Harry.turned..The.wizard.was.surveying.him.with.great.interest..Harry.nodded.
.He.tugged.again.on.the.doorknob.behind.his.back,.but.it.remained.immovable..
`Oh.good,..said.the.wizard..`It.has.been.very.dull.without.him,.very.dull.indeed...
He.settled.himself.on.the.throne‐like.chair.on.which.he.had.been.painted.and.smiled.benignly.upon.Harry.
.Dumbledore.thinks.very.highly.of.you,.as.I.am.sure.you.know,..he.said.comfortably..`Oh.yes..Holds.you.in.great.esteem...
The.guilt.filling.the.whole.of.Harry.s.chest.like.some.monstrous,.weighty.parasite,.now.writhed.and.squirmed..Harry.could.not.stand.this,.he.could.not.stand.being.himself.any.more.….he.had.never.felt.more.trapped.inside.his.own.head.and.body,.never.wished.so.intensely.that.he.could.be.somebody;.anybody,
.else.….
The.empty.fireplace.burst.into.emerald.green.flame,.making.Harry.leap.away.from.the.door,.staring.at.the.man.spinning.inside.the.grate..As.Dumbledore.s.tall.form.unfolded.itself.from.the.fire,.the.wizards.and.witches.on.the.surrounding.walls.jerked.awake,.many.of.them.giving.cries.of.welcome..
.
.Thank.you,..said.Dumbledore.softly..
He.did.not.look.at.Harry.at.first,.but.walked.over.to.the.perch.beside.the.door.and.withdrew,.from.an.inside.pocket.of.his.robes,.the.tiny,.ugly,.featherless.Fawkes,.whom.he.placed.gently.on.the.tray.of.soft.ashes.beneath.the.golden.post.where.the.full‐grown.Fawkes.usually.stood..
`Well,.Harry,..said.Dumbledore,.finally.turning.away.from.the.baby.bird,.`you.will.be.pleased.to.hear.that.none.of.your.fellow.students.are.going.to.suffer.lasting.damage.from.the.night.s.events...
Harry.tried.to.say,.`Good,..but.no.sound.came.out..It.seemed.to.him.that.Dumbledore.was.reminding.him.of.the.amount.of.damage.he.had.caused,.and.although.Dumbledore.was.for.once.looking.at.him.directly,.and.although.his.expression.was.kindly.rather.than.accusatory,.Harry.could.not.bear.to.meet.his.eyes..
`Madam.Pomfrey.is.patching.everybody.up,..said.Dumbledore...Nymphadora.Tonks.may.need.to.spend.a.little.time.in.St.Mungo.s,.but.it.seems.she.will.make.a.full.recovery...
Harry.contented.himself.with.nodding.at.the.carpet,.which.was.growing.lighter.as.the.sky.outside.grew.paler..He.was.sure.all.the.portraits.around.the.room.were.listening.closely.to.every.word.Dumbledore.spoke,.wondering.where.Dumbledore.and.Harry.had.been,.and.why.there.had.been.injuries..
.I.know.how.you.re.feeling,.Harry,..said.Dumbledore.very.quietly..
`No,.you.don.t,..said.Harry,.and.his.voice.was.suddenly.loud.and.strong;.white‐
hot.anger.leapt.inside.him;.Dumbledore.knew.nothing.about.his.feelings..
`You.see,.Dumbledore?..said.Phineas.Nigellus.slyly.`Never.try.to.understand.the.students..They.hate.it..They.would.much.rather.be.tragically.misunderstood,
.wallow.in.self‐pity,.stew.in.their.own.‐..
`That.s.enough,.Phineas,..said.Dumbledore..
Harry.turned.his.back.on.Dumbledore.and.stared.determinedly.out.of.the.window..He.could.see.the.Quidditch.stadium.in.the.distance..Sirius.had.appeared.there.once,.disguised.as.the.shaggy.black.dog,.so.he.could.watch.Harry.play.….he.had.probably.come.to.see.whether.Harry.was.as.good.as.James.had.been….Harry.had.never.asked.him.….