A/N: Back to 'the' chapters.

Hagrid and Harry walked through Kings Cross station, a million faces surrounded them, and they all passed by, without a second thought. "Blimey," said Hagrid, looking at his watch, "is tha' the time. Okay well I got ter go. Yer train leaves in ten minutes, hurs yur ticket." Harry gazed at the ticket.

THE HOGWARTS EXPRESSS

Platform

Nine

And

Three

Quarters

"But Hagrid, what's this mean, nine and three quarters?" Harry asked, but Hagrid was nowhere to be seen, which was surprising because of how…large he was.

Harry was scared out of his wits. He didn't even know how to get to his train and it was leaving in ten minutes. He pushed his trolley over to a security guard, who was helping an old lady find the train to Lincolnshire. "Uh…sir?" Harry asked. "Where is platform nine and three quarters?"

"Nine and three quarters, think your being funny do'ya, and why do you have a bloody owl in here?" Harry pushed his trolley away and walked up to platform nine. Right next to it was platform ten, but no nine and three quarters. Harry starred at it for a while, before realizing there was no way that there could be a platform nine and three quarters. He kept walking around the station a while, before he saw an inconspicuous family, who were pushing trolleys with the exact things Harry was pushing. He heard the mother say "Stupid Muggles," and his suspicions were confirmed. Harry followed slowly behind them.

There was one older boy, who had a very large nose, and was holding it high. He had red hair, just like the rest of his family. Next, there were a set of twins, who were lanky, and were wearing matching clothes. Harry couldn't even tell them apart. There was a younger boy who Harry supposed might be a first year, or a little older. He was taller than Harry and pudgy, and Harry noted there was some dirt on his nose. Then there was the mother, who was short and plump, and looked like she had a nice smile, but also looked like she could explode. Lastly, was a little girl who Harry supposed would be a first year, or maybe she wouldn't even be coming yet. He was instantly repulsed by her.

They walked up to the barrier between platforms nine and ten, and then the mom said, "Percy."

The boy with the large nose ran toward the brick wall and said, "Bye mum." Harry almost yelled something to alert him that he was running into a brick wall, but Percy ran straight through. Harry couldn't believe it…well actually it wasn't that big of a surprise, since he had seen so many strange things over the past few days.

"Fred." the woman said. One of the twins ran toward the barrier as she said, "George," and he followed. George ghosted in after Fred and Harry stepped up.

"Uh how do I get…?"

"How to get through the brick wall, dear," she smiled, "It's Ron's first time, too." Ron waved the 'my-mom-is-really-annoying-isn't-she-wave'.

"Just walk through the barrier between platforms nine and ten…best do it at a bit of a run so you can break your nose if it doesn't work." Harry ran through the barrier and Ron followed, being transported to platform nine and three quarters.

It was like being taken to a new world, the air was fresher, with a much more exciting mood erupting through the station. Harry's eyes couldn't take in any of the aesthetic beauty at once. The warm buzz of people jostling about painted a tapestry of enchantment. The platform was made out of brick and suspended bright lights illuminated the dark station. But the focal point of the picture was the giant red steam engine, belching pure white exhaust from its smokestack. It was so clean that it seemed to Harry that it was a life-sized toy train. On it written in gold said:

The Hogwarts Express

Harry hardly noticed he was still staring at the train, when it hissed a whistling warning of its departure. Harry quickly raced to the baggage car, dodging baggage-men loading cargo with their wands, families crying watching their children leaving, and a conductor shouting "Aaaaall Aboard!" Harry quickly placed his school stuff down, and then ran to the caboose carrying only Hedwig and his robes as he climbed aboard, the owl repeatedly banging her on top of the bird-cage. Harry gave his ticket to the conductor and boarded.

The halls were cramped and alive with cart stewards and excited students, some already in their robes. Harry quickly found a compartment with no one occupying the red patted benches. With a satisfied grunt, he sat next to the window, holding Hedwig's cage and his robes. With one final whistle, and shudder of brakes, the Hogwarts Express gained speed.

