Harry Potter and the Secret of Gairech

3. In Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes

On the way to London, both of them were unusually quiet. Ian was driving, and to avoid catching his eye they had buried themselves in their school books. From time to time Mr. Granger made jokes about how studious they were. But they weren't even reading. Hermione, like Harry, was staring at the letters without seeing them. Now and then one of them remembered to turn a page, but apart from that they neither moved nor spoke.

Ian dropped them off by the Leaky Cauldron and they unloaded their luggage. Through the pub and the moving wall they reached the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley.

"Where do you think Ron is?" Hermione wondered, looking round. Harry pointed to a small shop next to Madam Malkins' Suits for All Occasions and for the first time that day a grin spread across his face. "Probably in "Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes?"

Hermione followed his gaze and grinned as well. "So Fred and George really did it."

They pushed open the door and entered the shop. They immediately recognised many of the products on sale: Nosebleed Nougat, Puking Pastilles, Terror Tarts, Canary Creams, Ton-Tongue Toffees, Goosebump Biscuits, Drowsey Doughnuts and jars full of all sorts of other trick snacks were arranged in rows on the shelves and on the long counter. Further into the shop they saw the already legendary Wildfire Whiz-bangs which had squealed their way through the corridors of Hogwarts for hours at a time, much to the displeasure of the ghastly Dolores Umbridge. They also recognised the Extendable Ears and Fake Wands.

"Welcome to the Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes" exclaimed Fred, appearing behind the counter and grinning delightedly. "Harry, Hermione, we knew you'd come."

"We knew it!" echoed George, appearing through a door next to the fireworks. "Look around and be amazed - we'll make a fortune with this shop! You can't imagine how well the nougat's selling. But we've saved some especially for you!"

Proudly, he presented Harry with a small paper bag full of nougat. "Do you want any toffees? Every new customer gets a free packet. - But then... you're not exactly new customers."

Hermione thanked him, but shook her head. "Best not, George. I... don't really think I'll need them."

"Then what about a Lazy Quill? Our latest product. If you're too lazy to revise, you use it to copy down your notes and during the test it'll carry on writing by itself if your mind goes blank."

Hermione snorted. "You can't sell things like that! That's cheating!"

George grinned at her broadly. "Considering how intelligent I am, I use my brains for the most stupid things... But I'm hungry. I'll get us something. Fred, can I borrow some Galleons? I think a few of Dana's Doughnuts would be perfect."

He helped himself to some coins from his brother's wallet and hurried out of the shop. Fred stretched out behind the counter. "So, how were the holidays? And what about your OWL results?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. So far they hadn't spoken a word about OWLs.

"Well, I was very happy with my results," Hermione said. "Apart from Astronomy, of course..."

Harry gave a wry grin. "We all had problems with that one."

"Any 'Outstandings', Harry?" asked Fred. Hermione looked at Harry with interest.

"In Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Harry, grinning. "With distinction."

Fred laughed. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Um I..I did get another one," Harry continued rather nervously. His friends looked at him curiously.

"Well?" Hermione asked, evidently wondering in what other subject he could possibly have been 'Outstanding'.

"In a subject I really didn't expect to do well in." He coughed. "Potions".

Fred stared at him in astonishment. "Say that again?" he said, pretending to clean out his ears.

"Potions," Harry repeated in a small voice.

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "But you were never good in class."

"Not with Snape," Fred agreed. "Perhaps it was down to him, the old crow. Which examiner did you have, Harry?"

"Professor Marchbanks," Harry said.

At the mention of his name, a broad grin appeared on Fred's face. "Okay, that explains it. Marchbanks isn't exactly famous for his strictness - and he thinks very highly of you. Any other...anomalies in your results?"

Harry shook his head. "No, the rest are E's and A's."

"And not a single T for Troll?" asked a voice behind them. "How disappointing!"

They turned around.

"Ron!" Harry exclaimed happily, and Hermione beamed. Delightedly they greeted the third member of their group. At the same moment George appeared with a large bag of doughnuts. "Shall wit sit down? There's a lot to discuss."

***

A short time later they were sitting together at a large table at the back of the shop. Ginny Weasley had arrived too, bringing Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood with her. Fred raised a glass of Butterbeer. "To the DA - er, even though we can't be full members any more." He winked at Harry.

