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+Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
+
+
+CHAPTER ONE
+
+THE BOY WHO LIVED
+
+Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say
+that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last
+people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious,
+because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.
+
+Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made
+drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did
+have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had
+nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she
+spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the
+neighbors. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their
+opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.
+
+The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and
+their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't
+think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs.
+Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years;
+in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her
+sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was
+possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would
+say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the
+Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy
+was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want
+Dudley mixing with a child like that.
+
+When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story
+starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that
+strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the
+country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for
+work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming
+Dudley into his high chair.
+
+None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.
+
+At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs.
+Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed,
+because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the
+walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got
+into his car and backed out of number four's drive.
+
+It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of
+something peculiar -- a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr. Dursley
+didn't realize what he had seen -- then he jerked his head around to
+look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet
+Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking
+of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and
+stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the
+corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now
+reading the sign that said Privet Drive -- no, looking at the sign; cats
+couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and
+put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of
+nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.
+
+But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something
+else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help
+noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people
+about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in
+funny clothes -- the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this
+was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering
+wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite
+close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was
+enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man
+had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The
+nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some
+silly stunt -- these people were obviously collecting for something...
+yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr.
+Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.
+
+Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the
+ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate
+on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swoop ing past in broad
+daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed
+open- mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never
+seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly
+normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made
+several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a
+very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs
+and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.
+
+He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of
+them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't
+know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering
+excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on
+his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he
+caught a few words of what they were saying.
+
+"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard yes, their son, Harry"
+
+Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the
+whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better
+of it.
+
+He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his
+secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost
+finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the
+receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was
+being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were
+lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think
+of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even
+seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point
+in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her
+sister. He didn't blame her -- if he'd had a sister like that... but all
+the same, those people in cloaks...
+
+He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and
+when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that
+he walked straight into someone just outside the door.
+
+"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It
+was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a
+violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the
+ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in
+a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir,
+for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at
+last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy,
+happy day!"
+
+And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.
+
+Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete
+stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that
+was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping
+he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he
+didn't approve of imagination.
+
+As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw --
+and it didn't improve his mood -- was the tabby cat he'd spotted that
+morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the
+same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.
+
+"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a
+stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying
+to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still
+determined not to mention anything to his wife.
+
+Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all
+about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had
+learned a new word ("Won't!"). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When
+Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to
+catch the last report on the evening news:
+
+"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's
+owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally
+hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been
+hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since
+sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly
+changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin.
+"Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going
+to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"
+
+"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not
+only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as
+Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead
+of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting
+stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early -- it's
+not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."
+
+Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain?
+Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place?
+And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...
+
+Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was
+no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat
+nervously. "Er -- Petunia, dear -- you haven't heard from your sister
+lately, have you?"
+
+As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all,
+they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.
+
+"No," she said sharply. "Why?"
+
+"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting
+stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."
+
+"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.
+
+"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you
+know... her crowd."
+
+Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered
+whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he
+didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son --
+he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"
+
+"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.
+
+"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"
+
+"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."
+
+"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite
+agree."
+
+He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed.
+While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom
+window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there.
+It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for
+something.
+
+Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the
+Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of
+-- well, he didn't think he could bear it.
+
+The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr.
+Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting
+thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were
+involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs.
+Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about
+them and their kind.... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get
+mixed up in anything that might be going on -- he yawned and turned over
+-- it couldn't affect them....
+
+How very wrong he was.
+
+Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat
+on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as
+still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of
+Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the
+next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly
+midnight before the cat moved at all.
+
+A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so
+suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the
+ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.
+
+Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall,
+thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which
+were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes,
+a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots.
+His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon
+spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been
+broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.
+
+Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a
+street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was
+busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to
+realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat,
+which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For
+some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and
+muttered, "I should have known."
+
+He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a
+silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and
+clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He
+clicked it again -- the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times
+he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street
+were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat
+watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed
+Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening
+down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his
+cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down
+on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he
+spoke to it.
+
+"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."
+
+He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling
+at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly
+the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was
+wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight
+bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.
+
+"How did you know it was me?" she asked.
+
+"My dear Professor, I 've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."
+
+"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said
+Professor McGonagall.
+
+"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a
+dozen feasts and parties on my way here."
+
+Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.
+
+"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently.
+"You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no -- even the Muggles
+have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her
+head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks
+of owls... shooting stars.... Well, they're not completely stupid. They
+were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent -- I'll bet
+that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."
+
+"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious
+little to celebrate for eleven years."
+
+"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no
+reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on
+the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes,
+swapping rumors."
+
+She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping
+he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A
+fine thing it would be if, on the very day YouKnow-Who seems to have
+disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he
+really has gone, Dumbledore?"
+
+"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful
+for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"
+
+"A what?"
+
+"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of"
+
+"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't
+think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if
+You-Know-Who has gone -"
+
+"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him
+by his name? All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense -- for eleven years I
+have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name:
+Voldemort." Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was
+unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so
+confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason
+to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.
+
+"I know you haven 't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half
+exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're
+the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."
+
+"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will
+never have."
+
+"Only because you're too -- well -- noble to use them."
+
+"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey
+told me she liked my new earmuffs."
+
+Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls
+are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what
+everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally
+stopped him?"
+
+It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most
+anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard
+wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed
+Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that
+whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until
+Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing
+another lemon drop and did not answer.
+
+"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort
+turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is
+that Lily and James Potter are -- are -- that they're -- dead. "
+
+Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.
+
+"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it...
+Oh, Albus..."
+
+Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I
+know..." he said heavily.
+
+Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all.
+They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But -- he
+couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how,
+but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's
+power somehow broke -- and that's why he's gone.
+
+Dumbledore nodded glumly.
+
+"It's -- it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's
+done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy?
+It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the
+name of heaven did Harry survive?"
+
+"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."
+
+Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her
+eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a
+golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch.
+It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving
+around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because
+he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was
+he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"
+
+"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to
+tell me why you're here, of all places?"
+
+"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family
+he has left now."
+
+"You don't mean -- you can't mean the people who live here?" cried
+Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four.
+"Dumbledore -- you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't
+find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son -- I saw
+him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets.
+Harry Potter come and live here!"
+
+"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and
+uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've
+written them a letter."
+
+"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on
+the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a
+letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous -- a
+legend -- I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day
+in the future -- there will be books written about Harry -- every child
+in our world will know his name!"
+
+"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his
+half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous
+before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even
+remember! CarA you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away
+from all that until he's ready to take it?"
+
+Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and
+then said, "Yes -- yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy
+getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she
+thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.
+
+"Hagrid's bringing him."
+
+"You think it -- wise -- to trust Hagrid with something as important as
+this?"
+
+I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.
+
+"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor
+McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does
+tend to -- what was that?"
+
+A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew
+steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a
+headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky -- and
+a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of
+them.
+
+If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride
+it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times
+as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild - long
+tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands
+the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were
+like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle
+of blankets.
+
+"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did
+you get that motorcycle?"
+
+"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sit," said the giant, climbing
+carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to
+me. I've got him, sir."
+
+"No problems, were there?"
+
+"No, sir -- house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right
+before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was
+flyin' over Bristol."
+
+Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of
+blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a
+tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously
+shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.
+
+"Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall.
+
+"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."
+
+"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"
+
+"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself
+above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well
+-- give him here, Hagrid -- we'd better get this over with."
+
+Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.
+
+"Could I -- could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his
+great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very
+scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a
+wounded dog.
+
+"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"
+
+"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and
+burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it -- Lily an' James dead
+-- an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"
+
+"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or
+we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly
+on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to
+the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out
+of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to
+the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at
+the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall
+blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from
+Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.
+
+"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying
+here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."
+
+"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his
+bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall -- Professor Dumbledore, sir."
+
+Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself
+onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose
+into the air and off into the night.
+
+"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore,
+nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.
+
+Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he
+stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and
+twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet
+Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking
+around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the
+bundle of blankets on the step of number four.
+
+"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish
+of his cloak, he was gone.
+
+A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and
+tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect
+astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his
+blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside
+him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was
+famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs.
+Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk
+bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and
+pinched by his cousin Dudley... He couldn't know that at this very
+moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up
+their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter -- the boy
+who lived!"
+
+
+CHAPTER TWO
+
+THE VANISHING GLASS
+
+Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find
+their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at
+all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass
+number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living
+room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when
+Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the
+photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed.
+Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a
+large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets -- but Dudley
+Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large
+blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a
+computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother.
+The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too.
+
+Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for
+long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made
+the first noise of the day.
+
+"Up! Get up! Now!"
+
+Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again.
+
+"Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then
+the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his
+back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a
+good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny
+feeling he'd had the same dream before.
+
+His aunt was back outside the door.
+
+"Are you up yet?" she demanded.
+
+"Nearly," said Harry.
+
+"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you
+dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."
+
+Harry groaned.
+
+"What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.
+
+"Nothing, nothing..."
+
+Dudley's birthday -- how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out
+of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and,
+after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to
+spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and
+that was where he slept.
+
+When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table
+was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as
+though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the
+second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a
+racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated
+exercise -- unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley's
+favorite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him. Harry
+didn't look it, but he was very fast.
+
+Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry
+had always been small and skinny for his age. He looked even smaller and
+skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes
+of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry
+had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes. He
+wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of
+all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. The only thing Harry
+liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that
+was shaped like a bolt of lightning. He had had it as long as he could
+remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt
+Petunia was how he had gotten it.
+
+"In the car crash when your parents died," she had said. "And don't ask
+questions."
+
+Don't ask questions -- that was the first rule for a quiet life with the
+Dursleys.
+
+Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.
+
+"Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.
+
+About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and
+shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts
+than the rest of the boys in his class put
+
+together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way --
+all over the place.
+
+Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his
+mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face,
+not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay
+smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley
+looked like a baby angel -- Harry often said that Dudley looked like a
+pig in a wig.
+
+Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult
+as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents.
+His face fell.
+
+"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two
+less than last year."
+
+"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here
+under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."
+
+"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face.
+Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down
+his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.
+
+Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly,
+"And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's
+that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right''
+
+Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said
+slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty..."
+
+"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.
+
+"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right
+then."
+
+Uncle Vernon chuckled. "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like
+his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.
+
+At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it
+while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a
+video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and
+a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia
+came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.
+
+"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't
+take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.
+
+Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every
+year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the
+day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every
+year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two
+streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage
+and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever
+owned.
+
+"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd
+planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had
+broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be
+a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and
+Tufty again.
+
+"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.
+
+"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."
+
+The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't
+there -- or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't
+understand them, like a slug.
+
+"What about what's-her-name, your friend -- Yvonne?"
+
+"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.
+
+"You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to
+watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go
+on Dudley's computer).
+
+Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.
+
+"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.
+
+"I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.
+
+"I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "...
+and leave him in the car...."
+
+"That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone...."
+
+Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying -- it had
+been years since he'd really cried -- but he knew that if he screwed up
+his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.
+
+"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special
+day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.
+
+"I... don't... want... him... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge,
+pretend sobs. "He always sp- spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty
+grin through the gap in his mother's arms.
+
+Just then, the doorbell rang -- "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt
+Petunia frantically -- and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers
+Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face
+like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their
+backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.
+
+Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in
+the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the
+zoo for the first time in his life. His aunt and uncle hadn't been able
+to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle
+Vernon had taken Harry aside.
+
+"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up
+close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy -- any funny business,
+anything at all -- and you'll be in that cupboard from now until
+Christmas."
+
+"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly..
+
+But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.
+
+The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was
+just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen.
+
+Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking
+as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors
+and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which
+she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly
+at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day,
+where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses.
+Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it
+had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off He had been given a week
+in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he
+couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.
+
+Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting
+old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls) -- The harder she
+tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until
+finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit
+Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to
+his great relief, Harry wasn't punished.
+
+On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on
+the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as
+usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was
+sitting on the chimney. The Dursleys had received a very angry letter
+from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school
+buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon
+through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trash
+cans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have
+caught him in mid- jump.
+
+But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with
+Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school,
+his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room.
+
+While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to
+complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the
+bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning,
+it was motorcycles.
+
+"... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a
+motorcycle overtook them.
+
+I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It
+was flying."
+
+Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right
+around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet
+with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"
+
+Dudley and Piers sniggered.
+
+I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."
+
+But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the
+Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking
+about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a
+dream or even a cartoon -- they seemed to think he might get dangerous
+ideas.
+
+It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The
+Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the
+entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry
+what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap
+lemon ice pop. It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, licking it as they
+watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley,
+except that it wasn't blond.
+
+Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to
+walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who
+were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall
+back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo
+restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker
+glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him
+another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first.
+
+Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to
+last.
+
+After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in
+there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts
+of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and
+stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick,
+man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the
+place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car
+and crushed it into a trash can -- but at the moment it didn't look in
+the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.
+
+Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the
+glistening brown coils.
+
+"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the
+glass, but the snake didn't budge.
+
+"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly
+with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.
+
+"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.
+
+Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He
+wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself -- no
+company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying
+to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a
+bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door
+to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.
+
+The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised
+its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's.
+
+It winked.
+
+Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was
+watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.
+
+The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised
+its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly:
+
+"I get that all the time.
+
+"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the
+snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying."
+
+The snake nodded vigorously.
+
+"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked.
+
+The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry
+peered at it.
+
+Boa Constrictor, Brazil.
+
+"Was it nice there?"
+
+The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on:
+This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see -- so you've never been to
+Brazil?"
+
+As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of
+them jump.
+
+"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE
+WHAT IT'S DOING!"
+
+Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.
+
+"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by
+surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened
+so fast no one saw how it happened -- one second, Piers and Dudley were
+leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with
+howls of horror.
+
+Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank
+had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering
+out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and
+started running for the exits.
+
+As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low,
+hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come.... Thanksss, amigo."
+
+The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.
+
+"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"
+
+The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea
+while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only
+gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except
+snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were
+all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had
+nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to
+squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers
+calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you,
+Harry?"
+
+Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before
+starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to
+say, "Go -- cupboard -- stay -- no meals," before he collapsed into a
+chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.
+
+Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He
+didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were
+asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen
+for some food.
+
+He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as
+long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents
+had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when
+his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long
+hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding
+flash of green light and a burn- ing pain on his forehead. This, he
+supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green
+light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and
+uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask
+questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.
+
+When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown
+relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the
+Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped)
+that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers
+they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once
+while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry
+furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the
+shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in
+green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long
+purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and
+then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these
+people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a
+closer look.
+
+At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated
+that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and
+nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.
+
+
+CHAPTER THREE
+
+THE LETTERS FROM NO ONE
+
+The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his
+longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard
+again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his
+new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time
+out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet
+Drive on her crutches.
+
+Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang,
+who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and
+Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and
+stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. The rest of them were all quite
+happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting.
+
+This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house,
+wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he
+could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off
+to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be
+with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private
+school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the
+other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley
+thought this was very funny.
+
+"They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall,"
+he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"
+
+"No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as
+horrible as your head down it -- it might be sick." Then he ran, before
+Dudley could work out what he'd said.
+
+One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings
+uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn 't as bad as
+usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats,
+and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch
+television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though
+she'd had it for several years.
+
+That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in
+his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange
+knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried
+knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't
+looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.
+
+As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said
+gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst
+into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he
+looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He
+thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to
+laugh.
+
+There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry
+went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in
+the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like
+dirty rags swimming in gray water.
+
+"What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always
+did if he dared to ask a question.
+
+"Your new school uniform," she said.
+
+Harry looked in the bowl again.
+
+"Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."
+
+"DotA be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old
+things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've
+finished."
+
+Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. He sat
+down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look
+on his first day at Stonewall High -- like he was wearing bits of old
+elephant skin, probably.
+
+Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the
+smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as
+usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere,
+on the table.
+
+They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the
+doormat.
+
+"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.
+
+"Make Harry get it."
+
+"Get the mail, Harry."
+
+"Make Dudley get it."
+
+"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."
+
+Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things
+lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was
+vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a
+bill, and -- a letter for Harry.
+
+Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant
+elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who
+would? He had no friends, no other relatives -- he didn't belong to the
+library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet
+here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:
+
+Mr. H. Potter
+
+The Cupboard under the Stairs
+
+4 Privet Drive
+
+Little Whinging
+
+Surrey
+
+The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the
+address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.
+
+Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax
+seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake
+surrounding a large letter H.
+
+"Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you
+doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.
+
+Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter. He handed
+Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to
+open the yellow envelope.
+
+Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over
+the postcard.
+
+"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk. --."
+
+"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"
+
+Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the
+same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of
+his hand by Uncle Vernon.
+
+"That's mine!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back.
+
+"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open
+with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster
+than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds
+it was the grayish white of old porridge.
+
+"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.
+
+Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it
+high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first
+line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her
+throat and made a choking noise.
+
+"Vernon! Oh my goodness -- Vernon!"
+
+They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and
+Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He
+gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.
+
+"I want to read that letter," he said loudly. want to read it," said
+Harry furiously, "as it's mine."
+
+"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back
+inside its envelope.
+
+Harry didn't move.
+
+I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.
+
+"Let me see it!" demanded Dudley.
+
+"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the
+scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the
+kitchen door behind them. Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but
+silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; Dudley won, so Harry,
+his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at
+the crack between door and floor.
+
+"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the
+address -- how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think
+they're watching the house?"
+
+"Watching -- spying -- might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon
+wildly.
+
+"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't
+want --"
+
+Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the
+kitchen.
+
+"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an
+answer... Yes, that's best... we won't do anything....
+
+"But --"
+
+"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took
+him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"
+
+That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd
+never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard.
+
+"Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed
+through the door. "Who's writing to me?"
+
+"No one. it was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly.
+"I have burned it."
+
+"It was not a mistake," said Harry angrily, "it had my cupboard on it."
+
+"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the
+ceiling. He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a
+smile, which looked quite painful.
+
+"Er -- yes, Harry -- about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been
+thinking... you're really getting a bit big for it... we think it might
+be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom.
+
+"Why?" said Harry.
+
+"Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs,
+now."
+
+The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt
+Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one
+where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things
+that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. It only took Harry one trip
+upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room. He
+sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was
+broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working
+tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbor's dog; in the
+corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot
+through when his favorite program had been canceled; there was a large
+birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school
+for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent
+because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They
+were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been
+touched.
+
+From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, I don't
+want him in there... I need that room... make him get out...."
+
+Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday he'd have given
+anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with
+that letter than up here without it.
+
+Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in
+shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been
+sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the
+greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back. Harry was
+thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the
+letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each
+other darkly.
+
+When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice
+to Harry, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with
+his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's
+another one! 'Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive --'"
+
+With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the
+hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the
+ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact
+that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind. After a
+minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the
+Smelting stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with
+Harry's letter clutched in his hand.
+
+"Go to your cupboard -- I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry.
+"Dudley -- go -- just go."
+
+Harry walked round and round his new room. Someone knew he had moved out
+of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first
+letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure
+they didn't fail. He had a plan.
+
+The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry
+turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the
+Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights.
+
+He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and
+get the letters for number four first. His heart hammered as he crept
+across the dark hall toward the front door --
+
+Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on
+the doormat -- something alive!
+
+Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the
+big, squashy something had been his uncle's face. Uncle Vernon had been
+lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making
+sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do. He
+shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make
+a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the
+time he got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap.
+Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink.
+
+I want --" he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into
+pieces before his eyes. Uncle Vernon didnt go to work that day. He
+stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot.
+
+"See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if
+they can't deliver them they'll just give up."
+
+"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."
+
+"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not
+like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the
+piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.
+
+On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they
+couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door,
+slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small
+window in the downstairs bathroom.
+
+Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got
+out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and
+back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips"
+as he worked, and jumped at small noises.
+
+On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to
+Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each
+of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt
+Petunia through the living room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious
+telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone
+to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.
+
+"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in
+amazement.
+
+On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking
+tired and rather ill, but happy.
+
+"No post on Sundays," he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade
+on his newspapers, "no damn letters today --"
+
+Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught
+him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty
+letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursleys
+ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one.
+
+"Out! OUT!"
+
+Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall.
+When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their
+faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters
+still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.
+
+"That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling
+great tufts out of his mustache at the same time. I want you all back
+here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some
+clothes. No arguments!"
+
+He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared
+argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the
+boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway.
+Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the
+head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and
+computer in his sports bag.
+
+They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they
+were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and
+drive in the opposite direction for a while. "Shake'em off... shake 'em
+off," he would mutter whenever he did this.
+
+They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was
+howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd
+missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone
+so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.
+
+Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the
+outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds
+and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on
+the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and
+wondering....
+
+They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for
+breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the
+hotel came over to their table.
+
+"'Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred
+of these at the front desk."
+
+She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:
+
+Mr. H. Potter
+
+Room 17
+
+Railview Hotel
+
+Cokeworth
+
+Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out
+of the way. The woman stared.
+
+"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following
+her from the dining room.
+
+Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested
+timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. Exactly
+what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the
+middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in
+the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle
+of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of
+a multilevel parking garage.
+
+"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that
+afternoon. Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside
+the car, and disappeared.
+
+It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dud ley
+sniveled.
+
+"It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I
+want to stay somewhere with a television. "
+
+Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday -- and you
+could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of
+television -- then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday. Of
+course, his birthdays were never exactly fun -- last year, the Dursleys
+had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.
