TheonethingthatseparatedtheLuiusinthepiturefromtheonethatappearedinMinistryfuntionsandouldbeseenstrollingdownDiagonAlleyasifheownedthepe,wasthattheartisthaddrawnhiswingsbk,silken,andasmagastheyhadappearedwhenHarryhadfirstseenthemintheGreatHall.
Dobbydisappeared,asiffleeingfromapossibleoutburstfromDraoathowtheHouseElfhadbrokenwhateverruleitwashesaidhehadbroken,leavingHarryandDraointheroom.
“Dobby…thoughtitmighthelp.”Harrysaidatst.“Ididn’tknowhewasgoingtodoit.”
Draonodded,hiseyesneverleavingtheportrait.
Harrysuddenlyfeltasifhewasn’tsupposedtobethere,asiftherewassomelosurethatDraoneededthatheshouldn’tsee.
“I’mgoingtogogetsomelunh,”hesaid.
“Fine.”
Harryknewbynowthat,omingfromDrao,thatwasadismissal.
TheGreatHallwasmorerowdedthanusualonaSaturday,butHarryimmediatelyloatedHermioneandRonintherowdofGryffindorstudents.Theyofferedhimtentativesmilesasheapproahedandsatdownarossfromthem.
“What’sgoingon?”Harryasked,indiatingthebustleofstudentstalkingexitedly.
“Thestudentsthatwereoutstnightallamebakafewhoursafteryoudid.”Ronexpinedinahushedvoie.“TheywereallsenttosleepintheinfirmaryandallofthemexeptBiseareupinDumbledore’soffierightnow.Theyallfaesuspensionbutpeoplearewhisperingaboutexpulsion.”
“Bisehasthreerakedribs,afraturedknee,fraturedjaw,andasevereonussion.Oneoftheribspunturedhislungaswell,buthe’sexpetedtomakeafullreovery.”Hermioneontinued.
“It’ssupposedtobeaseretsoeveryoneknows,”Harryremarked,loadingfoodontohispte.
“So,areyougoingtotelluswhathappened?”Ronasked.
“Yeah,butnothere.AfterIeatwe’llgotalk.”
HarryatequiklyandthethreeGryffindorslefttheGreatHallandheadeddowntowardswhereHagrid’shousewas.Nootherstudentsweremillingabouttoday;mostofthemseemedtobewaitingfortheverditontheformerlymissingstudents.
Astheywalked,Harrytoldhisfriendswhathadhappened,startingwithhisideatohaveDobbyoafirepetoMalfoyManorandendingwithLuiusMalfoy’sdeath.
“Bloodyhell,”Ronsaidappreiablywhenhefinished.Therewasapauseasnoonesaidanything,thenRonfrowned.“IwonderwhatwillhappenwiththeManornow.”