This.was.such.a.curious.question.that.Harry.gaped.at.Dumbledore;.it.was.almost.as.though.he.knew….
.I.was.the.snake,..he.said...I.saw.it.all.from.the.snake.s.point.of.view...
Nobody.else.spoke.for.a.moment,.then.Dumbledore,.now.looking.at.Ron.who.was.still.whey‐faced,.asked.in.a.new.and.sharper.voice,..Is.Arthur.seriously.injured?..
.Yes,..said.Harry.emphatically.‐.why.were.they.all.so.slow.on.the.uptake,.did.they.not.realise.how.much.a.person.bled.when.fangs.that.long.pierced.their.side?
.And.why.could.Dumbledore.not.do.him.the.courtesy.of.looking.at.him?.
But.Dumbledore.stood.up,.so.quickly.it.made.Harry.jump,.and.addressed.one.of.the.old.portraits.hanging.very.near.the.ceiling...Everard?..he.said.sharply...And.you.too,.Dilys!..
A.sallow‐faced.wizard.with.a.short.black.fringe.and.an.elderly.witch.with.long.silver.ringlets.in.the.frame.beside.him,.both.of.whom.seemed.to.have.been.in.the.deepest.of.sleeps,.opened.their.eyes.immediately..
.You.were.listening?..said.Dumbledore..
The.wizard.nodded;.the.witch.said,..Naturally...
The.man.has.red.hair.and.glasses,..said.Dumbledore...Everard,.you.will.need.to.raise.the.alarm,.make.sure.he.is.found.by.the.right.people.‐..
Both.nodded.and.moved.sideways.out.of.their.frames,.but.instead.of.emerging.in.neighbouring.pictures.(as.usually.happened.at.Hogwarts).neither.reappeared.
.One.frame.now.contained.nothing.but.a.backdrop.of.dark.curtain,.the.other.a.
handsome.leather.armchair..Harry.noticed.that.many.of.the.other.headmasters.and.mistresses.on.the.walls,.though.snoring.and.drooling.most.convincingly,
.kept.sneaking.peeks.at.him.from.under.their.eyelids,.and.he.suddenly.understood.who.had.been.talking.when.they.had.knocked..
.Everard.and.Dilys.were.two.of.Hogwarts.s.most.celebrated.Heads,..Dumbledore.said,.now.sweeping.around.Harry,.Ron.and.Professor.McGonagall.to.approach.the.magnificent.sleeping.bird.on.his.perch.beside.the.door..Their.renown.is.such.that.both.have.portraits.hanging.in.other.important.wizarding.institutions..As.they.are.free.to.move.between.their.own.portraits,.they.can.tell.us.what.may.be.happening.elsewhere…..
.But.Mr.Weasley.could.be.anywhere!..said.Harry..
.Please.sit.down,.all.three.of.you,..said.Dumbledore,.as.though.Harry.had.not.spoken,..Everard.and.Dilys.may.not.be.back.for.several.minutes..Professor.McGonagall,.if.you.could.draw.up.extra.chairs...
Professor.McGonagall.pulled.her.wand.from.the.pocket.of.her.dressing.gown.and.waved.it;.three.chairs.appeared.out.of.thin.air,.straight‐backed.and.wooden,
.quite.unlike.the.comfortable.chintz.armchairs.that.Dumbledore.had.conjured.up.at.Harry.s.hearing..Harry.sat.down,.watching.Dumbledore.over.his.shoulder.
.Dumbledore.was.now.stroking.Fawkes.s.plumed.golden.head.with.one.finger.
.The.phoenix.awoke.immediately..He.stretched.his.beautiful.head.high.and.observed.Dumbledore.through.bright,.dark.eyes..
.We.will.need,..Dumbledore.said.very.quietly.to.the.bird,..a.warning...
There.was.a.flash.of.fire.and.the.phoenix.had.gone..