Explaining the many desperate attempts of Muggle-borns to evade the

Ministry."

"The what?"

"You and Hermione have stopped saying You-Know-Who's name!"

"Oh, yeah, Well, it's just a bad habit we've slipped into," said Harry. "But

I haven't got a problem calling him V ---"

"NO!" roared Ron, causing Harry to jump into the hedge and Hermione (nose

buried in a book at the tent entrance) to scowl over at them. "Sorry," said

Ron, wrenching Harry back out of the brambles, "but the name's been jinxed,

Harry, that's how they track people! Using his name breaks protective

enchantments, it causes some kind of magical disturbance --- it's how they

found us in Tottenham Court Road!"

"Because we used his *name*?"

"Exactly! You've got to give them credit, it makes sense. It was only people

Who were serious about standing up to him, like Dumbledore, who even dared

use it. Now they've put a Taboo on it, anyone who says it is trackable ---

quick-and-easy way to find Order members! They nearly got Kingsley ---"

"You're kidding?"

"Yeah, a bunch of Death Eaters cornered him, Bill said but he fought his way

out. He's on the run now just like us." Ron scratched his chin

Thoughtfully with

the end of his wand. "You don't reckon Kingsley could have sent that doe?"

"His Patronus is a lynx, we saw it at the wedding, remember?"

"Oh yeah..."

They moved farther along the hedge, away from the tent and Hermione.

"Harry... you don't reckon it could've been Dumbledore?"

"Dumbledore what?"

Ron looked a little embarrassed, but said in a low voice, "Dumbledore ... the

doe? I mean," Ron was watching Harry out of the corners of his eyes, "he had

the real sword last, didn't he?

Harry did not laugh at Ron, because he understood too well the longing

Behind the question. The idea that Dumbledore had managed to come back to

Them, that he was watching over them, would have inexpressibly comforting.

He shook his head.

"Dumbledore’s dead," he said. "I saw it happen, I saw the body. He's

definitely gone. Anyway his Patronus was a phoenix, not a doe"

"Patronuses can change, though can't they?" said Ron, "Tonks’s changed

didn't it?"

Yeah, but if Dumbledore was alive, why wouldn't he show himself? Why

wouldn't he just hand us the sword?

"Search me," said Ron. "Same reason he didn't give it to you while he was

alive? Same reason he left you an old Snitch and Hermione a book of kid's

stories?"

"Which is what?" asked Harry, turning to look Ron full in the face desperate

For the answer.

"I dunno," said Ron. "Sometimes I've thought, when I've been a bit hacked

Off, he was having a laugh or --- or he just wanted to make it more

difficult, But I don't think so, not anymore. He knew what he was doing when

he gave me the Deluminator, didn't he? He -- well," Ron's ears turned bright

Red and he became engrossed in a tuft of grass at his feet, which he prodded

with his toe, "he must've known I'd run out on you."

"No," Harry corrected him. "He must've known you'd always want to come

back."

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 846