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    "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. MBT shoesHe 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," MBT shoes discountHarry 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, cheap MBT shoesyou'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?MBT sale 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?"