''Have a good term,'' said Uncle Vernon with a nasty smile and he left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys walk away. Uncle Vernon and Dudley were laughing, he couldn't see Aunt Petunia, but she probably was too. Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone. He stopped a passing guard but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was being an idiot on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. In the end, Harry muttered something about joking and walked away, he couldn't stand the worried face of the guard. Harry was now trying hard not to get angry.
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 large, majestic owl. 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 randomly 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 –'' Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman leading four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him and one of them had an owl.
From a distance, Harry pushed his trolley after them. They stopped and so he did too, just near enough to hear and see what was going on. ''Now, what's the platform number?'' asked the mother, the three bigger boys all rolled their eyes. ''Nine and three-quarters!'' piped a small girl, her back to Harry he could only see her long red hair, what looked like the youngest boy rolled his big blue eyes.. 'mum, can't I go ...'' ''You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first.'' The tallest boy marched towards platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it – but just as the boy reached the divide between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him from literally nowhere, the place was practically empty seconds ago and by the time the last rucksack had cleared away, the boy had vanished. ''Fred, you next,'' the plump woman said. ''I'm not Fred, I'm George,'' said the boy. ''Honestly, woman, call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?'' ''Sorry, George, dear.'' ''Only joking, I am Fred,'' said the boy, Harry heard Uncle Vernon shouting his name behind him, had he returned? After all, abandoning him while thinking there was no train wasn't something that even he would do, Harry scanned the place for the familiar body shape but didn't find it.
His attention went back to the twins when one of them called after the other to hurry up, and he must have done because he had gone – but how had he done it? Weird things kept happening each time he tried to watch them disappear and now the third brother was walking briskly towards the ticket barrier – he was almost there – and then, quite suddenly, a pigeon landed next to harry nearly colliding with him when his attention was back at the boy he wasn't anywhere. There was nothing else for it. ''Excuse me,'' Harry 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, their eyes met briefly and they exchanged a weak smile.
''Yes,'' said Harry. 'the thing is…'' his throat was dry, asking for help was the worst thing he knew ''…the thing is, I don't know how to –'' ''How to get on to the platform?'' she said kindly, and Harry nodded. ''Not to worry,'' she said not meeting his eyes, she was looking at his front. ''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 – OK,'' said Harry. He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. He started to walk towards it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly.
He was going to smash right into that ticket box and then he'd be in trouble – leaning forward on his trolley he broke into a heavy run, the barrier was coming nearer and nearer – he wouldn't be able to stop, he tried to plant his feet to the ground – the heavy trolley had gained too much momentum and now was out of his control – he was a foot away and had managed to slow a little bit – he closed his eyes ready for the crash – It didn't come ... he kept on slowing ... he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Orient Express 5 o'clock, Durmst…he scanned the sign to find the Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock. He had done it.
Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to each other 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, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his trolley off down the platform in search of an empty carriage. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, ''Gran, he escaped again.'' ''Oh, Dear,'' he heard the old woman sigh. A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd. ''C'mon, Lee! Give us a look.'' The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms and the people around him shrieked and laughed as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg. Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk towards 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 ticket box. ''Yes, please,'' Harry panted. ''Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!'' ''I'm George! Honestly, brother, you call yourself my twin?''
