Chapter 7 - The Hogwarts Express

                                        

                                              
The Hogwarts Express
                              
Harry slept longer than he usually would sleep, but he still woke up well before he needed to wake up. Tom brought him up some breakfast and after he ate, he looked at his new Defense Against the Dark Arts book. It was dark, needless to say. It had many spells in it, especially for illegal magic, and it had no mention of how to block the spells. 
                              
He wondered who could have assigned such a book. He supposed he would find out when he got to Hogwarts that night, and just then realized he was going back within the next few hours. He sighed deeply, and then changed into Muggle clothes. He again put on the hooded sweatshirt. He knew he would not be able to wear his hood up in class, but to avoid questions, it would work for now. He packed all his new stuff. He pulled out the will of his wet clothes and put it in one of the corners of his trunk.
                              
At half past nine, Tom came up to carry his chest down to the public street and called a Muggle cab. The driver put the trunk and Hedwig in the car, and they got to King's Cross and unloaded the car into a trolley by ten. Harry made his way to platform nine and three-quarters. The train did not leave until eleven, but he had nothing better to do. He slowly relaxed against the wall that led to platform nine and three quarters and slid through unnoticeably. 
                              
There were no other students there yet. The train was there, but it did not start boarding until half past ten. Harry found a dark corner on the side of the platform. He could see everyone arrive and conceal himself. To pass the time his started thinking about Gringotts. Many people were watching him there, especially since Seamus called out his name. Did someone send his car deep down into Gringotts to die? Moreover, what about the other cart? It was empty, was that sent to ram them? These questions he could not answer.
                              
Some people were starting to arrive. He saw a few second years and a group of seventh years. Cho arrived and Harry noticed she had a badge on her robes. She must be the Head Girl, but he was not that interested in her anymore. The train soon started to let people on. Harry did not want to have to look hard for a compartment and he also wanted to decrease the chance that someone would spot him, so he moved to the train.
                              
With some difficulty, he managed to hoist up his trunk up the stairs of the train and drag it to his compartment, near the end of the train. He could not lift it up on to the racks, so he put it on the seat and fixed it so that if anyone looked into the compartment, they would not see him behind his trunk. He could perfectly hide from view. He could see out the window a bit, too, and someone would have to come real close to the window to see him.
                              
He looked out and saw Colin and Dennis Creevy, Luna Lovegood, with her waist-long, silvery-blonde hair, Lavender Brown, Parvati and Padma Patil, Seamus and his very stern mother, Susan Bones with her aunt, mother and father, but no Ron and Hermione. He saw Neville with his Grandma. They came pretty close to his window, but they did not look in. He could overhear a little of what they were saying.
                              
"...that's what she said. We are all very proud of you. If only you didn't break your father's wand," Neville's Grandma said.
                              
"Oh, Gran, I didn't mean to..." Neville stammered.
                              
"Of course you didn't, but your parents would be proud of you, fighting them... now you be careful. No leaving the school! You're not an adult, yet!" she said, crossly.
                              
"Ok," Neville groaned, and they said their goodbyes and disappeared from view. 
                              
Harry heard people walking through the hallway. Some stopped by his compartment, but realized it was taken and left. It was ten minutes until the train was set to leave, when he spotted six heads with flaming red hair. Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had arrived and Hermione was with them.