Harry gaped at her。 Now she said it； that seemed the obvious thing to have done。
〃I … I didn't think …〃
〃That；〃 said Professor McGonagall； 〃is obvious。〃
There was a knock on the office door and Snape； now looking happier than ever； opened it。 There stood the headmaster； Professor Dumbledore。
Harry's whole body went numb。 Dumbledore was looking unusually grave。 He stared down his very crooked nose at them； and
*80*
Harry suddenly found himself wishing he and Ron were still being beaten up by the Whomping Willow。
There was a long silence。 Then Dumbledore said； 〃Please explain why you did this。〃
It would have been better if he had shouted。 Harry hated the disappointment in his voice。 For some reason； he was unable to look Dumbledore in the eyes； and spoke instead to his knees。 He told Dumbledore everything except that Mr。 Weasley owned the bewitched car； making it sound as though he and Ron had happened to find a flying car parked outside the station。 He knew Dumbledore would see through this at once； but Dumbledore asked no questions about the car。 When Harry had finished； he merely continued to peer at them through his spectacles。
〃We'll go and get our stuff；〃 said Ron in a hopeless sort of voice。
〃What are you talking about； Weasley？〃 barked Professor McGonagall。
〃Well； you're expelling us； aren't you？〃 said Ron。
Harry looked quickly at Dumbledore。
〃Not today； Mr。 Weasley；〃 said Dumbledore。 〃But I must impress upon both of you the seriousness of what you have done。 I will be writing to both your families tonight。 I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again； I will have no choice but to expel you。〃
Snape looked as though Christmas had been canceled。 He cleared his throat and said； 〃Professor Dumbledore； these boys have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry； caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree … surely acts of this nature …〃
* 8i
〃It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these boys' punishments； Severus；〃 said Dumbledore calmly。 〃They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility。〃 He turned to Professor McGonagall。 〃I must go back to the feast； Minerva； I've got to give out a few notices。 e； Severus； there's a delicious…looking cus tard tart I want to sample …〃 Snape shot a look of pure venom at Harry and Ron as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office； leaving them alone with Pro fessor McGonagall； who was still eyeing them like a wrathful eagle。 〃You'd better get along to the hospital wing； Weasley； you're bleeding。〃 〃Not much；〃 said Ron； hastily wiping the cut over his eye with his sleeve。 〃Professor； I wanted to watch my sister being Sorted …〃 〃The Sorting Ceremony is over；〃 said Professor McGonagall。 〃Your sister is also in Gryffindor。〃 〃Oh； good；〃 said Ron。 〃And speaking of Gryffindor …〃 Professor McGonagall said sharply； but Harry cut in： 〃Professor； when we took the car； term hadn't started； so … so Gryffindor shouldn't really have points taken from it … should it？〃 he finished； watching her anxiously。 Professor McGonagall gave him a piercing look； but he was sure she had almost smiled。 Her mouth looked less thin； anyway。 〃I will not take any points from Gryffindor；〃 she said； and Harry's heart lightened considerably。 〃But you will both get a de tention。〃 It was better than Harry had expected。 As for Dumbledore's writing to the Dursleys； that was nothing。 Harry knew perfectly well they'd just be disappointed that the Whomping Willow hadn't squashed him flat。
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Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and pointed it at Snape's desk。 A large plate of sandwiches； two silver goblets； and a jug of…iced pumpkin juice appeared with a pop。
〃You will eat in here and then go straight up to your dormitory；〃 she said。 〃I must also return to the feast。〃
When the door had closed behind her； Ron let out a long； low whistle。
〃I thought we'd had it；〃 he said； grabbing a sandwich。
〃So did I；〃 said Harry； taking one； too。
〃Can you believe our luck； though？〃 said Ron thickly through a mouthful of chicken and ham。 〃Fred and George must've flown that car five or six times and no Muggle ever saw them。〃 He swallowed and took another huge bite。 〃Why couldn't we get through the barrier？〃
Harry shrugged。 〃We'll have to watch our step from now on； though；〃 he said； taking a grateful swig of pumpkin juice。 〃Wish we could've gone up to the feast 。。。。。。
〃She didn't want us showing off；〃 said Ron sagely。 〃Doesn't want people to think it's clever； arriving by flying car。〃
When they had eaten as many sandwiches as they could （the plate kept refilling itself） they rose and left the office； treading the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower。 The castle was quiet； it seemed that the feast was over。 They walked past muttering portraits and creaking suits of armor； and climbed narrow flights of stone stairs； until at last they reached the passage where the secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower was hidden； behind an oil painting of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress。
〃Password？〃 she said as they approached。
〃Er …〃 said Harry。
They didn't know the new year's password； not having met a Gryffindor prefect yet； but help came almost immediately； they heard hurrying feet behind them and turned to see Hermione dashing toward them。
〃There you are！ Where have you been？ The most ridiculous rumors … someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car
〃Well； we haven't been expelled；〃 Harry assured her。
〃You're not telling me you did fly here？〃 said Hermione； sounding almost as severe as Professor McGonagall。
〃Skip the lecture；〃 said Ron impatiently； 〃and tell us the new password。〃
〃It's ‘wattlebird；〃' said Hermione impatiently； 〃but that's not the point … 〃
Her words were cut short； however； as the portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping。 It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake； packed into the circular mon room； standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs； waiting for them to arrive。 Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull Harry and Ron inside； leaving Hermione to scramble in after then…t。
〃Brilliant！〃 yelled Lee Jordan。 〃Inspired！ What an entrance！ Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow； people'll be talking about that one for years …〃
〃Good for you；〃 said a fifth year Harry had never spoken to； someone was patting him on the back as though he'd just won a marathon； Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together； 〃Why couldn't we've e in the car； eh？〃
84
Ron was scarlet in the face； grinning embarrassedly； but Harry could see one person who didn't look happy at all。 Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years； and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off。 Harry nudged Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction。 Ron got the point at once。
〃Got to get upstairs … bit tired；〃 he said； and the two of them started pushing their way toward the door on the other side of the room； which led to a spiral staircase and the dormitories。