Right, now he had to go on through the wall, alone. He looked up at his sister with wide sad eyes seeing as how he was honestly, well, terrified. "i wish you could come" and by that he meant over to the other side, but she wouldn't even if she could cause he had to do it on his own apparently. Looking over to his niece who was now almost four he put up his fist for a fist bump from her and he beamed when she did it. "you be good Malaya, give momma and grandma hell, yeah?" he said as he quickly dodged a smack on the shoulder from his sister. "love you guys... i guess ill see you for Christmas." he said standing up from being on his nieces level.

Now he just had to go straight forward to platforms nine and ten and walk straight into a brick wall.

No big deal, right?

Ian looked up at his dad as he eyed the wall before him. He remembered this last year and how nervous he had been about walking through a wall. Sure, he'd spent time around wizards since his birth, but the muggle part of him always flinched a little at things that didn't match up with physical properties of the 'normal' world.

He took a deep breath and said, "Alright then." He pushed his cart forward and walked through the wall hoping his father was right behind him.

Weird.

This all just felt really weird. Like maybe she was dreaming or something because there was no way in the wizarding world that she, Ella Bishop, was a seventh year. That was just...yeah. It couldn't be happening.

Only it was. The badge pinned to her backpack was the reminder and she couldn't help but feel a strange mix of sadness and excitement about all of it. She also felt nerves but that was nothing new.

Having had a tearful goodbye with her family outside, more so than usual for reasons, the blonde approached the wall between platforms 9 and 10 and just sort of took it all in. Last train ride to Hogwarts. Beginning of her last term. Weird.

Shaking her head slightly as if to clear her thoughts, the seventeen year old let out a breath and then when the coast was clear, headed right towards the brick and through the wall.

Mack stood waiting for a moment and watched as a swarm of muggles headed in her direction, as they were passing and no one really noticing her at all she walked straight through the wall, seeing the train sitting and waiting for all the students to make their way back to Hogwarts.

A smile played on her lips, finally she was headed to the only place that her grandmother couldn't bug her. She was headed to the place she had decided to call home.

Kace faced the wall for a third year in a row. He wasn't nervous at all. He knew the wall would just swallow him up and then take him to the other side. He watched to see if muggles were around. He check left and right and the coast was all clear. He nodded to assure himself.

He got his trolley all ready and then took the wall at a run. He ran so fast, he hoped he wouldn't crash and then he didn't. He landed on the other side. Aaaahhhh the smell of the Hogwarts Express. There was nothing like it. He smiled brightly and brought his trolley over to the conductor.

Adi didn't jog through the Wall this time. He knew what to expect now and wasn't nervous so after he said goodbye to his parents,he just casually walked towards the Wall, trying not to bump into anyone. With Gus still croaking merrily, Adi soon found himself on Platform 9 3/4.

He was going home! Well, his second home anyway. He could hardly wait to find his friends.

Sander pushed his trolley filled with all his school stuff and some and looked all around him. Being a transfer from Durmstrang, he found himself not knowing what to do.

Yes people lots of people who possibly seemed like some were headed for the same school he was but right now he needed to know how to get to Platform 9 3/4. Someone had told him you had to run into a wall to get there.

Yeah right.....like that was ever going to happen. Sander suspected that the person was playing a prank on him.

So here he was staring at the wall. Platform 9 on one side and Platform 10 on the other. So where was 9 3/4's?

Sander looked around. Maybe it was way back in the distance. Like one of those last minute places people put when they suddenly realized they had accidentally forgotten they needed a spot for the 3/4 platform.

Okay....where are you? Sander scratched his head before giving up and sitting on his trolley. Hopefully somebody would notice him and help him out.

Mitchell looked around when he heard his name. Or... what was almost his name. Was he really answering to Mitchie? ... apparently.

"Hey Lawn Gnome."

... no idea where that came from. Buttttttttttttt he kinda liked it. Lawn Gnome it was. It was almost as weird as answering to Mitchie.

"Yup." And he liked it. No more being in his older siblings' shadows. He was going to a new school where he could be his own person.

"Is your brother normally here? I'm not waiting on anything. Wait. We go through the wall?" Mitchie Mitchell could dish out the answers as fast as Lawn Gnome could deal them. It was a talent.

What was that strange insect like click? Oh. It was this girl. Mitchell tilted his head to the side. She was nice to look at. And rude. And sounded like a bug. But mostly, nice to look at.

"Yes." he replied. Was she? Because she wasn't holding a frog.

DUH! Mitchell knew that they wouldn't get there by just standing. "We're taking the train." Hence the train ticket.

