like blood. the hairs on the back of harrys neck prickled. maybe
he was imagining it, maybe not, but he thought a faint whispering
was the books, as though they khere
who shouldnt be.
he had to start somewhere. setting the lamp down carefully on the
floor, he looked aloom shelf for ainglooking
be blad silver volume caught his eye. he pulled it
out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balang it
o fall open.
a pierg, bl shriek split the silehe book
was sg! harry s, but the shriek went on and
on, one high, uiumbled backward
and knocked over his lamp, whit out at onig, he
heard footsteps ing down the corridor outside -- stuffing the
shrieking book ba the shelf, he ran for it. he passed fil
the doorway; filchs pale, wild eyes lht through him,
and harry slipped under filchs outstretched arm and streaked off
up the corridor, the books shrieks still ringing in his ears.
he came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. he
had been so busy getting away from the library, he hadnt paid
attention to where he was going. perhaps because it was dark, he
didnt reize where he was at all. there was a suit of armor
s, he k he must be five floors above there.
”you asked me to e directly to you, professor, if anyone
was wandering around at night, and somebodys been in the library
restricted se.”
harry felt the blood drain out of his face. wherever he was,
filow a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was
gettio his horror, it e who replied,
”the restricted se? well, they t be far, well catch them.”
harry stood rooted to the spot as filape d
the er ahead. they t see him, of course, but it was a
narrow corridor and if they came muearer theyd knht
into him -- the t st solid.
he backed away as quietly as he could. a door stood ajar to
his left. it was his only hope. he squeezed through it, holding
his brea