Percy Jackson and the Hallowed Halls

Hogwarts Express

After dinner, Dudley took only me to get some ice cream in London. He was quiet, and looked more and more nervous. Then he eventually said, "Percy, just know that we love you. And each one of us, will do anything to make you feel better." That alone made me feel better.

We got home around bedtime, Dudley hugged me tightly and said his goodnights. Then he went to the kitchen where Rose was, I went up to my room where I heard a feint tapping on my window. Blackjack was on the window seal pecking at the glass, I quickly went up to it and opened it for him. He hopped through the window and onto my desk, where he held out two letters in his beak. One was addressed to Maggie, and the other to me. I called for her, and she came running in.

"What's up Percy?" She said, taking a seat on my bed.

"You got a letter," I said holding it out. "From Hogwarts..." We shared a look, then she reached out and took the sealed letter.

It was just Harry, saying he's excited to see us, and which houses we'll be sorted in. And a small train ticket. It had four colors on each corner, Blue, Red, Yellow, and Green. There was a time and place on it as well, September 1st, 11 am. Platform 9 and 3/4 at Kings cross station.

"I... guess I still don't understand the trains... where is platform 9 and ¾?" I asked looking up at Maggie.

"It...doesn't exist..." She said looking at me with a blank face.

"Dad!" We call in unison. We could hear his big feet running up the stairs in a hurry. He appeared in the doorway huffing and puffing, with Rose right behind him.

"What's wrong kids?" He said in a panic. Maggie held up the ticket, and Dudley let out a relived chuckle. "Oh yeah, I know that. Don't worry kids, Rose and I will be with you. Harry showed us, one year for his and Hermione's wedding."

"Still a bit mad, really," Rose said. "Blew my mind when he—"

"Shhh, love," Dudley hushed her. "Don't want to spoil it for the kids," She nodded, and they both smiled. "Make sure all your school stuff is ready in your trunks, we leave at 9 am," Dudley said, shutting the door behind him as they left.

"Well... that was weird," Maggie said. "Are you nervous?"

"Extremely."

"Me too...," Maggie took a deep breath. "I'm gonna go check my stuff, see you later."

She left the room quietly, and shut the door behind her. I took some time to double check if I had everything. Robes, check. Wand, check. Seeds, check. Cauldron, check. Then Blackjack started to nuzzle his head into my hand, demanding attention like a cat. "Are you nervous too?" I asked him and he let out a low cry as I scratched his favorite spot, right under his chin.

After a sleepless night, Dudley came into my room at 9 on the dot. He smiled softly, "Didn't get to sleep?"

"No not really," I said. He nodded and said he couldn't either. Then he helped me take my trunks to the driveway.

"Put them in the boot as I help Maggie," He said, and I stared at the car. "The trunk, I think it is."

"Ok, that makes sense," I said and opened the boot, which is the trunk. Got it.

I managed to pack my stuff in, then Dudley came down with Maggie's stuff. It was a hassle trying to fit everything, until eventually. Dudley just had us hold the rest of the stuff under our feet or on our laps. I had a smaller trunk under my feet, and Blackjack in his owl cage on my lap. Maggie had a trunk under her feet, and her cat cage on her lap, there was another large trunk sandwiched in between us, I was getting pressed into the door.

"Are you ready kids?" Dudley asked with quiet stifled snickers. Then I heard a noise of a cameras shutter go off.

"Pictures really?" I said, trying to see who took it. But the cage was blocking my view.

"Sorry hun, but it's a mothers job to take embarrassing pictures of her kids," Rose said proudly.

They eventually gave pity to us, and got in the car. My legs fell asleep on the car ride, which made it feel like it took hours. Dudley eventually parked the car, and they hopped out. He helped out Maggie first then came over to me, Rose came up to us with two carts for luggage. Wich filed me with relief.

We made it to platform 9, but the next number after that was 10. There was no sign for platform 9 and ¾. People were starting to give us weird looks, mainly me, a weird boy who has an owl in a cage stacked on a literal ton of trunks. I stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Ok Percy, see that pillar right there?" Rose leaned close to me, and pointed to an empty brick wall. "That's platform 9 and ¾."

"A-are you felling ok? That's just a wall," I said, looking at her to see if she looked sick. She got behind me, and grabbed onto the carts handle in front of me.

"Do you trust me?" She said with a smirk.

"I'm thinking about changing my mind," I said. Which I guess, somehow that sounded like a yes to her. She got closer so I literally couldn't escape from being between the cart and her. Then she started to run, which forced me to run too. I griped the handles and right as we mad impact, I closed my eyes. But we didn't slam into the wall, I opened my eyes, and before me was a entirely new platform. Filled with a ton of really oddly dressed people, hundreds of kids with owls and trunks like mine. A large old steam engine train with a plaque on the front in big words. "Hogwarts Express".