☆The Secret Platform☆
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Everything seems so overwhelming....
My knuckles were white against the trolley handle. I kept darting looks at the people around me, desperate for a familiar trunk or an owl cage, anything that screamed magic, but all I got were weird looks from commuters. To them, I was just a girl with too much luggage, searching for my parents.
As a Muggle-born, I had never heard of or seen a single part of this school. It felt like a fever dream. When I received the letter for the first time, the whole family was shocked, but they were on cloud nine afterwards. I smoothed out the crumpled ticket in my palm, staring intently at the bold Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. It felt fake, as if my own parent had pranked me.
The station was a headache of noise, whistles, and shoutings, along with the click-clack of busy workers' heels. I halted between the signs for Nine and Ten.
A brick wall. Of course.
I stared at the solid masonry, a flush of heat creeping up my cheeks. I half-expected someone to laugh or point out that there was no Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Regretting my decision of not following my parents, I saw a family pushing a trolley similar to mine. They didn't slow down; instead, they stepped into the brink and... vanished. My heart hammered against my ribs.
OK. It's real. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is real.
Deciding to roll the dice, I shifted my weight onto the trolley and ran straight through the wall like the others. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for a collision that never came. Instead, the air turned cool and smelled of coal smoke. The sounds changed; trains whistled, children called out goodbyes to their parents. When I opened my eyes, a massive scarlet engine was steaming beneath the rafters. By the tracks stood my parents, already waving at me. They looked even more relieved than I felt.
That was the moment I finally believed Hogwarts was real.
☆The Secret Platform☆
The station was a mess of noise and people, some muggle-borns and some magical. People pushed and shoved others to get around the place but the family of the Norwoods found a break in the crowd.
Ian was already used to magic since he was a pure blood after all. His older brother had hurried off onto the train, talking of that his friends said they were waiting for him. The boy was always in a rush and always scared his barn owl to death by running off with the trolley as the owl flapped it's wings to steady itself in the cage.
Mrs. Norwood had sighed as Mr. Norwood had just laughed it off, paying it no mind. Ian was at ease, excitment going off in waves around him. First day at Hogwarts—not technically the first day but he was going to Hogwarts so it still counts, right?
Caspian, his older brother, went through the brick wall between station nine and ten.
You'll be fine, muttered Mr. Norwood clasping a hand on Ian's back, Go on now you don't want to be late searching for a compartment, coming from personal experience, His father continued.
His mother held his younger brother in her arms as the boy wanted to see Platform 9 3/4. Poor kid. Will see it in the next six years though. Be sure to send us owls dear, Mrs. Norwood said and Ian was off.
There was a different atmosphere in Platform 9 3/4. The same as the aura he felt when he was at home, totally different from the muggle areas.
He wasn't one to talk much to strangers, but the girl seemed genuinely lost, maybe even a little dizzy judging from her expression.
"... Are you alright? You seem lost."
Ian was already used to magic since he was a pure blood after all. His older brother had hurried off onto the train, talking of that his friends said they were waiting for him. The boy was always in a rush and always scared his barn owl to death by running off with the trolley as the owl flapped it's wings to steady itself in the cage.
Mrs. Norwood had sighed as Mr. Norwood had just laughed it off, paying it no mind. Ian was at ease, excitment going off in waves around him. First day at Hogwarts—not technically the first day but he was going to Hogwarts so it still counts, right?
Caspian, his older brother, went through the brick wall between station nine and ten.
You'll be fine, muttered Mr. Norwood clasping a hand on Ian's back, Go on now you don't want to be late searching for a compartment, coming from personal experience, His father continued.
His mother held his younger brother in her arms as the boy wanted to see Platform 9 3/4. Poor kid. Will see it in the next six years though. Be sure to send us owls dear, Mrs. Norwood said and Ian was off.
There was a different atmosphere in Platform 9 3/4. The same as the aura he felt when he was at home, totally different from the muggle areas.
He wasn't one to talk much to strangers, but the girl seemed genuinely lost, maybe even a little dizzy judging from her expression.
"... Are you alright? You seem lost."
"You want it? Come and get it!"