Harry was woken up early morning the next day, the clock next to his head showing that it was only three am. He was breathing heavily, remembering the nightmare that he'd had. It was much like what his book self had upon realizing that he was hearing his mother, only his dream had, for some odd reason, included the Dementor lowering his hood, revealing the face that bore the face of Riddle, based on the description given in the first book.
The idea of having his soul sucked out by something bearing Riddle's face had been enough to shock him out of his sleep, and, sighing, he sat up. He wondered why he'd dreamt about Riddle being a Dementor, but no answer came. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep for a while – the dream was too fresh – he wondered what to do, then his eyes fell on the notebook and copy of the first two books, which had only opened and worked on the night after they'd finished the second book. He hadn't even gotten that far in the first book.
With that thought in mind, he went over and worked on that for a solid hour, carefully reading through the book and making a note of anything that seemed important, no matter how small it was. When his eyes itched from tiredness, and he was sure that he'd be able to sleep, he did so, dreaming peacefully the rest of the night.
Everyone woke up the next day around nine, Harry being the last to do so due to his waking up from that nightmare. Because of this, the doors didn't open until it was nine thirty, so they all had time to eat a leisure breakfast, and work on their own notes of the first two books.
“You know,” Luna said, looking towards Hermione, “these pens and notebooks are way better than parchment and a quill and ink, and so much easier to use. I wonder if we could convince the teachers to let us use them at Hogwarts instead.”
“If you can convince Dumbledore to do so, I'll be impressed,” Hermione said. “Considering the impression I get of him, he's rather traditional, which means that changes, whether big or small, would be met with resistance by him, no matter what he preaches.”
“That's a shame,” Luna said. “Maybe we can convince Professor McGonagall to do it then.”
“While we might be able to convince her, she follows what Dumbledore says, and will most likely run it by him first before giving an answer,” Hermione said. At that moment, the doors opened, so their conversation was left for another time.
“Morning,” Hermione said to the boys as they headed towards the reading room, settling into their seats and getting comfortable. Once that was done, Harry reached for the book, opening it up to the bookmarked page.
“Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw,” read Harry.
“I wonder what's so important about this match that it get's it's own chapter,” Hermione said.
“Who knows?” Cedric said.
“Well, I have to admit, I'm glad that I didn't get this chapter,” Hermione said. “I'd probably try and read it as fast as I could.”
“Which, of course, would most likely annoy you because we'd keep trying to say something about it ourselves,” Luna said.
“Exactly,” Hermione said.
It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione’s friendship. Each was so angry with the other that Harry couldn’t see how they’d ever make it up.
“We probably will, eventually,” Hermione said.
Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks’s attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn’t bothered to keep a close enough watch on him and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys’ beds.
“Why doesn't Ron ask you to see if he's on the map?” Luna asked. “I would imagine that it would show anything that's at the in the castle, not just the people. We already know, after all, that it shows Peeves, and he's not a human. Plus, didn't it also show where Mrs. Norris was at on ther as well?”
“That is true,” Harry said. “But, considering that it's pranksters who would be more concerned where anyone who could make them stop is at over being concerned for missing pets, then it's possible that it wouldn't work. Plus, since we're reasonably sure that there's something wrong with Scabbers, that means that it's very possible that it won't show up as that name, and, as we don't know who is all in the castle, it makes that useless.”
Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on Ron’s head in the Magical Menagerie.
“That's very true. In fact, it could have easily been an owl who ate him, if he's dead and was eaten,” Cedric said. “An owl would also have an easier time getting into the room, too.”
“Yeah,” Hermione said. “Crookshanks can't open the door himself, and I'm sure that Ron has warned the other boys not to let Crookshanks in the room. Plus, for all we know, Crookshanks wasn't even in the castle, or he was locked in my dorm, and I doubt Ron has really left Scabbers along for a long while. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Scabbers was actually still in the room when Ron went up, and Ron didn't notice because he only saw the bloodied sheet and jumped to conclusions.”
Personally, Harry was sure that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers,
“I don't think I've bothered to actually think about any of this,” Harry said, frowning again. “I just assume it because Crookshanks kept going after Scabbers, so that 'must' mean that he's the reason Scabbers is gone, and, basically, taking Ron's side in this whole thing...again, as he was more upset about the broom than I was.”
and when he tried to point out to Hermione that the evidence all pointed that way,
“The only thing that points that way, other than my cat's dislike of the rat, is a bit of hair that could have been there since Christmas, and a bed sheet with some blood on it,” Hermione said. “At least, that's the way it sounds like in the book.
she lost her temper with Harry, too.
“You know, it's probably not a good idea to side with Ron when she's likely to snap at you. I mean, you did mention that she looked tired, and it's common for people who are tired to be more likely to snap at others,” Luna said.
“OK, side with Ron, I knew you would!” she said shrilly.
“It does seem to be likely,” Hermione said. “I have the feeling that you probably talked to me about Crookshanks at some point, after all.”
“First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything’s my fault, isn’t it! Just leave me alone, Harry, I’ve got a lot of work to do!”
“Oh yeah, I'm definitely cranky,” Hermione said.
Ron had taken the loss of his rat very hard indeed.
“Which is kind of strange when you think about how much he complained about him,” Harry said.
“But remember what I said before, that Ron loves that rat,” Cedric said.
“Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was,” said Fred bracingly. “And he’s been off-colour for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly. One swallow – he probably didn’t feel a thing.”
“Cat's aren't snakes. They don't regurgitate bones,” Hermione said.
“Fred!” said Ginny indignantly.
“Yeah, I suppose having Fred say that wasn't a good thing,” Harry said.
“All he did was eat and sleep, Ron, you said it yourself,” said George.
“Which doesn't mean that Ron didn't care for him,” Luna said.
“He bit Goyle for us once!” Ron said miserably. “Remember, Harry?”
“Yeah, that's true,” Harry said. “It happened in the first book, after all.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” said Harry.
“Somehow, I don't think that's a good thing to say around the twins. They won't resist making a joke about it,” Cedric said.
“His finest hour,” said Fred, unable to keep a straight face. “Let the scar on Goyle’s finger stand as a lasting tribute to his memory.”
“That's not too bad, though we don't actually know if he does have a scar or not,” Hermione said.
“Oh, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat. What’s the point of moaning?”
“That's just how he is, how anyone whose lost a pet is,” Luna said, thinking back to when Lavender had lost her rabbit. Of course, the difference between them was that Lavender thought about how right Trelawney was, and Ron was just the type to mope about, laying it on thick until something distracted him.
In a last-ditch attempt to cheer Ron up, Harry persuaded him to come along to the Gryffindor team’s final practice before the Ravenclaw match, so that he could have a go on the Firebolt after they’d finished.
“That'll work,” Cedric said.
“Yeah, he'll definitely like that,” Hermione said.
This did seem to take Ron’s mind off Scabbers for a moment (“Brilliant! Can I try and shoot a few goals on it?”)
“I take it that he has inspirations as a Chaser?” Hermione said.
“Actually, I think he wants to be a Keeper,” Luna said. “At least, that's the position mentioned that he wants to be.”
so they set off for the Quidditch pitch together.
Madam Hooch, who was still overseeing Gryffindor practices to keep an eye on Harry, was just as impressed with the Firebolt as everyone else had been.
“I'd imagine that the only people not impressed with it are those like me, who don't really care,” Hermione said.
She took it in her hands before take-off and gave them the benefit of her professional opinion.
“Which should be interesting to hear, since she knows brooms,” Cedric said.
“Look at the balance on it! If the Nimbus series has a fault, it’s a slight list to the tail-end – you often find they develop a drag after a few years.”
“So Malfoy's broom isn't as good as he thinks it is,” Harry said.
“They’ve updated the handle, too, a bit slimmer than the Cleansweeps, reminds me of the old Silver Arrows – a pity they’ve stopped making them, I learnt to fly on one, and a very fine old broom it was too …”
“I have the feeling she's probably going to begin naming over brooms that she remembers now,” Hermione said
She continued in this vein for some time, until Wood said, “Er – Madam Hooch? Is it OK if Harry has the Firebolt back? Only we need to practise ...”
“It's sad that he has to remind her of what they're out there for,” Hermione said.
“Oh – right – here you are, then, Potter,” said Madam Hooch. “I’ll sit over here with Weasley ...”
She and Ron left the pitch to sit in the stadium, and the Gryffindor team gathered around Wood for his final instructions for tomorrow’s match.
“Wow, I must've just got it back in time,” Harry said.
“Harry, I’ve just found out who Ravenclaw are playing as Seeker. It’s Cho Chang. She’s a fourth-year, and she’s pretty good ... I really hoped she wouldn’t be fit, she’s had some problems with injuries ...” Wood scowled his displeasure that Cho Chang had made a full recovery,
Hermione rolled her eyes at that.
then said, “On the other hand, she rides a Comet Two Sixty, which is going to look like a joke next to the Firebolt.”
“It's not the broom that's going to beat her, it's the fact that your really good at catching the Snitch that's going to do it,” Luna said.
He gave Harry’s broom a look of fervent admiration, then said, “OK, everyone, let’s go –“
And at long last, Harry mounted his Firebolt, and kicked off from the ground.
“You finally get to fly it,” Hermione said.
“Now we'll know if it's all that it's said to be or not,” Harry said.
It was better than he’d ever dreamed. The Firebolt turned with the lightest touch; it seemed to obey his thoughts rather than his grip. It sped across the pitch at such speed that the stadium turned into a green and grey blur; Harry turned it so sharply that Alicia Spinnet screamed, then he went into a perfectly controlled dive, brushing the grassy pitch with his toes before rising thirty, forty, fifty feet into the air again –
“Okay, that sounds really nice,” Cedric said.
“It does,” Harry said. “Now, let's see how well it actually does when I need to get the Snitch.”
“Harry, I’m letting the Snitch out!” Wood called.
Harry turned and raced a Bludger towards the goalposts; he outstripped it easily, saw the Snitch dart out from behind Wood and within ten seconds had caught it tightly in his hand.
“That's a good catch,” Cedric said. “Quick one too.”
The team cheered madly. Harry let the Snitch go again, gave it a minute’s head start, then tore after it, weaving in and out of the others; he spotted it lurking near Katie Bell’s knee, looped her easily, and caught it again.
It was the best practice ever; the team, inspired by the presence of the Firebolt in their midst, performed their best moves faultlessly,
“You know, I've heard that it's never a good idea to play perfectly the day before something is to happen that requires perfect playing, because then something is bound to go wrong,” Hermione said. “Of course, I think it might only apply with theatre plays.”
“I take it that it's said as a sort of 'just get any mistakes you might make out now instead of letting them show themselves when you really don't need or want them too,” Harry said.
“Yes, I do believe that's the reason for it,” Hermione said.
and by the time they hit the ground again, Wood didn’t have a single criticism to make, which, as George Weasley pointed out, was a first.
“That does sound like it would be a surprise to hear,” Harry said.
“I can’t see what’s going to stop us tomorrow!” said Wood. “Not unless – Harry, you’ve sorted your Dementor problem, haven’t you?”
“Sort of,” Harry said, thinking of the feeble Patronus his book self was able to do, and knowing that it probably wouldn't help him much if he was attacked en mass again.
“Yeah,” said Harry, thinking of his feeble Patronus and wishing it was stronger.
“The Dementors won’t turn up again, Oliver, Dumbledore’d do his nut,” said Fred confidently.
“Well, let’s hope not,” said Wood.
“Fred's probably right, though,” Cedric said, “so I don't think you really have to worry about it all that much.”
“Anyway – good work, everyone. Let’s get back to the Tower – turn in early ...”
“That's not going to work with me,” Harry said. “I told Ron I'd let him have a go on my broom, after all.”
