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〃Sirius；〃 Harry muttered； staring into the darkness。
He had a moment's indecision； but there was nothing they could do for Ron at the moment； and by the sound of it； Black was in trouble …
Harry set off at a run； Hermione right behind him。 The yelping seemed to be ing from the ground near the edge of the lake。 They pelted toward it； and Harry； running flat out； felt the cold without realizing what it must mean …
The yelping stopped abruptly。 As they reached the lakeshore； they saw why…Sirius had turned back into a man。 He was crouched on all fours； his hands over his head。
'Nooo；〃 he moaned。 'Nooo。。。 please。。。〃
And then Harry saw them。 Dementors； at least a hundred of them； gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them。 He spun around； the familiar； icy cold penetrating his insides； fog starting to obscure his vision； more were appearing out of the darkness on every side； they were encircling them。。。
〃Herrnione； think of something happy！〃 Harry yelled； raising his wand； blinking furiously to try and clear his vision； shaking his head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it …
I'm going to live with my godfather。 I'm leaving the Dursleys。
He forced himself to think of Black； and only Black； and began to chant： 〃Expecto patronum！ Expecto patronum！〃
Black gave a shudder； rolled over； and lay motionless on the ground； pale as death。
He'll be all right。 I'm going to go and live with him。
〃Expecto patronum！ Hermione； help me！ Expecto patronum！〃
〃Expecto …〃 Hermione whispered； 〃expecto…expecto …〃
But she couldn't do it。 The dementors were closing in； barely ten feet from them。 They formed a solid wall around Harry and Hermione； and were getting closer。。。
〃EXPECTO PATRONUM！〃 Harry yelled； trying to blot the screaming from his ears。 〃EXPECTO PATRONUM！〃
A thin wisp of silver escaped his wand and hovered like mist before him。 At the same moment； Harry felt Hermione collapse next to him。 He was alone。。。 pletely alone。。。
〃Expecto…expecto patronum …〃
Harry felt his knees hit the cold grass。 Fog was clouding his eyes。 With a huge effort； he fought to remember…Sirius was innocent…innocent…We'll be okay…I' mgoing to live with him …
〃Ex ecto patronum！〃 he gasped。
By the feeble light of his formless Patronus； He saw a dementor halt； very close to him。 It couldn't walk through the cloud of silver mist Harry had conjured。 A dead； slimy hand slid out from under the cloak。 It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside。
〃No…no …〃 Harry gasped。 〃He's innocent。。。 expecto expecto patronum …〃
He could feet them watching him； hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around him。 The nearest dementor seemed to be considering him。 Then it raised both its rotting hands…and lowered its hood。
Where there should have been eyes； there was only thin； gray scabbed skin； stretched blankly over empty sockets。 But there was a mouth。。。 a gaping； shapeless hole； sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle。
A paralyzing terror filled Harry so that he couldn't move or speak。 His Patronus flickered and died。
White fog was blinding him。 He had to fight。。。 expecto patronum 。。。he couldn't see。。。 and in the distance； he heard the familiar screaming。。。 expecto patronum。。。 he groped in the mist for Sirius； and found his arm。。。 they weren't going to take him。。。
But a pair of strong； clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around Harry's neck。 They were forcing his face upward。。。 He could feel its breath。。。 It was going to get rid of him first。。。 He could feel its putrid breath。。。 His mother was screaming in his ears。。。 She was going to be the last thing he ever heard …
And then； through the fog that was drowning him； he thought he saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter。。。 He felt himself fall forward onto the grass。。。 Facedown； too weak to move； sick and shaking； Harry opened his eyes。 The dementor must have released him。 The blinding light was illuminating the grass around him。。。 The screaming had stopped； the cold was ebbing away。。。
Something was driving the dementors back。。。 It was circling around him and Black and Hermione。。。 They were leaving。。。
The air was warm again。。。
With every ounce of strength he could muster； Harry raised his head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light； galloping away across the lake。。。 Eyes blurred with sweat； Harry tried to make out what it was。。。 It was as bright as a unicorn。。。 Fighting to stay conscious； Harry watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore。 For a moment； Harry saw； by its brightness； somebody weling it back。。。 raising his hand to pat it。。。 someone who looked strangely familiar 。。。but it couldn't be。。。
