The Other Potter Book Three.

Chapter Four

I dressed and walked into the Parlour.

"Willow!" Hermione said as she saw me. "Hold this!" she gave me a half eaten piece of toast, which I devoured. She returned from somewhere and then complained about me eating her toast.

Meh. She gave it to me, what did she expect.

There was chaos as we tried to leave and finally, we were heaving our heavy trunks down the staircase and left them at the door.

Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside. "They're here," he said. "Harry, come on."

We walked across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old fashioned dark green cars. The car filled up and then I was ushered into the second car away from Harry, Ron and Hermione.

As we were driving, George kept poking me.

"Poke me again, and I will rip off your finger and shove it down your throat." I said threateningly.

"Maybe it will teach him a lesson." Said Mrs. Weasley from the front seat. "You have to stop torturing your brother George, and you too Fred."

"But it's so easy!" They said in perfect unison.

We reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found us trolleys, unloaded our 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. "Right then," he said, glancing around us. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry. "Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the Inter City 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier. Harry imitated him. In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three quarters.

George and I went next and deciding to take it at a run, he linked my arm and we passed through to platform nine and three quarters.

I looked up to see the train billowing smoke over the platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train. Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind us.

"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going Pink again. George, Harry, Ginny and I turned away to hide our 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.

Mr. Weasley called Harry away and the rest of us hopped happily onto the train.

Just before the train was leaving, Harry ran onto it and we stood back to let him on. We leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. And Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.

"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron, Hermione and I as the train picked up speed.

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron.

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.

We set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train. This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window.

The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray.