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ppeared； followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle。 Malfoy was speaking。
〃。。。should have an owl from Father any time now。 He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm。。。 about how I couldn't use it for three months。。。〃
Crabbe and Goyle sniggered。
〃I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself。。。 'There's no 'arm in 'im； 'onest that hippogriff's as good as dead …〃
Malfoy suddenly caught sight of Ron。 His pale face split in a malevolent grin。
〃What are you doing； Weasley？〃
Malfoy looked up at the crumbling house behind Ron。
〃Suppose You'd love to live here； wouldn't you； Weasley？ Dreaming about having your own bedroom？ I heard your family all sleep in one room…is that true？〃
Harry seized the back of Ron's robes to stop him from leaping on Malfoy。 〃Leave him to me；〃 he hissed in Ron's ear。
The opportunity was too perfect to miss。 Harry crept silently around behind Malfoy； Crabbe； and Goyle； bent down； and scooped a large handful of mud out of the path。
〃We were just discussing your friend Hagrid；〃 Malfoy said to Ron。 〃Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the mittee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures。 D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his hippogriff's
SPLAT。
Malfoy's head jerked forward as the mud hit him； his silverblond hair was suddenly dripping in muck。
〃What the …？〃
Ron had to hold onto the fence to keep himself standing； he was laughing so hard。 Malfoy； Crabbe； and Goyle spun stupidly on the spot； staring wildly around； Malfoy trying to wipe his hair clean。
〃What was that？ 'Who did that？〃
〃Very haunted up here； isn't it？〃 said Ron； with the air of one menting on the weather。
Crabbe and Goyle were looking scared。 Their bulging muscles were no use against ghosts。 Malfoy was staring madly around at the deserted landscape。
Harry sneaked along the path； where a particularly sloppy puddle yielded some foul…smelling； green sludge。
SPLATTER。
Crabbe and Goyle caught some this time。 Goyle hopped furiously on the spot； trying to rub it out of his small； dull eyes。
〃It came from over there！〃 said Malfoy； wiping his face； and staring at a spot some six feet to the left of Harry。
Crabbe blundered forward； his long arms outstretched like a zombie。 Harry dodged around him； picked up a stick； and lobbed it at Crabbe's back。 Harry doubled up with silent laughter as Crabbe did a kind of pirouette in midair； trying to see who had thrown it。 As Ron was the only person Crabbe could see； it was Ron he started toward； but Harry stuck out his leg。 Crabbe stumbled…and his huge； flat foot caught the hem of Harry's cloak。 Harry felt a great tug； then the cloak slid off his face。
For a split second； Malfoy stared at him。
〃AAARGH！〃 he yelled； pointing at Harry's head。 Then he turned tail and ran； at breakneck speed； back down the hill； Crabbe and Goyle behind him。
Harry tugged the cloak up again； but the damage was done。
〃Harry！〃 Ron said； stumbling forward and staring hopelessly at the point where Harry had disappeared； 〃you'd better run for it！ If Malfoy tells anyone…you'd better get back to the castle； quick …〃 〃See you later；〃 said Harry； and without another word； he tore back down the path toward Hogsmeade。
Would Malfoy believe what he had seen？ Would anyone believe
Malfoy？ Nobody knew about the Invisibility Cloak…nobody except Dumbledore。 Harry's stomach turned over…Dumbledore would know exactly what had happened； if Malfoy said anything …
Back into Honeydukes； back down the cellar steps； across the stone floor； through the trapdoor…Harry pulled off the cloak； tucked it under his arm； and ran； flat out； along the passage。。。 Malfoy would get back first。。。 how long would it take him to find a teacher？ Panting； a sharp pain in his side； Harry didn't slow down until he reached the stone slide。 He would have to leave the cloak where it was； it was too much of a giveaway in case Malfoy had tipped off a teacher…he hid it in a shadowy corner； then started to climb； fast as he could； his sweaty hands slipping on the sides of the chute。 He reached the inside of the witch's hump； tapped it with his wand； stuck his head through； and hoisted himself out； the hump closed； and just as Harry jumped out from behind the statue； he heard quick footsteps approaching。
It was Snape。 He approached Harry at a swift walk； his black robes swishing； then stopped in front of him。
〃So；〃 he said。
