.he.looked.to.the.left.and.saw.number.ten;.to.the.right,.however,.was.number.thirteen..
.But.where.s.‐?..
Think.about.what.you.ve.just.memorised,..said.Lupin.quietly..
Harry.thought,.and.no.sooner.had.he.reached.the.part.about.number.twelve,
.Grimmauld.Place,.than.a.battered.door.emerged.out.of.nowhere.between.numbers.eleven.and.thirteen,.followed.swiftly.by.dirty.walls.and.grimy.windows..It.was.as.though.an.extra.house.had.inflated,.pushing.those.on.either.side.out.of.its.way..Harry.gaped.at.it..The.stereo.in.number.eleven.thudded.on.
.Apparently.the.Muggles.inside.hadn.t.felt.anything..
.Come.on,.hurry,..growled.Moody,.prodding.Harry.in.the.back..
Harry.walked.up.the.worn.stone.steps,.staring.at.the.newly.materialised.door..Its.black.paint.was.shabby.and.scratched..The.silver.doorknocker.was.in.the.form.of.a.twisted.serpent..There.was.no.keyhole.or.letterbox..
Lupin.pulled.out.his.wand.and.tapped.the.door.once..Harry.heard.many.loud,
.metallic.clicks.and.what.sounded.like.the.clatter.of.a.chain..The.door.creaked.open..
.Get.in.quick,.Harry,..Lupin.whispered,..but.don.t.go.far.inside.and.don.t.touch.anything...
Harry.stepped.over.the.threshold.into.the.almost.total.darkness.of.the.hall..He.could.smell.damp,.dust.and.a.sweetish,.rotting.smell;.the.place.had.the.feeling.of.a.derelict.building..He.looked.over.his.shoulder.and.saw.the.others.filing.in.behind.him,.Lupin.and.Tonks.carrying.his.trunk.and.Hedwig.s.cage..Moody.was.standing.on.the.top.step.releasing.the.balls.of.light.the.Put‐Outer.had.stolen.from.the.streetlamps;.they.flew.back.to.their.bulbs.and.the.square.glowed.momentarily.with.orange.light.before.Moody.limped.inside.and.closed.the.frnt.door,.so.that.the.darkness.in.the.hall.became.complete..
.Here.‐..
He.rapped.Harry.hard.over.the.head.with.his.wand;.Harry.felt.as.though.something.hot.was.trickling.down.his.back.this.time.and.knew.that.the.Disillusionment.Charm.must.have.lifed..
.Now.stay.still,.everyone,.while.I.give.us.a.bit.of.light.in.here,..Moody.whispered..
The.others..hushed.voices.were.giving.Harry.an.odd.feeling.of.foreboding;.it.was.as.though.they.had.just.entered.the.house.of.a.dying.person..He.heard.a.soft.hissing.noise.and.then.old‐fashioned.gas.lamps.sputtered.into.life.all.along.the.walls,.casting.a.flickering.insubstantial.light.over.the.peeling.wallpaper.and.threadbare.carpet.of.a.long,.gloomy.hallway,.where.a.cobwebby.chandelier.glimmered.overhead.and.age‐blackened.portraits.hung.crooked.on.the.walls.
.Harry.heard.something.scuttling.behind.the.skirting.board..Both.the.chandelier.and.the.candelabra.on.a.rickety.table.nearby.were.shaped.like.serpents..
There.were.hurried.footsteps.and.Rons.mother,.Mrs.Weasley,.emerged.from.a.door.at.the.far.end.of.the.hall..She.was.beaming.in.welcome.as.she.hurried.
towards.them,.though.Harry.noticed.that.she.was.rather.thinner.and.paler.than.she.had.been.last.time.he.had.seen.her..
.Oh,.Harry,.it.s.lovely.to.see.you!..she.whispered,.pulling.him.into.a.rib‐cracking.hug.before.holding.him.at.arm.s.length.and.examining.him.critically...You.re.looking.peaky;.you.need.feeding.up,.but.you.ll.have.to.wait.a.bit.for.dinner,.I.m.afraid...