(A Harry Potter Fanfiction) Just Add Magic

Joseph: "Off To Wart School"

I smile as I walk through kings cross station, confusion blurring my vision. I stare at my ticket again hoping I read it wrong during the excitement. No, I read it right. Platform nine and three-quarters. Hogwarts Express. I'm right here, standing at platform ten. There beside it is platform nine, but there is no platform nine and three-quarters. What do I do now?

My mom said her goodbyes and left the station after several long hugs, telling me to "have fun at wart school". I clutch my trolley tighter. Then I notice some people walking towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Lots of kids with red hair. Even the mother and father have red hair. Everyone does. Except the three kids walking with them. I recognize them! Harry Potter, Hermione Granger... they've been in the wizard news. I've received issues of the daily Prophet from owls everyday. Some of them have been scary reads. My mom knows something's going on in the world, but she doesn't know that it has to do with the return of a powerful dark wizard. It's probably best that she doesn't know about all that stuff anyway. I clutch the bag where I've concealed my laptop and camera. I don't know what they'll think of my "muggle stuff" and I don't want to look like a total idiot. I recognize one of the red heads as Ron Weasly who was also in the news.

The only non-red headed kid that I don't recognize trails at the front next to Ron. He has blonde hair and a red sweater that looks a little dirty and ripped. He looks okay I guess, friendly at least. He's smiling and talking to Hermione and a small girl with shoulder-length straight red hair. She must be Ron's sister Ginny. I saw her in the news, but she looks a bit older now. I need to get onto the platform, so I should ask them how to do that.

"Do you need some help dear?"

I turn round to face the speaker. A short, woman that's likely to be Ron and Ginny's mother. Who else would she be? I think, staring at her slightly curly red hair. "Umm- I was just wondering- how-"

"How to get onto the platform?" She chuckles, "You remind me of Harry." She smiles at the dark haired boy, who I recognized as Harry Potter. He's been in almost every issue of the Daily Prophet. "Not to worry dear, we all have a first time to Hogwarts. It's Luka's first time to Hogwarts as well." She gestures to the blonde haired boy in the red sweater, who waves slightly.

"I'll show you how to get there." He grins, "Just hope you don't smash your nose, cause I'm not sure how much I trust Fred and George." With that, Luka laughs and darts forward, straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten. I cringe, but before he hits the barrier he disappears. Where'd he go? Mrs. Weasly doesn't seem to think this strange, she just nods at me.

"Your turn dear."

I stare at her nervously. This seems crazy, running into the wall is never smart. How do I know I can trust her? I sigh. Whatever, this could be fun. People parkour up walls in games right? I could turn a hit into a wall into a awesome parkour move. If I could do parkour... That stuff sadly only works in games. Mrs. Weasly nods at me. "Go on, best do it in a bit of a run if your nervous." I clutch the handle of the trolley and break into a run, fighting my urge to turn round. The wall gets closer. I feel myself speed up and think of action scenes from multiple games. The wall gets closer. I try to ignore the fear of hitting the wall and imagine myself as several game heroes. The wall gets closer. I'm going to hit the wall! I try to try round, but instead I slam into it. But then... I don't.

The bricks pass by my face, I pass through the wall and in a blur of red bricks I'm here...

Here is incredible. A train station platform but more special I guess. A sign hanging above our heads reads: Hogwarts Express. Platform nine and three-quarters. A red and black steam engine puffs steam at the bustling crowds of students readying their trunks and heading aboard. Hoots of owls, goodbyes, running students and giggling siblings. Chaos, but somehow wonderful.