The journey from platform nine and three-quarters
Once Harry returned Uncle Vernon freaked out that the letter knew about his cupboard and gave him Dudley's second room. The Dursleys' house had four bedroom: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom.
"He has so many toys that they have to go into a whole separate room?" Sigurd asked in disbelief, he and his brothers were princes and even they didn't have that many toys. "That child is too spoiled" Ragnar agreed, "when i was a kid i had a stick" he carried on.
It only took Harry two trips upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room. He sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbour's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favourite program had been cancelled; there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.
"That is no way to parent a child, it is telling him that if he breaks something he will get something else" Helga sighed not happy with Dudley's parenting or lack of it.
From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, "I don't want him in there...I need that room...make him get out....". Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. The door burst open making Harry Jump thinking it was Dudley when Liva burst through the door holding a box. "Hey, i've got some bit's to decorate your new room" she smiled shaking the box gently.
"How did she know?" "magic" "say that one more time Hvitserk and i will punch you"
Liva and Harry spent the rest of the day clearing, cleaning and redecorating the room, making Harry feel like he had his own patch of heaven in the house.
"That's much better, she has good taste" Aslaug admired her granddaughters work maybe she would be willing to help her plan feasts.
Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back
"Wow i still can't believe that there is a child more spoiled than Ivar" Sigurd sneered, "Okay we get it mother loves Ivar" Ubbe sighed having enough of Sigurd's comments and jealousy.
Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard, force him to do anything, or shout at him – in fact, they didn't speak to him at all.
"Isn't that better?" Bjorn asked, confused. "It would be incredibly lonely" Ivar answered.
Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while.
"Odin they really don't like him" Ragnar mused looking intently at the scene before him. Why was this boy with these people instead of Liva and Merlin or anyone else.
Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call he Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic. His school books were very interesting. He lay on his bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice.
"That's one way to keep her out of his room"
Every night before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.Of course he spent a lot of time with Liva and Ivan who was growing more and more everyday. He did have a burning question though, pun intended. "Why did you name him Ivan?" Harry asked one day, he thought she'd name a dragon with a more deadly name. "I named him after my Father, Ivar" she answered stroking her familiars snout who leant into her touch.
"So she does know" Ivar beamed happy that it was confirmed, "unless it's a different Ivar" Sigurd couldn't help himself. Ubbe knowing how insecure his brother could be slapped the back of his head, hard. "I see why Ivar say's you are dumb brother, her last name is Lothbrok." Hvitserk laughed. "And the God's are showing us Ivars daughter " Ubbe finished.
"So his name was Ivar Lothbrok?" Harry asked wanting to know more as he friend hardly spoke of her dad. "Yes although when we learnt about him in school his name is more commonly know as Ivar the boneless" she answered. At this Harry sat up quickly and stared at her in bewilderment, "Ivar?! Ivar the boneless?! Your dad is the most famous Viking who ever lived?!" He exclaimed.
"Wait, what?" Bjorn looked like his mind was blank as he and the others looked at each other with wide eyes. "I-ivar is the most famous viking?" Ragnar stuttered, when the seer said his sons would have much fame he thought that he meant Bjorn, Ubbe and maybe Hvitserk. Floki, Aslaug and Hvitserk were smiling proudly at a stunned Ivar, "They learnt about me?" he asked quietly still not believing that he is the most famous thinking it would be Ragnar or anyone else.
"Yeah, which is why i've never really talk about him, before your letter and you knowing about magic it would've been hard to believe" she revealed not wanting him to be hurt that she hid it from him. "How? i mean he lived like a thousand years ago" Harry questioned. "Uncle Merlin used a time turner to grab some rare potion ingredient that was easier to find in that time and he came across my dad and i don't know i guess they became close and when i was born my dad went into battle and...well didn't make it and so he took me to his time and raised me" she told the extremely short version.
"Time turner?" Ragnar thought out loud thinking about what he would do if he could turn back time.
"I think he knew that he was going to die though, as he gave my Uncle this to give me" she reached into her shirt and pulled out a silver Mjolnir on a thick black cord.
Ivar looked down at his necklace, the one his daughter was wearing he was glad that she had it. Aslaug was also glad as she gifted that to her son and she had it warded to protect him well to the best of her ability.