With their help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment. 'thanks,'' said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes. ''What's that?'' said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar. ''Blimey,'' said the other twin. ''Are you –?'' ''He is,'' said the first twin. ''Aren't you?'' he added to Harry. ''Am I?'' said Harry. ''Harry Potter?'' chorused the twins. ''Oh, him,'' said Harry. ''I mean, yes, I am.'' The two boys gawped at him and Harry felt himself going red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door. ''Fred? George? Are you there?'' ''Coming, Mum.'' With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train. Harry sat down next to the window where, half-hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief. ''Ronnie, you've got something on your nose.'' The youngest boy jerked out of the way, but she grabbed him. 'mum – geroff.'' He wriggled free. ''Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?'' said one of the twins. ''Oh, shut up,'' said Ron. ''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 Harry noticed a shiny red and gold badge on his chest with the letter P on it. ''Can't stays long, Mother,'' he said ruffling Ron's hair. ''I'm upfront, the Prefects have got two compartments to themselves –'' ''Oh! are you a Prefect, Percy?'' said George, 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,'' added the other George lost in deep thought. ''Once –'' ''Or twice –'' ''A minute –'' ''All summer –'' ''Oh, shut up,'' interrupted Percy the Prefect. ''How come PerfectPrefectPercy gets new robes, anyway?'' said one of the Freds. ''Because he's adopted,'' said their mother fondly. ''All right, dear, well, have a good term – send me an owl when you get there.''
She kissed Percy the Prefect on the cheek, and he left. Then she turned to the twins. ''Now, you two – this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've – you've blown up a toilet or –'' ''Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet.'' ''Great idea though, thanks, Mum.'' ''It's not funny. And look after your brother.'' 'don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us.'' 'shut up, you're adopted'' said Ronnie. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still dirty. ''Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?'' Harry leant back quickly so they couldn't see him looking. ''You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?'' ''Who?'' ''Harry Potter!'' Harry heard the little girl's voice. ''Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, oh please ...'' ''You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?'' ''Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there – like lightning.'' 'do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?''
Their mother suddenly became very stern. ''I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school.'' ''All right, keep your hair on.'' A whistle sounded. ''Hurry up!'' the three boys clambered on to the train. They leant out of the window for her to kiss them goodbye and their younger sister began to cry which irritated Harry. 'don't, Ginny, I'll send you loads of owls.'' said Ron ''We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat.'' ''George!'' ''Only joking, Mum.'' The train began to move. Harry saw the boys'' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying. Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Harry felt a great leap of excitement.
The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest red-headed boy came in. ''Anyone sitting there?'' he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. ''Everywhere else is full.'' Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry watched Ron closely, he still had a black mark on his nose but Harry knew it wasn't a great first thing to say. Ron's hair had a different shade of red some even orange he really looked like he was on fire, his clothes didn't fit him, he looked like he grew overnight and it was too late to buy new clothes. ''Hey, Ron.'' The twins were back, now it was Harry that looked out of the window. ''Listen, we're going down the middle of the train – Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there,'' Ron mumbled.
''Harry,'' said the other twin, ''did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our adoptive brother. See you later, then.'' ''I am not adopted, George is!'' said Ron but the twins had already slid the compartment door shut behind them. ''Are you really 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 really got – you know ...'' He pointed at Harry's forehead. Harry pulled back his fringe to show the lightning scar. Ron stared. ''so that's where You-Know-Who –?'' ''Yes,'' said Harry, ''but I can't remember it.'' ''Nothing?'' said Ron eagerly. ''Well – I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else.'' ''Wow,'' said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realised what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again. ''Are all your family wizards?'' asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him ''Er – yes, I think so,'' said Ron.
''I think Mum's got a Squib second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him.'' ''so, you must know loads of magic already.'' The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about. ''I heard you went to live with Muggles,'' said Ron. ''What are they like?'' ''Horrible – well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had 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 grey 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. Harry 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 month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up. ''... and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard 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 thought you, of all people –'' ''I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying 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 first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, ''I bet I'm the worst in the class.'' ''You won't be!'' shouted Ron ''there are loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough – do you know how to play chess?'' Harry shook his head and Ron started searching for his chessboard. Around four and half loss there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, ''Anything off the trolley, 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 money for sweets with the Dursleys and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry – but the woman didn't have Mars or KitKat Bars. What she did have were Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and several other strange things Harry 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 smiled as Harry brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it on to an empty seat. ''Hungry, are you?'' ''starving,'' said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches in there. He pulled one of them apart and said, ''she always forgets I don't like corned beef.'' ''swap you for one of these,'' said Harry, 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 Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with.
