Ignoring Hermione. Ron looked startled.

"Me? Not -- not really... It was always Harry who..."

Ron looked around at Harry and Hermione, to see Hermione giving him a stoptalking-

now! sort of look, but the damage was done; Scrimgeour looked as though he had

Heard exactly what he had expected, and wanted, to hear. He swooped like a bird of prey

upon Ron's answer.

"If you were not very close to Dumbledore, how do you account for the fact that

he remembered you in his will? He made exceptionally few personal bequests. The vast

Majority of his possessions -- his private library, his magical instruments, and other

personal effects -- were left to Hogwarts. Why do you think you were singled out?"

"I...dunno," said Ron. "I...when I say we weren't close...I mean, I think he liked

me..."

"You're being modest, Ron," said Hermione. "Dumbledore was very fond of you."

This was stretching the truth to breaking point; as far as Harry knew, Ron and

Dumbledore had never been alone together, and direct contact between them had been

Negligible. However, Scrimgeour did not seem to be listening. He put his hand inside his

Cloak and drew out a drawstring pouch much larger than the one Hagrid had given Harry.

From it, he removed a scroll of parchment which he unrolled and read aloud.

"'The Last Will and Testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore'...

Yes, here we are... 'To Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, in the hope that

he will remember me when he uses it.'"

Scrimgeour took from the bag an object that Harry had seen before: It looked

Something like a silver cigarette lighter, but it had, he knew, the power to suck all light

From a place, and restore it, with a simple click. Scrimgeour leaned forward and passed

The Deluminator to Ron, who took it and turned it over in the fingers looking stunned.

"That is a valuable object," said Scrimgeour, watching Ron. "It may even be

unique. Certainly it is of Dumbledore's own design. Why would he have left you and item

so rare?"

Ron shook his head, looking bewildered.

"Dumbledore must have taught thousands of students," Scrimgeour persevered.

"Yet the only ones he remembered in his will are you three. Why is that? To what use did

he think you would put to the Deluminator, Mr. Weasley?"

"Put out lights, I s'pose," mumbled Ron. "What else could I do with it?"

Evidently Scrimgeour had no suggestions. After squinting at Ron for a moment or

tow, he turned back to Dumbledore's will.

"'To Miss Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of The Tales of Beedle the

Bard, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive.'"

Scrimgeour now pulled out of the bag a small book that looked as ancient as the

Copy of Secrets of the Darkest Art upstairs. Its binding was stained and peeling in places.

Hermione took it from Scrimgeour without a word. She held the book in her lap and

Gazed at it. Harry saw that the title was in runes; he had never learned to read them. As he

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 891