#fan-festival

#fan-festival

Staunton, Virginia, used to be a railroad hub, but now, the rail station is mainly used for thrice-weekly Amtrak stops and scenic tours of the Shenandoah Mountains. But in late September, every year, the sleepy station is transformed into Platform 9 ¾, and the roaring Amtrak is replaced by a gorgeous vintage train referred to only as the Hogwarts Express. Hundreds of Harry Potter fans fill the waiting area as the train rounds the bend on a rainy Saturday afternoon, and one by one, familiar faces deboard and wave to adoring fans: Hogwarts faculty, friends and foes, and, of course, the Boy Who Lived himself.