What Does My Ac Blow Cold Air and Then Stop and Start Again

Chapter 6

Harry's last calendar month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his closet, force him to do annihilation, or shout at him -- in fact, they didn't speak to him at all. Half terrified, one-half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry in it were empty. Although this was an comeback in many means, it did become a bit depressing after a while.

Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to telephone call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic. His school books were very interesting. He lay on his bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open up window equally she pleased. Information technology was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, considering Hedwig kept bringing dorsum dead mice. Every nighttime before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another twenty-four hour period on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the showtime.

On the final day of August he thought he'd improve speak to his aunt and uncle well-nigh getting to King's Cross station the next day, so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television set. He cleared his throat to permit them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.

"Er -- Uncle Vernon?"

Uncle Vernon grunted to evidence he was listening.

"Er -- I need to be at King'southward Cross tomorrow to -- to go to Hogwarts. "

Uncle Vernon grunted over again.

"Would it exist all right if you gave me a lift?"

Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.

"Thank yous. "

He was about to go dorsum upstairs when Uncle Vernon really spoke.

"Funny manner to get to a wizards' schoolhouse, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"

Harry didn't say anything.

"Where is this school, anyway?"

"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first fourth dimension. He pulled the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.

"I only take the railroad train from platform nine and 3-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read.

His aunt and uncle stared.

"Platform what?"

"Nine and three-quarters. "

"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and 3-quarters. "

"It's on my ticket. "

"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. Y'all just wait. All correct, nosotros'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother. "

"Why are y'all going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.

"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to accept that ruddy tail removed earlier he goes to Smeltings. "

Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to slumber. He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't desire to walk into the station in his wizard's robes -- he'd change on the train. He checked his Hogwarts list nonetheless again to make certain he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. Two hours subsequently, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry, and they had set up off.

They reached King's Cantankerous at half past 10. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. Harry idea this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.

"Well, in that location you are, boy. Platform nine -- platform ten. Your platform should exist somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it notwithstanding, do they?"

He was quite right, of course. There was a large plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the ane next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.

"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without some other word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys bulldoze abroad. All three of them were laughing. Harry's oral fissure went rather dry. What on world was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, considering of Hedwig. He'd have to inquire someone.

He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what function of the country information technology was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was beingness stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at 11 o'clock, merely the guard said at that place wasn't 1. In the end the guard strode abroad, muttering about time wasters. Harry was now trying hard not to panic. Co-ordinate to the big clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to go on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a body he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.

Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something y'all had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Aisle. He wondered if he should become out his wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.

At that moment a group of people passed just backside him and he defenseless a few words of what they were saying.

"-- packed with Muggles, of course--"

Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him -- and they had an owl.

Middle hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped then did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

"Ix and 3-quarters!" piped a pocket-sized girl, also cherry-headed, who was belongings her hand, "Mom, tin't I go. . . "

"You're non old enough, Ginny, now be serenity. All right, Percy, you get first. "

What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and x. Harry watched, careful not to blink in example he missed it -- just just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the terminal haversack had cleared away, the male child had vanished.

"Fred, yous next," the plump woman said.

"I'thou not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our female parent? Can't you tell I'grand George?"

"Sorry, George, dear. "

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called afterwards him to hurry up, and he must have washed then, because a 2nd afterward, he had gone -- but how had he done it?

At present the tertiary brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was virtually there -- and and so, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.

There was nothing else for information technology.

"Alibi me," Harry said to the plump adult female.

"How-do-you-do, dearest," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, likewise. "

She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and leggy, with freckles, big easily and feet, and a long nose.

"Yeah," said Harry. "The thing is -- the thing is, I don't know how to--"

"How to go onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded.

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk directly at the barrier betwixt platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best practice it at a bit of a run if you lot're nervous. Get on, go now before Ron. "

"Er -- okay," said Harry.

He pushed his trolley around and stared at the bulwark. It looked very solid.

