“Yes,Diddy,I’mfine.Diddy,anyougetmetothenorthtower?”
Diddybegantoshiver.“Masterdoesn’twanttogothere.There’sabigsnakeupthere.IteatsHouseElvessir!Diddydoesn’twanttoseeMasterDraohurt.”
“Myfather’supthere,Diddy.bsp;yougetmeupthereornot?”
Diddynoddedsadlyandsnappedherfingers.Thekithendisappearedandthehallwayofthenorthtowerappearedaroundthem.
“Diddy,Ineedyoutodoonemorethingforme.”
“Whatisit,MasterDrao?”Diddywhispered.
“Ineedyoutogobaktoyournormaldutiesandatasifnothingiswrong.”Heturnedhisbaktoher.
“But—”
“DoitDiddy.”
TherewasasmallpoppingsoundandDiddydisappearedfrombehindDrao.Keepingtotheshadowsofthehall,Draosilentlythankedhisthirdgreat-grandfatherforwantingtoredotheentirehouseinthegothistyle.He’donlybeenabletotalkhiswifeintoredoingthetowersbeausesheneverwentupthereandwouldneverhavetoseeit.ButasDraopressedbakintotheshadowsausedbyanobsidiangargoyleandaDeathEaterpassedbyonherwaytothestairs,missinghimompletely,Draomadearesolutiontoredothewholehouseinthatstyle.
Butthereweren’tmanypesthatoneouldhidesomeoneinthenorthtower,Draohadtoadmit.Therewasonlyanoldowleryuphereandahardlyusedptformforstargazing.
Heontinuedhiswaydownthehallandtowardsthestairsuptotheowlery.Therewerenosoundsehoingdownfromthetopoftheurvedstairase,sohebegantoslowlylimbthem.
“There’snosignofMr.MalfoyanywhereinHogsmead,”ProfessorMGonagallsaidwearily.“IbelievewemustatasifhereallyhasleftHogwarts.”
“Thereissomethingmuhworsegoingon,Minerva,”Dumbledoresaidgravely.“I’vejustgottenwordfromtheMinistry.AzkabanhasbeenattakedbyDementors.IbelieveitissafetoassumethatanyDeathEaterswhowereinAzkabanhavebeenreleased.”
“Doyou…Albus,doyouthinktheMalfoyshavesomethingtodowiththis?”MGonagallaskedsuspiiously.
“No,Minerva,Idonotthinktheydo.Ido,however,thinkthatsomeonewantsustothinkthat.”
Therewasaloudbangingsoundonthedoorandthesoundoftwofrightenedvoiesfromoutsidetheoffieshouting,“ProfessorDumbledore!Harry’sdisappeared!”
Almostasifonue,afiguredressedinbksteppedfromthefirepeintheHeadmaster’soffie.SnapepausedslightlyattheshoutingbeforewiningandturningbaktotheHeadmaster.“He’salling,Albus.AndI’venotiedthatafewotherSlytherinsaremissing,notjustDraoMalfoy.”
Harrywaslost.Hewassomewhereinthesouthwing…orwasthatthesouthpartofthenorthwing?Hehadnoidea.Butwhereverhewas,itwasn’twherehewantedtobe.