Despite all the warnings that Mrs Weasley had given the night before to her children to have everything ready for the journey to King's Cross, it still took the family a number of attempts to leave the House with everything in tow. They would have been late had it not been for Mr Weasley's creative driving skills at weaving through the traffic, although the twins did notice that he jabbed at a number of different buttons he'd recently installed in the dashboard which they suspected help him negotiate his way through the traffic.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to see you off this year," explained Mr Weasley as he slalomed between a number of cars, "have a big meeting in work so I'll literally just have to drop you off and go."

"That's okay dad," replied Percy, casting a side long look at the twins, "I'll make sure everything runs smoothly."

"It's not like we haven't done this before," muttered Fred lowly to his twin.

"We're nearly there," said Mr Weasley, pulling the car in a gap between two buses which initially seemed far too small to fit through but offered no problem as they passed by.

Mr Weasley pulled the car into a spare loading bay outside of the station. The family piled out of the old blue Ford Anglia and quickly began unloading the boot of the car onto a number of trolleys, before waving the patriarch of the family off on his way as he returned to the driver's seat and started the car up again.

Mrs Weasley, holding tightly onto Ginny's hand, led the way into the station as the family formed a procession of trolleys behind her. Hermes, in a cage on top of Percy's trunk, squawked agitatedly as they entered the crowded building.

"One time," commented Mrs Weasley, as they made their way down one of the platforms, passed dark haired boy whose trolley as packed with luggage as their's were, "I would just like to get here with plenty of time to spare. Honestly we'll miss the train one of these days. It's always so crowded, packed with muggles of course, still can't complain I suppose."

Mrs Weasley paused and looked up at the plastic numbered boards above their heads, "now what's the platform number?"

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped Ginny, she squeezed her mother's hand, "Mum, can't I go…"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet," replied Mrs Weasley, who'd been putting up with this request from her daughter since breakfast, "All right, Percy, you go first."

Percy pushed his trolley forward towards the wall and disappeared through to the other side.

"Fred, you're next."

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," replied Fred rolling his eyes. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother. Can't you tell I'm George."

"Sorry George dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," he stated pushing his trolley forward.

"Hurry up," ordered George, following his twin close behind.

The sound of the platform washed over them as they arrived on the other side of the secret entranceway. The twins quickly moved so as not to block the way for the rest of their family. They could see a number of familiar faces amongst the hustle and bustle of the crowd. Lee Jordan waved at them from the centre of a small crowd of students which included fellow Gryffindor third years Alicia Spinnet, and Angelina Johnson. Their dreadlocked friend was beaming as he pointed to the box he was holding in his hand.

"That must be that tarantula his uncle got him," Fred nodded towards his friend.

George nodded in agreement as his gaze flittered along the platform as he tried to spy other people he knew. His attention was drawn to a young black haired boy who was struggling on his own to get his oversized trunk up into the train.

"Want a hand?" George asked.

"Yes, please," replied the boy looking grateful.

"Oi, Fred! C'mere and help!" George called to his brother.

"By Godric," complained Fred as the three boys worked together to hoist the trunk up the steps of the train, "what have you got in here?"

Eventually they managed to half carry half drag the trunk into the carriage. A beautiful snowy white owl watched them from its cage as they at last tucked it away in the corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said the boy, pushing a hand through his hair to move it away from his eyes, as he did so a small but distinct lightening bolt scar was visible on his forehead.

"What's that?" asked Fred pointing at it.

"Blimey," said George before the young boy could answer, "are you…"

"He is," said Fred smiling "aren't you?"

"What?" replied the boy.

"Harry Potter," chorused the boys.

"Oh him," said the boy, "I mean, yes I am."

The twins suddenly found themselves dumbstruck and unable to say anything. Instead they found themselves just staring at Harry who stood there with a look of obvious discomfort about the whole thing.

"Fred, George, are you there?" the voice of Mrs Weasley filtered onto the train.

