.he.set.off.at.a.run,.weaving.in.and.out.of.students.now.hurrying.in.the.opposite.direction.to.see.what.all.the.fuss.was.about.in.the.east.wing..
Harry.reached.the.corridor.to.Umbridge.s.office.and.found.it.deserted..Dashing.behind.a.large.suit.of.armour.whose.helmet.creaked.around.to.watch.him,.he.pulled.open.his.bag,.seized.Siriuss.knife.and.donned.the.Invisibility.Cloak..He.then.crept.slowly.and.carefully.back.out.from.behind.the.suit.of.armour.and.along.the.corridor.until.he.reached.Umbridge.s.door..
He.inserted.the.blade.of.the.magical.knife.into.the.crack.around.it.and.moved.it.gently.up.and.down,.then.withdrew.it..There.was.a.tiny.click,.and.the.door.swung.open..He.ducked.inside.the.office,.closed.the.door.quickly.behind.him.and.looked.around..
Nothing.was.moving.except.the.horrible.kittens.that.were.still.frolicking.on.the.wall.plates.above.the.confiscated.broomsticks..
Harry.pulled.off.his.Cloak.and,.striding.over.to.the.fireplace,.found.what.he.was.looking.for.within.seconds:.a.small.box.containing.glittering.Floo.powder..
He.crouched.down.in.front.of.the.empty.grate,.his.hands.shaking..He.had.never.done.this.before,.though.he.thought.he.knew.how.it.must.work..Sticking.his.head.into.the.fireplace,.he.took.a.large.pinch.of.powder.and.dropped.it.on.to.the.logs.stacked.neatly.beneath.him..They.exploded.at.once.into.emerald.green.flames..
.Number.twelve,.Grimmauld.Place!..Harry.said.loudly.and.clearly..
It.was.one.of.the.most.curious.sensations.he.had.ever.experienced..He.had.travelled.by.Floo.powder.before,.of.course,.but.then.it.had.been.his.entire.body.that.had.spun.around.and.around.in.the.flames.through.the.network.of.wizarding.fireplacesthat.stretched.over.the.country..This.time,.his.knees.remained.firm.upon.the.cold.floor.of.Umbridge.s.office,.and.only.his.head.hurtled.through.the.emerald.fire….
And.then,.as.abruptly.as.it.had.begun,.the.spinning.stopped..Feeling.rather.sick.and.as.though.he.were.wearing.an.exceptionally.hot.muffler.around.his.head,
.Harry.opened.his.eyes.to.find.that.he.was.looking.up.out.of.the.kitchen.fireplace.at.the.long,.wooden.table,.where.a.man.sat.poring.over.a.piece.of.parchment..
.Sirius?..
The.man.jumped.and.looked.around..It.was.not.Sirius,.but.Lupin..
.Harry!..he.said,.looking.thoroughly.shocked...What.are.you.‐what.s.happened,.is.everything.all.right?..
.Yeah,..said.Harry...I.just.wondered.—.I.mean,.I.just.fancied.a.‐a.chat.with.Sirius...
.I.ll.call.him,..said.Lupin,.getting.to.his.feet,.still.looking.perplexed,..he.went.upstairs.to.look.for.Kreacher,.he.seems.to.be.hiding.in.the.attic.again…..
And.Harry.saw.Lupin.hurry.out.of.the.kitchen..Now.he.was.left.with.nothing.to.look.at.but.the.chair.and.table.legs..He.wondered.why.Sirius.had.never.mentioned.how.very.uncomfortable.it.was.to.speak.out.of.the.fire;.his.knees.
were.already.objecting.painfully.to.their.prolonged.contact.with.Umbridge.s.hard.stone.floor..
Lupin.returned.with.Sirius.at.his.heels.moments.later..
.What.is.it?..said.Sirius.urgently,.sweeping.his.long.dark.hair.out.of.his.eyes.and.dropping.to.the.ground.in.front.of.the.fire,.so.that.he.and.Harry.were.on.a.level.