When parents send their children to Hogwarts, they walk through the walls to enter the otherwise hidden platform nine and three-quarters. Is it explicitly stated how they get out of it?
asked Dec 14, 2015 at 2:51
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10by train, usually.– CHEESECommented Jan 24, 2016 at 21:47
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9There is no escape from Platform 9 3/4.– Rogue JediCommented Apr 18, 2016 at 22:11
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4With great panache and élan.– ValorumCommented Jul 20, 2016 at 0:51
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3 Answers
You walk back out the same way that you come in. There is a wizard on duty who ensures that everyone doesn't leave the platform at the same time.
From the books:
It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn’t attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.
(Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Chapter 17 - 'The Man with Two Faces')
The ticket inspector signaled to Harry, Ron and Hermione that it was safe to walk through the magical barrier between platforms nine and ten.
(Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 38 - 'The Second War Begins')
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6"They have a wizard on duty..." The wizened old guard is also a wizard? Commented Dec 15, 2015 at 11:05
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1@T.J.Crowder are you trying to saying that the guard was a witch or are that the guard was a muggle?– ibidCommented Dec 15, 2015 at 15:24
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@ibid: Just that wizened doesn't mean wizard. I'm not a big HP fan, but IIRC, there are non-wizards at Hogwarts as support staff -- the caretaker, for instance. Not sure of the precise definition of muggle (wikipedia says "no magical ability and not born into the magical world," and I have no idea where he was born), so I don't know if the caretaker is one, but he's not a wizard. Commented Dec 15, 2015 at 15:36
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@T.J.Crowder Hogwarts's caretaker was a Squib who was probably only hired due to Dumbledore being the headmaster. (The wizarding world is extremely prejudice.) Anyways, I was using the word wizard to exclude Muggles.– ibidCommented Dec 15, 2015 at 15:43
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2Of course they're a wizard/witch. Or they might be a Squib, since we don't see them using magic. But they have to be part of the magical world: letting a Muggle know about Platform 9 3/4 would be a breach of the Statute of Secrecy (with exceptions for the Prime Minister and possibly the parents of Muggle-born students) and it would be much more complicated than it needs to be. Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 20:57
Walking
From Chamber of Secrets:
He wheeled his trolley forward cautiously until it was right against the barrier and pushed with all his might. The metal remained solid.
Three seconds…two seconds…one second…
“It’s gone,” said Ron, sounding stunned. “The train’s left. What if Mum and Dad can’t get back through to us? Have you got any Muggle money?”
From Prisoner of Azkaban:
Harry read and re-read the letter from Sirius all the way back into King’s Cross Station. It was still clutched tightly in his hand as he, Ron and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters.
Apparating
Also it would seem that Parents can Apparate from the platform.
“They don’t need the car!” said Ron impatiently. “They know how to Apparate! You know, just vanish and reappear at home! They only bother with Floo powder and the car because we’re all underage and we’re not allowed to Apparate yet.…”
Can't be done:
Portkey
It seems pretty obvious there are no other direct ways to enter or leave the Platform, a portkey may be possible in extremely rare instances.
Floo Powder
Floo powder is ruled out as the Weasleys would have simply used that to get onto the platform.
Flying
Flying via broom is usually deemed to be too risky and could possibly be a breach of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy.
You may be able to simply walk down the tracks if you were so inclined but why bother?
answered Dec 14, 2015 at 2:54
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4I don't think Ron is necessarily saying that his parents can Apparate straight from the platform; after all, they wouldn't even know that the car was missing until after they'd left the platform. He's just saying that they can get home by Apparating.– ruakhCommented Dec 14, 2015 at 6:49
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@ruakh That quote comes straight after Harry and Ron are unable to get onto the Platform in the first place. It's ambiguous though I've never heard mention of there being Anti-apparition spells on the platform. Commented Dec 14, 2015 at 6:51
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1Just because they don't need the car, though, why would they just leave it there? More a comment than anything, as I don't believe it's stated Commented Dec 14, 2015 at 16:18
It is implied they leave various ways. If they took muggle transportation they may leave that way. As the Weaslys planned to in Chamber of Secrets. In chamber of secrets Ron also mentions that his parents only took the car because the kids couldn't Apparate, but when he and harry steal the car he claims they can just use magic to get home.
“But your Mum and Dad…” said Harry, pushing against the barrier again in the vain hope that it would give way. “How will they get home?”
“They don’t need the car!” said Ron impatiently. “They know how to Apparate! You know, just vanish and reappear at home! They only bother with Floo powder and the car because we’re all underage and we’re not allowed to Apparate yet.…”
Here it is implied they simply walk back through the barrier.
From chamber of secrets
" and together they walked through the barrier back to the muggle world."
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1The question isn't asking how they leave King's Cross, it's asking how they leave the platform to get back into King's Cross. Commented Dec 14, 2015 at 7:16
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1@MikeKellogg if you read the quote i provided, its clearly implied that sense the barrier is blocked, how will they WALK BACK THROUGH, to the parking lot to get the car. obviously ibid found a better quote but this one answers the question as well.– HimarmCommented Dec 14, 2015 at 14:08