King's Cross Station bustled with travellers, and up on a crossing bridge Harry, Iris, Satele, and Silandra weaved their way through the crowd. Harry pushed a trolley of their belongings, including luggage, equipment, and two owls that Amelia had generously gifted them. All around them, people shouted orders and commands, rushing to get onto platforms before the whistle blew.
Iris looked down at her ticket. "Platform 9¾? But that's impossible!" she exclaimed.
They continued walking down a lane between trains when suddenly a man rushed by them without stopping. "Sorry!" he called out over his shoulder as he dashed away. The four of them exchanged baffled glances.
Harry spotted a guard dressed in a navy blue uniform standing close to the entrance and strode over. He cleared his throat before speaking,
"Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me where I might find Platform 9¾?" The man looked at Harry with an expression of disbelief, his bushy mustache twitching as he spoke, "9¾? Think you're being funny, do ya?" His thick brows lowered and he shook his head as he walked away, muttering something about "9¾".
Harry stepped back to the group and said, "Master, I am confused about how are we to get to the platform."
Satele's eyes squinted and her brow furrowed in concentration as she listened, before responding. "Harry, use the force. Close your eyes and look for any distortions in the force."
Harry nodded and shut his eyes, forehead creased in concentration. He stood still for a few moments before speaking again. "That last pillar is different from the rest - I can feel something odd between it and platforms nine and ten."
"Then that is your entrance," said Satele with a slight nod of approval.
"But how are we going to enter it is the question," Iris interjected.
Harry and Iris watched in amazement as a woman, daughter, and four boys passed by, pushing overloaded carts overflowing with suitcases. The woman had long red hair tied back in a tight bun and wore an oversized wool coat that swished against her legs as she walked. The daughter and the boys wore large coats that billowed around their bodies.
"It's the same year after year," Mrs. Weasley said. "Always packed with Muggles, of course."
"Muggles?" Harry asked, bewildered.
Iris quickly lowered her voice to a whisper. "Talk about breaking the Statute of Secrecy."
"Let's watch them to see how we enter the platform," said Silandra.
"Of course, master," Iris replied.
"Come on then," said Mrs. Weasley. "Platform 9¾ this way! All right, Percy, you are first."
A tall boy with untamed red hair stepped forward and began jogging toward a seemingly normal brick wall. He suddenly seemed to phase through it and disappeared from sight.
"Fred, you are next." Said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes narrowing as she motioned to the wall behind her.
"He's not Fred, I am!" said George, his voice light and playful.
"Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother." Said Fred with a smirk before taking a step toward the wall.
Mrs. Weasley sighed lightly as she adjusted her glasses before looking back at the twins. "Oh, I'm sorry, George." She said apologetically.
Fred grinned as he took another step forward and with a mischievous glint in his eye, he declared "I'm only joking. I am Fred." With that he ran straight through the wall and was quickly followed by George.
Iris rolled her eyes and groaned. "We should try to keep Haza away from those twins; we don't need another prankster on our hands."
"Hey!" said Harry defensively. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Love you too, brother," Iris replied sarcastically.
Satele let out an exasperated sigh. "Kids. Did you see how they just came onto the platform?"
Harry and Iris both nodded in agreement.
"Come on then, we will talk more once we get on the platform," Satele said firmly.
"Yes, Master Shan," the twins responded in unison.
Harry took a deep breath and ran full speed towards the brick wall. His heart raced as he closed his eyes, expecting to be knocked back by the solid mass, but instead, he felt a strange tugging sensation as he emerged onto the other side. He opened his eyes and was immediately awed by the sight before him. Platform 9¾ extended in front of him, with a scarlet red train steaming from the station and bustling crowds of people scurrying around it. A loud whistle blew, and Harry sighed heavily with relief. His two mentors, Satele and Silandra, appeared beside him, followed closely by Iris and her twin sister.