There was a look of surpressed triumph about him。 Harry tried to look innocent； all too aware of his sweaty face and his muddy hands； which he quickly hid in his pockets。
〃e with me； Potter；〃 said Snape。
Harry followed him downstairs； trying to wipe his hands clean on the inside of his robes without Snape noticing。 They walked down the stairs to the dungeons and then into Snape's office。
Harry had been in here only once before； and he had been in very serious trouble then too。 Snape had aquired a few more slimy horrible things in jars since last time； all standing on shelves behind his desk； glinting in the firelight and adding to the threatening atmosphere。
〃Sit；〃 said Snape。
Harry sat。 Snape； however； remained； standing。
〃Mr。 Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story； Potter；〃 said Snape。
Harry didn't say anything。
〃He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley…apparently alone。〃
Still； Harry didn't speak。
〃Mr。 Malfoy states that he was standing talking to Weasley； when a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head。 How do you think that could have happened？〃
Harry tried to look mildly surprised。
〃I don't know； Professor。〃
Snape's eyes were boring into Harry's。 It was exactly like trying to stare down a hippogriff。 Harry tried hard not to blink。
〃Mr。 Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition。 Can you imagine what it might have been； Potter？〃
〃No；〃 said Harry； now trying to sound innocently curious。
〃It was your head； Potter。 Floating in midair。〃
There was a long silence。
〃Maybe he'd better go to Madam Pomfrey；〃 said Harry。 〃If he's seeing things like …〃
〃What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade； Potter？〃 said Snape softly。 〃Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade。 No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade。〃
〃I know that；〃 said Harry； striving to keep his face free of guilt or fear。 〃It sounds like Malfoy's having hallucin …〃
〃Malfoy is not having hallucinations；〃 snarled Snape； and he bent down； a hand on each arm of Harry's chair； so that their faces were a foot apart。 〃If your head was in Hogsmeade； so was the rest of you。〃
〃I've been up in Gryffindor Tower；〃 said Harry。 〃Like you told …〃 〃Can anyone confirm that？〃
Harry didn't say anything。 Snape's thin mouth curled into a horrible smile。
〃So；〃 he said； straightening up again。 〃Everyone from the Minister of Magic downward has been trying to keep famous Harry Potter safe from Sirius Black。 But famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself Let the ordinary people worry about his safety！ Famous Harry Potter goes where he wants to； with no thought for the consequences。
Harry stayed silent。 Snape was trying to provoke him into telling the truth。 He wasn't going to do it。 Snape had no proof…yet。
〃How extraordinarily like your father you are； Potter；〃 Snape said suddenly； his eyes glinting。 〃He too was exceedingly arrogant。 A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too。 Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers。。。 The resemblance between you is uncanny。〃
〃My dad didn't strut；〃 said Harry； before he could stop himself。 〃And neither do I。〃
〃Your father didn't set much store by rules either；〃 Snape went on； pressing his advantage； his thin face full of malice。 〃Rules were for lesser mortals； not Quidditch Cup…winners。 His head was so swollen …〃
〃SHUT UP！〃
Harry was suddenly on his feet。 Rage such as he had not felt since his last night in Privet Drive was coursing through him。 He didn't care that Snape's face had gone rigid； the black eyes flashing dangerously。
〃What did you say to me； Potter？〃
〃I told you to shut up about my dad！〃 Harry yelled。 I know the truth； all right？ He saved your life！ Dumbledore told me！ You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad！〃
Snape's sallow skin had gone the color of sour milk。
〃And did the headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life？〃 he whispered。 〃Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears？〃
Harry bit his lip。 He didn't know what had happened and didn't want to admit it…but Snape seemed to have guessed the truth。
I would hate for you to run away with a false idea of your father； Potter；〃 he said； a terrible grin twisting his face。 〃Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism？ Then let me correct you…your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment。 There was nothing brave about what he did。 He was saving his own skin as much as mine。 Had their joke succeeded； he would have be