Bathilda’s Secret

           Harry,stop."

           "What’swrong?"

           TheyhadonlyjustreachedthegraveoftheunknownAbbott.

           "There’ssomeonethere.Someonewatchingus.Icantell.There,overbythebushes."

           Theystoodquitestill,holdingontoeachother,gazingatthedenseblackboundaryofthegraveyard.Harrycouldnotseeanything.

           "Areyousure?"

           "Isawsomethingmove,IcouldhaveswornIdid...."

           Shebrokefromhimtofreeherwandarm.

           "WelooklikeMuggles,"Harrypointedout.

           "Muggleswho’vejustbeenlayingflowersonyourparents’grave!Harry,I’msurethere’ssomeoneoverthere!"

           HarrythoughtofAHistoryofMagic;thegraveyardwassupposedtobehaunted:whatif—?ButthenheheardarustleandsawalittleeddyofdislodgedsnowinthebushtowhichHermionehadpointed.Ghostscouldnotmovesnow.

           "It’sacat,"saidHarry,afterasecondortwo,"orabird.IfitwasaDeathEaterwe’dbedeadbynow.Butlet’sgetoutofhere,andwecanputtheCloakbackon."

           Theyglancedbackrepeatedlyastheymadetheirwayoutofthegraveyard.Harry,whodidnotfeelassanguineashehadpretendedwhenreassuringHermione,wasgladtoreachthegateandtheslipperypavement.TheypulledtheInvisibilityCloakbackoverthemselves.Thepubwasfullerthanbefore:Manyvoicesinsideitwerenowsingingthecarolthattheyhadheardastheyapproachedthechurch.