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-JAMES POV-
Our last month with the Dursleys was NOT fun. True, Dudley was afraid of us and Vernon and Petunia didn't lock us up in the cupboard, force us to do anthing, shout at us.. actually they hadn't talked to us at all.
Being half-terrified half-furious they acted as if we were invisible. What if I was? That would be so cool. Anyway, though it was an improvement in many ways it was also quite depressing and boring for the last few days.
We kept to our room with owls as company. We sat up late at night reading as Hedwig and Padfoot swooped in and out of the open window.
Lucky Petunia doesn't vacuum anymore, the owls keep bringing in dead mice. Everyday before we went to sleep Harry made a ritual of marking the days of the calender on the wall.
On the last day of August we decided we better ask if we could catch a ride to the train station. We walked into the living room where they were watching a quiz show and I cleared my throat. Dudley looked up, screamed and ran from the room.
"Er, Uncle Vernon" Harry asked
Vernon grunted to show he was listening.
"Er, we need to go to Kings Cross tomorrow, to go to Hogwarts" he continued.
Vernon grunted again
"Could you give us a lift" I asked. He once again, grunted and we assumed it meant yes.
"Thanks" We were about to leave when Vernon spoke.
"Funny way to get to a wizard school, train, what magic carpets all got puntures have they"
"What funny using a car to go down the street when you have to feet, suppose there both broken are they" I retorted.
Vernon ignored me and spoke again, "Where is this school anyway?"
"I don't know" Harry said.
He pulled out the ticket and read it only showed the time and place.
"It only says to catch the train on platform 9 and three quarters at 11 o'clock" he read.
Petunia and Vernon stared at us.
"Platform what?"
"Nine and three-quarters" Harry repeated.
"Don't talk rubbish" said Vernon, "theres no such thing as platform nine and three-quarters."
"It's on the ticket" I pointed out.
"Barking," mumbled Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them, you'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to Kings Cross. We're going to London anyway or I wouldn't bother."
"Why are you going to London" Harry asked politely.
"Taking Dudley to hospital," Vernon growled, "Got to get that tail removed before he goes to Smeltings" I began to laugh loudly as I leant against the wall for support Vernon and Petunia glared at me.
Five o'clock the next morning Harry woke me up pratically bouncing in place. I got changed into a big black Invader Zim hoody, black short shorts and black ug boots with a black beanie.( http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=36508955).
Two hours later everything was packed tightly into the car and we had set off. At half past 10 we arrived at King's Cross. Vernon dumped our stuff viciously onto the ground I snarled at him and he stepped back.
I thought this was wierd then I noticed the nasty grin on his face as we stopped between nine and ten.
"Well there you are, platform nine and ten, your platform should be somewhere in the middle, they haven't seemed to have built it yet, have they" he was unfortunately right, of course, as we looked between the plastic 9 and 10 hanging over the platforms.
"Have a good term" Vernon's smile got even more nasty as he hopped in the car and they drove of laughing manically.
I turned and sighed happily and noticed Harry's worried look. I hugged him with one arm and led him to our stuff.
We were getting strange looks as we walked the station carrying owls.
We asked a passing guard if he knew were the Hogwarts train was. The guard asked what part of the country it was in. The guard got annoyed as we told him that we didn't know. We asked if a train left at 11 0'clock and he said there wasn't one.
I began to pace worriedly before catching part of a conversation within a red headed family.
"--packed with muggles of course--" I swung around startling Harry and saw the speaker was a plump woman. She was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them also carried a trunk and-- had an owl.
I dragged Harry to follow in time to see a boy disappear.
"Fred you next" the plump woman spoke.
"I'm not Fred, I'm George" the boy said, "Honestly woman, you call yourself a mother. Can't you tell I'm George"
"Sorry George" she sighed
"Only joking I am Fred" I giggled and he flashed me a quick grin.
The two twins then, yet again, disappeared. I decided to ask the woman before she too disappeared.
"Excuse me" I asked her.
"Hello dear" she said kindly," first time at Hogwarts, Ron's too"
"Yes" I smiled at her, " but the thing is, we don't know how--"
"How to get onto the platform" she finished, I smiled and nodded gratefully.
"Not to worry, all you do is run straight at the wall" she nodded
"Er, okay" I said worriedly before taking a run to the wall, I closed my eyes and opened them. In front of me was a large scarlet train with gold lettering spelling Hogwarts Express across the front.
Harry and Ron came in after me and we walked to the train. in the crowd we passed tearful mothers and proud fathers as they said goodbye. Colourful cats intertwined through the legs of the passing crowds. Owls hooted to eachother in a disgruntled way.
