|6.5| Slug Club

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THERE WAS NO CHEERFUL Hagrid waiting for them at King's Cross Station. Instead, two grim-faced, bearded Aurors in dark Muggle suits moved forward the moment the cars stopped and, flanking the party, marched them into the station without speaking.

"Quick, quick, through the barrier," said Molly, who seemed a little flustered by this austere efficiency. "Harry and Grace better go first, with —"

She looked inquiringly at one of the Aurors, who nodded briefly, seized both Grace's and Harry's upper arm, and attempted to steer them toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

"I can walk, thanks," said Grace irritably, jerking her arm out of the Auror's grip. Harry did the same. They pushed their trolley directly at the solid barrier, ignoring their silent companion, and found themselves, a second later, standing on platform nine and three-quarters, where the scarlet Hogwarts Express stood belching steam over the crowd. 

Hermione and the Weasleys joined him within seconds. Without waiting to consult her grim-faced Auror, Grace motioned to Ron and Hermione to follow her and Harry up the platform, looking for an empty compartment.

"We can't, Grace," said Hermione, looking apologetic. "Ron and I've got to go to the prefects' carriage first and then patrol the corridors for a bit."

"Oh yeah, I forgot," said Grace.

"You'd better get straight on the train, all of you, you've only got a few minutes to go," said Molly, consulting her watch. "Well, have a lovely term, Grace, Ron. . . ."

"Mr. Weasley, can I have a quick word?" said Harry, making up his mind on the spur of the moment.

"Of course," said Arthur, who looked slightly surprised, but followed Harry out of earshot of the others nevertheless.

Grace had a shrew idea that Harry was going to tell him about Draco. She climbed the train with Ron, Hermione and Ginny. As Ron and Hermione left for prefect's carriage and Ginny went to talk with her friends, Grace decided to wait for Harry at the door ignoring the stares she was getting from others.

Just when the train was about to leave, Harry climbed the train and they said goodbye to Molly and Arthur. 

"Let's find an empty compartment, shall we?" Grace said to Harry.

"Yeah," Harry nodded as they dragged their trunks with them. "Is Ginny coming with us?"

"No, she promised Dean she'd meet him." 

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