Families, but as Kendra knew none of them, she would be spared the curiosity about

her husband’s crime she had faced in her former village. By repeatedly rebuffing the

Friendly advances of her new Wizarding neighbors, she soon ensured that her family

Was left well alone.

“Slammed the door in my face when I went around to welcome her with a batch

of homemade Cauldron Cakes,” says Bathilda Bagshot. “The first year they were

there I only ever saw the two boys. Wouldn’t have known there was a daughter if I

hadn’t been picking Plangentines by moonlight the winter after they moved in, and

Saw Kendra leading Ariana out into the back garden. Walked her round the lawn once,

keeping a firm grip on her, then took her back inside. Didn’t know what to make of

it.”

It seems that Kendra thought the move to Godric’s Hollow was the perfect

Opportunity to hide Ariana once and for all, something she had probably been

Planning for years. The timing was significant. Ariana was barely seven years old

When she vanished from sight, and seven is the age by which most experts agree that

Magic will have revealed itself, if present. Nobody now alive remembers Ariana ever

Demonstrating even the slightest sign of magical ability. It seems clear, therefore, that

Kendra made a decision to hide her daughter’s existence rather than suffer the shame

Of admitting that she had produced a Squib. Moving away from the friends and

Neighbors who knew Ariana would, of course, make imprisoning her all the easier.

The tiny number of people who henceforth knew of Ariana’s existence could be

Counted upon to keep the secret, including her two brothers, who had deflected

awkward questions with the answer their mother had taught them. “My sister is too

frail for school.”

Next week: Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts – the Prizes and the Pretense.

Harry had been wrong: What he had read had indeed made him feel worse. He

looked back at the photograph of the apparently happy family. Was it true? How could he

find out? He wanted to go to Godric’s Hollow, even if Bathilda was in no fit state to talk

to him: he wanted to visit the place where he and Dumbledore had both lost loved ones.

He was in the process of lowering the newspaper, to ask Ron’s and Hermione’s opinions,

When a deafening crack echoed around the kitchen.

For the first time in three days Harry had forgotten all about Kreacher. His

Immediate thought was that Lupin had burst back into the room, and for a split second, he

Did not take in the mass of struggling limbs that had appeared out of thin air right beside

His chair. He hurried to his feet as Kreacher disentangled himself and, bowing low to

Harry, croaked, “Kreacher has returned with the thief Mundungus Fletcher, Master.”

Mundungus scrambled up and pulled out his wand; Hermione, however, was too

Quick for him.

“Expelliarmus!”

Mundungus’s wand soared into the air, and Hermione caught it. Wild-eyed,

Mundungus dived for the stairs. Ron rugby-tackled him and Mundungus hit the stone

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 694