BLACK {1} harry potter

Chapter Four

The month of waiting to leave for Hogwarts wasn't the best, but just the idea that in only a few short weeks we would be out of this terrible place kept us afloat. Within no time it was September first and we were packing terribly behind schedule.

Surprisingly, the Dursleys were fine with the idea of bringing us to King's Cross, probably because we would finally be out of their hair.

We reached King's Cross half past ten. Vernon took our luggage and put it onto a cart, our owl cages resting on top. He was acting strangely kind as he wheeled it into the station, until he stopped dead.

"Well, there you are. Platform nine -- platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"

He was right, there seemed to be no such thing as Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. I'm guessing that's why he looked so pleased with himself. He smiled and left without another word. We turned and watched them driving away. They were laughing at us, but it didn't matter. We wouldn't have to see them for at least another six months.

Then again, what were we going to do? How were we supposed to board Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?

"Well here we are, so close, but we won't be able to board the train if it doesn't exist," I sighed.

Harry ran and asked the guard about the platform. He wasn't thinking that the guard wouldn't know what Hogwarts was; he was a Muggle so how was he supposed to know? We were stuck in the middle of the train station with a cart that weighed twice as much as we did. We were doomed.

As I sat down with no hope, a group of people walked nearby. 

" -- packed with Muggles, of course --" I heard one mumble as they passed. I swung around looking at the plump woman talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them had trunks like Harry and I's and they had an owl as well. "Now what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" there was a little girl, also red-headed. "Mum, can't I go?"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

One of the boys marched towards platforms nine and ten. I watched, making sure not to miss a single thing that was happening. Just as he was reaching the middle of the platforms, a group of tourists came in front of my view. At the next glance I had, the boy had vanished.

Two more of the boys went through the barrier, but I couldn't understand how it happened.

"Excuse me, miss," I said, trying to get the lady's attention. She looked down at us and smiled.

"Hello, dears. First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." She pointed to the last of the boys: tall, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

"Yes, the thing is -- the thing is, we don't know how to --"

"How to get onto the platform?"

We nodded.

"Not to worry! All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."