Borgin and Burkes Dark Magic Museum

The Tierras came quickly, and left just as quickly—

More than twenty Tierras arrived with great fanfare, then departed with equal fanfare. They seemed to have something urgent to attend to.

"Goodbye, Harry."

"Bye-bye, Harry."

"I'm off first, Harry. Work hard on your own, okay?"

"Bye, Harry. You absolutely still have to read Occlumency: How to Disguise Your Mind."

"Exactly, exactly. That book may be very abstruse, but it's genuinely good. You have to read the beginning and conclusion of every chapter carefully. Even if you have to memorize them by rote, do it first. You never know when inspiration might strike and you'll understand what it says."

"Keep it up, Harry. I believe in you."

"Keep it up, Harry. Your innate talent is already very high."

"You can't neglect your own studies, either."

"Right, and your schoolwork. You have to do all those calculation problems."

"Well then, goodbye, Harry. I'm heading back to the laboratory."

Each of them said a word of farewell. A few Tierras even patted Harry on the shoulder. All the Tierras hurriedly finished their breakfasts and left the Great Hall before seven forty.

Harry rubbed his shoulder, which was somewhat sore from all the patting, feeling both delighted and strangely bereft.

It was not until half an hour after the Tierras had left that the first Sunday breakfast rush arrived—a swarm of little witches and wizards of all ages, chirping and chattering—

Among them were undoubtedly the eleven-, twelve-, thirteen-, and fourteen-year-old first-years. Unlike Tierra, these young witches and wizards did not lower their voices. Tierra had been talking when he came in too, but most of them had kept their discussions quiet.

But witches and wizards this age seemed utterly incapable of restraining their voices. Even while they were still outside the Great