“I’m staying out for a bit, Ron wants a go on the Firebolt,” Harry told Wood, and while the rest of the team headed off to the changing rooms, Harry strode over to Ron, who vaulted the barrier to the stands and came to meet him. Madam Hooch had fallen asleep in her seat.
“Nice lookout,” Hermione said, shaking her head.
“Here you go,” said Harry, handing Ron the Firebolt.
Ron, an expression of ecstasy on his face,
Hermione rolled her eyes at that.
mounted the broom and zoomed off into the gathering darkness while Harry walked around the edge of the pitch, watching him. Night had fallen
“I wonder how long we were out there, then,” Harry said.
before Madam Hooch awoke with a start, told Harry and Ron off for not waking her,
“Then she shouldn't have fallen asleep,” Cedric said.
and insisted that they go back to the castle.
“At least he got to ride for a bit,” Harry said.
“Yeah, that should make him happy,” Hermione said.
Harry shouldered the Firebolt and he and Ron walked out of the shadowy stadium, discussing the Firebolt’s superbly smooth action, its phenomenal acceleration and its pinpoint turning.
“I have to wonder how much of that conversation is Ron dominated,” Cedric said.
“I'm sure that it's not just all Ron,” Hermione said. “Your book self is, after all, interested in most of the same things as Ron is.”
“True,” Harry said. He wondered if that was why it was so easy to take Ron's side in some things without even bothering to think about it, because he seemed to get along so much better with Ron than Hermione, mostly because he wasn't interested in doing his best in school like Hermione was.
They were halfway towards the castle when Harry, glancing to his left, saw something that made his heart turn over – a pair of eyes, gleaming out of the darkness.
“It's probably one of the animals of the forest,” Cedric said.
Harry stopped dead, his heart banging against his ribs.
“What’s the matter?” said Ron.
Harry pointed.
“Well, if he's able to see what it is, then we'll know if it's the Grim or not,” Luna said. “If he can, it's not, but if he can't, then it is.”
Ron pulled out his wand and muttered, “Lumos!”
“Or he could just do that,” Harry said.
A beam of light fell across the grass, hit the bottom of a tree and illuminated its branches; there, crouching amongst the budding leaves, was Crookshanks.
“Oh, that's not going to make Ron very happy to hear,” Luna said.
“Get out of it!” Ron roared,
“Knew it,” Luna muttered.
and he stooped down and seized a stone lying on the grass,
“He better not,” Hermione growled, narrowing her eyes at the book.
but before he could do anything else, Crookshanks had vanished with one swish of his long ginger tail.
“I get the feeling that Crookshanks knew that it would be best if he got away from Ron,” Cedric said.
“Probably very true,” Harry said. “I have to wonder what Ron will do if Scabbers is discovered sometime soon.”
“Probably act like nothing ever happened, and that he didn't accuse or hurt Hermione,” Cedric said.
“See?” Ron said furiously, chucking the stone down again. “She’s still letting him wander about wherever he wants –“
“I'm not going to lock my cat up because that's what you want,” Hermione said.
“probably washing down Scabbers with a couple of birds now ...”
Harry didn’t say anything.
“It's probably better to let Ron rant,” Harry said.
He took a deep breath as relief seeped through him; he had been sure for a moment that those eyes had belonged to the Grim.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
“It appears that your book self has been ensnared by Trelawney's maniac ramblings,” Cedric said.
They set off for the castle once more. Slightly ashamed of his moment of panic, Harry didn’t say anything to Ron –
“Yeah, probably a good idea since he'd just panic and be convinced that your going to die in tomorrow's match,” Hermioen said.
nor did he look left or right until they had reached the well lit Entrance Hall.
“Not going to take a chance of freaking out again, are you,” Luna said.
Harry went down to breakfast next morning with the rest of the boys in his dormitory, all of whom seemed to think the Firebolt deserved a sort of guard of honour.
“I doubt that I'm being annoyed by that, though,” Harry said. “I most likely agree with them, though I probably think having a guard means that no Slytherin will be able to do anything to my broom.”
As Harry entered the Great Hall, heads turned in the direction of the Firebolt, and there was a good deal of excited muttering.
“Well, you have an international broom, so it's no wonder that people are excited,” Hermione said.
Harry saw, with enormous satisfaction, that the Slytherin team were all looking thunderstruck.
“Yeah, I have to agree. That would be a very satisfying picture to see,” Cedric said.
“Did you see his face?” said Ron gleefully,
“Let me guess, he's talking about Malfoy,” Hermione said.
“No need to guess, it's obvious that it's Malfoy that he's talking about,” Harry said.
looking back at Malfoy. “He can’t believe it!”
“I don't doubt that. After all, I have the feeling that he probably wasn't able to get his father to buy one for him, so, of course, he believes that no one else will be able to get one,” Cedric said.
“Probably true,” Hermione said. Malfoy did seem to scream that he thought himself better than anyone else, and that, if he couldn't have it, then chances are that no one else would be able to have it.
“This is brilliant!”
Wood, too, was basking in the reflected glory of the Firebolt.
“I have a feeling that all of Gryffindor is doing that,” Cedric said.
“True,” Harry said.
“Put it here, Harry,” he said, laying the broom in the middle of the table and carefully turning it so that its name faced upwards.
“Now that's going a little too far,” Hermione said.
“Not really,” Cedric said.
People from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were soon coming over to look.
“Yeah, that's not surprising,” Cedric said.
Cedric Diggory came over to congratulate Harry on having acquired such a superb replacement for his Nimbus,
“Thank you,” Harry said.
“You haven't gotten it yet,” Cedric said.
“I have to wonder if I will get it,” Harry said.
“Well, there's a good chance that you'll still get it,” Hermione said.
and Percy’s Ravenclaw girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, asked if she could actually hold the Firebolt.
“I wonder how I'll take that idea,” Harry said.
“I doubt that you'll have that much of a problem with it,” Hermione said.
“Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!” said Percy heartily,
“Again, I don't think she's going to do anything to the broom,” Hermione said.
as she examined the Firebolt closely. “Penelope and I have got a bet on,” he told the team. “Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!”