"Didn't he have brothers?" Harry tried to remember their history lessons, "yeah, my Uncle Hvitserk wanted to keep me but agreed that I'd be best off with Uncle Merlin. The others well they are not worth mentioning"
Hvitserk was happy that she knew his name and called him uncle. While his other brothers were not happy, "not worth mentioning?!" Bjorn semi-yelled he had killed a bear, fought in countless battles and was a prince but no he wasn't worth mentioning. Ivar looked down so that his brother couldn't see his amused smile, it was always him that wasn't worth mentioning but his daughter thought he was and that was enough for him.
"Oh yeah cause of the whole civil war thing"
"Pardon?" "civil war"
"I can't even remember why that started" Harry admitted sheepishly, Liva laughed History was more her subject then his. "Ragnars first wife- can't remember her name- killed my Grandmother even though she surrendered but that usurper bitch shot her in the back after she gave up her kingdom in return for safe passage out of the city" Liva spat out venom dripping from her words.
"That is a good reason for a civil war" Helga broke the silence. Bjorn shook his head, "my mother wouldn't do that!" he shouted, he was liking Liva less and less. "Is it true? did Lagertha really shoot me in the back?" Aslaug asked the seer, Ragnar and Bjorn also faced him. "It is. You offered your family sword and your throne" the seer confirmed. Ragnar and Bjorn sat in silence
"And my fathers oldest full brother sided with his mother murderer" Liva finished the improv lesson.
Ivar glared at Ubbe who looked shocked but Ivar wasn't, his brother always had his nose up Bjorns ass.
On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about going to King's Cross station the next day, so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.
"Er – Uncle Vernon?"
Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.
"Er – I'll be going to King's Cross tomorrow to – to go to Hogwarts."
Uncle Vernon grunted again.
"Suppose he considers it to much effort and exercise to actually speak"
He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.
"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"
Harry didn't say anything.
"Where is this school, anyway?"
"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled the ticket Merlin had given him out of his pocket.
"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o' clock," he read.
His aunt and uncle stared.
"Do they no longer understand English?"
"Platform what?"
"Nine and three-quarters."
"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There's no platform nine and three-quarters."
"It's on my ticket."
"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait."
"What do they have against magic it seems wonderful" Floki frowned, not getting why anyone would be so disinterested in something so different.
Harry woke at five o' clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes – he'd change on the train. He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the agreed time to meet Liva.
"I too would be to excited to sleep if i was going to a magical school"
Merlin was stood outside next to a car, Harry walked towards him and dragged his trunk along and greeted the old man. Merlin placed it inside the boot while he went back to grab Hedwig and her cage. "Where's Liva?" he asked before Merlin could answer his relatives were walking out of the door, "Don't bother coming back at Christmas" Vernon growled before going back inside and locking the front door.
"He's such a good uncle" "the best"
Merlin blinked in shock, "charming" he muttered before turning to Harry and gesturing him to get inside the car. They drove to a huge field, the two got out although Harry was more confused. They walked through one patch that seemed to ripple around them, "they are wards, don't want muggles to be able to see Ivan" he smiled.
"I did wonder how they hide such a beast" Ragnar commented, "i didn't even think that Ivan would have to be hidden" Sigurd admitted although with how Harry's guardians react to magic he suppose that it did make sense.
Harry heard a loud screech making him jump, he looked up and there was Ivan. He did a double take when he realised that Liva was in the air on his back, he came closer before landing with a loud thud.
Everyone was too stunned to be speak they knew that Ivan was big enough for Liva to ride, but knowing and seeing are two completely different things. "Imagine her and Ivan against the Christians" Floki smiled as he thought of all the destruction the duo could cause. "I don't think she would want to burn Christians you old fool" Ivar smiled, "as if you wouldn't make her" Sigurd spat. "I have never met my daughter and... yet i love her more than i hate the Christians. If she's happy then i am too" Ivar told his brother as if he was stupid and that what he was saying was obvious.
"Hey Harry!" She smiled before jumping of Ivan she gave his snout a rub, "i'll meet you at Hogwarts" she told her familiar. Hearing this the dragon took off, "you're taking him to Hogwarts?" Harry asked thinking of the teachers reaction to a dragon. "Of course he's my familiar so they have to allow him" Liva smiled before walking towards the car and getting in.
