25 Jul 2021, 06:02
The Platform of Change.
JD sat staring out the window as the old muggle truck bounced it's way down the Road. He hardly ever got to sit up front, but this wasn't the only cause for excitement occupying JD's mind. Little more than a month ago, he had received a very special letter: it was his invitation to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and summer camp was starting. Tom and Patricia Darin, JD's parents, had in the past explained to him his innate magical capabilities, and that one day he would go to school to learn how to use those abilities. Now they were on the way to London where JD would be boarding the Hogwarts Express, the train that would be carrying him to the place that would change his life forever. As JD watched the hills of the countryside roll past, he smiled. He could hear from the back of the truck his father and his uncle Frederick stomping their feet, clapping their hands, and singing songs celebrating JD's accomplishment. JD began to laugh and sing along.
After a time, JD looked at his watch. In just an hour and a half they would be arriving to the location of a portkey. They could have driven straight to Hogwarts, but in the letter it was requested that all first years travel to Kings Cross station in London. So JD's parents had arranged for a portkey to take them to the outskirts of London where a vehicle would be picking them up and carrying them the remaining distance to Kings Cross station.
Staring at the Hogwarts logo on the large trunk that jolted and jostled back and forth with the movement of the truck, JD began to feel overwhelmed with excitement, but also nervousness. Magic was common place among the Darin family, and JD had visited Diagon Alley more than a few times, but he felt that none of what he experienced was going to compare to what he would see at Hogwarts. He began poking at a crack in the old leather seat. "Are you alright, my dear?" JD's mother asked. He barely heard her gentle voice over the roar of the old International's engine and his father and uncle's singing, but it still helped to ease his nerves. "Yes mother. Just feeling the crazies inside." JD replied. "Now now, Mr. Wizardly. You'll be just fine. I feel it best you not think on it just now. You'll be there before you know it, and it'll get ya feelin much better." She smiled at him warmly. JD knew his mother was right. He turned back towards the window, and rejoined the singing.
Three hours later JD and his mother were pushing a cart through King's Cross station, his father leading the way. As they approached platforms nine and ten, JD noticed a number of families all pushing carts like his. The closer he looked, the more JD realized most everyone around him were witches and wizards. "Their children must all go to Hogwarts too," he surmised. Confirmation came when he saw one of the nearby families disappear into the column between platforms nine and ten. "Dad, did you see..." his mother shot a hand over his mouth. "We mustn't draw attention from the muggles, darling." "Mommy, what's a muggle?" A nearby voice inquired.
JD's mother waited for a moment, and then walked towards the column. She disappeared. JD rubbed his eyes. This was hard to comprehend, and he was finding it difficult to convince his mind of what he had seen. His father turned to him, "Now son, when I tell ya, start walking towards the column. Don't hesitate, don't stop walking, and you'll pass right through. . . Just a minute more. . . Now go." JD started walking. The closer he got to the column, the faster he walked. He felt anticipation building in his chest. He closed his eyes, and nearly broke out into a run. His mind told him that any moment he would feel the impact of a solid wall, but it never came. Instead, he opened his eyes because his cart had started to swerve to one side, and he noticed his mother holding the carts edge stopping him just inches from a cart pushed by another family.
"You would do well to control your child, Patricia," the man said with a disdainful tone. He was standing next to the cart JD had nearly collided with. JD glared at the man. He was very tall, and broad shouldered. He wore black velvet robes with silk lining that were wrapped tightly around him that hung nearly to the floor. He ran a leather gloved hand through thick white silvery hair combed to one side. "And you would do well to be more respectful when speaking to my wife, Pitious." JD could hear the anger in his father's voice as it approached from behind. "Tom, not now. Let's just get JD onto the train." Said his mother. JD's father replied through gritted teeth "You take JD. I'm going to handle this imbecile."
"Dearest Tom," Pitious sneered "we wouldn't want to leave Joseph without someone to be an example now, would we? And what would the ministry say? We both know who their biggest supporter is." People were beginning to watch. "C'mon dear." JD's mother began to guide him towards the train, away from the two adversaries.
They loaded JD's trunk into an overhead bin, and JD looked out the window. His father was still in a discussion with the man called Pitious. The sound of the train's whistle echoed, signifying five minutes till its departure. JD saw a girl, about his age with silvery white hair hanging halfway down her back, quickly begin to push her cart away from the two arguing men. He watched as she turned to yell something, and she gave a defeated wave in the two men's direction. When she turned back, JD noticed she had tears running down her cheeks. He watched her walking further down the train car. He quickly turned when he realized his mother had been talking to him. "...and send us an owl..." "But, mother, I don't. . . " his mother interrupted him "The school has owls dear. So send us one, will you? And you'd better behave. I'll be in touch with your professors. I'm sorry about your father, dear. You know how he gets when his family has been insulted." JD replied "Yes mother." His mother continued "And don't forget what I said, darling. I love you. Have fun." "I won't." He lied "I love you too, mum." Patricia made her way out of the train compartment, and disappeared around the corner. JD looked back out of the window. Pitious was rapidly moving towards the end of the train car. JD's father was waved and JD waved back.
