.Yep,..said.Sirius...Fudge.thinks.Dumbledore.will.stop.at.nothing.to.seize.power.
.He.s.getting.more.paranoid.about.Dumbledore.by.the.day..It.s.a.matter.of.time.before.he.has.Dumbledore.arrested.on.some.trumped‐up.charge...
This.reminded.Harry.of.Percy.s.letter..
.D.you.know.if.there.s.going.to.be.anything.about.Dumbledore.in.the.Daily.Prophet.tomorrow?.Ron.s.brother.Percy.reckons.there.will.be.‐..
.I.don.t.know,..said.Sirius,..I.haven.t.seen.anyone.from.the.Order.all.weekend,
.they.re.all.busy..It.s.just.been.Kreacher.and.me.here.
There.was.a.definite.note.of.bitterness.in.Sirius.s.voice..
.So.you.haven.t.had.any.news.about.Hagrid,.either?..
.Ah…..said.Sirius,..well,.he.was.supposed.to.be.back.by.now,.no.one.s.sure.what.s.happened.to.him...Then,.seeing.their.stricken.faces,.he.added.quickly,..But.Dumbledore.s.not.worried,.so.don.t.you.three.get.yourselves.in.a.state;.I.m.sure.Hagrid.s.fine...
.But.if.he.was.supposed.to.be.back.by.now…..said.Hermione.in.a.small,.anxious.voice..
.Madame.Maxime.was.with.him,.we.ve.been.in.touch.with.her.and.she.says.they.got.separated.on.the.journey.home.‐.but.there.s.nothing.to.suggest.he.s.hurt.or.‐
.well,.nothing.to.suggest.he.s.not.perfectly.OK...
Unconvinced,.Harry,.Ron.and.Hermione.exchanged.worried.looks..
.Listen,.don.t.go.asking.too.many.questions.about.Hagrid,..said.Sirius.hastily,..it.ll.just.draw.even.more.attention.to.the.fact.that.he.s.not.back.and.I.know.Dumbledore.doesn.t.want.that..Hagrid.s.tough,.he.ll.be.OK...And.when.they.did.not.appear.cheered.by.this,.Sirius.added,..When.s.your.next.Hogsmeade.weekend,.anyway?.I.was.thinking,.we.got.away.with.the.dog.disguise.at.the.station,.didn.t.we?.I.thought.I.could.—..
.NO!..said.Harry.and.Hermione.together,.very.loudly..
.Sirius,.didn.t.you.see.the.Daily.Prophet?..said.Hermione.anxiously..
.Oh,.that,..said.Sirius,.grinning,..they.re.always.guessing.where.I.am,.they.haven.t.really.got.a.clue.‐..
.Yeah,.but.we.think.this.time.they.have,..said.Harry...Something.Malfoy.said.on.the.train.made.us.think.he.knew.it.was.you,.and.his.father.was.on.the.platform,
.Sirius.‐.you.know,.Lucius.Malfoy.‐.so.don.t.come.up.here,.whatever.you.do..If.Malfoy.recognises.you.again.‐..
.All.right,.all.right,.I.ve.got.the.point,..said.Sirius..He.looked.most.displeased.
.
.Just.an.idea,.thought.you.might.like.to.get.together...
.I.would,.I.just.don.t.want.you.chucked.back.in.Azkaban!..said.Harry..
There.was.a.pause.in.which.Sirius.looked.out.of.the.fire.at.Harry,.a.crease.between.his.sunken.eyes..
.You.re.less.like.your.father.than.I.thought,..he.said.finally,.a.definite.coolness.in.his.voice..The.risk.would.ve.been.what.made.it.fun.for.James...
.Look.‐..
.Well,.I.d.better.get.going,.I.can.hear.Kreacher.coming.down.the.stairs,..said.Sirius,.but.Harry.was.sure.he.was.lying..Til.write.to.tell.you.a.time.I.can.make.it.back.into.the.fire,.then,.shall.I?.If.you.can.stand.to.risk.it?..
There.was.a.tiny.pop,.and.the.place.where.Sirius.s.head.had.been.was.flickering.flame.once.more..