Michael appeared on a long smoky platform; in front of him was an enormous red steam engine. It stretched so far Michael couldn't see the end of it because of the smoke.
"Wicked" Harry whispered next to him, their owls hooted in agreement and raised a chuckle from the two boys.
"It's awesome" Michael agreed. He glanced upwards and saw the sign for Platform 9 ¾ and the clock next to it that read 10:56
"We gotta hurry" Michael said. Harry followed his gaze and nodded. They looked at each other for a second and then, grabbing their trolleys, they ran down the platform. The platform was not very crowded but they still had to weave around last minute stragglers like themselves and crowding parents.
"There!" Harry said and the pair of them leapt forwards towards the open door. Harry leapt aboard and pulled his case up after him. Michael passed Hedwig's cage to him and shoved his trolley out of the way. Harry held his arms out to help Michael but then the train whistled and Michael dropped his trunk on his foot
"Bugger" Michael swore and then he jumped again when a girl with bushy hair appeared next to him.
"Need a hand?" she asked and the two boys nodded. She knelt down and helped Michael push his case onto the train and then she pushed the trolley away while Michael climbed on carrying Black Velvet. She ran back and climbed aboard just as the train whistled again and the clock hit 11 o'clock.
"Thank you. I'm Michael Liennard" he said and held his hand out. She took it shyly and shook. As she smiled Michael saw that she had quite prominent front teeth.
"Hermione Granger" she replied as she turned to look at Harry. Michael jerked his head in his direction.
"This is Harry Potter" he said and bent down to quickly check his trunk. It seemed to have survived its manhandling without a scratch. He straightened up and saw that the other two were looking away from each other, blushing. Michael grinned to himself and then composed himself.
"We had better find a compartment" Michael encouraged and the other two nodded dumbly. Hermione shook her head and then spoke.
"I already have one. Follow me" she said and then, with one final glance at Harry, she headed off down the train. The two boys shared a look and a grin and then followed her. After a few minutes of walking they reached Hermione's compartment. They slid in and, with a bit of mutual lifting, they got their trunks up on the racks. They sat down and relaxed.
"So tell me about yourselves" Hermione said after a minute of silence. Harry looked at her and then stared at his lap. He mumbled something that Michael didn't quite catch. When Harry didn't look like talking again Michael jumped in. For the next hour or so Michael told her about his life at school and his magical experiences. He touched briefly on Zoe and when Hermione asked for more details.
"Were just friends" he said quietly. At this Harry sniggered and Michael looked at him and raised his eyebrows.
"Did I say something funny Potter?" Michael said in a prim voice. Harry shook his head in mock solemnity.
"No of course not Liennard. It's just, given the way that you two were tongue wrestling on the platform, I thought you would have said more than "were just friends"" Harry said and Michael went bright red and ducked his head. Hermione looked surprised.
"How old is she?" Hermione asked and Michael looked a little uncomfortable.
"8" at his word Hermione gasped and then tried to compose herself.
"Sorry, just caught me off guard" she said apologetically and Michael nodded.
"She is mature for her age" he replied. At Hermione's look of disapproval he launched into a more detailed analysis. By the time he was finished Harry and Hermione were both listening attentively. When he finished Hermione straightened up.
"Sorry I didn't mean to judge. It just surprised me" Michael nodded in understanding.
"It's fine. Of course now it's your turn" he said and now it was Hermione's turn to blush. She stole a look at her watch and sighed.
"We'll be there in a bit. I'll cut it short" she then launched into her story. As it turned out her "cut it short" took so long they were almost at the station by the time she finished. As she finished she looked at her watch again.
"We better get our robes on" she said. As one the three of them stood and reached up to their trunks for their robes. As they finished dressing they put their normal jackets in their trunks and they noticed that the train was slowing.
"Should we bring our trunks?" Harry asked. Before either Michael or Hermione could respond a voice rang out through the train.
"We have arrived. Please leave your luggage on the train and it will be delivered to the castle separately" Michael laughed.
