ed it inside his robes； then； heart beating fast； both excited and apprehensive； he set off。
The passage twisted and turned； more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else。 Harry hurried along it； stumbling now and then on the uneven floor； holding his wand out in front of him。
It took ages； but Harry had the thought of Honeydukes to sustain him。 After what felt like an hour； the passage began to rise。 Panting； Harry sped up； his face hot； his feet very cold。
Ten minutes later； he came to the foot of some worn stone steps； which rose out of sight above him。 Careful not to make any noise； Harry began to climb。 A hundred steps； two hundred steps； he lost count as he climbed； watching his feet。。。。 Then； without warning； his head hit something hard。
It seemed to be a trapdoor。 Harry stood there； massaging the top of his head； listening。 He couldn't hear any sounds above him。 Very slowly； he pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge。
He was in a cellar； which was full of wooden crates and boxes。 Harry climbed out of the trapdoor and replaced it it blended so perfectly with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there。 Harry crept slowly toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs。 Now he could definitely hear voices； not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door。
Wondering what he ought to do； he suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand； somebody was about to e downstairs。
〃And get another box of Jelly Slugs； dear； they've nearly cleaned us out 〃 said a woman's voice。
A pair of feet was ing down the staircase。 Harry leapt behind an enormous crate and waited for the footsteps to pass。 He heard the man shifting boxes against the opposite wall。 He might not get another chance
Quickly and silently； Harry dodged out from his hiding place and climbed the stairs； looking back； he saw an enormous backside and shiny bald head； buried in a box。 Harry reached the door at the top of the stairs； slipped through it； and found himself behind the counter of Honeydukes he ducked； crept sideways； and then straightened up。
Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Harry。 He edged among them； looking around； and suppressed a laugh as he imagined the look that would spread over Dudley's piggy face if he could see where Harry was now。
There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent…looking sweets imaginable。 Creamy chunks of nougat； shimmering pink squares of coconut ice； fat； honey…colored toffees； hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows； there was a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans； and another of Fizzing Whizbees； the levitating sherbert balls that Ron had mentioned； along yet another wall were 〃Special Effects〃 sweets： Droobles Best Blowing Gum （which filled a room with bluebell…colored bubbles that refused to pop for days）； the strange； splintery Toothflossing Stringmints； tiny black Pepper Imps （〃breathe fire for your friends！〃）； Ice Mice （〃hear your teeth chatter and squeak！〃）； peppermint creams shaped like toads （〃hop realistically in the stomach！〃）； fragile sugar…spun quills； and exploding bonbons。
Harry squeezed himself through a crowd of sixth years and saw a sign hanging in the farthest corner of the shop （UNUSUAL TASTES）。 Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it； examining a tray of blood…flavored lollipops。 Harry sneaked up behind them。
〃Ugh； no； Harry won't want one of those； they're for vampires； I expect；〃 Hermione was saying。
〃How about these？〃 said Ron； shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose。
〃Definitely not；〃 said Harry。
Ron nearly dropped the jar。
〃Harry！〃 squealed Hermione。 〃What are you doing here？ How how did you ？〃
〃Wow！〃 said Ron； looking very impressed； 〃you've learned to Apparate！〃
〃'Course I haven't；〃 said Harry。 He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder's Map。
〃How e Fred and George never gave it to me！〃 said Ron； outraged。 〃I'm their brother！〃
〃But Harry isn't going to keep it！〃 said Hermione； as though the idea were ludicrous。 〃He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall； aren't you； Harry？〃
〃No； I'm not！〃 said Harry。
〃Are you mad？〃 said Ron； goggling at Hermione。 〃Hand in something that good？〃
〃If I hand it in； I'll have to say where I got it！ Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it！〃
〃But what about Sirius Black？〃 Hermione hissed。 〃He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle！ The teachers have got to know！〃
〃He can't be getting in through a passage；〃 said Harry quickly。 〃There are seven secret tunnels on the map； right？ Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them。 And of the other three one of them's caved in； so no one can get through it。 one of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance； so you can't get out of it。 And the one I just came through …well … … it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar； so unless he knew it was there。。。〃
