Harry's last month with the Dursleys was far from an enjoyable experience. While they had given him Dudley's second bedroom it had been, dirty and disgusting. Harry spent most of his time on his bed reading. He still had to make the Dursleys breakfast, lunch and dinner but the idea that he was done with them was wrong.
Harry stayed out of sight. For both his sake and his Uncle's. He knew that his Uncle wouldn't be happy if he flaunted his books around so they never left the room. He watched as Dudley got ready to go to Smeltings and saw his extended family truly happy. He had never felt that before. Most days in august he spent in the garden. Then he would retire with a small amount of food and read about magic. He had found out that he technically couldn't do magic outside of school. But he had learned that some forms of magic weren't registered by the ministry. He had kept looking at the designs on his ancient rune book in awe. While he had no magical experience he still tried to study. He thought that if he did well enough that he might be able to come home. To his parents.
On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.
"Er - Uncle Vernon?"
Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.
"Er - I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to - to go to Hogwarts."
Uncle Vernon grunted again.
"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"
Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.
"Thank you."
He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.
"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"
Harry didn't say anything. Harry smirked at the idea of flying there on a carpet. Then he thought of Uncle Vernon on a magic carpet and he had to really keep from laughing.
"Where is this school, anyway?"
"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled the ticket Remus had given him out of his pocket.
"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read.
His aunt and uncle stared.
"Platform what?"
"Nine and three-quarters."
"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."
"It's on my ticket."
"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother. And don't think you can just come right home afterword's either."
"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.
"Taking Dudley up to get some supplies," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to get some more stuff before he goes to Smeltings."
Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes - he'd change on the train. He checked his Hogwarts list yet again and again. He kept thinking that he had missed something. Finally his family woke up and he made them breakfast. He then carried his own heavy luggage into the trunk of the car. Vernon and Petunia just continued to give him this look
They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. Harry thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.
"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine - platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they? I guess that you'll have to wait there until they do. Hope you brought lunch."
He 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. Harry was filled with a cold sense of dread. Was all of this a lie? Had this been some big joke that the Dursleys had arranged? He tried to hold back his tears.
"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing. 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 stupid 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 the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Harry was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.
Remus must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.
At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.
"- packed with Muggles, Disgusting filthy creatures-"
Harry swung round. The speaker was a tall man dressed in fancy black robes who was talking a woman he assumed was his wife. She had long blonde hair and was holding the shoulder of the boy Harry had met from the Robes shop.
Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying. But he kept his distance.
"Now, are you ready to go Draco?" said the boys' mother in a very sweet tone.
"Narcissa. Stop babying the boy in public! I have colleagues around here that will see this and question my parenting," The woman seemed to straighten up and patted her son "You're right dear, I'll be quiet. All right, Draco, you go on."
The blonde boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he miss it. He saw the boy pick up speed and come closer and closer to the brick wall. Then, quite suddenly, the boy had vanished. His parents went after him and they vanished as well.
He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. He worried that this was still all just a prank and that he'd just run into the wall and hurt himself.
He started to walk toward it. Almost everyone avoided this small path. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble - leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run - the barrier was coming nearer and nearer - he wouldn't be able to stop - the cart was out of control - he was a foot away - he closed his eyes ready for the crash -
It didn't come... he kept on running... he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. He couldn't believe that he was actually here. He looked over to see all of the families and wondered if his was there as well.
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. Harry watched as they hugged and cried.
The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Mom, I've lost my toad again."
"Oh, Neville," he heard the boy's father 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.
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 toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot. He cried out and he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Want a hand?" The boy who stood in front of him was quite tall. He had curly blonde hair and light blue eyes. He smiled at Harry.
"Yes, please," Harry panted.
"Alright just give me a minute."
With the boy's help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.
"Thanks," said Harry, smiling up at the boy.
"Hello there, I'm Cedric what's your name?" said the boy.
"Oh sorry!" said Harry. "I'm Harry,"
"What are you doing on this platform alone?" said Cedric to a very nervous looking Harry..
