The Last Riddle

3. Welcome to Hogwarts

Harry and I stand in the hallway looking at each other and our full trunks.

"What time do we have to be there?" Harry asks me his hands playing with the bottom of his t-shirt nervously.

"Eleven. Uncle Vernon said he would drive us at nine" I look at the wall hanging over the front door "it's five minutes to."

Harry nods "what if he changes his mind." He looks at me his face pale "or he's already had a beer."

I reach out squeezing Harry's hand "don't worry. I'll go check on him now, he's sat in the garden with aunt Petunia."

I take a deep breath in as I walk through the hallway and the kitchen stepping out into the back garden.

Uncle Vernon is sat in one of the deck chairs in shorts and a white vest, his skin is red and shiny from the sun and his forehead is dripping with sweat.

Aunt Petunia sits besides him in an identical deck chair in a frilly 1950's swimsuit her long bony limbs sticking out.

I clench my fists as fear flood through me "um Uncle Vernon?"

"Mhm" my uncle grunts opening his eyes slowly as he looks over in my direction.

I give him an uncomfortable grimace "sorry to interrupt you Uncle Vernon. But Harry and I were just wondering if you could take us to Kings Cross please? Remember I asked you like a week ago?"

Uncle Vernon sits up slowly "it's currently thirty degrees, I finally have a day off work and you want me to drive you over an hour into London?"

I shift uncomfortably under his glare.

Uncle Vernon continues his moustache wobbling as he speaks "however if it means getting you two weirdos out of here quicker than I'm all for it. The promise of not having you both around for the entire school year is too good of a promise."

He stands up slowly letting out a loud grunt from the effort "come on then Petunia. Let's get this over and done with."

Harry looks at me with a wide smile on his face, he reaches for my hand and looks back out the car window as the suburbs of Surrey soon turn into the busy streets of London.

I squeeze Harry's hand as we pull up outside Kings Cross the giant brick station looming over the Dursley's car.

"What platform?" Aunt Petunia turns to look at us both her face bored.

"Oh uh" Harry looks to me his eyebrows furrowed "nine and three quarters I think."

Our aunt lets out a loud cruel laugh as she looks towards uncle Vernon "don't be stupid boy. There is no such thing."

I nod my head "he's telling the truth" I reach in my pocket pulling out the letter and handing it to her "look it says it right there."

My aunt turns back to me an evil smile on her face "well then you two better hurry." She turns to my uncle letting out a snicker "better head to platform nine and three quarters."

Harry and I look at each other confused but do as they say, Harry heads to the boot grabbing both of our trunks as I grab his owl cage and my cat basket.

We turn and watch our aunt and uncle driving away their faces laughing as they disappear in the distance.

"Well that was worrying" I turn to Harry confused.

"Come on we need to hurry it's nearly time" Harry pushes his way through the crowd of tourists and commuters.

I follow behind him my heart pounding in my chest, what if the letter is wrong? How the hell are Harry and I going to find our way?