Existing in Radiance

Chapter Twenty-Four | Kings Cross Station, September 1 1995

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kings Cross Station, September 1st, 1995

 

            The next morning was a flurry of excitement as the Weasley children, Harry and Hermione got ready to get the Hogwarts Express. Hazel stood in the front hall with Mrs. Weasley, Sirius in his Animagus by her side. The big black dog gave a joyful bark as Harry came down the stairs.

“Harry, you’re to come with me and Tonks,” shouted Mrs. Weasley - over the repeated screeches of “MUDBLOODS! SCUM! CREATURES OF DIRT!” - “Leave your trunk and your owl, Alastor’s going to deal with the luggage… oh, for heaven’s sake, Sirius, Dumbledore said no!”

A bear-like black dog had appeared at Harry’s side as he was clambering over the various trunks cluttering the hall to get to Mrs. Weasley.

“Oh honestly…” said Mrs. Weasley despairingly. “Well, on your own head be it!’

She wrenched open the front door and stepped out into the weak September sunlight. Harry and the dog followed her. The door slammed behind them and Mrs. Black’s screeches were cut off instantly.

“Where’s Tonks?” Harry said, looking round as they went down the stone steps of number twelve, which vanished the moment they reached the pavement. Hazel stood close by, the twins just behind her; Andrew gave him a hesitant wave and smile while Sonia studied her feet.

“She’s waiting for us just up here,” said Mrs. Weasley stiffly, averting her eyes from the lolloping black dog beside Harry.

An old woman greeted them on the corner. She had tightly curled grey hair and wore a purple hat shaped like a pork pie.

“Wotcher, Harry,” she said, winking. “Better hurry up, hadn’t we, Molly?” she added, checking her watch.

“I know, I know,” moaned Mrs. Weasley, lengthening her stride, “but Mad-Eye wanted to wait for Sturgis… if only Arthur could have got us cars from the Ministry again… but Fudge won’t let him borrow so much as an empty ink bottle these days… how Muggles can stand traveling without magic.”

But the great black dog gave a joyful bark and gambolled around them, snapping at pigeons and chasing its own tail. Harry couldn’t help laughing. Sirius had been trapped inside for a very long time. Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips in an almost Aunt Petunia-ish way.

“Molly, Sturgis isn’t going to show up.” Hazel said, and her old friend sighed. “Let me come along, and then the guard will be complete. I may not be Ministry assessed, but Dumbledore has put Harry’s safety in my hands before.”

Nodding, Molly waved her forward. “Alright, alright – come on now everyone, or we’ll miss that darned train.”

It took them twenty minutes to reach King’s Cross on foot and nothing more eventful happened during that time than Sirius scaring a couple of cats for Harry’s entertainment. Once inside the station they lingered casually beside the barrier between platforms nine and ten until the coast was clear, then each of them leaned against it in turn and fell easily through on to platform nine and three-quarters, where the Hogwarts Express stood belching sooty steam over a platform packed with departing students and their families. Harry inhaled the familiar smell and felt his spirits soar… he was really going back…

“I hope the others make it in time,” said Mrs. Weasley anxiously, staring behind her at the wrought-iron arch spanning the platform, through which new arrivals would come.

“Nice dog, Harry!” called a tall boy with dreadlocks.

“Thanks, Lee,” said Harry, grinning, as Sirius wagged his tail frantically.

“Oh good,” said Mrs. Weasley, sounding relieved, “here’s Alastor with the luggage, look…”

A porter’s cap pulled low over his mismatched eyes, Moody came limping through the archway pushing a trolley loaded with their trunks.

“All okay,” he muttered to Mrs. Weasley and Tonks, “don’t think we were followed…”

Seconds later, Mr. Weasley emerged on to the platform with Ron and Hermione. They had almost unloaded Moody’s luggage trolley when Fred, George and Ginny turned up with Lupin.

“No trouble?” growled Moody.

“Nothing,” said Lupin.

“I’ll still be reporting Sturgis to Dumbledore,” said Moody, “that’s the second time he’s not turned up in a week. Getting as unreliable as Mundungus. Thanks for stepping in, Hazel.”

“Well, look after yourselves,” said Lupin, shaking hands all round. He reached Harry last and gave him a clap on the shoulder. “You too Harry. Be careful.”

“Yeah, keep your head down and your eyes peeled,” said Moody, shaking Harry’s hand too. “And don’t forget, all of you - careful what you put in writing. If in doubt, don’t put it in a letter at all.”

“It’s been great meeting all of you,” said Tonks, hugging Hermione and Ginny “We’ll see you soon, I expect.”

A warning whistle sounded; the students still on the platform started hurrying on to the train.

“Quick, quick,” said Mrs. Weasley distractedly, hugging them at random and catching Harry twice. “Write… be good… if you’ve forgotten anything we’ll send it on… on to the train, now, hurry…”

For one brief moment, the great black dog reared on to its hind legs and placed its front paws on Harry’s shoulders, but Mrs. Weasley shoved Harry away towards the train door, hissing, “For heaven’s sake, act more like a dog, Sirius!”

Before he got on the train, Hazel grabbed Harry and hugged him tightly “has anyone ever come to the station especially for you?” she asked quietly in his ear.

Harry shook his head “Never.”

“Now they have.” She smoothed his hair, just as Harry had always imagined his mother might have “I’ll see you at Christmas Harry, and…” she smiled “Your parents loved you, so much.”

The whole lot piled onto the train, and they waved goodbye out of the windows; Hazel felt a sense of loss as the train pulled out, Sirius bounding along beside it for as long as possible before it rounded the bend.

A/N: A filler, but sweet nontheless. 

Question: What, so far, has been your favourite part/chapter/quote/all three from 'Existing in Radiance'? 

I'll tell you one of my favourite quotes: "I spent half my life loving you." by Remus in chapter thirteen, when Hazel rejects him for the last time.

Rose<3