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He looked a…round at Stan； whose mouth was slightly open。 With a feeling of unease； Harry saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead。
〃Woss that on your 'ead？〃 said Stan abruptly。
〃Nothing；〃 said Harry quickly； flattening his hair over his scar。 If the Ministry of Magic was looking for him； he didn't want to make it too easy for them。
〃Woss your name？〃 Stan persisted。
〃Neville Longbottom；〃 said Harry； saying the first name that came into his head。 〃So so this bus；〃 he went on quickly； hoping to distract Stan； 〃did you say it goes anywhere？〃
〃Yep；〃 said Stan proudly； 〃anywhere you like； long's it's on land。 Can't do nuffink underwater。 'Ere；〃 he said； looking suspicious again； ；You did flag us down； dincha？ Stuck out your wand 'and； dincha？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Harry quickly。 〃Listen； how much would it be to get to London？〃
〃Eleven Sickles；〃 said Stan； 〃but for fifteen you get 'or chocolate； and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice。〃
Harry rummaged once more in his trunk； extracted his money bag； and shoved some gold into Stan's hand。 He and Stan then lifted his trunk； with Hedwig's cage balanced on top； up the steps of the bus。
There were no seats； instead； half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows。 Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed； illuminating the wood…paneled walls。 A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered； 〃Not now； thanks； I'm pickling some slugs〃 and rolled over in his sleep。
〃You 'ave this one；〃 Stan whispered； shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver； who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel。 〃This is our driver； Ernie Prang。 This ；is Neville Longbottom； Ern。 〃
Ernie Prang； an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses； nodded to Harry； who nervously flattened his bangs again and sat down on his bed。
〃Take 'er away； Ern；〃 said Stan； sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's。
There was another tremendous BANG； and the next moment Harry found himself flat on his bed； thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus。 Pulling himself up； Harry stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a pletely different street。 Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment。
〃This is where we was before you flagged us down；〃 he said。 〃Where are we； Ern？ Somewhere in Wales？〃
〃Ar；〃 said Ernie。
〃How e the Muggles don't hear the bus？〃 said Harry。
〃Them！〃 said Stan contemptuously。 〃Don' listen properly； do they？ Don' look properly either。 Never notice nuffink； they don'。〃
〃Best go wake up Madam Marsh； Stan；〃 said Ern。 〃We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute。〃
Stan passed Harry's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase。 Harry was still looking out of the window； feeling increasingly nervous。 Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel。 The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement； but it didn't hit anything； lines of lampposts； mailboxes； and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed。
Stan came back downstairs； followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak。
〃'Ere you go； Madam Marsh；〃 said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus。 Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps。 Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut； there was another loud BANG； and they were thundering down a narrow country lane； trees leaping out of the way。
Harry wouldn't have been able to sleep even if he had been traveling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time。 His stomach churned as he fell back to wondering what was going to happen to him； and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet。
Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth。 A large photograph of a sunken…faced man with long； matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page。 He looked strangely familiar。
〃That man！〃 Harry said； forgetting his troubles for a moment。 〃He was on the Muggle news！〃
Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled。
〃Sirius Black；〃 he said； nodding。 〃'Course 'e was on the Muggle news； Neville； where you been？〃
He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harry's face； removed the front page； and handed it to Harry。
〃You oughta read the papers more； Neville。〃
Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read：
BLACK STILL AT LARGE
Sirius Black； possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress； is still eluding capture； the Ministry of Magic confirmed today。
〃We are doing all we can to recapture Black；〃 said the Minister of Magic； Cornelius Fudge； this morning； 〃and we beg the magical munity to remain calm。〃
Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis。
〃Well； really； I had to； don't you know；〃 said an irritable Fudge。 〃Black is mad。 He's a danger to anyone who crosses him； magic or Muggle。 I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone。 And let's face it…who'd believe him if he did？〃
While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun （a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other）； the magical munity lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago； when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse。
Harry looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black； the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive。 Harry had never met a vampire； but he had seen pictures of them in his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes； and Black； with his waxy white skin； looked just like one。
〃Scary…lookin' fing； inee？〃 said Stan； who had been watching Harry read。
〃He murdered thirteen people？〃 said Harry； handing the page back to Stan； 〃with one curse？〃
