Off He Goes
The morning of September first was a solemn yet boisterous affair around number 4 Privet Drive. As the sun rose over the rooftops, the commotion going on in number 4 soon reached a dull roar.
"Harry, did you remember to pack regular street clothes or did you just pack your robes?" Azalea called up the stairs while trying to balance an empty cat carrier on her hip.
"Yes Mum I have my jumpers, some jeans, a few t-shirts, and the flannels from Great Grandmum Lacey!" the sound of a loud thud followed by swear replacement words soon filled the silence. "Hedwig that can't go with us for Merlin's sake!" The Kneazle in question had been adamant about attempting to slip a simple racing/quidditch broom Azalea had gotten Harry a few years before into the items in his, thankfully, enchanted trunk.
The sound of disgruntled yowling soon joined the air, as Hedgwig made her displeasure about Harry's statement known, there was a small silence that was soon followed by a tired sigh and the sound of a hard thump, "Mum Flash says that the pouch you placed in my knapsack is too small," Harry called down.
Now it was Azalea's turn to sigh, they'd asked the snake no less than twelve times if the travel pocket she'd added to the bag Harry would be keeping with him was comfortable, and every single time they'd been told yes, now suddenly there was a problem. "Bring it here!" she called up grabbing her wand, pausing long enough to check that it was her regular Ash wood and not the Alder she'd recently gotten. "Maybe with some magic and the seam rippers I can get it fixed in time," she half joked as Harry handed her the bag.
Harry snorted, "Fingers crossed," he stated before heading back up to finish the last of his packing.
Twenty minutes, two cursing fits, five breakdowns, and one long cry session/ hug, they finally had everything ready to go and were on their way toward King's Cross Station. As Harry looked around in awe and excitement Azalea continued to look around as the feal of dread slowly pooled in her gut. Even her dueling wand, now firmly secured to her thigh in a holster, seemed to be agitated. Upon learning about Thunder Birds, and by extension wands made with their feathers, Azalea had made it a point to constantly have the new wand in contact with her skin for an early warning.
"Everything okay Mum?" Harry suddenly asked, having finally realized that Azalea looked worried.
Azalea gave him a tense bit real smile as a response, "I honestly don't know sweetpea, my pager is going crazy, but so far I'm not seeing any co-workers." Harry just nodded at the code they'd quickly cobbled together when they'd discovered her wand's ability to sense danger. "What about you? You're music box secure?" the ambient noise of the station was rather loud, and Harry's new wand was strapped down to an arm holster to be sure he could hear it, just in case.
Harry's only response was a nod, which was a good thing as at that moment a woman came rushing through leading a gaggle of red headed children, "Come on, come on if we don't hurry onto platform 9 3/4 we'll miss the train!" Harry and Azalea shared a look before slowly approaching the red haired lot.
"Excuse me," Azalea called out, directing her attention at the woman, "We're headin' there ourselves, would you mind if,” she paused feeling sheepish.
"If we showed you where?" the woman finished for her, "Not at all come along dear." With that Azalea and Harry were soon getting herded along with the rest of the crew. As they went Azalea and the mother, who she soon learned was Molly Weasley, talked and exchanged stories. "Forgive me for sounding rude dear," Molly started out after Azalea had finished a story about one of the last family reunions she and Harry had attended, "But isn't it a bit strange for you not to know your way onto the platform?"
Azalea gave a rueful smile, "I grew up in America and went to Ilvimorny, so this'll be as much my first time as Harry's seeing the train." she explained, "My cousin's have given me a few ideas, but they always say the description doesn't do it justice."
Molly nodded in understanding and they all continued on their way. Completely unaware of the extra eyes following their path. "Are you sure about this Padfoot?" a tall scared man, features mostly covered by a trench coat and hat, asked the large black dog sitting at his feet. The dog in question gave a huff, eyes never once leaving the small black haired boy who was chatting animatedly with one of the older redheads about something he could not hear. The tall man sighed but nodded, "Alright then, I have to admit I'm a little curious about the young lady myself," the dog's head snapped up towards his companion a mix between a whimper and a snarl clear on his face, "Not like that you big baby, now come on, we're losing them."
Back with Azalea, Harry, and the Weasleys they had finally reached their destination, "So you're tellin' me that all we have to do is run straight for the wall between platforms 9 and 10?" Azalea asked Molly with a raised eyebrow, earning a nod in return. "You'd think for someone so smart as to be headmaster of one of the better known schools Dumbledoor would come up with a less suspicious way to disguise the platform." she mumbled under her breath, Harry who had heard tried not to laugh in agreement.