"My relatives aren't a huge fan of magic, so they just dropped me off outside." Harry squeaked with discomfort.
"Oh, I'm sorry," said Cedric. "I have to go now, hope you have a first good train ride!"
He ran back to his parents shooting Harry a smile. Harry sat down in an empty compartment. As he was spying out of the compartment his heart dropped. He saw a man who looked similar to him, and a woman who had bright red hair and green eyes, as well as two children. He hid to the side of the window.
"I can't believe that Jimmy is going! I just can't!" The woman said, tears in her eyes.
The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and hugged him tightly.
"Mom – stop it! I don't want people to see," He wriggled free.
"I think you should keep crying Lily, Jimmy really seems to be enjoying this," said the father.
"Shut up," said Jimmy, rolling his eyes at his dad.
"Oh I do hope I packed enough," said their mother.
"Lily stop worrying."
"I'll be going now mom," he said. "I'm going to go see Ron, I don't know where he is."
"Oh, don't think your family is cool enough?" said his father with a gleam in his eye. "Oh well we were going to buy you a new broom."
"Hang on, we aren't cool enough it seems," said his mother with a laugh.
"Oh, shut up you guys aren't funny," said Jimmy.
"How come I can't go, anyway?" said the little red headed girl in a whining voice.
"Because he's eleven," said their mother fondly. "And your only nine years old darling, wait then you'll be able to go."
She kissed Jimmy on the cheek and he turned away.
"Now, you - this year, you behave yourself. You are not going to follow in your father's footsteps and light Professor Snape on fire-"
"Set Professor Snape on fire? Great idea though, thanks, Mom."
"It's not funny! Professor Snape is a good friend of mine and he's Rose's godfather!"
"Don't worry, I wont mom."
"And- and look after Harry, would you?"
Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking. He didn't want to see what happened next.
"He won't know anything at all, darling so make sure you- you protect him from bullies and-"
"Lily he'll be alright if he survived your sister…"
"James that does not make me feel better!"
Harry felt his heart fill with joy as they mentioned him. Maybe they really cared. He pictured them at Christmas. Harry filled with glee at the prospect.
"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, eh please..."
"No Rose! We don't want to overwhelm him, just try to help him fit in Jimmy, he is your little brother."
"I know Mom, I hope he wants to be friends, having a little brother has always been my dream, sorry Rose but you suck at Quidditch."
"Poor dear – James you think he got here alright? You don't think Petunia wouldn't let him go?"
"Never mind that, He'll be alright I expect, try not to worry so much love."
A whistle sounded.
"Hurry up!" the mother said, and the young boy clambered onto the train. He leaned out of the window for his mother and father to kiss him good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.
Harry watched the girl and her parents, his parents, disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to - but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.
The door of the compartment slid open and Jimmy Potter came in.
"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Don't really want to be anywhere too crowded."
Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Jimmy and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry kept looking out the window. The door slid open and a red headed boy came in, his face lit up at the sight of Jimmy. Harry guessed they were friends already.
"Hey, Ron."
"Hey Jimmy! Finally, I've been looking all over for you! Who's this?" The red head named Ron motioned to Harry. They bot looked at him expectantly
"M' names Harry," mumbled Harry.
"Harry," said his twin, he gazed at him with mirth, "did we introduce ourselves? My name is Jimmy Potter and this is my friend Ron Weasley. It's nice to meet you."
"Hi," said Harry to Ron. There was silence for about ten minutes before Ron broke it quite suddenly.
"Are you really Harry Potter and you grew up with muggles and you never met your family?" Ron blurted out.
Harry nodded.
"Oh - well, uhm sorry if that was rude," said Ron. Jimmy smiled.
"I'm so happy you're here Harry, I've known about you for ages but I wasn't aloud to really talk about it, I hope we can be friends and maybe get to be really close!" Jimmy chattered. Harry's eyes widened comically at this.
"Yes," said Harry, "Uhh I would like to be friends as well."
"Really?" said Ron eagerly.
"Well – yes, I-I would like to be-I don't know brothers?" He said awkwardly. He didn't know how to say it.
