"You meant to blow them up?"
"Of course. Why else would a grown man play with trains?"

Mr. Hilliard and Gomez Addams


Chapter 5: The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock. Erica looked around and caught sight of a wrought-iron archway with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters where people were appearing in droves. That must've been the barrier from King's Cross.

Erica smiled. She had arrived.

Stepping out of the large, bricked fireplace, she weaved her way in and out of people. Her trunk rolled behind her, packed full of her books and clothes and belongings. In her other hand was Donna's cage. Donna herself was not in it. She was flying to Hogwarts. Instead, the cage was full of a couple random belongings, and a backpack was thrown over Erica's back.

Smoke from the train's engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and scraping of heavy trunks.

Erica had arrived only fifteen minutes before the train was due to depart, so she headed for the back of the steam engine, assuming that the first carriages would already be full. As she passed, she saw many students hanging out of windows to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Somewhere in the crowd, she heard a boy say, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

"Oh, Neville," came the response.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on."

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

Erica caught more and more chatter as she went, some in properly posh British accents, others in thick Scottish brogues she couldn't understand. Then she caught an even stranger accent, and had the urge to clean out her ears because why couldn't she understand a word they were saying?

Then she realized — they weren't speaking English.

Erica had no idea if it was Gaelic or Welsh or something other, but she didn't care. That was so cool! She had gotten used to hearing Spanish and French, even various Native languages at Ilvermorny, but there was something so foreign about what she was hearing, and it made her giddy.

Erica pressed on, and eventually arrived at an empty compartment. She put Donna's cage down first, then her backpack. Then, with a great heave, she got her trunk inside the train and into the corner of the compartment.

"Can I join you?"

Erica turned around and saw a very tall black boy with his trunk. She smiled. "Of course."

He quickly lifted his trunk into the compartment.

"Are you a first-year, too?" Erica asked.

"Yep," he said. "I'm Dean. Dean Thomas."

"Erica Addams."

Dean frowned a little at her. "Are you American?"

Erica nodded. "Born and raised."

"Is there not an American wizarding school?"

"There is."

"Then why come to Hogwarts?"

Erica shrugged. "I got an acceptance letter."

Dean grinned. "Fair enough."

"Erica? Is that you?"

At the voice calling her name, Erica ducked her head out of the compartment and saw a flash of red hair.

"Mrs. Weasley!" She beamed and hopped out of the train.

"Oh, Erica. How are you, dear?" Mrs. Weasley fussed over her a little, a girl of about ten by her side. "You're looking a bit peaky."

Erica surprisingly knew what that meant, and she smiled. "I have no idea how. I had a full eight hours followed by a big breakfast."

Mrs. Weasley smiled and patted her cheek. "Well that's good, then. All packed and ready to go?"

Erica nodded. "More than ready."

Mrs. Weasley's smile widened. "Good. Oh, this is my daughter, Ginny. She'll be going to Hogwarts next year."

Erica smiled at the younger girl. "It's nice to meet you, Ginny."

"It's nice to meet you too," the younger girl smiled. "Are you a first-year?"

"Yep."

"I can't wait to go to Hogwarts," she said, excitement in her tone at the mere thought of the school. "I'm so jealous. I've wanted to go ever since Bill and Charlie."

Erica smiled. "Well, you'll be there next year. For now, you have free reign of the house."

Ginny laughed. "Nah, it'll get boring in about two weeks."

"Well, in that case, just write to me, and I'll tell you all about Hogwarts and the things you have to look forward to."

Ginny looked taken aback. "Re — Really?"

Erica shrugged. "Why not?"

Ginny beamed. "All right, then!"

Mrs. Weasley smiled at the pair of them. She then glanced at the clock. Five minutes until the train left.

"We better go make sure the boys are settling in. And make sure Fred and George aren't already in trouble."

Erica nodded, laughing a little. Mrs. Weasley had mentioned her twins created mischief as easily as breathing. "Go on. I'll head back to my compartment."

