Fifteenbookster,Draofoundthespellhewaslookingfor.Hehekedthebookoutofthelibraryandmadehiswaydowntohisrooms,greetingMedusawiththepasswordandaninquiryaboutherontinuedgoodhealth.
Harrywasnowheretobefound.Good.HeoulddothespellnowandthepresentbeforeHarrygotbak,andbedonewithit.Carefully,Draoremovedthemirrorfromitsasingandpeditonthetablenearthefirepe.Hethenturnedtothebookandreadthroughthepassageaboutthespellafewtimestomakesureheuoodtheinformationorretly.Thenhebegan.
Hiswandurvedupinanarhanddowntotouhthemiddleofthemirror’srefletivesurfaeashespoke:
“HomoDignitatisAnimatusVivaePituratusMortiVidere.”
Chapter21:TheNameofaMalfoy
HarryfinishedfoldinghisbestshoolrobesandpedthemontopofDrao’sedpresent.Thatshouldbeenoughpadding,hethought,ashelosedthelidofhistrunk.Thiswasit.He’dalreadybeentothestssbeforeChristmasbreak,andhadfinishedpaking.TomorrowhewouldleaveHogwartswitheveryonewhonormallyleftandwouldridethetrainbaktoLondonfromwhereheandDrao,andprobablyLuiusMalfoyaswell,wouldallbegoingtoMalfoyManor.Itwassurprisingpeoplehadn’tmadealotoffuss,butthatwasprobablybeausenoonereallyknew.Hek,theonlypeoplewhoknewthatheandDraowere“together”,ifoneouldallthemthat,werehisfriends,thestaffatHogwarts,LuiusMalfoy,Drao,andhimselfofourse.
Itwasamazingthey’dkeptitaseretforsolongsowhywashesosurprisedthatnoonemadeabigommotionabouthislivingarrasforChristmasbreak?Afterall,itwasn’tasifhehadmuhofarealhoieinthematter.He’dlikelywakeupinMalfoyManorwithDraoevenifhewenttosleepinHogwarts.Anditwasn’tlikehewouldbeturnedovertoVoldemortuponsteppingintothehousebeauseofthewholeVeriaebondthing…Sowhywasitsuhabigdealtohim?Whywashesonervousaboutthis?
Needlesstosay,sleepdidnotomeeasilytoHarrythatnight,althoughitdideventuallyovertakehim.
ThedaywentalmostompletelyasHarryhadenvisionedit.HerodewithRonandHermione,whowerealsogoinghometovisittheirfamilies,onthetrainridebaktoLondon.Hethenhungbakwhiletherestofthestudentsweregettingoffthetrain,andsawthatwhileDraowaswalkingaheadwithhisSlytherinronies(Orweretheyhisfriends?Harrydidn’tknow.),Luiusseemedtobetakinghisowntimetoleavethestation.ForoneHarrywasgdthattheMalfoyswerealmostpreditableSlytherinsashedisretelyfollowedthetwoMalfoystoa…limo…
Itsinsidesrevealedthatitonlylookedlikealimoharmedtolooklikeavishstrethlimo,butintruthitwasaarriageliketheonesatHogwarts.TheridetoMalfoyManorwasanotherfewhoursandherMalfoyseemedinlinedtotalk,yetthesilenewasmoreompanionablethanforedorharsh.WhenHarrygotoutofthearriage,thefirstthinghenotiedwerethefour,tra,whitehorseswhihhadpulledthearriage.Hewouldhavetofindoutwhatspeiestheywere…maybeaskHagridwhenhegotbak.
Thethinghenotiedwasthehouse.Andhewonderedwhyhedidn’tnotiethehousefirstwhenhedidgetthefullviewofit.