A.motherly‐looking.Healer.wearing.a.tinsel.wreath.in.her.hair.came.bustling.up.the.corridor,.smiling.warmly.at.Harry.and.the.others..
.Oh,.Gilderoy,.you.ve.got.visitors!.How.lovely,.and.on.Christmas.Day,.too!.Do.you.know,.he.never.gets.visitors,.poor.lamb,.and.I.can.t.think.why,.he.s.such.a.sweetie,.aren.t.you?..
.We.re.doing.autographs!..Gilderoy.told.the.Healer.with.another.glittering.smile.
.They.want.loads.of.them,.won.t.take.no.for.an.answer!.I.just.hope.we.ve.got.enough.photographs!..
.Listen.to.him,..said.the.Healer,.taking.Lockhart.s.arm.and.beaming.fondly.at.him.as.though.he.were.a.precocious.two‐year‐old...He.was.rather.well.known.a.few.years.ago;.we.very.much.hope.that.this.liking.for.giving.autographs.is.a.sign.that.his.memory.might.be.starting.to.come.back..Will.you.step.this.way?.He.s.in.a.closed.ward,.you.know,.he.must.have.slipped.out.while.I.was.bringing.in.the.Christmas.presents,.the.door.s.usually.kept.locked….not.that.he.s.dangerous!
.But,..she.lowered.her.voice.to.a.whisper,..he.s.a.bit.of.a.danger.to.himself,.bless.him….doesn.t.know.who.he.is,.you.see,.wanders.off.and.can.t.remember.how.to.get.back….it.is.nice.of.you.to.have.come.to.see.him...
.Er,..said.Ron,.gesturing.uselessly.at.the.floor.above,..actually,.we.were.just.—.er.‐
..
But.the.Healer.was.smiling.expectantly.at.them,.and.Ron.s.feeble.mutter.of.
.going.to.have.a.cup.of.tea..trailed.away.into.nothingness..They.looked.at.each.other.helplessly,.then.followed.Lockhart.and.his.Healer.along.the.corridor..
.Let.s.not.stay.long,..Ron.said.quietly..
The.Healer.pointed.her.wand.at.the.door.of.the.Janus.Thickey.Ward.and.muttered,..Alohomora...The.door.swung.open.and.she.led.the.way.inside,.keeping.a.firm.grasp.on.Gilderoys.arm.until.she.had.settled.him.into.an.armchair.beside.his.bed..
This.is.our.long‐term.residents..ward,..she.informed.Harry,.Ron,.
Hermione.and.Ginny.in.a.low.voice...For.permanent.spell.damage,.you.know..Of.course,.with.intensive.remedial.potions.and.charms.and.a.bit.of.luck,.we.can.produce.some.improvement..Gilderoy.does.seem.to.be.getting.back.some.sense.of.himself;.and.we.ve.seen.a.real.improvement.in.Mr.Bode,.he.seems.to.be.regaining.the.power.of.speech.very.well,.though.he.isn.t.speaking.any.language.we.recognise.yet..Well,.1.must.finish.giving.out.the.Christmas.presents,.I.ll.leave.you.all.to.chat...
Harry.looked.around..The.ward.bore.unmistakeable.signs.of.being.a.permanent.home.to.its.residents..They.had.many.more.personal.effects.around.their.beds.than.in.Mr.Weasley.s.ward;.the.wall.around.Gilderoy.s.headboard,.for.instance,
.was.papered.with.pictures.of.himself,.all.beaming.toothily.and.waving.at.the.new.arrivals..He.had.autographed.many.of.them.to.himself.in.disjointed,
.childish.writing..The.moment.he.had.been.deposited.in.his.chair.by.the.Healer,
.Gilderoy.pulled.a.fresh.stack.of.photographs.towards.him,.seized.a.quill.and.started.signing.them.all.feverishly..
.You.can.put.them.in.envelopes,..he.said.to.Ginny,.throwing.the.signed.pictures.into.her.lap.one.by.one.as.he.finished.them...I.am.not.forgotten,.you.know,.no,.I.still.receive.a.very.great.deal.of.fan.mail….Gladys.Gudgeon.writes.weekly.….1.just.wish.I.knew.why.He.paused,.looking.faintly.puzzled,.then.beamed.again.and.returned.to.his.signing.with.renewed.vigour...1.suspect.it.is.simply.my.good.looks…..