“Does he have ten Galleons to bet with?” Hermione said.
“Did any of us have the money to bet with?” Harry said, reminding them of the bets they'd made during the first book, the bets that they had kind of forgotten about, for the most part.
“In a way, yes,” Hermione said. “You've got the money in your vault, I've got my allowance money – though I'll have to have the changed into wizarding currency – and I'm pretty sure you two -” she made a motion towards Cedric and then Luna - “have some money as well.”
“Yeah, we do,” Cedric said.
“So, does Percy have the money he's betted, because if he doesn't and he loses, then how is he going to pay her,” Hermione said.
“Oh, yeah, that's not a position that he will want to be in,” Harry said.
Penelope put the Firebolt down again, thanked Harry and went back to her table.
“Harry – make sure you win,” said Percy, in an urgent whisper. “I haven’t got ten Galleons.”
“And there's your answer,” Cedric said.
“Yes, I’m coming, Penny!” And he bustled off to join her in a piece of toast.
“I wonder what he'll tell her if she asks why he stayed behind,” Hermione said.
“Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?” said a cold, drawling voice.
“Yes,” Harry said.
Draco Malfoy had arrived for a closer look, Crabbe and Goyle right behind him.
“He was probably told to find out if the broom was real or not,” Cedric said.
“Yeah, reckon so,” said Harry casually.
“Got plenty of special features, hasn’t it?” said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously.
“Why do I get the feeling that he's up to something,” Hermione said.
“It's possible that he is,” Cedric said.
“He's probably going to say something that he's hoping will get a rise out of me,” Harry said.
“Shame it doesn’t come with a parachute – in case you get too near a Dementor.”
“So, it's rather apparent that he's hoping that the Dementors will interrupted the game again,” Cedric said.
“That, or he could decide to take matters into his own hands,” Luna said. “As far as he knows, it's Dementors themselves that your afraid of, not what they do to you, so they might think that just looking like Dementors will cause you to fall like they did in the first game.”
“Which would, of course, cause you to lose the game, and help them secure the cup,” Hermione said.
“So, basically, they'll cheat just so that they can keep the cup,” Harry said.
“Pretty much,” Hermione said.
“Boy will he be surprised when you not only don't appear effected by them, but when you do do a Patronus, as it's very likely it'll be strong than it is when your around Dementors,” Luna said.
Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.
Harry rolled his eyes.
“Of course they'd laugh at that,” Hermione said. “Even if it really wasn't that funny.”
“To them it was. That, or they have to laugh at anything Malfoy says that he thinks is funny,” Cedric said.
“Pity you can’t attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy,” said Harry. “Then it could catch the Snitch for you.”
“Now that's funny,” Hermione said, laughing with the others. It took a few seconds for them to calm down, and Harry to regain his breath enough to begin reading again.
The Gryffindor team laughed loudly. Malfoy’s pale eyes narrowed, and he stalked away.
“I guess he knows that he was beat in that game of wit,” Cedric said.
“Though it'll probably make him even more willing to try and make you fall off your broom,” Luna said.
They watched him rejoin the rest of the Slytherin team, who put their heads together, no doubt asking Malfoy whether Harry’s broom really was a Firebolt.
“And probably to plan how to interrupt the game,” Hermione said, as she believed that Luna was most likely right.
"Yeah, he can't just have Crabbe and Goyle with him. He'll need more help than that,” Cedric said.
At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off for the changing rooms. The weather couldn’t have been more different from their match against Hufflepuff. It was a clear, cool day, with a very light breeze;
“Sounds like the perfect day for a match,” Cedric said.
there would be no visibility problems this time, and Harry, though nervous, was starting to feel the excitement only a Quidditch match could bring. They could hear the rest of the school moving into the stadium beyond. Harry took off his black school robes, removed his wand from his pocket, and stuck it inside the T-shirt he was going to wear under his Quidditch robes.
“I think you need to get something that'll make it easier to get to your wand,” Hermione said.
“True,” Harry said. “Is there anything like that in the wizarding world?”
“Wand holsters,” Cedric said. “That's probably your best bet.”
He only hoped he wouldn’t need it. He wondered suddenly whether Professor Lupin was in the crowd, watching.
“That's it something to wonder,” Hermione said.
“I don't hope he is,” Harry said.
“You know what we’ve got to do,” said Wood, as they prepared to leave the changing rooms. “If we lose this match, we’re out of the running. Just – just fly like you did in practice yesterday, and we’ll be OK!”
“That's not too bad of a speech,” Hermione said. “At least he's not telling you to get the Snitch or die trying this time.”
“No, he's probably saving that for the Slytherin game,” Harry said.
They walked out onto the pitch to tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, dressed in blue, were already standing in the middle of the pitch. Their Seeker, Cho Chang, was the only girl in their team.
“I wonder how good she is,” Hermione said.
She was shorter than Harry by about a head, and Harry couldn’t help noticing, nervous as he was, that she was extremely pretty.
“Oh really,” Hermione said smiling at Harry as he began to blush.
She smiled at Harry as the teams faced each other behind their captains, and he felt a slight jolt in the region of his stomach that he didn’t think had anything to do with nerves.
“I think someone has a crush,” Cedric said, while Harry went redder.
“Yeah, it does seem like that's happening,” Hermione said. Luna frowned lightly at, not really caring about the implication, and feeling a hint of jealousy towards this unknown Cho Chang.
“Wood, Davies, shake hands,” Madam Hooch said briskly, and Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw captain.
“Mount your brooms ... on my whistle ... three – two – one –“
Harry kicked off into the air and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other broom; he soared around the stadium and began squinting around for the Snitch, listening all the while to the commentary, which was being provided by the Weasley twins’ friend, Lee Jordan.
“I wonder how much of it's going to be about the match, and how much if it is going to be about the broom,” Cedric said. “I don't think that Jordan will be able to keep from giving a commentary about the broom.”