+Still, you weren't eleven every day.
+
+Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long,
+thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd
+bought.
+
+"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"
+
+It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what
+looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was
+the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was
+certain, there was no television in there.
+
+"Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his
+hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his
+boat!"
+
+A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather
+wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below
+them.
+
+"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"
+
+It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their
+necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like
+hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding,
+led the way to the broken-down house.
+
+The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind
+whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was
+damp and empty. There were only two rooms.
+
+Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four
+bananas. He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked
+and shriveled up.
+
+"Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully.
+
+He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance
+of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Harry privately
+agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.
+
+As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the
+high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the
+filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second
+room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle
+Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find
+the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest,
+most ragged blanket.
+
+The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry
+couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable,
+his stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the
+low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of
+Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat
+wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and
+watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would
+remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now.
+
+Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the
+roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did.
+Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of
+letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow.
+
+Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like
+that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was
+the rock crumbling into the sea?
+
+One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds... twenty ... ten...
+nine -- maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him -- three... two...
+one...
+
+BOOM.
+
+The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the
+door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.
+
+
+CHAPTER FOUR
+
+THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS
+
+BOOM. They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake. "Where's the cannon?" he
+said stupidly.
+
+There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the
+room. He was holding a rifle in his hands -- now they knew what had been
+in the long, thin package he had brought with them.
+
+"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you -- I'm armed!"
+
+There was a pause. Then --
+
+SMASH!
+
+The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and
+with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.
+
+A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost
+completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled
+beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles
+under all the hair.
+
+The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just
+brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it
+easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a
+little. He turned to look at them all.
+
+"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy
+journey..."
+
+He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.
+
+"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.
+
+Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching,
+terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.
+
+"An' here's Harry!" said the giant.
+
+Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the
+beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.
+
+"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a
+lot like yet dad, but yeh've got yet mom's eyes."
+
+Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.
+
+I demand that you leave at once, sit!" he said. "You are breaking and
+entering!"
+
+"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant; he reached over
+the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent
+it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it
+into a corner of the room.
+
+Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.
+
+"Anyway -- Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a
+very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here -- I mighta sat on
+it at some point, but it'll taste all right."
+
+From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly
+squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a
+large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in
+green icing.
+
+Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words
+got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are
+you?"
+
+The giant chuckled.
+
+"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and
+Grounds at Hogwarts."
+
+He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.
+
+"What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together.
+"I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."
+
+His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled chip bags in it and
+he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he
+was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire
+there. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt
+the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath.
+
+The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and
+began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a
+copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several
+chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from
+before starting to make tea. Soon the hut was full of the sound and
+smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was
+working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt
+sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said
+sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."
+
+The giant chuckled darkly.
+
+"Yet great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don'
+worry."
+
+He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted
+anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the
+giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said,
+"I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."
+
+The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his
+hand.
+
+"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm
+Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts -- yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.
+
+"Er -- no," said Harry.
+
+Hagrid looked shocked.
+
+"Sorry," Harry said quickly.
+
+"Sony?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back
+into the shadows. "It' s them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't
+gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou'
+Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yet parents
+learned it all?"
+
+"All what?" asked Harry.
+
+"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"
+
+He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut.
+The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.
+
+"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy --
+this boy! -- knows nothin' abou' -- about ANYTHING?"
+
+Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after
+all, and his marks weren't bad.
+
+"I know some things," he said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff." But
+Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your
+world. My world. Yer parents' world."
+
+"What world?"
+
+Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.
+
+"DURSLEY!" he boomed.
+
+Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded
+like "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at Harry.
+
+"But yeh must know about yet mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're
+famous. You're famous."
+
+"What? My -- my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"
+
+"Yeh don' know... yeh don' know..." Hagrid ran his fingers through his
+hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.
+
+"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally.
+
+Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.
+
+"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sit! I forbid you to tell the
+boy anything!"
+
+A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious
+look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled
+with rage.
+
+"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore
+left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An'
+you've kept it from him all these years?"
+
+"Kept what from me?" said Harry eagerly.
+
+"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.
+
+Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.
+
+"Ah, go boil yet heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Harry -- yet a
+wizard."
+
+There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind
+could be heard.
+
+"-- a what?" gasped Harry.
+
+"A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which
+groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once
+yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else
+would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."
+
+Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope,
+addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock,
+The Sea. He pulled out the letter and read:
+
+HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
+
+Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
+
+(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme
+Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
+
+Dear Mr. Potter,
+
+We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts
+School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all
+necessary books and equipment.
+
+Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
+Yours sincerely,
+
+Minerva McGonagall,
+
+Deputy Headmistress
+
+Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't
+decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, "What does
+it mean, they await my owl?"
+
+"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to
+his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet
+another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl -- a real, live,
+rather ruffled-looking owl -- a long quill, and a roll of parchment.
+With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could
+read upside down:
+
+Dear Professor Dumbledore,
+
+Given Harry his letter.
+
+Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.
+
+Weather's horrible. Hope you're Well.
+
+Hagrid
+
+Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its
+beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he
+came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the
+telephone.
+
+Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.
+
+"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still
+ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.
+
+"He's not going," he said.
+
+Hagrid grunted.
+
+"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said.
+
+"A what?" said Harry, interested.
+
+"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like thern.
+An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I
+ever laid eyes on."
+
+"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said
+Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"
+
+"You knew?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a -- a wizard?"
+
+"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How
+could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a
+letter just like that and disappeared off to that-that school-and came
+home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups
+into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was -- a freak!
+But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that,
+they were proud of having a witch in the family!"
+
+She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed
+she had been wanting to say all this for years.
+
+"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and
+had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange,
+just as -- as -- abnormal -- and then, if you please, she went and got
+herself blown up and we got landed with you!"
+
+Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown
+up? You told me they died in a car crash!"
+
+"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys
+scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an'
+James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his
+own story when every kid in our world knows his name!" "But why? What
+happened?" Harry asked urgently.
+
+The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.
+
+"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no
+idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of
+yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right
+person ter tell yeh -- but someone 3 s gotta -- yeh can't go off ter
+Hogwarts not knowin'."
+
+He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys.
+
+"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh -- mind, I can't
+tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it...."
+
+He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It
+begins, I suppose, with -- with a person called -- but it's incredible
+yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows --"
+
+"Who? "
+
+"Well -- I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is
+difficult. See, there was this wizard who went... bad. As bad as you
+could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was..."
+
+Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.
+
+"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.
+
+"Nah -can't spell it. All right -- Voldemort. " Hagrid shuddered. "Don'
+make me say it again. Anyway, this -- this wizard, about twenty years
+ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too -- some were
+afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin'
+himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust,
+didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches... terrible
+things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him --
+an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was
+Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of.
+Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.
+
+"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew.
+Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why
+You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... probably knew
+they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the
+Dark Side.
+
+"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... maybe he just wanted 'em
+outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where
+you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old.
+He came ter yer house an' -- an' --"
+
+Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew
+his nose with a sound like a foghorn.
+
+"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad -- knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer
+people yeh couldn't find -- anyway..."
+
+"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then -- an' this is the real myst'ry of
+the thing -- he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of
+it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't
+do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no
+ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a Powerful, evil curse touches
+yeh -- took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even -- but it didn't
+work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after
+he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the
+best witches an' wizards of the age -- the McKinnons, the Bones, the
+Prewetts -- an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."
+
+Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story
+came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more
+clearly than he had ever remembered it before -- and he remembered
+something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel
+laugh.
+
+Hagrid was watching him sadly.
+
+"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought
+yeh ter this lot..."
+
+"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost
+forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to
+have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were
+clenched.
+
+"Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something
+strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured
+-- and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos, no
+denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion --
+asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types --
+just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end --"
+
+But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink
+umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a
+sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley -I'm warning you -- one more
+word... "
+
+In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant,
+Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the
+wall and fell silent.
+
+"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on
+the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.
+
+Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.
+
+"But what happened to Vol--, sorry -- I mean, You-Know-Who?"
+
+"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter
+kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see...
+he was gettin' more an' more powerful -- why'd he go?
+
+"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough
+human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his
+time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back
+ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don~ reckon they
+could've done if he was comin' back.
+
+"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers.
+Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry.
+There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on -- I dunno
+what it was, no one does -- but somethin' about you stumped him, all
+right."
+
+Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but
+Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had
+been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd
+spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and
+Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned
+into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If
+he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley
+had always been able to kick him around like a football?
+
+"Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I
+don't think I can be a wizard."
+
+To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.
+
+"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or
+angry?"
+
+Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it... every odd
+thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had
+happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry... chased by Dudley's
+gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach... dreading going
+to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow
+back... and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his
+revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa
+constrictor on him?
+
+Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively
+beaming at him.
+
+"See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard -- you wait, you'll be
+right famous at Hogwarts."
+
+But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.
+
+"Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall
+High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs
+all sorts of rubbish -- spell books and wands and --"
+
+"If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled
+Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter' s son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad.
+His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest
+school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he
+won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a
+change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had
+Albus Dumbled--"
+
+"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL To TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!"
+yelled Uncle Vernon.
+
+But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled
+it over his head, "NEVER," he thundered, "- INSULT- ALBUS- DUMBLEDORE-
+IN- FRONT- OF- ME!"
+
+He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley
+-- there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a
+sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with
+his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned
+his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in
+his trousers.
+
+Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other
+room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door
+behind them.
+
+Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.
+
+"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work
+anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like
+a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."
+
+He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.
+
+"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he
+said. "I'm -- er -- not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was
+allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff
+-- one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job
+
+"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry.
+
+"Oh, well -- I was at Hogwarts meself but I -- er -- got expelled, ter
+tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an'
+everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man,
+Dumbledore." "Why were you expelled?"
+
+"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid
+loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."
+
+He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.
+
+"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I
+think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."
+
+
+CHAPTER FIVE
+
+DIAGON ALLEY
+
+Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was
+daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.
+
+"It was a dream, he told himself firmly. "I dreamed a giant called
+Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open
+my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard."
+
+There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.
+
+And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, Harry thought, his heart
+sinking. But he still didn't open his eyes. It had been such a good
+dream.
+
+Tap. Tap. Tap.
+
+"All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up."
+
+He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him. The hut was full of
+sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed
+sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper
+held in its beak.
+
+Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon
+was swelling inside him. He went straight to the window and jerked it
+open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who
+didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to
+attack Hagrid's coat.
+
+"Don't do that."
+
+Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak
+fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.
+
+"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl
+
+"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.
+
+"What?"
+
+"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."
+Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets -- bunches of
+keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags...
+finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.
+
+"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.
+
+"Knuts?"
+
+"The little bronze ones."
+
+Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg
+so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then
+he flew off through the open window.
+
+Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.
+
+"Best be Off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy
+all yer stuff fer school."
+
+Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just
+thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon
+inside him had got a puncture.
+
+"Um -- Hagrid?"
+
+"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.
+
+"I haven't got any money -- and you heard Uncle Vernon last night ... he
+won't pay for me to go and learn magic."
+
+"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his
+head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"
+
+"But if their house was destroyed --"
+
+"They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is
+Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold -- an' I
+wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."
+
+"Wizards have banks?"
+
+"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."
+
+Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding.
+
+"Goblins?"
+
+"Yeah -- so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never
+mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer
+anything yeh want ter keep safe -- 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o'
+fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts
+business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do
+important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you gettin' things from Gringotts --
+knows he can trust me, see.
+
+"Got everythin'? Come on, then."
+
+Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and
+the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was
+still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.
+
+"How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat.
+"Flew," said Hagrid.
+
+"Flew?"
+
+"Yeah -- but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've
+got yeh."
+
+They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to
+imagine him flying.
+
+"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of
+his sideways looks. "If I was ter -- er -- speed things up a bit, would
+yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"
+
+"Of course not," said Harry, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out
+the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and
+they sped off toward land.
+
+"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.
+
+"Spells -- enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he
+spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the highsecurity vaults. And
+then yeh gotta find yer way -- Gringotts is hundreds of miles under
+London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter
+get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."
+
+Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the
+Daily Prophet. Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to
+be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, he'd never
+had so many questions in his life.
+
+"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning
+the page.
+
+"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop
+himself.
+
+"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, 0 '
+course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the
+job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls
+every morning, askin' fer advice."
+
+"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?"
+
+"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still
+witches an' wizards up an' down the country."
+
+"Why?"
+
+"Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their
+problems. Nah, we're best left alone."
+
+At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid
+folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the
+street.
+
+Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town
+to the station. Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as
+tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like
+parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles
+dream up, eh?"
+
+"Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say
+there are dragons at Gringotts?"
+
+"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."
+
+"You'd like one?"
+
+"Wanted one ever since I was a kid -- here we go."
+
+They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five
+minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he
+called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets.
+
+People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and
+sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.
+
+"Still got yer letter, Harry?" he asked as he counted stitches. Harry
+took the parchment envelope out of his pocket.
+
+"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need."
+
+Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night
+before, and read:
+
+HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
+
+UNIFORM
+
+First-year students will require:
+
+1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
+
+2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
+
+3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
+
+4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
+
+Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
+
+COURSE BOOKS
+
+All students should have a copy of each of the following:
+
+The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
+
+A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
+
+Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
+
+A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch
+
+One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
+
+Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
+
+Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
+
+The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
+
+OTHER EQUIPMENT
+
+wand cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set
+
+glass or crystal phials
+
+telescope set
+
+brass scales
+
+Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
+
+PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN
+BROOMSTICKS
+
+"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.
+
+"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.
+
+Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know
+where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an
+ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and
+complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.
+
+"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they
+climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined
+with shops.
+
+Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do
+was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores,
+hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it
+could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of
+ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles
+beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and
+broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had
+cooked up? If Harry hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of
+humor, he might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything
+Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help
+trusting him.
+
+"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a
+famous place."
+
+It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out,
+Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't
+glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the
+record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at
+all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and
+Hagrid could see it. Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered
+him inside.
+
+For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were
+sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was
+smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old
+bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The
+low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know
+Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a
+glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"
+
+"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great
+hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.
+
+
+"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this -- can this
+be --?"
+
+
+The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.
+
+"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter... what an
+honor."
+
+He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his
+hand, tears in his eyes.
+
+"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."
+
+Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old
+woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out.
+Hagrid was beaming.
+
+Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry
+found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.
+
+"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."
+
+"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."
+
+"Always wanted to shake your hand -- I'm all of a flutter."
+
+"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus
+Diggle."
+
+"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off
+in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."
+
+"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did
+you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again --
+Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.
+
+A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes
+was twitching.
+
+"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be
+one of your teachers at Hogwarts."
+
+"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand,
+"c-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you."
+
+"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"
+
+"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as
+though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh,
+P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your
+equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires,
+m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.
+
+But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It
+took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid
+managed to make himself heard over the babble.
+
+"Must get on -- lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."
+
+Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them
+through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was
+nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.
+
+Hagrid grinned at Harry.
+
+"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell
+was tremblin' ter meet yeh -- mind you, he's usually tremblin'."
+
+"Is he always that nervous?"
+
+"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was
+
+studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand
+experience.... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there
+was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag -- never been the same since.
+Scared of the students, scared of his own subject now, where's me
+umbrella?"
+
+Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming. Hagrid, meanwhile, was
+counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.
+
+"Three up... two across he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry."
+
+He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.
+
+The brick he had touched quivered -- it wriggled -- in the middle, a
+small hole appeared -- it grew wider and wider -- a second later they
+were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a
+cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.
+
+"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."
+
+He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry
+looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly
+back into solid wall.
+
+The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop.
+Cauldrons -- All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver -- Self-Stirring
+-- Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.
+
+"Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money
+first."
+
+Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every
+direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at
+once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their
+shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as
+they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're
+mad...."
+
+A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl
+Emporium -- Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of
+about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with
+broomsticks in it. "Look," Harry heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus
+Two Thousand -- fastest ever --" There were shops selling robes, shops
+selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen
+before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes,
+tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion
+bottles, globes of the moon....
+
+"Gringotts," said Hagrid.
+
+They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other
+little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a
+uniform of scarlet and gold, was -
+
+"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white
+stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry.
+He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very
+long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were
+facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved
+upon them:
+
+Enter, stranger, but take heed
+
+Of what awaits the sin of greed,
+
+For those who take, but do not earn,
+
+Must pay most dearly in their turn.
+
+So if you seek beneath our floors
+
+A treasure that was never yours,
+
+Thief, you have been warned, beware
+
+Of finding more than treasure there.
+
+"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.
+
+A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a
+vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high
+stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing
+coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses.
+There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more
+goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made
+for the counter.
+
+"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money
+outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe."
+
+"You have his key, Sir?"
+
+"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his
+pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits
+over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry
+watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as
+glowing coals.
+
+"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.
+
+The goblin looked at it closely.
+
+"That seems to be in order."
+
+"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid
+importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the YouKnow-What in
+vault seven hundred and thirteen."
+
+The goblin read the letter carefully.
+
+"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have Someone
+take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"
+
+Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog
+biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook toward
+one of the doors leading off the hall.
+
+"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry
+asked.
+
+"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts
+business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh
+that."
+
+Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more
+marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with
+flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little
+railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came
+hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in -- Hagrid with some
+difficulty -- and were off.
+
+At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry
+tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left,
+but it was impossible. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way,
+because Griphook wasn't steering.
+
+Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them
+wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a
+passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late - -
+they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge
+stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.
+
+I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart,
+"what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"
+
+"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions
+just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."
+
+He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small
+door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the
+wall to stop his knees from trembling.
+
+Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and
+as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns
+of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.
+
+"All yours," smiled Hagrid.
+
+All Harry's -- it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about
+this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking. How often had
+they complained how much Harry cost them to keep? And all the time there
+had been a small fortune belonging to him, buried deep under London.
+
+Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.
+
+"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to
+a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right,
+that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe
+for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now,
+please, and can we go more slowly?"
+
+"One speed only," said Griphook.
+
+They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became
+colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went
+rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to
+try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and
+pulled him back by the scruff of his neck.
+
+Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.
+
+"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with
+one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.
+
+"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through
+the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.
+
+"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.
+
+"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.
+
+Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault,
+Harry was sure, and he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous
+jewels at the very least -- but at first he thought it was empty. Then
+he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on
+the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry
+longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.
+
+"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way
+back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.
+
+One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside
+Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag
+full of money. He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a
+pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole
+life -- more money than even Dudley had ever had.
+
+"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam
+Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I
+slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them
+Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam
+Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.
+
+Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.
+
+"Hogwarts, clear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot
+here -- another young man being fitted up just now, in fact. "
+
+In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on
+a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam
+Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him) slipped a long robe over his
+head, and began to pin it to the right length.
+
+"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"
+
+"Yes," said Harry.
+
+"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street
+looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then
+I'm going to drag them off to took at racing brooms. I don't see why
+first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting
+me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."
+
+Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.
+
+"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.
+
+"No," said Harry.
+
+"Play Quidditch at all?"
+
+"No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.
+
+"I do -- Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my
+house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"
+
+"No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.
+
+"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know
+I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been -- imagine being in
+Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" "Mmm," said Harry, wishing
+he could say something a bit more interesting.
+
+"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the
+front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing
+at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.
+
+"That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't.
+"He works at Hogwarts."
+
+"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't
+he?"
+
+"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less
+every second.
+
+"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage -- lives in a hut on the
+school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic,
+and ends up setting fire to his bed."
+
+"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly.
+
+"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where
+are your parents?"
+
+"They're dead," said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into
+the matter with this boy.
+
+"Oh, sorry," said the other,. not sounding sorry at all. "But they were
+our kind, weren't they?"
+
+"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."
+
+"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're
+just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some
+of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter,
+imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families.
+What's your surname, anyway?"
+
+But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my
+dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy,
+hopped down from the footstool.
+
+"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.
+
+Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him
+(chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).
+
+"What's up?" said Hagrid.
+
+"Nothing," Harry lied. They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry
+cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you
+wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"
+
+"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know -- not knowin'
+about Quidditch!"
+
+"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pate
+boy in Madam Malkin's.
+
+"--and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed
+in."
+
+"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were -- he's grown
+up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what
+everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what
+does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones
+with magic in 'em in a long line 0' Muggles -- look at yer mum! Look
+what she had fer a sister!"
+
+"So what is Quidditch?"
+
+"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like -- like soccer in the Muggle
+world -- everyone follows Quidditch -- played up in the air on
+broomsticks and there's four balls -- sorta hard ter explain the rules."
+"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"
+
+"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o'
+duffers, but --"
+
+"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff" said Harry gloomily.
+
+"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a
+single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin.
+You-Know-Who was one."
+
+"Vol-, sorry - You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"
+
+"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.
+
+They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts
+where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as
+paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in
+covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with
+nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have
+been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag
+Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and
+Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs,
+Tongue- Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.
+
+"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."
+
+"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the
+Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An'
+anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more
+study before yeh get ter that level."
+
+Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says
+pewter on yer list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing
+potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited
+the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible
+smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff
+stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined
+the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung
+from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a
+supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself
+examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule,
+glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).
+
+Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again.
+
+"Just yer wand left - A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday
+present."
+
+Harry felt himself go red.
+
+"You don't have to --"
+
+"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad,
+toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at - an' I don'
+like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want
+owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."
+
+Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been
+dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now
+carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with
+her head under her wing. He couldn't stop stammering his thanks,
+sounding just like Professor Quirrell.
+
+"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta
+presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now - only place fer
+wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."
