An American Muggle in Hogwarts
NOTE: I couldn't find any specifics in the books, so I assumed that Rowling was talking about the Kings Cross St. Pancras station in Central London. It seems to be the largest, and most used station. A very logical choice. It apparently offers both underground, and ground level rail transportation. I didn't look to find pictures or physical descriptions, but from what I gather it seems to have an above ground complex as well as a below ground. If anyone has better information, please drop me a line! I strive for accuracy as much as possible! My theory is, that Hogwart's Express isn't physically located at Kings Cross, just nearby, or underground, and the only way to get there is through the wall at platform 9. Possibly to give young witches and wizards experience with dealing with muggles.
Chapter 1 – At The Train Station.
It was one of those rare early September days in London. The sun was shining brightly just over the horizon, the air was crisp with the scent of morning. Crowds of people walked to their morning appointments, while others drove in their motor cars. Two attractive young women made their way down the street away from the railway station at Pancras Road. Restaurants, Inns, and shops of every sort lined both sides the Central London Street. They approached a young man on his way down Grey's Inn street. He nodded at them, and they smiled in return. In every respect this young man could have passed off as a musician, or a music student. He was of just slightly under average height, and wore a dark green t-shirt, and blue jeans. Small square framed glasses covered his not quite hazel eyes. As he continued down the street he absently ran his fingers through his short, almost black hair and waved to a familiar looking face on the street. As he neared the MacDonald And Devon Hotel he adjusted the straps of the guitar case that hung on his back. In every respect he was of not quite, but almost average appearance. He was the kind of person that you remember seeing, but only in the back of your mind. He was an average British young musician in all respects, excepting one, his almost drawling accent. He stopped in front of the station and gazed up at the entrance. The Kings Cross Station, just the place he'd been looking for. To make sure he stopped a tall, thin, man with receding hair. The man was followed by a few red-headed young people, likely his children, and a dark headed young man with glasses, that looked out of place among the others.
"Sir, is this Kings Cross station? There are so many here and I need to make sure I'm in the right place." He said in a slight accent, that was obviously from the American Midwest.
"It is indeed!" said the man, shaking the American's hand. "Are you an American?"
"Thank you, and yes sir I am."
"I've never met an American. Pleased to meet you. We really must be on our way!" the man said as he and his family hurried into the station. The man chattered to the young people about "American" and "Fascinating". The young American shook his head and hurried towards the station. He quickly glanced up at a clock on the wall and carefully made his way amidst the crowds to platform 9. The young man looked at his pocket watch quickly and backed up into the crowd a bit, and stood by a support pillar and watched the platform carefully.
"How do they do it?" he asked himself quietly, as he looked at the platform casually. "Oh crap." He said to himself after a few moments.
The same red headed family he had bumped into outside the station stepped onto the platform and looked around a bit too casually. The dark headed boy, and one of the red heads, who looked similar in age leaned up against the wall and looked around. From the strain their legs were showing they weren't really leaning on anything. Suddenly they seemed to fall through when they thought no one was looking. The rest of the family repeated the same process, except the older man, and the woman that appeared to be his wife. After a few moments they too, were gone. He fought off a nagging sense of disbelief in his mind, and then slowly grinned as the memory tried to fade, but then didn't
"They must think we're dumb." The American muttered to himself. "I don't suppose anyone who saw that would believe it though. Damn magic memory charms."
He walked confidently to the wall, quickly glanced around and then walked through. The few people that did see it just assumed that he walked behind the wall after a few moments. The young man found himself in an old style train station, standing in front of an even older style train. It was a well kept steam locomotive, it was painted bright red. A sign that read "Hogwarts Express", hung over the platform. The young man reached into his pocket to find his ticket when a liveried attendant approached him.
"Need 'elp with your luggage, sir?" asked the attendant.
"No sir, thank you it's already been taken care of. I could use some help figuring out where exactly to get on though."
"Not many American wizards come here, can I see yar ticket?" the attendant said as he motioned for a conductor and a wizard.
The man with the red headed children came up and stared at the young American.
"He's a muggle! I'm sure of it!" he said. "How'd you get in here?"
