.Did.I.say.that?..said.Phineas.Nigellus,.idly.examining.his.silk.gloves...Now,.if.you.will.excuse.me,.I.have.better.things.to.do.than.listen.to.adolescent.agonising….good‐day.to.you...
And.he.strolled.to.the.edge.of.his.frame.and.out.of.sight..
.Fine,.go.then!..Harry.bellowed.at.the.empty.frame...And.tell.Dumbledore.thanks.for.nothing!..
The.empty.canvas.remained.silent..Fuming,.Harry.dragged.his.trunk.back.to.the.foot.of.his.bed,.then.threw.himself.face.down.on.the.moth‐eaten.covers,.his.eyes.shut,.his.body.heavy.and.aching..
He.felt.as.though.he.had.journeyed.for.miles.and.miles….it.seemed.impossible.that.less.than.twenty‐four.hours.ago.Cho.Chang.had.been.approaching.him.under.the.mistletoe….he.was.so.tired….he.was.scared.to.sleep….yet.he.did.not.
know.how.long.he.could.fight.it….Dumbledore.had.told.him.to.stay….that.must.mean.he.was.allowed.to.sleep….but.he.was.scared….what.if.it.happened.again?.
He.was.sinking.into.shadows….
It.was.as.though.a.film.in.his.head.had.been.waiting.to.start..He.was.walking.down.a.deserted.corridor.towards.a.plain.black.door,.past.rough.stone.walls,
.torches,.and.an.open.doorway.on.to.a.flight.of.stone.steps.leading.downstairs.on.the.left….
He.reached.the.black.door.but.could.not.open.it….he.stood.gazing.at.it,.desperate.for.entry….something.he.wanted.with.all.his.heart.lay.beyond….a.prize.beyond.his.dreams….if.only.his.scar.would.stop.prickling….then.he.would.be.able.to.think.more.clearly….
.Harry,..said.Ron.s.voice,.from.far,.far.away,..Mum.says.dinner.s.ready,.but.she.ll.save.you.something.if.you.want.to.stay.in.bed...
Harry.opened.his.eyes,.but.Ron.had.already.left.the.room..
He.doesn.t.want.to.be.on.his.own.with.me,.Harry.thought..Not.after.what.he.heard.Moody.say..
He.supposed.none.of.them.would.want.him.there.any.more,.now.that.they.knew.what.was.inside.him..
He.would.not.go.down.to.dinner;.he.would.not.inflict.his.company.on.them..He.turned.over.on.to.his.other.side.and,.after.a.while,.dropped.back.off.to.sleep..He.woke.much.later,.in.the.early.hours.of.the.morning,.his.insides.aching.with.hunger.and.Ron.snoring.in.the.next.bed..Squinting.around.the.room,.he.saw.the.dark.outline.of.Phineas.Nigellus.standing.again.in.his.portrait.and.it.occurred.to.Harry.that.Dumbledore.had.probaby.sent.Phineas.Nigellus.to.watch.over.him,
.in.case.he.attacked.somebody.else..
The.feeling.of.being.unclean.intensified..He.half‐wished.he.had.not.obeyed.Dumbledore….if.this.was.how.life.was.going.to.be.for.him.in.Grimmauld.Place.from.now.on,.maybe.he.would.be.better.off.in.Privet.Drive.after.all..
*.
Everybody.else.spent.the.following.morning.putting.up.Christmas.decorations.
.Harry.could.not.remember.Sirius.ever.being.in.such.a.good.mood;.he.was.actually.singing.carols,.apparently.delighted.that.he.was.to.have.company.over.Christmas..Harry.could.hear.his.voice.echoing.up.through.the.floor.in.the.cold.drawing.room.where.he.was.sitting.alone,.watching.the.sky.growing.whiter.outside.the.windows,.threatening.snow,.all.the.time.feeling.a.savage.pleasure.that.he.was.giving.the.others.the.opportunity.to.keep.talking.about.him,.as.they.were.bound.to.be.doing..When.he.heard.Mrs.Weasley.calling.his.name.softly.up.the.stairs.around.lunchtime,.he.retreated.further.upstairs.and.ignored.her..