Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 29: A friend in need

As he sat on the bench trying to figure out what to do...

Wait for Hedwig? Sneak onto the train with my invisibility cloak? Walk 50 kilometers to London? Fly on my broom? Try to find Hermione's phone number?...

Harry realized how hungry he was.

Blimey! I can't get things out of my staff out here in public.

He wondered if there was a public loo at the train station. He stood up and quietly said, "Navigant men's toilet" to his staff and it started directing him to one just to the left of the ticket window. He touched the staff to the door and it helped him find the handle. He went inside, muttering "Navigant empty stall." Choking on the smell, he held his staff up and squeezed it twice rapidly for a description of the stall. He didn't want to step in anything nasty. He learned that there was a hook on the back of the door and summoned his school book bag out of his staff and hung it up and emptied it into the staff, then summoned the sandwiches, apples, and water, and his invisibility cloak (as quietly as he could, waiting until the other men using the toiletleft) and put them in his bookbag with his bag of galleons. He transferred his anagnóstis into a pocket in the bag, too, along with the note from Healer Smethwyck.

He used the loo and washed his hands, then made his way back out to the platform. He couldn't decide between using his invisibility cloak to sneak on the train or waiting for Hedwig. He ruled out flying on his broom as much as he ached to do it.

People would see me.

I'd get in big trouble with the Ministry, maybe even expelled from Hogwarts.

I'd fly into a tree.

He didn't want to stand around in his invisibility cloak on the platform since it would be hard for him to stay out of people's way and he wondered how he'd avoid getting sat upon if he snuck onto the train and found a place to sit. Also, it would be hard for him to know if he had a toe sticking out from under the cloak that was visible to everyone around him.

That could cause a scene!

Sighing, he found an empty spot on the bench again, collapsed his staff, put it in his pocket, and took out a sandwich to eat while he struggled internally with what to do. He was lost in thought when he heard running feet.

"Harry! We found you!"

"Hermione?" Harry started, his sandwich suspended in mid-air before him. "What are you doing here?"

She skidded to a stop in front of him and he braced himself, expecting her to hug him. But she didn't. She sat down next to him and put her hand tentatively on his arm. It felt warm and comforting. He lowered his sandwich to his lap and turned to face her.

"Harry, my dad and I came to take you to your training. Did Hedwig give you my note? No, she must not have, else you wouldn't be here," Hermione continued on, panting and out of breath.

Harry heard other footsteps approach them that stopped in front of them and he turned his head toward them, "Your dad?"

"Hi, Harry," Dr. Granger said in a voice that conveyed concern even in its friendliness.

Harry stood up, stuffing his sandwich back into the plastic bag and his book bag. He stuck out his hand, "Hi, Dr. Granger." There was a moment when Harry stood there with his hand sticking out and then Dr. Granger grasped it in a handshake and released it. Harry flushed, overcome with emotion.

Hermione stood up, too, still touching Harry's arm. She was trembling.

"You came to get me? To help me get to London?" he asked. "How did you find me?"