Starstruck

19. King's Cross Station

The Autumn air was as crisp as the fallen leaves beneath their feet, as the silence was broken by a sudden rumble of wheels. The Potters had arrived at King's Cross station. They seemed to radiate excitement, as the wheels thundered over uneven cobbled and cracks. It seemed the most normal of settings to the untrained eye, yet magic can be found in the most unexpected of places if one knows where to look.

James Potter nudged his brother, buzzing with caged adrenaline. "Race you?" he grinned. A grin that spread across his whole freckled face, a grin that seemed to scream mischief. Albus watched him as he slowly began to gather speed,  racing along the crowded station tracks until he leapt into the air. Clutching the trolley handles as if clinging for life,  he landed on the base of the trolley and almost toppled over from impact. He was so close to the edge of the tracks that Albus's breath caught is his throat. He froze on the spot. Ginny wheeled round and almost screamed at the top of her lungs. "James Sirius Potter, you come here this INSTANT!" She looked livid- this was not about to end well for James.

 James glanced back, gulped hard and jumped off a split second before the barrier smashed into him. The trolley wasn't so lucky. To skip the details, the next five minutes could be summed up with a livid Ginny Weasley, a disproving guard and a small crowd of eager muggles. The jokes from Harry  ("I think you got the wrong barrier there James!") did not go down well. They continued on their way.

A cold breeze drifting around Albus as he walked, and the metallic scent of trains and dirt wafted around him. He checked the battered, golden watch which had once belonged to Fabien Prewett- 10:26. Definitely enough time. He pushed a heavy, bulky trolley laden with bursting bags and wedged firmly in top lay a giant majestic bird cage, containing his beloved Felix. The owl may have even challenged Albus's excitement, as it hopped around gleefully. Alongside James walked  his grogeous golden pet, Snuffles  (a cross between a crup and a Labrador puppy).

 It bounded happily alongside James, glaring and growling at various Muggles due to it's Crup-like characteristics. Lilytrailed miserably after Harry, clutching his arm. “It won’t be long now and you’ll be going too,” Albus heard his father explain patiently to his sister.  He felt a slight pang of guilt and sympathy for his sister. He, of course, had experienced these exact thought the previous year as he watched James board the Scarlett train to a world of paradise.

It must be even worse for Lily… he thought sadly. She has both of her brothers being packed away, and two more painful years of waiting. Evidently, Lily was thinking along the same lines as Albus as she sniffed through her tears “two years, I want to go now!" Why did his family have to be so... noticeable? He realised that they were beginning to get many odd looks, as they wove their way towards the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and could understand why.

They stuck out a little compared to the smart muggles on the platform, with a snarling crup-labradore, enormous trolleys and trunks, a snivelling young girl with flaming red hair, and a baby owl of all creatures. The only consolidation he could think of was that at least  his parents knew how to dress normally in muggle attire. He couldn’t bear to imagine the looks they would get if he was with Grandfather Weasley and his crazy muggle dress sense.

James nudged Albus. "Looking forward to your new Slytherin mates then?" Albus's stomach dropped and tears prickled in his eyes. James was only teasing... only teasing. But he couldn't help it, it was exactly like being reminded of an upcoming exam the day before your birthday-  it just ruined everything. “No, I won’t! I won’t be in Slytherin!” he snapped back. James had reminded Albus of the one thing that made his mood crash. Sometimes… he really didn’t like his brother.