"Oh em geeee. I don't want to run at a wall." Ruby was eyeing it having seen her uncle Leon just go through in demonstration and now she turned to her cousins with her hands on her hips. "Seriously, what if it just suddenly becomes an actual wall and I bust my nose? Like, I totally don't want to mess my face up you know. My face is like, totally a good face." The thirteen year old fluffed her hair and then subconsciously took an apprehensive step backward, closer to Gabriel for a bit of support. Actually she was a bit scared of it but she wouldn't say THAT.



_______

.... so why did he have to wait around for this? His dad had gone through with his trunk already, and honestly West wasn't THAT fussed about his little cousins being there to see him off. He'd had enough of the pair of thirteen year olds during the summer and, sure, okay, it hadn't been THAT bad, and Gabe was okay, but really.

The tall sixth year rolled his eyes and adjusted his badge before folding his arms across his chest and waiting for Ruby to sort herself out. If she didn't hurry up he'd just go on through without her.

West looked at his sister and made an impatient face. Couldn't she hex Ruby through?

Lawn Gnome? Lana just looked at Mitchie for a moment before BEAMING. That was a nickname! Lawn gnome. That meant Mitchie thought she was COOL.

She continued to beam as he answered her questions. And asked some of his own. "My brother was in Diagon Alley where I met you! And he brought me here, but he left because he said I could do it on my own. Then I found you! And now we have to go through the wall and we should run when we do because -"

... clicking. Lana was distracted.

She turned her attention to the girl that was approaching. And watched her. She was asking questions too, only she wasn't giving them any time to answer. Lana stood on her toes to try to get the attention on her.

"I know that we're not, because we have to go through the wall. Are you going to Hogwarts too? You can come with us. This is Mitchie." She pat the arm of the boy in question. "And I'm Lana Keller. And it's best if you take the wall at a run. That way you don't get scared and chicken out."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tegz

"Oh em geeee. I don't want to run at a wall." Ruby was eyeing it having seen her uncle Leon just go through in demonstration and now she turned to her cousins with her hands on her hips. "Seriously, what if it just suddenly becomes an actual wall and I bust my nose? Like, I totally don't want to mess my face up you know. My face is like, totally a good face." The thirteen year old fluffed her hair and then subconsciously took an apprehensive step backward, closer to Gabriel for a bit of support. Actually she was a bit scared of it but she wouldn't say THAT.



_______

.... so why did he have to wait around for this? His dad had gone through with his trunk already, and honestly West wasn't THAT fussed about his little cousins being there to see him off. He'd had enough of the pair of thirteen year olds during the summer and, sure, okay, it hadn't been THAT bad, and Gabe was okay, but really.

The tall sixth year rolled his eyes and adjusted his badge before folding his arms across his chest and waiting for Ruby to sort herself out. If she didn't hurry up he'd just go on through without her.

West looked at his sister and made an impatient face. Couldn't she hex Ruby through?

Aspen had more patience than most and generally would have enjoyed scaring her cousin into believing the wall had eaten several teenagers before... But... This was West's day.

Not Ruby's. Anything that took attention away from West was unwelcome and on the immediate eradication list.

"Your face is safe so long as it gets onto the platform." Otherwise............... the subtle threat would become a blatant hex.

Gabe...had a book. He was fortunate to have said book, too, as the general conversation between his cousins and sister wafted his way. He wanted no part of anything Ruby was bringing on herself. West wasn't that bad of a guy. He tolerated them better than most...but Aspen? Well, Aspen was a no nonsense woman. He'd watched television shows about that kind before and if he'd ever met one in person, she was it.

She was the Wizard Cops, too. That added to the whole aura she had going on.

As he continued to read, there was a shift and Gabe could sense Ruby stepping closer to him. Why...was she doing that? If hexes were about to be slung, he didn't want to get hit...So, as they both continued to walk, he inched away.

No, thank you.

Right, running into a wall. Totally normal, right? Although it was Hazel's second time doing this, it still seemed a bit odd.

"You're still sure about this, right Mum? There hasn't been some study that shows that Platform 9 3/4 doesn't work anymore?" Chuckle, chuckle.

"You'll be fine. Ready?" She nodded. Looking straight at the wall and quickening her pace, Hazel ran into the wall.

"But I don't know howwwwww." Ruby said all pouty faced up at Aspen. It was kind of scary didn't she get it? Not that Ruby would SAY that but.... OH. GABE COULD SAVE HER.

She jumped on his back and latched on.

"GO, BROTHER GO! THROUGH THE WALL!"

