Well,.if.he.had.to.do.it,.he.thought,.there.was.no.point.hanging.around..Trying.with.all.his.might.not.to.think.how.the.Dursleys.were.going.to.react.when.they.found.him.on.their.doorstep.six.months.erlier.than.they.had.expected,.he.strode.over.to.his.trunk,.slammed.the.lid.shut.and.locked.it,.then.glanced.around.automatically.for.Hedwig.before.remembering.that.she.was.still.at.Hogwarts.‐
.well,.her.cage.would.be.one.less.thing.to.carry.‐.he.seized.one.end.of.his.trunk.and.had.dragged.it.halfway.towards.the.door.when.a.snide.voice.said,..Running.away,.are.we?..
He.looked.around..Phineas.Nigellus.had.appeared.on.the.canvas.of.his.portrait.and.was.leaning.against.the.frame,.watching.Harry.with.an.amused.expression.on.his.face..
.Not.running.away,.no,..said.Harry.shortly,.dragging.his.trunk.a.few.more.feet.across.the.room..
.I.thought,..said.Phineas.Nigellus,.stroking.his.pointed.beard,..that.to.belong.in.Gryffindor.house.you.were.supposed.to.be.brave!.It.looks.to.me.as.though.you.would.have.been.better.off.in.my.own.house..We.Slytherins.are.brave,.yes,.but.not.stupid..For.instance,.given.the.choice,.we.will.always.choose.to.save.our.own.necks...
.It.s.not.my.own.neck.I.m.saving,..said.Harry.tersely,.tugging.the.trunk.over.a.patch.of.particularly.uneven,.moth‐eaten.carpet.right.in.front.of.the.door..
.Oh,.I.see,..said.Phineas.Nigellus,.still.stroking.his.beard,..this.is.no.cowardly.flight.‐.you.are.being.noble...
Harry.ignored.him..His.hand.was.on.the.doorknob.when.Phineas.Nigellus.said.lazily,..I.have.a.message.for.you.from.Albus.Dumbledore...
Harry.span.round..
.What.is.it?..
..Stay.where.you.are....
.I.haven.t.moved!..said.Harry,.his.hand.still.upon.the.doorknob...So.what.s.the.message?..
.I.have.just.given.it.to.you,.dolt,..said.Phineas.Nigellus.smoothly...Dumbledore.says,..Stay.where.you.are...
.Why?..said.Harry.eagerly,.dropping.the.end.of.his.trunk...Why.does.he.want.me.to.stay?.What.else.did.he.say?..
.Nothing.whatsoever,..said.Phineas.Nigellus,.raising.a.thin.black.eyebrow.as.though.he.found.Harry.impertinent..
Harry.s.temper.rose.to.the.surface.like.a.snake.rearing.from.long.grass..He.was.exhausted,.he.was.confused.beyond.measure,.he.had.experienced.terror,.relief,
.then.terror.again.in.the.last.twelve.hours,.and.still.Dumbledore.did.not.want.to.talk.to.him!.
.So.that.s.it,.is.it?..he.said.loudly....Stay.where.you.are.!.That.s.all.anyone.could.tell.me.after.I.got.attacked.by.those.Dementors,.too!.Just.stay.put.while.the.grown‐
ups.sort.it.out,.Harry!.We.won.t.bother.telling.you.anything,.though,.because.your.tiny.little.brain.might.not.be.able.to.cope.with.it!..
.You.know,..said.Phineas.Nigellus,.even.more.loudly.than.Harry..this.is.precisely.why.I.loathed.being.a.teacher!.Young.people.are.so.infernally.convinced.that.they.are.absolutely.right.about.everything..Has.it.not.occurred.to.you,.my.poor.puffed‐up.popinjay,.that.there.might.be.an.excellent.reason.why.the.Headmaster.
of.Hogwarts.is.not.confiding.every.tiny.detail.of.his.plans.to.you?.Have.you.never.paused,.while.feeling.hard‐done‐by,.to.note.that.following.Dumbledores.orders.has.never.yet.led.you.into.harm?.No..No,.like.all.young.people,.you.are.quite.sure.that.you.alone.feel.and.think,.you.alone.recognise.danger,.you.alone.are.the.only.one.clever.enough.to.realise.what.the.Dark.Lord.may.be.planning.‐..