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will be in touch with you tomorrow； Dumbledore； to discuss the running of this school。 I must return to the Ministry。〃
He had almost reached the door when he paused。 He turned around； strode back down the dormitory； and stopped at Harry's bed。
〃Your winnings；〃 he said shortly； taking a large bag of gold out of his pocket and dropping it onto Harrys bedside table。 〃One thousand Galleons。 There should have been a presentation ceremony； but under the circumstances。。。〃
He crammed his bowler hat onto his head and walked out of the room； slamming the door behind him。 The moment he had disappeared； Dumbledore turned to look at the group around Harry's bed。
〃There is work to be done；〃 he said。 〃Molly。。。 am I right in thinking that I can count on you and Arthur？〃
〃Of course you can；〃 said Mrs。 Weasley。 She was white to the lips； but she looked resolute。 〃We know what Fudge is。 It's Arthur's fondness for Muggles that has held him back at the Ministry all these years。 Fudge thinks he lacks proper wizarding pride。〃
〃Then I need to send a message to Arthur；〃 said Dumbledore。 〃All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately； and he is well placed to contact those at the Ministry who are not as shortsighted as Cornelius。〃
〃I'll go to Dad；〃 said Bill； standing up。 〃I'll go now。〃
〃Excellent；〃 said Dumbledore。 〃Tell him what has happened。 Tell him I will be in direct contact with him shortly。 He will need to be discreet； however。 If Fudge thinks I am interfering at the Ministry…〃
〃Leave it to me；〃 said Bill。
He clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder； kissed his mother on the cheek； pulled on his cloak； and strode quickly from the room。
〃Minerva；〃 said Dumbledore； turning to Professor McGonagall； 〃I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible。 Also…if she will consent to e…Madame Maxime。〃
Professor McGonagall nodded and left without a word。
〃Poppy；〃 Dumbledore said to Madam Pomfrey； 〃would you be very kind and go down to Professor Moodys office； where I think you will find a house…elf called Winky in considerable distress？ Do what you can for her； and take her back to the kitchens。 I think Dobby will look after her for us。〃
〃Very…very well；〃 said Madam Pomfrey； looking startled； and she too left。
Dumbledore made sure that the door was closed； and that Madam Pomfrey's footsteps had died away； before he spoke again。
〃And now；〃 he said； 〃it is time for two of our number to recognize each other for what they are。 Sirius 。。。if you could resume your usual form。〃
The great black dog looked up at Dumbledore； then； in an instant； turned back into a man。
Mrs。 Weasley screamed and leapt back from the bed。
〃Sirius Black！〃 she shrieked； pointing at him。
〃Mum； shut up！〃 Ron yelled。 〃It's okay！〃
Snape had not yelled or jumped backward； but the look on his face was one of mingled fury and horror。
〃Him！〃 he snarled； staring at Sirius； whose face showed equal dislike。 〃What is he doing here？〃
〃He is here at my invitation；〃 said Dumbledore； looking between them； 〃as are you； Severus。 I trust you both。 It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other。〃
Harry thought Dumbledore was asking for a near miracle。 Sirius and Snape were eyeing each other with the utmost loathing。
〃I will settle； in the short term；〃 said Dumbledore； with a bite of impatience in his voice； 〃for a lack of open hostility。 You will shake hands。 You are on the same side now。 Time is short； and unless the few of us who know the truth do not stand united； there is no hope
for any us。
Very slowly…but still glaring at each other as though each wished the other nothing but ill…Sirius and Snape moved toward each other and shook hands。 They let go extremely quickly。
〃That will do to be going on with；〃 said Dumbledore； stepping between them once more。 〃Now I have work for each of you。 Fudge's attitude； though not unexpected； changes everything。 Sirius； I need you to set off at once。 You are to alert Remus Lupin； Arabella Figg； Mundungus Fletcher…the old crowd。 Lie low at Lupin's for a while； I will contact you there。〃