West was looking around, partly watching for Muggles, partly watching to see who was already going through and all that. Ruby was holding them UP but then she jumped on Gabe's back.... and he laughed. Okay.

"You're scared of a little WALL, Ruby? Can't do it on your own?" He'd been really keen his first time. No sweat.

Marigold leaned back against the wall and sighed, watching the people run into the wall in front of her. She knew she should go already, but she still stayed in that position, shifting her weight. Sighhh. She absentmindedly patted Nibbles's fur, knowing that her owl was staying at her house for the first few days. She put her cat down in her cart, and stood up to face her parents. Her mother still had red eyes, her father looked tired. She wrapped her arms around the two of them.

"If you need to come home, we will get you in a second," her father whispered to her, and to her only.

She nodded, and then walked briskly towards the wall. Not even hesitating, she disappeared through it.

Back at last.

Why did Aspen not find herself at all surprised that her cousin claimed she didn't know how to walk into a wall? It was funny, if not full on ironic, that someone as dumb as Ruby would claim ignorance for a task that was seemingly so suitable for her.

On the other hand, her other cousin - the boy one - seemed to have an ounce of sense. His shying away didn't go unnoticed.

Aspen let them go on their way and pretended they didn't exist in favor of West. "Need anything last minute before we go through? Not too late to pop into a shop quickly." OR lose their cousins in London.

While still waiting for someone to tell him how to cross over to the other side. Sander was beginning to lose hope when he saw another older boy approaching with his family.


Okay Sander time to make more friends and find out how the heck you're supposed to cross through this wall without smashing your face into it.

But how? The usual wave or the slap on hand shoulder hi....or just the....he just knew he'd look stupid asking the crossing wall situation when others before him an

"Uh excuse me do you know where the nearest loo is?" Sander asked.

Yes that question sounded normal enough. Then I can lead up to the how to get to Platform 9 3/4s

Back to his book, though...

Gabe had discovered Arithmancy this summer, thanks to West's old textbooks...and he had not kept his nose out of them since. He was so deeply fascinated by numbers in general. Numbers were precise and added up to make sense. They weren't like girls...Like his sister.

...who'd just attacked him like the crazed person she was.

Eyes widening, Gabriel flailed his arms at the unexpected weight on his back, the secondhand Arithmancy text crashing to the ground. Being caught off guard, it was all he could do to keep them both from skidding on the gravel and ultimately eating rocks. "Ruby!" What was WRONG with her?!

Girls. HE DID NOT LIKE THEM. They were insane!

Shaking her off...or trying to, he went to collect the book, limping slightly. After gingerly picking it up and dusting it off...he, ONCE AGAIN, buried his nose into it...limping towards the wall. Why was he limping? Either way, Gabe passed on into the bricks, carefully emerging on the other side.

Hope stood there watching people vanishing from a pretty far distance. It seemed easy enough. Too easy really. Her father placed a hand on her shoulder but she shook it off. She didn't need to be babied, especially not in public. Really, was she three or something?

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Her mother had been asking her this question for a week now and it caused her to roll her eyes, but not in a way that her mum would notice. Hope turned and gave them both quick hugs.

"I'd invite you to join me but really it's not necessary. I'll be fine and I'll owl you when I make it to the castle or something. I don't know. I'll be fine." As much as she loved her parents she wasn't in the mode for an embarrassing-tears-falling goodbye scene.

She moved forward slowly pushing her cart through the rest of the crowd heading towards the wall. Alone. Like she should be.

"I wouldn't hate a coffee actually." And linger a bit longer with Aspen. That'd be cool. He'd at least got to hang out with her a bit this summer but it still got him upset knowing he was going off to school for around ten months and be away from her, even if they could catch up in Hogsmeade and at Christmas and stuff.

.... a muggle? Asking him about the toilets.

The tall Slytherin waved in the general direction of those and then just turned back to his sister.

See even though she was totally nice enough to come see him off, West was mean and Aspen even wasn't being all that helpful but Gabe wo-- what! No? She clung like a limpet, not being shook off here, and just held on tight as Gabe FINALLY went through.... taking her with him. She'd get off on the other side and act like nothing had happened at all, but for the meantime her eyes were screwed tightly closed. She didn't want to see it. Didn't want to SEE herself sliding through stone.

So, platform 9 and 3/4. This would be the last time Nate would be able to see it. Unless he came with Spencer to take him to the train station. Then he could annoy Caelyn even more then. Though now he had both Spencer and Caelyn in his arms. Caelyn in his right and Spencer in his left. They were suprisingly both extremely light. They didn't even weigh his body weight combined. Staring at the both of them he set them down. Nothing much to see here. Other then platforms nine and platforms ten. Pointing he said to the both of them "This is platform nine and this is platform ten. There is aboslutely positivily nothing in between." Then he ran at the brick wall, and went through carrying his luggage.

