The one thing about being a member of the Weasley family that Harry disliked the most was their habitual teness to every family event. Back at the Burrow, they would bme their tardiness on the small house, the single bathroom, or a slew of minor inconveniences. However, in the expansive Weasley Manor, even with each bedroom equipped with an attached bathroom, it still took Molly considerable effort to rouse the family and get them ready for any occasion.

  As an early riser and an exceptionally organized boy, Harry found this trait exasperating—particurly on such an important day: his and Ron’s first journey to Hogwarts. By the time the others were stirring, Harry had already completed his morning routine, triple-checked his school trunk, and ensured everything was perfectly packed. Ron, as usual, had slept in, and his sluggishness only added to Harry’s mounting irritation. Today was supposed to be special, and yet, it felt like just another chaotic Weasley morning.

  Harry always enjoyed car rides with his dad, especially in the newly purchased, magically enhanced car of the Weasley family. Arthur had enchanted it to fit the entire family comfortably, and he relished every opportunity to take it out for a spin. However, Harry wasn’t thrilled about the idea of using the car to drive to the railway station on such an important day.

  With the clock ticking closer to departure time for the Hogwarts Express, Harry couldn't help but worry about potential traffic, unexpected deys, and the added stress of navigating through Muggle roads. Yet, despite Harry’s concerns and his preference for a quicker, more reliable magical alternative, Arthur remained adamant about using the car—his enthusiasm for the enchanted vehicle outweighing all practical considerations.

  As the enchanted car sped down the bustling streets, Harry leaned forward from his seat, gring at the back of Arthur’s head. “Dad, I still don’t understand why we had to take the car. Floo Powder is so much faster and safer. We could’ve been at the ptform ages ago!”

  Arthur chuckled, his hands gripping the steering wheel with a bit too much enthusiasm. “Ah, but Harry, where’s the fun in that? This beauty is a marvel of magical engineering. You won’t appreciate her until you’ve seen her in action.”

  Harry sighed, crossing his arms. “I’m pretty sure Muggle drivers don’t appreciate us flying over them. What if someone sees us?”

  “Rex, Harry,” Arthur said with a grin, tapping a dial on the dashboard. “The Invisibility Booster is on. No one can see a thing.”

  “Except for the Ministry if we get caught,” Harry muttered, slumping back in his seat.

  Ron, sitting beside him with his wand sticking out of his pocket, tried to lighten the mood. “Come on, Harry, it’s not so bad. At least we’re all together, right?”

  “Together and te,” Harry snapped. “We’re always te, Ron. Why couldn’t everyone just get up on time for once?”

  “Oi, don’t bme me,” Ron said defensively. “Mum spent half the morning trying to find Ginny’s left shoe. You know how she gets.”

  “Still not an excuse,” Harry grumbled, watching the clock on the car’s dashboard tick closer to the Hogwarts Express's departure time.

  Molly turned around from the front passenger seat, her voice soothing yet firm. “Now, Harry, we’ll get there in time. No need to worry. This family always pulls through, doesn’t it?”

  Harry bit back a response, opting to stare out the window as the enchanted car zipped over the cityscape. Traffic on the roads below seemed endless, a tangled mess of vehicles honking and jostling for space. “Wouldn’t have to deal with that,” he muttered under his breath, “if we’d just used the Floo.”

  By the time the car descended near King’s Cross Station and parked in a discreet spot, Harry was practically bouncing with impatience. “Come on, come on,” he urged, rushing to grab his trunk and Hedwig’s cage from the car.

  Ron stumbled out after him, trying to bance his own trunk and Scabbers. “Don’t stress, Harry. The train’s always a bit te leaving.”

  “Don’t bet on it,” Harry shot back, bolting toward the station entrance with the rest of the Weasleys hurrying behind.

  When they reached the barrier between ptforms 9 and 10, Harry didn’t hesitate. He charged through the brick wall alongside Ron and emerged onto Ptform 9?. His heart leaped with relief as the gleaming red Hogwarts Express came into view, still stationed and puffing steam.

  “Oh, thank Merlin,” Harry breathed, clutching his chest. “I thought we’d missed it.”

  Arthur, catching up with a proud smile, cpped Harry on the shoulder. “See? Nothing to worry about. Always trust the Weasley timing, Harry.”

  Harry raised an eyebrow. “Weasley timing? You mean always being on the edge of disaster?”

  Ron snickered. “He’s got you there, Dad.”

  Molly shooed the boys toward the train. “Enough chatter, you two. Get on board before it does leave! And don’t forget to write as soon as you’re sorted!”

  As Harry and Ron lugged their trunks toward the train, Harry turned back briefly, a small smile pying on his lips. Despite the chaos, he couldn’t deny there was something comforting about the Weasley way.

  As Harry and Ron stepped into the Hogwarts Express, they waved one st time at the Weasley family gathered on the ptform. Molly was busy fussing over Ginny, while Arthur gave Harry a reassuring nod. The train's whistle blew, signaling the imminent departure.

  Ron turned to Harry as they made their way down the corridor. “Blimey, that was close. I thought Mum was going to start crying again.”

  Harry smirked. “You think she’ll ever stop treating us like we’re little children?”

  Ron shrugged, gncing into compartments. “Doubt it. She’ll probably send us Howlers if we forget to write.”

  As they passed compartment after compartment, they found most were full of students chattering excitedly. A few older students gnced their way, but none offered to make space. Finally, at the very end of the train, they spotted an empty compartment.

  “This’ll do,” Ron said, opening the door and stepping inside.

