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'Careful！' whispered Hermione。
Harry scrambled down the benches one by one until he reached the stone bottom of the sunken pit。 His footsteps echoed loudly as he walked slowly towards the dais。 The pointed archway looked much taller from where he now stood than it had when he'd been looking down on it from above。 Still the veil swayed gently； as though somebody had just passed through it。
'Sirius？' Harry spoke again； but more quietly now that he was nearer。
He had the strangest feeling that there was someone standing right behind the veil on the other side of the archway。 Gripping his wand very tightly； he edged around the dais； but there was nobody there； all that could be seen was the other side of the tattered black veil。
'Let's go；' called Hermione from halfway up the stone steps。 This isn't right； Harry； e on； let's go。'
She sounded scared； much more scared than she had in the room where the brains swam； yet Harry thought the archway had a kind of beauty about it； old though it was。 The gently rippling veil intrigued him； he felt a very strong inclination to climb up on the dais and walk through it。
'Harry； let's go； OK？' said Hermione more forcefully。
'OK；' he said； but did not move。 He had just heard something。 There were faint whispering； murmuring noises ing from the other side of the veil。
'What are you saying？' he said； very loudly； so that his words echoed all around the stone benches。
'Nobody's talking； Harry！' said Hermione； now moving over to him。
'Someone's whispering behind there；' he said； moving out of her reach and continuing to frown at the veil。 'Is that you； Ron？'
'I'm here； mate；' said Ron； appearing around the side of the archway。
'Can't anyone else hear it？' Harry demanded； for the whispering and murmuring was being louder； without really meaning to put it there； he found his foot was on the dais。
'I can hear them too；' breathed Luna； joining them around the side of the archway and gazing at the swaying veil。 There are people in there！'
'What do you mean； 〃in there〃？' demanded Hermione； jumping down from the bottom step and sounding much angrier than the occasion warranted； 'there isn't any 〃in there〃； it's just an archway； there's no room for anybody to be there。 Harry； stop it； e away …'
She grabbed his arm and pulled； but he resisted。
'Harry； we are supposed to be here for Sirius！' she said in a high…pitched； strained voice。
'Sirius；' Harry repeated； still gazing； mesmerised； at the continuously swaying veil。 'Yeah：'
Something finally slid back into place in his brain； Sirius； captured； bound and tortured； and he was staring at this archway：
He took several paces back from the dais and wrenched his eyes from the veil。
'Let's go；' he said。
That's what I've been trying to … well； e on； then！' said Hermione； and she led the way back around the dais。 On the other side； Ginny and Neville were staring； apparently entranced； at the veil too。 Without speaking； Hermione took hold of Ginny's arm； Ron grabbed Neville's； and they marched them firmly back to the lowest stone bench and clambered all the way back up to the door。
'What d'you reckon that arch was？' Harry asked Hermione as they regained the dark circular room。
'I don't know； but whatever it was； it was dangerous；' she said firmly； again inscribing a fiery cross on the door。
Once more； the wall span and became still again。 Harry approached another door at random and pushed。 It did not move。
'What's wrong？' said Hermione。
'It's： locked：' said Harry； throwing his weight at the door； but it didn't budge。
This is it； then； isn't it？' said Ron excitedly； joining Harry in the attempt to force the door open。 'Bound to be！'
'Get out of the way！' said Hermione sharply。 She pointed her wand at the place where a lock would have been on an ordinary door and said； 'Alohomora！'
Nothing happened。
'Sirius's knife！' said Harry。 He pulled it out from inside his robes and slid it into the crack between the door and the wall。 The others all watched eagerly as he ran it from top to bottom； withdrew it and then flung his shoulder again at the door。 It remained as firmly shut as ever。 What was more； when Harry looked down at the knife； he saw the blade had melted。
'Right； we're leaving that room；' said Hermione decisively。
'But what if that's the one？' said Ron； staring at it with a mixture of apprehension and longing。
'It can't be； Harry could get through all the doors in his dream；' said Hermione； marking the door with another fiery cross as Harry replaced the now…useless handle of Sirius's knife in his pocket。
'You know what could be in there？' said Luna eagerly； as the wall started to spin yet again。
'Something blibbering； no doubt；' said Hermione under her breath and Neville gave a nervous little laugh。
The wall slid to a halt and Harry； with a feeling of increasing desperation； pushed the next door open。
This is it！'
He knew it at once by the beautiful； dancing； diamond…sparkling light。 As Harry's eyes became accustomed to the brilliant glare； he saw clocks gleaming from every surface； large and small； grandfather and carriage； hanging in spaces between the bookcases or standing on desks ranging the length of the room； so that a busy； relentless ticking filled the place like thousands of minuscule； marching footsteps。 The source of the dancing； diamond…bright light was a towering crystal bell jar that stood at the far end of the room。
This way！'
Harry's heart was pumping frantically now that he knew they were on the right track； he led the way down the narrow space between the lines of desks； heading； as he had done in his dream； for the source of the light； the crystal bell jar quite as tall as he was that stood on a desk and appeared to be full of a billowing； glittering wind。
'Oh； look！' said Ginny； as they drew nearer； pointing at the very heart of the bell jar。
Drifting along in the sparkling current inside was a tiny； jewel…bright egg。 As it rose in the jar； it cracked open and a hummingbird emerged； which was carried to the very top of the jar； but as it fell on the draught its feathers became bedraggled and damp again； and by the time it had been borne back to the bottom of the jar it had been enclosed once more in its egg。
'Keep going！' said Harry sharply； because Ginny showed signs of wanting to stop and watch the egg's progress back into a bird。
'You dawdled enough by that old arch！' she said crossly； but followed him past the bell jar to the only door behind it。
This is it；' Harry said again； and his heart was now pumping so hard and fast he felt it must interfere with his speech； 'it's through here …'
He glanced around at them all； they had their wands out and looked suddenly serious and anxious。 He looked back at the door and pushed。 It swung open。
They were there； they had found the place： high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small； dusty； glass orbs。 They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle…brackets set at intervals along the shelves。 Like those in the circular roo