It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties and cakes, the sandwiches and the chessboard lay forgotten. ''What are these?'' Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack Chocolate Frogs. ''they're not really frogs, are they?'' He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him. ''No, but they will jump if you don't bite the head'' 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.'' Harry 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 moustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore. ''so, this is Dumbledore!'' said Harry while the frog escaped. ''don't tell me you'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, Professor 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. Harry 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, Harry was about to ask if it was the real Dumbledore and if so, did he see Harry too ''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 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 as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested decapitating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcraft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus and freaking 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-Flavour Beans. ''You want to be careful with those,'' Ron warned Harry. ''When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour – you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey-flavoured one once.'' Ron 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-Flavour Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine and was even brave enough to nibble the end of a funny grey one Ron wouldn't 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 round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters 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!'' ''He'll turn up,'' said Harry. ''Yes,'' said the boy miserably. ''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. ''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 looking at Neville, 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 followed by Neville. 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. Harry was trying not to laugh and failed when he met Ron's amused eyes. ''Are you sure that's a real spell?'' said the girl frowning. ''Well, it's not very good, is it?'' she added missing the joke ''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 learnt all our set books off 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.
Harry looked at Ron and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learnt all the set books off by heart either. ''I'm Ron Weasley,'' Ron muttered. ''Harry Potter,'' said Harry. ''Are you really?'' said Hermione shifting all her attention toward him. ''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. ''Oh'' said Harry, feeling dazed. ''Goodness, didn't you know? I'd have found out everything I could if it was me,'' said Hermione. '' do either of you know what house you'll be in?'' there was a silence and she restarted talking even faster '' I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, Professor McGonagall was one, but I suppose I will be assigned to Hufflepuff ... 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 you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?'' And she left avoiding their eyes, taking the awkwardness and the toadless boy with her.
''Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it,'' said Ron and they both laughed he threw his wand back into his trunk. 'stupid spell – George gave it to me; bet he knew it was a dud.'' Said Ron half amused half angry ''What house are your brothers in?'' asked Harry. ''Gryffindor,'' said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. ''Mum 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, but–'' Ron stopped himself and flopped back into his seat, looking depressed. ''You know, I think the ends of Scabbers's whiskers are a bit lighter,'' said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. ''so, what do your oldest brothers do now 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 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.'' Harry stared. '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.'' Harry turned this news over in his mind. He 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.
''What's your Quidditch team?'' ''Er – I don't know any,'' Harry confessed. ''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 Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't toadless Neville or bossy Hermione this time.
Three boys entered and Harry recognised the middle one 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 down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So, it's you, is it?'' ''Yes,'' said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing 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 Harry 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.'' He turned back to Harry. ''You'll soon find out 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 Harry's, but Harry didn't take it. ''I think I can tell who the wrong sort is for myself, thanks,'' he said coolly. A pink tinge appeared on Draco's pale cheeks. ''I'd be careful if I were you, Potter,'' he said slowly.
''You hang around with riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid and it'll rub off on you.'' Both Harry and Ron stood up. Ron's face was as red as his hair. 'say that again,'' he said ''Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?'' Malfoy sneered. ''Unless you get out now,'' said Harry, more bravely than he felt because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him 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 towards 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 more rats were lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in. ''What has been going on?'' she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron kneeling. ''Scabbers, are you alright buddy?'' he whispered gently.
He looked closer. ''No – I don't believe it – he's gone back to sleep.'' Relieved Ron took his rat by the tail and put it next to himself as he took back his seat. ''You've met Malfoy before?'' Harry 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.'' Ron turned his head and Harry followed his gaze to Hermione who was still standing there. ''Can we help you with something?'' said Ron ''You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up the front to ask the driver 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 at her. ''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 Hermione in a sniffy voice Ron glared at her as she left. Harry 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 trainers underneath them. A voice echoed through the train: ''We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes'' time.