted through Terry's pile of sweets, taking a Chocolate Frog.

"Do you collect the cards?" she asked, biting off the frog's head.

Terry nodded.

"What have you got?" he asked.

"Newt Scamander," Padma said, pulling out the card and handing it to him.

"I haven't got that one," he said. "Thanks!"

There was a knock on the compartment door and a girl with busy hair opened it. She scanned the compartment momentarily, eventually looking at Padma.

"Have you seen a toad?" she asked in a bossy sort of voice. They all shook their heads. "It belongs to a boy called Neville."

"Sorry," Padma said. "But if we find it, we'll tell you."

"Thank you," the girl said shortly.

She closed the door with a snap and hurried off down the corridor. Terry shook his head and unwrapped another Chocolate Frog. Padma held out the box of Bertie Bott's to Parvati.

"Do you want one?"

Parvati shook her head, smiling slightly.

"You know I haven't eaten one since that time you last gave me one," she said. "You said it was apple flavoured, but it turned out to be spinach."

Padma rolled her eyes and smiled at Parvati. They were silent for a little while longer; Padma and Parvati read while Terry sorted his new Chocolate Frog cards. Padma was thinking about the conversation they had at breakfast.

"What house do you want to be in?" she asked suddenly.

"My dad thinks it'd be a travesty if I didn't get into Ravenclaw," Terry said. "I think I'd agree. I have all of the necessary qualities."

"I'd love to be in Ravenclaw," Padma said, "but Gryffindor wouldn't be too bad, I suppose."

"Anything but Slytherin for me," Parvati said finally.

"At least we agree on something there," Padma said.

They all laughed. Padma shuddered at the thought of being in Slytherin, the house that had turned out more Dark witches and wizards that any other. Outside the train, the sun was setting and reds and purples streaked the darkening sky. The three of them fell silent. Parvati put away her magazine and looked out of the window, while Padma opened her trunk and put her book back along with the thirty or so others that she had crammed inside. Terry looked over her shoulder.

"Looks like you have a whole library in there," he said.

Padma snapped the trunk shut.

"Don't be so nosy!" she said, looking out of the window as the train seemed to slow.

"We will be arriving at Hogsmede station in five minutes," a voice echoed around the train. "Please leave your luggage on board as it will be taken up to the castle for you."

Padma pulled on her robes with trembling hand and her stomach lurched uncomfortably. Parvati was biting her lip nervously and Terry looked very pale, almost green in fact. Padma slid open the compartment door, stepping out into the corridor where people were beginning to queue up as the train slowly ground to a halt, its pistons hissing.

The three of them eventually managed to get out of the train and onto a small, crowded platform. Most of the pupils seemed to be walking off into the darkness. Padma shivered and pulled her robes tighter around her body. She noticed a lantern that bobbed in mid-air.

"Firs' years over here!" a voice cried out of the darkness. "C'mon, follow me!"

Padma gawped at the speaker. He was enormous man who towered over them, with wild hair and beady black eyes. Behind Padma, Terry swore softly. The man, who was called Hagrid, led the first years down a narrow, sloping path. Padma slipped slightly and caught hold of Parvati's sleeve, laughing nervously.

She could feel her heart thudding heavily in her chest and her mouth was dry. Everyone walked in silence, clearly feeling as nervous as she did, and they followed the lamp that bobbed ahead of them.

"Yeh'll get yer fir' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid was saying," jus' round this bend here."

Padma gasped in amazement as the school came into sight. The rest of the first years reacted in the same way. It was a vast castle with numerous towers and turrets, its lights twinkling like fireflies. Still gazing up at the castle, Padma followed the rest of the first years down to the edge of an enormous lake where numerous small boats were moored.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid shouted.

Padma, Parvati and Terry got into a boat with a girl with long red hair. They bobbed gently for a moment, the silence washing over them all.

"Forward!" Hagrid said clearly.

The boats began to glide silently across the lake as one. Padma sat back, watching as the vast castle came closer and closer. She felt more nervous that she had ever done before. Everyone ducked as they reached a cliff, and the light from the lanterns on the boats cast eerie shadows across the dark tunnel that they drifted down, and water dripping from the ceiling echoed loudly. Padma scrambled out of the boat and onto a pebbled shoreline.

Hagrid handed over a toad to a rather plump boy who Padma guessed was Neville. He led them up a passageway and they emerged in front of the entrance to the castle. There were huge double doors and Hagrid raised his fist and pounded on them as they swung open.

Thanks to my two loyal reviewers monkeymouse (aka dungeonwonk) and Non-Venomous Platypus. I appreciate your constructive criticism and would love some more so that I can improve the story further. Thanks guys :)