He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their style to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that bulwark and and so he'd be in problem -- leaning forwards on his cart, he broke into a heavy run -- the barrier was coming nearer and nearer -- he wouldn't be able to end -- the cart was out of control -- he was a pes away -- he airtight his eyes fix for t

he crash --

It didn't come. . . he kept on running. . . he opened his eyes. A cherry-red steam engine was waiting adjacent to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, 11 o'clock. Harry looked backside him and saw a wrought-fe entrance where the bulwark had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on information technology, He had done it.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to 1 another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again. "

"Oh, Neville," he heard the one-time woman sigh.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a await, Lee, keep. "

The boy lifted the chapeau of a box in his artillery, and the people effectually him shrieked and yelled as something within poked out a long, hairy leg.

Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment well-nigh the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside offset and so started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps just could inappreciably raise one stop and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the ruby-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.

"Yep, please," Harry panted.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at terminal tucked abroad in a corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his optics.

"What'due south that?" said ane of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you -- ?"

"He is," said the offset twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?" said Harry.

"Harry Potter. " chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I hateful, yes, I am. "

The ii boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred? George? Are you at that place?"

"Coming, Mom. "

With a terminal look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.

Harry sat downwardly adjacent to the window where, half subconscious, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were proverb. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

"Ron, you've got something on your olfactory organ. "

The youngest male child tried to jerk out of the way, only she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mom -- geroff" He wriggled free.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.

"Shut upwards," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now. "

The oldest male child came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver bluecoat on his chest with the alphabetic character P on it.

"Tin't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'thou up forepart, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves--"

"Oh, are y'all a prefect, Percy?" said 1 of the twins, with an air of peachy surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea. "

"Hang on, I call up I call up him saying something almost it," said the other twin. "Once--"

"Or twice--"

"A infinitesimal--"

"All summertime--"

"Oh, close up," said Percy the Prefect.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyhow?" said one of the twins.

"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All correct, dear, well, have a skillful term -- send me an owl when you go there. "

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.

"Now, you lot two -- this year, you behave yourselves. If I get ane more owl telling me y'all've -- you lot've blown up a toilet or--"

"Diddled upwardly a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet. "

"Great thought though, thank you, Mom. "

"Information technology'due south non funny. And look afterward Ron. "

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is rubber with us. "

"Close up," said Ron over again. He was nearly every bit alpine as the twins already and his nose was still pinkish where his female parent had rubbed it.

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Approximate who we just met on the train?"

Harry leaned dorsum chop-chop so they couldn't see him looking.

"You know that blackness-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"

"Who?"

"Harry Potter!"

Harry heard the niggling daughter's vocalism.

"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, eh please. . . "

"Yous've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It'due south really there -- like lightning. "

"Poor dearest -- no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform. "

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what Y'all-Know-Who looks like?"

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to enquire him, Fred. No, don't you cartel. Equally though he needs reminding of that on his start 24-hour interval at schoolhouse. "

"All right, go on your hair on. "

A whistle sounded.

"Bustle up!" their female parent said, and the three boys clambered onto the railroad train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them proficient-farewell, and their younger sister began to weep.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls. "

"Nosotros'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat. "

"George!"

"Merely joking, Mom. "

The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until information technology gathered as well much speed, then she cruel back and waved.

Harry watched the daughter and her female parent disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to -- but information technology had to be better than what he was leaving backside.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat contrary Harry. "Everywhere else is full. "

Harry shook his head and the boy sat downwardly. He glanced at Harry then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he withal had a black mark on his nose.

"Hey, Ron. "

The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train -- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there. "

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. Run into you later, then. "

"Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

"Are yous really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Harry nodded.

"Oh -- well, I thought it might exist one of Fred and George'due south jokes," said Ron. "And have y'all really got -- yous know. . . "

He pointed at Harry's brow.

Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.

"And so that's where You-Know-Who -- ?"

"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it. "

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

"Well -- I call back a lot of green lite, merely nothing else. "

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, every bit though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked rapidly out of the window once again.

r /> "Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron merely as interesting as Ron found him.
"Er -- Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who'southward an auditor, but we never talk about him. "

"Then you lot must know loads of magic already. "

The Weasleys were clearly i of those old wizarding families the pale male child in Diagon Alley had talked about.