"Wow," said Jimmy with his eyes alight with happiness. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments. He then launched into stories about growing up.
"Wow, so what's it like being a wizard?" asked Harry, who found his twin brother so very interesting.
"Well—It's pretty good I'd reckon," said Jimmy, frowning slightly. "Though I don't know what it's like to be a muggle so I wouldn't know if it was bad."
"So you must know loads of magic already." Harry said with gloom prevalent in his expression. He was going to be the dumbest person in his class.
"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Jimmy. "What are they like?"
"Horrible - well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd been able to live with you."
"Oh sorry," said Jimmy. He looked embarrassed, his parents had told him that after Voldemort had attacked him it had been safer to send Harry away. "I-I hope that you'll be able to come to Christmas, and Mom said that she was coming up on weekends so that she and Dad could meet you! You may even get to meet Rose, though she's nothing special."
Harry nodded and they lapsed into silence. Jimmy seemed to be itching to talk again. He and Ron talked about something called Quidditch which Harry thought sounded weird.
"What does Quidditch even mean," said Harry, both Ron and Jimmy looked at him as if he asked what a book was, "Sorry I just don't know. 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. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough." Jimmy tried to cheer him up. Harry nodded weakly and they tried to explain the many rules to the game. They began explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games they had seen and talking about the best kinds of brooms. Harry tried to follow but found that it was too much information. While they had been talking, the train had zoomed into the country, Harry thought it looked very impressive. He let his eye's closes slowly and was awoken by a great clattering outside in the corridor. Harry turned to see a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"
Harry was very hungry and was ready to buy. He had never had any money for candy or really any food with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as much as he could. But when he walked into the Hallway he was shocked to see that there weren't any of the candies Harry had seen Dudley eating. All of the packaging was so strange. Jimmy came out and tapped him on the shoulder. Harry hadn't realized how much taller his brother was. He was at least a head taller than Harry.
"Hungry, are you?" He said with a kind smile.
"Starving," said Harry, looking at all of the packages.
Jimmy nodded and started grabbing stuff, He turned to Harry and gave him another big smile and said, "You go back in and I'll grab some stuff for all of us.."
"You don't have to do that," said Harry, hastily, he didn't want his brother to think he was an idiot. "I'll get stuff you -"
"Don't worry Harry," said Jimmy. "I'll tell you all about these thing," he added quickly, "You know, so you can grab them for yourself next time."
"Oh alright," said Harry. He really didn't know what to say. Jimmy seemed quite nice and so did Ron. He quite enjoyed himself as they explained what was what.
"What are these?" Harry asked Ron who was unlike Jimmy, didn't have his mouth full. He was holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.
"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."
"What?"
"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know - Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."
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 mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.
"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.
"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Jimmy said. "He's only the most important wizard of all time -"
Harry turned over his card and read:
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling. 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. "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."
Harry shrugged. He really didn't have much of an interest in collecting things. Dudley had collected football cards but they had gotten ripped and torn. Harry thought it was a useless hobby.
"Yeah Mr. Lupin told me about him," said Harry.
"Wait you met Uncle Remus?" Jimmy sounded amazed. "Did you get to meet Uncle Sirius!"
Harry shook his head and became quite again. He munched on a Liquorish wand which he thought was quite good. He stayed silent for most of their conversation as he really had very little to add. Every once in a while, he would ask a question. Jimmy was very nice and tried his best to answer all of his questions.
"Apparently you should avoid Filtch," Ron warned Harry. "That's what my brother's tell me. They said he hung them by their thumbs in the dungeons, thought I don't know if I believe them. Fred and George take the mickey out of me all the time."
Jimmy was eating Bertie Bots every flavor Beans when he turned to Harry.
"Dad says that we should watch out for Snape, but Mom said that we just have to be respectful and He'll be nice. He takes Rose and Mom out on trips when Dad and I go to Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus's house."
Harry kept hearing all of these names that he knew nothing about. How was he supposed to understand if he didn't even know these people? They were supposed to be his family. He said nothing and just let Ron and Jimmy talk. 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 Jimmy said to the boy with a charming smile.
