.Harry.had.heard.them.whispering.the.first.time.he.had.entered.the.room..Sirius.was.hiding,.simply.lurking.out.of.sight.
.SIRIUS!..he.bellowed...SIRIUS!..
`He.can.t.come.back,.Harry,..said.Lupin,.his.voice.breaking.as.he.struggled.to.contain.Harry..`He.can.t.come.back,.because.he.s.d‐..
`HE.‐.IS.‐.NOT.‐.DEAD!..roared.Harry...SIRIUS!..
There.was.movement.going.on.around.them,.pointless.bustling,.the.flashes.of.more.spells..To.Harry.it.was.meaningless.noise,.the.deflected.curses.flying.past.them.did.not.matter,.nothing.mattered.except.that.Lupin.should.stop.pretending.that.Sirius.‐.who.was.standing.feet.from.them.behind.that.old.curtain.‐.was.not.going.to.emerge.at.any.moment,.shaking.back.his.dark.hair.and.eager.to.re‐enter.the.battle..
Lupin.dragged.Harry.away.from.the.dais..Harry,.still.staring.at.the.archway,.was.angry.at.Sirius.now.for.keeping.him.waiting.
But.some.part.of.him.realised,.even.as.he.fought.to.break.free.from.Lupin,.that.Sirius.had.never.kept.him.waiting.before….Sirius.had.risked.everything,.always,
.to.see.Harry,.to.help.him….if.Sirius.was.not.reappearing.out.of.that.archway.when.Harry.was.yelling.for.him.as.though.his.life.depended.on.it,.the.only.possible.explanation.was.that.he.could.not.come.back….that.he.really.was.
Dumbledore.had.most.of.the.remaining.Death.Eaters.grouped.in.the.middle.of.the.room,.seemingly.immobilised.by.invisible.ropes;.Mad‐Eye.Moody.had.crawled.across.the.room.to.where.Tonks.lay,.and.was.attempting.to.revive.her;.
behind.the.dais.there.were.still.hashes.of.light,.grunts.and.cries.‐.Kingsley.had.run.forward.to.continue.Sirius.s.duel.with.Bellatrix..
`Harry?..
Neville.had.slid.down.the.stone.benches.one.by.one.to.the.place.where.Harry.stood..Harry.was.no.longer.struggling.against.Lupin,.who.maintained.a.precautionary.grip.on.his.arm.nevertheless..
`Harry….I.b.really.sorry…..said.Neville..His.legs.were.still.dancing.uncontrollably..`Was.dad.man.‐.was.Sirius.Black.a.‐.a.friend.of.yours?..
Harry.nodded..
`Here,..said.Lupin.quietly,.and.pointing.his.wand.at.Neville.s.legs.he.said,
.`Finite...The.spell.was.lifted:.Neville.s.legs.fell.back.to.the.floor.and.remained.still..Lupin.s.face.was.pale..`Let.s.‐.let.s.find.the.others..Where.are.they.all,
.Neville?..
Lupin.turned.away.from.the.archway.as.he.spoke..It.sounded.as.though.every.word.was.causing.him.pain..
`Dey.re.all.back.dere,..said.Neville..`A.brain.addacked.Ron.bud.I.dink.he.s.all.righd.‐.and.Herbione.s.unconscious,.bud.we.could.feel.a.bulse.=.
There.was.a.loud.bang.and.a.yell.from.behind.the.dais..Harry.saw.Kingsley.hit.the.ground.yelling.in.pain:.Bellatrix.Lestrange.turned.tail.and.ran.as.Dumbledore.whipped.around..He.aimed.a.spell.at.her.but.she.deflected.it;.she.was.halfway.up.the.steps.now.
`Harry.‐.no!..cried.Lupin,.but.Harry.had.already.ripped.his.arm.from.Lupin.s.slackened.grip..
`SHE.KILLED.SIRIUS!..bellowed.Harry..`SHE.KILLED.HIM.I.LL.KILL.HER!..
And.he.was.off,.scrambling.up.the.stone.benches;.people.were.shouting.behind.him.but.he.did.not.care..The.hem.of.Bellatrix.s.robes.whipped.out.of.sight.ahead.and.they.were.back.in.the.room.where.the.brains.were.swimming….