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； forgetful boy； outside Flourish and Blotts。 Harry didn't stop to chat； Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable…looking grandmother。 Harry hoped she never found out that he'd pretended to be Neville while on the run from the Ministry of Magic。
Harry woke on the last day of the holidays； thinking that he would at least meet Ron and Hermione tomorrow； on the Hogwarts Express。 He got up； dressed； went for a last look at the Firebolt； and was just wondering where he'd have lunch； when someone yelled his name and he turned。
〃Harry！ HARRY！〃
They were there； both of them； sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor Ron looking incredibly freckly； Her；；one very brown； both waving frantically at him。
〃Finally！〃 said Ron； grinning at Harry as he sat down。 〃We went to the Leaky Cauldron； but they said you'd left； and we went to Flourish and Blotts； and Madam Malkin's； and 〃
〃I got all my school stuff last week；〃 Harry explained。 〃And how e You knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron？〃 〃Dad；〃 said Ron simply。
Mr。 Weasley； who worked at the Ministry of Magic； would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge。
〃Did you really blow up your aunt； Harry？〃 said Hermione in a very serious voice。
〃I didn't mean to；〃 said Harry； while Ron roared with laughter。 〃I just lost control。〃
〃It's not funny； Ron；〃 said Hermione sharply。 〃Honestly； I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled。〃
〃So am I；〃 admitted Harry。 〃Forget expelled； I thought I was going to be arrested。〃 He looked at Ron。 〃Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off； does he？〃
〃Probably 'cause it's you； isn't it？〃 shrugged Ron； still chuckling。 〃Famous Harry Potter and all that。 I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt。 Mind you； they'd have to dig me up first； because Mum would've killed me。 Anyway； you can ask Dad yourself this evening。 We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too！ So you can e to King's Cross with us tomorrow！ Hermione's there as well！〃
Hermione nodded； beaming。 〃Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things。〃
〃Excellent！〃 said Harry happily。 〃So； have you got all your new books and stuff？〃
〃Look at this；〃 said Ron； pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it。 〃Brand…new wand。 Fourteen inches； willow； containing one unicorn tail…hair。 And we've got all our books 〃 He pointed at a large bag under his chair。 〃What about those Monster Books； eh？ The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two。〃
〃What's all that； Hermione？〃 Harry asked； pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her。
；；Well； I'm taking more new subjects than you； aren't IF' said Hermione。 〃Those are my books for Arithmancy； Care of Magical Creatures； Divination； the Study of Ancient Runes； Muggle Studies 〃
〃What are you doing Muggle Studies for？〃 said Ron； rolling his eyes at Harry。 〃You're Muggle… born！ Your mum and dad are Muggles！ You already know all about Muggles！〃
〃But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view；〃 said Hermione earnestly。
〃Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year； Hermione？〃 asked Harry； while Ron sniggered。 Hermione ignored them。
〃I've still got ten Galleons；〃 she said； checking her purse。 〃It's my birthday in September； and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present。〃
〃How about a nice book？ said Ron innocently。
〃No； I don't think so；〃 said Hermione posedly。 〃I really want an owl。 I mean； Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol 〃
〃I haven't；〃 said Ron。 〃Errol's a family owl。 All I've got is Scabbers。〃 He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket。 〃And I want to get him checked over；〃 he added； placing Scabbers on the table in front of them。 〃I don't think Egypt agreed with him。〃
Scabbers was looking thinner than usual； and there was a definite droop to his whiskers。
〃There's a magical creature shop just over there；〃 said Harry； who knew Diagon Alley very well by now。 〃You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers； and Hermione can get her owl；〃
So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie。
There wasn't much room inside。 Every inch of wall was hidden by cages。 It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants Of these cages were all squeaking； squawking； jabbering； or hissing。 The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double…ended newts； so Harry； Ron； and Hermione waited； examining the cages。
A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies。 A gigantic tortoise with a jewel…encrusted shell was glittering near the window。 Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank； and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise。 Then there were cats of every color； a noisy cage of ravens； a basket of funny custard…colored furballs that were humming loudly； and on the counter； a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long； bald tails。
The double…ended newt wizard left； and Ron approached the counter。
〃It's my rat；〃 he told the witch。 〃He been a bit off…color ever since I brought him back from Egypt。〃
〃Bang him on the counter；〃 said the witch； pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket。
Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats； who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better took。
Like nearly everything Ron owned； Scabbers the rat was secondhand （he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy） and a bit battered。 Next to the glossy rats in the cage； he looked especially woebegone。
〃Hm；〃 said the witch； picking up Scabbers。 〃How old is this rat？〃
〃Dunno；〃 said Ron。 〃Quite old。 He used to belong to my brother。〃
〃What powers does he have？〃 said the witch； examining Scabbers closely。
〃Er 〃 The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers。 The witchs eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw； which had a toe missing； and tutted loudly。
〃He's been through the mill； this one；〃 she said。
〃He was like that when Percy gave him to me；〃 said Ron defensively。
〃An ordinary mon or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so；〃 said the witch。 〃Now； if you were looking for something a bit more hard…wearing； you might like one of these 〃
She indicated the black rats； who promptly started skipping again。 Ron muttered； 〃Show…offs。〃
〃Well； if you Don't want a replacement； you can try this rat tonic；〃 said the witch； reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle。
〃Okay；〃 said Ron。 〃How much OUCH！〃
Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage； landed on his head； and then propelled itself； spitting madly； at Scabbers。
〃NO； CROOKSHANKS； NO！〃 cried the witch； but Scabbers； shot from between her hands like a bar of soap； l