Then Get Out!!

He sent the sword and the Sorting Hat into the vault for secure storage.

But if you ask me, they were absolutely insane. I saw it—the sword was definitely fake, a later imitation. The real sword was gone."

"Did you tell the Death Eaters about that?"

"Of course not. They were busy enough already. How could we possibly disturb them?"

Ted and the others burst out laughing.

"Oh, right. I remember you said the Weasley family's children were involved too. How were they?"

"Well, although Darren Potter threw them out, it would have been easy enough to find trouble with them.

So Snape found some random excuse to punish them by making them help Hagrid care for his animals."

Their voices dropped.

Suddenly, Griphook asked, "So you believe in Harry Potter?"

"Um, yes. After all, Darren Potter believed in him so much... I think, Darren had it so hard, yet he still had the courage to resist. We can't stop!"

"Yes. No matter what, our lives have indeed been thrown into chaos, haven't they?"

"Helping a boy who vanished from the face of the earth is far too difficult.

He hid himself too well. Even when Darren Potter was captured, he never appeared. Sometimes I worry that he ran away."

All voices fell silent.

Harry lowered the Extendable Ear... then looked at Hermione.

"Darren... Ginny..."

Hermione ignored him.

It was as though she had suddenly remembered something.

She hurriedly pulled a picture frame from her little bag.

It was the portrait of Phineas from the Black family.

Harry was stunned.

"You brought that with you?"

Hermione scratched at her hair. "Darren told me to bring it. He didn't explain at the time, but I think I understand now. He wanted to use Phineas to speak with us...

Perhaps he planned