another Horcrux？〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Harry。
〃But he didn't get the job； did he？〃 said Hermione。 〃So he never got the chance to find a founder's object there and hide it in the school！〃
〃Okay； then；〃 said Harry； defeated。 〃Forget Hogwarts。〃
Without any other leads； they traveled into London and； hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak； search for the orphanage in which Voldemort had been raised。 Hermione stole into a library and discovered from their records that the place had been demolished many years before。 They visited its site and found a tower block of offices。
〃We could try digging in to foundations？〃 Hermione suggested halfheartedly。
〃He wouldn't have hidden a Horcrux here；〃 Harry said。 He had known it all along。 The orphanage had been the place Voldemort had been determined to escape； he would never have hidden a part of his soul there。 Dumbledore had shown Harry that Voldemort sought grandeur or mystique in his hiding places； this dismal gray corner of London was as far removed as you could imagine from Hogwarts of the Ministry or a building like Gringotts； the Wizarding banks； with its gilded doors and marble floors。
Even without any new idea； they continued to move through the countryside； pitching the tent in a different place each night for security。 Every morning they made sure that they had removed all clues to their presence； then set off to find another lonely
and secluded spot； traveling by Apparition to more woods； to the shadowy crevices of cliffs； to purple moors； gorse…covered mountainsides； and once a sheltered and pebbly cove。 Every twelve hours or so they passed the Horcrux between them as though they were playing some perverse； slow…motion game of pass…the…parcel； where they dreaded the music stopping because the reward was twelve hours of increased fear and anxiety。
Harry's scare kept prickling。 It happened most often； he noticed； when he was wearing the Horcrux。 Sometimes he could not stop himself reacting to the pain。
〃What？ What did you see？〃 demanded Ron； whenever he noticed Harry wince。
〃A face；〃 muttered Harry； every time。 〃The same face。 The thief who stole from Gregorovitch。〃
And Ron would turn away； making no effort to hide his disappointment。 Harry knew that Ron was hoping to bear news of his family or the rest of the Order of the Phoenix； but after all； he； Harry； was not a television aerial； he could only see what Voldemort was thinking at the time； not tune in to whatever took his fancy。 Apparently Voldemort was dwelling endlessly on the unknown youth with the gleeful face； whose name and whereabouts； Harry felt sure； Voldemort knew no better than he did。 As Harry's scar continued to burn and the merry； blond…haired boy swam tantalizingly in his memory； he learned to suppress any sign of pain or disfort； for the other two showed nothing but impatience at the mention of the thief。 He could not entirely blame them； when they were so desperate for a lean on the Horcruxes。
As the days stretched into weeks； Harry began to suspect that Ron and Hermione were having conversations without； and about； him。 Several times they stopped talking abruptly when Harry entered the tent； and twice he came accidentally upon them； huddled a little distance away； heads together and talking fast； both times they fell silent when they realized he was approaching them and hastened to appear busy collecting wood or water。
Harry could not help wondering whether they had only agreed to e on what now felt like a pointless and rambling journey because they thought he had some secret plan that they would learn in due course。 Ton was making no effort to hide his bad mood； and Harry was starting to fear that Hermione too was disappointed by his poor leadership。 In desperation he tried to think of further Horcrux locations； but the only one that continued to occur to him was Hogwarts； and as neither of the others thought this at all likely； he stopped suggesting it。
Autumn rolled over the countryside as they moved through it。 They were now pitching the tent on mulches of fallen leaves。 Natural mists joined those cast by the dementors； wind and rain added to their troubles。 The fact that Hermione was getting better at identifying edible fungi could not altogether pensate for their continuing isolation； the lack of other people's pany； or their total ignorance of what was going on in the war against Voldemort。
〃My mother；〃 said Ron on night； as they sat in the tent on a riverbank in Wales； 〃can make good food appear out of thin air。〃
He prodded moodily at the lumps of charred gray fish on his plate。 Harry glanced automatically at Ron's neck and saw； as he has expected； the golden chain of the Horcrux glinting there。 He managed to fight down the impulse to swear at Ron； whose attitude would； he knew； improve slightly when the time came to take off the locket。
〃Your mother can't produce food out of thin air；〃 said Hermione。 〃no one can。 Food is the first of the five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguraa151〃
〃Oh； speak English； can't you？〃 Ron said； prising a fish out from between his teeth。
〃It's impossible to make good food out of nothing！ You can Summon it if you know where it is； you can transform it； you can increase the quantity if you've already got somea151〃
〃Well； don't bother increasing this； it's disgusting；〃 said Ron。
〃Harry caught the fish and I did my best with it！ I notice I'm always the one who ends up sorting out the food； because I'm a girl； I suppose！〃
〃No； it's because you're supposed to be the best at magic！〃 shot back Ron。
Hermione jumped up and bits of roast pike slid off her tin plate onto the floor。
〃You can do the cooking tomorrow； Ron； you can find the ingredients and try and charm them into something worth eating； and I'll sit here and pull faces and moan and you can see youa151〃
〃Shut up！；〃 said Harry； leaping to his feet and holding up both hands。 〃Shut up now！〃
Hermione looked outraged。
〃How can you side with him； he hardly ever does the cooka151〃
〃Hermione； be quiet； I can hear someone！〃
He was listening hard； his hands still raised； warning them not to talk。 Then； over the rush and gush of the dark river beside them； he heard voices again。 He looked around at the Sneakoscope。 It was not moving。
〃You cast the Muffliato charm over us； right？〃 he whispered to Hermione。
〃I did everything；〃 she whispered back； 〃Muffliato； Muggle…Repelling and Disillusionment Charms； all of it。 They shouldn't be able to hear of see us； whoever they are。〃
Heavy scuffing and scraping noises； plus the sound of dislodged stones and twigs； told them that several people were clambering down the steep； wooded slope that descended to the narrow bank where they had pitched the tent。 They drew their wands； waiting。 The enchantments they had cast around themselves ought to be sufficient； in the near total darkness； to shield them from the notice of Muggles and normal witches and wizards。 If these were Death Eaters； then perhaps their defenses were about to be tested by Dark Magic for the first time。
The voices became louder but no more intelligible as the group of men reached the bank。 Harry estimated that their owners were fewer than twenty feet away； but the cascading river ma