Ron.wasn.t.looking.at.Harry;.he.seemed.to.have.become.intensely.interested.in.the.fingernails.on.his.left.hand..
.Oh,..said.Harry...Right..Fine...
.I.don.t.think.we.ll.have.to.stay.there.all.journey,..said.Hermione.quickly...Our.letters.said.we.just.get.instructions.from.the.Head.Boy.and.Girl.and.then.patrol.the.corridors.from.time.to.time...
.Fine,..said.Harry.again...Well,.I.‐.I.might.see.you.later,.then...
.Yeah,.definitely,..said.Ron,.casting.a.shifty,.anxious.look.at.Harry...It.s.a.pain.having.to.go.down.there,.I.d.rather.‐.but.we.have.to.‐I.mean,.I.m.not.enjoying.it,
.I.m.not.Percy,..he.finished.defiantly..
.I.know.you.re.not,..said.Harry.and.he.grinned..But.as.Hermione.and.Ron.dragged.their.trunks,.Crookshanks.and.a.caged.Pigwidgeon.off.towards.the.engine.end.of.the.train,.Harry.felt.an.odd.sense.of.loss..He.had.never.travelled.on.the.Hogwarts.Express.without.Ron..
.Come.on,..Ginny.told.him,..if.we.get.a.move.on.we.ll.be.able.to.save.them.places...
.Right,..said.Harry,.picking.up.Hedwig.s.cage.in.one.hand.and.the.handle.of.his.trunk.in.the.other..They.struggled.off.down.the.corridor,.peering.through.the.glass‐panelled.doors.into.the.compartments.they.passed,.which.were.already.full..Harry.could.not.help.noticing.that.a.lot.of.people.stared.back.at.him.with.great.interest.and.that.several.of.them.nudged.thei.neighbours.and.pointed.him.out..After.he.had.met.this.behaviour.in.five.consecutive.carriages.he.remembered.that.the.Daily.Prophet.had.been.telling.its.reader.all.summer.what.a.lying.show‐off.he.was..He.wondered.dully.whether.the.people.now.staring.and.whispering.believed.the.stories..
In.the.very.last.carriage.they.met.Neville.Longbottom,.Harry.s.fellow.fifth‐year.Gryffindor,.his.round.face.shining.with.the.effort.of.pulling.his.trunk.along.and.maintaining.a.one‐handed.grip.on.his.struggling.toad,.Trevor..
.Hi,.Harry..he.panted...Hi,.Ginny….everywhere.s.full….1.can.t.find.a.seat…..
.What.are.you.talking.about?..said.Ginny,.who.had.squeezed.past.Neville.to.peer.into.the.compartment.behind.him..There.s.room.in.this.one,.there.s.only.Loony.Lovegood.in.here.—..
Neville.mumbled.something.about.not.wanting.to.disturb.anyone..
.Don.t.be.silly,..said.Ginny,.laughing,..she.s.all.right...
She.slid.the.door.open.and.pulled.her.trunk.inside..Harry.and.Neville.followed..
.Hi,.Luna,..said.Ginny,..is.it.OK.if.we.take.these.seats?..
The.girl.beside.the.window.looked.up..She.had.straggly,.waist‐length,.dirty.blonde.hair,.very.pale.eyebrows.and.protuberant.eyes.that.gave.her.a.permanently.surprised.look..Harry.knew.at.once.why.Neville.had.chosen.to.pass.this.compartment.by..The.girl.gave.off.an.aura.of.distinct.dottiness..Perhaps.it.was.the.fact.that.she.had.stuck.her.wand.behind.her.left.ear.for.safekeeping,.or.that.she.had.chosen.to.wear.a.necklace.of.Butterbeer.corks,.or.that.she.was.reading.a.magazine.upside‐down..Her.eyes.ranged.over.Neville.and.came.to.rest.on.Harry..She.nodded..
Thanks,..said.Ginny,.smiling.at.her..
Harry.and.Neville.stowed.the.three.trunks.and.Hedwig.s.cage.in.the.luggage.rack.and.sat.down..Luna.watched.them.over.her.upside‐down.magazine,.which.