"Well Hedwig, we're off!" laughed Harry. The sun poured into the passenger compartment as they left the station. Harry delighted in watching the English countryside, passing hollyhocks, many sunny houses, grazing cattle, particularly one with overalls chewing cud by the fence, and fluttering sparrows. About several minutes later, Hedwig was pecking stubbornly at the lock on his cage. Harry promptly opened and the jovial owl wobbled out to freedom. Harry patted his feathery companion's head. "I wonder what Hogwarts will be like Hedwig. I'm sure it will be like magic."

The owl turned. "Chirp hi hi, 'like magic'".

Harry was stupefied. "You can talk?"

Just then, a tall red-haired kid was against the glass slide door looking into the compartment. He halfway opened the slide-door, peeking his shiny head in while one of his hands clutched a rat.

"Uh, can I sit here?" he asked, his rat squirming in his hands.

"Sure," Harry replied, and Ron dragged in his robes and his rat and sat down across from Harry.

"I'm Ron, by the way, Ron Weasley."

Harry thought for a second before replying, "I'm Harry…Harry Potter."

Ron's mouth dropped to the floor, "Harry Potter…Do you have the-"

"Scar," Harry said lifting up his hair to show his mark.

"Wicked!"

Harry laughed a little bit, before thinking what it would be like when he got to school, when everyone could see that he was Harry Potter.

"This is Scabbers," he said pointing to his rat, "sometimes he seems like he's almost human."

"This is Hedwig," said Harry, brushing his owl affectionately, "He can talk!"

Ron stared at Harry and was about to say something when a young boy with bad front teeth opened the door.

"Have you seen Trevor...he's a toad," he added.

"Nope," said Ron.

"I haven't seen him," said Harry.

"Well…thanks…" he shut the door and left.

Soon there was a knock on the door, and a witch who had a hook-ed nose, and a few dozen moles asked, "Do ya want anything to eat ya lousy whippersnappers?"

"No thanks," said Ron.

The witch left the compartment as Harry yelled, "Wait!"

"I ain't waitin' for you!"

"I've got money!" he yelled back, and she rushed to his compartment.

Harry pulled out twenty galleons and nearly bought the whole cart. "You want some?" asked Harry.

"Sure!" yelled Ron. "Hey, try one of these Chocolate Frogs." Harry opened a Chocolate Frog, and it jumped off its package. It jumped again, but this time Harry stabbed it with his wand while it was in midair. It gave a screech as Harry proceeded to devour it like a caveman.

"Man, you're brutal," said Ron. They continued to devour sweets, as Ron eyed a package that said Succulent Suckers. Harry found a card at the bottom of the package.

"I got Dumbledore!"

"I got about six of him."

"He's picking his nose," said Harry in disgust.

"Well, what do you expect him to do; he hasn't got any tissues around." Harry decided that he agreed.

As the journey dragged on, Ron regaled Harry with quests and funny memories of the Infamous Weasley Family. "My Grandpa was drafted into the British Army, seeing as he had no choice, he used his magic to protect his lads. He even told me how he gotta German tank to tap dance!"

Then a girl who was already dressed in her robes opened the door to the compartment. She had long bushy hair, and large front teeth, and gave off an aura of know-it-all snobbishness. "Has anyone seen Neville's toad? He's been looking all over the train for it."

"Haven't seen him," said Harry. Ron opened up the package to see a multicolored sucker that he tried to lick. Suddenly it jumped and latched itself onto Ron's nose.

"You have something on your nose," the girl reminded him.

"I KNOW!" he said, ripping the sucker away, with part of his nose.

"Anyway tell me if you see him." She walked away, as Ron was holding his nose in agony.

He managed to say "Ow."

