pausing to add the piece of broken mirror to the rucksack filled with things he would be taking with him。
〃You took you time！〃 roared Vernon Dursley when Harry appeared at the top of the stairs； 〃Get down here。 I want a word！〃
Harry strolled downstairs； his hands deep in his pants pockets。 When he searched the living room he found all three Dursleys。 They were dressed for packing； Uncle Vernon in an old ripped…up jacket and Dudley； Harry's； large； blond； muscular cousin； in his leather jacket。
〃Yes？〃 asked Harry。
〃Sit down！〃 said Uncle Vernon。 Harry raised his eyebrows。 〃Please！〃 added Uncle Vernon； wincing slightly as though the word was sharp in his throat。
Harry sat。 He though he knew what was ing。 His uncle began to pace up and down； Aunt Petunia and Dudley； following his movement with anxious expressions。 Finally； his large purple face crumpled with concentration。 Uncle Vernon stopped in front of Harry and spoke。
〃I've changed my mind；〃 he said。
〃What a surprise；〃 said Harry。
〃Don't you take that tonea151〃 began Aunt Petunia in a shrill voice； but Vernon Dursley waved her down
〃It's all a lot of claptrap；〃 said Uncle Vernon； glaring at Harry with piggy little eyes。 〃I've decided I don't believe a word of it。 We're staying put； we're not going anywhere。〃
Harry looked up at his uncle and felt a mixture of exasperation and amusement。 Vernon Dursley had been changing his mind every twenty four hours for the past four weeks； packing and unpacking and repacking the car with every change of heart。 Harry's favorite moment had been the one when Uncle Vernon； unaware the Dudley had added his dumbbells to his case since the last time it been repacked； had attempted to hoist it back into the boot and collapsed with a yelp of pain and much swearing。
〃According to you；〃 Vernon Dursley said； now resuming his pacing up and down the living room； 〃we … Petunia； Dudley； and I … are in danger。 From … from …〃
〃Some of 'my lot' right？〃 said Harry
〃Well I don't believe it；〃 repeated Uncle Vernon； ing to a halt in front of Harry again。 〃I was awake half the night thinking it all over； and I believe it's a plot to get the house。〃
〃The house？〃 repeated Harry。 〃What house？〃
〃This house！〃 shrieked Uncle Vernon； the vein his forehead starting to pulse。 〃iOuri house！ House prices are skyrocketing around here！ You want us out of the way and
then you're going to do a bit of hocus pocus and before we know it the deeds will be in your name and …〃
〃Are you out of your mind？〃 demanded Harry。 〃A plot to get this house？ Are you actually as stupid as you look？〃
〃Don't you dare a150a150！〃 squealed Aunt Petunia； but again Vernon waved her down。 Slights on his personal appearance were it seemed as nothing to the danger he had spotted。
〃Just in case you've forgotten；〃 said Harry； 〃I've already got a house my godfather left me one。 So why would I want this one？ All the happy memories？〃
There was silence。 Harry thought he had rather impressed his uncle with this argument。
〃You claim；〃 said Uncle Vernon； starting to pace yet again； 〃that this Lord Thing …〃
〃a151Voldemort；〃 said Harry impatiently； 〃and we've been through this about a hundred times already。 This isn't a claim； it's fact。 Dumbledore told you last year； and Kingsley and Mr。 Weasley …〃
Vernon Dursley hunched his shoulders angrily； and Harry guessed that his uncle was attempting to ward off recollections of the unannounced visit； a few days into Harry's summer holidays； of two fully grown wizards。 The arrival on the doorstep of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley had e as a most unpleasant shock to the Dursleys。 Harry had to admit； however that as Mr。 Weasley had once demolished half of the living room； his reappearance could not have been expected to delight Uncle Vernon。
〃a151Kingsley and Mr。 Weasley explained it all as well；〃 Harry pressed on remorselessly； 〃Once I'm seventeen； the protective charm that keeps me safe will break； and that exposes you as well as me。 The Order is sure Voldemort will target you； whether to torture you to try and find out where I am； or because he thinks by holding you hostage I'd e and try to rescue you。〃
Uncle Vernon's and Harry's eyes met。 Harry was sure that in that instant they were both wondering the same thing。 Then Uncle Vernon walked on and Harry resumed； 〃You've got to go into hiding and the Order wants to help。 You're being offered serious protection； the best there is。〃
Uncle Vernon said nothing but continued to pace up and down。 Outside the sun hung low over the privet hedges。 The next door neighbor's lawn mower stalled again。
〃I thought there was a Ministry of Magic？〃 asked Vernon Dursley abruptly。
〃There is；〃 said Harry； surprised。
〃Well； then； why can't they protect us？ It seems to me that； as innocent victims； guilty of nothing more than harboring a marked man； we ought to qualify for government protection！〃
Harry laughed； he could not help himself。 It was so very typical of his uncle to put his hopes in the establishment； even within this world that he despised and mistrusted。
〃You heard what Mr。 Weasley and Kingsley said；〃 Harry replied。
〃We think the Ministry has been infiltrated。〃
Uncle Vernon strode back to the fireplace and back breathing so strongly that his great black mustache rippled his face still purple with concentration。
〃All right；〃 he said。 Stopping in front of Harry get again。 〃All right； let's say for the sake of argument we accept this protection。 I still don't see why we can't have that Kingsley bloke。〃
Harry managed not to roll his eyes； but with difficulty。 This question had also been addressed half a dozen times。
〃As I've told you；〃 he said through gritted teeth； 〃Kingsley is protecting the Mug … I mean； your Prime Minister。〃
〃Exactly … he's the best！〃 said Uncle Vernon； pointing at the blank television screen。 The Dursleys had spotted Kingsley on the news； walking along the Muggle Prime Minister as he visited a hospital。 This； and the fact that Kingsley had mastered the knack of dressing like a Muggle； not to mention a certain reassuring something in his slow； deep voice； had caused the Dursleys to take to Kingsley in a way that they had certainly not done with any other wizard； although it was true that they had never seen him with earring in。
〃Well； he's taken；〃 said Harry。 〃But Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle are more than up to the job …〃
〃If we'd even seen CVsa133〃 began Uncle Vernon； but Harry lost patience。 Getting to his feet； he advanced on his uncle； not pointing at the TV set himself。
〃These accidents aren't accidents … the crashed and explosions and derailments and whatever else has happened since we last watched the news。 People are disappearing and dying and he's behind it … Voldemort。 I've told you this over and over again； he kills Muggles for fun。 Even the fogs … they're caused by dementors； and if you can't remember what they are； ask your son！〃
Dudley's hands jerked upward to tower his mouth。 With his parents' and Harry's eyes upon him； he slowly lowered them again and asked； 〃There area133 more of them？〃
〃More？〃 laughed Harry。 〃More than the two that attacked us； you mean？ Of course there are hundreds； maybe thousands by this time； seeing as they feed off fear and