+
+A magic wand... this was what Harry had been really looking forward to.
+
+The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door
+read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay
+on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.
+
+A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped
+inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair
+that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had
+entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that
+had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow
+boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of
+his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle
+with some secret magic.
+
+"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have
+jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly
+off the spindly chair.
+
+An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like
+moons through the gloom of the shop.
+
+"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.
+
+"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon.
+Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It
+seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten
+and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm
+work."
+
+Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those
+silvery eyes were a bit creepy.
+
+"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches.
+Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I
+say your father favored it -- it's really the wand that chooses the
+wizard, of course."
+
+Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to
+nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.
+
+"And that's where..."
+
+Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a
+long, white finger.
+
+"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly.
+"Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in
+the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into
+the world to do...."
+
+He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.
+
+"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again.... Oak, sixteen
+inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"
+
+"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.
+
+"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got
+expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.
+
+"Er -- yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still
+got the pieces, though," he added brightly.
+
+"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.
+
+"Oh, no, sit," said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink
+umbrella very tightly as he spoke.
+
+"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now
+-- Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver
+markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"
+
+"Er -- well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.
+
+"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to
+finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round
+his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of
+a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix
+tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands
+are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite
+the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with
+another wizard's wand."
+
+Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring
+between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was
+flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.
+
+"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on
+the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon
+heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a
+wave."
+
+Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr.
+Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.
+
+"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try --"
+
+Harry tried -- but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was
+snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.
+
+"No, no -here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy.
+Go on, go on, try it out."
+
+Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting
+for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the
+spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the
+shelves, the happier he seemed to become.
+
+"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here
+somewhere -- I wonder, now - - yes, why not -- unusual combination --
+holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."
+
+Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised
+the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air
+and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework,
+throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and
+clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very
+good. Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious... "
+
+He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper,
+still muttering, "Curious... curious..
+
+"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"
+
+Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.
+
+"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It
+so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave
+another feather -- just one other. It is very curious indeed that you
+should be destined for this wand when its brother why, its brother gave
+you that scar."
+
+Harry swallowed.
+
+"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things
+happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember.... I think we must expect
+great things from you, Mr. Potter.... After all, He-
+Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things -- terrible, yes, but great."
+
+Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. He paid
+seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his
+shop.
+
+The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made
+their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through
+the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked
+down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at
+them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped
+packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap. Up
+another escalator, out into Paddington station; Harry only realized
+where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder.
+
+"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said.
+
+He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat
+them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.
+
+"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid.
+
+Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of
+his life -- and yet -- he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the
+words.
+
+"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. "All those people in the
+Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander... but I don't know
+anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm
+famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what
+happened when Vol-, sorry -- I mean, the night my parents died."
+
+Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he
+wore a very kind smile.
+
+"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the
+beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. just be yerself. I know it's
+hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a
+great time at Hogwarts -- I did -- still do, 'smatter of fact."
+
+Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the
+Dursleys, then handed him an envelope.
+
+"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September -- King's Cross
+-- it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a
+letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me.... See yeh soon,
+Harry."
+
+The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until
+he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against
+the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.
+
+
+CHAPTER SIX
+
+THE JOURNEY FROM PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS
+
+Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so
+scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia
+and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard, force him to do
+anything, or shout at him -- in fact, they didn't speak to him at all.
+Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry
+in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did
+become a bit depressing after a while.
+
+Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to
+call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic. His school
+books were very interesting. He lay on his bed reading late into the
+night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It
+was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because
+Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice. Every night before he went to
+sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned
+to the wall, counting down to September the first.
+
+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.
+
+"Where is this school, anyway?"
+
+"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled
+the ticket Hagrid 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."
+
+"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things
+friendly.
+
+"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that
+ruddy tail removed 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 to make sure
+he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her
+cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. Two
+hours later, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the
+Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to
+Harry, and they had set off.
+
+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?"
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like
+tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He
+wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping 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, of course --"
+
+Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four
+boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like
+Harry's in front of him -- and they had an owl.
+
+Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so
+did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying.
+
+"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.
+
+"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was
+holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go... "
+
+"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go
+first."
+
+What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten.
+Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it -- but just as
+the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large
+crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last
+backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.
+
+"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.
+
+"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call
+yourself our mother? CarA you tell I'm George?"
+
+"Sorry, George, dear."
+
+"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called
+after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later,
+he had gone -- but how had he done it?
+
+Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was
+almost there -- and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.
+
+There was nothing else for it.
+
+"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.
+
+"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."
+
+She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and
+gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.
+
+"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is -- the thing is, I don't know how to
+--"
+
+"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded.
+
+"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the
+barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared
+you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a
+run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."
+
+"Er -- okay," said Harry.
+
+He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very
+solid.
+
+He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to
+platforms nine and ten. 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. Harry looked behind him
+and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the
+words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, He had done it.
+
+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.
+
+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, "Gran, I've lost my toad
+again."
+
+"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.
+
+A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.
+
+"Give us a look, Lee, go on."
+
+The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him
+shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.
+
+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.
+
+"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through
+the barrier.
+
+"Yes, please," Harry panted.
+
+"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"
+
+With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner
+of the compartment.
+
+"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.
+
+"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's
+lightning scar.
+
+"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you
+
+"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.
+
+"What?" said Harry.
+
+"Harry Potter, "chorused the twins.
+
+"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."
+
+The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to
+his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.
+
+"Fred? George? Are you there?"
+
+"Coming, Mom."
+
+With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.
+
+Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the
+red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their
+mother had just taken out her handkerchief.
+
+"Ron, you've got something on your nose."
+
+The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and
+began rubbing the end of his nose.
+
+"Mom -- geroff" He wriggled free.
+
+"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the
+twins.
+
+"Shut up," said Ron.
+
+"Where's Percy?" said their mother.
+
+"He's coming now."
+
+The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his
+billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge
+on his chest with the letter P on it.
+
+"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.
+
+"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.
+
+"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear,
+well, have a good term -- send me an owl when you get there."
+
+She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.
+
+"Now, you two -- this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl
+telling me you've -- you've blown up a toilet or --"
+
+"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."
+
+"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 who was near us in the station? Know who
+he is?"
+
+"Who?"
+
+"Harry Potter!"
+
+Harry heard the little girl's voice.
+
+"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, eh please...."
+
+"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you
+goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"
+
+"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning."
+
+"Poor dear - no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite
+when he asked how to get onto the platform."
+
+"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks
+like?"
+
+Their mother suddenly became very stern.
+
+"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs
+reminding of that on his first day at school."
+
+"All right, keep your hair on."
+
+A whistle sounded.
+
+"Hurry up!" 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."
+
+"George!"
+
+"Only joking, Mom."
+
+The train began to move. Harry 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 watched the girl and her mother 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 the youngest redheaded boy
+came in.
+
+"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry.
+"Everywhere else is full."
+
+Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then
+looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry 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," 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 and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut
+behind them.
+
+"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.
+
+Harry nodded.
+
+"Oh -well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said
+Ron. "And have you really got -- you know..."
+
+He pointed at Harry's forehead.
+
+Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.
+
+"So that's where You-Know-Who
+
+"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."
+
+"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.
+
+"Well -- I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."
+
+"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as
+though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out
+of the window again.
+
+"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as
+interesting as Ron found him.
+
+"Er -- Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think 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. My aunt and uncle and cousin are,
+though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."
+
+"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth
+in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up
+to. Bill and Charlie have already left -- Bill was head boy and Charlie
+was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess
+around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks
+they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others,
+but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get
+anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes,
+Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."
+
+Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat 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.
+
+Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to
+afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a
+month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old
+clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer
+Ron up.
+
+"... and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about be ing a
+wizard or about my parents or Voldemort"
+
+Ron gasped.
+
+"What?" said Harry.
+
+"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and
+impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people --"
+
+"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, I
+just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to
+learn.... I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that
+had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."
+
+"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and
+they learn quick enough."
+
+While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London.
+Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were
+quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.
+
+Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the
+corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said,
+"Anything off the cart, dears?"
+
+Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears
+went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went
+out into the corridor.
+
+He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he
+had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many
+Mars Bars as he could carry -- but the woman didn't have Mars 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 Harry had never seen in his
+life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid
+the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.
+
+Ron stared as Harry 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," said Harry, who had never had anything to share
+before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling,
+sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties,
+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?" 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 Ron. "Can I have a
+frog? I might get Agrippa -- thanks
+
+Harry turned over his card and read:
+
+ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
+
+CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS
+
+Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, 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."
+
+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.
+He 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 Harry. "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."
+
+They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast,
+coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and 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 Harry had passed on platform nine and threequarters came in. He
+looked tearful.
+
+"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"
+
+When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting
+away from me!"
+
+"He'll turn up," said Harry.
+
+"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him..."
+
+He left.
+
+"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd
+lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't
+talk."
+
+The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.
+
+"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.
+
+"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, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he
+hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.
+
+"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.
+
+"Harry Potter," said Harry.
+
+"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course -- I
+got a few extra books. for background reading, and you're in Modern
+Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great
+Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.
+
+"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.
+
+"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it
+was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in?
+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?"
+
+Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.
+
+"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing
+something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about
+
+Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you
+get that with the Muggles -- someone tried to rob a high security
+vault."
+
+Harry stared.
+
+"Really? What happened to them?"
+
+"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My
+dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts,
+but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course,
+everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case
+You-Know-Who's behind it."
+
+Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a
+prickle of fear every time You- Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this
+was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more
+comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.
+
+"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.
+
+"Er -- I don't know any," Harry confessed.
+
+"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the
+world --" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the
+positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to
+with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the
+money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game
+when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't 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. He was looking at Harry with
+a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.
+
+"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry
+Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"
+
+"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were
+thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale
+boy, they looked like bodyguards.
+
+"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly,
+noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
+
+Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigget. Draco
+Malfoy looked at him.
+
+"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father
+told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than
+they can afford."
+
+He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families
+are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends
+with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
+
+He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.
+
+"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said
+coolly.
+
+Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale
+cheeks.
+
+"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a
+bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know
+what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the
+Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."
+
+Both Harry and Ron 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," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because
+Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him 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. 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. 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 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 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 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. 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 familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years
+over here! All right there, Harry?"
+
+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, 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.
+
+"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 and Ron were followed
+into their boat by Neville and Hermione. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid,
+who had a boat to himself. "Right then -- FORWARD!"
+
+And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the
+lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at
+the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer
+and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
+
+"Heads down!" yelled 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.
+
+"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.
+
+
+CHAPTER SEVEN
+
+THE SORTING HAT
+
+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 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 them led to
+the upper floors.
+
+They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry
+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 the first years 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, 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 Ron.
+
+"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he
+was joking."
+
+Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole
+school? But he didn't know any magic yet -- what on earth would he have
+to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived.
+He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified,
+too. 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. Harry tried hard not to listen to her. He'd never been more
+nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to
+the Dursleys saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. He
+kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall
+would come back and lead him to his doom.
+
+Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air --
+several people behind him screamed.
+
+"What the --?"
+
+He 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. 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?"
+
+A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.
+
+Nobody answered.
+
+"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be
+Sorted, I suppose?"
+
+A few people nodded mutely.
+
+"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."
+
+Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line
+behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron 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.
+
+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.
+
+Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, Harry thought wildly,
+that seemed the sort of thing -- noticing that everyone in the hall was
+now staring at the hat, he 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."
+
+Harry. smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than
+having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on
+without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather alot;
+Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If
+only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy,
+that would have been the one for him.
+
+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. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving
+merrily at her.
+
+"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.
+
+A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when
+you're very nervous. What if he wasn't chosen at all? What if he just
+sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor
+McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a
+mistake and he'd better get back on the train?
+
+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. Next second he
+was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.
+
+Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty
+of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness,
+yes -- and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting....
+So where shall I put you?"
+
+Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not
+Slytherin.
+
+"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be
+great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you
+on the way to greatness, no doubt about that -- no? Well, if you're sure
+-- better be GRYFFINDOR!"
+
+Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off
+the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was so
+relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed
+that 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!" Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff
+he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm, giving Harry the sudden,
+horrible feeling he'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.
+
+He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat
+Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs up. Harry grinned
+back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair,
+sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd
+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. Harry spotted Professor Quirtell, 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 Harry at the Gryffindor table.
+"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was
+pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a
+second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
+
+Harry clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next
+to him.
+
+"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.
+
+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 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. 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 had never exactly starved Harry, but he'd never been
+allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything
+that Harry really wanted, even if It made him sick. Harry piled his
+plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat.
+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. 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."
+
+Harry 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, Harry was pleased to
+see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.
+
+"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.
+
+"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 -- "
+
+As Harry helped himself 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."
+
+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 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.
+
+It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's
+turban straight into Harry's eyes -- and a sharp, hot pain shot across
+the scar on Harry's forehead.
+
+"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.
+
+"What is it?" asked Percy.
+
+"N-nothing."
+
+The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the
+feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look -- a feeling that he
+didn't like Harry 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."
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+"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. 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 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 Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds,
+out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were
+like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. He
+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. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their
+feet, and Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when
+they 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.
+
+"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. They 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 -- they were
+obviously in one of the towers -- they found their beds at last: five
+four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had
+already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their
+pajamas and fell into bed.
+
+" Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings.
+"Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."
+
+Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he
+fell asleep almost at once.
+
+Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange
+dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to
+him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was
+his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it
+got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened
+painfully -- and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with
+it -then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh
+became high and cold -- there was a burst of green light and Harry woke,
+sweating and shaking.
+
+He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he
+didn't remember the dream at all.
+
+
+CHAPTER EIGHT
+
+THE POTIONS MASTER
+
+There, look."
+
+"Where?"
+
+"Next to the tall kid with the red hair."
+
+"Wearing the glasses?"
+
+"Did you see his face?"
+
+"Did you see his scar?"
+
+Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next
+day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look
+at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring.
+Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on
+finding his way to classes.
+
+There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide,
+sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different
+on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to
+remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you
+asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors
+that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It
+was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed
+to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit
+each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk.
+
+The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of
+them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly
+Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right
+direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a
+trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would
+drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet,
+pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab
+your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"
+
+Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus
+Filch. Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their
+very first morning. Filch found them trying to force their way through a
+door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds
+corridor on the third floor. He wouldn't believe they were lost, was
+sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening
+to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor
+Quirrell, who was passing.
+
+Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature
+with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the
+corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of
+line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds
+later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than
+anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly
+as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest
+ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.
+
+And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes
+themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out,
+than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.
+
+They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every
+Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the
+movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the
+greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little
+witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of
+all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.
+
+Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only
+one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old
+
+indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got
+up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on
+and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the
+Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.
+
+Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had
+to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their
+first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he
+gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.
+
+Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to
+think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a
+talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.
+
+"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you
+will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class
+will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
+
+Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very
+impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they
+weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.
+After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match
+and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson,
+only Hermione Granger had made any difference to her match; Professor
+McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and
+gave Hermione a rare smile.
+
+The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense
+Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of
+a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said
+was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be
+coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had
+been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of
+a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story.
+For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell
+had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about
+the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung
+around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed
+full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.
+
+Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone
+else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't
+had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to
+learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.
+
+Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. They finally managed to
+find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost
+once.
+
+"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his
+porridge.
+
+"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of
+Slytherin House. They say he always favors them -- we'll be able to see
+if it's true."
+
+"Wish McGonagall favored us, " said Harry. Professor McGonagall was head
+of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge
+pile of homework the day before.
+
+Just then, the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but
+it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a
+hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast,
+circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters
+and packages onto their laps.
+
+Hedwig hadn't brought Harry anything so far. She sometimes flew in to
+nibble his ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the
+owlery with the other school owls. This morning, however, she fluttered
+down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto
+Harry's plate. Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy
+scrawl:
+
+
+Dear Harry,
+
+I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have
+a cup of tea with me around three?
+
+I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with
+Hedwig.
+
+Hagrid
+
+
+Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled Yes, please, see you later on the
+back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.
+
+It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because
+the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to
+him so far.
+
+At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor
+Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd
+been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry -- he hated him.
+
+Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder
+here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough
+without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.
+
+Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and
+like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.
+
+"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new -- celebrity."
+
+Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their
+hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His
+eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth.
+They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.
+
+"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of
+potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but
+they caught every word -- like Professor McGonagall, Snape had y caught
+every word -- like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a
+class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving
+here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you
+will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with
+its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through
+human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses.... I can teach
+you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death -- if you aren't
+as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
+
+More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks
+with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and
+looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.
+
+"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered
+root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
+
+Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? Harry glanced at Ron, who
+looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.
+
+"I don't know, sit," said Harry.
+
+Snape's lips curled into a sneer.
+
+"Tut, tut -- fame clearly isn't everything."
+
+He ignored Hermione's hand.
+
+"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me
+a bezoar?"
+
+Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without
+her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a
+bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were
+shaking with laughter.
+
+"I don't know, sit." "Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming,
+eh, Potter?" Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those
+cold eyes. He had looked through his books at the Dursleys', but did
+Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs
+and Fungi?
+
+Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.
+
+"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
+
+At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon
+ceiling.
+
+"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why
+don't you try her?"
+
+A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked.
+Snape, however, was not pleased.
+
+"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter,
+asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as
+the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach
+of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and
+wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of
+aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"
+
+There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise,
+Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your
+cheek, Potter."
+
+Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson
+continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a
+simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak,
+watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing
+almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just
+telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned
+slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the
+dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a
+twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor,
+burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was
+standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the
+potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils
+sprang up all over his arms and legs.
+
+"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one
+wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before
+taking the cauldron off the fire?"
+
+Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.
+
+"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he
+rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.
+
+"You -- Potter -- why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought
+he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another
+point you've lost for Gryffindor."
+
+This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked
+him behind their cauldron.
+
+"Doi* push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."
+
+As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Harry's mind
+was racing and his spirits were low. He'd lost two points for Gryffindor
+in his very first week -- why did Snape hate him so much? "Cheer up,"
+said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come
+and meet Hagrid with you?"
+
+At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the
+grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the
+forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the
+front door.
+
+When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and
+several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang
+-- back."
+
+Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door
+open.
+
+"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."
+
+He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous
+black boarhound.
+
+There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the
+ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner
+stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.
+
+"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded
+straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was
+clearly not as fierce as he looked.
+
+"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a
+large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.
+
+"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. I spent
+half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."
+
+The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their
+teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told
+Hagrid all about their first -lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's
+knee and drooled all over his robes.
+
+Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Fitch "that old git."
+
+"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang
+sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me
+everywhere? Can't get rid of her -- Fitch puts her up to it."
+
+Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not
+to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.
+
+"But he seemed to really hate me."
+
+"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"
+
+Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes
+when he said that.
+
+"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot --
+great with animals."
+
+Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron
+told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a
+piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a
+cutting from the Daily Prophet:
+
+GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST
+
+Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July,
+widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.
+
+Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault
+that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.
+
+"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if
+you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this
+afternoon.
+
+Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to
+rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.
+
+"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday!
+It might've been happening while we were there!"
+
+There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes
+this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake. Harry read the
+story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied
+earlier that same day. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and
+thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little
+package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?
+
+As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets
+weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry
+thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much
+to think about as tea with Hagrid. Had Hagrid collected that package
+just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about
+Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry?
+
+
+CHAPTER NINE
+
+THE MIDNIGHT DUEL
+
+Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley,
+but that was before he met Draco Malfoy.	Still, first-year
+Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to
+put up with Malfoy much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a
+notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan.
+Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday -- and Gryffindor and
+Slytherin	would be learning together.
+
+"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool
+of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."
+
+He had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.
+
+"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron
+reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he
+is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."
+
+Malfay certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about
+first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long,
+boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping
+Muggles in helicopters. He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus
+Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the
+countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen
+about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom.
+Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron
+had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their
+dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game
+with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Harry had caught Ron
+prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the
+players move.
+
+Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his
+grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, Harry felt she'd had
+good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of
+accidents even with both feet on the ground.
+
+Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This
+was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book -- not that she
+hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with
+flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through
+the Ages. Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for
+anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but
+everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted
+by the arrival of the mail.
+
+Harry hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that
+Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was
+always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened
+gloatingly at the Slytherin table.
+
+A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He
+opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large
+marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.
+
+"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things -- this
+tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it
+tight like this and if it turns red -- oh..." His face fell, because the
+Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet,
+
+"You've forgotten something..."
+
+Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy,
+who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his
+hand.
+
+Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason
+to fight Malfay, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble
+quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.
+
+"What's going on?"
+
+"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."
+
+Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.
+
+"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind
+him.
+
+At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors
+hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying
+lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their
+feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn
+on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees
+were swaying darkly in the distance.
+
+The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying
+in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley
+complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to
+vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.
+
+Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and
+yellow eyes like a hawk.
+
+"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a
+broomstick. Come on, hurry up."
+
+Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck
+out at odd angles.
+
+"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the
+front, "and say 'Up!"'
+
+"UPF everyone shouted.
+
+Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few
+that did. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and
+Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell
+when you were afraid, thought Harry; there was a quaver in Neville's
+voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the
+ground.
+
+Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding
+off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips.
+Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it
+wrong for years.
+
+"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said
+Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come
+straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle -- three
+-- two --"
+
+But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the
+ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's
+lips.
+
+"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a
+cork shot out of a bottle -- twelve feet -- twenty feet. Harry saw his
+scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp,
+slip sideways off the broom and --
+
+WHAM -- a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass
+in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and
+started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.
