Hogwarts and the New Headmaster

4. The Hogwarts Express

The orderlies stood just inside the entrance, their heads swiveling back and forth as they scanned the station. Pink splotches on their faces and arms bore witness to their recent encounter with leeches.

Viridis dropped to his knees and hid behind a line of businessmen scurrying across the station. He realized there was no way he could make it past the orderlies without resorting to magic. The only way out was behind him, through the barrier. Staying low to the ground, Viridis turned and scuttled back the way he'd come.

"Watch where you're going," snarled a teenager as Viridis bumped into him.

"Pardon me," Viridis said, dodging around a woman pushing a baby carriage. He broke free of the crowd and marched up to the still-pacing guard. "Excuse me, sir."

The guard stared down at him, his gaze settling on Viridis's cloak. His eyes narrowed. "Yes?"

Viridis swallowed, realizing it probably would have been a good idea to have removed his cloak first. He pointed toward the opposite side of the station. "There's um... some sort of disturbance at the ticket booth. A man wearing, uh, a green robe is behaving strangely. I'd thought you'd want to know."

The guard's eyes lit up as soon as he heard the word robe, and he took a few steps in the indicated direction. Viridis slid past the man and positioned himself next to the barrier, mentally kicking himself for not having tried this in the first place. Sometimes magic wasn't the best way to solve problems. As soon as the guard walked away, Viridis could step right through the portal.

The guard stopped and turned around, his eyes filled with suspicion. "Perhaps you should come with me and show me where this man is." He smiled at Viridis in a dangerous sort of way.

Viridis gulped. "I'm sorry, but my train is about to leave and I don't have time. Just thought you'd want to know about it. I don't want to get involved."

The guard eyed the neighboring tracks, none of which held any trains. Viridis inched backwards until he was up against the barrier. If only the guard would look away for a moment, Viridis could back through the portal. Even with the anti-Muggle charms attached to the portal, disappearing through it while the guard was paying so much attention to him might violate the Ministry's new rules.

"May I see your ticket?" the guard asked in an over-polite voice. "Perhaps I could help you find your train."

"I don't have it with me," Viridis replied, knowing he couldn't very well present his ticket to the Hogwarts Express. He glanced past the guard and spotted the orderlies moving in his direction. The station clock showed 10:57. "My, uh, girlfriend has our tickets and I'm trying to find her."

"Is there a problem, Horace?" asked a female guard who sauntered up to join them.

"No problem, Gladys," he said, giving her a meaningful look. "This young man wants to find his train, but he doesn't seem to have a ticket." The female guard moved around to the other side of Viridis, placing one hand firmly on her baton while Horace turned back to Viridis. "Where's your train headed?"

"Edinburgh," Viridis said, certain at least one train would be heading there today, but unsure if it had left yet. Judging by the dark red color that spread across the guard's face, Viridis guessed that it already had.

"I suggest," the guard said, planting a massive hand on Viridis' shoulder to demonstrate it wasn't a suggestion, "that you come with us."

Viridis took a deep breath and moved his hand toward his wand, wondering how much trouble he was about to get himself into, when a man wearing a Slytherin green cloak stepped out of the crowd and headed toward them. The edge of his cloak swept the floor behind him.