.echoing.clanking.and.they.dashed.inside..Harry.stabbed.the.number.nine.button;
.the.grilles.closed.with.a.bang.and.the.lift.began.to.descend,.jangling.and.rattling.
.Harry.had.not.realised.how.noisy.the.lifts.were.on.the.day.he.had.come.with.Mr.Weasley;.he.was.sure.the.din.would.raise.every.security.person.within.the.building,.yet.when.the.lift.halted,.the.cool.female.voice.said,..Department.of.Mysteries,..and.the.grilles.slid.open..They.stepped.out.into.the.corridor.where.nothing.was.moving.but.the.nearest.torches,.flickering.in.the.rush.of.air.from.the.lift..
Harry.turned.towards.the.plain.black.door..After.months.and.months.of.dreaming.about.it,.he.was.here.at.last..
.Let.s.go,..he.whispered,.and.he.led.the.way.down.the.corridor,.Luna.right.behind.him,.gazing.around.with.her.mouth.slightly.open..
.OK,.listen,..said.Harry.stopping.again.within.six.feet.of.the.door...Maybe…
.maybe.a.couple.of.people.should.stay.here.as.a.—.as.a.lookout,.and.‐..
.And.how.re.we.going.to.let.you.know.something.s.coming?..asked.Ginny,.her.eyebrows.raised...You.could.be.miles.away...
.We.re.coming.with.you,.Harry,..said.Neville..
.Let.s.get.on.with.it,..said.Ron.firmly..
Harry.still.did.not.want.to.take.them.all.with.him,.but.it.seemed.he.had.no.choice..He.turned.to.face.the.door.and.walked.forwards….just.as.it.had.in.his.dream,.it.swung.open.and.he.marched.over.the.threshold,.the.others.at.his.heels..
They.were.standing.in.a.large,.circular.room..Everything.in.here.was.black.including.the.floor.and.ceiling;.identical,.unmarked,.handleless.black.doors.were.set.at.intervals.all.around.the.black.walls,.interspersed.with.branches.of.candles.whose.flames.burned.blue;.their.cool,.shimmering.light.reflected.in.the.shining.marble.floor.made.it.look.as.though.there.was.dark.water.underfoot..
.Someone.shut.the.door,..Harry.muttered..
He.regretted.giving.this.order.the.moment.Neville.had.obeyed.it..Without.the.long.chink.of.light.from.the.torchlit.corridor.behind.them,.the.place.became.so.dark.that.for.a.moment.the.only.things.they.could.see.were.the.bunches.of.shivering.blue.flames.on.the.wals.and.their.ghostly.reflections.in.the.floor..
In.his.dream,.Harry.had.always.walked.purposefully.across.this.room.to.the.door.immediately.opposite.the.entrance.and.walked.on..But.there.were.around.a.dozen.doors.here..Just.as.he.was.gazing.ahead.at.the.doors.opposite.him,.trying.to.decide.which.was.the.right.one,.there.was.a.great.rumbling.noise.and.the.candles.began.to.move.sideways..The.circular.wall.was.rotating..
Hermione.grabbed.Harry.s.arm.as.though.frightened.the.floor.might.move,.too,
.but.it.did.not..For.a.few.seconds,.the.blue.flames.around.them.were.blurred.to.resemble.neon.lines.as.the.wall.sped.around;.then,.quite.as.suddenly.as.it.had.started,.the.rumbling.stopped.and.everything.became.stationary.once.again..
Harry.s.eyes.had.blue.streaks.burned.into.them;.it.was.all.he.could.see..
.What.was.that.about?..whispered.Ron.fearfully..
.I.think.it.was.to.stop.us.knowing.which.door.we.came.in.through,..said.Ginny.in.a.hushed.voice..