Harry Potter and the Second Chance

Chapter Four - The Train and the Arrival

"Come on, we're running late!" Dad was trying to rush us all to the platform.

"Relax, Dad! We know how to get there." Tim said.

"Speak for yourself!" I replied.

We ran down the rows of columns until we got to one marked 9 and 10.

"Alright, El, you just run straight through the wall there, between platforms 9 and 10. Here, Tim, go first, and Cassandra, you can go through with Eleanor." Mum said.

Tim ran at full speed at the wall, and, when he hit it, he went right through. A family came up behind us, and I recognized the red-headed woman from the bookstore.

"Come on, you two! We're right behind you." Dad said. Cass gave me a reassuring smile, then we started running. We were through the barrier before I even realized I'd hit the wall.

"Come on, we've gotta get out of the way." Cass pulled me over to the side, where Timothy was standing. Not a second later, more people started running through. Mum, Dad, and Seth ran through, followed closely by some red-headed kids.

"You kids have a good time at school, alright?" Mum was pulling each of us into a big hug.

"And stay out of trouble, please." Dad wrapped his arms around me, and I was starting to get cold feet. I'd never been away from my parents for long, and now I was leaving for months.

"You're one to speak!" Mum laughed as she pulled me into a loving embrace. "Your father was quite the joker when we were in school."

"Well it worked out for me, didn't it? I got you." Our parents shared a kiss, to which Seth made a gagging noise. We laughed, then our parents ushered us onto the train. Giving our parents final hugs, we boarded the train and started the search for a compartment. My trunk seemed to be getting increasingly heavier, and I thought my arms would fall off when I finally found a mostly-empty compartment.

"May I sit here?" I asked. A tall boy with red hair and freckles galore was sitting there, along with a boy with jet black hair and round spectacles.

"Sure." The latter said.

"Thank you." I pushed my trunk into an overhead cupboard and plopped down on the seat.

"I'm Eleanor." I said, waving at each boy in turn.

"Ron Weasley." The red-headed boy said, giving me a polite smile.

"I'm Harry." The dark-haired boy said.

"By George." Ron whispered in awe. "You're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

Harry seemed a bit shocked. "Yes..."

"Have you got the scar?" Ron asked, his eyes growing wide.

Harry lifted his hair up to reveal a lightning-bolt-shaped scar on his forehead.

"Brilliant." I said. I didn't want to make Harry feel stuck in a corner, especially since it seemed he wasn't used to the attention.

The train started moving, and we all waved at our families through the window. All except Harry. I wanted to ask where his family was, but I didn't want to pry. I remembered the stories I'd heard, about his parents dying and his growing up with his Muggle aunt and uncle.

---

Soon, a woman came pushing the trolley through the hall.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" She asked.

"Woah, what is all of this?" Harry said, his eyes widening with awe. I gave Ron a questioning look, and he shrugged. Just as I was about to say something, Harry pulled a sack full of coins from his jacket pocket.