In The Stars

The Dementor

Tom woke Harry next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea. Harry got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable.

"The sooner we get on the train, the better" he said "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know" Ron grimaced,"his girlfriend and you'll be seeing your girlfriend soon too" said Ron, Harry eyes widened" what, she's not my girlfriend" said Harry blushing.

"yeah and that's why you look like" Ron said pointing at Harry face. Harry fealt embarrassed, sure he though a lot of Estelle everyone did, I mean it's Estelle everywhere they went, eyes were on her and Harry knew why, she was breathtaking her dark brown hair and unforgettable grey eyes. Ron was going on still about Percy girlfriend. "She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has all gone blotchy..."

"I've got something to tell you"Harry began, but they were interrrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again.

They headed down to breakfast, where Mr Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furred brow and Mrs Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a Love Potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly.

"What were you saying?" Ron asked Harry, as they sat down

"Later" Harry muttered, as Percy stomed in.Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving, they were too busy having all their tunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on the top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.

"It's all right, Crookshanks" Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train'

"You won't" snapped Ron"What about poor Scabbers, eh? He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.

Mr Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.

"They're here" he said "Harry come on. Mr Weasley marched Harry arcoss the short strech of pavement towards the first of the two old-fashiioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velevet.

"In you get,Harry" said Mr Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.Harry got into the back of the car, and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron and to Ron's disgust Percy.

The journey to King's King Cross was very uneventful compared to Harry's trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though Harry noticed that they coould slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare, the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats to Mr Weasley and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving queue for the traffic lights.

Mr Weasley kept close to Harry elbow all the way into the station.

" Right then' he said, glancing around them 'Lets do this in pairs, as there so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry"

Mr Weasley strolled towards the barrier between the platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very intersted in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leant casually against the barrier. Harry imitated him.

Next moment, they had fallen sideways through the soild metal onto platform ine and three-quaters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet sream enine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their childen onto the train. Harry searched with his eyes to try and see Estelle but she was no where to be seen.