From the Top of the Astronomy Tower

I

Year V

September 1st, 1975

Three heads huddled over the ticket, puzzled expressions on every one of them. No one dared speak, they didn't want to sound silly. But it wasn't their fault the ticket read nine and three quarters. The only muggle among them decided he could be the one to open his mouth and sound stupid, he was used to it with his girls. May was always the brightest of the bunch, at least when it came to these things.

"Well that doesn't make sense," Ed furrowed his brow. "How can it be three- quarters of a platform?"

"Bless," her mother said, giving her husband a pat on the back. And yet, both parents were still stuck, and looked at the very confused young Chloe, hoping she may have an answer.

"Don't look at me," she looked between her parents, a very confused look on her face that harbored features of both the adults beside her.

Like magic, and it almost was, a girl who looked to be about Chloe's age with vibrant red hair was standing with her parents and saw the confused looks. She also saw a trunk and a small owl in a cage. The red-haired girl whispered something to her family then ran over to the confused girl.

"First year?" she asked, even though this girl didn't look to be 11. The confused girl just nodded, so the ginger girl smiled kindly. "Just walk straight through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and you'll see the train," she said and Chloe smiled as a thanks, frankly too nervous to speak. The ginger girl walked back over to her parents with a smile.

"See? Simple solution," May told her husband, who rolled his eyes at her. Chloe's mom put her hand on her back and her father trailed behind them as they walked towards the platform. May confidently pushed Chloe through the barrier, pulling her husband along. What they were met with was a train platform nearly identical to the one they were on, except much busier, and it had a scarlet red steam engine on the tracks.

"How–how did it–" Ed's mouth was dry. May just held his hand so he wouldn't get lost. After all those years together, she loved how fascinating he found magic. This time, his daughter agreed.

"Wow," Chloe muttered. May was unphased by the magic, but not by the thought of having to let go of her little girl. Ilvermorny was one thing, she'd attended herself, but to let her baby go to a school she'd never been to? May took a breath, pulling Chloe suddenly into her arms.

"Mom!" Chloe gasped, but didn't argue. She sunk into her mother's cashmere sweater.

"We need to let you go," May managed, slowly releasing her. "And I need to do it now or I'll never leave," she said, making Chloe giggle.

"I'll be fine," she assured, squeezing her mom's hand.

"I know you will," May assured her, not an ounce of doubt in her voice. She cupped Chloe's face, taking her in, knowing she wouldn't see her until Christmas. "Just be safe, make friends?"

"I will," she said. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father wipe a tear and pulled away from her mom to give him a hug. "Relax, I do this every year," she told him, and he quickly but dramatically pulled himself together.

"You're just," he heaved a comically large sob, "so big now." Chloe laughed at him. May forced herself to grab her husband's arm and pull him back, using all her willpower to let her baby go.

"Go before I change my mind and send you to public school," May told her, shooing her off with a delicate hand. Chloe smiled again, ready to leave, but unable to make her feet move. Instead, they pulled her back to her parents, throwing her arms around both of them one more time.