"Coming mum," they replied, giving Harry one last look before jumping off the train and back onto the platform, where their mother was accosting Ron with a handkerchief to try and remove some dirt from his nose.

"Mum, geroff," Ron complained, finally managing to wriggle free from her grasp.

"Ahh, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie," said George in a teasing baby voice.

"Shut up," countered Ron, rubbing his nose with his hand.

"Where's Percy?" asked Mrs Weasley looking down the platform.

"He's coming now," responded Fred nodding towards their approaching brother, who had already changed into his Hogwarts' robes. Fred suspected this was due to the fact that he could now display his shiny prefect's badge prominently on his chest.

"Can't stay long mother," Percy said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder, "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves…"

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" interrupted George pretending to act surprised, "you should have said something about it, we had no idea."

"Hang on," added Fred tapping his lips thoughtfully with a finger, "I think I remember him saying something about it."

"Once…"

"Or twice…"

"A minute…"

"All summer…"

"Oh, shut up," snapped Percy looking annoyed.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said George prodding his older brother in the shoulder.

"Because he's a prefect," replied Mrs Weasley, "all right dear, well have a good term. Send me an owl when you get there." She kissed Percy on the cheek; he gave one more withering look at his brothers before heading back up towards the front of the train. Mrs Weasley turned to the twins, "now you two, this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've… you've blown up a toilet or…"

"Blown up a toilet?" Fred chimed in, "we've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though," admitted George, "thanks, mum."

"It's not funny," Mrs Weasley said warningly, she looked fondly at her youngest son, "and look after Ron."

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us," Fred said ruffling his brother's hair.

"Shut up," Ron retorted battering Fred's hand away and trying to smooth back down his hair.

"Hey mum," said George eagerly, ignoring Ron's look of annoyance, "guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?" Fred nodded his head back in the direction of where they'd help Harry onto the train.

"Who?"

"Harry Potter!" exclaimed Fred, Ginny let out a delighted squeal.

"Oh mum, can I go on the train and see him?" asked Ginny excitedly jumping up and down, "mum? Please?"

"You've already seen him Ginny," stated Mrs Weasley firmly, "and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really Fred?" How do you know?"

"Asked him," stated Fred smiling, "saw his scar. It's really there; like lightning."

"Poor dear," said Mrs Weasley looking deeply concerned, "no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."

"Never mind that," dismissed Fred waving his hand, "do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

"I forbid you to ask him Fred," warned Mrs Weasley looking serious, "No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

"All right," said Fred holding his hands up defensively, "keep your hair on."

A loud whistle emanated from the front of the train, and parents quickly began ushering their children on board and biding them goodbye.

"Hurry up," ordered Mrs Weasley, practically pushing the three boys on board. They, reluctantly, leaned out so she could give each of them a kiss on the cheek, while Ginny began to cry.

"Don't Ginny," said Fred rolling his eyes, "we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat," added George.

"George!"

"Only joking, mum."

The train pulled slowly out of the station while Ginny tried to keep up along side and wave them off. It soon rounded a corner and the platform disappeared from view. Ron sidled down the corridor and pulled open the door to one of the carriages and stepped inside.

"Did you see where Lee got on?" George asked his twin.

"Further down the train," Fred pointed along the corridor, "near the middle I think."

"Hey Ron," said George sticking his head into the carriage their younger brother had entered. It was the same one that they'd helped Harry Potter move his belongings into earlier, "listen, we're going down the middle of the train, Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there.

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry," said Fred over his brother's shoulder, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother, See you later then."

The twins left their brother in the compartment and walked along the corridor of the train. Outside, as the train began to pick up speed, the various buildings in London were whistling by the window. Finally, after looking in a number of carriages, the twins found their friends.

"You'll never guess who we just met?" said George as they slid open the door to the compartment that Lee, Alicia and Angelina, were occupying.

"Who?" asked Lee as the tarantula in the box once again tried to force the lid open with one of its long hairy legs, making Alicia shudder slightly.

"Potter," beamed Fred.

