Chapter 5: Platform 9 and 3/4
"Bella, it's almost ten forty; we need to leave now!" Delilah called to her daughter as she put Bella's trunk in the car. As she shut the trunk, Bella came rushing out of the house holding onto two of her books and her shoulder pack.
"Mum, can I have the keys?" Bella asked as she shut the door.
Delilah tossed the house key to Bella who caught it with ease. Soon they were on the road to King's Crossing Station.
"You've got your ticket, right?" Delilah said as they parked at the train station.
"Yeah Mum," Bella answered as she climbed out of the car and tried to grab out her trunk.
"Bella, go shut your door," Delilah told her as she gave up on getting her trunk out. As Bella shut her door, her mother pulled out the trunk and put it on a trolley that was close by.
"Alrighty, let's go find your train," Delilah said as they headed into the station.
Bella stayed close to her mother as they hurried through the busy train station. As they passed a column between platforms nine and ten, a redheaded woman and redheaded girl passed right into it.
"Mum, I think we go through there," Bell suggested to her mother. As they both looked at the column, a blond haired boy and his parents went through the column too.
Soon Bella and Delilah had turned around and had gone through the column as well. On the other side was a whole other platform, hidden from muggles by magic. The train on the platform looked as if it was powered by steam but Delilah guessed it was actually run with magic.
"Mum, this is amazing!" Bella exclaimed as she grabbed her mother's hand.
Delilah had to admit that this was absolutely spectacular compared to Salem Witches Institute; to get there you had to either drive yourself or floo directly there. Suddenly a loud whistle sounded from the front of the train, effectively interrupting Delilah's thoughts.
"Five minutes until departure!" called the conductor.
The crowd on the platform began to disperse as parents and students said their final good-byes and the latter boarded the train. Bella and Delilah followed other late arrivals to the back of the train and dropped off Bella's trunk. Then they moved back so other students could stow their trunks.
Suddenly Delilah pulled Bella into a warm hug. "Oh Bells, I hope you have a brilliant first year," she said as she pulled back. She brushed some of Bella's stray raven black curls out of her daughter's blue eyes. "I love you sweetheart," Delilah whispered as she lightly kissed her daughter's forehead.
"I love you too Mum," Bella replied as she hugged her mother again.
After a few moments, they pulled apart and Delilah pushed Bella towards the train.
"Bye sweetheart. See you at Christmas!" Delilah called as Bella and a few other stragglers boarded the train and it began to leave the station.
"Bye Mum!" Bella answered as she was swept into the moving column of students trying to find seats in the train compartments.