"Do we still need the DA?" Ginny asked. "I mean, we've got rid of Umbridge now. And maybe we'll have more luck with the new teacher this year."

"I don't think we should give up the group," Hermione remarked. "Perhaps it should just serve a different purpose now."

Ron frowned. "What purpose?"

"Think about it." She leant forward. "We've managed to form a group of students from three different houses and all different ages. We've made friends. Remember what the Sorting Hat told us to do last year? We have to keep on meeting. And this year it won't be a problem at all. I'm sure that Dumbledore will be pleased. All we need is a few Slytherins to join, and. . . ."

Ron spat his Butterbeer clean across the table. "Slytherins? Are you nuts? I'll eat a broomstick and Quaffle if any of them join!"

"Just because they're Slytherins doesn't mean that they're all rotten little gits like Malfoy," she argued. "We need to be united!"

Ron stared at her in fury. "There are no decent people in Slytherin. Only intolerant, self-satisfied idiots."

"Like you?" cried Hermione, and Harry and Ginny jumped up to separate the two of them.

"Calm down, Ron!" Ginny begged him, pulling him back down onto his chair.

"But she compared me to a Slytherin!" her brother raged, trying to shake her off.

Harry sighed. "She only meant that you're being just as intolerant as they are when you make generalisations like that - that's all. Just sit down, alright?"

Ron sat down unwillingly.

"Well, maybe there are a few nice people in Slytherin?" Neville mused.

"Never!" Ron growled, but fell silent when Hermione glared at him.

Harry rubbed his ear. "Maybe we never looked hard enough. They can't all be the same. Some of them must have a grain of common sense... We can give it a try, at any rate. . . ."

"And if we don't get anywhere?" Luna asked.

Ron nodded in agreement. "Exactly. What happens if they are all rotten little. . . ." Another look from Hermione made him close his mouth abruptly.

"We have to get somewhere with them," Hermione sighed. "We can only fight Voldemort-" At the mention of his name, there were a few moans of protest, which she ignored. "-if we work together. You know that he won't just be sitting around twiddling his thumbs. What if he shows up at Hogwarts?"

"He won't," said George. "He's much too afraid of Dumbledore."

Ginny grimaced. "Then he'll find a way of getting past him."

"Even if he has to kill a dozen people on the way," Harry agreed bitterly. "He's already got started." He pulled out the latest issue of the Daily Prophet and slid it into the middle of the table. Fred looked at him closely.

"You reckon he killed Tonks?"

Harry looked at him grimly. "I don't just reckon - I know he did." He ran a finger over his scar. "I always know when he kills someone."

The group exchanged meaningful glances.

"We'll look around for a few suitable Slytherins," Harry decided. "Ones who don't really fit in with the others, and have as little as possible to do with Malfoy and his thugs. Two or three would be enough. And we mustn't make too big a deal out of watching them and asking them to join."

His friends nodded.

"Fine, see you in school tomorrow." He glanced at his watch. "Hermione and I still have to buy our new books."

George nodded. "Leave your luggage in the shop with us and come back when you've got everything. Mum'll come and pick you up."

"And I'll go with you," said Ron, standing up. "Ginny doesn't want me here anyway." His eye fell on Dean, who gave him a broad grin.

Luna and Neville left the shop, with Ginny and Dean behind them. Harry, Hermione and Ron made their way to Flourish & Blotts.

"It's a pity you couldn't come over yesterday," Ron said as they wandered through the crowd in Diagon Alley. Harry glanced at Hermione and they both grinned. Ron noticed.

"You wouldn't have minded, would you? What's going on?" he asked, looking both curious and amused.

"Um, shall we go for an ice-cream when we've got the books?" Harry suggested. "Then we can talk properly."

Ron nodded and they went into Flourish and Blotts. They didn't have many books to buy for the new school year and had soon collected everything they needed. With the new books under their arms they left the shop and a few minutes later they were sitting around comfortably in the ice-cream parlour.

"Well?" Ron asked, getting started on a large Quidditch ice-cream glass in which coloured scoops of different sizes represented the different balls. The three goalposts were made of icing and the waffle was shaped like a broomstick.

Hermione stuck her spoon into her own glass, which was shaped like a witch. "Actually we do have something to tell you, but..."

