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to stamp on the feel of the sixth-year girl who had both her upper arms in a tight grip; Neville was turning steadily more purple in the face while lugging at Crabbe's arms; and Hermione was attempting, in vain, to throw Millicent Bulstrode off her. Luna, however, stood limply by the side of her captor, gazing vaguely out of the window as though rather bored by the proceedings. Harry looked back at Umbridge, who was watching him closely. He kept his face deliberately smooth and blank as footsteps were heard in the corridor outside and Draco Malfoy entered the room, closely followed by Snape. 'You wanted to see me, Headmistress?' said Snape, looking around at all the pairs of struggling students with an expression of complete indifference. 'Ah, Professor Snape,' said Umbridge, smiling widely and standing up again. 'Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please.' 'You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter,' he said, surveying her coolly through his greasy curtains of black hair. 'Surely you did not use it all? I told you that three drops would be sufficient.' Umbridge flushed. 'You can make some more, can't you?' she said, her voice becoming more sweetly girlish as it always did when she was furious. 'Certainly,' said Snape, his lip curling. 'It takes a full moon-cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month.' 'A month?' squawked Umbndge, swelling toadishly. 'A month! But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!' 'Really?' said Snape, showing his first, faint sign of interest as he looked round at Harry. 'Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules.' His cold, dark eyes were boring into Harry's, who met his gaze unflinchingly, concentrating hard on what he had

stamp on the feel of the sixth-year girl who had both her upper arms in a tight grip; Neville was turning steadily more purple in the face while lugging at Crabbe's arms; and Hermione was attempting, in vain, to throw Millicent Bulstrode off her. Luna, however, stood limply by the side of her captor, gazing vaguely out of the window as though rather bored by the proceedings. Harry looked back at Umbridge, who was watching him closely. He kept his face deliberately smooth and blank as footsteps were heard in the corridor outside and Draco Malfoy entered the room, closely followed by Snape. 'You wanted to see me, Headmistress?' said Snape, looking around at all the pairs of struggling students with an expression of complete indifference. 'Ah, Professor Snape,' said Umbridge, smiling widely and standing up again. 'Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please.' 'You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter,' he said, surveying her coolly through his greasy curtains of black hair. 'Surely you did not use it all? I told you that three drops would be sufficient.' Umbridge flushed. 'You can make some more, can't you?' she said, her voice becoming more sweetly girlish as it always did when she was furious. 'Certainly,' said Snape, his lip curling. 'It takes a full moon-cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month.' 'A month?' squawked Umbndge, swelling toadishly. 'A month! But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!' 'Really?' said Snape, showing his first, faint sign of interest as he looked round at Harry. 'Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules.' His cold, dark eyes were boring into Harry's, who met his gaze unflinchingly, concentrating hard on what he had

seen in his dream, willing Snape to read it in his mind, to understand... 'I wish to interrogate him!' repeated Umbridge angrily, and Snape looked away from Harry back into her furiously quivering lace. 'I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!' 'I have already told you,' said Snape smoothly, 'that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter - 'and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did - I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much lime for truth-telling.' Snape looked back at Harry, who stared at him, frantic to communicate without words. Voldemort's got Sirius in the Department of Mysteries, he thought desperately. Voldemorts got Sirius - ' 'You are on probation!' shrieked Professor Umbridge, and Snape looked back at her, his eyebrows slightly raised. 'You arc being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!' Snape gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave. Harry knew his last chance of letting the Order know what was going on was walking out of the door. 'He's got Padfoot!' he shouted. 'He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!' Snape had stopped with his hand on Umbridge's door handle. 'Padfoot?' cried Professor Umbridge, looking eagerly from Harry to Snape. 'What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?' Snape looked round at Harry. His face was inscrutable. Harry could not tell whether he had understood or not, but he did not dare speak more plainly in front of Umbridge. 'I have no idea,' said Snape coldly. 'Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If

in his dream, willing Snape to read it in his mind, to understand... 'I wish to interrogate him!' repeated Umbridge angrily, and Snape looked away from Harry back into her furiously quivering lace. 'I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!' 'I have already told you,' said Snape smoothly, 'that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter - 'and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did - I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much lime for truth-telling.' Snape looked back at Harry, who stared at him, frantic to communicate without words. Voldemort's got Sirius in the Department of Mysteries, he thought desperately. Voldemorts got Sirius - ' 'You are on probation!' shrieked Professor Umbridge, and Snape looked back at her, his eyebrows slightly raised. 'You arc being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!' Snape gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave. Harry knew his last chance of letting the Order know what was going on was walking out of the door. 'He's got Padfoot!' he shouted. 'He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!' Snape had stopped with his hand on Umbridge's door handle. 'Padfoot?' cried Professor Umbridge, looking eagerly from Harry to Snape. 'What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?' Snape looked round at Harry. His face was inscrutable. Harry could not tell whether he had understood or not, but he did not dare speak more plainly in front of Umbridge. 'I have no idea,' said Snape coldly. 'Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If

Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job.' He closed the door behind him with a snap, leaving Harry in a state of worse turmoil than before: Snape had been his very last hope. He looked at Umbridge, who seemed to be feeling the same way; her chest was heaving with rage and frustration. 'Very well,' she said, and she pulled out her wand. 'Very well... I am left with no alternative... this is more than a matter of school discipline... this is an issue of Ministry security... yes... yes...' She seemed to be talking herself into something. She was shifting her weight nervously from foot to foot, staring at Harry, beating her wand against her empty palm and breathing heavily As he watched her, Harry felt horribly powerless without his own wand. 'You are forcing me, Potter... I do not want to,' said Umbridge, still moving restlessly on the spot, 'but sometimes circumstances justify the use... I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice...' Malfoy was watching her with a hungry expression on his face. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue,' said Umbridge quietly. 'No!' shrieked Hermione. 'Professor Umbridge - it's illegal.' But Umbridge took no notice. There was a nasty eager, excited look on her face that Harry had never seen before. She raised her wand. The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor Umbridge!' cried Hermione. 'What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him,' said Umbridge, who was now panting slightly as she pointed her wand at different parts of Harry's body in turn, apparently trying to decide where it would hurt most. 'He never knew I ordered Dementors to go after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same.' 'It was you?' gasped Harry. 'You sent the Dementors after me?' 'Somebody had

bottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job.' He closed the door behind him with a snap, leaving Harry in a state of worse turmoil than before: Snape had been his very last hope. He looked at Umbridge, who seemed to be feeling the same way; her chest was heaving with rage and frustration. 'Very well,' she said, and she pulled out her wand. 'Very well... I am left with no alternative... this is more than a matter of school discipline... this is an issue of Ministry security... yes... yes...' She seemed to be talking herself into something. She was shifting her weight nervously from foot to foot, staring at Harry, beating her wand against her empty palm and breathing heavily As he watched her, Harry felt horribly powerless without his own wand. 'You are forcing me, Potter... I do not want to,' said Umbridge, still moving restlessly on the spot, 'but sometimes circumstances justify the use... I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice...' Malfoy was watching her with a hungry expression on his face. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue,' said Umbridge quietly. 'No!' shrieked Hermione. 'Professor Umbridge - it's illegal.' But Umbridge took no notice. There was a nasty eager, excited look on her face that Harry had never seen before. She raised her wand. The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor Umbridge!' cried Hermione. 'What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him,' said Umbridge, who was now panting slightly as she pointed her wand at different parts of Harry's body in turn, apparently trying to decide where it would hurt most. 'He never knew I ordered Dementors to go after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same.' 'It was you?' gasped Harry. 'You sent the Dementors after me?' 'Somebody had

to act,' breathed Umbridge, as her wand came to rest pointing directly at Harry's forehead. They were all bleating about silencing you somehow - discrediting you - but I was the one who actually did something about it... only you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter? Not today though, not now -'And taking a deep breath, she cried, 'Cruc- 'NO!' shouted Hermione in a cracked voice from behind Millicent Bulstrode. 'No - Harry - we'll have to tell her!' 'No way!' yelled Harry, staring at the little of Hermione he could see. 'We'll have to, Harry, she'll force it out of you anyway, what's... what's the point?' And Hermione began to cry weakly into the back of Millicent Bulstrode's robes. Millicent stopped trying to squash her against the wall immediately and dodged out of her way looking disgusted. 'Well, well, well!' said Umbridge, looking triumphant. 'Little Miss Question-all is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!' 'Er - my - nee - no!' shouted VICTOR through his gag. Ginny was staring at Hermione as though she had never seen her before. Neville, still choking for breath, was gazing at her, too. But Harry had just noticed something. Though Hermione was sobbing desperately into her hands, there was no trace of a tear. 'I'm - I'm sorry everyone,' said Hermione. 'But - I can't stand it - ' That's right, that's right, girl!' said Umbridge, seizing Hermione by the shoulders, thrusting her into the abandoned chintz chair and leaning over her. 'Now then... with whom was Potter communicating just now?' 'Well,' gulped Hermione into her hands, 'well, he was trying to speak to Professor Dumbledore.' VICTOR froze, his eyes wide; Ginny stopped trying to stamp on her Slytherin captor's toes;

act,' breathed Umbridge, as her wand came to rest pointing directly at Harry's forehead. They were all bleating about silencing you somehow - discrediting you - but I was the one who actually did something about it... only you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter? Not today though, not now -'And taking a deep breath, she cried, 'Cruc- 'NO!' shouted Hermione in a cracked voice from behind Millicent Bulstrode. 'No - Harry - we'll have to tell her!' 'No way!' yelled Harry, staring at the little of Hermione he could see. 'We'll have to, Harry, she'll force it out of you anyway, what's... what's the point?' And Hermione began to cry weakly into the back of Millicent Bulstrode's robes. Millicent stopped trying to squash her against the wall immediately and dodged out of her way looking disgusted. 'Well, well, well!' said Umbridge, looking triumphant. 'Little Miss Question-all is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!' 'Er - my - nee - no!' shouted VICTOR through his gag. Ginny was staring at Hermione as though she had never seen her before. Neville, still choking for breath, was gazing at her, too. But Harry had just noticed something. Though Hermione was sobbing desperately into her hands, there was no trace of a tear. 'I'm - I'm sorry everyone,' said Hermione. 'But - I can't stand it - ' That's right, that's right, girl!' said Umbridge, seizing Hermione by the shoulders, thrusting her into the abandoned chintz chair and leaning over her. 'Now then... with whom was Potter communicating just now?' 'Well,' gulped Hermione into her hands, 'well, he was trying to speak to Professor Dumbledore.' VICTOR froze, his eyes wide; Ginny stopped trying to stamp on her Slytherin captor's toes;

and even Luna looked mildly surprised. Fortunately, the attention of Umbridge and her minions was focused too exclusively upon Hermione to notice these suspicious signs 'Dumbledore?' said Umbridge eagerly. 'You know where Dumbledore is, then?' 'Well... no!' sobbed Hermione. 'We've tried the Leaky CauldXavier in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's Head - ' 'Idiot girl - Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry's looking for him!' shouted Umbridge, disappointment etched in every sagging line of her face. 'But - but we needed to tell him something important!' wailed Hermione, holding her hands more tightly over her face, not, Harry knew, out of anguish, but to disguise the continued absence of tears. 'Yes?' said Umbridge with a sudden resurgence of excitement. 'What was it you wanted to tell him?' 'We... we wanted to tell him it's r - ready!' choked Hermione. 'What's ready?' demanded Umbridge, and now she grabbed Hermione's shoulders again and shook her slightly. 'What's ready, girl?' The... the weapon,' said Hermione. 'Weapon? Weapon?' said Umbridge, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. 'You have been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?' 'Y - y - yes,' gasped Hermione, 'but he had to leave before it was finished and n - n - now we've finished it for him, and we c - c - can't find him t - t - to tell him!' 'What kind of weapon is it?' said Umbridge harshly, her stubby hands still tight on Hermione's shoulders. 'We don't r - r - really understand it,' said Hermione, sniffing loudly. 'We j - j - just did what P - P - Professor Dumbledore told us t - t - to do.' Umbridge straightened up, looking ex

even Luna looked mildly surprised. Fortunately, the attention of Umbridge and her minions was focused too exclusively upon Hermione to notice these suspicious signs 'Dumbledore?' said Umbridge eagerly. 'You know where Dumbledore is, then?' 'Well... no!' sobbed Hermione. 'We've tried the Leaky CauldXavier in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's Head - ' 'Idiot girl - Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry's looking for him!' shouted Umbridge, disappointment etched in every sagging line of her face. 'But - but we needed to tell him something important!' wailed Hermione, holding her hands more tightly over her face, not, Harry knew, out of anguish, but to disguise the continued absence of tears. 'Yes?' said Umbridge with a sudden resurgence of excitement. 'What was it you wanted to tell him?' 'We... we wanted to tell him it's r - ready!' choked Hermione. 'What's ready?' demanded Umbridge, and now she grabbed Hermione's shoulders again and shook her slightly. 'What's ready, girl?' The... the weapon,' said Hermione. 'Weapon? Weapon?' said Umbridge, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. 'You have been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?' 'Y - y - yes,' gasped Hermione, 'but he had to leave before it was finished and n - n - now we've finished it for him, and we c - c - can't find him t - t - to tell him!' 'What kind of weapon is it?' said Umbridge harshly, her stubby hands still tight on Hermione's shoulders. 'We don't r - r - really understand it,' said Hermione, sniffing loudly. 'We j - j - just did what P - P - Professor Dumbledore told us t - t - to do.' Umbridge straightened up, looking ex

ultant. 'Lead me to the weapon,' she said. 'I'm not showing... them,' said Hermione shrilly, looking around at the Slytherins through her fingers. 'It is not for you to set conditions,' said Professor Umbridge harshly. 'Fine,' said Hermione, now sobbing into her hands again. Tine... let them see it, I hope they use it on you! In fact, I wish you'd invite loads and loads of people to come and see! Th - that would serve you right - oh, I'd love it if the wh - whole school knew where it was, and how to u - use it, and then if you annoy any of them they'll, be able to s - sort you out!' These words had a powerful impact on Umbridge: she glanced swiftly and suspiciously around at her Inquisitorial Squad, her bulging eyes resting for a moment on Malfoy, who was too slow to disguise the look of eagerness and greed that had appeared on his lace. Umbridge contemplated Hermione for another long moment, then spoke in what she clearly thought was a motherly voice. 'All right, dear, let's make it just you and me... and we'll take Potter, loo, shall we? Get up, now.' 'Professor,' said Malfoy eagerly, 'Professor Umbridge, I think some of the Squad should come with you to look after - ' 'I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone?' asked Umbridge sharply. 'In any case, it does not sound as though this weapon is something that schoolchildren should see. You will remain here until I return and make sure none of these - she gestured around at GARETH, Ginny, Neville and Luna'- escape.' 'All right,' said Malfoy, looking sulky and disappointed. 'And you two can go ahead of me and show me the way,' said Umbridge, pointing at Harry and Hermione with her wand. 'Lead on.' - CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

ant. 'Lead me to the weapon,' she said. 'I'm not showing... them,' said Hermione shrilly, looking around at the Slytherins through her fingers. 'It is not for you to set conditions,' said Professor Umbridge harshly. 'Fine,' said Hermione, now sobbing into her hands again. Tine... let them see it, I hope they use it on you! In fact, I wish you'd invite loads and loads of people to come and see! Th - that would serve you right - oh, I'd love it if the wh - whole school knew where it was, and how to u - use it, and then if you annoy any of them they'll, be able to s - sort you out!' These words had a powerful impact on Umbridge: she glanced swiftly and suspiciously around at her Inquisitorial Squad, her bulging eyes resting for a moment on Malfoy, who was too slow to disguise the look of eagerness and greed that had appeared on his lace. Umbridge contemplated Hermione for another long moment, then spoke in what she clearly thought was a motherly voice. 'All right, dear, let's make it just you and me... and we'll take Potter, loo, shall we? Get up, now.' 'Professor,' said Malfoy eagerly, 'Professor Umbridge, I think some of the Squad should come with you to look after - ' 'I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone?' asked Umbridge sharply. 'In any case, it does not sound as though this weapon is something that schoolchildren should see. You will remain here until I return and make sure none of these - she gestured around at GARETH, Ginny, Neville and Luna'- escape.' 'All right,' said Malfoy, looking sulky and disappointed. 'And you two can go ahead of me and show me the way,' said Umbridge, pointing at Harry and Hermione with her wand. 'Lead on.' - CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

- Fight and Flight Harry had no idea what Hermione was planning, or even whether she had a plan. He walked half a pace behind her as they headed down the corridor outside Umbridge's office, knowing it would look very suspicious if he appeared not to know where they were going. He did not dare attempt to talk to her; Umbridge was walking so closely behind them that he could hear her ragged breathing. Hermione led the way down the stairs into the Entrance Hall. The din of loud voices and the clatter of cutlery on plates echoed from out of the double doors to the Great Hall - it seemed incredible to Harry that twenty feet away were people who were enjoying dinner, celebrating the end of exams, not a care in the world... Hermione walked straight out of the oak front doors and down the stone steps into the balmy evening air. The sun was falling towards the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest now, and as Hermione marched purposefully across the grass - Umbridge jogging to keep up - their long dark shadows rippled over the grass behind them like cloaks. 'It's hidden in Hagrid's hut, is it?' said Umbridge eagerly in Harry's ear. 'Of course not,' said Hermione scathingly. 'Hagrid might have set it off accidentally.' 'Yes,' said Umbridge, whose excitement seemed to be mounting. 'Yes, he would have done, of course, the great half-breed oaf.' She laughed. Harry felt a strong urge to swing round and seize her by the throat, but resisted. His scar was throbbing in the soft evening air but it had not yet burned white-hot, as he knew it would if Voldemort had moved in for the kill. 'Then... where is it? asked Umbridge, with a hint or uncertainty in her voice as Hermione continued to stride towards the Forest. 'In there, of course,' said Hermione, pointing into the dark trees. 'It had to be somewhere that students weren't going to find it accidentally, didn't it?' 'Of course,' said Umbridge, though she sounded a little app

Fight and Flight Harry had no idea what Hermione was planning, or even whether she had a plan. He walked half a pace behind her as they headed down the corridor outside Umbridge's office, knowing it would look very suspicious if he appeared not to know where they were going. He did not dare attempt to talk to her; Umbridge was walking so closely behind them that he could hear her ragged breathing. Hermione led the way down the stairs into the Entrance Hall. The din of loud voices and the clatter of cutlery on plates echoed from out of the double doors to the Great Hall - it seemed incredible to Harry that twenty feet away were people who were enjoying dinner, celebrating the end of exams, not a care in the world... Hermione walked straight out of the oak front doors and down the stone steps into the balmy evening air. The sun was falling towards the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest now, and as Hermione marched purposefully across the grass - Umbridge jogging to keep up - their long dark shadows rippled over the grass behind them like cloaks. 'It's hidden in Hagrid's hut, is it?' said Umbridge eagerly in Harry's ear. 'Of course not,' said Hermione scathingly. 'Hagrid might have set it off accidentally.' 'Yes,' said Umbridge, whose excitement seemed to be mounting. 'Yes, he would have done, of course, the great half-breed oaf.' She laughed. Harry felt a strong urge to swing round and seize her by the throat, but resisted. His scar was throbbing in the soft evening air but it had not yet burned white-hot, as he knew it would if Voldemort had moved in for the kill. 'Then... where is it? asked Umbridge, with a hint or uncertainty in her voice as Hermione continued to stride towards the Forest. 'In there, of course,' said Hermione, pointing into the dark trees. 'It had to be somewhere that students weren't going to find it accidentally, didn't it?' 'Of course,' said Umbridge, though she sounded a little app

rehensive now. 'Of course... very well, then... you two stay ahead of me.' 'Can we have your wand, then, if we're going first?' Harry asked her. 'No, I don't think so, Mr Potter,' said Umbridge sweetly, poking him in the back with it. The Ministry places a rather higher value on my life than yours, I'm afraid.' As they reached the cool shade of the first trees, Harry tried to catch Hermione s eye; walking into the Forest without wands seemed to him to be more foolhardy than anything they had done so far this evening. She, however, merely gave Umbridge a contemptuous glance and plunged straight into the trees, moving at such a pace that Umbridge, with her shorter legs, had difficulty in keeping up. 'Is it very far in?' Umbridge asked, as her robe ripped on a bramble. 'Oh yes,' said Hermione, 'yes, it's well hidden.' Harry's misgivings increased. Hermione was not taking the path they had followed to visit Grawp, but the one he followed three years ago to the lair of the monster Aragog. Hermione had not been with him on that occasion; he doubted she had any idea what danger lay at the end of it. 'Er - are you sure this is the right way?' he asked her pointedly. 'Oh yes,' she said in a steely voice, crashing through the undergrowth with what he thought was a wholly unnecessary amount of noise. Behind them, Umbridge tripped over a fallen sapling. Neither of them paused to help her up again; Hermione merely strode on, calling loudly over her shoulder, 'It's a bit further in!' 'Hermione, keep your voice down,' Harry muttered, hurrying to catch up with her. 'Anything could be listening in here - ' 'I want us heard,' she answered quietly, as Umbridge jogged noisily after them. 'You'll see...' They walked on for what seemed a long time, until they were once again so deep into the Forest that the dense tree canopy blocked out all light. Harry had the feeling he had had

ensive now. 'Of course... very well, then... you two stay ahead of me.' 'Can we have your wand, then, if we're going first?' Harry asked her. 'No, I don't think so, Mr Potter,' said Umbridge sweetly, poking him in the back with it. The Ministry places a rather higher value on my life than yours, I'm afraid.' As they reached the cool shade of the first trees, Harry tried to catch Hermione s eye; walking into the Forest without wands seemed to him to be more foolhardy than anything they had done so far this evening. She, however, merely gave Umbridge a contemptuous glance and plunged straight into the trees, moving at such a pace that Umbridge, with her shorter legs, had difficulty in keeping up. 'Is it very far in?' Umbridge asked, as her robe ripped on a bramble. 'Oh yes,' said Hermione, 'yes, it's well hidden.' Harry's misgivings increased. Hermione was not taking the path they had followed to visit Grawp, but the one he followed three years ago to the lair of the monster Aragog. Hermione had not been with him on that occasion; he doubted she had any idea what danger lay at the end of it. 'Er - are you sure this is the right way?' he asked her pointedly. 'Oh yes,' she said in a steely voice, crashing through the undergrowth with what he thought was a wholly unnecessary amount of noise. Behind them, Umbridge tripped over a fallen sapling. Neither of them paused to help her up again; Hermione merely strode on, calling loudly over her shoulder, 'It's a bit further in!' 'Hermione, keep your voice down,' Harry muttered, hurrying to catch up with her. 'Anything could be listening in here - ' 'I want us heard,' she answered quietly, as Umbridge jogged noisily after them. 'You'll see...' They walked on for what seemed a long time, until they were once again so deep into the Forest that the dense tree canopy blocked out all light. Harry had the feeling he had had

before in the Forest, one of being watched by unseen eyes. 'How much further?' demanded Umbridge angrily from behind him. 'Not far now!' shouted Hermione, as they emerged into a dim, dank clearing. 'Just a little bit - ' An arrow flew through the air and landed with a menacing thud in the tree just over her head. The air was suddenly full of the sound of hooves; Harry could feel the Forest floor trembling; Umbridge gave a little scream and pushed him in front of her like a shield - ' He wrenched himself free of her and turned. Around fifty centaurs were emerging on every side, their bows raised and loaded, pointing at Harry, Hermione and Umbridge. They backed slowly into the centre of the clearing, Umbridge uttering odd little whimpers of terror. Harry looked sideways at Hermione. She was wearing a triumphant smile. 'Who are you?' said a voice. Harry looked left. The chestnut-bodied centaur called Magorian was walking towards them out of the circle: his bow, like those of the others, was raised. On Harry's right, Umbridge was still whimpering, her wand trembling violently as she pointed it at the advancing centaur. 'I asked you who are you, human,' said Magorian roughly. 'I am Dolores Umbridge!' said Umbridge in a high-pitched, terrified voice. 'Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic and Headmistress and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts!' 'You are from the Ministry of Magic?' said Magorian, as many of the centaurs in the surrounding circle shifted restlessly. 'That's right!' said Umbridge, in an even higher voice,'so be very careful! By the laws laid down by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, any attack by half-breeds such as yourselves on a human - ' 'What did you call us?' shouted a wild-looking black centaur, whom Harry recognised as Bane. There was a great deal of angry muttering and tightening of bowstrings around them. 'Don't

in the Forest, one of being watched by unseen eyes. 'How much further?' demanded Umbridge angrily from behind him. 'Not far now!' shouted Hermione, as they emerged into a dim, dank clearing. 'Just a little bit - ' An arrow flew through the air and landed with a menacing thud in the tree just over her head. The air was suddenly full of the sound of hooves; Harry could feel the Forest floor trembling; Umbridge gave a little scream and pushed him in front of her like a shield - ' He wrenched himself free of her and turned. Around fifty centaurs were emerging on every side, their bows raised and loaded, pointing at Harry, Hermione and Umbridge. They backed slowly into the centre of the clearing, Umbridge uttering odd little whimpers of terror. Harry looked sideways at Hermione. She was wearing a triumphant smile. 'Who are you?' said a voice. Harry looked left. The chestnut-bodied centaur called Magorian was walking towards them out of the circle: his bow, like those of the others, was raised. On Harry's right, Umbridge was still whimpering, her wand trembling violently as she pointed it at the advancing centaur. 'I asked you who are you, human,' said Magorian roughly. 'I am Dolores Umbridge!' said Umbridge in a high-pitched, terrified voice. 'Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic and Headmistress and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts!' 'You are from the Ministry of Magic?' said Magorian, as many of the centaurs in the surrounding circle shifted restlessly. 'That's right!' said Umbridge, in an even higher voice,'so be very careful! By the laws laid down by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, any attack by half-breeds such as yourselves on a human - ' 'What did you call us?' shouted a wild-looking black centaur, whom Harry recognised as Bane. There was a great deal of angry muttering and tightening of bowstrings around them. 'Don't

call them that!' Hermione said furiously, but Umbridge did not appear to have heard her. Still pointing her shaking wand at Magorian, she continued, 'Law Fifteen "B" states clearly that "any attack by a magical creature who is deemed to have near-human intelligence, and therefore considered responsible for its actions - ' '"Near-human intelligence"?' repeated Magorian, as Bane and several others roared with rage and pawed the ground. 'We consider that a great insult, human! Our intelligence, thankfully, far outstrips your own.' 'What are you doing in our Forest?' bellowed the hard-faced grey centaur Harry and Hermione had seen on their last trip into the Forest. 'Why are you here?' 'Your Forest?' said Umbridge, shaking now not only with fright but also, it seemed, with indignation. 'I would remind you that you live here only because the Ministry of Magic permits you certain areas of land - ' An arrow flew so close to her head that it caught at her mousy hair in passing: she let out an ear-splitting scream and threw her hands over her head, while some of the centaurs bellowed their approval and others laughed raucously. The sound of their wild, neighing laughter echoing around the dimly lit clearing and the sight of their pawing hooves was extremely unnerving. 'Whose Forest is it now, human?' bellowed Bane. 'Filthy half-breeds!' she screamed, her hands still tight over her head. 'Beasts! Uncontrolled animals!' 'Be quiet!' shouted Hermione, but it was too late: Umbridge pointed her wand at Magorian and screamed, 'Incarcerous!' Ropes flew out of midair like thick snakes, wrapping themselves tightly around the centaur's torso and trapping his arms: he gave a cry of rage and reared on to his hind legs, attempting to free himself, while the other centaurs charged. Harry grabbed Hermione and pulled her to the ground; face down on the Forest floor, he knew a moment of terror as hooves thundered around

them that!' Hermione said furiously, but Umbridge did not appear to have heard her. Still pointing her shaking wand at Magorian, she continued, 'Law Fifteen "B" states clearly that "any attack by a magical creature who is deemed to have near-human intelligence, and therefore considered responsible for its actions - ' '"Near-human intelligence"?' repeated Magorian, as Bane and several others roared with rage and pawed the ground. 'We consider that a great insult, human! Our intelligence, thankfully, far outstrips your own.' 'What are you doing in our Forest?' bellowed the hard-faced grey centaur Harry and Hermione had seen on their last trip into the Forest. 'Why are you here?' 'Your Forest?' said Umbridge, shaking now not only with fright but also, it seemed, with indignation. 'I would remind you that you live here only because the Ministry of Magic permits you certain areas of land - ' An arrow flew so close to her head that it caught at her mousy hair in passing: she let out an ear-splitting scream and threw her hands over her head, while some of the centaurs bellowed their approval and others laughed raucously. The sound of their wild, neighing laughter echoing around the dimly lit clearing and the sight of their pawing hooves was extremely unnerving. 'Whose Forest is it now, human?' bellowed Bane. 'Filthy half-breeds!' she screamed, her hands still tight over her head. 'Beasts! Uncontrolled animals!' 'Be quiet!' shouted Hermione, but it was too late: Umbridge pointed her wand at Magorian and screamed, 'Incarcerous!' Ropes flew out of midair like thick snakes, wrapping themselves tightly around the centaur's torso and trapping his arms: he gave a cry of rage and reared on to his hind legs, attempting to free himself, while the other centaurs charged. Harry grabbed Hermione and pulled her to the ground; face down on the Forest floor, he knew a moment of terror as hooves thundered around

him, but the centaurs leapt over and around them, bellowing and screaming with rage. 'Nooooo!' he heard Umbridge shriek. 'Noooooo... I am Senior Undersecretary... you cannot - Unhand me, you animals... nooooo!' Harry saw a flash of red light and knew she had attempted to Stun one of them; then she screamed very loudly. Lifting his head a few inches, Harry saw that Umbridge had been seized from behind by Bane and lifted high into the air, wriggling and yelling with fright. Her wand fell from her hand to the ground, and Harry's heart leapt. If he could just reach it - ' But as he stretched out a hand towards it, a centaur's hoof descended upon the wand and it broke cleanly in half. 'Now!' roared a voice in Harry's ear and a thick hairy arm descended from thin air and dragged him upright. Hermione, too, had been pulled to her feet. Over the plunging, many-coloured backs and heads of the centaurs, Harry saw Umbridge being borne away through the trees by Bane. Screaming non-stop, her voice grew fainter and fainter until they could no longer hear it over the trampling of hooves surrounding them. 'And these?' said the hard-faced, grey centaur holding Hermione. 'They are young,' said a slow, doleful voice from behind Harry. 'We do not attack foals.' 'They brought her here, Ronan,' replied the centaur who had such a firm grip on Harry. 'And they are not so young... he is nearing manhood, this one.' He shook Harry by the neck of his robes. 'Please,' said Hermione breathlessly, 'please, don't attack us, We don't think like her, we aren't Ministry of Magic employees! We only came in here because we hoped you'd drive her off for us.' Harry knew at once, from the look on the face of the grey centaur holding Hermione, that she had made a terrible mistake in saying this. The grey centaur threw

, but the centaurs leapt over and around them, bellowing and screaming with rage. 'Nooooo!' he heard Umbridge shriek. 'Noooooo... I am Senior Undersecretary... you cannot - Unhand me, you animals... nooooo!' Harry saw a flash of red light and knew she had attempted to Stun one of them; then she screamed very loudly. Lifting his head a few inches, Harry saw that Umbridge had been seized from behind by Bane and lifted high into the air, wriggling and yelling with fright. Her wand fell from her hand to the ground, and Harry's heart leapt. If he could just reach it - ' But as he stretched out a hand towards it, a centaur's hoof descended upon the wand and it broke cleanly in half. 'Now!' roared a voice in Harry's ear and a thick hairy arm descended from thin air and dragged him upright. Hermione, too, had been pulled to her feet. Over the plunging, many-coloured backs and heads of the centaurs, Harry saw Umbridge being borne away through the trees by Bane. Screaming non-stop, her voice grew fainter and fainter until they could no longer hear it over the trampling of hooves surrounding them. 'And these?' said the hard-faced, grey centaur holding Hermione. 'They are young,' said a slow, doleful voice from behind Harry. 'We do not attack foals.' 'They brought her here, Ronan,' replied the centaur who had such a firm grip on Harry. 'And they are not so young... he is nearing manhood, this one.' He shook Harry by the neck of his robes. 'Please,' said Hermione breathlessly, 'please, don't attack us, We don't think like her, we aren't Ministry of Magic employees! We only came in here because we hoped you'd drive her off for us.' Harry knew at once, from the look on the face of the grey centaur holding Hermione, that she had made a terrible mistake in saying this. The grey centaur threw

back his head, his back legs stamping furiously, and bellowed, 'You see, Ronan? They already have the arrogance of their kind! So we were to do your dirty work, were we, human girl? We were to act as your servants, drive away your enemies like obedient hounds?' 'No!' said Hermione in a horrorstruck squeak. 'Please - I didn't mean that! I just hoped you'd be able to - to help us - ' But she seemed to be going from bad to worse. 'We do not help humans!' snarled the centaur holding Harry, tightening his grip and rearing a little at the same time, so that Harry's feet left the ground momentarily. 'We are a race apart and proud to be so. We will not permit you to walk from here, boasting that we did your bidding!' 'We're not going to say anything like that!' Harry shouted. 'We know you didn't do what you did because we wanted you to - ' But nobody seemed to be listening to him. A bearded centaur towards the back of the crowd shouted, They came here unasked, they must pay the consequences!' A roar of approval met these words and a dun-coloured centaur shouted, 'They can join the woman!' 'You said you didn't hurt the innocent!' shouted Hermione, real tears sliding down her face now. 'We haven't done anything to hurt you, we haven't used wands or threats, we just want to go back to school, please let us go back - ' 'We are not all like the traitor Firenze, human girl!' shouted the grey centaur, to more neighing roars of approval from his fellows. 'Perhaps you thought us pretty talking horses? We are an ancient people who will not stand wizard invasions and insults! We do not recognise your laws, we do not acknowledge your superiority, we are - ' But they did not hear what else centaurs were, for at that moment there came a crashing noise on the edge of the clearing so loud that all of them, Harry, Hermione and the fifty or so centaurs filling

his head, his back legs stamping furiously, and bellowed, 'You see, Ronan? They already have the arrogance of their kind! So we were to do your dirty work, were we, human girl? We were to act as your servants, drive away your enemies like obedient hounds?' 'No!' said Hermione in a horrorstruck squeak. 'Please - I didn't mean that! I just hoped you'd be able to - to help us - ' But she seemed to be going from bad to worse. 'We do not help humans!' snarled the centaur holding Harry, tightening his grip and rearing a little at the same time, so that Harry's feet left the ground momentarily. 'We are a race apart and proud to be so. We will not permit you to walk from here, boasting that we did your bidding!' 'We're not going to say anything like that!' Harry shouted. 'We know you didn't do what you did because we wanted you to - ' But nobody seemed to be listening to him. A bearded centaur towards the back of the crowd shouted, They came here unasked, they must pay the consequences!' A roar of approval met these words and a dun-coloured centaur shouted, 'They can join the woman!' 'You said you didn't hurt the innocent!' shouted Hermione, real tears sliding down her face now. 'We haven't done anything to hurt you, we haven't used wands or threats, we just want to go back to school, please let us go back - ' 'We are not all like the traitor Firenze, human girl!' shouted the grey centaur, to more neighing roars of approval from his fellows. 'Perhaps you thought us pretty talking horses? We are an ancient people who will not stand wizard invasions and insults! We do not recognise your laws, we do not acknowledge your superiority, we are - ' But they did not hear what else centaurs were, for at that moment there came a crashing noise on the edge of the clearing so loud that all of them, Harry, Hermione and the fifty or so centaurs filling

the clearing, looked around. Harry's centaur let him fall to the ground again as his hands flew to his bow and quiver of arrows. Hermione had been dropped, too, and Harry hurried towards her as two thick tree trunks parted ominously and the monstrous form of Grawp the giant appeared in the gap. The centaurs nearest him backed into those behind; the clearing was now a forest of bows and arrows waiting to be fired, all pointing upwards at the enormous greyish face now looming over them from just beneath the thick canopy of branches. Grawp's lopsided mouth was gaping stupidly; they could see his bricklike yellow teeth glimmering in the half-light, his dull sludge-coloured eyes narrowed as he squinted down at the creatures at his feet. Broken ropes trailed from both ankles. He opened his mouth even wider. 'Hagger.' Harry did not know what 'hagger' meant, or what language it was from, nor did he much care; he was watching Grawp's feet, which were almost as long as Harry's whole body. Hermione gripped his arm tightly; the centaurs were quite silent, staring up at the giant, whose huge, round head moved from side to side as he continued to peer amongst them as though looking for something he had dropped. 'Hagger!' he said again, more insistently. 'Get away from here, giant!' called Magorian. 'You are not welcome among us!' These words seemed to make no impression whatsoever on Grawp. He stooped a little (the centaurs' arms tensed on their bows), then bellowed, 'HAGGER!' A few of the centaurs looked worried now. Hermione, however, gave a gasp. 'Harry!' she whispered. 'I think he's trying to say "Hagrid"!' At this precise moment Grawp caught sight of them, the only two humans in a sea of centaurs. He lowered his head another foot or so, staring intently at them. Harry could feel Hermione shaking as Grawp opened his mouth wide again and said

clearing, looked around. Harry's centaur let him fall to the ground again as his hands flew to his bow and quiver of arrows. Hermione had been dropped, too, and Harry hurried towards her as two thick tree trunks parted ominously and the monstrous form of Grawp the giant appeared in the gap. The centaurs nearest him backed into those behind; the clearing was now a forest of bows and arrows waiting to be fired, all pointing upwards at the enormous greyish face now looming over them from just beneath the thick canopy of branches. Grawp's lopsided mouth was gaping stupidly; they could see his bricklike yellow teeth glimmering in the half-light, his dull sludge-coloured eyes narrowed as he squinted down at the creatures at his feet. Broken ropes trailed from both ankles. He opened his mouth even wider. 'Hagger.' Harry did not know what 'hagger' meant, or what language it was from, nor did he much care; he was watching Grawp's feet, which were almost as long as Harry's whole body. Hermione gripped his arm tightly; the centaurs were quite silent, staring up at the giant, whose huge, round head moved from side to side as he continued to peer amongst them as though looking for something he had dropped. 'Hagger!' he said again, more insistently. 'Get away from here, giant!' called Magorian. 'You are not welcome among us!' These words seemed to make no impression whatsoever on Grawp. He stooped a little (the centaurs' arms tensed on their bows), then bellowed, 'HAGGER!' A few of the centaurs looked worried now. Hermione, however, gave a gasp. 'Harry!' she whispered. 'I think he's trying to say "Hagrid"!' At this precise moment Grawp caught sight of them, the only two humans in a sea of centaurs. He lowered his head another foot or so, staring intently at them. Harry could feel Hermione shaking as Grawp opened his mouth wide again and said

