“AndthisissomethingthatyououldnotspeakabouttoMr.Malfoyhimself?Andfeltitneessarytowakemeupinordertospeakatthispartiurtime?”
SrewingupeveryouneofGryffindorehehad,Harryreplied.“Yes.BeauseIonlyjustfoundoutthatDraoisn’tanywhereinHogwarts.”Afteraseond’shesitationheadded,“sir,”justtotryandappealtoSnape’sgoodside…ifhehadone.
SomethingshiftedinSnape’seyes,butoutwardlyheappearedthesame.“Andyouknowthis,how?”
Bloodyhell,Harryhadn’tthoughthowtorevealhowheknewthatDraowasn’tinshool.ThinkHarry,think,hetoldhimself.
“WellMr.Potter?”
“IknowitinthesamewaythatIknewhowtogettoHogsmeadbakinthirdyear”Harrymuttered,lookingdownathisshoes,orwhatheassumedwerehisshoes—heouldn’ttellinthedimlightofoneLumosspell.
HeouldfeelSnape’seyesburningintohisskullasthemanthoughtaboutwhatHarryhadjustsaid.
“WheredoyouthinkMr.Malfoyis?”Snapeaskedafteralongsilene.Harry’seyesshotupinastonishmentbeforeherealizedthathewassupposedtoanswerthequestion.
“IfoundthisinoneofDrao’sbooks.”HeheldoutthemapofEngndtoSnape.“Ithinkhe’sgonetothestarredarea…whereverthatis.”
SnapeasthisownLumosspellinordertolookatthemap.“Ifyouareright,Mr.Potter,whihIhighlydoubtyouare,thenMr.MalfoyhasgonetoMalfoyManor.YouareundoubtedlyawareofhowimpossibleitistogettoMalfoyManoratthistime.Howwouldyouproposehegotthere?ApparatedoutofHogwartsandintoMalfoyManor?Rodeinoneoftheshoolarriagesperhaps?Sproutedwingsandflew?”
SnapestoppedshortandHarry’smouthdroppedastheybothrealizedwhatthepotionsmasterhadjustsaid.AmemoryofstweekendpyedthroughHarry’smind,ofsnithes,bludgers,andbkwings.
“Yes,Professor.”Harryreplied.“Ithinkhedidsproutwingsandflythere.”
Chapter29:SerpentisDraonis
HarryfumedsilentlyashepaedtheGryffindoronRoom.Draohadbeenmissingforoverfifteenhoursnow;howlongexatlywasn’tknownbeauseHarrydidn’tknowwhenDraoleft.
Harryfoughtbaktheyearningtohitsomething,knowingthatwerehetoletouthisrage,histwofriendswouldbeomemoresaredofhimthantheyalreadywere.Asitwas,hisbehaviorresembledaagedanimaltothem.
Itwasalljustsostupid!Sure,ifastudentwaspetrifiedthewholeshoolwentonbloodyalert,butifastudentwasjustmissing,therewereprotools!WasDraoreallymissing?Bloodyhell,Harrywassosikofhearinganotherteaheraskthattotherestofthem.
SnapehadgonetoDumbledoreimmediatelyandwhileHarrywassurethatDumbledorebelievedthem,therewasabunhoflegalstuffsetinpeforjustthisoasion.
Soafterroundingupalltheteahersatfourinthem,theyhadbegunsearhingtheastle.Allofit.Everyroom.AndHarryhadbeensentbaktohisdormitorytowait!Then,wheneveryonerealizedDraoreallywasn’tintheastle,asHarryhadbeentellingthem,theyhadtosearhthebloodyForbiddenForestbeauseapparentlyDraohadpermissiontogotherebeauseheneededsomepetogobeaVeriaeforawhilewherenooneouldseehim,orsomethinglikethat.
Andofourse,theentaurshadn’ttakenkindlytoagroupofpeoplegallivantingaroundintheirforest,evenifoneofthosepeoplehadbeenHagrid,whoknewhiswayaroundprettywell.Ofourse,theyfoundthatDraowasn’tintheforest,afterthreehoursofsearhing.Harryouldhavetoldthemthatbuttheydidn’tlisten,ofourse.
SonowtheywerethinkingthatmaybeDraoreallywasn’tinHogwarts.SotheyhadtogohekHogsmead!Harry,ofourse,knewthatDraowouldn’tbefoundthere.HeknewwhereDraowas.SodidSnapeandso,hesuspeted,didDumbledore.