.Fizzing.Whizzbee,..said.Professor.McGonagall..
The.gargoyle.sprang.to.life.and.leapt.aside;.the.wall.behind.it.split.in.two.to.reveal.a.stone.staircase.that.was.moving.continually.upwards.like.a.spiral.escalator..The.three.of.them.stepped.on.to.the.moving.stairs;.the.wall.closed.behind.them.with.a.thud.and.they.were.moving.upwards.in.tight.circles.until.they.reached.the.highly.polished.ok.door.with.the.brass.knocker.shaped.like.a.griffin..
Though.it.was.now.well.past.midnight.there.were.voices.coming.from.inside.the.room,.a.positive.babble.of.them..It.sounded.as.though.Dumbledore.was.entertaining.at.least.a.dozen.people..
Professor.McGonagall.rapped.three.times.with.the.griffin.knocker.and.the.voices.ceased.abruptly.as.though.someone.had.switched.hem.all.off..The.door.opened.of.its.own.accord.and.Professor.McGonagall.led.Harry.and.Ron.inside..
The.room.was.in.half‐darkness;.the.strange.silver.instruments.standing.on.tables.were.silent.and.still.rather.than.whirring.and.emitting.puffs.of.smoke.as.thy.usually.did;.the.portraits.of.old.headmasters.and.headmistresses.covering.the.walls.were.all.snoozing.in.their.frames..Behind.the.door,.a.magnificent.red.and.gold.bird.the.size.of.a.swan.dozed.on.its.perch.with.its.head.under.its.wing..
.Oh,.it.s.you,.Professor.McGonagall….and….ah...
Dumbledore.was.sitting.in.a.high‐backed.chair.behind.his.desk;.he.leaned.forward.into.the.pool.of.candlelight.illuminating.the.papers.laid.out.before.him.
.He.was.wearing.a.magnificently.embroidered.purple.and.gold.dressing.gown.over.a.snowy.white.nightshirt,.but.seemed.wide‐awake,.his.penetrating.light.blue.eyes.fixed.intently.upon.Professor.McGonagall..
.Professor.Dumbledore,.Potter.has.had.a….well,.a.nightmare,..said.Professor.McGonagall...He.says…..
.It.wasn.t.a.nightmare,..said.Harry.quickly..
Professor.McGonagall.looked.round.at.Harry,.frowning.slightly..
.Very.well,.then,.Potter,.you.tell.the.Headmaster.about.it...
.I….well,.I.was.asleep…..said.Harry.and,.even.in.his.terror.and.his.desperation.to.make.Dumbledore.understand,.he.felt.slightly.irritated.that.the.Headmaster.was.not.looking.at.him,.but.examining.his.own.interlocked.fingers...But.it.wasn.t.an.ordinary.dream….it.was.real….I.saw.it.happen…..He.took.a.deep.breath,..Ron.s.dad.‐.Mr.Weasley.‐.has.been.attacked.by.a.giant.snake...
The.words.seemed.to.reverberate.in.the.air.after.he.had.said.them,.sounding.slightly.ridiculous,.even.comic..There.was.a.pause.in.which.Dumbledore.leaned.back.and.stared.meditatively.at.the.ceiling..Ron.looked.from.Harry.to.Dumbledore,.white‐faced.and.shocked..
.How.did.you.see.this?..Dumbledore.asked.quietly,.still.not.looking.at.Harry..
.Well….I.don.t.know,..said.Harry,.rather.angrily.‐.what.did.it.matter?..Inside.my.head,.I.suppose.‐..
.You.misunderstand.me,..said.Dumbledore,.still.in.the.same.calm.tone...I.mean…
.can.you.remember.—.er.‐.where.you.were.positioned.as.you.watched.this.attack.happen?.Were.you.perhaps.standing.beside.the.victim,.or.else.looking.down.on.the.scene.from.above?..