Among The Stars --- Remus Lupin

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"Platform 9 3/4? Are you sure dear? That's an awfully strange number."

"Yes, mum. I'm sure. It says so right here on the ticket."

"How are you supposed to get there? I only see platforms 9 and 10."

Ara sighed, exasperated. Just as she was about to suggest asking someone, a boy walked up to them.

"Excuse me, but are you looking for Platform 9 3/4?" he asked.

Ara jumped in before her mother could, "Yes, I am. Could you help me find it?"

"Of course," he said, flashing perfectly white teeth.

"Great!" Ara exclaimed, happy to finally be making progress.

The boy offered to carry her trunk and she graciously accepted. Grabbing her pet owl and small satchel of books, she checked her ticket one more time.

"Dear, do you want me to come? Or do you think you've got it from here?"

"I've got it mum. I'll write you soon."

She kissed her mum on the cheek and followed the boy to the brick wall that separated platforms 9 and 10.

"All you have to do is walk straight through the barrier," he said simply.

Ara believed she had heard him wrong.

"What?"

The boy raised his eyebrows and leaned against the barrier. Then he just, well, fell through it. Ara blinked several times, trying to process what she had seen. She closed her eyes and ran towards the brick barrier, completely expecting to crash right into it. Instead, she opened her eyes and found herself standing in front of a bright red train. The boy was waiting for her by a sign that said 'Platform 9 3/4'.

"What took you so long?"

She rolled her eyes.

"So, you're obviously new. What's your name?"

"Ara Jones. You are--?"

"James Potter. If you don't mind me asking, why are you at Hogwarts this year? You don't exactly look like a first year."

She smiled, "No, I'm from Beauxbatons."

"Ah, no wonder you're so pretty. Why are you no longer there?"

"I hated it."

"Are you in sixth year?"

Ara nodded, a bit taken a back by the boy's comment about her looks.

"Wonderful, me too. But don't get too excited, you might be pretty, but I've already got a sweetheart."

She winced at the word 'sweetheart'. James was nothing but an arrogant teenage boy, yet he had been relatively friendly.

"Let me guess," Ara mused. "You have a group of, hmm, 3 friends? You're the leader, although you know they would all be fine without you. Except for one, there's one in the group that thinks you're some sort of god. And there's this girl, your 'sweetheart', who you flirt with, but won't actually date. I bet you pick on any other boys she pays attention to, like--"

Ara stopped and looked around for a second. She spotted a scrawny boy with long, greasy black hair.

"--him. I bet you and your friends ruthlessly bully him. Oh, and you play quidditch."

James stared at her, dumbfounded.

"How'd you do that?" he demanded.

She shrugged, "I like to read people. Can we get on the train now? I'd like to read my book."