The unknownable room

           HarrywrackedhisbrainsoverthenextweekastohowhewastopersuadeSlughorntohandoverthetruememory,butnothinginthenatureofabrainwaveoccurredandhewasreducedtodoingwhathedidincreasinglythesedayswhenataloss:poringoverhisPotionsbook,hopingthatthePrincewouldhavescribbledsomethingusefulinamargin,ashehaddonesomanytimesbefore.

           "Youwon’tfindanythinginthere,"saidHermionefirmly,lateonSundayevening.

           "Don’tstart,Hermione,"saidHarry."Ifithadn’tbeenforthePrince,Ronwouldn’tbesittingherenow."

           "Hewouldifyou’djustlistenedtoSnapeinourfirstyear,"saidHermionedismissively.

           Harryignoredher.Hehadjustfoundanincantation(Sectumsempra!)scrawledinamarginabovetheintriguingwords"Forenemies,"andwasitchingtotryitout,butthoughtitbestnottoinfrontofHermione.Instead,hesurreptitiouslyfoldeddownthecornerofthepage.

           Theyweresittingbesidethefireinthecommonroom;theonlyotherpeopleawakewerefellowsixth-years.TherehadbeenacertainamountofexcitementearlierwhentheyhadcomebackfromdinnertofindanewsignonthenoticeboardthatannouncedthedatefortheirApparitionTest.Thosewhowouldbeseventeenonorbeforethefirsttestdate,thetwenty-firstofApril,hadtheoptionofsigningupforadditionalpracticesessions,whichwouldtakeplace(heavilysupervised)inHogsmeade.

           Ronhadpanickedonreadingthisnotice;hehadstillnotmanagedtoApparateandfearedhewouldnotbereadyforthetest.