"That's going to go well" Hvitserk laughed.
They made their way towards the train station luckily they had carts to put their trunks on so they didn't have to drag them around the platforms. Merlin looked a bit worse for weather looking at all the people, "we can take it from here Uncle Merly" Liva told him. "Nope i can....do it" but he just got greener, Liva hugged him tightly, "i'll write to you" she promised. Merlin let her go albeit reluctantly before pulling Harry into a hug, "enjoy Hogwarts".
"That is a lot of people" Bjorn had to admit and all the people seemed in a rush to get somewhere or in a panic about something.
They stopped before platform nine and ten they noticed a large family in front of them, "we'll let them go first".
"Now, what's the platform number?" said the mother.
"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go..."
"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."
What looked like the oldest boy marched towards platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it – but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.
"What? How?" Ragnar gasped leaning closer, those other people got in the way of the boy. The others were also interested although Ivar and Hvitserk was wanting to see more magic and this 'school'.
"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.
"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"
"Sorry, George, dear."
"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone – but how had he done it?
The Lothbroks laughed, they liked these boy's. "think of everything you could do with someone who was identical to you" Hvitserk laughed, Ubbe groaned at the thought of two Hvitserk's but then thought to himself that he would prefer two Hvitserk's over two of his other brothers.
Now the third brother was talking briskly toward the barrier – he was almost there – and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.
"No matter how many times you see it, it still makes no sense. That's brick you can't go through it!" Bjorn was nearly tearing his hair out trying to figure it out.
"Please tell me that you know what to do" Harry pleaded to Liva who shrugged, "Uncle Merlin forgot to tell me as he thought he would be here".
"Good thing that family are there then" Aslaug commented although she was sure that Liva would figure it out.
"We could ask that lady" Liva told Harry pointing at the mother, "good idea" Harry complimented. He then stared at her thinking she was going to ask the woman, "hey it was my idea so i don't have to do the talking" she argued. Harry thought that was fair so walked up towards the woman, Liva trailing behind. "Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.
"You love talking, mainly to mother, Floki or yourself" Hvitserk teased his brother, "it's the only way to have an intelligent conversation" he smirked innocently.
"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."
She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.
"She's friendly, reminds me a bit of you Helga"
"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is – the thing is, we don't know how to –"
"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry and Liva nodded.
"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."
"The way through is to run through a wall?"
"Er – okay," said Harry as he and Liva looked at each other worried.
He pushed his trolley around with Liva following him and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. He looked at his best friend, "together?" "always"
"Aw that's sweet" Helga gushed, No one would admit it but they wished that they had a friendship like there's, pure and untainted by the cruel world. Yes they had friends but it was no as easy as Harry's and Liva's or as strong it seemed as if the two were platonic soulmates.
Ragnar was the closet with Athelstan and Floki but he often took advantage of Floki's love and loyalty towards him. It was like watching the same friendship but improved as it wasn't one taking and one giving.
They started to walk toward it. People jostled them on their way to platforms nine and ten. The two walked more quickly. Harry felt they were going to smash right into that barrier and then they'd be in trouble – leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run – the barrier was coming nearer and nearer – he wouldn't be able to stop – the cart was out of control – he was a foot away – he closed his eyes ready for the crash –
It didn't come...he kept on running...he opened his eyes. He turned and saw Liva looking around them with a wide smile and excitement in her eyes.
"They did it!" Hvitserk cheered, he grabbed his brothers shoulders and shook them. "I can see that brother" Ivar laughed swatting his hands away. They ignored Bjorn's muttering about bricks.
A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o' clock. Liva looked behind her and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. They had done it. Harry looked at his friend and couldn't help but smile at her, he was glad that they were at each others side.
"I bet that the two will end up together" Sigurd raised, "no way" Hvitserk denied he couldn't see it. "Look at the way he's looking at her" he defended. Hvitserk looked at Ivar before smirking his eyes full of the same mischief as his brother and niece, "okay if she does end up with him you win and i will buy you any instrument you want and listen to it for any three hours you want". The rest of Aslaugsson's eyebrows raised knowing how much he hated sitting still and listening to music. "But if she doesn't end up with Harry, you have to live like Ivar for three days" he finished with a smirk.
