Harry Potter 03 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor – then they heard a cackling ahead.
    ‘Peeves!’ Harry muttered, grabbing Hermione’s wrist. ‘In here!’
    They tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in tearing spirits, laughing his head off.
    ‘Oh, he’s horrible,’ whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. ‘I bet he’s all excited because the Dementors are going to finish Sirius …’ She checked her watch. ‘Three minutes, Harry!’
    They waited until Peeves’s gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.
    ‘Hermione – what’ll happen – if we don’t get back inside – before Dumbledore locks the door?’ Harry panted.
    ‘I don’t want to think about it!’ Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. ‘One minute!’
    They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital-wing entrance. ‘OK – I can hear Dumbledore,’ said Hermione tensely. ‘Come on, Harry!’
    They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore’s back appeared.
    ‘I am going to lock you in,’ they heard him saying. ‘It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck.’
    Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Harry and Hermione ran forwards. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver moustache. ‘Well?’ he said quietly.
    ‘We did it!’ said Harry breathlessly. ‘Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak …’
    Dumbledore beamed at them.
    ‘Well done. I think –’ he listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. ‘Yes, I think you’ve gone, too. Get inside – I’ll lock you in –’
    Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, Harry and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. Next moment, Madam Pomfrey had come striding back out of her office.
    ‘Did I hear the Headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?’
    She was in a very bad mood. Harry and Hermione thought it best to accept their chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. But Harry could hardly swallow. He and Hermione were waiting, listening, their nerves jangling … And then, as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them …
    ‘What was that ?’ said Madam Pomfrey in alarm.
    Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door.
    ‘Really – they’ll wake everybody up! What do they think they’re doing?’
    Harry was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer –
    ‘He must have Disapparated, Severus, we should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out –’
    ‘HE DIDN’T DISAPPARATE!’ Snape roared, now very close at hand. ‘YOU CAN’T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS – HAS – SOMETHING – TO – DO – WITH – POTTER!’
    ‘Severus – be reasonable – Harry has been locked up –’
    BAM.
    The door of the hospital wing burst open.
    Fudge, Snape and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself.
    ‘OUT WITH IT, POTTER!’ he bellowed. ‘WHAT DID YOU DO?’
    ‘Professor Snape!’ shrieked Madam Pomfrey. ‘Control yourself!’
    ‘See here, Snape, be reasonable,’ said Fudge. ‘This door’s been locked, we just saw –’
    ‘THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!’ Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted, spit was flying from his mouth.
    ‘Calm down, man!’ Fudge barked. ‘You’re talking nonsense!’
    ‘YOU DON’T KNOW POTTER!’ shrieked Snape. ‘HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT –’
    ‘That will do, Severus,’ said Dumbledore quietly. ‘Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?’
    ‘Of course not!’ said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. ‘I’ve been with them ever since you left!’
    ‘Well, there you have it,