-Author's Note:

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Jane's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley and Daisy were now so scared of Jane they wouldn't stay in the same room as her, and while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Jane in her cupboard, force her to do anything or shout at her, they didn't speak to her at all. Half-terrified, half-furious, they acted as though any chair with Jane in it was empty.

Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while. So Jane kept to her room, with her new owl for company. Jane had decided to call the beautiful snowy owl Hedwig. It was a name she had found in A History of Magic.

Jane found that her school books were very interesting. Since the trip to Diagon Alley, Jane spent her time hiding in her, sprawled on her bed and reading late into the night. Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased.

It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to clean any more, preferring to leave that chore to Jane herself, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice.

Every night before she went to sleep, Jane ticked off another day on the piece of paper she had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.

On the last day of August she thought she'd better speak to her aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so she went down to the living-room, where they were watching a quiz show on television. Jane cleared her throat to let them know she was there, and Daisy burst into tears and ran from the room, Dudley glaring cautiously at Jane followed her.

"Er – Uncle Vernon?" Jane said as politely as possible. Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.

"Er, well, I er I need to be at Kings Cross tomorrow to – to go to Hogwarts."

The only response Jane got to show they were paying attention was from Uncle Vernon, who simply grunted again.

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

Another grunt sounded from her Uncle, Jane supposed that meant yes.

"Thank you."

Jane was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.

"Funny way to get to a magical school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?" He asked in a snide, condescending voice. Jane didn't say anything in response.

"Where is this school, anyway?" Her uncle asked

"I don't know," said Jane, realising this for the first time. She pulled the ticket Dumbeldore had given her out of her pocket.

"I'm supposed to take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," she read. Her aunt and uncle stared.

"Platform what?" Snapped Uncle Vernon

"Nine and three-quarters." Said Jane reading the platform number off her ticket

"Don't talk rubbish," said Aunt Petunia shrilly "there is no platform nine and three-quarters."

"But it's on my ticket." Insisted Jane

"Barking," said Uncle Vernon gruffly, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross."

Jane woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too nervous to go back to sleep. She got up and pulled on her uniform. She did not wear her hat or robes though, choosing to add these once she was on the train.

Jane checked her Hogwarts list yet again to make sure that she had everything she needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up.

Two hours later, Jane's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had decided to leave both Daisy and Dursley at a friend's house. So Jane sat alone in the back seat or the car. Neither her aunt nor her uncle said one word to her the entire trip.

They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Jane's trunk onto a trolley and wheeled it into the station for her. Jane thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.

"Weell, there you are, girl. Platform nine – platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"

Uncle Vernon was quite right, of course. 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.

"Have a good term," said Aunt Petunia with an even nastier smile, and they left without another word.

Jane turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. Both of them were laughing.

Jane's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was she going to do? She was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig.

Jane would have to ask someone. She stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Jane couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Jane was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Jane asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time-wasters.

Jane was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, she had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and she had no idea how to do it; she was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk she could hardly lift, a pocket full of magical money and a large owl.

Professor Dumbeldore must have forgotten to tell her something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. Jane wondered if she should get out her wand and start tapping the ticket box between platforms nine and ten.

At that moment a group of people passed just behind her and she caught a few words of what they were saying.

"– packed with Muggles, of course –"

Jane swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was wearing the Hogwarts school uniform, minus the hat and robe, and they each had a luggage cart ladened with a heavy trunk like Jane's in front of them – and one of them had an owl.

Heart hammering, Jane pushed her trolley after them. They stopped and so did she, just near enough to hear what they were saying.

"Now, Ginny dear, can you tell me what the platform number is?'' said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, Jane had not previously seen, she also had red-headed, and holding the plump woman's hand.

"Mum, can't I go …" the whinned

"I've told you time and time again Ginny" the woman said, sounding a little exasperated, "you're not old enough, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

What looked like the oldest boy marched towards platforms nine and ten. Jane watched, careful not to blink in case she missed it – but just as the boy reached the divide between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of her, 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 one of the twin boys. "Honestly, woman, 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. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done, because a second later, he had gone – but how had he done it?

Now the third brother and the other twin was walking briskly towards the ticket barrier – he was almost there – and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.

There was nothing else for it.

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

"Oh, Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." And 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 Jane. "The thing is – the thing is, I don't know how to –"

"How to get on to the platform?" she said kindly, and Jane nodded.

"Not to worry," she said in a soothing, motherly tone. "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 Jane uncertainly.

But she pushed her trolley round and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. She started to walk towards it. People jostled her on their way to platforms nine and ten.

Jane walked more quickly. She was going to smash right into that ticket box and then she'd be in trouble – leaning forward on her trolley she broke into a heavy run – the barrier was coming nearer and nearer – she wouldn't be able to stop – the trolley was out of control – she was a foot away– she closed his eyes ready for the crash –

It didn't come … she kept on running … she opened her eyes.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock.

