Last term at Hogwarts. Was he nervous? A little. NEWTs seemed a bit daunting. Was he sad? Also a little since he had no idea what to do after. Sighing James eyed all the stuff on his trolley and looked around. His dad wasn't here this time nor his mum. It was really quite different.

He pushed the trolley toward the wall carefully so he didn't knock over his stuff and scare his new owl. He still didn't have a name for her. Maybe Zoe could think of one. Speaking of he looked up and saw his girlfriend talking to a younger boy in a sight that was familiar from his first time here except she wasn't being mean to the kid. "Ms. Tillstorm, stop teasing the poor kid," he said with a smirk as he came up beside her and kissed her cheek.

He looked curiously at the younger boy and older Huffie who's name he'd forgotten. Oh well. "Fancy seeing you here," he said to Zoe with a smirk on his face and reached for her hand. "I am sad we didn't spend a lot of time together this summer though." Mum and dad had changed their mind about leaving him at home along when they heard from his brother he had a girlfriend. Little git.

Zhenya was standing at The Wall with her brother, Dima. She had her trolley PACKED with all of her brand new things, her blackest of black robes, and her new owlet. Everything was packed and re-packed, and packed again just to make sure everything was in there. It was. She discreetly made her way towards the barrier in the platform, familiarly, and slipped into it.

With her things on a trolley, Ariel navigated the way to Platforms 9 and 10, leading her father along. She slowed and stopped almost subconsciously, about ten feet away from the barrier between the two platforms. A small, airy laugh escaped her before her throat closed with the feeling her heart had jumped up in there.

"...Are you sure about this?" Mr. Abrams asked his daughter, his words slow with uncertainty.

Ariel turned her gaze to her father. A nervous smile was etched on her face, the ghost of the laugh from moments ago. "That's what they said." That's what all the books said. You got to Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express, a train that ran out of Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station in London. You got onto the platform by running at a wall. The wall they were both staring at.

However, Ariel was in such disbelief that such things were even possible that she couldn't bring herself to try it. She was much more comfortable standing in the Muggle part of the station. Her father, knowing he knew nothing, simply stood with her, waiting for her move.

"If you can't see them, then I don't think they count," Dot decided. She'd prefer to think she didn't have any new freckles, and if Thornton wasn't sure... well, he was one of those observant 'Claws. If he didn't notice, no one would.

Spending the summer reading sounded sort of horrible, but she was pleased that he'd had visitors. And played the big violin thing he loved to play. Maybe he'd play it for her this term? "D'you have it with you? I want to see it? D'you suppose I can play it too? Did you snog Paige, 'cause I think she'd like that?"

Thornton shrugged. He wasn't quite sure why the number of freckles mattered, but she had asked, so he had answered. Maybe there were more, but maybe there weren't.

But then the questions came rapid fire and Thornton blinked a little as they registered. When she'd finished, it took him a split second to realize what she'd said right at the end. His cheeks flushed and he decided to ignore it and answer the others instead. "I do have my cello.. my trunk is extended so it fits in there. I could maybe show you once we get to school and if you wanted to learn, I could show you."

That last question, though, it was poking at him. Frowning a little, Thornton lowered his voice. "Why do you think she'd like that? I thought she thought snogging was gross..."

Oh, nooooooo oh no oh no. It seemed like even when Dot was trying her hardest not to do the wrong thing and get on people's wrong side, she was still sticking her nose in it. This was exactly why Dima had been so mad at her, and now Thornton...

Was he mad too? It was hard to say. Confused, and sometimes confusion led to anger. "I don't think I want to learn to play an instrument, but you could play me a song and I'll dance and it'll be like we're performing together."

She wished she could drop the snogging talk, but that was hard since she was the one who had brought it up. Dot tilted her head and smiled. Disarming, hopefully. "Maybe she wouldn't. I think she just said you were really nice, and I agreed. And that you read a funny quiz in the library together."

So summer was already over and it was time to go back to Hogwarts. David was almost kinda relieved, actually. Summer had been pretty boring most of the time, and he was at the point now where his brother and sister were getting on his nerves and he was getting on theirs more often than not.

Plus Hogwarts at least meant getting to see his friends more often, so that was the bright side to the actual school part.

