"Chapter Six" Gideon narrated. "The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters."

"Finally, the good stuff," Nora said. "Not that the other stuff wasn't important but…"

Nora trailed off and flashed Harry a sheepish look who smiled.

"I understand," Harry said.

"And the sooner we put the Dursleys in the back, the better," Sara said. "For Astra's sake."

"I'll deal with it for now," Astra said. "I'll deal with them later."

"I should try and talk you out of it," John said. "Given you just escaped damnation, but I can't be arsed to put up a fight for that lot."

'Good, like I'd listen to you anyway," Astra said.

"Shouldn't Supergirl intervene with the potential murder?" Malfoy asked.

"Oh, I've gone temporarily deaf to any murder threats regarding those people," Kara said.

It seemed like no one could even put up a token defense for the Dursleys.

"Fair enough," Malfoy said. "Continue."

Harry's return to the Dursleys and their new attitude of acting like Harry did not exist.

"This is an improvement,' Zari said. "It's depressing to think it is."

"I'd be a hermit if my only social interaction would be with those people," Lena said. "Plus, it gives Harry a bit of time to get prepared for his new life."

"All of those books," Hermione said. "I'm surprised."

"What does that supposed to mean?" Astra asked.

"Oh, we'll get to that later, I guess," Hermione said.

Events are shown up to the point where it is mentioned that Hedwig brought back dead mice to Harry's bedroom.

Astra's lips twitched in amusement.

"Love you, Hedwig," Astra murmured.

"She was amazing," Harry said.

"And that past tense is making me think I'll be infuriated at something they did," Astra said. "I know, Rule 2."

"I would love to see the look on Petunia's face when she did come into your room after you left," Kara said. "It would be hilarious."

"Unfortunately, we can only imagine what it would be like," Ava said.

The conversation between Harry and Vernon regarding the transport to Hogwarts was shown.

"I'm impressed, Potter," Malfoy said. "You speak troll."

"Don't you?" Harry asked. "Must have been hard to converse with Crabbe and Goyle all of those years otherwise."

Malfoy rolled his eyes in response.

"Walked right into that one," Sara said.

Vernon's little comment about magic carpets.

"Banned in Britain," Nora said. "Not that this nitwit would know. Kids love them."

"And how many of your charges wished for a magic carpet?" Ava asked her.

"About as many that wished for a pony" an exasperated Nora said.

Harry and Vernon have their little conversation about the platform. Vernon thinks Platform 9 and 3 Quarters is rubbish.

Everyone sighed in a disgusted manner.

"To be fair, Hagrid should have really explained that one," Kara said.

"It somehow worked out in the end," Harry said.

"I feel like that would be engraved on your tombstone someday," Sara said.

"Maybe," Harry said with a slight grin.

The rest of the conversation played out leading up to Vernon saying he had to get Dudley's tail removed.

"Oooh, I want to be a fly on the wall when he tried to explain that one," Lita remarked.

"You know, not sure how he did," Harry said. "Only Dudley was without the tail the next time I saw him."

Harry's arrival and Vernon actually helping Harry with his trunk at the platform.

Everyone looked shocked at this surprising bit of generosity on the part of Vernon Dursley.

"What?" Astra asked.

"Something's up," Mick said. "No way he's changed that much."

"Wait for it," Harry said.

Vernon's remarks about the platform, and then the Dursleys driving away, leaving an eleven year old stranded at the train station all alone. While they laugh like assholes.

"I knew it," Mick grumbled.

"Your aunt had to know, didn't she?" Lita asked. "I'm sure your grandparents dragged her to the train station to see Lily off all of those years."

"Yeah, they did, and she resented it," Harry said.

"Your relatives are really the worst," Ron said.

"They put you in danger just leaving you there!" Kara snapped, finally losing her head. "You know something! I try to see the good in people, but there's nothing redeeming about them. Dudley, maybe, he's a kid, maybe he can change, he's just learned it from those two. But your Aunt and Uncle, they're absolutely disgusting. Just because your mother had powers, Petunia has to take it out on her nephew. Family shouldn't be like this. This is insane! How did you not end up messed up?"

"I'm okay, Kara," Harry said. "It will be fine."

Harry pulled Kara into a hug and kissed her to calm her down.

"It's not okay," Kara murmured into his chest.

"Vernon's worse than Petunia," Lena said. "At least with Petunia, you got the jealousy factor. It's not an excuse, but it's an explanation. Vernon's just an intolerant asshole."

"Well, if you remember the first chapter, I really think Vernon follows his wife's lead," Lita said. "They deserve each other."

