tors were closing in on Sirius。。。。 He and Hermione would be running to him any moment。。。。
Harry stared out toward the lake； his heart doing a kind of drumroll in his chest。。。。 Whoever had sent that Patronus would be appearing at any moment。。。。
For a fraction of a second he stood； irresolute； in front of Hagrid's door。 You must not be seen。 But he didn't want to be seen。 He wanted to do the seeing。。。。 He had to know。。。
And there were the dementors。 They were emerging out of the darkness from every direction； gliding around the edges of the lake。。。。 They were moving away from where Harry stood； to the opposite bank。。。。 He wouldn't have to get near them。。。。
Harry began to run。 He had no thought in his head except his father。。。 If it was him。。。 if it really was him。。。 he had to know； had to find out。。。。
The lake was ing nearer and nearer； but there was no sign of anybody。 On the opposite bank； he could see tiny glimmers of silver his own attempts at a Patronus
There was a bush at the very edge of the water。 Harry threw himself behind it； peering desperately through the leaves。 On the opposite bank； the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished。 A terrified excitement shot through him any moment now
〃e on！〃 he muttered； staring about。 〃Where are you？ Dad； e on 〃
But no one came。 Harry raised his head to look at the circle of dementors across the lake。 One of them was lowering its hood。 It was time for the rescuer to appear but no one was ing to help this time
And then it hit him he understood。 He hadn't seen his father he had seen himself
Harry flung himself out from behind the bush and pulled out his wand。
〃EXPECTO PATRONUM！ 〃he yelled。
And out of the end of his wand burst； not a shapeless cloud of mist； but a blinding； dazzling； silver animal。 He screwed up his eyes； trying to see what it was。 It looked like a horse。 It was galloping silently away from him； across the black surface of the lake。 He saw it lower its head and charge at the swarming dementors。。。。 Now it was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground； and the dementors were falling back； scattering； retreating into the darkness。。。。 They were gone。
The Patronus turned。 It was cantering back toward Harry across the still surface of the water。 It wasn't a horse。 It wasn't a unicorn； either。 It was a stag。 It was shining brightly as the moon above 。。。 it was ing back to him。。。。
It stopped on the bank。 Its hooves made no mark on the soft ground as it stared at Harry with its large； silver eyes。 Slowly； it bowed its antlered head。 And Harry realized。。。 〃Prongs； 〃he whispered。
But as his trembling fingertips stretched toward the creature； it vanished。
Harry stood there； hand still outstretched。 Then； with a great leap of his heart； he heard hooves behind him …he whirled around and saw Hermione dashing toward him； dragging Buckbeak behind her。
〃What did you do？〃 she said fiercely。 〃You said you were only going to keep a lookout！〃
〃I just saved all our lives。。。；〃 said Harry。 〃Get behind here behind this bush I'll explain。〃
Hermione listened to what had just happened with her mouth open yet again。
〃Did anyone see you？〃
〃Yes； haven't you been listening？ I saw me but I thought I was my dad！ It's okay！〃
〃Harry； I can't believe it。。。。 You conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those dementors！ That's very； very advanced magic。 I knew I could do it this time；〃 said Harry； 〃because I'd already done it。。。。 Does that make sense？〃
〃I don't know Harry； look at Snape！〃
Together they peered around the bush at the other bank。 Snape had regained consciousness。 He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of Harry； Hermione； and Black onto them。 A fourth stretcher； no doubt bearing Ron； was already floating at his side。 Then； wand held out in front of him； he moved them away toward the castle。
〃Right； it's nearly time；〃 said Hermione tensely； looking at her watch。 〃We've got about forty…five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing。 We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing。。。。 11
They waited； watching the moving clouds reflected in the lake； while the bush next to them whispered in the breeze。 Buckbeak； bored； was ferreting for worms again。
〃D' you reckon he's up there yet？〃 said Harry； checking his watch。 He looked up at the castle and began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower。
〃Look！〃 Hermione whispered。 〃Who's that？ Someone's ing back out of the castle！〃
Harry stared through the darkness。 The man was hurrying across the grounds； toward one of the entrances。 Something shiny glinted in his belt。
〃Macnair！〃 said Harry。 〃The executioner！ He's gone to get the dementors！ This is it； Hermione 〃
Hermione put her hands on Buckbeak's back and Harry gave her a leg up。 Then he placed his foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of her。 He pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins。
〃Ready？〃 he whispered to Hermione。 〃YotM better hold on to me
He nudged Buckbeak's sides with his heels。
Buckbeak soared straight into the dark air。 Harry gripped his flanks with his knees； feeling the great wings rising powerfully beneath them。 Hermione was holding Harry very tight around the waist； he could hear her muttering； 〃Oh； no I don't like this oh； I really don't like this 〃
Harry urged Buckbeak forward。 They were gliding quietly toward the upper floors of the castle。。。。 Harry pulled hard on the left…hand side of the rope； and Buckbeak turned。 Harry was trying to count the windows flashing past
〃Whoa！〃 he said； pulling backward as hard as he could。
Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop； unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as the hippogriff beat his wings to remain airborne。
〃He's there！〃 Harry said； spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window。 He reached out； and as Buckbeak's wings fell； was able to tap sharply on the glass。
Black looked up。 Harry saw his jaw drop。 He leapt from his chair； hurried to the window and tried to open it； but it was locked。
〃Stand back！〃 Hermione called to him； and she took out her wand； still gripping the back of Harry's robes with her left hand。
〃Alohomora！〃
The window sprang open。
〃How how ？〃 said Black weakly； staring at the hippogriff
〃Get on there's not much time；〃 said Harry； gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady。 〃You've got to get out of here …the dementors are ing Macnair's gone to get them。〃
Black placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it。 It was very lucky he was so thin。 In seconds； he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the hippogriff behind Hermione。
〃Okay； Buckbeak； up！〃 said Harry； shaking the rope。 〃Up to the tower e on。
The hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again； high as the top of the West To