Albus Severus Potter and the Mystery of the Letters

1 - Platform Nine and Three Quarters

Chapter One - Platform Nine and Three Quarters

Friday, 1st of September

The Potters' house, 2017

"Al! Get up, you lazy pig!"

Autumn had officially begun. It was a crisp morning, and for most of the country, it was just a normal day, going to work or school. But for around forty people, who were probably already awake, it was a very important day.

Albus Severus Potter slowly opened his eyes. "Do I have to?" he mumbled sleepily. He'd just had a bad dream, and was hoping to get a bit more sleep before getting up.

James Sirius Potter, who was coincidentally, his brother, leaned right up to his ear.

"Do you want to be in Slytherin?" he asked innocently.

Al was suddenly wide awake. "Shut up. I will not be a Slytherin!"

"Sure you won't be," James sang, and almost skipped out Al's bedroom as the latter picked up a pillow threateningly.

Al swung himself out of bed and stood up shakily, legs wobbling from non-use. He was worried about being put in Slytherin, more than he let on, and his dream had not helped. Crossing the room, he looked in the mirror, and smoothed down his hair. It went willingly, unlike his father's and older brother's. However, sometimes he preferred it to be sticking up.

James and Al were very similar in other respects. They had similar hair colours - James had black, Al had dark brown, the combination of ginger and black-haired parents. If one did not know them, they could easily be thought of as twins, as James was only slightly taller and they had the same face. However their eyes were different, James inheriting the brown of his mother along with his sister, and Al getting the striking green eyes of Lily Evans, his grandmother on his father's side.

Al looked at the clock beside his mirror. Crap, he thought, it was ten o'clock! They were leaving in twenty minutes! He ran downstairs and grabbed a bowl from the counter, and pouring cereal into it.

His parents and younger sister Lily Luna Potter were sitting at the table finishing their own breakfasts.

"Oh look! He emerges!" his father chuckled. "You'll get detention if you do that at Hogwarts!"

Al glared at him as he poured milk into his bowl and began to wolf down his breakfast.

"Woah, slow down, you'll get indigestion! Look, do you want a drink, I'll get you one," his mother said. "Juice? Tea? Milk?"

"'uice 'ease," Al said, his mouth full of cereal.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you lot about talking with your mouth full?"

"Sorry Mum," Al apologised as he gulped down the last of his cereal and drained the glass of juice his mum had set out in front of him.

"I don't know why you're in such a rush anyway, it's not like you still have to pack," Ginny said as she sat back down in her seat.

"Eh..." Al laughed nervously as he edged out the kitchen.

"You've not packed yet?" Ginny exploded.

"Well... I'm mostly packed," Al said nervously, then practically ran out the room at the glare he got from his mother.

"You're way too scary sometimes," Harry laughed, then was silenced by a look from his wife.

* * *

King's Cross Station, London

Forty-five minutes later, a small family of five were walking towards Kings Cross Station. At first glance, there was nothing unusual about them. At least until you saw what exactly their luggage was. People looked at them strangely, probably because on their trolleys, along with some large and heavy-looking trunks, and perched atop the piles on stuff, there were two owls, each hooting indignantly in their cages.