The Trick

First Year - Hogwarts Express

Mariah's POV

“We get to run into a brick wall, Mariah!” Charlie yelled to Mariah. Passerbys looked at the two girls with odd expressions.

“Charlotte, this is very, very strange!” Mariah said worriedly. She continued, “ I mean, you’re telling me to run through a brick wall!” Mariah said exasperated. 

Charlie ran her hand through her blonde hair nervously, “ Yeah, you’re right this is completely mental. But hey! We get to run into a brick wall!” Charlie said, smiling brightly. 

“Charlotte, I think you’re completely mental right now.” Mariah said with a sigh.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

“Why are you freaking out so much, I mean this can’t be the craziest thing you’ve seen since knowing you are a witch,” Charlie said, focused on the brick wall. 

“I’m freaking out, Charlotte, because I could crack my head open! I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be alive than cracked like an egg!” Mariah said, tapping her trolley nervously. She looked down at her owl which she decided to name, Jan, after her favorite Brady Bunch character. Jan was twisting her head, looking around King’s Cross Station, hooting at the people who looked at her weirdly. 

“Stop being so worrisome! Take a risk,” Charlie told Mariah. 

“What do you call defying my mother and coming to live with you?” 

“Your first step in becoming a rebel!” Mariah rolled her eyes at Charlie. 

Mariah looked around at the people around them. “Won’t the Muggles notice us disappearing through a solid brick wall?” 

Charlie looked around at the people rushing to catch their train. “No, they’re clueless.”

Owen came up behind the two girls and rushed them on, “ All ready girls? Get your trolleys and hurry along before it will definitely just be a brick wall.” He said with a chuckle. 

Charlie grabbed her trolley and lined up with the brick wall under the sign,  Platform 9 and three quarters….

“It’s now or never!” Charlie said, as she ran directly for the wall. Mariah closed her eyes right as Charlie collided with the brick wall. When she opened her eyes, Charlie was gone. Mariah was relieved. She was glad Charlie wasn’t a pancake right now. 

“Your turn Mariah!” Owen said with a small grin. Mariah grabbed her trolley and got a few feet in front of the wall. She took a deep breath in and then out, counted to three in her head, and ran towards the brick wall with her eyes shut tight. When she opened her eyes, she was amazed. Sitting before her was the one and only, Hogwarts Express. Clouds of smoke puffed out from the train as people waved from the windows. Mariah couldn’t believe her eyes. 

“Mariah! Isn’t it splendid! Look at this big train!” Charlie was jumping up and down in front of Mariah, shaking her shoulders. Mariah couldn’t seem to get the words out for how amazing she felt at that moment. She laughed as Charlie started to dance, hitting people and having to apologize. 

Owen suddenly appeared from the brick wall. He stood there, admiring the view with a little smile. “All right girls, you better get going if you don’t want to miss the train.” Owen said with a hint of sadness in his eyes. 

Charlie walked up to her dad and gave him a huge bear hug. “ I’m going to miss you so much dad. I love you.” Charlie had tears in her eyes as she said the last sentence. 

“I love you so much C. Have fun and don’t cause too much chaos.” He said with a smile.

“Oh, dad, I can’t make any promises.” Charlie said with a smirk. Mariah felt a pang in her stomach as she watched Charlie and her dad. She still felt guilty about leaving her parents. 

“Thank you so much, Mr. King for letting me tag along.” Mariah said as she went to shake Owen’s hand. As she put out her hand, Owen pulled her into a hug.

“It was my pleasure, Mariah. It was very nice to meet you,” He looked at her and whispered, “and please keep this one in line.” Mariah laughed and nodded. 

The two girls began to climb up into the train to get an open compartment. They found one after having to walk for what seemed like forever. As they put their belongings in the little compartments above their head and set their owls next to each other, the train started to move. 

Charlie and Mariah looked out the window as the train slowly moved. Charlie saw her dad and started to wave at him, and so did Mariah. They both stopped waving when Owen was no longer in view. 

Charlie couldn’t seem to stay still. “How much longer do you think we have?” 

Mariah laughed. “Well, considering we just left, I’d say we have a little while.” 

“I can’t sit here when I have so much energy!” Charlie said just as they heard someone say, “Anything from the trolley?” 

Charlie got up quickly and approached the lady. She had a trolley filled with sweets. Mariah still had some sweets from when she went to Diagon Alley, but she had run out of Pumpkin Pasties. Charlie returned with two handfuls of sweets. 

“Anything for you, dear?” The lady asked Mariah. 

“Yes ma’am, do you have any pumpkin pasties?” The woman reached into the trolley and handed Mariah a few of the pumpkin pasties. 

“Here you go, sweetie,” Mariah gave the woman the right amount of galleons and thanked her. When she got back she saw Charlie asleep, sweet wrappers laying all around her. Mariah laughed and sat down opposite of Charlie and began to eat her pumpkin pasties. 

She had only one thought when she looked out the train window and saw bright green hills scattered with wildflowers. They were on their way to Hogwarts. 

Written by: Cass