+
+Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.
+
+"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy -- it's all right,
+up you get.".
+
+She turned to the rest of the class.
+
+"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You
+leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before
+you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."
+
+Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with
+Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.
+
+No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.
+
+"Did you see his face, the great lump?"
+
+The other Slytherins joined in.
+
+"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.
+
+"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced
+Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies,
+Parvati."
+
+"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the
+grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."
+
+The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.
+
+"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking
+to watch.
+
+Malfoy smiled nastily.
+
+"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find -- how about --
+up a tree?"
+
+"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick
+and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level
+with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it,
+Potter!"
+
+Harry grabbed his broom.
+
+"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move --
+you'll get us all into trouble."
+
+Harry ignored her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom
+and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed
+through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him -and in a rush of
+fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being
+taught -- this was easy, this was wonderful. He pulled his broomstick up
+a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls
+back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.
+
+He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked
+stunned.
+
+"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!" "Oh,
+yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.
+
+Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom
+tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfay like a javelin. Malfoy
+only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and
+held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.
+
+"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.
+
+The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.
+
+"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball
+high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.
+
+Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and
+then start to fall. He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down
+-- next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball
+-- wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people
+watching -- he stretched out his hand -- a foot from the ground he
+caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled
+gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.
+
+"HARRY POTTER!"
+
+His heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was
+running toward them. He got to his feet, trembling.
+
+"Never -- in all my time at Hogwarts --"
+
+Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses
+flashed furiously, "-- how dare you -- might have broken your neck --"
+
+"It wasn't his fault, Professor --"
+
+"Be quiet, Miss Patil
+
+"But Malfoy --"
+
+"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."
+
+Harry caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as he
+left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward
+the castle. He was going to be expelled, he just knew it. He wanted to
+say something to defend himself, but there seemed to be something wrong
+with his voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even
+looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Now he'd done it. He hadn't
+even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags in ten minutes. What
+would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the doorstep?
+
+Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor
+McGonagall didn't say a word to him. She wrenched open doors and marched
+along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was
+taking him to Dumbledore. He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to
+stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps he could be Hagrid's assistant. His
+stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming
+wizards, while he stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.
+
+Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door
+and poked her head inside.
+
+"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"
+
+Wood? thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on
+him?
+
+But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out
+of Flitwicles class looking confused.
+
+"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up
+the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry.
+
+"In here."
+
+Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except
+for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.
+
+"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which
+clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed
+the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.
+
+"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood -- I've found you a Seeker."
+
+Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.
+
+"Are you serious, Professor?"
+
+"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The boy's a natural.
+I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a
+broomstick, Potter?"
+
+Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on, but he
+didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming
+back to his legs.
+
+"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor
+McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley
+couldn't have done it."
+
+Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.
+
+"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.
+
+"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.
+
+"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around
+Harry and staring at him. "Light -- speedy -- we'll have to get him a
+decent broom, Professor -- a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven,
+I'd say."
+
+I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the
+first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year.
+Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape
+in the face for weeks...."
+
+Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.
+
+"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind
+about punishing you."
+
+Then she suddenly smiled.
+
+"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent
+Quidditch player himself."
+
+"You're joking."
+
+It was dinnertime. Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened
+when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of
+steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about
+it.
+
+"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never -- you must be the youngest
+house player in about a century, said Harry, shoveling pie into his
+mouth. He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the
+afternoon. "Wood told me."
+
+Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.
+
+"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood
+wants to keep it a secret."
+
+Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and
+hurried over.
+
+"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the
+team too -- Beaters."
+
+"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year,"
+said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is
+going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping
+when he told us."
+
+"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret
+passageway out of the school."
+
+"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found
+in our first week. See you."
+
+Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome
+turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.
+
+"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the
+Muggles?"
+
+"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got
+your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course
+nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was
+full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their
+knuckles and scowl.
+
+"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want.
+Wizard's duel. Wands only -- no contact. What's the matter? Never heard
+of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"
+
+"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's
+yours?"
+
+Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.
+
+"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy
+room; that's always unlocked."
+
+When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other. "What is a
+wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"
+
+"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually,
+getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's
+face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know,
+with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send
+sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real
+damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."
+
+"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"
+
+"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested. "Excuse me."
+
+They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.
+
+"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.
+
+Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.
+
+"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying --"
+
+"Bet you could," Ron muttered.
+
+"--and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the
+points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be.
+It's really very selfish of you."
+
+"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.
+
+"Good-bye," said Ron.
+
+All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day,
+Harry thought, as he lay awake much later listening to Dean and Seamus
+falling asleep (Neville wasn't back from the hospital wing). Ron had
+spent all evening giving him advice such as "If he tries to curse you,
+you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them."
+There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or
+Mrs. Norris, and Harry felt he was pushing his luck, breaking another
+school rule today. On the other hand, Malfoys sneering face kept looming
+up out of the darkness - this was his big chance to beat Malfoy
+face-to-face. He couldn't miss it.
+
+"Half-past eleven," Ron muttered at last, "we'd better go."
+
+They pulled on their bathrobes, picked up their wands, and crept across
+the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor
+common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning
+all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached
+the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I
+can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."
+
+A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe
+and a frown.
+
+"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"
+
+"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy -- he's a
+prefect, he'd put a stop to this."
+
+Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.
+
+"Come on," he said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady
+and climbed through the hole.
+
+Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through
+the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.
+
+"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I
+don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the
+points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching
+Spells."
+
+"Go away." "All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said
+when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so --"
+
+But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the
+portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an
+empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Hermione
+was locked out of Gryffindor tower.
+
+"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.
+
+"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we 3 re going to be
+late."
+
+They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up
+with them.
+
+"I'm coming with you," she said.
+
+"You are not."
+
+"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me?
+If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying
+to stop you, and you can back me up."
+
+"You've got some nerve --" said Ron loudly.
+
+"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. I heard something."
+
+It was a sort of snuffling.
+
+"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.
+
+It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor,
+fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.
+
+"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't
+remember the new password to get in to bed."
+
+"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't
+help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."
+
+"How's your arm?" said Harry.
+
+"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a
+minute."
+
+"Good - well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you
+later --"
+
+"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to
+stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."
+
+Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and
+Neville.
+
+"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that
+Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you.
+
+Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the
+Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned
+them all forward.
+
+They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the
+high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs.
+Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor
+and tiptoed toward the trophy room.
+
+Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered
+where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues
+winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls,
+keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took
+out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minutes
+crept by.
+
+"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.
+
+Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised
+his wand when they heard someone speak -and it wasn't Malfoy.
+
+"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."
+
+It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Harry waved madly
+at the other three to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried
+silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had
+barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy
+room.
+
+"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."
+
+"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to
+creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch
+getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke
+into a run -he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of
+them toppled right into a suit of armor.
+
+The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.
+
+"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not
+looking back to see whether Filch was following -- they swung around the
+doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead,
+without any idea where they were or where they were going -- they ripped
+through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled
+along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was
+miles from the trophy room.
+
+"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall
+and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and
+spluttering.
+
+I -- told -you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest,
+"I -- told -- you."
+
+"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as
+possible."
+
+"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't
+you? He was never going to meet you -- Filch knew someone was going to
+be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."
+
+Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn't going to tell her
+that.
+
+"Let's go."
+
+It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen
+paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a
+classroom in front of them.
+
+It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.
+
+"Shut up, Peeves -- please -- you'll get us thrown out."
+
+Peeves cackled.
+
+"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty,
+naughty, you'll get caughty."
+
+"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."
+
+"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his
+eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."
+
+"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves this was a
+big mistake.
+
+"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE
+CHARMS CORRIDOR"
+
+Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the
+corridor where they slammed into a door -- and it was locked.
+
+"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're
+done for! This is the end!" They could hear footsteps, Filch running as
+fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.
+
+"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the
+lock, and whispered, 'Alohomora!"
+
+The lock clicked and the door swung open -- they piled through it, shut
+it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.
+
+"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."
+
+"Say 'please."'
+
+"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"
+
+"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his
+annoying singsong voice.
+
+"All right -please."
+
+"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say
+please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing
+away and Filch cursing in rage.
+
+"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay
+-- get off, Neville!" For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of
+Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. "What?"
+
+Harry turned around -- and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, he
+was sure he'd walked into a nightmare -- this was too much, on top of
+everything that had happened so far.
+
+They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The
+forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was
+forbidden.
+
+They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that
+filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads.
+Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching
+
+and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging
+in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.
+
+It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry
+knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their
+sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting
+over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.
+
+Harry groped for the doorknob -- between Filch and death, he'd take
+Filch.
+
+They fell backward -- Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they
+almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look
+for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they
+hardly cared -- all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible
+between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they
+reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.
+
+"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their
+bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.
+
+"Never mind that -- pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the
+portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and
+collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.
+
+It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked
+as if he'd never speak again.
+
+"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up
+in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one
+does."
+
+Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You
+don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see
+what it was standing on.
+
+"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too
+busy with its heads."
+
+"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously
+guarding something."
+
+She stood up, glaring at them.
+
+I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed --
+or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."
+
+Ron stared after her, his mouth open.
+
+"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along,
+wouldn't you.
+
+But Hermione had given Harry something else to think about as he climbed
+back into bed. The dog was guarding something.... What had Hagrid said?
+Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to
+hide -- except perhaps Hogwarts.
+
+It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby littie package
+from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.
+
+
+CHAPTER TEN
+
+HALLOWEEN
+
+Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Harry and Ron were
+still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful.
+Indeed, by the next morning Harry and Ron thought that meeting the
+three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite
+keen to have another one. In the meantime, Harry filled Ron in about the
+package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and
+they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy
+protection. "It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.
+"Or both," said Harry.
+
+
+But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it
+was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what
+it was without further clues.
+
+Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay
+underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never
+going near the dog again.
+
+Hermione was now refusing to speak to Harry and Ron, but she was such a
+bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. All they really
+wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great
+delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.
+
+As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention
+was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech
+owls. Harry was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in
+this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped
+it right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor. They had
+hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top
+of the parcel.
+
+Harry ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:
+
+
+DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.
+
+It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody
+knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood
+will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your
+first training session.
+
+Professor McGonagall
+
+Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to
+read.
+
+"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched
+one."
+
+They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private
+before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they
+found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the
+package from Harry and felt it.
+
+"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture
+of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time,
+Potter, first years aren't allowed them."
+
+Ron couldn't resist it.
+
+"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand.
+What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron
+grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same
+league as the Nimbus."
+
+"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the
+handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to
+save up twig by twig."
+
+Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.
+
+"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.
+
+"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.
+
+"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry.
+"Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances,
+Potter. And what model is it?"
+
+"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sit," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the
+look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here
+that I've got it," he added.
+
+Harry and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's
+obvious rage and confusion. "Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they
+reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's
+Remembrall I wouln't be on the team...."
+
+"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an
+angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs,
+looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.
+
+"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.
+
+"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."
+
+Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.
+
+Harry had a lot of trouble keeping his mind on his lessons that day. It
+kept wandering up to the dormitory where his new broomstick was lying
+under his bed, or straying off to the Quidditch field where he'd be
+learning to play that night. He bolted his dinner that evening without
+noticing what he was eating, and then rushed upstairs with Ron to unwrap
+the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.
+
+"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled onto Harry's bedspread.
+
+Even Harry, who knew nothing about the different brooms, thought it
+looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long
+tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold
+near the top.
+
+As seven o'clock drew nearer, Harry left the castle and set off in the
+dusk toward the Quidditch field. Held never been inside the stadium
+before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the field so that
+the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end
+of the field were three golden poles with hoops on the end. They
+reminded Harry of the little plastic sticks Muggle
+
+children blew bubbles through, except that they were fifty feet high.
+
+Too eager to fly again to wait for Wood, Harry mounted his broomstick
+and kicked off from the ground. What a feeling -- he swooped in and out
+of the goal posts and then sped up and down the field. The Nimbus Two
+Thousand turned wherever he wanted at his lightest touch.
+
+"Hey, Potter, come down!'
+
+Oliver Wood had arrived. fie was carrying a large wooden crate under his
+arm. Harry landed next to him.
+
+"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall
+meant... you really are a natural. I'm just going to teach you the rules
+this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week."
+
+He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.
+
+"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even
+if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side.
+Three of them are called Chasers."
+
+"Three Chasers," Harry repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball
+about the size of a soccer ball.
+
+"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the
+Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to
+score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the
+hoops. Follow me?"
+
+"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score,"
+Harry recited. "So -- that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with
+six hoops, isn't it?"
+
+"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously. "Never mind," said Harry
+quickly.
+
+"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper -I'm
+Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other
+team from scoring."
+
+"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Harry, who was determined to remember
+it all. "And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are
+they for?" He pointed at the three balls left inside the box.
+
+"I'll show you now," said Wood. "Take this."
+
+He handed Harry a small club, a bit like a short baseball bat.
+
+"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are
+the Bludgers."
+
+He showed Harry two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than
+the red Quaffle. Harry noticed that they seemed to be straining to
+escape the straps holding them inside the box.
+
+"Stand back," Wood warned Harry. He bent down and freed one of the
+Bludgers.
+
+At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at
+Harry's face. Harry swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking
+his nose, and sent it zigzagging away into the air -- it zoomed around
+their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to
+pin it to the ground.
+
+"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate
+and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to
+knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each
+team -- the Weasley twins are ours -- it's their job to protect their
+side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So
+-- think you've got all that?"
+
+"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the
+goal posts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry
+reeled off.
+
+"Very good," said Wood.
+
+"Er -- have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked, hoping he
+sounded offhand.
+
+"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse
+than that. Now, the last member of the team is the
+
+Seeker. That's you. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the
+Bludgers unless they crack my head open."
+
+"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers -- I
+mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves."
+
+Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball.
+Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size
+of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver
+wings.
+
+"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important
+ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and
+difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave
+in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it
+before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the
+Snitch wins his team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they
+
+nearly always win. That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of
+Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages
+-- I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on
+substitutes so the players could get some sleep. "Well, that's it -- any
+questions?"
+
+Harry shook his head. He understood what he had to do all right, it was
+doing it that was going to be the problem.
+
+"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting
+it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try
+you out with a few of these."
+
+He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few
+minutes later, he and Harry were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf
+balls as hard as he could in every direction for Harry to catch.
+
+Harry didn't miss a single one, and Wood was delighted. After half an
+hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on.
+
+"That Quidditch cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily
+as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you
+turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for
+England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons."
+
+Perhaps it was because he was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice
+three evenings a week on top of all his homework, but Harry could hardly
+believe it when he realized that he'd already been at Hogwarts two
+months. The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive ever had. His
+lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had
+mastered the basics.
+
+On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin
+wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced
+in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly,
+something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make
+Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the
+class into pairs to practice. Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan (which
+was a relief, because Neville had been trying to catch his eye). Ron,
+however, was to be working with Hermione Granger. It was hard to tell
+whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to
+either of them since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived.
+
+"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!"
+squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as
+usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic
+words properly is very important, too -- never forget Wizard Baruffio,
+who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a
+buffalo on his chest."
+
+It was very difficult. Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the
+feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the
+desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and
+set fire to it -- Harry had to put it out with his hat.
+
+Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.
+
+"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.
+
+"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium
+Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."
+
+
+"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.
+
+Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said,
+"Wingardium Leviosa!"
+
+Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their
+heads.
+
+"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here,
+Miss Granger's done it!"
+
+Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class. "It's no wonder no
+one can stand her," he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the
+crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly. "
+
+Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione.
+Harry caught a glimpse of her face -- and was startled to see that she
+was in tears.
+
+"I think she heard you."
+
+"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed
+she's got no friends."
+
+Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all
+afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast,
+Harry and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that
+Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone.
+Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had
+entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out
+of their minds.
+
+A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a
+thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the
+candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the
+golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.
+
+Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell
+came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face.
+Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped
+against the table, and gasped, "Troll -- in the dungeons -- thought you
+ought to know."
+
+He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.
+
+There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from
+the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.
+
+"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories
+immediately!"
+
+Percy was in his element.
+
+"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if
+you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years
+coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"
+
+"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.
+
+"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe
+Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."
+
+They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions.
+As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Harry
+suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.
+
+"I've just thought -- Hermione."
+
+"What about her?"
+
+"She doesn't know about the troll."
+
+Ron bit his lip.
+
+"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."
+
+Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped
+down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls'
+bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick
+footsteps behind them.
+
+"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.
+
+Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the
+corridor and disappeared from view.
+
+"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons
+with the rest of the teachers?"
+
+"Search me."
+
+Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's
+fading footsteps.
+
+"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, but Ron held up his
+hand.
+
+"Can you smell something?"
+
+Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old
+socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.
+
+And then they heard it -- a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of
+gigantic feet. Ron pointed -- at the end of a passage to the left,
+something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and
+watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.
+
+It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite
+gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head
+perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks
+with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was
+holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its
+arms were so long.
+
+The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its
+long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.
+
+"The keys in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."
+
+"Good idea," said Ron nervously.
+
+They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't
+about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the
+key, slam the door, and lock it.
+
+'Yes!"
+
+Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but
+as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts
+stop -- a high, petrified scream -- and it was coming from the chamber
+they'd just chained up.
+
+"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron.
+
+"It's the girls' bathroom!" Harry gasped.
+
+"Hermione!" they said together.
+
+It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have?
+Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key,
+fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside.
+
+Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if
+she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the
+sinks off the walls as it went.
+
+"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he
+threw it as hard as he could against the wall.
+
+The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking
+stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw
+Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it
+went.
+
+"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he
+threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe
+hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning
+its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.
+
+"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward
+the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall,
+her mouth open with terror.
+
+The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It
+roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to
+escape.
+
+Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He
+took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the
+troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there,
+but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its
+nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped -- it
+had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.
+
+Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry
+clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him
+off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.
+
+Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand --
+not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell
+that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"
+
+The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into
+the air, turned slowly over -- and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto
+its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its
+face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.
+
+Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was
+standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.
+
+It was Hermione who spoke first.
+
+"Is it -- dead?"
+
+I don't think so," said Harry, I think it's just been knocked out."
+
+He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered
+in what looked like lumpy gray glue.
+
+"Urgh -- troll boogers."
+
+He wiped it on the troll's trousers.
+
+A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up.
+They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course,
+someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A
+moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room,
+closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell
+took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly
+down on a toilet, clutching his heart.
+
+Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and
+Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.
+Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Harry's
+mind.
+
+"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with
+cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with
+his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in
+your dormitory?"
+
+Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked at the floor. He
+wished Ron would put his wand down.
+
+Then a small voice came out of the shadows.
+
+"Please, Professor McGonagall -- they were looking for me."
+
+"Miss Granger!"
+
+Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.
+
+I went looking for the troll because I -- I thought I could deal with it
+on my own -- you know, because I've read all about them."
+
+Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a
+teacher? "If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand
+up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have
+time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they
+arrived."
+
+Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.
+
+"Well -- in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the
+three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of
+tackling a mountain troll on your own?"
+
+Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last
+person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending
+she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started
+handing out sweets.
+
+"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said
+Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt
+at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing
+the feast in their houses."
+
+Hermione left.
+
+Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron.
+
+"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have
+taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five
+points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."
+
+They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had
+climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the
+troll, quite apart from anything else.
+
+"We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled.
+
+"Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."
+
+"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind
+you, we did save her."
+
+"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with
+her," Harry reminded him.
+
+They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.
+
+"Pig snout," they said and entered.
+
+The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that
+had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting
+for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking
+at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.
+
+But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are
+some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and
+knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.
+
+
+CHAPTER ELEVEN
+
+QUIDDITCH
+
+As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains
+around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every
+morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the
+upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled
+up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous
+beaverskin boots.
+
+The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in
+his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If
+Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house
+championship.
+
+Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that, as
+their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret. But the news
+that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Harry didn't know
+which was worse -- people telling him he'd be brilliant or people
+telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress.
+
+It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermlone as a friend. He didn't
+know how he'd have gotten through all his homework without her, what
+with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She
+had also tent him Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a
+very interesting read.
+
+Harry learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a
+Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup
+match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest
+players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to
+them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had
+been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.
+
+Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry
+and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer
+for it. The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the three of them
+were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured
+them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar.
+They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape
+crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping. Harry,
+Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view;
+they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about
+their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen
+the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off
+anyway.
+
+"What's that you've got there, Potter?"
+
+It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him.
+
+"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape.
+"Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."
+
+"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped
+away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"
+
+"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.
+
+The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Harry, Ron, and
+Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and
+Ron's Charms homework for them. She would never let them copy ("How will
+you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right
+answers anyway.
+
+Harry felt restless. He wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take
+his mind off his nerves about tomorrow. Why should he be afraid of
+Snape? Getting up, he told Ron and Hermione he was going to ask Snape if
+he could have it.
+
+"Better you than me," they said together, but Harry had an idea that
+Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.
+
+He made his way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer.
+He knocked again. Nothing.
+
+Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. He pushed
+the door ajar and peered inside -- and a horrible scene met his eyes.
+
+Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above
+his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing
+Snape bandages.
+
+"Blasted thing*," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your
+eyes on all three heads at once?"
+
+Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but --
+
+"POTTER!"
+
+Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to
+hide his leg. Harry gulped.
+
+"I just wondered if I could have my book back."
+
+"GET OUT! OUT!"
+
+Harry left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. He
+sprinted back upstairs.
