.According.to.the.magazine,.if.you.turned.the.runes.on.their.heads.they.revealed.a.spell.to.make.your.enemy.s.ears.turn.into.kumquats..In.fact,.compared.to.the^rest.of.the.articles.in.The.Quibbler,.the.suggestion.that.Sirius.might.really.be.the.lead.singer.of.The.Hobgoblins.was.quite.sensible..
.Anything.good.in.there?..asked.Ron.as.Harry.closed.the.magazine..
.Of.course.not,..said.Hermione.scathingly,.before.Harry.could.answer..The.Quibbler.s.rubbish,.everyone.knows.that...
.Excuse.me,..said.Luna;.her.voice.had.suddenly.lost.its.dreamy.quality...My.father.s.the.editor...
.I.‐.oh,..said.Hermione,.looking.embarrassed...Well….it.s.got.some.interesting….1.mean,.it.s.quite…..
.I.ll.have.it.back,.thank.you,..said.Luna.coldly,.and.leaning.forwards.she.snatched.it.out.of.Harry.s.hands..Riffling.through.it.to.page.fifty‐seven,.she.turned.it.resolutely.upside‐down.again.and.disappeared.behind.it,.just.as.the.compartment.door.opened.for.the.third.time..
Harry.looked.around;.he.had.expected.this,.but.that.did.not.make.the.sight.of.Draco.Malfoy.smirking.at.him.from.between.his.cronies.Crabbe.and.Goyle.any.more.enjoyable‐..
.What?..he.said.aggressively,.before.Malfoy.could.open.his.mouth..
.Manners,.Potter,.or.I.ll.have.to.give.you.a.detention,..drawled.Malfoy,.whose.sleek.blond.hair.and.pointed.chin.were.just.like.his.fathers...You.see,.1,.unlike.you,.have.been.made.a.prefect,.which.means.that.I,.unlike.you,.have.the.power.to.hand.out.punishments...
.Yeah,..said.Harry,..but.you,.unlike.me,‐are.a.git,.so.get.out.and.leave.us.alone...
Ron,.Hermione,.Ginny.and.Neville.laughed..Malfoy.s.lip.curled..
.Tell.me,.how.does.it.feel.being.second‐best.to.Weasley,.Potter?..he.asked..
.Shut.up,.Malfoy,..said.Hermione.sharply..
.I.seem.to.have.touched.a.nerve,..said.Malfoy,.smirking...Well,.just.watch.yourself,.Potter,.because.I.ll.be.dogging.your.footsteps.in.case.you.step.out.of.line...
.Get.out!..said.Hermione,.standing.up..
Sniggering,.Malfoy.gave.Harry.a.last.malicious.look.and.departed,.with.Crabbe.and.Goyle.lumbering.along.in.his.wake..Hermione.slammed.the.compartment.door.behind.them.and.turned.to.look.at.Harry,.who.knew.at.once.that.she,.like.him,.had.registered.what.Malfoy.had.said.and.been.just.as.unnerved.by.it..
.Chuck.us.another.Frog,..said.Ron,.who.had.clearly.noticed.nothing..
Harry.could.not.talk.freely.in.front.of.Neville.and.Luna..He.exchanged.another.nervous.look.with.Hermione,.then.stared.out.of.the.window..
He.had.thought.Sirius.coming.with.him.to.the.station.was.a.bit.of.a.laugh,.but.suddenly.it.seemed.reckless,.if.not.downright.dangerous….Hermione.had.been.right….Sirius.should.not.have.come..What.if.Mr.Malfoy.had.noticed.the.black.dog.and.told.Draco?.What.if.he.had.deduced.that.the.Weasleys,.Lupin,.Tonks.and.Moody.knew.where.Sirius.was.hiding?.Or.had.Malfoy.s.use.of.the.word.
.dogging..been.a.coincidence?.
The.weather.remained.undecided.as.they.travelled.further.and.further.north.
.Rain.spattered.the.windows.in.a.half‐hearted.way,.then.the.sun.put.in.a.feeble.appearance.before.clouds.drifted.over.it.once.more..When.darkness.fell.and.lamps.came.on.inside.the.carriages,.Luna.rolled.up.The.Quibbler,.put.it.carefully.away.in.her.bag.and.took.to.staring.at.everyone.in.the.compartment.instead..