Mass Collision

6. Slytherin

I got up before anyone else the next morning and got dressed. I headed downstairs just as everyone else started to get up and run around to get ready for the train. Molly yells at everyone as they all make their way downstairs. We're waiting for another Auror so that Harry's protected.

"Harry, Natalia you're both to come with me and Tonks," shouted Molly over the repeated screeches of "MUDBLOODS! SCUM! CREATURES OF DIRT!" "Leave your trunk and your owl, Alastor's going to deal with the luggage. ... Oh, for heaven's sake, Sirius, Dumbledore said no!"

A bearlike black dog had appeared at Harry's side as Harry clambered over the various trunks cluttering the hall to get to Molly as I followed behind the two of them. "Oh honestly ..." Molly said despairingly, "well, on your own head be it!"

She wrenched open the front door and stepped out into the weak September sunlight. Harry and the dog followed her and me last. The door slammed behind us and Mrs. Black's screeches were cut off instantly.

"Where's Tonks?" Harry said, looking around as we went down the stone steps of number twelve, which vanished the moment we reached the end of the pavement.

"She's waiting for us just up here," said Molly stiffly, averting her eyes from the lolloping black dog beside Harry. An old woman greeted us around the corner.

She had tightly curled gray hair and wore a purple hat. "Wotcher, Harry, Nat," she said, winking at the two of us. "Better hurry up, hadn't we, Molly?" she added, checking her watch.

"I know, I know," moaned Molly, lengthening her stride, "but Mad-Eye wanted to wait for Sturgis. ... If only Arthur could have got us cars from the Ministry again ... but Fudge wouldn't let him borrow so much as an empty ink bottle these days. ... How Muggles can stand traveling without magic ..."

"It's not that bad," I tell her with a shrug. "The journey is quite fun when you have the right people." We walked twenty minutes to Kings Cross station and once we were inside we walked to the barrier between platforms nine and ten. "How are we supposed to get on?" I ask Harry in a whisper.

"Just see," he whispered back with a playful smirk. Tonks had gone first and leaned against the wall before disappearing. Next was Molly, Sirius, Harry, and then I walked up to the wall and fell through. I appeared on the other side where a scarlett train waited with students climbing inside, saying goodbye to parents, and talking with their friends.

I was in shock and couldn't help but stare for a few seconds before I heard Harry laughing at me and pulling me along. "I hope the others make it in time," said Molly anxiously, staring behind her at the wrought-iron arch spanning the platform, through which new arrivals would come.

"Nice dog, Harry!" called a tall boy with dreadlocks."Thanks, Lee," said Harry, grinning, as Sirius wagged his tail frantically. "Who's this?" He asked, looking at me.

"I'm Natalia," I introduced myself.

"Lee Jordan at your service ma'am," he said, bowing in front of me. He takes my hand and kisses it then shivers slightly at, I assume, how cold it is. "Well, I should get on the train to find Fred and George, see you two later." He waved goodbye and headed onto the train

"Oh good," said Molly, sounding relieved, "here's Alastor with the luggage, look ..."

"All okay," he muttered to Molly and Tonks. "Don't think we were followed. ..." Seconds later, Arthur emerged onto the platform with Ron and Hermione. They had almost unloaded Moody's luggage cart when Fred, George, and Ginny turned up with Lupin.

"No trouble?" growled Moody.

"Nothing," said Remus.

"I'll still be reporting Sturgis to Dumbledore," said Moody. "That's the second time he's not turned up in a week. Getting as unreliable as Mundungus." That or he could be dead. You never really know.