Spencer quietly stared at Nate as he ran through the wall. Then he stared at Caelyn. "Looks like we're going to have to run through it to get to the train." He told Caelyn.

Well at least Nate set them down. At one point Nate had both her and Spencer. She was plotting their escape until he let them go and thank goodness because the plan was entirely contrived. She had no idea if the plan was actually going to work anyway. Thank goodness he intervened before it got ugly. Or at least as ugly as a feisty eighty five pound girl could get.

Yeah, platform nine and ten. She knew that those were the muggle platforms. She watched everyone as they ran to catch their boring trains to their boring Muggle jobs. She wondered if her father was here. All of a sudden, a bit of homesickness hit her stomach like a sinking ship. The redhead dug her fingernails into her palms for a few seconds to steel her nerves and took a deep breath out. Hopefully Spencer didn't see that.

Okay so Nate had just ran through a wall. She read about this before and knew she had to follow but a wall? In all of her eleven years of life, you didn't run through walls, you ran into them and broke your nose. Her older brother Rockwell had done it twice. Well, that was all about to change. Because to get to Hogwarts she literally had to play chicken with a wall and win.

"Before we go, promise that you'll send me everything you learned. " she held out her pinky in promise fashion and smiled. " I don't want you getting ahead of me here." She smiled again.

............

"Peace out." And with those words, she looked to make sure no Muggles were watching. They tended to ask questions, they did. And with the confirmation that nobody was looking, she grabbed Spencer's wrist to pull him through with her.

Aspen didn't show it, but her disapproval rating for her "cousins" had never been higher. She actually wanted them DNA tested. How could they be related? Really. Maybe her Aunt Linda was adopted?

Anyway. Aspen eased easily into pretending literally everyone else did not exist and the only person in the world was West Odessa who wanted a coffee. Or maybe just an excuse to not go through with Gabe and Ruby. "At least they aren't going to Hogwarts with you." No, they'd still be at home with Aspen.

What? Wait!....Sander realized that his choice of question wasn't so appropriate all. First of all this guy didn't know him from Adam. For all he knew, Sander could just be a regular muggle boy returning to boarding school. So of course he would show him what he had asked.

No....Sander knew now that the only way was to show the boy that he was going to Hogwarts and needed to know how to find Platform 9 and 3/4s

So digging in his backpack, he pulled out a scarf that had the Hogwarts insignia on it and holding it in his hand with just the badge showing, Sander tried again.

"Thanks for showing me those bathrooms, but I was actually looking for specific ones located on Platform 9 and 3/4s." Sander told the boy, holding up his hand to show that he wasn't a muggle.

"I'm just having a little difficulty finding my way there. Could you help me out?" Sander asked blushing a little. He was sooooo totally embarrassed that he couldn't figure out something as simple as finding a specific numbered platform.

They were finally here. The long awaited King's Cross. She was so close to her new journey that her fingertips tingled. It felt weird so she curled them into a fist.

Breath, she told herself, you've wanted this since...ever. No going back to Daddy. He, after all, was the main reason why she'd missed the first three years of her education at Hogwarts. But Beverly didn't resent him in any way. He was just trying to protect after--that event. Besides, she'd taken out all of her pent up anger on her tutors. Miss Flegton's hair was never going to be the same again. Smirk.

She glanced up at her brother. He didn't know just grateful she was that he'd taken time off from whatever secret mission he'd been working on to accompany her. Grandmother Morgana had volunteered, but Beverly 100% preferred the former Slytherin. And Dad had gone to Russia for a conference for a few days.

"Do we..?" She made a walking motion with her fingers toward the wall.

Kennedy was having somewhat of a hard time believing his little sister was now thirteen and not eight. Or that she was on her own journey to Hogwarts.

Jeez. Memories of his first train ride swarmed his mind. Bianca had brought him--a cousin he never knew existed prior two days before. His mother had been an ocean away. And he'd felt extremely alone. It is why he made sure Beverly didn't feel that way. Conveniently, she'd only wanted him to come with her, and he was fine with that. Morgana--their grandmother-- got under his skin.

Glancing from Beverly's walking finger-motion to the wall, he nodded. Taking her hand he picked up their pace to a jog. "You know, if you're not fast enough you'll splat right into the wall." It wasn't true, but he enjoyed teasing her.

Her giggles were enough to tell him he needed to brush up on his story telling skills.