She.turned.to.the.gang.of.wizards.behind.him.and.whispered.urgently,..He.s.just.arrived,.the.meeting.s.started...
The.wizards.behind.Harry.all.made.noises.of.interest.and.excitement.and.began.filing.past.him.towards.the.door.through.which.Mr.Weasley.had.just.come.
.Harry.made.to.follow.Lupin,.but.Mrs.Weasley.held.him.back..
.No,.Harry,.the.meetings.only.for.members.of.the.Order..Ron.and.Hermione.are.upstairs,.you.can.wait.with.them.until.the.meetings.over,.then.we.ll.have.dinner.
.And.keep.your.voice.down.in.the.hall,..she.added.in.an.urgent.whisper..
.Why?..
.I.don.t.want.anything.to.wake.up...
.What.d.you.‐?..
.I.ll.explain.later,.I.ve.got.to.hurry,.I.m.supposed.to.be.at.the.meeting.‐.I.ll.just.show.you.where.you.re.sleeping...
Pressing.her.finger.to.her.lips,.she.led.him.on.tiptoe.past.a.pair.of.long,.moth‐
eaten.curtains,.behind.which.Harry.supposed.there.must.be.another.door,.and.after.skirting.a.large.umbrella.stand.that.looked.as.though.it.had.been.made.from.a.severed.troll.s.leg.they.started.up.the.dark.staircase,.passing.a.row.of.shrunken.heads.mounted.on.plaques.on.the.wall..A.closer.look.showed.Harry.that.the.heads.belonged.to.house‐elves..All.of.them.had.the.same.rather.snout‐
like.nose..
Harry.s.bewilderment.deepened.with.every.step.he.took..What.on.earth.were.they.doing.in.a.house.that.looked.as.though.it.belonged.to.the.darkest.of.wizards?.
.Mrs.Weasley,.why.‐?..
.Ron.and.Hermione.will.explain.everything,.dear,.I.ve.really.got.to.dash,..Mrs.Weasley.whispered.distractedly..There.‐..they.had.reached.the.second.landing,..‐
.you.re.the.door.on.the.right..I.ll.call.you.when.it.s.over...
And.she.hurried.off.downstairs.again..
Harry.crossed.the.dingy.landing,.turned.the.bedroom.doorknob,.which.was.shaped.like.a.serpents.head,.and.opened.the.door..
He.caught.a.brief.glimpse.of.a.gloomy.high‐ceilinged,.twin‐bedded.room;.then.there.was.a.loud.twittering.noise,.followed.by.an.even.louder.shriek,.and.his.vision.was.completely.obscured.by.a.large.quantity.of.very.bushy.hair.
.Hermione.had.thrown.herself.on.to.him.in.a.hug.that.nearly.knocked.him.flat,
.while.Ron.s.tiny.owl,.Pigwidgeon,.zoomed.excitedly.round.and.round.their.heads..
.HARRY!.Ron,.he.s.here,.Harrys.here!.We.didn.t.hear.you.arrive!.Oh,.how.are.you?.Are.you.all.right?.Have.you.been.furious.with.us?.I.bet.you.have,.I.know.our.letters.were.useless.‐.but.we.couldn.t.tell.you.anything,.Dumbledore.made.us.swear.we.wouldn.t,.oh,.we.ve.got.so.much.to.tell.you,.and.you.ve.got.things.to.tell.us.‐.the.Dementors!.When.we.heard.‐.and.that.Ministry.hearing.‐.it.s.just.outrageous,.I.ve.looked.it.all.up,.they.can.t.expel.you,.they.just.can.t,.there.s.provision.in.the.Decree.for.the.Reasonable.Restriction.of.Underage.Sorcery.for.the.use.of.magic.in.life‐threatening.situations.‐..
.Let.him.breathe,.Hermione,..said.Ron,.grinning.as.he.closed.the.door.behind.Harry..He.seemed.to.have.grown.several.more.inches.during.their.month.apart,
.making.him.taller.and.more.gangly.looking.than.ever,.though.the.long.nose,