"Harry Potter?"

"No," frowned Fred, "Steve Potter, lead singer of the Screaming Banshees. Of course Harry Potter, know any other famous Potter due to start at Hogwarts?"

"How do you know it was him?" asked Angelina, as the twins sprawled themselves down into the free seats.

"We saw his scar," explained George tapping his finger on the protruding leg of the tarantula causing it to withdraw itself back into the box.

"The lightning bolt one on his head?"

"What other one would he have?" replied George shaking his head, "honestly Lee, you are a bit slow today."

"Give me a break," yawned Lee covering his mouth with his hand, "I had to get up really early this morning, plus I'd been up all night with Reginald, I think he is coming down with something he keeps losing his hair."

"You called it Reginald?" asked Alicia raising an eyebrow while looking down at the box in Lee's hand.

"Yeah after my Uncle, he got it for me."

"He must be so proud," replied Alicia frowning slightly.

"So what's he like?" asked Angelina eagerly..

"Oh he's great," explained Lee enthusiastically, "he can spin a web in no time, and I think I've almost taught him how to beg for food."

"What?" Angelina's brow crinkled in momentary confusion, "no, not your spider, I meant Harry Potter, what's he like?"

"Seems alright I guess," shrugged George, "didn't really say much."

"Probably a bit big headed," explained Alicia, "you know what these celebrities are like."

"Oh yeah," agreed Fred, "Ottery St Catchpole is just teaming with celebrities; I can't walk down our lane without bumping into them."

"You know what I mean," reiterated Alicia before adding thoughtfully, "I wonder if he remembers anything about that night."

"I dunno, probably not seeing as he was only a baby at the time," replied Lee.

"Our mum actually banned us from asking him about it," shrugged George.

"Not that it matters," said Fred scratching the back of his neck, "our brother Ron is in the same carriage as him. No doubt he'll ask him about it, he's a subtle as a brick."

"So I guess red hair isn't the only thing that runs in your family," grinning Angelina. She changed her gaze to Lee who was casually stroking one of tarantula legs poking out of the top of the box, "Lee, seriously pack that thing away, the last thing you want is it escaping on the train."

"I suppose you're right," sighed Lee, he pulled out some string from his pocket and wrapped it tightly around the box which had a number of air-holes punched into the side of it.

The group spent most of the journey talking about Harry Potter, this soon translated to the entire train talking about as the twins eagerly informed anyone who happened to be passing by their carriage that he was aboard. Most people seemed to be very interested in this snippet of news, and soon the twins had become the unofficial spokespeople for the boy despite only having briefly met him.

"Is he tall?" asked one girl from Ravenclaw who the twin's had never once spoken to but who had now been hovering outside their compartment for the last half hour firing questions at the twins, "I bet he's tall."

"Oh yes," agreed George nodding wholeheartedly, "he's nearly six foot tall."

"What colour eyes does he have?" asked another girl, this time from Hufflepuff.

"Er… brown," Fred answered taking a wild stab in the dark.

The barrage of questions continued for a while, with the twins making up more and more ridiculous answers until their audience decided that they probably weren't the most reliable source for information and began filtering back to their own compartments. The group settled back into their seats while they continued the journey to Hogwarts, aside from being interrupted by a bushy haired girl and a round faced boy looking for a missing toad, they were left alone for the rest of the trip.

The train eventually pulled itself into Hogsmeade station, by now it was getting late and the Sun had already dropped over the horizon leaving a dark sky with numerous twinkling stars. Everyone, aside from the first years who Hagrid had taken to the lake, waited patiently to board the horseless carriages which took them up to the school.

By the time they'd reached the Great Hall, it was already very packed, and a low hum of excited conversation echoed around the room. The third years all grouped together along one of the tables and took the opportunity to wave, or in the twins' case shout, hello across to other students sitting further away from them.

