𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐝 {𝐇. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫}

27

Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird that resembled a half-plucked turkey. Johnny stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise again. Johnny thought it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as Johnny watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail.

Johnny was just thinking that all he needed was for Dumbledore's pet bird to die while he was alone in the office with it, when the bird burst into flames.

The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very somber.

"Professor," Johnny gasped. "Your bird - I couldn't do anything - he just caught fire--"

To Johnny's astonishment, Dumbledore smiled.

"About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."

He chuckled at the stunned look on Johnny's face.

"Fawkes is a phoenix, Johnny. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him..."

Johnny looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite as ugly as the old one.

"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets."

In the shock of Fawkes catching fire, Johnny had forgotten what he was there for, but it all came back to him as Dumbledore settled himself in the high chair behind the desk and fixed Johnny with his penetrating, light-blue stare.

Before Dumbledore could speak another word, however, the door of the office flew open with an almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes, his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy black head and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand.

"It wasn' Johnny, Professor Dumbledore!" said Hagrid urgently. "I was talkin'ter him seconds before that kid was found, he never had time, sir--"

Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on, waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending feathers everywhere.

"it can't've bin him, I'll swear it in front o'the Ministry o'Magic if I have to."

"Hagrid, I--"

"- yeh've got the wrong boy, sir, I know Johnny never--"

"Hagrid!" said Dumbledore loudly. "I do not think that Johnny attacked those people."

"Oh thank fu-" Johnny trailed off.

"Oh," said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his side. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster."

And he stomped out looking embarrassed.

"You don't think it was me, Professor?" Johnny repeated hopefully as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.

"No, Johnny, I don't," said Dumbledore, though his face was somber again. "But I still want to talk to you, and I'll talk to Harry later."

Johnny waited nervously while Dumbledore considered him, the tips of his long fingers together.

"I must ask you, Johnny, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all."

Johnny didn't know what to say. He thought of Malfoy shouting, "You'll be next, Mudbloods!" and of the Polyjuice Potion simmering away in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Then he thought of the disembodied voice he had heard twice and remembered what Ron had said: "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world." He thought, too, about what everyone was saying about him, and his growing dread that Harry was somehow connected with Salazar Slytherin...