platform_nine

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Location Information

Description and History

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is a magical platform located within the Muggle King's Cross railway station in London. Its primary purpose is to serve as the terminus for the Hogwarts Express, the train that transports students to and from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The entrance to the platform is a solid-looking brick barrier separating platforms nine and ten. To access Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, a witch or wizard must walk or run directly at the barrier. To any observing Muggles, the individual simply seems to vanish. It is implied that Muggle-Repelling Charms are in place to prevent non-magical people from noticing the constant flow of wizards and witches on 1 September and at the end of the school term. Once through the barrier, one arrives on a bustling platform crowded with students and their families. A wrought-iron archway overhead displays the words “Platform Nine and Three-Quarters”. The platform is dominated by the sight of the scarlet Hogwarts Express steam engine, billowing steam into the air. The atmosphere is typically filled with the sounds of excited chatter, hooting owls, and meowing cats. The platform is only accessible for the departure of the train at 11 a.m. on 1 September and for its return in June.

Role in the Story

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is a significant location that marks the beginning and end of each of Harry Potter's school years, often serving as a narrative bookend.

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: This is where Harry Potter first makes contact with the wider wizarding world after his visit to Diagon Alley. Lost and unable to find the platform, he is aided by the Weasley family, sparking his enduring friendship with Ron Weasley.
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: In a pivotal plot point, the house-elf Dobby magically seals the gateway to the platform, preventing Harry and Ron from boarding the Hogwarts Express. This forces them to fly Arthur Weasley's enchanted Ford Anglia to Hogwarts, leading to significant consequences.
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The platform serves as a scene for heightened security, with members of the Order of the Phoenix, including Alastor Moody (Mad-Eye) and Nymphadora Tonks, escorting Harry. Sirius Black also accompanies Harry in his Animagus dog form.
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: The location appears in two crucial moments. First, after being struck by Lord Voldemort's Killing Curse in the Forbidden Forest, Harry finds himself in a limbo state that takes the form of a bright, clean, and empty version of King's Cross. Here, he has a final conversation with the spirit of Albus Dumbledore and makes the choice to return to life. Second, in the epilogue set nineteen years later, the platform provides the final scene of the series. A grown Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger are seen sending their own children off to Hogwarts, bringing the story full circle.

Behind the Scenes

  • According to J.K. Rowling, she chose King's Cross Station because her parents first met on a train departing from there. She has acknowledged that she may have confused it with Euston Station, as at the time of writing, King's Cross did not have adjacent platforms nine and ten, while Euston did. (J.K. Rowling interview)
  • In the film adaptations, London's King's Cross Station was used for filming. The scenes on the platform were shot between the real-life platforms 4 and 5. A permanent tourist attraction has since been installed at the station, featuring a luggage trolley disappearing into a wall marked with a “Platform 9 ¾” sign. (film)
  • The Pottermore website provides a backstory stating that the platform was established by Minister for Magic Ottaline Gambol in the mid-19th century as a discreet solution to the “great Muggle-repelling headache” of getting hundreds of students to the Hogwarts Express without being seen. (Pottermore)