Goddess

The Whomping Willow

Persephone pushed her trolley hurriedly into the King's Cross station. She had been hoping to avoid the Potter's by coming in late but this was too late. There was only one minute left. She hoped she wouldn't miss the train.

She walked on and sighed in disappointment as she spotted Rosella, Harry and Ron. Rosella seemed to have a knack of knowing when people watched her because she suddenly shifted her gaze towards Persephone. 

She briskly walked down to the barrier.

"I'm sorry about-" Rosella started. 

"I don't wanna talk about it." Persephone held up her hand. She motioned for Harry and Ron to run into the barrier. 

Both trolleys hit the barrier and bounced backward; Ron's trunk fell off with a loud thump, Harry was knocked off his feet, and Hedwig's cage bounced onto the shiny floor, and she rolled away, shrieking indignantly; people all around them stared and a guard nearby yelled, "What in blazes d'you think you're doing?" 

"Lost control of the trolley," Harry gasped, clutching his ribs as he got up. Rosella ran to pick up Hedwig, who was causing such a scene that there was a lot of muttering about cruelty to animals from the surrounding crowd. Persephone snickered and smirked.

"Why can't we get through?" Harry hissed to the rest of them.

"How're we supposed to know?" Rosella said.

Persephone looked wildly around. A dozen curious people were still watching them.

"We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself —" 

Harry looked up at the giant clock. Three seconds . . . two seconds . . . one second . . . 

"It's gone." said Ron, sounding stunned. "The train's left. What if Mum and Dad can't get back through to us? Have you got any Muggle money?" 

"They, can apparate. We on the other hand can't. And what do you take me for? Of course I do!" Persephone said. 

Ron pressed his ear to the cold barrier. "Can't hear a thing," he said tensely. "What're we going to do? I don't know how long it'll take Mum and Dad to get back to us." 

They looked around. People were still watching them, mainly because of Hedwig's continuing screeches. 

Persephone snapped angrily, " Good Merlin, mind your own business.

"I think we'd better go and wait by the car," said Rosella. "We're attracting too much attention."

"Ya think?" Persephone retorted. 

"Calm down." Harry said. "Harry!" said Ron, his eyes gleaming. "The car!" 

"What about it?"

"We can fly the car to Hogwarts!" 

"No! Ron!" Rose exclaimed in horror. 

"We're stuck, right? And we've got to get to school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction of Thingy —"

"But that's if you can use magic without Muggles seeing you. We're not even sure if that invisibility booster will last. "

"What the heck are you all talking about?" Persephone asked in bewilderment. She didn't know what they were talking about, but it sounded like trouble.

Harry's feeling of panic turned suddenly to excitement. "Can you fly it?" 

"No problem," said Ron, wheeling his trolley around to face the exit. "C'mon, let's go. If we hurry we'll be able to follow the Hogwarts Express. "