"Percy why don't you go first, show the boys how it's done," Molly suggested. The oldest of the red headed boys nodded before aiming his trolly and getting a running start went right through the wall. "Fred, you're up next," Molly waved at one of the twins.
"I'm not Fred he is!" the one she'd waved at snarks back.
"Honestly woman and you call yourself our mother," the other states a smirk on his face.
"Sorry George," Molly sighs as she waved the same twin forwards.
"I'm just kidding," Fred stated with a smile on his face as he got into place, "I am Fred," and with that he rushed through the barrier, quickly followed by his twin.
Molly huffed at the two boys' antics, "I don't know if it'll help," Azalea started, "But from what I could see Fred is about and inch or two shorter than George, but I don't know if it'll stay that way as they continue to grow." Molly stared at Azalea as if she was just seeing her for the first time.
"You could tell them apart?" she asked in disbelief.
Azalea shrugged, "Like I said it's not a sure fire method but I gave a couple twin cousins in my family that like to play this game, spot the difference became a method of survival at family events." she gave a sheepish smile in return, earning her a bright beaming one from the harried mother.
"I'll keep that in mind," Molly stated before shaking herself, "Alright you two your turn."
Azalea held out a hand, "Harry why don't you let Ron go first? That way Molly and Ginny can join the rest of their family and I can go through with you." Harry nodded and stepped back to let the last remaining Weasley child, at least the last boy, go through. Ron was quickly followed by his mother and sister, leaving just Harry and Azalea left. "Well then," Azalea stated, walking up with a smile, "Shall we?"
Harry smiled back, and with a simple nod they too followed quickly behind their new found friends.
Platform 9 3/4 was just as busy, if not a little more cramped, then the others had been. With families rushing about and running to and fro trying to get children and luggage on the train. "Harry, why don't you go with the boys to put your stuff on the train," Molly suggested once she saw the two through the crowd. Harry nodded and then rushed off to do just that while Azalea stayed standing next to Molly, "It's alright to be nervous about him leaving dear," Molly stated softly and small smile on her face as she looked over at the younger woman, a young woman who wasn't much older then she herself had been when she'd learned of the tragedy that had befallen her old school friend.
Azalea gave her a watery smile, "It feels like just yesterday I was signing the custody papers," she stated with a small tear falling down her cheek, "And now he's all grown up and heading off to Hogwarts for the first time."
"Tissue?" a male voice asked from next to the women, alerting them to a smiling brunette and his wife, "It's our daughter's first year too," he explained rather sheepishly, "I knew we'd need them for sure."
Azalea took one and smiled, "Thank you Mr.?"
He smiled back, "Henry, Henry Granger, and this is my wife Ann." Mrs. Granger waved a hello, "Well we really should be off, have a good day!" and just as suddenly as they came they were gone, off into the crowd.
Meanwhile with the children, Harry was helping Ron and the other boys loud their trunks and other bags.
"Bloody hell," Ron whispered in aw as Harry and George, his mother was right Fred was shorter by at least two inches, were able to easily lift Harry's trunk up onto the train, "Did you not pack much?"
Harry smiled and shook his head, "Oh no, Mum has ruins carved into the wood and metal to make them able to hold more enchantments, and then has at least three different privacy, featherweight, and pocket space enchantments on it, my suitcase and duffle bag too." he proudly stated as he held the old leather suitcase up for Percy to take, the drawstring duffle bag still hung snuggly over his chest.
"Merlin's beard," Ron whispered in awe, "What about the carrier?" he pointed to the cat carrier still on Harry's trolley, the last piece of luggage there.
"Just a stabilization spell, it's meant to give Hedwig a smoother ride so she doesn't get jostled around." Harry answered as he picked the carrier up, the Kneazle in question letting out a loansome sounding meow in the hopes of being freed. "Not much longer now girl," Harry soothed as he and the Weasley children returned to their mothers.
"Everything packed away?" Molly asked when she noticed the children return, when she received nodes from all she smiled, "Right then best be getting on the train!'' The Weasley boys all hugged their mother, while Harry gave Azalea a big squeeze, earning a kiss on the top of his head, before they were all scurrying towards the train.
"Owl me if you need anything," Azalea whispered to Harry before releasing him to join the others. Harry nodded and then hurried off, he sat with Ron and the twins since everywhere else was full, then stared at the window as the train started to slowly move. He watched as his Mum waved from the crowd, and waved back until the platform was out of sight, he was finally heading for Hogwarts.
Back on the platform Azalea wiped another tear from her eye and bid Molly a farewell, she figured she'd go ahead and leave, maybe cry for a while at home, or call her grandmother. Her little boy was finally on his way to Hogwarts.