A Magical Journey Begins

Train Ride

Tom glanced down on his ticket yet again and scowled. It said 'King's Cross Station, Platform 9 ¾', which absolutely made no sense to the young 11 year-old. He looked around himself, watching the people bustle around on platforms 9 and 10. His platform should be in the middle between them, but there was nothing aside from stone pillars.

He had been tempted to ask the help of someone who worked at the station, but this was a muggle station, and who was he to know they'd know anything about a magical platform? They'd probably just look at him weird and tell him to stop joking around. Adults always said they had better things to do than humour a child, as if they had all forgotten what it was like to be one themselves.

"Come on, gang! We're already late!" an auburn haired woman with brown eyes called.

Tom looked up, half interested in the family rushing past. The woman had four red haired children with her, all between the ages of 18 and 11, and all of them were pushing large carts like the one Tom had with them. The oldest boy had a caged owl sitting on top of his trunk and the only girl, who seemed about 15 years old, had a grey tabby sleeping on hers.

"Careful with all these muggles about, kids! Platform 9 ¾, almost there!"

Tom quickly rushed after the redheads and their mother. He watched in wonder as the oldest boy rushed towards a wall and ran straight through it, disappearing. Tom looked around himself, worried about that blatant display of magic, but no one seemed to be paying attention to any of them, as if they weren't there at all.

"Good! Sexta, you're next," the woman spoke to her daughter.

The girl grinned and nodded before she started speed walking towards the wall. In the end, she leaped into a small sprint before she ran straight through just like her older brother. His curiosity now very much awakened, Tom stepped forward and smiled at the woman.

"Excuse me, but is this the way to the Hogwarts Express?" he asked politely.

"Yes it is, dear," the woman smiled.
"A first year I suppose? Octavian is too."

Tom nodded towards the youngest boy, the only one who hadn't fiery red hair like the others, but auburn like his mother and the same brown eyes as well. The boy nodded back, his freckled face pale and stiff from nerves. He looked a bit scared, or at least very worried.

"I'm Diana Weasley," the woman introduced herself.
"And my other son here is Septimus. He'll be going into his third year."

The redhead grinned proudly and waved at Tom, who waved back. This one had blue eyes and just as much freckles as his younger brother.

"Nice to meet you all, I'm Tom Riddle."

"A muggle born, right?" Septimus asked, grinning wider now.

The eager glint in the older boy's eyes had Tom frown. He didn't like the way Septimus looked at him at all. Instead of answering, he looked back up at the woman and smiled shyly.

"Could you maybe explain to me how to get on the platform?" he asked hopeful.

"Of course dear! Just run straight ahead through the wall and you get there," she answered.
"Let Septimus show you how, alright?"

Tom nodded and watched as the older boy pushed off and started running towards the wall. Just as the two before him, he disappeared into the wall. Mrs. Weasley looked over at Tom again and smiled kindly.

"Go on then. Your turn now, sweetheart."

Tom wanted to frown at the endearments the woman kept giving him, but he bit his tongue and nodded. He took a deep breath and started pushing his cart towards the wall in a small sprint. When he reached, he couldn't stop himself from closing his eyes in fear of crashing hard. Nothing happened though, and as Tom opened his eyes again, he was in awe at the sight before him. A large, red train stood in the station as many people dressed in strange robes and pointy hats were saying goodbye to their children wearing black school robes. Here and there, he saw a few families with muggle clothes, like himself and the Weasleys, but not that many compared to the wizard getups.