Harry Potter 01 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn’t have everything in life.
    And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville’s toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays (‘I always hope they’ll forget to give us these,’ said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the country- side became greener and tidier; eating Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King’s Cross Station.
    It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn’t attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.
    ‘You must come and stay this summer,’ said Ron, ‘both of you – I’ll send you an owl.’
    ‘Thanks,’ said Harry. ‘I’ll need something to look forward to.’
    People jostled them as they moved forwards towards the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:
    ‘Bye, Harry!’
    ‘See you, Potter!’
    ‘Still famous,’ said Ron, grinning at him.
    ‘Not where I’m going, I promise you,’ said Harry.
    He, Ron and Hermione passed through the gateway together.
    ‘There he is, Mum, there he is, look!’
    It was Ginny Weasley, Ron’s younger sister, but she wasn’t pointing at Ron.
    ‘Harry Potter!’ she squealed. ‘Look, Mum! I can see –’
    ‘Be quiet, Ginny, and it’s rude to point.’
    Mrs Weasley smiled down at them.
    ‘Busy year?’ she said.
    ‘Very,’ said Harry. ‘Thanks for the fudge and the jumper, Mrs Weasley.’
    ‘Oh, it was nothing, dear.’
    ‘Ready, are you?’
    It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still moustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.
    ‘You must be Harry’s family!’ said Mrs Weasley.
    ‘In a manner of speaking,’ said Uncle Vernon. ‘Hurry up, boy, we haven’t got all day.’ He walked away.
    Harry hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione.
    ‘See you over the summer, then.’
    ‘Hope you have – er – a good holiday,’ said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.
    ‘Oh, I will,’ said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face. ‘They don’t know we’re not allowed to use magic at home. I’m going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer …’

 
     
    Titles available in the Harry Potter series (in reading order):
     
    Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
    Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
    Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
     
     
    Other titles available:
     
    Quidditch Through the Ages
    Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
    The Tales of Beedle the Bard
     
     
    Read on for the first chapter of the next book in the Harry Potter series...



 
    HARRY
POTTER
and the Chamber of Secrets
     

     
J.K. ROWLING

 
    All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher
    This digital edition first published by Pottermore Limited in 2012
    First published in print in Great Britain in 1998 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
    Copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
    Cover illustrations by Claire Melinsky copyright © J.K. Rowling 2010
    Harry Potter characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Ent.
    The moral right of the author has been asserted
    A CIP catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library
    ISBN 978-1-78110-008-0
    www.pottermore.com

 
    by J.K. Rowling
     
     
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