Stupid things characters do to the sake of the plot

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 94541

Robert Jones wrote:
> At the train station, when the wall at Platform 9 and 3/4 wouldn't 
> open, Harry and Ron almost immediately run to the car.  I know they 
> had to get the car into the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts for later 
> in the story, but shouldn't they just have waited for Arthur and 
> Molly?  (And by the way, where were Arthur and Molly?  Didn't they 
> notice that Harry and Ron didn't get through?  And shouldn't there 
> have been other wizarding parents dribbling through the wall a 
> couple at a time?)
> 

Siriusly Snapey Susan:

Robert, I'm going to answer this *tentatively* because I know my mind 
is going automatically to the *movie* on this one.  But if that 
accurately represents the book [can someone please confirm??  I'm at 
work!], then it can be answered by the fact that:  1) the clock was 
about to strike for hour of the train's departure, and apparently the 
Hogwarts Express does not wait for tardy entrants; and 2) the 
Weasleys had accompanied Ginny through the barrier, and Ron said 
(something along the lines of) if he & Harry couldn't get through the 
barrier, what if his parents also couldn't get back?  Hence, their 
unwillingness to wait long.  I'd think they might want to get to the 
car quickly, so as to keep the train in sight.

*Of course* they could have waited awhile or might have expected the 
Weasley parents to have figured out some solution later, but I think 
this is just how it played out for JKR.  

In other words, a short answer could be:  JKR wanted to write it that 
way!

Siriusly Snapey Susan