Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Two: Promising Beginnings

The final month of Summer dragged by, but eventually the long-awaited September first arrived. My parents drove me to King's Cross Station, but we had to say our goodbyes before I got onto the platform. Professor Dumbledore had given me instructions on how to get onto Platform 9 3/4 and explained that muggles didn't have the ability to get onto it.

"Goodbye, dear. I'll miss you," Mom said, giving me a hug.

"I'll write to you, don't worry. I'm sure it'll be Christmas before you know it!" I told her, trying to keep her from crying. I turned to Dad and gave him a hug as well.

"Goodbye kiddo, have fun. Stay out of trouble!"

I laughed, "I will!" I glanced at the clock to find that it was ten minutes to eleven. The train was supposed to leave at exactly eleven. "I had better get going." I pulled both of them into one group hug. "I love you guys. I'll see you at Christmas!"

I turned around and began pushing my cart, looking around to make sure nobody other than my parents were paying attention. Platform 9 3/4 was located between platforms 9 and 10. Professor Dumbledore had said that I needed to run at the pillar between them to get onto the platform. I only hoped that this worked and that I wouldn't end up crashing into the pillar. Closing my eyes, I headed directly towards the pillar.

There was no crash, and when I opened my eyes, I found myself looking at a scarlet train with the words "Hogwarts Express" painted across it. After loading all of my supplies onto the train, I headed down the hallway in search of the compartment that Ron was in, just as we had agreed to do in Diagon Alley. As I was passing each compartment, my clumsy side decided to show up.

I tripped over thin air! It was super embarrassing. What if someone saw me? Of course someone happened to see me. As I was struggling to get up, I saw a hand stick out to help me. Gratefully, I took it.

"Are you alright? That was some fall there," the person asked. I could tell that it was a boy, but I hadn't looked up yet because I was disoriented from the fall. I held my head where I had hit it on the floor.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I told the boy.

"Do you have a place to sit? You can sit with us if you want?" The boy offered. After I had determined that there wasn't any blood coming from my head, I looked up at the owner of the voice for the first time.The first thing I noticed was his eyes. He had beautiful grey-blue eyes. His bleach blond hair was gelled back and he looked like he was probably a first year too.

"Yeah, thank you," I managed to get out while taking a seat next to him in the compartment. "I'm Katie Brown, a first year."

The boy smirked. "That's a funny accent you have."

I rolled my eyes. "I do not have an accent. Everybody else does!" I insisted. "I was born in the United States but I've lived near London since I was five," I explained. I was going to have to repeat that explanation a lot with all of these new people I would be meeting, being at a new school and all.

"Very well then," he laughed.

"And your name is...?" I asked.

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. This is Crabbe and Goyle." He gestured to the two boys sitting across from us. I hadn't noticed them until he introduced them. "We're all first years as well," he informed me to my relief.

"Great!" I replied with a smile.

"So what house do you think you'll be in? I expect I'll be in Slytherin just like my father," Draco declared.

"What do you mean by house?" I asked, clearly confused.

"Didn't your parents go to Hogwarts?"

I shook my head. "No, my parents are muggles. I didn't even know I was a witch until a little over a month ago," I confessed.