Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

　　He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.

　　A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

　　Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

　　The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

　　Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

　　"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

　　Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

　　"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

　　There was a loud "Oooooh!"

哈利往窗外一瞥，才发觉夜幕已经开始降临了。

　　在深紫色的天空下，仍旧依稀可见绵延的群山和茂密的树林，而火车似乎也开始减速了。

　　哈利和罗恩脱去夹克衫，换上他们的黑长袍，罗恩的长袍似乎不太合身，短了一点，因为它已经遮不住罗思所穿的运动鞋了。

　　一个声音在车厢里回荡，"我们五分钟后即可抵达霍格瓦彻。

　　各位请将行李留在车厢内，会有专人将各位的行李分批送往学校的。

　　哈利的肚子紧张得直晃荡，而他看见罗恩那长满雀斑的脸变得苍白。他们连忙将剩下的糖果全都塞进鼓鼓的口袋里，然后一起挤进了车厢走廊上的人群中。

　　列车缓缓地停了下来。人们拥挤向前，好不容易才挤出车门，来到一个又黑又小的站台上。寒风凛冽，哈利不禁浑身打颤。这时，只见一盏昏暗的灯在学生们的头顶上上下下跳动，左右摇摆。

　　哈利听到一个熟悉的声音在叫喊："一年级新生都到这边来！嘿！

　　哈利，你还好吧？"

　　哈格力那毛茸茸的大脸在人海中闪现出来。

　　"来呀，跟我来——还有一年级新生吗？走路小心啊，新生跟我走！"新生们跌跌撞撞地跟着哈格力沿着一条又窄又陡的小路往下走。哈利见道路两边都很黑，心里推测两旁一定都是浓密的树林。

　　几乎没人出声，只有那个不见了癞蛤蟆的尼维尔一路上气喘吁吁。

　　"马上你们就可以生平以来第一次见到霍格瓦彻了。"哈格力大声地说，"转过这个弯就到了！"人群中传来一阵响亮的"哗"的赞叹。