"...it doesn't mean you're going to be left out," Harry chimed in.

"Or that you're in the way at all, because you know you're not," Hermione continued.

Harry nodded. "Exactly. We're a team."

Ron looked from one to the other. "And you couldn't find a simpler way of telling me that you're a pair?" he asked, stuffing the Snitch - a small ball of vanilla ice - into his mouth.

Hermione and Harry exchanged an astonished glance. Although they'd hoped that Ron would accept the way things were, they'd been afraid that he'd be offended. But it didn't seem to bother him at all. "Congratulations," he said, tucking into the broomstick waffle. "Better than Cho Chang. Better than Krum. I don't like them. But I do like you." He grinned.

Harry and Hermione grinned back.

***

Molly Weasley came to pick up Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry from Diagon Alley before it got dark. They found themselves in the kitchen of the Burrow in time for the evening meal. As usual, Mrs. Weasley had provided more than enough for everyone. However, the mood was rather sombre. Everyone in the family knew about Tonk's death and they were afraid that Voldemort would attack other members of the Order.

"We have a new headquarters." Arthur Weasley sighed. "It just wasn't...safe...anymore in Grimmauld Place. We've got a house by the river, between Temple Pier and King's College. . . . It belonged to a witch. It's small, but it'll do."

Harry looked at the circle of people around him. Since that morning there was one question he'd been longing to ask, but he hadn't dared.

"Why was Tonks in Little Whinging?"

"Lots of us went to Little Whinging during the holidays," said Mrs. Weasley. "Remus, Moody, me, Tonks. . . . To keep an eye on you."

Harry stared at her. "But I'd been gone for more than fifteen hours when it happened. Why was Tonks still there? How did Voldemort find her?"

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley glanced at each other helplessly.

"We don't know," Arthur admitted. "We'd expected Tonks back much earlier ourselves. We don't know what kept her there."

Harry was clearly dissatisfied with this answer, but at that moment no one seemed to know any more details.

After the meal, Mrs. Weasley sent Ron and Ginny to pack their suitcases, and Harry and Hermione joined them. Ron dumped his purchases from Diagon Alley on the bed and started to unpack them. Among the books and the readjusted cloak - he was now another size taller - were four bottles of Butterbeer which Fred and George had given him.

"Let's hope that this year we'll be spared all Umbridges and similar atrocities!" he said, and grinning the four of them raised their glasses in a toast.

"And that Fudge gets a decent brainwashing," growled Ginny.

"And that he only sends the right people to Azkaban, having made such a good start with Malfoy." Hermione snorted.

"And that Voldemort will soon be burning in hell," Harry added grimly. Ron was the only one to wince at the name, but at least he didn't groan any more.

"Yes," he nodded. "That too."

And the bottles chinked together.

4. Attack by Harpies

As always at the start of the school year, platform 9¾ was full of people. With difficulty they pushed their way through the crowds of parents, brothers, sisters and relatives towards the train. Mr. Weasley helped them on board with their luggage, and Mrs. Weasley couldn't resist giving each of them a goodbye hug.

"Take care of yourselves," she begged.

"We will, Mum," Ron assured her as he struggled with Pig's cage. The little owl was hopping around excitedly and flapping its wings.

Together they searched for a compartment. The last few carriages of the train were full to bursting, but in the last compartment they found Luna, who waved to them. "There's room in here, if you like," she called.

The four of them nodded and joined her in the compartment. After arranging their suitcases in the luggage compartment, Ron and Hermione set off for the prefects' meeting further up the train. Luna kept an eye on Ron's owl. Harry stroked Crookshanks, who was sitting on his knee. The cat purred softly into his robe, its fur sparking with pleasure.

Ron and Hermione soon returned. And it wasn't long before another, much more unwelcome figure appeared in the doorway.

"It would've been so nice to be free of idiots like you this year," sneered Malfoy. Behind him, Crabbe and Goyle smirked. "Maybe I should deduct points just because you're here."

"I'd like to see you try," said Harry, grinning at him from behind five drawn wands. "How would you like to spend the train journey this time? Maybe as a Flubberworm?"

Angrily Malfoy drew back and slammed the door of the compartment behind him. Ron grinned with satisfaction. "He's actually learning a bit of respect."

