Bones

Chapter 8

        Harry and I managed to get back into the Honeydukes cellar, through the tunnel, and into the castle once more. Harry didn't saying a word and it looked like he had been spacing out as we entered the castle. 

        Me, Ron and Hermione watched Harry nervously all through dinner, not daring to talk about what we'd overheard, because Percy was sitting close by us. When we went upstairs to the crowded common room, it was to find Fred and George had set off half a dozen Dungbombs in a fit of end-of-term high spirits. Harry, who didn't want Fred and George asking him whether he'd reached Hogsmeade or not, sneaked quietly up to his dormitory.

        Fred and George quietly bombarded me with questions. But I was too worried about Harry. I set off to his dormitory. I opened the door.

        "Harry?" I said uncertainly.

        But Harry was laying his in bed already asleep. I sighed closing the door and turning around seeing Ron and Hermione. I shook my head at them and we headed back downstairs.

        "Harry, you -- you look terrible."

        Harry looked as if he hadn't gotten any sleep. He came down from the spiral staircase to the common room that was completely empty except for me, playing with my playing cards, Ron, who was eating a Peppermint Toad and massaging his stomach, and Hermione, who had spread her homework over three tables.

        "Where is everyone?" Harry said.

        "Gone! It's the first day of the holidays, remember?" Ron said, watching Harry closely. "It's nearly lunchtime; I was going to come and wake you up in a minute."

        Harry slumped into a chair next to the fire. Snow was still falling outside the windows. Crookshanks was spread out in front of the fire like a large, ginger rug.

        "You really don't look well, you know," I said, peering anxiously into his face.

        "I'm fine," Harry said.

        "Harry, listen," Hermione said, exchanging a look with Ron and I, "you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. But the thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid."

        "Like what?" Harry said.

        "Like trying to go after Black," I said sharply.

        He didn't say anything.

        "You won't, will you, Harry?" Hermione said.

        "Because Black's not worth dying for," Ron said.

        Harry looked at us.

        "D'you know what I see and hear every time a Dementor gets too near me?" me, Ron and Hermione shook our heads, looking apprehensive. "I can hear my mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort. And if you'd heard your mum screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her --"

        "There's nothing you can do!" Hermione said, looking stricken. "The Dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and -- and serve him right!"

        "You heard what Fudge said. Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are. It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others."

        "So what are you saying?" Ron said, looking very tense. "You want to -- to kill Black or something?"

        "Don't be silly," Hermione said in a panicky voice. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"