"I watched you." the American said slowly, quickly glancing around as the other wizards circled around him.
"The memory charms around the platform must be breaking down or something." Said one of the wizards.
"They work fine." The American replied. "I fought the effects off. I'm supposed to be here anyway."
"I'm sure." Said one of the wizards as he produced a wand from his robes.
"There is no need for that." Said the American as he quickly took the wand away from the wizard and pulled an envelope from his own pocket. "This is from Elanus Green. I'm an invited Guest." The young man handed the envelope to the wizard with the red headed children. The wizard opened it and pulled out a piece of parchment inside.
To Whom it May concern,
The young man who possesses this letter is Samuel Green. He is a muggle, and my cousin. He's an invited guest at Hogwarts. If this letter has found it's way into your hands do not hinder him on his journey to Hogwarts. Failure to heed this letter is done at your own risk. The Department is not responsible for his actions.
Elanus Green
Department of Mysteries
The letter was stamped with the official seal of the Ministry of Magic, Mysteries department.
"He's legitimate. We have to let him pass." Said the wizard as he folded the letter up and handed it back to Samuel. "Samuel Green? Your cousin is an Unspeakable?"
"Yep." Said Samuel. "You are?"
"Arthur Weasley. I work with The Department Misuse of Muggle Artifacts." Said Arthur, shaking Samuel's hand.
"Samuel Green, I'm not a wizard. I work with music, and machines." Said Samuel.
"What are you going to Hogwarts for?" asked Arthur.
"I really can't say. All I know is that there's a problem there and you wizards don't have the knowledge to fix it or work it out. My cousin thought I would be perfect to help with whatever situation it is." Said Samuel. "Part of the deal was that I had to get here by myself with only that letter to use if I got in trouble. I had the extremely bad luck of asking the one wizard in the entire station for directions."
"I see." Said Mr. Weasley with a chuckle. "I won't mention it if you won't. You better get on the train."
"This belongs to you." Said Samuel, producing a wand in his left hand.
Mr. Weasley nodded and waved to Samuel as he boarded the train. He walked through the compartments looking for empty seats. Each compartment had a glass door, and two long benches facing each other, with a shelf for stowing carry-on luggage above them. He passed one where the dark haired boy he saw outside the station were sitting, and couldn't resist. He ducked his head into the compartment and said "Mind if I sit here? Most of the compartments are full."
The dark headed boy nodded and shrugged. "Sure. Are you an exchange student?"
Samuel shook his head and placed his guitar case in the overhead compartment. "Nope." Said Samuel. "Name is Samuel Green." He said, extending his hand.
"Harry Potter." replied the other young man. The two shook hands and Samuel sat down.
"Where's your friend?"
"Who Ron?" asked Harry.
"The red-head." Samuel said.
"Oh Ron and his sister are still loading some luggage." Said Harry. "You hear about the muggle they found in here?"
"You could say that." Said Samuel.
"THAT'S HIM!" came a voice from the door of the compartment. Standing in the entrance was a lanky red head, wielding an old looking wand.
"Ron calm down. Who?" Harry said.
"The muggle!" said Ron.
Samuel jumped to his feet and faster then anyone could blink he stood in front of the red head, shaking the same hand that a split second before had been holding a wand. "Pleased to meet you, I'm Samuel. You must be Ron Weasley, Arthur's son? I met him outside. He sorted things out for me. I'm supposed to be here."
Ron spluttered and looked as if the breath had been taken right out of him. He glanced at Harry, who shrugged and put his own wand back in his lap. Samuel let Ron, and a girl who was obviously Ron's sister inside.
"I'm really sorry for scaring you." Said Samuel. "Here's your wand back. I can fix it so it looks newer when we get to the school.". Samuel handed Ron his wand and turned to the girl and took her hand and kissed it.
"Pleased to meet you. Your name is?"
The girl turned bright red and glanced at Harry for a nervous second and replied. "G-Ginny Weasley."
Harry and Ron rolled their eyes as Samuel helped Ginny to her seat. Samuel sat down and looked the two boys over carefully again. "Fifth years?" Samuel asked. Harry and Ron nodded.