A round faced boy explained that he had lost his toad to a old lady and boy with dreadlocks carried a case with a lond hairy leg sticking out. We pressed through the crowd and attempted to put our luggage up.
"Want some help" said one of the red-headed twins.
"Yes, please" I said gasping in pain as Harry once again knocked the trunk onto my foot.
"Oy Fred get over here" With the twins help the trunks were safely placed onto the train and ready to go.
"Thanks" we puffed out wiping our foreheads.
"Whats that" they both said. Fred took hold of my arms and George pulled back Harry's hair.
"Blimey" they stated, "you are, aren't you"
"What" Harry asked stupiidly.
"Harry Potter and James Black"
"Oh him" Harry said, I slapped my forehead, "I mean yes I am"
The twins continued to gawk and we began to feel awkward. Then to our rescue the womans voice floated through the train bringing the twins out of their revery.
We sat in an empty compartment and leaned our heads against the glass smiling at eachother watching the family.
"Ron," the woman said, "you've got something on your nose" she pulled out a hankerchief and scrubbed his nose as he struggled.
"Mom, geroff" he said pulling free.
"Ahh, ickle Ronniekins has sumfink on his nosie" the twins cooed.
"Shut up" said Ron turning red.
"Where's Percy" the mother asked
"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves --"
"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy." said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."
"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin.
"Once --"
"Or twice --"
"A minute --"
"All summer --"
"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.
"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly, I frowned at the favouritism. "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. We've never blown up a toilet." they said.
"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."
"It's not funny. And look after Ron."
"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."
"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, Mom, guess what. Guess who we just met on the train." Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.
"You know that black-haired boy and girl who were near us in the station. Know who they are."
"Who."
"Harry Potter and James Black!" Harry heard the little girl's voice.
"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see them, Mom, eh please...."
"You've already seen them, Ginny, and the poor kids aren't something you goggle at in a zoo. Are they really, Fred. How do you know."
"Asked them. Saw their scars. It's really there - like lightning and skulls."
"Poor dears - no wonder they were alone, I wondered. They were ever so polite when they asked how to get onto the platform."
"Never mind that, do you think they remembers what You-Know-Who looks like." Their mother suddenly became very stern.
"I forbid you to ask them, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though they needs reminding of that on their first day at school."
"All right, keep your hair on." A whistle sounded.
"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.
"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."
"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat." I cracked a smile at this.
"George!"
"Only joking, Mom." The train began to move. I 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.
Harry and I watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. I felt a great leap of excitement. I don't know where I was going to but it had to be better than what I was leaving behind.
The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.
"Anyone sitting there." he asked, pointing at the seat opposite me, next to Harry.
"Everywhere else is full." Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and I then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. I saw he still had a black mark on his nose.
"Hey, Ron." The twins were back.
"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train -- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."
"Right," mumbled Ron.
"Harry, James" said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves. Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."
"Bye," said Harry, Ron and I. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.
"Are you really Harry Potter and James Black." Ron blurted out.
Harry nodded.
"Oh -well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got -- you know..." He pointed at Harry's forehead and my wrists
Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar as I pulled back my sleeves. Ron stared.
"So that's where You-Know-Who--"
"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."
"Neither can I" I admitted
"Nothing." said Ron eagerly.
"Well -- I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."
"Same" I nodded
"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry and I for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.
"Are all your family wizards." asked Harry, who looked like he found Ron just as interesting as Ron found us.
"Er -- Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."
"So you must know loads of magic already." The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.
"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like." "Horrible -well, not all of them. Our aunt, uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."
"Thanks Harry" I stated sarcastically, "I love you too"
"Five," said Ron. He was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left -- Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat." Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.
"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff -- I mean, I got Scabbers instead." Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.
I didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, I never had any money in my life until a month ago, and I even told Ron so as did Harry, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.
"... and until Hagrid told us, We didn't know anything about being a wizard or about our parents or Voldemort" Ron gasped.
"What." said Harry.
"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you two, of all people --"
"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean. I've got loads to learn.... I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."
"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."
"Yeah Harry, have some faith" I joked.
While they had been talking, the train had carried us out of London.
Now we were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. We were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.
Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears." Harry and I, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to our feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry and I went out into the corridor.
We had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that we had pockets rattling with gold and silver we were ready to buy as many Mars Bars as we could carry -- but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things we had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, we got some of everything and each paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.
Ron stared as Harry and I brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.
"Hungry, are you."
"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.
Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."
"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on --"
"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."
"Go on, have a pasty," I said, I had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron and Harry, eating our way through all Harry's and my pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).
"What are these." Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.