+
+"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them. "What's the matter?"
+
+In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen.
+
+"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get
+past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when
+we saw him -- he's after whatever it's guarding! And Id bet my
+broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"
+
+Hermione's eyes were wide.
+
+"No -- he wouldn't, she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he
+wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."
+
+"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something,"
+snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But
+what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"
+
+Harry went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question. Neville
+was snoring loudly, but Harry couldn't sleep. He tried to empty his mind
+-- he needed to sleep, he had to, he had his first Quidditch match in a
+few hours -- but the expression on Snape's face when Harry had seen his
+leg wasn't easy to forget.
+
+The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of
+the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheer ful chatter of
+everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.
+
+"You've got to eat some breakfast."
+
+"I don't want anything."
+
+"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.
+
+"I'm not hungry."
+
+Harry felt terrible. In an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field.
+
+"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are
+always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."
+
+"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his
+sausages.
+
+By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around
+the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be
+raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going
+on sometimes.
+
+Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in
+the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on
+one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and
+Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion
+underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that
+the paint flashed different colors.
+
+Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry and the rest of the team were
+changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing
+in green).
+
+Wood cleared his throat for silence.
+
+"Okay, men," he said.
+
+"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.
+
+"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."
+
+"The big one," said Fred Weasley.
+
+"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.
+
+"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry, "we were on the
+team last year."
+
+"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had
+in years. We're going to win. I know it."
+
+He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."
+
+"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."
+
+Harry followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping his
+knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers.
+
+Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting
+for the two teams, her broom in her hand.
+
+"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all
+gathered around her. Harry noticed that she seemed to be speaking
+particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. Harry
+thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. Out of the
+corner of his eye he saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing
+Potter for President over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver.
+
+"Mount your brooms, please."
+
+Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand.
+
+Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.
+
+Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off. "And the
+Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor -- what
+an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too --"
+
+"JORDAN!"
+
+"Sorry, Professor."
+
+The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the
+match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.
+
+"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet,
+a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve -- back to
+Johnson and -- no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin
+Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes -- Flint flying
+like an eagle up there -- he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent
+move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle --
+that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint,
+off up the field and -- OUCH -- that must have hurt, hit in the back of
+the head by a Bludger -- Quaffle taken by the Slytherins -- that's
+Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a
+second Bludger -- sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell
+which -- nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in
+possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes -- she's
+really flying -- dodges a speeding Bludger -- the goal posts are ahead
+-- come on, now, Angelina -- Keeper Bletchley dives -- misses --
+GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"
+
+Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the
+Slytherins.
+
+"Budge up there, move along."
+
+"Hagrid!"
+
+Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join
+them.
+
+"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of
+binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the
+crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"
+
+"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."
+
+"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his
+binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.
+
+Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for
+some sign of the Snitch. This was part of his and Wood's game plan.
+
+"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had
+said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."
+
+When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops to
+let off his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch.
+Once he caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection
+from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to
+come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Harry
+dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.
+
+"All right there, Harry?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger
+furiously toward Marcus Flint.
+
+"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks
+two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the --
+wait a moment -- was that the Snitch?"
+
+A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too
+busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his
+left ear.
+
+Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after the
+streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck
+and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch -all the Chasers seemed to have
+forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to
+watch.
+
+Harry was faster than Higgs -- he could see the little round ball, wings
+fluttering, darting up ahead - - he put on an extra spurt of speed --
+
+WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below -- Marcus Flint
+had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry
+holding on for dear life.
+
+"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.
+
+Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the
+goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the
+Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.
+
+Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red
+card!"
+
+"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.
+
+"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card
+and you're out of the game!"
+
+"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.
+
+Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.
+
+"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the
+air."
+
+Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.
+
+"So -- after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating
+
+"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.
+
+"I mean, after that open and revolting foul
+
+'Jordan, I'm warning you --"
+
+"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which
+could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by
+Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor
+still in possession."
+
+It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously
+past his head, that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening
+lurch. For a split second, he thought he was going to fall. He gripped
+the broom tightly with both his hands and knees. He'd never felt
+anything like that.
+
+It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him
+off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their
+riders off. Harry tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal- posts
+-- he had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out -- and then he
+realized that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't
+turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the
+air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that
+almost unseated him.
+
+Lee was still commentating.
+
+"Slytherin in possession -- Flint with the Quaffle -- passes Spinnet --
+passes Bell -- hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose
+-- only joking, Professor -- Slytherins score -- A no...
+
+The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's
+broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying- him slowly higher, away
+from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.
+
+"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through
+his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of
+his broom... but he can't have...."
+
+Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His
+broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to
+hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild
+jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on
+with only one hand.
+
+"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.
+
+"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere
+with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic -- no kid could do that to
+a Nimbus Two Thousand."
+
+At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of
+looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.
+
+"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.
+
+"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape -- look."
+
+Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands
+opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop
+under his breath.
+
+"He's doing something -- jinxing the broom," said Hermione.
+
+"What should we do?"
+
+"Leave it to me."
+
+Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned
+the binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was
+almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on
+its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull
+Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good -- every time
+they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower
+and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell.
+Marcus
+
+Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.
+
+"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.
+
+Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and
+was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say
+sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front.
+Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a
+few, well- chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the
+hem of Snape's robes.
+
+It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire.
+A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him
+into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row --
+Snape would never know what had happened.
+
+It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on
+to his broom.
+
+"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into
+Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.
+
+Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his
+hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick -- he hit the field
+on all fours -- coughed -- and something gold fell into his hand.
+
+"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the
+game ended in complete confusion.
+
+"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling
+twenty minutes later, but it made no difference -- Harry hadn't broken
+any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results --
+Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Harry
+heard none of this, though. He was being made a cup of strong tea back
+in Hagrid's hut, with Ron and Hermione.
+
+"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was
+cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."
+
+"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next
+to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"
+
+Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell
+him. Harry decided on the truth.
+
+"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past
+that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying
+to steal whatever it's guarding."
+
+Hagrid dropped the teapot.
+
+"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.
+
+"Fluffy?"
+
+"Yeah -- he's mine -- bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub
+las' year -- I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the
+
+"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.
+
+"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret,
+that is."
+
+"But Snape's trying to steal it."
+
+"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do
+nothin' of the sort."
+
+"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione.
+
+The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about
+Snape.
+
+I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them!
+
+You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw
+him!"
+
+"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why
+Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student!
+Now, listen to me, all three of yeh -- yer meddlin' in things that don'
+concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what
+it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel
+--"
+
+"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved,
+is there?"
+
+Hagrid looked furious with himself.
+
+
+CHAPTER TWELVE
+
+THE MIRROR OF ERISED
+
+Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find
+itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the
+Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that
+they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The
+few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to
+deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could
+fly off again.
+
+No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common
+room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had
+become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms.
+Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where
+their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as
+possible to their hot cauldrons.
+
+"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all
+those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're
+not wanted at home."
+
+He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled.
+Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them.
+Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch
+match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get
+everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing
+Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny,
+because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay
+on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back
+to taunting Harry about having no proper family.
+
+It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas.
+Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of
+students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up
+at once. He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be
+the best Christmas he'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying,
+too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit
+Charlie.
+
+When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large
+fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at
+the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.
+
+"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the
+branches.
+
+"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."
+
+"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoys cold drawl from
+behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping
+to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose -- that hut
+of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used
+to."
+
+Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.
+
+"WEASLEY!"
+
+Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.
+
+"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy
+face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."
+
+"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said
+Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it
+isn't more. Move along, all of you."
+
+Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering
+needles everywhere and smirking.
+
+"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of
+these days, I'll get him --"
+
+"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."
+
+"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what,
+come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."
+
+So the three of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to -the Great
+Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with
+the Christmas decorations.
+
+"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree -- put it in the far corner, would you?"
+
+The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all
+around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood
+around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with
+hundreds of candles.
+
+"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.
+
+"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me -Harry, Ron, we've got
+half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."
+
+"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor
+Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was
+trailing them over the branches of the new tree.
+
+"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before
+the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"
+
+"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you
+mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."
+
+"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here -- I've told yeh -- drop
+it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."
+
+"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.
+
+"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We
+must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him
+anywhere -- just give us a hint -- I know I've read his name somewhere."
+
+"I'm sayin' nothin, said Hagrid flatly.
+
+"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left
+Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.
+
+They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid
+had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape
+was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to
+begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a
+book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable
+Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern
+Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And
+then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of
+thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.
+
+Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to
+search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them
+off the shelves at random. Harry wandered over to the Restricted
+Section. He had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in
+there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the
+teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and he knew he'd never
+get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never
+taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced
+Defense Against the Dark Arts.
+
+"What are you looking for, boy?"
+
+"Nothing," said Harry.
+
+Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him.
+
+"You'd better get out, then. Go on -- out!"
+
+Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left
+the library. He, Ron, and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not
+ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be
+able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were
+up to.
+
+Harry waited outside in the corridor to see if the other two had found
+anything, but he wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two
+weeks, after A, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it
+wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a
+nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks.
+
+Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione joined him, shaking their heads.
+They went off to lunch.
+
+"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And
+send me an owl if you find anything."
+
+"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron.
+"It'd be safe to ask them."
+
+"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.
+
+Once the holidays had started, Ron and Harry were having too good a time
+to think much about Flamel. They had the dormitory to themselves and the
+common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the
+good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they
+could spear on a toasting fork -- bread, English muffins, marshmallows
+-- and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk
+about even if they wouldn't work.
+
+Ron also started teaching Harry wizard chess. This was exactly like
+Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot
+like directing troops in battle. Ron's set was very old and battered.
+Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in
+his family -- in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen
+weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble
+getting them to do what he wanted.
+
+Harry played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan had lent him, and they didn't
+trust him at all. He wasn't a very good player yet and they kept
+shouting different bits of advice at him, which was confusing. "Don't
+send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him, we can afford to lose
+him." On Christmas Eve, Harry went to bed looking forward to the next
+day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all.
+When he woke early in the morning, however, the first thing he saw was a
+small pile of packages at the foot of his bed.
+
+"Merry Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled out of bed and
+pulled on his bathrobe.
+
+"You, too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"
+
+"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which
+was a lot bigger than Harry's.
+
+Harry picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and
+scrawled across it was To Harry, from Hagrid. Inside was a roughly cut
+wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. Harry blew it --
+it sounded a bit like an owl.
+
+A second, very small parcel contained a note.
+
+We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle
+Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Taped to the note was a fifty-pence piece.
+
+"That's friendly," said Harry.
+
+Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence.
+
+"Weird!" he said, 'NMat a shape! This is money?"
+
+"You can keep it," said Harry, laughing at how pleased Ron was. "Hagrid
+and my aunt and uncle -- so who sent these?"
+
+"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron, turning a bit pink and
+pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mom. I told her you didn't expect
+any presents and -- oh, no," he groaned, "she's made you a Weasley
+sweater."
+
+Harry had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in
+emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge.
+
+"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and
+mine's always maroon."
+
+"That's really nice of her," said Harry, trying the fudge, which was
+very tasty.
+
+His next present also contained candy -- a large box of Chocolate Frogs
+from Hermione.
+
+This only left one parcel. Harry picked it up and felt it. It was very
+light. He unwrapped it.
+
+Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it
+lay in gleaming folds. Ron gasped.
+
+"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of
+Every Flavor Beans he'd gotten from Hermione. "If that's what I think it
+is -- they're really rare, and really valuable."
+
+"What is it?"
+
+Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to
+the touch, like water woven into material.
+
+"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm
+sure it is -- try it on."
+
+Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders and Ron gave a yell.
+
+"It is! Look down!"
+
+Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. He dashed to the
+mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him, just his head
+suspended in midair, his body completely invisible. He pulled the cloak
+over his head and his reflection vanished completely.
+
+"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"
+
+Harry pulled off the cloak and seized the letter. Written in narrow,
+loopy writing he had never seen before were the following words: Your
+father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was
+returned to you. Use it well.
+
+A Very Merry Christmas to you.
+
+
+There was no signature. Harry stared at the note. Ron was admiring the
+cloak.
+
+"I'd give anything for one of these," he said. "Anything. What's the
+matter?"
+
+"Nothing," said Harry. He felt very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had
+it really once belonged to his father?
+
+Before he could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung
+open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry stuffed the cloak
+quickly out of sight. He didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else
+yet.
+
+"Merry Christmas!"
+
+"Hey, look -- Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"
+
+Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on
+it, the other a G.
+
+"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's
+sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."
+
+"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it
+on, they're lovely and warm."
+
+"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.
+
+"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she
+thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid -- we know we're
+called Gred and Forge."
+
+"What's all th is noise.
+
+Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He
+had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too,
+carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which
+
+Fred seized.
+
+"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even
+Harry got one."
+
+"I -- don't -- want said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater
+over his head, knocking his glasses askew.
+
+"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said
+
+George. "Christmas is a time for family."
+
+They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by
+his sweater.
+
+Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred
+fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of
+chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy
+and cranberry sauce -- and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet
+along the table. These fantastic party favors were nothing like the
+feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little
+plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard
+cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like
+a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the
+inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Up at
+the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a
+flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick
+had just read him.
+
+Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his
+teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Harry watched Hagrid
+getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine,
+finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Harry's
+amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.
+
+When Harry finally left the table, he was laden down with a stack of
+things out of the crackers, including a pack of nonexplodable, luminous
+balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and his own new wizard chess set.
+The white mice had disappeared and Harry had a nasty feeling they were
+going to end up as Mrs. Norris's Christmas dinner.
+
+Harry and the Weasleys spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball
+fight on the grounds. Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they
+returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in
+his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. He suspected he
+wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much.
+
+After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake,
+everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and
+watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because
+they'd stolen his prefect badge.
+
+It had been Harry's best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been
+nagging at the back of his mind all day. Not until he climbed into bed
+was he free to think about it: the invisibility cloak and whoever had
+sent it.
+
+Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing mysterious to bother him,
+fell asleep almost as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his
+four-poster. Harry leaned over the side of his own bed and pulled the
+cloak out from under it.
+
+His father's... this had been his father's. He let the material flow
+over his hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note
+had said.
+
+He had to try it, now. He slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak
+around himself. Looking down at his legs, he saw only moonlight and
+shadows. It was a very funny feeling.
+
+Use it well.
+
+Suddenly, Harry felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him
+in this cloak. Excitement flooded through him as he stood there in the
+dark and silence. He could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch
+would never know.
+
+Ron grunted in his sleep. Should Harry wake him? Something held him back
+-- his father's cloak -- he felt that this time -- the first time -- he
+wanted to use it alone.
+
+He crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room,
+and climbed through the portrait hole.
+
+"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. Harry said nothing. He walked
+quickly down the corridor.
+
+Where should he go? He stopped, his heart racing, and thought. And then
+it came to him. The Restricted Section in the library. He'd be able to
+read as long as he liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was.
+He set off, drawing the invisibility cloak tight around him as he
+walked.
+
+The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp to see his
+way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along
+in midair, and even though Harry could feel his arm supporting it, the
+sight gave him the creeps.
+
+The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Step ping
+carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the
+library, he held up his lamp to read the titles.
+
+They didn't tell him much. Their peeling, faded gold letters spelled
+words in languages Harry couldn't understand. Some had no title at all.
+One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. The
+hairs on the back of Harry's neck prickled. Maybe he was imagining it,
+maybe not, but he thought a faint whispering was coming from the books,
+as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be.
+
+He had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor,
+he looked along the bottom shelf for an interestinglooking book. A large
+black and silver volume caught his eye. He pulled it out with
+difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee,
+let it fall open.
+
+A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence -- the book was
+screaming! Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one
+high, unbroken, earsplitting note. He stumbled backward and knocked over
+his lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, he heard footsteps coming
+down the corridor outside -- stuffing the shrieking book back on the
+shelf, he ran for it. He passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild
+eyes looked straight through him, and Harry slipped under Filch's
+outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks
+still ringing in his ears.
+
+He came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. He had been
+so busy getting away from the library, he hadn't paid attention to where
+he was going. Perhaps because it was dark, he didn't recognize where he
+was at all. There was a suit of armor near the kitchens, he knew, but he
+must be five floors above there.
+
+"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was
+wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted
+Section."
+
+Harry felt the blood drain out of his face. Wherever he was, Filch must
+know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and
+to his horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well,
+they can't be far, we'll catch them."
+
+Harry stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner
+ahead. They couldn't see him, of course, but it was a narrow corridor
+and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into him -- the cloak
+didn't stop him from being solid.
+
+He backed away as quietly as he could. A door stood ajar to his left. It
+was his only hope. He squeezed through it, holding his breath, trying
+not to move it, and to his relief he managed to get inside the room
+without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Harry
+leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps
+dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before
+he noticed anything about the room he had hidden in.
+
+It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs
+were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper
+basket -- but propped against the wall facing him was something that
+didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone
+had just put it there to keep it out of the way.
+
+It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold
+frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved
+around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. His panic
+fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Harry moved
+nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection
+again. He stepped in front of it.
+
+He had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. He
+whirled around. His heart was pounding far more furiously than when the
+book had screamed -- for he had seen not only himself in the mirror, but
+a whole crowd of people standing right behind him.
+
+But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, he turned slowly back to
+the mirror.
+
+There he was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there,
+reflected behind him, were at least ten others. Harry looked over his
+shoulder -- but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible,
+too? Was he in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's
+trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?
+
+He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his
+reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt
+the air behind him. If she was really there, he'd touch her, their
+reflections were so close together, but he felt only air -- she and the
+others existed only in the mirror.
+
+She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes -- her
+eyes are just like mine, Harry thought, edging a little closer to the
+glass. Bright green -- exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that
+she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin,
+black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore
+glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as
+Harry's did.
+
+Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching
+that of his reflection.
+
+"Mom?" he whispered. "Dad?"
+
+They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the
+faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green
+eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as
+though he had Harry's knobbly knees -- Harry was looking at his family,
+for the first time in his life.
+
+The Potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at
+them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping
+to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache
+inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness.
+
+How long he stood there, he didn't know. The reflections did not fade
+and he looked and looked until a distant noise brought him back to his
+senses. He couldn't stay here, he had to find his way back to bed. He
+tore his eyes away from his mother's face, whispered, "I'll come back,"
+and hurried from the room.
+
+"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly.
+
+"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror.
+
+"I'd like to see your mom and dad," Ron said eagerly.
+
+"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to
+show me your other brothers and everyone."
+
+"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house
+this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people. Shame about not
+finding Flamel, though. Have some bacon or something, why aren't you
+eating anything?"
+
+Harry couldn't eat. He had seen his parents and would be seeing them
+again tonight. He had almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very
+important anymore. Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding?
+What did it matter if Snape stole it, really?
+
+"Are you all right?" said Ron. "You look odd."
+
+What Harry feared most was that he might not be able to find the mirror
+room again. With Ron covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much
+more slowly the next night. They tried retracing Harry's route from the
+library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.
+
+"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back."
+
+"No!" Harry hissed. I know it's here somewhere."
+
+They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction,
+but saw no one else. just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead
+with cold, Harry spotted the suit of armor.
+
+"It's here -- just here -- yes!"
+
+They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the cloak from around his
+shoulders and ran to the mirror.
+
+There they were. His mother and father beamed at the sight of him.
+
+"See?" Harry whispered.
+
+"I can't see anything."
+
+"Look! Look at them all... there are loads of them...."
+
+"I can only see you."
+
+"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am."
+
+Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn't
+see his family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pajamas.
+
+Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.
+
+"Look at me!" he said.
+
+"Can you see all your family standing around you?"
+
+"No -- I'm alone -- but I'm different -- I look older -- and I'm head
+boy!"
+
+"What?"
+
+"I am -- I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to -- and I'm holding the
+house cup and the Quidditch cup -- I'm Quidditch captain, too.
+
+Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at
+Harry.
+
+"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"
+
+"How can it? All my family are dead -- let me have another look --"
+
+"You had it to yourself all last night, give me a bit more time."
+
+"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I
+want to see my parents."
+
+"Don't push me --"
+
+A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion.
+They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.
+
+"Quick!"
+
+Ron threw the cloak back over them as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris
+came round the door. Ron and Harry stood quite still, both thinking the
+same thing -- did the cloak work on cats? After what seemed an age, she
+turned and left.
+
+"This isn't safe -- she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us.
+Come on."
+
+And Ron pulled Harry out of the room.
+
+The snow still hadn't melted the next morning.
+
+"Want to play chess, Harry?" said Ron.
+
+"No."
+
+"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?"
+
+"No... you go..."
+
+"I know what you're thinking about, Harry, that mirror. Don't go back
+tonight."
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it -- and anyway, you've had
+too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are
+wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into
+you? What if you knock something over?"
+
+"You sound like Hermione."
+
+"I'm serious, Harry, don't go."
+
+But Harry only had one thought in his head, which was to get back in
+front of the mirror, and Ron wasn't going to stop him.
+
+That third night he found his way more quickly than before. He was
+walking so fast he knew he was making more noise than was wise, but he
+didn't meet anyone.
+
+And there were his mother and father smiling at him again, and one of
+his grandfathers nodding happily. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in
+front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop him from staying here all
+night with his family. Nothing at all.
+
+Except --
+
+"So -- back again, Harry?"
+
+Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind
+him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus
+Dumbledore. Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to
+get to the mirror he hadn't noticed him.
+
+" -- I didn't see you, sir."
+
+"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore,
+and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.
