First trip to Hogwarts

Arlen entered King's Cross Station, dragging a heavy trunk behind her. In her hand, she clutched a ticket for the Hogwarts Express and studied it carefully. The ticket indicated Platform 9¾; however, as far as Arlen knew, no such platform existed. She looked around and noticed a group of people gathered by the wall between Platforms 9 and 10. Arlen waved goodbye to her parents and headed over.

As she got closer, she noticed that the people had trunks similar to hers. One by one, they ran straight into the wall with their trunks. Arlen stared at this, frozen in astonishment. But the people disappeared into the wall as if it were a portal.

"Maybe it is," thought Arlen.

She joined the queue and soon found herself standing in front of the wall. Gripping her trunk and cat carrier more securely, she ran toward it. A meter before reaching the wall, she squeezed her eyes shut so she wouldn't have to see the approaching impact.

Suddenly, Arlen found herself on a platform crowded with people. Everywhere, people bustled about, talking and boarding a steam locomotive.

Ah, what a locomotive it was!

A scarlet, steaming locomotive, eager to surge forward. Clouds of light-gray steam billowed upward, and the golden letters "Hogwarts Express" gleamed in the sunlight. A sign on the wall read "9¾."

Arlen looked around. She had been to train stations before, but this one possessed a charm of its own, something magical that other stations lacked.

She glanced at the clock on the wall, which showed 10:40, and hurried toward the train cars. She pushed her way through the crowd of people who bustled about and gradually made their way toward the train. Arlen reached Carriage 13 and, setting down the cat carrier, somehow managed to haul her extremely heavy trunk into the compartment.

After that, she moved deeper into the carriage. Here, the sounds were more muted, and the light shimmered beautifully on the dust motes dancing in the sunbeams. Arlen continued down the corridor, peering into the compartments. Many were empty, though a few already contained students.

She chose an empty compartment and stepped inside. Placing the cat carrier on the seat, she flopped down beside it. Arlen settled by the window and gazed out at the platform. People hurried back and forth.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice how twenty minutes flew by and the clock struck 11:00.

The train jolted and smoothly began to pick up speed. The scenery outside the window blurred, and Platform 9¾ drifted away behind them.

The train had begun its journey.