Platform 9 and ¾

A month later, on September 1st; James, Sirius, Remus and Daisy were hovering in front of the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, waiting for a group of girls to stop staring at Sirius so they could sneak through. Sirius decided to go do a loop of the platform but promised he would be back to see Daisy off. At that moment a pair of people came up behind them "James, Remus-it's been too long." Flipping around Daisy saw it was a father and son. The father was tall and muscular, like her own. However there was intenseness in his eyes that James didn't have. Upon seeing the boy Daisy decided this was a good thing. He was very nervous looking as he pushed a trolley that was packed identically to Daisy's, except instead of Hedwig he had a toad.

"Frank it's nice to see you again" replied James

"And this must be Neville" added Remus "Goodness I haven't seen you seen you were a baby." Neville seemed taken aback by this before stuttering

"H…h…hello sir" the flustered boy could get no more about before Frank finally realised Daisy's presence and stopped dead "Sorry, you're the spitting image of your mother, thought I was looking at a ghost for a second, I know ghosts are rather white and translucent but any spirit of Lily Potter would have to be far more vibrant than the rest. Like the woman herself." The five of them just stood there staring until they were interrupted by Sirius "Frank it's been too long, nice to see you. And this must be Neville, look at you all grown up. Better watch out Frank, pretty soon he'll be stumbling off the Knight Bus at 3 in the morning, maybe with Daisy in tow." Sirius' easy banter lightened the tone and before more girls stared staring the group of now six slipped through the barrier. Daisy closed her eyes and went through with James at a run, after a few minutes she finally opened her eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock. Daisy looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on 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. Daisy, Neville and their families decided to head off down the platform in search of an empty seat.

They passed a family of redheads and Daisy couldn't help but smile when she heard

"Now Fred, you and George had better look after Ron," a 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."

"Just kidding I am George"

Daisy pressed on through the crowd until the group found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She put Hedwig inside as Neville put Trevor in. Whilst this was going on James and Sirius loaded her trunk into the compartment as Remus and Frank got Neville's. Sirius turned the two children "You know you two actually knew each other when you were babies" they stared amazed "all your parents went to school together and fought against Voldemort." Neville and Daisy now regarded each other as instant friends. They were all standing around talking when the red-haired twins Daisy overheard came sprinting past and accidentally knocked her over

"Oh, I'm sorry" one of them said, and immediately hurried over to help her back up, his brother close behind. "Thanks," said Daisy pushing the hair off her face once she was up

"What's that?" said the twin who'd helped her up, pointing at Daisy's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin "are you?"

"She is," said the first twin "Aren't you"

"Who?" asked Daisy, teasingly."

"Daisy Potter, "chorused the twins.

"Oh, her," said Daisy. "I mean, yes, I am."

The two boys gawked at her, and Daisy felt herself turning red. Then, to her relief, James interjected. "Perhaps you two best get on the train, plenty of time to get acquainted later?"

"Yes sir" they said in unison.

With a last look at Daisy, the twins went to join their family.

As Daisy, Neville and their families continued talking Daisy listened in on the conversation of the red-haired family.

"Shut up," said Ron. Daisy was unsure what insult the twins had thrown at him.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now."

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

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves "

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

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once"

"Or twice-a day for the entire summer"

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

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

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

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left.

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

"Daisy Potter!" exclaimed the twins

"Oh, Mom, can I go down the platform and see her, Mom, eh please..." asked a little girl, Daisy presumed was their sister.

"Ginny, the poor girl isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is she really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked her. Saw her scar. It's really there - like lightning."

"Do you think she remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?" asked Ron

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask her, you three; as though she needs reminding of that terrible night."

