Grin and Beard It Read Online Free

Chapter 6

Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the aforementioned room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't close Harry in his closet, forcefulness him to practise anything, or shout at him -- in fact, they didn't speak to him at all. Half terrified, one-half furious, they acted equally though any chair with Harry in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did go a bit depressing after a while.

Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had plant 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 window equally she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice. Every dark before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another solar day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.

On the last twenty-four hours of Baronial he thought he'd meliorate speak to his aunt and uncle virtually getting to King'southward Cross station the side by side day, then he went downward to the living room where they were watching a quiz prove on goggle box. 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 show he was listening.

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

Uncle Vernon grunted again.

"Would it be all right if you gave me a elevator?"

Grunt. Harry supposed that meant aye.

"Thank you. "

He was most to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon really spoke.

"Funny fashion to go to a wizards' school, the railroad train. Magic carpets all got punctures, accept they?"

Harry didn't say anything.

"Where is this school, anyway?"

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

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

His aunt and uncle stared.

"Platform what?"

"9 and three-quarters. "

"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "In that location is no platform nine and three-quarters. "

"It'due south on my ticket. "

"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll come across. You only wait. All right, nosotros'll take yous to Rex's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't carp. "

"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.

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

Harry woke at 5 o'clock the adjacent morning and was too excited and nervous to become dorsum 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 listing yet once more to brand sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to go up. 2 hours later, Harry'southward huge, heavy body had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting adjacent to Harry, and they had set off.

They reached King's Cantankerous at half by ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry'south trunk onto a cart and wheeled information technology into the station for him. Harry thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty smile on his face.

"Well, at that place y'all are, male child. Platform nine -- platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the eye, simply they don't seem to have built it yet, practice they?"

He was quite right, of form. At that place was a big plastic number 9 over 1 platform and a large plastic number x over the one adjacent to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.

"Take a adept term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier grinning. He left without some other give-and-take. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys bulldoze abroad. All iii of them were laughing. Harry'due south mouth went rather dry out. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to concenter a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone.

He stopped a passing guard, just didn't cartel mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the land it was in, he started to go annoyed, every bit though Harry was beingness stupid on purpose. Getting drastic, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the baby-sit said in that location wasn't 1. In the end the baby-sit strode away, muttering almost time wasters. Harry was now trying difficult not to panic. Co-ordinate to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the railroad train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do information technology; he was stranded in the centre of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of sorcerer money, and a large owl.

Hagrid must take forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like borer the third brick on the left to become into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should go out his wand and start tapping the ticket inspector'south stand between platforms nine and ten.

At that moment a group of people passed just behind 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 4 boys, all with flaming scarlet hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him -- and they had an owl.

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

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

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, as well scarlet-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, tin can't I become. . . "

"Y'all're not sometime plenty, Ginny, now be serenity. All right, Percy, you go outset. "

What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it -- but but as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a big oversupply of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the fourth dimension the last backpack had cleared abroad, the boy had vanished.

"Fred, you adjacent," the plump woman said.

"I'thousand not Fred, I'thou George," said the boy. "Honestly, adult female, you call yourself our female parent? Tin't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear. "

"Just joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called later on him to bustle up, and he must have done so, because a second later on, he had gone -- but how had he done it?

Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the bulwark he was almost there -- and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.

There was naught else for information technology.

"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.

"Hello, love," 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 gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

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

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

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk direct at the barrier betwixt platforms 9 and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into information technology, that'southward very of import. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Get on, go now before Ron. "

"Er -- okay," said Harry.

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

He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their style to platforms ix and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to blast right into that barrier and and then he'd be in trouble -- leaning forwards on his cart, he bankrupt into a heavy run -- the bulwark was coming nearer and nearer -- he wouldn't be able to terminate -- the cart was out of control -- he was a foot away -- he airtight his optics ready for t

he crash --

It didn't come. . . he kept on running. . . he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting adjacent to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Limited, xi o'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-fe archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and 3-Quarters on it, He had washed it.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and in that location betwixt their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the blubbering 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 downwardly the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a circular-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again. "

"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.

A male child with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Requite us a look, Lee, keep. "

The male child lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled every bit something within poked out a long, hairy leg.

Harry pressed on through the oversupply until he constitute an empty compartment near the terminate of the railroad train. He put Hedwig within first and then started to shove and boost his body toward the train door. He tried to elevator it upward the steps but could hardly raise ane finish and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.

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

"Yes, please," Harry panted.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What?" said Harry.

"Harry Potter. " chorused the twins.

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

The 2 boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. And then, to his relief, a vocalization came floating in through the train's open up door.

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

"Coming, Mom. "

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

Harry sat down side by side to the window where, half hidden, he could spotter the red-haired family unit on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

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

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

"Mom -- geroff" He wriggled gratuitous.

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

"Shut upwardly," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He'south coming now. "

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on information technology.