+
+"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with
+Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of
+the Mirror of Erised."
+
+"I didn't know it was called that, Sir."
+
+"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"
+
+"It -- well -- it shows me my family --"
+
+"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy."
+
+"How did you know --?"
+
+"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently.
+"Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"
+
+Harry shook his head.
+
+"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the
+Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it
+and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"
+
+Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want...
+whatever we want..."
+
+"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less
+than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have
+never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley,
+who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing
+alone, the best of all of them. However, this mirror will give us
+neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by
+what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is
+real or even possible.
+
+"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you
+not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will
+now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live,
+remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and
+get off to bed?"
+
+Harry stood up.
+
+"Sir -- Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"
+
+"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one
+more thing, however."
+
+"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"
+
+"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."
+
+Harry stared.
+
+"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas
+has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on
+giving me books."
+
+It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry that Dumbledore
+might not have been quite truthful. But then, he thought, as he shoved
+Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personal question.
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTEEN
+
+NICOLAS FLAMEL
+
+Dumbledore had convinced Harry not to go looking for the Mirror of
+Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the
+invisibility cloak stayed folded at the bottom of his trunk. Harry
+wished he could forget what he'd seen in the mirror as easily, but he
+couldn't. He started having nightmares. Over and over again he dreamed
+about his parents disappearing in a flash of green light, while a high
+voice cackled with laughter.
+
+"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said
+Ron, when Harry told him about these drearns.
+
+Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different
+view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of Harry being
+out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had
+caught you!"), and disappointment that he hadn't at least found out who
+Nicolas Flamel was.
+
+They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a li- brary
+book, even though Harry was still sure he'd read the name somewhere.
+Once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten
+minutes during their breaks. Harry had even less time than the other
+two, because Quidditch practice had started again.
+
+Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that
+had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys
+complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Harry was on Wood's
+side. If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would
+overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven
+years. Quite apart from wanting to win, Harry found that he had fewer
+nightmares when he was tired out after training.
+
+Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave
+the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the
+Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off
+their brooms.
+
+"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of
+thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll
+be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"
+
+George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words.
+
+"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's
+he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we
+might overtake Slytherin."
+
+The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.
+
+"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a
+clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."
+
+Which was all very well, thought Harry, but he had another reason for
+not wanting Snape near him while he was playing Quidditch....
+
+The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the
+end of practice, but Harry headed straight back to the Gryffindor common
+room, where he found Ron and Hermione playing chess. Chess was the only
+thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very
+good for her.
+
+"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to
+him, "I need to concen --" He caught sight of Harry's face. "What's the
+matter with you? You look terrible."
+
+Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other
+two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.
+
+"Don't play," said Hermione at once.
+
+"Say you're ill," said Ron.
+
+"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.
+
+"Really break your leg," said Ron.
+
+"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out,
+Gryffindor can't play at all."
+
+At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed
+to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs
+had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the
+Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to
+Gryffindor tower.
+
+Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed
+the countercurse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet,
+trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit
+with Harry and Ron.
+
+"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said
+he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."
+
+"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"
+
+Neville shook his head.
+
+"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.
+
+"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to
+walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of
+him and make it easier."
+
+"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor,
+Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.
+
+Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog,
+the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He
+gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.
+
+"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you
+for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."
+
+Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.
+
+"Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed.... D'you want the card, you
+collect them, don't you?"
+
+As Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.
+
+"Dumbledore again," he said, "He was the first one I ever-"
+
+He gasped. He stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron
+and Hermione.
+
+"I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read
+the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here -- listen
+to this: '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'!"
+
+Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd
+gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework.
+
+"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls'
+dormitories. Harry and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks
+before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.
+
+"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this
+out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."
+
+"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked
+something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages,
+muttering to herself.
+
+At last she found what she was looking for.
+
+"I knew it! I knew it!"
+
+"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him.
+
+"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker
+of the Sorcerer's Stone!"
+
+This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected.
+
+"The what?" said Harry and Ron.
+
+"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look -- read that, there."
+
+She pushed the book toward them, and Harry and Ron read: The ancient
+study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a
+legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform
+any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which
+will make the drinker immortal.
+
+There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries,
+but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel,
+the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six
+hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon
+with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).
+
+"See?" said Hermione, when Harry and Ron had finished. "The dog must be
+guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it
+safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it,
+that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"
+
+"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No
+wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."
+
+"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent
+Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's
+six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"
+
+The next morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts, while copying down
+different ways of treating werewolf bites, Harry and Ron were still
+discussing what they'd do with a Sorcerer's Stone if they had one. It
+wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Harry
+remembered about Snape and the coming match.
+
+"I'm going to play," he told Ron and Hermione. "If I don't, all the
+Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show
+them... it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."
+
+"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.
+
+As the match drew nearer, however, Harry became more and more nervous,
+whatever he told Ron and Hermione. The rest of the team wasn't too calm,
+either. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was
+wonderful, no one had done it for seven years, but would they be allowed
+to, with such a biased referee?
+
+Harry didn't know whether he was imagining it or not, but he seemed to
+keep running into Snape wherever he went. At times, he even wondered
+whether Snape was following him, trying to catch him on his own. Potions
+lessons were turning into a sort of weekly torture, Snape was so
+horrible to Harry. Could Snape possibly know they'd found out about the
+Sorcerer's Stone? Harry didn't see how he could -- yet he sometimes had
+the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds.
+
+Harry knew, when they wished him good luck outside the locker rooms the
+next afternoon, that Ron and Hermione were wondering whether they'd ever
+see him alive again. This wasn't what you'd call comforting. Harry
+hardly heard a word of Wood's pep talk as he pulled on his Quidditch
+robes and picked up his Nimbus Two Thousand.
+
+Ron and Hermione, meanwhile, had found a place in the stands next to
+Neville, who couldn't understand why they looked so grim and worried, or
+why they had both brought their wands to the match. Little did Harry
+know that Ron and Hermione had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker
+Curse. They'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were
+ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry.
+
+"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron
+slipped his wand up his sleeve.
+
+"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."
+
+Back in the locker room, Wood had taken Harry aside.
+
+"Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early
+capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favor
+Hufflepuff too much."
+
+"The whole school's out there!" said Fred Weasley, peering out of the
+door. "Even -- blimey -- Dumbledore's come to watch!"
+
+Harry's heart did a somersault.
+
+"Dumbledore?" he said, dashing to the door to make sure. Fred was right.
+There was no mistaking that silver beard.
+
+Harry could have laughed out loud with relief He was safe. There was
+simply no way that Snape would dare to try to hurt him if Dumbledore was
+watching.
+
+Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched
+onto the field, something that Ron noticed, too.
+
+"I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told Hermione. "Look -they're
+off Ouch!"
+
+Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy.
+
+"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there."
+
+Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.
+
+"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone
+want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"
+
+Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because
+George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Hermione, who had all her
+fingers crossed in her lap, was squinting fixedly at Harry, who was
+circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.
+
+"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said
+Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another
+penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. See,
+there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've
+got no money -- you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no
+brains."
+
+Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy.
+
+"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered.
+
+Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not
+daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville."
+
+"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and
+that's saying something."
+
+Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety
+about Harry.
+
+"I'm warning you, Malfoy -- one more word
+
+"Ron!" said Hermione suddenly, "Harry --"
+
+"What? Where?"
+
+Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and
+cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her
+mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.
+
+"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the
+ground!" said Malfoy.
+
+Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of
+him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over
+the back of his seat to help.
+
+"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as
+Harry sped straight at Snape -- she didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron
+rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the
+whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.
+
+Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see
+something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches -- the next
+second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the
+Snitch clasped in his hand.
+
+The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember
+the Snitch being caught so quickly.
+
+"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won!
+Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on
+her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.
+
+Harry jumped off his broom, a foot from the ground. He couldn't believe
+it. He'd done it -- the game was over; it had barely lasted five
+minutes. As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, he saw Snape land
+nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped -- then Harry felt a hand on his
+shoulder and looked up into Dumbledore's smiling face.
+
+"Well done," said Dumbledore quietly, so that only Harry could hear.
+"Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror... been keeping
+busy... excellent..."
+
+Snape spat bitterly on the ground.
+
+Harry left the locker room alone some time later, to take his Nimbus Two
+Thousand back to the broomshed. He couldn't ever remember feeling
+happier. He'd really done something to be proud of now -- no one could
+say he was just a famous name any more. The evening air had never
+smelled so sweet. He walked over the damp grass, reliving the last hour
+in his head, which was a happy blur: Gryffindors running to lift him
+onto their shoulders; Ron and Hermione in the distance, jumping up and
+down, Ron cheering through a heavy nosebleed.
+
+Harry had reached the shed. He leaned against the wooden door and looked
+up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun.
+Gryffindor in the lead. He'd done it, he'd shown Snape....
+
+And speaking of Snape...
+
+A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly
+not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the
+forbidden forest. Harry's victory faded from his mind as he watched. He
+recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest
+while everyone else was at dinner -- what was going on?
+
+Harry jumped back on his Nimbus Two Thousand and took off. Gliding
+silently over the castle he saw Snape enter the forest at a run. He
+followed.
+
+The trees were so thick he couldn't see where Snape had gone. He flew in
+circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until he
+heard voices. He glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering
+beech tree.
+
+He climbed carefully along one of the branches, holding tight to his
+broomstick, trying to see through the leaves. Below, in a shadowy
+clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too.
+Harry couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering
+worse than ever. Harry strained to catch what they were saying.
+
+"... d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places,
+Severus..."
+
+"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy.
+"Students aren't supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone, after
+all."
+
+Harry leaned forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted
+him.
+
+"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"
+
+"B-b-but Severus, I --"
+
+"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step
+toward him.
+
+"I-I don't know what you
+
+"You know perfectly well what I mean."
+
+An owl hooted loudly, and Harry nearly fell out of the tree. He steadied
+himself in time to hear Snape say, "-- your little bit of hocus-pocus.
+I'm waiting."
+
+"B-but I d-d-don't --"
+
+"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when
+you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties
+lie."
+
+He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was
+almost dark now, but Harry could see Quirrell, standing quite still as
+though he was petrified.
+
+"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.
+
+"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And
+I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle
+single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomftey says he'll be all
+right - talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the
+common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and
+stuff from the kitchens."
+
+"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty
+room, you wait 'til you hear this...."
+
+He made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them,
+then he told them what he'd seen and heard.
+
+"So we were right, it is the Sorcerer's Stone, and Snape's trying to
+force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past
+Fluffy - and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocuss-- I reckon
+there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of
+enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts
+spell that Snape needs to break through --"
+
+"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to
+Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.
+
+"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.
+
+
+CHAPTER FOURTEEN
+
+NORBERT THE NORWEGIAN RIDGEBACK
+
+Quirrell, however, must have been braver than they'd thought. In the
+weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it
+didn't look as though he'd cracked yet.
+
+Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron, and
+Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was
+still growling inside. Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper,
+which surely meant that the Stone was still safe. Whenever Harry passed
+Quirrell these days he gave him an encouraging sort of smile, and Ron
+had started telling people off for laughing at Quirrell's stutter.
+
+Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Sorcerer's Stone. She
+had started drawing up study schedules and colorcoding all her notes.
+Harry and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she kept nagging them to do the
+same.
+
+"Hermione, the exams are ages away."
+
+"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That's not ages, that's like a second to
+Nicolas Flamel."
+
+"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what
+are you studying for, you already know it A."
+
+"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass
+these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I
+should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten
+into me...."
+
+Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines
+as Hermione. They piled so much homework on them that the Easter
+holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones. It was hard
+to relax with Hermione next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's
+blood or practicing wand movements. Moaning and yawning, Harry and Ron
+spent most of their free time in the library with her, trying to get
+through all their extra work.
+
+"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down
+his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the
+first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear,
+forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming.
+
+Harry, who was looking up "Dittany" in One Thousand Magical Herbs and
+Fungi, didn't look up until he heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you
+doing in the library?"
+
+Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked
+very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.
+
+"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at
+once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer
+not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?" "Oh, we found out who he
+is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's
+guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St --"
+
+"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening.
+"Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"
+
+"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said
+Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy --"
+
+"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen - come an' see me later, I'm not
+promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it
+in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh
+--"
+
+"See you later, then," said Harry.
+
+Hagrid shuffled off.
+
+"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully.
+
+"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"
+
+"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of
+working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms
+and slammed them down on the table.
+
+"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons!
+Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to
+Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."
+
+"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever
+met him, " said Harry.
+
+"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by
+the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop
+Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden -
+anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns
+Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."
+
+"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" said Harry.
+
+"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean
+Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you.
+Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to
+make them forget."
+
+"So what on earths Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.
+
+When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later,
+they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid
+called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door
+quickly behind them.
+
+It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there
+was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them
+stoat sandwiches, which they refused.
+
+"So -- yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"
+
+"Yes," said Harry. There was no point beating around the bush. "We were
+wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone
+apart from Fluffy."
+
+Hagrid frowned at him.
+
+"0' course I cant, he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two,
+yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That
+Stone's here fer a good reason. It Was almost stolen outta Gringotts - I
+s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou'
+Fluffy."
+
+"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know,
+you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm,
+flattering voice. Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was
+smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really." Hermione
+went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him,
+apart from you."
+
+Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. Harry and Ron beamed at
+Hermione.
+
+"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... he
+borrowed Fluffy from me... then some o' the teachers did enchantments...
+Professor Sprout -- Professor Flitwick -- Professor McGonagall --" he
+ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell -- an' Dumbledore
+himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh
+yeah, Professor Snape."
+
+"Snape?"
+
+"Yeah -- yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped
+protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."
+
+Harry knew Ron and Hermione were thinking the same as he was. If Snape
+had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out
+how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything --
+except, it seemed, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.
+
+"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. aren't you,
+Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you?
+Not even one of the teachers?"
+
+"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.
+
+"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we
+have a window open? I'm boiling."
+
+"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid. Harry noticed him glance at the
+fire. Harry looked at it, too.
+
+"Hagrid -- what's that?"
+
+But he already knew what it was. In the very heart of the fire,
+underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.
+
+"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's er..."
+
+"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get
+a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."
+
+"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a
+few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was
+quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."
+
+"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.
+
+"Well, I've bin doin' some readin' , said Hagrid, pulling a large book
+from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library -- Dragon Breeding
+for Pleasure and Profit -- it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's
+all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I
+em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with
+chicken blood every half hour. An' see here -- how ter recognize
+diff'rent eggs -- what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're
+rare, them."
+
+He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't.
+
+"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.
+
+But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the
+fire.
+
+So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to
+Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.
+"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, as evening
+after evening they struggled through all the extra homework they were
+getting. Hermione had now started making study schedules for Harry and
+Ron, too. It was driving them nuts.
+
+Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid.
+He had written only two words: It's hatching.
+
+Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione
+wouldn't hear of it.
+
+"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon
+hatching?"
+
+"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what
+Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing --"
+
+"Shut up!" Harry whispered.
+
+Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How
+much had he heard? Harry didn't like the look on Malfoy's face at all.
+
+Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end,
+Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other two during
+morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their
+lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried
+through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted them,
+looking flushed and excited.
+
+"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.
+
+The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something
+was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.
+
+They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated
+breath.
+
+All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby
+dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; Harry thought
+it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella. Its spiny wings were huge
+compared to its skinny jet body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils,
+the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.
+
+It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.
+
+"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke
+the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.
+
+"Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!" said Hagrid.
+
+"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow,
+exactly?"
+
+Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face
+-- he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.
+
+"What's the matter?"
+
+"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains -- it's a kid --
+he's runnin' back up ter the school."
+
+Harry bolted to the door and looked out. Even at a distance there was no
+mistaking him.
+
+Malfoy had seen the dragon.
+
+Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week
+made Harry, Ron, and Hermione very nervous. They spent most of their
+free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.
+
+"Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."
+
+"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."
+
+They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a
+week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing
+his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There
+were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.
+
+"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon
+with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert!
+Where's Mommy?"
+
+"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in Harry's ear.
+
+"Hagrid," said Harry loudly, "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to
+be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."
+
+Hagrid bit his lip.
+
+"I -- I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I
+can't."
+
+Harry suddenly turned to Ron. Charlie, he said.
+
+"You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"
+
+"No -- Charlie -- your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons.
+We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put
+him back in the wild!"
+
+"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"
+
+And in the end, Hagrid agreed that they could send -an owl to Charlie to
+ask him.
+
+The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Hermione and Harry
+sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to
+bed. The clock on the wall had just
+
+chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of
+nowhere as he pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak. He had been down at
+Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by
+the crate.
+
+"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a
+bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a
+week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met,
+but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little
+bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when
+I left, he was singing it a lullaby."
+
+There was a tap on the dark window.
+
+"It's Hedwig!" said Harry, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have
+Charlie's answer!"
+
+The three of them put their heads together to read the note.
+
+Dear Ron,
+
+How are you? Thanks for the letter -- I'd be glad to take the Norwegian
+Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing
+will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to
+visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal
+dragon.
+
+Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on
+Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still
+dark.
+
+Send me an answer as soon as possible.
+
+Love,
+
+Charlie
+
+They looked at one another.
+
+"We've got the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It shouldn't be too
+difficult -- I think the cloaks big enough to cover two of us and
+Norbert."
+
+It was a mark of how bad the last week had been that the other two
+agreed with him. Anything to get rid of Norbert -- and Malfoy.
+
+There was a hitch. By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to
+twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam
+Pomfrey -- would she recognize a dragon bite? By the afternoon, though,
+he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked
+as if Norbert's fangs were poisonous.
+
+Harry and Hermione rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day
+to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.
+
+"It's not just my hand," he whispered, "although that feels like it's
+about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of
+my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept
+threatening to tell her what really bit me -- I've told her it was a
+dog, but I don't think she believes me -I shouldn't have hit him at the
+Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."
+
+Harry and Hermione tried to calm Ron down.
+
+"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this
+didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke
+into a sweat.
+
+"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no oh no -- I've
+just remembered -- Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's
+going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."
+
+Harry and Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came
+over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.
+
+"It's too late to change the plan now," Harry told Hermione. "We haven't
+got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance
+to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the
+invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."
+
+They found Fang, the boarhound, sitting outside with a bandaged tail
+when they went to tell Hagrid, who opened a window to talk to them.
+
+"I won't let you in," he puffed. "Norbert's at a tricky stage -- nothin'
+I can't handle."
+
+When they told him about Charlie's letter, his eyes filled with tears,
+although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the
+leg.
+
+"Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot -- jus' playin' -- he's only
+a baby, after all."
+
+The baby banged its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle. Harry
+and Hermione walked back to the castle feeling Saturday couldn't come
+quickly enough.
+
+They would have felt sorry for Hagrid when the time came for him to say
+good-bye to Norbert if they hadn't been so worried about what they had
+to do. It was a very dark, cloudy night, and they were a bit late
+arriving at Hagrid's hut because they'd had to wait for Peeves to get
+out of their way in the entrance hall, where he'd been playing tennis
+against the wall. Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate.
+
+"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in
+a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets
+lonely."
+
+From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded to Harry as
+though the teddy was having his head torn off.
+
+"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as Harry and Hermione covered the
+crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it themselves.
+"Mommy will never forget you!"
+
+How they managed to get the crate back up to the castle, they never
+knew. Midnight ticked nearer as they heaved Norbert up the marble
+staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. UP another
+staircase, then another -- even one of Harry's shortcuts didn't make the
+work much easier.
+
+"Nearly there!" Harry panted as they reached the corridor beneath the
+tallest tower.
+
+Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate.
+Forgetting that they were already invisible, they shrank into the
+shadows, staring at the dark outlines of two people grappling with each
+other ten feet away. A lamp flared.
+
+Professor McGonagall, in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net, had Malfoy by
+the ear.
+
+"Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering
+around in the middle of the night, how dare you --"
+
+"You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming -- he's got a
+dragon!"
+
+"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on -- I shall see
+Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"
+
+The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest
+thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the
+cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe
+properly again. Hermione did a sort of jig.
+
+"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"
+
+"Don't," Harry advised her.
+
+Chuckling about Malfoy, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his
+crate. About ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out
+of the darkness.
+
+Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed Harry and Hermione the
+harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them.
+They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then Harry and
+Hermione shook hands with the others and thanked them very much.
+
+At last, Norbert was going... going... gone.
+
+They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as
+their hands, now that Norbert was off them. No more dragon -- Malfoy in
+detention -- what could spoil their happiness?
+
+The answer to that was waiting at the foot of the stairs. As they
+stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the
+darkness.
+
+"Well, well, well," he whispered, "we are in trouble."
+
+They'd left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower.
+
+
+CHAPTER FIFTEEN
+
+THE FORIBIDDEN FOREST
+
+Things couldn't have been worse.
+
+Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor,
+where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione
+was trembling. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover- up stories chased each
+other around Harry's brain, each more feeble than the last. He couldn't
+see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were
+cornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak?
+There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for
+their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of
+night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was
+out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility
+cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already.
+
+Had Harry thought that things couldn't have been worse? He was wrong.
+When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.
+
+"Harry!" Neville burst Out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was
+trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to
+catch you, he said you had a drag --"
+
+Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor
+McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert
+as she towered over the three of them.
+
+"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were
+up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain
+yourselves."
+
+It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's
+question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.
+
+"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor
+McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco
+Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of
+bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's
+funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"
+
+Harry caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him without words that this
+wasn't true, because Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor,
+blundering Neville -- Harry knew what it must have cost him to try and
+find them in the dark, to warn them.
