"June! Wait for us ple-"

Louise Selwyn's voice was cut off as her daughter raced through the brick pillar, her and the cart she was pushing disappearing between them. June's eyes were scrunched tight, she hadn't realized she had reached Platform 9^3/4 until she felt her cart crash into something. She opened her eyes to see a disgruntled older man with an empty mug and a dripping-wet shirt. Oops.

"Sorry, sir..." June blushed and slowly pushed her cart away. Then she saw it. The Hogwarts Express. Her father had shown her photos of him and his family in front of the impressive locomotive, but she never expected it to look this beautiful in person. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see her teary-eyed father.

"Merlin. It feels like I was here for the first time just a few months ago." He squeezed June's shoulder. "Ready, Junie?"

June was practically bouncing with excitement. "Of course I'm ready!" Her father helped pack her trunk into one of the cars, and June's mother wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Ah, ma fille.." "My daughter..." She squeezed her daughter so tightly that June thought she would burst. "Alors... You have your robes? Books? Tissues for when the chill sets in?"

June laughed, wigging her way out of the embrace. "Yes, yes and yes, Mum. Honestly, I'm eleven now, I can take care of myself!"

Her father joined the two, wiping his hands on his trousers. "Right then. Well, we'll let you find a compartment before they all fill up. Don't want to be stuck sitting next to someone who forgot to bathe this morning." He winked, and kissed June on the forehead before pulling her and his wife into a tight hug.

"We will miss you, June. Be sure to owl us as soon as you know your 'ouse and settle into your room, alright?" June's mother's accent began to creep in as her eyes welled up with tears.

"I will, I will..."

"No need, we know she'll follow in dear ol' dad's footsteps. Right, Junie?" The small family released and stepped back, looking at their unit for one last time this year.

"Dad, I've told you! I don't care where I'm sorted. And you told me it doesn't matter either, right?"

Her father smiled as he ruffled her hair. "That's right. Well, off you pop. We'll see you come Christmas time."

June gave each of her parents a final hug and kiss, and finally claimed aboard the Hogwarts Express to find a seat.