Analytical empathy (a Harry Potter fanfic)

Chapter one

Eliphas quite positively leapt out of his skin, startled by the abrupt screaming of an over emotional toddler. Surrounded on all sides by people, the brown haired boy felt as though they were concrete walls, pressing against him. With a little amount of effort, Eliphas continued moving onwards, pushing a heavily laden trolley before him.

"Keep calm" was the firm advice he gave himself "keep calm because nothing is wrong. I am at King's Cross Station, in London and I can already see the platforms nine and ten." Visibly leaning to the right, Eliphas avoided contact with a pedestrian as though they were inflicted by the plague; however, this was purely due to his personality. Awkward and jittery in crowds, Eliphas hated it when a stranger so much as brushed by him. "Merlin's beard" he exclaimed under his breath, irritation scorching him "can't they at least have the decency to move away?"

Reaching the platform ahead, Eliphas halted in his tracks with a severe frown. "...Well isn't this fantastic?" he commented slowly, voice laced with skeptic sarcasm, eyes focused upon the sign "they've either printed the wrong platform on the ticket or they've been christened in seine." Christened in seine; a regular insult of his. "Platform nine and three quarters" he repeated, having taken the ticket out of his coat pocket "yes, I'm not delusional then. Well, how on earth are you meant to get on it? If I ask a staff member or...whatever their official title is...they'll think me mad and anyway...I can't. It's too stupid." Grimacing, Eliphas stowed away the ticket then looked about himself, wondering if fortune may possibly grant another wizarding family to come by his way. As he did so, the young wizard muttered "don't know why my mother didn't warn me...or even tell me how to get onto the ridiculous platform in the first place. Oh yes...she's busy working; wouldn't have taken her a minute to explain."

By and by, he became aware of another boy; about the same age as he, give or take some months. This boy, also, seemed to be staring at the platform sign then frowning, looking somewhat panicked. Eliphas watched, observing the stranger's behaviour curiously. The boy was relatively tall, skinny and with untidy, somewhat spiky black hair. He wore glasses and...there was something just undetectable on his forehead. He also possessed an owl; a snowy owl.

Eliphas's spirits leapt hopefully. Undoubtedly, the boy was also a wizard. The owl couldn't be a coincidence. The boy was going to Hogwarts also and seemed to be having exactly the same issues with the platform. Now this plunged Eliphas into turmoil. Mind whirring, he couldn't just ignore the trouble and not talk to the other male; he understood that much. But...what if he messed up whilst talking? What if he sounded strange or amusing?

'Ah!' Eliphas screamed in his mind 'stupid, stupid social anxiety! Why can't I just be normal...why can't I just find it natural to start a conversation?' Gritting his teeth determinedly, the young wizard made up his mind and begun to slowly approach, his melanistic barn owl screeching as the trolley jerked then moved along the pavement.
"Hello" Eliphas spoke quietly, trying to attract the black haired boy's attention in a discreet manner. "Hello" he tried again but to no avail. Already frustrated and humiliated, the young wizard stepped back, digging his nails into his fingers in a most agitated manner. "Fiddlesticks, cellosticks and violasticks" he said "this is getting ludicrous."

But the saving grace came in the form of a red haired lady who was bustling towards the ticket machine, many, many children behind her, all pushing trolleys. Curious, Eliphas watched and heard them talking. They mentioned muggles. 'Magical folk' he thought with elation 'I'm sure they can help me.' Pushing his own trolley forwards, he narrowly avoided a collision with the black haired male who, like him, was also approaching the ginger family. Before both of them could utter a single word, what seemed to be the eldest son of the ginger family walked to the front and stood in front of the pillar, facing the ticket machine. Without further ado, the spectacled, lanky male pushed his trolley onwards then, unexplainably, vanished before he hit the wall. Eliphas's eyes widened as he commented bemusedly "that was purely unexpected."

About to ask the plump woman about the wall and platform, Eliphas was beaten to it by the black haired boy. Falling back and listening instead, Eliphas remained silent and merely observed, taking in the personalities of everyone; merely something which eased his nerves. So far, the plump woman was certainly very motherly; she was behaving with altruistic kindness towards the other boy though he wasn't her son. And the boy...perhaps he was nervous about his first train ride to Hogwarts.

In minutes, the family and boy had vanished through the wall. Taking a breath, Eliphas could see that he would have to copy them...and fast; time was ticking. Feeling rather idiotic, the young wizard turned his trolley till he faced the brick wall. "If I collide with this wall, I'm giving up on Hogwarts school of idiocy and lunacy" he muttered, gripping the trolley handles tight, feeling certain apprehension tugging at his heart. Closing his eyes resignedly, Eliphas took a deep breath then walked forwards, struggling not to think about how painful and humiliating a collision would be. Yet...nothing solid struck him...only thin air. Confused, his eyes opened then instantly widened.

He was standing on platform nine and three quarters; the swaying sign above informed him of that. There were many, many students, most kissing their parents farewell and some waving from the train's windows. But the train...took Eliphas's breath away. It was a beautiful steam train, plumes of white vapour flowing from the funnel, rising upwards like clouds. Red as a sunset sky, the locomotive gleamed scarlet, sparkling as though freshly painted: perhaps it was. Then a piercing whistle burst his eardrums, shaking Eliphas from his awed reverie. Hastily, the young wizard managed to persuade a porter to load his luggage, momentarily ignoring his social anxiety in the light of urgency. The train had already begun to move when Eliphas leapt into a carriage, almost losing balance and having to grip onto the rails. Recovering, he peered through the window, quickly jostled by other students who waved and screamed at the people upon the platform. Gaining speed, The Hogwarts Express moved onwards and soon, the families were inconspicuous, merely dots in the distance.