"Wish that fucking drunk hit them, and not my mother," Astra said fuming. "That's not fair."

"No, it's not," Harry agreed. "Continue, please."

Astra scooted closer to Harry.

"I thought I was really done with them until next year," Astra said. "They really saved their worst for last."

"Yes, they did," Ron said. "Honestly, Harry, you would have the best justification to hate Muggles, growing up with that."

"Oh, that's not fair though, the Dursleys are…well they're bad," Hermione said. "Really bad. Dumbledore couldn't have known though. I'm sure he thought there was some good in there. And who would think that family could be this cruel."

Hermione's voice gotten softer and she had a small bit of doubt creep into it. But, she shook it off. All eyes were on her.

"Really?" Kara asked.

Hermione's words failed her when Kara's eyes started to glow from the otherside of Harry's arm. Kara might be scarier when she was pissed than Astra was in general.

Harry asked the guard about the platform. This goes about as well as expected.

The group groaned in response.

"You wouldn't be put into this situation, if almost every adult you met so far hasn't failed you," Sara said. "And what I want to know is why the Ministry or Hogwarts, or whatever doesn't have someone on the platform to help new students?"

"Well, they assume that most wizarding families know, and as for Muggleborns…" Ron said before trailing off with a sigh. "It would make sense."

"Hence why they didn't do it," Lita said.

"Yes," Ron said dismally.

Harry's little scheme about potentially tapping the ticket stand follows.

"Well, I can't blame you," Zari said. "You are eleven years old. You have to try everything."

"Eleven years old and scared shitless," Lena said.

"If nothing else, you would attract a Ministry wizard for causing a breach in the Statute of Secrecy," Malfoy said. "Which they could tell you how to get on the train, but you would likely have to pay a fine."

"It still doesn't make sense that there's no one there to prevent any problems like that," Ava said.

"If you're going to wait for the Wizarding World to make sense, Sharpe, don't hold your breath," Malfoy said.

"I know how he feels," Kara said. "I remember when I got lost in the mall about six months after I came to Earth. And I was two years older than Harry was there. Eliza and Alex were both freaking out."

"And you didn't have control of your powers then," Harry said.

"Yeah, thankfully…it was okay," Kara said. "And only for a half of an hour, but it felt like longer."

"Fifteen minutes can feel like fifteen hours when you're that young," Lena agreed.

Everyone wore looks which pretty much translated to "these fucking Dursleys."

The arrival of the gaggle of redheads on the platforms. Complete with Molly Weasley asking where the platform was in a loud voice that Harry could here.

A few people turned to Ron. Ron knew what a few of them were thinking.

"This is kind of sus, your mother just happening to ask what the platform is," Lita said.

"I know, I've heard this a million times, I've seen it on the Internet in the fandom," Ron said with a sigh. "But, that's just how Mum is. She likes to make sure we're in order. And we were running late that day, and she was more frazzled than ever. She does it every year, especially when a new one of us is sent off to Hogwarts, which was very often."

"Well, at least Harry heard," Astra said. "As convenient as it was that she showed up when he was his most desperate."

"Look, I can see why people might think what you're thinking, what a lot of people are thinking," Ron said. "But Mum's not that good of an actress. She wears her heart on her sleeve. She can't hide her emotions for shit and always speaks her opinion."

"Don't I know it," Harry said.

Ron knew Harry remembered a certain exchange Molly had with Sirius the summer before their fifth year, and Ron cringed a little bit in remembering it.

"Well, anyone does who has met her," Ron said. "It's…she's never one to be shy about expressing her opinion. Out of all of us, she might be the most Gryffindor, and subtle we aren't."

"Call me crazy, but I think I believe him," Astra said.

"Mum's got a lot of other problems, but tricking some orphan child is not one of them," Ron said. "Can we continue?"

"By all means, Mr. Weasley," Gideon said.

Some more Weasley antics follow.

Ron smiled. Nostalgic for a moment at a time which long passed. They were all so young and innocent and had no idea what was to come.

Maybe if they knew things would change. Or maybe not. Maybe they would make different mistakes.

"Do those two even know which is which half of the time?" Harry asked.

"The twins?" Ron asked. "I wonder sometimes. Fred can be a bit more spiteful than George and he's a centimeter taller."

"So, Fred's the evil one," Lita said.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Well, you know there's one twin who is good and one is evil," Lita said.

"I never really thought about it that way," Ron said.

Harry's first interactions with the Weasleys leading to Harry's first trip to the platform.

