𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐃𝐇 𝟑𝟔

Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was crisp and golden as an apple, and as the little family bobbed across the rumbling road towards the great sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkled like cobwebs in the cold air.

Two large cages rattled on top of the laden trolleys the parents were pushing; the owls inside them hooted indignantly, and the brunette girl trailed tearfully behind her brothers, clutching her father's arm.

"It won't be long now, and you'll be going too," Harry told her.

"Two years," sniffed Minnie. "I want to go now!"

The commuters stared curiously at the owls as the family wove its way towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

Ethan's voice drifted back to Emily over the surrounding clamor; her sons had resumed the argument they had started in the car.

"I won't! I won't be in Slytherin!"

"Eric, give it a rest!" said Emily.

"I only said he might be," said Eric, grinning at his younger brother. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth — "

But Eric caught his mother's eye and fell silent. The five Potters approached the barrier. With a slightly cocky look over his shoulder at his younger brother, Eric took the trolley from his mother and broke into a run. A moment later, he had vanished.

"You'll write to me, won't you?" Ethan asked his parents immediately, capitalizing on the momentary absence of his brother.

"Every day, if you want us to," said Harry.

"Not every day," said Ethan quickly. "Eric says most people only get letters from home about once a month."

"I wrote to Eric three times a week last year," said Harry. And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts. He likes a laugh, your brother."

Side by side, they pushed the second trolley forward, gathering speed. As they reached the barrier, Ethan winced, but no collision came.

Instead, the family emerged onto platform nine and three-quarters, which was obscured by thick white steam which was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express. Indistinct figures were swarming through the mist, into which Eric had already disappeared.

"Where are they?" asked Ethan anxiously, peering at the hazy forms they passed as they made their way down the platform

"We'll find them," said Emily reassuringly.

But the vapor was dense, and it was difficult to make out anybody's faces. Detached from their owners, voices sounded unnaturally loud. Emily thought she heard Percy discoursing loudly on broomstick regulations, and was quite glad of the excuse not to stop and say hello. . . .

"I think that's them, Ethan," said Emily suddenly.

A group of four people emerged from the mist, standing alongside the very last carriage. Their faces only came into focus when Harry, Emily, Lily, and Ethan had drawn right up beside them.

"Hi," said Ethan, sounding immensely relieved.

Rose, who was already wearing her brand-new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him but she immediately ran and squeezed Minnie.

"Parked all right, then?" Ron asked Harry. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner."

"No, I didn't," said Hermione, "I had complete faith in you."

"As a matter of fact, I did Confund him," Ron whispered to Harry, as together they lifted Ethan's trunk and owl onto the train. "I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it, I can use a Supersensory Charm for that."