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ices through the wall； and went to see what was going on。
The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting。
〃It was here； on the bedside table； I took it off for polishing
〃I haven't touched it； all right？〃 Ron roared back。
〃What's up？〃 said Harry。
〃My Head Boy badge is gone；〃 said Percy； rounding on Harry。
〃So's Scabbers's rat tonic；〃 said Ron； throwing things out of his trunk to look。 〃I think I might've left it in the bar …〃
〃You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge！〃 yelled Percy。
〃I'll get Scabbers's stuff； I'm packed；〃 Harry said to Ron； and he went downstairs。
Harry was halfway along the passage to the bar； which was now very dark； when he heard another pair of angry voices ing from the parlor。 A second later； he recognized them as Mr。 and Mrs。
Weasleys'。 He hesitated； not wanting them to know he'd heard them arguing； when the sound of his own name made him stop； then move closer to the parlor door。
〃…makes no sense not to tell him；〃 Mr。 Weasley was saying heatedly。 〃Harry's got a right to know。 I've tried to tell Fudge； but he insists on treating Harry like a child。 He's thirteen years old and …〃
〃Arthur； the truth would terrify him！〃 said Mrs。 Weasley shrilly。 〃Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him？ For heaven's sake； he's happy not knowing！〃
〃I don't want to make him miserable； I want to put him on his guard！〃 retorted Mr。 Weasley。 〃You know what Harry and Ron are like； wandering off by themselves…they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice！ But Harry mustn't do that this year！ When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home！ If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up； I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him。〃
〃But he's not dead； he's fine； so what's the point
〃Molly； they say Sirius Black's mad； and maybe he is； but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban； and that's supposed to be impossible。 It's been three weeks； and no one's seen hide nor hair of him； and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet； we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self…spelling wands。 The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after
〃But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts。〃
〃We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe。 If Black can break out of Azkaban； he can break into Hogwarts。〃
〃But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry
There was a thud on wood； and Harry was sure Mr。 Weasley had banged his fist on the table。
〃Molly； how many times do I have to tell you？ They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet； but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped。 The guards told Fudge that Blacks been talking in his sleep for a while now。 Always the same words： 'He's at Hogwarts。。。 he's at Hogwarts。 ' Black is deranged； Molly； and he wants Harry dead。 If you ask me； he thinks murdering Harry will bring You…Know…Who back to pow er。 Black lost everything the night Harry stopped YouKnow…Who； and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that。。。〃
There was a silence。 Harry leaned still closer to the door； desperate to hear more。
〃Well； Arthur； you must do what you think is right。 But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore。 I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's headmaster。 I suppose he knows about all this？〃
〃Of course he knows。 We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds。 He wasn't happy about it； but he agreed。〃
〃Not happy？ Why shouldn't he be happy； if they're there to catch Black？〃
〃Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards；〃 said Mr。 Weasley heavily。 〃Nor am 1； if it es to that。。。 but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black； you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid。〃
〃If they save Harry then I will never say another word against them； said Mr。 Weasley wearily。 〃It's late； Molly； we'd better go up。。。〃
Harry heard chairs move。 As quietly as he could； he hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight。 The parlor door opened； and a few seconds later footsteps told him that Mr。 and Mrs。 Weasley were climbing the stairs。
The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier。 Harry waited until he heard Mr。 and Mrs。 Weasley's bedroom door close； then headed back upstairs with the bottle。
Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing； heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge。
〃We've got it；〃 Fred whispered to Harry。 〃We've been improving it。〃
The badge now read Bighead Boy。
Harry forced a laugh； went to give Ron the rat tonic； then shut himself in his room and lay down on his bed。
So Sirius Black was after him。 This explained everything。 Fudge had been lenient with him because he was so relieved to find him alive。 He'd made Harry promise to stay in Diagon Alley where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on him。 And he was sending two Ministry cars to take them all to the station tomorrow； so that the Weasleys could look after Harry until he was on the train。
Harry lay listening to the muffled shouting next door and wondered why he didn't feel more scared。 Sirius Black had murdered thirteen people with one curse； Mr。 and Mrs； Weasley obviously thought Harry would be panic…stricken if he knew the truth。 But Harry happened to agree wholeheartedly with Mrs。 Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be。 Didn't people always say that Dumbledore was the only person Lord Voldemort had ever been afraid of？ Surely Black； as Voldemort's right…hand man； would be just as frightened of him？
And then there were these Azkaban guards everyone kept talking about。 They seemed to scare most people senseless； and if they were stationed all around the school； Black's chances of getting inside seemed very remote。
No； all in all； the thing that bothered Harry most was the fact that his chances of visiting Hogsmeade now looked like zero。 Nobody would want Harry to leave the safety of the castle until Black was caught； in fact； Harry suspected his every move would be carefully watched until the danger had passed。
He scowled at the dark ceiling。 Did they think he couldn't look after himself？ He'd escaped Lord Voldemort three times； he wasn't pletely useless。。。
Unbidden； the image of the beast in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent crossed his mind。 What to do when you know the worst is ing。。。
〃I'm not going to be murdered；〃 Harry said out loud。
〃That's the spirit； dear；〃 said his mirror sleepily。
CHAPTER FIVE
THE DEMENTOR
Tom woke Harry the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea。 Harry got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room； pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable。
〃The sooner we get on the train； the better；〃 he said。 〃At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts。 Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater。 You know；〃 Ron grimaced； 〃his girlfriend。 She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy。。。〃
〃I've got something to tell you；〃 Harry began； but they were interrupted by Fred and George； who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again。
They headed down to breakfast； where Mr。 Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs。 Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl。 All three of them were rather giggly。
〃What were you saying？〃 Ron asked Harry as they sat down。
〃Later；〃 Harry muttered as Percy stormed in。
Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving； they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door； with Hedwig and Hermes； Percy's screech owl； perched on top in their cages。 A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks； spitting loudly。
〃It's all right； Crookshanks；〃 Hermione cooed through the wickerwork。 〃I'll let you out on the train。〃
〃You won't；〃 snapped Ron。 〃What about poor Scabbers； eh？〃
He pointed at his chest； where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket。
Mr。 Weasley； who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars； stuck his head inside。
〃They're here； he said。 〃Harry； e on。〃
Mr。 Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two oldfashioned dark green cars； each of which was driven by a furtive…looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet。
〃In you get； Harry；〃 said Mr。 Weasley； glancing up and down the crowded street。
Harry got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione； Ron； and； to Ron's disgust； Percy。
The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful pared with Harry's trip on the Knight Bus。 The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary。 though Harry noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon'