.I.didn.t.want.anyone.to.talk.to.me,..said.Harry,.who.was.feeling.more.and.more.nettled..
.Well,.that.was.a.bit.stupid.of.you,..said.Ginny.angrily,..seeing.as.you.don.t.know.anyone.but.me.who.s.been.possessed.by.You‐Know‐Who,.and.I.can.tell.you.how.it.feels...
Harry.remained.quite.still.as.the.impact.of.these.words.hit.him..Then.he.wheeled.round..
.I.forgot,..he.said..
.Lucky.you,..said.Ginny.coolly..
.I.m.sorry..Harry.said,.and.he.meant.it...So….so,.do.you.think.I.m.being.possessed,.then?..
.Well,.can.you.remember.everything.you.ve.been.doing?..Ginny.asked...Are.there.big.blank.periods.where.you.don.t.know.what.you.ve.been.up.to?..
Harry.racked.his.brains..
.No,..he.said..
Then.You‐Know‐Who.hasn.t.ever.possessed.you,..said.Ginny.simply...When.he.did.it.to.me,.I.couldn.t.remember.what.I.d.been.doing.for.hours.at.a.time..I.d.find.myself.somewhere.and.not.know.how.I.got.there...
Harry.hardly.dared.believe.her,.yet.his.heart.was.lightening.almost.in.spite.of.himself..
.That.dream.I.had.about.your.dad.and.the.snake,.though.—..
.Harry.you.ve.had.these.dreams.before,..Hermione.said...You.had.flashes.of.what.Voldemort.was.up.to.last.year...
This.was.different,..said.Harry,.shaking.his.head...I.was.inside.that.snake..It.was.like.I.was.the.snake….what.if.Voldemort.somehow.transported.me.to.London.—
?..
.One.day,..said.Hermione,.sounding.thoroughly.exasperated,..you.ll.read.Hogwarts:.A.History,.and.perhaps.it.will.remind.you.that.you.can.t.Apparate.or.Disapparate.inside.Hogwarts..Even.Voldemort.couldn.t.just.make.you.fly.out.of.your.dormitory,.Harry...
.You.didn.t.leave.your.bed,.mate,..said.Ron...I.saw.you.thrashing.around.in.your.sleep.for.at.least.a.minute.before.we.could.wake.you.up...
Harry.started.pacing.up.and.down.the.room.again,.thinking..What.they.were.all.saying.was.not.only.comforting,.it.made.sense….without.really.thinking,.he.took.a.sandwich.from.the.plate.on.the.bed.and.crammed.it.hungrily.into.his.mouth..
I.m.not.the.weapon.after.all,.thought.Harry..His.heart.swelled.with.happiness.and.relief,.and.he.felt.like.joining.in.as.they.heard.
Sirius.tramping.past.their.door.towards.Buckbeak.s.room,.singing..God.Rest.Ye,
.Merry.Hippogriffs..at.the.top.of.his.voice..
*.
How.could.he.have.dreamed.of.returning.to.Privet.Drive.for.Christmas?.Sirius.s.delight.at.having.the.house.full.again,.and.especially.at.having.Harry.back,.was.infectious..He.was.no.longer.their.sullen.host.of.the.summer;.now.he.seemed.determined.that.everyone.should.enjoy.themselves.as.much,.if.not.more.than.they.would.have.done.at.Hogwarts,.and.he.worked.tirelessly.in.the.run‐up.to.Christmas.Day,.cleaning.and.decorating.with.their.help,.so.that.by.the.time.they.all.went.to.bed.on.Christmas.Eve.the.house.was.barely.recognisable..The.tarnished.chandeliers.were.no.longer.hung.with.cobwebs.but.with.garlands.of.holly.and.gold.and.silver.streamers;.magical.snow.glittered.in.heaps.over.the.
threadbare.carpets;.a.great.Christmas.tree,.obtained.by.Mundungus.and.decorated.with.live.fairies,.blocked.Sirius.s.family.tree.from.view,.and.even.the.stuffed.elf‐heads.on.the.hall.wall.wore.Father.Christmas.hats.and.beards..