The Unsolved Riddle.

Platform 9 and 3/4.

Cold winds ran across bare skin as white fabric was pulled away from Eliana and hands ran down to try and clasp the material once again. Her hands met nothing and instead, her eyes were blinded by the main light that was sat just above her. Yawns could be heard as Eliana slowly arose and came across two familiar faces. "Come on Ellie, you need to finish packing. Don't forget that it takes two hours to get to King's Cross." Reluctantly, Eliana sat up and checked the time, it was early enough to make Eliana grumble and her lips quirked in a grimace as she slowly fluttered her eyes to better adjust to the light that was still blinding her.

"I'm tired." Just as the words had left her lips, dark hair suddenly jolted up and Eliana began to wipe the sleep from her eyes.

"Of course you are, never been a mornin' person," yawned Hamid as he nursed a cup of something hot. Eliana was sure it had to be coffee, her parents spent their lives drinking coffee and especially with their early start to the day, they would need all the energy they could get. Just as Eliana began to smell the strong coffee, her reality seemed to swirl into her mind and she sat up with sudden sharpness.

"I'm going to Hogwarts!" Eliana declared and with renewed energy, two trunks were pulled out from under her bed and undone. The clasps were tough for her to undo and the cases themselves were a little worn as Eliana had used them for every trip abroad for the last few years. The state of her cases were easily ignored as the black robes were counted and her hat was carefully tucked away. Her primary school had taught Eliana how to dress appropriately but her tie was still partially tied inside one of the robe's pockets. A toothbrush and toothpaste were quickly grabbed and used before they were thrown in with the rest of her supplies. The two cases had been methodically organised by personal and equipment. The scales had been haphazardly placed into the trunk as they were awkwardly shaped but Eliana had managed to fill the case up. Everything had been listed and checked every day for the past month as she anticipated starting Hogwarts. The other trunk, filled with personal clothing, sweets, photographs and spare parchment for letter writing was equally checked as she made sure that she had enough pyjamas, hygiene items and books to last for the year. McGonagall had mentioned a library and Eliana was sure that she would never run out of something to do whilst at the school but she didn't believe that she could be too careful.

"Eliana, I know that we said we would go shopping with you before but I couldn't sleep last night and decided that I would just go and buy you your lunch for the train." Enyo's eyes were dark, the skin beneath her eyes was shaded and she stood, slightly shivering as she drank her coffee, the long cardigan around her was tugged on tightly.

"Mummy, I-thank you." Eliana's smile grew wide as she clicked the cases closed and ran up to her mother, who stood at the door with a coffee in one hand and a lunch box in the other. The sky was growing brighter as the sun was growing and Hamid took the opportunity to check his watch.

"We don't need to leave for a while yet. The radio said that there was a little traffic so we will leave a little earlier than we thought. Why don't we go down and have breakfast together and we can talk?" Hamid suggested and Eliana was quick to agree as she placed the lunch box on her luggage and threw a few pieces of food into the cage with her tired owl.

"You'll need a name for that owl." Was the last thing spoken as the three left the emptied bedroom and the door was closed. Steps creaked slightly as hands ran along the cold wall. By the time lights had flicked on and Hamid finished cooking their breakfast, almost an hour had passed in complete silence as no one was sure what to say.

Cooked food and fresh fruit covered the table in the dining room and fresh juice was also provided but only Eliana drank any as Enyo had managed to refill both adult's mugs with even more coffee. "I think I will call my owl either Einstein or Winston." The words had fallen so silkily that the pair were unsure of whether or not she had spoken at all. But, after nearly 11 years together, the pair had grown accustomed to her polite way of talking.

"Well, they both seem nice but which one would sound better with the last name Abaza?" The question had clearly tried to lead the conversation in one direction as Hamid tried to joke, knowing that neither females regarded pets as children.