  Harry followed, dragging his trunk behind him. “Finally. I thought we’d be walking forever.”

  They heaved their trunks into the overhead storage area and settled into the seats. Harry stretched his legs out, gncing out the window as the train began to move. “So, Hogwarts. Think it’ll be as exciting as everyone says?”

  Ron grinned, pulling Scabbers out of his pocket. The rat looked half-asleep, as usual. “If it’s not, I’ll be disappointed. Fred and George won’t shut up about it, so it’s got to be good.”

  As if summoned by their names, the twins slid the compartment door open with identical mischievous grins. “Oi, Harry, Ron!” Fred called. “Guess what we’ve got!”

  George leaned in, eyes twinkling. “Our mate Lee Jordan brought a tarantu. You want to see it?”

  Ron’s face went pale. “A spider? No thanks! Keep it far away from me.”

  Fred cpped Ron on the shoulder, ughing. “What’s the matter, little Ronniekins? Scared of a little spider?”

  Ron scowled. “It’s not little! You said tarantu!”

  George turned to Harry. “What about you, Harry? Fancy seeing something wicked?”

  Harry perked up, intrigued. “Sure. Sounds cool.”

  Ron groaned, pulling his knees up onto the seat as if that would protect him. “You’re mad, both of you.”

  “Suit yourself,” Fred said, grabbing Harry’s arm. “Come on, Harry. You’ll love it.”

  When Harry, Fred, and George arrived at the compartment they were met with an unexpected sight. The small space was packed with curious students, their excitement filling the air. Inside the compartment, Lee wasn’t the only one with a tarantu. Another boy, a fifth-year by the look of him, held up a second cage with an equally rge, hairy spider.

  “Looks like we’ve got a challenger!” the boy decred with a grin.

  The crowd erupted into cheers and chants of “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

  Fred nudged Harry. “You’re in for a treat, mate. Spider gdiators. What could be better?”

  George leaned in, whispering conspiratorially. “Not really a fight, though. Tarantus are zy blighters. They’re probably just going to sit there.”

  Inside the cage, the spiders seemed entirely uninterested in the drama. Lee’s tarantu, Cherry, was perched motionless in a corner, while the other tarantu skittered zily across its enclosure before stopping to clean its legs.

  “Come on, do something!” someone in the crowd shouted, but the spiders continued to ignore their audience.

  Harry watched with equal parts fascination and discomfort. The creatures’ hairy bodies and twitchy movements made his skin crawl, but he couldn’t deny they were impressive. “They’re... uh... really something,” he muttered, his voice uncertain.

  Fred, ever the entertainer, cpped a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “What’s the matter, Harry? Not a fan of creepy crawlies?”

  Harry shrugged, his eyes still on the tarantus. “They’re interesting, but... yeah, I wouldn’t want one as a pet.”

  After a few more minutes of fruitless chanting, the crowd began to disperse, muttering about the ck of action. Lee sighed and set his cage back down. “Guess they’re not in the mood for a showdown. Probably for the best. Don’t want Cherry getting hurt, anyway.”

  Fred introduced Harry to Lee and the other students. They exchanged a few jokes and stories before Harry decided it was time to head back.

  When Harry returned to the compartment, he was surprised to find Ron deep in conversation with two other boys. One of them, a sandy-haired boy with an easy grin, was ughing at something Ron had just said. The other, a taller boy with dark skin and an inquisitive expression, was leaning forward, clearly intrigued by the conversation.

  Ron looked up as Harry entered. “Oh, there you are, Harry! Meet Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas,” he said, gesturing to the boys. “Seamus here’s from Irend, and Dean’s from London.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Harry said, shaking hands with both of them.

  “Ron’s been telling us some wild stuff about wizards,” Dean said with a ugh. “It’s brilliant. We’ve been swapping stories about the Muggle and wizarding worlds.”

  Seamus nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, like that game... what was it called? Quidditch? Sounds mad. Flying on brooms and chasing balls around. I’d love to see a match someday!”

  Ron grinned, clearly enjoying the attention. “Oh, you’d love it! The Chudley Cannons aren’t much to look at, but they’re my favorite team. Maybe we’ll catch a game over the holidays.”

  “What about movies?” Dean asked. “Do wizards watch them too?”

  Harry noticed Ron straightened up, looking surprisingly knowledgeable. “Not usually, but my dad’s crazy about Muggle things. He’s got this whole shed full of stuff, and we’ve picked up some things over the years. I’ve seen Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and a few others. That lightsaber thing—pretty cool, but a wand’s way better.”

  Dean’s eyes widened. “No way! You’ve actually seen Star Wars? That’s my favorite!”

  Harry couldn’t help but chuckle at Ron’s enthusiasm. “He’s not lying. Our house got all sorts of Muggle bits and bobs.”

  Seamus chimed in, changing the subject. “What about chess? I’m pretty good at it—won a school tournament st year.”

  That seemed to light a spark in Ron’s eyes. “You’re in for a treat, then. Ever pyed wizard’s chess?”

  “Wizard’s chess?” Seamus asked, intrigued.

  Ron pulled out his small travel set, the pieces rattling as he opened the box. “It’s like regur chess, but the pieces move on their own and, well... they’re a bit more aggressive.”

  Seamus leaned in as Ron set up the board, expining the rules. “So, they actually smash each other?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Ron said with a grin. “It’s brilliant.”

  Harry settled back in his seat, watching as Ron and Seamus dove into a lively game. Dean asked Harry more questions about Hogwarts and magic, and before long, the compartment was filled with ughter and chatter.