, in a deep, rumbling voice, 'Hermy.' 'Goodness,' said Hermione, gripping Harry's arm so tightly it was growing numb and looking as though she was about to faint, 'he - he remembered!' 'HERMY!' roared Grawp. 'WHERE HAGGER?' 'I don't know!' squealed Hermione, terrified. 'I'm sorry, Grawp, I don't know!' 'GRAWP WANT HAGGER!' One of the giants massive hands reached down. Hermione let out a real scream, ran a few steps backwards and fell over. Devoid of a wand, Harry braced himself to punch, kick, bite or whatever else it took as the hand swooped towards him and knocked a snow-white centaur off his legs. It was what the centaurs had been waiting for - Grawp's outstretched fingers were a foot from Harry when fifty arrows soared through the air at the giant, peppering his enormous face, causing him to howl with pain and rage and straighten up, rubbing his face with his enormous hands, breaking off the arrow shafts but forcing the arrowheads in still deeper. He yelled and stamped his enormous feet and the centaur; scattered out of the way; pebble-sized droplets of Grawp's blood showered Harry as he pulled Hermione to her feet and the pair of them ran as fast as they could for the shelter of the trees. Once there they looked back; Grawp was snatching blindly at the centaurs as blood ran down his face; they were retreating in disorder, galloping away through the trees on the other side of the clearing. Harry and Hermione watched Grawp give another roar of fury and plunge after them, smashing more trees aside as he went. 'Oh no,' said Hermione, quaking so badly that her knees gave way. 'Oh, that was horrible. And he might kill them all.' 'I'm not that fussed, to be honest,' said Harry bitterly. The sounds of the galloping centaurs and the blundering giant

in a deep, rumbling voice, 'Hermy.' 'Goodness,' said Hermione, gripping Harry's arm so tightly it was growing numb and looking as though she was about to faint, 'he - he remembered!' 'HERMY!' roared Grawp. 'WHERE HAGGER?' 'I don't know!' squealed Hermione, terrified. 'I'm sorry, Grawp, I don't know!' 'GRAWP WANT HAGGER!' One of the giants massive hands reached down. Hermione let out a real scream, ran a few steps backwards and fell over. Devoid of a wand, Harry braced himself to punch, kick, bite or whatever else it took as the hand swooped towards him and knocked a snow-white centaur off his legs. It was what the centaurs had been waiting for - Grawp's outstretched fingers were a foot from Harry when fifty arrows soared through the air at the giant, peppering his enormous face, causing him to howl with pain and rage and straighten up, rubbing his face with his enormous hands, breaking off the arrow shafts but forcing the arrowheads in still deeper. He yelled and stamped his enormous feet and the centaur; scattered out of the way; pebble-sized droplets of Grawp's blood showered Harry as he pulled Hermione to her feet and the pair of them ran as fast as they could for the shelter of the trees. Once there they looked back; Grawp was snatching blindly at the centaurs as blood ran down his face; they were retreating in disorder, galloping away through the trees on the other side of the clearing. Harry and Hermione watched Grawp give another roar of fury and plunge after them, smashing more trees aside as he went. 'Oh no,' said Hermione, quaking so badly that her knees gave way. 'Oh, that was horrible. And he might kill them all.' 'I'm not that fussed, to be honest,' said Harry bitterly. The sounds of the galloping centaurs and the blundering giant

grew fainter and fainter. As Harry listened to them, his scar gave another great throb and a wave of terror swept over him. They had wasted so much time - they were even further from rescuing Sirius than they had been when he had had the vision. Not only had Harry managed to lose his wand but they were stuck in the middle of the Forbidden Forest with no means of transport whatsoever. 'Smart plan,' he spat at Hermione, having to release some of his fury. 'Really smart plan. Where do we go from here?' 'We need to get back up to the castle,' said Hermione faintly. 'By the time we've done that, Sirius'll probably be dead!' said Harry, kicking a nearby tree in temper. A high-pitched chattering started up overhead and he looked up to see an angry Bowtruckle flexing its long twiglike fingers at him. 'Well, we can't do anything without wands,' said Hermione hopelessly, dragging herself up again. 'Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?' 'Yeah, we were just wondering that.' said a familiar voice from behind her. Harry and Hermione moved together instinctively and peered through the trees. CALLUM came into sight, closely followed by Ginny, Neville and Luna. All of them looked a little the worse for wear - there were several long scratches running the length of Ginny's cheek; a large purple lump was swelling above Neville's right eye; VICTOR's lip was bleeding worse than ever - but all were looking rather pleased with themselves. 'So,' said KEIR, pushing aside a low-hanging branch and holding out Harry's wand, 'had any ideas?' 'How did you get away?' asked Harry in amazement, taking his wand from GARETH. 'Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx,' said TRISTAN airily, now handing back Hermione's wand, too. 'But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy

fainter and fainter. As Harry listened to them, his scar gave another great throb and a wave of terror swept over him. They had wasted so much time - they were even further from rescuing Sirius than they had been when he had had the vision. Not only had Harry managed to lose his wand but they were stuck in the middle of the Forbidden Forest with no means of transport whatsoever. 'Smart plan,' he spat at Hermione, having to release some of his fury. 'Really smart plan. Where do we go from here?' 'We need to get back up to the castle,' said Hermione faintly. 'By the time we've done that, Sirius'll probably be dead!' said Harry, kicking a nearby tree in temper. A high-pitched chattering started up overhead and he looked up to see an angry Bowtruckle flexing its long twiglike fingers at him. 'Well, we can't do anything without wands,' said Hermione hopelessly, dragging herself up again. 'Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?' 'Yeah, we were just wondering that.' said a familiar voice from behind her. Harry and Hermione moved together instinctively and peered through the trees. CALLUM came into sight, closely followed by Ginny, Neville and Luna. All of them looked a little the worse for wear - there were several long scratches running the length of Ginny's cheek; a large purple lump was swelling above Neville's right eye; VICTOR's lip was bleeding worse than ever - but all were looking rather pleased with themselves. 'So,' said KEIR, pushing aside a low-hanging branch and holding out Harry's wand, 'had any ideas?' 'How did you get away?' asked Harry in amazement, taking his wand from GARETH. 'Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx,' said TRISTAN airily, now handing back Hermione's wand, too. 'But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy

- Bat Bogey Hex - it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you out of the window heading into the Forest and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?' 'She got carried away,' said Harry. 'By a herd of centaurs.' 'And they left you behind?' asked Ginny, looking astonished. 'No, they got chased off by Grawp,' said Harry. 'Who's Grawp?' Luna asked interestedly. 'Hagrid's little brother,' said OWEN promptly. 'Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or -?' 'Yes,' said Harry, as his scar gave another painful prickle, 'and I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him.' They all fell silent, looking rather scared; the problem facing them seemed insurmountable. 'Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?' said Luna, in the closest thing to a matter-of-fact voice Harry had ever heard her use. 'OK,' said Harry irritably, rounding on her. 'First of all, "we" aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, CALLUM's me only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so - ' 'I've got a broom!' said Ginny. 'Yeah, but you're not coming,' said MILES angrily. 'Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!' said Ginny, her jaw set so that her resemblance to Fred and George was suddenly striking. 'You're too -'Harry began, but Ginny said fiercely, 'I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Philosophers Stone, and it's because of me that Malfoy's stuck back in Umbridge's office with

Bat Bogey Hex - it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you out of the window heading into the Forest and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?' 'She got carried away,' said Harry. 'By a herd of centaurs.' 'And they left you behind?' asked Ginny, looking astonished. 'No, they got chased off by Grawp,' said Harry. 'Who's Grawp?' Luna asked interestedly. 'Hagrid's little brother,' said OWEN promptly. 'Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or -?' 'Yes,' said Harry, as his scar gave another painful prickle, 'and I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him.' They all fell silent, looking rather scared; the problem facing them seemed insurmountable. 'Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?' said Luna, in the closest thing to a matter-of-fact voice Harry had ever heard her use. 'OK,' said Harry irritably, rounding on her. 'First of all, "we" aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, CALLUM's me only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so - ' 'I've got a broom!' said Ginny. 'Yeah, but you're not coming,' said MILES angrily. 'Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!' said Ginny, her jaw set so that her resemblance to Fred and George was suddenly striking. 'You're too -'Harry began, but Ginny said fiercely, 'I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Philosophers Stone, and it's because of me that Malfoy's stuck back in Umbridge's office with

giant flying bogies attacking him - ' 'Yeah, but - ' 'We were all in the DA together,' said Neville quietly. 'It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real - or was that all just a game or something?' 'No - of course it wasn't -'said Harry impatiently. 'Then we should come too,' said Neville simply. 'We want to help.' 'That's right,' said Luna, smiling happily. Harry's eyes met NIALL's. He knew ANGUS was thinking exactly what he was: if he could have chosen any members of the DA, in addition to himself, CALLUM and Hermione, to join him in the attempt to rescue Sirius, he would not have picked Ginny, Neville or Luna. 'Well, it doesn't matter, anyway,' said Harry through gritted teeth, 'because we still don't know how to get there - ' 'I thought we'd settled that,' said Luna maddeningly. 'We're flying!' 'Look,' said EWAN, barely containing his anger, 'you might be able to fly without a broomstick but the rest of us can't sprout wings whenever we - ' There are ways of flying other than with broomsticks,' said Luna serenely. 'I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?' LIAM demanded. The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly,' said Luna in a dignified voice, 'but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for.' Harry whirled round. Standing between two trees, their white eyes gleaming eerily, were two Thestrals, watching the whispered conversation as though they understood every word. 'Yes!' he whispered, moving towards them. They tossed their reptilian heads, throwing back long black manes, and Harry stretched out his hand eagerly and patted the nearest one's shining neck

flying bogies attacking him - ' 'Yeah, but - ' 'We were all in the DA together,' said Neville quietly. 'It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real - or was that all just a game or something?' 'No - of course it wasn't -'said Harry impatiently. 'Then we should come too,' said Neville simply. 'We want to help.' 'That's right,' said Luna, smiling happily. Harry's eyes met NIALL's. He knew ANGUS was thinking exactly what he was: if he could have chosen any members of the DA, in addition to himself, CALLUM and Hermione, to join him in the attempt to rescue Sirius, he would not have picked Ginny, Neville or Luna. 'Well, it doesn't matter, anyway,' said Harry through gritted teeth, 'because we still don't know how to get there - ' 'I thought we'd settled that,' said Luna maddeningly. 'We're flying!' 'Look,' said EWAN, barely containing his anger, 'you might be able to fly without a broomstick but the rest of us can't sprout wings whenever we - ' There are ways of flying other than with broomsticks,' said Luna serenely. 'I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?' LIAM demanded. The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly,' said Luna in a dignified voice, 'but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for.' Harry whirled round. Standing between two trees, their white eyes gleaming eerily, were two Thestrals, watching the whispered conversation as though they understood every word. 'Yes!' he whispered, moving towards them. They tossed their reptilian heads, throwing back long black manes, and Harry stretched out his hand eagerly and patted the nearest one's shining neck

; how could he ever have thought them ugly? 'Is it those mad horse things?' said HAMISH uncertainly, staring at a point slightly to the left of the Thestral Harry was patting. 'Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?' 'Yeah,' said Harry. 'How many?' 'Just two.' 'Well, we need three,' said Hermione, who was still looking a little shaken, but determined just the same. 'Four, Hermione,' said Ginny, scowling. 'I think there are six of us, actually,' said Luna calmly, counting. 'Don't be stupid, we can't all go!' said Harry angrily. 'Look, you three -'he pointed at Neville, Ginny and Luna, 'you're not involved in this, you're not - ' They burst into more protests. His scar gave another, more painful, twinge. Every moment they delayed was precious; he did not have time to argue. 'OK, fine, it's your choice,' he said curtly, 'but unless we can find more Thestrals you're not going to be able - ' 'Oh, more of them will come,' said Ginny confidently, who like MILES was squinting in quite the wrong direction, apparently under the impression that she was looking at the horses. 'What makes you think that?' 'Because, in case you hadn't noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood,' she said coolly, 'and we know Hagrid lures Thestrals with raw meat. That's probably why these two turned up in the first place.' Harry felt a soft tug on his robes at that moment and looked down to see the closest Thestral licking his sleeve, which was damp with Grawp's blood. 'OK, then,' he said, a bright idea occurring, 'GARETH and I will take these two and go ahead, and Hermione can stay here with you three and she'll attract more Thestrals - ' 'I'm not staying behind!' said Hermione furiously

how could he ever have thought them ugly? 'Is it those mad horse things?' said HAMISH uncertainly, staring at a point slightly to the left of the Thestral Harry was patting. 'Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?' 'Yeah,' said Harry. 'How many?' 'Just two.' 'Well, we need three,' said Hermione, who was still looking a little shaken, but determined just the same. 'Four, Hermione,' said Ginny, scowling. 'I think there are six of us, actually,' said Luna calmly, counting. 'Don't be stupid, we can't all go!' said Harry angrily. 'Look, you three -'he pointed at Neville, Ginny and Luna, 'you're not involved in this, you're not - ' They burst into more protests. His scar gave another, more painful, twinge. Every moment they delayed was precious; he did not have time to argue. 'OK, fine, it's your choice,' he said curtly, 'but unless we can find more Thestrals you're not going to be able - ' 'Oh, more of them will come,' said Ginny confidently, who like MILES was squinting in quite the wrong direction, apparently under the impression that she was looking at the horses. 'What makes you think that?' 'Because, in case you hadn't noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood,' she said coolly, 'and we know Hagrid lures Thestrals with raw meat. That's probably why these two turned up in the first place.' Harry felt a soft tug on his robes at that moment and looked down to see the closest Thestral licking his sleeve, which was damp with Grawp's blood. 'OK, then,' he said, a bright idea occurring, 'GARETH and I will take these two and go ahead, and Hermione can stay here with you three and she'll attract more Thestrals - ' 'I'm not staying behind!' said Hermione furiously

. There's no need,' said Luna, smiling. 'Look, here come more now... you two must really smell...' Harry turned: no fewer than six or seven Thestrals were picking their way through the trees, their great leathery wings folded tight to their bodies, their eyes gleaming through the darkness. He had no excuse now. 'All right,' he said angrily, 'pick one and get on, then.' - CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR - The Department Of Mysteries Harry wound his hand tightly into the mane of the nearest Thestral, placed a foot on a stump nearby and scrambled clumsily on to the horse's silken back. It did not object, but twisted its head around, fangs bared, and attempted to continue its eager licking of his robes. He found there was a way of lodging his knees behind the wing joints that made him feel more secure, then looked around at the others. Neville had heaved himself over the back of the next Thestral and was now attempting to swing one short leg over the creature's back. Luna was already in place, sitting side-saddle and adjusting her robes as though she did this every day. RHYS, Hermione and Ginny, however, were still standing motionless on the spot, open-mouthed and staring. 'What?' he said. 'How're we supposed to get on?' said TRISTAN faintly. 'When we can't see the things?' 'Oh, it's easy,' said Luna, sliding obligingly from her Thestral and marching over to him, Hermione and Ginny. 'Come here...' She pulled them over to the other Thestrals standing around and one by one managed to help them on to the back of their mount. All three looked extremely nervous as she wound their hands into their horses mane and told them to grip tightly before she got back on to her own steed. This is mad,' DECLAN murmured, moving his free hand gingerly up and down his horses neck. 'Mad... if I could just see it - ' 'You

There's no need,' said Luna, smiling. 'Look, here come more now... you two must really smell...' Harry turned: no fewer than six or seven Thestrals were picking their way through the trees, their great leathery wings folded tight to their bodies, their eyes gleaming through the darkness. He had no excuse now. 'All right,' he said angrily, 'pick one and get on, then.' - CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR - The Department Of Mysteries Harry wound his hand tightly into the mane of the nearest Thestral, placed a foot on a stump nearby and scrambled clumsily on to the horse's silken back. It did not object, but twisted its head around, fangs bared, and attempted to continue its eager licking of his robes. He found there was a way of lodging his knees behind the wing joints that made him feel more secure, then looked around at the others. Neville had heaved himself over the back of the next Thestral and was now attempting to swing one short leg over the creature's back. Luna was already in place, sitting side-saddle and adjusting her robes as though she did this every day. RHYS, Hermione and Ginny, however, were still standing motionless on the spot, open-mouthed and staring. 'What?' he said. 'How're we supposed to get on?' said TRISTAN faintly. 'When we can't see the things?' 'Oh, it's easy,' said Luna, sliding obligingly from her Thestral and marching over to him, Hermione and Ginny. 'Come here...' She pulled them over to the other Thestrals standing around and one by one managed to help them on to the back of their mount. All three looked extremely nervous as she wound their hands into their horses mane and told them to grip tightly before she got back on to her own steed. This is mad,' DECLAN murmured, moving his free hand gingerly up and down his horses neck. 'Mad... if I could just see it - ' 'You

'd better hope it stays invisible,' said Harry darkly. 'We all ready, then?' They all nodded and he saw live pairs of knees tighten beneath their robes. 'OK...' He looked down at the back of his Thestral's glossy black head and swallowed. 'Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London, then,' he said uncertainly. 'Er... if you know... where to go...' For a moment Harry's Thestral did nothing at all; then, with a sweeping movement that nearly unseated him, the wings on either side extended; the horse crouched slowly, then rocketed upwards so fast and so steeply that Harry had to clench his arms and legs tightly around the horse to avoid sliding backwards over its bony rump. He closed his eyes and pressed his face down into the horses silky mane as they burst through the topmost branches of the trees and soared out into a blood-red sunset. Harry did not think he had ever moved so fast: the Thestral streaked over the castle, its wide wings hardly beating; the cooling air was slapping Harry's face; eyes screwed up against the rushing wind, he looked round and saw his five fellows soaring along behind him, each of them bent as low as possible into the neck of their Thestral to protect themselves from his slipstream. They were over the Hogwarts grounds, they had passed Hogsmeade; Harry could see mountains and gullies below them. As the daylight began to fail, Harry saw small collections of lights as they passed over more villages, then a winding road on which a single car was beetling its way home through the hills... This is bizarre!' Harry barely heard NIALL yell from somewhere behind him, and he imagined how it must feel to be speeding along at this height with no visible means of support. Twilight fell: the sky was turning to a light, dusky purple littered with tiny silver stars, and soon only the lights of Muggle towns gave them any clue of how far from the ground they were, or how very fast they were travelling. Harry's arms were

d better hope it stays invisible,' said Harry darkly. 'We all ready, then?' They all nodded and he saw live pairs of knees tighten beneath their robes. 'OK...' He looked down at the back of his Thestral's glossy black head and swallowed. 'Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London, then,' he said uncertainly. 'Er... if you know... where to go...' For a moment Harry's Thestral did nothing at all; then, with a sweeping movement that nearly unseated him, the wings on either side extended; the horse crouched slowly, then rocketed upwards so fast and so steeply that Harry had to clench his arms and legs tightly around the horse to avoid sliding backwards over its bony rump. He closed his eyes and pressed his face down into the horses silky mane as they burst through the topmost branches of the trees and soared out into a blood-red sunset. Harry did not think he had ever moved so fast: the Thestral streaked over the castle, its wide wings hardly beating; the cooling air was slapping Harry's face; eyes screwed up against the rushing wind, he looked round and saw his five fellows soaring along behind him, each of them bent as low as possible into the neck of their Thestral to protect themselves from his slipstream. They were over the Hogwarts grounds, they had passed Hogsmeade; Harry could see mountains and gullies below them. As the daylight began to fail, Harry saw small collections of lights as they passed over more villages, then a winding road on which a single car was beetling its way home through the hills... This is bizarre!' Harry barely heard NIALL yell from somewhere behind him, and he imagined how it must feel to be speeding along at this height with no visible means of support. Twilight fell: the sky was turning to a light, dusky purple littered with tiny silver stars, and soon only the lights of Muggle towns gave them any clue of how far from the ground they were, or how very fast they were travelling. Harry's arms were

wrapped tightly around his horse's neck as he willed it to go even faster. How much time had elapsed since he had seen Sirius lying on the Department of Mysteries floor? How much longer would Sirius be able to resist Voldemort? All Harry knew for sure was that his godfather had neither done as Voldemort wanted, nor died, for he was convinced that either outcome would have caused him to feel Voldemort's jubilation or fury course through his own body, making his scar sear as painfully as it had on the night Mr GREEN was attacked. On they flew through the gathering darkness; Harry's face felt stiff and cold, his legs numb from gripping the Thestral's sides so tightly, but he did not dare shift his position lest he slip... he was deaf from the thundering rush of air in his ears, and his mouth was dry and frozen from the cold night wind. He had lost all sense of how far they had come; all his faith was in the beast beneath him, still streaking purposefully through the night, barely flapping its wings as it sped ever onwards. If they were too late... He's still alive, he's still fighting, I can feel it... If Voldemort decided Sirius was not going to crack... I'd know... Harry's stomach gave a jolt; the Thestral's head was suddenly pointing towards the ground and he actually slid forwards a few inches along its neck. They were descending at last... he thought he heard a shriek behind him and twisted around dangerously, but could see no sign of a falling body... presumably they had all received a shock from the change of direction, just as he had. And now bright orange lights were growing larger and rounder on all sides; they could see the tops of buildings, streams of headlights like luminous insect eyes, squares of pale yellow that were windows. Quite suddenly, it seemed, they were hurtling towards the pavement; Harry gripped the Thestral with every last ounce of his strength, braced for a sudden impact, but the horse touched the dark ground

tightly around his horse's neck as he willed it to go even faster. How much time had elapsed since he had seen Sirius lying on the Department of Mysteries floor? How much longer would Sirius be able to resist Voldemort? All Harry knew for sure was that his godfather had neither done as Voldemort wanted, nor died, for he was convinced that either outcome would have caused him to feel Voldemort's jubilation or fury course through his own body, making his scar sear as painfully as it had on the night Mr GREEN was attacked. On they flew through the gathering darkness; Harry's face felt stiff and cold, his legs numb from gripping the Thestral's sides so tightly, but he did not dare shift his position lest he slip... he was deaf from the thundering rush of air in his ears, and his mouth was dry and frozen from the cold night wind. He had lost all sense of how far they had come; all his faith was in the beast beneath him, still streaking purposefully through the night, barely flapping its wings as it sped ever onwards. If they were too late... He's still alive, he's still fighting, I can feel it... If Voldemort decided Sirius was not going to crack... I'd know... Harry's stomach gave a jolt; the Thestral's head was suddenly pointing towards the ground and he actually slid forwards a few inches along its neck. They were descending at last... he thought he heard a shriek behind him and twisted around dangerously, but could see no sign of a falling body... presumably they had all received a shock from the change of direction, just as he had. And now bright orange lights were growing larger and rounder on all sides; they could see the tops of buildings, streams of headlights like luminous insect eyes, squares of pale yellow that were windows. Quite suddenly, it seemed, they were hurtling towards the pavement; Harry gripped the Thestral with every last ounce of his strength, braced for a sudden impact, but the horse touched the dark ground

as lightly as a shadow and Harry slid from its back, looking around at the street where the overflowing skip still stood a short way from the vandalised telephone box, both drained of colour in the flat orange glare of the streetlights. VICTOR landed a short way off and toppled immediately from his Thestral on to the pavement. 'Never again,' he said, struggling to his feet. He made as though to stride away from his Thestral, but, unable to see it, collided with its hindquarters and almost tell over again. Never, ever again... that was the worst - ' Hermione and Ginny touched down on either side of him: both slid off their mounts a little more gracefully than ALISTAIR, though with similar expressions of relief at being back on firm ground; Neville jumped down, shaking; and Luna dismounted smoothly. 'Where do we go from here, then?' she asked Harry in a politely interested voice, as though this was all a rather interesting day-trip. 'Over here,' he said. He gave his Thestral a quick, grateful pat, then led the way quickly to the battered telephone box and opened the door. 'Come on!' he urged the others, as they hesitated. SEAMUS and Ginny marched in obediently; Hermione, Neville and Luna squashed themselves in after them; Harry took one glance back at the Thestrals, now foraging for scraps of rotten food inside the skip, then forced himself into the box after Luna. 'Whoever's nearest the receiver, dial six two four four two!' he said. NIALL did it, his arm bent bizarrely to reach the dial; as it whirred back into place the cool female voice sounded inside the box. 'Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business.' 'Harry Potter, KEIR WILLIAMS, Hermione Granger,' Harry said very quickly, 'Ginny LEWIS, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood... we're here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!' Thank you,' said

lightly as a shadow and Harry slid from its back, looking around at the street where the overflowing skip still stood a short way from the vandalised telephone box, both drained of colour in the flat orange glare of the streetlights. VICTOR landed a short way off and toppled immediately from his Thestral on to the pavement. 'Never again,' he said, struggling to his feet. He made as though to stride away from his Thestral, but, unable to see it, collided with its hindquarters and almost tell over again. Never, ever again... that was the worst - ' Hermione and Ginny touched down on either side of him: both slid off their mounts a little more gracefully than ALISTAIR, though with similar expressions of relief at being back on firm ground; Neville jumped down, shaking; and Luna dismounted smoothly. 'Where do we go from here, then?' she asked Harry in a politely interested voice, as though this was all a rather interesting day-trip. 'Over here,' he said. He gave his Thestral a quick, grateful pat, then led the way quickly to the battered telephone box and opened the door. 'Come on!' he urged the others, as they hesitated. SEAMUS and Ginny marched in obediently; Hermione, Neville and Luna squashed themselves in after them; Harry took one glance back at the Thestrals, now foraging for scraps of rotten food inside the skip, then forced himself into the box after Luna. 'Whoever's nearest the receiver, dial six two four four two!' he said. NIALL did it, his arm bent bizarrely to reach the dial; as it whirred back into place the cool female voice sounded inside the box. 'Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business.' 'Harry Potter, KEIR WILLIAMS, Hermione Granger,' Harry said very quickly, 'Ginny LEWIS, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood... we're here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!' Thank you,' said

the cool female voice. 'Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes.' Half a dozen badges slid out of the metal chute where returned coins normally appeared. Hermione scooped them up and handed them mutely to Harry over Ginny's head; he glanced at the topmost one, Harry Potter, Rescue Mission. 'Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wands for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium.' 'Fine!' Harry said loudly, as his scar gave another throb. 'Now can we move?' The floor of the telephone box shuddered and the pavement rose up past its glass windows; the scavenging Thestrals were sliding out of sight; blackness closed over their heads and with a dull grinding noise they sank down into the depths of the Ministry of Magic. A chink of soft golden light hit their feet and, widening, rose up their bodies. Harry bent his knees and held his wand as ready as he could in such cramped conditions as he peered through the glass to see whether anybody was waiting for them in the Atrium, but it seemed, to be completely empty. The light was dimmer than it had been by day; there were no fires burning under the mantelpieces set into the walls, but as the lift slid smoothly to a halt he saw that golden symbols continued to twist sinuously in the dark blue ceiling. The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening,' said the woman's voice. The door of the telephone box burst open; Harry toppled out of it, closely followed by Neville and Luna. The only sound in the Atrium was the steady rush of water from the golden fountain, where jets from the wands of the witch and wizard, the point of the centaur's arrow, the tip of the goblin's hat and the house-elf's ears continued to gush into the surrounding pool. 'Come on, said Harry quietly and the six of them sprinted off down the hall, Harry in the lead, past the fountain towards the desk where the watchwizard

cool female voice. 'Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes.' Half a dozen badges slid out of the metal chute where returned coins normally appeared. Hermione scooped them up and handed them mutely to Harry over Ginny's head; he glanced at the topmost one, Harry Potter, Rescue Mission. 'Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wands for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium.' 'Fine!' Harry said loudly, as his scar gave another throb. 'Now can we move?' The floor of the telephone box shuddered and the pavement rose up past its glass windows; the scavenging Thestrals were sliding out of sight; blackness closed over their heads and with a dull grinding noise they sank down into the depths of the Ministry of Magic. A chink of soft golden light hit their feet and, widening, rose up their bodies. Harry bent his knees and held his wand as ready as he could in such cramped conditions as he peered through the glass to see whether anybody was waiting for them in the Atrium, but it seemed, to be completely empty. The light was dimmer than it had been by day; there were no fires burning under the mantelpieces set into the walls, but as the lift slid smoothly to a halt he saw that golden symbols continued to twist sinuously in the dark blue ceiling. The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening,' said the woman's voice. The door of the telephone box burst open; Harry toppled out of it, closely followed by Neville and Luna. The only sound in the Atrium was the steady rush of water from the golden fountain, where jets from the wands of the witch and wizard, the point of the centaur's arrow, the tip of the goblin's hat and the house-elf's ears continued to gush into the surrounding pool. 'Come on, said Harry quietly and the six of them sprinted off down the hall, Harry in the lead, past the fountain towards the desk where the watchwizard

who had weighed Harry's wand had sat, and which was now deserted. Harry felt sure there ought to be a security person there, sure their absence was an ominous sign, and his feeling of foreboding increased as they passed through the golden gates to the lifts. He pressed the nearest 'down' button and a lift clattered into sight almost immediately, the golden grilles slid apart with a great, echoing clanking and they dashed inside. Harry stabbed the number nine button; the grilles closed with a bang and the lift began to descend, jangling and rattling. Harry had not realised how noisy the lifts were on the day he had come with Mr DAVIES; he was sure the din would raise every security person within the building, yet when the lilt halted, the cool female voice said, 'Department of Mysteries,' and the grilles slid open. They stepped out into the corridor where nothing was moving out but the nearest torches, flickering in the rush of air from the lift. Harry turned towards the plain black door. After months and months of dreaming about it, he was here at last. 'Let's go,' he whispered, and he led the way down the corridor, Luna right behind him, gazing around with her mouth slightly open. 'OK, listen,' said Harry, stopping again within six feet of the door. 'Maybe... maybe a couple of people should stay here as a - as a lookout, and - ' 'And how're we going to let you know something's coming?' asked Ginny, her eyebrows raised. 'You could be miles away.' 'We're coming with you, Harry,' said Neville. 'Let's get on with it,' said MILES firmly. Harry still did not want to take them all with him, but it seemed he had no choice. He turned to face the door and walked forwards... just as it had in his dream, it swung open and he marched over the threshold, the others at his heels. They were standing in a large, circular room. Everything in here was black including the floor and ceiling; identical, unmarked, handleless black doors were set at intervals

had weighed Harry's wand had sat, and which was now deserted. Harry felt sure there ought to be a security person there, sure their absence was an ominous sign, and his feeling of foreboding increased as they passed through the golden gates to the lifts. He pressed the nearest 'down' button and a lift clattered into sight almost immediately, the golden grilles slid apart with a great, echoing clanking and they dashed inside. Harry stabbed the number nine button; the grilles closed with a bang and the lift began to descend, jangling and rattling. Harry had not realised how noisy the lifts were on the day he had come with Mr DAVIES; he was sure the din would raise every security person within the building, yet when the lilt halted, the cool female voice said, 'Department of Mysteries,' and the grilles slid open. They stepped out into the corridor where nothing was moving out but the nearest torches, flickering in the rush of air from the lift. Harry turned towards the plain black door. After months and months of dreaming about it, he was here at last. 'Let's go,' he whispered, and he led the way down the corridor, Luna right behind him, gazing around with her mouth slightly open. 'OK, listen,' said Harry, stopping again within six feet of the door. 'Maybe... maybe a couple of people should stay here as a - as a lookout, and - ' 'And how're we going to let you know something's coming?' asked Ginny, her eyebrows raised. 'You could be miles away.' 'We're coming with you, Harry,' said Neville. 'Let's get on with it,' said MILES firmly. Harry still did not want to take them all with him, but it seemed he had no choice. He turned to face the door and walked forwards... just as it had in his dream, it swung open and he marched over the threshold, the others at his heels. They were standing in a large, circular room. Everything in here was black including the floor and ceiling; identical, unmarked, handleless black doors were set at intervals

all around the black walls, interspersed with branches of candles whose flames burned blue; their cool, shimmering light reflected in the shining marble floor made it look as though there was dark water underfoot. 'Someone shut the door,' Harry muttered. He regretted giving this order the moment Neville had obeyed it. Without the long chink of light from the torchlit corridor behind them, the place became so dark that for a moment the only things they could see were the bunches of shivering blue flames on the walls and their ghostly reflections in the floor. In his dream, Harry had always walked purposefully across this room to the door immediately opposite the entrance and walked on. But there were around a dozen doors here. Just as he was gazing ahead at the doors opposite him, trying to decide which was the right one, there was a great rumbling noise and the candles began to move sideways. The circular wall was rotating. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm as though frightened the floor might move, too, but it did not. For a few seconds, the blue flames around them were blurred to resemble neon lines as the wall sped around; then, quite as suddenly as it had started, the rumbling stopped and everything became stationary once again. Harry's eyes had blue streaks burned into them; it was all he could see. 'What was that about?' whispered ANGUS fearfully. 'I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in through,' said Ginny in a hushed voice. Harry realised at once she was right: he could no sooner identify the exit door than locate an ant on the jet-black floor; and the door through which they needed to proceed could be any one of the dozen surrounding them. 'How're we going to get back out?' said Neville uncomfortably. 'Well, that doesn't matter now,' said Harry forcefully, blinking to try to erase the blue lines from his vision, and clutching his wand tighter than ever, 'we won't need to get out till we've found Sirius - ' 'Don't go calling for him, though!' Hermione said ur

around the black walls, interspersed with branches of candles whose flames burned blue; their cool, shimmering light reflected in the shining marble floor made it look as though there was dark water underfoot. 'Someone shut the door,' Harry muttered. He regretted giving this order the moment Neville had obeyed it. Without the long chink of light from the torchlit corridor behind them, the place became so dark that for a moment the only things they could see were the bunches of shivering blue flames on the walls and their ghostly reflections in the floor. In his dream, Harry had always walked purposefully across this room to the door immediately opposite the entrance and walked on. But there were around a dozen doors here. Just as he was gazing ahead at the doors opposite him, trying to decide which was the right one, there was a great rumbling noise and the candles began to move sideways. The circular wall was rotating. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm as though frightened the floor might move, too, but it did not. For a few seconds, the blue flames around them were blurred to resemble neon lines as the wall sped around; then, quite as suddenly as it had started, the rumbling stopped and everything became stationary once again. Harry's eyes had blue streaks burned into them; it was all he could see. 'What was that about?' whispered ANGUS fearfully. 'I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in through,' said Ginny in a hushed voice. Harry realised at once she was right: he could no sooner identify the exit door than locate an ant on the jet-black floor; and the door through which they needed to proceed could be any one of the dozen surrounding them. 'How're we going to get back out?' said Neville uncomfortably. 'Well, that doesn't matter now,' said Harry forcefully, blinking to try to erase the blue lines from his vision, and clutching his wand tighter than ever, 'we won't need to get out till we've found Sirius - ' 'Don't go calling for him, though!' Hermione said ur

gently; but Harry had never needed her advice less, his instinct was to keep as quiet as possible. 'Where do we go, then, Harry?' CALLUM asked. 'I don't -'Harry began. He swallowed. 'In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room - that's this one - and then I went through another door into a room that kind of... glitters. We should try a few doors,' he said hastily, 'I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon.' He marched straight at the door now facing him, the others following close behind him, set his left hand against its cool, shining surface, raised his wand ready to strike the moment it opened, and pushed. It swung open easily. After the darkness of the first room, the lamps hanging low on golden chains from this ceiling gave the impression that this long rectangular room was much brighter, though there were no glittering, shimmering lights as Harry had seen in his dreams. The place was quite empty except for a few desks and, in the very middle of the room, an enormous glass tank of deep green liquid, big enough for all of them to swim in; a number of pearly-white objects were drifting around lazily in it. 'What're those things?' whispered KEIR. 'Dunno,' said Harry. 'Are they fish?' breathed Ginny. 'Aquavirius Maggots!' said Luna excitedly. 'Dad said the Ministry were breeding - ' 'No,' said Hermione. She sounded odd. She moved forward to look through the side of the tank. They're brains.' 'Brains?' 'Yes... I wonder what they're doing with them?' Harry joined her at the tank. Sure enough, there could be no mistake now he saw them at close quarters. Glimmering eerily, they drifted in and out of sight in the depths of the green liquid, looking something like slimy cauliflowers. 'Let's get out of here,' said Harry. This isn

ently; but Harry had never needed her advice less, his instinct was to keep as quiet as possible. 'Where do we go, then, Harry?' CALLUM asked. 'I don't -'Harry began. He swallowed. 'In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room - that's this one - and then I went through another door into a room that kind of... glitters. We should try a few doors,' he said hastily, 'I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon.' He marched straight at the door now facing him, the others following close behind him, set his left hand against its cool, shining surface, raised his wand ready to strike the moment it opened, and pushed. It swung open easily. After the darkness of the first room, the lamps hanging low on golden chains from this ceiling gave the impression that this long rectangular room was much brighter, though there were no glittering, shimmering lights as Harry had seen in his dreams. The place was quite empty except for a few desks and, in the very middle of the room, an enormous glass tank of deep green liquid, big enough for all of them to swim in; a number of pearly-white objects were drifting around lazily in it. 'What're those things?' whispered KEIR. 'Dunno,' said Harry. 'Are they fish?' breathed Ginny. 'Aquavirius Maggots!' said Luna excitedly. 'Dad said the Ministry were breeding - ' 'No,' said Hermione. She sounded odd. She moved forward to look through the side of the tank. They're brains.' 'Brains?' 'Yes... I wonder what they're doing with them?' Harry joined her at the tank. Sure enough, there could be no mistake now he saw them at close quarters. Glimmering eerily, they drifted in and out of sight in the depths of the green liquid, looking something like slimy cauliflowers. 'Let's get out of here,' said Harry. This isn