"They're not really frogs, are they." I too was starting to feel that nothing would surprise me.
"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 Ron. "Can I have a frog. I might get Agrippa -- thanks"
Harry turned over his card and we 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 our 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."
Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.
"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."
"Do they. What, they don't move at all." Ron sounded amazed. "weird!"
Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. I gave Ron the Agrippa I had collected in mine, giving th rest to Harry.
I finally tore his eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.
"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned us. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor -- you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and mar- malade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger- flavored one once." Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.
"Bleaaargh -- see. Sprouts." I laughed as he made faces.
They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry and I got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and Harry was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.
The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.
There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy we had passed on platform nine and threequarters came in. He looked tearful.
"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all." When we shook our heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"
"He'll turn up," I said.
"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.
"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."
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. I giggled a bit and covered it with my hand.
"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 looked at Ron who looked at me, and was relieved to see by our stunned faces that we hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.
"Harry Potter," said Harry.
"James Black" I said confidently.
"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.
"Are we." said Harry, feeling dazed.
"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what houses 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.
"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell -- George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."
"What house are your brothers in." asked Harry.
"Gryffindor," said Ron.
Gloom seemed to be settling on him again.
"Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."
"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in."
"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.
"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses.
"So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway." I was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.
"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts. It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles -- someone tried to rob a high security vault." Harry and I stared.
"Really. What happened to them."
"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."
I turned this news over in my mind. I was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You- Know-Who was mentioned. I suppose this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.
"What's your Quidditch team." Ron asked.
"Er --we don't know any," Harry confessed.
"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world --" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry and I 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 Granger this time.
Three boys entered, and I recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry and I with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.
"Is it true." he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter and James Black are this compartment. So it's you two, is it."
"Yes," said Harry. I was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards. I was contemplating whether or not I could take them both down.
"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.
"Think my name's funny, do you. No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." He turned back to Harry and I.
"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 mine Harry's, but we didn't take it.
"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," I 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, Black," 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 riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you." Harry, Ron and I stood up.
"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.
"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you." Malfoy sneered.
"Unless you get out now," I said, more bravely than I felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than Harry or Ron.
"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 Scabbets finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. I laughed yet again. 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 Harry and I. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No -- I don't believe it -- he's gone back to sleep-" And so he had.
"You've met Malfoy before." Harry and I explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.
"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "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 and I peered out of the window. It was getting dark. I could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.
Harry, Ron and I took off our jackets and pulled on our 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." Ron began to look pale under his freckles. We crammed our 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 I heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry, James." Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.
"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years. Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling, we followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that I thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.
"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."
There was a loud "Oooooh!" The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take.
Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Ron and I were followed into our boat by Neville. "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.
"I heard there's a giant squid in there" Nevile said frightened.
"He's nice" I said
"No it's not" Draco Malfoy joined, "I bet you 10 galleons it's evil"
"No he isn't, I'll go in for 2 minutes and prove it" I said
I jumped up on the railing and pin dropped in the black depths of the lake and resurfaced. I began to swim in stars and flipping around before I stopped.
"How long" I asked
"1 minute" Ron called
I continued to swim until something brushed my leg. I shook it off, It came again but closer.
"What the f--" I started, but was stopped when something dragged me down. I looked down and saw a dozen octapus like creatures drogging my ankles.
I began to kick and twirl but they didn't release. Then out of nowhere came a large tentacle. It wacked all the octapi like creatures and curled around my body lifting me out of the water.
I giggled as he lowered me onto the land and tickled his tentacle. I heard it giggle before retracting it's tentacle. I trudged up to the castle and into the entrance hall where everyone was waiting.
"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 my first thought was that this was not someone to cross, yet that won't stop me.
"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 so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing us led to the upper floors.
We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here -- but Professor McGonagall showed us into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"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, Ron's smudged nose and my soaking wet person. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.I stopped him and messed it up while smirking at his glare.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall.
"Please wait quietly." She left the chamber. Harry swallowed. I smiled and started humming the song that never ends.
"How exactly do they sort us into houses." he asked Ron.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." A test. In front of the whole school. But I didn't know any magic yet -- what on earth would we have to do. We hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived.
I looked around and saw that everyone else looked terrified. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. I tried hard not to listen to her. He'd never been more nervous, never, not even when I had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that I had somehow turned my teacher's wig blue. I kept my eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead us to our doom.
Then something happened that made everyone jump about a foot in the air -- several people behind us screamed.
"What the --." Harry gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. I smiled at them politely. They seemed to be arguing.
What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance --"
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves. He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost -- I say, what are you all doing here."
