The End Of The Beginning

CHAPTER-5

A/N: I shamelessly named the new character after my best friend's newest addition to his family who has utterly ran off with my heart. This is a long update by my standards, hope you enjoy!

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It was altogether fitting to Harry that their last trip to King's Cross was perhaps the most chaotic one ever.

It all started the night before when, instead of finishing their packing like they should have, Ron managed to persuade Harry and George into sneaking off to the local muggle pub. It was called the River Road Inn and they quickly took a liking to muggle beer. So much so in fact that they stayed out far later than they initially planned. It wasn't until Ron was going overboard on the magic to impress a local girl and George started dancing to a drinking tune sung by every male in the house that Harry finally got the idea in his foggy mind to leave.

They had stumbled in around four in the morning and it seemed like he had barely closed his eyes when Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice came drifting up the stairs to wake them up. They had naturally overslept and what was more, they still hadn't finished packing.

Their heads pounding, Harry tried a spell he had seen Tonks use to pack his trunk years before, but instead of putting his things into his trunk, it simply sent them flying across the room towards Ron who was whacked unceremoniously on his head by Harry's telescope.

"Sorry mate." He groaned.

"Merlin, my head." Ron moaned from his bed.

It was right at that moment that Mrs. Weasley had entered, screamed at them for going out the night before, and finally waved her own wand to send their things neatly into their trunks herself.

"How does she always know?" Ron was holding his head like it would fall off if he let go as they made their way downstairs. "Did she really have to shout so much?"

"Well she was right you know." Hermione chimed in from the base of the stairs.

"Oh sod off." Ron grumbled.

"Good morning to you too Ronald." She replied rather loudly right into his ear, smiling smugly at his groan of complaint.

Breakfast hadn't been much better. In her rush to prepare everything Mrs. Weasley gave them all plates piled high with one breakfast item instead of helpings of everything. So they all passed around their plates like a weird game of musical chairs so that everyone got their fill of the different courses.

Right when it seemed all would be settled George, rather hung over in his own right, aparrated straight onto the table, breaking it clean in two and sending food flying everywhere. By the time George had repaired the table, Mrs. Weasley had finished a fresh round of screaming, and they had all finished cleaning the food off of them it was time to get everything loaded into a ministry car that Kingsley had sent to pick them up. This would have gone smoothly had Ron not accidentally taken out Ginny's legs when he tried to load it with magic and Harry had had to get involved to keep it from erupting into a duel.

Finally they were all in the car and headed to King's Cross, everyone a little cross with each other but none the worse for wear. In the time spent in the car, everyone's mood lightened to the point that they were all quite jovial and excited by the time they reached King's Cross.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at all, at least until they crossed the magical barrier and entered platform nine and three-quarters.

Pure mayhem erupted at the sight of Harry Potter on the platform. He was immediately swamped by witches and wizards, who wanted to shake his hand, have him sign their books, and one woman was insistent that he kiss her baby girl.