Behind The Mirror

Chapter 1

The long stretch of concrete between platforms 9 and 10 appeared normal to the ordinary passer-by. Men, women and children hurried back and forth, briefcases swinging and fluffy toys dropping onto the dusty floor all over the place. If one of these people had bothered to take the time to slow down and listen they might have heard some rather unusual mutterings coming from a large group of people, all with red hair,

“He’ll be here soon I’m sure, dear, try not to be impatient.”

“If he doesn’t hurry up soon, the Hogwarts Express will leave and we’ll be stuck here, I bet it’s those bloody muggles he lives with, always trying to mess things up for him…”

“Ron! What have I told you about respect! I’m sure Harry doesn’t badmouth his family like you just did!”

“Mum, are you sure that you packed my dress robes? I can’t find them in here...”

“Yeah look they’re right there you great oaf, next to that bag of dungbombs. Probably didn’t recognise them ‘cos they’re clean.”

“Yeah at least I…”

“Stop it boys, here’s Harry!”

The redheaded twins that had been insulting each other looked up with a grin. A boy with messy brown hair was rushing towards him, a cart in front of him loaded with a trunk, a broomstick and a steel birdcage with a rather rumpled looking snowy owl in it.

“Sorry I’m late!” gasped the boy, “I had some trouble convincing Uncle Vernon to give me a lift here.”

“S’all right Harry, but we’ve got to go right now if we want to be going to school this term.”

The woman in charge of this small gathering jumped to life and started to hustle the twins through what appeared to be an ordinary platform barrier.

“You first George and Fred… watch that broom Fred, it’s coming off!”

“All right Mum!” Fred said, pulling the broom on his cart into a more satisfactory position. Then he and George nonchalantly slid into the barrier and disappeared from sight.

“You next Ginny… by the way it’s very nice to see you Harry dear.”

“Thanks Mrs Weasley… how are you Ginny? Good holiday?” Harry grinned. The small girl that had been very quiet all this time squeaked, turning as red as her hair, and rushed through the barrier.

Harry, Ron and Mrs Weasley set off after her, walking swiftly through the barrier.

On the other side it was a completely different world, no empty crisp packets lingered on the floor and instead of one of those new fangled “fast” trains, a gleaming red steam engine occupied the track. Children, and parents, of all sorts bustled around on the platform, some wearing robes, some ordinary clothes. The air was thick with voices.

“I’ve lost Trevor again! I just don’t know where he gets to!” wailed one boy.

“Send an owl wont you dear? I’ll send you some sweets later on to tide you over…”

“Mum! I can’t find Dennis anywhere…”

“Have you checked the train…”

“Where’s my trunk? Oh, there it is…”

Harry looked around, taking everything in, and smiled to himself. He looked upwards and saw the swinging sign that pronounced “Platform 9 ¾ - Hogwarts Express”. Just then a girl with bushy brown hair ran up to Harry and Ron.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere! Is your stuff on the train? Obviously not! Come on, I’ve saved us a compartment!”

At that she started to tug on the nearest cart, which happened to be Ron’s, and wheel it towards the train.

“Hermione, watch what you’re doing with that! Fred gave me some dungbombs, you don’t want to set them off!”

Hermione looked reproachfully at Ron, “Really! You should be focusing on schoolwork Ron! Not playing the fool.”

Ron glared at her and snatched back his cart. Mrs Weasley noticed.

“Ron! I’ve told you before! If you can’t be nice…”

Her words were cut off from a blast of the train’s horn. Immediately her mood changed.

“Quick kids! Get on! What’s that… Yes, I have packed your Transfiguration book George, it’s in your trunk…Ginny you forgot your cloak, here… Bye! Have a nice time… Be good… Bye Harry… Bye Hermione…”

The children were safely in the carriage that Hermione had saved, and with vigorous waving to Mrs Weasley, the train pulled out of Platform 9 ¾.