〃Perhaps a pot of tea；〃 said Fudge； who still hadn't let go of Harry。
There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them； and Stan and Ern appeared； carrying Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly。
〃'Ow e you di'n't tell us 'oo you are； eh； Neville？〃 said Stan； beaming at Harry； while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder。
〃And a private parlor； please； Tom；〃 said Fudge pointedly。
‘Bye；〃 Harry said miserably to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar。
〃'Bye； Neville！〃 called Stan。
Fudge marched Harry along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern； and then into a small parlor。 Tom clicked his fingers； a fire burst into life in the grate； and he bowed himself out of the room。
〃Sit down； Harry；〃 said Fudge； indicating a chair by the fire。
Harry sat down； feeling goose bumps rising up his arms despite the glow of the fire。 Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside； then hitched up the trousers of his bottle…green suit and sat down opposite Harry。
〃I am Cornelius Fudge； Harry。 The Minister of Magic。〃
Harry already knew this； of course； he had seen Fudge once before； but as he had been wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak at the time； Fudge wasn't to know that。
Tom the innkeeper reappeared； wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets。 He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Harry and left the parlor； closing the door behind him。
〃Well； Harry；〃 said Fudge； pouring out tea； 〃you've had us all in a right flap； I don't mind telling you。 Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that！ I'd started to think。。。 but you're safe； and that's what matters。〃
Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward Harry。
〃Eat； Harry； you look dead on your feet。 Now then。。。 You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing…up of Miss Marjorie Dursley。 Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago。 Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified。 She has no recollection of the incident at all。 So that's that； and no harm done。〃
Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup； rather like an uncle surveying a favorite nephew。 Harry； who couldn't believe his ears； opened his mouth to speak； couldn't think of anything to say； and closed it again。
〃Ah； you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle？〃 said Fudge。 〃Well； I won't deny that they are extremely angry； Harry； but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays。〃
Harry unstuck his throat。
〃I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays；〃 he said； 〃and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive。〃
〃Now； now； I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down；〃 said Fudge in a worried tone。 〃They are your family； after all； and I'm sure you are fond of each other er very deep down。〃
It didn't occur to Harry to put Fudge right。 He was still waiting to hear what was going to happen to him now。
〃So all that remains；〃 said Fudge； now buttering himself a second crumpet； 〃is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation。 I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and
〃Hang on；〃 blurted Harry。 〃What about my punishment？〃
Fudge blinked。 〃Punishment？〃
〃I broke the law！〃 Harry said。 〃The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry！〃
〃Oh； my dear boy； we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that！〃 cried Fudge； waving his crumpet impatiently。 〃It was an accident！ We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts！〃
But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic。
〃Last year； I got an official warning just because a house…elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house！〃 he told Fudge； frowning。 〃The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there！〃
Unless Harry's eyes were deceiving him； Fudge was suddenly looking awkward。
〃Circumstances change； Harry。。。 We have to take into account。。。 in the present climate。。。 Surely you don't want to be expelled？〃
〃Of course I don't；〃 said Harry。
〃Well then； what's A the fuss about？〃 laughed Fudge。 〃Now； have a crumpet； Harry； while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you。〃
Fudge strode out of the parlor and Harry stared after him。 There was something extremely odd going on。 Why had Fudge been waiting for him at the Leaky Cauldron； if not to punish him for what he'd done？ And now Harry came to think of it； surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic？
Fudge came back； acpanied by Tom the innkeeper。
〃Room eleven's free； Harry；〃 said Fudge。 〃I think you'll be very fortable。 just one thing； and I'm sure you'll understand。。。 I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London； all right？ Keep to Diagon Alley。 And you're to be back here before dark each night。 Sure you'll understand。 Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me。〃
〃Okay；〃 said Harry slowly； 〃but why？〃
〃Don't want to lose you again； do we？〃 said Fudge with a hearty laugh。 〃No； no。。。 best we know where you are。。。。 I mean。。。〃
Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak。
〃Well； I'll be off； plenty to do； you know。。。
〃Have you had any luck with Black yet？〃 Harry asked。
Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak。
〃What's that？ Oh； you've heard well； no； not yet； but it's only a matter of time。 The Azkaban guards have never yet failed。。。 and they are angrier than I've ever seen them。〃
Fudge shuddered slightly。
〃So； I'll say good…bye。〃
He held out his hand and Harry； shaking it； had a sudden idea。
〃Er Minister？ Can I ask you something？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Fudge with a smile。
〃Well； third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade； but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form。 D'you think you could ？〃
Fudge was looking unfortable。
〃Ah；〃 he said。 〃No； no； I'm very sorry； Harry； but as I'm not your parent or guardian 〃
〃But you I re the Minister of Magic；〃 said Harry eagerly。 〃If you gave me permission
〃No； I'm sorry； Harry； but rules are rules；〃 said Fudge flatly。
'Perhaps You'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year。 In fact； I think it's best if you don't。。。 yes。。。 well； I'll be off Enjoy your stay； Harry。〃
And with a last smile and shake of Harry's hand； Fudge left the room。 Tom now moved forward； beaming at Harry。
〃If you'll follow me； Mr。 Potter；〃 he said； 〃I've already taken your things up。。。〃
Harry followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it； which Tom unlocked and opened for him。
Inside was a very fortable…looking bed； some highly polished oak furniture； a cheerfully crackling fire and； perched on top of the wardrobe …
〃Hedwig！〃 Harry gasped。
The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm。
〃Very smart owl you've got there； chuckled Tom。 〃Arrived about five minutes after you did。 If there's anything you need； Mr。 Potter； don't hesitate to ask。〃
He gave another bow and left。
Harry sat on his bed for a long time； absentmindedly stroking Hedwig。 The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep； velvety blue to cold； steely gray and then； slowly； to pink shot with gold。 Harry could hardly believe that he'd left Privet Drive only a few hours ago； that he wasn't expelled； and that he was now facing two pletely Dursley…free weeks。
〃It's been a very weird night； Hedwig；〃 he yawned。
And without even removing his glasses； he slumped back onto his pillows and fell asleep。
CHAPTER FOUR
THE LEAKY CAULDRON
It took Harry several days to get used to his strange new freedom。 Never before had he been able to get up whenever he wanted or eat whatever he fancied。 He could even go wherever he pleased； as long as it was in Diagon Alley； and as this long cobbled street was packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world； Harry felt no desire to break his word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world。
Harry ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron； where he liked watching the other guests： funny little witches from the country； up for a day's shopping； venerable…looking wizards arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today； wild…looking warlocks； raucous dwarfs； and once； what looked suspiciously like a hag； who ordered a plate of raw liver from behind a thick woollen balaclava。
After breakfast Harry would go out into the backyard； take out his wand； tap the third brick from the left above the trash bit；； and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall。
Harry spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes； where his fellow diners were showing one another their purchases （ 〃 it ； s a lunascope； old boy no more messing around with moon charts； see？〃） or else discussing the case of Sirius Black （〃personalty； I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban〃）。 Harry didn't have to do his homework under the blankets by flashlight anymore； now he could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor； finishing all his essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself； who； apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings； gave Harry free sundaes every half an hour。
Once Harry had refilled his money bag with gold Galleons； silver Sickles； and bronze Knuts from his vault at Gringotts； he had to exercise a lot of self…control not to spend the whole lot at once。 He had to keep reminding himself that he had five years to go at Hogwarts； and how it would feel to ask the Dursleys for money for spellbooks； to stop himself from buying a handsome set of solid gold Gobstones （a wizarding game rather like marbles； in which the stones squirt a nasty…smelling liquid into the ot