But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around Harry’s neck. They were forcing his face upward . . . He could feel its breath . . . It was going to get rid of him first . . . He could feel its putrid breath . . . His mother was screaming in his ears . . . She was going to be the last thing he ever heard—

And then, through the fog that was drowning him, he thought he saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter . . . He felt himself fall forward onto the grass . . . Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, Harry opened his eyes. The dementor must have released him. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around him . . . The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away . . .

Something was driving the dementors back . . . It was circling around him and Black and Hermione . . . They were leaving . . . The air was warm again . . .

With every ounce of strength he could muster, Harry raised his head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lake . . . Eyes blurred with sweat, Harry tried to make out what it was . . . It was as bright as a unicorn . . . Fighting to stay conscious, Harry watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, Harry saw, by its brightness, somebody welcoming it back . . . raising his hand to pat it . . . someone who looked strangely familiar . . . but it couldn’t be . . .

Harry didn’t understand. He couldn’t think anymore. He felt the last of his strength leave him, and his head hit the ground as he fainted.

Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Hermione’s Secret

“Shocking business . . . shocking . . . miracle none of them died . . . never heard the like . . . by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape . . . ”

“Thank you, Minister.”

“Order of Merlin, Second Class, I’d say. First Class, if I can wangle it!”

“Thank you very much indeed, Minister.”

“Nasty cut you’ve got there . . . Black’s work, I suppose?”

“As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, and Granger, Minister . . . ”

“No!”

“Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren’t responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape . . . They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They’ve got away with a great deal before now . . . I’m afraid it’s given them a rather high opinion of themselves . . . and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster—”

“Ah, well, Snape . . . Harry Potter, you know . . . we’ve all got a bit of a blind spot where he’s concerned.”