.Don.t.do.anything,..Harry.muttered...Not.yet.‐..
The.woman.who.had.mimicked.him.let.out.a.raucous.scream.of.laughter..
.You.hear.him?.You.hear.him?.Giving.instructions.to.the.other.children.as.though.he.thinks.of.fighting.us!..
.Oh,.you.don.t.know.Potter.as.I.do,.Bellatrix,..said.Malfoy.softly...He.has.a.great.weakness.for.heroics;.the.Dark.Lord.understands.this.about.him..Now.give.me.the.prophecy,.Potter...
.I.know.Sirius.is.here,..said.Harry,.though.panic.was.causing.his.chest.to.constrict.and.he.felt.as.though.he.could.not.breathe.properly...I.know.you.ve.got.him!..
More.of.the.Death.Eaters.laughed,.though.the.woman.laughed.loudest.of.all..
.It.s.time.you.learned.the.difference.between.life.and.dreams,.Potter,..said.Malfoy...Now.give.me.the.prophecy,.or.we.start.using.wands...
.Go.on,.then,..said.Harry,.raising.his.own.wand.to.chest.height..As.he.did.so,.the.five.wands.of.Ron,.Hermione,.Neville,.Ginny.and.Luna.rose.on.either.side.of.him..The.knot.in.Harry.s.stomach.tightened..If.Sirius.really.was.not.here,.he.had.led.his.friends.to.their.deaths.for.no.reason.at.all….
But.the.Death.Eaters.did.not.strike..
.Hand.over.the.prophecy.and.no.one.need.get.hurt,..said.Malfoy.coolly..
It.was.Harry.s.turn.to.laugh..
.Yeah,.right!..he.said...1.give.you.this.‐.prophecy,.is.it?.And.you.ll.just.let.us.skip.off.home,.will.you?..
The.words.were.hardly.out.of.his.mouth.when.the.female.Death.Eater.shrieked:
.
.Accto.proph—..
Harry.was.just.ready.for.her:.he.shouted..Protego!..before.she.had.finished.her.spell,.and.though.the.glass.sphere.slipped.to.the.tips.of.his.fingers.he.managed.to.cling.on.to.it..
.Oh,.he.knows.how.to.play,.little.bitty.baby.Potter,..she.said,.her.mad.eyes.staring.through.the.slits.in.her.hood...Very.well,.then.‐..
.I.TOLD.YOU,.NO!..Lucius.Malfoy.roared.at.the.woman...If.you.smash.it.‐!..
Harry.s.mind.was.racing..The.Death.Eaters.wanted.this.dusty.spun‐glass.sphere.
.He.had.no.interest.in.it..He.just.wanted.to.get.them.all.out.of.this.alive,.to.make.sure.none.of.his.friends.paid.a.terrible.price.for.his.stupidity….
The.woman.stepped.forward,.away.from.her.fellows,.and.pulled.off.her.hood.
.Azkaban.had.hollowed.Bellatrix.Lestrange.s.face,.making.it.gaunt.and.skull‐like,
.but.it.was.alive.with.a.feverish,.fanatical.glow..
.You.need.more.persuasion?..she.said,.her.chest.rising.and.falling.rapidly...Very.well.‐.take.the.smallest.one,..she.ordered.the.Death.Eaters.beside.her...Let.him.watch.while.we.torture.the.little.girl..I.ll.do.it...
Harry.felt.the.others.close.in.around.Ginny;.he.stepped.sideways.so.that.he.was.right.in.front.of.her,.the.prophecy.held.up.to.his.chest..
.You.ll.have.to.smash.this.if.you.want.to.attack.any.of.us,..he.told.Bellatrix...I.don.t.think.your.boss.will.be.too.pleased.if.you.come.back.without.it,.will.he?..
She.did.not.move;.she.merely.stared.at.him,.the.tip.of.her.tongue.moistening.her.thin.mouth..
.So,..said.Harry,..what.kind.of.prophecy.are.we.talking.about,.anyway?..
He.could.not.think.what.to.do.but.to.keep.talking..Neville.s.arm.was.pressed.against.his,.and.he.could.feel.him.shaking;.he.could.feel.one.of.the.others.