“They’re off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt which Harry Potter is flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt’s going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year’s World Championship –“
“I don't think that's going to make Professor McGonagall happy,” Hermione said, assuming, like in the previous books, that she'd be right next to the commentary post, a way to keep an eye on Jordan.
“Jordan, would you mind telling us what’s going on in the match?” interrupted Professor McGonagall’s voice.
“I get the feeling that he's not going to quite yet,” Harry said.
“Right you are, Professor – just giving a bit of background information.”
“That, incidentally, is useless for the match,” Cedric said.
“The Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and –“
“Jordan!”
“OK, OK, Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor heading for goal ...”
“About time he started in on the game itself,” Hermione said.
Harry streaked past Katie in the opposite direction, gazing around for a glint of gold and noticing that Cho Chang was tailing him closely. She was undoubtedly a very good flier – she kept cutting across him, forcing him to change direction.
“Show her the broom's acceleration,” Hermione said.
“Show her your acceleration, Harry!” Fred yelled, as he whooshed past in pursuit of a Bludger that was aiming for Alicia.
Harry urged the Firebolt forward as they rounded the Ravenclaw goalposts and Cho fell behind.
“That should help keep you from not being able to go in the direction you want to,” Hermione said.
Just as Katie succeeded in scoring the first goal of the match, and the Gryffindor end of the pitch went wild, he saw it – the Snitch was close to the ground, flitting near one of the barriers.
“Is this going to be another fast match,” Cedric said.
“It could be,” Hermione said.
Harry dived; Cho saw what he was doing and tore after him. Harry was speeding up, excitement flooding him; dives were his speciality. He was ten feet away –
Then a Bludger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere; Harry veered off course, avoiding it by an inch, and in those few, crucial seconds, the Snitch had vanished.
“I guess it's not going to be a fast match,” Hermione said.
There was a great ‘Ooooooh’ of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters, but much applause for their Beater from the Ravenclaw end. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in mid-air to avoid it.
“Gryffindor lead by eighty points to zero,”
“At least your in the lead,” Hermione said.
“I wonder if the Chasers for Ravenclaw are that bad, or if the Gryffindor Chasers are just that good,” Harry said.
“Probably that they're just that good,” Cedric said.
“and look at that Firebolt go! Potter’s really putting it through its paces now. See it turn – Chang’s Comet is just no match for it. The Firebolt’s precision-balance is really noticeable in these long –“
“That's not going to make Professor McGonagall happy,” Cedric said.
“JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!”
“I would hope that he doesn't try that again,” Hermione said. “I have the feeling that Professor McGonagall is very likely to take the megaphone away from him if he doesn't.”
Ravenclaw were pulling back; they had now scored three goals, which put Gryffindor only fifty points ahead – if Cho got the Snitch before him, Ravenclaw would win.
“And that is not acceptable,” Harry said. “Particularly since I don't want Wood getting on my case because of it.”
“Which we all know he will do,” Hermione said.
Harry dropped lower, narrowly avoiding a Ravenclaw Chaser, scanning the pitch frantically.
“I doubt you'll end up missing it,” Cedric said.
A glint of gold, a flutter of tiny wings – the Snitch was cicling the Gryffindor goalpost …
“Go, Harry,” Luna said.
Harry accelerated, eyes fixed on the speck of gold ahead – but next second, Cho had appeared out of thin air, blocking him –
“HARRY, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN!” Wood roared, as Harry swerved to avoid a collision. “KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!”
“It would most likely result in a foul, but that's about it,” Cedric said. “Oh, and Chang might fall off her broom and get hurt, which is probably what Wood hopes for.”
“I don't think I'd want to do that to anyone other than Malfoy, as it kind of sounds like cheating,” Harry said. “If I put her out of commission, then I'm the only one looking for the Snitch, which kind of wouldn't be that fun.”
Harry turned and caught sight of Cho; she was grinning.
“She's proving to be a worthy opponent,” Cedric said.
“Yeah, she is,” Harry said.
“I wonder if she knew that you wouldn't run into her when she blocked you,” Hermione said.
“Probably,” Cedric said. “I'm sure that it's gotten around that your really nice, after all.”
The Snitch had vanished again. Harry turned his Firebolt upwards and was soon twenty feet above the game. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cho following him ... she’d decided to mark him rather than search for the Snitch herself.
“Not the smart thing to do, since you could do a feint,” Cedric said.
Right then ... if she wanted to tail him, she’d have to take the consequences …
“And it sounds like your going to do a feint,” Hermione said.
He dived again, and Cho, thinking he’d seen the Snitch, tried to follow. Harry pulled out of the dive very sharply, she hurtled downwards; he rose fast as a bullet once more, and then saw it, for the third time: the Snitch was glittering way above the pitch at the Ravenclaw end.
“Third time's a charm,” Hermione said.
“Hopefully,” Harry said.
He accelerated; so, many feet below, did Cho. He was winning, gaining on the Snitch with every second – then –
“Oh!” screamed Cho, pointing.
Distracted, Harry looked down.
Three Dementors, three tall, black, hooded Dementors, were looking up at him.
“It's Malfoy,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, you're not feeling the effects that they usually have on you, so it's obvious that they're not real ones, and only Malfoy would do something like this,” Luna said.
“Which means that we were right in thinking that he'd do something to interrupt the match,” Cedric said.
He didn’t stop to think. Plunging a hand down the neck of his robes, he whipped out his wand and roared, “Expecto patronum!”
Something silver white, something enormous, erupted from the end of his wand.
“That sounds like more than an indistinct cloud,” Hermione said, look at Harry.
“Yeah. In fact, if it had said more, I'd say that you called forth a full Patronus,” Cedric said.
He knew it had shot directly at the Dementors but didn’t pause to watch; his mind still miraculously clear, he looked ahead – he was nearly there. He stretched out the hand still grasping his wand and just managed to close his fingers over the small, struggling Snitch.
“Even though you were distracted, you still caught that Snitch,” Luna said, smiling at him.
