Brightest Star

Chapter Five

Ella and her oxygen tank flopped onto Izzy's bed, jerking Izzy out of her dream. It was always the same one since she got her wand and other school supplies. It was always the men chasing after each other, firing red sparks from their wands.

"Wake up!" Ella screamed. "You're leaving today and we're going to catch a train!"

"Technically, I'm the one catching the train, not you." Izzy mumbled, trying to get out of the tangled covers.

"Who cares! Come on! Hurry up! Or we're going to be late!"

Izzy slipped on her slippers and rushed to the bathroom. She combed her brown hair neatly. She kept it down, but added a braid with some of the hair. She grabbed her trunk that was already packed weeks ago and the cage with her owl in it. Izzy ran down the stairs, parked her trunk by the door, fed her owl and went to get her own breakfast. Miriam was cooking as fast as she can, whipping up the pancake batter and pouring it into a large pan. Andrew was busy fixing his suit so that he looked immaculate.

"Dad," Izzy said, standing next to him in front of the mirror. "It's just a trip to the train station. Nothing else, really."

'But you're going to that magic school place and I want to make sure that everything is perfect for you. Even Ella's going to see you off."

"But won't she be late to her appointment? Won't you be late to work?"

"Don't worry, sweet pea, I've already sent a note to Dr. Adams and an email to my boss about it."

"About me going to Hogwarts?" Izzy shouted. "Dad, the world of magic is strictly confidential and you can't just go around telling everyone-"

"No, about us being late."

"Oh. Thank the Lord."

The snowy owl was screeching impatiently as the Sanders family scoffed down their pancakes and almost choked on their drinks.

"Goodness! Look at the time! It's 9 and your train is 9:30! We need to leave and now!"

Izzy grabbed Ella's hand and her owl while Andrew took her trunk and his workbag. Miriam took hold of her purse and Ella's school bag and locked the door quickly behind her. They all piled into the family Mercedes and Andrew started driving.

They managed to arrive at the King's Cross Station ten minutes later and Izzy stared at the ticket, confused.

"Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?! What in the world?" Andrew yelled over the cacophony of noise in the station. They were standing between Platform Nine and Ten, looking around confused.

"Look, Daddy, a train station inspector! We can ask him!" Ella cried.

Without another word, she ran towards the station inspector, dragging her oxygen tank behind her and pulled on his sleeve.

"Excuse me, my sister Izzy and my parents want to find a Platform Nine and Three Quarters. My sister needs to find it to go to a magic school!"

The station inspector rolled his eyes. "Look, little girl, go back to your sister and your parents. There is no such thing as a Platform Nine and Three Quarters, I'm telling you. Shrug off and go annoy someone else."

Ella bursted into tears and ran back. Miriam shot the station inspector a dirty look, pulled her family along and walked away. Behind Izzy, she heard an owl screech that was definitely not her owl's. She whipped her head around and broke into a smile when she saw Hope and Henry with their parents. Even Remus and Lyall came to see Hope off. Henry caught sight of her.

"Hey look, Hopey! It's Izzy!"

"Who's Izzy?"

"The girl we met at Ollivander's remember? The one that almost blasted the shop apart trying out the wands."

"Oh, that Izzy!"

"Hey! Izzy! Isabelle!" Henry shouted. When Izzy saw him, he waved. She grabbed her owl and her trunk and ran towards them.

"Hello Henry."

"Hey."

"Hi Hope."

"HI!" Hope yelled, as if she was somewhere far away.

The children giggled, covering her ears.

A man with flaming red hair pulled Hope towards him. "Now, young lady, you're going to make a scene if you keep yelling like that."

"Sorry, Dad." Hope smiled bashfully.

When Andrew, Miriam and Ella caught up with Izzy, they saw the crowd of people that they were facing and smiled. Ella pointed to Remus.

"Look, Mummy, it's that guy with the scars!"

The adults laughed. Miriam shook her head slowly and said to Remus, "Sorry, this is Izzy's younger sister, Ella. She's five and can be incredibly straightforward sometimes."

"It's okay. As you might remember, I am Remus Lupin, Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts in Isabelle's new school. This is Sirius Black, the Professor of Astronomy and his wife, Nixie Dover, Professor of Transfiguration." Remus gestured to the couple.

"How lovely." Miriam smiled.

"You look pretty." Ella said, walking over to Nixie and tugging her hand. "And you look just like Izzy. You guys have the same hair."

"Why, thank you. Ella, wasn't it?" Nixie laughed.

Ella nodded and giggled.

"Well, Ella. I'm Nixie. I trust that you'll be seeing me quite a lot over the next few years."

"And this is Eleanor Ross-Weasley, my daughter and her husband, Fred Weasley." Remus said to Miriam.

"Nice to meet you." Miriam shook both their hands. "I am Isabelle's mother, Miriam Sanders."

Eleanor smiled. "I'm Eleanor, Hope's mother." Eleanor gestured to Hope talking to Isabelle and Henry.

"Hey, what about me?" Lyall nudged Remus.

"Oh yes, and this is my father, Lyall Lupin, also Hope's great-grandfather."

Amidst all the greetings, Eleanor glanced at Fred's watch. "Oh Merlin. All of you need to go. The train's leaving in two minutes."