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'Fine；' he said coolly； rummaging in his pockets； 'be like that。 Don't tell us anything。'
'Looking for these？' said George； holding out what looked like a tangle of flesh…coloured string。
'You read my mind；' said Fred； grinning。 'Let's see if St Mungo's puts Imperturbable Charms on its ward doors； shall we？'
He and George disentangled the string and separated five Extendable Ears from each other。 Fred and George handed them around。 Harry hesitated to take one。
'Go on； Harry； take it！ You saved Dad's life。 If anyone's got the right to eavesdrop on him； it's you。'
Grinning in spite of himself； Harry took the end of the string and inserted it into his ear as the twins had done。
'OK； go！' Fred whispered。
The flesh…coloured strings wriggled like long skinny worms and snaked under the door。 At first； Harry could hear nothing； then he jumped as he heard Tonks whispering as clearly as though she were standing right beside him。
'： they searched the whole area but couldn't find the snake anywhere。 It just seems to have vanished after it attacked you； Arthur： but You…Know…Who can't have expected a snake to get in； can he？'
'I reckon he sent it as a lookout；' growled Moody； 〃cause he's not had any luck so far； has he？ No； I reckon he's trying to get a clearer picture of what he's facing and if Arthur hadn't been there the beast would've had a lot more time to look around。 So； Potter says he saw it all happen？'
'Yes；' said Mrs Weasley。 She sounded rather uneasy。 'You know； Dumbledore seems almost to have been waiting for Harry to see something like this。'
'Yeah； well；' said Moody； 'there's something funny about the Potter kid； we all know that。'
'Dumbledore seemed worried about Harry when I spoke to him this morning；' whispered Mrs Weasley。
'Course he's worried；' growled Moody。 'The boy's seeing things from inside You…Know…Who's snake。 Obviously； Potter doesn't realise what that means； but if You…Know…Who's possessing him …'
Harry pulled the Extendable Ear out of his own； his heart hammering very fast and heat rushing up his face。 He looked around at the others。 They were all staring at him； the strings still trailing from their ears； looking suddenly fearful。
… CHAPTER TWENTY…THREE …
Christmas on the Closed Ward
Was this why Dumbledore would no longer meet Harry's eyes？ Did he expect to see Voldemort staring out of them； afraid； perhaps； that their vivid green might turn suddenly to scarlet； with catlike slits for pupils？ Harry remembered how the snakelike face of Voldemort had once forced itself out of the back of Professor Quirrell's head and ran his hand over the back of his own； wondering what it would feel like if Voldemort burst out of his skull。
He felt dirty； contaminated； as though he were carrying some deadly germ； unworthy to sit on the Underground train back from the hospital with innocent； clean people whose minds and bodies were free of the taint of Voldemort： he had not merely seen the snake； he had been the snake； he knew it now：
A truly terrible thought then occurred to him； a memory bobbing to the surface of his mind； one that made his insides writhe and squirm like serpents。
What's he after； apart from followers？
Stuff he can only get by stealth： like a weapon。 Something he didn't have last time。
I'm the weapon； Harry thought； and it was as though poison were pumping through his veins； chilling him； bringing him out in a sweat as he swayed with the train through the dark tunnel。 I'm the one Voldemort's trying to use； that's why they've got guards around me everywhere I go； it's not for my protection； it's for other people's； only it's not working； they can't have someone on me all the time at Hogwarts： I did attack Mr Weasley last night； it was me。 Voldemort made me do it and he could be inside me； listening to my thoughts right now …
'Are you all right； Harry； dear？' whispered Mrs Weasley leaning across Ginny to speak to him as the train rattled along through its dark tunnel。 'You don't look very well。 Are you feeling sick？'
They were all watching him。 He shook his head violently and stared up at an advertisement for home insurance。
'Harry； dear； are you sure you're all right？' said Mrs Weasley in a worried voice； as they walked around the unkempt patch of grass in the middle of Grimmauld Place。 'You look ever so pale： are you sure you slept this morning？ You go upstairs to bed right now and you can have a couple of hours of sleep before dinner； all right？'
