.How.much.time.had.elapsed.since.he.had.seen.Sirius.lying.on.the.Department.of.Mysteries.floor?.How.much.longer.would.Sinus.be.able.to.resist.Voldemort?.All.Harry.knew.for.sure.was.that.his.godfather.had.neither.done.as.Voldemort.wanted,.nor.died,.for.he.was.convinced.that.either.outcome.would.have.caused.him.to.feel.Voldemort.s.jubilation.or.fury.course.through.his.own.body,.making.his.scar.sear.as.painfully.as.it.had.on.the.night.Mr.Weasley.was.attacked..
On.they.flew.through.the.gathering.darkness;.Harry.s.face.felt.stiff.and.cold,.his.legs.numb.from.gripping.the.Thestrals.sides.so.tightly,.but.he.did.not.dare.shift.his.position.lest.he.slip….he.was.deaf.from.the.thundering.rush.of.air.in.his.ears,.
and.his.mouth.was.dry.and.frozen.from.the.cold.night.wind..He.had.lost.all.sense.of.how.far.they.had.come;.all.his.faith.was.in.the.beast.beneath.him,.still.streaking.purposefully.through.the.night,.barely.flapping.its.wings.as.it.sped.ever.onwards..
If.they.were.too.late….
He.s.still.alive,.he.s.still.fighting,.I.can.feel.it….
If.Voldemort.decided.Sirius.was.not.going.to.crack….
I.d.know…
Harrys.stomach.gave.a.jolt;.the.Thestrals.head.was.suddenly.pointing.towards.the.ground.and.he.actually.slid.forwards.a.few.inches.along.its.neck..They.were.descending.at.last….he.thought.he.heard.a.shriek.behind.him.and.twisted.around.dangerously,.but.could.see.no.sign.of.a.falling.body......presumably.they.had.all.received.a.shock.from.the.change.of.direction,.just.as.he.had..
And.now.bright.orange.lights.were.growing.larger.and.rounder.on.all.sides;.they.could.see.the.tops.of.buildings,.streams.of.headlights.like.luminous.insect.eyes,
.squares.of.pale.yellow.that.were.windows..Quite.suddenly,.it.seemed,.they.were.hurtling.towards.the.pavement;.Harry.gripped.the.Thestral.with.every.last.ounce.of.his.strength,.braced.for.a.sudden.impact,.but.the.horse.touched.the.dark.ground.as.lightly.as.a.shadow.and.Harry.slid.from.its.back,.looking.around.at.the.street.where.the.overflowing.skip.still.stood.a.short.way.from.the.vandalised.telephone.box,.both.drained.of.colour.in.the.flat.orange.glare.of.the.streetlights..
Ron.landed.a.short.way.off.and.toppled.immediately.from.his.Thestral.on.to.the.pavement..
.Never.again,..he.said,.struggling.to.his.feet..He.made.as.though.to.stride.away.from.his.Thestral,.but,.unable.to.see.it,.collided.with.its.hindquarters.and.almost.fell.over.again...Never,.ever.again….that.was.the.worst.‐..
Hermione.and.Ginny.touched.down.on.either.side.of.him:.both.slid.off.their.mounts.a.little.more.gracefully.than.Ron,.though.with.similar.expressions.of.relief.at.being.back.on.firm.ground;.Neville.jumped.down,.shaking;.and.Luna.dismounted.smoothly..
.Where.do.we.go.from.here,.then?..she.asked.Harry.in.a.politely.interested.voice,
.as.though.this.was.all.a.rather.interesting.day‐trip..
.Over.here,..he.said..He.gave.his.Thestral.a.quick,.grateful.pat,.then.led.the.way.quickly.to.the.battered.telephone.box.and.opened.the.door...Come.on!..he.urged.the.others,.as.they.hesitated..