Something huge and horned erupted from the wand。 Head down； it charged toward the High Street； and
out of sight。
〃That's not what I saw〃 said the Death Eater； though was less certainly
〃Curfew's been broken； you heard the noise；〃 one of his panions told the barman。 〃Someone was
out on the streets against regulations … 〃
〃If I want to put my cat out； I will； and be damned to your curfew！〃
〃You set off the Caterwauling Charm？〃
〃What if I did？ Going to cart me off to Azkaban？ Kill me for sticking my nose out my own front door？ Do it；
then； if you want to！ But I hope for your sakes you haven't pressed your little Dark Marks； and summoned him。 He's
not going to like being called here； for me and my old cat； is he； now？〃
〃Don't worry about us。〃 said one of the Death Eaters； 〃worry about yourself； breaking curfew！〃
〃And where will you lot traffic potions and poisons when my pub's closed down？ What will happen to your
little sidelines then？〃
〃Are you threatening … ？〃
〃I keep my mouth shut； it's why you e here； isn't it？〃
〃I still say I saw a stag Patronus！〃 shouted the first Death Eater。
〃Stag？〃 roared the barman。 〃It's a igoat；i idiot！〃
〃He's dead；〃 said Harry； 〃Bellatrix Lestrange killed him。〃
The barman face was impassive。 After a few moments he said； 〃I'm sorry to hear it； I liked that elf。〃
He turned away； lightning lamps with prods of his wand； not looking at any of them。
〃You're Aberforth；〃 said Harry to the man's back。
He neither confirmed or denied it； but bent to light the fire。
〃How did you get this？〃 Harry asked； walking across to Sirius's mirror； the twin of the one he had broken
nearly two years before。
〃Bought it from Dung 'bout a year ago；〃 said Aberforth。 〃Albus told me what it was。 Been trying to keep
an eye out for you。〃
Ron gasped。
〃The silver doe；〃 he said excitedly； 〃Was that you too？〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 asked Aberforth。
〃Someone sent a doe Patronus to us！〃
〃Brains like that； you could be a Death Eater； son。 Haven't I just prove my Patronus is a goat？〃
〃Oh；〃 said Ron； 〃Yeah。。。 well； I'm hungry！〃 he added defensively as his stomach gave an enormous
rumble。
〃I got food；〃 said Aberforth； and he sloped out of the room； reappearing moments later with a large
〃All right； we made a mistake；〃 said the second Death Eater。 〃Break curfew again and we won't be so lenient！〃
The Death Eaters strode back towards the High Street。 Hermione moaned with relief； wove out from under the Cloak；
and sat down on a wobble…legged chair。 Harry drew the curtains then pulled the Cloak off himself and Ron。 They could hear the
barman down below； rebolting the door of the bar； then climbing the stairs。
Harry's attention was caught by something on the mantelpiece： a small； rectangular mirror； propped on top of it；
right beneath the portrait of the girl。
The barman entered the room。
〃You bloody fools；〃 he said gruffly； looking from one to the other of them。 〃What were you thinking； ing here？〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Harry。 〃You can't thank you enough。 You saved our lives！〃
The barman grunted。 Harry approached him looking up into the face： trying to see past the long； stringy； wire…gray hair
beard。 He wore spectacles。 Behind the dirty lenses； the eyes were a piercing； brilliant blue。
〃It's your eye I've been seeing in the mirror。〃
There was a silence in the room。 Harry and the barman looked at each other。
〃You sent Dobby。〃
The barman nodded and looked around for the elf。
〃Thought he'd be with you。 Where've you left him？
loaf of bread； some cheese； and a pewter jug of mead； which he set upon a small table in front of the fire。
Ravenous； they ate and drank； and for a while there was sound of chewing。
〃Right then；〃 said Aberforth when the had eaten their fill and Harry and Ron sat slumped dozily in
their chairs。 〃We need to think of the best way to get you out of here。 Can't be done by night； you heard what
happens if anyone moves outdoors during darkness： Caterwauling Charm's set off； they'll be onto you like
bowtruckles on doxy eggs。 I don't reckon I'll be able to pass of a stag as a goat a second time。 Wait for daybreak
when curfew lifts； then you can put your Cloak back on and set out on foot。 Get right out of Hogsmeade； up into
the mountains； and you'll be able to Disapparate there。 Might see Hagrid。 He's been hiding in a cave up there with
Grawp ever since they tried to arrest him。〃
〃We're not leaving；〃 said Harry。 〃We need to get into Hogwarts。〃
〃Don't be stupid； boy；〃 said Aberforth。
〃We've got to；〃 said Harry。
〃What you've got to do；〃 said Aberforth； leaning forward； 〃is to get as far from here as from here as you
can。〃
〃You don't understand。 There isn't much time。 We've got to get into the castle。 Dumbledore … I mean；
your brother … wanted us … 〃
The firelight made the grimy lenses of Aberforth's glasses momentarily opaque； a bright flat white； and
Harry remembered the blind eyes of the giant spider； Aragog。
〃My brother Albus wanted a lot of things；〃 said Aberforth； 〃and people had a habit of getting hurt while he
was carrying out his grand plans。 You get away from this school； Potter； and out of the country if you can。 Forget
my brother and his clever schemes。 He's gone where none of this can hurt him； and you don't owe him anything。〃
〃You don't understand。〃 said Harry again。
〃Oh； don't I？ said Aberforth quietly。 〃You don't think I understood my own brother？ Think you know Albus
better than I did？〃
〃I didn't mean that；〃 said Harry； whose brain felt sluggish with exhaustion and from the surfeit of food and wine。
〃It's。。。 he left me a job。〃
〃Did he now？〃 said Aberforth。 〃Nice job； I hope？ Pleasant？ Easy？ Sort of thing you'd expect an unqualified
wizard kid to be able to do without overstretching themselves？〃
Ron gave a rather grim laugh。 Hermione was looking strained。
〃I…it's not easy； no；〃 said Harry。 〃But I've got to … 〃
〃Got to？ Why igoti to？ He's dead； isn't he？〃 said Aberforth roughly。 〃Let it go； boy； before you follow him！
Save yourself！〃
〃I can't。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃I … 〃 Harry felt overwhelmed； he could not explain； so he took the offensive instead。 〃But you're fighting too；
you're in the Order of the Phoenix … 〃
〃I was；〃 said Aberforth。 〃The Order of the Phoenix is finished。 You…Know…Who's won； it's over； and anyone
who's pretending different's kidding themselves。 It'll never be safe for you here； Potter； he wants you too badly。
So go abroad； go into hiding； save yourself。 Best take these two with you。〃 He jerked a thumb at Ron and Hermione。
〃They'll be in danger long as they live now everyone knows they've been working with you。〃
〃I can't leave；〃 said Harry。 〃I've got a job … 〃
〃Give it to someone else！〃
〃I can't。 It's got to be me； Dumbledore explained it all … 〃
〃Oh； did he now？ And did he tell you everything； was he honest with you？〃
Harry wanted him with all his heart to say 〃Yes；〃 but somehow the simple word would not rise to his lips；
Aberforth seemed to know what he was thinking。
〃I knew my brother； Potter。 He learned secrecy at our mother's knee。 Secrets and lies； that's how we grew
up； and Albus。。。 he was a natural。〃
The old man's eyes traveled to the painting of the girl over the mantelpiece。 It was； now Harry looked around