i like trains... HONK HONK!!
--- August 31st, 1991 (One day before the train leaves) ---
I am sitting in my room reading through Hogwarts: A History. I've read through Magical Theory, and a bit of Hogwarts: A History now.
I don't know how the protagonists in fanfictions I read made it seem so easy to read and understand everything in a book the first time reading it.
It's going to take time to study everything for the first year.
It won't be hard, but it's not like I can read 8 books and fully understand them both theoretically and practically within days.
Not only that, but I haven't done anything with my wand because Mom warned me that minors aren't allowed to do magic in muggle areas.
--- Sept 1, 1991 (MC POV) ---
"Come on Harry! It's time to go!" Mom shouts up the stairs.
"Coming!" I yell from my room.
Jeez.
Seems like I'm always the last one out of my room for trips like this.
Whatever.
I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything, so I triple check everything.
I haul my luggage out of my room and down the stairs.
Gladly, I'm much too strong for it to bother me even with it being completely full.
I load it up in the back of the car and turn around to be met with mom holding a camera.
"Is there really a need for that?" Dad come out of the house and speaks.
Mom looks sharply at him.
"Of course, there is. There is no way I am letting them go to a school for months on end without at least taking some pictures before they leave!"
I smile.
"Do you want to take pictures before we leave, or at the station?" I ask.
She smiles widely.
"Both."
I look at her.
Ah~
That's definitely like her to do.
I laugh.
---
We pull up to the station's parking lot and hop out.
"Let's get your things and get going. We only have about 20 minutes before the train departs."
I look at the clock. It reads 10:38 AM. According to the ticket that was sent via owl after we sent our acceptance to come to Hogwarts, the train leaves at exactly 11:00 AM.
Heading inside, we are met with the typical commotion expected of a popular train station such as King's Cross.
People walking every which way. Families all together for a vacation somewhere. Employees directing people where they need to go. Etc.
"Is the platform still in the same place as last year, Harry?" Dad asks.
"Yes." I respond.
"Hey, Mom?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you both going to see me off on the platform?"
"Yes. As long as they're accompanied by a magical, muggle parents can come to see their children off. So, Arthur can come too." Mom says.
"That's good." I smile.
I'm going to miss them.
And Mom's food.
She makes delicious food.
"Shall we get going then, Rosie?" Dad asks.
"Yeah. Let's go." She is getting sadder and sadder as we walk through the station.
I walk over to her while pushing my trolley along.
I haven't done this on my own before. Mom is always the one to do it to me.
I grab her hand.
She looks over at me as we keep walking.
"I'll miss you." I try to look at her, but I can't keep my face from burning from the embarrassment.
I may be embarrassed, but I wanted to say it.
She lights up at my words.
"I'll miss you too, Harry." She smiles sadly and squeezes my hand tight.
We walk to the 3rd pillar of four between platforms 9 and 10 still holding hands.
"This is it. Do you want me to go first, Harry?" Mom asks.
"Yeah. Show him how it's done, Rosie." Dad suggests.
I nod in agreement with Dad.
"So, Harry. All you need to do is walk straight towards the center of the pillar. You'll pass right through as though there is no wall. On the other side is Platform 9 3/4." She explains.
"Okay." I nod again to show I understand.
She grabs Dad by the hand, and walks speedily right to the pillar, and just as she said, they passed right through.
I looked around. No one around had noticed anything out of place. Looks like there is a muggle repelling charm or maybe notice-me-not charm on it.
I think those are the two most likely that I know of. Could just be something else entirely too.
I push my trolley forward, and calmly walk straight through the pillar.
Passing through, it feels like I'm passing through... I don't know. Something. It feels thick.
Odd.
It takes just a second to get to the other side though.
Immediately, I am met with the sights, sounds, and smells that accompany hundreds of witches and wizards along with their pets. Owls are flying around. Cats a scampering across the floor.
It's quite hectic. I get distracted due to being overwhelmed and unknowingly lower my mental guard.
I get a minor headache from it and shut my eyes. I am letting the emotions from all those people and animals inside my head.
I clamp down again and take a breath.
"Are you okay, Harry?" Mom comes up to me and asks, worried.
"Yeah. Just got overwhelmed for a moment there. I'm just fine." I smile at her.
"You're okay now then?" She asks again.
"Yeah, it's really nothing to worry about." I say to reassure her.
"Okay." She doesn't sound entirely convinced.
Dad comes over with a strange expression on his face.
"Still just as weird as last time." Dad says.
"Arthur! It's not weird, it's just different." Mom reprimands him.
"Nope. Dad's right. It is weird. It's like walking through Jell-o." I say bluntly.
"Haha! See. Harry agrees. It's fine, Rosie."
She looks at me, and then sighs, just giving up.
"Let's just get some pictures before it's too late." Mom says.
We go stand beside the Hogwart's Express. Mom takes a variety of pictures with everyone with each other, making sure to also get dad to take ones of her with both dad and me.
"Alright. I think that's all we need." Dad says.
Mom looks sad again but tries not to show it. She comes up to us and hugs us both.
"I'm going to miss you. Make absolutely sure you send letters to your father and me, so we know how you're doing!"
"Of course, Mom." I speak.
"I love you." She says softly with her head nestled next to mine as she hugs me.
I don't hesitate to say the same.
"Love you too. I'll see you at Christmas." I smile.
'I really do have a family now.'
Hard to believe sometimes.
Mom ruffles my head with a wide smile.
I step onto the train with my luggage, ready for the year at Hogwarts to start.