〃But…〃 said Harry。
He wanted Sirius to stay。 He did not want to have to say goodbye again so quickly。
〃You'll see me very soon。 Harry；〃 said Sirius； turning to him。 〃I promise you。 But I must do what I can； you understand； don't you？〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Harry。 〃Yeah。。。 of course I do。〃
Sirius grasped his hand briefly； nodded to Dumbledore； transformed again into the black dog； and ran the length of the room to the door； whose handle he turned with a paw。 Then he was gone。
〃Severus；〃 said Dumbledore； turning to Snape； 〃you know what I must ask you to do。 If you are ready。。。 if you are prepared 。。。〃
〃I am；〃 said Snape。
He looked slightly paler than usual； and his cold； black eyes glittered strangely。
〃Then good luck；〃 said Dumbledore； and he watched； with a trace of apprehension on his face； as Snape swept wordlessly after Sirius。
It was several minutes before Dumbledore spoke again。
〃I must go downstairs；〃 he said finally。 〃I must see the Diggorys。 Harry…take the rest of your potion。 I will see all of you later。〃
Harry slumped back against his pillows as Dumbledore disappeared。 Hermione； Ron； and Mrs。 Weasley were all looking at him。 None of them spoke for a very long time。
〃You've got to take the rest of your potion。 Harry；〃 Mrs。 Weasley said at last。 Her hand nudged the sack of gold on his bedside cabinet as she reached for the bottle and the goblet。 〃You have a good long sleep。 Try and think about something else for a while。。。 think about what you're going to buy with your winnings！〃
〃I don't want that gold；〃 said Harry in an expressionless voice。 〃You have it。 Anyone can have it。 I shouldn't have won it。 It should've been Cedric's。〃
The thing against which he had been fighting on and off ever since he had e out of the maze was threatening to overpower him。 He could feel a burning； prickling feeling in the inner corners of his eyes。 He blinked and stared up at the ceiling。
〃It wasn't your fault。 Harry；〃 Mrs。 Weasley whispered。
〃I told him to take the cup with me；〃 said Harry。
Now the burning feeling was in his throat too。 He wished Ron would look away。
Mrs。 Weasley set the potion down on the bedside cabinet； bent down； and put her arms around Harry。 He had no memory of ever being hugged like this； as though by a mother。 The full weight of everything he had seen that night seemed to fall in upon him as Mrs。 Weasley held him to her。 His mother s face； his father's voice； the sight of Cedric； dead on the ground all started spinning in his head until he could hardly bear it； until he was screwing up his face against the howl of misery fighting to get out of him。
There was a loud slamming noise； and Mrs。 Weasley and Harry broke apart。 Hermione was standing by the window。 She was holding something tight in her hand。
〃Sorry；〃 she whispered。
〃Your potion； Harry；〃 said Mrs。 Weasley quickly； wiping her eyes on the back of her hand。
Harry drank it in one gulp。 The effect was instantaneous。 Heavy； irresistible waves of dreamless sleep broke over him； he fell back onto his pillows and thought no more。
CHAPTER THIRTY…SEVEN
THE BEGINNING
When he looked back； even a month later； Harry found he had only scattered memories of the next few days。 It was as though he had been through too much to take in any more。 The recollections he did have were very painful。 The worst； perhaps； was the meeting with the Diggorys that took place the following morning。
They did not blame him for what had happened； on the contrary； both thanked him for returning Cedric's body to them。 Mr。 Diggory sobbed through most of the interview。 Mrs。 Diggory's grief seemed to be beyond tears。
〃He suffered very little then；〃 she said； when Harry had told her how Cedric had died。 〃And after all； Amos 。。。he died just when he'd won the tournament。 He must have been happy。〃
When they got to their feet； she looked down at Harry and said； 〃You look after yourself； now。〃
Harry seized the sack of gold on the bedside table。
〃You take this；〃 he muttered to her。