il matters！ We've been over and over this； I mean； what's the point of all these reconnaissance trips if you aren't even bothering to tell us …〃
〃Blimey； Hermione； I forget one little thing … 〃
〃You do realize； don't you； that there's probably no more dangerous place in the whole world for us to be right now than the Ministry of …〃
〃I think we should do it tomorrow；〃 said Harry。
Hermione stopped dead； her jaw hanging； Ron choked a little over his soup。
〃Tomorrow？〃 repeated Hermione。 〃You aren't serious； Harry？〃
〃I am；〃 said Harry。 〃I don't think we're going to be much better prepared than we are now even if we skulk around the Ministry entrance for another month。 The longer we put it off； the farther away that locket could be。 There's already a good chance Umbridge has chucked it away； the thing doesn't open。〃
〃Unless；〃 said Ron； 〃she's found a way of opening it and she's now possessed。〃
〃Wouldn't make any difference to her； she was so evil in the first place；〃 Harry shrugged。
Hermione was biting her lip； deep in thought。
〃We know everything important；〃 Harry went on； addressing Hermione。 〃We know they've stopped Apparition in and out of the Ministry； We know only the most senior Ministry members are allowed to connect their homes to the Floo Network now； because Ron heard those two Unspeakables plaining about it。 And we know roughly where Umbridge's office is； because of what you heard the bearded bloke saying to his mate …〃
〃'iI'll be up on level one； Dolores wants to see mei；'〃 Hermione recited immediately。
〃Exactly；〃 said Harry。 〃And we know you get in using those funny coins； or tokens； or whatever they are； because I saw that witch borrowing one from her friend … 〃
〃But we haven't got any！〃
〃If the plan works； we will have；〃 Harry continued calmly。
〃I don't know； Harry； I don't know a133 There are an awful lot of things that could go wrong； so much relies on chance a133 〃
That'll be true even if we spend another three months preparing；〃 said Harry。 〃It's time to act。〃
He could tell from Ron's and Hermione's faces that they were scared； he was not particularly confident himself； and yet he was sure the time had e to put their plan into operation。
They had spent the previous four weeks taking it in turns to don the Invisibility Cloak and spy on the official entrance to the Ministry； which Ron； thanks to Mr。 Weasley； had known since childhood。 They had tailed Ministry workers on their way in； eavesdropped on their conversations； and learned by careful observation which of them could be relied upon to appear； alone； at the same time every day。 Occasionally there had been a chance to sneak a iDaily Propheti out of somebody's briefcase。 Slowly they had built up the sketchy maps and notes now stacked in front of Hermione。
〃All right；〃 said Ron slowly； 〃let's say we go for it tomorrow a133 I think it should just be me and Harry。〃
〃Oh； don't start that again！〃 sighed Hermione。 〃I thought we'd settled this。〃
〃It's one thing hanging around the entrances under the Cloak； but this is different。 Hermione；〃 Ron jabbed a finger at a copy of the iDaily Propheti dated ten days previously。 〃You're on the list of Muggle…borns who didn't present themselves for interrogation！〃
〃And you're supposed to be dying of spattergroit at the Burrow！ If anyone shouldn't go； it's Harry； he's got a ten…thousand…Galleon price on his head … 〃
〃Fine； I'll stay here；〃 said Harry。 〃Let me know if you ever defeat Voldemort； won't you？〃
As Ron and Hermione laughed； pain shot through the scar on Harry's forehead。 His hand jumped to it。 He saw Hermione's eyes narrow； and he tried to pass off the movement by brushing his hair out of his eyes。
〃Well； if all three of us go we'll have to Disapparate separately；〃 Ron was saying。 〃We can't all fit under the Cloak anymore。〃
Harry's scar was being more and more painful。 He stood up。 At once； Kreacher hurried forward。
〃Master has not finished his soup； would master prefer the savory stew； or else the treacle tart to which Master is so partial？〃
〃Thanks； Kreacher； but I'll be back in a minute … er … bathroom。〃
Aware that Hermione was watching him suspiciously； Harry hurried up the stairs to the hall and then to the first landing； where he dashed into the bathroom and bolted the door again。 Grunting with pain； he slumped over the black basin with its taps in the form of open…mouthed serpents and closed his eyes a133。
He was gliding along a twilit street。 The buildings on either side of him had high； timbered gables； they looked like gingerbread houses。 He approached one of them； then saw the whiteness of his own long…fingered hand against the door。 He knocked。 He felt a mounting excitement a133
The door opened： A laughing woman stood there。 Her face fell as she looked into Harry's face： humor gone； terror replacing it a133。
〃Gregorovitch？〃 said a high； cold voice。
She shook her head： She was trying to close the door。 A white hand held it steady； prevented her shutting him out a133
〃I want Gregorovitch。〃
〃iEr wohnt hier nicht mehr！i〃 she cried； shaking her head。 〃He no live here！ He no live here！ I know him not！〃
Abandoning the attempt to close the door； she began to back away down the dark hall； and Harry followed； gliding toward her； and his long…fingered hand had drawn his wand。
〃where is he？〃
〃iDas weiff ich nicht！i He move！ I know not； I know not！〃
He raised his hand。 She screamed。 Two young children came running into the hall。 She tried to shield them with her arms。 There was a flash of green light …
〃Harry！ HARRY！〃
He opened his eyes； he had sunk to the floor。 Hermione was pounding on the door again。
〃Harry； open up！〃
He had shouted out； he knew it。 He got up and unbolted the door； Hermione toppled inside at once； regained her balance； and looked around suspiciously。 Ron was right behind her； looking unnerved as he pointed his wand into the corners of the chilly bathroom。
〃What were you doing？〃 asked Hermione sternly。
〃What d'you think I was doing？〃 asked Harry with feeble bravado。
〃You were yelling your head off！〃 said Ron。
〃Oh yeah a133 I must've dozed off or … 〃
〃Harry； please don't insult our intelligence；〃 said Hermione； taking deep breaths。 〃We know your scar hurt downstairs； and you're white as a sheet。〃
Harry sat down on the edge of the bath。
〃Fine。 I've just seen Voldemort murdering a woman。 By now he's probably killed her whole family。 And he didn't need to。 It was Cedric all over again； they were just itherei a133 〃
〃Harry； you aren't supposed to let this happen anymore！〃 Hermione cried； her voice echoing through the bathroom。 〃Dumbledore wanted you to use Occlumency！ HE thought the connection was dangerous … Voldemort can iusei it； Harry！ What good is it to watch him kill and torture； how can it help？〃
〃Because it means I know what he's doing；〃 said Harry。
〃So you're not even going to itryi to shut him out？〃
〃Hermione； I can't。 You know I'm lousy at Occlumency。 I never got the hang of it。〃
〃You never really tried！〃 she said hotly。 〃I don't get it； Harry … do you ilikei having this special connection or relationship or what … whatever … 〃
She faltered under the look he gave her as he stood up。
〃Like it？〃 he said quietly。 〃Would