Harry hesistated。 What if Black did know the passage was there？
Ron； however； cleared his throat significantly； and pointed to a notice pasted on the inside of the sweetshop door。
BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
Customers are reminded that until further notice； dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown。 This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black。 It is therefore advisable that you plete your shopping well before nightfall。
Merry Christmas！
〃See？〃 said Ron quietly。 〃I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with dementors swarming all over the village。 Anyway； Hermione； the Honeydukes owners would hear a break…in； wouldn't they？ They live over the shop！〃
〃Yes； but but 〃 Hermoine seemed to be struggling to find another problem。 〃Look； Harry still shouldn't be ing into Hogsmeade。 He hasn't got a signed form！ If anyone finds out； he'll be in so much trouble！ And it's not nightfall yet what if Sirius Black turns up today？ Now？〃
〃He'd have a job spotting Harry in this；〃 said Ron； nodding through the mullioned windows at the thick； swirling snow。 〃e on； Hermione； it's Christmas。 Harry deserves a break。〃
Hermione bit her lip； looking extremely worried。
〃Are you going to report me？〃 Harry asked her； grinning。
〃Oh of course not but honestly； Harry 〃
〃Seen the Fizzing Whizbees； Harry？〃 said Ron； grabbing him and leading him over to their barrel。 〃And the Jelly Slugs？ And the Acid Pops？ Fred gave me one of those when I was seven it burnt a hole right through my tongue。 I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick。〃 Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box。 〃Reckon Fred'd take a bit of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts？〃
When Ron and Hermione had paid for all their sweets； the three of them left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside。
Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card； the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow； there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees。
Harry shivered； unlike the other two； he didn't have his cloak。 They headed up the street； heads bowed against the wind； Ron and Hermione shouting through their scarves。
〃That's the post office
〃Zonko's is up there 〃
〃We could go up to the Shrieking Shack
〃Tell you what；〃 said Ron； his teeth chattering； 〃shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks？〃
Harry was more than willing； the wind was fierce and his hands were freezing； so they crossed the road； and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn。
It was extremely crowded； noisy； warm； and smoky。 A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlock' up at the bar。
〃That's Madam Rosmerta；〃 said Ron。 〃I'll get the drinks； shall I？〃 he added； going slightly red。
Harry and Hermione made their way to the back of the room； ；；her； there was a small； vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree； which stood next to the fireplace。 Ron came back five minutes later； carrying three foaming tankards of hot butterbeer。
〃Merry Christmas！〃 he said happily； raising his tankard。
Harry drank deeply。 It was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside。
A sudden breeze ruffled his hair。 The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again。 Harry looked over the rim of his tankard and choked。
Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes； shortly followed by Hagrid； who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime…green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak Cornelius Fudge； Minister of Magic。
In an instant； Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table。 Dripping with butterbeer and crouching out of sight； Harry clutched his empty tankard and watched the teachers' and Fudge's feet move toward the bar； pause； then turn and walk right toward him。
Somewhere above him； Hermione whispered； Mobiliarbus！〃
The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground； drifted sideways； and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table； hiding them from view。 Staring through the dense lower branches； Harry saw four sets of chair legs move back from the table right beside theirs； then heard the grunts and sighs If the teachers and minister as they sat down。
Next he saw another pair of feet； wearing sparkly turquoise high heels； and heard a woman's voice。 〃A small gillywater 〃
〃Mine；〃 said Professor McGonagall's voice。
〃Four pints of mulled mead 〃
〃Ta； Rosmerta；〃 said Hagrid。
〃A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella 〃
〃Mmm！〃 said Professor Flitwick； smacking his lips。
〃So you'll be the red currant rum； Minister。〃
〃Thank you； Rosmerta； m'dear；〃 said Fudge's voice。 〃Lovely to see you again； I must say。 Have one yourself； won't you？ e and join us。。。。