Platform 9 and 3/4

[kmcbears1]

No: HPFGUIDX 112644

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, GRETCHEN BAKIES 
<gretchen.bakies at p...> wrote:
> 
> meriaugust <meriaugust at y...> wrote:
> 
> Something struck me as funny while I was doing a reread of SS last 
> week. In the scene in, IIRC, chapter 6 (The Journey From Platform 
> Nine and Three Quarters), Harry is alone in King's Cross Station 
and 
> desperately searching for his way to the Hogwart's Express. He 
> overhears the Weasleys talking. Mrs. Weasley asks aloud, "What's 
the 
> platform number again?" and Ginny replies "Nine and three 
quarters." 
> Now it is entirely possible that this was just a sort of staged 
> conversation in order to confirm to Harry that these are in fact 
> wizards going to Hogwarts, but this still strikes me as a weird 
> thing to ask. After all, Mrs. Weasley has allready escorted Bill 
and 
> Charile to school, so why is it that in Ron's first year she needs 
> reminding of nine and three quarters? Is this perhaps and 
> implications that there are other WW train platforms hidden in 
> King's Cross? Just a thought.
> Meri - wondering where Platform 5 and 7/10 goes...
> 
> Now Gretchen:
> 
> Rats - you beat me to the punch and sent an email before I did!  I 
noticed that also.  Plus, Aunt Petunia is very surprised when Harry 
tells her the platform location and you would think she'd know about 
it.  Even if she didn't go with her parents and Lily to King's Cross 
anytime, I'd think Lily would have talked about walking through a 
wall with her trunk!  I've been debating if it was staged, as you 
said, to let Harry and the reader learn how to get there.  The other 
thought I had was that this was something put in place just that year 
as part of the protection surrounding Harry.  Then no matter how many 
times Molly had taken the trip herself or escorted Bill, Charlie, 
Percy and the twins, she might not remember what the new arrangement 
was and needed to be reminded.  One thing that mind back this idea up 
is in POA, the dementors don't get on the train right away at King's 
Cross.  They stop the train after its left the station. So maybe 
there is something in place to protect Harry
>  from dementors, assorted DEs and Lord Voldemort.  
> 
Karen adds:

I think platform 9 3/4 is a very protected place because everybodies 
children are on that platform for 7 years of thelr lives.  I cannot 
see the DE's attacking a place where their offspring might end up in 
the cross fire.  

I can just see it - LV and the DEs attack Harry on the platform and 
he escapes by ducking behind Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy loading their 
trunks on the train.

or 

The parents who are escorting their childern to the train start 
throwing stunning curses around so the train leaves with only half 
the students.

IMO - The platform 9 3/4 needs to be a safe place guarded by 
something on the Department of Mysteries knows about.

Karen