.Yeah,.I.know,..said.Harry.shortly..
He.cast.around.for.a.topic.that.didn.t.involve.his.headmaster,.because.the.very.thought.of.Dumbledore.made.Harry.s.insides.burn.with.anger.again..
.Who.s.Kreacher?..he.asked..
The.house‐elf.who.lives.here,..said.Ron...Nutter..Never.met.one.like.him...
Hermione.frowned.at.Ron..
.He.s.not.a.nutter,.Ron...
.His.life.s.ambition.is.to.have.his.head.cut.off.and.stuck.up.on.a.plaque.just.like.his.mother,..said.Ron.irritably...Is.that.normal,.Hermione?..
.Well.‐.well,.if.he.is.a.bit.strange,.it.s.not.his.fault...
Ron.rolled.his.eyes.at.Harry..
.Hermione.still.hasn.t.given.up.on.SPEW.‐..
.It.s.not.SPEW!..said.Hermione.heatedly...It.s.the.Society.for.the.Promotion.of.Elfish.Welfare..And.it.s.not.just.me,.Dumbledore.says.we.should.be.kind.to.Kreacher.too...
.Yeah,.yeah,..said.Ron...C.mon,.I.m.starving...
He.led.the.way.out.of.the.door.and.on.to.the.landing,.but.before.they.could.descend.the.stairs.‐.
.Hold.it!..Ron.breathed,.flinging.out.an.arm.to.stop.Harry.and.Hermione.walking.any.further..They.re.still.in.the.hall,.we.might.be.able.to.hear.something...
The.three.of.them.looked.cautiously.over.the.banisters..The.gloomy.hallway.below.was.packed.with.witches.and.wizards,.including.all.of.Harrys.guard.
.They.were.whispering.excitedly.together..In.the.very.centre.of.the.group.Harry.saw.the.dark,.greasy‐haired.head.and.prominent.nose.of.his.least.favourite.teacher.at.Hogwarts,.Professor.Snape..Harry.leant.further.over.the.banisters..He.was.very.interested.in.what.Snape.was.doing.for.the.Order.of.the.Phoenix….
A.thin.piece.of.flesh‐coloured.string.descended.in.front.of.Harrys.eyes..Looking.up,.he.saw.Ered.and.George.on.the.landing.above,.cautiously.lowering.the.Extendable.Ear.towards.the.dark.knot.of.people.below..A.moment.later,
.however,.they.all.began.to.move.towards.the.front.door.and.out.of.sight..
.Dammit,..Harry.heard.Fred.whisper,.as.he.hoisted.the.Extendable.Ear.back.up.again..
They.heard.the.front.door.open,.then.close..
.Snape.never.eats.here,..Ron.told.Harry.quietly..Thank.God..C.mon...
.And.don.t.forget.to.keep.your.voice.down.in.the.hall,.Harry,..Hermione.whispered..
As.they.passed.the.row.of.house‐elf.heads.on.the.wall,.they.saw.Lupin,.Mrs.Weasley.and.Tonks.at.the.front.door,.magically.sealing.its.many.locks.and.bolts.behind.those.who.had.just.left..
.We.re.eating.down.in.the.kitchen,..Mrs.Weasley.whispered,.meeting.them.at.the.bottom.of.the.stairs...Harry,.dear,.if.you.ll.just.tiptoe.across.the.hall,.it.s.through.this.door.here.‐..
CRASH..
.Tonks!..cried.Mrs.Weasley.in.exasperation,.turning.to.look.behind.her..
.I.m.sorry!..wailed.Tonks,.who.was.lying.flat.on.the.floor...It.s.that.stupid.umbrella.stand,.that.s.the.second.time.I.ve.tripped.over.‐..
But.the.rest.of.her.words.were.drowned.by.a.horrible,.ear‐splitting,.blood‐
curdling.screech..
The.moth‐eaten.velvet.curtains.Harry.had.passed.earlier.had.flown.apart,.but.there.was.no.door.behind.them..For.a.split.second,.Harry.thought.he.was.looking.through.a.window,.a.window.behind.which.an.old.woman.in.a.black.cap.was.screaming.and.screaming.as.though.she.were.being.tortured.‐.then.he.realised.it.was.simply.a.life‐size.portrait,.but.the.most.realistic,.and.the.most.unpleasant,.he.had.ever.seen.in.his.life..