Ivar and the others looked confused, "what i mean is you can't use your leg's at all for three days" he expanded. Ubbe smirked he thought it was a great idea maybe would make Sigurd less likely to insult his disability. "You're on" Sigurd held out his hand which Hvitserk shook.
Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way of the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.
'Mother would love all the different owls' Bjorn thought to himself, he didn't want to bring her up when it was revealed about her murdering Aslaug not so long ago. He was quickly brought out of his thoughts when he finally noticed the even larger metal thing. Thinking of Helga's idea he wrote down red metal contraption.
The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."
"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.
"Who see's a new-born and thinks that's a Neville" "his parents" "i hate you"
A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.
"Give us a look, Lee, go on."
The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.
Liva barged through the crowd, Harry followed her the path she had made until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. Harry put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps, Liva grabbed one end while he had the other, "what-did-you-pack!" Liva grunted.
"I'm surprised they don't have adults to help them with their trunks" Aslaug said, watching Liva and Harry struggle with the heavy trunk that probably weighed more than both of them combined.
"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.
"Yes, please," Harry panted.
"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"
With the twins' help, Harry's trunk and Liva's was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.
"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes. Liva nodded and she tried to breathe but gave a thumbs up while using her inhaler.
"What's she breathing?" Ivar wondered, she didn't look crippled and seemed to be healthy. "I'll write it on the list" Bjorn told him while writing 'blue breath object?"
"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.
"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you -?"
"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.
"What?" said Harry.
"Harry Potter," chorused the twins.
"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."
The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. "Hey! stop staring!" Liva snapped as she got her breath back .They looked at her sheepishly, "sorry mate" they apologised, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.
"She's definitely going to punch someone, if they keep doing that"
"Fred? George? Are you there?"
"Coming, Mom."
With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.
Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Liva slumped next to him basically lying on the bench.
"That's not how a princess should sit" Aslaug pursed her lips but her lips twitched as she thought that Liva wouldn't care, so much like Ivar.
Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.
"Ron, you've got something on your nose."
The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.
"Mom – geroff." He wriggled free.
"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.
"Shut up," said Ron.
"The twins remind me of you Hvitserk"
"Where's Percy?" said the mother.
"He's coming now."
The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.
"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves –"
"He seems fun" Ragnar said sarcastically grinning to himself.
"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."
"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once –"
"Or twice –"
"A minute –"
"All summer –"
"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.
"I'm gonna befriend them" Hvitserk smiled as he nodded in determination, "then we will pull many pranks of you guys" he told his brothers.
"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.
"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term – send me an owl when you get there."
She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.
"I know that face, they are about to get a speech on behaving"
"Now, you two – this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've – you've blown up a toilet or –"
"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."
"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."
"It's not funny. And look after Ron."
"Knew it. Floki gives me those talks often" Ivar grinned at the boatbuilder, "No, i tell you not to be such a little shit". The two smiled at each other, neither noticed that Ragnar looked at them sadly.
"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."
"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.
"Got to love siblings"
"no not really"
"i mean i like 1 1/2 out of 4"
"Whose the 1/2?"
"Ubbe he betrays mother in the future but he hasn't done it yet hence the half"
"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"
Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking. Meanwhile Liva perked up and leant up on her elbows so she could be closer to the window.
"why do you and Liva feel the need to watch or listen to people" Ubbe sighed knowing Ivar was nosey. "Curiosity or sheer boredom " he shrugged.
"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"
"Who?"
"Harry Potter!"
Harry heard the little girl's voice.
"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, oh please...."
"I wonder how that conversation would go" "i don't know but i could tell you that it would end with violence or Liva hurting her feelings"
"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at In a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"
"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there – like lightning."
"Poor dear – no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."
"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"
Their mother suddenly became very stern.
"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."
"Maybe she should teach Harry's relatives on how to parent a child" Helga said liking this red haired lady.
"All right, keep your hair on. Please his friend would definitely not allow us to ask"
A whistle sounded.
"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.
"Don't worry, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."
"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."
"What's a toilet?" Sigurd asked, "i'll write it down" Bjorn told him.
"George!"
"Only joking, Mum."
The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved. Liva had enough of people watching and slumped back onto her seat, her eyes closed.