So he was dragging his trunk towards the wall between platforms 9 and 10, and...he noticed a girl and a man (her dad?) just staring at it. With stuff on a trolley. So...new Hogwarts people? Probably.

"'Sup," he greeted them with a grin as he stopped beside them. "Need some help?"

Ariel gasped when a voice jarred her fixation of the wall. Suddenly she realized she...they, including her father, must look very strange staring at a wall, rather than facing each other and chatting, waiting for their train.

Her immediate reaction was to tell him no, that they were fine. But she sort of did need help. But he could be a Muggle. But he could not be.

Reason told her that she could test the waters with him. It was a teenager who approached her, after all. Student-aged, obviously not an actual porter working in the station, therefore, possibly going to Hogwarts as well. This was the place in the entire station where she would come across teenagers going to Hogwarts. "Possibly," she answered, her words coming out quickly. "Where are you going?" It was an uncharacteristically forward question, but she wouldn't know he could help her unless she knew they were going to the same place.

Although her father was right there, Ariel decided she needed to take charge of the situation. She had to find her own way. She really had to.

Thornton wasn't at all mad, just confused. Everyone had clearly continued being interested in snogging over the break, but it had never occurred to him that Paige would be interested, so hearing it suggested by Dot was unsettling. "We could do that, too. I sometimes play in that empty office, but Professor Flamsteed suggested another space that I want to try. We could do that."

He leaned on his cart, rolling it forward and back a little as he considered what she said. "She's my best friend." He shrugged. So it made sense that she thought he was nice. He laughed, though, at the quiz. "It was weird. I don't really even understand why that book was in the library. It was all quizzes and snogging tips and stuff." He remembered how Paige had grabbed his hand at that one question and how he had frozen. Hm.

It took him a moment to realize why she was being vague - she didn't know whether he was a Muggle or a wizard. OR she just didn't want to seem like she needed help. Which he could totally understand.

"Going to Platform 9 3/4," he replied, still grinning. "Have you heard of it?" Surely she had since she'd been staring at the entrance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysSnapesGirl

It took him a moment to realize why she was being vague - she didn't know whether he was a Muggle or a wizard. OR she just didn't want to seem like she needed help. Which he could totally understand.

"Going to Platform 9 3/4," he replied, still grinning. "Have you heard of it?" Surely she had since she'd been staring at the entrance.

Another small laugh came from Ariel's mouth, this time from relief. She nodded in response to the question. "Me too," she said, with a glance at her father. "I read...you just walk into the wall?" But...maybe it was false information. Or old information. Or entirely correct. She didn't know. She'll take the help.

He was right!

He liked being right.

"Yup, that's pretty much it." He nodded. Simple really. "Walk or run or whatever. Want me to demonstrate?" If she was nervous about running into a wall...which did sound weird when you put it that way. But yeah.

McClay was ready. So ready. "Bye Mum! Dad!" He hugged each of them quickly, a huge grin forming on his face. This was it, the start of a new, grand adventure. No one knew him, no baggage from previous years. This was his clean break.

"Love you both!" He cried, as he began jogging with his trolly, his snowy owl Alto screeching with terror as he came closer and closer to the wall. Picking up speed he closed his yes as he and the cart were now inches away...

And then he was gone... onto the platform.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysSnapesGirl

He was right!

He liked being right.

"Yup, that's pretty much it." He nodded. Simple really. "Walk or run or whatever. Want me to demonstrate?" If she was nervous about running into a wall...which did sound weird when you put it that way. But yeah.

He seemed very confident in walking into the wall. But it still sounded so ludicrous. "...Could you?" She just needed proof. Ariel needed to see it happen or she probably wouldn't have to courage to even try. Did the boy mind? He offered and everything...

Now Dot was definitely looking forward to having Thornton play for her. She could dance in a quiet room, which was something she was definitely missing during the school year. And Thornton had permission from the starman to play somewhere SPECIAL? Lucky duck.

Dot hopped up on the edge of her cart and rolled it forward a few feet. Best friends were nice, but it was a terrible idea to kiss one. She hadn't ever considered kissing Dima, not really, and she wouldn't tell Thornton to kiss Paige. Nope. "Show me the book sometime. It sounds hil-aaaaa-rious. And I need funny stuff, because this year I have to take third year electives. Harder and new classes. Crazy, right?"

