Amelia Potter and the Chamber of Secrets PART 1

145

In the shock of Fawkes catching fire, Harry had forgotten what he was there for, but it all came back to him as Dumbledore set- tled himself in the high-backed chair behind the desk and fixed Harry 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' Harry, 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 Harry never –'
'Hagrid!' said Dumbledore loudly. 'I do not think that Harry attacked those people.'

'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?' Harry repeated hopefully, as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.

'No, Harry, I don't,' said Dumbledore, though his face was sombre again. 'But I still want to talk to you.'

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

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

Harry didn't know what to say. He thought of Malfoy shouting,

'You'll be next, Mudbloods!' and of the Polyjuice Potion, simmer- ing 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 he was somehow connected with Salazar Slytherin ...