The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which graduily darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the ind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.

The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.

"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast....

"You said I could eat the other sandwich," muttered Amelia.

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch. "So why're we stopping?"

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

Amelia let out a small scream. 

"'What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry. "Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"

"Ow! Mione you elbowed me into the wall,"

"Sorry."

 Harry felt his way back to his seat.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"Dunno..."

There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard...."

"Can't be." said Amelia, "there are no train stations for miles around here and no towns either," 

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs.

"Sorry -- d'you know what's going on? -- Ouch -- sorry"