Hogwarts Mystery: Kenneth Russell & The Mysterious Room

Chapter 5: Platform Nine and three-quarters

The summer went by faster than Kenneth could anticipate. He only needed to blink to see August had come to the end. He had spent the entire last day of August packing his belongings into a trunk. Everything was ready for the train the next day. He wasn't the only one that had packed. His father had left that day for America. He was going to be there for the next six months and said he regrets leaving without seeing Kenneth take the train. He was going to miss him.

It didn't take too long for night to fall and he was fast asleep, dreaming about the magnificent castle he was going to see first hand.In his dream he could recall a giggle that came from a girl he couldn't see. She was all in shadows and he was drawn to it. It was musical to his ears that he didn't want to stop hearing. All was all for naught as he felt his entire body shaking.

Awake! His mother was by his bed, she had shook him awake to and it was morning.

"Good morning", she says with annoyance. "Have you checked the time?"

With that he looked at the time it was already a quarter after ten. The Hogwarts Express train was going to leave at eleven o'clock.

"Oh no! I'm late!" Kenneth exclaims, jumping straight out of bed. Luckily he had packed beforehand and everything was ready to go.

"Get dressed quickly," his mother says. "You have fifteen minutes. I'll have Brownie apparate your belongings at King Cross station. Because you were late getting up, you're stuck with toast for breakfast."

Once Kenneth was dressed, he went downstairs and ate his toast and washing it down with milk. Combing out all the knots in his curly hair and brushing his teeth, he was out the door. Grabbing his mother's arm,she disapparates them both to the station. Brownie was already therewith Kenneth's trunk and Luna in her cage.

"Brownie will miss Kenneth Russell," she says with tears in her green eyes.

"I won't be gone forever, Brownie," Kenneth says, picking her up and giving her a hug. He was going to miss her as well. "I'll write to you and mum."

"Brownie wishes Kenneth Russell the best of luck."

"Bye, Brownie," patting her head and with that she disapparates.

Kenneth and his mother then took his belongings into a trolley and pushed it towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Kenneth looked at the clock. He had less than fifteen minutes left before the train leaves.

"Let's hurry," his mother says urgently and they raced into the barrier. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Kenneth pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat with his mother right beside him. Finally finding a compartment for his belongings, Kenneth and his mother packed them in securely.

Kenneth then turned to his mother. She looked at him sadly. Without warning she grabs Kenneth and pulls him into a hug.

"The house isn't going to be the same without you," she says with her chin on his shoulder.

"You have Brownie," Kenneth says jokingly.

"Doesn't count. Write to me when you can."

"I will."

After giving Kenneth a goodbye kiss on the cheek, she watches him enter the train, waving as the train began to move. Kenneth waves back trying his best to hold back the tears as the train turns a corner and she is no longer seen. Closing the window, he sits down quietly. His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the compartment door sliding open and a familiar voice calls his name.