"Tin't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'k upwardly front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves--"

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of dandy surprise. "Y'all should have said something, we had no idea. "

"Hang on, I think I retrieve him proverb something almost it," said the other twin. "One time--"

"Or twice--"

"A minute--"

"All summertime--"

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

"How come up Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said 1 of the twins.

"Considering he's a prefect," said their female parent fondly. "All correct, beloved, well, have a skillful term -- send me an owl when you get there. "

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

"Now, you 2 -- this year, yous acquit yourselves. If I get one more than owl telling me you've -- you lot've blown upward a toilet or--"

"Diddled upward a toilet? Nosotros've never blown up a toilet. "

"Swell thought though, thanks, Mom. "

"Information technology'due south not funny. And look subsequently Ron. "

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

"Close upwards," said Ron again. He was almost as alpine as the twins already and his nose was still pinkish where his female parent had rubbed information technology.

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

Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't meet him looking.

"You know that black-haired boy who was near u.s. in the station? Know who he is?"

"Who?"

"Harry Potter!"

Harry heard the little girl's vocalisation.

"Oh, Mom, tin I become on the train and see him, Mom, eh please. . . "

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

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there -- similar lightning. "

"Poor dear -- no wonder he was solitary, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to go onto the platform. "

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

Their female parent suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to enquire him, Fred. No, don't you dare. Equally though he needs reminding of that on his kickoff day at school. "

"All right, keep your hair on. "

A whistle sounded.

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

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

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

"George!"

"Only joking, Mom. "

The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep upward with the railroad train until it gathered as well much speed, so she vicious back and waved.

Harry watched the girl and her female parent disappear equally the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a smashing leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to -- just it had to be improve than what he was leaving behind.

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

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

Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked apace out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he nevertheless had a black marking on his nose.

"Hey, Ron. "

The twins were back.

"Heed, we're going downward the middle of the train -- Lee Hashemite kingdom of jordan's got a giant tarantula down at that place. "

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. Encounter y'all later on, then. "

"Adieu," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door close behind them.

"Are you actually Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Harry nodded.

"Oh -- well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you actually got -- you lot know. . . "

He pointed at Harry's forehead.

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

"And then that's where You lot-Know-Who -- ?"

"Aye," said Harry, "just I can't recollect it. "

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

"Well -- I remember a lot of green light, simply nothing else. "

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had of a sudden realized what he was doing, he looked speedily out of the window again.

r /> "Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who constitute Ron simply as interesting as Ron found him.
"Er -- Aye, I think so," said Ron. "I remember Mom's got a second cousin who'southward an accountant, just nosotros never talk about him. "

"So y'all must know loads of magic already. "

The Weasleys were clearly 1 of those quondam wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Aisle had talked about.

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

"Horrible -- well, non all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three magician brothers. "

"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'yard the sixth in our family unit to go to Hogwarts. You lot could say I've got a lot to live upwards to. Pecker and Charlie accept already left -- Bill was caput boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. At present Percy'due south a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they even so go actually adept marks and anybody thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to practice also equally the others, but if I do, it'due south no big deal, because they did it first. You never become anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill'due south old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's onetime rat. "

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

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being fabricated a prefect, merely they couldn't aff -- I mean, I got Scabbers instead. "

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

Harry didn't remember there was anything incorrect with not existence able to beget an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a calendar month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old wearing apparel and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.

". . . and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know annihilation about being a magician or about my parents or Voldemort--"

Ron gasped.

"What?" said Harry.

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

"I'1000 not trying to be dauntless or anything, proverb the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn. . . I bet," he added, voicing for the commencement fourth dimension something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the course. "

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

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

Around half past twelve in that location was a great clattering exterior in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Annihilation off the cart, dears?"

Harry, who hadn't had any 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 coin for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was set up to buy equally many Mars Confined as he could carry -- merely the adult female didn't accept Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other foreign things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss annihilation, he got some of everything and paid the adult female xi silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

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

"Hungry, are you?"

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

Ron had taken out a lumpy packet and unwrapped it. There were iv sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef. . "

"Swap you lot for ane of these," said Harry, holding up a glutinous. "Continue--"

"You lot don't want this, information technology'southward all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "y'all know, with 5 of us. "

"Keep, have a sticky," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share information technology with. Information technology was a squeamish feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their fashion through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up 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 run into what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa. "

"What?"

"Oh, of class, you wouldn't know -- Chocolate Frogs take cards, inside them, you know, to collect -- famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, simply I oasis't got Agrippa or Ptolemy. "

Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked upwardly the bill of fare. Information technology showed a man'south face. He wore half-moon spectacles, had a long, crooked olfactory organ, and flowing argent hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

"Then this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.