"Sure, one walking-through-a-wall demonstration coming right up." He grinned and started walking toward it, still dragging his trunk behind him.

He paused right in front of the wall to glance over his shoulder and wink at her - for dramatic effect or something - and then...walked right through to the other side.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysSnapesGirl

"Sure, one walking-through-a-wall demonstration coming right up." He grinned and started walking toward it, still dragging his trunk behind him.

He paused right in front of the wall to glance over his shoulder and wink at her - for dramatic effect or something - and then...walked right through to the other side.

Ariel blushed from nerves and excitement and appreciation. What would she have done if this boy hadn't offered his help? At this point it was clear that she wouldn't attempt to go through a wall on her own. Maybe she'd have just waited until someone else did it. Eventually it was bound to happen. But she was so grateful of the one who bothered to actually help her, not even knowing who she was.

Mr. Abrams cleared his throat to get his daughter's attention off the now gone boy and back to him. "I'm not going," he stated simply. The world she was about to literally enter was not for him. He belonged on this side of the wall....where people just don't disappear through them. So if Ariel was about to just go follow the boy expecting him to follow her, it wasn't happening.

Indeed Ariel expected her father to follow her, to make sure she was safely where she was supposed to be. But maybe she was. And, as with taking the situation on her own, she had to continue that way. "I'll just get my bearings and come say goodbye," she nodded.

Her father nodded back.

After a nervous breathe, the girl pushed her trolley to the wall, and right on through it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessiqua

Zhenya was standing at The Wall with her brother, Dima. She had her trolley PACKED with all of her brand new things, her blackest of black robes, and her new owlet. Everything was packed and re-packed, and packed again just to make sure everything was in there. It was. She discreetly made her way towards the barrier in the platform, familiarly, and slipped into it.

With Keenan in his arms, Dimitri felt a little bit nostalgic by the time he stepped into the King's Cross. It had been ten years since the last time he took a train to Hogwarts. TEN YEARS, DUDE! Man, he was old. Well, Dimitri didn't come here to send his little man to Hogwarts. It would be like... years later. Yeah, he was here to accompany Zhenya. He brought Keenan too since he wanted to introduce his son how Hogwarts express looked like and in years later, he would take it and go to Hogwarts too like his parents.

"Are you sure you already packed all your stuff?" He asked Zhenya as they entered the platform. Just hoped that Keenan didn't shock that they could penetrate the wall.

WE ENTER THE WALL!

The two-year old boy just realized that he entered the wall, with his daddy and auntie too.

"Daddy, why we can go into the wall?" Or it's like a secret passage? The curious two-year old boy was very CURIOUS! Why suddenly his daddy brought him here? Why his aunt Jenny brought huge boxes and a baby owl? "Where are you going, auntie Jenny? Why you bring this box?" He didn't stop asking his daddy or his auntie. And what was this place?

Zhenya rolled her eyes. "Yes, it's ALL in the trunk!" All of it. Every bit. Every. Single. BIT. She had made sure of that, three times. She gave him an elbow to the ribs, gently of course, to let him know she wasn't mad. Really, she was thankful for him caring enough to ask her about all of her items.

She let out a small giggle, listening to Keenan's surprise as they walked through the wall. She couldn't really remember the first time she had walked through the barrier. She wasn't sure if it was for her first year or if it was before that, even. But she knew it would be a surprise, the first time. She ruffled the hair on his head, and said "I'm going back to school, to a magical castle named Hogwarts. We learn how to do magic there, and you will get your letter when you're 11!" How exciting this news must be for a two-year-old. "The box is my trunk, it has all my clothes and books and… well, everything in it." It did. EVERYTHING.

School?



"What is school?"Keenan had no idea what school meant. "Why you go to school?" That meant that she had to leave, right? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO...... Keenan didn't want his auntie Jenny to go. He liked his auntie; she was nice, she brought him to eat ice cream and buy candies. And now she had to go, leaving him. "Daddy, I don't want auntie go. Can you tell her not to go to school?"

PLEAAAAAAAAAASE

If she left, no one would buy him ice cream and candy anymore.