't right, we need to try another door.' There are doors here, too,' said ANGUS, pointing around the walls. Harry's heart sank; how big was this place? 'In my dream I went through that dark room into the second one,' he said. 'I think we should go back and try from there.' So they hurried back into the dark, circular room; the ghostly shapes of the brains were now swimming before Harry's eyes instead of the blue candle flames. 'Wait!' said Hermione sharply, as Luna made to close the door of the brain room behind them. 'Flagrate!' She drew with her wand in midair and a fiery 'X' appeared on the door. No sooner had the door clicked shut behind them than there was a great rumbling, and once again the wall began to revolve very fast, but now there was a great red-gold blur in amongst the faint blue and, when all became still again, the fiery cross still burned, showing the door they had already tried. 'Good thinking,' said Harry. 'OK, let's try this one - ' Again, he strode directly at the door facing him and pushed it open, his wand still raised, the others at his heels. This room was larger than the last, dimly lit and rectangular, and the centre of it was sunken, forming a great stone pit some twenty feet deep. They were standing on the topmost tier of what seemed to be stone benches running all around the room and descending in steep steps like an amphitheatre, or the courtroom in which Harry had been tried by the Wizengamot. Instead, of a chained chair, however, there was a raised stone dais in the centre of the pit, on which stood a stone archway that looked so ancient, cracked and crumbling that Harry was amazed the thing was still standing. Unsupported by any surrounding wall, the archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which, despite the complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very slightly as though it had just been touched. 'Who's there?' said Harry, jumping down on to the bench below. There was no answering voice, but the veil

t right, we need to try another door.' There are doors here, too,' said ANGUS, pointing around the walls. Harry's heart sank; how big was this place? 'In my dream I went through that dark room into the second one,' he said. 'I think we should go back and try from there.' So they hurried back into the dark, circular room; the ghostly shapes of the brains were now swimming before Harry's eyes instead of the blue candle flames. 'Wait!' said Hermione sharply, as Luna made to close the door of the brain room behind them. 'Flagrate!' She drew with her wand in midair and a fiery 'X' appeared on the door. No sooner had the door clicked shut behind them than there was a great rumbling, and once again the wall began to revolve very fast, but now there was a great red-gold blur in amongst the faint blue and, when all became still again, the fiery cross still burned, showing the door they had already tried. 'Good thinking,' said Harry. 'OK, let's try this one - ' Again, he strode directly at the door facing him and pushed it open, his wand still raised, the others at his heels. This room was larger than the last, dimly lit and rectangular, and the centre of it was sunken, forming a great stone pit some twenty feet deep. They were standing on the topmost tier of what seemed to be stone benches running all around the room and descending in steep steps like an amphitheatre, or the courtroom in which Harry had been tried by the Wizengamot. Instead, of a chained chair, however, there was a raised stone dais in the centre of the pit, on which stood a stone archway that looked so ancient, cracked and crumbling that Harry was amazed the thing was still standing. Unsupported by any surrounding wall, the archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which, despite the complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very slightly as though it had just been touched. 'Who's there?' said Harry, jumping down on to the bench below. There was no answering voice, but the veil

continued to flutter and sway. 'Careful!' whispered Hermione. Harry scrambled down the benches one by one until he reached the stone bottom of the sunken pit. His footsteps echoed loudly as he walked slowly towards the dais. The pointed archway looked much taller from where he now stood than it had when he'd been looking down on it from above. Still the veil swayed gently, as though somebody had just passed through it. 'Sirius?' Harry spoke again, but more quietly now that he was nearer. He had the strangest feeling that there was someone standing right behind the veil on the other side of the archway. Gripping his wand very tightly, he edged around the dais, but there was nobody there; all that could be seen was the other side of the tattered black veil. 'Let's go,' called Hermione from halfway up the stone steps. This isn't right, Harry, come on, let's go.' She sounded scared, much more scared than she had in the room where the brains swam, yet Harry thought the archway had a kind of beauty about it, old though it was. The gently rippling veil intrigued him; he felt a very strong inclination to climb up on the dais and walk through it. Marry, lets go, OK? Said Hermione more forcefully. 'OK,' he said, but did not move. He had just heard something. There were faint whispering, murmuring noises coming from the other side of the veil. 'What are you saying?' he said, very loudly, so that his words echoed all around the stone benches. 'Nobody's talking, Harry!' said Hermione, now moving over to him. 'Someone's whispering behind there,' he said, moving out of her reach and continuing to frown at the veil. 'Is that you, NIALL?' 'I'm here, mate,' said NIALL, appearing around the side of the archway. 'Can't anyone else hear it?' Harry demanded, for the whispering and murmuring was becoming louder; without really meaning to put

to flutter and sway. 'Careful!' whispered Hermione. Harry scrambled down the benches one by one until he reached the stone bottom of the sunken pit. His footsteps echoed loudly as he walked slowly towards the dais. The pointed archway looked much taller from where he now stood than it had when he'd been looking down on it from above. Still the veil swayed gently, as though somebody had just passed through it. 'Sirius?' Harry spoke again, but more quietly now that he was nearer. He had the strangest feeling that there was someone standing right behind the veil on the other side of the archway. Gripping his wand very tightly, he edged around the dais, but there was nobody there; all that could be seen was the other side of the tattered black veil. 'Let's go,' called Hermione from halfway up the stone steps. This isn't right, Harry, come on, let's go.' She sounded scared, much more scared than she had in the room where the brains swam, yet Harry thought the archway had a kind of beauty about it, old though it was. The gently rippling veil intrigued him; he felt a very strong inclination to climb up on the dais and walk through it. Marry, lets go, OK? Said Hermione more forcefully. 'OK,' he said, but did not move. He had just heard something. There were faint whispering, murmuring noises coming from the other side of the veil. 'What are you saying?' he said, very loudly, so that his words echoed all around the stone benches. 'Nobody's talking, Harry!' said Hermione, now moving over to him. 'Someone's whispering behind there,' he said, moving out of her reach and continuing to frown at the veil. 'Is that you, NIALL?' 'I'm here, mate,' said NIALL, appearing around the side of the archway. 'Can't anyone else hear it?' Harry demanded, for the whispering and murmuring was becoming louder; without really meaning to put

it there, he found his foot was on the dais. 'I can hear them too,' breathed Luna, joining them around the side of the archway and gazing at the swaying veil. 'There are people in there!' 'What do you mean, "in there"?' demanded Hermione, jumping down from the bottom step and sounding much angrier than the occasion warranted, 'there isn't any "in there", it's just an archway, there's no room for anybody to be there. Harry, stop it, come away - ' She grabbed his arm and pulled, but he resisted. 'Harry, we are supposed to be here for Sirius!' she said in a high-pitched, strained voice. 'Sirius,' Harry repeated, still gazing, mesmerised, at the continuously swaying veil. 'Yeah...' Something finally slid back into place in his brain; Sirius, captured, bound and tortured, and he was staring at this archway... He took several paces back from the dais and wrenched his eyes from the veil. 'Let's go,' he said. That's what I've been trying to - well, come on, then!' said Hermione, and she led the way back around the dais. On the other side, Ginny and Neville were staring, apparently entranced, at the veil too. Without speaking, Hermione took hold of Ginny's arm, VICTOR grabbed Neville's, and they marched them firmly back to the lowest stone bench and clambered all the way back up to the door. 'What d'you reckon that arch was?' Harry asked Hermione as they regained the dark circular room. 'I don't know, but whatever it was, it was dangerous,' she said firmly, again inscribing a fiery cross on the door. Once more, the wall span and became still again. Harry approached another door at random and pushed. It did not move. 'What's wrong?' said Hermione. 'It's... locked...

there, he found his foot was on the dais. 'I can hear them too,' breathed Luna, joining them around the side of the archway and gazing at the swaying veil. 'There are people in there!' 'What do you mean, "in there"?' demanded Hermione, jumping down from the bottom step and sounding much angrier than the occasion warranted, 'there isn't any "in there", it's just an archway, there's no room for anybody to be there. Harry, stop it, come away - ' She grabbed his arm and pulled, but he resisted. 'Harry, we are supposed to be here for Sirius!' she said in a high-pitched, strained voice. 'Sirius,' Harry repeated, still gazing, mesmerised, at the continuously swaying veil. 'Yeah...' Something finally slid back into place in his brain; Sirius, captured, bound and tortured, and he was staring at this archway... He took several paces back from the dais and wrenched his eyes from the veil. 'Let's go,' he said. That's what I've been trying to - well, come on, then!' said Hermione, and she led the way back around the dais. On the other side, Ginny and Neville were staring, apparently entranced, at the veil too. Without speaking, Hermione took hold of Ginny's arm, VICTOR grabbed Neville's, and they marched them firmly back to the lowest stone bench and clambered all the way back up to the door. 'What d'you reckon that arch was?' Harry asked Hermione as they regained the dark circular room. 'I don't know, but whatever it was, it was dangerous,' she said firmly, again inscribing a fiery cross on the door. Once more, the wall span and became still again. Harry approached another door at random and pushed. It did not move. 'What's wrong?' said Hermione. 'It's... locked...

' said Harry, throwing his weight at the door, but it didn't budge. This is it, then, isn't it?' said CALLUM excitedly, joining Harry in the attempt to force the door open. 'Bound to be!' 'Get out of the way!' said Hermione sharply. She pointed her wand at the place where a lock would have been on an ordinary door and said, 'Alohomora!' Nothing happened. 'Sirius's knife!' said Harry. He pulled it out from inside his robes and slid it into the crack between the door and the wall. The others all watched eagerly as he ran it from top to bottom, withdrew it and then flung his shoulder again at the door. It remained as firmly shut as ever. What was more, when Harry looked down at the knife, he saw the blade had melted. 'Right, we're leaving that room,' said Hermione decisively. 'But what if that's the one?' said GARETH, staring at it with a mixture of apprehension and longing. 'It can't be, Harry could get through all the doors in his dream,' said Hermione, marking the door with another fiery cross as Harry replaced the now-useless handle of Sirius's knife in his pocket. 'You know what could be in there?' said Luna eagerly, as the wall started to spin yet again. 'Something blibbering, no doubt,' said Hermione under her breath and Neville gave a nervous little laugh. The wall slid to a halt and Harry, with a feeling of increasing desperation, pushed the next door open. This is it!' He knew it at once by the beautiful, dancing, diamond-sparkling light. As Harry's eyes became accustomed to the brilliant glare, he saw clocks gleaming from every surface, large and small, grandfather and carriage, hanging in spaces between the bookcases or standing on desks ranging the length of the room, so that a busy, relentless ticking filled the place like thousands of minuscule, marching footsteps. The source of the dancing, diamond-bright light was a towering crystal

said Harry, throwing his weight at the door, but it didn't budge. This is it, then, isn't it?' said CALLUM excitedly, joining Harry in the attempt to force the door open. 'Bound to be!' 'Get out of the way!' said Hermione sharply. She pointed her wand at the place where a lock would have been on an ordinary door and said, 'Alohomora!' Nothing happened. 'Sirius's knife!' said Harry. He pulled it out from inside his robes and slid it into the crack between the door and the wall. The others all watched eagerly as he ran it from top to bottom, withdrew it and then flung his shoulder again at the door. It remained as firmly shut as ever. What was more, when Harry looked down at the knife, he saw the blade had melted. 'Right, we're leaving that room,' said Hermione decisively. 'But what if that's the one?' said GARETH, staring at it with a mixture of apprehension and longing. 'It can't be, Harry could get through all the doors in his dream,' said Hermione, marking the door with another fiery cross as Harry replaced the now-useless handle of Sirius's knife in his pocket. 'You know what could be in there?' said Luna eagerly, as the wall started to spin yet again. 'Something blibbering, no doubt,' said Hermione under her breath and Neville gave a nervous little laugh. The wall slid to a halt and Harry, with a feeling of increasing desperation, pushed the next door open. This is it!' He knew it at once by the beautiful, dancing, diamond-sparkling light. As Harry's eyes became accustomed to the brilliant glare, he saw clocks gleaming from every surface, large and small, grandfather and carriage, hanging in spaces between the bookcases or standing on desks ranging the length of the room, so that a busy, relentless ticking filled the place like thousands of minuscule, marching footsteps. The source of the dancing, diamond-bright light was a towering crystal

bell jar that stood at the far end of the room. 'This way!' Harry's heart was pumping frantically now that he knew they were on the right track; he led the way down the narrow space between the lines of desks, heading, as he had done in his dream, for the source of the light, the crystal bell jar quite as tall as he was that stood on a desk and appeared to be full of a billowing, glittering wind. 'Oh, took!' said Ginny, as they drew nearer, pointing at the very heart of the bell jar. Drifting along in the sparkling current inside was a tiny, jewel-bright egg. As it rose in the jar, it cracked open and a hummingbird emerged, which was carried to the very top of the jar, but as it fell on the draught its feathers became bedraggled and damp again, and by the time it had been borne back to the bottom of the jar it had been enclosed once more in its egg. 'Keep going!' said Harry sharply, because Ginny showed signs of wanting to stop and watch the egg's progress back into a bird. 'You dawdled enough by that old arch!' she said crossly, but followed him past the bell jar to the only door behind it. This is it,' Harry said again, and his heart was now pumping so hard and fast he felt it must interfere with his speech, 'it's through here - ' He glanced around at them all; they had their wands out and looked suddenly serious and anxious. He looked back at the door and pushed. It swung open. They were there, they had found the place: high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty glass orbs. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle-brackets set at intervals along the shelves. Like those in the circular room behind them, their flames were burning blue. The room was very cold. Harry edged forward and peered down one of the shadowy aisles between two rows of shelves. He could not hear anything or see the slightest sign of movement. 'You

jar that stood at the far end of the room. 'This way!' Harry's heart was pumping frantically now that he knew they were on the right track; he led the way down the narrow space between the lines of desks, heading, as he had done in his dream, for the source of the light, the crystal bell jar quite as tall as he was that stood on a desk and appeared to be full of a billowing, glittering wind. 'Oh, took!' said Ginny, as they drew nearer, pointing at the very heart of the bell jar. Drifting along in the sparkling current inside was a tiny, jewel-bright egg. As it rose in the jar, it cracked open and a hummingbird emerged, which was carried to the very top of the jar, but as it fell on the draught its feathers became bedraggled and damp again, and by the time it had been borne back to the bottom of the jar it had been enclosed once more in its egg. 'Keep going!' said Harry sharply, because Ginny showed signs of wanting to stop and watch the egg's progress back into a bird. 'You dawdled enough by that old arch!' she said crossly, but followed him past the bell jar to the only door behind it. This is it,' Harry said again, and his heart was now pumping so hard and fast he felt it must interfere with his speech, 'it's through here - ' He glanced around at them all; they had their wands out and looked suddenly serious and anxious. He looked back at the door and pushed. It swung open. They were there, they had found the place: high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty glass orbs. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle-brackets set at intervals along the shelves. Like those in the circular room behind them, their flames were burning blue. The room was very cold. Harry edged forward and peered down one of the shadowy aisles between two rows of shelves. He could not hear anything or see the slightest sign of movement. 'You

said it was row ninety-seven,' whispered Hermione. 'Yeah,' breathed Harry, looking up at the end of the closest row. Beneath the branch of blue-glowing candles protruding from it glimmered the silver figure fifty-three. 'We need to go right, I think,' whispered Hermione, squinting to the next row. 'Yes... that's fifty-four... ' 'Keep your wands ready,' Harry said softly. They crept forward, glancing behind them as they went on down the long alleys of shelves, the further ends of which were in near-total darkness. Tiny, yellowing labels had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelves. Some of them had a weird, liquid glow; others were as dull and dark within as blown light bulbs. They passed row eighty-four... eighty-five... Harry was listening hard for the slightest sound of movement, but Sirius might be gagged now, or else unconscious... or, said an unbidden voice inside his head, he might already be dead... I'd have felt it, he told himself, his heart now hammering against his Adam's apple, I'd already know... 'Ninety-seven!' whispered Hermione. They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There was nobody there. 'He's right down at the end,' said Harry, whose mouth had become slightly dry. 'You can't see properly from here.' And he led them between the towering rows of glass balls, some of which glowed softly as they passed... 'He should be near here,' whispered Harry, convinced that every step was going to bring the ragged form of Sirius into view on the darkened floor. 'Anywhere here... really close...' 'Harry?' said Hermione tentatively, but he did not want to respond. His mouth was very dry. 'Somewhere about... here...' he said. They had reached the end of the

it was row ninety-seven,' whispered Hermione. 'Yeah,' breathed Harry, looking up at the end of the closest row. Beneath the branch of blue-glowing candles protruding from it glimmered the silver figure fifty-three. 'We need to go right, I think,' whispered Hermione, squinting to the next row. 'Yes... that's fifty-four... ' 'Keep your wands ready,' Harry said softly. They crept forward, glancing behind them as they went on down the long alleys of shelves, the further ends of which were in near-total darkness. Tiny, yellowing labels had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelves. Some of them had a weird, liquid glow; others were as dull and dark within as blown light bulbs. They passed row eighty-four... eighty-five... Harry was listening hard for the slightest sound of movement, but Sirius might be gagged now, or else unconscious... or, said an unbidden voice inside his head, he might already be dead... I'd have felt it, he told himself, his heart now hammering against his Adam's apple, I'd already know... 'Ninety-seven!' whispered Hermione. They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There was nobody there. 'He's right down at the end,' said Harry, whose mouth had become slightly dry. 'You can't see properly from here.' And he led them between the towering rows of glass balls, some of which glowed softly as they passed... 'He should be near here,' whispered Harry, convinced that every step was going to bring the ragged form of Sirius into view on the darkened floor. 'Anywhere here... really close...' 'Harry?' said Hermione tentatively, but he did not want to respond. His mouth was very dry. 'Somewhere about... here...' he said. They had reached the end of the

row and emerged into more dim candlelight, There was nobody there. All was echoing, dusty silence. 'He might be...' Harry whispered hoarsely, peering down the next alley. 'Or maybe...' He hurried to look down the one beyond that. 'Harry?' said Hermione again. 'What?' he snarled. 'I... I don't think Sirius is here.' Nobody spoke. Harry did not want to look at any of them. He felt sick. He did not understand why Sirius was not here. He had to be here. This was where he, Harry, had seen him... He ran up the space at the end of the rows, staring down them. Empty aisle after empty aisle flickered past. He ran the other way, back past his staring companions. There was no sign of Sirius anywhere, nor any hint of a struggle. 'Harry?' OWEN called. 'What?' He did not want to hear what XAVIER had to say; did not want to hear TRISTAN tell him he had been stupid or suggest that they ought to go back to Hogwarts, but the heat was rising in his face and h; felt as though he would like to skulk down here in the darkness for a long while before facing the brightness of the Atrium above and the others' accusing stares... 'Have you seen this?' said MILES. 'What?' said Harry, but eagerly this time - it had to be a sign that Sirius had been there, a clue. He strode back to where they were all standing, a little way down row ninety-seven, but found nothing except SEAMUS staring at one of the dusty glass spheres on the shelf. 'What?' Harry repeated glumly. 'It's - it's got your name on,' said MILES. Harry moved a little closer. RHYS was pointing at one of the small glass spheres that glowed with a dull inner light, though it was very dusty and appeared not to have been touched for many years. 'My name?' said Harry blank

and emerged into more dim candlelight, There was nobody there. All was echoing, dusty silence. 'He might be...' Harry whispered hoarsely, peering down the next alley. 'Or maybe...' He hurried to look down the one beyond that. 'Harry?' said Hermione again. 'What?' he snarled. 'I... I don't think Sirius is here.' Nobody spoke. Harry did not want to look at any of them. He felt sick. He did not understand why Sirius was not here. He had to be here. This was where he, Harry, had seen him... He ran up the space at the end of the rows, staring down them. Empty aisle after empty aisle flickered past. He ran the other way, back past his staring companions. There was no sign of Sirius anywhere, nor any hint of a struggle. 'Harry?' OWEN called. 'What?' He did not want to hear what XAVIER had to say; did not want to hear TRISTAN tell him he had been stupid or suggest that they ought to go back to Hogwarts, but the heat was rising in his face and h; felt as though he would like to skulk down here in the darkness for a long while before facing the brightness of the Atrium above and the others' accusing stares... 'Have you seen this?' said MILES. 'What?' said Harry, but eagerly this time - it had to be a sign that Sirius had been there, a clue. He strode back to where they were all standing, a little way down row ninety-seven, but found nothing except SEAMUS staring at one of the dusty glass spheres on the shelf. 'What?' Harry repeated glumly. 'It's - it's got your name on,' said MILES. Harry moved a little closer. RHYS was pointing at one of the small glass spheres that glowed with a dull inner light, though it was very dusty and appeared not to have been touched for many years. 'My name?' said Harry blank

ly. He stepped forwards. Not as tall as KEIR, he had to crane his neck to read the yellowish label affixed to the shelf right beneath the dusty glass ball. In spidery writing was written a date of some sixteen years previously, and below that: S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D. Dark Lord and (?)Harry Potter Harry stared at it. 'What is it?' GARETH asked, sounding unnerved. 'What's your name doing down here?' He glanced along at the other labels on that stretch of shelf. 'I'm not here,' he said, sounding perplexed. 'None of the rest of us are here.' 'Harry, I don't think you should touch it,' said Hermione sharply, as he stretched out his hand. 'Why not?' he said. 'It's something to do with me, isn't it?' 'Don't, Harry,' said Neville suddenly. Harry looked at him. Neville's round face was shining slightly with sweat. He looked as though he could not take much more suspense. 'It's got my name on,' said Harry. And feeling slightly reckless, he closed his fingers around the dusty ball's surface. He had expected it to feel cold, but it did not. On the contrary, it felt as though it had been lying in the sun for hours, as though the glow of light within was warming it. Expecting, even hoping, that something dramatic was going to happen, something exciting that might make their long and dangerous journey worth while after all, Harry lifted the glass ball down from its shelf and stared at it. Nothing whatsoever happened. The others moved in closer around Harry, gazing at the orb as he brushed it free of the clogging dust. And then, from right behind them, a drawling voice spoke. 'Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me.' - CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE - Beyond the Veil Black shapes were emerging out of thin air all around them, blocking their way

. He stepped forwards. Not as tall as KEIR, he had to crane his neck to read the yellowish label affixed to the shelf right beneath the dusty glass ball. In spidery writing was written a date of some sixteen years previously, and below that: S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D. Dark Lord and (?)Harry Potter Harry stared at it. 'What is it?' GARETH asked, sounding unnerved. 'What's your name doing down here?' He glanced along at the other labels on that stretch of shelf. 'I'm not here,' he said, sounding perplexed. 'None of the rest of us are here.' 'Harry, I don't think you should touch it,' said Hermione sharply, as he stretched out his hand. 'Why not?' he said. 'It's something to do with me, isn't it?' 'Don't, Harry,' said Neville suddenly. Harry looked at him. Neville's round face was shining slightly with sweat. He looked as though he could not take much more suspense. 'It's got my name on,' said Harry. And feeling slightly reckless, he closed his fingers around the dusty ball's surface. He had expected it to feel cold, but it did not. On the contrary, it felt as though it had been lying in the sun for hours, as though the glow of light within was warming it. Expecting, even hoping, that something dramatic was going to happen, something exciting that might make their long and dangerous journey worth while after all, Harry lifted the glass ball down from its shelf and stared at it. Nothing whatsoever happened. The others moved in closer around Harry, gazing at the orb as he brushed it free of the clogging dust. And then, from right behind them, a drawling voice spoke. 'Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me.' - CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE - Beyond the Veil Black shapes were emerging out of thin air all around them, blocking their way

left and right; eyes glinted through slits in hoods, a dozen lit wand tips were pointing directly at their hearts; Ginny gave a gasp of horror. 'To me, Potter,' repeated the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy as he held out his hand, palm up. Harry's insides plummeted sickeningly. They were trapped, and outnumbered two to one. 'To me,' said Malfoy yet again. 'Where's Sirius?' Harry said. Several of the Death Eaters laughed; a harsh female voice from the midst of the shadowy figures to Harry's left said triumphantly, The Dark Lord always knows!' 'Always,' echoed Malfoy softly. 'Now, give me the prophecy, Potter.' 'I want to know where Sirius is!' 'I want to know where Sirius is!' mimicked the woman to his left. She and her fellow Death Eaters had closed in so that they were mere feet away from Harry and the others, the light from their wands dazzling Harry's eyes. 'You've got him,' said Harry, ignoring the rising panic in his chest, the dread he had been fighting since they had first entered the ninety-seventh row. 'He's here. I know he is.' 'The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twoo,' said the woman in a horrible, mock baby voice. Harry felt XAVIER stir beside him. 'Don't do anything,' Harry muttered. 'Not yet - ' The woman who had mimicked him let out a raucous scream of laughter. 'You hear him? You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks of fighting us!' 'Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix,' said Malfoy softly. 'He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter.' 'I know Sirius is here,' said Harry, though panic was causing his chest to constrict

and right; eyes glinted through slits in hoods, a dozen lit wand tips were pointing directly at their hearts; Ginny gave a gasp of horror. 'To me, Potter,' repeated the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy as he held out his hand, palm up. Harry's insides plummeted sickeningly. They were trapped, and outnumbered two to one. 'To me,' said Malfoy yet again. 'Where's Sirius?' Harry said. Several of the Death Eaters laughed; a harsh female voice from the midst of the shadowy figures to Harry's left said triumphantly, The Dark Lord always knows!' 'Always,' echoed Malfoy softly. 'Now, give me the prophecy, Potter.' 'I want to know where Sirius is!' 'I want to know where Sirius is!' mimicked the woman to his left. She and her fellow Death Eaters had closed in so that they were mere feet away from Harry and the others, the light from their wands dazzling Harry's eyes. 'You've got him,' said Harry, ignoring the rising panic in his chest, the dread he had been fighting since they had first entered the ninety-seventh row. 'He's here. I know he is.' 'The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twoo,' said the woman in a horrible, mock baby voice. Harry felt XAVIER stir beside him. 'Don't do anything,' Harry muttered. 'Not yet - ' The woman who had mimicked him let out a raucous scream of laughter. 'You hear him? You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks of fighting us!' 'Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix,' said Malfoy softly. 'He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter.' 'I know Sirius is here,' said Harry, though panic was causing his chest to constrict

and he felt as though he could not breathe properly. 'I know you've got him!' More of the Death Eaters laughed, though the woman laughed loudest of all. 'It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter,' said Malfoy. 'Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands.' 'Go on, then,' said Harry, raising his own wand to chest height. As he did so, the five wands of EWAN, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna rose on either side of him. The knot in Harry's stomach tightened. If Sirius really was not here, he had led his friends to their deaths for no reason at all... But the Death Eaters did not strike. 'Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt,' said Malfoy coolly. It was Harry's turn to laugh. 'Yeah, right!' he said. 'I give you this - prophecy, is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you?' The words were hardly out of his mouth when the female Death Eater shrieked: 'Accio proph- Harry was just ready for her: he shouted 'Protego' before she had finished her spell, and though the glass sphere slipped to the tips of his fingers he managed to cling on to it. 'Oh, he knows how to play, little bitty baby Potter,' she said, her mad eyes staring through the slits in her hood. 'Very well, then - ' 'I TOLD YOU, NO!' Lucius Malfoy roared at the woman. 'If you smash it -!' Harry's mind was racing. The Death Eaters wanted this dusty spun-glass sphere. He had no interest in it. He just wanted to get them all out of this alive, to make sure none of his friends paid a terrible price for his stupidity... The woman stepped forward, away from her fellows, and pulled off her hood. Azkaban had hollowed Bellatrix Lestrange's face, making it gaunt and skull-like,

he felt as though he could not breathe properly. 'I know you've got him!' More of the Death Eaters laughed, though the woman laughed loudest of all. 'It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter,' said Malfoy. 'Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands.' 'Go on, then,' said Harry, raising his own wand to chest height. As he did so, the five wands of EWAN, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna rose on either side of him. The knot in Harry's stomach tightened. If Sirius really was not here, he had led his friends to their deaths for no reason at all... But the Death Eaters did not strike. 'Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt,' said Malfoy coolly. It was Harry's turn to laugh. 'Yeah, right!' he said. 'I give you this - prophecy, is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you?' The words were hardly out of his mouth when the female Death Eater shrieked: 'Accio proph- Harry was just ready for her: he shouted 'Protego' before she had finished her spell, and though the glass sphere slipped to the tips of his fingers he managed to cling on to it. 'Oh, he knows how to play, little bitty baby Potter,' she said, her mad eyes staring through the slits in her hood. 'Very well, then - ' 'I TOLD YOU, NO!' Lucius Malfoy roared at the woman. 'If you smash it -!' Harry's mind was racing. The Death Eaters wanted this dusty spun-glass sphere. He had no interest in it. He just wanted to get them all out of this alive, to make sure none of his friends paid a terrible price for his stupidity... The woman stepped forward, away from her fellows, and pulled off her hood. Azkaban had hollowed Bellatrix Lestrange's face, making it gaunt and skull-like,

but it was alive with a feverish, fanatical glow. 'You need more persuasion?' she said, her chest rising and falling rapidly. 'Very well - take the smallest one,' she ordered the Death Eaters beside her. 'Let him watch while we torture the little girl. I'll do it.' Harry felt the others close in around Ginny; he stepped sideways so that he was right in front of her, the prophecy held up to his chest. 'You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us,' he told Bellatrix. 'I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?' She did not move; she merely stared at him, the tip of her tongue moistening her thin mouth. 'So,' said Harry, 'what kind of prophecy are we talking about, anyway?' He could not think what to do but to keep talking. Neville's arm was pressed against his, and he could feel him shaking; he could feel one of the others' quickened breath on the back of his head. He was hoping they were all thinking hard about ways to get out of this, because his mind was blank. 'What kind of prophecy?' repeated Bellatrix, the grin fading from her face. 'You jest, Harry Potter.' 'Nope, not jesting,' said Harry, his eyes flicking from Death Eater to Death Eater, looking for a weak link, a space through which they could escape. 'How come Voldemort wants it? Several of the Death Eaters let out low hisses. 'You dare speak his name?' whispered Bellatrix. 'Yeah,' said Harry, maintaining his tight grip on the glass ball, expecting another attempt to bewitch it from him. 'Yeah, I've got no problem with saying Vol- 'Shut your mouth!' Bellatrix shrieked. 'You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare - ' 'Did you know he's a half-blood too?' said Harry recklessly. Hermione gave a little

it was alive with a feverish, fanatical glow. 'You need more persuasion?' she said, her chest rising and falling rapidly. 'Very well - take the smallest one,' she ordered the Death Eaters beside her. 'Let him watch while we torture the little girl. I'll do it.' Harry felt the others close in around Ginny; he stepped sideways so that he was right in front of her, the prophecy held up to his chest. 'You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us,' he told Bellatrix. 'I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?' She did not move; she merely stared at him, the tip of her tongue moistening her thin mouth. 'So,' said Harry, 'what kind of prophecy are we talking about, anyway?' He could not think what to do but to keep talking. Neville's arm was pressed against his, and he could feel him shaking; he could feel one of the others' quickened breath on the back of his head. He was hoping they were all thinking hard about ways to get out of this, because his mind was blank. 'What kind of prophecy?' repeated Bellatrix, the grin fading from her face. 'You jest, Harry Potter.' 'Nope, not jesting,' said Harry, his eyes flicking from Death Eater to Death Eater, looking for a weak link, a space through which they could escape. 'How come Voldemort wants it? Several of the Death Eaters let out low hisses. 'You dare speak his name?' whispered Bellatrix. 'Yeah,' said Harry, maintaining his tight grip on the glass ball, expecting another attempt to bewitch it from him. 'Yeah, I've got no problem with saying Vol- 'Shut your mouth!' Bellatrix shrieked. 'You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare - ' 'Did you know he's a half-blood too?' said Harry recklessly. Hermione gave a little

moan in his ear. 'Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle - or has he been telling you lot he's pure-blood?' 'STUPEF-' 'NO!' A jet of red light had shot from the end of Bellatrix Lestrange's wand, but Malfoy had deflected it; his spell caused hers to hit the shelf a foot to the left of Harry and several of the glass orbs there shattered. Two figures, pearly-white as ghosts, fluid as smoke, unfurled themselves from the fragments of broken glass upon the floor and each began to speak; their voices vied with each other, so that only fragments of what they were saying could be heard over Malfoy and Bellatrix's shouts. '... at the solstice will come a new...' said the figure of an old, bearded man. 'DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!' 'He dared - he dares -'shrieked Bellatrix incoherently, 'he stands there - filthy half-blood - ' 'WAIT UN'I'LL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!' bawled Malfoy. '... and none will come after...' said the figure of a young woman. The two figures that had burst from the shattered spheres had melted into thin air. Nothing remained of them or their erstwhile homes but fragments of glass upon the floor. They had, however, given Harry an idea. The problem was going to be conveying it to the others. 'You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over,' he said, playing for time. He moved his foot slowly sideways, feeling around for someone else's. 'Do not play games with us, Potter,' said Malfoy. 'I'm not playing games,' said Harry, half his mind on the conversation, half on his wandering foot. And then he found someone's toes and pressed down upon them. A sharp intake of breath behind him told him

an in his ear. 'Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle - or has he been telling you lot he's pure-blood?' 'STUPEF-' 'NO!' A jet of red light had shot from the end of Bellatrix Lestrange's wand, but Malfoy had deflected it; his spell caused hers to hit the shelf a foot to the left of Harry and several of the glass orbs there shattered. Two figures, pearly-white as ghosts, fluid as smoke, unfurled themselves from the fragments of broken glass upon the floor and each began to speak; their voices vied with each other, so that only fragments of what they were saying could be heard over Malfoy and Bellatrix's shouts. '... at the solstice will come a new...' said the figure of an old, bearded man. 'DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!' 'He dared - he dares -'shrieked Bellatrix incoherently, 'he stands there - filthy half-blood - ' 'WAIT UN'I'LL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!' bawled Malfoy. '... and none will come after...' said the figure of a young woman. The two figures that had burst from the shattered spheres had melted into thin air. Nothing remained of them or their erstwhile homes but fragments of glass upon the floor. They had, however, given Harry an idea. The problem was going to be conveying it to the others. 'You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over,' he said, playing for time. He moved his foot slowly sideways, feeling around for someone else's. 'Do not play games with us, Potter,' said Malfoy. 'I'm not playing games,' said Harry, half his mind on the conversation, half on his wandering foot. And then he found someone's toes and pressed down upon them. A sharp intake of breath behind him told him

they were Hermione's. 'What?' she whispered. 'Dumbledore never told you the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?' Malfoy sneered. 'I - what?' said Harry. And for a moment he quite forgot his plan. 'What about my scar?' 'What?' whispered Hermione more urgently behind him. 'Can this be?' said Malfoy, sounding maliciously delighted; some of the Death Eaters were laughing again, and under cover of their laughter, Harry hissed to Hermione, moving his lips as little as possible, 'Smash shelves - ' 'Dumbledore never told you?' Malfoy repeated. 'Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why - ' '- when I say now - ' '- you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording...' 'Did he?' said Harry. Behind him he felt rather than heard Hermione passing his message to the others and he sought to keep talking, to distract the Death Eaters. 'So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?' 'Why?' Malfoy sounded incredulously delighted. 'Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others.o steal it for him.' 'And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?' 'About both of you, Potter, about both of you... haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?' Harry stared into the slitted eye-holes through which Malfoy's grey eyes were gleaming. Was this prophecy the reason Harry's parents had died, the reason he carried his lightning-bolt scar? Was the answer to all of this clutched in his hand? 'Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me?' he said quietly

were Hermione's. 'What?' she whispered. 'Dumbledore never told you the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?' Malfoy sneered. 'I - what?' said Harry. And for a moment he quite forgot his plan. 'What about my scar?' 'What?' whispered Hermione more urgently behind him. 'Can this be?' said Malfoy, sounding maliciously delighted; some of the Death Eaters were laughing again, and under cover of their laughter, Harry hissed to Hermione, moving his lips as little as possible, 'Smash shelves - ' 'Dumbledore never told you?' Malfoy repeated. 'Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why - ' '- when I say now - ' '- you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording...' 'Did he?' said Harry. Behind him he felt rather than heard Hermione passing his message to the others and he sought to keep talking, to distract the Death Eaters. 'So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?' 'Why?' Malfoy sounded incredulously delighted. 'Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others.o steal it for him.' 'And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?' 'About both of you, Potter, about both of you... haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?' Harry stared into the slitted eye-holes through which Malfoy's grey eyes were gleaming. Was this prophecy the reason Harry's parents had died, the reason he carried his lightning-bolt scar? Was the answer to all of this clutched in his hand? 'Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me?' he said quietly

