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nitch was circling the Gryffindor goal post
Harry accelerated； eyes fixed on the speck of gold ahead but just then； Cho appeared out of thin air； blocking him
〃HARRY； THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN！〃 Wood roared as Harry swerved to avoid a collision。 〃KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO！〃
Harry turned and caught sight of Cho； she was grinning。 The Snitch had vanished again。 Harry turned his Firebolt upward and was soon twenty feet above the game。 Out of the corner of his eye； he saw Cho following him。。。。 She'd decided to mark him rather than search for the Snitch herself。。。 All right； then。。。 if she wanted to tail him； she'd have to take the consequences。。。。
He dived again； and Cho； thinking he'd seen the Snitch； tried to follow； Harry pulled out of the dive very sharply； she hurtled downward； he rose fast as a bullet once more； and then saw it； for the third time the Snitch was glittering way above the field at the Ravenclaw end。
He accelerated； so； many feet below； did Cho。 He was winning； gaining on the Snitch with every second then
〃Oh！〃 screamed Cho； pointing。
Distracted； Harry looked down。
Three dementors； three tall； black； hooded dementors； were looking up at him。
He didn't stop to think。 Plunging a hand down the neck of his robes； he whipped out his wand and roared； 〃Expecto patronum！〃
Something silver…white； something enormous； erupted from the end of his wand。 He knew it had shot directly at the dementors but didn't pause to watch； his mind still miraculously clear； he looked ahead he was nearly there。 He stretched out the hand still grasping his wand and just managed to close his fingers over the small； struggling Snitch。
Madam Hooch's whistle sounded。 Harry turned around in midair and saw six scarlet blurs bearing down on him； next moment； the whole team was hugging him so hard he was nearly pulled off his broom。 Down below he could hear the roars of the Gryffindors in the crowd。
〃That's my boy！〃 Wood kept yelling。 Alicia； Angelina； and Katie had all kissed Harry； Fred had him in a grip so tight Harry felt as though his head would e off In plete disarray； the team managed to make its way back to the ground。 Harry got off his broom and looked up to see a gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinting onto the field； Ron in the lead。 Before he knew it； he had been engulfed by the cheering crowd。
〃Yes！〃 Ron yelled； yanking Harry's arm into the air。 〃Yes！ Yes！〃
〃Well done； Harry！〃 said Percy； looking delighted。 〃Ten Galleons to me！ Must find Penelope； excuse me 〃
〃Good for you； Harry！〃 roared Seamus Finnigan。
〃Ruddy brilliant！〃 boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindors。
〃That was quite some Patronus；〃 said a voice in Harry's ear。
Harry turned around to see Professor Lupin； who looked both shaken and pleased。
〃The dementors didn't affect me at all！〃 Harry said excitedly。 〃I didn't feel a thing！〃
〃That would be because they er weren't dementors；〃 said Professor Lupin。 〃e and see 〃
He led Harry out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the field。
〃You gave Mr。 Malfoy quite a fright；〃 said Lupin。
Harry stared。 Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy； Crabbe； Goyle； and Marcus Flint； the Slytherin team Captain； all struggling to remove themselves from long； black； hooded robes。 It looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle's shoulders。 Standing over them； with an expression of the utmost fury on her face； was Professor McGonagall。
〃An unworthy trick！〃 she was shouting。 〃A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker！ Detention for all of you； and fifty points from Slytherin！ I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this； make no mistake！ Ah； here he es now！〃
If anything could have set the seal on Gryffindor's victory； it was this。 Ron； who had fought his way through to Harry's side； doubled up with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe； Goyle's head still stuck inside it。
〃e on； Harry！〃 said George； fighting his way over。 〃Party！ Gryffindor mon room； now！〃
〃Right；〃 said Harry； and feeling happier than he had in ages； he and the rest of the team led the way； still in their scarlet robes； out of the stadium and back up to the castle。
It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup； the party went on all day and well into the night。 Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of butterbeer； pumpkin fizz； and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets。
〃How did you do that？〃 squealed Angelina Johnson as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd。
〃With a little help from Moony； Wormtail； Padfoot； and Prongs；〃 Fred muttered in Harry's ear。
Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities。 Hermione； incredibly； was sitting in a corner； attempting to read an enormous book entitled Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles。 Harry broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her。
〃Did you even e to the match？〃 he asked her。
〃Of course I did；〃 said Hermione in a strangely high…pitched voice； not looking up。 〃And I'm very glad we won； and I think you did really well； but I need to read this by Monday。〃
〃e on； Hermione； e and have some food；〃 Harry said； looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet。
〃I can't； Harry。 I've still got four hundred and twenty…two pages to read！〃 said Hermione； now sounding slightly hysterical。 〃Anyway。。。〃 She glanced over at Ron too。 〃He doesn't want me to join in。〃
There was no arguing with this； as Ron chose that moment to say loudly； 〃If Scabbers hadn't just been eaten； he could have had some of those Fudge Flies。 He used to really like them 〃
Hermione burst into tears。 Before Harry could say or do anything； she tucked the enormous book under her arm； and； still sobbing； ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight。
〃Can't you give her a break？〃 Harry asked Ron quietly。
〃No；〃 said Ron flatly。 〃If she just acted like she was sorry but she'll never admit she's wrong； Hermione。 She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on vacation or something。〃
The Gryffindor party ended only when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing gown and hair net at one in the morning； to insist that they all go to bed。 Harry and Ron climbed the stairs to their dormitory； still discussing the match。 At last； exhausted； Harry climbed into bed； twitched the hangings of his four…poster shut to block out a ray of moonlight； lay back； and felt himself almost instantly drifting off to sleep。。。。