+
+"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in
+one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I
+thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor
+meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detentions --
+yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around
+school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous -- and fifty
+points will be taken from Gryffindor."
+
+"Fifty?" Harry gasped -- they would lose the lead, the lead he'd won in
+the last Quidditch match.
+
+"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily
+through her long, pointed nose.
+
+"Professor -- please
+
+"You can't --"
+
+"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all
+of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."
+
+A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In
+one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house
+cup. Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. How
+could they ever make up for this?
+
+Harry didn't sleep all night. He could hear Neville sobbing into his
+pillow for what seemed like hours. Harry couldn't think of anything to
+say to comfort him. He knew Neville, like himself, was dreading the
+dawn. What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what
+they'd done?
+
+At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the
+house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they
+suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then
+the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter,
+their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lo st them all those points,
+him and a couple of other stupid first years.
+
+From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school,
+Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs
+turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose
+the house cup. Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble
+to lower their voices as they insulted him. Slytherins, on the other
+hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks
+Potter, we owe you one!"
+
+Only Ron stood by him.
+
+"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads
+of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like
+them."
+
+"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have
+they?" said Harry miserably.
+
+"Well -- no," Ron admitted.
+
+It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not
+to meddle in things that weren't his business from now on. He'd had it
+with sneaking around and spying. He felt so ashamed of himself that he
+went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.
+
+"Resign?" Wood thundered. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get
+any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?"
+
+But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team wouldn't speak
+to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about him, they
+called him "the Seeker."
+
+Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have as bad a time
+as Harry, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to
+them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in
+class, keeping her head down and working in silence.
+
+Harry was almost glad that the exams weren't far away. All the studying
+he had to do kept his mind off his misery. He, Ron, and Hermione kept to
+themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the
+ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart,
+memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions....
+
+Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry's new
+resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern him was put
+to an unexpected test. Walking back from the library on his own one
+afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As he
+drew closer, he heard Quirrell's voice.
+
+"No -- no -- not again, please --"
+
+It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry moved closer.
+
+"All right -- all right --" he heard Quirrell sob.
+
+Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening
+his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He
+strode out of sight; Harry didn't think Quirrell had even noticed him.
+He waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into
+the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end.
+Harry was halfway toward it before he remembered what he'd promised
+himself about not meddling.
+
+All the same, he'd have gambled twelve Sorcerer's Stones that Snape had
+just left the room, and from what Harry had just heard, Snape would be
+walking with a new spring in his step -- Quirrell seemed to have given
+in at last.
+
+Harry went back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on
+Astronomy. Harry told them what he'd heard.
+
+"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break
+his Anti-Dark Force spell --"
+
+"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.
+
+"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid,"
+said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet
+there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant
+three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?"
+
+The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione
+answered before Harry could.
+
+"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try
+anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."
+
+"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us
+up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at
+Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor -- who do you
+think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him,
+Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help
+us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the
+more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget,
+we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot
+of explaining."
+
+Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't.
+
+"If we just do a bit of poking around --"
+
+"No," said Harry flatly, "we've done enough poking around."
+
+He pulled a map of Jupiter toward him and started to learn the names of
+its moons.
+
+The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, and
+Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:
+
+Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch
+in the entrance hall.
+
+Professor McGonagall Harry had forgotten they still had detentions to do
+in the furor over the points they'd lost. He half expected Hermione to
+complain that this was a whole night of studying lost, but she didn't
+say a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they'd got.
+
+At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Ron in the common
+room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already
+there -- and so was Malfoy. Harry had also forgotten that Malfoy had
+gotten a detention, too.
+
+"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.
+
+I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you,
+eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the
+best teachers if you ask me.... It's just a pity they let the old
+punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a
+few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in
+case they're ever needed.... Right, off we go, and don't think of
+running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."
+
+They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Harry
+wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something
+really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted.
+
+The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them
+into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's
+hut. Then they heard a distant shout.
+
+"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."
+
+Harry's heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it
+wouldn't be so bad. His relief must have showed in his -face, because
+Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that
+oaf? Well, think again, boy -- it's into the forest you're going and I'm
+much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."
+
+At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his
+tracks.
+
+"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual.
+"We can't go in there at night -- there's all sorts of things in there
+-- werewolves, I heard."
+
+Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise.
+
+"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with
+glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble,
+shouldn't you?"
+
+Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He
+was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his
+shoulder.
+
+"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All
+right, Harry, Hermione?"
+
+"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly,
+they're here to be punished, after all."
+
+"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin
+lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit,
+I'll take over from here."
+
+"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added
+nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp
+bobbing away in the darkness.
+
+Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.
+
+"I'm not going in that forest, he said, and Harry was pleased to hear
+the note of panic in his voice.
+
+"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely.
+"Yeh've done wrong an' now yehve got ter pay fer it."
+
+"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd
+be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd
+
+tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines!
+What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or Yeh'll get out.
+If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off
+ter the castle an' pack. Go on"'
+
+Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his
+gaze.
+
+"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous
+what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow
+me over here a moment."
+
+He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he
+pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the
+thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into
+the forest.
+
+"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground?
+Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt
+badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead
+last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have
+ter put it out of its misery."
+
+"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy,
+unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
+
+"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with
+me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're
+gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent
+directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin'
+around since last night at least."
+
+"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.
+
+"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. " So me, Harry,
+an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other.
+Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right?
+Get yer wands out an' practice now -- that's it -- an' if anyone gets in
+trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh -- so, be
+careful -- let's go."
+
+The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a
+fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left
+path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.
+
+They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a
+ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue
+blood on the fallen leaves.
+
+Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.
+
+"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.
+
+"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn,
+they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."
+
+They walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water;
+there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of
+unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.
+
+"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've
+gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter -- GET
+BEHIND THAT TREE!"
+
+Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a
+towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow,
+raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was
+slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing
+along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few
+seconds, the sound faded away.
+
+"I knew it, " he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."
+
+"A werewolf?" Harry suggested.
+
+"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid
+grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."
+
+They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound.
+Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.
+
+"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself -- I'm armed!"
+
+And into the clearing came -- was it a man, or a horse? To the waist, a
+man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming
+chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and Hermione's jaws
+dropped.
+
+"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"
+
+He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.
+
+"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful
+voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"
+
+"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow.
+"There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an'
+Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is
+Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.))
+
+"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.
+
+"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much,
+up at the school?"
+
+"Erm --"
+
+"A bit," said Hermione timidly.
+
+"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head
+and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."
+
+"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter
+yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt -- you seen anythin'?"
+
+Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then
+sighed again.
+
+"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been
+for ages past, so it is now."
+
+"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin'
+unusual?"
+
+"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him
+impatiently. "Unusually bright."
+
+"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home, said
+Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"
+
+Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest
+hides many secrets."
+
+A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again,
+but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and
+wilder-looking than Ronan.
+
+"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"
+
+"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"
+
+"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in
+here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured -- would yeh know anythin'
+about it?"
+
+Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is
+bright tonight," he said simply.
+
+"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see
+anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."
+
+Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their
+shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.
+
+"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a
+centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the
+moon."
+
+"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.
+
+"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're
+good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind,
+centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."
+
+"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.
+
+"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's
+bin killin' the unicorns -- never heard anythin' like it before."
+
+They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry kept looking
+nervously over his shoulder. He had the nasty feeling they were being
+watched. He was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them.
+They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's
+arm.
+
+"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"
+
+"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back
+for yeh!"
+
+They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking
+at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the
+rustling of leaves around them.
+
+"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.
+
+"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville... it's our
+fault he's here in the first place."
+
+The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Harry's
+seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig.
+What was going on? Where were the others?
+
+At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy,
+Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed,
+had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had
+panicked and sent up the sparks.
+
+"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were
+makin'. Right, we're changin' groups -- Neville, you stay with me an'
+Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid
+added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin'
+you, an' we've gotta get this done."
+
+So Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. They
+walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until
+the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so
+thick. Harry thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were
+splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been
+thrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearing ahead,
+through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.
+
+"Look --" he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy.
+
+Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.
+
+It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry had never seen
+anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at
+odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on
+the dark leaves.
+
+Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him
+freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered....
+Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the
+ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood
+transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head
+over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.
+
+"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"
+
+Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted -- so did Fang. The hooded
+figure raised its head and looked right at Harry -- unicorn blood was
+dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward
+Harry -- he couldn't move for fear.
+
+Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head; it was as
+though his scar were on fire. Half blinded, he staggered backward. He
+heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over
+Harry, charging at the figure.
+
+The pain in Harry's head was so bad he fell to his knees. It took a
+minute or two to pass. When he looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur
+was standing over him, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he
+had white-blond hair and a palomino body.
+
+"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.
+
+"Yes -- thank you -- what was that?"
+
+The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale
+sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar
+that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.
+
+"You are the Potter boy," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid.
+The forest is not safe at this time -- especially for you. Can you ride?
+It will be quicker this way.
+
+"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front
+legs so that Harry could clamber onto his back.
+
+There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the
+clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks
+heaving and sweaty.
+
+"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your
+back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"
+
+"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy. The
+quicker he leaves this forest, the better."
+
+"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we
+are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read
+what is to come in the movements of the planets?"
+
+Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was
+acting for the best, " he said in his gloomy voice.
+
+Bane kicked his back legs in anger.
+
+"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with
+what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like
+donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"
+
+Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry had
+to grab his shoulders to stay on.
+
+"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not
+understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that
+secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes,
+with humans alongside me if I must."
+
+And Firenze whisked around; with Harry clutching on as best he could,
+they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.
+
+Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.
+
+"Why's Bane so angry?" he asked. "What was that thing you saved me from,
+anyway?"
+
+Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry to keep his head bowed in case of
+low-hanging branches, but did not answer Harry's question. They made
+their way through the trees in silence for so long that Harry thought
+Firenze didn't want to talk to him anymore. They were passing through a
+particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly
+stopped.
+
+"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used -for?"
+
+"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the
+horn and tail hair in Potions."
+
+"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said
+Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain,
+would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive,
+even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have
+slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have
+but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your
+lips."
+
+Harry stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in
+the moonlight.
+
+"But who'd be that desperate?" he wondered aloud. "If you're going to be
+cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?"
+
+"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long
+enough to drink something else -- something that will bring you back to
+full strength and power -- something that will mean you can never die.
+Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very
+moment?"
+
+"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course -- the Elixir of Life! But I don't
+understand who --"
+
+"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power,
+who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"
+
+It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Harry's
+heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed to hear once more what
+Hagrid had told him on the night they had met: "Some say he died.
+Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to
+die."
+
+"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Vol-"
+
+"Harry! Harry, are you all right?"
+
+Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along
+behind her.
+
+"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. "The
+unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."
+
+"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to
+examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."
+
+Harry slid off his back.
+
+"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read
+wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those
+times."
+
+He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Harry
+shivering behind him.
+
+Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to
+return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly
+shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as
+Harry began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the forest.
+
+Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He
+was still shaking.
+
+"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort... and Voldemort's waiting in the
+forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get
+rich...."
+
+"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he
+thought Voldemort could hear them.
+
+Harry wasn't listening.
+
+"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so.... Bane was furious...
+he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to
+happen.... They must show that Voldemort's coming back.... Bane thinks
+Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me.... I suppose that's written
+in the stars as well."
+
+"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.
+
+"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry
+went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me
+off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."
+
+Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.
+
+"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever
+afraid of With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway,
+who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me,
+and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."
+
+The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They went to bed
+exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.
+
+When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his invisibility cloak
+folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:
+
+Just in case.
+
+
+CHAPTER SIXTEEN
+
+THROUGH THE TRAPDOOR
+
+In years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he had managed to
+get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort to come bursting
+through the door at any moment. Yet the days crept by, and there could
+be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.
+
+It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did
+their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the
+exams, which had been bewitched with an AntiCheating spell.
+
+They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by
+one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tapdance across
+a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox
+-- points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if
+it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks
+while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.
+
+Harry did the best he could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his
+forehead, which had been bothering him ever since his trip into the
+forest. Neville thought Harry had a bad case of exam nerves because
+Harry couldn't sleep, but the truth was that Harry kept being woken by
+his old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there
+was a hooded figure dripping blood in it.
+
+Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what Harry had seen in the forest,
+or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads, but Ron
+and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Harry. The idea
+of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in
+dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't have much
+time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to.
+
+Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering
+questions about batty old wizards who'd invented selfstirring cauldrons
+and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam
+results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put
+down their quills and roll up their parchment, Harry couldn't help
+cheering with the rest.
+
+"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they
+joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have
+learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of
+Elfric the Eager."
+
+Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron
+said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and
+flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the
+tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. "No
+more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You
+could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how
+badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."
+
+Harry was rubbing his forehead.
+
+"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps
+hurting -- it's happened before, but never as often as this."
+
+"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.
+
+"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means danger's
+coming...."
+
+Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.
+
+"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as
+Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out
+how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not
+going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for
+England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."
+
+Harry nodded, but he couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was
+something he'd forgotten to do, something important. When he tried to
+explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last
+night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I
+remembered we'd done that one."
+
+Harry was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do
+with work, though. He watched an owl flutter toward the school across
+the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only
+one who ever sent him letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore.
+Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy... never... but --
+
+Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.
+
+"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.
+
+"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white.
+"We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."
+
+"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.
+
+"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy
+slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and
+a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How
+many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law?
+Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"
+
+"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but Harry, sprinting across the
+grounds toward the forest, didn't answer.
+
+Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and
+sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.
+
+"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"
+
+"Yes, please," said Ron, but Harry cut him off.
+
+"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know
+that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards
+with look like?"
+
+"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."
+
+He saw the three of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.
+
+"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head --
+that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn'
+he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."
+
+Harry sank down next to the bowl of peas. "What did you talk to him
+about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"
+
+"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember.
+"Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here....
+He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... so I told
+him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an'
+then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks....
+Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play
+cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he
+didn' want it ter go ter any old home.... So I told him, after Fluffy, a
+dragon would be easy..."
+
+"And did he -- did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, try ing
+to keep his voice calm.
+
+"Well -- yeah -- how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around
+Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to
+calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off
+ter sleep --"
+
+Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.
+
+"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey --
+where're yeh goin'?"
+
+Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they
+came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy
+after the grounds.
+
+"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger
+how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that
+cloak -- it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope
+Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop
+him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"
+
+They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the
+right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor
+did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.
+
+"We'll just have to --" Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across
+the hall.
+
+"What are you three doing inside?"
+
+It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.
+
+"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely,
+Harry and Ron thought.
+
+"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though
+this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"
+
+Harry swallowed -- now what?
+
+"It's sort of secret," he said, but he wished at once he hadn't, because
+Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.
+
+"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He
+received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for
+London at once."
+
+"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"
+
+"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many
+demands on his time --
+
+"But this is important."
+
+"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic,
+Potter.
+
+"Look," said Harry, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor -- it's
+about the Sorcerer's tone --"
+
+Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books
+she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up.
+"How do you know --?" she spluttered.
+
+"Professor, I think -- I know -- that Sn- that someone's going to try
+and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."
+
+She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.
+
+"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. I don't
+know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can
+possibly steal it, it's too well protected."
+
+"But Professor --"
+
+"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down
+and gathered up the fallen books. I suggest you all go back outside and
+enjoy the sunshine."
+
+But they didn't.
+
+"It's tonight," said Harry, once he was sure Professor McGonagall was
+out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found
+out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He
+sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when
+Dumbledore turns up."
+
+"But what can we --"
+
+Hermione gasped. Harry and Ron wheeled round.
+
+Snape was standing there.
+
+"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.
+
+They stared at him.
+
+"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd,
+twisted smile.
+
+"We were --" Harry began, without any idea what he was going to say.
+
+"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around
+
+like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor
+really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"
+
+Harry flushed. They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back.
+
+"Be warned, Potter -- any more nighttime wanderings and I will
+personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."
+
+He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.
+
+Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to the others.
+
+"Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently. "One of us
+has got to keep an eye on Snape -- wait outside the staff room and
+follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."
+
+"Why me?"
+
+"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor
+Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick,
+I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong....'"
+
+"Oh, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for
+Snape.
+
+"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron.
+"Come on."
+
+But that part of the plan didn't work. No sooner had they reached the
+door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school than Professor
+McGonagall turned up again and this time, she lost her temper.
+
+"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of
+enchantments!" she stormed. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you 've
+come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from
+Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!" Harry and Ron went back to
+the common room, Harry had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's
+tail," when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione came
+in.
+
+"I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was
+doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him,
+and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."
+
+"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.
+
+The other two stared at him. He was pale and his eyes were glittering.
+
+"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone
+first."
+
+"You're mad!" said Ron.
+
+"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said?
+You'll be expelled!"
+
+"SO WHAP" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of
+the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like
+when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get
+expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark
+Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think
+he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house
+cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to
+go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's
+only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over
+to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing
+you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"
+
+He glared at them.
+
+"You're right Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.
+
+"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it
+back."
+
+"But will it cover all three of us?" said Ron.
+
+"All -- all three of us?"
+
+"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"
+
+"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to
+the Stone without us? I'd better go and took through my books, there
+might be something useful..."
+
+"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."
+
+"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in
+secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not
+throwing me out after that."
+
+After dinner the three of them sat nervously apart in the common room.
+Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to
+Harry any more, after all. This was the first night he hadn't been upset
+by it. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come
+across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. Harry
+and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they
+were about to do.
+
+Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.
+
+"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left,
+stretching and yawning. Harry ran upstairs to their dark dormitory. He
+putted out the cloak and then his eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had
+given him for Christmas. He pocketed it to use on Fluffy -- he didn't
+feel much like singing.
+
+He ran back down to the common room.
+
+"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of
+us -- if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own --"
+
+"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville
+appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked
+as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.
+
+"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak
+behind his back.
+
+Neville stared at their guilty faces.
+
+"You're going out again," he said.
+
+"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed,
+Neville?"
+
+Harry looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford
+to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.
+
+"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor
+will be in even more trouble."
+
+"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."
+
+But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.
+
+I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the
+portrait hole. "I'll -- I'll fight you!"
+
+"Neville, "Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot
+--"
+
+"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. I don't think you should be
+breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to
+people!"
+
+"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know
+what you're doing."
+
+He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt
+out of sight.
+
+"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm
+ready!"
+
+Harry turned to Hermione.
+
+"Do something," he said desperately.
+
+Hermione stepped forward.
+
+"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."
+
+She raised her wand.
+
+"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.
+
+Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole
+body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face,
+stiff as a board.
+
+Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he
+couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.
+
+"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.
+
+"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so
+sorry."
+
+"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.
+
+"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as they stepped over him
+and pulled on the invisibility cloak.
+
+But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a
+very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked
+like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping
+down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs.
+Norris skulking near the top.
+
+"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, but
+Harry shook his head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris
+turned her lamplike eyes on them, but didn't do anything.
+
+They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the
+third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that
+people would trip.
+
+"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed
+his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are
+you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"
+
+He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.
+
+"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."
+
+Harry had a sudden idea.
+
+"Peeves," he said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own
+reasons for being invisible."
+
+Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time
+and hovered about a foot off the stairs.
+
+"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My
+mistake, my mistake -- I didn't see you -- of course I didn't, you're
+invisible -- forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."
+
+"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this
+place tonight."
+
+"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air
+again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."
+
+And he scooted off
+
+"Brilliant, Harry!" whispered Ron.
+
+A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor
+-- and the door was already ajar.
+
+"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past
+Fluffy."
+
+Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all three of them
+what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to the other
+two.
+
+"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the
+cloak, I won't need it now."
+
+"Don't be stupid," said Ron.
+
+"We're coming," said Hermione.
+
+Harry pushed the door open.
+
+As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of
+the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it
+couldn't see them.
+
+"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.
+
+"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."
+
+"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, here
+goes..."
+
+He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but
+from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew
+breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased -- it tottered on its paws and
+fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.
+
+"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry as they slipped out of the cloak and
+crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath
+as they approached the giant heads. "I think we'll be able to pull the
+door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first,
+Hermione?"
+
+"No, I don't!"
+
+"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's
+legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and
+open.
+
+"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.
+
+"Nothing -- just black -- there's no way of climbing down, we'll just
+have to drop."
+
+Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his
+attention and pointed at himself.
+
+"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep
+this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."
+
+Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog
+growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell
+back into its deep sleep.
+
+Harry climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no
+sign of the bottom.
+
+He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his
+fingertips. Then he looked up at Ron and said, "If anything happens to
+me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to
+Dumbledore, right?"
+
+"Right," said Ron.
+
+"See you in a minute, I hope...
+
+And Harry let go. Cold, damp air rushed past him as he fell down, down,
+down and -- FLUMP. With a funny, muffled sort of thump he landed on
+something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the
+gloom. It felt as though he was sitting on some sort of plant.
+
+"It's okay!" he called up to the light the size of a postage stamp,
+which was the open trapdoor, "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"
+
+Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to Harry.
+
+"What's this stuff?" were his first words.
+
+"Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall.
+Come on, Hermione!"
+
+The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but
+Hermione had already jumped. She landed on Harry's other side.
+
+"We must be miles under the school , she said.
+
+"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.
+
+"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"
+
+She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle
+because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist
+snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs
+had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.
+
+Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on
+her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant
+off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster
+the plant wound around them.
+
+"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is -- it's
+Devil's Snare!"
+
+"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled
+Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his
+neck. "Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.
+
+"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it
+curled around his chest.
