It was the first day of September, the start of my favourite time of year. I remember that day vividly, I think it will always be a key day in my life,
a turning point if you will.
I recall so easily the crisp cool of the morning, the grass wet with dew, tiny droplets that looked like jewels sparkling in the morning light. The trees were decorated with scarlet and gold leaves which drifted to the ground when the breeze swirled through the branches. I had risen earlier than normal, excitement and nerves keeping me awake for most of the night. I'd been sitting in the kitchen looking out of the window since 6 o' clock that morning. My trunk had been packed since the beginning of August and I had emptied and repacked it at least eight times since then.
Finally I heard the heavy footsteps of my father as he emerged from his room. I willed him to have his breakfast as quickly as he could so that we could set off.
He didn't acknowledge me at all, just slowly began to eat. I was confused, had he forgotten that I was leaving today? Usually, I wouldn't dare interupt his breakfast, but I couldn't contain myself.
"When can we leave for the train station?" I asked timidly, wringing my hands together in my lap and fidgeting in my seat.
"We aren't going. I've decided that I don't want you going to that freak school. Petunia's right, you're already too bolshy for you're own good and all that school will do is give you ideas beyond your station. You can start St. Catherine's with Petunia tomorrow. We'll return all of that later today," he answered curtly, gesturing to my trunk.
I think that was the most I had ever heard him speak all at once and I also think it was one of the worst things he had ever said to me. In that moment I felt all of my hopes and dreams shatter into a thousand pieces.
I didn't waste my time trying to change his mind, it would be utterly pointless. Instead, I ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. I charged into Petunia's room and sent her flying as I flung myself at her. I was hysterical, tears were streaming down my face as I struck out blindly. I felt a crack, but in my rage I didn't care. How dare she ruin this for me.
We were both screaming and crying when my father entered the room. He dragged me away from her and I fell silent at once.
"Get her away from me! She's a freak, I hate her. Let her go to that stupid school. I never want to see her again," Petunia screeched, holding her hand over her face. Blood was streaming out from behind her hands, I must have broken her nose. I was glad though, I didn't feel sorry.
"Get your things and get in the van," my father barked at me angrily before ordering Petunia to stop crying. A glimmer of hope flickered inside me, was he going to let me go after all?
I almost flew down the stairs and gathered my things together. I sat in the back seat in my father's old van and watched him get in the front. He started the engine which usually took at least 15 minutes to start, maybe it was fate that it started first time that day. My father swung the car around and we sped off down the dusty track which led away fom the house. Normally I would be terrified of his reckless driving but today I was ecstatic as we wove through the traffic.
Eventually we arrived at King's Cross at ten minutes to 11. Hurriedly I grabbed my trunk and stood beside the van. I expected some acknowledgement of my departure but there was none. My father had left as soon as I had taken my trunk from the van and closed the door. On one hand, I felt so alone and rejected but on the other, I was so excited to be going to Hogwarts that right at that moment, I didn't care.
Slowly, I wheeled my trunk up to platform 9. I looked around me but I couldn't see any sign of platform 9 3/4. I did however catch sight of a short boy with messy black hair who was swaggering down the platform, his trunk pulled along by his father. With a rare burst of confidence, I hurried to catch up with him.
As I reached him, his father was just ruffling his hair and starting to leave.
"Erm, excuse me," I said, not so confident now I was standing straight in front of the boy, "Could you please tell me how to get to platform 9 3/4?"
The boy looked up surprised, as if everyone should know how to get to the platform. I felt foolish and embarassed but I had to find out quickly.
"Sure! All you have to do is run straight through that barrier there," he said pointing to a wall that was between platform 8 and 9. Stupidly, I didn't think to question the fact that 9 and 3/4 doesn't lie between 8 and 9. I was far too grateful to the boy.
"Are you sure that's right?" I questioned, running straight at a wall contradicted all of my common sense.
"Yeah, I promise!" he said smiling at me in such a way that it was impossible not to believe him. That smile was to become a source of much aggravation to the Hogwart's staff in years to come.
Completely trusting the boy, I ran at the wall and crashed into it heavily. My trunk cracked and I could feel a bruise forming on my stomach. At that moment,
everything that had happened that day rushed over me and I burst into tears. I could hear a group of boys laughing and could make out one saying "Nice one James!"
After a few seconds, I felt a hand on my arm and looked up into a pair of sympathetic brown eyes.
"Come on, let's get you on the train," the owner of said brown eyes whispered in my ear. It was a tall girl with frizzy blonde pigtails and a cheerful looking face. I let her lead me through the right barrier and onto the Hogwart's Express. Even though my face was tear-stained, I had a cracked trunk and a bruised stomach, I could still appreciate the girl's kindness and the gleaming, scarlet train in front of me.
The girl, who's name turned out to be Emmeline, which was one of many pieces of information that I could gather from the chattering girl, turned into an empty compartment.
"Want to sit with me?" she asked smiling.
"Of course!" I replied eagerly, still feeling silly and glad that I had somebody to sit by on the train. Faintly, I could hear the voice of boy explaining how he had tricked 'some stupid muggle' into running into a wall, and the ensuing raucous laughter of his friends.
A.N I apologise for the rushed chapter. Transition chapters are never exciting! Dedicated to Cath, just because I can :)
