There.was.another.pause.in.which.Crookshanks,.mewing,.attempted.to.paw.Sirius.s.head,.and.Ron.fiddled.with.a.hole.in.the.hearthrug..
.So,.you.want.me.to.say.I.m.not.going.to.take.part.in.the.Defence.group?..he.muttered.finally..
.Me?.Certainly.not!..said.Sirius,.looking.surprised...I.think.it.s.an.excellent.idea!..
.You.do?..said.Harry,.his.heart.lifting..
.Of.course.I.do!..said.Sirius...D.you.think.your.father.and.I.would.ve.lain.down.and.taken.orders.from.an.old.hag.like.Umbridge?..
.But.‐.last.term.all.you.did.was.tell.me.to.be.careful.and.not.take.risks.‐..
.Last.year,.all.the.evidence.was.that.someone.inside.Hogwarts.was.trying.to.kill.you,.Harry!..said.Sirius.impatiently..This.year,.we.know.there.s.someone.outside.
Hogwarts.who.d.like.to.kill.us.all,.so.I.think.learning.to.defend.yourselves.properly.is.a.very.good.idea!..
.And.if.we.do.get.expelled?..Hermione.asked,.a.quizzical.look.on.her.face..
.Hermione,.this.whole.thing.was.your.idea!..said.Harry,.staring.at.her..
.I.know.it.was..I.just.wondered.what.Sirius.thought,..she.said,.shrugging..
.Well,.better.expelled.and.able.to.defend.yourselves.than.sitting.safely.in.school.without.a.clue,..said.Sirius..
.Hear,.hear,..said.Harry.and.Ron.enthusiastically..
.So,..said.Sirius,..how.are.you.organising.this.group?.Where.are.you.meeting?..
.Well,.that.s.a.bit.of.a.problem.now,..said.Harry...Dunno.where.we.re.going.to.be.able.to.go...
.How.about.the.Shrieking.Shack?..suggested.Sirius..
.Hey,.that.s.an.idea!..said.Ron.excitedly,.but.Hermione.made.a.sceptical.noise.and.all.three.of.them.looked.at.her,.Siriuss.head.turning.in.the.flames..
.Well,.Sirius,.it.s.just.that.there.were.only.four.of.you.meeting.in.the.Shrieking.Shack.when.you.were.at.school,..said.Hermione,..and.all.of.you.could.transform.into.animals.and.I.suppose.you.could.all.have.squeezed.under.a.single.Invisibility.Cloak.if.you.d.wanted.to..But.there.are.twenty‐eight.of.us.and.none.of.us.is.an.Animagus,.so.we.wouldn.t.need.so.much.an.Invisibility.Cloak.as.an.Invisibility.Marquee.‐..
.Fair.point,..said.Sirius,.looking.slightly.crestfallen...Well,.I.m.sure.you.ll.come.up.with.somewhere..There.used.to.be.a.pretty.roomy.secret.passageway.behind.that.big.mirror.on.the.fourth.floor,.you.might.have.enough.space.to.practise.jinxes.in.there...
.Fred.and.George.told.me.it.s.blocked,..said.Harry,.shaking.his.head...Caved.in.or.something...
.Oh…..said.Sirius,.frowning...Well,.I.ll.have.a.think.and.get.back.to.‐..
He.broke.off..His.face.was.suddenly.tense,.alarmed..He.turned.sideways,
.apparently.looking.into.the.solid.brick.wall.of.the.fireplace..
.Sirius?..said.Harry.anxiously..
But.he.had.vanished..Harry.gaped.at.the.flames.for.a.moment,.then.turned.to.look.at.Ron.and.Hermione..
Why.did.he.‐?..
Hermione.gave.a.horrified.gasp.and.leapt.to.her.feet,.still.staring.at.the.fire..
A.hand.had.appeared.amongst.the.flames,.groping.as.though.to.catch.hold.of.something;.a.stubby,.short‐fingered.hand.covered.in.ugly.old‐fashioned.rings..