discontinued, re-write titled "Mind Over Matter"
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Liliana sank into her bed, eyes closed as her thoughts raced and ventured through the chasms of her mind.
"Control your emotions," they'd warned, "for they will break you if you're not caref...
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"YOU THERE, STILL GOT YER TOAD?"
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Liliana couldn't help but notice that King's Cross Station was fairly busy for a Sunday morning as she, Hermione, and her parents walked through the crowded platform. Several businessmen and women strode across, muttering to themselves as their briefcases swung recklessly beside them. There were many families, too, probably returning from their summer holiday trips.
"Girls, what was the platform number again?" Mr. Granger asked his daughters as he paused amidst the hustle of the train station.
Liliana pulled out the ticket Minerva had given her after they'd returned home from Diagon Alley. "It says Platform Nine and Three-Quarters," she told her father, reading the golden words on the parchment. "And it leaves at eleven o'clock."
"Bloody hell," her father muttered, wiping his forehead with his sleeve (he'd been pushing the trolley with the girls' trunks since their arrival), "that's not much time to find it."
Hermione nodded and glanced up from her own ticket, her eyes scanning every overhead sign, but none bore the platform number they were looking for. She looked to her left and the time on the large clock in the station continued turning ever closer to eleven o'clock.
Perhaps, Liliana thought, glancing at the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten, there was something Minerva had forgotten to tell them, some sort of missing magic they'd need, an intricate entrance similar to the one in Diagon Alley. But before she could think further on this theory, a strange sentence caught her ears.
"Right through that wall right there, Neville — go on now."
Liliana turned quickly and caught a glimpse of an older woman wearing a rather elaborate vulture hat, and next to her was a boy with dirty blonde hair and a knitted sweater. He looked about her age.
"Gran," the boy said worriedly, "what if it doesn't work?"
Her curiosity was slowly getting the better of her, and as inconspicuously as possible, Liliana inched a bit closer to the pair. It was enough to see the older woman nudge her grandson a bit closer to the brick wall between platforms nine and ten.
"Maybe we ought to ask them," Hermione suggested from behind Liliana, startling her slightly. "Or you should."
Liliana raised a brow. "Meaning?"
"I'm just saying, it wouldn't hurt to try and make an effort."
"Who says I don't?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. Me... clearly.
"Clearly," Liliana mocked sourly.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Hermione didn't wait for her sister's response — the look on her face was enough. "Look, at least you can say you tried." She smiled encouragingly. "Now, go on." And she waved a hand as though shooing her sister towards the pair ahead of them.