Soon the last of the students filtered into the room and everyone took their seats while they waited for the first years to arrive. McGonagall, dressed in her usual emerald-green robes, approached and stood at the threshold of the Great Hall and looked towards there head table where Dumbledore sat. He gave her a slight nod and she disappeared from the doorway.

A few minutes later she was back with the group of fresh faced first years, all looking thoroughly nervous. Along with their brother Ron, the twins noticed the boy and girl toad hunters from earlier were also present in the pack. Not that it made any difference. A twelve foot monster with two heads and four arms could have been in the group and it still would have gone unnoticed compared to the biggest distraction.

"Is that him?"

"Which one is Potter?"

Everyone was talking in low voices, trying not to draw the disapproving look of McGonagall as she led the students up to the top of the room where the teacher's table sat.

"Look at Ron's face," George whispered to his brother, "he looks like he is going to faint at any minute."

"Well I suppose that is to be expected," admitted Fred, "we did convince him he was going to have to wrestle a troll or something."

The group stopped in a line facing the rest of the students, while they had their backs to the teacher's table. In front on them McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool before sitting the Sorting Hat upon it. The first years watched with a mixture of awe and anxiety as the hat suddenly sprang into life and began to croon its traditional song.

When it had finished the whole hall burst into applause as the Sorting Hat bowed appreciatively to each of the four House tables before becoming still once again.

"What do you reckon? Ravenclaw?" asked George as the twins and Lee started playing the game of guess which House the first year belongs too. They had yet to decide on a catchier name for the pastime. The first new student was called forward; Hannah Abbott, a pinked faced girl with blonde pigtails.

"Na," disagreed Fred, "did you just she her stumble when she was called? Hufflepuff all the way I tell you."

Fred's guess was confirmed moments after the Sorting Hat was lowered onto the girl's head. Hufflepuff table gave a loud cheer while the other tables joined in with polite applause. The game continued through each of the first years, until the first Gryffindor was named; a girl by the name of Lavender Brown. The table erupted with cheers, while Fred and George banged their hands on the table and added the odd wolf-whistle for good measure. The names continued to be called out and the group of unsorted first years dwindled until there was only a handful left.

"Potter, Harry!" called McGonagall, instantly the whispered began snaking their way around the room.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

Despite the twins attempt to inform the whole school whilst on the Hogwarts' Express, it seemed that there was still a number of people who didn't realise that Harry Potter was starting that year. Everyone craned their necks to try and get a good look at him just as the Sorting Hat dropped down onto his head and over his eyes.

"That's Harry Potter?" said Angelina sounding a bit disappointed, "you said he was nearly six foot tall."

"I decided to round up to the nearest foot," explained George shrugging.

"So how tall are you?"

"Nearly six foot."

"Idiot."

Before George could argue the Sorting Hat exclaimed, "Gryffindor!" The majority of the table jumped to their feet as they cheered.

"We've got Potter!" chanted the delighted twins as Percy, who had been seated next to the new first years to welcome them to the House, shook the young boy's hand before he sat down next to Nearly Headless Nick.

"I can't believe we got him," said Lee beaming as the Sorting Ceremony continued.

"Got him? He's not a wizard card you know," complained Alicia rolling her eyes.

"True," agreed Fred, "I doubt we'd be able to swap him for an original Merlin card for a start."

"We could try," said George thoughtfully, before shaking his head, "now we're just being silly."

"Well at least you finally realised it," said Alicia.

"Yeah," agreed George, "no one would ever swap an original Merlin card."

The second to last person to be sorted was the twins' younger brother Ron, who was now looking thoroughly nervous and a rather pale shade of green. The hat was lowered onto his head and it more or less instantly called out, "Gryffindor!"

"Well I guess that shows the Sorting Hat can't be right all the time," commented George clapping along with the rest of the table.

"Yeah," agreed Fred, "if anyone in our family had Hufflepuff written all over them it would be Ron."

"What makes you say that?" asked Angelina as Ron took his seat with the rest of the first years.

"Well," said George scratching his chin, "we pinned him down the other day and wrote Hufflepuff all over him."