.It.was.worth.it,.though,..said.Fred,.who.was.taking.orders.from.clamouring.Gryffindors...If.you.want.to.add.your.name.to.the.waiting.list,.Hermione,.it.s.five.Galleons.for.your.Basic.Blaze.box.and.twenty.for.the.Deflagration.Deluxe…..
Hermione.returned.to.the.table.where.Harry.and.Ron.were.sitting.staring.at.their.schoolbags.as.though.hoping.their.homework.woud.spring.out.and.start.doing.itself..
.Oh,.why.don.t.we.have.a.night.off?..said.Hermione.brightly,.as.a.silver‐tailed.Weasley.rocket.zoomed.past.the.window...After.all,.the.Easter.holidays.start.on.Friday,.we.ll.have.plenty.of.time.then...
.Are.you.feeling.all.right?..Ron.asked,.staring.at.her.in.disbelief..
.Now.you.mention.it,..said.Hermione.happily,.d.you.know….I.think.I.m.feeling.a.bit….rebellious...
Harry.could.still.hear.the.distant.bangs.of.escaped.firecrackers.when.he.and.Ron.went.up.to.bed.an.hour.later;.and.as.he.got.undressed.a.sparkler.floated.past.the.tower,.still.resolutely.spelling.out.the.word.TOO...
He.got.into.bed,.yawning..With.his.glasses.off,.the.occasional.firework.passing.the.window.had.become.blurred,.looking.like.sparkling.clouds,.beautiful.and.mysterious.against.the.black.sky..He.turned.on.to.his.side,.wondering.how.Umbridge.was.feeling.about.her.first.day.in.Dumbledore.s.job,.and.how.Fudge.would.react.when.he.heard.that.the.school.had.spent.most.of.the.day.in.a.state.of.advanced.disruption..Smiling.to.himself,.Harry.closed.his.eyes….
The.whizzes.and.bangs.of.escaped.fireworks.in.the.grounds.seemed.to.be.growing.more.distant….or.perhaps.he.was.simply.speeding.away.from.them….
He.had.fallen.right.into.the.corridor.leading.to.the.Department.of.Mysteries..He.was.speeding.towards.the.plain.black.door….let.it.open….let.it.open….
It.did..He.was.inside.the.circular.room.lined.with.doors….he.crossed.it,.placed.his.hand.on.an.identical.door.and.it.swung.inwards….
Now.he.was.in.a.long,.rectangular.room.full.of.an.odd.mechanical.clicking.
.There.were.dancing.flecks.of.light.on.the.walls.but.he.did.not.pause.to.investigate….he.had.to.go.on….
There.was.a.door.at.the.far.end….it,.too,.opened.at.his.touch….
And.now.he.was.in.a.dimly.lit.room.as.high.and.wide.as.a.church,.full.of.nothing.but.rows.and.rows.of.towering.shelves,.each.laden.with.small,.dusty,.spun‐glass.spheres….now.Harrys.heart.was.beating.fast.with.excitement….he.knew.where.to.go….he.ran.forwards,.but.his.footsteps.made.no.noise.in.the.enormous,
.deserted.room….
There.was.something.in.this.room.he.wanted.very,.very.much….
Something.he.wanted….or.somebody.else.wanted….
His.scar.was.hurting….
BANG!.
Harry.awoke.instantly,.confused.and.angry..The.dark.dormitory.was.full.of.the.sound.of.laughter..
.Cool!..said.Seamus,.who.was.silhouetted.against.the.window...I.think.one.of.those.Catherine.wheels.hit.a.rocket.and.it.s.like.they.mated,.come.and.see!..
Harry.heard.Ron.and.Dean.scramble.out.of.bed.for.a.better.look..He.lay.quite.still.and.silent.while.the.pain.in.his.scar.subsided.and.disappointment.washed.over.him..He.felt.as.though.a.wonderful.treat.had.been.snatched.from.him.at.the.very.last.moment….he.had.got.so.close.that.time..