The Life He Never Knew

Chapter 5

It was the morning of September 1st, and the Potter house was chaos. Lily Potter was trying to make breakfast, make sure Harry was all packed, stop James from pulling a couple pranks, and rescue the cat when Harry accidentally set its tail on fire. 

James was rushing around, trying to pull pranks, giving Harry last minute advice, and trying (and failing) to balance a plate on his head.

Harry was finishing packing, apologizing for setting the cat's tail on fire, eating breakfast, and trying to remain calm. He had to admit, he was a bit nervous about Hogwarts. 

In the midst of all the chaos, James managed to find time to pull Harry away. They were now in James and Lily's room, and James was digging around in his trunk.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Harry asked.

"Aha! Here it is!" James pulled a small silver box out. He turned to Harry. "This is the birthday present I promised you," he said. He opened the box and pulled out a shimmering silver thing.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

James grinned and draped it over himself. Harry gasped, as his father disappeared. Then, suddenly, his father's head was floating in the air! Harry shrieked and stumbled back. James laughed.

"It's an invisibility cloak," he explained. "My father, your grandfather, gave it to me just before I started Hogwarts. Now, it's time I pass it on to you. Put it to good use." James smiled.

"Wow!" Harry wasn't sure what to say. "I-thanks! This is so cool!"

James chuckled. "We better get downstairs before your mum wonders where we've been."

Kings Cross Station was very crowded that morning. Lily and James walked ahead, chatting, and Harry walked just behind them, imagining Hogwarts. How fun it would be! The common rooms! Specifically, the Gryffindor common room. He got so lost in his daydream, he forgot to keep up with his parents. Looking around, he couldn't see them anywhere. Panic started to fill him.

Calm down, he told himself. Just find Platform 9¾ and meet them there. If you find any wizards, you can ask them as well. Thank Merlin his mum had taught him not to panic and think things through.

As he was making his way toward the platform, he heard a voice. "..packed with Muggles, of course-" 

Only a wizard would say that! He began making his way over to ask, knowing that almost everyone in the wizarding world knew him and his parents. 

"Now, what's the platform number again?" The woman asked.

"9¾," a small girl replied.

"Excuse me!" Harry called. They all turned to look at him. "I was wondering, have you seen my parents? I'm looking for them, I lost them back there."

"Hello, dear," the plump woman with bright red hair greeted him. "What do they look like?"

"Erm, well, my mum's name is Lily and she has long, bright red hair and green eyes like mine and dad is-"

"The spitting image of you," the woman smiled. "Well, I suppose it would be said the other way around. I'm Molly Weasley, you might have heard of the Weasleys?"

"Um, yeah!" Harry agreed, remembering his father telling him about some of the wizarding families. "The Weasleys are as nice as they are poor," James had said. "There probably isn't a nicer family on the planet."

"Then you must be Harry Potter!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "Wonderful to meet you, dear. Why don't you stick with us for now. This is your first year? Ron's new too."