Harry didn't understand。 He couldn't think anymore。 He felt the last of his strength leave him； and his head hit the ground as he fainted。
CHAPTER TWENTY…ONE
HERMIONE'S SECRET
Shocking business。。。 shocking。。。 miracle none of them died。。。 never heard the like。。。 by thunder； it was lucky you were there； Snape。。。〃
〃Thank you； Minister。〃
〃Order of Merlin； Second Class； I'd say。 First Class； if I can wangle it！〃
〃Thank you very much indeed； Minister。〃
〃Nasty cut you've got there。。。 Black's work； I suppose？〃
〃As a matter of fact； it was Potter； Weasley； and Granger； Minister。。。〃
〃No！〃
〃Black had bewitched them； I saw it immediately。 A Confundus Charm； to judge by their behavior。 They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent。 They weren't responsible for their actions。 On the other hand； their interference might have permitted Black to escape。。。 They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single…handed。 They've got away with a great deal before now。。。 I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves。。。 and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster …〃
〃Ah； well； Snape。。。 Harry Potter； you know。。。 we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned。〃
〃And yet…is it good for him to be given so much special treatment？ Personally； I try and treat him like any other student。 And any other student would be suspended…at the very least…for leading his friends into such danger。 Consider； Minister…against all school rules…after all the precautions put in place for his protection…out…of…bounds； at night； consorting with a werewolf and a murderer…and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too …〃
〃Well； well。。。 we shall see； Snape； we shall see。。。 The boy has undoubtedly been foolish。。。〃
Harry lay listening with his eyes tight shut。 He felt very groggy。 The words he was hearing seemed to be traveling very slowly from his ears to his brain； so that it was difficult to understand。。。 His limbs felt like lead； his eyelids too heavy to lift。。。 He wanted to lie here； on this fortable bed； forever。。。
〃What amazes me most is the behavior of the dementors。。。 you've really no idea what made them retreat； Snape？〃
〃No； Minister。。。 by the time I had e 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances。。。〃
〃Extraordinary。 And yet Black； and Harry； and the girl …〃
〃All unconscious by the time I reached them。 I bound and gagged Black； naturally； conjured stretchers； and brought them all straight back to the castle。〃
There was a pause。 Harry's brain seemed to be moving a little faster； and as it did； a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of his stomach。。。
He opened his eyes。
Everything was slightly blurred。 Somebody had removed his glasses。 He was lying in the dark hospital wing。 At the very end of the ward； he could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to him； bending over a bed。 Harry squinted。 Ron's red hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey's arm。
Harry moved his head over on the pillow。 In the bed to his right lay Hermione。 Moonlight was falling across her bed。 Her eyes were open too。 She looked petrified； and when she saw that Harry was awake； pressed a finger to her lips； then pointed to the hospital wing door。 It was ajar； and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Snape were ing through it from the corridor outside。
Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to Harry's bed。 He turned to took at her。 She was carrying the largest block of chocolate he had ever seen in his life。 It looked like a small boulder。
〃Ah； you're awake！〃 she said briskly。 She placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer。
〃How's Ron？〃 said Harry and Hermione together。
〃He'll live； said Madam Pomfrey grimly。 〃As for you two you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're…Potter； what do you think you're doing？〃
Harry was sitting up； putting his glasses back on； and picking up his wand。
〃I need to see the headmaster；〃 he said。
〃Potter；〃 said Madam Pomfrey soothingly； 〃it's all right。 They've got Black。 He's locked away upstairs。 The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now …〃
〃WHAT？〃
Harry jumped up out of bed； Hermione had done the same。 But his shout had been heard in the corridor outside； next second； Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward。
〃Harry； Har