Chapter 3

Finding platform 9 ¾ was surprisingly hard.

Rachel had read, that the entrance was hidden from mortals (or what wizards called them: muggles), but she didn't think it would be that hard to find.

When they entered King's Cross Station, Reyna had made a beeline for platform nine, saying it would be there. Hazel was looking around in wonder, taking in everything she could. She wanted to know all there was to the late 20th century, being dead at the time and missing it. Rachel couldn't remember this time either, she hadn't been alive yet. Thinking about this made her dizzy.

"Ugh, how are we supposed to find this stupid platform?", Reyna huffed. "Couldn't that stand in your book?"

Rachel shrugged. She wondered how those with non-magical parents were supposed to find the Hogwarts Express. It was kind of stupid from the teachers not to tell them anything.

They sat down on one of the benches on platform nine. Rachel pulled her rucksack from her back, setting it on the bench next to her.

Hazel asked them, if she should turn them eleven years old. Reyna agreed.

Hazel closed her eyes, concentrating hard. Rachel could see the Mist shifting around them. Out of Hazel's hands more Mist poured, wrapping itself around Rachel's body. It tingled a bit, then the Mist thickened.

Rachel looked down at herself. She couldn't see any difference for a second, then she noticed that the built of her body was more flat and less curvy. Her hands were smaller and the little scar at the back of her hand had disappeared. Her jacket hung loose around her and the shoes felt too big. She turned her head, her now shorter hair flapping into her face. Hazel didn't look too different. She was a bit smaller and her hair longer, the face a bit more youthful. Other than that, she looked the same. Reyna on the other hand was a complete shock. The braided hair was really short, brushing against the girl's chin. Her skin and eyes looked darker and her body had shrank to half of her previous size. What made Rachel wonder was the healthy and happy aura surrounding her. What had happened in Reyna's early teen years to change her like that? Rachel knew the answer, of course. War happened. It happened to all of them. Nonetheless, it was still a shock to see her friends in their younger versions. The ones not affected by war.

Rachel looked away from Reyna, who clearly felt uncomfortable, and to the big clock hanging above their heads. Only twenty minutes until the train's departure.

"Is that an owl?", asked Hazel in disbelief.

Reyna and Rachel looked where the daughter of Pluto was pointing. A a rather small brown owl was flying through one of the opened windows of the train station, soaring towards them. Some of the people around them were pointing and yelling about it.

Rachel could see Reyna getting out her sword, as if the owl was going to attack her. Hazel went into a defensive position too, so Rachel pulled out her small bronze dagger she had gotten from Annabeth. The hilt was leather, so she was able to touch it.

Instead of doing anything to them, the owl dropped a small package and soared off.

Reyna put her sword away again and muttered something about freaky owls.

Hazel picked up the package. She inspected it for a few seconds, not finding anything dangerous.

"Should we open it?", she asked.

"Who says it's for us?", pointed out Rachel.

Hazel showed her the addressee.

Hazel Levesque,

Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano,

Rachel Elizabeth Dare

Platform Nine

King's Cross Station

London, England

"What the-", asked Reyna.

She took the package from Hazel and ripped it open. Inside were three letters, a list with book names and a miniature cauldron.

"What is that?", asked Rachel confused.

She opened one of the letters. It was addressed at Hazel, so the daughter of Pluto told her to read it to them.

Dear Ms. Levesque,

We are pleased to inform you, that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Rachel looked up from the letter and into the surprised faces from Hazel and Reyna.

"That was weird", said Hazel.

Rachel smirked.

"Congratulations Hazel, you're now officially a student of Hogwarts", she said. "I bet fifty drachmas that the other letters are invitations too"

Reyna nodded and pocketed her own letter. "But what is this?", she asked, holding up the cauldron.

"A cauldron", answered Hazel.

"But it's so small. The only witch being able to use it would be a puppet"

Hazel shrugged. She read through her letter again. "Apparently we need to get some things for this school. But where do you get magical books?"

Rachel took the cauldron from Reyna. A small piece of paper was sticking out of it. She pulled it out, surprised, that it expanded, until it was a normal piece of paper. Just that it wasn't really paper.

"What material is that?", Rachel muttered.

Turning the paper around, she found a short note written there.

We are aware that you just arrived in England and weren't able to buy your equipment. The school purchased the equipment for three first years for you. Please buy your own next year. ~ Minerva McGonagall

"You think the rest is in here too?", asked Hazel.

