There.was.nobody.there..He.had.expected.this,.yet.was.not.prepared.for.the.molten.wave.of.dread.and.panic.that.seemed.to.burst.through.his.stomach.at.the.sight.of.the.desered.room..
.Sirius?..he.shouted...Sirius,.are.you.there?..
His.voice.echoed.around.the.room,.but.there.was.no.answer.except.a.tiny.scuffing.sound.to.the.right.of.the.fire..
.Who.s.there?..he.called,.wondering.whether.it.was.just.a.mouse..
Kreacher.the.house‐elf.crept.into.view..He.looked.highly.delighted.about.something,.though.he.seemed.to.have.recently.sustained.a.nasty.injury.to.both.hands,.which.were.heavily.bandaged..
.It.s.the.Potter.boy.s.head.in.the.fire,..Kreacher.informed.the.empty.kitchen,
.stealing.furtive,.oddly.triumphant.glances.at.Harry...What.has.he.come.for,
.Kreacher.wonders?..
.Where.s.Sirius,.Kreacher?..Harry.demanded..
The.house‐elf.gave.a.wheezy.chuckle..
.Master.has.gone.out,.Harry.Potter...
.Where.s.he.gone?.Where.s.he.gone,.Kreacher?..
Kreacher.merely.cackled..
.I.m.warning.you!..said.Harry,.fully.aware.that.his.scope.for.inflicting.punishment.upon.Kreacher.was.almost.non‐existent.in.this.position...What.about.Lupin?.Mad‐Eye?.Any.of.them,.are.any.of.them.there?..
.Nobody.here.but.Kreacher!..said.the.elf.gleefully,.and.turning.away.from.Harry.he.began.to.walk.slowly.towards.the.door.at.the.end.of.the.kitchen...Kreacher.thinks.he.will.have.a.little.chat.with.his.mistress.now,.yes,.he.hasn.t.had.a.chance.in.a.long.time,.Kreacher.s.master.has.been.keeping.him.away.from.her.‐..
.Where.has.Sirius.gone?..Harry.yelled.after.the.elf...Kreacher,.has.he.gone.to.the.Department.of.Mysteries?..
Kreacher.stopped.in.his.tracks..Harry.could.just.make.out.the.back.of.his.bald.head.through.the.forest.of.chair.legs.before.him..
.Master.does.not.tell.poor.Kreacher.where.he.is.going,..said.the.elf.quietly..
.But.you.know!..shouted.Harry...Don.t.you?.You.know.where.he.is!..
There.was.a.moment.s.silence,.then.the.elf.let.out.his.loudest.cackle.yet..
.Master.will.not.come.back.from.the.Department.of.Mysteries!..he.said.gleefully.
.
.Kreacher.and.his.mistress.are.alone.again!..
And.he.scurried.forwards.and.disappeared.through.the.door.to.the.hall..
.You.‐!..
But.before.he.could.utter.a.single.curse.or.insult,.Harry.felt.a.great.pain.at.the.top.of.his.head;.he.inhaled.a.lot.of.ash.and,.choking,.found.himself.being.dragged.backwards.through.the.flames,.until.with.a.horrible.abruptness.he.was.staring.up.into.the.wide,.pallid.face.of.Professor.Umbridge.who.had.dragged.him.backwards.out.of.the.fire.by.the.hair.and.was.now.bending.his.neck.back.s.far.as.it.would.go,.as.though.she.were.going.to.slit.his.throat..
.You.think,..she.whispered,.bending.Harry.s.neck.back.even.further,.so.that.he.was.looking.up.at.the.ceiling,..that.after.two.Nifflers.
I.was.going.to.let.one.more.foul,.scavenging.little.creature.enter.my.office.without.my.knowledge?.I.had.Stealth.Sensoring.Spells.placed.all.around.my.doorway.after.the.last.one.got.in,.you.foolish.boy..Take.his.wand,..she.barked.at.someone.he.could.not.see,.and.he.felt.a.hand.grope.inside.the.chest.pocket.of.his.robes.and.remove.the.wand...Hers,.too...