Eye.s.complaining.that.we.can.t.leave.unless.Sturgis.Podmore.s.here,.otherwise.the.guard.will.be.one.short...
.Guard?..said.Harry...We.have.to.go.to.King.s.Cross.with.a.guard?..
.You.have.to.go.to.King.s.Cross.with.a.guard,..Hermione.corrected.him..
.Why?..said.Harry.irritably...I.thought.Voldemort.was.supposed.to.be.lying.low,
.or.are.you.telling.me.he.s.going.to.jump.out.from.behind.a.dustbin.to.try.and.do.me.in?..
.I.don.t.know,.it.s.just.what.Mad‐Eye.says,..said.Hermione.distractedly,.looking.at.her.watch,..but.if.we.don.t.leave.soon.we.re.definitely.going.to.miss.the.train…..
WILL.YOU.LOT.GET.DOWN.HERE.NOW,.PLEASE!..Mrs.Weasley.bellowed.and.Hermione.jumped.as.though.scalded.and.hurried.out.of.the.room..Harry.seized.Hedwig,.stuffed.her.unceremoniously.into.her.cage,.and.set.off.downstairs.after.Hermione,.dragging.his.trunk..
Mrs.Black.s.portrait.was.howling.with.rage.but.nobody.was.bothering.to.close.the.curtains.over.her;.all.the.noise.in.the.hall.was.bound.to.rouse.her.again,
.anyway..
.Harry,.you.re.to.come.with.me.and.Tonks,..shouted.Mrs.Weasley.‐.over.the.repeated.screeches.of..MUDBLOODS!.SCUM!.CREATURES.OF.DIRT!..‐..Leave.your.trunk.and.your.owl,.Alastor.s.going.to.deal.with.the.luggage….oh,.for.heaven.s.sake,.Sinus,.Dumbledore.said.no!..
A.bear‐like.black.dog.had.appeared.at.Harry.s.side.as.he.was.clambering.over.the.various.trunks.cluttering.the.hall.to.get.to.Mrs.Weasley..
.Oh.honestly…..said.Mrs.Weasley.despairingly...Well,.on.your.own.head.be.it!..
She.wrenched.open.the.front.door.and.stepped.out.into.the.weak.September.sunlight..Harry.and.the.dog.followed.her..The.door.slammed.behind.them.and.Mrs.Blacks.screeches.were.cut.off.instantly..
Where.s.Tonks?..Harry.said,.looking.round.as.they.went.down.the.stone.steps.of.number.twelve,.which.vanished.the.moment.they.reached.the.pavement..
.She.s.waiting.for.us.just.up.here,..said.Mrs.Weasley.stiffly,.averting.her.eyes.from.the.lolloping.black.dog.beside.Harry..
An.old.woman.greeted.them.on.the.corner..She.had.tightly.curled.grey.hair.and.wore.a.purple.hat.shaped.like.a.pork.pie..
.Wotcher,.Harry,..she.said,.winking...Better.hurry.up,.hadn.t.we,.Molly?..she.added,.checking.her.watch..
.I.know,.I.know,..moaned.Mrs.Weasley,.lengthening.her.stride,..but.Mad‐Eye.wanted.to.wait.for.Sturgis….if.only.Arthur.could.have.got.us.cars.from.the.Ministry.again….but.Fudge.won.t.let.him.borrow.so.much.as.an.empty.ink.bottle.these.days….how.Muggles.can.stand.travelling.without.magic.
But.the.great.black.dog.gave.a.joyful.bark.and.gambolled.around.them,.snapping.at.pigeons.and.chasing.its.own.tail..Harry.couldn.t.help.laughing..Sirius.had.been.trapped.inside.for.a.very.long.time..Mrs.Weasley.pursed.her.lips.in.an.almost.Aunt.Petunia‐ish.way..
It.took.them.twenty.minutes.to.reach.King.s.Cross.on.foot.and.nothing.more.eventful.happened.during.that.time.than.Sirius.scaring.a.couple.of.cats.for.Harry.s.entertainment..Once.inside.the.station.they.lingered.casually.beside.the.barrier.between.platforms.nine.and.ten.until.the.coast.was.clear,.then.each.of.them.leaned.against.it.in.turn.and.fell.easily.through.on.to.platform.nine.and.three‐quarters,.where.the.Hogwarts.Express.stood.belching.sooty.steam.over.a.platform.packed.with.departing.students.and.their.families..Harry.inhaled.the.familiar.smell.and.felt.his.spirits.soar….he.was.really.going.back….