Always (A Severus Snape Love Story) Years 1-2 (Sylvia's Version)

Chapter 11: Platform 9 3/4

Chapter 11: Platform 9 3/4

The locket glowed brightly the next day when I pushed my cart through the train station with Severus. He pulled out his watch just as we were crossing a bridge to the platforms.

"Wow, is that the time?" He asked. "Sorry, Violet, I'm going to have to leave you. Dumbledore will be wanting to see me now. Here's your ticket."

He handed me a silver ticket.

"Stick to your ticket, Violet," Severus said. "It's very important. Stick to your ticket. I'll see you soon at Hogwarts."

I looked at the ticket and saw that it read PLATFORM 9 3/4 on it.

"Platform 9 3/4?" I asked, confused. "But, Severus, there must be a mistake. There's no such thing as Platform 9 3/4. Is there?"

I looked up from the ticket, but Severus was gone. Great. Just great. I pushed my cart further until I saw Harry.

"HARRY!" I cried. "There you are!"

"Violet!" Harry exclaimed. We hugged. "So Snape ditched you, huh? From what Hagrid told me he sounded like a real git."

I hit his arm, playfully. "Hagrid's the git,"I said.

"Oooh, in love with the Potions master, are we?" Harry giggled. I hit him again.

"Now come on," I said, smiling. "We need to find the platform."

A man in a uniform that looked official was giving directions to a woman holding a baby. We pushed our carts over to him, getting some strange looks because of our owls.

"Excuse me, sir," Harry said. "Can you tell us where we might find Platform 9 3/4?"

"9 3/4, huh?" The man asked. "Think you're being funny, do you?" He walked away muttering,"9 3/4..."

A lady with red hair that fell to her shoulders walked by us. She was wearing an old dress, and was followed by 5 children.

"It's the same every year," She said. "Packed with muggles, of course."

"Muggles?" Harry asked.

"Sounded like it," I replied. We pushed our carts after her and the kids to a wall between platforms 9 and 10. They all formed a line and the woman stood to the side with a little girl with bright red hair too. In fact, they all had red hair, so I assumed they were her kids.

"Alright, Percy," The woman said. "You first."

A boy somewhere around the age of 15 rolled his cart forward. He paused momentarily and then rushed towards the wall. Certain he was going to crash, I winced, but then gasped as he dissapeared trough the wall in the blink of an eye.

"Fred, you next!" The woman said.

Two identical red heads looked furious.

"He's not Fred, I am!" One of them said.

"Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother," The other twin said, shaking his head.

"Oh, sorry George, dear," The lady said.

George pushed his cart so that he was right in front of the wall and paused.

"Only joking,"He said. "I am Fred!" Then he made a beeline for the wall and dissapeared along with his brother. Only one kid was left. This couldn't be a trick of the eye now that we had seen it more than once.

"Excuse me!" Harry said. We pushed our carts towards them and they all turned around.

"Could you tell us how to...." I stuttered. "H.. how to...."

"How to get onto the platform?" The woman laughed. We nodded in relief. "Not to worry, dear. It's Ron's first time at Hogwarts as well."

The boy smiled and nodded. He had short red hair like his brothers, and was wearing a jacket over a blue shirt. They looked like they'd been worn many times before. He also wore jeans.

"Now all you have to do," The woman said. "Is walk straight at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Best do it a bit of a run if you're nervous."

"Thank you," I said.

"Good luck," The girl smiled.

"You first," Harry said.

"Gee, thanks," I muttered. I took a deep breath as I rolled my cart over. The wall in front of me looked solid like any other wall would. I really didn't see any difference. I closed my eyes as I ran to the wall, waiting for the impact. Strangely, I didn't feel one at all. I opened my eyes to find myself on a completely different platform with people crowded all around a huge red train with a tiny Hogwarts crest below the headlight. Hogwarts Express was written across a side of the train.

"Did we make it?" Harry asked, standing next to me. "Are we alive?"

"Of course we are, silly," I said. We had done it.