"As if your nerves weren't already frayed enough already," Kara said.

"Mine are, and I'm not even there," Astra said.

"I saw my brothers do it for years, and even I was nervous all of the time," Ron said. "It didn't help that Fred and George told me how if I was too slow, I would be forever trapped between Platforms Nine and Ten. And no one could hear my screams."

"That's terrible!" Kara shouted.

"Yeah, they could take a joke too far sometimes," Ron said. "And I was an easy target for them. They mellowed out over the years, thankfully. Although, I think they acted up because they wanted to stand out, because they knew everyone Mum and Dad had after Charlie was…well…they really wanted a daughter. And the twins were the first to catch onto that, so they did a lot of it to spite Mum."

Harry's success in getting on the platform.

Everyone cheered and smiled.

"Another amazing moment," Lita said.

"Sounds like a madhouse," Ava said.

"It is," Malfoy said. "Especially if you aren't smart enough to beat the crowd."

Harry leaned over towards Astra. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged in triumph.

"You made it," Astra said.

"Of course, I did," Harry said.

"Somehow, you made it," Astra said. "After all of that, you made it."

Some more interactions with the people on the Platform, leading to Fred and George helping him and discovering that he is Harry Potter. Up to Harry's "oh him" response.

A few people laughed, no more obviously than Harry himself.

"Smooth, Potter," Malfoy said.

"Well, I wasn't used to being recognized," Harry fired back.

"At least someone helped you," Kara said.

Astra nodded in agreement.

The interactions between Ron, the Twins, and their mother are shown. Along with Ron's nose.

A few people turned to Ron and smiled. Ron just shifted.

"Well, it was embarrassing," Ron said.

"She's your mother, it's her job to embarrass you," Lita said. "That's what mine says anyway."

"And mine did as well," Nora said. "I wish she was around to do it."

"And mine," Astra said before turning to Nora. "You lost your mother too?"

"Yeah," Nora said. "Sucks."

"I know," Astra said.

The twins razzing Percy about his status as prefect comes up next.

"He brings it on himself," Malfoy said.

"And you don't?" Ron asked.

"I'm really glad I got into too much trouble to be put into a position of authority at school," Sara said.

"Me too, or I mean, I am now," Lita said. "And besides, being the sexy time traveling badass ninja captain of a group of misfit time travelers is much better than being any prefect."

"I agree with Lita," Harry said.

"Thanks," Sara said.

"Well, it's a responsibility that you shouldn't take lightly," Hermione said.

"It's a reward for the biggest brown-noser," Lita retorted.

"Have to agree with my kid," Mick said with an approving smile.

Hermione just tutted disapprovingly at their attitude.

More of the interaction between the twins and their mother and Percy, up to the comment about blowing up a toilet.

"That's right," Lita said. "Give a prankster ideas."

"Molly really should know better," John said with a sigh. "But, decorum has never been her strong suit."

"Those who live in glass houses…" Astra began.

"Alright, I'm not one to talk," John said. "Happy."

"Thrilled," Astra said.

A little bit more of the twins, including their assurance that Ron was safe with them.

"Oh, yes, that made me feel all reassured," Ron said in complete deadpan.

It was all coming back to him, all of those old insecurities that Ron hoped to leave buried. Long buried.

Harry did warn him.

The twins, their mother, and Ginny's excited declaration about wanting to meet Harry.

"Oh, Harry, you've got your first simp!" Lita sang.

"Won't be the last one either," Harry said.

"Mum really should have not told Ginny all of those stories when she was younger," Ron said. "It warped her for a while. And…well we'll get to the other thing, in Year Two. Won't we?"

Those who knew nodded in response.

"She's a ten year old girl with a crush," Kara said. "Don't be too hard on her."

"It's kind of adorable," Ava said.

"A little," Lena admitted. "I mean, as long as it stays a harmless little childhood crush and she doesn't go all single white female on you."

"And as long as she doesn't try and drug you with a love potion," Nora darkly said.

"Oh, am I going to have to debunk that bloody theory too?" Ron asked.

"Let's just continue, please," Ava said.

More of the Weasleys interacting and Molly warning them not to ask Harry about his past.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley," Astra said. "At least you have the sense to see that Harry's a person and not some object you admire. People liking him because what he is, and not who he is."

"Oh, I felt that one," Zari said. "All of those followers. No friends."

"You have them now, Zee," Harry said.

Zari just leaned forward and kissed Harry graciously on the cheek before pulling back and returning to the rest of the group.