"How can she be sleeping?! she's about to go and learn magic!" "she's not sleeping just resting her eyes" "that's called sleeping father"
Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to – but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind and he had Liva with him.
The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest red-headed boy came in.
"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full."
"was it though"
Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.
"Hey, Ron."
The twins were back.
"Listen, we're going down to the middle of the train – Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."
"Right," mumbled Ron.
"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. Who are you?". "Liva Lothbrok" she introduced but didn't open her eyes, "Nice to meet you, this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."
"At least they have manners" Aslaug commented happy that not all the people from the future and rude.
"Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.
Harry nodded.
"Oh – well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got – you know..."
He pointed at Harry's forehead. Liva did open her eyes for that and gave dangerous glare before Ron could take back his question, Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.
"I image it's weird for Harry going from someone who was either ignored or hated to the most famous child" Ragnar felt sorry for the boy, being so famous for his parents being dead when he was sure that the boy would rather they be alive.
"So that's where You-Know-Who -?"
"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."
"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly. Liva side eyed Ron but knew that if he was truly making Harry uncomfortable he'd let her know.
"Well – I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."
"That's an impressive memory since he was only a babe" Helga complemented.
"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.
"Are all your family wizards?" asked Liva, thinking of all the redheads at the train station.
"Er – yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."
"So you must know loads of magic already."
The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.
"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"
"Dick's" "the worst"
"Horrible – well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."
"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left – Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."
"That's a lot to live up to" Hvitserk whispered to Ivar, the two always felt like they had a lot to live up to as well with Ragnar, Bjorn and Ubbe. Especially Ivar who was a cripple and the youngest, but then again he will go on to become the most famous Viking who ever lived. Hvitserk couldn't be happier for his brother.
Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.
"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff – I mean, I got Scabbers instead."
"That's gross they are filled with diseases" Aslaug's face was screwed up in disgust.
Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window. "There's nothing wrong with not being able to afford things Ron, the wizarding world can be quite pricey" Liva tried to comfort. Ron's whole neck went pink but he looked grateful at her words.
"Aw look at her making more friends" Floki grinned
Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.
"...and until Merlin told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort –"
Ron gasped.
"What?" said Harry.
"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have though you, of all people –"
"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. ". Ron then gasped again as if he just remembered something, "did you say Merlin like THE Merlin?"
Ivar hoped that Liva wasn't bothered by both her guardian and best friend being famous, his worries were put to rest when he saw that Liva clearly didn't give a shit.
"Yeah, he's Liva's guardian" Harry then pointed at Liva who just raised her eyebrows in confirmation. "Merlin?!" Ron seemed impressed for some reason, "yeah trust me you'd get over it a lot quicker if you saw him, two seconds in and BAM he'd trip over air but i love him"
"He does seem like a good guardian" Sigurd had to agree, he was fun but obviously knew how to parent considering that Liva wasn't too much of a brat.
While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past the fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick pass.
"Woah, that is fast!" Bjorn looked as the fields and animals past by at a fast speed, "there is much to learn about in the future" Ragnar agreed thinking of all the new things that the world had to offer.
Around half past twelve there was a great chattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"
Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches, Liva and Harry went out into the corridor.
He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry – but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.
"Those sound and look like weird foods" Ivar laughed as he looked the the chocolate frogs, "i know, i want to try them all" Hvitserk agreed, Wizard food who could say no.
Ron stared at Harry and Liva as they brought it all back to the compartment and tipped it on an empty seat.
"Hungry, are you?" Ron asked.
"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.
Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."
"Swap you for one of these," said Liva, holding up a pasty. "Go on –"
"There is no better way to make friends" Hvitserk grinned, while Bjorn tilted his head in thought, "in battle". "Over a drink" Ragnar added in.
"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."
"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, Liva grabbed cauldron cake.
It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron and Liva, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).
"Ooh my favourite" Liva picked up a chocolate frog, she opened it and quickly grabbed the hopping frog and bit its head off.
"Odin!" Everyone jumped slightly as they saw Liva bite off a frogs head
"They're not really frogs, are they?" Harry hoped but he was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.
"It sure looks like they are"
"No," said Ron. Liva showed him that the frog was in fact not alive, "it's only a charm they've got one good hop in them" she explained.
"Now that i know that the frog is in fact not real, i want to try that"
"But see it's the card that you want. I'm missing Agrippa."
