★~ Lillian Potter ~★

Platform 9 3/4

"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with a nasty smile. Heleft without another word. Lilly and Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away.All three of them were laughing. Lilly's mouth went rather dry. What onearth were they going to do? The twins were starting to attract a lot of funnylooks, because of Hedwig and Lilly's owl Lia. She'd have to ask someone. The twins stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine andthree-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Lilly couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started toget annoyed, as though Harry and Lilly were being stupid on purpose. 

Gettingdesperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, butthe guard said there wasn't one. In the end the guard strode away,muttering about time wasters. The two were now trying hard not to panic.According to the large clock over the arrivals board, they had ten minutesleft to get on the train to Hogwarts and they had no idea how to do it; the potter twins were stranded in the middle of a station with two trunks they could hardlylift, two pockets full of wizard money, and two owls. 

Hagrid must have forgotten to tell them something you had to do, liketapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. Lilly wondered if she should get out her wand and start tapping the ticketinspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.At that moment a group of people passed just behind the two and they caught afew words of what they were saying."-- packed with Muggles, of course --"Harry and Lilly swung round.

 The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to fourboys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Lilly's in front of him -- and they had an owl.Heart hammering, Lilly and Harry pushed their carts after them. They stopped and sodid they, just near enough to hear what they were saying."Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother."Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who washolding her hand, "Mom, can't I go... ""You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

 What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Lilly watched, careful not to blink in case she missed it -- but just asthe boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a largecrowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the lastbackpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished."Fred, you next," the plump woman said."I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you callyourself our mother? Cant you tell I'm George?" Lilly sniggered. "Sorry, George, dear.""Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin calledafter him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later,he had gone -- but how had he done it? 

Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he wasalmost there -- and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.There was nothing else for it."Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman."Hello, dears," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, andgangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose."Yes," said Lilly. "The thing is -- the thing is, we don't know how to--""How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and the twins nodded."Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at thebarrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scaredyou'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of arun if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron.""Er -- okay," said Lilly. 

They pushed their trollies around and stared at the barrier. It looked verysolid. Lilly started to walk toward it Harry right by her side. People jostled them on their way toplatforms nine and ten. Lilly and Harry walked more quickly. They were going to smashright into that barrier and then they'd be in trouble -- leaning forwardon their carts, they broke into a heavy run -- the barrier was coming nearerand nearer -- she wouldn't be able to stop -- the cart was out of control-- she was a foot away -- she closed her eyes ready for the crash --It didn't come... she kept on running... she opened her eyes.