Mokuba had gotten up early on September 1st, excited for the first day of school. He knew Seto couldn't join him on the train ride, having to get there early and all for preparations, but that just made him want to get to the school even more.
So now he was standing alone in front of 9 and 10. There was a big plastic number nine over
one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.
Mokuba's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He quickly shook off those feelings. He was a Kaiba and be damned if he couldn't figure it out! But he was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Kuro sleeping on his head. He'd have to ask someone. He thought about stopping a passing guard, but didn't dare as the guard probably never heard of Hogwarts.
Now running out of ideas, Mokuba was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get 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 trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a small cat. He didn't even have a credit card as Seto didn't think he would need it. Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get 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 behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.
"- packed with Muggles, of course -"
Mokuba 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 Mokuba's in front of him - and they had an owl.
Smiling, Mokuba pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying. "Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.
"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go..."
"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go
first."
What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Mokuba watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it - but 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 last
backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished. Mokuba frowned. Not cool!
"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.
"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"
"Sorry, George, dear."
"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. Mokuba laughed. He liked those boys. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone - but how had he done it? Mokuba was starting to get annoyed.
Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there - and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere. Mokuba sighed. There was nothing else for it.
"Excuse me," Mokuba said to the plump woman.
"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." 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 Mokuba. "The thing is, I don't know how to-"
"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Mokuba nodded, trying not to show irritation at being interrupted. She was being very kind, after all.
"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."
"Er - okay," said Mokuba. That didn't sound right but oh well. 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 way to platforms nine and ten. Mokuba walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble - leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run - the barrier was coming nearer and nearer - he wouldn't be able to stop - the cart was out of control - he was a foot away - he closed his eyes ready for the crash - It didn't come... he kept on running... he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign
overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock. Mokuba looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. Mokuba smiled. He had done it.
Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one 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.
Mokuba 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 old woman sigh.
A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.
"Give us a look, Lee, go on."
The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg. Mokuba pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Kuro down on the seat so he wouldn't fall off his head and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it
up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.
"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.
"Yes, please," Mokuba panted.
"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" With the twins' help, Mokuba's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.
"Thanks," said Mokuba, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.
"What's your name?" said one of twins, smiling.
Mokuba smiled back. "Kaiba. Mokuba Kaiba. I'm from Japan."
Suddenly, a voice came floating in through the train's open door. "Fred? George? Are you there?"
"Coming, Mom."
With a last look at Mokuba, the twins hopped off the train. Mokuba sat down next to the window where he started to play with Kuro. The small black cat just woke up and was in a very playful mode.
A whistle sounded, startling Mokuba and making Kuro jump back onto his head. Mokuba caught sight of the red hair family outside.
"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 loads of owls."
"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."
"George!"
"Only joking, Mom."
The train began to move. Mokuba saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.
Mokuba watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner and wished Seto was there with him. He watched as houses flashed past the window and felt a great leap of
excitement. He didn't know what he was going to but it had to be awesome!
The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in. "Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Mokuba. "Everywhere else is full."
Mokuba shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Mokuba and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Mokuba saw he 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.
"Mokuba," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."
"Bye," said Mokuba and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.
"Are all your family wizards?" asked Mokuba, who found the silence to be disturbing.
"Er - Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."
"So you must know loads of magic already."
Mokuba wondered if Ron would be anything like that pale kid from Diagon Alley. He sure hoped not.
"Do you live with Muggles?" asked Ron. "What are they like?"
"Wonderful! At least my life was." Mokuba said then stopped. "I don't know how much else I can say without sounding like I was bragging..."
"Keep going." Ron said. "I know you're not bragging."
"Well, to put it simply, I'm rich." Mokuba watched Ron's eyes widen. "My older brother owns a very popular company in Japan, where I live. I'm the vice president. Though it would be cool to have three older brothers."
"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left - Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."
Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep. Luckily, Kuro had fallen asleep again on Mokuba's head.
"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff- I mean, I got Scabbers instead." Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window. Mokuba didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a few years ago, and he told Ron so, though only vaguely about the orphanage. This seemed to cheer Ron up, though Mokuba didn't know why. "... and until Dumbledore and Lupin-San told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or Voldemort."
Ron gasped.
"What?" said Mokuba.
"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed.
"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Mokuba, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See 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'm the worst in the class. Though maybe not the one my brother's teaches."
"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."
While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past 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 great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"
Mokuba, who been too excited to have any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears
went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Mokuba went out into the corridor. He had pockets rattling with gold and silver and was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry - but the woman didn't have 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 strange things Mokuba had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.
Ron stared as Mokuba brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat. "Hungry, are you?"
"Starving," said Mokuba, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty and feeding some to Kuro.
Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said,
"She always forgets I don't like corned beef."
"Swap you for one of these," said Mokuba, holding up a pasty. "Go on -"
"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."
"Go on, have a pasty," said Mokuba, who had never had anyone other then his brother to share with before. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Mokuba's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).
"What are these?" Mokuba 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 see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."
"What?"
"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know - Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."