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"

"Horrible -- well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had 3 wizard brothers. "

"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'k the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. Yous could say I've got a lot to live upwards to. Beak and Charlie have already left -- Pecker was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy'southward a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really skilful marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Anybody expects me to exercise besides as the others, only if I practise, it's no big deal, because they did it outset. Yous never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Nib'southward old robes, Charlie'due south old wand, and Percy's erstwhile rat. "

Ron reached within his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.

"His proper noun'south Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly always wakes upwards. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff -- I hateful, I got Scabbers instead. "

Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to retrieve he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with non being able to beget an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron and then, all nigh having to wearable Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron upward.

". . . and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know annihilation well-nigh existence a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort--"

Ron gasped.

"What?" said Harry.

"You lot said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people--"

"I'm non trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I only never knew you shouldn't. Run into what I mean? I've got loads to learn. . . I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'1000 the worst in the class. "

"You won't be. There'south loads of people who come up from Muggle families and they learn quick enough. "

While they had been talking, the railroad train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding by fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

Around half past twelve there was a corking clattering outside in the corridor and a grinning, dimpled adult female slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry, who hadn't had whatsoever breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.

He had never had any money for processed with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gilded and silver he was prepare to buy equally many Mars Bars as he could behave -- just the adult female didn't take Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble'southward Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman 11 silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

Ron stared every bit Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?"

"Starving," said Harry, taking a big bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped information technology. At that place were iv sandwiches inside. He pulled i of them apart and said, "She ever forgets I don't like corned beef. . "

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding upwardly a viscid. "Go on--"

"You don't want this, it'southward all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much fourth dimension," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us. "

"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share earlier or, indeed, anyone to share it with. Information technology was a dainty feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding upwards a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.

"No," said Ron. "But come across what the menu is. I'm missing Agrippa. "

"What?"

"Oh, of form, you wouldn't know -- Chocolate Frogs take cards, within them, you know, to collect -- famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy. "

Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked upward the card. Information technology showed a human's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked olfactory organ, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the proper noun Albus Dumbledore.

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.

"Don't tell me y'all'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Tin I accept a frog? I might get Agrippa -- thanks--"

Harry turned over his carte and read:

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS

Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the nighttime wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon'south claret, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

"He'south gone!"

"Well, you lot tin can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be dorsum. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got nearly half dozen of her. . . practise yous desire it? You lot can beginning collecting. "

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.

"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, y'all know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos. "

"Do they? What, they don't movement at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"

Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled dorsum into the motion-picture show on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not simply Dumbledore and Morgana, just Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott'south Every Flavor Beans.

"Yous want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavor, they hateful every flavor -- you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, simply then you tin get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once. "

Ron picked upwards a light-green edible bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.

"Bleaaargh -- see? Sprouts. "

They had a good fourth dimension eating the Every Flavour Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave plenty to nibble the finish off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The great fields had gone. Now there were wood, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

At that place was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked bawling.

"Sorry," he said, "but accept you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn upward," said Harry.

"Yes," said the male child miserably. "Well, if you encounter him. . . "

He
left.
"Don't know why he's and so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, then I can't talk. "

The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to plow him yellow yesterday to brand him more interesting, simply the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look. . . "

He rummaged effectually in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. Information technology was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the stop.

"Unicorn hair's almost poking out. Anyway--"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a daughter with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville'due south lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy chocolate-brown pilus, and rather big front teeth.

"We've already told him we oasis't seen it," said Ron, but the daughter wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his manus.

"Oh, are you lot doing magic? Permit'south meet it, then. "

She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.

"Er -- all right. "

He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,

Plough this stupid, fatty rat yellow. "

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you lot sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it'due south not very proficient, is it? I've tried a few elementary spells only for practise and information technology'due south all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was always such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was e'er and then pleased, of course, I mean, information technology'southward the very best schoolhouse of witchcraft there is, I've heard -- I've learned all our grade books by centre, of course, I just hope it volition exist enough -- I'm Hermione Granger, by the manner, who are you?"