Madam Hooch’s whistle sounded, Harry turned around in midair and saw six scarlet blurs bearing down on him. Next moment, the whole team were hugging him so hard he was nearly pulled off his broom. Down below he could hear the roars of the Gryffindors in the crowd.
“I get the feeling that there is going to be a good party in the Gryffindor common rooms,” Cedric said.
“So do I,” Harry said.
“That’s my boy!” Wood kept yelling. Alicia, Angelina and Katie had all kissed Harry,
Harry went red at that, while Hermione giggled.
“I'm sure that it means you got kissed on the cheek,” Cedric said, taking pity on the poor boy, who was a shade of red that showed extreme embarrassment.
and Fred had him in a grip so tight Harry felt as though his head would come off.
“Ouch,” Harry said.
In complete disarray, the team managed to make its way back to the ground. Harry got off his broom and looked up to see a gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinting onto the pitch, Ron in the lead. Before he knew it, he had been engulfed by the cheering crowd.
“Yes!” Ron yelled, yanking Harry’s arm into the air. “Yes! Yes!”
Harry shook his head at Ron's actions.
“Well done, Harry!” said Percy, looking delighted. “Ten Galleons to me! Must find Penelope, excuse me –“
“He got lucky there,” Hermione said.
“Good on you, Harry!” roared Seamus Finnigan.
“Ruddy brilliant!” boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.
“Even Hagrid's there,” Harry said, smiling.
“He probably came because it was a match that you'd be in,” Hermione said.
“That was quite some Patronus,” said a voice in Harry’s ear.
Harry turned around to see Professor Lupin, who looked both shaken and pleased.
“I wonder why he's shaken,” Hermione said.
“Maybe it was because it was a full Patronus,” Cedric said, “and he probably didn't expect that.”
“I think we've found what's holding you back the most,” Luna said. “It's definitely the fact that you hear your parents that causes you to be held back. After all, when you did the spell this time you weren't thinking about anything except, maybe, about something that would make you happy.”
“So it's my inability to keep myself from wanting to hear them that has caused quite a bit of my problems” Harry said. Luna nodded.
“Maybe...maybe you'll be able to let them go if you have someone who actually knows your parents tell you about them, and who you can grow close too enough so that you're not starved for any memory of them. While the photo album is a good gift, it's not exactly what you need,” Hermione said.
“The Dementors didn’t affect me at all!” Harry said excitedly. “I didn’t feel a thing!”
“That's probably because they weren't Dementors, just a bunch of stupid idiots,” Hermione said.
“That would be because they – er – weren’t Dementors,” said Professor Lupin. “Come and see –“
He led Harry out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the pitch.
“You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright,” said Lupin.
“Knew it was him,” Hermione said.
“I wish I could see the look on his face when he realizes that you were not only effected by them, but that you're able to protect yourself from them,” Cedric said.
“That would be a good scene to see,” Harry said.
Harry stared. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team captain, all struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes. It looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle’s shoulders.
“Most likely,” Hermione said. “He's just not tall enough otherwise.”
Standing over them, with an expression of the utmost fury on her face, was Professor McGonagall.
“An unworthy trick!” she was shouting. “A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin!”
“They only lose fifty?” Hermione said disbelief on her face. “I do hope that she means fifty each, and not just fifty measly points alone.”
It was obvious that the reason why Hermione was saying that was because of what had happened in the first book, where she, Harry, and Neville had lost fifty points each for being out after curfew. Something like this did seem like it would be worth a bigger point loss, after all.
“I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!”
“I wonder what he's going to say about this,” Cedric said.
If anything could have set the seal on Gryffindor’s victory, it was this.
“Yeah, that would be something worth seeing,” Hermione said.
Ron, who had fought his way through to Harry’s side, doubled up with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe, Goyle’s head still stuck inside it.
“Now there's a funny picture,” Harry laughed, the others laughing as well.
“Come on, Harry!” said George, fighting his way over. “Party! Gryffindor common room, now!”
"Right," said Harry, and feeling happier than he had done in ages, he and the rest of the team led the way, still in their scarlet robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle.
“My guess is that you'll end up getting dressed you dorm room, particularly since I have the feeling that Fred and George have to go get the party food,” Cedric said.
“That's good. I don't think I'd want to wear my Quidditch Uniform for the whole party,” Harry said.
It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup; the party went on all day and well into the night.
“I wonder what time Professor McGonagall is going to finally come and break it up then,” Cedric said.
“Probably sometime before midnight,” Hermione said. “After all, she'd probably want to let people celebrate quite a bit. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she's celebrating herself.”
Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of Butterbeer, pumpkin fizz and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets.
“Nice,” Cedric said.
“How did you do that?” squealed Angelina Johnson, as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.
“Probably with a little help from the makers of the map,” Harry said.
“With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs,” Fred muttered in Harry’s ear.
“See,” Harry said.
Only one person wasn’t joining in the festivities.
“Probably me,” Hermione said. “After all, I have a lot of work to do, so it would make sense.”
Hermione, incredibly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles.
“I wonder how accurate that book is” Hermione said.
Harry broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling Butterbeer bottles, and went over to her.
“You coming to talk to me,” Hermione said. “That's a surprise.” She didn't mean that in a mean way, but it did sound like that to Harry, who looked ashamed at the way that his book self was treating his friend.
“I didn't mean to sound mean, Harry,” she said upon noticing his shame.
“I know,” Harry said. “But it does sound like a mean thing to say. However, what makes me dislike my book self is that it sounds completely true. It does sound like my book self coming to talk to you would be a surprise, which makes me a rather bad friend.”
“At least you'll be able to improve upon it,” Luna said. Harry nodded.
“True,” he said, a small smile on his face.
“Did you even come to the match?” he asked her.
“Probably,” Hermione said. “I have a feeling that, even if your book self isn't being really friendly to me right now, I still consider you a friend and I do believe that I go to every one of your matches, and I don't see a reason to stop that.”
“Of course I did,” said Hermione, in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. “And I’m very glad we won, and I think you did really well, but I need to read this by Monday.”
