Everyday, Evangeline and Harry counted off the day to September the 1st. James and Lily were equally excited. When the day came, they woke up extra early and Evangeline also prepared an exceptional breakfast. After a hearty goodbye, Evangeline and Harry teleported to King's Cross station. It was then they realised that there was no platform 9 and 3 quarters. Evangeline, though, being even more psychic then him, simply knew the way. “Just pass through the barrier between platform nine and ten” she said.
"Er -- okay," they answered. Evangeline, who looked like she was not afraid of anything tried first. Running and whizzing on her trolley, she yelled “Gangway!” looking for the life of her like she was having a whale of a time. Luckily, there wasn’t much people around at that time, and those present paid no notice to her, though Harry noticed a family, all of them with flaming red hair, was looking at her with amusement. They showed no surprise that she could pass through the barrier, so he assumed that they were wizards and witches too. Feeling rather nervous, Harry walked slowly through the barrier, waiting for him to be blocked, but he passed through effortlessly.
A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, He had done it. Evangeline clapped for him while everyone stared. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.
The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry and Evangeline pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. They passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again." "Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.
A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd. "Give us a look, Lee, go on." The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg. Harry and Evangeline pressed on through the crowd until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. They put Hedwig (Harry’s owl) and Caramel (Evangeline’s owl) inside first and then their trunks. All those strength training with Evangeline had paid off. They met the red-headed twins from the station. "What's that?" one of them said pointing at Harry's lightning scar.
"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you "He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry. "What?" said Harry. "Harry Potter, "chorused the twins. "Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am." The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, Evangeline coughed at the same time a voice came floating in through the train's open door.
"Fred? George? Are you there?" "Coming, Mom." With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train. Harry and Evangeline sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying while Evangeline was reading one of the books she bought at Diagon Alley. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief. "Ron, you've got something on your nose." The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose. "Mom -- geroff" He wriggled free. "Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.
"Shut up," said Ron. "Where's Percy?" said their mother. "He's coming now." The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it. "Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves --"