Jane looked behind her and saw a wrought-iron archway where the ticket box had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. She 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 to their families, some fighting over seats.

Jane pushed her trolley off down the platform in search of an empty seat. She passed a round-faced boy who was saying,

"Gran, I've lost my toad again."

"Oh, Neville," she 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.

Jane pressed on through the crowd until she found an empty compartment near the end of the train. After putting Hedwig safely inside first she then started to shove and heave her trunk towards the train door. Jane tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice she dropped it painfully on her foot.

"Want a hand?" Somebody asked behind her, Jane turned and saw that it was one of the red-haired twins she'd followed through the ticket box.

"Yes, please," Jane panted.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" The twin Jane now realized to be George, called out and in a blink of an eye Fred was running to help.

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

"Thanks," said Jan e, pushing her sweaty hair out of her eyes and wiping the sweat off the forehand with a handkerchief.

"What's that?" Said George suddenly, pointing at Jane's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said Fred "Are you –?"

"She is," said George staring at his twin, and then he spun to face Jane once more "aren't you?" he demanded

"Huh? What?' said Jane, very confused.

"You're Jane Potter" chorused the twins. "Aren't You"

'Oh, um, well, ' said Jane. "I mean, yes, I am.' and the two boys gawped at her and Jwne felt herself going red. Then, to her relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mum." The twins replied

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

Jane sat down next to the window where, half-hidden, she could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose." She muttered and the youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mum – geroff." He groaned as he wriggled free.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said Fred teasingly

"Shut up," grumbled Ron.

"Where's Percy?" Asked their mother.

"He's coming now." Came the small voice of Ginny

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already added his billowing black Hogwarts robes and pointed hat to his uniform. Jane noticed a shiny red and gold badge on his chest with the letter P on it.

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said in a rather pompous voice. "I'm up front, the Prefects have got two compartments to themselves –"

"Oh, are you a Prefect, Percy?' said Fred with an air of great mock surprise.

"You should have said something, we had no idea." George added in a overly astonished tone

"Hang on, George, wait I think I remember him saying something about it,"

"Once –"

"Or twice –"

"A minute –"

"All summer –"

"Oh, shut up" said Percy the Prefect, going very red in the face.

Jane could not help but laugh at the antics and judging by the way both Ron and Ginny's shoulders were shaking, they too were laughing silently.

"Ere, How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?said Fred suddenly

"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. 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?" Cried George

"We've never blown up a toilet." Added Fred

"Great idea though," mused George,

"Yeah,thanks, Mum." Chuckled Fred and their mother looked a little annoyed.

"It's not funny you too, honestly can't you stay out of trouble this year please, oh and look after Ron."

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

"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.

"Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?" Said Fred suddenly in a very excited voice

Jane leant back quickly so they couldn't see her looking.

"You know that black-haired girl who was near us in the station? Know who she is?" George said in the same animated tone as his twin

"Who?" Asked their mother

"She's Jane Potter!" The twins said as one, and Jane heard the little squeal from Ginny.

"Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see her, Mum, oh please …" she begged

"You've already seen her, Ginny, and the poor girl isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is she really? How do you know?"

"We asked her. Saw her scar when we were helping her with her trunk" Fred replied

"It's really there – like lightning" added George

"Oh the poor dear – no wonder she was alone. I wondered. She was ever so polite when she asked how to get on to the platform."

"Never mind that, do you think she remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?" Asked George and their mother suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask her, Fred, George, No, don't you dare. As though she needs reminding of that on her first day at school."

"All right, keep your hair on." Coroused the twins

A whistle sounded.

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

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

"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat." Promised George

"George!"

"Only joking, Mum."

The train began to move. Jane 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. Jane watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner.

Houses flashed past the window. Jane felt a great leap of excitement. She didn't know what she was going to– but it had to be better than what she was leaving behind.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest red-headed boy, RON, came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" He asked, pointing at the seat opposite Jane.

"No, make yourself comfortable," replied Jane. Just as Ron sat down the door opened again and in walked a tall, lanky boy with bushy brown hair.

"Mind if I join you, everywhere else is full."

Jane and Ron both shook their heads and the boy sat down. He glanced at Jane, then Ron and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked.

"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.

"Jane" said George, "did we introduce ourselves?" "Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."

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

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out. Jane nodded.

"Oh – well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," aid Ron. "And have you really got – you know …" He pointed at Jane's forehead.

Jane pulled back her fringe to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.

"Um I don't mean to be rude but what's going on?" Asked th other boy and Ron stared at him.