, gazing at Lucius Malfoy, his fingers tightening over the warm glass sphere in his hand. It was hardly larger than a Snitch and still gritty with dust. 'And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?' 'Get it himself?' shrieked Bellatrix, over a cackle of mad laughter. The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at the moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?' 'So, he's got you doing his dirty work for him, has he?' said Harry. 'Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it - and Bode?' 'Very good, Potter, very good...' said Malfoy slowly. 'But the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell- 'NOW!' yelled Harry. Five different voices behind him bellowed, 'REDUCTO!' Five curses flew in five different directions and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit; the towering structure swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, pearly-white figures unfurled into the air and floated there, their voices echoing from who knew what long-dead past amid the torrent of crashing glass and splintered wood now raining down upon the floor - ' 'RUN!' Harry yelled, as the shelves swayed precariously and more glass spheres began to fall from above. He seized a handful of Hermione's robes and dragged her forwards, holding one arm over his head as chunks of shelf and shards of glass thundered down upon them. A Death Eater lunged forwards through the cloud of dust and Harry elbowed him hard in the masked face; they were all yelling, there were cries of pain, and thunderous crashes as the shelves collapsed upon themselves, weirdly echoing fragments of the Seers unleashed from their spheres - ' Harry found the way ahead clear and saw ALISTAIR, Ginny and Luna sprint past him, their arms over their heads; something

gazing at Lucius Malfoy, his fingers tightening over the warm glass sphere in his hand. It was hardly larger than a Snitch and still gritty with dust. 'And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?' 'Get it himself?' shrieked Bellatrix, over a cackle of mad laughter. The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at the moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?' 'So, he's got you doing his dirty work for him, has he?' said Harry. 'Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it - and Bode?' 'Very good, Potter, very good...' said Malfoy slowly. 'But the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell- 'NOW!' yelled Harry. Five different voices behind him bellowed, 'REDUCTO!' Five curses flew in five different directions and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit; the towering structure swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, pearly-white figures unfurled into the air and floated there, their voices echoing from who knew what long-dead past amid the torrent of crashing glass and splintered wood now raining down upon the floor - ' 'RUN!' Harry yelled, as the shelves swayed precariously and more glass spheres began to fall from above. He seized a handful of Hermione's robes and dragged her forwards, holding one arm over his head as chunks of shelf and shards of glass thundered down upon them. A Death Eater lunged forwards through the cloud of dust and Harry elbowed him hard in the masked face; they were all yelling, there were cries of pain, and thunderous crashes as the shelves collapsed upon themselves, weirdly echoing fragments of the Seers unleashed from their spheres - ' Harry found the way ahead clear and saw ALISTAIR, Ginny and Luna sprint past him, their arms over their heads; something

heavy struck him on the side of the face but he merely ducked his head and sprinted onwards; a hand caught him by the shoulder; he: heard Hermione shout, 'Stupefy!' The hand released him at once - ' They were at the end of row ninety-seven; Harry turned right and began to sprint in earnest; he could hear footsteps right behind him and Hermione's voice urging Neville on; straight ahead, the door through which they had come was ajar; Harry could see the glittering light of the bell jar; he pelted through the doorway, the prophecy still clutched tight and safe in his hand, and waited for the others to hurtle over the threshold before slamming the door behind them - ' 'Colloportus!' gasped Hermione and the door sealed itself with an odd squelching noise. 'Where - where are the others?' gasped Harry. He had thought TRISTAN, Luna and Ginny were ahead of them, that they would be waiting in this room, but there was nobody there. 'They must have gone the wrong way!' whispered Hermione, terror in her face. 'Listen!' whispered Neville. Footsteps and shouts echoed from behind the door they had just sealed; Harry put his ear close to the door to listen and heard Lucius Malfoy roar, 'Leave Nott, leave him, I say - his injuries will be nothing to the Dark Lord compared to losing that prophecy. Jugson, come back here, we need to organise! We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary - 'Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you take the left; Crabbe, Rabastan, go right - 'Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead - Macnair and Avery, through here - Rookwood, over there - Mulciber, come with me!' 'What do we do?' Hermione asked Harry, trembling from head to foot. 'Well, we don't stand here waiting for them to find us, for a start,' said Harry

struck him on the side of the face but he merely ducked his head and sprinted onwards; a hand caught him by the shoulder; he: heard Hermione shout, 'Stupefy!' The hand released him at once - ' They were at the end of row ninety-seven; Harry turned right and began to sprint in earnest; he could hear footsteps right behind him and Hermione's voice urging Neville on; straight ahead, the door through which they had come was ajar; Harry could see the glittering light of the bell jar; he pelted through the doorway, the prophecy still clutched tight and safe in his hand, and waited for the others to hurtle over the threshold before slamming the door behind them - ' 'Colloportus!' gasped Hermione and the door sealed itself with an odd squelching noise. 'Where - where are the others?' gasped Harry. He had thought TRISTAN, Luna and Ginny were ahead of them, that they would be waiting in this room, but there was nobody there. 'They must have gone the wrong way!' whispered Hermione, terror in her face. 'Listen!' whispered Neville. Footsteps and shouts echoed from behind the door they had just sealed; Harry put his ear close to the door to listen and heard Lucius Malfoy roar, 'Leave Nott, leave him, I say - his injuries will be nothing to the Dark Lord compared to losing that prophecy. Jugson, come back here, we need to organise! We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary - 'Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you take the left; Crabbe, Rabastan, go right - 'Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead - Macnair and Avery, through here - Rookwood, over there - Mulciber, come with me!' 'What do we do?' Hermione asked Harry, trembling from head to foot. 'Well, we don't stand here waiting for them to find us, for a start,' said Harry

. 'Let's get away from this door.' They ran as quietly as they could, past the shimmering bell jar where the tiny egg was hatching and unhatching, towards the exit into the circular hallway at the far end of the room. They were almost there when Harry heard something large and heavy collide with the door Hermione had charmed shut. 'Stand aside!' said a rough voice. 'Alohomora!' As the door flew open, Harry, Hermione and Neville dived under desks. They could see the bottom of the two Death Eaters' robes drawing nearer, their feet moving rapidly. They might've run straight through to the hall,' said the rough voice. 'Check under the desks,' said another. Harry saw the knees of the Death Eaters bend; poking his wand out from under the desk, he shouted, 'STUPEFY!' A jet of red light hit the nearest Death Eater; he fell backwards into a grandfather clock and knocked it over; the second Death Eater, however, had leapt aside to avoid Harry's spell and was pointing his own wand at Hermione, who was crawling out from under the desk to get a better aim. 'Avada -' Harry launched himself across the floor and grabbed the Death Eater around the knees, causing him to topple and his aim to go awry. Neville overturned a desk in his anxiety to help; and pointing his wand wildly at the struggling pair, he cried: 'EXPELLIARMUS!' Both Harry's and the Death Eater's wands flew out of their hands and soared back towards the entrance to the Hall of Prophecy; both scrambled to their feet and charged after them, the Death Eater in front, Harry hot on his heels, and Neville bringing up the rear, plainly horrorstruck by what he had done. 'Get out of the way, Harry!' yelled Neville, clearly determined to repair the damage. Harry flung himself sideways as Neville took aim again and shouted: 'STUPEFY!' The jet of red light flew right over the Death Eaters shoulder and hit

'Let's get away from this door.' They ran as quietly as they could, past the shimmering bell jar where the tiny egg was hatching and unhatching, towards the exit into the circular hallway at the far end of the room. They were almost there when Harry heard something large and heavy collide with the door Hermione had charmed shut. 'Stand aside!' said a rough voice. 'Alohomora!' As the door flew open, Harry, Hermione and Neville dived under desks. They could see the bottom of the two Death Eaters' robes drawing nearer, their feet moving rapidly. They might've run straight through to the hall,' said the rough voice. 'Check under the desks,' said another. Harry saw the knees of the Death Eaters bend; poking his wand out from under the desk, he shouted, 'STUPEFY!' A jet of red light hit the nearest Death Eater; he fell backwards into a grandfather clock and knocked it over; the second Death Eater, however, had leapt aside to avoid Harry's spell and was pointing his own wand at Hermione, who was crawling out from under the desk to get a better aim. 'Avada -' Harry launched himself across the floor and grabbed the Death Eater around the knees, causing him to topple and his aim to go awry. Neville overturned a desk in his anxiety to help; and pointing his wand wildly at the struggling pair, he cried: 'EXPELLIARMUS!' Both Harry's and the Death Eater's wands flew out of their hands and soared back towards the entrance to the Hall of Prophecy; both scrambled to their feet and charged after them, the Death Eater in front, Harry hot on his heels, and Neville bringing up the rear, plainly horrorstruck by what he had done. 'Get out of the way, Harry!' yelled Neville, clearly determined to repair the damage. Harry flung himself sideways as Neville took aim again and shouted: 'STUPEFY!' The jet of red light flew right over the Death Eaters shoulder and hit

a glass-fronted cabinet on the wall full of variously shaped hour-glasses; the cabinet fell to the floor and burst apart, glass flying everywhere, sprang back up on to the wall, fully mended, then fell down again, and shattered - ' The Death Eater had snatched up his wand, which lay on the floor beside the glittering bell jar. Harry ducked down behind another desk as the man turned; his mask had slipped so that he couldn't see. He ripped it off with his free hand and shouted: 'STUP-' 'STUPEFY!' screamed Hermione, who had just caught up with them. The jet of red light hit the Death Eater in the middle of his chest: he froze, his arm still raised, his wand fell to the floor with a flatter and he collapsed backwards towards the bell jar. Harry expected to hear a clunk, for the man to hit solid glass and slide off the jar on to the floor, but instead, his head sank through the surface of the bell jar as though it were nothing but a soap bubble and he came to rest, sprawled on his back on the table, with his head lying inside the jar full of glittering wind. 'Accio wand!' cried Hermione. Harry's wand flew from a dark corner into her hand and she threw it to him. 'Thanks,' he said. 'Right, let's get out of - ' 'Look out!' said Neville, horrified. He was staring at the Deati Eater's head in the bell jar. All three of them raised their wands again, but none of them struck: they were all gazing, open-mouthed, appalled, at what was happening to the man's head. It was shrinking very fast, growing balder and balder, the black hair and stubble retracting into his skull; his cheeks becoming smooth, his skull round and covered with a peachlike fuzz... A baby's head now sat grotesquely on top of the thick, muscled neck of the Death Eater as he struggled to get up again; but even as they watched, their mouths open, the head began to swell to its previous

glass-fronted cabinet on the wall full of variously shaped hour-glasses; the cabinet fell to the floor and burst apart, glass flying everywhere, sprang back up on to the wall, fully mended, then fell down again, and shattered - ' The Death Eater had snatched up his wand, which lay on the floor beside the glittering bell jar. Harry ducked down behind another desk as the man turned; his mask had slipped so that he couldn't see. He ripped it off with his free hand and shouted: 'STUP-' 'STUPEFY!' screamed Hermione, who had just caught up with them. The jet of red light hit the Death Eater in the middle of his chest: he froze, his arm still raised, his wand fell to the floor with a flatter and he collapsed backwards towards the bell jar. Harry expected to hear a clunk, for the man to hit solid glass and slide off the jar on to the floor, but instead, his head sank through the surface of the bell jar as though it were nothing but a soap bubble and he came to rest, sprawled on his back on the table, with his head lying inside the jar full of glittering wind. 'Accio wand!' cried Hermione. Harry's wand flew from a dark corner into her hand and she threw it to him. 'Thanks,' he said. 'Right, let's get out of - ' 'Look out!' said Neville, horrified. He was staring at the Deati Eater's head in the bell jar. All three of them raised their wands again, but none of them struck: they were all gazing, open-mouthed, appalled, at what was happening to the man's head. It was shrinking very fast, growing balder and balder, the black hair and stubble retracting into his skull; his cheeks becoming smooth, his skull round and covered with a peachlike fuzz... A baby's head now sat grotesquely on top of the thick, muscled neck of the Death Eater as he struggled to get up again; but even as they watched, their mouths open, the head began to swell to its previous

proportions again; thick black hair was sprouting frori the pate and chin... 'It's Time,' said Hermione in an awestruck voice. Time...' The Death Eater shook his ugly head again, trying to clear it, but before he could pull himself together it began to shrink back to babyhood once more... There was a shout from a room nearby, then a crash and a scream. 'CALLUM?' Harry yelled, turning quickly from the monstrous transformation taking place before them. 'GINNY? LUNA?' 'Harry!' Hermione screamed. The Death Eater had pulled his head out of the bell jar. His appearance was utterly bizarre, his tiny baby's head bawling loudly while his thick arms flailed dangerously in all directions, narrowly missing Harry, who had ducked. Harry raised his wand but to his amazement Hermione seized his arm. 'You can't hurt a baby!' There was no time to argue the point; Harry could hear more footsteps growing louder from the Hall of Prophecy and knew, too late, that he ought not to have shouted and given away their position. 'Come on!' he said, and leaving the ugly baby-headed Death Eater staggering behind them they took off for the door that stood open at the other end of the room, leading back into the black hallway. They had run halfway towards it when Harry saw through the open door two more Death Eaters running across the black room towards them; veering left, he burst instead into a small, dark, cluttered office and slammed the door behind them. 'Collo -'began Hermione, but before she could complete the spell the door had burst open and the two Death Eaters had come hurtling inside. With a cry of triumph, both yelled: 'IMPEDIMENTA.' Harry, Hermione and Neville were all knocked backwards off their feet; Neville was thrown over the desk and disappeared from view; Hermione smashed into a bookcase and was promptly deluged in a cascade of heavy books; the back of Harry's head slammed into the stone wall behind him

ions again; thick black hair was sprouting frori the pate and chin... 'It's Time,' said Hermione in an awestruck voice. Time...' The Death Eater shook his ugly head again, trying to clear it, but before he could pull himself together it began to shrink back to babyhood once more... There was a shout from a room nearby, then a crash and a scream. 'CALLUM?' Harry yelled, turning quickly from the monstrous transformation taking place before them. 'GINNY? LUNA?' 'Harry!' Hermione screamed. The Death Eater had pulled his head out of the bell jar. His appearance was utterly bizarre, his tiny baby's head bawling loudly while his thick arms flailed dangerously in all directions, narrowly missing Harry, who had ducked. Harry raised his wand but to his amazement Hermione seized his arm. 'You can't hurt a baby!' There was no time to argue the point; Harry could hear more footsteps growing louder from the Hall of Prophecy and knew, too late, that he ought not to have shouted and given away their position. 'Come on!' he said, and leaving the ugly baby-headed Death Eater staggering behind them they took off for the door that stood open at the other end of the room, leading back into the black hallway. They had run halfway towards it when Harry saw through the open door two more Death Eaters running across the black room towards them; veering left, he burst instead into a small, dark, cluttered office and slammed the door behind them. 'Collo -'began Hermione, but before she could complete the spell the door had burst open and the two Death Eaters had come hurtling inside. With a cry of triumph, both yelled: 'IMPEDIMENTA.' Harry, Hermione and Neville were all knocked backwards off their feet; Neville was thrown over the desk and disappeared from view; Hermione smashed into a bookcase and was promptly deluged in a cascade of heavy books; the back of Harry's head slammed into the stone wall behind him

, tiny lights burst in front of his eyes and for a moment he was too dizzy and bewildered to react. 'WE'VE GOT HIM!' yelled the Death Eater nearest Harry. 'IN AN OFFICE OFF -' 'Silencio!' cried Hermione and the man's voice was extinguished. He continued to mouth through the hole in his mask, but no sound came out. He was thrust aside by his fellow Death Eater. 'Petrificus Totalus!' shouted Harry, as the second Death Eater raised his wand. His arms and legs snapped together and he fell forwards, face down on to the rug at Harry's feet, stiff as a board and unable to move. 'Well done, Ha-' But the Death Eater Hermione had just struck dumb made a sudden slashing movement with his wand; a streak of what looked like purple flame passed right across Hermione's chest. She gave a tiny 'Oh!' as though of surprise and crumpled on to the floor, where she lay motionless. 'HERMIONE!' Harry fell to his knees beside her as Neville crawled rapidly towards her from under the desk, his wand held up in front of him. The Death Eater kicked out hard at Neville's head as he emerged - his foot broke Neville's wand in two and connected with his face. Neville gave a howl of pain and recoiled, clutching his mouth and nose. Harry twisted around, his own wand held high, and saw that the Death Eater had ripped off his mask and was pointing his wand directly at Harry, who recognised the long, pale, twisted face from the Daily Prophet: Antonin Dolohov, the wizard who had murdered the Prewetts. Dolohov grinned. With his free hand, he pointed from the prophecy still clutched in Harry's hand, to himself, then at Hermione. Though he could no longer speak, his meaning could not have been clearer. Give me the prophecy, or you get the same as her... 'Like you won't kill us all anyway, the moment I hand it over!' said Harry. A whine of

tiny lights burst in front of his eyes and for a moment he was too dizzy and bewildered to react. 'WE'VE GOT HIM!' yelled the Death Eater nearest Harry. 'IN AN OFFICE OFF -' 'Silencio!' cried Hermione and the man's voice was extinguished. He continued to mouth through the hole in his mask, but no sound came out. He was thrust aside by his fellow Death Eater. 'Petrificus Totalus!' shouted Harry, as the second Death Eater raised his wand. His arms and legs snapped together and he fell forwards, face down on to the rug at Harry's feet, stiff as a board and unable to move. 'Well done, Ha-' But the Death Eater Hermione had just struck dumb made a sudden slashing movement with his wand; a streak of what looked like purple flame passed right across Hermione's chest. She gave a tiny 'Oh!' as though of surprise and crumpled on to the floor, where she lay motionless. 'HERMIONE!' Harry fell to his knees beside her as Neville crawled rapidly towards her from under the desk, his wand held up in front of him. The Death Eater kicked out hard at Neville's head as he emerged - his foot broke Neville's wand in two and connected with his face. Neville gave a howl of pain and recoiled, clutching his mouth and nose. Harry twisted around, his own wand held high, and saw that the Death Eater had ripped off his mask and was pointing his wand directly at Harry, who recognised the long, pale, twisted face from the Daily Prophet: Antonin Dolohov, the wizard who had murdered the Prewetts. Dolohov grinned. With his free hand, he pointed from the prophecy still clutched in Harry's hand, to himself, then at Hermione. Though he could no longer speak, his meaning could not have been clearer. Give me the prophecy, or you get the same as her... 'Like you won't kill us all anyway, the moment I hand it over!' said Harry. A whine of

panic inside his head was preventing him thinking properly: he had one hand on Hermione's shoulder, which was still warm, yet did not dare look at her properly. Don't let her be dead, don't let her be dead, it's my fault if she's dead... "Whaddever you do, Harry,' said Neville fiercely from under the desk, lowering his hands to show a clearly broken nose and blood pouring down his mouth and chin, 'don'd gib it to him!' Then there was a crash outside the door and Dolohov looked over his shoulder - the baby-headed Death Eater had appeared in the doorway, his head bawling, his great fists still flailing uncontrollably at everything around him. Harry seized his chance: 'PETRIF1CUS TOTALUS!' The spell hit Dolohov before he could block it and he toppled forwards across his comrade, both of them rigid as boards and unable to move an inch. 'Hermione,' Harry said at once, shaking her as the baby-headed Death Eater blundered out of sight again. 'Hermione, wake up 'Whaddid he do to her?' said Neville, crawling out from under the desk to kneel at her other side, blood streaming from his rapidly swelling nose. 'I dunno... ' Neville groped for Hermione's wrist. 'Dat's a pulse, Harry, I'b sure id is.' Such a powerful wave of relief swept through Harry that for a moment he felt light-headed. 'She's alive?' 'Yeah, I dink so.' There was a pause in which Harry listened hard for the sound of more footsteps, but all he could hear were the whimpers and blunderings of the baby-headed Death Eater in the next room. 'Neville, we're not far from the exit,' Harry whispered, 'we're right next to that circular room... if we can just get you across it and find the right: door before any more Death Eaters come, I'll bet you

ic inside his head was preventing him thinking properly: he had one hand on Hermione's shoulder, which was still warm, yet did not dare look at her properly. Don't let her be dead, don't let her be dead, it's my fault if she's dead... "Whaddever you do, Harry,' said Neville fiercely from under the desk, lowering his hands to show a clearly broken nose and blood pouring down his mouth and chin, 'don'd gib it to him!' Then there was a crash outside the door and Dolohov looked over his shoulder - the baby-headed Death Eater had appeared in the doorway, his head bawling, his great fists still flailing uncontrollably at everything around him. Harry seized his chance: 'PETRIF1CUS TOTALUS!' The spell hit Dolohov before he could block it and he toppled forwards across his comrade, both of them rigid as boards and unable to move an inch. 'Hermione,' Harry said at once, shaking her as the baby-headed Death Eater blundered out of sight again. 'Hermione, wake up 'Whaddid he do to her?' said Neville, crawling out from under the desk to kneel at her other side, blood streaming from his rapidly swelling nose. 'I dunno... ' Neville groped for Hermione's wrist. 'Dat's a pulse, Harry, I'b sure id is.' Such a powerful wave of relief swept through Harry that for a moment he felt light-headed. 'She's alive?' 'Yeah, I dink so.' There was a pause in which Harry listened hard for the sound of more footsteps, but all he could hear were the whimpers and blunderings of the baby-headed Death Eater in the next room. 'Neville, we're not far from the exit,' Harry whispered, 'we're right next to that circular room... if we can just get you across it and find the right: door before any more Death Eaters come, I'll bet you

can get Hermione up the corridor and into the lift... then you could find someone... raise the alarm...' 'And whad are you going do do?' said Neville, mopping his bleeding nose with his sleeve and frowning at Harry. 'I've got to find the others,' said Harry. 'Well, I'b going do find dem wid you,' said Neville firmly. 'But Hermione - ' 'We'll dake her wid us,' said Neville firmly. 'I'll carry her - you're bedder at fighding dem dan I ab - He stood up and seized one of Hermione's arms, glaring at Harry, who hesitated, then grabbed the other and helped hoist Hermione's limp form over Neville's shoulders. 'Wait,' said Harry, snatching up Hermione's wand from the floor and shoving it into Neville's hand, 'you'd better take this.' Neville kicked aside the broken fragments of his own wand as they walked slowly towards the door. 'My gran's going do kill be,' said Neville thickly, blood spattering from his nose as he spoke, 'dat was by dad's old wand.' Harry stuck his head out of the door and looked around cautiously. The baby-headed Death Eater was screaming and banging into things, toppling grandfather clocks and overturning desks, bawling and confused, while the glass-fronted cabinet that Harry now suspected had contained Time-Turners continued to fall, shatter and repair itself on the wall behind them. 'He's never going to notice us, he whispered. 'C'mon... keep close behind me...' They crept out of the office and back towards the door into the black hallway, which now seemed completely deserted. They walked a few steps forwards, Neville tottering slightly due to Hermione's weight; the door of the Time Room swung shut behind them and the walls began to rotate once more. The recent blow on the back of Harry's head seemed to have unsteadied him; he narrowed his eyes, s

get Hermione up the corridor and into the lift... then you could find someone... raise the alarm...' 'And whad are you going do do?' said Neville, mopping his bleeding nose with his sleeve and frowning at Harry. 'I've got to find the others,' said Harry. 'Well, I'b going do find dem wid you,' said Neville firmly. 'But Hermione - ' 'We'll dake her wid us,' said Neville firmly. 'I'll carry her - you're bedder at fighding dem dan I ab - He stood up and seized one of Hermione's arms, glaring at Harry, who hesitated, then grabbed the other and helped hoist Hermione's limp form over Neville's shoulders. 'Wait,' said Harry, snatching up Hermione's wand from the floor and shoving it into Neville's hand, 'you'd better take this.' Neville kicked aside the broken fragments of his own wand as they walked slowly towards the door. 'My gran's going do kill be,' said Neville thickly, blood spattering from his nose as he spoke, 'dat was by dad's old wand.' Harry stuck his head out of the door and looked around cautiously. The baby-headed Death Eater was screaming and banging into things, toppling grandfather clocks and overturning desks, bawling and confused, while the glass-fronted cabinet that Harry now suspected had contained Time-Turners continued to fall, shatter and repair itself on the wall behind them. 'He's never going to notice us, he whispered. 'C'mon... keep close behind me...' They crept out of the office and back towards the door into the black hallway, which now seemed completely deserted. They walked a few steps forwards, Neville tottering slightly due to Hermione's weight; the door of the Time Room swung shut behind them and the walls began to rotate once more. The recent blow on the back of Harry's head seemed to have unsteadied him; he narrowed his eyes, s

waying slightly, until the walls stopped moving again. With a sinking heart, Harry saw that Hermione's fiery crosses had faded from the doors. 'So which way d'you reck-?' But before they could make a decision as to which way to try, a door to their right sprang open and three people fell out of it. 'NIALL!' croaked Harry, dashing towards them. 'Ginny - are you all -?' 'Harry,' said OWEN, giggling weakly, lurching forwards, seizing the front of Harry's robes and gazing at him with unfocused eyes, 'there you are... ha ha ha... you look funny, Harry... you're all messed up...' VICTOR's face was very white and something dark was trickling from the corner of his mouth. Next moment his knees had given way, but he still clutched the front of Harry's robes, so that Harry was pulled into a kind of bow. 'Ginny?' Harry said fearfully. 'What happened?' But Ginny shook her head and slid down the wall into a sitting position, panting and holding her ankle. 'I think her ankle's broken, I heard something crack,' whispered Luna, who was bending over her and who alone seemed to be unhurt. 'Four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets; it was a very odd place, some of the time we were just floating in the dark - ' 'Harry, we saw Uranus up close!' said DECLAN, still giggling feebly. 'Get it, Harry? We saw Uranus - ha ha ha - ' A bubble of blood grew at the corner of VICTOR's mouth and burst. '- anyway, one of them grabbed Ginny's foot, I used the Reductcr Curse and blew up Pluto in his face, but...' Luna gestured hopelessly at Ginny, who was breathing in a very shallow way, her eyes still closed. 'And what about EWAN?' said Harry fear

ing slightly, until the walls stopped moving again. With a sinking heart, Harry saw that Hermione's fiery crosses had faded from the doors. 'So which way d'you reck-?' But before they could make a decision as to which way to try, a door to their right sprang open and three people fell out of it. 'NIALL!' croaked Harry, dashing towards them. 'Ginny - are you all -?' 'Harry,' said OWEN, giggling weakly, lurching forwards, seizing the front of Harry's robes and gazing at him with unfocused eyes, 'there you are... ha ha ha... you look funny, Harry... you're all messed up...' VICTOR's face was very white and something dark was trickling from the corner of his mouth. Next moment his knees had given way, but he still clutched the front of Harry's robes, so that Harry was pulled into a kind of bow. 'Ginny?' Harry said fearfully. 'What happened?' But Ginny shook her head and slid down the wall into a sitting position, panting and holding her ankle. 'I think her ankle's broken, I heard something crack,' whispered Luna, who was bending over her and who alone seemed to be unhurt. 'Four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets; it was a very odd place, some of the time we were just floating in the dark - ' 'Harry, we saw Uranus up close!' said DECLAN, still giggling feebly. 'Get it, Harry? We saw Uranus - ha ha ha - ' A bubble of blood grew at the corner of VICTOR's mouth and burst. '- anyway, one of them grabbed Ginny's foot, I used the Reductcr Curse and blew up Pluto in his face, but...' Luna gestured hopelessly at Ginny, who was breathing in a very shallow way, her eyes still closed. 'And what about EWAN?' said Harry fear

fully, as SEAMUS continued to giggle, still hanging off the front of Harry's robes. 'I don't know what they hit him with,' said Luna sadly, 'but he's gone a bit funny, I could hardly get him along at all.' 'Harry,' said ALISTAIR, pulling Harry's ear down to his mouth and still giggling weakly, 'you know who this girl is, Harry? She's Loony... Loony Lovegood... ha ha ha...' 'We've got to get out of here,' said Harry firmly. 'Luna, can you help Ginny?' 'Yes,' said Luna, sticking her wand behind her ear for safekeeping, then putting an arm around Ginny's waist and pulling her up. 'It's only my ankle, I can do it myself!' said Ginny impatiently, but next moment she had collapsed sideways and grabbed Luna for support. Harry pulled OWEN's arm over his shoulder just as, so many months ago, he had pulled Dudley's. He looked around: they had a one in twelve chance of getting the exit right first time - ' He heaved RHYS towards a door; they were within a few feet of it when another door across the hall burst open and three Death Eaters sped in, led. by Bellatrix Lestrange. 'There they are!' she shrieked. Stunning Spells shot across the room: Harry smashed his way through the door ahead, flung IAIN unceremoniously from him and ducked back to help Neville in with Hermione: they were all over the threshold just in time to slam the door against Bellatrix. 'Colloportus!' shouted Harry, and he heard three bodies slam into the door on the other side. 'It doesn't matter!' said a man's voice. There are other ways in - WE'VE GOT THEM, THEY'RE HERE!' Harry span around; they were back in the Brain Room and, sure enough, there were doors all around the walls. He could hear footsteps in the hall behind them as

, as SEAMUS continued to giggle, still hanging off the front of Harry's robes. 'I don't know what they hit him with,' said Luna sadly, 'but he's gone a bit funny, I could hardly get him along at all.' 'Harry,' said ALISTAIR, pulling Harry's ear down to his mouth and still giggling weakly, 'you know who this girl is, Harry? She's Loony... Loony Lovegood... ha ha ha...' 'We've got to get out of here,' said Harry firmly. 'Luna, can you help Ginny?' 'Yes,' said Luna, sticking her wand behind her ear for safekeeping, then putting an arm around Ginny's waist and pulling her up. 'It's only my ankle, I can do it myself!' said Ginny impatiently, but next moment she had collapsed sideways and grabbed Luna for support. Harry pulled OWEN's arm over his shoulder just as, so many months ago, he had pulled Dudley's. He looked around: they had a one in twelve chance of getting the exit right first time - ' He heaved RHYS towards a door; they were within a few feet of it when another door across the hall burst open and three Death Eaters sped in, led. by Bellatrix Lestrange. 'There they are!' she shrieked. Stunning Spells shot across the room: Harry smashed his way through the door ahead, flung IAIN unceremoniously from him and ducked back to help Neville in with Hermione: they were all over the threshold just in time to slam the door against Bellatrix. 'Colloportus!' shouted Harry, and he heard three bodies slam into the door on the other side. 'It doesn't matter!' said a man's voice. There are other ways in - WE'VE GOT THEM, THEY'RE HERE!' Harry span around; they were back in the Brain Room and, sure enough, there were doors all around the walls. He could hear footsteps in the hall behind them as

more Death Eaters came running to join the first. 'Luna - Neville - help me!' The three of them tore around the room, sealing the doors as they went; Harry crashed into a tbale and rolled over the top of it in his haste to reach the next door: 'Colloportus!' There were footsteps running along behind the doors, every now and then another heavy body would launch itself against one, so it creaked and shuddered; Luna and Neville were bewitching the doors along the opposite wall - then, as Harry reached the very top of the room, he heard Luna cry: 'Collo- aaaaaaaaargh...' He turned in time to see her flying through the air; five Death Eaters were surging into the room through the door she had not reached in time; Luna hit a desk, slid over its surface and on to the floor on the other side where she lay sprawled, as still as Hermione. 'Get Potter!' shrieked Bellatrix, and she ran at him; he dodged her and sprinted back up the room; he was safe as long as they thought they might hit the prophecy - ' 'Hey!' said RHYS, who had staggered to his feet and was now tottering drunkenly towards Harry, giggling. 'Hey, Harry, there are brains in here, ha ha ha, isn't that weird, Harry?' 'TRISTAN, get out of the way, get down - ' But DECLAN had already pointed his wand at the tank. 'Honest, Harry, they're brains - look - Accio brain!' The scene seemed momentarily frozen. Harry, Ginny and Neville and each of the Death Eaters turned in spite of themselves to watch the top of the tank as a brain burst from the green liquid like a leaping fish: for a moment it seemed suspended in midair, then t soared towards MILES, spinning as it came, and what looked like ribbons of moving images flew from it, unravelling like rolls of film - 'Ha ha ha, Harry, look at it -'said EW

Death Eaters came running to join the first. 'Luna - Neville - help me!' The three of them tore around the room, sealing the doors as they went; Harry crashed into a tbale and rolled over the top of it in his haste to reach the next door: 'Colloportus!' There were footsteps running along behind the doors, every now and then another heavy body would launch itself against one, so it creaked and shuddered; Luna and Neville were bewitching the doors along the opposite wall - then, as Harry reached the very top of the room, he heard Luna cry: 'Collo- aaaaaaaaargh...' He turned in time to see her flying through the air; five Death Eaters were surging into the room through the door she had not reached in time; Luna hit a desk, slid over its surface and on to the floor on the other side where she lay sprawled, as still as Hermione. 'Get Potter!' shrieked Bellatrix, and she ran at him; he dodged her and sprinted back up the room; he was safe as long as they thought they might hit the prophecy - ' 'Hey!' said RHYS, who had staggered to his feet and was now tottering drunkenly towards Harry, giggling. 'Hey, Harry, there are brains in here, ha ha ha, isn't that weird, Harry?' 'TRISTAN, get out of the way, get down - ' But DECLAN had already pointed his wand at the tank. 'Honest, Harry, they're brains - look - Accio brain!' The scene seemed momentarily frozen. Harry, Ginny and Neville and each of the Death Eaters turned in spite of themselves to watch the top of the tank as a brain burst from the green liquid like a leaping fish: for a moment it seemed suspended in midair, then t soared towards MILES, spinning as it came, and what looked like ribbons of moving images flew from it, unravelling like rolls of film - 'Ha ha ha, Harry, look at it -'said EW

AN, watching it disgorge its gaudy innards, 'Harry, come and touch it; bet it's weird - ' 'EWAN, NO!' Harry did not know what would happen if LIAM touched the tentacles of thought now flying behind the brain, but he was sure it would not be anything good. He darted forwards but FINLAY had already caught the brain in his outstretched hands. The moment they made contact with his skin, the tentacles began wrapping themselves around GARETH's arms like ropes. 'Harry, look what's happen- No - no - I don't like it - no, stop - stop - ' But the thin ribbons were spinning around OWEN's chest now; he tugged and tore at them as the brain was pulled tight against him like an octopus's body. 'Diffindo!' yelled Harry, trying to sever the feelers wrapping themselves tightly around LIAM before his eyes, but they would not break. NIALL fell over, still thrashing against his bonds. 'Harry, it'll suffocate him!' screamed Ginny, immobilised by her broken ankle on the floor - then a jet of red light flew from one of the Death Eater's wands and hit her squarely in the face. She keeled over sideways and lay there unconscious. 'STUBEFY!' shouted Neville, wheeling around and waving Hermione's wand at the oncoming Death Eaters, 'STUBEFY, STUBEFY!' But nothing happened. One of the Death Eaters shot their own Stunning Spell at Neville; it missed him by inches. Harry and Neville were now the only two left fighting the five Death Eaters, two of whom sent off streams of silver light like arrows which missed but left craters in the wall behind them. Harry ran for it as Bellatrix Lestrange raced right at him: holding the prophecy high above his head, he sprinted back up the room; all he could think of doing was to draw the Death Eaters away from the others. It seemed to have worked; they streaked after him, knocking ch