"Abaza won't be their last name. Einstein would be the last name, Owlbert Einstein. Or Winston Churchowl. I think Owlbert rolls off the tongue better." Both parents met her eyes as Enyo stopped chewing the egg in her mouth and Hamid held a fork to his lips as he stopped his hand from progressing. Both of them were perfectly still as they tried to process the words she had spoken.

"I don't like the atmosphere we have created in this room. You can't call your owl Owlbert Einstein." Hamid's voice was flat and unwavering as he tried not to let a smile shape his face. Enyo had taken the opportunity to swallow her food down finally.

"I don't think that you can stop me once I am on the train. Owlbert is smart, once he hears the name, he won't respond to anything else. I read the book we bought about owls and it says that they treat names a little like humans, one for life. And if they don't like a name they might never respond to it. Very clever birds." The name of Eliana's owl had managed to do what she wanted it to do, distract her mother from what was about to happen. That was until Hamid had loaded the last trunk into the car and Eliana slid into the back seat with the owl sat beside her.

"Why did you slam the boot closed so hard?" The first thing Enyo had muttered to Hamid as he climbed into the front seat and started the engine.

"I didn't," retorted Hamid as he pulled out from where the car had been parked and he headed in the direction of King's Cross. "We shouldn't fight. Eliana is just as scared as we are, if not more. Come on." Hamid's warning was hidden under no disguise at all as he read the street signs that sat on the side of the road.

By the time they had found themselves at the train station, the clock was read and they rushed to the correct platform. No trolley was needed as Eliana managed to carry everything at once, just about. The signs to platforms nine and ten had been clocked but their eyes watched between the two signs, barriers could be seen but nothing to signal a door.

"Are you sure it's nine and three quarters?" Eliana nodded and flashed the ticket at her parents who were biting their lips as worried eyes watched, part of Enyo had reasoned that it meant Eliana didn't have to leave if she couldn't get to the school but Eliana's desire to see Hogwarts charged Enyo to try and get to the correct platform.

"She said that it was through a wall. But which one?" The bricks were monitored and fingers traced over a few but nothing special was noticed. Just as the three checked their watches and saw that they had spent almost twenty minutes trying to get to the train, an odd sight caught them. A tall, dark girl smiled and spoke to two adults, who Eliana assumed were her parents. As the girl was walking though, she seemed to lose focus of her surroundings and just as her trolley was about to hit the wall, it disappeared. The trolley, the cases and the girl all disappeared, soon the two adults followed and Eliana couldn't believe what she saw. Without warning her parents, Eliana directed herself to the wall, a small grey notice could be seen as a potential indicator but little else was noteworthy, moving as calmly as possible, her parents followed and watched as she seemed to fall through the wall. The second Eliana had passed through it, her parents ran in a mad rush after her. What met the three left their jaws hanging slightly. A large scarlet train sat, smoke billowed from the chimney, and students rushed aboard with their luggage. Eliana, who had started to drop her luggage, found renewed strength as she approached the vehicle. Enyo and Hamid stood back and watched as she smiled back at them, her hands were too full to wave and soon the crowded train was located.

The train was due to depart at 11, leaving Eliana ten more minutes until the engine would start. With her heart fluttering and her hands shaking, an empty compartment was found and the cases she had brought with her were placed in the holder. Owlbert gave a slight hoot before shielding his eyes and trying to sleep. The window close to Eliana was shoved open and she hung out of it as her parents scanned the windows for their daughter.

"Ellie, don't forget to write to us and tell us how it goes. We're so excited." Tears had welled in Enyo's eyes but Hamid still couldn't figure out where Eliana was until his eyes scanned the compartments over again.

"And remember to eat lots. Got to grow big and strong." Eliana nodded furiously and heard the compartment door open behind her. The clock was seconds away from 11 and brown eyes caught sight of her crying mother. Hands stretched out and began to wave as the train finally began to rustle forward. A short ginger girl was noticed on the platform from the corner of Eliana's eye and as the train started to move, the girl began to chase after it until the platform was out of sight and only then did Eliana turn back around and see who else was in the compartment.