The train departs with the Weasleys having a few parting words. And the narration of where Harry is going being better than what he left behind.

"Truer and more depressing words have never been spoken," Sara said grimly.

Astra nodded, a bit happy that for the time being, the Dursleys were finally gone.

Ron's arrival and asking to sit with Harry.

"So, was everywhere else full?" Lita asked. "Really."

"We were late," Ron reminded her. "Mum was shoving us onto the train. Surprised Harry snagged the last compartment on his own."

"Lucky, more like it," Harry said. "Not that I minded the company at the time. But, I wasn't going to go out of my way to interact with anyone. Especially since I didn't know how."

"Bloody Dursleys," Ron grumbled.

"I know, right," Astra said.

The interaction between Ron and Harry, leading up to Ron asking Harry about the scar.

Ron flinched when he saw his younger self and his complete lack of tact.

"Oh, come on, your mother told you not to do that," Kara crossly said.

"To be fair, she told Fred and George not to do that," Lena said.

"Still, that's not cool," Kara said.

"You're right, it's not," Ron said. "How cool were you when you were eleven?"

Kara blinked, shocked for a second.

"Wow, Weasley, you sassed the girl who could lift mountains," Malfoy said. "Gryffindor indeed."

"Shove it, Malfoy."

"Get a room, you two," Sara said. "Or at least stop eye-fucking each other so much."

"What?" Malfoy and Ron asked.

Sara just grinned and motioned for the story to continue.

"And that was out of line," Ron said. "I know that now. Happy?"

The awkward first conversation between Harry and Ron started.

"Why does your mother not talk about your cousin?" Malfoy asked. "Weasleys not so moral after all?"

"Well, he defrauded a whole bunch of people and went to prison," Ron said. "Can't believe you would find me interesting."

"Can't believe anyone would find me interesting," Harry said.

"Touche," Ron said.

Harry believes the Weasleys are like what Draco was talking about in Diagon Alley.

Both Ron and Malfoy looked scandalized that past Harry would even think such a thing.

"WRONG!" Malfoy yelled.

"Thanks, Malfoy, that was my ear," Kara said.

"Your naivety is almost enchanting at this point," Lena said. "No offense meant."

"Trust me, there were no books recommended on magical culture," Harry said.

"Or no class on it either," Lita said. "And they had Muggle Studies, but they didn't have any Magical Studies class?"

"Well, have to keep the Muggleborns ignorant," Ron sarcastically said. "Might have saved a lot of embarrassment if we all knew more about each other."

Hermione nodded, remembering the many mistakes she made because she honestly did not know any better.

Ron talking about his five brothers and getting everything second hand.

"So, Percy the Pompous gets new robes, but you have to deal with a wand that is at least second hand," Nora said. "Didn't we just go though an entire spiel of Ollivander saying that the wand chooses the wizard?"

"And a new owl," Ron said. "Yeah, that made me feel really good. Going to school with a hand-me down wand."

Especially one which was second hand when Charlie got it.

"It's amazing you were competent," Malfoy said.

Everyone looked gobsmacked.

"Glad, I've escaped Hell," Astra said. "Because, I think it just froze over worse than when the Chudley Cannons won the playoffs."

"And there's that rat," Lita said.

"Nothing wrong with having a pet rat," Mick said.

"Well, according to the Hogwarts rules, it is," Hermione said. "Which, I'm not sure how Percy got away with it."

"I think we had this conversation already, Granger," Malfoy said.

Harry and Ron talking and Harry's attempts to cheer Ron up, by talking about his childhood with the Dursleys.

Astra and Kara locked their eyes on Ron.

"You were cheered up by Harry's nightmare childhood?" Astra asked coolly.

"Oh, this is really a bad look, isn't it?" Ron asked.

"Explain," Kara said.

"Well, I just thought…well because they were Muggles, they might not have gotten anything to take care of Harry," Ron said. "I didn't think that anyone could treat someone as bad as Harry did. And it wasn't like he mentioned the cupboard, or the verbal abuse, or…just how generally awful they were. Why would I think of such a thing?"

"You really wouldn't, I guess," Astra said.

"I just thought the Dursleys were having trouble, and not irredeemable monsters," Ron said. "Trust me, I'm not happy looking back at this. Any of this. I don't come across well with a lot of what happened. But, I didn't know they used Harry like a slave and made him live in cupboard underneath the stairs and pretty much demeaned him in every way."

"I believe him," Sara said. "He was a kid."

"Everything comes back to them, though," Nora said. "The Dursleys"

"Unfortunately," Astra grumbled.