, watching it disgorge its gaudy innards, 'Harry, come and touch it; bet it's weird - ' 'EWAN, NO!' Harry did not know what would happen if LIAM touched the tentacles of thought now flying behind the brain, but he was sure it would not be anything good. He darted forwards but FINLAY had already caught the brain in his outstretched hands. The moment they made contact with his skin, the tentacles began wrapping themselves around GARETH's arms like ropes. 'Harry, look what's happen- No - no - I don't like it - no, stop - stop - ' But the thin ribbons were spinning around OWEN's chest now; he tugged and tore at them as the brain was pulled tight against him like an octopus's body. 'Diffindo!' yelled Harry, trying to sever the feelers wrapping themselves tightly around LIAM before his eyes, but they would not break. NIALL fell over, still thrashing against his bonds. 'Harry, it'll suffocate him!' screamed Ginny, immobilised by her broken ankle on the floor - then a jet of red light flew from one of the Death Eater's wands and hit her squarely in the face. She keeled over sideways and lay there unconscious. 'STUBEFY!' shouted Neville, wheeling around and waving Hermione's wand at the oncoming Death Eaters, 'STUBEFY, STUBEFY!' But nothing happened. One of the Death Eaters shot their own Stunning Spell at Neville; it missed him by inches. Harry and Neville were now the only two left fighting the five Death Eaters, two of whom sent off streams of silver light like arrows which missed but left craters in the wall behind them. Harry ran for it as Bellatrix Lestrange raced right at him: holding the prophecy high above his head, he sprinted back up the room; all he could think of doing was to draw the Death Eaters away from the others. It seemed to have worked; they streaked after him, knocking ch

airs and tables flying but not daring to bewitch him in case they hurt the prophecy, and he dashed through the only door still open, the one through which the Death Eaters themselves had come; inwardly praying that Neville would stay with ANGUS and find some way of releasing him. He ran a few feet into the new room and felt the floor vanish - ' He was falling down steep stone step after steep stone step, bouncing on every tier until at last, with a crash that knocked all the breath out of his body, he landed flat on his back in the sunken p t where the stone archway stood on its dais. The whole room was ringing with the Death Eater's laughter: he looked up and saw the five who had been in the Brain Room descending towards him, while as many more emerged through other doorways and began leaping from bench to bench towards him. Harry got to his feet though his legs were trembling so badly they barely supported him: the prophecy was still miraculously unbroken in his left hand, his wand clutched tightly in his right. He backed away, looking around, trying to keep all the Death Eaters within his sight. The back of his legs hit something solid: he had reached the dais where the archway stood. He climbed backwards onto it. The Death Eaters all halted, gazing at him. Some were panting as hard as he was. One was bleeding badly; Dolohov, freed of the Body-Bind Curse, was leering, his wand pointing straight at Harry's face. 'Potter, your race is run,' drawled Lucius Malfoy, pulling off his mask, 'now hand me the prophecy like a good boy.' 'Let - let the others go, and I'll give it to you!' said Harry desperately. A few of the Death Eaters laughed. 'You are not in a position to bargain, Potter,' said Lucius Malfoy, his pale face flushed with pleasure. 'You see, there are ten of us and only one of you... or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?' 'He's dot alone!' shouted a

and tables flying but not daring to bewitch him in case they hurt the prophecy, and he dashed through the only door still open, the one through which the Death Eaters themselves had come; inwardly praying that Neville would stay with ANGUS and find some way of releasing him. He ran a few feet into the new room and felt the floor vanish - ' He was falling down steep stone step after steep stone step, bouncing on every tier until at last, with a crash that knocked all the breath out of his body, he landed flat on his back in the sunken p t where the stone archway stood on its dais. The whole room was ringing with the Death Eater's laughter: he looked up and saw the five who had been in the Brain Room descending towards him, while as many more emerged through other doorways and began leaping from bench to bench towards him. Harry got to his feet though his legs were trembling so badly they barely supported him: the prophecy was still miraculously unbroken in his left hand, his wand clutched tightly in his right. He backed away, looking around, trying to keep all the Death Eaters within his sight. The back of his legs hit something solid: he had reached the dais where the archway stood. He climbed backwards onto it. The Death Eaters all halted, gazing at him. Some were panting as hard as he was. One was bleeding badly; Dolohov, freed of the Body-Bind Curse, was leering, his wand pointing straight at Harry's face. 'Potter, your race is run,' drawled Lucius Malfoy, pulling off his mask, 'now hand me the prophecy like a good boy.' 'Let - let the others go, and I'll give it to you!' said Harry desperately. A few of the Death Eaters laughed. 'You are not in a position to bargain, Potter,' said Lucius Malfoy, his pale face flushed with pleasure. 'You see, there are ten of us and only one of you... or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?' 'He's dot alone!' shouted a

voice from above them. 'He's still god be!' Harry's heart sank: Neville was scrambling down the stone benches towards them, Hermione's wand held fast in his trembling hand. 'Neville - no - go back to GARETH - ' 'STUBEFY!' Neville shouted again, pointing his wand at each Death Eater in turn. 'STUBEFY! 'STUBE - ' One of the largest Death Eaters seized Neville from behind, pinioning his arms to his sides. He struggled and kicked; several of the Death Eaters laughed. 'It's Longbottom, isn't it?' sneered Lucius Malfoy. 'Well, your grandmother is used to losing family members to our cause... your death will not come as a great shock.' 'Longbottom?' repeated Bellatrix, and a truly evil smile lit her gaunt face. 'Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy.' 'I DOE YOU HAB!' roared Neville, and he fought so hard against his captor's encircling grip that the Death Eater shouted, 'Someone Stun him!' 'No, no, no,' said Bellatrix. She looked transported, alive with excitement as she glanced at Harry, then back at Neville. 'No, let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents... unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy.' 'DON'D GIB ID DO DEM!' roared Neville, who seemed beside himself, kicking and writhing as Bellatrix drew nearer to him and his captor, her wand raised. 'DON'D GIB ID DO DEM, HARRY!' Bellatrix raised her wand. 'Crucio!' Neville screamed, his legs drawn up to his chest so that the Death Eater holding him was momentarily holding him off the ground. The Death Eater dropped him and he fell to the floor, twitching and screaming in agony. 'That was just a taster!' said Bellatrix, raising her wand so that Neville's screams stopped and

from above them. 'He's still god be!' Harry's heart sank: Neville was scrambling down the stone benches towards them, Hermione's wand held fast in his trembling hand. 'Neville - no - go back to GARETH - ' 'STUBEFY!' Neville shouted again, pointing his wand at each Death Eater in turn. 'STUBEFY! 'STUBE - ' One of the largest Death Eaters seized Neville from behind, pinioning his arms to his sides. He struggled and kicked; several of the Death Eaters laughed. 'It's Longbottom, isn't it?' sneered Lucius Malfoy. 'Well, your grandmother is used to losing family members to our cause... your death will not come as a great shock.' 'Longbottom?' repeated Bellatrix, and a truly evil smile lit her gaunt face. 'Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy.' 'I DOE YOU HAB!' roared Neville, and he fought so hard against his captor's encircling grip that the Death Eater shouted, 'Someone Stun him!' 'No, no, no,' said Bellatrix. She looked transported, alive with excitement as she glanced at Harry, then back at Neville. 'No, let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents... unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy.' 'DON'D GIB ID DO DEM!' roared Neville, who seemed beside himself, kicking and writhing as Bellatrix drew nearer to him and his captor, her wand raised. 'DON'D GIB ID DO DEM, HARRY!' Bellatrix raised her wand. 'Crucio!' Neville screamed, his legs drawn up to his chest so that the Death Eater holding him was momentarily holding him off the ground. The Death Eater dropped him and he fell to the floor, twitching and screaming in agony. 'That was just a taster!' said Bellatrix, raising her wand so that Neville's screams stopped and

he lay sobbing at her feet. She turned and gazed up at Harry. 'Now, Potter, either give us the prophecy, or watch your little friend die the hard way!' Harry did not have to think; there was no choice. The prophecy was hot with the heat of his clutching hand as he held it out. Malfoy jumped forwards to take it. Then, high above them, two more doors burst open and five more people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks and Kingsley. Malfoy turned, and raised his wand, but Tonks had already sent a Stunning Spell right at him. Harry did not wait to see whether it had made contact, but dived off the dais out of the way. The Death Eaters were completely distracted by the appearance of the members of the Order, who were now raining spells down upon them as they jumped from step to step towards the sunken floor. Through the darting bodies, the flashes of light, Harry could see Neville crawling along. He dodged another jet of red light and flung himself flat on the ground to reach Neville. Are you OK? he yelled, as another spell soared inches over their heads. 'Yes,' said Neville, trying to pull himself up. 'And XAVIER?' 'I dink he's all righd - he was still fighding de brain when I lefd - ' The stone floor between them exploded as a spell hit it, leaving a crater right where Neville's hand had been only seconds before; both scrambled away from the spot, then a thick arm came out of nowhere, seized Harry around the neck and pulled him upright, so that his toes were barely touching the floor. 'Give it to me,' growled a voice in his ear, 'give me the prophecy - ' The man was pressing so tightly on Harry's windpipe that he could not breathe. Through watering eyes he saw Sirius duelling with a Death Eater some ten feet away; Kingsley was fighting two at once; Tonks, still halfway up the tiered seats, was firing spells down at Bell

lay sobbing at her feet. She turned and gazed up at Harry. 'Now, Potter, either give us the prophecy, or watch your little friend die the hard way!' Harry did not have to think; there was no choice. The prophecy was hot with the heat of his clutching hand as he held it out. Malfoy jumped forwards to take it. Then, high above them, two more doors burst open and five more people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks and Kingsley. Malfoy turned, and raised his wand, but Tonks had already sent a Stunning Spell right at him. Harry did not wait to see whether it had made contact, but dived off the dais out of the way. The Death Eaters were completely distracted by the appearance of the members of the Order, who were now raining spells down upon them as they jumped from step to step towards the sunken floor. Through the darting bodies, the flashes of light, Harry could see Neville crawling along. He dodged another jet of red light and flung himself flat on the ground to reach Neville. Are you OK? he yelled, as another spell soared inches over their heads. 'Yes,' said Neville, trying to pull himself up. 'And XAVIER?' 'I dink he's all righd - he was still fighding de brain when I lefd - ' The stone floor between them exploded as a spell hit it, leaving a crater right where Neville's hand had been only seconds before; both scrambled away from the spot, then a thick arm came out of nowhere, seized Harry around the neck and pulled him upright, so that his toes were barely touching the floor. 'Give it to me,' growled a voice in his ear, 'give me the prophecy - ' The man was pressing so tightly on Harry's windpipe that he could not breathe. Through watering eyes he saw Sirius duelling with a Death Eater some ten feet away; Kingsley was fighting two at once; Tonks, still halfway up the tiered seats, was firing spells down at Bell

atrix - nobody seemed to realise that Harry was dying. He turned his wand backwards towards the man's side, but had no breath to utter an incantation, and the man's free hand was groping towards the hand in which Harry was grasping the prophecy - ' 'AARGH!' Neville had come lunging out of nowhere; unable to articulate a spell, he had jabbed Hermione's wand hard into the eyehole of the Death Eater's mask. The man relinquished Harry at once with a howl of pain. Harry whirled around to face him and gasped: 'STUPEFY!' The Death Eater keeled over backwards and his mask slipped off: it was Macnair, Buckbeak's would-be killer, one of his eyes now swollen and bloodshot. Thanks!' Harry said to Neville, pulling him aside as Sirius and his Death Eater lurched past, duelling so fiercely that their wands were blurs; then Harry's foot made contact with something round and hard and he slipped. For a moment he thought he had dropped the prophecy, but then he saw Moody's magical eye spinning away across the floor. Its owner was lying on his side, bleeding from the head, and his attacker was now bearing down upon Harry and Neville: Dolohov, his long pale face twisted with glee. 'Tarantallegra!' he shouted, his wand pointing at Neville, whose legs went immediately into a kind of frenzied tap-dance, unbalancing him and causing him to fall to the floor again. 'Now, Potter - ' He made the same slashing movement with his wand that he had used on Hermione just as Harry yelled, 'Protego!' Harry felt something streak across his face like a blunt knife; the force of it knocked him sideways and he fell over Neville's jerking legs, but the Shield Charm had stopped the worst of the spell. Dolohov raised his wand again. 'Accio proph-' Sirius had hurtled out of nowhere, rammed Dolohov with his

rix - nobody seemed to realise that Harry was dying. He turned his wand backwards towards the man's side, but had no breath to utter an incantation, and the man's free hand was groping towards the hand in which Harry was grasping the prophecy - ' 'AARGH!' Neville had come lunging out of nowhere; unable to articulate a spell, he had jabbed Hermione's wand hard into the eyehole of the Death Eater's mask. The man relinquished Harry at once with a howl of pain. Harry whirled around to face him and gasped: 'STUPEFY!' The Death Eater keeled over backwards and his mask slipped off: it was Macnair, Buckbeak's would-be killer, one of his eyes now swollen and bloodshot. Thanks!' Harry said to Neville, pulling him aside as Sirius and his Death Eater lurched past, duelling so fiercely that their wands were blurs; then Harry's foot made contact with something round and hard and he slipped. For a moment he thought he had dropped the prophecy, but then he saw Moody's magical eye spinning away across the floor. Its owner was lying on his side, bleeding from the head, and his attacker was now bearing down upon Harry and Neville: Dolohov, his long pale face twisted with glee. 'Tarantallegra!' he shouted, his wand pointing at Neville, whose legs went immediately into a kind of frenzied tap-dance, unbalancing him and causing him to fall to the floor again. 'Now, Potter - ' He made the same slashing movement with his wand that he had used on Hermione just as Harry yelled, 'Protego!' Harry felt something streak across his face like a blunt knife; the force of it knocked him sideways and he fell over Neville's jerking legs, but the Shield Charm had stopped the worst of the spell. Dolohov raised his wand again. 'Accio proph-' Sirius had hurtled out of nowhere, rammed Dolohov with his

shoulder and sent him flying out of the way. The prophecy had again flown to the tips of Harry's fingers but he had managed to cling on to it. Now Sirius and Dolohov were duelling, their wands flashing like swords, sparks flying from their wand-tips - ' Dolohov drew back his wand to make the same slashing movement he had used on Harry and Hermione. Springing up, Harry yelled, 'Petrificus Totalus!' Once again, Dolohov's arms and legs snapped together and he keeled over backwards, landing with a crash on his back. 'Nice one!' shouted Sirius, forcing Harry's head down as a pair of Stunning Spells flew towards them. 'Now I want you to get out of- ' They both ducked again; a jet of green light had narrowly missed Sirius. Across the room Harry saw Tonks fall from halfway up the stone steps, her limp form toppling from stone seat to stone seat and Bellatrix, triumphant, running back towards the fray. 'Harry, take the prophecy, grab Neville and run!' Sirius yelled, dashing to meet Bellatrix. Harry did not see what happened next: Kingsley swayed across his field of vision, battling with the pockmarked and no longer masked Rookwood; another jet of green light flew over Harry's head as he launched himself towards Neville - ' 'Can you stand?' he bellowed in Neville's ear, as Neville's legs jerked and twitched uncontrollably. 'Put your arm round my neck - Neville did so - Harry heaved - Neville's legs were still lying in every direction, they would not support him, and then, out of nowhere, a man lunged at them: both fell backwards, Neville's legs waving wildly like an overturned beetle's, Harry with his left arm held up in the air to try to save the small glass ball from being smashed. 'The prophecy, give me the prophecy, Potter!' snarled Lucus Malfoy's voice in his ear, and Harry felt the tip

and sent him flying out of the way. The prophecy had again flown to the tips of Harry's fingers but he had managed to cling on to it. Now Sirius and Dolohov were duelling, their wands flashing like swords, sparks flying from their wand-tips - ' Dolohov drew back his wand to make the same slashing movement he had used on Harry and Hermione. Springing up, Harry yelled, 'Petrificus Totalus!' Once again, Dolohov's arms and legs snapped together and he keeled over backwards, landing with a crash on his back. 'Nice one!' shouted Sirius, forcing Harry's head down as a pair of Stunning Spells flew towards them. 'Now I want you to get out of- ' They both ducked again; a jet of green light had narrowly missed Sirius. Across the room Harry saw Tonks fall from halfway up the stone steps, her limp form toppling from stone seat to stone seat and Bellatrix, triumphant, running back towards the fray. 'Harry, take the prophecy, grab Neville and run!' Sirius yelled, dashing to meet Bellatrix. Harry did not see what happened next: Kingsley swayed across his field of vision, battling with the pockmarked and no longer masked Rookwood; another jet of green light flew over Harry's head as he launched himself towards Neville - ' 'Can you stand?' he bellowed in Neville's ear, as Neville's legs jerked and twitched uncontrollably. 'Put your arm round my neck - Neville did so - Harry heaved - Neville's legs were still lying in every direction, they would not support him, and then, out of nowhere, a man lunged at them: both fell backwards, Neville's legs waving wildly like an overturned beetle's, Harry with his left arm held up in the air to try to save the small glass ball from being smashed. 'The prophecy, give me the prophecy, Potter!' snarled Lucus Malfoy's voice in his ear, and Harry felt the tip

of Malfoy's wand pressing hard between his ribs. 'No - get - off - me... Neville - catch it!' Harry flung the prophecy across the floor, Neville span himself around on his back and scooped the ball to his chest. Malfoy pointed the wand instead at Neville, but Harry jabbed his own wand back over his shoulder and yelled, 'Impedimenta!' Malfoy was blasted off his back. As Harry scrambled up again he looked around and saw Malfoy smash into the dais on which Sirius and Bellatrix were now duelling. Malfoy aimed his wand at Harry and Neville again, but before he could draw breath to strike, Lupin had jumped between them. 'Harry, round up the others and GO!' Harry seized Neville by the shoulder of his robes and lifted him bodily on to the first tier of stone steps; Neville's legs twitched and jerked and would not support his weight; Harry heaved again with all the strength he possessed and they climbed another step - ' A spell hit the stone bench at Harry's heel; it crumbled away and he fell back to the step below. Neville sank to the ground, his legs still jerking and thrashing, and he thrust the prophecy into his pocket. 'Come on!' said Harry desperately, hauling at Neville's robes. 'Just try and push with your legs -' He gave another stupendous heave and Neville's robes tore all along the left seam - the small spun-glass ball dropped from his pocket and, before either of them could catch it, one of Neville's floundering feet kicked it: it flew some ten feet to their right and smashed on the step beneath them. As both of them stared at the place where it had broken, appalled at what had happened, a pearly-white figure with hugely magnified eyes rose into the air, unnoticed by any but them. Harry could see its mouth moving, but in all the crashes and screams and yells surrounding them, not one word of the prophecy could he hear. The figure stopped speaking and dissol

Malfoy's wand pressing hard between his ribs. 'No - get - off - me... Neville - catch it!' Harry flung the prophecy across the floor, Neville span himself around on his back and scooped the ball to his chest. Malfoy pointed the wand instead at Neville, but Harry jabbed his own wand back over his shoulder and yelled, 'Impedimenta!' Malfoy was blasted off his back. As Harry scrambled up again he looked around and saw Malfoy smash into the dais on which Sirius and Bellatrix were now duelling. Malfoy aimed his wand at Harry and Neville again, but before he could draw breath to strike, Lupin had jumped between them. 'Harry, round up the others and GO!' Harry seized Neville by the shoulder of his robes and lifted him bodily on to the first tier of stone steps; Neville's legs twitched and jerked and would not support his weight; Harry heaved again with all the strength he possessed and they climbed another step - ' A spell hit the stone bench at Harry's heel; it crumbled away and he fell back to the step below. Neville sank to the ground, his legs still jerking and thrashing, and he thrust the prophecy into his pocket. 'Come on!' said Harry desperately, hauling at Neville's robes. 'Just try and push with your legs -' He gave another stupendous heave and Neville's robes tore all along the left seam - the small spun-glass ball dropped from his pocket and, before either of them could catch it, one of Neville's floundering feet kicked it: it flew some ten feet to their right and smashed on the step beneath them. As both of them stared at the place where it had broken, appalled at what had happened, a pearly-white figure with hugely magnified eyes rose into the air, unnoticed by any but them. Harry could see its mouth moving, but in all the crashes and screams and yells surrounding them, not one word of the prophecy could he hear. The figure stopped speaking and dissol

ved into nothingness. 'Harry, I'b sorry!' cried Neville, his face anguished as his legs continued to flounder. Tb so sorry, Harry, I didn'd bean do - ' 'It doesn't matter!' Harry shouted. 'Just try and stand, let's get out of - ' 'Dubbledore!' said Neville, his sweaty face suddenly transported, staring over Harry's shoulder. 'What?' 'DUBBLEDORE!' Harry turned to look where Neville was staring. Directly above them, framed in the doorway from the Brain Room, stood Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious. Harry felt a kind of electric charge surge through every particle of his body - they were saved. Dumbledore sped down the steps past Neville and Harry, who had no more thoughts of leaving. Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realised he was there and yelled to the others. One of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line - ' Only one pair was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: he was laughing at her. 'Come on, you can do better than that!' he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room. The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest. The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock. Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore, too, turned towards the dais. It seemed to take Sirius an age to tall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil hanging from the arch. Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfathers wasted, once-handsome face as he

into nothingness. 'Harry, I'b sorry!' cried Neville, his face anguished as his legs continued to flounder. Tb so sorry, Harry, I didn'd bean do - ' 'It doesn't matter!' Harry shouted. 'Just try and stand, let's get out of - ' 'Dubbledore!' said Neville, his sweaty face suddenly transported, staring over Harry's shoulder. 'What?' 'DUBBLEDORE!' Harry turned to look where Neville was staring. Directly above them, framed in the doorway from the Brain Room, stood Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious. Harry felt a kind of electric charge surge through every particle of his body - they were saved. Dumbledore sped down the steps past Neville and Harry, who had no more thoughts of leaving. Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realised he was there and yelled to the others. One of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line - ' Only one pair was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: he was laughing at her. 'Come on, you can do better than that!' he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room. The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest. The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock. Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore, too, turned towards the dais. It seemed to take Sirius an age to tall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil hanging from the arch. Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfathers wasted, once-handsome face as he

fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in a high wind, then fell back into place. Harry heard Bellatrix Lestrange's triumphant scream, but knew it meant nothing - Sirius had only just fallen through the archway, he would reappear from the other side any second... But Sirius did not reappear. 'SIRIUS!' Harry yelled. 'SIRIUS!' He had reached the floor, his breath coming in searing gasps. Sirius must be just behind the curtain, he, Harry, would pull him back out... But as he reached the ground and sprinted towards the dais, Lupin grabbed Harry around the chest, holding him back. There's nothing you can do, Harry - ' 'Get him, save him, he's only just gone through!' '- it's too late, Harry.' 'We can still reach him -'Harry struggled hard and viciously, but Lupin would not let go... There's nothing you can do, Harry... nothing... he's gone.' - CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX - The Only One He Ever Feared 'He hasn't gone!' Harry yelled. He did not believe it; he would not believe it; still he fought Lupin with every bit of strength he had. Lupin did not understand; people hid behind that curtain; Harry had heard them whispering the first time he had entered the room. Sirius was hiding, simply lurking out of sight - ' 'SIRIUS!' he bellowed. 'SIRIUS!' 'He can't come back, Harry,' said Lupin, his voice breaking as he struggled to contain Harry. 'He can't come back, because he's d- 'HE - IS - NOT - DEAD!' roared Harry. 'SIRIUS!' There was movement going on around them, pointless bustling, the flashes of more spells. To Harry it was meaningless noise, the deflected curses flying past them did not matter, nothing mattered except that Lup

through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in a high wind, then fell back into place. Harry heard Bellatrix Lestrange's triumphant scream, but knew it meant nothing - Sirius had only just fallen through the archway, he would reappear from the other side any second... But Sirius did not reappear. 'SIRIUS!' Harry yelled. 'SIRIUS!' He had reached the floor, his breath coming in searing gasps. Sirius must be just behind the curtain, he, Harry, would pull him back out... But as he reached the ground and sprinted towards the dais, Lupin grabbed Harry around the chest, holding him back. There's nothing you can do, Harry - ' 'Get him, save him, he's only just gone through!' '- it's too late, Harry.' 'We can still reach him -'Harry struggled hard and viciously, but Lupin would not let go... There's nothing you can do, Harry... nothing... he's gone.' - CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX - The Only One He Ever Feared 'He hasn't gone!' Harry yelled. He did not believe it; he would not believe it; still he fought Lupin with every bit of strength he had. Lupin did not understand; people hid behind that curtain; Harry had heard them whispering the first time he had entered the room. Sirius was hiding, simply lurking out of sight - ' 'SIRIUS!' he bellowed. 'SIRIUS!' 'He can't come back, Harry,' said Lupin, his voice breaking as he struggled to contain Harry. 'He can't come back, because he's d- 'HE - IS - NOT - DEAD!' roared Harry. 'SIRIUS!' There was movement going on around them, pointless bustling, the flashes of more spells. To Harry it was meaningless noise, the deflected curses flying past them did not matter, nothing mattered except that Lup

in should stop pretending that Sirius - who was standing feet from them behind that old curtain - was not going to emerge at any moment, shaking back his dark hair and eager to re-enter the battle. Lupin dragged Harry away from the dais. Harry still staring at the archway, was angry at Sirius now for keeping him waiting - ' But some part of him realised, even as he fought to break free from Lupin, that Sirius had never kept him waiting before... Sirius had risked everything, always, to see Harry to help him... if Sirius was not reappearing out of that archway when Harry was yelling for him as though his life depended on it, the only possible explanation was that he could not come back... that he really was - ' Dumbledore had most of the remaining Death haters grouped in the middle of the room, seemingly immobilised by invisible ropes; Mad-Eye Moody had crawled across the room to where Tonks lay, and was attempting to revive her; behind the dais there were still flashes of light, grunts and cries - Kingsley had run forward to continue Sirius's duel with Bellatrix. 'Harry?' Neville had slid down the stone benches one by one to the place where Harry stood. Harry was no longer struggling against Lupin, who maintained a precautionary grip on his arm nevertheless. 'Harry... I'b really sorry...' said Neville. His legs were still dancing uncontrollably. 'Was dad man - was Sirius Black a - a friend of yours?' Harry nodded. 'Here,' said Lupin quietly, and pointing his wand at Neville's legs he said, 'Finite.' The spell was lifted: Neville's legs fell back to the floor and remained still. Lupin's face was pale. 'Let's - let's find the others. Where are they all, Neville?' Lupin turned away from the archway as he spoke. It sounded as though every word was causing him pain. 'Dey're all back dere,' said Neville. '

should stop pretending that Sirius - who was standing feet from them behind that old curtain - was not going to emerge at any moment, shaking back his dark hair and eager to re-enter the battle. Lupin dragged Harry away from the dais. Harry still staring at the archway, was angry at Sirius now for keeping him waiting - ' But some part of him realised, even as he fought to break free from Lupin, that Sirius had never kept him waiting before... Sirius had risked everything, always, to see Harry to help him... if Sirius was not reappearing out of that archway when Harry was yelling for him as though his life depended on it, the only possible explanation was that he could not come back... that he really was - ' Dumbledore had most of the remaining Death haters grouped in the middle of the room, seemingly immobilised by invisible ropes; Mad-Eye Moody had crawled across the room to where Tonks lay, and was attempting to revive her; behind the dais there were still flashes of light, grunts and cries - Kingsley had run forward to continue Sirius's duel with Bellatrix. 'Harry?' Neville had slid down the stone benches one by one to the place where Harry stood. Harry was no longer struggling against Lupin, who maintained a precautionary grip on his arm nevertheless. 'Harry... I'b really sorry...' said Neville. His legs were still dancing uncontrollably. 'Was dad man - was Sirius Black a - a friend of yours?' Harry nodded. 'Here,' said Lupin quietly, and pointing his wand at Neville's legs he said, 'Finite.' The spell was lifted: Neville's legs fell back to the floor and remained still. Lupin's face was pale. 'Let's - let's find the others. Where are they all, Neville?' Lupin turned away from the archway as he spoke. It sounded as though every word was causing him pain. 'Dey're all back dere,' said Neville. '

A brain addacked DECLAN bud I dink he's all righd - and Herbione's unconscious, bud we cou'.d feel a bulse - ' There was a loud bang and a yell from behind the dais. Harry saw Kingsley hit the ground yelling in pain: Bellatrix Lestrange turned tail and ran as Dumbledore whipped around. He aimed a spell at her but she deflected it; she was halfway up the steps now - ' 'Harry - no!' cried Lupin, but Harry had already ripped his arm from Lupin's slackened grip. 'SHE KILLED SIRIUS!' bellowed Harry. 'SHE KILLED HIM - 'I'LL KILL HER!' And he was off, scrambling up the stone benches; people were shouting behind him but he did not care. The hem of Bellatrix's robes whipped out of sight ahead and they were back in the room where the brains were swimming... She aimed a curse over her shoulder. The tank rose into the air and tipped. Harry was deluged in the foul-smelling potion within: the brains slipped and slid over him and began spinning their long coloured tentacles, but he shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!' and they flew off him up into the air. Slipping and sliding, he ran on towards the door; he leapt over Luna, who was groaning on the floor, past Ginny, who said, 'Harry - what -?', past HAMISH, who giggled feebly, and Hermione, who was still unconscious. He wrenched open the door into the circular black hall and saw Bellatrix disappearing through a door on the other side of the room; beyond her was the corridor leading back to the lifts. He ran, but she had slammed the door behind her and the walls were already rotating. Once more, he was surrounded by streaks of blue light from the whirling candelabra. 'Where's the exit?' he shouted desperately, as the wall rumbled to a halt again. '

brain addacked DECLAN bud I dink he's all righd - and Herbione's unconscious, bud we cou'.d feel a bulse - ' There was a loud bang and a yell from behind the dais. Harry saw Kingsley hit the ground yelling in pain: Bellatrix Lestrange turned tail and ran as Dumbledore whipped around. He aimed a spell at her but she deflected it; she was halfway up the steps now - ' 'Harry - no!' cried Lupin, but Harry had already ripped his arm from Lupin's slackened grip. 'SHE KILLED SIRIUS!' bellowed Harry. 'SHE KILLED HIM - 'I'LL KILL HER!' And he was off, scrambling up the stone benches; people were shouting behind him but he did not care. The hem of Bellatrix's robes whipped out of sight ahead and they were back in the room where the brains were swimming... She aimed a curse over her shoulder. The tank rose into the air and tipped. Harry was deluged in the foul-smelling potion within: the brains slipped and slid over him and began spinning their long coloured tentacles, but he shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!' and they flew off him up into the air. Slipping and sliding, he ran on towards the door; he leapt over Luna, who was groaning on the floor, past Ginny, who said, 'Harry - what -?', past HAMISH, who giggled feebly, and Hermione, who was still unconscious. He wrenched open the door into the circular black hall and saw Bellatrix disappearing through a door on the other side of the room; beyond her was the corridor leading back to the lifts. He ran, but she had slammed the door behind her and the walls were already rotating. Once more, he was surrounded by streaks of blue light from the whirling candelabra. 'Where's the exit?' he shouted desperately, as the wall rumbled to a halt again. '

Where's the way out?' The room seemed to have been waiting for him to ask. The door right behind him flew open and the corridor towards the lifts stretched ahead of him, torch-lit and empty. He ran... He could hear a lift clattering ahead; he sprinted up the passageway, swung around the corner and slammed his fist on to the button to call a second lift. It jangled and banged lower and lower; the grilles slid open and Harry dashed inside, now hammering the button marked 'Atrium'. The doors slid shut and he was rising... He forced his way out of the lift before the grilles were fully open and looked around. Bellatrix was almost at the telephone lift at the other end of the hall, but she looked back as he sprinted towards her and aimed another spell at him. He dodged behind the Fountain of Magical Brethren: the spell zoomed past him and hit the wrought-gold gates at the other end of the Atrium so that they rang like bells. There were no more footsteps. She had stopped running. He crouched behind the statues, listening. 'Come out, come out, little Harry!' she called in her mock baby voice, which echoed off the polished wooden floors. 'What did you come after me for, then? I thought you were here to avenge my dear cousin!' 'I am!' shouted Harry, and a score of ghostly Harry's seemed to chorus I am! I am! I am! all around the room. 'Aaaaaah... did you love him, little baby Potter? Hatred rose in Harry such as he had never known before; he flung himself out from behind the fountain and bellowed, 'Crucio!' Bellatrix screamed: the spell had knocked her off her feet, but she did not writhe and shriek with pain as Neville had - she was already back on her feet, breathless, no longer laughing. Harry dodged behind the golden fountain again. Her counter-spell hit the head of the handsome wizard, which was blown off and landed twenty feet away, gouging

's the way out?' The room seemed to have been waiting for him to ask. The door right behind him flew open and the corridor towards the lifts stretched ahead of him, torch-lit and empty. He ran... He could hear a lift clattering ahead; he sprinted up the passageway, swung around the corner and slammed his fist on to the button to call a second lift. It jangled and banged lower and lower; the grilles slid open and Harry dashed inside, now hammering the button marked 'Atrium'. The doors slid shut and he was rising... He forced his way out of the lift before the grilles were fully open and looked around. Bellatrix was almost at the telephone lift at the other end of the hall, but she looked back as he sprinted towards her and aimed another spell at him. He dodged behind the Fountain of Magical Brethren: the spell zoomed past him and hit the wrought-gold gates at the other end of the Atrium so that they rang like bells. There were no more footsteps. She had stopped running. He crouched behind the statues, listening. 'Come out, come out, little Harry!' she called in her mock baby voice, which echoed off the polished wooden floors. 'What did you come after me for, then? I thought you were here to avenge my dear cousin!' 'I am!' shouted Harry, and a score of ghostly Harry's seemed to chorus I am! I am! I am! all around the room. 'Aaaaaah... did you love him, little baby Potter? Hatred rose in Harry such as he had never known before; he flung himself out from behind the fountain and bellowed, 'Crucio!' Bellatrix screamed: the spell had knocked her off her feet, but she did not writhe and shriek with pain as Neville had - she was already back on her feet, breathless, no longer laughing. Harry dodged behind the golden fountain again. Her counter-spell hit the head of the handsome wizard, which was blown off and landed twenty feet away, gouging

long scratches into the wooden floor. 'Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you, boy?' she yelled. She had abandoned her baby voice now. 'You need to mean them, Potter! You need to really want to cause pain - to enjoy it - righteous anger won't hurt me for long - I'll show you how it is done, shall I? I'll give you a lesson - ' Harry was edging around the fountain on the other side when she screamed, 'Crucio!' and he was forced to duck down again as the centaur's arm, holding its bow, span off and landed with a crash on the floor a short distance from the golden wizard's head. 'Potter, you cannot win against me!' she cried. He could hear her moving to the right, trying to get a clear shot of him. He backed around the statue away from her, crouching behind the centaur's legs, his head level with the house-elf's. 'I was and am the Dark Lord's most loyal servant. I learned the Dark Arts from him, and I know spells of such power that you, pathetic little boy, can never hope to compete - ' 'Stupefy!' yelled Harry. He had edged right around to where the goblin stood beaming up at the now headless wizard and taken aim at her back as she peered around the fountain. She reacted so fast he barely had time to duck. 'Protege!' The jet of red light, his own Stunning Spell, bounced back at him. Harry scrambled back behind the fountain and one of the goblin's ears went flying across the room. 'Potter, I'm going to give you one chance!' shouted Bellatrix. 'Give me the prophecy - roll it out towards me now - and I may spare your life!' 'Well, you're going to have to kill me, because it's gone!' Harry roared and, as he shouted it, pain seared across his forehead; his scar was on fire again, and he felt a surge of fury that was quite un

scratches into the wooden floor. 'Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you, boy?' she yelled. She had abandoned her baby voice now. 'You need to mean them, Potter! You need to really want to cause pain - to enjoy it - righteous anger won't hurt me for long - I'll show you how it is done, shall I? I'll give you a lesson - ' Harry was edging around the fountain on the other side when she screamed, 'Crucio!' and he was forced to duck down again as the centaur's arm, holding its bow, span off and landed with a crash on the floor a short distance from the golden wizard's head. 'Potter, you cannot win against me!' she cried. He could hear her moving to the right, trying to get a clear shot of him. He backed around the statue away from her, crouching behind the centaur's legs, his head level with the house-elf's. 'I was and am the Dark Lord's most loyal servant. I learned the Dark Arts from him, and I know spells of such power that you, pathetic little boy, can never hope to compete - ' 'Stupefy!' yelled Harry. He had edged right around to where the goblin stood beaming up at the now headless wizard and taken aim at her back as she peered around the fountain. She reacted so fast he barely had time to duck. 'Protege!' The jet of red light, his own Stunning Spell, bounced back at him. Harry scrambled back behind the fountain and one of the goblin's ears went flying across the room. 'Potter, I'm going to give you one chance!' shouted Bellatrix. 'Give me the prophecy - roll it out towards me now - and I may spare your life!' 'Well, you're going to have to kill me, because it's gone!' Harry roared and, as he shouted it, pain seared across his forehead; his scar was on fire again, and he felt a surge of fury that was quite un

connected with his own rage. 'And he knows!' said Harry, with a mad laugh to match Bellatrix's own. 'Your dear old mate Voldemort knows it's gone! He's not going to be happy with you, is he?' 'What? What do you mean?' she cried, and for the first time there was fear in her voice. The prophecy smashed when I was trying to get Neville up the steps! What do you think Voldemort'll say about that, then?' His scar seared and burned... the pain of it was making his eyes stream... 'LIAR!' she shrieked, but he could hear the terror behind the anger now. 'YOU'VE GOT IT, POTTER, AND YOU WILL GIVE IT TO ME! Accio prophecy! ACCIO PROPHECY!' Harry laughed again because he knew it would incense her, the pain building in his head so badly he thought his skull might burst. He waved his empty hand from behind the one-eared goblin and withdrew it quickly as she sent another jet of green light flying at him. 'Nothing there!' he shouted. 'Nothing to summon! It smashed and nobody heard what it said, tell your boss that!' 'No!' she screamed. 'It isn't true, you're lying! MASTER, I TRIED, I TRIED - DO NOT PUNISH ME - ' 'Don't waste your breath!' yelled Harry, his eyes screwed up against the pain in his scar, now more terrible than ever. 'He can't hear you from here!' 'Can't I, Potter?' said a high, cold voice. Harry opened his eyes. Tall, thin and black-hooded, his terrible snakelike face white and gaunt, his scarlet, slit-pupilled eyes staring... Lord Voldemort had appeared in the middle of the hall, his wand pointing at Harry who stood frozen, quite unable to move. 'So, you smashed my prophecy?' said Voldemort softly, staring at Harry with those pitiless red eyes. 'No,

with his own rage. 'And he knows!' said Harry, with a mad laugh to match Bellatrix's own. 'Your dear old mate Voldemort knows it's gone! He's not going to be happy with you, is he?' 'What? What do you mean?' she cried, and for the first time there was fear in her voice. The prophecy smashed when I was trying to get Neville up the steps! What do you think Voldemort'll say about that, then?' His scar seared and burned... the pain of it was making his eyes stream... 'LIAR!' she shrieked, but he could hear the terror behind the anger now. 'YOU'VE GOT IT, POTTER, AND YOU WILL GIVE IT TO ME! Accio prophecy! ACCIO PROPHECY!' Harry laughed again because he knew it would incense her, the pain building in his head so badly he thought his skull might burst. He waved his empty hand from behind the one-eared goblin and withdrew it quickly as she sent another jet of green light flying at him. 'Nothing there!' he shouted. 'Nothing to summon! It smashed and nobody heard what it said, tell your boss that!' 'No!' she screamed. 'It isn't true, you're lying! MASTER, I TRIED, I TRIED - DO NOT PUNISH ME - ' 'Don't waste your breath!' yelled Harry, his eyes screwed up against the pain in his scar, now more terrible than ever. 'He can't hear you from here!' 'Can't I, Potter?' said a high, cold voice. Harry opened his eyes. Tall, thin and black-hooded, his terrible snakelike face white and gaunt, his scarlet, slit-pupilled eyes staring... Lord Voldemort had appeared in the middle of the hall, his wand pointing at Harry who stood frozen, quite unable to move. 'So, you smashed my prophecy?' said Voldemort softly, staring at Harry with those pitiless red eyes. 'No,

