章节_97

oments they

were about to try to break. harry and ron didnt talk much. both

of them were thinking about what they were about to do.

slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.

”better get the uttered, as lee jordan finally

left, stretd yawning. harry ran upstairs to their dark

dormitory. he putted out the d then his eyes fell on the

flute hagrid had given him for christmas. he pocketed it to use on

fluffy -- he didnt feel much like singing.

he ran baon room.

”wed better put the here, a covers

all three of us -- if filch spots one of our feet wandering along

on its own --”

”what are you doing?” said a voi the er of the

room. neville appeared from behind an armchair, g trevor the

toad, who looked as though hed been making another bid for freedom.

”nothing, hing,” said harry, hurriedly putting the

cloak behind his back.

ared at their guilty faces.

”y out again,” he said.

”no, no, no,” said hermione. ”no, were not. why dont you go

to bed, neville?”

harry looked at the grandfather clock by the door. they t

afford to waste aime, s even now be playing

fluffy to sleep.

”you t go out,” said neville, ”youll be caught

again. gryffindor will be irouble.”

”you dont uand,” said harry, ”this is important.”

but neville was clearly steelio do something

desperate.

i wo you do it,” he said, hurrying to stand in front of

the portrait hole. ”ill -- ill fight you!”

”neville, ”ro away from that hole and dont be

an idiot --”

”dont you idiot!” said neville. i dont think you

sh any more rules! ahe oold

me to stand up to people!”

”yes, but not to us,” said roion. ”neville,

you dont know what y.”

he took a step forward and neville dropped trevor the toad,

t out of sight.

”go ory and hit me!” said neville, raising his

fists. ”im ready!”

harry turo hermione.

”do something,” he said desperately.

hermioepped forward.

”neville,” she said, ”im really, really sorry about this.”

she raised her wand.

”petrificus totalus!” she cried, pointing it at neville.

nevilles arms so his sides. his legs sprang

together. his whid, he swayed where he stood and then

fell flat oiff as a board.

hermiourn him over. nevilles jaws were jammed

together so he t speak. only his eyes were moving, looking

at them in horror.

”whatve you doo him?” harry whispered.

”its the full body-bind,” said hermione miserably. ”oh, neville,

im so sorry.”

”we had to, ime to explain,” said harry.

”youll uand later, neville,” said roepped

over him ahe invisibility cloak.

but leaving neville lying motiohe floor didnt feel

like a very good omen. iate, every statues shadow

looked like filch, every distah of wind sounded like peeves

swooping dowhe foot of the first set of stairs,

they spotted mrs. norris skulkiop.

”oh, lets kick her, just this on whispered in harrys

ear, but harry shook his head. as they climbed carefully around her,

mrs. norris turned her lamplike eyes o didnt do anything.

they did ahey reached the staircase

up to the third floor. peeves was bobbing half, loosening

the carpet so that people would trip.

”whos there?” he said suddenly as they . he

narrowed his wicked black eyes. ”know youre there, even if i t

see yhhostie or wee studeie?”

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