"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. Harry looked at the disgusting creature and tried not to sneer. How could Ron want that thing near him? He had no idea.
He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.
"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway-"
He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.
"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."
She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.
"Er - all right."
He cleared his throat.
"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,
Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."
He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.
"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"
She said all this very fast. Harry found her quite annoying. He hadn't asked for her to come in and interrupt him and yet he tried to keep the annoyance of his face.
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.
"Harry Potter," said Harry.
"My name is Jimmy Potter, well actually it's James Fleamont Potter but everyone calls me Jimmy," Jimmy said.
"Are you really?" said Hermione almost jumped. "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."
Jimmy laughed, "Alright then, probably should read those books if I'm in them."
"you are?" said Harry, feeling dazed. He knew that Jimmy had done something important but he was shocked to hear that he was that famous.
"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? 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 Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."
And she left, taking the toadless boy with her. Harry wasn't surprised the chubby little boy didn't get a word in.
"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Harry.
"Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud." Ron said throwing his wand to the ground.
"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry with interest. He hadn't heard that there were houses.
"Gryffindor," said Ron. "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."
"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Jimmy, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. Ron smiled a bit and Jimmy chatted away.
"So what do your- I mean our- well parents do for work, anyway?"
Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school. Jimmy smiled
"Well Dad is the Deputy head of the Auror's office, he makes sure that dark wizards are caught," said Jimmy. "And well Mom is a charms master. She had to study under some old guy for like ten years before she was considered a master, or well I guess a mistress because she's a girl."
Harry stared. That sounded impressive. If he didn't do well in school he'd probably be send back to the Dursleys.
"Hey Jimmy? Did you here about that break in at Gringotts? What did you Dad say, what did they take?" Ron asked. Harry turned to his brother with interest.
"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 around 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." Jimmy let out a shutter at the thought of the dark wizard who gave him the scar.
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.
They lapsed into silence for a bit when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.
Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop, the one he had seen cross through the barrier at platform nine and three quarters first. He was looking at Jimmy with a lot more interest than he'd shown Harry back in Diagon alley.
"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Jimmy Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"
"Yes," said Jimmy. He looked at the boy with no expression. Harry was looking at the huge fat kids standing behind the blonde. They looked like they could be two or even three years older than him. Harry shuddered at the thought.
"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 Jimmy. "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 Jimmy's, but Jimmy didn't take it.
"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly. Harry was shocked by this turn of events. Why did they have to be so dramatic. Harry personally was just happy to have a quiet afternoon before they went to Hogwarts.
Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. He didn't seem to have thought that was coming
"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll might end up in a very sticky situation. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys, and it'll rub off on you."
Both Jimmy and Ron stood up. Harry kept in his seat. He didn't know what was the point in fighting these boys. They were bigger and looked meaner.
"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 Jimmy bravely, He looked at them with steely eyes.
"But we don't feet 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, Hermione Granger had come in.
"What has been going on?" she 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 Jimmy. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No - I don't believe it - he's gone back to sleep."
And so he had. Harry sat back down after the ruckus.
"You've met Malfoy before?"
Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.
"I've heard of his family," said Jimmy 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 looked annoyed by Hermione's presence. "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 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. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"
Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.
He, Jimmy, 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."
Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. Jimmy seemed to be more excited than nervous. 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. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a booming voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Jimmy?"
"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 Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice. Jimmy whispered quietly that the big man was very nice and that he shouldn't worry at all because Hagrid was kind.
"Yeh'll 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 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. Harry felt the breath leaves his lungs and looked up in awe
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry watched in vain as Jimmy and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione. Jimmy looked over at Harry and mouth a quick sorry. Harry quickly found a boat with two girls and a boy in it. The boy had a short brown hair and a thin mouth. He smiled slightly as Harry sat beside him.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"
And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. Harry found out the boy sitting next to him was named Theodore Nott, or Theo he said. They talked about how excited they were to start lessons and how they had path read ahead in their books.