Mrs. Weasley wrapped Erica in a warm hug, then told her in a tone wavering between kind and stern, "Now, you write to me if you need anything all right? And if Fred or George gives you a hard time, let me know and I'll set them straight."

Erica wanted to laugh, but she was so touched by Mrs. Weasley's thoughtfulness that all she could do was smile. "I will."

"Good." The woman patted her cheek again. "Now, off you go."

"Bye, Erica!"

"Bye, Ginny! Bye, Mrs. Weasley!"

Dean had been joined by another boy by the time she got back. He introduced himself as Seamus Finnigan, and Erica's brain had to work overtime to translate his Irish accent.

"Erica Addams," she said. He blinked at her own accent, but didn't ask. Maybe Dean had already said something.

Erica sat down across from the boys, smiling as they struck up a quick conversation with each other. She reached into her backpack and pulled out Quidditch Through the Ages. She'd been waiting to crack it open.

The train moved. Erica looked up, a zing of excitement rushing through her. She looked out the window, and Platform Nine and Three-Quarters began to pass behind them. And as it disappeared from sight, Erica relaxed, a smile growing on her face.

This was happening. Truly happening. She was on her way. She was in England, on the train, on her way to the rest of her life.

Hogwarts was awaiting.

Erica beamed to herself. She was going to Hogwarts!

Dean and Seamus had similar smiles on their faces.

The boys spent the next hour getting to know each other. Seamus was the only one of them who came from a wizarding family, so he spent time telling Dean what to expect about Hogwarts. And which Houses there were.

"I want to be in Gryffindor," he was saying.

"Which one's that?" Dean asked.

"The House for the brave and bold," Erica couldn't help but answer. The boys blinked at her. She flushed and resisted the urge to disappear behind Quidditch Through the Ages. "Sorry."

The boys blinked again, then grinned.

"No problem," Dean said. "How do you know that?"

"Professor Dumbledore told me."

"You've met Professor Dumbledore?" Seamus gasped.

Erica nodded, smiling. "He came to give me my acceptance letter. Both him and Professor McGonagall."

"I met Professor McGonagall when she came to deliver my letter," Dean said. "She seems… stern."

Erica laughed a little. "She is. She's also the Head of Gryffindor House."

"She is?" Seamus gulped. "Mam didn't mention that."

Erica continued to grin.

"You like Quidditch, Erica?" Seamus then asked.

She glanced at the book. "Not sure, yet. I've never exactly seen a game."

Seamus gasped like this was blasphemy.

"What's Quidditch?" Dean asked.

Seamus seemed completely scandalized.

"Only the best sport in the world!"

Seamus launched into a long-winded explanation of the wizarding sport that Erica only half-understood — his Irish accent had gotten thicker with his vigor. Quidditch was a sport played on brooms — seven players per team. Three Chasers, who handled the first ball, the Quaffle. They tried to get the Quaffle through one of the three hoops to score ten points apiece. Two Beaters, who carried bats to combat the two Bludgers — iron balls bewitched to fly around and knock players off their brooms. One Keeper, who defended the three goal posts from opposing Chasers. And one Seeker, who was the most important player in the game. They flew around looking for the Golden Snitch. The Seeker tried to catch the Snitch, and once caught, the Seeker's team was awarded 150 points and the game was over.

It sounded like a lot to look at, but Erica knew Hogwarts had House Quidditch teams, so she couldn't wait to see a game for herself.

"Sounds exciting," Erica said.

"I think I prefer football," Dean said.

"What's football?" Seamus asked.

"Muggle sport," Erica explained. "We call it soccer in America. One ball, eleven players per team, goal at each end of the field."

Dean, encouraged, continued to explain the sport. Seamus tried to follow along, but didn't seem quite sure. It was clear that he preferred Quidditch.

By the time Dean's excited explanation was over, a candy cart rolled up outside the compartment.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" a smiling, dimpled woman asked after sliding their door open.

