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ches； flickering in the rush of air from the lift。
Harry turned towards the plain black door。 After months and months of dreaming about it； he was here at last。
'Let's go；' he whispered； and he led the way down the corridor； Luna right behind him； gazing around with her mouth slightly open。
'OK； listen；' said Harry stopping again within six feet of the door。 'Maybe： maybe a couple of people should stay here as a … as a lookout； and …'
'And how're we going to let you know something's ing？' asked Ginny； her eyebrows raised。 'You could be miles away。'
'We're ing with you； Harry；' said Neville。
'Let's get on with it；' said Ron firmly。
Harry still did not want to take them all with him； but it seemed he had no choice。 He turned to face the door and walked forwards： just as it had in his dream； it swung open and he marched over the threshold； the others at his heels。
They were standing in a large； circular room。 Everything in here was black including the floor and ceiling； identical； unmarked； handleless black doors were set at intervals all around the black walls； interspersed with branches of candles whose flames burned blue； their cool； shimmering light reflected in the shining marble floor made it look as though there was dark water underfoot。
'Someone shut the door；' Harry muttered。
He regretted giving this order the moment Neville had obeyed it。 Without the long chink of light from the torchlit corridor behind them； the place became so dark that for a moment the only things they could see were the bunches of shivering blue flames on the walls and their ghostly reflections in the floor。
In his dream； Harry had always walked purposefully across this room to the door immediately opposite the entrance and walked on。 But there were around a dozen doors here。 Just as he was gazing ahead at the doors opposite him； trying to decide which was the right one； there was a great rumbling noise and the candles began to move sideways。 The circular wall was rotating。
Hermione grabbed Harry's arm as though frightened the floor might move； too； but it did not。 For a few seconds； the blue flames around them were blurred to resemble neon lines as the wall sped around； then； quite as suddenly as it had started； the rumbling stopped and everything became stationary once again。
Harry's eyes had blue streaks burned into them； it was all he could see。
'What was that about？' whispered Ron fearfully。
'I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in through；' said Ginny in a hushed voice。
Harry realised at once she was right： he could no sooner identify the exit door than locate an ant on the jet…black floor； and the door through which they needed to proceed could be any one of the dozen surrounding them。
'How're we going to get back out？' said Neville unfortably。
'Well； that doesn't matter now；' said Harry forcefully； blinking to try to erase the blue lines from his vision； and clutching his wand tighter than ever； 'we won't need to get out till we've found Sinus …'
'Don't go calling for him； though！' Hermione said urgently； but Harry had never needed her advice less； his instinct was to keep as quiet as possible。
'Where do we go； then； Harry？' Ron asked。
'I don't …' Harry began。 He swallowed。 'In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room … that's this one … and then I went through another door into a room that kind of： glitters。 We should try a few doors；' he said hastily； 'I'll know the right way when I see it。 C'mon。'
He marched straight at the door now facing him； the others following close behind him； set his left hand against its cool； shining surface； raised his wand ready to strike the moment it opened； and pushed。
It swung open easily。
After the darkness of the first room； the lamps hanging low on golden chains from this ceiling gave the impression that this long rectangular room was much brighter； though there were no glittering； shimmering lights as Harry had seen in his dreams。 The place was quite empty except for a few desks and； in the very middle of the room； an enormous glass tank of deep green liquid； big enough for all of them to swim in； a number of pearly…white objects were drifting around lazily in it。
'What're those things？' whispered Ron。
'Dunno；' said Harry。
'Are they fish？' breathed Ginny。
'Aquavirius Maggots！' said Luna excitedly。 'Dad said the Ministry were breeding …'
'No；' said Hermione。 She sounded odd。 She moved forward to look through the side of the tank。 They're brains。'
'Brains？'
'Yes： I wonder what they're doing with them？'
Harry joined her at the tank。 Sure enough； there could be no mistake now he saw them at close quarters。 Glimmering eerily； they drifted in and out of sight in the depths of the green liquid； looking something like slimy cauliflowers。
'Let's get out of here；' said Harry。 This isn't right； we need to try another door。'
There are doors here； too；' said Ron； pointing around the walls。 Harry's heart sank； how big was this place？
'In my dream I went through that dark room into the second one；' he said。 'I think we should go back and try from there。'
So they hurried back into the dark； circular room； the ghostly shapes of the brains were now swimming before Harry's eyes instead of the blue candle flames。
'Wait！' said Hermione sharply； as Luna made to close the door of the brain room behind them。 'Flagrate！'
She drew with her wand in midair and a fiery 'X' appeared on the door。 No sooner had the door clicked shut behind them than there was a great rumbling； and once again the wall began to revolve very fast； but now there was a great red…gold blur in amongst the faint blue and； when all became still again； the fiery cross still burned； showing the door they had already tried。
'Good thinking；' said Harry。 'OK； let's try this one …'
Again； he strode directly at the door facing him and pushed it open； his wand still raised； the others at his heels。
This room was larger than the last； dimly lit and rectangular； and the centre of it was sunken； forming a great stone pit some twenty feet deep。 They were standing on the topmost tier of what seemed to be stone benches running all around the room and descending in steep steps like an amphitheatre； or the courtroom in which Harry had been tried by the Wizengamot。 Instead of a chained chair； however； there was a raised stone dais in the centre of the pit； on which stood a stone archway that looked so ancient； cracked and crumbling that Harry was amazed the thing was still standing。 Unsupported by any surrounding wall； the archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which； despite the plete stillness of the cold surrounding air； was fluttering very slightly as though it had just been touched。
'Who's there？' said Harry； jumping down on to the bench below。 There was no answering voice； but the veil continued to flutter and sway。
'Careful！' whispered Hermione。
Harry scrambled down the benches one by one until he reached the stone bottom of the sunken pit。 His footsteps echoed loudly as he walked slowly towards the dais。 The pointed archway looked much taller from where he now stood than it had when he'd been looking down on it from above。 Still the veil swayed gently； as though somebody had just passed through it。
'Sirius？' Harry spoke again； but more quietly now that he was nearer。
He had the strangest feeling that there was someone standing right behind the veil on the other side of the archway。 Gripping his wand very tightly； he edged around the dais； but there was nobody there； all that could be seen was the other side of the tattered black veil。
'Let's go；' called Hermione from halfway up the stone steps。 This isn't right； Harry； e on； let's go。'
She sounded scared； much more scared than she had in the room where the brains swam； yet Harry thought the archway had a kind of beauty about it； old though it was。 The gently rippling veil intrigued him； he felt a very strong inclination to climb up on the dais and walk through it。
'Harry； let's go； OK？' said Hermione more forcefully。
'OK；' he said； but did not move。 He had just heard something。 There were faint whispering； murmuring noises ing from the other side of the veil。
'What are you saying？' he said； very loudly； so that his words echoed all around the stone benches。
'Nobody's talking； Harry！' said Hermione； now moving over to him。
'Someone's whispering behind there；' he said； moving out of her reach and continuing to frown at the veil。 'Is that you； Ron？'
'I'm here； mate；' said Ron； appearing around the side of the archway。
'Can't anyone else hear it？' Harry demanded； for the whispering and murmuring was being louder； without really meaning to put it there； he found his foot was on the dais。
'I can hear them too；' breathed Luna； joining them around the side of the archway and gazing at the swaying veil。 There are people in there！'
'What do you mean； 〃in there〃？' demanded Hermione； jumping down from the bottom step and sounding much angrier than the occas