Mokuba unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half- moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.
"Its Dumbledore!" said Mokuba. "But I like Duel Monsters better."
"What's Duel Monsters?"
"If we get into the same house, I'll explain it to you." Mokuba 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 blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore
enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.
Mokuba turned the card back 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 day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you want it? You can start collecting."
Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.
"Help yourself," said Mokuba. "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!"
Mokuba laughed at Ron's reaction then stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture 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 Mokuba couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only 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's Every Flavor Beans.
"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Mokuba. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor - you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and mar-malade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a boogerflavored
one once."
"How did he know that?"
Ron shrugged and picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner."Bleaaargh - see? Sprouts."
They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Mokuba got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper. He also got a cat food flavor one that he only nibbled, not trusting it's color, so he gave the rest of it to Kuro.
The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Mokuba had passed on platform nine and threequarters came in. He looked tearful.
"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"
When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"
"Here," said Mokuba, holding up a chocolate frog.
"Thanks," said the boy laughing miserably and took the sweet. "Well, if you see him..." He left.
"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so 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 turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."
He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end. "Unicorn hair's nearly 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 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 brown hair, and rather large front teeth.
"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand. "Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." She sat 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 you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you." She said all this very fast.
Mokuba looked at Ron, and was amused to see his stunned face.
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.
"Mokuba Kaiba," said Mokuba.
"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I've heard of you! I've never been a big fan of Duel Monsters but you're still famous."
Mokuba blushed and Hermione got the message and changed the subject.
"Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad..."
"You shouldn't judge a house before you get there." Mokuba said. "You may very well belong in Hufflepuff or Syltherin."
Hermione looked at him strangely but continued talking. "Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."
And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.
"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. Mokuba didn't say anything to that. Ron threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."
"What house are your brothers in?" asked Mokuba.
"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 too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."
"That's stupid! You're not your family! You might have a family trait, like being stubborn or having a temper, but you shouldn't be expected be in the same house."
"But what if I'm in Syltherin?"
"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"
"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.
"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Mokuba, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. He didn't want to be on that subject anymore. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?" Mokuba 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 you hear about Gringotts? It's 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."
Mokuba stared. And hoped Bakura didn't have anything to do with it, as stupid as it was.
"Really? 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 Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."
Mokuba turned this news over in his mind. He, as stupid as it was, was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You- Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying. He made a mental note just to call him by name for now on.
"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.
"I don't know any," Mokuba confessed. "Muggles, remember?"
"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, 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 Mokuba through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.
Three boys entered, and Mokuba recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Mokuba with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.
"There you are." he said. "I came to apologize. I shouldn't have been so rude, Harry."
"Apology accepted," said Mokuba. "But please, call me Mokuba." He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.
Ron looked at him, confused. "Harry? You said your name is Mokuba."
The pale boy scowled. "You haven't told him?" He then turned to Ron. "This is Harry Potter!" Rob looked at Mokuba, shocked. The pale boy turned back to Mokuba. "Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Mokuba was still looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snicker. Draco
Malfoy looked at him. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father
told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than
they can afford." He turned back to Mokuba. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends-"
"You," Mokuba cut in. "Can stop right there." He glared at Draco. "I'll be your friend but I will not let you make fun of my friends. And how do you know what Ron is like?"
"Well, my father said-"
"I don't care what your father says." Mokuba cut him off again, making his face get a pink tinge. "You are not your father and you are the one to go to school with him for the next 7 years. Stop taking your daddy's word for everything. Even I don't take my brother's word for everything!" Mokuba smirked. "And my last name is Kaiba," he said coolly.
Draco just glared and left the compartment.
Ron looked at Mokuba in awe. "You're Harry Potter?!"
Mokuba cringed. "Technically yes but please don't tell anyone!" Ron looked confused and Mokuba sighed. "I am Mokuba Kaiba, younger brother of Seto Kaiba, the Vice president of Kaiba Corp., and reigning Capsule Monster Chess Champion. I haven't been Harry Potter since I was 6. And I have nothing of bad memories of that time."
Ron looked like he understood but before he could do anything, Hermione Granger had come in. "What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor.
"You've met Malfoy before?" Ron asked, ignoring Hermione.
Mokuba explained about 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 after 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 help you with something?"
"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"
"Would you mind leaving while we change?" said Ron, scowling at her
"All right - I only 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 nose, by the way, did you know?"
Ron glared at her as she left. Mokuba looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Did you not hear anything I just said to Malfoy?" Ron just looked confused. "Nevermind..." Mokuba 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 black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.
A voice echoed through the 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."
Mokuba's stomach lurched with excitement 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 way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Mokuba shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Mokuba heard a familiar voice:
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Mokuba?" Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads and Mokuba was relived Hagrid got his name right. "C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"
Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Mokuba thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.
"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called 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 take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Mokuba and Ron were followed into their boat by Draco and Hermione. Mokuba grinned at Draco who just turned his head, grumbling. Maybe there was hope for him. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"
And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as 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 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 face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. "Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.
"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door. "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