More of Harry and Ron on the train, along with Harry buying a whole lot of sweets.

"Great, I'm hungry," Lita said.

"Me too," Nora said.

"I haven't had any of that since forever," Astra said.

"Don't worry, I can get you anything you want," Harry said. "Later."

"Oh, sugar and time travel, what can go wrong?" Sara asked sarcastically.

"Actually, a whole lot," Ava said.

"Rhetorical question, babe," Sara said.

Chocolate frogs, up to Harry getting Morgana from Ron.

"Lena's ancestor," Kara said with a grin.

Lena rolled her eyes towards her best friend.

"Oh Kara, you're being ridiculous," Lena said.

"You have to admit, the resemblance is uncanny," Harry said.

"Wouldn't I have magic if I was descended from Morgana?" Lena asked.

"Well, there are latent powers," Nora said. "And you also kind of look like Rowena Ravenclaw."

"I would know if I had magic," Lena argued.

Harry looked at Lena, thoughtful.

More sweets, leading up to certain boy showing up looking for his toad.

"Poor kid, gets the lamest pet," Nora said. "Although they do have certain magical properties, which are useful."

"They can be," Harry agreed. "Although they aren't exactly the most popular pets."

Ron talks about Scabbers, up until a certain girl showing up, with bushy brown hair, buck-teeth, and a bossy voice.

Hermione crossed her arms. She stared at Harry, who stared back unblinkingly.

"Honestly, Harry, that's how you described me?" Hermione asked.

"And Granger makes her grand debut," Malfoy said.

Ron's spell, which Fred and George gave him, was an epic failure.

"Not even close," Astra said.

"Well, it might have worked if it's…well no spoilers," Ron said.

More with Hermione, up until where she talks about all of the books she read about Harry in. Much to the befuddlement of Harry and Ron.

Hermione buried her head in her hands. This was the first time she heard her younger self in years and she hated it.

"Speaking of people who need to make better first impressions," Zari said.

"Oh, that's nice," Astra said. "Why would you think Harry would want to read books from people who never met him? About him?"

Oh, this was really bad, Hermione mentally groaned.

"I wasn't that, bad, was I?"

"Yes," Malfoy said.

"I wasn't asking you, Malfoy!" Hermione snapped.

"Well, a little bit," Ron said.

"A little bit?" Hermione asked.

"A whole lot of a little bit," Ron said.

"Ohhh!" Hermione groaned.

"Brand new world, you were excited to be in it, and you were trying to impress some people," Kara said. "Although you came on a bit too strong."

"Yeah, just a bit," Lita said.

"A whole lot of a little bit," Zari said.

Hermione looked like she wanted to crawl in a hole and disappear.

"Harry, why did you ask me to do this?" Hermione asked.

"We're just getting started," Harry said. "Do you think I'm particularly happy with everything I've done?"

Hermione groaned and continued to bury her head in her hands.

Harry and Ron talk a little bit about the Hogwarts houses.

"There were days where I wish I would have put into Slytherin," Ron said. "Given how fickle Gryffindor could be as a collective."

"If you were a Slytherin, I would demand to be transferred into Hufflepuff," Malfoy said in disgust.

"I don't know, you might be a good fit," Lita said. "Although, not sure what your family would say."

"Aunt Bellatrix doesn't believe Hufflepuff actually exists," Malfoy said.

"She can't be serious," Zari said.

"No, that was her cousin, Tarazi."

Harry rolled his eyes and turned slowly towards Sara.

"Permission to break Rule number three, Captain Lance," Harry said.

"I'll allow it just this once," Sara said.

Harry smacked Malfoy in the back of the head for using that joke.

"Damn it, Potter!"

Harry and Ron discuss the Gringotts break in and Quidditch.

"Not using his name, just makes him scarier than he really is," Astra said.

"I'll second that," Kara said.

"He's scarier when you have family members who died from him," Ron said darkly.

The arrival of Draco Malfoy in the compartment.

"And he's eying me up like a particularly juicy steak, now that he knows I'm Harry Potter," Harry said.

"I would have handled it better, had I known who you were," Malfoy said, still rubbing the back of his head.

"And somehow, people think that you two would be a good couple," Lita said.

"Why?" Harry and Malfoy asked in unison.

"Fangirls be crazy," Lita said. "Although, I think that there's more UST between Ron and Draco myself. And you'll see what I mean later."

"UST?" Ron asked.

"Unresolved sexual tension," Mick clarified for his daughter. "And you two are dripping with it. I agree with Sara, go get a room or stop eye-fucking each other."

