Journey from Platform 9/ 34

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A month later they were at Kings Cross.

"Alright Harry, be good and try not to make a reminder of your father, Sirius, Remus and Peter's school years." Lily said.

The four of them looked at her innocently.

"I'll try! Bye dad, uncle Moony, uncle Wormy, uncle Padfoot!" he said and hopped on the train.

When he found somewhere to sit he took out a book and tried to hide his face and not get anyone's attention.

Then the door of the compartment slid open and a redheaded boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full."

Harry groaned but shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.

"Are you Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Harry nodded.

"And have you really got - you know..."

He pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.

"So that's where You-Know-Who?"

"Yes." said Harry.

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff - I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl.

"I don't care that your family can't afford everything. You have seven kids to feed. My parents and uncle Padfoot will constantly offer money but always say the same thing. The Weasley's like to earn their money."

Ron nodded.

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.

What he had was Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes and Licorice Wands then he paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

Ron stared as Rose brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat. "Hungry, are you?"

"Yeah," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on -"

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

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