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'Funnily enough； it does；' said Nearly Headless Nick in a bored voice。 'Subtlety has never been Peeves's strong point。 I'm off to try and find the Bloody Baron： he might be able to put a stop to it： see you； Harry'。
'Yeah； bye；' said Harry and instead of turning right； he turned left； taking a longer but safer route up to the Owlery。 His spirits rose as he walked past window after window showing brilliantly blue sky； he had training later； he would be back on the Quidditch pitch at last。
Something brushed his ankles。 He looked down and saw the caretaker's skeletal grey cat； Mrs Norns； slinking past him。 She turned lamplike yellow eyes on him for a moment before disappearing behind a statue of Wilfred the Wistful。
'I'm not doing anything wrong；' Harry called after her。 She had the unmistakeable air of a cat that was off to report to her boss； yet Harry could not see why； he was perfectly entitled to walk up to the Owlery on a Saturday morning。
The sun was high in the sky now and when Harry entered the Owlery the glassless windows dazzled his eyes； thick silvery beams of sunlight crisscrossed the circular room in which hundreds of owls nestled on rafters； a little restless in the early…morning light； some clearly just returned from hunting。 The straw…covered floor crunched a little as he stepped across tiny animal bones； craning his neck for a sight of Hedwig。
There you are；' he said； spotting her somewhere near the very top of the vaulted ceiling。 'Get down here； I've got a letter for you。〃
With a low hoot she stretched her great white wings and soared down on to his shoulder。
'Right； I know this says Snuffles on the outside；' he told her； giving her the letter to clasp in her beak and； without knowing exactly why； whispering； 'but it's for Sirius； OK？'
She blinked her amber eyes once and he took that to mean that she understood。
'Safe flight； then；' said Harry and he carried her to one of the windows； with a moment's pressure on his arm； Hedwig took off into the blindingly bright sky。 He watched her until she became a tiny black speck and vanished； then switched his gaze to Hagrid's hut； clearly visible from this window； and just as clearly uninhabited； the chimney smokeless； the curtains drawn。
The treetops of the Forbidden Forest swayed in a light breeze。 Harry watched them； savouring the fresh air on his face； thinking about Quidditch later： then he saw it。 A great； reptilian winged horse； just like the ones pulling the Hogwarts carriages； with leathery black wings spread wide like a pterodactyl's； rose up out of the trees like a grotesque； giant bird。 It soared in a great circle； then plunged back into the trees。 The whole thing had happened so quickly； Harry could hardly believe what he had seen； except that his heart was hammering madly。
The Owlery door opened behind him。 He leapt in shock and； turning quickly； saw Cho Chang holding a letter and a parcel in her hands。
'Hi；' said Harry automatically。
'Oh： hi；' she said breathlessly。 'I didn't think anyone would be up here this early： I only remembered five minutes ago； it's my mum's birthday。'
She held up the parcel。
'Right；' said Harry。 His brain seemed to have jammed。 He wanted to say something funny and interesting； but the memory of that terrible winged horse was fresh in his mind。
'Nice day；' he said； gesturing to the windows。 His insides seemed to shrivel with embarrassment。 The weather。 He was talking about the weather：
'Yeah；' said Cho； looking around for a suitable owl。 'Good Quidditch conditions。 I haven't been out all week； have you？'
'No；' said Harry。
Cho had selected one of the school barn owls。 She coaxed it down on to her arm where it held out an obliging leg so that she could attach the parcel。
'Hey； has Gryffindor got a new Keeper yet？' she asked。
'Yeah；' said Harry。 'It's my friend Ron Weasley； d'you know him？'
The Tornados…hater？' said Cho rather coolly。 'Is he any good？'
'Yeah；' said Harry； 'I think so。 I didn't see his tryout； though； I was in detention。'
Cho looked up； the parcel only half…attached to the owl's legs。
That Umbridge woman's foul；' she said in a low voice。 'Putting you in detention just because you told the truth about how … how … how he died。 Everyone heard about it； it was all over the school。 You were really brave standing up to her like that。'
