Harry.had.not.thought.about.those.words.in.weeks;.he.had.been.too.absorbed.in.what.was.going.on.at.Hogwarts,.too.busy.dwelling.on.the.ongoing.battles.with.Umbridge,.the.injustice.of.all.the.Ministry.interference….but.now.they.came.back.to.him.and.made.him.wonder….Voldemort.s.anger.would.make.sense.if.he.was.no.nearer.to.laying.hands.on.the.weapon,.whatever.it.was..Had.the.Order.thwarted.him,.stopped.him.from.seizing.it?.Where.was.it.kept?.Who.had.it.now?.
.Mimbulus.mimbletonia,..said.Ron.s.voice.and.Harry.came.back.to.his.senses.just.in.time.to.clamber.through.the.portrait.hole.into.the.common.room..
It.appeared.that.Hermione.had.gone.to.bed.early,.leaving.Crookshanks.curled.in.a.nearby.chair.and.an.assortment.of.knobbly.knitted.elf.hats.lying.on.a.table.by.the.fire..Harry.was.rather.grateful.that.she.was.not.around,.because.he.did.not.much.want.to.discuss.his.scar.hurting.and.have.her.urge.him.to.go.to.Dumbledore,.too..Ron.kept.throwing.him.anxious.glances,.but.Harry.pulled.out.his.Charms.books.and.set.to.work.on.finishing.his.essay,.though.he.was.only.pretending.to.concentrate.and.by.the.time.Ron.said.he.was.going.up.to.bed,.too,
.he.had.written.hardly.anything..
Midnight.came.and.went.while.Harry.was.reading.and.rereading.a.passage.about.the.uses.of.scurvy‐grass,.lovage.and.sneezewort.and.not.taking.in.a.word.of.it..
These.plantes.are.moste.efficacious.in.the.inflaming.of.the.braine,.and.are.therefore.much.used.in.Confusing.and.Befuddlement.Draughts,.where.the.wizard.is.desirous.of.producing.hot‐headedness.and.recklessness…
….Hermione.said.Sirius.was.becoming.reckless.cooped.up.in.Grimmauld.Place….
….moste.efficacious.in.the.inflaming.of.the.braine,.and.are.therefore.much.used….
….the.Daily.Prophet.would.think.his.brain.was.inflamed.if.they.found.out.that.he.knew.what.Voldemort.was.feeling….
….therefore.much.used.in.Confusing.and.Befuddlement.Draughts….
….confusing.was.the.word,.all.right;.why.did.he.know.what.Voldemort.was.feeling?.What.was.this.weird.connection.between.them,.which.Dumbledore.had.never.been.able.to.explain.satisfactorily?.
….where.the.wizard.is.desirous….
….how.Harry.would.like.to.sleep….
…of.producing.hot‐headedness…
….it.was.warm.and.comfortable.in.his.armchair.before.the.fire,.with.the.rain.still.beating.heavily.on.the.windowpanes,.Crookshanks.purring,.and.the.crackling.of.the.flames….
The.book.slipped.from.Harry.s.slack.grip.and.landed.with.a.dull.thud.on.the.hearthrug..His.head.lolled.sideways….
He.was.walking.once.more.along.a.windowless.corridor,.his.footsteps.echoing.in.the.silence..As.the.door.at.the.end.of.the.passage.loomed.larger,.his.heart.beat.fast.with.excitement….if.he.could.only.open.it….enter.beyond….
He.stretched.out.his.hand….his.fingertips.were.inches.from.it….
.Harry.Potter,.sir!..
He.awoke.with.a.start..The.candles.had.all.been.extinguished.in.the.common.room,.but.there.was.something.moving.close.by..
.Whozair?..said.Harry,.sitting.upright.in.his.chair..The.fire.was.almost.out,.the.room.very.dark..