SOLDIER, Flowers and Magic

The Hogwarts Express, Then Some Sorting

        Soon enough, the summer holidays were over and school was about to be back in session. Zack and Aerith were heading to Platform 9 3/4 with the Weasleys, Tonks, Remus and Sirius. Albus had requested that the two take the Hogwarts Express with the rest of the student population as to get to know their fellow students better. Remus encouraged it simply so the two could have the full experience of going to Hogwarts while they were still on Earth. The couple agreed, simply to keep themselves off of Albus's radar and to spend more time with the twins. Upon arriving at King's Cross Station, Aerith immediately stayed close to Zack upon seeing the large mass of people. Zack and Aerith followed behind the mass of ginger haired individuals, Sirius on Zack's outside and Remus on Aerith's outside, Tonks behind them.

"Sooooo how are we getting to is this platform? I'm not seeing 9 3/4 anywhere.... And I highly doubt that that is the train to get us to Hogwarts," Zack says, looking to his dogfather and honorary uncle.

"Oh ya know.... Just run into a wall," Remus says casually.

"Are you serious?!" Zack asks.

"No, I'm Remus. Sirius is right next to you," Remus smirks. Sirius grins widely and he reaches across to high-five the werewolf. Zack groaned for having walked into that, Aerith giggling at him.

"But actually, there's a wall that you'll have to run into. It's a magical boundary that is only open at specific times," Sirius says. At Zack's arched eyebrow, Sirius gestures to the Weasleys who were approaching the pillar closest to 10 between 9 and 10. Zack and Aerith watch as one by one, the ginger family disappeared into the wall.

"By the Lifestream.... You weren't kidding!" Zack says, jaw dropping a bit. Aerith was shocked as well.

"That's amazing!" Aerith says, looking at the wizards.

"You bet Aerith! Let's get on through so you don't miss the train!" Tonks says from behind the quartet. With a nod, they all head through the pillar and onto the platform. Zack and Aerith look around in wonder at the sight of all the wizards and witches and the beautiful train that was the Hogwarts Express. The three Hogwarts Graduates let the two take in the sights, smiling at the wonder on their faces, nostalgia hitting the two wizards more than the witch. Aerith snaps out of it first. She looks at the three.

"Where will our pets go? They'll be comfortable, yes?" Aerith asks, worried for the pets that she and Zack ended up getting after getting their wands. Aerith had found a beautiful ginger half-cat, half-Kneazle in Magical Menagerie that no one had apparently wanted. She had instantly taken a liking to him and bought him, naming him Crookshanks. Crookshanks and Aerith had bonded instantly. Zack on the other hand seen a beautiful snowy owl in the windows of Eeylops Owl Emporium and was instantly intrigued by the beautiful bird. Zack was very happy when the owl had wanted him in return. Upon purchasing the owl, he had named her Hedwig. To the delight of the couple, Hedwig and Crookshanks had seemed to become buddies.

"There is a compartment specifically for pets, but you can also take your pets into your compartment if you so desire," Remus says.

"I'm definitely keeping Hedwig with us," Zack says.

"And Crookshanks too! Besides, they could use some time out of their cages," Aerith says, cooing a bit to the two animals.

"Baaaaabe, we gotta go find a compartment," Zack says, poking his girlfriend on the cheek. Aerith flushed lightly.

"Oops! Yeah, you're right!" Aerith says, smiling. With a grin, Sirius, Remus and Tonks help the two get their things into a compartment and loaded up. After loading up their gear, it was time to say goodbye for the time being. Zack performs a complicated handshake with Tonks while Aerith hugged the metamorphagus. The two had grown close to Tonks and would consider her one of their first actual friends. Sirius figured that a handshake was the safest bet for the time being. However, he was pleasantly surprised when Zack hugged him and then Aerith. Remus was also pleasantly surprised when he too got a hug from them. Aerith giggles at the look of shock on their faces. "Surprised?"