—.CHAPTER.THIRTY‐TWO.—.
Out.of.the.Fire
.I.m.not.going….I.don.t.need.the.hospital.wing….I.don.t.want.
He.was.gibbering.as.he.tried.to.pull.away.from.Professor.Tofty,.who.was.looking.at.Harry.with.much.concern.after.helping.him.out.into.the.Entrance.Hall.with.the.students.all.around.them.starng..
.I.m.‐.I.m.fine,.sir,..Harry.stammered,.wiping.the.sweat.from.his.face...Really….I.just.fell.asleep….had.a.nightmare…..
.Pressure.of.examinations!..said.the.old.wizard.sympathetically,.patting.Harry.shakily.on.the.shoulder...It.happens,.young.man,.it.happens!.Now,.a.cooling.drink.of.water,.and.perhaps.you.will.be.ready.to.return.to.the.Great.Hall?.The.examination.is.nearly.over,.but.you.may.be.able.to.round.off.your.last.answer.nicely?..
.Yes,..said.Harry.wildly...I.mean….no….I.ve.done.‐.done.as.much.as.I.can,.I.think…..
.Very.well,.very.well,..said.the.old.wizard.gently...I.shall.go.and.collect.your.examination.paper.and.1.suggest.that.you.go.and.have.a.nice.lie.down...
Til.do.that,..said.Harry,.nodding.vigorously..Thanks.very.much...
The.second.that.the.old.man.s.heels.disappeared.over.the.threshold.into.the.Great.Hall,.Harry.ran.up.the.marble.staircase,.hurtled.along.the.corridors.so.fast.the.portraits.he.passed.muttered.reproaches,.up.more.flights.of.stairs,.and.finally.burst.like.a.hurricane.through.the.double.doors.of.the.hospital.wing,.causing.Madam.Pomfrey.‐.who.had.been.spooning.some.bright.blue.liquid.into.Montague.s.open.mouth.‐.to.shriek.in.alarm..
Totter,.what.do.you.think.you.re.doing?..
.I.need.to.see.Professor.McGonagall,..gasped.Harry,.the.breath.tearing.his.lungs.
.
.Now….it.s.urgent!..
.She.s.not.here,.Potter,..said.Madam.Pomfrey.sadly...She.was.transferred.to.St.Mungo.s.this.morning..Four.Stunning.Spells.straight.to.the.chest.at.her.age?.It.s.a.wonder.they.didn.t.kill.her...
.She.s….gone?..said.Harry,.shocked..
The.bell.rang.just.outside.the.dormitory.and.he.heard.the.usual.distant.rumbling.of.students.starting.to.flood.out.into.the.coridors.above.and.below.him..He.remained.quite.still,.looking.at.Madam.Pomfrey..Terror.was.rising.inside.him..
There.was.nobody.left.to.tell..Dumbledore.had.gone,.Hagrid.had.gone,.but.he.had.always.expected.Professor.McGonagall.to.be.there,.irascible.and.inflexible,
.perhaps,.but.always.dependably,.solidly.present….
.I.don.t.wonder.you.re.shocked,.Potter,..said.Madam.Pomfrey,.with.a.kind.of.fierce.approval.in.her.face...As.if.one.of.them.could.have.Stunned.Minerva.McGonagall.face‐on.by.daylight!.Cowardice,...that.s.what.it.was….despicable.cowardice….if.I.wasn.t.worried.what.would.happen.to.you.students.without.me,
.I.d.resign.in.protest...
.Yes,..said.Harry.blankly..
He.wheeled.around.and.strode.blindly.from.the.hospital.wing.into.the.teeming.corridor.where.he.stood,.buffeted.by.the.crowd,.panic.expanding.inside.him.like.poison.gas.so.that.his.head.swam.and.he.could.not.think.what.to.do….
Ron.and.Hermione,.said.a.voice.in.his.head..
He.was.running.again,.pushing.students.out.of.the.way,.oblivious.to.their.angry.protests..He.sprinted.back.down.two.floors.and.was.at.the.top.of.the.marble.staircase.when.he.saw.them.hurrying.towards.him..