"What you don't know about Jane Potter" Ron gasped

"No, sorry" the boy added

*Muggleborn?" Jane asked and the boy nodded,

"Jack Granger," he said, introducing himself.

"Its okay I didn't know my story either until Dumbeldore showed up with my Hogwarts Letter" laughed Jane.

"Really?" Asked Ron in suprise

"What story?" Asked Jack and Jane nodded at Ron, she wondered what Ron's take on the story was. Ron wasted no time telling the tale and by the time he had finished Jane was very red in the face.

"So that's where You-Know-Who –?" Jack asked pointing at Jane's scar

"Yes," said Jane, "but I can't remember it." She added quickly

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

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

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Jane 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 Jane, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found her.

"Er – yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"So you must know loads of magic already?" Jack asked, and Jane nodded.

Jane couldn't help but think that the Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.

"Not really, we are not allowed to do magic until we start at school. Accidental magic not included" said Ron. "So what are your families like?"

"Mine is not too bad. My parents work at Oxford University, my mother is a historian, in fact she is working on a paper about alchemy and the mix of magic and science in the middle ages," Jack said and he laughed at the apparent irony "and my father a biologist" he continued

"Mine are horrible. My uncle makes drills, my aunt spends all her time gossiping or cleaning and my cousins Daisy and Dursley are bullies" Jane said, "I wish I had three wizard brothers.' she added, looking at Ron.

"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 and Charlie's old wand. My family couldn't really afford to get me new stuff" Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

Neither Jane nor Jack thought that there was anything wrong with not being able to afford brand new stuff.

After all, Jane had never had any money in her life until a month ago, and she told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley and Daisy's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.

"… and until Dumbledore told me, I didn't know anything about being a witch or about my parents or Voldemort –"

Ron gasped.

"What?" said Jack looking as confused as Jane felt.

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

"What?"

"Well people don't like saying the name. It's meant to be bad luck to say it or something" Ron explained.

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Jane, still a little confused . "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn … I bet," s he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying her a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."

"You and me both" groaned Jack

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families every year and they learn quickly enough." Ron reassured them

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 trolley, dears?"

Jane, 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.

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 that I don't like corned beef."

Jack shook his head and he frowned.

"At least you have sandwiches, I haven't got anything. No money, no food, no nothing" he groaned.

Jane went out into the corridor. She had never had any money for sweets with the Dursleys and now that she had pockets rattling with gold and silver she was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as she could carry.

But the woman didn't have Mars 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 a number of other strange things Jane had never seen in her life. Not wanting to miss anything, she got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven

bronze Knuts.

Ron and Jack both stared as Jane brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it on to an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?" Jack asked

"Starving," said Jane, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. "But I actually got all this for all of us. Can't have me two new friends going hungry now can I" Jane added, holding out two pasties for them to take.

"Friends are we?" Asked Jack uncertainty

"If you want to be mine I'll be yours" Jane replied and both boys smiled and nodded and then reached out and took a pasty each.

"Help yourselves to anything"said Jane happily.

Jane had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice

feeling, sitting there with Ron and Jack, eating their way through all the pasties and cakes (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

"What are these?" Jane asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" She was starting to feel that nothing would surprise her.

"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."

Jane 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.

"Dumbledore!" said Jane with a smile.

"Can I have a frog?" Asked Jack

"If you get Agrippa, can I have it please?" Asked Ron

"Yeah sure,"

" thanks"

Jane turned over her 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.

Jane turned the card back over and saw, to her 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, you too Jack"

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

"Like I said, help yourself," said Jane. "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!"

Jane 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 neither Jack or Jane couldn't keep their eyes off them. Soon both of them had a small collection. Jane 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-Flavour Beans.

"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned them. "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. Jane got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, and sardine. Jack was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny grey one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper, but he was very unfortunate when he got a rotten egg flavoured one right after.

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 Jane 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 Jane kindly.

"Yeah I'm sure you'll find him. He's probably hiding in your compartment" Jack added

"Maybe" said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him …"and with that he left.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "IF I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quickly as I could. Mind you, any pet is better than no pet,"

The train lurched and Ron's wand fell out of an inside pocket of his long black robe. He lurched forward and picked up the battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

"Yeah the Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway –"

He was just raised to pocket his wand again 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 robe and hat.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy mouse 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, I was actually about to put it away, it fell out of my pocket." said Ron quickly and he repocketed his wand.

"Are you sure?" said the girl in a harsh, shrill and mocking voice, for a second Jane thought Daisy had suddenly walked into the compartment.

"Well, 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 Bishop, by the way, who are you?" She said all this very fast.

Jane looked at Ron and Jack and was relieved to see by their stunned faces that they hadn't learnt all the set books off by heart either.

"Jack, Granger" said Jack looking as if he'd rather not tell her his name.

"Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"JanePotter," said Jqne.