The group came to a stop in the middle of the platform, and Satele spoke first. "Harry, I expect you to do your best in all of your studies at Hogwarts, and also to keep me informed of your progress."
"Yes Master," Harry replied solemnly.
Silandra then turned to Iris. "Iris, I expect no less from you than from Harry," she said firmly.
"Yes Master," Iris responded obediently.
Satele continued speaking. "I have packed several holocrons into both of your luggage should you wish to continue learning while there." she paused for a moment before adding, "Remember the code of our order: emotion, yet peace; ignorance yet knowledge; passion yet serenity; chaos yet harmony; death yet the Force."
Harry and Iris repeated their mantra together in unison: "A Jedi does not act for personal power or wealth but seeks knowledge and enlightenment. A Jedi never acts from hatred, anger, fear or aggression but acts when calm and at peace with the Force. Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy. They use their powers to defend and protect, never to attack. Jedi respect life in any form. Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy. Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training."
Silandra nodded in approval at their recital before wishing them well on their journey ahead. "Stay safe and have fun!" she said kindly.
The Hogwarts Express chugged along, rattling and shaking. Harry gazed out the window as they passed vibrant meadows of wildflowers and rolling green hillsides. Beside him, Iris was deeply immersed in a book, her eyes darting across the page. Suddenly, the door to their compartment opened and Ron appeared, clutching his trunk tightly as he balanced on the threshold.
"Excuse me, do you mind? Everywhere else is full," said Ron politely.
"Not at all," replied Harry with a small smile. Ron stepped into the compartment and settled in across from Harry. He flashed an easy grin before introducing himself, "I'm Ron, by the way. Ron Weasley."
"I'm Harry," he replied as he confidently extended his arm for a handshake. "Harry Potter. And that bookworm over there is my sister Iris Potter."
Ron stared at them with wide, incredulous eyes, unable to contain his amazement.
"So-so it's true! I mean, do you really have the... the...?" said Ron, barely above a whisper.
"The what?" asked Harry, furrowing his brow in confusion.
Still nearly breathless, Ron whispered "The scar?"
Harry lowered his voice and glanced around before he hesitantly brought his hand to the back of his neck and swept away his hair bangs, revealing a faint but distinguishable lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. "It's not something I particularly like showing off," he said.
"Wicked!" gasped Ron.
"Do you remember that night?" asked Ron suddenly.
Iris shook her head sorrowfully. "No Ron, we don't," she said softly. "Remember that took place nearly eleven years ago."
Harry eyed them both thoughtfully before addressing Ron again. "Do you remember anything that happened when you were three months old?" he asked with a slight smile tugging at his lips.
Ron frowned before shaking his head regretfully. "No, I don't." He mumbled dejectedly.
Iris gave him a sympathetic look before turning to Harry again and finishing her thought "Exactly."
Harry and Iris were welcomed by a cheery voice calling out from the doorway. "Anything off the trolley, dears?" A kind-faced woman wheeled a trolly full of colourful sweets and treats into the compartment.
Ron held up his mushed sandwiches with a shrug. "No, thanks. I'm all set."
Iris, however, used their force bond to communicate telepathically to Harry, "Haza, buy something for me, please. I will buy something for you on the way back home."
Harry gave her an affirmative nod before addressing the woman. "Madam—we'll take the lot!" Harry handed her a few galleons and she smiled warmly in return.
"Whoa!" Ron exclaimed in admiration as Iris began beaming brightly at the assortment of treats before them.
A bit later, Harry, Iris and Ron were crowded around a small table, each of them nibbling on bundles of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Ron's pet rat, Scabbers, was perched on Ron's knee, a small cardboard box snugly over his head.
"Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?" asked Harry through a mouthful of food.
"They mean every flavour!" said Ron with an enthusiastic nod. "There's chocolate and peppermint and also spinach, liver and tripe — although George swore he got a bogey-flavoured one once!"
