SuperPotterLock- The Philosopher's Stone

The Journey from Platform Nine and Three Quarters

Harry pressed through the crowd until he found an almost empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig in first and then started to shove and heave his trunk towards the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.

'Want a hand?' It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the ticket box.

'Yes please,' Harry panted.

'Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!'

With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

'Thanks,' said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

'What's that?' said one of the twins suddenly pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

'Blimey,' said the other twin. 'Are you-?'

'He is,' said the first twin. 'Aren't you?' he added to Harry.

'What?' said Harry.

'Harry Potter,' chorused the twins.

'Oh, him,' said Harry. 'I mean, yes, I am.'

The two boys gawped at him and Harry felt himself going red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating through the train's open door.

'Fred? George? Are you there?'

'Coming, Mum.'

With one last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.

Harry sat down by the window where he looked around the compartment and spotted a small boy in the corner by the door. His face was hidden by a large copy of A Beginner's Guide to Healing that he was apparently determined to finish, though Harry could see his tousled dark hair over the top. He was wearing a very, very over-sized, tan trench coat and the sleeves were rolled all the way up to his elbows.

'Hello, my name's Harry Potter, what's yours?'

But the boy just pulled his feet up on to the seat and hid himself deeper behind his book, so Harry strained his ears to hear what the red-haired family were saying.

'Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we met on the train?' Harry leant back quickly so they wouldn't see him looking.

'You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?'

'Who?'

'Harry Potter!'

Harry heard the little girl's voice.

'Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, oh please...'

'You've already seen him, Ginny, the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?'

'Asked him. Saw his scar. It was really there- like lightning.'

'Poor dear- no wonder he was alone. I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get on to the platform.'

'Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?'

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

'I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day of school.'

'All right, keep your hair on.'

A whistle sounded.

'Hurry up!' their mother said, and the three boys clambered on to the train. They leant out of the window for her to kiss them goodbye and their youngest sister began to cry.