Liva looked at the Agrippa card she got before she passed it to Ron, "wow you've got brilliant luck".
"What?" Harry looked confused
"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know – Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect – famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but Ptolemy."
"That sounds fun idea for children" Helga smiled, "i also want to collect them all" "you are a grown man" "what's your point"
Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.
"Looks like he could be Merlins brother"
"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.
"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Ptolemy – thanks –"
Harry turned over his card and read.
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.
"Yeah i wanna collect them, they have information about why they are famous" the Lothbrok brothers agreed.
Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.
"The fuck!" "he's gone"
"He's gone!"
"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her...do you want it? You can start collecting."
Ron's eyes strayed to a pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.
"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."
"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"
Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them.
"It's amusing that to Ron people moving from pictures is normal" Ragnar laughed in disbelief. One moment he was back in Kattegat to sail back to England to go to his death and the next he was watching Liva Ivarsdottior's magical life.
Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from his friends uncle, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.
"Merlin's on a card!" Ubbe smiled at the familiar face
"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor – you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once."
Liva scrunched up her nose in disgust, "how does he know how that tastes?".
"Do we get to meet Liva? and I'm asking because i want to meet my favourite niece not just because of the cool looking food" Hvitserk asked the seer. "your favourite niece?!" Bjorn asked offended, "by default as she's my only one" Hvitserk defended. "No she's not! what about my kids?" Bjorn's voice raised, but Hvitserk, Ivar and Sigurd looked confused. "You've got kids?", Bjorns eye twitched.
"I dont know why he's so mad he forgot about siggy" Sigurd muttered to himself.
"Bleaaargh – see? Sprouts."
They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end of a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper. Liva got lucky and got strawberry, candy floss, grape, green apple and blueberry.
Hvitserk and Sigurd exchanged looks thinking about how they wanted to try them but didn't want to poke the bear. Ivar on the other hand didn't give a shit, "you never answered our question seer?". "yes you will meet her, very soon".
The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.
There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.
"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"
When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"
"Have you tried asking an older student? they might be able to do the summoning charm" Liva asked judging by the boy's face he hadn't. "I'll go ask, thank you" he rushed off.
"Why wasn't that his first thought" "cause he's young and probably panicked"
"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."
The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.
"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. 'I'll show you, look..."
"A yellow rat, that would be more interesting" Ragnar chuckled.
He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glittering at the end.
He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.
"Her hair is awful" Aslaug sipped her wine, "she's a child" Helga gently scolded. "A child with bad hair" Ivar agreed as did the rest of Ragnarssons were known to love their hair.
"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."
She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.
"Way to put him on the spot"
"Er – all right." He cleared his throat, "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep. He looked embarrassed, "his whiskers look a bit lighter" Liva tried to make him feel better.
"No they are not" "she's trying to make him feel better"
"His fur is also a bit more light" Harry added in, Ron smiled at the two bashfully. "Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" She said all this very fast. Liva was looking at her with what Harry calls the 'what the fuck' face.
Ivar and Ragnar were pulling the exact same face, "does she not need to breath?".
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. He already knew that Liva had and pretty much knew all the 1st year spells, something about upstaging Malfoy.
"She memorised all the books and most the spells to outdo Malfoy?" Ubbe asked shocked that she'd go through all that effort to be better than someone she didn't like. "I know! I'm so proud" Ivar beamed, genuinely proud of his daughter wanting to better than her enemy.
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered. "Liva Lothbrok" she reluctantly introduced. Hermione perked up, "Lothbrok as in Ivar the boneless?"
"It's weird seeing that kids know about Ivar even so far into the future" Ubbe laughed softly as he was happy for his brother it was just a bit weird to see.
"Yeah, he's my dad it was a whole time turner situation" Liva explained, she wasn't feeling up to talking right now so gave Harry a quick glance who luckily got the message.
"Dad?" Ivar asked a bit confused, "Dad, is the same as father but less formal" the Seer explained. "Less formal is good, i want my child to be comfortable around me"
"I'm 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.
"Now those are books worth reading"
"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed he looked at Liva who nodded to confirm it, "i didn't tell you cause i didn't want to overwhelm you...or give you an ego" she smirked. Harry lightly kicked her leg.