+
+"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say? -- it
+likes the dark and the damp
+
+"So light a fire!" Harry choked.
+
+"Yes -- of course -- but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her
+hands.
+
+"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"
+
+"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it,
+muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had
+used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it
+loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth.
+Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they
+were able to pull free.
+
+"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he
+joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.
+
+"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis --
+'there's no wood,' honestly."
+
+"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the
+only way forward.
+
+All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of
+water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and
+Harry was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart,
+he remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards'
+bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon -- Norbert had been bad
+enough...
+
+"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.
+
+Harry listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up
+ahead.
+
+"Do you think it's a ghost?"
+
+"I don't know... sounds like wings to me."
+
+"There's light ahead -- I can see something moving."
+
+They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly
+lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small,
+jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the
+opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.
+
+"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.
+
+"Probably," said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if
+they all swooped down at once... well, there's no other choice... I'll
+run."
+
+He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted
+across the room. He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at
+him any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door untouched. He
+pulled the handle, but it was locked.
+
+The other two followed him. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it
+wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.
+
+"Now what?" said Ron.
+
+"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.
+
+They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering -- glittering?
+
+"They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys --
+look carefully. So that must mean..." he looked around the chamber while
+the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "... yes -- look!
+Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"
+
+"But there are hundreds of them!"
+
+Ron examined the lock on the door.
+
+"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one -- probably silver, like the
+handle."
+
+They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into
+the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the
+bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to
+catch one.
+
+Not for nothing, though, was Harry the youngest Seeker in a century. He
+had a knack for spotting things other people didn't. After a minute's
+weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, he noticed a large
+silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and
+stuffed roughly into the keyhole.
+
+"That one!" he called to the others. "That big one -- there -- no, there
+-- with bright blue wings -- the feathers are all crumpled on one side."
+
+Ron went speeding in the direction that Harry was pointing, crashed into
+the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.
+
+"We've got to close in on it!" Harry called, not taking his eyes off the
+key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above -- Hermione,
+stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. Right,
+NOW!"
+
+Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, the key dodged them both, and Harry
+streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Harry leaned forward and
+with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one
+hand. Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.
+
+They landed quickly, and Harry ran to the door, the key struggling in
+his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned -- it worked. The moment
+the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very
+battered now that it had been caught twice.
+
+"Ready?" Harry asked the other two, his hand on the door handle. They
+nodded. He pulled the door open.
+
+The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as
+they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an
+astonishing sight.
+
+They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black
+chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what
+looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the
+white pieces. Harry, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly -- the towering
+white chessmen had no faces.
+
+"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.
+
+"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across
+the room."
+
+Behind the white pieces they could see another door.
+
+"How?" said Hermione nervously.
+
+"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."
+
+He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the
+knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the
+ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.
+
+"Do we -- er -- have to join you to get across?" The black knight
+nodded. Ron turned to the other two.
+
+"This needs thinking about 	he said. I suppose we've got to take the
+place of three of the black pieces...."
+
+Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said,
+"Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at
+chess --"
+
+"We're not offended," said Harry quickly. "Just tell us what to do."
+
+"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, YOU 90
+next to him instead of that castle."
+
+"What about you?"
+
+"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.
+
+The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a
+knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces
+and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares that Harry, Ron,
+and Hermione took.
+
+"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board.
+"Yes... look..."
+
+A white pawn had moved forward two squares.
+
+Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he
+sent them. Harry's knees were trembling. What if they lost?
+
+"Harry -- move diagonally four squares to the right."
+
+Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white
+queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he
+lay quite still, facedown.
+
+"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to
+take that bishop, Hermione, go on."
+
+Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy.
+Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall.
+Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in
+danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white
+pieces as they had lost black ones.
+
+"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think let me
+think..."
+
+The white queen turned her blank face toward him.
+
+"Yes..." said Ron softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken."
+
+"NOF Harry and Hermione shouted.
+
+"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take
+one step forward and she'll take me -- that leaves you free to checkmate
+the king, Harry!"
+
+"But --"
+
+"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"
+
+"Ron --"
+
+"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"
+
+There was no alternative.
+
+"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go - now,
+don't hang around once you've won."
+
+He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard
+across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor -
+Hermione screamed but stayed on her square - the white queen dragged Ron
+to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out.
+
+Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left.
+
+The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had
+won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With
+one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry and Hermione charged through
+the door and up the next passageway.
+
+"What if he's --?"
+
+"He'll be all right," said Harry, trying to convince himself. "What do
+you reckon's next?"
+
+"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put
+charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them
+alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's."
+
+They had reached another door.
+
+"All right?" Harry whispered.
+
+"Go on."
+
+Harry pushed it open.
+
+A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their
+robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in
+front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out
+cold with a bloody lump on its head.
+
+"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as they
+stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't
+breathe."
+
+He pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what
+came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table
+with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.
+
+"Snape's," said Harry. "What do we have to do?"
+
+They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind
+them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At
+the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward.
+They were trapped.
+
+"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry
+looked over her shoulder to read it:
+
+Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
+
+Two of us will help you, which ever you would find,
+
+One among us seven will let you move ahead,
+
+Another will transport the drinker back instead,
+
+Two among our number hold only nettle wine,
+
+Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.
+
+Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
+
+To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
+
+First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
+
+You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
+
+Second, different are those who stand at either end,
+
+But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;
+
+Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,
+
+Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
+
+Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
+
+Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.
+
+Hermione let out a great sigh and Harry, amazed, saw that she was
+smiling, the very last thing he felt like doing.
+
+"Brilliant," said Hermione. "This isn't magic -- it's logic -- a puzzle.
+A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be
+stuck in here forever."
+
+"But so will we, won't we?" "Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything
+we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are
+wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us
+back through the purple."
+
+"But how do we know which to drink?"
+
+"Give me a minute."
+
+Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the
+line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she
+clapped her hands.
+
+"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black
+fire -- toward the Stone."
+
+Harry looked at the tiny bottle.
+
+"There's only enough there for one of us," he said. "That's hardly one
+swallow."
+
+They looked at each other.
+
+"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"
+
+Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.
+
+"You drink that," said Harry. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab
+brooms from the flying- key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor
+and past Fluffy -- go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to
+Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while,
+but I'm no match for him, really."
+
+"But Harry -- what if You-Know-Who's with him?"
+
+"Well -- I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at his scar.
+"I might get lucky again."
+
+Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her
+arms around him.
+
+"Hermione!"
+
+"Harry -- you're a great wizard, you know."
+
+"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of
+him.
+
+"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important
+things -- friendship and bravery and -- oh Harry -- be careful!"
+
+"You drink first," said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't
+you?"
+
+"Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle
+at the end, and shuddered.
+
+"It's not poison?" said Harry anxiously.
+
+"No -- but it's like ice."
+
+"Quick, go, before it wears off."
+
+"Good luck -- take care."
+
+"GO!"
+
+Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire.
+
+Harry took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. He turned to
+face the black flames.
+
+"Here I come," he said, and he drained the little bottle in one gulp.
+
+It was indeed as though ice was flooding his body. He put the bottle
+down and walked forward; he braced himself, saw the black flames licking
+his body, but couldn't feel them -- for a moment he could see nothing
+but dark fire -- then he was on the other side, in the last chamber.
+
+There was already someone there -- but it wasn't Snape. It wasn't even
+Voldemort.
+
+
+CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
+
+THE MAN WITH TWO FACES
+
+It was Quirrell.
+
+"You!" gasped Harry.
+
+Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.
+
+"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here,
+Potter."
+
+"But I thought -- Snape --"
+
+"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble,
+either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't
+he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to
+him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"
+
+Harry couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.
+
+"But Snape tried to kill me!"
+
+"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally
+knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch
+match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd
+have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape
+hadn't been muttering a countercurse, trying to save you."
+
+"Snape was trying to save me?"
+
+"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "\Why do you think he wanted to
+referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it
+again. Funny, really... he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything
+with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was
+trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular...
+and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you
+tonight."
+
+Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped
+themselves tightly around Harry.
+
+"You're too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school on
+Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what
+was guarding the Stone."
+
+"You let the troll in?"
+
+"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls -- you must have seen what
+I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while
+everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already
+suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off -- and not
+only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog
+didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly.
+
+"Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror.
+
+It was only then that Harry realized what was standing behind Quirrell.
+It was the Mirror of Erised.
+
+"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured,
+tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with
+something like this... but he's in London... I'll be far away by the
+time he gets back...."
+
+All Harry could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him
+from concentrating on the mirror.
+
+"I saw you and Snape in the forest --" he blurted out.
+
+"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the
+back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got.
+He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me - as though he could,
+when I had Lord Voldemort on my side...."
+
+Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into
+it.
+
+"I see the Stone... I'm presenting it to my master... but where is it?"
+
+Harry struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give. He
+had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.
+
+"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."
+
+"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts
+with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never
+wanted you dead."
+
+"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing -- I thought Snape was
+threatening you...."
+
+For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.
+
+"Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions
+-- he is a great wizard and I am weak --"
+
+"You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Harry gasped.
+
+"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I
+traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of
+ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong
+I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too
+weak to seek it.... Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I
+have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me."
+Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I
+failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He
+punished me... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me...."
+
+Quirrell's voice trailed away. Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon
+Alley -how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that
+very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.
+
+Quirrell cursed under his breath.
+
+"I don't understand... is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break
+it?"
+
+Harry's mind was racing.
+
+What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, he
+thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the
+mirror, I should see myseff finding it -- which means I'll see where
+it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up
+to?
+
+He tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without
+Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around his ankles were too tight: he
+tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored him. He was still talking to
+himself. "What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"
+
+And to Harry's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come
+from Quirrell himself
+
+"Use the boy... Use the boy..."
+
+Quirrell rounded on Harry.
+
+"Yes -- Potter -- come here."
+
+He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry
+got slowly to his feet.
+
+"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you
+see."
+
+Harry walked toward him.
+
+I must lie, he thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I
+see, that's all.
+
+Quirrell moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that
+seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. He closed his eyes, stepped in
+front of the mirror, and opened them again.
+
+He saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment
+later, the reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and
+pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its
+pocket -- and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his
+real pocket. Somehow -- incredibly -- he'd gotten the Stone.
+
+"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"
+
+Harry screwed up his courage.
+
+"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," he invented. "I -- I've
+won the house cup for Gryffindor."
+
+Quirrell cursed again.
+
+"Get out of the way," he said. As Harry moved aside, he felt the
+Sorcerer's Stone against his leg. Dare he make a break for it?
+
+But he hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though
+Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.
+
+"He lies... He lies..."
+
+"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did
+you just see?"
+
+The high voice spoke again.
+
+"Let me speak to him... face-to-face..."
+
+"Master, you are not strong enough!"
+
+"I have strength enough... for this...."
+
+Harry felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. He couldn't
+move a muscle. Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to
+unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's
+head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the
+spot.
+
+Harry would have screamed, but he couldn't make a sound. Where there
+should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most
+terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red
+eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.
+
+"Harry Potter..." it whispered.
+
+Harry tried to take a step backward but his legs wouldn't move.
+
+"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor ... I
+have form only when I can share another's body... but there have always
+been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds.... Unicorn
+blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... you saw faithful Quirrell
+drinking it for me in the forest... and once I have the Elixir of Life,
+I will be able to create a body of my own.... Now... why don't you give
+me that Stone in your pocket?"
+
+So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He
+stumbled backward.
+
+"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join
+me... or you'll meet the same end as your parents.... They died begging
+me for mercy..."
+
+"LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.
+
+Quirrell was walking backward at him, so that Voldemort could still see
+him. The evil face was now smiling.
+
+"How touching..." it hissed. "I always value bravery... Yes, boy, your
+parents were brave.... I killed your father first; and he put up a
+courageous fight... but your mother needn't have died... she was trying
+to protect you.... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have
+died in vain."
+
+"NEVER!"
+
+Harry sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HIM!"
+and the next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist. At
+once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as
+though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his
+might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him. The pain in his head
+lessened -- he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and
+saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers -- they were blistering
+before his eyes.
+
+"Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged,
+knocking Harry clean off his feet' landing on top of him, both hands
+around Harry's neck -- Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain,
+yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.
+
+"Master, I cannot hold him -- my hands -- my hands!"
+
+And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go
+of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms -- Harry could see
+they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.
+
+"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.
+
+Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by
+instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face --
+
+"AAAARGH!"
+
+Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry knew:
+Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible
+pain -- his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough
+pain to stop him from doing a curse.
+
+Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as
+tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off -- the
+pain in Harry's head was building -- he couldn't see -- he could only
+hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HIM!
+KILL HIM!" and other voices, maybe in Harry's own head, crying, "Harry!
+Harry!"
+
+He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and
+fell into blackness, down ... down... down...
+
+Something gold was glinting just above him. The Snitch! He tried to
+catch it, but his arms were too heavy.
+
+He blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. How
+strange.
+
+He blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view
+above him.
+
+"Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore. Harry stared at him. Then he
+remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir,
+quick --"
+
+"Calm yourself, dear boy, you are a little behind the times," said
+Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone."
+
+"Then who does? Sir, I --"
+
+"Harry, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out.
+
+Harry swallowed and looked around him. He realized he must be in the
+hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next
+to him was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.
+
+"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What
+happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a
+complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your
+friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to
+send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam
+Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated
+it."
+
+"How long have I been in here?"
+
+"Three days. Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved
+you have come round, they have been extremely worried."
+
+"But sit, the Stone
+
+I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor
+Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to
+prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say.
+
+"You got there? You got Hermione's owl?"
+
+"We must have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it
+became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just
+left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you."
+
+"It was you."
+
+"I feared I might be too late."
+
+"You nearly were, I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer --"
+
+"Not the Stone, boy, you -- the effort involved nearly killed you. For
+one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has
+been destroyed."
+
+"Destroyed?" said Harry blankly. "But your friend -- Nicolas Flamel --"
+
+"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted.
+"You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had
+a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."
+
+"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"
+
+"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then,
+yes, they will die."
+
+Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Harry's face.
+
+"To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas
+and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long
+day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great
+adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As
+much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings
+would choose above all -- the trouble is, humans do have a knack of
+choosing precisely those things that are worst for them." Harry lay
+there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the
+ceiling.
+
+"Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking... sir -- even if the Stone's
+gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know- Who --"
+
+"Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear
+of a name increases fear of the thing itself."
+
+"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back,
+isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"
+
+"No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking
+for another body to share... not being truly alive, he cannot be killed.
+He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers
+as his enemies. Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his
+return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to
+fight what seems a losing battle next time -- and if he is delayed
+again, and again, why, he may never return to power."
+
+Harry nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made his head hurt. Then
+he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can
+tell me... things I want to know the truth about...."
+
+"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing,
+and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall
+answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which
+case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."
+
+"Well... Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried
+to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the
+first place?"
+
+Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time.
+
+"Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not
+now. You will know, one day... put it from your mind for now, Harry.
+When you are older... I know you hate to hear this... when you are
+ready, you will know."
+
+And Harry knew it would be no good to argue.
+
+"But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"
+
+"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot
+understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your
+mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... to
+have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone,
+will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell,
+full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort,
+could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person
+marked by something so good."
+
+Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill,
+which gave Harry time to dry his eyes on the sheet. When he had found
+his voice again, Harry said, "And the invisibility cloak - do you know
+who sent it to me?"
+
+"Ah - your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought
+you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things... your
+father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food
+when he was here."
+
+"And there's something else..."
+
+"Fire away."
+
+"Quirrell said Snape --"
+
+"Professor Snape, Harry." "Yes, him -- Quirrell said he hates me because
+he hated my father. Is that true?"
+
+"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr.
+Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."
+
+"What?"
+
+"He saved his life."
+
+"What?"
+
+"Yes..." said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work,
+isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt....
+I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt
+that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to
+hating your father's memory in peace...."
+
+Harry tried to understand this but it made his head pound, so he
+stopped.
+
+"And sir, there's one more thing..."
+
+"Just the one?"
+
+"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"
+
+"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant
+ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only
+one who wanted to find the Stone -- find it, but not use it -- would be
+able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or
+drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes.... Now,
+enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie
+Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come
+across a vomitflavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost
+my liking for them -- but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't
+you?"
+
+He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he
+choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"
+
+Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict.
+
+"Just five minutes," Harry pleaded.
+
+"Absolutely not."
+
+"You let Professor Dumbledore in..."
+
+"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need
+rest."
+
+"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam
+Pomfrey..."
+
+"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."
+
+And she let Ron and Hermione in.
+
+"Harry!"
+
+Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around him again, but Harry was
+glad she held herself in as his head was still very sore.
+
+"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to -- Dumbledore was so worried
+--"
+
+"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"
+
+It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more
+strange and exciting than the wild rumors. Harry told them everything:
+Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a
+very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry
+told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud.
+
+"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"
+
+"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that -- what was it? -- 'to
+the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.
+
+"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed
+at how crazy his hero was.
+
+"So what happened to you two?" said Harry.
+
+"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round --
+that took a while -- and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact
+Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall -- he already knew -- he
+just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the
+third floor."
+
+"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your
+father's cloak and everything?"
+
+"Well, " Hermione exploded, "if he did -- I mean to say that's terrible
+-- you could have been killed."
+
+"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore.
+I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or
+less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty
+good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just
+taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me
+find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the
+right to face Voldemort if I could...."
+
+"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly.
+"Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The
+points are all in and Slytherin won, of course -- you missed the last
+Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you -- but
+the food'll be good."
+
+At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.
+
+"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.
+
+After a good night's sleep, Harry felt nearly back to normal.
+
+I want to go to the feast," he told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened
+his many candy boxes. I can, can't I?"
+
+"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said
+stiffily, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize
+how risky feasts could be. "And you have another visitor."
+
+"Oh, good," said Harry. "Who is it?"
+
+Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usual when he was
+indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Harry,
+took one look at him, and burst into tears.
+
+"It's -- all -- my -- ruddy -- fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands.
+I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only
+thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a
+dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter
+live as a Muggle!"
+
+"Hagrid!" said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and
+remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have
+found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have
+found out even if you hadn't told him."
+
+"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"
+
+"VOLDEMORT!" Harry bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped
+crying. "I've met him and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up,
+Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate
+Frog, I've got loads...."
+
+Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds
+me. I've got yeh a present."
+
+"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Harry anxiously, and at last
+Hagrid gave a weak chuckle. "Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off
+yesterday ter fix it. 'Course, he shoulda sacked me instead -- anyway,
+got yeh this..."
+
+It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it
+curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at him
+from every page were his mother and father.
+
+"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer
+photos... knew yeh didn' have any... d'yeh like it?"
+
+Harry couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood.
+
+Harry made his way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. He
+had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving
+him one last checkup, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked
+out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's
+winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner
+showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.
+
+When Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started
+talking loudly at once. He slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione
+at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were
+standing up to look at him.
+
+Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.
+
+"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you
+with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our
+delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a
+little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get
+them nice and empty before next year starts....
+
+"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the
+points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and
+twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two;
+Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred
+and seventy- two."
+
+A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table.
+Harry could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a
+sickening sight.
+
+"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent
+events must be taken into account."
+
+The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.
+
+"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out.
+Let me see. Yes...
+
+"First -- to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."
+
+Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.
+
+"...for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I
+award Gryffindor house fifty points."
+
+Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars
+overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other
+prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past
+McGonagall's giant chess set!"
+
+At last there was silence again.
+
+"Second -- to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the
+face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
+
+Hermione buried her face in her arms; Harry strongly suspected she had
+burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside
+themselves -- they were a hundred points up. "Third -- to Mr. Harry
+Potter..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet for pure nerve
+and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."
+
+The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves
+hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points
+-- exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup -- if
+only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.
+
+Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.
+
+"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a
+great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to
+stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville
+Longbottom."
+
+Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some
+sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted
+from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and
+cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people
+hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.
+Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who
+couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the
+Body-Bind Curse put on him.
+
+"Which means, Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even
+Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we
+need a little change of decoration."
+
+He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet
+and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a
+towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor
+McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught Harry's eye
+and Harry knew at once that Snape's feelings toward him hadn't changed
+one jot. This didn't worry Harry. It seemed as though life would be back
+to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.
+
+It was the best evening of Harry's life, better than winning at
+Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls... he would
+never, ever forget tonight.
+
+Harry had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but
+come they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good
+marks; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years. Even
+Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his
+abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid
+as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a
+shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.
+
+And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed,
+Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were
+handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the
+holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred
+Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats
+that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express;
+talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier;
+eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns;
+pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling
+into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.
+
+It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened
+old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate
+in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out
+of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.
+
+"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you -- I'll
+send you an owl."
+
+"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to." People
+jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle
+world. Some of them called:
+
+"Bye, Harry!"
+
+"See you, Potter!"
+
+"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him.
+
+"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.
+
+He, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together. "There he is,
+Mom, there he is, look!"
+
+It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at
+Ron.
+
+"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see
+
+"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."
+
+Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them.
+
+"Busy year?" she said.
+
+"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs.
+Weasley."
+
+"Oh, it was nothing, dear."
+
+"Ready, are you?"
+
+It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking
+furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station
+full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley,
+looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.
+
+"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.
+
+"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't
+got all day." He walked away.
+
+Harry hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione.
+
+"See you over the summer, then."
+
+"Hope you have -- er -- a good holiday," said Hermione, looking
+uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so
+unpleasant.
+
+"Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was
+spreading over his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic
+at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer...."
+
+THE END