〃Yep；〃 said Stan； 〃in front of witnesses an' all。 Broad daylight。 Big trouble it caused； dinnit； Ern？〃
〃Ar；〃 said Ern darkly。
Stan swiveled in his armchair； his hands on the back； the better to look at Harry。
〃Black woz a big supporter of You…Know…'Oo；〃 he said。
〃What； Voldemort？〃 said Harry； without thinking。
Even Stan's pimples went white； Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus。
〃You outta your tree？〃 yelped Stan。 〃'Choo say 'is name for？〃
〃Sorry；〃 said Harry hastily。 〃Sorry； I I forgot 〃
〃Forgot！〃 said Stan weakly。 〃Blimey； my 'eart's goin' that fast 。。。〃
〃So so Black was a supporter of You…Know…Who？〃 Harry prompted apologetically。
〃Yeah；〃 said Stan； still rubbing his chest。 〃Yeah； that's right。 Very close to You…Know…'Oo； they say。 Anyway； when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You…Know…'Oo 〃
Harry nervously flattened his bangs down again。
〃 all You…Know…'Oo's supporters was tracked down； wasn't they； Ern？ Most of 'em knew it was all over； wiv You…Know…'Oo gone； and they came quiet。 But not Sirius Black。 I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second…in…mand once You…Know…'Oo 'ad taken over。
〃Anyway； they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart； an' a wizard got it； an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way。 'Orrible； eh？ An' you know what Black did then？〃 Stan continued in a dramatic whisper。
〃What？〃 said Harry。
〃Laughed；〃 said Stan。 〃Jus' stood there an' laughed。 An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there； I 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink； still laughing 'is 'ead off。 'Cos 'e's mad； inee； Ern？ Inee mad？〃
〃If he weren't when he went to Azkaban； he will be now；〃 said Ern in his slow voice。 〃I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place。 Serves him right； mind you 。。。 after what he did。。。。〃
〃They 'ad a job coverin' it up； din' they； Ern？〃 Stan said。 〃'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead。 What was it they said ad 'appened； Ern？〃
〃Gas explosion；〃 grunted Ernie。
〃An' now 'e's out；〃 said Stan； examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again。 〃Never been a breakout from Azkaban before； 'as there； Ern？ Beats me 'ow 'e did it。 Frightenin'； eh？ Mind； I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards； eh； Ern？〃
Ernie suddenly shivered。
〃Talk about summat else； Stan； there's a good lad。 Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles。〃
Stan put the paper away reluctantly； and Harry leaned against the window of the Knight Bus； feeling worse than ever。 He couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time。
〃'Ear about that 'Arry Potter？ Blew up 'is aunt！ We 'ad 'im 'ere on the Knight Bus； di'n't we； Ern？ 'E was tryin' I to run for it。。。。〃
He； Harry； had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black。 Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land him in Azkaban？ Harry didn't know anything about the wizard prison； though everyone he'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone。 Hagrid； the Hogwarts gamekeeper； had spent two months there only last year。 Harry wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on Hagrid's face when he had been told where he was going； and Hagrid was one of the bravest people Harry knew。
The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness； scattering bushes and wastebaskets； telephone booths and trees； and Harry lay； restless and miserable； on his feather bed。 After a while； Stan remembered that Harry had paid for hot chocolate； but poured it all over Harry's pillow when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesea to Aberdeen。 One by one； wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus。 They all looked very pleased to go。
Finally； Harry was the only passenger left。
〃Right then； Neville；〃 said Stan； clapping his hands； where abouts in London？〃
〃Diagon Alley；〃 said Harry。
〃Righto；〃 said Stan。 〃'Old tight； then。〃
BANG。
They were thundering along Charing Cross Road。 Harry sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way。 The sky was getting a little lighter。 He would lie low for a couple of hours； go to Gringotts the。 moment it opened； then set off where； he didn't know。
Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby… looking pub； the Leaky Cauldron； behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley。
〃Thanks；〃 Harry said to Ern。
He jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement。
〃Well；〃 said Harry。 〃'Bye then！〃
But Stan wasn't paying attention。 Still standing in the doorway to the bus） he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron。 〃There you are； Harry；〃 said a voice。
Before Harry could turn； he felt a hand on his shoulder。 At the same time； Stan shouted； 〃Blimey！ Ern； e 'ere！ e 'ere I〃
Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into his stomach he had walked right into Cornelius Fudge； the Minister of Magic himself。
Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them。
〃What didja call Neville； Minister？〃 he said excitedly。
Fudge； a portly little man in a long； pinstriped cloak； looked cold and exhausted。
〃Neville？〃 he repeated； frowning。 〃This is Harry Potter。〃
〃I knew it！〃 Stan shouted gleefully。 〃Ern！ Ern！ Guess 'oo Neville is； Ern！ 'E's 'Arry Potter！ I can see 'is scar！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Fudge testily； 〃well； I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up； but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now。。。〃
Fudge increased the pressure on Harry's shoulder； and Harry found himself being steered inside the pub。 A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar。 It was Tom； the wizened； toothless landlord。
〃You've got him； Minister！〃 said Tom。 〃Will you be wanting anything？ Beer？ Brandy？〃
〃Perhaps a pot of tea；〃 said Fudge； who still hadn't let go of Harry。
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