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te Ron on infuriating Percy again。
They headed down to breakfast； where Mr。 Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs。 Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl。 All three of them were rather giggly。
〃What were you saying？〃 Ron asked Harry as they sat down。
〃Later；〃 Harry muttered as Percy stormed in。
Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving； they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door； with Hedwig and Hermes； Percy's screech owl； perched on top in their cages。 A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks； spitting loudly。
〃It's all right； Crookshanks；〃 Hermione cooed through the wickerwork。 〃I'll let you out on the train。〃
〃You won't；〃 snapped Ron。 〃What about poor Scabbers； eh？〃
He pointed at his chest； where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket。
Mr。 Weasley； who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars； stuck his head inside。
〃They're here； he said。 〃Harry； e on。〃
Mr。 Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old… fashioned dark green cars； each of which was driven by a furtive…looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet。
〃In you get； Harry；〃 said Mr。 Weasley； glancing up and down the crowded street。
Harry got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione； Ron； and； to Ron's disgust； Percy。
The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful pared with Harry's trip on the Knight Bus。 The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary。 though Harry noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new pany car certainly couldn't have managed。 They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare； the Ministry drivers found them trolleys； unloaded their trunks； touched their hats in salute to Mr。 Weasley； and drove away； somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights。
Mr。 Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station。
〃Right then；〃 he said； glancing around them。 〃Let's do this in pairs； as there are so many of us。 I'll go through first with Harry。〃
Mr。 Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten； pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine。 With a meaningful look at Harry； he leaned casually against the barrier。 Harry imitated him。
In a moment； they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three… quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express； a scarlet steam engine； puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train。
Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry。 They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run。
〃Ah； there's Penelope！〃 said Percy； smoothing his hair and going Pink again。 Ginny caught Harry's eye； and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long； curly hair； walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge。 stood back to let him on。 They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr。 and Mrs。 Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view。
〃I need to talk to you in private；〃 Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed。
〃Go away； Ginny；〃 said Ron。
〃Oh； that's nice；〃 said Ginny huffily； and she stalked off。
Harry； Ron； and Hermione set off down the corridor； looking for an empty partment； but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train。
This had only one occupant； a man sitting fast asleep next to the window。 Harry； Ron； and Hermione checked on the threshold。 The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before； except for the witch who pushed the food cart。
The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places。 He looked ill and exhausted。 Though quite young； his light brown hair was flecked with gray。
〃Who d'you reckon he is？〃 Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut； taking the seats farthest away from the window。
〃Professor R。 J。 Lupin；〃 whispered Hermione at once。
〃How d'you know that？〃
〃It's on his case；〃 she replied； pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head； where there was a small； battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string。 The name Professor R。 J。 Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters。
〃Wonder what he teaches？〃 said Ron； frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile。
〃That's obvious；〃 whispered Hermione。 〃There's only one vacancy； isn't there？ Defense Against the Dark Arts。〃
Harry； Ron； and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers； both of whom had lasted only one year。 There were rumors that the job was jinxed。
〃well； I hope he's up to it；〃 said Ron doubtfully。 〃He looks like on； good hex would finish him off； doesn't he？ Anyway。。。〃 He turned to Harry。 〃What were you going to tell us？〃
Harry explained all about Mr。 and Mrs。 Weasley's argument and the warning Mr。 Weasley had just given him。 When he'd finished； Ron looked thunderstruck； and Hermione had her hands over her mouth。 She finally lowered them to say； 〃Sirius Black escaped to e after you？ Oh； Harry。。。 you'll have to be really； really careful。 don't go looking for trouble； Harry 〃
〃I Don't go looking for trouble；〃 said Harry； nettled。 〃Trouble usually finds me。〃
〃How thick would Harry have to be； to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him？〃 said Ron shakily。
They were taking the news worse than Harry had expected。 Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than he was。
〃No one knows how he got out of Azkaban；〃 said Ron unfortably。 〃No one's ever done it before。 And he was a top…security prisoner too。〃
〃But they'll catch him； won't they？〃 said Hermione earnestly。 〃I Mean； they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too。。。。〃 〃What's that noise？〃 said Ron suddenly。
A faint； tinny sort of whistle was ing from somewhere。 The； looked all around the partment。
〃It's ing from your trunk； Harry；〃 said Ron； standing UP and reaching into the luggage rack。 A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes。 It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly。
〃Is that a Sneakoscope？〃 said Hermione interestedly； standing up for a better look。
〃Yeah。。。 mind you； it's a very cheap one；〃 Ron said。 〃It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry。〃
〃Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time？〃 said Hermione shrewdly。
〃No！ Well。。。 I wasn't supposed to be using Errol。 You know he's not really up to long journeys。。。 but how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him？〃
〃Stick it back in the trunk；〃 Harry advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly； 〃or it'll wake him u