Chapter Three: The Hogwarts Express
"I can see by the expression on your face that you know exactly who I'm talking about." Mr. Ollivander said.
"Yes, unfortunately I do." Harry replied. "He killed my father. My other father I mean." He said.
"Well Harry, I don't want you go on thinking that just because you share the wand of he who must not be named that you're exactly like him. For even though the wand chooses the wizard it's not always clear why. However, what can be perfectly clear is that we all can probably expect great things from you. After all he who must not be named did great things. Terrible things, but great all the same." Mr. Ollivander explained.
Harry paid for his wand and then put it away before leaving the shop again. That's when suddenly he realized that exactly as promised his father had gotten him his birthday present. For a beautiful snowy owl in the cage that his father held up in front of him was now his since there was also a new rule into place that students could own more than one pet as long as they cared for them properly.
…..
Once Harry's parents drove him to King's Cross Station Harry started pushing his cart towards platform nine and three quarters with his owl cage and his dog carrier right on top of it. "Well sweetheart this it, it's time to go with your father now and say goodbye to me and your brothers and sisters." Lily began before taking a few seconds to think about it. "
Wait a moment, reverse that." She finished while she bent down in front of him to give him a hug. "And since your Aunt Petunia is currently at home with your cousin and the babies, I'll give you an extra one from her." She told him before planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Goodbye Mum I love you." Harry told her while wrapping his arms around her and then kissed her back.
"I love you too honey." She told him and that's when Harry turned to give Sarah, Tobey, and Evie all a hug and a kiss goodbye and that's when they all wished him good luck and he started pushing his cart straight towards the barrier and a few seconds later he disappeared inside of it.
Severus went after Harry and helped him find a seat with his best friend Ronald Weasley. "Hey Harry." Ron began with a grin.
"Hey Ron." Harry said as he grinned back at him while the train started moving and a bunch of students started waving goodbye to their families.
"I see that you've got a new owl." Ron said.
"Yeah, this is Hedwig, I got her name out of one of my history of magic books. I think she was some sort of saint or something and my family's Christian so that fits." Harry explained.
"Yeah, so is mine we just don't really go to church or anything." Ron told him when suddenly a little girl about their age with bushy brown hair, brown eyes, and rather large teeth stuck her head inside the compartment.
"Has anybody in here seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one." She explained before Harry and Ron turned to look at each other and then back at her and shook their heads.
"No." They chorused together before the girl heaved a sigh.
"Alright, thanks anyways." She told them before she wandered off and that's when suddenly another little girl with short brown hair, brown eyes, and purple rimmed glasses stuck her head in.
"Uh hello there, mind if I join you?" She questioned them in an American accent while both Harry and Ron shook their heads at exactly the same time.
"Not at all." They said again before the girl came inside the compartment carrying her cat carrier that held a grey tomcat inside of it and she sat down next to Ron.
"My name's April Anderson. I moved to the UK when I was only three years old." She explained when suddenly Harry widened his eyes at her in disbelief.
"Wait a second, my mum told me that an American used to go to the nursery school that I attended. I never knew that you were a witch." He said.
"Yeah, neither did I until the ministry of magic showed up at my front door holding my letter explaining everything. My parents were rather shocked as well. You're Harry Potter aren't you? I've read books about you before." She said with a grin.
"Actually Harry Snape since my stepfather adopted me when I was only five years old but yes I am and this is my owl Hedwig and my dog Patches." He explained.
"And I'm Ron Weasley and this is my rat Scabbers." Ron told her.
"Uh oh, Scabbers better watch out for CJ is he's quite the mouser aren't you boy?" She questioned her feline companion who gave a rather loud meow in response causing Patches to bark at him and CJ to hiss straight back at him.
"Umm,.. anything from the trolley dears?" An elder witch questioned them anxiously as she had been passing their compartment right when all of the chaos was going on.
"Sure, we'll take the lot." Harry told her as he dug out all of his remaining money and both Ron's and April's eyes widened at how much money he had before he bought the rest of the sweets for them all to share.
…..
About half an hour before they arrived at the castle Harry, Ron, and April are all decided to change into their robes. Then before they knew it they caught a glimpse of their new school for the very first time and Harry was told that he could leave Hedwig on the train and that she would be brought up to his dormitory after he had been sorted into his house, but he decided to let Patches out of his carrier just as April decided to let out her cat.
Unfortunately for them though this had turned out to be a really bad idea because as soon as Scabbers scampered away CJ was right behind him chasing after him followed by Patches who was barking extremely loudly. The other girl who had stuck her head inside their compartment before backed up against the wall as Harry, Ron, and April quickly hurried outside chasing their pets.
