;

  prall shot a sharp look at dumbledore and said,

  ”the he rumors that are flying around. you

  know what everyones saying? about why hes disappeared? about what

  finally stopped him?”

  it seemed that prall had reached the point she

  was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on

  a cold, hard wall all day, for her as a or as a woman had

  she fixed dumbledore with such a pierg stare as she did now. it

  lain that whatever ”everyone” was sayi going

  to believe it until dumbledore told her it was true. dumbledore,

  however, was g another lemon drop and did not answer.

  ”what theyre saying,” she pressed on, ”is that last night

  voldemort turned up in godrics hollow. he went to find the

  potters. the rumor is that lily aer are -- are --

  that theyre -- dead. ”

  dumbledore bowed his head. prall gasped.

  ”lily and james... i t believe it... i didnt want to

  believe it... oh, albus...”

  dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. ”i

  know... i know...” he said heavily.

  pralls voice trembled as she went on. ”thats

  not all. theyre sayio kill the potters son, harry. but

  -- he t. he t kill that little boy. no one knows why,

  or how, but theyre saying that when he t kill harry potter,

  voldemorts power somehow broke -- and thats why hes gone.

  dumbledore nodded glumly.

  ”its -- its true?” faltered prall. ”after all

  hes dohe people hes killed... he t kill a little

  boy? its just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but

  how in the name of heaven did harry survive?”

  ”we ly guess,” said dumbledore. ”we may never know.”

  prall pulled out a ladkerd dabbed

  at her eyes beacles. dumbledave a great sniff

  as he took a golden wat his pod exami was a

  very odd watch. it had twelve hands but ead, little

  plas were moving arou must have made seo

  dumbledh, because he put it ba his pod said,

  ”hagrids late. i suppose it was he who told you id be here,

  by the way?”

  ”yes,” said prall. ”and i dont suppose youre

  going to tell me why youre here, of all places?”

  ”ive e t harry to his aunt aheyre the

  only family he has left now.”

  ”you dont mean -- you t mean the people who live

  here?” agall, jumpi and pointing

  at number four. ”dumbledore -- you t. ive been watg them

  all day. you t find two people who are less like us. and

  theyve got this son -- i saw him kig his mother all the

  the street, sg for sotter e and live here!”

  ”its the best pla,” said dumbledore firmly. ”his

  aunt and uncle will be able to explaio him when hes

  older. ive writteer.”

  ”a letter?” repeated prall faintly, sitting back

  down on the wall. ”really, dumbledore, you think you explain all

  this ihese people will and him! hell be

  famous -- a legend -- i wouldnt be surprised if today was known

  as harry potter day iure -- there will be books written

  about harry -- every our his name!”

  ”exactly,” said dumbledore, looking very seriously over the

  top of his half-moo would be enough to turn any boys

  head. famous before he walk and talk! famous for something he

  wont even remember! cara you see how much better off hell be,

  growing up away from all that until hes ready to take it?”

  prall opeh, ged her mind,

  swallowed, and then said, ”yes -- yes, yht, of course. but

  how is the boy getting here, dumbledore?” she eyed his cloak suddenly

  as though she thought he might be hiding harry u.

  ”hagrids bringing