Chapter 3
"Everybody wake up!!!" Mrs. Weasly came marching up and down the hallway continually knocking on everybody's door. "Let's get a move on! We're behind schedule already!"
Harry woke up and felt around for his glasses and put them on. Then after stumbling and tripping found his way out to the hall. Mrs. Weasly and Hermione were the only ones up so far but soon Ginny changed that as she came stumbling out to join them. Next came George followed by Fred and finally Ron.
Harry was amazed. "How can you sleep through that?" He asked him.
Ron replied casually "We're used to it."
They all made they're way down to the kitchen and soon enough were back upstairs packing.
"I hate getting up early!" Complained Ron.
Harry rolled his eyes "I thought you could sleep through it."
"Most of the time. If you noticed I did wake up"
After a hurried breakfast they were sent upstairs to pack. After five minutes Hermione walked in trunk and all.
Ron was eyeing her trunk "You've finished already?!"
"Yes, and I see you haven't." She spoke in a matter-of-factly tone.
"Very observent of you." Ron replied.
Harry shook his head now that Ron and Hermione were arguing everything seemed in pace. Well, except for the fact that they weren't at Hogwarts yet. Harry couldn't wait to get on the train. And soon enough Ron and Hermione were moving out the door down the stairs towards the Weasly's car. Harry had just now taken the time to think about where Mr. Weasly had gotten the car.
"Mr. Weasly? Did you rent the car from the Ministry?" Harry asked him
"Yes Harry we did. I guess there just weren't that many people interested in using them today." Said Mr. Weasly while putting Hedwig in the trunk. Then Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Fred, and George climbed into the car.
Soon they were all in and on their way. Yet again Mr. Weasly's crazy driving shut them all up all except for Mr. Weaslyb himself who kept on trying to make conversation. All attempts failed until Mr. Weasly said:
"So Harry, have you heard? They've nearly got Sirius Black tracked down."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's jaws dropped "What?!" They said in unison.
"That's right! They nearly have him!" Mr. Weasly looked very proud to be the first one to tell him this.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione just stared at each other. "We'll talk later." Ron whispered to Harry seeing the look on his face."
Indeed when they got out of the van the trio trailed behind the rest chatting. "They can't have caught Sirius!" Harry complained rather loudly.
Hermione tried to quiet him as people were starting to stare "Shhhhhhhhhh!"
Harry continued "They just can't have! Know one else knows he's a.you know."
Now Ron looked really worried "Er.maybe it's just a rumor?" It was obvious Ron didn't believe what he just said. Harry noticed this as well and just sighed and shook his head.
In two minutes they were at the now familiar barrier between platforms nine and ten. They looked around. Neville was next in line for the barrier he and his Gran pushing his cart. They casually walked up to the barrier but just as they were a foot away Neville tripped and fell into the barrier. His legs were now sticking out of the barrier with his front half nowhere to be seen. A few people who looked like they were from the ministry tried to conceal this as best they could. Soon his feet were dragged into the barrier (probably by his Gran, Harry thought), and everything was back to normal. Harry and Ron then filed into the barrier with Mrs. Weasly and Hermione behind them. The rest had gone ahead.
They made it through the barrier with no trouble at all and soon faced the gleaming scarlet Hogwarts Express. Mrs. Weasly was now hurrying about giving them hugs and kisses good-bye.
"Have a good term!" She called as they boarded the train" AND YOU TWO BEHAVE!" She added to Fred and George.
Ron checked his watch "Three minutes to eleven." he said
"Yeah," Harry added "We're gonna have a hard time finding a seat."
They looked up and down the rows of compartments, all were filled but one was notable. There was a girl that looked about their age, though Harry had never seen her before, sitting by herself. She had light brown shoulder- length hair and when she turned toward Harry to see who had opened the door he could see that she had brilliant green eyes.
"Er.sorry, I didn't think there was anyone in here." Harry stuttered.
"Quite alright." She replied very calmly. And Harry closed the door. They all stood there for a second with puzzled looks on their faces.
Hermione broke the silence "Either of you seen her before?"
"Nope." Harry and Ron replied in unison as they continued they're search. They soon found an empty compartment near the back. From what they could tell it was the only empty compartment left.
"So," said Harry immediately striking up a conversation "how could they have tracked Sirius?"
"I dunno." Ron and Hermione both replied, not wanting to disappoint Harry any further.
"Come on guys!" Harry urged them. "Think! We've got to stop them!"
"Harry hold on!" Hermione said slowing him down. "Why don't you send a letter to Si-" But Hermione was cut short by the door sliding opened. Ginny walked in.
"Um, hi?" She said "All the other compartments are full so can I-" But Ron cut her short.
"GINNY!" Ron appeared to be outraged "Have you ever heard of knocking?! And you can not join us!" Ginny immediately slammed the door and hurried out.
"Ron!" Hermione was appalled "That was mean! She's your sister!"
Harry didn't know what to think of this, so he just left his mouth shut as an argument raged on until the witch with the food cart came past. She practically had to yell to be heard. Harry rushed toward her with his moneybag to provide a distraction to Ron who was now screaming.
"I WOULD LIKE SOME CHOCOLATE FROGS!" Harry yelled while turning to look at Ron. They instantly stopped and walked up to purchase some sweets. The rest of the trip was spent in talking about the new quidditch season, their homework and who would fill in for the dark arts until they finally came to a stop and Hagrid could be heard yelling "Firs' years over here!"