"Why are you here?" asked Ron.
"I really can't say. I have no idea myself. Something about "problems" or something."
"Why is who here?" asked a feminine sounding voice from the door. In the door stood a young woman with a mess of bushy brown hair topping her head.
"A friend of yours?" asked Samuel.
"Oh that's just Hermione." Said Ron.
Samuel stood up and kissed Hermione's hand. "Just Hermione eh? I doubt the vision of elegance I see before me could be described as 'Just Hermione'". Hermione blushed slightly while trying to maintain an air of dignity by tossing her hair back..
"And you are?" she said, trying to keep her composure.
"Samuel Green good lady." He said, as he quickly put Hermione's carry-on on the shelf over the seats. Hermione took her seat beside Ginny and Samuel sat down on the bench next to Harry and Ron.
"I would appreciate it if you guys would keep my muggleness a secret until we get to the school. If you don't mind." Said Samuel. "So far I've managed to get in here undetected except once at the station."
"You're a Mu—" Hermione started to say as Samuel's hand shot across the bench and covered her mouth. Three young men passed the compartment door and stopped. One of them was a tall boy with slicked back blonde hair, and a perpetual smirk on his face. The trio stopped and grinned. Samuel narrowed his eyes at Hermione as he felt the tension in her body.
"Another Mudblood eh?" the blonde said.
"What do you want Malfoy?" asked Harry.
"To congratulate the first person I've ever seen that can shut her up." Said the blonde. Samuel took his hand off Hermione's mouth and stood up.
"Samuel Green. You are?" asked Samuel as he extended his hand to the blonde.
"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Draco said as he shook Samuel's hand. "I've never seen you before. Come to pay homage to the famous Potter?"
"I don't pay homage to anyone." Said Samuel.
"Even if you are a mudblood, you have some sense. You don't wanna hang about this rif raff."
"My parents are muggles, yes. It makes it hard to do anything. I wished I were as fortunate as you to be born into a wizarding family." Said Samuel. "It must have it's privileges."
"He understands! Also knows his betters when he sees them." said Malfoy.
"I sure do, you full-breeds are so much better then us mudbloods. Why, if you're a full blooded wizard you don't even have to have any discernable talent, or know anything at all. Magic just does what you tell it to, simply because of your parents name. Why I bet if you're a full blooded wizard you don't even have to be really smart or intelligent. It just comes to you am I right?" asked Samuel with a grin on his face.
Draco nodded. "How true, I feel the same way. It must be horrible to be a mudblood."
"We manage." Samuel said, with the same sarcastic grin on his face. "I'm glad we agree about full bred wizards then. I'll see you at Hogwarts."
Samuel waved to Draco and shut the door and sat down.
"What did you do? You just made friends with the worst person at Hogwarts! What was all that about people not born into wizard families??? What's wrong with us?" Hermione said, turning a deep shade of red.
"No, I called him an idiot and made him feel good about it. There's nothing wrong with 'Mudbloods' as he called them." Said Samuel. "Some of the most powerful wizards ever were half-breeds; at least my cousin says so."
Ron and Harry stared at Samuel for a few long moments before Ron spoke up. "So you're saying full-blooded wizards are stupid too?"
"Ron, think about what he said, he asked Malfoy that." Said Harry.
Ron blinked and said "Ohh!".
"You need a new wand?" asked Samuel of Ron.
"No, this one is just fine." Ron said defensively.
"Oh, well Malfoy and his thugs were kind enough to give me these." Said Samuel. He put his hand behind his back and produced three wands.
"Whoa!" said Ron. "My brothers would love to meet you. Malfoy would recognize 'em though."
Samuel grinned. "They'll get 'em back I promise."
The trip went pleasantly from that point on. Ron had many questions for Samuel. The train finally arrived at the station. An enormous man in a moleskin coat called for the first years. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny ran over to meet him and Samuel followed behind them slowly.
"Oh our guest!" boomed the giant. "Rubeus Hagrid. Gamekeeper here at Hogwarts. You must be Samuel. Dumbledore told me to send you to his office before the Sorting Ceremony. I'm sure one of these four can help you find it."