.1.hope.the.others.make.it.in.time,..said.Mrs.Weasley.anxiously,.staring.behind.her.at.the.wrought‐iron.arch.spanning.the.platform,.through.which.new.arrivals.would.come..
.Nice.dog,.Harry!..called.a.tall.boy.with.dreadlocks..
.Thanks,.Lee,..said.Harry,.grinning,.as.Sirius.wagged.his.tail.frantically..
.Oh.good,..said.Mrs.Weasley,.sounding.relieved,..here.s.Alastor.with.the.luggage,
.look…..
A.porter.s.cap.pulled.low.over.his.mismatched.eyes,.Moody.came.limping.through.the.archway.pushing.a.trolley.loaded.with.their.trunks..
.All.OK,..he.muttered.to.Mrs.Weasley.and.Tonks,..don.t.think.we.were.followed…..
Seconds.later,.Mr.Weasley.emerged.on.to.the.platform.with.Ron.and.Hermione.
.They.had.almost.unloaded.Moody.s.luggage.trolley.when.Fred,.George.and.Ginny.turned.up.with.Lupin..
.No.trouble?..growled.Moody..
.Nothing,..said.Lupin..
Til.still.be.reporting.Sturgis.to.Dumbledore,..said.Moody,..that.s.the.second.time.he.s.not.turned.up.in.a.week..Getting.as.unreliable.as.Mundungus...
.Well,.look.after.yourselves,..said.Lupin,.shaking.hands.all.round..He.reached.Harry.last.and.gave.him.a.clap.on.the.shoulder...You.too..Harry..Be.careful...
.Yeah,.keep.your.head.down.and.your.eyes.peeled,..said.Moody,.shaking.Harry.s.hand.too...And.don.t.forget,.all.of.you.‐.careful.what.you.put.in.writing..If.in.doubt,.don.t.put.it.in.a.letter.at.all...
.It.s.been.great.meeting.all.of.you,..said.Tonks,.hugging.Hermione.and.Ginny.
.We.ll.see.you.soon,.I.expect...
A.warning.whistle.sounded;.the.students.still.on.the.platform.started.hurrying.on.to.the.train..
.Quick,.quick,..said.Mrs.Weasley.distractedly,.hugging.them.at.random.and.catching.Harry.twice...Write….be.good….if.you.ve.forgotten.anything.we.ll.send.it.on….on.to.the.train,.now,.hurry…..
For.one.brief.moment,.the.great.black.dog.reared.on.to.its.hind.legs.and.placed.its.front.paws.on.Harry.s.shoulders,.but.Mrs.Weasley.shoved.Harry.away.towards.the.train.door,.hissing,..For.heaven.s.sake,.act.more.like.a.dog,.Sirius!..
.See.you!..Harry.called.out.of.the.open.window.as.the.train.began.to.move,.while.Ron,.Hermione.and.Ginny.waved.beside.him..The.figures.of.Tonks,.Lupin,
.Moody.and.Mr.and.Mrs.Weasley.shrank.rapidly.but.the.black.dog.was.bounding.alongside.the.window,.wagging.its.tail;.blurred.people.on.the.platform.were.laughing.to.see.it.chasing.the.train,.then.they.rounded.a.bend,.and.Sirius.was.gone..
.He.shouldn.t.have.come.with.us,..said.Hermione.in.a.worried.voice..
.Oh,.lighten.up,..said.Ron,..he.hasn.t.seen.daylight.for.months,.poor.bloke...
.Well,..said.Fred,.clapping.his.hands.together,..can.t.stand.around.chatting.all.day,.we.ve.got.business.to.discuss.with.Lee..See.you.later,..and.he.and.George.disappeared.down.the.corridor.to.the.right..
The.train.was.gathering.still.more.speed,.so.that.the.houses.outside.the.window.flashed.past,.and.they.swayed.where.they.stood..
.Shall.we.go.and.find.a.compartment,.then?..Harry.asked..
Ron.and.Hermione.exchanged.looks..
.Er,..said.Ron..
.We.re.‐.well.‐.Ron.and.I.are.supposed.to.go.into.the.prefect.carriage,..Hermione.said.awkwardly..