“I'm definitely being worn out,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, that's true,” Harry said. “If I knew what it was that was allowing you to get to your classes, I would suggest that you use it to let you get some extra sleep.”
“Of which I probably wouldn't take too well,” Hermione said. “After all, I probably promised not to use it for anything other than classes.”
“Come on, Hermione, come and have some food,” Harry said,
“That is sound advice,” Luna said.
looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.
“Doubt it,” Luna said. “I get the feeling that Ron will only want to do that if Hermione gives up and says that Crookshanks is at fault, or something else brings them together.”
“I can’t, Harry, I’ve still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!” said Hermione,
“That almost sounds like you've been told to read the entire book before the next class,” Harry said.
now sounding slightly hysterical.
“I wish I could figure out the reason why my book self is ignoring these obvious signs that there's something wrong,” Hermione said. “I mean, I can get slightly obsessive about things. But being hysterical about it isn't me. And I'm a pretty fast reader. That many pages usually wouldn't be a problem for me to cover.”
“Anyway ...” she glanced over at Ron, too, “he doesn’t want me to join in.”
There was no arguing with this, as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, “If Scabbers hadn’t just been eaten,”
“I really hope that Scabbers if found soon, if he's even still there, because I can't wait to see Ron realize that he's being a bastard to you for no reason, and I hope that he apologizes to you about it,” Cedric said.
“He won't,” Luna said. “After all, if he did, he wouldn't still owe her an apology for what happened in the first book, when he almost got her killed by a troll.”
“he could have had some of these Fudge Flies, he used to really like them –“
“If Ron was more popular, you'd have the whole house against you,” Harry said, frowning.
“Yeah, it does seem to be that way,” Hermione said. “I wonder if anyone sympathises with me or not, though.”
“Any cat lover might,” Luna said.
Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say or do anything, she had tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, run towards the staircase to the girls’ dormitories and out of sight.
“Okay, yeah, I'm definitely not acting like my usual self,” Hermione said.
“Another sign of lack of sleep,” Luna said.
“Can’t you give her a break?” Harry asked Ron quietly.
“No, he won't,” Harry said.
“No,” said Ron flatly. “If she just acted like she was sorry – but she’ll never admit she’s wrong, Hermione. She’s still acting like Scabbers has gone on holiday or something.”
“So the fact that I'm not saying my cat killed his rat – basically, because I'm actually using my brain – he can't forgive me,” Hermione said. “And I do know that I have trouble saying I'm wrong and all, but his evidence is so circumstantial that I can't say I'm wrong when I could be right.”
“Your book self said it properly at the beginning of this chapter. Ron has been prejudiced against your cat since it first landed on his head,” Harry said.
The Gryffindor party only ended when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing-gown and hair-net at one in the morning, to insist that they all went to bed.
“One in the morning. Wow,” Cedric said.
Harry and Ron climbed the stairs to their dormitory, still discussing the match. At last, exhausted, Harry climbed into bed, twitched the hangings of his four-poster shut to block out a ray of moonlight, lay back and felt himself almost instantly drifting off to sleep …
“We're going to be seeing another dream of yours,” Luna said, looking interested.
“I wonder if this dream will be interesting to see or not,” Harry said
He had a very strange dream. He was walking through a forest, his Firebolt over his shoulder, following something silvery white.
“Isn't that what colour a Patronus appears as?” Hermione asked.
“Yes, I think so,” Cedric said, thinking about it.
It was winding its way through the trees ahead, and he could only catch glimpses of it between the leaves. Anxious to catch up with it, he sped up, but as he moved faster, so did his quarry. Harry broke into a run and ahead, he heard hooves gathering speed.
“So it's an animal with hooves,” Luna said, thinking about all animals that have hooves.
Now he was running flat out, and ahead he could hear galloping.
Horses gallop Luna thought. Is it a horse?
Then he turned a corner into a clearing and –
“And what?” Cedric said. The other three unconsciously leaned forward in hopes of knowing what it was. Harry glanced at the other three, noticing their positions, and did his best not to grin. It was just a little too tempting...
“Ow, my ears,” Hermione said, clapping her hands over them as he screamed and them cried no loudly.
“That better have actually been meant to happen, and not you trying to scare us,” Luna said, frowning at Harry with her own ears covered.
“It was in the book,” Harry said, shrugging though he couldn't keep the grin off of his face.
“Well, next time, can you scream a bit more quietly,” Cedric said, rubbing his ears.
Harry woke as suddenly as though he’d been hit in the face.
“That doesn't sound like a pleasant way to wake up,” Luna said.
Disorientated in the total darkness, he fumbled with his hangings – he could hear movements around him, and Seamus Finnigan’s voice from the other side of the room.
“What’s going on?”
“I think that's what we all want to know,” Hermione said.
Harry thought he heard the dormitory door slam.
“If you thought you did, you probably actually did,” Luna said.
At last finding the divide in his curtains, he ripped them back, and at the same moment, Dean Thomas lit his lamp.
Ron was sitting up in bed, the hangings torn from one side,
“Why are his curtain's torn?” Hermione asked.
“I don't know,” Luna said. “Maybe Harry will be able to tell us.”
a look of the utmost terror on his face.
“Black! Sirius Black! With a knife!”
“He got into the tower,” Harry said. “How?”
“Neville's list of passwords,” Hermione said. “Seems we were right in someone finding them, though I wonder how he managed to, since he can't really get into the castle.”
“Maybe Neville lost them outside,” Luna said.
“That's possible,” Hermione said.
“Well, it seems that you definitely did hear the dormitory door slam shut,” Cedric said.
“Yeah,” Harry said.
“What?”
“Here! Just now! Slashed the curtains! Woke me up!”
“What I want to know is why didn't he just try and open them instead of slashing them open,” Hermione said. “It would have made it easier for him to find whatever he's looking for that way. Of course, if he is going to kill someone, then maybe it's better that he did it the way that he did.”
“I think it's safe that he wants to do some damage. Why else would he have a knife?” Harry said.
