CHAPTER SIX
will be enough — I’m Hermione Granger, by the way, who are
you?”
She said all this very fast.
Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face
that he hadn’t learned all the course books by heart either.
“I’m Ron Weasley,” Ron muttered.
“Harry Potter,” said Harry.
“Are you really?” said Hermione. “I know all about you, of
course — I got a few extra books for background reading, and
you’re in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark
Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.”
“Am I?” said Harry, feeling dazed.
“Goodness, didn’t you know, I’d have found out everything I
could if it was me,” said Hermione. “Do either of you know what
House you’ll be in? I’ve been asking around, and I hope I’m in
Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself
was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn’t be too bad. . . . Any-
way, we’d better go and look for Neville’s toad. You two had better
change, you know, I expect we’ll be there soon.”
And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.
“Whatever House I’m in, I hope she’s not in it,” said Ron. He
threw his wand back into his trunk. “Stupid spell — George gave
it to me, bet he knew it was a dud.”
“What House are your brothers in?” asked Harry.
“Gryffindor,” said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him
again. “Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don’t know what they’ll say
if I’m not. I don’t suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imag-
ine if they put me in Slytherin.”
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