Ron looked grateful, but still awkward. Partly to change the subject, Harry

said, "Speaking of Dumbledore, have you heard what Skeeter wrote about him?"

"Oh yeah," said Ron at once, "people are talking about it quite a lot.

'Course, if things were different it'd be huge news, Dumbledore being pals

with Grindelwald, but now it's just something to laugh about for people who

didn't like Dumbledore, and a bit of a slap in the face for everyone who

thought he was such a good bloke. I don't know that it's such a big deal,

though. He was really young when they --"

"Our age," said Harry, just as he had retorted to Hermione, and something in

His face seemed to decide Ron against pursuing the subject.

A large spider sat in the middle of a frosted web in the brambles. Harry

Took aim at it with the wand Ron had given him the previous night, which

Hermione had since condescended to examine, and had decided was made of

Blackthorn.

"*Engorgio*"

"The spider gave a little shiver, bouncing slightly in the web. Harry tried

Again. This time the spider grew slightly larger.

"Stop that," said Ron sharply, " I'm sorry I said Dumbledore was young,

okay?"

Harry had forgotten Ron's hatred of spiders.

"Sorry --- *Reducio*"

The spider did not shrink. Harry looked down at the blackthorn wand. Every

Minor spell he had cast with it so far that day had seemed less powerful

Than those he had produced with his phoenix wand. The new one felt

intrusively unfamiliar, like having somebody else's hand sewn to the end of

His arm.

"You just need to practice," said Hermione, who had approached them

Noiselessly from behind and had stood watching anxiously as Harry tried to

enlarge and reduce the spider. "It’s all a matter of confidence Harry."

He knew why she wanted it to be all right; She still felt guilty about

Breaking his wand. He bit back the retort that sprung to his lips, that she

Could take the blackthorn wand if she thought it made no difference, and he

Would have hers instead. Keen for them all to be friends again, however, he

Agreed; but when Ron gave Hermione a tentative smile, she stalked off and

Vanished behind her book once more.

All three of them returned to the tent when darkness fell, and Harry took

First watch. Sitting in the entrance, he tried to make the blackthorn wand

Levitate small stones at his feet; but his magic still seemed clumsier and

Less powerful than it had done before. Hermione was lying on her bunk

Reading, while Ron, after many nervous glances up at her, had taken a small

Wooden wireless out of his rucksack and started to try to tune it.

"There's this one program," he told Harry in a low voice, "that tells the

news like it really is. All the others are on You-Know-Who's side and are

following the Ministry line, but this one ... you wait till you hear it, it's

great. Only they can't do it every night, they have to keep changing

locations in case they're raided and you need a password to tune in ...

Trouble is, I missed the last one..."

He drummed lightly on the top of the radio with his wand muttering random

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 858