The Forbidden Forest

           Thingscouldn’thavebeenworse. 

           FilchtookthemdowntoProfessorMcGonagall’sstudyonthefirstfloor,wheretheysatandwaitedwithoutsayingawordtoeachother. Hermionewastrembling. Excuses,alibis,andwildcover-upstorieschasedeachotheraroundHarry’sbrain,eachmorefeeblethanthelast. Hecouldn’tseehowtheyweregoingtogetoutoftroublethistime. Theywerecornered. Howcouldtheyhavebeensostupidastoforgetthecloak? TherewasnoreasononearththatProfessorMcGonagallwouldacceptfortheirbeingoutofbedandcreepingaroundtheschoolinthedeadofnight,letalonebeingupthetallestastronomytower,whichwasout-of-boundsexceptforclasses. AddNorbertandtheinvisibilitycloak,andtheymightaswellbepackingtheirbagsalready. 

           HadHarrythoughtthatthingscouldn’thavebeenworse? Hewaswrong. WhenProfessorMcGonagallappeared,shewasleadingNeville. 

           "Harry! "Nevilleburstout,themomenthesawtheothertwo. "Iwastryingtofindyoutowarnyou,IheardMalfoysayinghewasgoingtocatchyou,hesaidyouhadadrag—" 

           HarryshookhisheadviolentlytoshutNevilleup,butProfessorMcGonagallhadseen. ShelookedmorelikelytobreathefirethanNorbertasshetoweredoverthethreeofthem. 

           "Iwouldneverhavebelieveditofanyofyou. Mr.Filchsaysyouwereupintheastronomytower. It’soneo’clockinthemorning. Explainyourselves." 

           ItwasthefirsttimeHermionehadeverfailedtoanswerateacher’squestion. Shewasstaringatherslippers,asstillasastatue.