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〃So's Scabbers's rat tonic；〃 said Ron； throwing things out of his trunk to look。 〃I think I might've left it in the bar 〃
〃You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge！〃 yelled Percy。
〃I'll get Scabbers's stuff； I'm packed；〃 Harry said to Ron； and he went downstairs。
Harry was halfway along the passage to the bar； which was now very dark； when he heard another pair of angry voices ing from the parlor。 A second later； he recognized them as Mr。 and Mrs。
Weasleys'。 He hesitated； not wanting them to know he'd heard them arguing； when the sound of his own name made him stop； then move closer to the parlor door。
〃makes no sense not to tell him；〃 Mr。 Weasley was saying heatedly。 〃Harry's got a right to know。 I've tried to tell Fudge； but he insists on treating Harry like a child。 He's thirteen years old and 〃
〃Arthur； the truth would terrify him！〃 said Mrs。 Weasley shrilly。 〃Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him？ For heaven's sake； he's happy not knowing！〃
〃I don't want to make him miserable； I want to put him on his guard！〃 retorted Mr。 Weasley。 〃You know what Harry and Ron are like； wandering off by themselves they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice！ But Harry mustn't do that this year！ When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home！ If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up； I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him。〃
〃But he's not dead； he's fine； so what's the point
〃Molly； they say Sirius Black's mad； and maybe he is； but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban； and that's supposed to be impossible。 It's been three weeks； and no one's seen hide nor hair of him； and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet； we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self…spelling wands。 The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after
〃But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts。〃
〃We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe。 If Black can break out of Azkaban； he can break into Hogwarts。〃
〃But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry
There was a thud on wood； and Harry was sure Mr。 Weasley had banged his fist on the table。
〃Molly； how many times do I have to tell you？ They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet； but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped。 The guards told Fudge that Blacks been talking in his sleep for a while now。 Always the same words： 'He's at Hogwarts。。。 he's at Hogwarts。' Black is deranged； Molly； and he wants Harry dead。 If you ask me； he thinks murdering Harry will bring You…Know…Who back to pow er。 Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You… Know…Who； and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that。。。。〃
There was a silence。 Harry leaned still closer to the door； desperate to hear more。
〃Well； Arthur； you must do what you think is right。 But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore。 I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's headmaster。 I suppose he knows about all this？〃
〃Of course he knows。 We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds。 He wasn't happy about it； but he agreed。〃
〃Not happy？ Why shouldn't he be happy； if they're there to catch Black？〃
〃Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards；〃 said Mr。 Weasley heavily。 〃Nor am 1； if it es to that。。。 but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black； you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid。〃
〃If they save Harry then I will never say another word against them； said Mr。 Weasley wearily。 〃It's late； Molly； we'd better go up。。。。〃
Harry heard chairs move。 As quietly as he could； he hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight。 The parlor door opened； and a few seconds later footsteps told him that Mr。 and Mrs。 Weasley were climbing the stairs。
The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier。 Harry waited until he heard Mr。 and Mrs。 Weasley's bedroom door close； then headed back upstairs with the bottle。
Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing； heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge。
〃We've got it；〃 Fred whispered to Harry。 〃We've been improving it。〃
The badge now read Bighead Boy。
Harry forced a laugh； went to give Ron the rat tonic； then shut himself in his room and lay down on his bed。
So Sirius Black was after him。 This explained everything。 Fudge had been lenient with him because he was so relieved to find him alive。 He'd made Harry promise to stay in Diagon Alley where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on him。 And he was sending two Ministry cars to take them all to the station tomorrow； so that the Weasleys could look after Harry until he was on the train。
Harry lay listening to the muffled shouting next door and wondered why he didn't feel more scared。 Sirius Black had murdered thirteen people with one curse； Mr。 and Mrs； Weasley obviously thought Harry would be panic…stricken if he knew the truth。 But Harry happened to agree wholeheartedly with Mrs。 Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be。 Didn't people always say that Dumbledore was the only person Lord Voldemort had ever been afraid of？ Surely Black； as Voldemort's right…hand man； would be just as frightened of him？
And then there were these Azkaban guards everyone kept talking about。 They seemed to scare most people senseless； and if they were stationed all around the school； Black's chances of getting inside seemed very remote。
No； all in all； the thing that bothered Harry most was the fact that his chances of visiting Hogsmeade now looked like zero。 Nobody would want Harry to leave the safety of the castle until Black was caught； in fact； Harry suspected his every move would be carefully watched until the danger had passed。
He scowled at the dark ceiling。 Did they think he couldn't look after himself？ He'd escaped Lord Voldemort three times； he wasn't pletely useless。。。。
Unbidden； the image of the beast in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent crossed his mind。 What to do when you know the worst is ing。。。
〃I'm not going to be murdered；〃 Harry said out loud。