They sat back in their seats. Luna started reading the latest edition of the "Quibbler", Hermione had one of her new schoolbooks on her knee, Ron was pulling out Pig's broken feathers, making the owl squawk with protest, and Ginny dosed by the window. Harry stared at the landscape as it rushed past.

They hadn't been travelling more than an hour and a half when the sky started to darken. The sun disappeared behind grey clouds, the wind sprang up and the first raindrops clattered against the windowpanes. As it grew darker, the lights came on in the compartments and corridors of the train.

"Look at that weather!" Hermione muttered, shivering. "And it's not even autumn yet!"

Harry stared into the thick wall of cloud. Something about this weather was making him uneasy. Lightning flashed in the distance and they heard the growl of thunder. With the next flash of lightning they saw a dark bird in the middle of the cloud, darting towards them.

"What the hell is that?" Ron had jumped up and pressed his nose against the window. Harry, Hermione, Luna and Ginny, wide awake now, followed his gaze in confusion. The horizon had turned black with a gigantic flock of birds which had appeared between the high banks of cloud and were coming closer by the minute. Harry had never seen anything like them. They glided through the air like a sinister cloak, blotting out the light. And he noticed with surprise that their shadows were rushing ahead of them, turning the landscape beneath them as black as night.

"What are they?" he asked.

"Harpies," said Luna, as if she were answering a question in a quiz. Next to her, Ron shivered. Frowning, Harry glanced at them both and then turned his attention to the creatures outside - and noticed that they weren't birds at all. They had long wings and powerful claws, like oversize eagles. But their heads were a grotesque cross between the face of a woman and that of a poisonous lizard. Shrill screams, soft at first, but then louder and louder, filled the air.

Harry tried to remember what he had read about harpies. They were beasts that killed men and ate children, and lived in the mountains. The words of a song came into his mind, and like Ron before him, he shivered.

She once was a woman, so young and so fair

By all men was sought and admired

To the mountains she'd call them, like lambs they would go

And do anything she desired

Then one fateful day to the mountains she led

A young man to meet with his death

He cried out so loud that his plea reached the gods

In the agony of his last breath

Her arms turned to feathers, the feathers turned black

As black as her heart and her deed

Her legs became claws and her voice a shrill scream

And love but a torturous need

Ghosts. Demons. A huge army of them, shrieking, streaming through the skies towards them.

"No flocks have been sighted for almost fifteen years," said Hermione softly. She had dug her fingers so hard into her seat that her knuckles were white. In the other compartments, they could hear panic breaking out. "Not since Voldemort. . . ."

The Hogwarts Express sped up but the harpies stubbornly held their course. Their powerful wings carried them closer and closer. Now Harry could see hundreds of ruby-red eyes gleaming in the blackness, as the flock followed the train like a pack of bloodhounds follows an easy prey. The shadow rushing before them slipped over the rails like the damp fingers of death, cloaking everything in its path in a terrifying darkness. Just a few more meters, and then they would reach the last carriage of the train.

"We have to get out of here," Ron moaned. "They'll kill us all!"

Hermione had already thrown open the door of their compartment. Out in the corridor, other students were pushing their way past in panic, trying to get out of the last carriage. Luna let Pig out of his cage. It would have been impossible for her to carry him in the chaos.

The five of them pushed their way out into the corridor, with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle next to them. Roughly they jostled against each other. On the floor, Crookshanks hissed with anger, dug his claws into Crabbe's leg and shot into the next carriage, his fur standing on end.

"Get out of the way, Potter!" Malfoy snarled. "You can bloody well stay here and get ripped apart by those. . . ."

He didn't have the chance to finish his sentence. The carriage gave a violent jolt, knocking them all to the ground. The light above them flickered, then went out completely. Malfoy clutched at the window frame. In panic, Goyle squealed like a piglet and grabbed hold of him, making him let go in surprise. The carriage bucked like an angry horse and they slid back down towards the rear. Harry hit the wall, and Ron bumped against his leg. On the other side of the corridor, Malfoy was trying to pull himself up. Goyle and Crabbe had clutched hold of two posts. Hermione was sitting on the wall of a compartment and pulling herself up by the door to which Luna and Ginny were clinging. Ginny had her wand in her hand, and pointed it towards the luggage, which was scattered across the floor of the compartment. "Mobiliarbus!" she yelled, and the suitcases rose into the air and floated out into the corridor. They disappeared into the neighbouring carriage to join Crookshanks, who was yowling in protest.

