The Last Horcrux/Platform 9/3/4
Your last day at Lestrange Manor is a whirlwind of activity. Nanny and Servus seem to find so many last minute things for you to pack, from school text books that had belonged to you mother, to clothes, extra blankets, boxes of chocolates and packets of biscuits, medicines, cordials, towels, a set of Wizard’s Chess, a spare toothbrush, your mother’s broomstick, and so many other things.
You draw the line at taking Apollo, a cantankerous and elderly owl that has delivered post to your family since before you were born. You insist that Apollo will be happier staying at Lestrange Manor, and that you can always rely on other Owls to deliver your mail instead. Apollo seems relieved, but not as relieved as you are. The prospect of looking after the grouchy old bird had not been an appealing one.
Finally convinced you are ready, you find that Nanny, Servus and Henry are all accompanying you to Kings Cross, to say goodbye and wish you well in person. There is no time to travel their by carriage as you would have preferred to. The Hogwarts Express waits for no one, and you can’t risk getting caught in a Muggle traffic jam. Instead, you and your family of servants take the Floo network, appearing in an instant with a flash of green fire.
Kings Cross is busy, with Muggles going about their business, but also with hordes of young wizards and witches, along with their luggage and families, all making their way to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Poor Servus has to hide from the Muggles, and is carried by Henry inside a bag until you reach the platform itself. A quick surreptitious glance for any Muggles, and you are on to the platform.
On the Platform, you find dozens of witches and wizards, carrying bags and wheeling luggage. You feel almost out of place carrying so little, but in fact it’s all safely stored inside your Extended Luggage Suite, which itself is secure in your coat pocket.
A whistle blows and the guard calls out, “Ten minutes till departure!”
You turn to your family to wish them farewell.
Henry gives you a quick, tight hug.
“Farewell Miss Emily, I’ll see you at Christmas,” he says.
“Make sure to look after Felix,” you tell him.
“Oh I will, and the other horses, don’t you worry miss,” he says, giving a nod of his head.
A longer hug with nanny. You will miss her hugs and the smell of her.
“Oh Emily, I can’t believe you’re so grown up,” Miss Lancel says, tears in her eyes as she hugs you tight and kisses your face, making you cringe with embarrassment for a moment.
“Take care Nanny, look after the house for me. I’ll be back before you know it,” you tell her.
Finally you say goodbye to Servus. It’s hard to know how to say goodbye to a House-Elf whose name literally means Slave in Latin. Eventually you settle on giving him a hug goodbye too.
“I’m sorry I used to tease you so much when I was little,” you tell him.
“It’s okay Miss Emily,” Servus replies, “as you have grown up you have been kinder to me than any of my former masters and mistresses.”
Something about Servus’ words makes you think of the Mother and Father you never knew. All around you there are similar scenes, but with children saying goodbye to their parents, mums and dads kissing and hugging their children goodbye. For some reason, it starts to make you well up.
“You have…” you begin, sniffing back your tears, “all been so kind to me. You are my family, and I will miss you all.”
Nanny gives you another hug, and you take a deep breath. You can’t let the other children on the train see you crying now can you? What would your pureblood friends think?
Forcing a smile, you climb aboard the train. You find an empty cabin toward the rear of the train, and take out a book and a packed lunch your nanny prepared for you. There will be plenty of time to find your friends on the train once it’s under way and the corridors are less packed with excited first years like yourself.
Now that you are aboard, all sadness vanishes, replaced by excitement at starting a new chapter of your life. You excitement is tinged by a glimmer of ambition, and for a moment you are not sure if this comes from you, or from the monster, who seems to be resting for a moment. At least he gave you these moments.
You look through the window and wave at Henry, Nanny and Servus. A whistle blows, and the train gets underway.
Inside Extended Luggage Suite
Books: Life Magick of the Celts and ancient Britons, Wiccan Blood Rituals, A Primer of Magickes of Imperial China, The Fragmented Soul, Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts, Love Potions, Sexus, Serpentes et Magicae Voluptatis, The Daughters of Hecate, A Secret Guide to Hogwarts, Tom Riddle’s Diary (Horcrux).
Magic Items Sofia Lestrange’s Pensieve, Enchanted Tarot, Guardian Statue, Self-Writing Quill, Wizard’s Chess Set, Mother’s Broomstick, several sets of shirts, skirts and underwear with protection from minor charms, jinxes and hexes.
Other Items Clothes, text books, blankets, towels, food, medicines and various supplies