All three of them jumped up.

Erica and Dean studied the available sweets curiously.

Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties (What the heck was a pastie?), Cauldron Cakes, Jelly Slugs, Licorice Wands, and an assortment of other strange things Erica never would have dreamt up. She was familiar with some American wizarding candies, but these were all new to her.

Seamus got himself some of everything, but Dean and Erica were a bit more cautious. Erica ended up getting herself a pair of Cauldron Cakes, a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and several Chocolate Frogs.

Erica loved chocolate.

Erica quickly discovered that Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans was not a misnomer or exaggeration. They meant every flavor. Her third bean was enough to tell her that — paint.

Seamus told her and Dean that paint was mild considering some of the other flavors you were liable to get.

The Cauldron Cakes were delicious — there was nothing truly special about them. They were just little cakes shaped like cauldrons with frosting. The cake wasn't as good as Erica's mom's cakes, but they were still good.

Oh, but Chocolate Frogs…

Erica officially had a new favorite candy.

Seamus had thankfully warned her to catch the frog before it hopped away, and for that, Erica was happy to give him the collectable cards in the packages. Then, she continued to munch happily as she and the boys continued getting to know one another.

As the day crawled by, and the Hogwarts Express chugged its way north, the landscape changed several times — from urban London, to a grassy countryside, to historic, cobblestoned towns, to even foggy moors. Erica munched on a stray Bertie Bott's bean (she was pretty sure its flavor was tar) and looked at the passing forest when the compartment door slid open.

The girl standing there had already donned her new Hogwarts robes, which were neat and pressed and pristine compared to her bushy brown, wild hair. She opened her mouth, revealing some rather large front teeth.

"Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost his."

Erica remembered a boy on the platform saying he'd lost his toad, and a woman who looked like his grandmother scolding him. If he'd lost the toad at the platform, it was likely the toad was still in London.

"No," Erica shook her head. Dean and Seamus followed suit.

The girl sighed with something between frustration and disappointment.

"Okay, thanks."

Erica suddenly felt bad, and the bout of cabin fever that had been crawling up in her reared its head. "Wait, I'll come help. We can search faster that way."

The girl looked more than relieved. "Thanks. I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?"

"Erica — that's Seamus and Dean."

"Thanks, Erica. Are you a first-year, too? I am — nobody else in my family's magic, so I'm very excited. I've already tried some simple spells, and they've all worked for me. I was ever so pleased to receive my acceptance letter. I've heard Hogwarts is the best magic school in the world — I've already learned our course books by heart, of course, but I don't know if it's enough. I can't wait to see what House I'm in — I think Gryffindor is by far the best House. Albus Dumbledore himself was in it, you know. But Ravenclaw wouldn't be bad either. What about you? Which House do you want to be in?"

Hermione Granger had said all of that in one very long-winded breath. Erica simply stared at her before registering Hermione had addressed her.

"Uh, I don't think I'd mind any House, to be honest."

"Oh," Hermione blinked. She almost seemed disappointed. "Well, how about I search this way and you go that way?"

"Sounds good to me."

Erica felt bad that she felt relieved to get away from Hermione Granger, but her ear felt sore. Plus, searching in two directions would help the search go faster.

Erica ducked into seven different compartments, asking everyone if they'd seen a wayward toad. Everyone answered no. Erica wasn't surprised, but nevertheless, continued the search. She'd said she'd help, after all.

Erica slid open the next compartment door and poked her head in.

"Sorry to bother you, but you guys haven't seen a rogue toad, have you?"

Five faces shook their heads. Erica felt a little dejected.

"Well, thanks anyway."

"Wait!"

Erica turned back.

"Are you Erica Addams?"

Erica's eyes went wide. She was used to people asking if she was American (five of the last seven compartments had asked that), but she hadn't expected anyone to know her name.

"Yeah?"

"Oh, so you're Mum's new favorite."

