Chapter 6- A Train Ride

Today we see Harry make the journey to Hogwarts.
The book
The chjapter starts with the Dursleys taking Harry to Kings Cross station- a name that, as Rowling said, works rathar well, although we don't learn why till much later- while also taking Dudley to remove  his new pig tail. How did the Muggle doctors do that, by the way? Or  do all hostipals have wizards on staff? Anyway, at Kings Cross , Vernon points out that there doesn't seem to be a Platform 9 3/4, and after he leaves, Harry struggles to find it, soon getting help from what becomes like a second mother to him,Molly Weasley, who has her daughtter Ginny with her, although she can't go to Hogwarts yet. Harry gets on the platform and on the train, meeting merry pranksters Fred and George along the way. On the train, Harry meets Ron Weasley, and the two become fast friends. Ron introduces Harry to Chocolate frog cards, which harry is also introduced to the wise headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. This card, of course, also contains the clue about Nicholas Flamel and who he is, but that's quickly glossed over for now. Harry also noffically meets Draco and rebuuffs his proposal of friendship. Ron tries to turn his rat, Scabbers, yellow, which is somewhat appropiate, given later events and Pettigrew's nature. A girl named Hermione Granger stops in looking for a lost toad lost by Neville Longbottom. When they get to Hogwarts, Hagrid takes them to boats that sail across the lake to Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville are in the same boat, literally here and figuratively in many later events. Neville find the toad, Trevor, in the lake. Thje chapter ends with Hagrid knocking on the Hogwarts door.
Pottermore
There are 3 extra nuggets here. One explains why the platform is a rffffraction, and how other fractions lead to other wizard destinations. so,who knows, 9 1/2 might be Durmstrung. Rowling also gives an account of the secrey and needed Memory Charms surrounding the Hogwarts Express, which is very enteraing. Finally, there is a brief note on toads and their unpopularity, which does not shed new light on Trevor, something I and many other fans have wondered about. Was Trevor human at one point? We may never know. Next week, we will discuss life at Hogwarts,including Cerebus,er, I mean Fluffy.