He had a very strange dream。 He was walking through a forest； his Firebolt over his shoulder； following something silvery…white。 It was winding its way through the trees ahead； and he could only catch glimpses of it between the leaves。 Anxious to catch up with it； he sped up； but as he moved faster； so did his quarry。 Harry broke into a run； and ahead he heard hooves gathering speed。 Now he was running flat out； and ahead he could hear galloping。 Then he turned a corner into a clearing and …
〃AAARRGGHH！ NOOO！〃
Harry woke as suddenly as though he'd been hit in the face。 Disoriented in the total darkness； he fumbled with his hangings； he could hear movements around him； and Seamus Finnigan's voice from the other side of the room： 〃What's going on？〃
Harry thought he heard the dormitory door slam。 At last finding the divide in his curtains； he ripped them back； and at the same moment； Dean Thomas lit his lamp。
Ron was sitting up in bed； the hangings torn from one side； a look of utmost terror on his face。
〃Black！ Sirius Black！ With a knife！〃
〃What？〃
〃Here！ Just now！ Slashed the curtains！ Woke me up！〃
〃You sure you weren't dreaming； Ron？〃 said Dean。
〃Look at the curtains！ I tell you； he was here！〃
They all scrambled out of bed； Harry reached the dormitory door first； and they sprinted back down the staircase。 Doors opened behind them； and sleepy voices called after them。
〃Who shouted？〃
〃What're you doing？〃
The mon room was lit with the glow of the dying fire； still littered with the debris from the party。 It was deserted。
〃Are you sure you weren't dreaming； Ron？〃
〃I'm telling you； I saw him！〃
〃What's all the noise？〃
〃Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed！〃
A few of the girls had e down their staircase； pulling or； dressing gowns and yawning。 Boys； too； were reappearing。
〃Excellent； are we carrying on？〃 said Fred Weasley brightly。
〃Everyone back upstairs！〃 said Percy； hurrying into the mon room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke。
〃Perce Sirius Black！〃 said Ron faintly。 〃In our dormitory！ With a knife！ Woke me up！〃
The mon room went very still。
〃Nonsense！〃 said Percy； looking startled。 〃You had too much to eat； Ron had a nightmare 〃
〃I'm telling you 〃
〃Now； really； enough's enough！〃
Professor McGonagall was back。 She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the mon room and stared furiously around。
〃I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match； but this is getting ridiculous！ Percy； I expected better of you！〃
〃I certainly didn't authorize this； Professor！〃 said Percy； puffing himself up indignantly。 〃I was just telling them all to get back to bed！ My brother Ron here had a nightmare 〃
〃IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE！〃 Ron yelled。 〃PROFESSOR； I WOKE UP； AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME； HOLDING A KNIFE！〃
Professor McGonagall stared at him。
〃Don't be ridiculous； Weasley； how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole？〃
〃Ask him！〃 said Ron； pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture。 〃Ask him if he saw 〃
Glaring suspiciously at Ron； Professor McGonagall pushed the Portrait back open and went outside。 The whole mon room listened with bated breath。 〃Sir Cadogan； did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower？〃 〃Certainly； good lady！〃 cried Sir Cadogan。
There was a stunned silence； both inside and outside the mon room。
〃You you did？〃 said Professor McGonagall。 〃But but the password！〃
〃He had 'em！〃 said Sir Cadogan proudly。 〃Had the whole week's； my lady！ Read 'em off a little piece of paper！〃
Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd。 She was white as chalk。
〃Which person；〃 she said； her voice shaking； 〃which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around？〃
There was utter silence； broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks。 Neville Longbottom； trembling from head to fluffy slippered toes； raised his hand slowly into the air。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
SNAPE'S GRUDGE
No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night。 They knew that the castle was being searched again； and the whole House stayed awake in the mon room； waiting to hear whether Black had been caught。 Professor McGonagall came back at dawn； to tell them that he had again escaped。
Throughout the day； everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security； Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black； Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors； boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes。 Sir Cadogan had been fired。 His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor； and the Fat Lady was back。 She had been expertly restored； but was still extremely nervous； and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection。 A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her。 They paced the corridor in a menacing group； talking in grunts and paring the size of their clubs。
Harry couldn't help noticing that the statue of the one…eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked。 It seemed that Fred and George had been right in thinking that they and now Harry； Ron； and Hermione were the only ones who knew about the hidden passageway within it。
〃D'you reckon we should tell someone？〃 Harry asked Ron。
〃We know he's not ing in through Honeyduke's；〃 said Ron dismissively。 〃We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into。〃
Harry was glad Ron took this view。 If the one…eyed witch was boarded up too； he would never be able to go into Hogsmeade again。
Ron had bee an instant celebrity。 For the first time in his life； people were paying more attention to him than to Harry； and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience。 Though still severely shaken by the night's events； he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened； with a wealth of detail。
〃。。。 I was asleep； and I heard this ripping noise； and I thought it was in my dream； you know？ But then there was this draft。。。 I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down。。。。 I rolled over。。。 and I saw him standing over me。。。 like a skeleton； with loads of filthy hair 。。。 holding this great long knife； must've been twelve inches。。。 and he looked at me； and I looked at him； and th