White Demon, Where's Your Selfish Kiss? [A Tom Riddle Romance]

Chapter One: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 

"I'm not so certain about this, Henry." Earnestine whispered carefully as the two of them stared at the brick was between platforms nine and ten. "Maybe this was some sort of joke that Mr. and Mrs. Monte were playing on us." 

"No." Henry said firmly. "This is it, it has to be here." When the bearded man had shown up in their attic a few weeks back, he was sure that the judgmental Mr. and Mrs. Monte never would have even hired such an unkempt man. "Professor Dumbledore said it would be right here at eleven o'clock." 

"Cleary he was wrong." Earnestine insisted. 

Henry, though, stared intensely at each of the bricks, looking for any sign of the platform that was supposed to be sitting right there. Henry glanced down at his ticket one more time just to make sure that he had read it correctly. Still the ticket clearly said, The Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station. Henry sighed frustrated. 

Earnestine grabbed her brother's arm and pulled along the trolley of things that this 'Professor' had said were the supplies that they had needed for their year at this 'school' that taught 'magic'. It had all seemed too good to be true at the time he said it, and as it turns out, it apparently was. 

Henry sighed, resigned. Once again, his sister had been right in being a skeptic. However, for once, Henry had truly believed that he had been destined for something other than the filthy attic he was confined to. If this had been a sick prank, he hated Mr. and Mrs. Monte that much more for getting his hopes up and letting him down. 

The two were silent as they headed toward the ticket counter. Henry was too focused on his feet in attempt to hide his disappointed face from his sister. Earnestine, however, had noticed something else; something peculiarly familiar. 

Every so often she would see children in school uniforms-some accented with red, others with green and blue and yellow-pushing trollies that were a lot similar to the one her and her brother had. Some of the trollies even carried owls and cats. "Henry?" Earnestine gave her brother's arm a sudden tug of excitement as it dawned on her. 

"Yeah?" Henry looked up, alarmed at his sister's sudden perkiness. "What's wrong?" 

Earnestine pointed at one group of children. "Look!" 

Henry did look and turned to face her, questions in his eyes. Clearly Earnestine's epiphany had blown straight over her brother's head. Earnestine rolled her eyes and turned back around, dragging herself and her brother back in the direction of the brick wall. Henry had barely enough time to grab their effects. "What has gotten into you!?" 

"Don't you get it, Henry?" Earnestine shouted in glee, turning around to face her brother while she skipped, her chocolate eyes were alight with excitement that echoed in her voice. "This isn't a joke, those kids are going to Hogwarts too!" 

Henry sped up after her, hissing out in warning. "Do you mind not saying that so loud?" Henry struggled to keep up with his sister, probably because his enthusiasm was much less so than Earnestine's. Henry didn't have high hopes that the platform would magically appear there simply because more children were showing up now. 

Earnestine stopped at the brick wall, watching the other group of children carefully. The wall was still there, and there was no mysterious platform that led to the Hogwarts Express. There had to have been some special way to get to it. 

"See, Earnest. No platform." Henry informed the obvious. "Let's just.." 

"Shhh!" Earnestine hushed her brother before he could finish talking. "I'm trying to watch."