'Then prove it! Master yourself!' spat Snape. 'Control your anger, discipline your mind! We shall try again! Get ready, now! Legilimens!'

He was watching Uncle Vernon hammering the letterbox shut . . . a hundred dementors were drifting across the lake in the grounds towards him . . . he was running along a windowless passage with Mr. Weasley . . . they were drawing nearer to the plain black door at the end of the corridor . . . Harry expected to go through it . . . but Mr. Weasley led him off to the left, down a flight of stone steps . . .

'I KNOW! I KNOW!'

He was on all fours again on Snape's office floor, his scar was prickling unpleasantly, but the voice that had just issued from his mouth was triumphant. He pushed himself up again to find Snape storing at him, his wand raised. It looked as though, this time, Snape had lifted the spell before Harry had even tried to fight back.

Chapter 24