She said all this very fast.

Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.

"I'g Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Are yous really?" said Hermione. "I know all virtually you, of form -- I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Mod Magical History and The Ascent and Autumn of the Nighttime Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. "

"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you lot know, I'd accept found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of yous know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I promise I'thousand in Gryffindor, information technology sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. . . Anyway, nosotros'd better go and await for Neville's toad. Yous two had better change, you know, I await we'll be at that place soon. "

And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"Whatever business firm I'1000 in, I hope she's not in information technology," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell -- George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud. "

"What business firm are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to exist settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin. "

"That'southward the firm Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You lot know, I remember the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to accept Ron'southward listen off houses. "And so what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

Harry was wondering what a wizard did in one case he'd finished school.

"Charlie'southward in Romania studying dragons, and Bill'southward in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It'southward been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles -- someone tried to rob a high security vault. "

Harry stared.

"Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that'south why it'due south such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, simply they don't think they took anything, that's what'south odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in instance You-Know-Who's behind information technology. "

Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every fourth dimension You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all office of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more than comfortable proverb "Voldemort" without worrying.

"What'south your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.

"Er -- I don't know any. " Harry confessed.

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it'south the all-time game in the world -- " And he was off, explaining all most the iv balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to go if he had the coin. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet once again, simply it wasn't Neville the toadless male child, or Hermione Granger this time.

Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the eye 1 at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all downwards the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is information technology?"

"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Continuing on either side of the stake boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the stake boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name'southward Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. "

Ron gave a slight coughing, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to enquire who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys take ruby-red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford. "

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon detect out some wizarding families are much ameliorate than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can assistance you there. "

He held out his hand to milkshake Harry'due south, but Harry didn't take it.

"I think I tin can tell who the incorrect sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

Draco Malfoy didn't get crimson, only a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer y'all'll get the same mode every bit your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You lot hang around with riffraff similar the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you. "

Both Harry and Ron stood upwards.

"Say that again," Ron said, his confront as red as his pilus.

"Oh, you're going to fight united states, are yous?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you become out at present," said Harry, more than bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron.

"But we don't feet like leaving, do we, boys? Nosotros've eaten all our food and yous still seem to accept some. "

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron -- Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much every bit touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle -- Crabbe and Malfoy backed abroad as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at one time. Perhaps they idea in that location were more than rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come up in.

"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No -- I don't exist
lieve it -- he's gone back to sleep. "
And and so he had.

"Yous've met Malfoy before?"

Harry explained nearly their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side afterward You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side. " He turned to Hermione. "Can we aid you with something?"

"You'd better hurry upwardly and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the usher, and he says we're well-nigh there. Yous haven't been fighting, have yous? Yous'll exist in problem before nosotros even become at that place!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not united states," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right -- I only came in here considering people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the style, did you know?"

Ron glared at her equally she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long blackness robes. Ron's were a bit brusque for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.

A vocalization echoed through the railroad train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately. "

Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their manner toward the door and out on to a tiny, night platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Hagrid'due south large hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'monday, follow me -- any more than firs' years? Mind yer footstep, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so night on either side of them that Harry thought in that location must exist thick copse there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid chosen over his shoulder, "jus' circular this bend here. "

In that location was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a dandy black lake. Perched atop a high mount on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'northward four to a gunkhole!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their gunkhole by Neville and Hermione.

"Anybody in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Correct and then -- Forrard!"

And the armada of fiddling boats moved off all at once, gliding beyond the lake, which was as smooth every bit glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads downwards!" yelled Hagrid equally the kickoff boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the lilliputian boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face up. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them correct underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of surreptitious harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you at that place! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, belongings out his easily. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at final onto smooth, damp grass correct in the shadow of the castle.

They walked upward a flight of stone steps and crowded effectually the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You lot at that place, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.