Both Malfoy and Ron looked like they vehemently disagreed with this theory.

Draco's official introduction follows next. Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.

"Shaken, not stirred," Kara quipped.

"Yeah, because everyone's made that joke at least once," Harry said.

"It was hanging right there," Kara said.

"I know, honey, I know," Harry said.

"Easy to go for the low-hanging fruit," Lena said.

The first interaction between Ron and Draco follows.

"And now I'm seeing it," Ava said.

Nora and Lita start humming "can you feel the love tonight."

"They might be onto something," Kara said.

Ron shook his head and Malfoy decided to cheerfully ignore it.

"You don't know how insulted I was when you refused that handshake," Malfoy said.

"Oh, I had an idea," Harry said.

Malfoy's comments about Harry's parents follow and calling the Weasleys and Hagrid riff-raff.

The fun mood stopped and everyone turned towards Malfoy.

"Yes, I was and still am a prick," Malfoy said. "I was obviously insulted by Potter turning me down."

"So, being a butthurt little bitch is an excuse for slagging on someone's dead parents," John said.

"Sara?" Astra asked. "Can I please…"

"No."

"You let Harry do it," Astra said.

"I trust Harry not to push things too far," Sara said.

"You're going to be hearing me say a lot of rotten things," Malfoy said. "I don't get any better, I get worse."

Malfoy got his share of scowls. He responded with a smirk.

"He's right," Harry said.

"Thanks for backing me up, Potter."

"How can someone make a worse second impression than a first impression?" Zari asked.

"He's Draco Malfoy," Sara concluded.

The fight led to Scabbers biting Goyle's finger.

"I really hope you got that rat checked, Weasley," Malfoy said.

"I wish I did," Ron said.

"I mean, because he could have caught something from Goyle," Malfoy said.

Malfoy and his cronies run and Hermione comes back to have some interaction between Harry and Ron.

Hermione buried her head deeper into her hands.

"They were children," Lita said. "So, duh, they were acting childish."

"You going to be okay?" Zari asked.

"No," Hermione mumbled.

"Hermione, things get better later," Harry said.

"Yeah, of course they do," Hermione said. "Which is why we haven't spoken in fifteen years, right?"

"That's much later," Harry said.

"And I dread it," Hermione said.

"What happened?" Astra asked.

"You'll find out later," Harry said.

Lita and Nora both shrugged. Whatever falling out Harry and Hermione had, it never happened in the books. At least the books that Rowling published as a fictional series for non-magical.

Harry did say this story would be more different, the later it got.

Leaving the train, and then their first trip up to Hogwarts on the boats.

"That sounds pretty majestic," Nora said.

Hermione looked up to nod in agreement with Harry, Ron, and Malfoy also agreeing.

"Worth braving the lake," Harry said.

"Unless the weather is wicked," Ron said. "Thankfully, it was clear that year."

Neville reclaims his toad thanks to Hagrid.

"Sweet, sweet freedom, so close, and yet so far," Lena said.

"And Trevor kept going for it, for years," Harry said.

"Did he ever succeed?" Lita asked.

Harry just smiled. Honestly he did not know what happened to the toad.

"I would get away from Longbottom too, if I had the chance," Malfoy muttered.

The final moments of Hagrid knocking on the castle door and them waiting to head to Hogwarts.

"And that's that," Sara said. "That's a lot to unpack."

"No kidding," Astra said. "Let's see."

Astra turned to Hermione. She was none too impressed about how Hermione conducted herself during those first couple of meetings. And to be fair, Hermione was not either.

"I don't like you."

Hermione flinched. Astra went to Malfoy.

"I really don't like you."

"I'm not his friend…"

"You would have been, if he shook your hand," Astra said. "Fortunately, Harry has some sense."

Astra turned to Ron.

"I'm still reserving judgment on you."

Ron shrugged as if to say fair enough, not bothered.

"I think she likes you best," Harry said.

"And I'm glad the Dursleys are done for now, because this was the worst thing they've ever done," Astra said. "That stunt at the train station.

Harry wrapped his arms around Astra and she cooled down in his embrace.

"Well, that's the chapter," Sara said. "So, fifteen minute snack break, and we resume?"

"I believe you promised us some magical candy?" Lita asked.

"I'll pop down to Honeydukes and be right back," Harry told them. He turned to Astra. "Want to come along?"

"Yeah, I need some fresh air," Astra said.

The two slipped out, and everyone took a breath after that really long reading.

To Be Continued.