He nodded； here was a ready…made excuse not to talk to any of the others； which was precisely what he wanted； so when she opened the front door he hurried straight past the troll's…leg umbrella stand； up the stairs and into his and Ron's bedroom。
Here； he began to pace up and down； past the two beds and Phineas Nigellus's empty picture frame； his brain teeming and seething with questions and ever more dreadful ideas。
How had he bee a snake？ Perhaps he was an Animagus： no； he couldn't be； he would know： perhaps Voldemort was an Animagus： yes； thought Harry； that would fit； he would turn into a snake of course： and when he's possessing me； then we both transform： that still doesn't explain how I got to London and back to my bed in the space of about five minutes： but then Voldemort's about the most powerful wizard in the world； apart from Dumbledore； it's probably no problem at all to him to transport people like that。
And then； with a terrible stab of panic； he thought； but this is insane … if Voldemort's possessing me； I'm giving him a dear view into the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix right now！ He'll know who's in the Order and where Sirius is： and I've heard loads of stuff I shouldn't have； everything Sirius told me the first night I was here：
There was only one thing for it： he would have to leave Grimmauld Place straightaway。 He would spend Christmas at
Hogwarts without the others； which would keep them safe over the holidays at least： but no； that wouldn't do； there were still plenty of people at Hogwarts to maim and injure。 What if it was Seamus； Dean or Neville next time？ He stopped his pacing and stood staring at Phineas Nigellus's empty frame。 A leaden sensation was settling in the pit of his stomach。 He had no alternative： he was going to have to return to Privet Drive； cut himself off from other wizards entirely。
Well； if he had to do it； he thought； there was no point hanging around。 Trying with all his might not to think how the Dursleys were going to react when they found him on their doorstep six months earlier than they had expected； he strode over to his trunk； slammed the lid shut and locked it； then glanced around automatically for Hedwig before remembering that she was still at Hogwarts … well； her cage would be one less thing to carry … he seized one end of his trunk and had dragged it halfway towards the door when a snide voice said； 'Running away； are we？'
He looked around。 Phineas Nigellus had appeared on the canvas of his portrait and was leaning against the frame； watching Harry with an amused expression on his face。
'Not running away； no；' said Harry shortly； dragging his trunk a few more feet across the room。
'I thought；' said Phineas Nigellus； stroking his pointed beard； 'that to belong in Gryffindor house you were supposed to be brave！ It looks to me as though you would have been better off in my own house。 We Slytherins are brave； yes； but not stupid。 For instance； given the choice； we will always choose to save our own necks。'
'It's not my own neck I'm saving；' said Harry tersely； tugging the trunk over a patch of particularly uneven； moth…eaten carpet right in front of the door。
'Oh； I see；' said Phineas Nigellus； still stroking his beard； 'this is no cowardly flight … you are being noble。'
Harry ignored him。 His hand was on the doorknob when Phineas Nigellus said lazily； 'I have a message for you from Albus Dumbledore。'
Harry span round。
'What is it？'
'〃Stay where you are。〃'
'I haven't moved！' said Harry； his hand still upon the doorknob。 'So what's the message？'
'I have just given it to you； dolt；' said Phineas Nigellus smoothly。 'Dumbledore says； 〃Stay where you are。'〃
'Why？' said Harry eagerly； dropping the end of his trunk。 'Why does he want me to stay？ What else did he say？'
'Nothing whatsoever；' said Phineas Nigellus； raising a thin black eyebrow as though he found Harry impertinent。
Harry's temper rose to the surface like a snake rearing from long grass。 He was exhausted； he was confused beyond measure； he had experienced terror； relief； then terror again in the last twelve hours； and still Dumbledore did not want to talk to him！
'So that's it； is it？' he said loudly。 '〃Stay where you are〃！ That's all anyone could tell me after I got attacked by those Dementors； too！ Just stay put while the grown…ups sort it out； Harry！ We won't bother telling you anything； though； because your tiny little brain might not be able to cope with it！'
'You know；' said Phineas Nigellus； even more loudly than Ha