“I'd ask why he went toward Ron's bed instead of Harry's, as I'm sure that's something that's going to be in your minds,” Luna said.
“Do you think that there's something that Ron has that he wants?” Cedric said.
“Well, what would he want...” Hermione started to asked, only to trail off as a thought occurred to her.
“Scabbers,” she said, much to the confusion of the others. “What if he wants Scabbers?”
“Why would he want Scabbers?” Harry asked.
“And how would he even know about Scabbers?” Cedric added.
“Okay, think about it. In the beginning of the book, we know that something was wrong with Scabbers, enough that Ron got rat tonic for him because of it. Ron originally said that Egypt didn't agree with him, but, around that time, they also probably got news about Sirius's escape,” Hermione said. “And we know, from the overheard conversation between the teachers and Fudge, that Black asked Fudge if he was done with his paper, wanting to do the crosswords. It's possible that Fudge gave it to him – I don't see why he wouldn't, after all, since common sense is absent from most people in the wizarding world – and it's also possible that it just so happened to have been the paper which featured the Weasleys on it.”
“In which the picture of Scabbers would have been seen,” Luna started up. “It would also match what Black was caught saying in his sleep.”
“Okay, that is a possible way of how he knows about Scabbers, but what would he want with him?” Harry asked, reminding them of his question.
“We have suspected that Scabbers isn't a normal rat,” Hermione said. “Maybe, whoever it is, if he's not a rat, it's someone Black knows and doesn't trust, or has a problem with. It would also explain why Scabbers suddenly became ill when he escaped.”
“And also why Scabbers would fake his own death,” Luna said. “The cause, if you will, of the rift between Ron and Hermione right now.”
“So, whoever Scabbers is, it's a bad enough person that Black wants revenge against,” Harry said.
“Seems that way, which also explains why he has a knife with him as well,” Hermione said.
“You sure you weren’t dreaming, Ron?” said Dean.
“I think the fact that his curtains were torn is proof enough that he's telling the truth,” Hermione said.
“Look at the curtains! I tell you, he was here!”
They all scrambled out of bed; Harry reached the dormitory door first, and they sprinted back down the staircase.
“I wonder what you're doing,” Luna said.
“Probably going to get a teacher,” Harry said. “Though we'll probably be distracted from it. I have the feeling that Ron yelled so loud that others outside of our dormitory heard him.”
Doors opened behind them, and sleepy voices called after them.
“Who shouted?”
“It appears that your right,” Hermione said.
“What’re you doing?”
The common room was lit by the glow of the dying fire, still littered with debris from the party. It was deserted.
“Well, everyone is supposed to be in bed, so it's not surprising that it's deserted,” Hermione said.
“Are you sure you weren’t dreaming, Ron?”
“I'm telling you, I saw him!”
“What’s all the noise?”
“Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed!”
“I get the feeling that one was you, Hermione,” Harry said.
“Most likely,” Hermione said.
A few of the girls had come down their staircase, pulling on dressing-gowns and yawning. Boys, too, were reappearing.
“Talk about waking up the entire house,” Cedric said.
“We must've been loud, then,” Harry said.
“Excellent, are we carrying on?” said Fred Weasley brightly.
“No. As far as your brother knows, he was almost murdered by mass murderer,” Hermione said. “That's why everyone's up.”
“Everyone back upstairs!” said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pyjamas as he spoke.
“I don't think that anyone is going to listen to that,” Cedric said.
“Perce – Sirius Black!” said Ron faintly. “In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!”
“Now that's going to make everyone freeze,” Hermione said.
The common room went very still.
“Nonsense!” said Percy, looking startled. “You had too much to eat, Ron – had a nightmare –“
“I have the feeling that he doesn't want to think of Black anywhere near his brother,” Hermione said.
“So do I,” Harry said.
“I’m telling you –“
“Now, really, enough’s enough!”
“And Professor McGonagall has arrived,” Hermione said.
Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her
“I think she's mad,” Harry said.
as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.
“You'd be correct,” Hermione said.
“I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!”
“It's not his fault. He was trying to get us to go back to bed, after all,” Harry said.
“I certainly didn’t authorise this, Professor!” said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly.
“'I don't think he liked being accused of doing something that he didn't,” Hermione said.
“Who would,” Luna said.
“I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare –“
“It wasn't a nightmare,” Cedric said. “At least, we don't think it is.”
“IT WASN’T A NIGHTMARE!” Ron yelled.
“I think he's getting tired of people not listening to him,” Hermione said.
“PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!”
Professor McGonagall stared at him.
“It does sound unbelievable when you consider that he has to have a password to get into the common room,” Luna said.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have got through the portrait hole?”
“Ask Sir Cadogan,” Hermione said.
“Ask him!” said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan’s picture. “Ask him if he saw –“
“Well, we'll know if we're right about Black having Neville's list of passwords or not,” Cedric said.
Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath.
“Yeah, we want to know if it's true or not,” Harry said.
“Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?”
“Certainly, good lady!” cried Sir Cadogan.
“That's not what any of us wants to hear, except maybe Ron, if only to show that he's not lying,” Hermione said.
There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.
“Well, it's not expected news,” Harry said.
“You – you did?” said Professor McGonagall. “But – but the password!”
“I can't see Sir Cadogan opening the door if Black didn't have it,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, and unlike the Fat Lady, he'd most likely stay in his frame and challenge Black to a fight,” Harry said.
“He had ’em!” said Sir Cadogan proudly.
“I get the feeling that it might be better if there's also some way for the portrait to know if the person being admitted an actual student of the house, or member of the staff,” Hermione said.
“Had the whole week’s, my lady! Read ’em off a little piece of paper!”
“And here's were Neville discovers what happened to his list of passwords,” Hermione said.
Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.
“Which person,” she said, her voice shaking, “which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week’s passwords and left them lying around?”
“Hey, he didn't leave them lying around, he lost them, there's a difference,” Luna said.
There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks.
“Poor Neville,” Harry said.
Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy-slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.
“And that's the end of the chapter,” Harry said, handing the book to Hermione.