Erica blinked. Was she seeing doubles?

Two of the five people in the department looked exactly the same. Exactly the same. They were a pair of stocky, red-haired, freckled twins.

Oh.

"Fred and George?"

They flashed matching, mischievous grins and stood.

"At your service, milady." The first bowed deeply. The second continued to grin and lifted Erica's hand to his lips.

"Enchanté."

Erica was sure her face was bright red, because the twins' grins got wider.

The first twin rose from his bow. "Fred —"

"— and George."

"Nice to meet you, Erica."

"We feel we know you already."

"Yeah, Mum's done nothing but talk about you for days now."

Erica still blushed, but was smiling. "Your mom was extremely helpful when we went to Diagon Alley."

"Yeah, she mentioned you were transferring from America," Fred said.

"Don't think we've ever had a transfer student before," George added.

Erica shrugged. "Professor Dumbledore offered, I said yes."

"What about the American wizarding school?" one of the two girls in the compartment asked.

Erica shrugged again, ignoring the way her stomach turned to stone.

"Ilvermorny? I mean, it's practically the knock-off version of Hogwarts, so why go there when I could go here?"

The third boy, the one with dreadlocks who'd been on the platform, gave a little bark of laughter.

"I like you, Erica. You'll fit right in here."

Erica grinned, her mood brightening. "Thanks — was that you I saw on the platform showing off something hairy?"

The boy, Lee, grinned deviously. "Want a looksee?"

Erica looked into the proffered box, and promptly grimaced when she saw the hairy spider inside.

"Is there a reason for the tarantula?"

"You recognize that thing?" the second girl said, her nose curling towards the creature.

Erica shrugged. "My cousin has a pet tarantula — she calls him Homer."

"Sounds like our type of person," Lee said, smirking alongside the Weasley twins. He closed the box and put it beside him on the bench. Erica mentally cringed — she did not want to imagine her cousin meeting these three menaces. She wasn't sure she'd survive the encounter.

"Well, as fascinating as your little hairy monster is, I've got a toad to help find. See you all later!"

"Bye, Erica!"

The twins' farewells echoed behind her.

Erica continued, but no one had seen the lost toad. Soon, Erica went back to her compartment. Seamus and Dean were immersed in what she recognized as Exploding Snap.

"No luck?" Dean asked.

"Nope."

"Want to play next round?" Seamus asked.

Erica felt her lips curve up. "As long as you're prepared to lose."

Seamus's own lips smirked back. "You're on."

Erica won the next three rounds.

Soon, it was getting dark. And as soon as Erica realized that, she knew it was time to change into her brand-new Hogwarts school robes. Erica quickly retrieved them and went to change in the bathroom. When she got back, Dean and Seamus had changed as well.

It was now fully dark. Mountains and forests zoomed by under the black sky twinkling with stars.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Erica, Dean, and Seamus joined the crowd thronging in the corridor, all of them itching with impatient excitement and pervasive nerves.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. Erica shivered in the unexpectedly cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Erica heard an unfamiliar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

The man was enormous. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked way too big to be real, or allowed, and so wild — long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trashcan lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. Through the dark, however, Erica could see his black eyes glittering kindly.

Erica, Dean, and Seamus pushed their way towards the man, along with all the other first-years. The man's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed the man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Erica was sure they were surrounded by thick trees. Nobody spoke much. Poor Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffled once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the enormous man called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

Erica felt the breath steal right out of her.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

Hogwarts was beautiful.

"No more'n four to a boat!" the man called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Seamus and Dean sat up front, Erica loading into the back with a quiet, dark-skinned boy.

"Everyone in?" shouted the enormous man, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" the man yelled as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" the man said, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" Neville cried blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after their guide's lamp, coming out at last onto a smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

The man raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


Hey all! Here's Chapter 5, and Erica has officially arrived at Hogwarts! Next up - the Sorting! Drop me a review and let me know what you all think! :D

Sammiemoosam