Daisy attention refocused to her group as she was hugged by Sirius "Now remember Miss Daisy I want to be hearing that your father has had a letter about you before the weeks out"

"Sirius" warned Remus

"Oh alright, I'll give you a fortnight or else you'll be getting a howler from me." With one last hug Daisy flashed him a massive smile before turning to Remus "Try not to get into too much trouble just to appease Sirius"

"Yes sir" she chimed while giving him a goodbye hug. Now it was James' turn, although he would never admit it he did look a bit teary eyed, he pulled Daisy into a bone crushing hug "What Padfoot and Moony said, work hard-have fun and be good, I'll see you at Christmas." Despite having finished his speech he was relenting from letting Daisy go. A whistle sounded. "Um Dad, I have to get on the train."

"Yes, yes off you go"

"So you have to let go of me." With that James finally surrendered his daughter and she issued a hasty goodbye to Frank, Daisy clambered on the train following Neville. Now that she was in the compartment, she couldn't help herself. Instead of listening to James, Sirius and Remus arguing about how many detentions Daisy should get her attention returned to the redheaded family.

The three boys had clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for their 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."

"Besides, you gave us the idea the other day when you said we weren't to blow up any Hogwarts toilets"

"Even though we've never done that; and we never will" the boy quickly added upon seeing his mother's expression.

The train began to move. Daisy waved to her father, Sirius and Remus while watching the boys' sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed.

Daisy watched them all disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Daisy felt her stomach twist. It was with great excitement that she would finally be entering the wizard world. Although Daisy would miss her family greatly she would still write to them every day. And although she didn't entirely know of the world she was entering it would be far greater than a life of muggle school she 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 Daisy. "Everywhere else is full."

Neville and Daisy gestured to the seat next to Neville and the boy sat down. He glanced at Daisy and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Daisy saw he still 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.

"Daisy," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And you are" they asked looking at Neville

"Neville Longbottom"

"Right, nice to meet you both. See you later, then."

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

"Are you really Daisy Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Daisy nodded.

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

He pointed at Daisy's forehead.

Daisy pulled back her bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron and Neville stared.

"So that's where You-Know-Who"

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

"Nothing?" persisted Neville.

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

"Wow," said Ron. Neville looked equally impressed. They sat and stared at Daisy for a few moments, then, as though they had suddenly realized what they were doing, Ron looked quickly out of the window again. Neville examined his toad.

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Daisy, who found the boys just as interesting as they found her.

"As far as I'm aware" answered Neville

"Same with me," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"So you guys must know loads of magic already, especially you Ron with three wizard 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.

"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.

"If it helps Ron" begun Neville "my Gran takes the cake when it comes to family pressure. My father, Frank Longbottom, is a highly decorated auror, and my gran is always reminding me that my talent and his don't quite measure up. Dad says not to listen to her. It doesn't help that everyone thought I might be a squib, until my Uncle Algie dropped me out a window and I bounced. Even then there was doubt I'd get into Hogwarts, Uncle Algie was so proud he bought me this toad, Neville. Even so, my Gran is never going to be as proud of me as she is dad." This did cheer Ron up slightly, as Neville's face went red at his outburst against his Gran. Diffusing the tension Daisy asked "What's a squib"

"A non-magical person born to magical parents, the opposite of a muggle-born," answered Ron.

Daisy ruminated on all that had been said and decided she didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. Of course it was easy for her to think this. She had recently found out her family was wealthy-until that point she knew they had to have money as her father didn't work-but not the amount they did. Since she couldn't relate to Ron's (in Daisy's opinion dumbfounded) financial woes she decided to confide in Ron and Neville her own worries of the pressures that faced her. This seemed to cheer them both up. It was clear a friendship between the three had been formed.

"…everyone seems to expect great things from me just because I managed to stop Voldemort"

Ron gasped.

"What?" said Daisy?

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

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Daisy, "it's just what is he going to do about it?"

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?"

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

Sirius had made sure to give her some extra galleons for snacks on the train. As had Remus. As had her father. So with her pockets rattling with gold Daisy got some of everything to share with her new friends. She'd only ever had wizard sweets when Sirius had bought her some from Diagon Alley. Daisy's collection which only cost eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts included; Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes and Licorice Wands.

