Meddling With Magic

3~ A Nine and Three-Quarters Surprise

~Piper~ 

The morning after we bought our school supplies, we made quick work of packing, and headed downstairs for breakfast. Nico was already there. He had agreed to shadow-travel us to Kings Cross station. 

After about thirty minutes the boys finally came down, (and they say that the Aphrodite kids take forever to pack?) and we all gathered in a circle. After Nico scanned the area for little snitches and spies, we sank into a puddle of darkness. 

I was left slightly dizzy and disoriented, but after using shadow travel a ton, I didn't really mind. We were in a newly paved parking lot, sequestered next to a towering building. The building had a regal air to it, and suddenly I started missing Annabeth even more. She would have loved the station. 

Nico sank back into the shadows as we waved merrily at him. "Uhhgg. You guys are so strangely positive you could make Buddy from Elf puke up his syrup noodles." He said before disappearing with an epic eye-roll. (Will made him watch the movie.)

We walked into the station, practically buried by strangely shaped packages. Many people looked at out luggage skeptically. Of course, Leo had insisted on bringing Festus in suitcase form (he was so heavy that the trolley had an indent where Leo placed him), we had all of our school supplies, and then there were the pets. Each one of us had a beautiful owl, courtesy of Athena. They were chirping to each other in a strangely happy way. Athena had given them to us as gifts. Percy's actually liked him, surprisingly. 

So, that was how we got to standing next to platforms nine and ten, extremely confused.   

~Clarisse~ 

I was the first one to spot them. The same people we met at Diagon Alley were walking towards us frantically, glancing at wrist-watches. 

We had ten minutes to board the train. Wherever that was. 

Suddenly, they stopped, and I nudged Piper and Hazel, who were standing next to me. Honestly, I like them because they aren't complete wimps. I cant believe that I'm going on this quest. It is literally just us trying fit in at a school. Why did it have to be a school? 

On the bright side, we do get to save the world from some dark force that no one could identify, and was determined to rip the Wizards and Witches to pieces. Man, that part was gonna be fun...

We watched as they ran at one wall, and then disappeared. Then I noticed that the barrier was three quarters of the way through nine and ten. Coincidence? I think not. 

I got my friend's attention, then pointed to the wall. "I'm pretty sure we have to run towards that wall. I just saw some people with owls do it, and disappear. "

They opened their mouths to argue, then checked their Hephaestus-approved-demigod-safe phones.  We had five minutes.

They ran towards the barrier. We took it in pairs. I went last, not bothering with the whole 'safety in numbers' thing. 

When I ran straight through the wall, I smiled slightly at the train, and the arches. Man, Annie would have loved this place. Don't ever tell her that I called her that. Seriously, I value my life, unlike a certain someone. Lemme give you a clue. His last name rhymes with VALDEZ. 

Anyway, we boarded a huge scarlet and black train, dubbed the Hogwarts Express. I almost burst out laughing at the name. How creative. 

Sorry, I just realized how short this is. I promise a 1000+ word chapter soon!