"Don't tell me you lot'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa -- thanks--"

Harry turned over his card 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 dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's claret, and his work on abracadabra with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

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

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all mean solar day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her. . . do you lot want it? Yous tin start collecting. "

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

"Aid yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos. "

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

Harry stared every bit Dumbledore sidled dorsum into the pic on his carte and gave him a minor smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, merely Harry couldn't keep his optics off them. Soon he had non just Dumbledore and Morgana, but 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'due south Every Flavor Beans.

"Yous want to exist careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavour -- you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, just then yous can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored ane one time. "

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it advisedly, and chip into a corner.

"Bleaaargh -- see? Sprouts. "

They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, broiled bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny greyness ane Ron wouldn't impact, which turned out to be pepper.

The countryside now flying by the window was condign wilder. The great fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark greenish hills.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced male child Harry had passed on platform nine and iii-quarters came in. He looked tearful.

"Sorry," he said, "only have y'all seen a toad at all?"

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

"He'll plow up," said Harry.

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if y'all come across him. . . "

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

The rat was still snoozing on Ron'south lap.

"He might have died and you lot wouldn't know the departure," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, just the spell didn't piece of work. I'll show y'all, look. . . "

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

"Unicorn pilus's about poking out. Anyway--"

He had merely raised his wand when the compartment door slid open up again. The toadless male child was back, simply this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy dark-brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"Nosotros've already told him nosotros haven't seen it," said Ron, simply the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you lot doing magic? Let's see it, then. "

She sabbatum down. Ron looked taken aback.

"Er -- all right. "

He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,

Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow. "

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

"Are y'all certain that's a real spell?" said the daughter. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells merely for do and information technology's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, information technology was ever such a surprise when I got my letter of the alphabet, but I was always so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very all-time schoolhouse of witchcraft there is, I've heard -- I've learned all our form books by heart, of grade, I just hope it will be enough -- I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, 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 form books by heart either.

"I'thou Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Are you lot actually?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of class -- I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Ascension and Autumn of the Night Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. "

"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you lot know, I'd have institute out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Practice either of you know what business firm you'll exist in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, information technology sounds past far the all-time; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be besides bad. . . Anyway, nosotros'd better get and look for Neville'south toad. Yous ii had better change, you know, I wait we'll exist at that place soon. "

And she left, taking the toadless male child with her.

"Whatsoever business firm I'k in, I hope she's non in it," 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 firm are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be 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 besides bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin. "

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

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

"Y'all know, I retrieve the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a chip lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your oldest brothers practise at present that they've left, anyway?"

Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.

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

Harry stared.

"Actually? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Night magician to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took annihilation, that's what'due south odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something similar this happens in example You lot-Know-Who's behind it. "

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 function of inbound the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.

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

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

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you expect, it's the best game in the world -- " And he was off, explaining all about the four 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 get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the effectively points of the game when the compartment door slid open up yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this fourth dimension.

3 boys entered, and Harry recognized the centre 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 downward the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it'southward you, is information technology?"

"Aye," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Continuing on either side of the pale 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'due south Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. "

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

"Think my name'southward funny, do you lot? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys accept red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford. "

He turned back to Harry. "Yous'll presently observe out some wizarding families are much amend than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the incorrect sort. I tin can help you lot at that place. "

He held out his paw to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't accept it.

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

Draco Malfoy didn't become red, but 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 you'll go the same way equally your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You lot hang effectually 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 face up as red every bit his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight u.s.a., are you?" Malfoy sneered.

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

"Simply we don't anxiety similar leaving, do nosotros, boys? We've eaten all our nutrient and you withal seem to take some. "

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

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp petty teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle -- Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers circular and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all iii of them disappeared at one time. Perchance they thought there were more than rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second subsequently, Hermione Granger had come up in.

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

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

"Y'all've met Malfoy before?"

Harry explained nigh their meeting in Diagon Aisle.

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the start to come back to our side after Yous-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bugged. 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. "Tin we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry upward and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to inquire the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. Y'all haven't been fighting, have you lot? Yous'll be in problem earlier we even get there!"

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

"All right -- I simply came in here because 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 olfactory organ, by the mode, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as 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'due south were a bit short for him, you lot could come across his sneakers underneath them.

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

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

The train slowed correct down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold nighttime 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 correct there, Harry?"

Hagrid'due south big hairy face beamed over the bounding main of heads.

"C'mon, follow me -- any more than firs' years? Listen yer step, at present! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid downwards what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. Information technology was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees 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' round this bend here. "

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

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

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

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a gunkhole to himself. "Right then -- Forwards!"

And the fleet of trivial boats moved off all at in one case, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. Information technology towered over them every bit they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff confront. They were carried along a nighttime tunnel, which seemed to exist taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of hush-hush harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats every bit people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his easily. And so they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid'due south lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, clammy grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of rock steps and crowded around the huge, oak front end door.

"Everyone hither? You at that place, yet got yer toad?"

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