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He reached the black door but could not open it： he stood gazing at it； desperate for entry： something he wanted with all his heart lay beyond： a prize beyond his dreams： if only his scar would stop prickling： then he would be able to think more clearly：
'Harry；' said Ron's voice； from far； far away； 'Mum says dinner's ready； but she'll save you something if you want to stay in bed。'
Harry opened his eyes； but Ron had already left the room。
He doesn't want to be on his own with me； Harry thought。 Not after what he heard Moody say。
He supposed none of them would want him there any more； now that they knew what was inside him。
He would not go down to dinner； he would not inflict his pany on them。 He turned over on to his other side and； after a while； dropped back off to sleep。 He woke much later； in the early hours of the morning； his insides aching with hunger and Ron snoring in the next bed。 Squinting around the room； he saw the dark outline of Phineas Nigellus standing again in his portrait and it occurred to Harry that Dumbledore had probably sent Phineas Nigellus to watch over him； in case he attacked somebody else。
The feeling of being unclean intensified。 He half…wished he had not obeyed Dumbledore： if this was how life was going to be for him in Grimmauld Place from now on； maybe he would be better off in Privet Drive after all。
* * *
Everybody else spent the following morning putting up Christmas decorations。 Harry could not remember Sirius ever being in such a good mood； he was actually singing carols； apparently delighted that he was to have pany over Christmas。 Harry could hear his voice echoing up through the floor in the cold drawing room where he was sitting alone； watching the sky growing whiter outside the windows； threatening snow； all the time feeling a savage pleasure that he was giving the others the opportunity to keep talking about him； as they were bound to be doing。 When he heard Mrs Weasley calling his name softly up the stairs around lunchtime； he retreated further upstairs and ignored her。
Around six o'clock in the evening the doorbell rang and Mrs Black started screaming again。 Assuming that Mundungus or some other Order member had e to call； Harry merely settled himself more fortably against the wall of Buckbeak's room where he was hiding； trying to ignore how hungry he felt as he fed dead rats to the Hippogriff。 It came as a slight shock when somebody hammered hard on the door a few minutes later。
'I know you're in there；' said Hermione's voice。 'Will you please e out？ I want to talk to you。'
'What are you doing here？' Harry asked her； pulling open the door as Buckbeak resumed his scratching at the straw…strewn floor for any fragments of rat he may have dropped。 'I thought you were skiing with your mum and dad？'
'Well； to tell the truth； skiing's not really my thing；' said Hermione。 'So； I've e here for Christmas。' There was snow in her hair and her face was pink with cold。 'But don't tell Ron。 I told him skiing's really good because he kept laughing so much。 Mum and Dad are a bit disappointed； but I've told them that everyone who is serious about the exams is staying at Hogwarts to study。 They want me to do well； they'll understand。 Anyway；' she said briskly； 'let's go to your bedroom； Ron's mum has lit a fire in there and she's sent up sandwiches。'
Harry followed her back to the second floor。 When he entered the bedroom； he was rather surprised to see both Ron and Ginny waiting for them； sitting on Ron's bed。
'I came on the Knight Bus；' said Hermione airily； pulling off her jacket before Harry had time to speak。 'Dumbledore told me what had happened first thing this morning； but I had to wait for term to end officially before setting off。 Umbridge is already livid that you lot disappeared right under her nose； even though Dumbledore told her Mr Weasley was in St Mungo's and he'd given you all permission to visit。 So：〃
She sat down next to Ginny； and the two girls and Ron all looked up at Harry。
'How're you feeling？' asked Hermione。
Fine；' said Harry stiffly。
'Oh； don't lie； Harry；' she said impatiently。 'Ron and Ginny say you've been hiding from everyone since you got back from St Mungo's。'
They do； do they？' said Harry； glaring at Ron and Ginny。 Ron looked down at his feet but Ginny seemed quite unabashed。
'Well； you have！' she said。 'And you won't look at any of us！'
'It's you lot who won't look at me！' said Harry angrily。
'Maybe you're taking it in turns to look； and keep missing each other；' suggested Hermione； the corners of her mouth twitching。
'Very funny；' snapped Harry； turning away。
'Oh； stop feeling all misunderstood；' said Hermione sharply。 'Look； the others have told me what you overheard last night on the Extendable Ears …'
'Yeah？' growled Harry； his hands deep in his pockets as he watched the snow now falling thickly outside。 'All been talking about me； have you？ Well； I'm getting used to it。'
'We wanted to talk to you； Harry；' said Ginny； 'but as you've been hiding ever since we got back …'
'I didn't want anyone to talk to me；' said Harry； who was feeling more and more nettled。
'Well； that was a bit stupid of you；' said Ginny angrily； 'seeing as you don't know anyone but me who's been possessed by You…Know…Who； and I can tell you how it feels。'
Harry remained quite still as the impact of these words hit him。 Then he wheeled round。
'I forgot；' he said。
'Lucky you；' said Ginny coolly。
'I'm sorry' Harry said； and he meant it。 'So： so； do you think I'm being possessed； then？'
'Well； can you remember everything you've been doing？' Ginny asked。 'Are there big blank periods where you don't know what you've been up to？'
Harry racked his brains。
'No；' he said。
Then You…Know…Who hasn't ever possessed you；' said Ginny simply。 'When he did it to me； I couldn't remember what I'd been doing for hours at a time。 I'd find myself somewhere and not know how I got there。'
Harry hardly dared believe her； yet his heart was lightening almost in spite of himself。
'That dream I had about your dad and the snake； though …'
'Harry you've had these dreams before；' Hermione said。 'You had flashes of what Voldemort was up to last year。'
This was different；' said Harry； shaking his head。 'I was inside that snake。 It was like I was the snake： what if Voldemort somehow transported me to London …？'
'One day；' said Hermione； sounding thoroughly exasperated； 'you'll read Hogwarts： A History； and perhaps it will remind you that you can't Apparate or Disapparate inside Hogwarts。 Even Voldemort couldn't just make you fly out of your dormitory； Harry。'
'You didn't leave your bed； mate；' said Ron。 'I saw you thrashing around in your sleep for at least a minute before we could wake you up。'
Harry started pacing up and down the room again； thinking。 What they were all saying was not only forting； it made sense： without really thinking； he took a sandwich from the plate on the bed and crammed it hungrily into his mouth。
I'm not the weapon after all； thought Harry。 His heart swelled with happiness and relief； and he felt like joining in as they heard
Sirius tramping past their door towards Buckbeak's room； singing 'God Rest Ye； Merry Hippogriffs' at the top of his voice。
* * *
How could he have dreamed of returning to Privet Drive for Christmas？ Sirius's delight at having the house full again； and especially at having Harry back； was infectious。 He was no longer their sullen host of the summer； now he seemed determined that everyone should enjoy themselves as much； if not more than they would have done at Hogwarts； and he worked tirelessly in the run…up to Christmas Day； cleaning and decorating with their help； so that by the time they all went to bed on Christmas Eve the house was barely recognisable。 The tarnished chandeliers were no longer hung with cobwebs but with garlands of holly and gold and silver streamers； magical snow glittered in heaps over the threadbare carpets； a great Christmas tree； obtained by Mund