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way from them across the scrubby patch of ground that rose to meet the rocky foot of the mountain。 Harry； Ron； and Hermione climbed over the stile and followed。
Sirius led them to the very foot of the mountain； where the ground was covered with boulders and rocks。 It was easy for him； with his four paws； but Harry； Ron； and Hermione were soon out of breath。 They followed Sirius higher； up onto the mountain itself。 For nearly half an hour they climbed a steep； winding； and stony path； following Sirius's wagging tail； sweating in the sun； the shoulder straps of Harry's bag cutting into his shoulders。
Then； at last； Sirius slipped out of sight； and when they reached the place where he had vanished； they saw a narrow fissure in the rock。 They squeezed into it and found themselves in a cool； dimly lit cave。 Tethered at the end of it； one end of his rope around a large rock； was Buckbeak the hippogriff。 Half gray horse； half giant eagle； Buckbeak's fierce orange eye flashed at the sight of them。 All three of them bowed low to him； and after regarding them imperiously for a moment； Buckbeak bent his scaly front knees and allowed Hermione to rush forward and stroke his feathery neck。 Harry； however； was looking at the black dog； which had just turned into his godfather。
Sirius was wearing ragged gray robes； the same ones he had been wearing when he had left Azkaban。 His black hair was longer than it had been when he had appeared in the fire； and it was untidy and matted once more。 He looked very thin。
〃Chicken！〃 he said hoarsely after removing the old Daily Prophets from his mouth and throwing them down onto the cave floor。
Harry pulled open his bag and handed over the bundle of chicken legs and bread。
〃Thanks；〃 said Sirius； opening it； grabbing a drumstick； sitting down on the cave floor； and tearing off a large chunk with his teeth。 〃I've been living off rats mostly。 Can't steal too much food from Hogsmeade； I'd draw attention to myself。〃
He grinned up at Harry； but Harry returned the grin only reluctantly。
〃What're you doing here； Sirius？〃 he said。
〃Fulfilling my duty as godfather；〃 said Sirius； gnawing on the chicken bone in a very doglike way。 〃Don't worry about it； I'm pretending to be a lovable stray。〃
He was still grinning； but seeing the anxiety in Harrys face； said more seriously； 〃I
want to be on the spot。 Your last letter 。 。 。 well； let's just say things are getting fishier。 I've been stealing the paper every time someone throws one out； and by the looks of things； I'm not the only one who's getting worried。〃
He nodded at the yellowing Daily Prophets on the cave floor； and Ron picked them up and unfolded them。 Harry； however； continued to stare at Sirius。
〃What if they catch you？ What if you're seen？〃
〃You three and Dumbledore are the only ones around here who know I'm an Animagus；〃 said Sirius； shrugging； and continuing to devour the chicken leg。
Ron nudged Harry and passed him the Daily Prophets。 There were two： The first bore the headline Mystery Illness ofBartemius Crouch； the second； Ministry Witch Still Missing…Minister of Magic Now Personally Involved。
Harry scanned the story about Crouch。 Phrases jumped out at him： hasn't been seen in public since November。 。 。 house appears deserted。 。 。 St。 Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries decline ment。 。 。 Ministry refuses to confirm rumors of critical illness。 。 。 。
〃They're making it sound like he's dying；〃 said Harry slowly。 〃But he can't be that ill if he managed to get up here。 。 。 。〃
〃My brothers Crouch's personal assistant；〃 Ron informed Sirius。 〃He says Crouch is suffering from overwork。〃
〃Mind you； he did look ill； last time I saw him up close；〃 said Harry slowly； still reading the story。 〃The night my name came out of the goblet。 。。。〃
〃Getting his euppance for sacking Winky； isn't he？〃 said Hermione； an edge to her voice。 She was stroking Buckbeak； who was crunching up Sirius's chicken bones。 〃I bet he wishes he hadn't done it now … bet he feels the difference now she's not there to look after him。〃
〃Hermione's obsessed with house…elfs；〃 Ron muttered to Sirius； casting Hermione a dark look。 Sirius； however； looked interested。
〃Crouch sacked his house…elf？〃
〃Yeah； at the Quidditch World Cup；〃 said Harry； and he launched into the story of the Dark Mark's appearance； and Winky being found with Harrys wand clutched in her hand； and Mr。 Crouch's fury。 When Harry had finished； Sirius was on his feet again and had started pacing up and down the cave。
〃Let me get this straight；〃 he said after a while； brandishing a fresh chicken leg。 〃You first saw the elfin the Top Box。 She was saving Crouch a seat； right？〃
〃Right；〃 said Harry； Ron； and Hermione together。
〃But Crouch didn't turn up for the match？〃
〃No；〃 said Harry。 〃I think he said he'd been too busy。〃
Sirius paced all around the cave in silence。 Then he said； 〃Harry； did you check your pockets for your wand after you'd left the Top Box？〃
〃Erm 。 。 。〃 Harry thought hard。 〃No；〃 he said finally。 〃I didn't need to use it before we got in the forest。 And then I put my hand in my pocket； and all that was in there were my Omnioculars。〃 He stared at Sirius。 〃Are you saying whoever conjured the Mark stole my wand in the Top Box？〃
〃It's possible；〃 said Sirius。
〃Winky didn't steal that wand！〃 Hermione insisted。
〃The elf wasn't the only one in that box；〃 said Sirius； his brow furrowed as he continued to pace。 〃Who else was sitting behind you？〃
〃Loads of people；〃 said Harry。 〃Some Bulgarian ministers 。。 。 Cornelius Fudge 。。。 the Malfoys 。。。〃
〃The Malfoys！〃 said Ron suddenly； so loudly that his voice echoed all around the cave； and Buckbeak tossed his head nervously。 〃I bet it was Lucius Malfoy！〃
〃Anyone else？〃 said Sirius。
〃No one；〃 said Harry。
〃Yes； there was； there was Ludo Bagman；〃 Hermione reminded him。
〃Oh yeah 。 。 。〃
〃I don't know anything about Bagman except that he used to be Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps；〃 said Sirius； still pacing。 〃What's he like？〃
〃He's okay；〃 said Harry。 〃He keeps offering to help me with the Triwizard Tournament。〃
〃Does he； now？〃 said Sirius； frowning more deeply。 〃I wonder why he'd do that？〃
〃Says he's taken a liking to me；〃 said Harry。
〃Hmm；〃 said Sirius； looking thoughtful。
〃We saw him in the forest just before the Dark Mark appeared；〃 Hermione told Sirius。
〃Remember？〃 she said to Harry and Ron。
〃Yeah； but he didn't stay in the forest； did he？〃 said Ron。 〃The moment we told him about the riot； he went off to the campsite。〃
〃How d'you know？〃 Hermione shot back。 〃How d'you know where he Disapparated to？〃
〃e off it；〃 said Ron incredulously。 〃Are you saying you reckon Ludo Bagman conjured the Dark Mark？〃
〃It's more likely he did it than Winky；〃 said Hermione stubbornly。
〃Told you；〃 said Ron； looking meaningfully at Sirius； 〃told you she's obsessed with house …〃
But Sirius held up a hand to silence Ron。
〃When the Dark Mark had been conjured； and the elf had been discovered holding Harry's wand； what did Crouch do？〃
〃Went to look in th