SS Chapter 6

The Journey From Platform Nine And Three Quarters

Summary:

Harry, having to spend the remainder of his summer holiday at the Dursleys’, counts down the days until he sets off for Hogwarts. He has packed his school trunk, named his new owl, Hedwig, and has asked to be dropped to Kings Cross Station for his train at 11:00 AM on the 1st of September. The Dursely’s take him to the station and laugh and joke about his ticket, as it clearly states the platform number “9 ¾,” which is no comfort to Harry. Left alone, Harry hears a woman talking to her children about “muggles” and realizes that this redhead family could be his only chance.  With her assistance Harry darted through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, and was met at the sight of a bright red steam engine!

As Harry made his way to the Hogwarts Express, he was helped by the two redhead twins that had been at the station. They recognized him as Harry Potter and explained to their mother and brothers who they had just met. As the train took off, Harry sat in a compartment accompanied by the youngest brother of the family, Ron Weasly, who talked with him and explained different things about the wizarding world.

On their journey to Hogwarts, they had multiple visitors in their compartment, including one Hemrione Granger, Neville, and Draco Malfoy, accompanied by his friends Crabbe and Goyle. Upon arriving at their destination, Harry and the other first years were herded to the boats that took them across the Black Lake, where they saw, for the first time, the Hogwarts castle.

Initial Thoughts:

There are a lot of important pieces to this chapter. We are introduced to a lot of important characters such as Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Draco,  and we get to know a little bit about the wizarding world through Ron’s accounts to Harry. We get to see some Wizarding Treats and we meet a certain rat that seems heroic now but will prove to be the epitome of cowardice in later books.

Hogwarts Express:

The Hogwarts Express is a magnificent 4-6-0 steam engine train that carries students to and from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! The locomotive was adopted as the transportation just earlier of 1830 when the then Minister of Magic, Ottaline Gambol, sought to find a better alternative to portkeys and brooms. The Hogwarts Express was actually built by muggles, hence the need for a steam engine, but, once controlled by the Ministry, the train operated completely on magic  and the introduction of the train was an incredibly magical feat. 

The process that brought the Hogwarts Express into magical control took 167 memory charms, the biggest concealment charm in the history of Great Britain, and was all done in the dead of night. When the habitants of Hogsmeade awoke the morning after, they found a gleaming red steam engine and a newly constructed railway station! 

It isn’t clear where the students were boarding the train  to take them to Hogwarts in the next 20 years or so, but it wasn’t until the 1850’s that King’s Cross Station opened the famous Platform 9 ¾! From then on, the Hogwarts Express made 6 trips in an average school year to and from Hogwarts to transport students during their terms with the notable times being the beginning of term, Christmas holidays, Easter holidays, and the end of the term.

First Years On The Train:

Our first first year student that we find on the train with Harry is none other than Ron Weasley! Ron, Harry Potter’s best friend throughout the series, and the source of wizarding wisdom on the trip to Hogwarts. Ron, as we find out, is one of seven children and the sixth son in the family. He comes from a line  of Purebloods, and he has extensive knowledge of the wizarding world before going to Hogwarts. He finds Harry in the compartment of the Hogwarts Express and shares in Harry’s treats and makes Harry feel comfortable. Ron is obviously 11 when Harry meets him and was born on March 1, 1980 in the little town of Ottery St Catchpole. He and his family live at the Burrow, and become an important group to Harry.

Next, we have Neville Longbottom. Neville is first seen on Platform 9 ¾, where he is explaining to his grandmother that he had lost his toad, Trevor. This is the precise reason he wanders into Harry and Ron’s compartment on the train, and the next time we see him. Neville is characteristically forgetful and cowardly. We later find out that he has a lot to live up to and his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom, never fails to remind him of that, which intimidates him greatly. Nevile is also from a Pureblood family, but does not share the same prejudiced views as many of the other Pureblood families. Neville becomes an integral part of the series and will be highlighted a lot! 

We then have Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, and a muggleborn to boot! Take that Purebloods! Hermione is the daughter of two dentists, simply known as Mr. and Mrs. Granger. She has a love for knowledge and has read every course book cover to cover before the start of term and has no problems with thrusting her knowledge into Ron and Harry’s faces. Unintentionally putting others off with her extensive knowledge, Hermione is an enthusiastic learner and enjoys being able to gain as much information as she possibly can. While her relationship with Harry and Ron has a bit of a rocky start, she ends up becoming a crucial member of the trio!

Lastly, we have Draco Malfoy and his cronies, Vincent Crabbe, and Greggory Goyle. All three of the boys come from prominent Pureblood families, with a poor outlook on muggleborns. Particularly nasty in their insults and with an air of superiority, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, are the first year bullies that terrorize the other students constantly. While Crabbe and Goyle are new to Harry on their arrival into the compartment, Harry recognizes Malfoy as the drowling, pale-face boy in Madam Malkin’s shop. If he didn’t like him before, this interaction solidified Harry’s opinion of Malfoy. While we see a lot from these three throughout the series, we will focus a lot on Draco, as there is always a lot of controversy with his character arc.

Honeydukes Express:

The Honeydukes Express, not characterized as such until the release of the Goblet of Fire film, was a food trolley that went through the Hogwarts Express with delectibles for the students to purchase on their long journeys to and from Hogwarts. The trolley witch that pushed the cart around served a variety of items for the student to pick from which included pumpkin pasties, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, Jelly Slugs, Licorice Wands, Cauldron Cakes, Chocolate Frogs, and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.

On his first journey to Hogwarts, Harry buys a little of each of the sweets and proceeds to share with Ron while they talk about Hogwarts and the wizarding world and Harry’s life in the muggle world. It is here we learn that Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans that they “mean EVERY flavor,” including, but not limited to chocolate and peppermint, spinach, liver, and tripe. There even is a bogey flavored one! Harry also has his first experience with Chocolate Frogs, which are enchanted to jump upon opening the box, and come with a collectable trading card!

Scabbers:

And one the most controversial characters/plot confusions in the Potterverse. Scabbers the Rat. Scabbers is the hand me down rat of Ron Weasley. Acquiring him from his elder brother Percy, Ron carried Scabbers around in his pockets. Scabbers had the appearance of a greyish brown rat that looked fairly old and was missing a toe. We learn in Prisoner of Azkaban this rat is missing a toe because he is none other than Peter Pettigrew, the betrayer of Lily and James Potter and the presumed victim of Sirius Black. Scabbers acts somewhat heroic in the scene of this chapter, biting down on Goyle’s knuckle, which is out of character for the cowardly Pettigrew, but promptly resumes his lazy and sleepy demeanor. Scabber will eventually be the focus of many theory conversations, as there are continual debates on why Harry or Fred and George weren’t able to see him on the map and in bed with Ron!

Wrap It Up:

First off, I apologize for keeping you waiting nearly 3 weeks for the next blog post! Life happens and I got pulled away for a time but we will be getting back to weekly posts! In the meantime, get ready for next week with Chapter 7, The Sorting Hat! We will get to know a little more about the Hogwarts Houses, we’ll see some friends get sorted, and meet a very special hat!