Bella, he is not lying... I see the truth looking at me from within his worthless mind... months of preparation, months of effort... and my Death Eaters have let Harry Potter thwart me again...' 'Master, I am sorry, I knew not, I was fighting the Animagus Black!' sobbed Bellatrix, flinging herself down at Voldemort's feet as he paced slowly nearer. 'Master, you should know - ' 'Be quiet, Bella,' said Voldemort dangerously. 'I shall deal with you in a moment. Do you think I have entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your snivelling apologies?' 'But Master - he is here - he is below - ' Voldemort paid no attention. 'I have nothing more to say to you, Potter,' he said quietly. 'You have irked me too often, for too long. AVADA KEDAVRA!' Harry had not even opened his mouth to resist; his mind was blank, his wand pointing uselessly at the floor. But the headless golden statue of the wizard in the fountain had sprung alive, leaping from its plinth to land with a crash on the floor between Harry and Voldemort. The spell merely glanced off its chest as the statue flung out its arms to protect Harry. 'What -?' cried Voldemort, staring around. And then he breathed, 'Dumbledore!' Harry looked behind him, his heart pounding. Dumbledore was standing in front of the golden gates. Voldemort raised his wand and another jet of green light streaked at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak. Next second, he had reappeared behind Voldemort and waved his wand towards the remnants of the fountain. The other statues sprang to life. The statue of the witch ran at Bellatrix, who screamed and sent spells streaming uselessly off its chest, before it dived at her, pinning her to the floor. Meanwhile, the goblin and the house-elf scuttled towards the fireplaces set along the wall and the one-armed centaur galloped at Vol

ella, he is not lying... I see the truth looking at me from within his worthless mind... months of preparation, months of effort... and my Death Eaters have let Harry Potter thwart me again...' 'Master, I am sorry, I knew not, I was fighting the Animagus Black!' sobbed Bellatrix, flinging herself down at Voldemort's feet as he paced slowly nearer. 'Master, you should know - ' 'Be quiet, Bella,' said Voldemort dangerously. 'I shall deal with you in a moment. Do you think I have entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your snivelling apologies?' 'But Master - he is here - he is below - ' Voldemort paid no attention. 'I have nothing more to say to you, Potter,' he said quietly. 'You have irked me too often, for too long. AVADA KEDAVRA!' Harry had not even opened his mouth to resist; his mind was blank, his wand pointing uselessly at the floor. But the headless golden statue of the wizard in the fountain had sprung alive, leaping from its plinth to land with a crash on the floor between Harry and Voldemort. The spell merely glanced off its chest as the statue flung out its arms to protect Harry. 'What -?' cried Voldemort, staring around. And then he breathed, 'Dumbledore!' Harry looked behind him, his heart pounding. Dumbledore was standing in front of the golden gates. Voldemort raised his wand and another jet of green light streaked at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak. Next second, he had reappeared behind Voldemort and waved his wand towards the remnants of the fountain. The other statues sprang to life. The statue of the witch ran at Bellatrix, who screamed and sent spells streaming uselessly off its chest, before it dived at her, pinning her to the floor. Meanwhile, the goblin and the house-elf scuttled towards the fireplaces set along the wall and the one-armed centaur galloped at Vol

demort, who vanished and reappeared beside the pool. The headless statue thrust Harry backwards, away from the fight, as Dumbledore advanced on Voldemort and the golden centaur cantered around them both. 'It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom,' said Dumbledore calmly. The Aurors are on their way - ' 'By which time I shall be gone, and you will be dead!' spat Voldemort. He sent another killing curse at Dumbledore but missed, instead hitting the security guard's desk, which burst into flame. Dumbledore flicked his own wand: the force of the spell that emanated from it was such that Harry, though shielded by his golden guard, felt his hair stand on end as it passed and this time Voldemort was forced to conjure a shining silver shield out of thin air to deflect it. The spell, whatever it was, caused no visible damage to the shield, though a deep, gong-like note reverberated from it - an oddly chilling sound. 'You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore?' called Voldemort, his scarlet eyes narrowed over the top of the shield. 'Above such brutality, are you?' 'We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom,' Dumbledore said calmly, continuing to walk towards Voldemort as though he had not a fear in the world, as though nothing had happened to interrupt his stroll up the hall. 'Merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit - ' There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!' snarled Voldemort. 'You are quite wrong,' said Dumbledore, still closing in upon Voldemort and speaking as lightly as though they were discussing the matter over drinks. Harry felt scared to see him walking along, undefended, shieldless; he wanted to cry out a warning, but his headless guard kept shunting him backwards towards the wall, blocking his every attempt to gel out from behind it. 'Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness - ' Another jet of green light flew from behind the silver shield. This time it was the one-armed cent

ort, who vanished and reappeared beside the pool. The headless statue thrust Harry backwards, away from the fight, as Dumbledore advanced on Voldemort and the golden centaur cantered around them both. 'It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom,' said Dumbledore calmly. The Aurors are on their way - ' 'By which time I shall be gone, and you will be dead!' spat Voldemort. He sent another killing curse at Dumbledore but missed, instead hitting the security guard's desk, which burst into flame. Dumbledore flicked his own wand: the force of the spell that emanated from it was such that Harry, though shielded by his golden guard, felt his hair stand on end as it passed and this time Voldemort was forced to conjure a shining silver shield out of thin air to deflect it. The spell, whatever it was, caused no visible damage to the shield, though a deep, gong-like note reverberated from it - an oddly chilling sound. 'You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore?' called Voldemort, his scarlet eyes narrowed over the top of the shield. 'Above such brutality, are you?' 'We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom,' Dumbledore said calmly, continuing to walk towards Voldemort as though he had not a fear in the world, as though nothing had happened to interrupt his stroll up the hall. 'Merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit - ' There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!' snarled Voldemort. 'You are quite wrong,' said Dumbledore, still closing in upon Voldemort and speaking as lightly as though they were discussing the matter over drinks. Harry felt scared to see him walking along, undefended, shieldless; he wanted to cry out a warning, but his headless guard kept shunting him backwards towards the wall, blocking his every attempt to gel out from behind it. 'Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness - ' Another jet of green light flew from behind the silver shield. This time it was the one-armed cent

aur, galloping in front of Dumbledore, that took the blast and shattered into a hundred pieces, but before the fragments had even hit the floor, Dumbledore had drawn back his wand and waved it as though brandishing a whip. A long thin flame flew from the tip; it wrapped itself around Voldemort, shield and all. For a moment, it seemed Dumbledore had won, but then the fiery rope became a serpent, which relinquished its hold on Voldemort at once and turned, hissing furiously, to face Dumbledore. Voldemort vanished; the snake reared from the floor, ready to strike - ' There was a burst of flame in midair above Dumbledore just as Voldemort reappeared, standing on the plinth in the middle of the pool where so recently the five statues had stood. 'Look out!' Harry yelled. But even as he shouted, another jet of green light flew at Dumbledore from Voldemort's wand and the snake struck - ' Fawkes swooped down in front of Dumbledore, opened his beak wide and swallowed the jet of green light whole: he burst into flame and fell to the floor, small, wrinkled and flightless. At the same moment, Dumbledore brandished his wand in one long, fluid movement - the snake, which had been an instant from sinking its fangs into him, flew high into the air and vanished in a wisp of dark smoke; and the water in the pool rose up and covered Voldemort like a cocoon of molten glass. For a few seconds Voldemort was visible only as a dark, rippling, faceless figure, shimmering and indistinct upon the plinth, clearly struggling to throw off the suffocating mass - ' Then he was gone and the water fell with a crash back into its pool, slopping wildly over the sides, drenching the polished floor. 'MASTER!' screamed Bellatrix. Sure it was over, sure Voldemort had decided to flee, Harry made to run out from behind his statue guard, but Dumbledore bellowed: 'Stay where you are, Harry!'

, galloping in front of Dumbledore, that took the blast and shattered into a hundred pieces, but before the fragments had even hit the floor, Dumbledore had drawn back his wand and waved it as though brandishing a whip. A long thin flame flew from the tip; it wrapped itself around Voldemort, shield and all. For a moment, it seemed Dumbledore had won, but then the fiery rope became a serpent, which relinquished its hold on Voldemort at once and turned, hissing furiously, to face Dumbledore. Voldemort vanished; the snake reared from the floor, ready to strike - ' There was a burst of flame in midair above Dumbledore just as Voldemort reappeared, standing on the plinth in the middle of the pool where so recently the five statues had stood. 'Look out!' Harry yelled. But even as he shouted, another jet of green light flew at Dumbledore from Voldemort's wand and the snake struck - ' Fawkes swooped down in front of Dumbledore, opened his beak wide and swallowed the jet of green light whole: he burst into flame and fell to the floor, small, wrinkled and flightless. At the same moment, Dumbledore brandished his wand in one long, fluid movement - the snake, which had been an instant from sinking its fangs into him, flew high into the air and vanished in a wisp of dark smoke; and the water in the pool rose up and covered Voldemort like a cocoon of molten glass. For a few seconds Voldemort was visible only as a dark, rippling, faceless figure, shimmering and indistinct upon the plinth, clearly struggling to throw off the suffocating mass - ' Then he was gone and the water fell with a crash back into its pool, slopping wildly over the sides, drenching the polished floor. 'MASTER!' screamed Bellatrix. Sure it was over, sure Voldemort had decided to flee, Harry made to run out from behind his statue guard, but Dumbledore bellowed: 'Stay where you are, Harry!'

For the first time, Dumbledore sounded frightened. Harry could not see why: the hall was quite empty but for themselves, the sobbing Bellatrix still trapped under the witch statue, and the baby phoenix Fawkes croaking feebly on the floor - ' Then Harry's scar burst open and he knew he was dead: it was pain beyond imagining, pain past endurance - ' He was gone from the hall, he was locked in the coils of a creature with red eyes, so tightly bound that Harry did not know where his body ended and the creatures began: they were fused together, bound by pain, and there was no escape - ' And when the creature spoke, it used Harry's mouth, so that in his agony he felt his jaw move... 'Kill me now, Dumbledore...' Blinded and dying, every part of him screaming for release, Harry felt the creature use him again... 'If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy...' Let the pain stop, thought Harry... let him kill us... end it, Dumbledore... death is nothing compared to this... And I'll see Sirius again... And as Harry's heart filled with emotion, the creatures coils loosened, the pain was gone; Harry was lying face down on the floor, his glasses gone, shivering as though he lay upon ice, not wood... And there were voices echoing through the hall, more voices than there should have been... Harry opened his eyes, saw his glasses lying by the heel of the headless statue that had been guarding him, but which now lay flat on its back, cracked and immobile. He put them on and raised his head a little to find Dumbledore's crooked nose inches from his own. 'Are you all right, Harry?' 'Yes,' said Harry, shaking so violently he could not hold his head up properly. 'Yeah, I'm - where's Voldemort, where - who are all these - what's - ' The Atrium was full of people; the floor was

For the first time, Dumbledore sounded frightened. Harry could not see why: the hall was quite empty but for themselves, the sobbing Bellatrix still trapped under the witch statue, and the baby phoenix Fawkes croaking feebly on the floor - ' Then Harry's scar burst open and he knew he was dead: it was pain beyond imagining, pain past endurance - ' He was gone from the hall, he was locked in the coils of a creature with red eyes, so tightly bound that Harry did not know where his body ended and the creatures began: they were fused together, bound by pain, and there was no escape - ' And when the creature spoke, it used Harry's mouth, so that in his agony he felt his jaw move... 'Kill me now, Dumbledore...' Blinded and dying, every part of him screaming for release, Harry felt the creature use him again... 'If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy...' Let the pain stop, thought Harry... let him kill us... end it, Dumbledore... death is nothing compared to this... And I'll see Sirius again... And as Harry's heart filled with emotion, the creatures coils loosened, the pain was gone; Harry was lying face down on the floor, his glasses gone, shivering as though he lay upon ice, not wood... And there were voices echoing through the hall, more voices than there should have been... Harry opened his eyes, saw his glasses lying by the heel of the headless statue that had been guarding him, but which now lay flat on its back, cracked and immobile. He put them on and raised his head a little to find Dumbledore's crooked nose inches from his own. 'Are you all right, Harry?' 'Yes,' said Harry, shaking so violently he could not hold his head up properly. 'Yeah, I'm - where's Voldemort, where - who are all these - what's - ' The Atrium was full of people; the floor was

reflecting the emerald green flames that had burst into fire in all the fireplaces along one wall; and streams of witches and wizards were emerging from them. As Dumbledore pulled him back to his feet, Harry saw the tiny gold statues of the house-elf and the goblin, leading a stunned-looking Cornelius Fudge forward. 'He was there!' shouted a scarlet-robed man with a ponytail, who was pointing at a pile of golden rubble on the other side of the hall, where Bellatrix had lain trapped only moments before. 'I saw him, Mr Fudge, I swear it was You-Know-Who, he grabbed a woman and Disapparated!' 'I know, Williamson, I know, I saw him too!' gibbered Fudge, who was wearing pyjamas under his pinstriped cloak and was gasping as though he had just run miles. 'Merlin's beard - here - here! - in the Ministry of Magic! - great heavens above - it doesn't seem possible - my word - how can this be -?' 'If you proceed downstairs into the Department of Mysteries, Cornelius,' said Dumbledore - apparently satisfied that Harry was all right, and walking forwards so that the newcomers realised he was there for the first time (a few of them raised their wands; others simply looked amazed; the statues of the elf and goblin applauded and Fudge jumped so much that his slipper-clad feet left the floor) - 'you will find several escaped Death Eaters contained in the Death Chamber, bound by an Anti-Disapparation Jinx and awaiting your decision as to what to do with them.' 'Dumbledore!' gasped Fudge, beside himself with amazement. 'You - here - I - I - ' He looked wildly around at the Aurors he had brought with him and it could not have been clearer that he was in half a mind to cry, 'Seize him!' 'Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men - and win, again!' said Dumbledore in a thunderous voice. 'But

ing the emerald green flames that had burst into fire in all the fireplaces along one wall; and streams of witches and wizards were emerging from them. As Dumbledore pulled him back to his feet, Harry saw the tiny gold statues of the house-elf and the goblin, leading a stunned-looking Cornelius Fudge forward. 'He was there!' shouted a scarlet-robed man with a ponytail, who was pointing at a pile of golden rubble on the other side of the hall, where Bellatrix had lain trapped only moments before. 'I saw him, Mr Fudge, I swear it was You-Know-Who, he grabbed a woman and Disapparated!' 'I know, Williamson, I know, I saw him too!' gibbered Fudge, who was wearing pyjamas under his pinstriped cloak and was gasping as though he had just run miles. 'Merlin's beard - here - here! - in the Ministry of Magic! - great heavens above - it doesn't seem possible - my word - how can this be -?' 'If you proceed downstairs into the Department of Mysteries, Cornelius,' said Dumbledore - apparently satisfied that Harry was all right, and walking forwards so that the newcomers realised he was there for the first time (a few of them raised their wands; others simply looked amazed; the statues of the elf and goblin applauded and Fudge jumped so much that his slipper-clad feet left the floor) - 'you will find several escaped Death Eaters contained in the Death Chamber, bound by an Anti-Disapparation Jinx and awaiting your decision as to what to do with them.' 'Dumbledore!' gasped Fudge, beside himself with amazement. 'You - here - I - I - ' He looked wildly around at the Aurors he had brought with him and it could not have been clearer that he was in half a mind to cry, 'Seize him!' 'Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men - and win, again!' said Dumbledore in a thunderous voice. 'But

a few minutes ago you saw proof, with your own eyes, that I have been telling you the truth for a year. Lord Voldemort has returned, you have been chasing the wrong man for twelve months, and it is time you listened to sense!' 'I - don't - well -' blustered Fudge, looking around as though hoping somebody was going to tell him what to do. When nobody did, he said, 'Very well - Dawlish! Williamson! Go down to the Department of Mysteries and see... Dumbledore, you - you will need to tell me exactly - the Fountain of Magical Brethren - what happened?' he added in a kind of whimper, staring around at the floor, where the remains of the statues of the witch, wizard and centaur now lay scattered. 'We can discuss that after I have sent Harry back to Hogwarts,' said Dumbledore. 'Harry - Harry Potter?' Fudge wheeled around and stared at Harry, who was still standing against the wall beside the fallen statue that had guarded him during Dumbledore and Voldemort's duel. 'He - here?' said Fudge, goggling at Harry. 'Why - what's all this about?' 'I shall explain everything,' repeated Dumbledore, 'when Harry is back at school.' He walked away from the pool to the place where the golden wizard's head lay on the floor. He pointed his wand at it and muttered, 'Portus.' The head glowed blue and trembled noisily against the wooden floor for a few seconds, then became still once more. 'Now see here, Dumbledore!' said Fudge, as Dumbledore picked up the head and walked back to Harry carrying it. 'You haven't got authorisation for that Portkey! You can't do things like that right in front of the Minister for Magic, you - you - ' His voice faltered as Dumbledore surveyed him magisterially over his half-moon spectacles. 'You will give the order to remove Dolores Umbridge from Hogwarts,' said Dumbledore. 'You will tell your Aurors to stop searching for my Care of Magical Creatures teacher so

few minutes ago you saw proof, with your own eyes, that I have been telling you the truth for a year. Lord Voldemort has returned, you have been chasing the wrong man for twelve months, and it is time you listened to sense!' 'I - don't - well -' blustered Fudge, looking around as though hoping somebody was going to tell him what to do. When nobody did, he said, 'Very well - Dawlish! Williamson! Go down to the Department of Mysteries and see... Dumbledore, you - you will need to tell me exactly - the Fountain of Magical Brethren - what happened?' he added in a kind of whimper, staring around at the floor, where the remains of the statues of the witch, wizard and centaur now lay scattered. 'We can discuss that after I have sent Harry back to Hogwarts,' said Dumbledore. 'Harry - Harry Potter?' Fudge wheeled around and stared at Harry, who was still standing against the wall beside the fallen statue that had guarded him during Dumbledore and Voldemort's duel. 'He - here?' said Fudge, goggling at Harry. 'Why - what's all this about?' 'I shall explain everything,' repeated Dumbledore, 'when Harry is back at school.' He walked away from the pool to the place where the golden wizard's head lay on the floor. He pointed his wand at it and muttered, 'Portus.' The head glowed blue and trembled noisily against the wooden floor for a few seconds, then became still once more. 'Now see here, Dumbledore!' said Fudge, as Dumbledore picked up the head and walked back to Harry carrying it. 'You haven't got authorisation for that Portkey! You can't do things like that right in front of the Minister for Magic, you - you - ' His voice faltered as Dumbledore surveyed him magisterially over his half-moon spectacles. 'You will give the order to remove Dolores Umbridge from Hogwarts,' said Dumbledore. 'You will tell your Aurors to stop searching for my Care of Magical Creatures teacher so

that he can return to work. I will give you...' Dumbledore pulled a watch with twelve hands from his pocket and surveyed it... half an hour of my time tonight, in which I think we shall be more than able to cover the important points of what has happened here. After that, I shall need to return to my school. If you need more help from me you are, of course, more than welcome to contact me at Hogwarts. Letters addressed to the Headmaster will find me.' Fudge goggled worse than ever; his mouth was open and his round face grew pinker under his rumpled grey hair. 'I - you - ' Dumbledore turned his back on him. 'Take this Portkey, Harry.' He held out the golden head of the statue and Harry placed his hand on it, past caring what he did next or where he went. 'I shall see you in half an hour,' said Dumbledore quietly 'One... two... three Harry felt the familiar sensation of a hook being jerked behind his navel. The polished wooden floor was gone from beneath his feet; the Atrium, Fudge and Dumbledore had all disappeared and he was flying forwards in a whirlwind of colour and sound... - CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - The Lost Prophecy Harry's feet hit solid ground; his knees buckled a little and the golden wizard's head fell with a resounding clunk to the floor. He looked around and saw that he had arrived in Dumbledore's office. Everything seemed to have repaired itself during the Headmasters absence. The delicate silver instruments stood once more on the spindle-legged tables, puffing and whirring serenely. The portraits of the headmasters and headmistresses were snoozing in their frames, heads lolling back in armchairs or against the edge of the; picture. Harry looked through the window. There was a cool line of pale green along the horizon: dawn was approaching. The silence and the stillness, broken only by the occasional grunt or snuffle of a sleeping portrait, was unbearable to him. If his

he can return to work. I will give you...' Dumbledore pulled a watch with twelve hands from his pocket and surveyed it... half an hour of my time tonight, in which I think we shall be more than able to cover the important points of what has happened here. After that, I shall need to return to my school. If you need more help from me you are, of course, more than welcome to contact me at Hogwarts. Letters addressed to the Headmaster will find me.' Fudge goggled worse than ever; his mouth was open and his round face grew pinker under his rumpled grey hair. 'I - you - ' Dumbledore turned his back on him. 'Take this Portkey, Harry.' He held out the golden head of the statue and Harry placed his hand on it, past caring what he did next or where he went. 'I shall see you in half an hour,' said Dumbledore quietly 'One... two... three Harry felt the familiar sensation of a hook being jerked behind his navel. The polished wooden floor was gone from beneath his feet; the Atrium, Fudge and Dumbledore had all disappeared and he was flying forwards in a whirlwind of colour and sound... - CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - The Lost Prophecy Harry's feet hit solid ground; his knees buckled a little and the golden wizard's head fell with a resounding clunk to the floor. He looked around and saw that he had arrived in Dumbledore's office. Everything seemed to have repaired itself during the Headmasters absence. The delicate silver instruments stood once more on the spindle-legged tables, puffing and whirring serenely. The portraits of the headmasters and headmistresses were snoozing in their frames, heads lolling back in armchairs or against the edge of the; picture. Harry looked through the window. There was a cool line of pale green along the horizon: dawn was approaching. The silence and the stillness, broken only by the occasional grunt or snuffle of a sleeping portrait, was unbearable to him. If his

surroundings could have reflected the feelings inside him, the pictures would have been screaming in pain. He walked around the quiet, beautiful office, breathing quickly, trying not to think. But he had to think... there was no escape... It was his fault Sirius had died; it was all his fault. If he, Harry, had not been stupid enough to fall for Voldemort's trick, if he had not been so convinced that what he had seen in his dream was real, if he had only opened his mind to the possibility that Voldemort was, as Hermione had said, banking on Harry's love of playing the hero... It was unbearable, he would not think about it, he could not stand it... there was a terrible hollow inside him he did not want to feel or examine, a dark hole where Sirius had been, where Sirius had vanished; he did not want to have to be alone with that great, silent space, he could not stand it - ' A picture behind him gave a particularly loud grunting snore, and a cool voice said, 'Ah... Harry Potter...' Phineas Nigellus gave a long yawn, stretching his arms as he surveyed Harry out of shrewd, narrow eyes. 'And what brings you here in the early hours of the morning?' said Phineas eventually. This office is supposed to be barred to all but the rightful Headmaster. Or has Dumbledore sent you here? Oh, don't tell me...' He gave another shuddering yawn. 'Another message for my worthless great-great-grandson?' Harry could not speak. Phineas Nigellus did not know that Sirius was dead, but Harry could not tell him. To say it aloud would be to make it final, absolute, irretrievable. A few more of the portraits had stirred now. Terror of being interrogated made Harry stride across the room and seize the doorknob. It would not turn. He was shut in. 'I hope this means,' said the corpulent, red-nosed wizard who hung on the wall behind the Headmasters

oundings could have reflected the feelings inside him, the pictures would have been screaming in pain. He walked around the quiet, beautiful office, breathing quickly, trying not to think. But he had to think... there was no escape... It was his fault Sirius had died; it was all his fault. If he, Harry, had not been stupid enough to fall for Voldemort's trick, if he had not been so convinced that what he had seen in his dream was real, if he had only opened his mind to the possibility that Voldemort was, as Hermione had said, banking on Harry's love of playing the hero... It was unbearable, he would not think about it, he could not stand it... there was a terrible hollow inside him he did not want to feel or examine, a dark hole where Sirius had been, where Sirius had vanished; he did not want to have to be alone with that great, silent space, he could not stand it - ' A picture behind him gave a particularly loud grunting snore, and a cool voice said, 'Ah... Harry Potter...' Phineas Nigellus gave a long yawn, stretching his arms as he surveyed Harry out of shrewd, narrow eyes. 'And what brings you here in the early hours of the morning?' said Phineas eventually. This office is supposed to be barred to all but the rightful Headmaster. Or has Dumbledore sent you here? Oh, don't tell me...' He gave another shuddering yawn. 'Another message for my worthless great-great-grandson?' Harry could not speak. Phineas Nigellus did not know that Sirius was dead, but Harry could not tell him. To say it aloud would be to make it final, absolute, irretrievable. A few more of the portraits had stirred now. Terror of being interrogated made Harry stride across the room and seize the doorknob. It would not turn. He was shut in. 'I hope this means,' said the corpulent, red-nosed wizard who hung on the wall behind the Headmasters

desk, 'that Dumbledore will soon be back among us?' Harry turned. The wizard was surveying him with great interest. Harry nodded. He tugged again on the doorknob behind his back, but it remained immovable. 'Oh good,' said the wizard. 'It has been very dull without him, very dull indeed.' He settled himself on the throne-like chair on which he had been painted and smiled benignly upon Harry. 'Dumbledore thinks very highly of you, as I am sure you know,' he said comfortably. 'Oh yes. Holds you in great esteem.' The guilt filling the whole of Harry's chest like some monstrous, weighty parasite, now writhed and squirmed. Harry could not stand this, he could not stand being himself any more... he had never felt more trapped inside his own head and body, never wished so intensely that he could be somebody, anybody else... The empty fireplace burst into emerald green flame, making Harry leap away from the door, staring at the man spinning inside the grate. As Dumbledore's tall form unfolded itself from the fire, the wizards and witches on the surrounding walls jerked awake, many of them giving cries of welcome. Thank you,' said Dumbledore softly. He did not look at Harry at first, but walked over to the perch beside the door and withdrew, from an inside pocket of his robes, the tiny, ugly, featherless Fawkes, whom he placed gently on the tray of soft ashes beneath the golden post where the full-grown Fawkes usually stood. 'Well, Harry,' said Dumbledore, finally turning away from the baby bird, 'you will be pleased to hear that none of your fellow students are going to suffer lasting damage from the night's events.' Harry tried to say, 'Good,' but no sound came out. It seemed to him that Dumbledore was reminding him of the amount of damage he had caused, and although Dumbledore was for once looking at him directly, and although his expression was kindly rather than accusatory, Harry could not bear to meet his eyes. 'Mad

k, 'that Dumbledore will soon be back among us?' Harry turned. The wizard was surveying him with great interest. Harry nodded. He tugged again on the doorknob behind his back, but it remained immovable. 'Oh good,' said the wizard. 'It has been very dull without him, very dull indeed.' He settled himself on the throne-like chair on which he had been painted and smiled benignly upon Harry. 'Dumbledore thinks very highly of you, as I am sure you know,' he said comfortably. 'Oh yes. Holds you in great esteem.' The guilt filling the whole of Harry's chest like some monstrous, weighty parasite, now writhed and squirmed. Harry could not stand this, he could not stand being himself any more... he had never felt more trapped inside his own head and body, never wished so intensely that he could be somebody, anybody else... The empty fireplace burst into emerald green flame, making Harry leap away from the door, staring at the man spinning inside the grate. As Dumbledore's tall form unfolded itself from the fire, the wizards and witches on the surrounding walls jerked awake, many of them giving cries of welcome. Thank you,' said Dumbledore softly. He did not look at Harry at first, but walked over to the perch beside the door and withdrew, from an inside pocket of his robes, the tiny, ugly, featherless Fawkes, whom he placed gently on the tray of soft ashes beneath the golden post where the full-grown Fawkes usually stood. 'Well, Harry,' said Dumbledore, finally turning away from the baby bird, 'you will be pleased to hear that none of your fellow students are going to suffer lasting damage from the night's events.' Harry tried to say, 'Good,' but no sound came out. It seemed to him that Dumbledore was reminding him of the amount of damage he had caused, and although Dumbledore was for once looking at him directly, and although his expression was kindly rather than accusatory, Harry could not bear to meet his eyes. 'Mad

am Pomfrey is patching everybody up,' said Dumbledore 'Nymphadora Tonks may need to spend a little time in St Mungos, but it seems she will make a full recovery.' Harry contented himself with nodding at the carpet, which was growing lighter as the sky outside grew paler. He was sure all the: portraits around the room were listening closely to every wore! Dumbledore spoke, wondering where Dumbledore and Harry had been, and why there had been injuries. 'I know how you're feeling, Harry,' said Dumbledore very quietly. 'No, you don't,' said Harry, and his voice was suddenly loud and strong; white-hot anger leapt inside him; Dumbledore knew nothing about his feelings. 'You see, Dumbledore?' said Phineas Nigellus slyly. 'Never try to understand the students. They hate it. They would much rather be tragically misunderstood, wallow in self-pity, stew in their own - ' That's enough, Phineas,' said Dumbledore. Harry turned his back on Dumbledore and stared determinedly out of the window. He could see the Quidditch stadium in the distance. Sirius had appeared there once, disguised as the shaggy black dog, so he could watch Harry play... he had probably come to see whether Harry was as good as James had been... Harry had never asked him... There is no shame in what you are feeling, Harry,' said Dumbledore's voice. 'On the contrary... the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength.' Harry felt the white-hot anger lick his insides, blazing in the terrible emptiness, filling him with the desire to hurt Dumbledore for his calmness and his empty words. 'My greatest strength, is it?' said Harry, his voice shaking as he stared out at the Quidditch stadium, no longer seeing it. 'You haven't got a clue... you don't know..." 'What don't I know?' asked Dumbledore calmly. It was too much. Harry

Pomfrey is patching everybody up,' said Dumbledore 'Nymphadora Tonks may need to spend a little time in St Mungos, but it seems she will make a full recovery.' Harry contented himself with nodding at the carpet, which was growing lighter as the sky outside grew paler. He was sure all the: portraits around the room were listening closely to every wore! Dumbledore spoke, wondering where Dumbledore and Harry had been, and why there had been injuries. 'I know how you're feeling, Harry,' said Dumbledore very quietly. 'No, you don't,' said Harry, and his voice was suddenly loud and strong; white-hot anger leapt inside him; Dumbledore knew nothing about his feelings. 'You see, Dumbledore?' said Phineas Nigellus slyly. 'Never try to understand the students. They hate it. They would much rather be tragically misunderstood, wallow in self-pity, stew in their own - ' That's enough, Phineas,' said Dumbledore. Harry turned his back on Dumbledore and stared determinedly out of the window. He could see the Quidditch stadium in the distance. Sirius had appeared there once, disguised as the shaggy black dog, so he could watch Harry play... he had probably come to see whether Harry was as good as James had been... Harry had never asked him... There is no shame in what you are feeling, Harry,' said Dumbledore's voice. 'On the contrary... the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength.' Harry felt the white-hot anger lick his insides, blazing in the terrible emptiness, filling him with the desire to hurt Dumbledore for his calmness and his empty words. 'My greatest strength, is it?' said Harry, his voice shaking as he stared out at the Quidditch stadium, no longer seeing it. 'You haven't got a clue... you don't know..." 'What don't I know?' asked Dumbledore calmly. It was too much. Harry

turned around, shaking with rage. 'I don't want to talk about how I feel, all right?' 'Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human - ' 'THEN - I - DON'T - WANT - TO - BE - HUMAN!' Harry roared, and he seized the delicate silver instrument from the spindle-legged table beside him and flung it across the room; it shattered into a hundred tiny pieces against the wall. Several of the pictures let out yells of anger and fright, and the portrait of Armando Dippet said, 'Really!' 'I DON'T CARE!' Harry yelled at them, snatching up a lunascope and throwing it into the fireplace. 'I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT OUT, I WANT IT TO END, I DON'T CARE ANY MORE - ' He seized the table on which the silver instrument had stood and threw that, too. It broke apart on the floor and the legs rolled in different directions. 'You do care,' said Dumbledore. He had not flinched or made a single move to stop Harry demolishing his office. His expression was calm, almost detached. 'You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it.' 'I - DON'T!' Harry screamed, so loudly that he felt his throat might tear, and for a second he wanted to rush at Dumbledore and break him, too; shatter that calm old face, shake him, hurt him, make him feel some tiny part of the horror inside himself. 'Oh, yes, you do,' said Dumbledore, still more calmly. 'You have now lost your mother, your father, and the closest thing to a parent you have ever known. Of course you care.' 'YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL!' Harry roared. 'YOU - STANDING THERE - YOU - ' But words were no longer enough, smashing things was no more help; he wanted to run, he wanted to keep running and never look back, he

around, shaking with rage. 'I don't want to talk about how I feel, all right?' 'Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human - ' 'THEN - I - DON'T - WANT - TO - BE - HUMAN!' Harry roared, and he seized the delicate silver instrument from the spindle-legged table beside him and flung it across the room; it shattered into a hundred tiny pieces against the wall. Several of the pictures let out yells of anger and fright, and the portrait of Armando Dippet said, 'Really!' 'I DON'T CARE!' Harry yelled at them, snatching up a lunascope and throwing it into the fireplace. 'I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT OUT, I WANT IT TO END, I DON'T CARE ANY MORE - ' He seized the table on which the silver instrument had stood and threw that, too. It broke apart on the floor and the legs rolled in different directions. 'You do care,' said Dumbledore. He had not flinched or made a single move to stop Harry demolishing his office. His expression was calm, almost detached. 'You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it.' 'I - DON'T!' Harry screamed, so loudly that he felt his throat might tear, and for a second he wanted to rush at Dumbledore and break him, too; shatter that calm old face, shake him, hurt him, make him feel some tiny part of the horror inside himself. 'Oh, yes, you do,' said Dumbledore, still more calmly. 'You have now lost your mother, your father, and the closest thing to a parent you have ever known. Of course you care.' 'YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL!' Harry roared. 'YOU - STANDING THERE - YOU - ' But words were no longer enough, smashing things was no more help; he wanted to run, he wanted to keep running and never look back, he

wanted to be somewhere he could not see the clear blue eyes staring at him, that hatefully calm old face. He turned on his heel and ran to the door, seized the doorknob again and wrenched at it. But the door would not open. Harry turned back to Dumbledore. 'Let me out,' he said. He was shaking from head to foot. 'No,' said Dumbledore simply. For a few seconds they stared at each other. 'Let me out,' Harry said again. 'No,' Dumbledore repeated. 'If you don't - if you keep me in here - if you don't let me - ' 'By all means continue destroying my possessions,' said Dumbledore serenely. 'I daresay I have too many.' He walked around his desk and sat down behind it, watching Harry. 'Let me out,' Harry said yet again, in a voice that was cold and almost as calm as Dumbledore's. 'Not until I have had my say,' said Dumbledore. 'Do you - do you think I want to - do you think I give a - I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO SAY!' Harry roared. 'I don't want to hear anything you've got to say!' 'You will,' said Dumbledore steadily. 'Because you are not nearly as angry with me as you ought to be. If you are to attack me, as I know you are close to doing, I would like to have thoroughly earned it.' 'What are you talking -?' 'It is my fault that Sirius died,' said Dumbledore clearly. 'Or should I say, almost entirely my fault - I will not be so arrogant as to claim responsibility for the whole. Sirius was a brave, clever and energetic man, and such men are not usually content to sit at home in hiding while they believe others to be in danger. Nevertheless, you should never have believed for an instant that there was any necessity for you to go to the Department of Mysteries tonight. If I had been open with you, Harry, as I should have been, you would have known a long time ago that Voldem

to be somewhere he could not see the clear blue eyes staring at him, that hatefully calm old face. He turned on his heel and ran to the door, seized the doorknob again and wrenched at it. But the door would not open. Harry turned back to Dumbledore. 'Let me out,' he said. He was shaking from head to foot. 'No,' said Dumbledore simply. For a few seconds they stared at each other. 'Let me out,' Harry said again. 'No,' Dumbledore repeated. 'If you don't - if you keep me in here - if you don't let me - ' 'By all means continue destroying my possessions,' said Dumbledore serenely. 'I daresay I have too many.' He walked around his desk and sat down behind it, watching Harry. 'Let me out,' Harry said yet again, in a voice that was cold and almost as calm as Dumbledore's. 'Not until I have had my say,' said Dumbledore. 'Do you - do you think I want to - do you think I give a - I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO SAY!' Harry roared. 'I don't want to hear anything you've got to say!' 'You will,' said Dumbledore steadily. 'Because you are not nearly as angry with me as you ought to be. If you are to attack me, as I know you are close to doing, I would like to have thoroughly earned it.' 'What are you talking -?' 'It is my fault that Sirius died,' said Dumbledore clearly. 'Or should I say, almost entirely my fault - I will not be so arrogant as to claim responsibility for the whole. Sirius was a brave, clever and energetic man, and such men are not usually content to sit at home in hiding while they believe others to be in danger. Nevertheless, you should never have believed for an instant that there was any necessity for you to go to the Department of Mysteries tonight. If I had been open with you, Harry, as I should have been, you would have known a long time ago that Voldem

ort might try and lure you to the Department of Mysteries, and you would never have been tricked into going there tonight. And Sirius would not have had to come after you. That blame lies with me, and with me alone.' Harry was still standing with his hand on the doorknob but was unaware of it. He was gazing at Dumbledore, hardly breathing, listening yet barely understanding what he was hearing. 'Please sit down,' said Dumbledore. It was not an order, it was a request. Harry hesitated, then walked slowly across the room now littered with silver cogs and fragments of wood, and took the seat facing Dumbledore's desk. 'Am I to understand,' said Phineas Nigellus slowly from Harry's left, 'that my great-great-grandson - the last of the Blacks - is dead?' 'Yes, Phineas,' said Dumbledore. 'I don't believe it,' said Phineas brusquely. Harry turned his head in time to see Phineas marching out of his portrait and knew that he had gone to visit his other painting in Grimmauld Place. He would walk, perhaps, from portrait to portrait, calling for Sirius through the house... 'Harry, I owe you an explanation,' said Dumbledore. 'An explanation of an old man's mistakes. For I see now that what I have done, and not done, with regard to you, bears all the hallmarks of the failings of age. Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young... and I seem to have forgotten, lately...' The sun was rising properly now; there was a rim of dazzling orange visible over the mountains and the sky above it was colourless and bright. The light fell upon Dumbledore, upon the silver of his eyebrows and beard, upon the lines gouged deeply into his lace. 'I guessed, fifteen years ago,' said Dumbledore, 'when I saw the scar on your forehead, what it might mean. I guessed that it might be the sign of a connection forged between you and Voldemort

might try and lure you to the Department of Mysteries, and you would never have been tricked into going there tonight. And Sirius would not have had to come after you. That blame lies with me, and with me alone.' Harry was still standing with his hand on the doorknob but was unaware of it. He was gazing at Dumbledore, hardly breathing, listening yet barely understanding what he was hearing. 'Please sit down,' said Dumbledore. It was not an order, it was a request. Harry hesitated, then walked slowly across the room now littered with silver cogs and fragments of wood, and took the seat facing Dumbledore's desk. 'Am I to understand,' said Phineas Nigellus slowly from Harry's left, 'that my great-great-grandson - the last of the Blacks - is dead?' 'Yes, Phineas,' said Dumbledore. 'I don't believe it,' said Phineas brusquely. Harry turned his head in time to see Phineas marching out of his portrait and knew that he had gone to visit his other painting in Grimmauld Place. He would walk, perhaps, from portrait to portrait, calling for Sirius through the house... 'Harry, I owe you an explanation,' said Dumbledore. 'An explanation of an old man's mistakes. For I see now that what I have done, and not done, with regard to you, bears all the hallmarks of the failings of age. Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young... and I seem to have forgotten, lately...' The sun was rising properly now; there was a rim of dazzling orange visible over the mountains and the sky above it was colourless and bright. The light fell upon Dumbledore, upon the silver of his eyebrows and beard, upon the lines gouged deeply into his lace. 'I guessed, fifteen years ago,' said Dumbledore, 'when I saw the scar on your forehead, what it might mean. I guessed that it might be the sign of a connection forged between you and Voldemort

