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ited standing up in all directions。 There was his mother； alight with happiness； arm in arm with his dad。 And there 。。。 that must be him。 Their best man。。。 Harry had never given him a thought before。
If he hadn't known it was the same person； he would never have guessed it was Black in this old photograph。 His face wasn't sunken and waxy； but handsome； full of laughter。 Had he already been working for Voldemort when this picture had been taken？ Was he already planning the deaths of the two people next to him？ Did he realize he was facing twelve years in Azkaban； twelve years that would make him unrecognizable？
But the dementors don't affect him； Harry thought； staring into the handsome； laughing face。 He doesn't have to hear my Min screaming if they get too close …
Harry slammed the album shut； reached over and stuffed it back into his cabinet； took off his robe and glasses and got into bed； making sure the hangings were hiding him from view。
The dormitory door opened。
〃Harry？〃 said Ron's voice uncertainly。
But Harry still； pretending to be asleep。 He heard Ron leave again； and rolled over on his back； his eyes wide open。
A hatred such as he had never known before was coursing through Harry like poison。 He could see Black laughing at him through the darkness； as though somebody had pasted the picture from the album over his eyes。 He watched； as though somebody was playing him a piece of film； Sirius Black blasting Peter Pettigrew （who resembled Neville Longbottom） into a thousand pieces。 He could hear （though having no idea what Black's voice might sound like） a low； excited mutter。 〃It has happened； My Lord。。。 the Potters have made me their Secret…Keeper and then came another voice； laughing shrilly； the same laugh that Harry heard inside his head whenever the dementors drew near。。。。
〃Harry； you you look terrible。〃
Harry hadn't gotten to sleep until daybreak。 He had awoken to find the dormitory deserted； dressed； and gone down the spiral staircase to a mon room that was pletely empty except for Ron； who was eating a Peppermint Toad and massaging his stomach； and Hermione； who had spread her homework over three tables。
〃Where is everyone？〃 said Harry。
〃Gone！ It's the first day of the holidays； remember？〃 said Ron； watching Harry closely。 〃It's nearly lunchtime； I was going to e and wake you up in a minute。〃
Harry slumped into a chair next to the fire。 Snow was still falling outside the windows。 Crookshanks was spread out in front of the fire like a large； ginger rug。
〃You really don' look well； you know；〃 Hermione said； peering anxiously into his face。
〃I'm fine；〃 said Harry。
〃Harry； listen；〃 said Hermione； exchanging a look with Ron； you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday。 But the thing is； you mustn't go doing anything stupid。〃
〃Like what？〃 said Harry。
〃Like trying to go after Black；〃 said Ron sharply。
Harry could tell they had rehearsed this conversation while he had been asleep。 He didn't say anything。
〃You won't； will you； Harry？〃 said Hermione。
〃Because Black's not worth dying for；〃 said Ron。
Harry looked at them。 They didn't seem to understand at all。
〃D'you know what I see and hear every time a dementor gets too near me？〃 Ron and Hermione shook their heads； looking apprehensive。 〃I can hear my mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort。 And if you'd heard your mum screaming like that； just about to be killed； you wouldn't forget it in a hurry。 And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her 〃
〃There's nothing you can do！〃 said Hermione； looking stricken。 〃The dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and and serve him right！〃
〃You heard what Fudge said。 Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are。 It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others。〃
〃So what are you saying？〃 said Ron； looking very tense。 〃You want to to kill Black or something？〃
〃Don't be silly；〃 said Herinione in a panicky voice。 〃Harry doesn't want to kill anyone； do you； Harry？〃
Again； Harry didn't answer。 He didn't know what he wanted to do。 All he knew was that the idea of doing nothing； while Black was at liberty； was almost more than he could stand。
Malfoy knows；〃 he said abruptly。 〃Remember what he said to me in Potions？ 'If it was me； I'd hunt him down myself。。。 I'd want revenge。
〃You're going to take Malfoy's advice instead of ours？〃 said Ron furiously。 〃Listen。。。 you know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black had finished with him？ Dad told me the Order of Merlin； First Class； and Pettigrew's finger in a box。 That was the biggest bit of him they could find。 Black's a madman； Harry； and he's dangerous 〃
〃Malfoy's dad must have told him；〃 said Harry； ignoring Ron。 〃He was right in Voldemort's inner circle 〃
〃Say You…Know…Who； will you？〃 interjected Ron angrily。
〃 so obviously； the Malfoys knew Black was working for Voldemort 〃
〃 and Malfoy'd love to see you blown into about a million pieces； like Pettigrew！ Get a grip。 Malfoy's just hoping you'll get Yourself killed before he has to play you at Quidditch。〃
〃Harry； please；〃 said Hermione； her eyes now shining with tears； 〃Please be sensible。 Black did a terrible； terrible thing； but d…don't Put Yourself in danger； it's what Black wants。。。。 Oh； Harry； you'd be Playing right into Black's hands if you went looking for him。 Your mum and dad wouldn't want you to get hurt； would they？ They'd never want you to go looking for Black！〃
〃I'll never know what they'd have wanted； because thanks to Black； I've never spoken to them；〃 said Harry shortly。
There was a silence in which Crookshanks stretched luxuriously flexing his claws。 Ron's pocket quivered。
〃Look；〃 said Ron； obviously casting around for a change of subject； 〃it's the holidays！ It's nearly Christmas！ Let's let's go down and see Hagrid。 We haven't visited him for ages！〃
〃No！〃 said Hermione quickly。 〃Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle； Ron 〃
〃Yeah； let's go；〃 said Harry； sitting up； 〃and I can ask him how e he never mentioned Black when he told me all about my parents！〃
Further discussion of Sirius Black plainly wasn't what Ron had had in mind。
〃Or we could have a game of chess； he said hastily； 〃or Gobstones。 Percy left a set 〃
〃No； let's visit Hagrid；〃 said Harry firmly。
So they got their cloaks from their dormitories and set off through the portrait hole （〃Stand and fight； you yellow…bellied mongrels！〃）； down through the empty castle and out through the oak front doors。
They made their way slowly down the lawn； making a shallow trench in the glittering； powdery snow； their socks and the hems of their cloaks soaked and freezing。 The Forbidden Forest looked as though it had been enchanted； each tree smattered with silver； and Hagrid's cabin looked like an iced cake。
Ron knocked； but there was no answer。
〃He's not out； is he？〃 said Hermione； who was shivering under her cloak。
Ron had his ear to the door。
〃There's a weird noise；〃 he said。 〃Listen is that Fang？〃
Harry and Hermione put th