Chapter3: the Hogwarts Express

1st of September dawned bright and early, Merlin was up up at 6am waiting for breakfast, he was too exited to go back to bed. Then at 8 o'clock, leaving plenty of time to get there Merlin left for Kings Cross. It was not an easy journey as he could barley move his trunk. But when he did arrive he got himself a trolley and looked around for platform 9 ¾. He was not scared, it was only half past 8 after all so he had plenty of time to find it.

5 minuets latter however Merlin did not feel quite as confident, he had walked from one end of the platform to the other, and even looked on the departures bored, nothing. He sighed and leaned against the barrier between platform 9 and 10. he had just rested his weight against it when he fell through pulling his trunk behind him, the barrier was not there at all. Then he looked up to find just what he was looking for. A large sign read: 'platform 9 ¾' hanging over a platform mostly obscured by steam train. The platform its self was fairly empty, it was after all another 25 minuets before the train would leave.

Merlin made his way right to the back of the train were he found a compartment. He then tried to get his trunk in, with no success. But just then he was going to find someone to help, it hit him. He didn't even need to say the words as the trunk floated up, and guided by Merlin's eyes made its way into the compartments luggage rake.

Then Merlin sat down and got out 'the hobbit' he had been so busy reading his school books he had forgotten about this book he'd bought, now he settled down and read.

He was interrupted just after the train had let out of burst of steam and started moving. And that was were he was now, sitting in front of Albus, who Merlin noticed was staring fixedly out of the window.

Merlin decided to copy him and stared back down at his book.

But only a few seconds latter, they were interrupted again, by a girl with long black hair reaching past her holders, already wearing her Hogwarts school robes.

"may I come in, it's just everywhere else is full, oh and do any of you to know what house you'll be put into? I mean I know no one can chose but I want to be in Gryfindor or Ravenclaw, I've already leant loads of spells, have you?" she said sounding slightly nervous. Merlin stared, what were houses? And was he meant to have learnt what was in his books? He certainly hadn't, but he supposed he could already do most of it.

Albus was also staring at the girl until she finally said:

"Oh sorry I'm Grace, Grace Blain."

Albus still stared as grace sat down.

"Oh I'm sorry," Albus said, "did we not say we don't want you, we can't do with nerds."

Grace looked slightly hurt by these words but got up at once and walked out of the compartment slamming the door behind her.

"Thank god she's gone. Did you hear her showing off," Albus said. And then slightly nervously, "you haven't learnt your books off by heart?" Merlin smiled slightly and shook his head, and Albus said looking at Merlin:

"What's your name? You never said."

Merlin looked up in surprise and answered: "Merlin Colemam."

Albus looked at him. "That doesn't sound like one of the old wizarding families," said Albus and then sounding shocked he said, "not that it matters."

"Not that what matters?" Merlin asked.

"Oh don't you know, well its just there are some people that think wizards should only be pure blood, and I suppose your muggle born?"

Merlin felt even more confused, "what are mugges?" he finally asked.

Albus replied immediately, he seemed happy to keep talking: "muggles are non magic people."

"Oh" Merlin said supposing he was, not that he knew who his parents were, he had been found 11 years ago an the orphanage steps with a letter tucked into his blankets. Merlin now new that letter off by heart, it read:

Ddear people,

Please look after my son,

His name is Merlin.

For the rest of the journey he and Albus talked, Merlin said about living in the muggle orphanage. And Albus said how his father was Harry Potter, and outlined some of the things he's done, and how everyone would surly expect him to be as good as his father. Merlin also found out that Albus had one older brother in second year at Hogwarts and one younger sister. He also had lots of cousins who had either been to Hogwarts, were at Hogwarts or were coming. They also talked a lot about Hogwarts itself and Merlin found out what the houses were. Gryfindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflpuff and Slytherin.

No one came into there compartment except a lunch troly did come round at about 1 o'clock of Albus bought some stuff, Merlin had brought sandwiches, but Albus allowed him to share his sweets.

Not that they were normal sweets, there were lickerish wands, cauldron cakes, drouble's best blowing gum, chocolate frogs, each containing a card of a famous witch of wizard.

Merlin got Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter which got Albus very exiting because that was his father. Merlin couldn't help being slightly jealous of Albus who seemed to have been brought up by this famous wizard, and also seemed to know so more than Merlin.

Near Hogwarts, just after the announcement and Albus and Merlin had just put their robes on, someone who Albus recognised pushed open the compartment door. It was a boy who called himself, Scorpios Malfoy with his friend Vincent Goyle and hovering behind them an extremely ugly girl called Ethel Snyde. Malfoy had pushed open the door and looked around saying as he did so:

"Ah, Potter. Survived this long have you," and then turning to Merlin, "who are you?"

Albus was looking furious but Merlin glanced at him before turning back to Malfoy:

"I'm Merlin, Merlin Coleman. What's your name?"

"Sorry," he said, although he didn't sound it, "my name's Scorpius Malfoy and this is my friend Goyle. Now Merlin" he said, his voice full of contempt, "anyone taught you how to duel?"

"Of course they have," Albus said looking at Merlin, who could only guess what a duel was.

"Come on then why don't we duel now? Or are you too scared," he said looking at Merlin, who then stood up getting his wand out as he did so. Malfoy did the same.

Merlin's mind was racing, but before he could conclude on what to do Albus said: "ready set go," just like Merlin, Malfoy did not seem ready and all that came out of his wand were a few sparks, which died in mid-air.

Nothing happened for a several seconds.

Then it all happened at the same time.

Merlin's eyes glowed briefly orange and out of the tip of his wand erupted a stream of something like liquid fire, which writhed in mid air wile forming itself into a huge golden dragon which landed on the ground just in front of Merlin. Then the compartment door was flung open and there stood Grace looking quite amazed at the dragon which then lifted its enormous wings and flew strait out of the closed window. Once it had disappeared Merlin looked around smiling.

Everyone was staring at him, all looking completely frozen. Slowly things started to unfreeze.

Malfoy gave one startled looking at Merlin before leaving the compartment followed by Goyle. Then finally Grace said: "how did you do that?"

Merlin shrugged, he had no idea.

"You didn't even talk, can you do non-verbal spells?" Albus said looking at Merlin with growing respect. But before Merlin could reply Grace cut in: "Merlin can't be doing non-verbal spells. We don't learn that till 6th year."

Merlin was totally confused so he said: "what is a non-verbal spells?"

Grace looked at him. "Its were you do the spell without saying any words."

Merlin looked at her, "and why don't we learn these non-verbal spells till 6th year?" He asked.

Grace looked at him looking exasperated: "because there really difficult of course," she said.

Merlin was just about to reply saying he could do them, but he didn't know why they were so difficult when they pulled into Hogwarts station and everyone began to get out.