.You.know.that.was.a.fluke,.if.the.Time‐Turner.hadn.t.‐..
.Last.year,..Ron.said,.almost.shouting.now,..you.fought.off.You‐Know‐Who.again.‐.
.Listen.to.me!..said.Harry,.almost.angrily,.because.Ron.and.Hermione.were.both.smirking.now...Just.listen.to.me,.all.right?.It.sounds.great.when.you.say.it.like.that,.but.all.that.stuff.was.luck.‐.I.didn.t.know.what.I.was.doing.half.the.time,.I.didn.t.plan.any.of.it,.I.just.did.whatever.I.could.think.of,.and.I.nearly.always.had.help.‐..
Ron.and.Hermione.were.still.smirking.and.Harry.felt.his.temper.rise;.he.wasn.t.even.sure.why.he.was.feeling.so.angry..
.Don.t.sit.there.grinning.like.you.know.better.than.I.do,.1.was.there,.wasn.t.1?..he.said.heatedly...I.know.what.went.on,.all.right?.And.I.didn.t.get.through.any.of.that.because.I.was.brilliant.at.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts,.I.got.through.it.all.because.‐.because.help.came.at.the.right.time,.or.because.I.guessed.right.‐.but.I.just.blundered.through.it.all,.I.didn.t.have.a.clue.what.I.was.doing.‐STOP.LAUGHING!..
The.bowl.of.Murtlap.essence.fell.to.the.floor.and.smashed..He.became.aware.that.he.was.on.his.feet,.though.he.couldn.t.remember.standing.up..Crookshanks.streaked.away.under.a.sofa..Ron.and.Hermione.s.smiles.had.vanished..
.You.don.t.know.what.it.s.like!.You.‐.neither.of.you.‐.you.ve.never.had.to.face.him,
.have.you?.You.think.it.s.just.memorising.a.bunch.of.spells.and.throwing.them.at.him,.like.you.re.in.class.or.something?.The.whole.time.you.re.sure.you.know.there.s.nothing.between.you.and.dying.except.your.own.‐.your.own.brain.or.guts.or.whatever.‐like.you.can.think.straight.when.you.know.you.re.about.a.nanosecond.from.being.murdered,.or.tortured,.or.watching.your.friends.die.‐
they.ve.never.taught.us.that.in.their.classes,.what.it.s.like.to.deal.with.things.like.that.‐.and.you.two.sit.there.acting.like.I.m.a.clever.little.boy.to.be.standing.here,
.alive,.like.Diggory.was.stupid,.like.he.messed.up.—.you.just.don.t.get.it,.that.could.just.as.easily.have.been.me,.it.would.have.been.if.Voldemort.hadn.t.needed.me.‐..
.We.weren.t.saying.anything.like.that,.mate,..said.Ron,.looking.aghast...We.weren.t.having.a.go.at.Diggory,.we.didn.t.‐.you.ve.got.the.wrong.end.of.the.‐..
He.looked.helplessly.at.Hermione,.whose.face.was.stricken..
.Harry,..she.said.timidly,..don.t.you.see?.This….this.is.exactly.why.we.need.you….we.need.to.know.what.it.s.r‐really.like….facing.him….facing.V‐
Voldemort...
It.was.the.first.time.she.had.ever.said.Voldemort.s.name.and.it.was.this,.more.than.anything.else,.that.calmed.Harry..Still.breathing.hard,.he.sank.back.into.his.chair,.becoming.aware.as.he.did.so.that.his.hand.was.throbbing.horribly.again.
.He.wished.he.had.not.smashed.the.bowl.of.Murtlap.essence..
.Well….think.about.it,..said.Hermione.quietly...Please?..
Harry.could.not.think.of.anything.to.say..He.was.feeling.ashamed.of.his.outburst.already..He.nodded,.hardly.aware.of.what.he.was.agreeing.to..
Hermione.stood.up..
.Well,.I.m.off.to.bed,..she.said,.in.a.voice.that.was.clearly.as.natural.as.she.could.make.it...Erm….night...