Harry's insides re…inflated so rapidly he felt as though he might actually float a few inches off the dropping…strewn floor。 Who cared about a stupid flying horse； Cho thought he had been really brave。 For a moment； he considered accidentally…on…purpose showing her his cut hand as he helped her tie her parcel on to her owl： but the very instant this thrilling thought occurred； the Owlery door opened again。
Filch the caretaker came wheezing into the room。 There were purple patches on his sunken； veined cheeks； his jowls were aquiver and his thin grey hair dishevelled； he had obviously run here。 Mrs Norris came trotting at his heels； gazing up at the owls overhead and mewing hungrily。 There was a restless shifting of wings from above and a large brown owl snapped his beak in a menacing fashion。
'Aha！' said Filch； taking a flat…footed step towards Harry； his pouchy cheeks trembling with anger。 'I've had a tip…off that you are intending to place a massive order for Dungbombs'。
Harry folded his arms and stared at the caretaker。
'Who told you I was ordering Dungbombs？'
Cho was looking from Harry to Filch； also frowning； the barn owl on her arm； tired of standing on one leg； gave an admonitory hoot but she ignored it。
'I have my sources；' said Filch in a self…satisfied hiss。 'Now hand over whatever it is you're sending。'
Feeling immensely thankful that he had not dawdled in posting off the letter； Harry said； 'I can't； it's gone。'
'Gone？' said Filch； his face contorting with rage。
'Gone；' said Harry calmly。
Filch opened his mouth furiously； mouthed for a few seconds； then raked Harry's robes with his eyes。
'How do I know you haven't got it in your pocket？'
'Because …'
'I saw him send it；' said Cho angrily。
Filch rounded on her。
'You saw him …？'
That's right； I saw him；' she said fiercely。
There was a moments pause in which Filch glared at Cho and Cho glared right back； then the caretaker turned on his heel and shuffled back towards the door。 He stopped with his hand on the handle and looked back at Harry。
'If I get so much as a whiff of a Dungbomb
He stumped off down the stairs。 Mrs Norris cast a last longing look at the owls and followed him。
Harry and Cho looked at each other。
Thanks；' Harry said。
'No problem；' said Cho； finally fixing the parcel to the barn owl's other leg； her face slightly pink。 'You weren't ordering Dungbombs； were you？'
'No；' said Harry。
'I wonder why he thought you were； then？' she said as she carried the owl to the window。
Harry shrugged。 He was quite as mystified by that as she was； though oddly it was not bothering him very much at the moment。
They left the Owlery together。 At the entrance of a corridor that led towards the west wing of the castle； Cho said； 'I'm going this way。 Well； I'll： I'll see you around； Harry。'
'Yeah： see you。'
She smiled at him and departed。 Harry walked on； feeling quietly elated。 He had managed to have an entire conversation with her and not embarrassed himself once： you were really brave standing up to her like that： Cho had called him brave： she did not hate him for being alive：
Ol course； she had preferred Cedric； he knew that： though if he'd only asked her to the Ball before Cedric had； things might have turned out differently： she had seemed sincerely sorry that she'd had to refuse when Harry asked her：
'Morning；' Harry said brightly to Ron and Hermione as he joined them at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall。
'What are you looking so pleased about？' said Ron； eyeing Harry in surprise。
'Erm： Quidditch later；' said Harry happily； pulling a large platter of bacon and eggs towards him。
'Oh： yeah：' said Ron。 He put down the piece of toast he was eating and took a large swig of pumpkin juice。 Then he said； 'Listen： you don't fancy going out a bit earlier with me； do you？ Just to … er … give me some practice before training？ So I can； you know； get my eye in a bit。'
'Yeah； OK；' said Harry。
'Look； I don't think you should；' said Hermione seriously。 'You're both really behind on homework as it …'
But she broke off； the morning post was arriving and； as usual； the Daily Prophet was soaring towards her in the beak of a screech owl； which landed perilously close to the sugar bowl and held out a leg。 Hermione pushed a Knut into its leather pouch； took the newspaper； and scanned the front page critically as the owl took off。
'Anything interesting？' said Ron。 Harry grinned； knowing Ron was keen to keep her off the subject of homework。
'No；' she sighed； 'just some guff about the bass player in the Weird Sisters getting married。'
Hermione opened the paper and disappeared behind it。 Harry d