〃That is a valuable object；〃 said Scrimgeour； watching Ron。 〃It may even be unique。 Certainly it is of Dumbledore's own design。 Why would he have left you and item so rare？〃
Ron shook his head； looking bewildered。
〃Dumbledore must have taught thousands of students；〃 Scrimgeour persevered。 〃Yet the only ones he remembered in his will are you three。 Why is that？ To what use did he think you would put to the Deluminator； Mr。 Weasley？〃
〃Put out lights； I s'pose；〃 mumbled Ron。 〃What else could I do with it？〃
Evidently Scrimgeour had no suggestions。 After squinting at Ron for a moment or tow； he turned back to Dumbledore's will。
〃'To Miss Hermione Jean Granger； I leave my copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard； in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive。'〃
Scrimgeour now pulled out of the bag a small book that looked as ancient as the copy of Secrets of the Darkest Art upstairs。 Its binding was stained and peeling in places。 Hermione took it from Scrimgeour without a word。 She held the book in her lap and gazed at it。 Harry saw that the title was in runes； he had never learned to read them。 As he looked； a tear splashed onto the embossed symbols。
〃Why do you think Dumbledore left you that book； Miss Granger？〃 asked Scrimgeour。
〃He。。。 he knew I liked books；〃 said Hermione in a thick voice； mopping her eyes with her sleeve。
〃But why that particular book？〃
〃I don't know。 He must have thought I'd enjoy it。〃
〃Did you ever discuss codes； or any means of passing secret messages； with Dumbledore？〃
〃No； I didn't；〃 said Hermione； still wiping her eyes on her sleeve。 〃And if the Ministry hasn't found any hidden codes in this book in thirty…one days； I doubt that I will。〃
She suppressed a sob。 They were wedged together so tightly that Ron had difficulty extracting his arm to put it around Hermione's shoulders。 Scrimgeour turned back to the will。
〃'To Harry James Potter；'〃 he read； and Harry's insides contracted with a sudden excitement； 〃'I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts； as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill。'〃
As Scrimgeour pulled out the tiny； walnut…sized golden ball； its silver wings fluttered rather feebly； and Harry could not help feeling a definite sense of anticlimax。
〃Why did Dumbledore leave you this Snitch？〃 asked Scrimgeour。
〃No idea；〃 said Harry。 〃For the reasons you just read out； I suppose。。。 to remind me what you can get if you。。。 persevere and whatever it was。〃
〃You think this a mere symbolic keepsake； then？〃
〃I suppose so；〃 said Harry。 〃What else could it be？〃
〃I'm asking the questions；〃 said Scrimgeour； shifting his chair a little closer to the sofa。 Dusk was really falling outside now； the marquee beyond the windows towered ghostly white over the hedge。
〃I notice that your birthday cake is in the shape of a Snitch；〃 Scrimgeour said to Harry。 〃Why is that？〃
Hermione laughed derisively。
〃Oh； it can't be a reference to the fact Harry's a great Seeker； that's way too obvious；〃 she said。 〃There must be a secret message from Dumbledore hidden in the icing！〃
〃I don't think there's anything hidden in the icing；〃 said Scrimgeour； 〃but a Snitch would be a very good hiding place for a small object。 You know why； I'm sure？〃
Harry shrugged； Hermione； however； answered： Harry thought that answering questions correctly was such a deeply ingrained habit she could not suppress the urge。
〃Because Snitches have flesh memories；〃 she said。
〃What？〃 said Harry and Ron together； both considered Hermione's Quidditch knowledge negligible。
〃Correct；〃 said Scrimgeour。 〃A Snitch is not touched by bare skin before it is released； not even by the maker； who wears gloves。 It carries an enchantment by which it can identify the first human to lay hands upon it； in case of a disputed capture。 This Snitch〃 a150a150 he held up the tiny golden ball a150a150 〃will remember your touch； Potter。
It occurs to me that Dumbledore； who had prodigious magical skill； whatever his other faults； might have enchanted this Snitch so that it will open only for you。〃
Harry's heart was beating rather fast。 He was sure that Scrimgeour was right。 How could he avoid taking the Snitch with his bare hand in front of the Minister？
〃You don't say anything；〃 said Scrimgeour。 〃Perhaps you already know what the Snitch contains？〃
〃No；〃 said Harry； still wondering how he could appear to touch the Snitch without really doing so。 If only he knew Legilimency； really knew it； and could read Hermione's mind； he could practically hear her brain whizzing beside him。
〃Take it；〃 said Scrimgeour quietly。
Harry met the Minister's yellow eyes and knew he had no option but to obey。 He held out his hand； and Scrimgeour leaned forward again and place the Snitch； slowly and deliberately； into Harry's palm。
Nothing happened。 As Harry's fingers closed around the Snitch； its tired wings fluttered and were still。 Scrimgeour； Ron； and Hermione continued to gaze avidly at the now partially concealed ball； as if still hoping it might transform in some way。
〃That was dramatic；〃 said Harry coolly。 Both Ron and Hermione laughed。
〃That's all； then； is it？〃 asked Hermione； making to raise herself off the sofa。
〃Not quite；〃 said Scrimgeour； who looked bad tempered now。 〃Dumbledore left you a second bequest； Potter。〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Harry； excitement rekindling。
Scrimgeour did not bother to read from the will this time。
〃The sword of Godric Gryffindor；〃 he said。 Hermione and Ron both stiffened。 Harry looked around for a sign of the ruby…encrusted hilt； but Scrimgeour did not pull the sword from the leather pouch； which in any case looked much too small to contain it。
〃So where is it？〃 Harry asked suspiciously。
〃Unfortunately；〃 said Scrimgeour； 〃that sword was not Dumbledore's to give away。 The sword of Godric Gryffindor is an important historical artifact； and as such； belongsa150a150〃
〃It belongs to Harry！〃 said Hermione hotly。 〃It chose him； he was the one who found it； it came to him out of the Sorting Hata150a150〃
〃According to reliable historical sources； the sword may present itself to any worthy Gryffindor；〃 said Scrimgeour。 〃That does not make it the exclusive property of Mr。 Potter； whatever Dumbledore may have decided。〃 Scrimgeour scratched his badly shaven cheek； scrutinizing Harry。 〃Why do you thinka150a150？〃
〃a150a150Dumbledore wanted to give me the sword？〃 said Harry； struggling to keep his temper。 〃Maybe he thought it would look nice on my wall。〃
〃This is not a joke； Potter！〃 growled Scrimgeour。 〃Was it because Dumbledore believed that only the sword of Godric Gryffindor could defeat the Heir of Slytherin？ Did he wish to give you that sword； Potter； because he believed； as do many； that you are the one destined to destroy He…Who…Must…Not…Be…Named？〃
〃Interesting theory；〃 said Harry。 〃Has anyone ever tried sticking a sword in Voldemort？ Maybe the Ministry should put some people onto that； instead of wasting their time stripping down Deluminators or covering up breakouts from Azkaban。 So this is what you've been doing； Minister； shut up in your office； trying to break open a Snitch？ People are dying … I was nearly one of them … Voldemort chased me across three countries； he kil