A Trio of Serpents

4: Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Screw my original plan, the chapter is ready, let's get into it.

Summary: Harry is dropped off at King's Cross and sees a familiar face.

On the first of September, Harry checked he had everything and loaded it all in his trunk. Then he went downstairs to where Uncle Vernon was waiting.

He predictably said nothing the entire trip and Harry didn't try to initiate a conversation. They arrived and Harry went to grab his trunk only for Uncle Vernon to take it himself and put it on a trolley for him. Suspicious of this kindness, Harry followed him as he wheeled the trunk into the station.

"There you are, boy," Uncle Vernon said, grinning nastily. "Platform nine — platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"

"They probably didn't need to," Harry said dryly. "It's a magical school, remember?"

The grin vanished from Uncle Vernon's face and his head swung from side to side. When it appeared no one had heard, he glowered at Harry. "Don't say such nonsense in public!" he snapped, only barely refraining from shouting.

And without so much of a good-bye, he shoved the trolley at Harry and stormed back to the car. A moment later, it was driving away.

Harry huffed out a breath. He hoped he had been right about the platform not needing to be built because he had no idea how to get on. The sooner he found it, the sooner he could get away from the people openly staring at his owl, Hedwig.

A flash of red caught his eye and he looked to see Ron, the boy he had spoken to in Flourish and Blott's. He was with his mother again, along with three older boys and a little girl who must be his sister.

"— packed with Muggles, of course —" the mother was saying.

Harry watched Ron's family bustle past. One by one, they lined up and took off at a brisk pace, disappearing into the dividing barrier between platforms nine and ten. Harry looked around. No one seemed to have noticed. How odd. They weren't exactly being inconspicuous.

Shaking his head, Harry pushed his trunk so he was directly in line with the barrier. Then, like the red-haired family moments ago, he walked forward. He half expected to crash despite seeing six other people go through with no problem and was delighted when he emerged, blinking, to see the scarlet steam engine next to the platform.

Harry began to search for a compartment, passing a round-faced boy with his grandmother. An older boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd. Harry only just caught a glimpse of a long, hairy leg poking out of the box in his arms.

He found an empty compartment near the end and tried to haul his trunk up the steps, only to drop it onto his feet.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired boys he'd followed through the barrier.

"Yes, please," Harry panted.

"Oi, Fred! C'mere and help!"

With their help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said Harry.

"No problem, mate."

"Happy to help."

They went to rejoin their mother, and only then did Harry wipe the sweat from his forehead. That morning, he had taken care to keep his hair over his scar, knowing it would stand out. And considering how the people at the Leaky Cauldron had acted, no one would leave him alone.

He took a seat next to the window and leaned back more comfortably. This was it, the moment he'd been waiting for.

The train whistle sounded and Ron, Fred, and George hurried onto the train. Ginny began to cry as she hugged Ron.