"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. Harry and Theo thought that the underground was incredible.
"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.
"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.
"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"
Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was huge. Harry had never been inside a castle and was surprised to see that it was warm. The light flooded all around them and they saw paintings lining the walls of the castle. They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Theo.
"Some sort of test, I think. My Aunt wouldn't tell me because it would ruin the surprise of it."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. "Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."
Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to jelly, Harry got into line behind Ron and Jimmy in front and beside him was some other first year, while Theo and that Hermione girl behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Hermione whisper, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."
It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens. He thought that it was the most astonishing thing he had seen yet.
Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house. His Uncle might have burned it.
Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Theo whispered to Harry. "That's a relief I'll say."
Harry smiled. He also was happy that there wasn't some big test for them to complete.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause -
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.
"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot.
He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.
"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned in front of Harry and jimmy slapped his friend.
When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."
Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"
Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.
There weren't many people left now. "Moon"..., "Nott" His new friend went to Slytherin with glee..., "Parkinson"..., then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"..., then "Perks, Sally-Anne"..., and then, at last – "Potter, James!"
As Jimmy stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Jimmy Potter?"
His brother went to the stool and sat down. While the hat was on him he was frowning. Minutes went by and Harry was beginning to worry. Finally it called out Gryffindor. Jimmy smiled and waved to Harry. He was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"
"Potter, Harry!"
Everyone seemed to be reeling from his brother sorting that they didn't seem all that interested in him. He walked shakily up the steps and sat. the sorting had was dropped on his head.e walk
"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. So very different from your family I see. Not raised by your parents eh? Well then this is so very different from the others."
Harry gripped the edges of the stool. He had no idea where he would be placed.
"Not sure, eh?" said the small voice. "Well neither am I… Not enough courage for Gryffindor that's for sure. And not quite Loyal to anyone but himself. No not enough ambition for Slytherin. Well as there are no other's left better be Ravenclaw!"
Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Ravenclaw table. His Brother and Ron both gave him thumbs up and he saw Theo smile at him as well. He was a but disappointed that he wouldn't be in the same house as his friends but he was glad that Ravenclaw was the house of learners.
"Mr. Potter, excellent," said the Prefect for Ravenclaw Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.
Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.
"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
"Thank you!"
He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.
"Is he - a bit mad?" he asked the girl uncertainly.
"Mad?" said girl airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry? By the way I'm Penelope Clearwater, prefect."
Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.
The Dursleys starved Harry, he hadn't been aloud out when they had big meals like for Christmas and New Years. Harry watched as numerous ghosts came pouring from the walls, sailing along. He was in awe of this. He ate fasty as the food was quite tasty. He tried many different kinds of food that he had never had before. He learned that the boys in his Dorm were Anthony, Terry and two others.
Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.
"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Penelope.
"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."
Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.
"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
Harry didn't laugh, but a few did. Such an odd thing to say.
"He's not serious?" he muttered to Penelope.
"Must be," said Penelope, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that."
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"
And the school bellowed:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot, just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only two red headed boys who Harry guessed were the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
The Ravenclaw first years followed Penelope through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were like jelly again. Penelope was explaining how to get to Ravenclaw Tower and how a ghost names Peeves hung out around it sometimes.
"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Penelope, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."
At the very end of the corridor was a door with an eagle knocker.
"You can see me in water but I never get wet, what am I?" it said.
"A Reflection," said Penelope, and the door swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. As they went through it Penelope explained that to get into Ravenclaw common room you had to answer a riddle.
Harry entered to see the Ravenclaw common room, it was quite airy. It was a wide, circular room with arched windows hung with blue and bronze silks and a midnight blue carpet covered in stars, which is reflected onto the domed ceiling.
The room was furnished with tables, chairs, and bookcases; and by the door leading up to the dormitories stood a tall statue of Harry could only assume to be Rowena Ravenclaw made of white marble.
Penelope directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase - they were obviously in one of the towers - they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with light blue, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.
Harry was going to talk to the other boys in his house, but he fell asleep almost at once.