King's Cross
September 1st, 2025
Katherine walked through King's Cross, her father's hand gripping hers tightly. it was September first and, as expected, extremely busy. Her head twisted each way, eyeing the many muggles in the station. Most of them were looking at strange bricks with moving pictures. They were easy to distinguish from witches and wizards, and seemed to prone to staring.
Her father squeezed her hand, getting her attention.
"Keep close, Katherine. There's too many muggles for you to be getting distracted."
They walk through the station at a brisk pace, her mother at their heels. Platform ten is to one side, platform nine to the other. Her father places her in front of a brick wall.
"Right then, dear. Here's what you do. You'll walk straight through and you'll be on the platform."
Katherine looked at the very solid looking wall warily. Her mother put her hand on her father's shoulder.
"Why don't you go first, Ernest? It might help if Katherine can watch."
"Ah, yes, of course. Here, darling, you take your trunk then." He placed the handle of Katherine's trunk in her hand before turning and facing the wall. "Right, it's easy. Just go at a steady pace." After doing a quick look over his shoulder to make sure none of the muggles were paying attention, he walked straight through the wall, disappearing from sight.
"See, dear? Nothing to it." her mother said. "You go on, I'll be right behind you."
Katherine faces the bricks, taking deep, steadying breaths. Her feet feel as though they've been hexed to the floor. Just as she thinks she'll never manage to move from this spot, her mother gives her a slight push.
Katherine squeezes her eyes shut, letting her feet move of their own accord. In a moment, the noise surrounding her shifts. Her eyes open.
Before her is a magnificent, crimson train. Everywhere she looks various students stand with their parents and friends, many of them waving wands. Her father materializes besides her, her mother appearing soon after. They usher her closer to the train.
"Here we are. You've got your ticket, your trunk, we packed you some spending money" her father starts listing, patting Katherine down. He clears his throat, eyes beginning to water.
"She'll be fine, Ernest," her mother chides, moving him out of the way so she can plant a kiss on Katherine's head. "Katherine's got a good head on her shoulders."
"You're right, of course," he says, giving her his own kiss. "Just be sure you write, yeah? We'll be wanting to hear how the sorting goes. Maybe we'll get another Ravenclaw in the family!"
"Ernest," her mother warns.
"Oh I'm just teasing. Kat knows I'm teasing. We'll be proud no matter what, you know that, Pumpkin."
The train whistle blows, alerting the mingling students that it's close to departure. Her parents both turn and look at their only child.
"Best be getting on then," her mother says before wrapping her in a tight hug, which her father quickly joins. They reluctantly release her, pushing her towards the train.
Katherine walked through King's Cross, her father's hand gripping hers tightly. it was September first and, as expected, extremely busy. Her head twisted each way, eyeing the many muggles in the station. Most of them were looking at strange bricks with moving pictures. They were easy to distinguish from witches and wizards, and seemed to prone to staring.
Her father squeezed her hand, getting her attention.
"Keep close, Katherine. There's too many muggles for you to be getting distracted."
They walk through the station at a brisk pace, her mother at their heels. Platform ten is to one side, platform nine to the other. Her father places her in front of a brick wall.
"Right then, dear. Here's what you do. You'll walk straight through and you'll be on the platform."
Katherine looked at the very solid looking wall warily. Her mother put her hand on her father's shoulder.
"Why don't you go first, Ernest? It might help if Katherine can watch."
"Ah, yes, of course. Here, darling, you take your trunk then." He placed the handle of Katherine's trunk in her hand before turning and facing the wall. "Right, it's easy. Just go at a steady pace." After doing a quick look over his shoulder to make sure none of the muggles were paying attention, he walked straight through the wall, disappearing from sight.
"See, dear? Nothing to it." her mother said. "You go on, I'll be right behind you."
Katherine faces the bricks, taking deep, steadying breaths. Her feet feel as though they've been hexed to the floor. Just as she thinks she'll never manage to move from this spot, her mother gives her a slight push.
Katherine squeezes her eyes shut, letting her feet move of their own accord. In a moment, the noise surrounding her shifts. Her eyes open.
Before her is a magnificent, crimson train. Everywhere she looks various students stand with their parents and friends, many of them waving wands. Her father materializes besides her, her mother appearing soon after. They usher her closer to the train.
"Here we are. You've got your ticket, your trunk, we packed you some spending money" her father starts listing, patting Katherine down. He clears his throat, eyes beginning to water.
"She'll be fine, Ernest," her mother chides, moving him out of the way so she can plant a kiss on Katherine's head. "Katherine's got a good head on her shoulders."
"You're right, of course," he says, giving her his own kiss. "Just be sure you write, yeah? We'll be wanting to hear how the sorting goes. Maybe we'll get another Ravenclaw in the family!"
"Ernest," her mother warns.
"Oh I'm just teasing. Kat knows I'm teasing. We'll be proud no matter what, you know that, Pumpkin."
The train whistle blows, alerting the mingling students that it's close to departure. Her parents both turn and look at their only child.
"Best be getting on then," her mother says before wrapping her in a tight hug, which her father quickly joins. They reluctantly release her, pushing her towards the train.