Harry quickly spat the bean he was chewing out of his mouth and ran to the sink to rinse it away.
"Harry, that was disgusting!" scolded Iris.
Harry's curiosity got the best of him as he reached out to pick up the mysterious blue and golden package. He shook it gently, hearing a peculiar sloshing noise coming from inside.
"What on earth is this?" he asked, looking up at Ron for answers.
Ron shrugged with a smirk before answering "It's just a spell. Besides, it's the cards you want. Each pack's got a famous witch or wizard. I got about 500 myself."
Harry quickly tore off the wrapping paper only to find chocolate frogs jumping around inside the package!
"These aren't real frogs, are they?" he said in disbelief.
Ron laughed at his incredulity before assuring him "No, no—they're just magical replicas; enchanted so that they move around like little pets!"
One of the frogs hopped onto the window sill and began crawling towards an open gap between two panes of glass.
Iris glanced up from her book with a scowl and spoke in an exasperated tone "Hey, idiots I'm trying to read here! Put those things away right now or else…" Her voice trailed off as she returned her gaze back to her book cover with a huff.
Harry reached out to grab one of the frogs before it leapt out of the window but was too late—the frog had already jumped outside.
Ron frowned as he watched its tiny figure hop away into the distance before eventually vanishing out of sight completely then turning to Harry and said sadly "Oh, that's rotten luck—they've only got one good jump in them to begin with."
Harry's fingers shuffled through the pile of cards in front of him. He flipped one over and found Dumbledore staring back at him, his eyes twinkling with a sense of knowing beyond Harry's comprehension. "I've got Dumbledore!" he shouted, grinning.
"I got about six of him," he added to no one in particular.
He studied the card again, but Dumbledore had vanished into thin air like a magician's trick. "Hey, he's gone!" Harry exclaimed, baffled by the sudden disappearance of his beloved mentor.
Ron scoffed as Scabbers squeaked, "This is Scabbers, by the way. Pathetic, isn't he?"
"He's kind of cute," said Iris.
"Fred gave me a spell to turn him yellow, want to see?" said Ron.
"Haza, I bet a galleon that that spell is a fake," said Iris.
"Deal!" exclaimed Harry.
Ron cleared his throat and began, "Ahem… Sun-"
Just then, a girl with bushy brown hair and dressed in robes appeared at the doorway. Her eyes were bright and inquisitive as she took in the scene of chaos before her. "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost one," she asked.
The group shook their heads in response. "No," replied Ron.
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see then." Hermione said with an eager smile.
Ron cleared his throat again and began, "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" He pointed his wand at Scabbers and released a stream of sparks from its tip.
But nothing happened. Ron shrugged and lowered his wand, defeated.
"Pay up Haza," said Iris smugly with her arms crossed.
Harry reluctantly reached into his pocket and handed Iris a galleon coin as payment for their bet. She smiled triumphantly as she pocketed the coin.
"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? Of course, I've only tried a few simple ones myself, but they've all worked for me. For example..." said Hermione pulled out her wand and said "Lumos", and a bright light shone from the tip.
Iris spoke up; "I would apricate it if you remove the wand from my brother's nose."
Hermione flinched in surprise and quickly tucked away her wand. She looked up to see two young children staring back at her, their eyes wide with wonder. Recognizing one of them as none other than Harry Potter, she gasped, "Holy cricket, you're Harry Potter! I'm Hermione Granger." Her gaze then fell on the boy with dirt smudged across his nose, and an amused twist tugged at her lips before she managed to school her expression again. "And you are...?"
The boy spoke up through a mouth full of food. "I'm Ron Weasley," he mumbled.
"And I am Iris Potter," said the other child. Hermione nodded and took a step backwards.
"Pleasure. You three better change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon." Before she could turn away, she pointed to Ron's nose with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You've got dirt on your nose, by the way. Did you know? Just there." Ron scratched his nose guiltily while Hermione suppressed a smile and then left the room.