Chapter 26: A Barrier Problem
The Weasley's and Potter trudged ever towards King's Cross Station as the sun began to beat down on the darkly dressed group. Their rushing to not be left behind by the train did not help either. As they were rushing, Harry swore he saw a familiar head but dismissed it. There was no way his cousin could be here.
By the time they reached under the vast ceiling canopy, everyone was hot and bothered. The other group, however, under Molly, was far more relaxed. Percy strutted through the barrier like he owned the place. Fred and George cackled as a stink bomb went off in a Muggle bathroom. And Mafalda trailed behind, twirling an umbrella without a care in the world.
"How did they get here so fast?" Ron huffed and puffed.
"You're asking me?" Harry asked in disbelief.
"An answer would be nice from someone." Ron replied annoyedly.
"Ron. Please don't be like that. It's too hot for it." Arthur grumbled as he began walking towards the barrier.
"Sorry, Dad." Ron sighed as he caught his breath.
"Let's hope we aren't late." Ginny said, before tiredly pushing forward as she lugged her stuff behind her.
As Arthur walked through the barrier following his family, Ginny stopped. Harry looked at her in confusion at first until he had a closer inspection. She had a twitch in her cheek, and her hands trembled dreadfully. It brought him memories of last year, the trepidation and uncertainty of it all. Without thinking, if anything acting on instinct, Harry reached out and took Ginny's hand in his own. This caused the girl to jump nervously and look at Harry.
"What's the hold up, Gin?" Ron asked his sister, seeing what was happening.
"Just… a little nervous…" Ginny replied, trying to relax.
"Why? You have done this since you were a baby." Ron asked obliviously.
"I understand, Ginny." Harry replied sympathetically.
Ginny gave him a smile. "Thank you, Harry. Honestly, it feels different when you're about to go through as a student instead of seeing someone off…" She replied, trying to calm herself.
"I can tell you, as someone who didn't even know they were a wizard until last year, it can be quite frightening and troubling. But, once we get on the Express, it's not so bad." Harry explained.
As the three readied to wheel themselves onto the proper platform, they did not know they were being watched. From a nook in a wall, something watched them worriedly.
"Got to delay them. Got to distract them. Hmm… Hmm…" A rasping voice whispered before getting an idea and snapping his fingers.
The three then lined up with the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. Getting into a bit of a run, they made their way for Platform 9 ¾. However, when they made it to the barrier, something went wrong. Instead of going through the barrier to the true Platform, they smashed into the barrier with three loud crashes. The three groaned in pain as their trolleys fell over from the crash, spilling all their baggage on the ground along with Hedwig's cage.
"What happened? It's supposed to open up?" Harry asked, confusedly.
As the three caught their bearings, a nearby conductor noticed and headed over to them. A disappointing look on his pudgy face.
"Oi! What you are doing over here!?" The muggle man asked them as he observed the mess they made.
"Sorry sir. We just lost control of our trolleys." Harry replied. This was enough for the man, if still a hint skeptical, as he walked off.
"What do we do now? We're going to miss the train for sure!" Ginny asked and began to panic.
"Maybe we didn't hit it right…?" Ron asked, getting up and dusting himself off before offering a hand to Harry and Ginny each.
"I don't know if that's a good idea…" Harry said nervously.
"Yeah. I mean; we haven't done anything different than before." Ginny added.
"Just take my hands so I can help you up!" Ron told them, trying to remain calm.
"Um… okay." Harry said before he and Ginny grabbed hold and Ron hoisted them up to their feet.
Once the two were back on their feet, they dusted themselves off as Ron worked on getting their luggage back up on their trolleys. Once Harry and Ginny had dusted themselves clean, they moved to help. Finally, with all their luggage back on their trolleys, Ron prepared to try again.
"Ron, what are you doing?" Harry asked.
"What does it look like, Harry? I'm going to try again." Ron told him, moving his trolley back for a running start.
"We hit what felt like a brick wall, Ron. We aren't getting through." Ginny said annoyedly.
"You don't know that. We could've failed to get through because we tried with too many people. We've only ever tried with two of us at a time instead of three." Ron replied, explaining his theory of what went wrong.
"All right… proceed…?" Harry replied questioningly.
"I mean… that might be it…" Ginny added, unsure of it but unable to refute her brother's argument.
"Thank you. Now stand aside so I can try again." Ron said confidently, getting ready to start.
The two stood aside as Ron pushed the trolley as hard as he could. Barreling down towards the barrier like a surging racehorse. However, the trolley hit its square on, and everything collapsed. His luggage flew off, Scabbers took a nosedive, and Ron's stomach slammed hard into the trolley's handle. So hard, that the poor boy dropped to his knees in pain, clutching his stomach with his arms.
"Ooough…! That one actually hurt…!" Ron groaned, rubbing his stomach in agony.
"Ron! Are you okay?!" Harry asked worriedly as he tried his best to help his friend up.
"I'm alright… but I think it's gonna be red for a bit when I use the bathroom…" Ron groaned, looking up at Harry. "Harry, I didn't know you had brothers…"
The three then heard the clock chime, signaling that the Express was due to leave. Realizing that the train was leaving, Ginny began to panic. Harry stood there and gulped, Ron, despite the pain, looked around for any kind of solution. That was until something popped into his head.
"I have a new plan… Ooough…" Ron said thoughtfully before groaning in pain again.
"What, hit the barrier with your thick head?!" Ginny snapped.
"Okay, Gin. There's no need for that. This one will work, I swear." Ron replied as the pain finally faded, allowing him to get off his knees before pulling a set of car keys out of his pocket.
"Ron, why do you have Dad's keys!?" Ginny yelled in shock.
"He almost left them in the car again." Ron simply replied.
"Again?" Harry asked, confused at Ron's word choice.
"Not again! What is this, the seventh time!?" Ginny demanded in exasperation.
"I thought he inspected Muggle stuff?" Harry asked.
"He does. But he forgets things sometimes…" Ginny and Ron said simultaneously.
"To the Weasley mobile!!" Ron yelled before running off with his trolley.
"What are you, Batman?!" Harry yelled in disbelief.
"Who's that? Is it like Hippogryphman?" Ginny asked curiously.
"I'm not touching that one…" Harry replied, rolling his eyes.
The three scrambled off the ramp and made their way into the car park. Once they found the Ford Anglia, Ron stopped and made a pose before unlocking the door.
"We're gonna go catch that train!!" Ron said in an odd voice.
"... Just get in the car!" Harry and Ginny said simultaneously.
"You two have no sense of flair." Ron muttered as he got into the driver's seat.
Once everyone got their stuff inside, Ginny scrambled into the back seat. Harry used his wand to put her seatbelt on before hopping into the shotgun seat. Then Ron slammed the car door and fired up the car.
"Did your father remember to put petrol in the tank?" Harry asked curiously.
Ron then whipped out a pair of cheap sunglasses with the union jack in the lenses. "Where we are going, we don't need petrol." He said before putting on the sunglasses.
"... Yes. We need that. Very much." Harry said worriedly as the car began to take off…