As the train began to move, JD turned and sat on the compartment bench with a mischievous grin on his face. This was going to be a great year.
After a time, JD looked at his watch. In just an hour and a half they would be arriving to the location of a portkey. They could have driven straight to Hogwarts, but in the letter it was requested that all first years travel to Kings Cross station in London. So JD's parents had arranged for a portkey to take them to the outskirts of London where a vehicle would be picking them up and carrying them the remaining distance to Kings Cross station.
Staring at the Hogwarts logo on the large trunk that jolted and jostled back and forth with the movement of the truck, JD began to feel overwhelmed with excitement, but also nervousness. Magic was common place among the Darin family, and JD had visited Diagon Alley more than a few times, but he felt that none of what he experienced was going to compare to what he would see at Hogwarts. He began poking at a crack in the old leather seat. "Are you alright, my dear?" JD's mother asked. He barely heard her gentle voice over the roar of the old International's engine and his father and uncle's singing, but it still helped to ease his nerves. "Yes mother. Just feeling the crazies inside." JD replied. "Now now, Mr. Wizardly. You'll be just fine. I feel it best you not think on it just now. You'll be there before you know it, and it'll get ya feelin much better." She smiled at him warmly. JD knew his mother was right. He turned back towards the window, and rejoined the singing.
Three hours later JD and his mother were pushing a cart through King's Cross station, his father leading the way. As they approached platforms nine and ten, JD noticed a number of families all pushing carts like his. The closer he looked, the more JD realized most everyone around him were witches and wizards. "Their children must all go to Hogwarts too," he surmised. Confirmation came when he saw one of the nearby families disappear into the column between platforms nine and ten. "Dad, did you see..." his mother shot a hand over his mouth. "We mustn't draw attention from the muggles, darling." "Mommy, what's a muggle?" A nearby voice inquired.
JD's mother waited for a moment, and then walked towards the column. She disappeared. JD rubbed his eyes. This was hard to comprehend, and he was finding it difficult to convince his mind of what he had seen. His father turned to him, "Now son, when I tell ya, start walking towards the column. Don't hesitate, don't stop walking, and you'll pass right through. . . Just a minute more. . . Now go." JD started walking. The closer he got to the column, the faster he walked. He felt anticipation building in his chest. He closed his eyes, and nearly broke out into a run. His mind told him that any moment he would feel the impact of a solid wall, but it never came. Instead, he opened his eyes because his cart had started to swerve to one side, and he noticed his mother holding the carts edge stopping him just inches from a cart pushed by another family.
"You would do well to control your child, Patricia," the man said with a disdainful tone. He was standing next to the cart JD had nearly collided with. JD glared at the man. He was very tall, and broad shouldered. He wore black velvet robes with silk lining that were wrapped tightly around him that hung nearly to the floor. He ran a leather gloved hand through thick white silvery hair combed to one side. "And you would do well to be more respectful when speaking to my wife, Pitious." JD could hear the anger in his father's voice as it approached from behind. "Tom, not now. Let's just get JD onto the train." Said his mother. JD's father replied through gritted teeth "You take JD. I'm going to handle this imbecile."
"Dearest Tom," Pitious sneered "we wouldn't want to leave Joseph without someone to be an example now, would we? And what would the ministry say? We both know who their biggest supporter is." People were beginning to watch. "C'mon dear." JD's mother began to guide him towards the train, away from the two adversaries.
They loaded JD's trunk into an overhead bin, and JD looked out the window. His father was still in a discussion with the man called Pitious. The sound of the train's whistle echoed, signifying five minutes till its departure. JD saw a girl, about his age with silvery white hair hanging halfway down her back, quickly begin to push her cart away from the two arguing men. He watched as she turned to yell something, and she gave a defeated wave in the two men's direction. When she turned back, JD noticed she had tears running down her cheeks. He watched her walking further down the train car. He quickly turned when he realized his mother had been talking to him. "...and send us an owl..." "But, mother, I don't. . . " his mother interrupted him "The school has owls dear. So send us one, will you? And you'd better behave. I'll be in touch with your professors. I'm sorry about your father, dear. You know how he gets when his family has been insulted." JD replied "Yes mother." His mother continued "And don't forget what I said, darling. I love you. Have fun." "I won't." He lied "I love you too, mum." Patricia made her way out of the train compartment, and disappeared around the corner. JD looked back out of the window. Pitious was rapidly moving towards the end of the train car. JD's father was waved and JD waved back.
As the train began to move, JD turned and sat on the compartment bench with a mischievous grin on his face. This was going to be a great year.
JD Wizardly