THE WRITING ON THE WALL
toward him. Harry had just opened his mouth to say hello when Justin caught sight of him, turned abruptly, and sped off in the opposite direction.
Harry found Ron at the back of the library, measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a threefoot-long composition on“ The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards.”
“ I don’ t believe it, I’ m still eight inches short....” said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll.“ And Hermione’ s done four feet seven inches and her writing’ s tiny.”
“ Where is she?” asked Harry, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling his own homework.
“ Somewhere over there,” said Ron, pointing along the shelves.“ Looking for another book. I think she’ s trying to read the whole library before Christmas.”
Harry told Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from him.
“ Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an idiot,” said Ron, scribbling away, making his writing as large as possible.“ All that junk about Lockhart being so great—”
Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them.
“ All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out,” she said, sitting down next to Harry and Ron.“ And there’ s a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn’ t left my copy at home, but I couldn’ t fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books.”
“ Why do you want it?” said Harry.
� 147 