〃That's the spirit； dear；〃 said his mirror sleepily。
CHAPTER FIVE
THE DEMENTOR
Tom woke Harry the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea。 Harry got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room； pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable。
〃The sooner we get on the train； the better；〃 he said。 〃At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts。 Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater。 You know；〃 Ron grimaced； 〃his girlfriend。 She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy。。。〃
〃I've got something to tell you；〃 Harry began； but they were interrupted by Fred and George； who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again。
They headed down to breakfast； where Mr。 Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs。 Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl。 All three of them were rather giggly。
〃What were you saying？〃 Ron asked Harry as they sat down。
〃Later；〃 Harry muttered as Percy stormed in。
Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving； they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door； with Hedwig and Hermes； Percy's screech owl； perched on top in their cages。 A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks； spitting loudly。
〃It's all right； Crookshanks；〃 Hermione cooed through the wickerwork。 〃I'll let you out on the train。〃
〃You won't；〃 snapped Ron。 〃What about poor Scabbers； eh？〃
He pointed at his chest； where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket。
Mr。 Weasley； who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars； stuck his head inside。
〃They're here； he said。 〃Harry； e on。〃
Mr。 Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old… fashioned dark green cars； each of which was driven by a furtive…looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet。
〃In you get； Harry；〃 said Mr。 Weasley； glancing up and down the crowded street。
Harry got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione； Ron； and； to Ron's disgust； Percy。
The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful pared with Harry's trip on the Knight Bus。 The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary。 though Harry noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new pany car certainly couldn't have managed。 They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare； the Ministry drivers found them trolleys； unloaded their trunks； touched their hats in salute to Mr。 Weasley； and drove away； somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights。
Mr。 Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station。
〃Right then；〃 he said； glancing around them。 〃Let's do this in pairs； as there are so many of us。 I'll go through first with Harry。〃
Mr。 Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten； pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine。 With a meaningful look at Harry； he leaned casually against the barrier。 Harry imitated him。
In a moment； they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three… quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express； a scarlet steam engine； puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train。
Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry。 They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run。
〃Ah； there's Penelope！〃 said Percy； smoothing his hair and going Pink again。 Ginny caught Harry's eye； and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long； curly hair； walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge。 stood back to let him on。 They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr。 and Mrs。 Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view。
〃I need to talk to you in private；〃 Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed。
〃Go away； Ginny；〃 said Ron。
〃Oh； that's nice；〃 said Ginny huffily； and she stalked off。
Harry； Ron； and Hermione set off down the corridor； looking for an empty partment； but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train。
This had only one occupant； a man sitting fast asleep next to the window。 Harry； Ron； and Hermione checked on the threshold。 The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before； except for the witch who pushed the food cart。
The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places。 He looked ill and exhausted。 Though quite young； his light brown hair was flecked with gray。
〃Who d'you reckon he is？〃 Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut； taking the seats farthest away from the window。
〃Professor R。 J。 Lupin；〃 whispered Hermione at once。
〃How d'you know that？〃
〃It's on his case；〃 she replied； pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head； where there was a small； battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string。 The name Professor R。 J。 Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters。
〃Wonder what he teaches？〃 said Ron； frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile。
〃That's obvious；〃 whispered Hermione。 〃There's only one vacancy； isn't there？ Defense Against the Dark Arts。〃
Harry； Ron； and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers； both of whom had lasted only one year。 There were rumors that the job was jinxed。
〃well； I hope he's up to it；〃 said Ron doubtfully。 〃He looks like on； good hex would finish him off； doesn't he？ Anyway。。。〃 He turned to Harry。 〃What were you going to tell us？〃
Harry explained all about Mr。 and Mrs。 Weasley's argument and the warning Mr。 Weasley had just given him。 When he'd finished； Ron looked thunderstruck； and Hermione had her hands over her mouth。 She finally lowered them to say； 〃Sirius Black escaped to e after you？ Oh； Harry。。。 you'll have to be really； really careful。 don't go looking for trouble； Harry 〃
〃I Don't go looking for trouble；〃 said Harry； nettled。 〃Trouble usually finds me。〃
〃How thick would Harry have to be； to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him？〃 said Ron shakily。
They were taking the news worse than Harry had expected。 Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than he was。
〃No one knows how he got out of Azkaban；〃 said Ron unfortably。 〃No one's ever done it before。 And he was a top…security prisoner too。〃
〃But they'll catch hi