Another violent jolt and a loud crash of splintering glass. The rumble of the engine stopped abruptly and there was a deafening squeal of brakes. Ginny lost control of the luggage and the suitcases fell to the floor, accompanied by a hiss from Crookshanks, who had dived out of the way. With a blood-curdling scream, a grotesque black face appeared at the window of the corridor. Gleaming red eyes stared maliciously into the carriage. At the sight of them, Crabbe and Goyle panicked and rushed out of the carriage through the connecting door.

"Miserable cowards!" Malfoy hissed, trying to stand up. Ron crawled on all fours across the swaying floor towards Hermione, who seized her wand a shouted "Lumos!". Light shot through the blackness and lit up the hideous face of a harpy, which had pressed its nose against the window. The demon's hot breath misted the glass. Blinded by the light, the harpy pulled back its head, and the students in the carriage heaved a sigh of relief. But suddenly the head swung back and hit the carriage with a loud crash, making it rock violently.

"I hope this thing's safe," Ron said in a trembling voice, clutching hold of the post Goyle had been holding on to, and closing his eyes. "Oh, please, please. . . ."

A second crash, this time from the other side of the carriage. The springs creaked with the strain.

"They're everywhere!" shrieked Malfoy. "They've surrounded the carriage! They know we're in here!"

The jolts continued, rhythmically, from both sides. The floor beneath them shook and the carriage seemed to be leaning over further and further to one side. Harry reached out for the handrail in the last compartment and pulled himself up. There were handrails on either side of the doors, and using them as a ladder he climbed up to his friends, holding on for dear life every time the carriage rocked. On the other side of the corridor, Malfoy was doing the same.

The next jolt was so powerful that both of them lost their grip. Harry threw out his arms and felt someone grab his right hand. Luna had caught hold of him just in time, but Malfoy tumbled down the corridor and hit the bottom wall. The carriage rocked on its springs with a squeal of metal. The harpies shrieked and renewed their attacked.

Harry caught hold of the post, and Luna stretched out her hand to Hermione, who had reached the door to next carriage. Ginny was standing behind her and Ron was pulling himself up by the door of the next compartment.

Another jolt. With a crack, the wall broke open and sharp rock pierced through the metal. The carriage was now almost vertical. As it swayed backwards they could see a precipice opening up below them.

"Get out, get out, get out!" shouted Ron, grasping the connecting door.

"What about Malfoy?" Harry looked down at the Slytherin, who was desperately trying to climb up the handrails. The angry screams of the harpies surged through the cracked walls, and dark wings hovered overhead. Then, suddenly, a sharp beak pierced its way into the corridor. It snapped at Malfoy, catching his cloak. Greedily the harpy began to tear.

"Hold on to me!" Harry cried, letting go of the pole. Ron stared at him open mouthed.

"I'm supposed to risk my life to save Malfoy? Are you crazy?!" He looked at Luna, who had crawled past him without a word and taken Harry's hand. Hermione also pushed her way past him and took the Ravenclaw's hand. "Shut up and do it, Ron!" she commanded.

Dumbfounded, Ron climbed down to his friends and took Hermione's hand. "You're mad, all three of you. Completely mad... nuts! You're out of your minds! Any minute now the carriage will. . . ."

"I said, shut up!"

"Be careful!" Ginny moaned from the doorway.

With Ron at the top they formed a chain. Harry, holding tightly to Luna's hand, climbed cautiously down the carriage to Malfoy, who was trying desperately to find a handhold. His cloak tore, and the head of the harpy shot backwards. Harry seized the opportunity.

"Give me your hand, quick!" he yelled.

Malfoy reacted mechanically and Harry grasped his fingers, damp and cold with fear. Just one second later the head of the harpy burst through the gaping hole in the back wall.

"Pull, Ron!" Hermione shouted, grasping the door and bracing herself ready to pull up Luna, who in her turn pulled up Harry, with Malfoy clinging to his arm. The sharp beak of the harpy snapped shut with a loud crack - the demon had bitten into thin air. Screaming with rage it tried to squeeze further through the hole into the corridor.

