Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is a platform at King's Cross Station in London. Magically concealed behind the barrier between Muggle Platform Nine and Platform Ten, this Platform is where Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry students board the Hogwarts Express on 1 September, in order to attend school.

In order for someone to get onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, they must walk directly at the apparently solid barrier dividing Platforms Nine and Ten. There is a guard stationed just outside the entrance, in order to regulate entries and exits from the platform.

Early history
Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was most likely created as a result of the Ministry of Magic operation, authorised by Minister Ottaline Gambol, in which Hogsmeade Station and the Hogwarts Express came to be. If this was the case, it was created in between 1936 and 1971.

On 1 September, 1971, Eileen Snape took her eleven-year-old son, Severus Snape, to board the Hogwarts Express via this Platform. Mr. and Mrs. Evans also took their daughter, Lily Evans, there along with her sister, Petunia. While Mr. and Mrs. Evans, both of them Muggles, looked around the platform with an air of wholehearted enjoyment, the two sisters argued and Petunia called her sister a freak.

Recent history
Harry Potter first used Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on 1 September, 1991. Not knowing how to get into it, and recognising the Weasley family as a family of wizards, he asked Molly Weasley how to access it. As Harry crossed the Platform, he passed by a round-faced boy telling his grandmother he had lost his toad, and a boy with dreadlocks showing a tarantula to his peers. In June, 1992, on the end of the school year, Harry and his classmates returned to their homes via the Platform. Harry was picked up by Vernon Dursley.

On 1 September, 1992, Dobby blocked the magical barrier dividing Platforms Nine and Ten in order to prevent Harry Potter and Ron Weasley from attending school. Consequently, they decided the only way to get to Hogwarts was to steal Arthur Weasley's Flying Ford Anglia and fly it to the school. When the school year ended, the students returned to the Muggle world via the magical gateway in the platform.

In 1993, the Weasleys took Harry to the Platform again. Arthur Weasley hoped to talk to Harry about Sirius Black, but Harry had already overheard Arthur talking about it to his wife. Once the school year ended, Harry and his classmates returned to the Platform, where he told Vernon Dursley about his godfather, "a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run".

On 1 September of the following year, the Weasleys and Harry travelled to King's Cross Station via Muggle taxis. Once the Hogwarts Express arrived at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, Harry Potter gave his Triwizard earnings to Fred and George Weasley, before crossing the magical barrier, and being picked up by Vernon Dursley.

In 1995, the Weasleys, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody and Sirius Black (on his Animagus form) took Harry to King's Cross Station on foot, as they had been staying on 12 Grimmauld Place in the Borough of Islington. When Harry arrived at the station on the end of the school year, he was joined by Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Fred and George Weasley. The wizard group proceeded to threaten the Dursleys that if Harry was mistreated in any way, one of the Order of the Phoenix would be sent along.

Harry and the Weasleys returned to the Platform on 1 September, 1996, where they were joined by two grim-faced, bearded Aurors in dark Muggle suits for Harry's protection. On the platform, Harry had a quick word with Arthur Weasley about his suspicions that Draco Malfoy was now a Death Eater.

On 1 September, 2017, Harry Potter took his sons, Albus and James, to King's Cross along with his wife Ginny and their youngest daughter Lily. Ron and Hermione Weasley also did so, as did Draco and Astoria Malfoy.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
 * Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4
 * Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7
 * Pottermore