"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do any 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.... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." and she left, taking the toadless boy with her.
"How can she talk so much while also speaking quickly" Sigurd looked shocked at how fast the girl could talk.
"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 Liva. "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 imagine if they put me in Slytherin.". Liva's head snapped over to him, "not all Slytherins are bad my Uncle Merlin was in Slytherin". Ron looked a bit sheepish as he apologised, "sorry it's just that was the house that You-Know-Who was in but you're right Merlin is the greatest wizard to exist, so not all of them are evil."
"What's a Slytherin?" Bjorn wondered, also thinking of what a Gryffindor could possibly be. "I don't know sounds like a type of snake" Ragnar told his oldest son.
"So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?" Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school. "Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles – someone tried to rob a high security vault."
"Liva can do that, study dragons" Ivar smiled but he would be worried as other dragons won't be safe for her like Ivan is. "Someone tried to rob Gringotts?" Hvitserk asked he also wanted to rob it not only for all the magic treasures but also just to see if he could. Harry stared "Really? What happened to them?" "Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."
"I thought he was gone" Aslaug worried
Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying. "What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked. "Er – I don't know any," Harry confessed. "What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world –" And he was off, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking them through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.
Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once; it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.
"Not him" Ivar growled, Ubbe, Sigurd and Hvitserk didn't look pleased to see the twat as well.
"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"
"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.
"They remind me of Dudley"
"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children they could afford." Ron went red.
"Wow he might be better at making enemy's than you Ivar" Sigurd said, Ivar didn't know whether that was an insult or a compliment.
He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it. "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.
"Yes, Harry!" Ubbe cheered, "you tell that Argr." Hvitserk joined in.
Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his cheeks. "I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that mudblood it'll rub off on you."
"I don't care that he is a child, i will kill him", Everyone looked at Aslaug in shock as she was never a fighter, Ivar just smirked proudly at his mother grateful that she already loved his daughter.
Harry and Ron stood up, while Liva sat up. "Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair. "Back off, Malfoy," Liva spoke calmly. "Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered. "Unless you get out now," said Harry, he knew that while Liva was a great friend and nice to them she'd have no problem fighting Malfoy. "But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food a you still seem to have some."
"Those two looks like they don't need anymore food" Hivtserk laughed.
Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron – Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell. Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle – Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.
"All it took was a little rat bite and they flee?" Bjorn was shocked at how weak the future children were. "they wouldn't survive in our time" Ragnar agreed, "they are just children" Helga reminded them.
"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail. "I think he's been knocked out," Ron said. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No – I don't believe it – he's gone back to sleep." and so he had.
"At least the rat, got rid of Malfoy"
"You've met Malfoy before?" "Unfortunately" Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley. "I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"
"They just accepted that excuse?"
"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"
"I do not like her" Hvitserk grumbled, she seemed like a stick in the mud.
"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?" "All right – I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "Maybe because we are children" Liva commented as she stood up to grab her own robes and left to get changed. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?" Hermione gestured to her own nose to show him where it was.
"She's a got a point" Floki thought, "Liva or Hermione about the dirt on Ron's nose" Helga asked her husband. "Both"
Ron glared at her as she left. 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. Harry 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. Liva entered the compartment now wearing her robes. 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."
"Where did that voice come from?"
Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. Liva was looking outside the window trying to see if she could spot Ivan or not. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.
"That's a lot of children" Ragnar looked at the amount with wide eyes.
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 voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
"Odin! look how big he is" Bjorn gasped, "imagine if he could fight with a sword he could best you brother" Ivar laughed. Bjorn couldn't even argue with him, as the man was so large it look like he could take out Bjorn Ironside with one punch.
"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.
"Did he not listen to Liva about how to get his toad back?" Sigurd asked rhetorically feeling a tad annoyed that he didn't listen to the advice that could've gotten him his frog back.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." There was a loud "Oooooh!" The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
Everyone stared at the castle with open mouths, it was the largest and most beautiful castle any of them had ever seem.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Liva and Ron were followed into their boat by Hermione. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then – FORWARD!” and the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"I want to go to Hogwarts" Ubbe watched as the little children sailed towards the castle to learn magic.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. "Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.
"Ayeee the toad has finally been found" Ragnar chuckled to himself, "thank the Gods we can now sleep at night"
"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.
"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.