Of course not,’ said Hermione scathingly,

Of course not,’ said Hermione scathingly, before Harry could answer. ‘The Quibbler's rubbish, everyone knows that.’

‘Excuse me,’ said Luna; her voice had suddenly lost its dreamy quality. ‘My father's the editor.’

‘I—oh,’ said Hermione, looking embarrassed. ‘Well ... it's got some interesting ... I mean, it's quite...’

‘I'll have it back, thank you,’ said Luna coldly, and leaning forwards she snatched it out of Harry's hands. Riffling through it to page fifty-seven, she turned it resolutely upside-down again and disappeared behind it, just as the compartment door opened for the third time.

Harry looked around; he had expected this, but that did not make the sight of Draco Malfoy smirking at him from between his cronies Crabbe and Goyle any more enjoyable.

‘What?’ he said aggressively, before Malfoy could open his mouth.

‘Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention,’ drawled Malfoy, whose sleek blond hair and pointed chin were just like his father's. ‘You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments.’

‘Yeah,’ said Harry, ‘but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone.’

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville laughed. Malfoy's lip curled.

‘Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?’ he asked.

‘Shut up, Malfoy,’ said Hermione sharply.

‘I seem to have touched a nerve,’ said Malfoy, smirking. ‘Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line.’

‘Get out!’ said Hermione, standing up.

Sniggering, Malfoy gave Harry a last malicious look and departed, with Crabbe and Goyle lumbering along in his wake. Hermione slammed the compartment door behind them and turned to look at Harry, who knew at once that she, like him, had registered what Malfoy had said and been just as unnerved by it.

‘Chuck us another Frog,’ said Ron, who had clearly noticed nothing.

Harry could not talk freely in front of Neville and Luna. He exchanged another nervous look with Hermione, then stared out of the window.

He had thought Sirius coming with him to the station was a bit of a laugh, but suddenly it seemed reckless, if not downright dangerous.... Hermione had been right.... Sirius should not have come. What if Mr. Malfoy had noticed the black dog and told Draco? What if he had deduced that the Weasleys, Lupin, Tonks and Moody knew where Sirius was hiding? Or had Malfoy's use of the word ‘dogging’ been a coincidence?

The weather remained undecided as they travelled farther and farther north. Rain spattered the windows in a half-hearted way, then the sun put in a feeble appearance before clouds drifted over it once more. When darkness fell and lamps came on inside the carriages, Luna rolled up The Quibbler, put it carefully away in her bag and took to staring at everyone in the compartment instead.

Harry was sitting with his forehead pressed against the train window, trying to get a first distant glimpse of Hogwarts, but it was a moonless night and the rain-streaked window was grimy.