The Journey From Platform Nine and Three Quarters
Platform 9 ¾, September 1 2024: 10:29 A.M.
@Tristan Theramin
@Tristan Theramin
𓆩♡𓆪
It was the first day of September, the beginning of autumn when the leaves changed color and the morning air turned crisp. The shifting seasons served as a reminder of transformation, that every falling leaf came with the promise of new beginnings and a fresh start.
A young girl stood on the periphery of a large crowd of people, her back pressed firmly into the stone behind her as if frightened of falling into the clamor. She wore a light-washed, denim pinafore over a white turtleneck with a… vibrant sunflower yellow raincoat and matching wellingtons. If it weren’t for the small, brown leather suitcase clasped in front of her, one would have assumed she was in the wrong place. More suited to frolicking in fields and jumping in puddles than to catching a train.
“What do you suppose it will be like, Rosie?” Odette asked, her voice pitched low as if delivering a question of grave importance.
“Hmm,” Rosie, an older Welshwoman with gray streaked auburn hair and shrewd, hazel eyes, glanced down at her young ward. “Hogwarts? Well, I imagine it’ll be much the same as when I was your age. So… a big castle and grounds, not unlike the ones in your novels, darling.”
“Right.” Odette said firmly with a nod, her gaze still fixed on the train. The Hogwarts Express, as Rosie had informed her. Because a train that looked so grand must have an equally grand name. Unfortunately, Rosie’s response hadn’t really answered her question. Odette paused and then tried again, even quieter this time, “But… well, I suppose what I meant was… what do you think the other children will be like?”
A large, rambunctious family chose that moment to race past the pair as she uttered those last words and Odette’s quiet question was subsequently swallowed up. Their excitement and laughter bounced off the stones, in complete opposition to Odette’s nerves.
“Oh, sorry, darling, I didn’t quite catch that,” Rosanne admitted as she reached out to grasp Odette’s small shoulders and began steering her through the newly formed gap in the crowd. “Now, when you get onto the train, you will need to find somewhere to sit. Don’t be anti-social, try to make friends, alright? No listening to your music or reading your novels!”
Odette blushed an impressive shade of red, hoping nobody else would overhear and therefore have to endure her nanny’s fussing. And surely, she wasn’t that bad. Odette knew how to make friends… theoretically.
They now stood at the head of the crowd as Rosanne tried to flag down an attendant, muttering under breath when she failed to do so in the chaos. “Fel rhech mewn pot jam!” Came her flustered curse before she finally stopped and pulled Odette in for one final hug.
“Your mother would be so proud of you today,” The words whispered into the crown of her hair had Odette fighting back the sudden burn of tears. A surprisingly sweet sentiment from her usually hard-headed nanny. “I know she is watching over you, wherever she may be. Remember that, darling.”
Odette swallowed the lump in her throat, “Thank you, Rosie. Take care of father for me, please.”
“Always.” Rosanne drew back, her own gaze vaguely misty as she cleared her throat and smoothed down Odette’s fluffy bangs. Though there wasn’t enough smoothing in the world to fix her hair. “Right, now, get on that train!”
Odette laughed, flashing a pair of dimpled, wet cheeks as she took her first step off the platform and onto the Hogwarts Express. Over her shoulder, she yelled back to her beloved nanny. “Goodbye, Rosie! I promise to write as soon as I get there!”
Rosanne seemed to say something in response but Odette had already turned into the main corridor and was now faced with a seemingly endless sprawl of train compartments to choose from.
A young girl stood on the periphery of a large crowd of people, her back pressed firmly into the stone behind her as if frightened of falling into the clamor. She wore a light-washed, denim pinafore over a white turtleneck with a… vibrant sunflower yellow raincoat and matching wellingtons. If it weren’t for the small, brown leather suitcase clasped in front of her, one would have assumed she was in the wrong place. More suited to frolicking in fields and jumping in puddles than to catching a train.
“What do you suppose it will be like, Rosie?” Odette asked, her voice pitched low as if delivering a question of grave importance.
“Hmm,” Rosie, an older Welshwoman with gray streaked auburn hair and shrewd, hazel eyes, glanced down at her young ward. “Hogwarts? Well, I imagine it’ll be much the same as when I was your age. So… a big castle and grounds, not unlike the ones in your novels, darling.”
“Right.” Odette said firmly with a nod, her gaze still fixed on the train. The Hogwarts Express, as Rosie had informed her. Because a train that looked so grand must have an equally grand name. Unfortunately, Rosie’s response hadn’t really answered her question. Odette paused and then tried again, even quieter this time, “But… well, I suppose what I meant was… what do you think the other children will be like?”
A large, rambunctious family chose that moment to race past the pair as she uttered those last words and Odette’s quiet question was subsequently swallowed up. Their excitement and laughter bounced off the stones, in complete opposition to Odette’s nerves.
“Oh, sorry, darling, I didn’t quite catch that,” Rosanne admitted as she reached out to grasp Odette’s small shoulders and began steering her through the newly formed gap in the crowd. “Now, when you get onto the train, you will need to find somewhere to sit. Don’t be anti-social, try to make friends, alright? No listening to your music or reading your novels!”
Odette blushed an impressive shade of red, hoping nobody else would overhear and therefore have to endure her nanny’s fussing. And surely, she wasn’t that bad. Odette knew how to make friends… theoretically.
They now stood at the head of the crowd as Rosanne tried to flag down an attendant, muttering under breath when she failed to do so in the chaos. “Fel rhech mewn pot jam!” Came her flustered curse before she finally stopped and pulled Odette in for one final hug.
“Your mother would be so proud of you today,” The words whispered into the crown of her hair had Odette fighting back the sudden burn of tears. A surprisingly sweet sentiment from her usually hard-headed nanny. “I know she is watching over you, wherever she may be. Remember that, darling.”
Odette swallowed the lump in her throat, “Thank you, Rosie. Take care of father for me, please.”
“Always.” Rosanne drew back, her own gaze vaguely misty as she cleared her throat and smoothed down Odette’s fluffy bangs. Though there wasn’t enough smoothing in the world to fix her hair. “Right, now, get on that train!”
Odette laughed, flashing a pair of dimpled, wet cheeks as she took her first step off the platform and onto the Hogwarts Express. Over her shoulder, she yelled back to her beloved nanny. “Goodbye, Rosie! I promise to write as soon as I get there!”
Rosanne seemed to say something in response but Odette had already turned into the main corridor and was now faced with a seemingly endless sprawl of train compartments to choose from.
-
“Fel rhech mewn pot jam!” – Welsh expression of 'like a fart in a jam pot!’ essentially a ruder way of saying that someone is as useful as a chocolate fireguard.
#729bc1