Unwanted Passenger

But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath

the cloak sensed Harry’s gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the

folds of its black cloak.

And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow,

rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from

its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his

chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside

his very heart. . . .

Harry’s eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn’t see. He was drowning in

cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being

dragged downward, the roaring growing louder . . .

And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading

screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but

couldn’t . . . a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him —