Flying Lesson and The Midnight Duel

Hi everyone :) These days, there has been a lot of rain, so I feel depressed. I hope the rainy season will over immediately!

Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday - and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together. Harry had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else, but  he was fed up with Draco Malfoy who was Sytherin's student.

At breakfast on Thursday, a barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke. It was Remembrall which told a person if there was something he had forgotten to do. Neville was trying to remember what he had forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand. Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor MacGonagall appeared, so Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front step into the grounds for their first flying lesson. The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Their teacher, Madam Hooch arrived and started to teach them how to fly off the ground. However, Neville had an accident and broke his wrist. Madam Hooch took Neville to the hospital wing, telling everyone to stay on the ground while she was away. Malfoy picked up the Remembrall which Neville left. Then, He had leapt on to his broomstick and taken off. Harry also grabbed his broom and flew after Malfoy, who threw the glass ball high into the air. Harry catched it spectacularly and landed safely. Just then, Professor McGonagall was running towards them and told Harry to follow her. Instead of punishing him, Professor McGonagall introduced Harry to Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and told them that Harry would be an excellent Quidditch player like his father.

At dinner, Harry told Ron that he was chosen Seeker. Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry. Harry added that Wood wanted to keep it a secret. Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle came over and teased Harry about getting in trouble earlier. The tension grew and Malfoy challenged Harry to a wizard’s duel. Harry accepted, in spite of Hermione’s attempt to dissuade them from breaking the school rules. As Harry and Ron sneaked out later that night, Hermione tried to stop them but got locked out of the dorm, so she decided to go with them. Neville, wandering around lost, also joined them. They arrived at the trophy room, the site of the duel, but Malfoy and Crabbe were not there yet.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak - and it was not Malfoy. It was Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts, speaking to his cat called Mrs Norris. Hermione said to Harry that Malfoy tricked Harry and Malfoy was never going to meet Harry - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off. Harry thought Hermione was probably right, but he was not going to tell her that. Then, they began to run away. Not sure where they were going, they accidentally ended up in the forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden. They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog which filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville managed to get back to their dorm safely, though they were terrified. Hermione reprimanded Harry but stirred his curiosity by pointing out that the dog was standing on a trapdoor and they were obviously guarding something.

Many strange things and creatures appear in this book!! I like dogs, but if I look a three-headed dog, I will probably faint…

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The Sorting Hat and The Potions Master

Hi everyone :) Last week, I went to Nara Park. There were a herd of deer, so I gave Shika Senbei, a kind of cookies, to deer. I took a lot of pictures because they were so cute!! I had an awesome time with deer♩

The first-yaers were greeted at the castle door by Professor McGonagall. She told them that before they took their seats in the Great Hall, they would be sorted into their houses. There were the four houses called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Professor McGonagall added while the students are at Hogwarts, their triumphs would earn their house points, while any rule-breaking would be lose house points. Also, she said that at the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor.

The first-years students were led to the Great Hall by Professor McGonagall. Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was a lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the student were sitting. There tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another log table where the teacher were sitting. Professor McGonagell led the first-years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. She silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. She said that when she calls the first-years' name, they would put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Harry became very nervous. Most students including Hermione and Malfoy were called and sorted. Finally, it was Harry’s turn to wear the hat. After a brief mental discussion with the hat in which it tried to suggest Slytherin to him, the hat placed Harry in Gryffindor. Harry was pleased to find that Ron and Hermione also were sorted in Gryffindor.

Albus Dumbledore, the head of Hogwarts, made his welcome speech, and a banquet was began. Harry's mouth fell open because the dishes in front of him were now piled with food. Nearly Headless Nick called Sir Nicolas de Mimsy-Porpington, the resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower, introduced himself to the first-year students and told them he hoped they would win the house championship this year. Harry glanced around the room and noticed teachers talking to one another. It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Professor Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes - and a sharp , hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead. The pain had gone as quickly as it had come, but Harry knew the man was Professor Snape, who taught Potions. After banquet, Albus Dumbledore warned that the forest in the grounds was forbidden to all pupils and the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death. Then, everyone sang the school song and went off to his or her house.

Harry found life at Hogwarts unfamiliar and strange, but he thought all the classes except History of Magic were interesting. At breakfast on Friday, Harry’s owl called Hedwig delivered a letter written about a tea invitation from Hagrid. Later, in his Potions class, Harry discovered that Professor Snape really did not like him because Snape mocked Harry as “our new celebrity” and humiliated him for his ignorance of herbs. At five to three they left the castle and went to Hagrid's house. Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson, but he told Harry not worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie who was Ron's brother, Harry picked up an article from the wizard newspaper. The article was written about a break-in that occurred at Gringotts bank in a vault that had been emptied earlier in the day. He realized that it happened on his birthday, the day he and Hagrid went to Gringotts. Furthermore, he remembered that Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, taking out that grubby little package. Harry left Hagrid’s house, his mind filled with questions.

Harry's life at Hogwarts started!!! If I were the student of Hogwarts, I would like to join Gryffindor. How about you?;)

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The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Hi everyone :) I am pretty busy recently because I have to do a lot of homework. I want to spend it slow and easy♩

Harry bought books and things for school, then he went to a wand store called Qllivanders with Hagrid. A magic wand… this was what Harry had been really looking forward to. The store owner called Ollivander made Harry try a number of magic wands, telling him that it would be clear when he had the right one. Harry tried many wands out. Finally, Mr Ollivander gave him a wand which was made of holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple. Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Ollivander told Harry that it so happened that the phoenix whose tail feather is in Harry's wand, gave another feather - just one other. Ollivander added that it was very curious indeed that Harry should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave him that scar.

Harry’s last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun because they didn't speak to Harry at all. Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in "A History of Magic." On the last day of August, Harry asked Uncle Vernon to take hime to King's Cross station next day. Uncle Vernon agreed but ridiculed Harry because he said he would take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock. The following day, Harry arrived at the station at half past ten, but he had to find the train from platform nine and three-quarters. At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying about Hogwarts. Harry asked the woman for help, and she told him that all he has to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Harry did so, and he could find the train called Hogwarts Express.

On the train, Harry met Fred and George Weasley who were the red-haired twins. He also met Ron who was the twins' brother. Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the trolley, dears?" What she did have were many strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the money. Ron who came from a poor family could not afford, so Harry shared them with Ron. Ron told Harry about details of wizard life such as Quidditch, Famous Witches and Wizards cards and Every-Flavor Beans. One of the cards that Harry got was the picture of Albus Dumbledore. Then, Harry met a somewhat annoying, overachieving girl called Hermione Granger. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth. Harry also met again the boy called Draco Malfoy. He and Draco had met in Diagon Alley before. Harry and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Arriving at the station, there was Hagrid and the first years including Harry and Ron were followed into boats in which they sailed to the castle of Hogwarts.

Ron, Hermione and Malfoy finally appeared in the chapter!! Their life at Hogwarts will start form next chapter, so I'm looking forward to it;)

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