.somewhere.they.can.t.find.us….
.Harry!..said.Hermione.sharply,.as.they.wheeled.around.after.their.third.walk.past..
A.highly.polished.door.had.appeared.in.the.wall..Ron.was.staring.at.it,.looking.slightly.wary..Harry.reached.out,.seized.the.brass.handle,.pulled.open.the.door.and.led.the.way.into.a.spacious.room.lit.with.flickering.torches.like.those.that.illuminated.the.dungeonseight.floors.below..
The.walls.were.lined.with.wooden.bookcases.and.instead.of.chairs.there.were.large.silk.cushions.on.the.floor..A.set.of.shelves.at.the.far.end.of.the.room.carried.a.range.of.instruments.such.as.Sneakoscopes,.Secrecy.Sensors.and.a.large,.
cracked.Foe‐Glass.that.Harry.was.sure.had.hung,.the.previous.year,.in.the.fake.Moodys.office..
These.will.be.good.when.we.re.practising.Stunning,..said.Ron.enthusiastically,
.prodding.one.of.the.cushions.with.his.foot..
.And.just.look.at.these.books!..said.Hermione.excitedly,.running.a.finger.along.the.spines.of.the.large.leather‐bound.tomes...A.Compendium.of.Common.Curses.and.their.Counter‐Actions….The.Dark.Arts.Outsmarted….Self‐Defensive.Spellwork…
.wow…..She.looked.around.at.Harry,.her.face.glowing,.and.he.saw.that.the.presence.of.hundreds.of.books.had.finally.convinced.Hermione.that.what.they.were.doing.was.right...Harry,.this.is.wonderful,.there.s.everything.we.need.here!..
And.without.further.ado.she.slid.Jinxes.for.the.Jinxed.from.its.shelf,.sank.on.to.the.nearest.cushion.and.began.to.read..
There.was.a.gentle.knock.on.the.door..Harry.looked.round..Gmny,.Neville,
.Lavender,.Parvati.and.Dean.had.arrived..
.Whoa,..said.Dean,.staring.around,.impressed...What.is.this.place?..
Harry.began.to.explain,.but.before.he.had.finished.more.people.had.arrived.and.he.had.to.start.all.over.again..By.the.time.eight.o.clock.arrived,.every.cushion.was.occupied..Harry.moved.across.to.the.door.and.turned.the.key.protruding.from.the.lock;.it.clicked.in.a.satisfyingly.loud.way.and.everybody.fell.silent,
.looking.at.him..Hermione.carefully.marked.her.page.of.Jinxes.for.the.Jinxed.and.set.the.book.aside..
.Well,..said.Harry,.slightly.nervously..This.is.the.place.we.ve.found.for.practice.sessions,.and.you.ve.‐.er.‐.obviously.found.it.OK...
.It.s.fantastic!..said.Cho,.and.several.people.murmured.their.agreement..
.It.s.bizarre,..said.Fred,.frowning.around.at.it...We.once.hid.from.Filch.in.here,
.remember,.George?.But.it.was.just.a.broom.cupboard.then...
.Hey,.Harry,.what.s.this.stuff?..asked.Dean.from.the.rear.of.the.room,.indicating.the.Sneakoscopes.and.the.Foe‐Glass..
.Dark.detectors,..said.Harry,.stepping.between.the.cushions.to.reach.them.
.
.Basically.they.all.show.when.Dark.wizards.or.enemies.are.around,.but.you.don.t.want.to.rely.on.them.too.much,.they.can.be.fooled…..
He.gazed.for.a.moment.into.the.cracked.Foe‐Glass;.shadowy.figures.were.moving.around.inside.it,.though.none.was.recognisable..He.turned.his.back.on.it..
.Well,.I.ve.been.thinking.about.the.sort.of.stuff.we.ought.to.do.first.and.‐.er.‐..He.noticed.a.raised.hand...What,.Hermione?..