September 1st – 10:45am

"So you finally decided to show up," George said, folding her arms and looking sternly at the boy in front of her.
In response, Mike wrapped his arms around her neck. "Sorry." he murmured, and Gia hugged him back.
"It's not my fault, so don't ever do that to me again, okay?" she whispered without letting go.
She understood that her friend was disappointed, she herself had felt terrible when she found out that they wouldn't be attending Hogwarts together, but she hadn't made that decision. No matter how sad Michael was, he had no right to look down on her or take it out on her because by God that it wasn't her fault.
The two kids separated from each other, he looking at her forehead and she looking at his nose. Mike averted his eyes to his muggle watch.
"You've got twelve minutes left, monkey." he muttered.
George didn't even feel angry at the nickname. Now the nerves of departure had set in. She turned to look at her trolley nervously. She didn't have much stuff, not even a pet. Everything was limited to her magically expanded boot. She sighed.
"We have to go through at the same time." she said looking at Mike again. Even if she hadn't been so anxious, all their lives they had talked about this moment. They had to go through together.
"Well thank God I'm the greatest genius you have ever met." he muttered.


"Woo!" exclaimed George stretching her arms out to the side.
She was perched on top of her pram and Mike was running behind, pushing her. The two kids laughed.
"Faster!" shouted Gia with laughter, a bit fearful that if they continued at that speed they would crash into the wall. Mike breathed in and accelerated his run towards the pillar that separated platforms 9 and 10.
George let out an excited shriek as they hurtled against the bricks. Both children closed their eyes. There was no crash. Gia dared to open her eyes first and started laughing again. It was the biggest train she had ever seen in her life. She didn't even imagine that there were trains as long as that one.
Mike moved the trolley away from the column so that whoever was coming behind wouldn't run them over, and the two friends looked at each other awkwardly again. Gianna's palms began to sweat, she wiped them on her black cloak quickly and sighed. She was nervous. She didn't like to say goodbye. Michael said nothing and lowered George's boot from the trolley to her feet. The girl suspected that he wasn't thrilled at the idea of parting either.
"Don't have too much fun without me, okay?" he said as Gia took the boot.
"Only if you promise me you won't make any new best friends," Gianna replied with a grin.
Mike held out his hand and Gia shook it, interlocking their thumbs. How to forget the bro hug. They both leaned forward until their shoulders collided and then separated again.
"See you soon, Georgie."
"Write you sooner, Mikey." smiled Gia.
The girl turned to her right, her brothers, her parents and Mike's parents had already crossed the pillar. Gianna dropped her boot and threw herself into his father's arms, he held her tight.
"Don't blow up the castle on your first day, my little girl," he whispered. George broke away and smiled at him, shaking her head.
She then waved to everyone else, grabbed her boot and ran onto the train. She took one last look before she went into the carriage and waved again. She sighed. Finally.
It was today.