He just chuckled when his son begging to him to not let Zhenya go. Both of them were bonding closely. "I can't, son. She has to go to school. People have to go to school and someday, you will too," Dimitri spoke to his son. "And when the time comes, you are gonna love your school and miss it when you leave." That was a true story. He missed Hogwarts. "Don't worry, Kennan. Auntie Zhenny will come home at Christmas. You are gonna see her again.."

Then he looked at his sister.

"See you on Christmas, then?" He asked. "Feel free to join us if you still don't want to go back to mom and dad. And don't forget to write for us." Shoving his hand to the pocket, he took his wallet and handed her four Galleons. "I hope that's enough."

Zhenya laughed. Her nephew was so cute! "School is a place you go to learn things. They teach you how to do things, like cast spells and brew potions."

But then her happiness and laughter turned sad. Aww… she didn't want to leave him either. She picked him up and gave him a squeezy cuddle. "Aww don't worry Keenan, I'll be back… for Christmas… maybe, if your daddy lets me stay again." Sure he would… wouldn't he?

YAY! She could come back for Christmas! She was jumping for joy inside, very happy. "Yeah Keenan, you'll love it when you start. You'll see. You will be sorted and then you'll make SO many new friends! I promise!"

Zhenya smiled at her big brother. "Of course! I'd love to come back Christmas, of course!" She cleared her throat and looked down at her feet quickly. "I… I don't want to go back there. Thank you for the invite though Dima." She would love to go and spend Christmas with her family. "Of course I won't forget to write to you." She smiled and accepted the four galleons. "More than enough!" She threw her arms around her big brother to say the final goodbye. Well, not final. That was too… final.

Thornton was still sort of mystified why so many people wanted him to play for them. Maddie had suggested he play in the common room more, but Dot couldn't get in there, so it looked like other practice spaces would be the way to go.

It was a good thing that Dot wouldn't suggest kissing Paige, because Thornton would have wondered if there were some sort of social expectation he was violating by not. "If I can remember where it was," he said, shrugging and pushing his cart forward. "It was weird. It was behind a bunch of other things."

Third year electives. Right. He was glad that he didn't have to deal with those quite yet. Something about choosing them made him feel like he was choosing a direction and he wasn't quite ready for that. "Do you know what you're going to take? I accidentally wandered into Ancient Runes last year with the whole.. fairy tale book thing..."

Brian was not sulking. Nope, not at all. He was just thinking. If there was a Platform 9 and a Platform 10, why did there have to be a Platform 9 3/4? Couldn't it be 9 1/2 or even simply Platform 11? Unfortunately for him, his train of thought was interrupted when a couple of voice's asked him if he needed help.

He squinted at them, and then nodded. "Yeah, I'm trying to get to a -" he began, but then realised how everyone else had reacted when he'd said that. So he shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. "Never mind. You'll probably think I'm off my rocker or something like that."

That's probably what everyone else thought.

Oh looky! More people! It was the girl whom Adi had seen a lot of as she played Gobstones and that guy he had seen around but mostly remembered from the Rock Climbing at the last prefect event.

"Hey, you two,'' Adi greeted. He wasn't even back at Hogwarts or on the train and he was seeing all these familiar faces. He was super pleased. Did we mention before that he liked people? Hehe.

The fifth year turned his attention to the young guy. "Now why would we think that?" he wondered aloud. "You need to get to Platforms and and 3/4, right?" he added in a whisper lest the Muggles around heard. "All you need to do is to head straight for that wall there-'' He gestured to it- "It looks solid but really, nothing's going to happen to you. If you like we could go together." Adi wasn't sure he was doing a good job of explaining things but maybe showing the kid how stuff worked would be better.

Kyroh was on the platform, ready, set, PREPARED.

There was only one problem.

He may have been lost.

And it wasn't as though Kyroh Scabior was scared or anything, he knew Kings Cross pretty well by now, but he still had to FIND his parents before he left. Or COULDN'T leave because...well...they had his stuff.

Taking a deep breath the thirteen year old ran back OUT of 9 3/4 through the wall to look for them. It was a GOOD idea really. Until he burst through the barrier smashed into a group of muggles and tumbled onto the ground.