Christmas spirit was definitely thin on the ground in the Gryffindor common room that morning. Hermione had shut Crookshanks in her dormitory, but was furious with Ron for trying to kick him; Ron was still fuming about Crookshanks's fresh attempt to eat Scabbers. Harry and I gave up trying to make them talk to each other, and devoted ourselves to examining the Firebolt, which Harry had brought down to the common room with him. For some reason this seemed to annoy Hermione as well; she didn't say anything, but she kept looking darkly at the broom as though it, too, had been criticising her cat.

At lunchtime we went down to the Great Hall, to find that the house tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table stood in the middle of the room. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing a very old and rather mouldy looking tail coat. There were only three other students: two extremely nervous-looking first-years, and a sullenfaced Slytherin fifth-year.

'Merry Christmas!' said Dumbledore, as we approached the table. 'As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the house tables … sit down, sit down!' We sat down side by side at the end of the table.

'Crackers!' said Dumbledore enthusiastically, offering the end of a large silver one to Snape, who took it reluctantly and tugged. With a bang like a gunshot, the cracker flew apart to reveal a large, pointed witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture. Harry, remembering the Boggart, caught Ron's eye and they both grinned; Snape's mouth thinned and he pushed the hat towards Dumbledore, who swapped it for his wizard's hat at once.

'Tuck in!' he advised the table, beaming around.

As I was helping myself to chipolatas, the doors of the Great Hall opened again. It was Professor Trelawney, gliding towards them as though on wheels. She had put on a green sequined dress in honour of the occasion, making her look more than ever like a glittering, oversize dragonfly.

'Sybill, this is a pleasant surprise!' said Dumbledore, standing up.

'I have been crystal-gazing, Headmaster,' said Professor Trelawney, in her mistiest, most faraway voice, 'and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness …'

'Certainly, certainly,' said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. 'Let me draw you up a chair –' And he did indeed draw a chair in mid-air with his wand, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professors Snape and McGonagall.

Tralawney sat down, and I privately concluded that this was not someone I wished to teach me at any point in the future.

Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen.

'Tripe, Sybill?'

Professor Trelawney ignored her. Eyes open again, she looked around and said,

'But where is dear Professor Lupin?'

'I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again,' said Dumbledore, indicating that everybody should start serving themselves. 'Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day.'

'But surely you already knew that, Sybill?'said Professor McGonagall, her eyebrows raised. Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a very cold look.

'Certainly I knew, Minerva,' she said quietly. 'But one does not parade the fact that one is AllKnowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous.'

'That explains a great deal,' said Professor McGonagall tartly. Professor Trelawney's voice suddenly became a good deal less misty.

'If you must know, Minerva, I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us for very long. He seems aware, himself, that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal-gaze for him –'

'Imagine that,' said Professor McGonagall drily.

'I doubt,' said Dumbledore, in a cheerful but slightly raised voice, which put an end to Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney's conversation, 'that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the Potion for him again?'

'Yes, Headmaster,' said Snape.

'Good,' said Dumbledore. 'Then he should be up and about in no time … Derek, have you had any of these chipolatas? They're excellent.' The first-year boy went furiously red on being addressed directly by Dumbledore, and took the platter of sausages with trembling hands. I gave him a reassuring nod, they were indeed excellent, as is everything that the Hogwarts house elves make.

Two hours later, very happy and full to bursting, Harry, Ron and I made our way back to Gryffindor Tower, with Hermione wanting a word with Professor McGonagall.

When we reached the portrait hole we found Sir Cadogan enjoying a Christmas party with a couple of monks, several previous headmasters of Hogwarts and his fat pony. He pushed up his visor and toasted us with a flagon of mead.

'Merry – hic – Christmas! Password?'

'Scurvy cur,' said Ron.

'And the same to you, sir!' roared Sir Cadogan, as the painting swung forward to admit us.

We spent some time looking at the Firebolt before Hermione arrived, and she bought Professor McGonagall with her.

Hermione walked around us, sat down, picked up the nearest book and hid her face behind it.

'So that's it, is it?' said Professor McGonagall beadily, walking over to the fireside and staring at the Firebolt. 'Miss Granger has just informed me that you have been sent a broomstick, Potter.' We looked around at Hermione. They could see her forehead reddening over the top of her book, which was upside-down.

'May I?' said Professor McGonagall, but she didn't wait for an answer before pulling the Firebolt out of their hands. She examined it carefully from handle to twig-ends. 'Hmm. And there was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?'

'No,' said Harry blankly.

'I see …' said Professor McGonagall. 'Well, I'm afraid I will have to take this, Potter.'

'W-what?' said Harry, scrambling to his feet. 'Why?'

'It will need to be checked for jinxes,' said Professor McGonagall. '

Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down –'

'Strip it down?' repeated Ron, as though Professor McGonagall was mad.

'It shouldn't take more than a few weeks,' said Professor McGonagall. 'You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free.'

'There's nothing wrong with it!' said Harry, his voice shaking slightly.

'Honestly, Professor –'

'You can't know that, Potter,' said Professor McGonagall, quite kindly, 'not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I shall keep you informed.'

Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and carried the Firebolt out of the portrait hole, which closed behind her. Harry stood staring after her. Ron, however, rounded on Hermione.

'What did you go running to McGonagall for?' Hermione threw her book aside. She was still pink in the face, but stood up and faced Ron defiantly.

'Because I thought – and Professor McGonagall agrees with me – that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!

I bit my lip as I thought about this.

"You know what" I said "I think that's a strong possibility"

"Why?" said Harry and Ron at the same time.

"Look, we know Black is after Harry, and we know he's already failed with one attempt to get in to the castle. He's probably not about to try again in a hurry. So what better way to get Harry killed than to jinx a broom, and send it to him anonymously? There would be no way anyone could prove it was him, and once he's ensured Harry has died, he can return to You Know Who"

Hermione nodded.

"Exactly what I was thinking" she said

"You're mental" said Ron "both of you"

"Yeah. How is Black going to buy a Firebolt without anyone knowing it's him, first of all" said Harry

"Who says he bought it?" said Hermione "he could easily have slipped into a shop after closing and stolen it. He's already murdered a load of people, I don't think committing a theft would bother him"

"I find it hard to believe he could do that undetected" said Ron

I rolled my eyes

"Ron, Black has already gotten into and out of this castle right under Dumbledore's nose. If he can do that, he'd have no trouble sneaking into a shop overnight"

"I still think you two are being way too paranoid"

"Not paranoid, careful!" said Hermione angrily

"Yeah, we actually care for Harry's life you know! Do you not?" I said

"Of course I bloody care!"

"Then you'll see the logic in what Hermione has done here!"

Ron didn't say anything. He just gave us a glare, then said "Come on Harry"

And they both headed up to the dormitories.