His scar on fire, and for a second he looked down upon a basin whose potion had turned

Clear, and saw that no golden locket lay safe beneath the surface---.

“Potter, are you all right.” said a voice, and Harry came back. He was clutching

Luna's shoulder to steady himself.

“Time's running out, Voldemort's getting nearer, Professor, I'm acting on

Dumbledore's orders, I must find what he wanted me to find! But we've got to get the

students out while I'm searching the castle--- It's me Voldemort wants, but he won't care

about killing a few more or less, not now---” not now he knows I'm attacking Horcruxes,

Harry finished the sentence in his head.

“You're acting on Dumbledore's orders?” she repeated with a look of dawning

Wonder. Then she drew herself up to her fullest height.

“We shall secure the school against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named while you

search for this --- this object.”

“Is that possible?”

“I think so,” said Professor McGonagall dryly, “we teachers are rather good at

Magic, you know. I am sure we will be able to hold him off for a while if we all put our

best efforts into it. Of course, something will have to be done about Professor Snape---”

“Let me ---”

“---and if Hogwarts is about to enter a state of siege, with the Dark Lord at the

Gates, it would indeed be advisable to take as many innocent people out of the way as

Possible. With the Floo Network under observation, and Apparition impossible within

the grounds---”

“There's a way,” said Harry quickly, and he explained about the passageway

leading into the Hog's Head.

“Potter, we're talking about hundreds of students---”

“I know, Professor, but if Voldemort and the Death Eaters are concentrating on

the school boundaries they won't be interested in anyone who's Disapparating out of

Hog's Head.”

“There's something in that,” she agreed. She pointed her wand at the Carrows,

And a silver net fell upon their bound bodies, tied itself around them, and hoisted them

Into the air, where they dangled beneath the blue-and-gold ceiling like two large, ugly sea

creatures. “Come. We must alert the other Heads of House. You'd better put that Cloak

back on.”

She marched toward the door, and as she did so she raised her wand. From the tip

Burst three silver cats with spectacle markings around their eyes. the Patronuses ran

Sleekly ahead, filling the spiral staircase with silvery light, as Professor McGonagall,

Harry, and Luna hurried back down.

Along the corridors they raced, and one by one the Patronuses left them. Professor

McGonagall's tartan dressing gown rustled over the floor, and Harry and Luna jogged

Behind her under the Cloak.

They had descended two more floors when another set of quiet joined theirs.

Harry, whose scar was still prickling, heard them first. He felt in the pouch around his

neck for the Marauder's Map, but before he could take it our, McGonagall too seemed to

Become aware of their company. She halted, raised her wand ready to duel, and said,

“Who's there?”

“It is I,” said a low voice.

From behind a suit of armor stepped Severus Snape.

Hatred boiled up in Harry at the sight of him. He had forgotten the details of

Snape's appearance in the magnitude of his crimes, forgotten how his greasy black hair

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 577