"That answers that" he said and the others laughed. They left the compartment, with the boys saying a quick goodbye to their owls, and headed out into the corridor. They followed the mass exodus of students and appeared on a platform. All around them was the noise of people moving about and a hundred different conversations. Then there was a loud bellow over the noise and heads of the mass of students.
"FIRST YEARS. FIRST YEARS THIS WAY!" Harry and Michael looked and saw Hagrid at one end of the platform. They grabbed Hermione's arm and led her towards the huge man. As they approached Hagrid he raised his arms and gave them a wave.
"Ye alright Harry, Michael?" he said when they got closer. The boys nodded and Hagrid grinned. He went back to yelling for the first years. A few minutes later they were all assembled. He lowered his voice slightly.
"This way to the boats. Follow me" he called and the mass of first years all followed him quietly. As they walked the silence grew until it was deafening. They walked for a minute or so until they went around a corner of rocks and the group stopped as one. A collective gasp arose from the group as they stared. They were standing on the edge of an inky black lake, with a flotilla of small boats docked nearby. But the boats were a sideshow. On a large dark cliff on the far side of the lake was the castle.
It stood tall and majestic on the top of the cliff. The setting sun threw multiple dark shadows across the lake and the lights in the windows shone like beacons. The towers stood like sentinels in the light and gave the whole thing a slight horror movie cast to it. Harry and Michael looked at each other and Harry leant in.
"Do you remember the feeling you got in Ollivanders?" He asked and Michael nodded. He knew exactly what Harry meant. He had felt it too, the feeling of a warm glow deep in your body, the feeling of coming home.
"Come on you lot. Four people to a boat" Hagrid called out and the group snapped out of its collective stupor. They filed down to the boats. Michael finished up with Harry and Hermione and a slightly plump boy who introduced himself as Neville Longbottom. He clutched a large toad that he called Trevor. He then almost dropped him when Harry introduced himself.
"Here we go" Hagrid called from his boat. He sat alone in the centre of it. He tapped the side of the boat and the whole fleet set off. As the approached the castle the light faded completely and the castle became a faint outline highlighted by the golden glimmers emanating from the windows.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Hermione asked. Three heads nodded back, all of them too stunned for words. The rest of the journey passed in silence as they admired the view. After 20 minutes or so they pulled up at the dock and climbed out of the boats. Michael noted that Harry waited to help Hermione climb out. Hagrid led them up a long flight of steps until he reached a small set of double doors. He pushed them open to reveal a huge corridor. They could the beginning of a huge staircase at the end of the corridor and a huge set of golden inlaid double doors halfway between them and the staircase. However closer than either of them was a woman. She was tall and stood straight. She was wearing dark green robes and had a hard look on her face. The entire group quickly realised that she was not a woman to be crossed.
"The first years, Professor McGonagall" Hagrid said and the woman nodded. Hagrid turned and, flashing a quick grin at Harry and Michael, left the way they had entered. Professor McGonagall beckoned for them to follow her and the group filed after her. She led them to a smaller room just next to the great double doors. As they neared them they could hear a babble of voices coming from inside. When the whole group was in the small room McGonagall closed the door and spoke.
"Welcome to Hogwarts" she said and the whole group were stunned by the power in her voice "The start of year feast will begin shortly, but before you can join you must be sorted into your houses" she paused and the children exchanged nervous looks.
"The four houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. While you are here your house will be your family. You will sleep in house dormitories and spend time in house common rooms. Your successes and triumphs will earn you house points, but any rule-breaking will lose you points" she paused again and cast a critical eye over them all.
"The ceremony will begin in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school, so spend the time smartening yourself up" she said and with that she left them alone. There was a collective sigh of relief as the door closed behind her.
"I wonder what the sorting ceremony's going to be" Michael whispered to Harry and Hermione. They both shrugged and their faces grew nervous. After a few minutes of fidgeting and muttered conversation Professor McGonagall returned.
"We are ready for you now. Follow me" she said and led the group out. She walked them to the huge double doors and they opened automatically as she approached. Inside they saw a sight that they would remember for the rest of their lives.