HelethisthoughtswanderbaktotheSlytherindungeonsandhowhemightgetin.Asimpleunlokingharmwouldn’twork,orelsestudentswouldhavebeenbreakingintodifferenthouse’sdormitorieswillynilly.HesupposedheouldhardlyaskMGonagall,either,assheseemedrathertight-lippedaboutthewholething.Hewashalfwifheouldblowaholeinthewallofthedungeonwhenhenotiedsomethingmoveoutoftheornerofhiseye.
Hegasped.Thewolf.
Itwaswalkingrightupagainsttheastlewall,soloseitssiderubbedagainstthestone.ItseemedtonotieHarryinthesameinstane,stoppinginitstraks.
Therewasonlyabouttwentyfeetbetweenthem.
Harrydroppedtoasquatandheldouthishand,asthoughtheanimalinfrontofhimwereaommonhousedog.
“Hi,”healledsoftly.“Iwon’thurtyouifyoudon’thurtme.”
ThewolftensedatHarry’svoie,butdidnotmaketorunaway.
“Whatareyoudoingsolosetotheastle?Hagriddoesn’tlikeittoomuh,bestnotlethimsee,”Harryontinued,standingagainandwalkingslowlytowardsthewolfhishandstillextended.Hestoppedwhenhehadhalvedthedistaneandreturnedtoasquat.
“eonnow,Iwon’tbite,”Harrysaid.
ThewolfletoutasnortthatHarryfeltsoundedstrangelyakintoaugh,andthenbegantoinhslowlytowardshim.
Finally,thewolfreahedhisfiips,butdidnotsniffhimlikeanormaldogwould.InsteadtheysatandlookedupatHarry,theireyeseerilyintelligent.Theyokedtheirhead.
Harrynotieduplosethatthewolfwasnotatruewhite,butratherawhitegold.
“Aren’tyouaprettything?ItoldHagridyouwerenothingtoworryabout,”Harrymurmured.Hereahedoutandpetthewolf’shead,butdrewhishandbakassoonasitmadeontat.Awaveofuneaseameoverhim,thatsikfeelinghehadfeltinthehallearlier.
Thewolfdidnotmove,otherthantolookawayfromHarry,turningtheirnoseintotheair,asthoughoffended.
“Ididn’tmeananythingbyit,”Harrysaidoutloud,feelingsuddenlydefensive.
Thewolflookedathimoutoftheorneroftheireye.
Harrywasstrukwithhowhumantheexpressionwas.ItremindedhimofwhenhewouldtalktoSiriuswhen…Oh.Oh.
“Who—”Harrybeganbutthequestiondiedinhisthroat.Heleareditandbeganagain.“Who,exatly,areyou?”
Thewolf’sgreyeyedraggedawayfromhim,lookingforwardsonemore,onlymorepointedlythistime.
“Astudent?”
Thewolfhuffed.