"Everybody wake up!!!" Mrs. Weasly came marching up and down the hallway continually knocking on everybody's door. "Let's get a move on! We're behind schedule already!"
Harry woke up and felt around for his glasses and put them on. Then after stumbling and tripping found his way out to the hall. Mrs. Weasly and Hermione were the only ones up so far but soon Ginny changed that as she came stumbling out to join them. Next came George followed by Fred and finally Ron.
Harry was amazed. "How can you sleep through that?" He asked him.
Ron replied casually "We're used to it."
They all made they're way down to the kitchen and soon enough were back upstairs packing.
"I hate getting up early!" Complained Ron.
Harry rolled his eyes "I thought you could sleep through it."
"Most of the time. If you noticed I did wake up"
After a hurried breakfast they were sent upstairs to pack. After five minutes Hermione walked in trunk and all.
Ron was eyeing her trunk "You've finished already?!"
"Yes, and I see you haven't." She spoke in a matter-of-factly tone.
"Very observent of you." Ron replied.
Harry shook his head now that Ron and Hermione were arguing everything seemed in pace. Well, except for the fact that they weren't at Hogwarts yet. Harry couldn't wait to get on the train. And soon enough Ron and Hermione were moving out the door down the stairs towards the Weasly's car. Harry had just now taken the time to think about where Mr. Weasly had gotten the car.
"Mr. Weasly? Did you rent the car from the Ministry?" Harry asked him
"Yes Harry we did. I guess there just weren't that many people interested in using them today." Said Mr. Weasly while putting Hedwig in the trunk. Then Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Fred, and George climbed into the car.
Soon they were all in and on their way. Yet again Mr. Weasly's crazy driving shut them all up all except for Mr. Weaslyb himself who kept on trying to make conversation. All attempts failed until Mr. Weasly said:
"So Harry, have you heard? They've nearly got Sirius Black tracked down."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's jaws dropped "What?!" They said in unison.
"That's right! They nearly have him!" Mr. Weasly looked very proud to be the first one to tell him this.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione just stared at each other. "We'll talk later." Ron whispered to Harry seeing the look on his face."
Indeed when they got out of the van the trio trailed behind the rest chatting. "They can't have caught Sirius!" Harry complained rather loudly.
Hermione tried to quiet him as people were starting to stare "Shhhhhhhhhh!"
Harry continued "They just can't have! Know one else knows he's a.you know."
Now Ron looked really worried "Er.maybe it's just a rumor?" It was obvious Ron didn't believe what he just said. Harry noticed this as well and just sighed and shook his head.
In two minutes they were at the now familiar barrier between platforms nine and ten. They looked around. Neville was next in line for the barrier he and his Gran pushing his cart. They casually walked up to the barrier but just as they were a foot away Neville tripped and fell into the barrier. His legs were now sticking out of the barrier with his front half nowhere to be seen. A few people who looked like they were from the ministry tried to conceal this as best they could. Soon his feet were dragged into the barrier (probably by his Gran, Harry thought), and everything was back to normal. Harry and Ron then filed into the barrier with Mrs. Weasly and Hermione behind them. The rest had gone ahead.
They made it through the barrier with no trouble at all and soon faced the gleaming scarlet Hogwarts Express. Mrs. Weasly was now hurrying about giving them hugs and kisses good-bye.
"Have a good term!" She called as they boarded the train" AND YOU TWO BEHAVE!" She added to Fred and George.
Ron checked his watch "Three minutes to eleven." he said
"Yeah," Harry added "We're gonna have a hard time finding a seat."
They looked up and down the rows of compartments, all were filled but one was notable. There was a girl that looked about their age, though Harry had never seen her before, sitting by herself. She had light brown shoulder- length hair and when she turned toward Harry to see who had opened the door he could see that she had brilliant green eyes.
"Er.sorry, I didn't think there was anyone in here." Harry stuttered.
"Quite alright." She replied very calmly. And Harry closed the door. They all stood there for a second with puzzled looks on their faces.
Hermione broke the silence "Either of you seen her before?"
"Nope." Harry and Ron replied in unison as they continued they're search. They soon found an empty compartment near the back. From what they could tell it was the only empty compartment left.
"So," said Harry immediately striking up a conversation "how could they have tracked Sirius?"
"I dunno." Ron and Hermione both replied, not wanting to disappoint Harry any further.
"Come on guys!" Harry urged them. "Think! We've got to stop them!"
"Harry hold on!" Hermione said slowing him down. "Why don't you send a letter to Si-" But Hermione was cut short by the door sliding opened. Ginny walked in.
"Um, hi?" She said "All the other compartments are full so can I-" But Ron cut her short.
"GINNY!" Ron appeared to be outraged "Have you ever heard of knocking?! And you can not join us!" Ginny immediately slammed the door and hurried out.
"Ron!" Hermione was appalled "That was mean! She's your sister!"
Harry didn't know what to think of this, so he just left his mouth shut as an argument raged on until the witch with the food cart came past. She practically had to yell to be heard. Harry rushed toward her with his moneybag to provide a distraction to Ron who was now screaming.
"I WOULD LIKE SOME CHOCOLATE FROGS!" Harry yelled while turning to look at Ron. They instantly stopped and walked up to purchase some sweets. The rest of the trip was spent in talking about the new quidditch season, their homework and who would fill in for the dark arts until they finally came to a stop and Hagrid could be heard yelling "Firs' years over here!"