"Hurry up!" Ron moaned, staring in panic at the thrashing black body of the harpy.

Harry tried to pull Malfoy up to him, but this time the demon was quicker and caught hold of Malfoy's right leg. It tugged him back down and his hand slipped through Harry's fingers. Behind him, Hermione screamed with horror.

The eyes of the harpy glittered with triumph. Malfoy was paralysed with horror as it pulled him back down the carriage. Harry fumbled around in his pocket for his wand, until he finally caught hold of it, pulled it out and pointed it at the monster. "Expecto patronum!" he yelled in a mixture of anger and panic. A white mist shot from the end of his wand and took the form of a gigantic, ghostly stag, which almost filled the corridor. Harry's Patronus lunged at the harpy with its antlers, making it let go of Malfoy in surprise. Harry grasped his wand between his teeth and caught hold of Draco with his free hand. While the white stag charged again at the black monster, keeping it away from the students, Harry, Luna, Hermione and Ron pulled Malfoy up the carriage.

"I take it back," said Ron. "You're not just mad - you're completely cracked! Do you think Malfoy would have rescued you?"

Draco simply stared at him in fury. His cloak was hanging in sheds and the right leg of his trousers was almost completely torn away. The sharp beak of the harpy had cut deep into the flesh above his knee.

"Just be glad that you were in the last carriage," he growled. "Otherwise they'd have pulled apart the whole train! Quick, let's get out of here!" He pushed Harry towards the connecting door. "Let's get the hell out of here before the stag disappears and that beast comes back!"

One after the other they crawled through the connecting door into the neighbouring carriage, which was still standing on solid ground. Two train guards had just hurried up.

"Is there anyone still in there?" the first shouted across to them.

Hermione shook her head. "Half a harpy, but no one else."

"The half was enough!" Ron snorted.

"Then hurry up and get into the next carriage and we'll uncouple this one here." The guard hurried the students through the corridor. "Just be glad you escaped - you're lucky to be alive!"

Ron snorted again, but Harry pulled him further before he had time to start ranting. Together they squeezed through the next connecting door. Here the lights were still working. Luna pointed out of the window and in astonishment they stared at the deep precipice behind them, and at the last carriage which was dangling over it. The bridge that had once crossed the gorge had broken in the middle. - Or rather, broken was the wrong word. The metal looked more like it had been melted together at a million degrees. The black cloud of harpies had disappeared. A white stag was thundering behind them, chasing them through the air.

Hermione gasped. "That's just..."

"That could just as easily have been the train instead of the bridge," Malfoy hissed.

"You could just as easily have been harpy food," Ron snarled. "You can bet you're life that I would never have climbed down there just to pull you out of that monster's beak!"

"No, you wouldn't," Malfoy snapped back. He snorted with disgust and limped past them. "It seems that Potter has a bit more decency and guts in him. And even a nutty little brat and a Mudblood. Then he turned his back on all of them.

Ron was almost boiling over with rage. "Quick, let's throw him back into the other carriage!"

"Too late," said Ginny, pointing out of the window at the last carriage of the Hogwarts Express, which was disappearing into the precipice in a ball of flame. . . .

***

By the time the train continued its journey they had found another compartment. Numbed, they sat in the midst of their scattered luggage, trying to bring it into some kind of order. A rather grumpy Crookshanks was lying across the seat, and Hedwig sat silently above him on the luggage rack. Neville came in with Pig in his hand. He had found him in the buffet car.

"What on earth happened here?" he asked, gazing around him at the chaos. "Crabbe and Goyle were white as sheets. They ran through the train shouting that a monster was trying to kill them."

"We should be so lucky," Ron growled.

Neville joined them in the compartment and listened to their version of the events that had taken place in the last carriage. "I was sitting near the front," he said. "But I saw the harpies too. My gran often told me about them." He shivered. "They're a bad omen. Lord... You Know Who, liked to use them now and then. It wasn't just wizards who followed him. . . . There were some magical creatures too. . . ."

"Followers made up of every imaginable kind of scum," Ron grumbled.

Hermione, however, looked worried. "The harpies were harbingers of destruction. They were shadows that came ahead of him to announce his presence."

"So where's he going?" Neville asked. And after a moment of silence he said softly: "to Hogwarts. . . ?"