Charlotte Weasley

Chapter 10 - The Express and Recollections

Finally, the day had arrived, the day I had been awaiting for my enrtire 11 years on this planet - I was on my way to Hogwarts. I was still a bit worried about which house I would get into - but everyone does, right? I decided that If my friends wouldn't accept me for who I am, than they aren't friends at all (if things turned out like they did in my dream/nightmare). I arose early in the morning, quickly showering, eating, and getting dressed in some muggle clothes. Today, my hair was waist length, dark brown, and curly, and my eyes were bright blue which stood out in contrast to my hair. We were meeting Britt and Andrew at the station at 7:00 - an entire hour before the train was due to leave because mom wanted things as stress free as possible - Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Yate (Andrew's mother) agreed with here. I didn't mind, however, all that mattered to me was that I was going to Hogwarts. 

I walked down the steep flight of stairs, lugging my heavy trunk behind me, imaging, even now, what it would be like when I turned 17 to just be able to flick my wand and have my trunk float down the stairs in front of me. The family was already waiting for me so that we could apparate to the station. 

Mom held out her arm and I gripped it firmly - having done it many times in the past. For a second, my mother tensed and then I had the sensation of being sucked through a very tight tube, my breath getting short and sharp, and then when I felt like I was going to pass out, we reappeared in King's Cross Station and I immediatly fell to the ground, gulping in great gasps of air until my breathing returned to normal. 

When I got up, I noticed Britt approaching me, her eyes still tired looking, a lock of hair neatly pinned back behind her ear. "Charlotte!" she let me recover before pulling me into a tight hug. 

"Britt!" I replied with a broad grin, we linked arms and headed to a muggle tea shop to burn some time, "Are you excited? Nervous? Frightened?" I asked her with a questioning look as we waited for our teas to be made.

"A little..," Britt replied, looking down at her shoes - she was known to be a shy person, unless she was around people she knew and loved. 

I heard a familiar voice greet us, Andrew. "So ladies, excited?" he asked in his rather deep voice. 

"You know me," Britt answered with a grin.

"A little, but not that bad," I said. 

"I just arrived, my mom is over talking with your family," he nodded at me and Britt and then pointed to where they were standing, next to the large plastic sign that read Platform 9. Andrew pulled up a stool next to mine and took a sip of my tea.

"Eh!" I growled at him, giving him an ugly expression. He pretended to be scared and put his hands in the air in mock surrender. I smirked and took a large gulp of tea, pretending to savor it to get on his nerves. He reached for the mug oncemore but I slapped his hand out of the air. 

The clock tolled once - 7:30. I lept up, adrenaline pumping through my veins - we were going to leave in only half an hour! I yanked Britt and Andrew out of the little tea shop and we ran to where our families were chatting.

Our parent had us go through the barrier in little groups of two or three - the station was getting busier and busier by the minute. 

My first glance at the crimson train was a half glance when I 'leaned' into the barrier. I took a doubletake, plumes of steam erupted from a pipe and it's gleaming surface appeared to run on for miles like a long scarlett snake in a brick tunnel.  All the adults - especially the ones who hadn't seen it for years had a misty expression fall upon their faces as they remembered their time spent at Hogwarts and the younger ones looked on in awe and envy.

(HARRY'S POV)

There it was, the Hogwarts express, last time I had seen it was at the beggining of my sixth year. I looked to my right and saw Ron with a nostalgic expression, no doubt recalling his last time in the presence of the train. Then I looked to my right and saw Hermione, her face just like it was when she was eleven - adventurios and excited. My best friends. In a flood of memories, I remembered what we had all gone through after all these years - Quirrell, the Basilisk, the Triwizard, his hearing and the dread it brought him when he thought he was never going back to Hogwarts, and the Battle of Hogwarts. I looked across to where Charlotte stood with her friends, their futures as untarnished and blank - ready to be molded and created. 

I sighed... I never had the opportunity to shape my own future.... it had been decided for me by others... I reached up and felt the outline of my scar.....