.' 'You've told me this before, Professor,' said Harry bluntly. He did not care about being rude. He did not care about anything very much any more. 'Yes,' said Dumbledore apologetically. 'Yes, but you see - it is necessary to start with your scar. For it became apparent, shortly after you rejoined the magical world, that I was correct, and that your scar was giving you warnings when Voldemort was close to you, or else feeling powerful emotion.' 'I know,' said Harry wearily. 'And this ability of yours - to detect Voldemort's presence, even when he is disguised, and to know what he is feeling when his emotions are roused - has become more and more pronounced since Voldemort returned to his own body and his full powers.' Harry did not bother to nod. He knew all of this already. 'More recently,' said Dumbledore, 'I became concerned that Voldemort might realise that this connection between you exists. Sure enough, there came a time when you entered so far into his mind and thoughts that he sensed your presence. I am speaking, of course, of the night when you witnessed the attack on Mr ROBERTS' 'Yeah, Snape told me,' Harry muttered. 'Professor Snape, Harry' Dumbledore corrected him quietly. 'But did you not wonder why it was not I who explained this to you? Why I did not teach you Occlumency? Why I had not so much as looked at you for months?' Harry looked up. He could see now that Dumbledore looked sad and tired. 'Yeah,' Harry mumbled. 'Yeah, I wondered.' 'You see,' Dumbledore continued, 'I believed it could not be long before Voldemort attempted to force his way into your mind, to manipulate and misdirect your thoughts, and I was not eager to give him more incentives to do so. I was sure that if he realised that our relationship was - or had ever been - closer than that of headmaster and pupil, he would seize his chance to use you as a means to spy on me. I feared the uses to which he would put you, the possibility that he might

'You've told me this before, Professor,' said Harry bluntly. He did not care about being rude. He did not care about anything very much any more. 'Yes,' said Dumbledore apologetically. 'Yes, but you see - it is necessary to start with your scar. For it became apparent, shortly after you rejoined the magical world, that I was correct, and that your scar was giving you warnings when Voldemort was close to you, or else feeling powerful emotion.' 'I know,' said Harry wearily. 'And this ability of yours - to detect Voldemort's presence, even when he is disguised, and to know what he is feeling when his emotions are roused - has become more and more pronounced since Voldemort returned to his own body and his full powers.' Harry did not bother to nod. He knew all of this already. 'More recently,' said Dumbledore, 'I became concerned that Voldemort might realise that this connection between you exists. Sure enough, there came a time when you entered so far into his mind and thoughts that he sensed your presence. I am speaking, of course, of the night when you witnessed the attack on Mr ROBERTS' 'Yeah, Snape told me,' Harry muttered. 'Professor Snape, Harry' Dumbledore corrected him quietly. 'But did you not wonder why it was not I who explained this to you? Why I did not teach you Occlumency? Why I had not so much as looked at you for months?' Harry looked up. He could see now that Dumbledore looked sad and tired. 'Yeah,' Harry mumbled. 'Yeah, I wondered.' 'You see,' Dumbledore continued, 'I believed it could not be long before Voldemort attempted to force his way into your mind, to manipulate and misdirect your thoughts, and I was not eager to give him more incentives to do so. I was sure that if he realised that our relationship was - or had ever been - closer than that of headmaster and pupil, he would seize his chance to use you as a means to spy on me. I feared the uses to which he would put you, the possibility that he might

try and possess you. Harry, I believe I was right to think that Voldemort would have made use of you in such a way. On those rare occasions when we had close contact, I thought I saw a shadow of him stir behind your eyes...' Harry remembered the feeling that a dormant snake had risen in him, ready to strike, in those moments when he and Dumbledore had made eye-contact. 'Voldemort's aim in possessing you, as he demonstrated tonight, would not have been my destruction. It would have been yours. He hoped, when he possessed you briefly a short while ago, that I would sacrifice you in the hope of killing him. So you see, I have been trying, in distancing myself from you, to protect you, Harry. An old man s mistake..." He sighed deeply. Harry was letting the words wash over him. He would have been so interested to know all this a few months ago, but now it was meaningless compared to the gaping chasm inside him that was the loss of Sirius; none of it mattered... 'Sirius told me you felt Voldemort awake inside you the very night that you had the vision of Arthur WILLIAMS's attack. I knew at once that my worst fears were correct: Voldemort had realised he could use you. In an attempt to arm you against Voldemort s assaults on your mind, I arranged Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape.' He paused. Harry watched the sunlight, which was sliding slowly across the polished surface of Dumbledore's desk, illuminate a silver ink pot and a handsome scarlet quill. Harry could tell that the portraits all around them were awake and listening raptly to Dumbledore's explanation; he could hear the occasional rustle of robes, the slight clearing of a throat. Phineas Nigellus had still not returned... 'Professor Snape discovered,' Dumbledore resumed, 'that you had been dreaming about the door to the Department of Mysteries for months. Voldemort, of course, had been obsessed with the possibility of hearing the prophecy ever since he regained his body; and as he dwelled

and possess you. Harry, I believe I was right to think that Voldemort would have made use of you in such a way. On those rare occasions when we had close contact, I thought I saw a shadow of him stir behind your eyes...' Harry remembered the feeling that a dormant snake had risen in him, ready to strike, in those moments when he and Dumbledore had made eye-contact. 'Voldemort's aim in possessing you, as he demonstrated tonight, would not have been my destruction. It would have been yours. He hoped, when he possessed you briefly a short while ago, that I would sacrifice you in the hope of killing him. So you see, I have been trying, in distancing myself from you, to protect you, Harry. An old man s mistake..." He sighed deeply. Harry was letting the words wash over him. He would have been so interested to know all this a few months ago, but now it was meaningless compared to the gaping chasm inside him that was the loss of Sirius; none of it mattered... 'Sirius told me you felt Voldemort awake inside you the very night that you had the vision of Arthur WILLIAMS's attack. I knew at once that my worst fears were correct: Voldemort had realised he could use you. In an attempt to arm you against Voldemort s assaults on your mind, I arranged Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape.' He paused. Harry watched the sunlight, which was sliding slowly across the polished surface of Dumbledore's desk, illuminate a silver ink pot and a handsome scarlet quill. Harry could tell that the portraits all around them were awake and listening raptly to Dumbledore's explanation; he could hear the occasional rustle of robes, the slight clearing of a throat. Phineas Nigellus had still not returned... 'Professor Snape discovered,' Dumbledore resumed, 'that you had been dreaming about the door to the Department of Mysteries for months. Voldemort, of course, had been obsessed with the possibility of hearing the prophecy ever since he regained his body; and as he dwelled

on the door, so did you, though you did not <now what it meant. 'And then you saw Rookwood, who worked in the Department of Mysteries before his arrest, telling Voldemort what we had known all along - that the prophecies held in the Ministry of Magic are heavily protected. Only the people to whom they refer can lilt them from the shelves without suffering madness: in this case, either Voldemort himself would have to enter the Ministry of Magic, and risk revealing himself at last - or else you would have to take it for him. It became a matter of even greater urgency that you should master Occlumency.' 'But I didn't,' muttered Harry. He said it aloud to try and ease the dead weight of guilt inside him: a confession must surely relieve some of the terrible pressure squeezing his heart. 'I didn't practise, I didn't bother, I could've stopped myself having those dreams, Hermione kept telling me to do it, if I had he'd never have been able to show me where to go, and - Sirius wouldn't - 'Sirius wouldn't - ' Something was erupting inside Harry's head: a need to justify himself, to explain - ' 'I tried to check he'd really taken Sirius, I went to Umbridge's office, I spoke to Kreacher in the fire and he said Sirius wasn't there, he said he'd gone!' 'Kreacher lied,' said Dumbledore calmly. 'You are not his master, he could lie to you without even needing to punish himself. Kreacher intended you to go to the Ministry of Magic.' 'He - he sent me on purpose?' 'Oh yes. Kreacher, I am afraid, has been serving more than one master for months.' 'How?' said Harry blankly. 'He hasn't been out of Grimmauld Place for years.' 'Kreacher seized his opportunity shortly before Christmas,' said Dumbledore, 'when Sirius, apparently, shouted at him to "get out". He took Sirius at his word, and interpreted this as an order to leave the house. He went to the only Black family member for whom

the door, so did you, though you did not <now what it meant. 'And then you saw Rookwood, who worked in the Department of Mysteries before his arrest, telling Voldemort what we had known all along - that the prophecies held in the Ministry of Magic are heavily protected. Only the people to whom they refer can lilt them from the shelves without suffering madness: in this case, either Voldemort himself would have to enter the Ministry of Magic, and risk revealing himself at last - or else you would have to take it for him. It became a matter of even greater urgency that you should master Occlumency.' 'But I didn't,' muttered Harry. He said it aloud to try and ease the dead weight of guilt inside him: a confession must surely relieve some of the terrible pressure squeezing his heart. 'I didn't practise, I didn't bother, I could've stopped myself having those dreams, Hermione kept telling me to do it, if I had he'd never have been able to show me where to go, and - Sirius wouldn't - 'Sirius wouldn't - ' Something was erupting inside Harry's head: a need to justify himself, to explain - ' 'I tried to check he'd really taken Sirius, I went to Umbridge's office, I spoke to Kreacher in the fire and he said Sirius wasn't there, he said he'd gone!' 'Kreacher lied,' said Dumbledore calmly. 'You are not his master, he could lie to you without even needing to punish himself. Kreacher intended you to go to the Ministry of Magic.' 'He - he sent me on purpose?' 'Oh yes. Kreacher, I am afraid, has been serving more than one master for months.' 'How?' said Harry blankly. 'He hasn't been out of Grimmauld Place for years.' 'Kreacher seized his opportunity shortly before Christmas,' said Dumbledore, 'when Sirius, apparently, shouted at him to "get out". He took Sirius at his word, and interpreted this as an order to leave the house. He went to the only Black family member for whom

he had any respect left... Black's cousin Narcissa, sister of Bellatrix and wife of Lucius Malfoy.' 'How do you know all this?' Harry said. His heart was beating very fast. He felt sick. He remembered worrying about Kreacher's odd absence over Christmas, remembered him turning up again in the attic... 'Kreacher told me last night,' said Dumbledore. 'You see, when you gave Professor Snape that cryptic warning, he realised that you had had a vision of Sirius trapped in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries. He, like you, attempted to contact Sirius at once. I should explain that members of the Order of the Phoenix have more reliable methods of communicating than the fire in Dolores Umbridge's office. Professor Snape found that Sirius was alive and safe in Grimmauld Place. 'When, however, you did not return from your trip into the Forest with Dolores Umbridge, Professor Snape grew worried that you still believed Sirius to be a captive of Lord Voldemort's. He alerted certain Order members at once.' Dumbledore heaved a great sigh and continued, 'Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin were at Headquarters when he made contact. All agreed to go to your aid at once. Professor Snape requested that Sirius remain behind, as he needed somebody to remain at Headquarters to tell me what had happened, for I was due there at any moment. In the meantime he, Professor Snape, intended to search the Forest for you. 'But Sirius did not wish to remain behind while the others went to search for you. He delegated to Kreacher the task of telling me what had happened. And so it was that when I arrived in Grimmauld Place shortly after they had all left for the Ministry, it was the elf who told me - laughing fit to burst - where Sirius had gone.' 'He was laughing?' said Harry in a hollow voice. 'Oh, yes,' said Dumbledore. 'You see, Kreacher was not able to betray us totally. He is not Secret Kee

had any respect left... Black's cousin Narcissa, sister of Bellatrix and wife of Lucius Malfoy.' 'How do you know all this?' Harry said. His heart was beating very fast. He felt sick. He remembered worrying about Kreacher's odd absence over Christmas, remembered him turning up again in the attic... 'Kreacher told me last night,' said Dumbledore. 'You see, when you gave Professor Snape that cryptic warning, he realised that you had had a vision of Sirius trapped in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries. He, like you, attempted to contact Sirius at once. I should explain that members of the Order of the Phoenix have more reliable methods of communicating than the fire in Dolores Umbridge's office. Professor Snape found that Sirius was alive and safe in Grimmauld Place. 'When, however, you did not return from your trip into the Forest with Dolores Umbridge, Professor Snape grew worried that you still believed Sirius to be a captive of Lord Voldemort's. He alerted certain Order members at once.' Dumbledore heaved a great sigh and continued, 'Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin were at Headquarters when he made contact. All agreed to go to your aid at once. Professor Snape requested that Sirius remain behind, as he needed somebody to remain at Headquarters to tell me what had happened, for I was due there at any moment. In the meantime he, Professor Snape, intended to search the Forest for you. 'But Sirius did not wish to remain behind while the others went to search for you. He delegated to Kreacher the task of telling me what had happened. And so it was that when I arrived in Grimmauld Place shortly after they had all left for the Ministry, it was the elf who told me - laughing fit to burst - where Sirius had gone.' 'He was laughing?' said Harry in a hollow voice. 'Oh, yes,' said Dumbledore. 'You see, Kreacher was not able to betray us totally. He is not Secret Kee

per for the Order, he could not give the Malfoy's our whereabouts, or tell them any of the Order's confidential plans that he had been forbidden to reveal. He was bound by the enchantments of his kind, which is to say that he could not disobey a direct order from his master, Sirius. But he gave Narcissa information of the sort that is very valuable lo Voldemort, yet must have seemed much too trivial for Sirius to think of banning him from repeating it.' 'Like what?' said Harry. 'Like the fact that the person Sirius cared most about in the world was you,' said Dumbledore quietly. 'Like the fact that you were coming to regard Sirius as a mixture of father and brother. Voldemort knew already, of course, that Sirius was in the Order, and that you knew where he was - but Kreacher's information made him realise that the one person for whom you would go to any lengths to rescue was Sirius Black.' Harry's lips were cold and numb. 'So... when I asked Kreacher if Sirius was there last night...' The Malfoy's - undoubtedly on Voldemort's instructions - had told him he must find a way of keeping Sirius out of the way once you had seen the vision of Sirius being tortured. Then, if you decided to check whether Sirius was at home or not, Kreacher would be able to pretend he was not. Kreacher injured Buckbeak the Hippogriff yesterday, and, at the moment when you made your appearance in the fire, Sirius was upstairs tending to him.' There seemed to be very little air in Harry's lungs; his breathing was quick and shallow. 'And Kreacher told you all this... and laughed?' he croaked. 'He did not wish to tell me,' said Dumbledore. 'But I am a sufficiently accomplished Legilimens myself to know when I am being lied to and I - persuaded him - to tell me the full story, before I left for the Department of Mysteries.' 'And,' whispered Harry, his hands curled in cold fists

for the Order, he could not give the Malfoy's our whereabouts, or tell them any of the Order's confidential plans that he had been forbidden to reveal. He was bound by the enchantments of his kind, which is to say that he could not disobey a direct order from his master, Sirius. But he gave Narcissa information of the sort that is very valuable lo Voldemort, yet must have seemed much too trivial for Sirius to think of banning him from repeating it.' 'Like what?' said Harry. 'Like the fact that the person Sirius cared most about in the world was you,' said Dumbledore quietly. 'Like the fact that you were coming to regard Sirius as a mixture of father and brother. Voldemort knew already, of course, that Sirius was in the Order, and that you knew where he was - but Kreacher's information made him realise that the one person for whom you would go to any lengths to rescue was Sirius Black.' Harry's lips were cold and numb. 'So... when I asked Kreacher if Sirius was there last night...' The Malfoy's - undoubtedly on Voldemort's instructions - had told him he must find a way of keeping Sirius out of the way once you had seen the vision of Sirius being tortured. Then, if you decided to check whether Sirius was at home or not, Kreacher would be able to pretend he was not. Kreacher injured Buckbeak the Hippogriff yesterday, and, at the moment when you made your appearance in the fire, Sirius was upstairs tending to him.' There seemed to be very little air in Harry's lungs; his breathing was quick and shallow. 'And Kreacher told you all this... and laughed?' he croaked. 'He did not wish to tell me,' said Dumbledore. 'But I am a sufficiently accomplished Legilimens myself to know when I am being lied to and I - persuaded him - to tell me the full story, before I left for the Department of Mysteries.' 'And,' whispered Harry, his hands curled in cold fists

on his knees, 'and Hermione kept telling us to be nice to him - ' 'She was quite right, Harry,' said Dumbledore. 'I warned Sirius when we adopted twelve Grimmauld Place as our Headquarters that Kreacher must be treated with kindness and respect. I also told him that Kreacher could be dangerous to us. I do not think Sirius took me very seriously, or that he ever saw Kreacher as a being with feelings as acute as a human's - ' 'Don't you blame - don't you - talk - about Sirius like -'Harry's breath was constricted, he could not get the words out properly; but the rage that had subsided briefly flared in him again: he would not let Dumbledore criticise Sirius. 'Kreacher's a lying - foul - he deserved - ' 'Kreacher is what he has been made by wizards, Harry,' said Dumbledore. 'Yes, he is to be pitied. His existence has been as miserable as your friend Dobby's. He was forced to do Sirius's bidding, because Sirius was the last of the family to which he was enslaved, but he felt no true loyalty to him. And whatever Kreacher's faults, it must be admitted that Sirius did nothing to make Kreacher's lot easier - ' 'DON'T TALK ABOUT SIRIUS LIKE THAT!' Harry yelled. He was on his feet again, furious, ready to fly at Dumbledore, who had plainly not understood Sirius at all, how brave he was, how much he had suffered... 'What about Snape?' Harry spat. 'You're not talking about him, are you? When I told him Voldemort had Sirius he just sneered at me as usual - ' 'Harry you know Professor Snape had no choice but to pretend not to take you seriously in front of Dolores Umbridge,' said Dumbledore steadily, 'but as I have explained, he informed the Order as soon as possible about what you had said. It was he who deduced where you had gone when you did not return from the

his knees, 'and Hermione kept telling us to be nice to him - ' 'She was quite right, Harry,' said Dumbledore. 'I warned Sirius when we adopted twelve Grimmauld Place as our Headquarters that Kreacher must be treated with kindness and respect. I also told him that Kreacher could be dangerous to us. I do not think Sirius took me very seriously, or that he ever saw Kreacher as a being with feelings as acute as a human's - ' 'Don't you blame - don't you - talk - about Sirius like -'Harry's breath was constricted, he could not get the words out properly; but the rage that had subsided briefly flared in him again: he would not let Dumbledore criticise Sirius. 'Kreacher's a lying - foul - he deserved - ' 'Kreacher is what he has been made by wizards, Harry,' said Dumbledore. 'Yes, he is to be pitied. His existence has been as miserable as your friend Dobby's. He was forced to do Sirius's bidding, because Sirius was the last of the family to which he was enslaved, but he felt no true loyalty to him. And whatever Kreacher's faults, it must be admitted that Sirius did nothing to make Kreacher's lot easier - ' 'DON'T TALK ABOUT SIRIUS LIKE THAT!' Harry yelled. He was on his feet again, furious, ready to fly at Dumbledore, who had plainly not understood Sirius at all, how brave he was, how much he had suffered... 'What about Snape?' Harry spat. 'You're not talking about him, are you? When I told him Voldemort had Sirius he just sneered at me as usual - ' 'Harry you know Professor Snape had no choice but to pretend not to take you seriously in front of Dolores Umbridge,' said Dumbledore steadily, 'but as I have explained, he informed the Order as soon as possible about what you had said. It was he who deduced where you had gone when you did not return from the

Forest. It was he, too, who gave Professor Umbridge fake Veritaserum when she was attempting to force you to tell her Sirius's whereabouts.' Harry disregarded this; he felt a savage pleasure in blaming Snape, it seemed to be easing his own sense of dreadful guilt, and he wanted to hear Dumbledore agree with him. 'Snape - Snape g - goaded Sirius about staying in the house - 'he made out Sirius was a coward - ' 'Sirius was much too old and clever to have allowed such feeble taunts to hurt him,' said Dumbledore. 'Snape stopped giving me Occlumency lessons!' Harry snarled. 'He threw me out of his office!' 'I am aware of it,' said Dumbledore heavily. 'I have already said that it was a mistake for me not to teach you myself, though I was sure, at the time, that nothing could have been more dangerous than to open your mind even further to Voldemort while in my presence - ' 'Snape made it worse, my scar always hurt worse after lessons with him -'Harry remembered XAVIER's thoughts on the subject and plunged on '- how do you know he wasn't trying to soften me up for Voldemort, make it easier for him to get inside my - ' 'I trust Severus Snape,' said Dumbledore simply. 'But I forgot - another old man's mistake - that some wounds run too deep for the healing. I thought Professor Snape could overcome his feelings about your father - I was wrong.' 'But that's OK, is it?' yelled Harry, ignoring the scandalised faces and disapproving mutterings of the portraits on the walls. 'It's OK: for Snape to hate my dad, but it's not OK for Sirius to hate Kreacher?' 'Sirius did not hate Kreacher,' said Dumbledore. 'He regarded him as a servant unworthy of much interest or notice. Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike... the fountain we destroyed tonight told a lie. We wiz

. It was he, too, who gave Professor Umbridge fake Veritaserum when she was attempting to force you to tell her Sirius's whereabouts.' Harry disregarded this; he felt a savage pleasure in blaming Snape, it seemed to be easing his own sense of dreadful guilt, and he wanted to hear Dumbledore agree with him. 'Snape - Snape g - goaded Sirius about staying in the house - 'he made out Sirius was a coward - ' 'Sirius was much too old and clever to have allowed such feeble taunts to hurt him,' said Dumbledore. 'Snape stopped giving me Occlumency lessons!' Harry snarled. 'He threw me out of his office!' 'I am aware of it,' said Dumbledore heavily. 'I have already said that it was a mistake for me not to teach you myself, though I was sure, at the time, that nothing could have been more dangerous than to open your mind even further to Voldemort while in my presence - ' 'Snape made it worse, my scar always hurt worse after lessons with him -'Harry remembered XAVIER's thoughts on the subject and plunged on '- how do you know he wasn't trying to soften me up for Voldemort, make it easier for him to get inside my - ' 'I trust Severus Snape,' said Dumbledore simply. 'But I forgot - another old man's mistake - that some wounds run too deep for the healing. I thought Professor Snape could overcome his feelings about your father - I was wrong.' 'But that's OK, is it?' yelled Harry, ignoring the scandalised faces and disapproving mutterings of the portraits on the walls. 'It's OK: for Snape to hate my dad, but it's not OK for Sirius to hate Kreacher?' 'Sirius did not hate Kreacher,' said Dumbledore. 'He regarded him as a servant unworthy of much interest or notice. Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike... the fountain we destroyed tonight told a lie. We wiz

ards have mistreated and abused our fellows for too long, and we are now reaping our reward.' 'SO SIRIUS DESERVED WHAT HE GOT, DID HE?' Harry yelled. 'I did not say that, nor will you ever hear me say it,' Dumbledore: replied quietly. 'Sirius was not a cruel man, he was kind to house - 'elves in general. He had no love for Kreacher, because Kreacher was a living reminder of the home Sirius had hated.' 'Yeah, he did hate it!' said Harry, his voice cracking, turning his back on Dumbledore and walking away. The sun was bright inside the room now and the eyes of all the portraits followed him as he walked, without realising what he was doing, without seeing the office at all. 'You made him stay shut up in that house and he hated it, that's why he wanted to get out last night - ' 'I was trying to keep Sirius alive,' said Dumbledore quietly. 'People don't like being locked up!' Harry said furiously, rounding on him. 'You did it to me all last summer - ' Dumbledore closed his eyes and buried his face in his long-fingered hands. Harry watched him, but this uncharacteristic sign of exhaustion, or sadness, or whatever it was from Dumbledore, did not soften him. On the contrary, he felt even angrier that Dumbledore was showing signs of weakness. He had no business being weak when Harry wanted to rage and storm at him. Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses. 'It is time,' he said, 'for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything. I ask only a little patience. You will have your chance to rage at me - to do whatever you like - when I have finished. I will not stop you.' Harry glared at him for a moment, then flung himself back into the chair opposite Dumbledore and waited. Dumbledore stared for a moment at the sunlit grounds outside the window, then looked back at Harry

have mistreated and abused our fellows for too long, and we are now reaping our reward.' 'SO SIRIUS DESERVED WHAT HE GOT, DID HE?' Harry yelled. 'I did not say that, nor will you ever hear me say it,' Dumbledore: replied quietly. 'Sirius was not a cruel man, he was kind to house - 'elves in general. He had no love for Kreacher, because Kreacher was a living reminder of the home Sirius had hated.' 'Yeah, he did hate it!' said Harry, his voice cracking, turning his back on Dumbledore and walking away. The sun was bright inside the room now and the eyes of all the portraits followed him as he walked, without realising what he was doing, without seeing the office at all. 'You made him stay shut up in that house and he hated it, that's why he wanted to get out last night - ' 'I was trying to keep Sirius alive,' said Dumbledore quietly. 'People don't like being locked up!' Harry said furiously, rounding on him. 'You did it to me all last summer - ' Dumbledore closed his eyes and buried his face in his long-fingered hands. Harry watched him, but this uncharacteristic sign of exhaustion, or sadness, or whatever it was from Dumbledore, did not soften him. On the contrary, he felt even angrier that Dumbledore was showing signs of weakness. He had no business being weak when Harry wanted to rage and storm at him. Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses. 'It is time,' he said, 'for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything. I ask only a little patience. You will have your chance to rage at me - to do whatever you like - when I have finished. I will not stop you.' Harry glared at him for a moment, then flung himself back into the chair opposite Dumbledore and waited. Dumbledore stared for a moment at the sunlit grounds outside the window, then looked back at Harry

and said, 'Five years ago you arrived at Hogwarts, Harry, safe and whole, as I had planned and intended. Well - not quite whole. You had suffered. I knew you would when I left you on your aunt and uncle's doorstep. I knew I was condemning you to ten dark and difficult years.' He paused. Harry said nothing. 'You might ask - and with good reason - why it had to be so. Why could some wizarding family not have taken you in? Many would have done so more than gladly, would have been honoured and delighted to raise you as a son. 'My answer is that my priority was to keep you alive. You were in more danger than perhaps anyone but I realised. Voldemort had been vanquished hours before, but his supporters - and many of them are almost as terrible as he - were still at large, angry, desperate and violent. And I had to make my decision, too, with regard to the years ahead. Did I believe that Voldemort was gone for ever? No. I knew not whether it would be ten, twenty or fifty years before he returned, but I was sure he would do so, and I was sure, too, knowing him as I have done, that he would not rest until he killed you. 'I knew that Voldemort's knowledge of magic is perhaps more extensive than any wizard alive. I knew that even my most complex and powerful protective spells and charms were unlikely to be invincible if he ever returned to full power. 'But I knew, too, where Voldemort was weak. And so I made my decision. You would be protected by an ancient magic of which he knows, which he despises, and which he has always, therefore, underestimated - to his cost. I am speaking, of course, of the fact that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection he never expected, a protection that flows in your veins to this day. I put my trust, therefore, in your mother's blood. I delivered you to her sister, her only remaining relative.' 'She doesn't love me,' said Harry at once. 'She doesn't give a damn - ' 'But she took you,' Dumbledore cut across him. 'She may have

said, 'Five years ago you arrived at Hogwarts, Harry, safe and whole, as I had planned and intended. Well - not quite whole. You had suffered. I knew you would when I left you on your aunt and uncle's doorstep. I knew I was condemning you to ten dark and difficult years.' He paused. Harry said nothing. 'You might ask - and with good reason - why it had to be so. Why could some wizarding family not have taken you in? Many would have done so more than gladly, would have been honoured and delighted to raise you as a son. 'My answer is that my priority was to keep you alive. You were in more danger than perhaps anyone but I realised. Voldemort had been vanquished hours before, but his supporters - and many of them are almost as terrible as he - were still at large, angry, desperate and violent. And I had to make my decision, too, with regard to the years ahead. Did I believe that Voldemort was gone for ever? No. I knew not whether it would be ten, twenty or fifty years before he returned, but I was sure he would do so, and I was sure, too, knowing him as I have done, that he would not rest until he killed you. 'I knew that Voldemort's knowledge of magic is perhaps more extensive than any wizard alive. I knew that even my most complex and powerful protective spells and charms were unlikely to be invincible if he ever returned to full power. 'But I knew, too, where Voldemort was weak. And so I made my decision. You would be protected by an ancient magic of which he knows, which he despises, and which he has always, therefore, underestimated - to his cost. I am speaking, of course, of the fact that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection he never expected, a protection that flows in your veins to this day. I put my trust, therefore, in your mother's blood. I delivered you to her sister, her only remaining relative.' 'She doesn't love me,' said Harry at once. 'She doesn't give a damn - ' 'But she took you,' Dumbledore cut across him. 'She may have

taken you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. Your mother's sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you.' 'I still don't - ' 'While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort. He shed her blood, but it lives on in you and her sister. Her blood became your refuge. You need return there only once a year, but as long as you can still call it home, whilst you are there he cannot hurt you. Your aunt knows this. I explained what I had done in the letter I left, with you, on her doorstep. She knows that allowing you houseroom may well have kept you alive for the past fifteen years.' 'Wait,' said Harry. 'Wait a moment.' He sat up straighter in his chair, staring at Dumbledore. 'You sent that Howler. You told her to remember - it was your voice - ' 'I thought,' said Dumbledore, inclining his head slightly, 'that she might need reminding of the pact she had sealed by taking you. I suspected the Dementor attack might have awoken her to the dangers of having you as a surrogate son.' 'It did,' said Harry quietly. 'Well - my uncle more than her. He wanted to chuck me out, but after the Howler came she - she said I had to stay.' He stared at the floor for a moment, then said, 'But what's this got to do with - ' He could not say Sirius's name. 'Five years ago, then,' continued Dumbledore, as though he had not paused in his story, 'you arrived at Hogwarts, neither as happy nor as well-nourished as I would have liked, perhaps, yet alive and healthy. You were not a pampered little prince, but as normal a boy as I could have hoped under the circumstances. Thus far, my plan was working well. 'And then... well, you will remember the events of your first year at Hogwarts quite as clearly as I

you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. Your mother's sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you.' 'I still don't - ' 'While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort. He shed her blood, but it lives on in you and her sister. Her blood became your refuge. You need return there only once a year, but as long as you can still call it home, whilst you are there he cannot hurt you. Your aunt knows this. I explained what I had done in the letter I left, with you, on her doorstep. She knows that allowing you houseroom may well have kept you alive for the past fifteen years.' 'Wait,' said Harry. 'Wait a moment.' He sat up straighter in his chair, staring at Dumbledore. 'You sent that Howler. You told her to remember - it was your voice - ' 'I thought,' said Dumbledore, inclining his head slightly, 'that she might need reminding of the pact she had sealed by taking you. I suspected the Dementor attack might have awoken her to the dangers of having you as a surrogate son.' 'It did,' said Harry quietly. 'Well - my uncle more than her. He wanted to chuck me out, but after the Howler came she - she said I had to stay.' He stared at the floor for a moment, then said, 'But what's this got to do with - ' He could not say Sirius's name. 'Five years ago, then,' continued Dumbledore, as though he had not paused in his story, 'you arrived at Hogwarts, neither as happy nor as well-nourished as I would have liked, perhaps, yet alive and healthy. You were not a pampered little prince, but as normal a boy as I could have hoped under the circumstances. Thus far, my plan was working well. 'And then... well, you will remember the events of your first year at Hogwarts quite as clearly as I

do. You rose magnificently to the challenge that faced you and sooner - much sooner - than I had anticipated, you found yourself face to face with Voldemort. You survived again. You did more. You delayed his return to full power and strength. You fought a man's fight. I was... prouder of you than I can say. 'Yet there was a flaw in this wonderful plan of mine,' said Dumbledore. 'An obvious flaw that I knew, even then, might be the undoing of it all. And yet, knowing how important it was that my plan should succeed, I told myself that I would not permit this flaw to ruin it. I alone could prevent this, so I alone must be strong. And here was my first test, as you lay in the hospital wing, weak from your struggle with Voldemort.' 'I don't understand what you're saying,' said Harry. 'Don't you remember asking me, as you lay in the hospital wing, why Voldemort had tried to kill you when you were a baby?' Harry nodded. 'Ought I to have told you then?' Harry stared into the blue eyes and said nothing, but his heart was racing again. 'You do not see the flaw in the plan yet? No... perhaps not. Well, as you know, I decided not to answer you. Eleven, I told myself, was much too young to know. I had never intended to tell you when you were eleven. The knowledge would be too much at such a young age. 'I should have recognised the danger signs then. I should have asked myself why I did not feel more disturbed that you had already asked me the question to which I knew, one day, I must give a terrible answer. I should have recognised that I was too happy to think that I did not have to do it on that particular day... you were too young, much too young. 'And so we entered your second year at Hogwarts. And once again you met challenges even grown wizards have never faced; once again you acquitted yourself beyond my wildest dreams. You did not ask me again, however, why Voldemort had left that mark on you. We discussed your scar, oh yes... we came