She took the cauldron out of Rachel's hand, turning it upside down. A bunch of miniature books tumbled out, growing in size on their way to the floor.

"Holy Juno!", exclaimed Reyna.

She quickly scooped the books up, just in time before another passenger wanted to help. They were five books, looking ancient and with weird pictures on the cover. They too, were made out of the same material as the note.

"Looks like parchment", Reyna told them. "I have seen it in one of the temples"

"Parchment, huh? Man, these wizards are way behind modern culture", Rachel said.

"If you take it like that, everybody here is way behind modern culture", Hazel laughed.

As if to prove her point, she pulled out a digital camera and shot a picture of the train station. Then one of the books and at last one of the two other girls.

"Hazel, put that away!", hissed Reyna.

Hazel laughed and pocketed her camera again. "Just some snapshots to remember this", she told them.

Just in that moment a family of two hurried towards the pillar between platform ten and nine. Rachel poked Hazel and Reyna and nodded her head towards the two. One of them was an older woman, a bit overweight and in a really colorful outfit. On her head was a big hat, looking like a stuffed bird. The boy next to her was dragging a big trunk and tripping over the legs of his pants. On his head sat a big toad, but the boy was oblivious to that.

"Looks like wizards", mused Hazel.

Reyna nodded. "I have seen a bunch of weird looking people with owls or toads walking in this direction. Didn't think much of it.", she told them.

"Let's go then", said Rachel and stood up.

She controlled if her wand was still tucked behind her ear and grabbed her rucksack. Hazel stuffed the cauldron into her jacket pocket and stood up too. Reyna looked at the books in her hands, before stuffing them on top of her clothes. She zipped up the rucksack and patted her jeans pockets, where her wand and a dagger were hidden.

"Let's go to school then"

They followed the boy and his grandmother, who were now running through the pillar.

Rachel stopped in her tracks.

"I'm not running against pillars", she told her friends.

"But it's obviously the way", said Hazel.

She started to run too, her hair flying behind her. Instead of slamming against the brick wall, she ran straight through it.

"Look's like it works", Reyna said.

She grabbed Rachel's wrist and started running. Rachel suppressed a scream, as they ran through the wall. They came out on another platform. On a sign it said 9 ¾, so Rachel figured they where at the right place. Turning towards the rails, Rachel came face to face with a beautiful scarlet steam locomotive. On the side it said Hogwarts Express.

Hazel appeared next to them, dragging them over to the boy from earlier.

"That's Neville Longbottom. He is starting Hogwarts too, but he knows a lot about wizards already.", she told them.

"Hey, Neville. These are my friends Rachel and Reyna", she greeted the boy.

Rachel said hello too but kept looking at the toad on top of Neville's head. She wondered why he dragged it around with him.

"I suppose you have to board the train, or you won't get any compartments", said Neville's grandmother. She pressed a wet kiss on Neville's cheek, what he seemed to find embarrassing.

"Let's just get inside", Reyna said. "If you want, you can sit with us"

Neville broke into a smile. "Okay!"

Reyna led the way towards on of the doors into the train. Rachel and Hazel followed her, with Neville trailing behind.

Inside of the train were kids between eleven and seventeen hustling about, talking to each other. Owls were flying overhead and a stray charm was whizzing by Rachel's ear. It was a bit strange being this small and having to weave between the older kids. Normally she was one of the tallest and could just push the small ones away. But now she was seven years younger than normally and she had to get used to that.

Reyna didn't seem bothered by her small frame. She used her sharp elbows and her death glare to get the others out of her way. Rachel Hazel set up a scowl too and walked behind Reyna, daring them to step into their path. Neville didn't manage that and was pushed around a few times, until Hazel grabbed him by the arm and dragged him behind her.

They found a compartment easily. Reyna lifted the bags into a luggage rack and helped Neville with his trunk.

"Don't you have a trunk, too?", he asked and set the toad on one of the seats.

Rachel scooted a bit away from it and towards the window. Hazel and Reyna took their seats opposite them.

"Who is that?", asked Hazel pointing at the toad.

Neville perked up at that. "That's Trevor, he is my toad", he told them proudly.

"He is cute", said Hazel.

She asked if he could pet him and Neville nodded.

Rachel traded a look with Reyna and rolled her eyes. Hazel and her love for animals.

On the other side of the window, Rachel could see the clock. It was now eleven. With a jolt the train began moving, slowly rattling out of the station. Rachel could her yelled farewells and see parents waving. It reminded her a bit of her friends saying goodbye to her and she smiled. She just hoped she would see them soon.