serendipity, hjp

II⁀➷The Dementor

Regulus woke Anneliese up the next morning with his usual cup of hot chocolate and natural Black grin. Anneliese got dressed saw that Ron and Harry were standing by the stairs, so she walked over to them.

"The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You Know," Ron grimaced, "his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy..."

"I've got something to you," Harry began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again.

They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly.

"What were you saying?" Ron asked Harry as they sat down.

"Later," Harry muttered as Percy stormed in.

Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving: they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.

"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."

"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"

He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.

"Please no fighting for at least today," Anneliese said. "It's actually quite sickening."

Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for Mrs. Weasley for the ministry cars, stuck his head inside.

"They're here," he said. "Harry, come on."

Mr. Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furitive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.

"In you get, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded streets.

Harry got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Anneliese, Charlotte, Hermione, Ron, and to Ron's disgust, Percy.

The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with Harry's trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though Harry noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed. They reached King's Cross with twenty minuted to spare; the ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded loaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.

Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station. Regulus and Samantha both joined their daughter and niece as Remus wanted to board the Hogwarts Express once more for old times sake.

"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go first with Harry."

Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier in between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's cart trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier. Harry imitated him.

Anneliese and Charlotte said good-bye to Regulus and Samantha before they both ran through the barrier. Ginny and Percy suddenly appeared behind them.

"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. Anneliese caught Harry's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge.