Grim Defeat

           ProfessorDumbledoresentalltheGryffindorsbacktotheGreatHall,wheretheywerejoinedtenminuteslaterbythestudentsfromHufflepuff,Ravenclaw,andSlytherin,whoalllookedextremelyconfused.

           "TheteachersandIneedtoconductathoroughsearchofthecastle,"ProfessorDumbledoretoldthemasProfessorsMcGonagallandFlitwickclosedalldoorsintothehall."I’mafraidthat,foryourownsafety,youwillhavetospendthenighthere.IwanttheprefectstostandguardovertheentrancestothehallandIamleavingtheHeadBoyandGirlincharge.Anydisturbanceshouldbereportedtomeimmediately,"headdedtoPercy,whowaslookingimmenselyproudandimportant."Sendwordwithoneoftheghosts."

           ProfessorDumbledorepaused,abouttoleavethehall,andsaid,"Oh,yes,you’llbeneeding..."

           Onecasualwaveofhiswandandthelongtablesflewtotheedgesofthehallandstoodthemselvesagainstthewalls;anotherwave,andthefloorwascoveredwithhundredsofsquashypurplesleepingbags.

           "Sleepwell,"saidProfessorDumbledore,closingthedoorbehindhim.

           Thehallimmediatelybegantobuzzexcitedly;theGryffindorsweretellingtherestoftheschoolwhathadjusthappened.

           "Everyoneintotheirsleepingbags!"shoutedPercy."Comeon,now,nomoretalking!Lightsoutintenminutes!"

           "C’mon,"RonsaidtoHarryandHermione;theyseizedthreesleepingbagsanddraggedthemintoacorner.

           "DoyouthinkBlack’sstillinthecastle?"Hermionewhisperedanxiously.

           "Dumbledoreobviouslythinkshemightbe,"saidRon.