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Date: September 1^st, 2025

Time: 10:45 A.M

Location: Platform 9 ³/₄ | King's Cross Station

Dialogues:

Reducio

• Josh
• Mum
• Dad

Josh and his parents arrived at King's Cross Station at 10:45 on the morning of September 1^st. The day Josh was looking forward to was finally here, he would finally be going to Hogwarts. The station was packed with people (which made Josh slightly nervous), and the weather was clear and sunny. His father loaded his trunk onto a trolley and pushed it for him, while he held his mother's hand. "Which platform is the train leaving from again?" his dad called out from in front of them. "Hold on, I have his ticket here somewhere..." His mother shuffled around in her handbag, and pulled out Josh's train ticket. "Platform 9 ³/₄ , like that professor said." His father stopped the trolley and turned around to look at her "Platform 9 ³/₄? Are you sure that's right?" "It's a magical platform dad, remember? Only wizards know it exists" While his mother had become quite used to the strangeness of the wizarding world, his father was still adjusting. "We're supposed to walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten to get on" Josh remembered the professor from Hogwarts explaining this to them when he delivered Josh's letter. They arrived at Platforms Nine and Ten, the barrier between them looked very solid, and did not look like someone could walk through it. "Can I go first mum? Can I, please?" he asked his mother eagerly. "Alright, but don't go wandering off once you're there. Wait for us." Josh took over the trolley from his father, and stood in front of the barrier, slightly nervous but determined. He made sure there was enough distance between him and the barrier, and then ran straight forward. He didn't collide with the barrier, but walked straight through it. He was now on a platform packed with strangely dressed people and their children, and next to the platform a scarlet steam engine. There was a sign that read "Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock" and another sign that read "Platform 9 ³/₄". The sounds of laughter and joyful chattering came from the crowd, dozens of owls flying overhead hooting, it was more magnificent than he had imagined. His parents came through the barrier, his mother walked on his one side, and his father on his other side. "I wonder why wizards use a train to get to school. Didn't that professor say that wizards can fly?" "Yes dad, but everyone who attends Hogwarts rides the train. It's how it's done. The trains been in service since the 1800's. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History" They continued walking down the platform to a passenger carriage further down the platform, where it was not as crowded and still had empty compartments. As they kept walking, they passed other children talking about quidditch (which Josh knew was a sport played on brooms from reading some of his books.), mothers saying goodbye to their children in tears, and some older children entertaining younger children with magical spells. They reached the carriage, and Josh's excitement started to falter slightly. He wouldn't see his parents until Christmas holidays, he would be surrounded by people he didn't know, people who could do magic way more advanced than him. He also started to notice things he overlooked from all of his excitement, such as dozens of other children with toads, rats and spiders for pets. Josh was deathly afraid of these animals, and the thought of being surrounded by them for a whole 14 weeks frightened him, and made him reconsider whether he actually wanted to go through with this. His mother handed him his ticket, and his father loaded off his trunk from the trolley for him. "Make sure to keep your ticket safe, and don't get yourself into any trouble." "Uh, mum, dad... I think I've changed my mind... I don't want to go after all." He spoke nervously. He knew he wanted to attend Hogwarts, but now that it was happening he realized it was frightening to go through with it. His mother looked at him with a comforting expression, it was evident it wasn't easy for her either. His father bent down on one knee to be at eye level with him. "I know, this is all strange and scary. But you're going to to make an amazing wizard, and you'll make us proud. We're going to miss you so much, but you'll see Christmas will come faster than we blink. You're ready son." These words coming from his father meant much more than if they came from his mother. His father was usually always busy at work providing for them all, and when he was at home he was usually in a bad mood from exhaustion. He loved his father and he knew his father loved him back, but at this moment he was absolutely sure of it. This was one of the few moments of understanding between them, and it definitely changed his mind. Josh was now determined to go to Hogwarts no matter how scared he still was. "Thanks dad. I'll miss you." He smiled at his father, and he smiled back. They embraced each other, and his mother threw her arms around the both of them. After they parted, he saw that his mother was now also in tears much like some of the other mothers on the platform, and his father was comforting her. She sniffled and spoke "Be a good boy Josh, we love you." He hugged his parents one last time, and pulled his trunk onto the train. He waved at his parents one last time, and entered the carriage which was full of other children looking for compartments to sit in. This was it, his journey as a wizard had officially started.