. You rose magnificently to the challenge that faced you and sooner - much sooner - than I had anticipated, you found yourself face to face with Voldemort. You survived again. You did more. You delayed his return to full power and strength. You fought a man's fight. I was... prouder of you than I can say. 'Yet there was a flaw in this wonderful plan of mine,' said Dumbledore. 'An obvious flaw that I knew, even then, might be the undoing of it all. And yet, knowing how important it was that my plan should succeed, I told myself that I would not permit this flaw to ruin it. I alone could prevent this, so I alone must be strong. And here was my first test, as you lay in the hospital wing, weak from your struggle with Voldemort.' 'I don't understand what you're saying,' said Harry. 'Don't you remember asking me, as you lay in the hospital wing, why Voldemort had tried to kill you when you were a baby?' Harry nodded. 'Ought I to have told you then?' Harry stared into the blue eyes and said nothing, but his heart was racing again. 'You do not see the flaw in the plan yet? No... perhaps not. Well, as you know, I decided not to answer you. Eleven, I told myself, was much too young to know. I had never intended to tell you when you were eleven. The knowledge would be too much at such a young age. 'I should have recognised the danger signs then. I should have asked myself why I did not feel more disturbed that you had already asked me the question to which I knew, one day, I must give a terrible answer. I should have recognised that I was too happy to think that I did not have to do it on that particular day... you were too young, much too young. 'And so we entered your second year at Hogwarts. And once again you met challenges even grown wizards have never faced; once again you acquitted yourself beyond my wildest dreams. You did not ask me again, however, why Voldemort had left that mark on you. We discussed your scar, oh yes... we came

very, very close to the subject. Why did I not tell you everything; 'Well, it seemed to me that twelve was, after all, hardly better than eleven to receive such information. I allowed you to leave my presence, bloodstained, exhausted but exhilarated, and if I felt a twinge of unease that I ought, perhaps, to have told you then, it was swiftly silenced. You were still so young, you see, and I could not find it in myself to spoil that night of triumph... 'Do you see, Harry? Do you see the flaw in my brilliant plan now? I had fallen into the trap I had foreseen, that I had told myself I could avoid, that I must avoid.' 'I don't - ' 'I cared about you too much,' said Dumbledore simply. 'I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth, more for your peace of mind than my plan, more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed. In other words, I acted exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act. 'Is there a defence? I defy anyone who has watched you as I have - and I have watched you more closely than you can have imagined - not to want to save you more pain than you had already suffered. What did I care if numbers of nameless and faceless people and creatures were slaughtered in the vague future, if in the here and now you were alive, and well, and happy? I never dreamed that I would have such a person on my hands. 'We entered your third year. I watched from afar as you struggled to repel Dementors, as you found Sirius, learned what he was and rescued him. Was I to tell you then, at the moment when you had triumphantly snatched your godfather from the jaws of the Ministry? But now, at the age of thirteen, my excuses were running out. Young you might be, but you had proved you were exceptional. My conscience was uneasy, Harry. I knew the time must come soon... 'But you came out of the maze last year, having watched Cedric Diggory die, having escaped death so narrowly yourself... and I did

, very close to the subject. Why did I not tell you everything; 'Well, it seemed to me that twelve was, after all, hardly better than eleven to receive such information. I allowed you to leave my presence, bloodstained, exhausted but exhilarated, and if I felt a twinge of unease that I ought, perhaps, to have told you then, it was swiftly silenced. You were still so young, you see, and I could not find it in myself to spoil that night of triumph... 'Do you see, Harry? Do you see the flaw in my brilliant plan now? I had fallen into the trap I had foreseen, that I had told myself I could avoid, that I must avoid.' 'I don't - ' 'I cared about you too much,' said Dumbledore simply. 'I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth, more for your peace of mind than my plan, more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed. In other words, I acted exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act. 'Is there a defence? I defy anyone who has watched you as I have - and I have watched you more closely than you can have imagined - not to want to save you more pain than you had already suffered. What did I care if numbers of nameless and faceless people and creatures were slaughtered in the vague future, if in the here and now you were alive, and well, and happy? I never dreamed that I would have such a person on my hands. 'We entered your third year. I watched from afar as you struggled to repel Dementors, as you found Sirius, learned what he was and rescued him. Was I to tell you then, at the moment when you had triumphantly snatched your godfather from the jaws of the Ministry? But now, at the age of thirteen, my excuses were running out. Young you might be, but you had proved you were exceptional. My conscience was uneasy, Harry. I knew the time must come soon... 'But you came out of the maze last year, having watched Cedric Diggory die, having escaped death so narrowly yourself... and I did

not tell you, though I knew, now Voldemort had returned, I must do it soon. And now, tonight, I know you have long been ready for the knowledge I have kept from you for so long, because you have proved that I should have placed the burden upon you before this. My only defence is this: I have watched you struggling under more burdens than any student who has ever passed through this school and I could not bring myself to add another - the greatest one of all.' Harry waited, but Dumbledore did not speak. 'I still don't understand.' 'Voldemort tried to kill you when you were a child because of a prophecy made shortly before your birth. He knew the prophecy had been made, though he did not know its full contents. He set out to kill you when you were still a baby, believing he was fulfilling the terms of the prophecy. He discovered, to his cost, that he was mistaken, when the curse intended to kill you backfired. And so, since his return to his body, and particularly since your extraordinary escape from him last year, he has been determined to hear that prophecy in its entirety. This is the weapon he has been seeking so assiduously since his return: the knowledge of how to destroy you.' The sun had risen fully now: Dumbledore's office was bathed in it. The glass case in which the sword of Godric Gryffindor resided gleamed white and opaque, the fragments of the instruments Harry had thrown to the floor glistened like raindrops, and behind him, the baby Fawkes made soft chirruping noises in his nest of ashes. The prophecy's smashed,' Harry said blankly. 'I was pulling Neville up those benches in the - the room where the archway was, and I ripped his robes and it fell...' The thing that smashed was merely the record of the prophecy kept by the Department of Mysteries. But the prophecy was made to somebody, and that person has the means of recalling it perfectly.' 'Who heard it?' asked Harry, though he thought he knew the answer already. 'I did,' said Dumbledore. 'On a cold, wet night

tell you, though I knew, now Voldemort had returned, I must do it soon. And now, tonight, I know you have long been ready for the knowledge I have kept from you for so long, because you have proved that I should have placed the burden upon you before this. My only defence is this: I have watched you struggling under more burdens than any student who has ever passed through this school and I could not bring myself to add another - the greatest one of all.' Harry waited, but Dumbledore did not speak. 'I still don't understand.' 'Voldemort tried to kill you when you were a child because of a prophecy made shortly before your birth. He knew the prophecy had been made, though he did not know its full contents. He set out to kill you when you were still a baby, believing he was fulfilling the terms of the prophecy. He discovered, to his cost, that he was mistaken, when the curse intended to kill you backfired. And so, since his return to his body, and particularly since your extraordinary escape from him last year, he has been determined to hear that prophecy in its entirety. This is the weapon he has been seeking so assiduously since his return: the knowledge of how to destroy you.' The sun had risen fully now: Dumbledore's office was bathed in it. The glass case in which the sword of Godric Gryffindor resided gleamed white and opaque, the fragments of the instruments Harry had thrown to the floor glistened like raindrops, and behind him, the baby Fawkes made soft chirruping noises in his nest of ashes. The prophecy's smashed,' Harry said blankly. 'I was pulling Neville up those benches in the - the room where the archway was, and I ripped his robes and it fell...' The thing that smashed was merely the record of the prophecy kept by the Department of Mysteries. But the prophecy was made to somebody, and that person has the means of recalling it perfectly.' 'Who heard it?' asked Harry, though he thought he knew the answer already. 'I did,' said Dumbledore. 'On a cold, wet night

sixteen years ago, in a room above the bar at the Hog's Head inn. I had gone there to see an applicant for the post of Divination teacher, though it was against my inclination to allow the subject of Divination to continue at all. The applicant, however, was the great-great-granddaughter of a very famous, very gifted Seer and I thought it common politeness to meet her. I was disappointed. It seemed to me that she had not a trace of the gift herself. I told her, courteously I hope, that I did not think she would be suitable for the post. I turned to leave.' Dumbledore got to his feet and walked past Harry to the black cabinet that stood beside Fawkes's perch. He bent down, slid back a catch and took from inside it the shallow stone basin, carved with runes around the edges, in which Harry had seen his father tormenting Snape. Dumbledore walked back to the desk, placed the Pensieve upon it, and raised his wand to his own temple. From it, he withdrew silvery, gossamer-fine strands of thought clinging to the wand and deposited them into the basin. He sat back down behind his desk and watched his thoughts swirl and drift inside the Pensieve for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he raised his wand and prodded the silvery substance with its tip. A figure rose out of it, draped in shawls, her eyes magnified to enormous size behind her glasses, and she revolved slowly, her feet in the basin. But when Sybill Trelawney spoke, it was not in her usual ethereal, mystic voice, but in the harsh, hoarse tones Harry had heard her use once before: 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as

teen years ago, in a room above the bar at the Hog's Head inn. I had gone there to see an applicant for the post of Divination teacher, though it was against my inclination to allow the subject of Divination to continue at all. The applicant, however, was the great-great-granddaughter of a very famous, very gifted Seer and I thought it common politeness to meet her. I was disappointed. It seemed to me that she had not a trace of the gift herself. I told her, courteously I hope, that I did not think she would be suitable for the post. I turned to leave.' Dumbledore got to his feet and walked past Harry to the black cabinet that stood beside Fawkes's perch. He bent down, slid back a catch and took from inside it the shallow stone basin, carved with runes around the edges, in which Harry had seen his father tormenting Snape. Dumbledore walked back to the desk, placed the Pensieve upon it, and raised his wand to his own temple. From it, he withdrew silvery, gossamer-fine strands of thought clinging to the wand and deposited them into the basin. He sat back down behind his desk and watched his thoughts swirl and drift inside the Pensieve for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he raised his wand and prodded the silvery substance with its tip. A figure rose out of it, draped in shawls, her eyes magnified to enormous size behind her glasses, and she revolved slowly, her feet in the basin. But when Sybill Trelawney spoke, it was not in her usual ethereal, mystic voice, but in the harsh, hoarse tones Harry had heard her use once before: 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as

the seventh month dies...' The slowly revolving Professor Trelawney sank back into the silver mass below and vanished. The silence within the office was absolute. Neither Dumbledore nor Harry nor any of the portraits made a sound. Even Fawkes had fallen silent. 'Professor Dumbledore?' Harry said very quietly, for Dumbledore, still staring at the Pensieve, seemed completely lost in thought. 'It... did that mean... what did that mean?' 'It meant,' said Dumbledore, 'that the person who has the only chance of conquering Lord Voldemort for good was born at the end of July, nearly sixteen years ago. This boy would be born to parents who had already defied Voldemort three times.' Harry felt as though something was closing in on him. His breathing seemed difficult again. 'It means - me?' Dumbledore surveyed him for a moment through his glasses. The odd thing, Harry,' he said softly, 'is that it may not have meant you at all. Sybill's prophecy could have applied to two wizard boys, both born at the end of July that year, both of whom had parents in the Order of the Phoenix, both sets of parents having narrowly escaped Voldemort three times. One, of course, was you. The other was Neville Longbottom.' 'But then... but then, why was it my name on the prophecy and not Neville's?' The official record was re-labelled after Voldemort's attack on you as a child,' said Dumbledore. 'It seemed plain to the keeper of the Hall of Prophecy that Voldemort could only have tried to kill you because he knew you to be the one to whom Sybill was referring.' 'Then - it might not be me?' said Harry. 'I am afraid,' said Dumbledore slowly, looking as though every word cost him a great effort, 'that there is no doubt that it is you.' 'But you said - Neville was born at the end of July, too - and his mum and dad - ' 'You are forgetting the next part of the prophecy, the final identifying

seventh month dies...' The slowly revolving Professor Trelawney sank back into the silver mass below and vanished. The silence within the office was absolute. Neither Dumbledore nor Harry nor any of the portraits made a sound. Even Fawkes had fallen silent. 'Professor Dumbledore?' Harry said very quietly, for Dumbledore, still staring at the Pensieve, seemed completely lost in thought. 'It... did that mean... what did that mean?' 'It meant,' said Dumbledore, 'that the person who has the only chance of conquering Lord Voldemort for good was born at the end of July, nearly sixteen years ago. This boy would be born to parents who had already defied Voldemort three times.' Harry felt as though something was closing in on him. His breathing seemed difficult again. 'It means - me?' Dumbledore surveyed him for a moment through his glasses. The odd thing, Harry,' he said softly, 'is that it may not have meant you at all. Sybill's prophecy could have applied to two wizard boys, both born at the end of July that year, both of whom had parents in the Order of the Phoenix, both sets of parents having narrowly escaped Voldemort three times. One, of course, was you. The other was Neville Longbottom.' 'But then... but then, why was it my name on the prophecy and not Neville's?' The official record was re-labelled after Voldemort's attack on you as a child,' said Dumbledore. 'It seemed plain to the keeper of the Hall of Prophecy that Voldemort could only have tried to kill you because he knew you to be the one to whom Sybill was referring.' 'Then - it might not be me?' said Harry. 'I am afraid,' said Dumbledore slowly, looking as though every word cost him a great effort, 'that there is no doubt that it is you.' 'But you said - Neville was born at the end of July, too - and his mum and dad - ' 'You are forgetting the next part of the prophecy, the final identifying

feature of the boy who could vanquish Voldemort... Voldemort himself would mark him as his equal. And so he did, Harry. He chose you, not Neville. He gave you the scar that has proved both blessing and curse.' 'But he might have chosen wrong!' said Harry. 'He might have marked the wrong person!' 'He chose the boy he thought most likely to be a danger to him,' said Dumbledore. 'And notice this, Harry: he chose, not the pure-blood (which, according to his creed, is the only kind of wizard worth being or knowing) but the half-blood, like himself. He saw himself in you before he had ever seen you, and in marking you with that scar, he did not kill you, as he intended, but gave you powers, and a future, which have fitted you to escape him not once, but four times so far - something that neither your parents, nor Neville's parents, ever achieved.' 'Why did he do it, then?' said Harry, who felt numb and cold. 'Why did he try and kill me as a baby? He should have waited to see whether Neville or I looked more dangerous when we were older and tried to kill whoever it was then - ' That might, indeed, have been the more practical course,' said Dumbledore, 'except that Voldemort's information about the prophecy was incomplete. The Hog's Head inn, which Sybill chose for its cheapness, has long attracted, shall we say, a more interesting clientele than the Three Broomsticks. As you and your friends found out to your cost, and I to mine that night, it is a place where it is never safe to assume you are not being overheard. Of course, I had not dreamed, when I set out to meet Sybill Trelawney, that I would hear anything worth overhearing. My - our - one stroke of good fortune was that the eavesdropper was detected only a short way into the prophecy and thrown from the building.' 'So he only heard -?' 'He heard only the beginning, the part foretelling the birth of a boy in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort. Consequently, he could not warn his master that

of the boy who could vanquish Voldemort... Voldemort himself would mark him as his equal. And so he did, Harry. He chose you, not Neville. He gave you the scar that has proved both blessing and curse.' 'But he might have chosen wrong!' said Harry. 'He might have marked the wrong person!' 'He chose the boy he thought most likely to be a danger to him,' said Dumbledore. 'And notice this, Harry: he chose, not the pure-blood (which, according to his creed, is the only kind of wizard worth being or knowing) but the half-blood, like himself. He saw himself in you before he had ever seen you, and in marking you with that scar, he did not kill you, as he intended, but gave you powers, and a future, which have fitted you to escape him not once, but four times so far - something that neither your parents, nor Neville's parents, ever achieved.' 'Why did he do it, then?' said Harry, who felt numb and cold. 'Why did he try and kill me as a baby? He should have waited to see whether Neville or I looked more dangerous when we were older and tried to kill whoever it was then - ' That might, indeed, have been the more practical course,' said Dumbledore, 'except that Voldemort's information about the prophecy was incomplete. The Hog's Head inn, which Sybill chose for its cheapness, has long attracted, shall we say, a more interesting clientele than the Three Broomsticks. As you and your friends found out to your cost, and I to mine that night, it is a place where it is never safe to assume you are not being overheard. Of course, I had not dreamed, when I set out to meet Sybill Trelawney, that I would hear anything worth overhearing. My - our - one stroke of good fortune was that the eavesdropper was detected only a short way into the prophecy and thrown from the building.' 'So he only heard -?' 'He heard only the beginning, the part foretelling the birth of a boy in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort. Consequently, he could not warn his master that

to attack you would be to risk transferring power to you, and marking you as his equal. So Voldemort never knew that there might be danger in attacking you, that it might be wise to wait, to learn more. He did not know that you would have power the Dark Lord knows not - ' 'But I don't!' said Harry, in a strangled voice. 'I haven't any powers he hasn't got, I couldn't fight the way he did tonight, I can't possess people or - or kill them - ' There is a room in the Department of Mysteries,' interrupted Dumbledore, 'that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all. That power took you to save Sirius tonight. That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests. In the end, it mattered not that you could not close your mind. It was your heart that saved you.' Harry closed his eyes. If he had not gone to save Sirius, Sirius would not have died... More to stave off the moment when he would have to think of Sirius again, Harry asked, without caring much about the answer, The end of the prophecy... it was something about... neither can live...' '... while the other survives,' said Dumbledore. 'So,' said Harry, dredging up the words from what felt like a deep well of despair inside him,'so does that mean that... that one of us has got to kill the other one... in the end?' 'Yes,' said Dumbledore. For a long time, neither of them spoke. Somewhere far beyond the office walls, Harry could hear the sound of voices, students heading down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast, perhaps. It seemed impossible that there could be people in the world who still desired food, who laughed, who

attack you would be to risk transferring power to you, and marking you as his equal. So Voldemort never knew that there might be danger in attacking you, that it might be wise to wait, to learn more. He did not know that you would have power the Dark Lord knows not - ' 'But I don't!' said Harry, in a strangled voice. 'I haven't any powers he hasn't got, I couldn't fight the way he did tonight, I can't possess people or - or kill them - ' There is a room in the Department of Mysteries,' interrupted Dumbledore, 'that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all. That power took you to save Sirius tonight. That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests. In the end, it mattered not that you could not close your mind. It was your heart that saved you.' Harry closed his eyes. If he had not gone to save Sirius, Sirius would not have died... More to stave off the moment when he would have to think of Sirius again, Harry asked, without caring much about the answer, The end of the prophecy... it was something about... neither can live...' '... while the other survives,' said Dumbledore. 'So,' said Harry, dredging up the words from what felt like a deep well of despair inside him,'so does that mean that... that one of us has got to kill the other one... in the end?' 'Yes,' said Dumbledore. For a long time, neither of them spoke. Somewhere far beyond the office walls, Harry could hear the sound of voices, students heading down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast, perhaps. It seemed impossible that there could be people in the world who still desired food, who laughed, who

neither knew nor cared that Sirius Black was gone for ever. Sirius seemed a million miles away already; even now a part of Harry still believed that if he had only pulled back that veil, he would have found Sirius looking back at him, greeting him, perhaps, with his laugh like a bark... 'I feel I owe you another explanation, Harry,' said Dumbledore hesitantly. 'You may, perhaps, have wondered why I never chose you as a prefect? I must confess... that I rather thought... you had enough responsibility to be going on with.' Harry looked up at him and saw a tear trickling down Dumbledore's face into his long silver beard. - CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT - The Second War Begins HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED RETURNS 'In a brief statement on Friday night, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He Who Must Not Be Named has returned to this country and is once more active. '"It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord - well, you know who I mean - is alive and among us again," said Fudge, looking tired and flustered as he addressed reporters. "It is with almost equal regret that we report the mass revolt of the Dementors of Azkaban, who have shown themselves averse to continuing in the Ministry's employ. We believe the Dementors are currently taking direction from Lord - Thingy. '"We urge the magician population to remain vigilant. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal defence which will be delivered free to all wizarding homes within the coming month." 'The Minister's statement was met with dismay and alarm from the wizarding community, which as recently as last Wednesday was receiving Ministry assurances that there was "no truth whatsoever in these persistent rumours that You-Know-Who is operating amongst us once more". 'Details of the events that led to the Ministry turnaround are still hazy, though it is believed that He Who Must Not Be Named and a select band of followers (known as Death Eaters) gained entry to the Ministry of Magic itself on Thursday

knew nor cared that Sirius Black was gone for ever. Sirius seemed a million miles away already; even now a part of Harry still believed that if he had only pulled back that veil, he would have found Sirius looking back at him, greeting him, perhaps, with his laugh like a bark... 'I feel I owe you another explanation, Harry,' said Dumbledore hesitantly. 'You may, perhaps, have wondered why I never chose you as a prefect? I must confess... that I rather thought... you had enough responsibility to be going on with.' Harry looked up at him and saw a tear trickling down Dumbledore's face into his long silver beard. - CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT - The Second War Begins HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED RETURNS 'In a brief statement on Friday night, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He Who Must Not Be Named has returned to this country and is once more active. '"It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord - well, you know who I mean - is alive and among us again," said Fudge, looking tired and flustered as he addressed reporters. "It is with almost equal regret that we report the mass revolt of the Dementors of Azkaban, who have shown themselves averse to continuing in the Ministry's employ. We believe the Dementors are currently taking direction from Lord - Thingy. '"We urge the magician population to remain vigilant. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal defence which will be delivered free to all wizarding homes within the coming month." 'The Minister's statement was met with dismay and alarm from the wizarding community, which as recently as last Wednesday was receiving Ministry assurances that there was "no truth whatsoever in these persistent rumours that You-Know-Who is operating amongst us once more". 'Details of the events that led to the Ministry turnaround are still hazy, though it is believed that He Who Must Not Be Named and a select band of followers (known as Death Eaters) gained entry to the Ministry of Magic itself on Thursday

evening. 'Albus Dumbledore, newly reinstated Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, reinstated member of the International Confederation of Wizards and reinstated Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, has so far been unavailable for comment. He has insisted over the past year that You-Know-Who is not dead, as was widely hoped and believed, but is recruiting followers once more for afresh attempt to seize power. Meanwhile, the "Boy Who Lived" - ' There you are, Harry, I knew they'd drag you into it somehow,' said Hermione, looking over the top of the paper at him. They were in the hospital wing. Harry was sitting on the end of WILLIAM's bed and they were both listening to Hermione read the front page of the Sunday Prophet. Ginny, whose ankle had been mended in a trice by Madam Pomfrey, was curled up at the foot of Hermione's bed; Neville, whose nose had likewise been returned to its normal size and shape, was in a chair between the two beds; and Luna, who had dropped in to visit, clutching the latest edition of The Quibbler, was reading the magazine upside-down and apparently not taking in a word Hermione was saying. 'He's the "boy who lived" again now, though, isn't he?' said NIALL darkly. 'Not such a deluded show-off any more, eh?' He helped himself to a handful of Chocolate Frogs from the immense pile on his bedside cabinet, threw a few to Harry, Ginny and Neville and ripped off the wrapper of his own with his teeth. There were still deep welts on his forearms where the brain's tentacles had wrapped around him. According to Madam Pomfrey, thoughts could leave deeper scarring than almost anything else, though since she had started applying copious amounts of Dr Ubbly's Oblivious Unction there seemed to have been some improvement. 'Yes, they're very complimentary about you now, Harry,' said Hermione, scanning down the article.'"A lone voice of truth

. 'Albus Dumbledore, newly reinstated Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, reinstated member of the International Confederation of Wizards and reinstated Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, has so far been unavailable for comment. He has insisted over the past year that You-Know-Who is not dead, as was widely hoped and believed, but is recruiting followers once more for afresh attempt to seize power. Meanwhile, the "Boy Who Lived" - ' There you are, Harry, I knew they'd drag you into it somehow,' said Hermione, looking over the top of the paper at him. They were in the hospital wing. Harry was sitting on the end of WILLIAM's bed and they were both listening to Hermione read the front page of the Sunday Prophet. Ginny, whose ankle had been mended in a trice by Madam Pomfrey, was curled up at the foot of Hermione's bed; Neville, whose nose had likewise been returned to its normal size and shape, was in a chair between the two beds; and Luna, who had dropped in to visit, clutching the latest edition of The Quibbler, was reading the magazine upside-down and apparently not taking in a word Hermione was saying. 'He's the "boy who lived" again now, though, isn't he?' said NIALL darkly. 'Not such a deluded show-off any more, eh?' He helped himself to a handful of Chocolate Frogs from the immense pile on his bedside cabinet, threw a few to Harry, Ginny and Neville and ripped off the wrapper of his own with his teeth. There were still deep welts on his forearms where the brain's tentacles had wrapped around him. According to Madam Pomfrey, thoughts could leave deeper scarring than almost anything else, though since she had started applying copious amounts of Dr Ubbly's Oblivious Unction there seemed to have been some improvement. 'Yes, they're very complimentary about you now, Harry,' said Hermione, scanning down the article.'"A lone voice of truth

... perceived as unbalanced, yet never wavered in his story... forced to bear ridicule and slander..." Hmmm,' she said, frowning, 'I notice they don't mention the fact that it was them doing all the ridiculing and slandering in the Prophet...' She winced slightly and put a hand to her ribs. The curse Dolohov had used on her, though less effective than it would have been had he been able to say the incantation aloud, had nevertheless caused, in Madam Pomfrey's words, 'quite enough damage to be going on with'. Hermione was having to take ten different types of potion every day, was improving greatly, and was already bored with the hospital wing. 'You-Know- Who's Last Attempt to Take Over, pages two to Jour, What the Ministry Should Have Told Us, page five, Why Nobody Listened to Albus Dumbledore, pages six to eight, Exclusive Interview with Harry Potter, page nine... Well,' said Hermione, folding up the newspaper and throwing it aside, 'it's certainly given them lots to write about. And that interview with Harry isn't exclusive, it's the one that was in The Quibbler months ago...' 'Daddy sold it to them,' said Luna vaguely, turning a page of The Quibbler. 'He got a very good price for it, too, so we're going to go on an expedition to Sweden this summer to see if we can catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.' Hermione seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, then said, That sounds lovely.' Ginny caught Harry's eye and looked away quickly, grinning. 'So, anyway,' said Hermione, sitting up a little straighter and wincing again, 'what's going on in school?' 'Well, Flitwick's got rid of Fred and George's swamp,' said Ginny, 'he did it in about three seconds. But he left a tiny patch under the window and he's roped it off - ' 'Why?' said Hermione, looking

.. perceived as unbalanced, yet never wavered in his story... forced to bear ridicule and slander..." Hmmm,' she said, frowning, 'I notice they don't mention the fact that it was them doing all the ridiculing and slandering in the Prophet...' She winced slightly and put a hand to her ribs. The curse Dolohov had used on her, though less effective than it would have been had he been able to say the incantation aloud, had nevertheless caused, in Madam Pomfrey's words, 'quite enough damage to be going on with'. Hermione was having to take ten different types of potion every day, was improving greatly, and was already bored with the hospital wing. 'You-Know- Who's Last Attempt to Take Over, pages two to Jour, What the Ministry Should Have Told Us, page five, Why Nobody Listened to Albus Dumbledore, pages six to eight, Exclusive Interview with Harry Potter, page nine... Well,' said Hermione, folding up the newspaper and throwing it aside, 'it's certainly given them lots to write about. And that interview with Harry isn't exclusive, it's the one that was in The Quibbler months ago...' 'Daddy sold it to them,' said Luna vaguely, turning a page of The Quibbler. 'He got a very good price for it, too, so we're going to go on an expedition to Sweden this summer to see if we can catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.' Hermione seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, then said, That sounds lovely.' Ginny caught Harry's eye and looked away quickly, grinning. 'So, anyway,' said Hermione, sitting up a little straighter and wincing again, 'what's going on in school?' 'Well, Flitwick's got rid of Fred and George's swamp,' said Ginny, 'he did it in about three seconds. But he left a tiny patch under the window and he's roped it off - ' 'Why?' said Hermione, looking

startled. 'Oh, he just says it was a really good bit of magic,' said Ginny, shrugging. 'I think he left it as a monument to Fred and George,' said OWEN, through a mouthful of chocolate. They sent me all these, you know,' he told Harry, pointing at the small mountain of Frogs beside him. 'Must be doing all right out of that joke shop, eh?' Hermione looked rather disapproving and asked, 'So has all the trouble stopped now Dumbledore's back?' 'Yes,' said Neville, 'everything's settled right back to normal.' 'I s'pose Filch is happy, is he?' asked KEIR, propping a Chocolate Frog Card featuring Dumbledore against his water jug. 'Not at all,' said Ginny. 'He's really, really miserable, actually...' She lowered her voice to a whisper. 'He keeps saying Umbridge was the best thing that ever happened to Hogwarts...' All six of them looked around. Professor Umbridge was lying in a bed opposite them, gazing up at the ceiling. Dumbledore had strode alone into the Forest to rescue her from the centaurs; how he had done it - how he had emerged from the trees supporting Professor Umbridge without so much as a scratch on him - nobody knew, and Umbridge was certainly not telling. Since she had returned to the castle she had not, as far as any of them knew, uttered a single word. Nobody really knew what was wrong with her, either. Her usually neat mousy hair was very untidy and there were still bits of twigs and leaves in it, but otherwise she seemed to be quite unscathed. 'Madam Pomfrey says she's just in shock,' whispered Hermione. 'Sulking, more like,' said Ginny. 'Yeah, she shows signs of life if you do this,' said LIAM, and with his tongue he made soft clip-clopping noises. Umbridge sat bolt upright, looking around wildly. 'Anything wrong, Professor?' called Madam Pomfrey, poking her head around her office door.

led. 'Oh, he just says it was a really good bit of magic,' said Ginny, shrugging. 'I think he left it as a monument to Fred and George,' said OWEN, through a mouthful of chocolate. They sent me all these, you know,' he told Harry, pointing at the small mountain of Frogs beside him. 'Must be doing all right out of that joke shop, eh?' Hermione looked rather disapproving and asked, 'So has all the trouble stopped now Dumbledore's back?' 'Yes,' said Neville, 'everything's settled right back to normal.' 'I s'pose Filch is happy, is he?' asked KEIR, propping a Chocolate Frog Card featuring Dumbledore against his water jug. 'Not at all,' said Ginny. 'He's really, really miserable, actually...' She lowered her voice to a whisper. 'He keeps saying Umbridge was the best thing that ever happened to Hogwarts...' All six of them looked around. Professor Umbridge was lying in a bed opposite them, gazing up at the ceiling. Dumbledore had strode alone into the Forest to rescue her from the centaurs; how he had done it - how he had emerged from the trees supporting Professor Umbridge without so much as a scratch on him - nobody knew, and Umbridge was certainly not telling. Since she had returned to the castle she had not, as far as any of them knew, uttered a single word. Nobody really knew what was wrong with her, either. Her usually neat mousy hair was very untidy and there were still bits of twigs and leaves in it, but otherwise she seemed to be quite unscathed. 'Madam Pomfrey says she's just in shock,' whispered Hermione. 'Sulking, more like,' said Ginny. 'Yeah, she shows signs of life if you do this,' said LIAM, and with his tongue he made soft clip-clopping noises. Umbridge sat bolt upright, looking around wildly. 'Anything wrong, Professor?' called Madam Pomfrey, poking her head around her office door.

'No... no...' said Umbridge, sinking back into her pillows. 'No, I must have been dreaming...' Hermione and Ginny muffled their laughter in the bedclothes. 'Speaking of centaurs,' said Hermione, when she had recovered a little, 'who's Divination teacher now? Is Firenze staying?' 'He's got to,' said Harry, 'the other centaurs won't take him back, will they?' 'It looks like he and Trelawney are both going to teach,' said Ginny. 'Bet Dumbledore wishes he could've got rid of Trelawney for good,' said ANGUS, now munching on his fourteenth Frog. 'Mind you, the whole subject's useless if you ask me, Firenze isn't a lot better...' 'How can you say that?' Hermione demanded. 'After we've just found out that there are real prophecies?' Harry's heart began to race. He had not told IAIN, Hermione or anyone else what the prophecy had contained. Neville had told them it had smashed while Harry was pulling him up the steps in the Death Room and Harry had not yet corrected this impression. He was not ready to see their expressions when he told them that he must be either murderer or victim, there was no other way... 'It is a pity it broke,' said Hermione quietly, shaking her head. 'Yeah, it is,' said TRISTAN. 'Still, at least You-Know-Who never found out what was in it either - where are you going?' he added, looking both surprised and disappointed as Harry stood up. 'Er - Hagrid's,' said Harry. 'You know, he just got back and I promised I'd go down and see him and tell him how you two are.' 'Oh, all right then,' said CALLUM grumpily, looking out of the dormitory window at the patch of bright blue sky beyond. 'Wish we could come.' 'Say hello to him for us!' called Hermione, as Harry proceeded down the ward. 'And

'No... no...' said Umbridge, sinking back into her pillows. 'No, I must have been dreaming...' Hermione and Ginny muffled their laughter in the bedclothes. 'Speaking of centaurs,' said Hermione, when she had recovered a little, 'who's Divination teacher now? Is Firenze staying?' 'He's got to,' said Harry, 'the other centaurs won't take him back, will they?' 'It looks like he and Trelawney are both going to teach,' said Ginny. 'Bet Dumbledore wishes he could've got rid of Trelawney for good,' said ANGUS, now munching on his fourteenth Frog. 'Mind you, the whole subject's useless if you ask me, Firenze isn't a lot better...' 'How can you say that?' Hermione demanded. 'After we've just found out that there are real prophecies?' Harry's heart began to race. He had not told IAIN, Hermione or anyone else what the prophecy had contained. Neville had told them it had smashed while Harry was pulling him up the steps in the Death Room and Harry had not yet corrected this impression. He was not ready to see their expressions when he told them that he must be either murderer or victim, there was no other way... 'It is a pity it broke,' said Hermione quietly, shaking her head. 'Yeah, it is,' said TRISTAN. 'Still, at least You-Know-Who never found out what was in it either - where are you going?' he added, looking both surprised and disappointed as Harry stood up. 'Er - Hagrid's,' said Harry. 'You know, he just got back and I promised I'd go down and see him and tell him how you two are.' 'Oh, all right then,' said CALLUM grumpily, looking out of the dormitory window at the patch of bright blue sky beyond. 'Wish we could come.' 'Say hello to him for us!' called Hermione, as Harry proceeded down the ward. 'And

ask him what's happening about... about his little friend!' Harry gave a wave of his hand to show he had heard and understood as he left the dormitory. The castle seemed very quiet even for a Sunday. Everybody was clearly out in the sunny grounds, enjoying the end of their exams and the prospect of a last few days of term unhampered by revision or homework. Harry walked slowly along the deserted corridor, peering out of windows as he went; he could see people messing around in the air over the Quidditch pitch and a couple of students swimming in the lake, accompanied by the giant squid. He was finding it hard to decide whether he wanted to be with people or not; whenever he was in company he wanted to get away and whenever he was alone he wanted company. He thought he might really go and visit Hagrid, though, as he had not talked to him properly since he'd returned... Harry had just descended the last marble step into the Entrance Hall when Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle emerged from a door on the right that Harry knew led down to the Slytherin common room. Harry stopped dead; so did Malfoy and the others. The only sounds were the shouts, laughter and splashes drifting into the Hall from the grounds through the open front doors. Malfoy glanced around - Harry knew he was checking for signs of teachers - then he looked back at Harry and said in a low voice, 'You're dead, Potter.' Harry raised his eyebrows. 'Funny' he said, 'you'd think I'd have stopped walking around Malfoy looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him; he felt a kind of detached satisfaction at the sight of his pale, pointed face contorted with rage. 'You're going to pay,' said Malfoy, in a voice barely louder than a whisper. 'I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to my father...' 'Well, I'm terrified now,' said Harry sarcastically. 'I s'pose Lord Voldemort's just a warm-up act compared to you three - what's the matter?' he added

him what's happening about... about his little friend!' Harry gave a wave of his hand to show he had heard and understood as he left the dormitory. The castle seemed very quiet even for a Sunday. Everybody was clearly out in the sunny grounds, enjoying the end of their exams and the prospect of a last few days of term unhampered by revision or homework. Harry walked slowly along the deserted corridor, peering out of windows as he went; he could see people messing around in the air over the Quidditch pitch and a couple of students swimming in the lake, accompanied by the giant squid. He was finding it hard to decide whether he wanted to be with people or not; whenever he was in company he wanted to get away and whenever he was alone he wanted company. He thought he might really go and visit Hagrid, though, as he had not talked to him properly since he'd returned... Harry had just descended the last marble step into the Entrance Hall when Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle emerged from a door on the right that Harry knew led down to the Slytherin common room. Harry stopped dead; so did Malfoy and the others. The only sounds were the shouts, laughter and splashes drifting into the Hall from the grounds through the open front doors. Malfoy glanced around - Harry knew he was checking for signs of teachers - then he looked back at Harry and said in a low voice, 'You're dead, Potter.' Harry raised his eyebrows. 'Funny' he said, 'you'd think I'd have stopped walking around Malfoy looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him; he felt a kind of detached satisfaction at the sight of his pale, pointed face contorted with rage. 'You're going to pay,' said Malfoy, in a voice barely louder than a whisper. 'I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to my father...' 'Well, I'm terrified now,' said Harry sarcastically. 'I s'pose Lord Voldemort's just a warm-up act compared to you three - what's the matter?' he added