Harry.was.sitting.with.his.forehead.pressed.against.the.train.window,.trying.to.get.a.first.distant.glimpse.of.Hogwarts,.but.it.was.a.moonless.night.and.the.rain‐
streaked.window.was.grimy..
.We.d.better.change,..said.Hermione.at.last,.and.all.of.them.opened.their.trunks.with.difficulty.and.pulled.on.their.school.robes..She.and.Ron.pinned.their.prefect.badges.carefully.to.their.chests..Harry.saw.Ron.checking.his.reflection.in.the.black.window..
At.last,.the.train.began.to.slow.down.and.they.heard.the.usual.racket.up.and.down.it.as.everybody.scrambled.to.get.their.luggage.and.pes.assembled,.ready.to.get.off..As.Ron.and.Hermione.were.supposed.to.supervise.all.this,.they.disappeared.from.the.carriage.again,.leaving.Harry.and.the.others.to.look.after.Crookshanks.and.Pigwidgeon..
Til.carry.that.owl,.if.you.like,..said.Luna.to.Harry,.reaching.out.for.Pigwidgeon.as.Neville.stowed.Trevor.carefully.in.an.inside.pocket..
.Oh.‐.er.‐.thanks,..said.Harry,.handing.her.the.cage.and.hoisting.Hedwig.s.more.securely.into.his.arms..
They.shuffled.out.of.the.compartment.feeling.the.first.sting.of.the.night.air.on.their.faces.as.they.joined.the.crowd.in.the.coridor..Slowly,.they.moved.towards.the.doors..Harry.could.smell.the.pine.trees.that.lined.the.path.down.to.the.lake..
He.stepped.down.on.to.the.platform.and.looked.around,.listening.for.the.familiar.call.of..firs.‐years.over..ere….firs.‐years…..
But.it.did.not.come..Instead,.a.quite.different.voice,.a.brisk.female.one,.was.calling.out,..First‐years.line.up.over.here,.please!.All.first‐years.to.me!..
A.lantern.came.swinging.towards.Harry.and.by.its.light.he.saw.the.prominent.chin.and.severe.haircut.of.Professor.Grubbly‐Plank,.the.witch.who.had.taken.over.Hagrid.s.Care.of.Magical.Creatures.lessons.for.a.while.the.previous.year..
.Where.s.Hagrid?..he.said.out.loud..
.I.don.t.know,..said.Ginny,..but.we.d.better.get.out.of.the.way,.we.re.blocking.the.door...
.Oh,.yeah…..
Harry.and.Ginny.became.separated.as.they.moved.off.along.the.platform.and.out.through.the.station..Jostled.by.the.crowd,.Harry.squinted.through.the.darkness.for.a.glimpse.of.Hagrid;.he.had.to.be.here,.Harry.had.been.relying.on.it.‐.seeing.Hagrid.again.was.one.of.the.things.he.d.been.looking.forward.to.most.
.But.there.was.no.sign.of.him..
He.can.t.have.left,.Harry.told.himself.as.he.shuffled.slowly.through.a.narrow.doorway.on.to.the.road.outside.with.the.rest.of.the.crowd..He.s.just.got.a.cold.or.something….
He.looked.around.for.Ron.or.Hermione,.wanting.to.know.what.they.thought.about.the.reappearance.of.Professor.Grubbly‐Plank,.but.neither.of.them.was.anywhere.near.him,.so.he.allowed.himself.to.be.shunted.forwards.on.to.the.dark.rain‐washed.road.outside.Hogsmeade.Station..
Here.stood.the.hundred.or.so.horseless.stagecoaches.that.always.took.the.students.above.first.year.up.to.the.castle..Harry.glanced.quickly.at.them,.turned.away.to.keep.a.lookout.for.Ron.and.Hermione,.then.did.a.double‐take..
The.coaches.were.no.longer.horseless..There.were.creatures.standing.between.the.carriage.shafts..If.he.had.had.to.give.them.a.name,.he.supposed.he.would.have.called.them.horses,.though.there.was.something.reptilian.about.them,.too.