After a few minutes Ron had returned to normal, and was trying to show Harry a magic spell he had learned from his brother Fred. He cleared his voice as the bushy-haired girl returned to the compartment.

"Are you about to do magic, well let's see it," she said as she sat down next to Harry.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow

Turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"

He waved his wand and Scabbers flew through the air and slammed into the wall.

"Not quite the effect you were looking for was it?" Ron was still trying to see if Scabbers was still alive. "I'm Hermione Granger," she turned to Harry, "and you are?"

"Uh- Harry Potter."

"Holy cricket! I read about you in A History of Magic."

"I'm in A History of Magic?" Wow I'm awesome, thought Harry.

"And you are?" she turned to Ron.

"Ron Weasley."

"Good to meet you, since I probably won't ever see you again," she said.

She stepped out of the compartment and said, "You should change your robes now; we're almost there." Ron wrinkled his nose at her as she walked out.

"I guess we better follow Hermy-one," said Ron as he and Harry started to change.

"So what's you're Quiditch team?" Ron asked after they had changed into their robes.

"I don't have one," Harry said sheepishly.

"Oh…Well you're going to love it." And Ron started to explain all the positions of the players and what they do, and all the matches he had been to. "So then Ryans, from the Cannons did one of the greatest Chimchong Fakes of all time, and hit the other guy in the head with the Quaffle."

Then, the door opened again, and it wasn't Hermione or Neville, but the pointy-faced kid from Madam Malkin's with two other kids who weren't underfed. "Is it true? Is Harry Potter really in this compartment?"

"Yes, such is true," said Harry.

"So you're Harry Potter. This is Crabbe and Goyle, and I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Ron gave a cough to hide a snicker. "Think my name's funny, do you? Doesn't take a brain to notice who you are?"

"Then, maybe you can tell," said Harry. Draco's cheeks turned a little pink, but he didn't reply to Harry's comment.

"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are more legit than others. I can help you there." Draco sneered confidently.

"I'm not quiet interested in being in the mafia yet, but thanks."

"You better watch yourself Potter. You go hanging out with crap like the Weasleys and Hagrid and it'll start rubbing off on you."

"Say that again!" said Harry as he and Ron stood up.

"So you're going to fight us now, eh?" Goyle reached for Ron's Chocolate Frog, and Scabbers jumped onto his knuckle and dug in with his teeth. Goyle screamed like a girl as he threw Scabbers away, and Scabbers met the glass window with a cold reception.

"Let's get out of here!" Draco yelled, as Crabbe and Goyle retreated. Immediately they heard footsteps from down the hall, and Hermione showed up.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"Nothing," replied Ron as the train stopped.

"We're finally there," said Hermione as she rushed down the hall. Harry and Ron packed up their stuff and walked out of the train. The air was thick with mist, and a lone light shone through the crowd of people.

"Firs' yurs o'er here. Now 'on't be shy."

Harry rushed forward and yelled, "Hagrid!"

"Hey Harry supposed you made it tur the train, eh?"

"I will never forgive you for leaving me there Hagrid." Hagrid laughed wholeheartedly but Harry's expression didn't change.

"Eh…well, firs' years ter the boats," Hagrid yelled as he walked up to the lake. Harry and Ron jumped in a boat, and after Hagrid made sure they were all ready, the boats started to move.

"Now rem'mber," said Hagrid, "don't fall out er the sea munstur might take yuh." Ron gulped.

Harry looked up to the horizon to see the castle of Hogwarts looming over the school grounds. It was alit like an enticing circus, illuminating Harry's astonished face. It was everything he dreamed it would be, medieval towers and turrets with gothic-style architecture. Its lights radiated off the dark lake they crossed, the whole picture a fairy-landish epic."Wicked," muttered Ron, clearly impressed as much as Harry.

Soon the boats stopped at the shore and Neville discovered that his toad had been in Hermione's hair the entire time. Hagrid walked up to the front door of Hogwarts and knocked.

The first night was about to begin.