Ron stared as Daisy and Neville brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?"

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

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 Daisy, 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 Daisy, who had never had friends her own age to share sweets with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron and Neville, eating their way through all Daisy's and Neville's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

Daisy unwrapped a 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 moustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Daisy. She had heard of him from James, Sirius and Remus. The last of who always spoke of him with great admiration, the other two seemed more reserved. Daisy would remember to ask them why.

Daisy turned over her 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.

Daisy looked up and noticed Ron's eyes stray to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. "Help yourself" said Daisy. As the three ate their way through the dwindling pile, Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Daisy couldn't keep her eyes off them. Soon she had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. She finally tore her eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Daisy got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end of a funny gray one neither Ron nor Neville would touch, which turned out to be pepper. 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 girl Daisy had passed on platform nine and threequarters came in. She looked tearful.

"Sorry," she said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

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

"He'll turn up," said Daisy.

"Yes," said the girl miserably. "Well, if you see him..."

She 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." As soon as the words came out of his mouth he remembered Neville had a toad, attempting to rectify the situation he added "Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap,

Neville smiled before adding "sure he hasn't died."

"He might have 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..." Daisy was glad there hadn't already been a row between her friends.

Ron 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 girl was back, but this time she had a boy with him. He was already wearing his new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Lavender's lost one," he said. He was black, tall for his age and with kind eyes. Despite the demanding nature of his tone, Daisy couldn't help a strange feeling that swept over her by looking at him.

"We've already told her we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the boy wasn't listening, he was looking at the wand in Ron's hand.

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

He 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 boy. "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, at least I don't think so-my aunt and uncle never speak of my parents, still 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 Dean Thomas, by the way, who are you."

As the words rattled out of Dean's mouth like the train along the track, Daisy, Neville and Ron were just looking at one another. She was relieved to see by their stunned faces that they hadn't learned the entire course books by heart either.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Neville Longbottom"

"Daisy Potter," said Daisy.

"Are you really?" said Dean. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Am I?" said Daisy, feeling dazed-although part of her was relieved she had been sheltered from all this attention she would've appreciated finding out sooner. So she could digest it before being thrust into the magical world.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Dean. "Do any 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... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Lavender's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

And he left, taking the toadless girl with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope he's not 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 house are your brothers in?" asked Daisy.

"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 the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

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

"You know, you're not alone my parents were in Gryffindor," said Neville.

"Same" added Daisy "and I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter."

Trying to take Ron's mind off houses Daisy asked "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

"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, someone tried to rob a high security vault," asked Neville

"I know. 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," added Ron.

The trio sat in silence for a while when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless girl, or Dean Thomas this time.

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

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

"Yes," said Daisy. She 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.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Daisy was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. 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." Neville stayed silent, threatened by the building tension.

Draco turned back to Daisy. "As I'm sure you know some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Daisy's, but Daisy didn't take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," she said coolly.

Draco Malfoy didn't go 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 as your mother. She didn't know what was good for her, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys, and it'll rub off on you."

Daisy, Neville and Ron stood up.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Daisy, more bravely than she felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than her or Ron.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron - Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as 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 away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Dean Thomas had come in.

"What has been going on?" he 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 Daisy. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No - I don't believe it - he's gone back to sleep-"

And so he had. Daisy couldn't help but snicker at Scabbers as she recounted her run in with Malfoy 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 Dean. "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!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

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

Ron glared at him as he left. Daisy peered out of the window. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

Her, Neville 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."

Daisy's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, she 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. Daisy shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Daisy heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Daisy?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"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 Daisy thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Lavender, the girl who kept losing her 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 castle that radiated more magnificence than any Daisy had seen in muggle fairytales.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Daisy, Neville and Ron were followed into their boat, much to Ron's chagrin, by Dean. "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 Lavender blissfully, holding out her 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.