Another Hidden Entrance

It was here! Caly jumped out of bed. The first of September! It was here! It was Sunday 1st September 2016! Today she was going to Hogwarts! There were times when she thought it had all been a crazy wonderful dream but then she saw Herb's face and she knew it wasn't. Herb was the only person who knew the truth. This was because Caly couldn't keep her Hogwarts' things in her room without someone finding them and someone had to know she wasn't going to school in Norfolk. Herb had agreed grudgingly to keep her Hogwarts' thing in his house because he lived alone and no one ever came to visit. That was kind of sad but at the same time Herb spent so much time at the children's home that he practically lived there. He had agreed to drop her off at Kings Cross at 10:30 to catch her train to Hogwarts. The train didn't leave until 11 but she didn't want to miss it and she wanted to make herself comfortable because it sounded like a long journey. Caly also had a nagging suspicion that platform 9 ¾ wasn't going to be easy to find because…well because it was called platform 9 ¾. She guessed the entrance would be hidden and she would have to find.

She had eaten and dressed in normal clothes, Hagrid had given her strict instructions that she should change on the train. She was too excited to sit still and read. She couldn't wait to be on the train and heading to school. She practically bouncing off the walls which annoyed all the older kids who wanted to enjoy the last day of their holidays. When Herb arrived at 5 to 10 she was seconds from being punched in the face. Caly had packed everything the night before so she was completely ready. She said goodbye but no one was sorry to see her leave, in fact she was pretty sure she heard some sighs of relief. Some of the little kids waved goodbye to her from the window and she waved back until they were out of sight. She then sat back and relaxed. She was on her way to Hogwarts.

The drive to Kings Cross was 30 minutes of pensive silence. Herb hadn't said anything about her being a witch but she was pretty sure he wasn't overly keen on the idea. He obviously thought she'd turn people into frogs but she knew better. Caly had been told by Hagrid that once she started Hogwarts she was not allowed to do it outside school. The punishment was expulsion and getting your wand snapped in two and Caly really didn't fancy that. She thought her wand was beautiful and the thought of it getting snapped in two was more than she could bare. Besides she would only be at the home for six weeks in the summer. Hagrid had told her that, like the other boarding school, she could stay there at Christmas and Easter holidays. Hogwarts didn't seem to have half terms.

Herb loaded her trunk onto the trolley for her and wheeled it into the station for her. He then proceeded to wish her luck. He said how much he was looking forward to seeing her in summer when she would be a whole year older. He then gave her a long hug and left. This left Caly standing in complete shock. Herb wasn't really the touchy feely type, much like herself. She had expected the best wishes and a handshake. This must be why he never retired from the home; he was much to attached to the children there. Come to think of it in 10 years Caly had never once heard him raise his voice. Not even when the boys got themselves arrested or you stole from others. Wow, he was such a nice guy.

HOOT! Caly jumped and looked round. The clock read 10:37. Had she really been standing there for 7 minutes. She looked around and saw the signs for 9 and 10. She followed them and sure enough saw platform 9 and 10 but no 9 ¾. Big surprise. Why hadn't Hagrid told her how to get on to the platform. HOOT! She heard it again and this time she realised what it was. It was an owl! She hurriedly glanced and saw a family making there way towards the barrier between 9 and 10. She hurried over to them.

"Excuse me. Excuse me. Sir!" She finally caught up with the man. He was tall and had white blonde hair that was slowly but surely thinning. His pointed chin poked over the top of his black coat. Next to him was a women. She was pretty nondescript, the kind of women that fitted in anywhere. The son looked about her age and was the spitting image of his father with white blonde hair, a pointed chin and grey eyes. Looking more carefully she noticed a difference between them. The mans eyes were cold and hard but the boys were warm and sparkly.

"What is it?" The man asked commandingly.

"Can tell me how to get onto platform 9 ¾. I heard you owl." The owl was perched on top of the trunk on the trolley the man was pushing. The man sneered and pushed her over so she fell into her trunk. He stalked away with his wife. His son dithered but finally gave into his fathers will and hurried after him. She quickly gathered up her things and glanced at the clock. 10:42. She was panicking ever so slightly. She looked around but couldn't see the family. Then someone tapped her on the shoulder.

Caly jumped and turned around. To her great surprise she saw the pale boy from earlier. He kept glancing over his shoulder nervously. Up close Caly could see that the features of his face made him look like a mirror image of his father except the eyes. Now the eyes were filled with nervousness, anticipation and…regret.

"Look I'm really sorry about my dad. I can't explain now but are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Look you see the barrier between 9 and 10."

"Yep."

"It's magic run through and you'll end up on 9 ¾. Got to go. Watch." Caly watched as the pale blonde boy stood facing the barrier and then ran straight at it. He didn't crash he just….vanished. Caly blinked and looked around, no one had noticed. She considered it and glanced at the clock. 10:43. She had just over 15 minutes. This was her best shot. She gripped her trolley firmly and ran towards the barrier. She waited for the impacted. It was coming…any minute….now.

She didn't crash! She passed straight through the barrier. Caly opened both eyes and saw the sign hanging over her head; platform 9 ¾, she'd made it. She pushed her way through the crowds of people and realised she was one of the few people there on her own. She searched for the pale boy and spotted him standing next to his mother and father. He looked utterly bored and a little irritated. Caly waved at him and he grinned and winked then jerked his head at the train and mouthed 'get a compartment'.

Caly sat inside her compartment and watched the pale boy with his father and mother. His mother kept showering him in hugs and kisses and seemed to be crying. His father sat there stiff and not showing any emotion except a cold glance at his son who seemed to return it and a brief nod at people she couldn't see. She heard the warning whistle and jumped. It was 10:58. She hadn't realised it had got to that time. It had taken a while to get onto the train because her trunk was too heavy for her to life by herself. In the end a girl called Victorie, who was head girl, got her boyfriend, who had bright blue hair, to help her after their snogging was interrupted by a boy who she thought was her cousin.

"Hey." Caly looked up and saw the pale boy again. "Can I sit with you?" Caly rolled her eyes.

"Sure." He dragged his trunk in and together they heaved it up into the luggage rack and sat down opposite each other with matching looks of anticipation. They felt the train judder beneath them. They were off to Hogwarts.