After the burial

           Patchesofbrightblueskywerebeginningtoappearoverthecastleturrets,butthesesignsofapproachingsummerdidnotliftHarry’smood.Hehadbeenthwarted,bothinhisattemptstofindoutwhatMalfoywasdoing,andinhiseffortstostartaconversationwithSlughornthatmightlead,somehow,toSlughornhandingoverthememoryhehadapparentlysuppressedfordecades.

           "Forthelasttime,justforgetaboutMalfoy,"HermionetoldHarryfirmly.

           TheyweresittingwithRoninasunnycornerofthecourtyardafterlunch.HermioneandRonwerebothclutchingaMinistryofMagicleaflet:CommonApparitionMistakesandHowtoAvoidThem,fortheyweretakingtheirteststhatveryafternoon,butbyandlargetheleafletshadnotprovedsoothingtothenerves.RongaveastartandtriedtohidebehindHermioneasagirlcamearoundthecorner.

           "Itisn’tLavender,"saidHermionewearily.

           "Oh,good,"saidRon,relaxing.

           "HarryPotter?"saidthegirl."Iwasaskedtogiveyouthis."

           "Thanks..."

           Harry’sheartsankashetookthesmallscrollofparchment.Oncethegirlwasoutofearshothesaid,"Dumbledoresaidwewouldn’tbehavinganymorelessonsuntilIgotthememory!"

           "Maybehewantstocheckonhowyou’redoing?"suggestedHermione,asHarryunrolledtheparchment;butratherthanfindingDumbledore’slong,narrow,slantedwritinghesawanuntidysprawl,verydifficulttoreadduetothepresenceoflargeblotchesontheparchmentwheretheinkhadrun.

           DearHarry,RonandHermione,

           Aragogdiedlastnight.