Star-Crossed

Chapter Eight: Platform Nine and Three Quarters

The next morning, I woke up alone in the room. I panicked for a moment, hurriedly packing my things and throwing on another pair of baggy denims, my ruffled white socks and a slightly too small blue shirt with a floral pattern on top. I realised with the shirt being as small and short-sleeved as it was, and the autumn air blowing in, I'd get a little chilly. So on top I tugged on a giant, oversized cream and dark brown patterned sweater.

I pulled on the same tattered tennis shoes and slung my shoulder bag I'd bought the day before over my shoulder, dragging my trunk behind me as I rushed down stairs to the pub. All the while I was repeating in my head, 'Harry where are you? Has, where'd you go? Please don't leave me.' and an echo whispered back as I got to the very bottom stair.

'Calm down Natie, we're at breakfast. I didn't want to wake you up. You hardly slept last night' in Has' usual scolding big brotherly tone.

I let out a sigh of relief knowing they hadn't somehow left me behind. Even though I knew Harry would never do that in a million years.

I skipped into the dining room, finding Harry and Hagrid seated next to each other at the bar. Hagrid sipped quietly on a cup of black coffee as a plate of toast and eggs sat in front of him. Harry was shovelling bites of porridge into his mouth as I set down my trunk and bag and hoisted myself up onto a stool next to him.

"So, what's for breakfast, huh?" I mused, glancing around for a moment. But no one was waiting at the bar to take any orders. It seemed not even a moment after I realised that a plate of sausage, and two fluffy buttermilk pancakes floated out of nowhere and sat right in front of me.

"Sausage and pancakes." Has chuckled, his mouth full of porridge as I gaped in shock.

Again I whispered, "Wicked!"

When breakfast was finished we gathered up all of our things and Hagrid led us out of the Leaky Caldron and into a taxi.

"King's Cross Station, please." The half-giant requested, and the driver nodded, taking off moments later.

The ride to the station was incredibly short, I was jittering with excitement in my seat as Harry sat comfortably beside me.

"Aren't you excited, Has?" I asked him, eyes wide with joy, "We're going to school! A school for magic!"

My brother only smiled, slightly, "I'm a little nervous." He replied, and I paused for a moment, realising what he was feeling. Uncertainty, nerves, the worry of not being able to make friends. Or not knowing what we were doing. Or not being able to do the things expected of us. Not living up to the legend.

His nerves spread to me as I felt each one of his thoughts, I knew he felt mine as well. I grabbed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about it, Harry." I tried to calm him down, "It doesn't matter what happens, as long as we've got each other, right?"

That seemed to quell his growing anxiety and I felt all of his thoughts melting away. In turn, so did mine. We were locked in excited conversation the entirety of the rest of the trip to King's Cross. Going back and forth about how we thought we'd do in our courses, what might be our favourite subject, what kind of spells we might learn, that sort of thing.

Then soon enough, we were out of the taxi and pushing our luggage along on a cart across a crossing bridge inside the station, Hagrid trailing along next to us.

A couple passed by us, throwing disgusted and confused looks in Hagrid's direction. "What're you lookin' at?" Hagrid fired back.

I gave them a rude look of my own, crossing my eyes and sticking my tongue out as they passed by.