The Spiteful Sorting Hat

Platform 9 3/4

The first of September found Harry and Blaise scrambling for departure. Millie had been packed and ready for the start of term for days. She waited at the base of the stairs, scribbling away in a leather-bound notebook as Harry searched among his clothes for his practice snitch and Blaise called out anxiously for Ouroboros, the name he'd decided to give his snake. Mrs. Zabini waited at the base of the stairs next to Millie, the tapping of her foot the only sign of her mounting impatience. Finally, Harry found his snitch and Blaise had his snake wrapped around his wrist. Soon they were out the door, and Torsh was driving them with all speed toward the the train station.

Once arrived, they disembarked in a hurry. Traffic had been more troublesome than anticipated, and they knew they were cutting it close to the scheduled departure time. The Hogwarts Express was notoriously punctual, and Harry didn't want to miss it. Mrs. Zabini gave quick orders to Torsh to circle the street until she had seen off the children while Blaise and Harry rushed inside to grab trolleys for their luggage.

The three friends raced through the station in spite of Mrs. Zabini's assurances that they still had time to spare, and warnings not to roll over any muggles. They moderated their speed accordingly, but weren't above stepping on the backs of each others shoes, purposely trying to trip one another in a sort of game bent on winning their race through sabotage.

Millie proved to be particularly gifted at this competition, and after successfully pinning down the backs of Blaise and Harry's shoes to the point where they fell off, she reached the solid brick wall between platforms nine and ten first. Pausing only to turn and laugh at the sight of her friends sitting on the platform, pulling their trainers back on and cursing, she quickly dashed straight through the wall, unnoticed by any of the surrounding muggles.

"What are you two doing?" Mrs. Zabini asked, catching them up at her own leisurely pace. "Hurry up and get to the platform! The train won't wait for you."

"Even if you are the famous Harry Potter," Blaise whispered with a wink at his friend.

"Shut up," Harry whispered back, though he couldn't help but smile.

The boys lined up their trolleys side by side, prepared to rush the entrance at the same time. Mrs. Zabini looked on as they proceeded at a run, gathering speed, drawing closer to the brick wall until

CRASH!

They struck the wall at a full sprint, the handlebars of their trolleys cutting into their stomachs before toppling over entirely. Hedwig's cage went rolling away as the owl screeched in terror, drawing whispers and disapproving looks from passerby. Mrs. Zabini ran to fetch the fallen cage and calm poor Hedwig before rushing back to her son, asking with worry if they were both alright.

"Yeah, fine," said Blaise, rubbing his bruised stomach.

Harry stared at the wall between platforms in disbelief. "What happened?"

Mrs. Zabini put her hand against the red brick and gave it a push. Nothing happened. She was as incapable of passing through the wall as Harry or Blaise had been. She uttered a tsk of irritation while Blaise and Harry stared.

"Perhaps they've locked it early?" she wondered aloud.

"But it isn't three yet!" Blaise protested, "And Millie was able to pass through before us with no problem!"

Mrs. Zabini frowned, glanced around at the surrounding muggles, and covertly removed her wand from her long coat to give the wall a few probing taps.

Blaise and Harry picked themselves up off the ground and gathered their things, disgruntled. Blaise nudged Harry in the side and whispered one word. "Dobby."