"We're new students" I said proudly.
"About to be Sorted, I suppose." A few people nodded mutely. And I nodded cheerfully.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.
"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me." Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with me Ron behind him, and we walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
I 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 us 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, I looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. I 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.
I quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the us. 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.
Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, I thought wildly, that seemed the sort of thing, I chuckled lightly and a few people looked at me wierd -- noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, I stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. 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 Hufflepuffis 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!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll." I smiled widely. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but I do wish we could have tried it on without everyone watching.The hat seemed to be asking rather alot.
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. I saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.
"Black, James" Whispering broke out as I made my way to the stool and sat down.
"Ahh, another Black, Amitious and cunning, intelligent and loyal, kind and fair, good sense of humour and lots of bravery. You are like your father and mother. Your father had your humour and bravery, loyalty and cunning while your mother was kind fair, amibitious and intelligent. Slytherin would do you well, but your bravery is over-whelming. Better be...Gryffindor!"
The table decked in scarlet and gold cheered as the twins kept saying, "We got Black, We got Black"
"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; I could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.
"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was my imagination, after all I'd heard about Slytherin, but I thought they looked like an unpleasant lot. I was starting to feel definitely sick now. I remembered being picked for teams during gym at our old school.
Harry 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, I 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.
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" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last -- "Potter, Harry!" As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say." "
The Harry Potter."
The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him and me giving him a thumbs up. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. I waited and waited and waited. Then...
"GRYFFINDOR!" I heard the hat shout the word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table, I was glad we were both in Gryffindor. I noticed that we got 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! We got Potter AND Black" while I screamed, "Suck on that,Slytherin, WE got Potter."
Gryffindors chuckled as the Slytherins shot me glares and empty threats. I smirked at them.
Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff we'd seen earlier. The ghost patted our arms, giving me the sudden, horrible feeling I'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.
We could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest us sat Hagrid, who caught our eyes and gave us the thumbs up. We grinned back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. I recognized him at once from the card Harry had gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train.
Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. I spotted Professor Quirell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.
And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined us at the Gryffindor table.
"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry and I crossed our fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Harry and I clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to Harry.
"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley Pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.
I looked down at empty gold plate longingly, I wish the food was here now. I had only just realized how hungry I 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. While I cheered him on, catcalling.
"Is he -- a bit mad." he asked Percy uncertainly.
"Mad." said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry." Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. I had never seen so many things I 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 had never exactly starved us, but we'd never been allowed to eat as much as we liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry and I really wanted, even if It made him sick. Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. But I had everything and more. It was all delicious.
"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak, "Can't you --."
"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've in troduced myself. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."
"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you -- you're Nearly Headless Nick!"
"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy --" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.
"Nearly Headless. How can you be nearly headless." Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.
"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. I smiled at him. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So -- new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year. Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable -- he's the Slytherin ghost." I looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, I was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.
"How did he get covered in blood." I asked interested.
"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.
When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding and more. As we helped ourselfs to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families.
"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him." The others laughed.
"What about you, Neville." said Ron.
"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all- Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me -- he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned -- but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced -- all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here -- they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."
I laughed and spoke, " Sorry Neville but I probably would have dropped you for a meringue as well" I smiled at him as he and the others laughed.
On Harry's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult-";
"You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing -- ").
Harry, who was starting to look warm and sleepy, and I, 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.
It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into my and Harry's -- and a sharp, hot pain shot across our scars.
"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head and I to my wrist's.
"What is it." asked Percy.
"N-nothing." The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling I had gotten from the teacher's look -- a feeling that he didn't like Harry and I at all.
"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell." he asked Percy.
"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." I watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at us again.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.
"Ahern -- 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." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins and me. We grinned at eachother.
"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 laughed, but he was one of the few who did.
"He's not serious." he muttered to Percy.
"Must be," said Percy, 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. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. I 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 the Weasley twins and I 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 Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. My legs were like lead again, but only because I was so tired and full of food. I was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. We climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and I was just wondering how much farther we had to go when we came to a sudden halt.
A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.
"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves -- show yourself" A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.
"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron." There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross- legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.
"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked, that is, except me.
"Ohh pup of Mr. Blackfoot" he cackled bowing.
"Hello Peeves" I greeted.
"Hope you a happy pranking" he said cackling deviously.
"You too" I returned
"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.
Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. We heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.
"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, 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 hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.
"Password." she said.
"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it -- Neville needed a leg up -- and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.
Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase -- was obviously in one of the towers -- I found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. My trunk had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, I pulled on my pajamas and fell into bed.