"Are you really?' said Hermione. "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 Jane, feeling dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "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 one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad … Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You lot had

better finish your feast and get the rest of your uniform on, 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 Jack.

"You and me both" agreed Ron

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Jane.

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

'You know, what I don't know what house I'm going to be in but I hope I'm in the same house as you too" Jack said

"Yeah" Jane added "but even if we're in different houses, let's try and stay friends" she added. Both Jack and Ron agreed.

"So what do your oldest brothers do now they've left, anyway?" asked Jane, trying to take Ron's mind off houses she was wondering what a witch or wizard did once he'd finished school.

"Well 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 either of you get that with living with Muggles – but someone tried to rob a high- security vault."

Jane stared, Jack looked puzzled.

"Really?" Jane gasped "But Dumbeldore said you would have to be mad to break into Gringotts. 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."

Jane turned this news over in her mind. Jane was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. She supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying 'Voldemort' without worrying. Then she paused if Dumbeldore said the name then surely she could too.

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

"Er – I don't know any," Jane confessed.

"Me neither" and Jack

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, just 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 Jack and Jane 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 Bishop this time.

Three boys entered and Jane recognised the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Jane 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 Jane Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Jane. She was looking at the other boys. Both of them 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 Jane 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 Jane. Ron's face had got red and Jack had clenched his fists.

"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 Jane's, but Jane didn't take it.

"You Know what Malfoy, I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," Jane 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 parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Dumbeldore and it'll rub off on you."

Both Jack and Ron stood up. Ron's face was now as red as his hair. Jack's was pale white with fury

"Say that again," he spat

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

"Unless you get out now," said Jane, rising to her own feet and sounding much more brave than she felt. Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than her, or Ron or Jack.

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

Jane stopped Ron or Jack launching themselves at the boys and she gave the three a polite smile.

"Help yourself to whatever you want. We've had our fill and it seems such a shame to waste stuff. You are more than welcome to have what we left over"

Malfoy turned even pinker and flared at Jane, before jerking his head towards the door and signalling their leave. Crabbe and Goyle left the compartment without any sweets and looking very confused.

"Knew that would work" Jane chimed

"What just happened?" Asked Jack

"My cousin Dudley is the same. He'll take what he wants as long as the person objects but the minute he is offered something he refuses it. And he would have to think he had been given my left overs. Lots like Malfoy is the same" Jane explained and Ron and Jack grinned broadly.

"Bloody brilliant, you are" said Ron

"why thank you" giggled Jane as she did a poor curtsy, wobbled and ended up in a head on the floor. All three of them started roaring their head off

"What has been going on?"

Hermione Bishop had just entered the compartment once more. She looked curiously at Jane who was currently being hoisted off the floor by Jack, who was laughing so hard he could barely breath and kept dropping her. Jane was cackling her head off every time her bum made contact with the floor again and Ron was stood near the window doubled over in laughter, tears streaming down his face and clutching a stitch in his side.

Almost at once all there of them sobered up when Hermione stood tapping one foot her arms crossed glaring at them.

Jane finally pulled herself up onto her seat Ron and Jack retook their seats too and they turned to look at one another.

"You've met Malfoy before?" Ron asked and Jane explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

All the time Jane spoke Hermione Bishop stood getting angrier and angrier he foot tapping louder and louder, so that by the time she had finished Jane was almost shouting.

"I've heard of his family," shouted 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."

Jane realising hermione was not going to leave, turned to look at the other girl

"Can we help you with something?"

"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!"

"No we haven't" said Ron, scowling at her.

"And even if we had, it wouldn't be any of your business" snapped Jack

"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.

"Not surprising since we are children, and this train is full of children on their way to a school" scoffed Jane

Hermione glared at Jane as she left. Jack peered out of the window. It was getting dark. Jane could see mountains and forests under a deep-purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

Jane, Jack and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Fastening the three silver clasps over their chests. Ron's were a bit short for him, and Jack's already seemed to have a stain of one of the cuffs.

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."

Jane's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, she saw, looked pale under his freckles. Jack seemed to be trying to remember how to breathe.

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 towards the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. Jane shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came

bobbing over the heads of the students and

Jane heard a loud and very deep gruff voice shout

: 'Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!"

The speaker was a giant. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. He was holding a lantern in one of his large hands.

"C'mon, follow me – any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed the giant down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Jane thought there must be thick trees there.

Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the giant called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud 'Oooooh!'.

The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. 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!" The giant called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Jane, Ron and Jack were followed into their boat by Neville, who thankfully had just made it to the boat before Hermione Bishop.

"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 the giant as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy which 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 harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" Said the giant, 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 the giant's lamp, coming out at last on to 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?"

And then the giant raised a fist and knocked three times on the castle door.