Page 215 - [2]Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick
and Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department, but nobody
seemed to know what to do for Nearly Headless Nick. In the end,

Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, which
she gave to Ernie with instructions to waft Nearly Headless Nick
up the stairs. This Ernie did, fanning Nick along like a silent black
hovercraft. This left Harry and Professor McGonagall alone to-
gether.
“This way, Potter,” she said.
“Professor,” said Harry at once, “I swear I didn’t —”
“This is out of my hands, Potter,” said Professor McGonagall
curtly.
They marched in silence around a corner and she stopped before
a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.
“Lemon drop!” she said. This was evidently a password, because
the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall

behind him split in two. Even full of dread for what was coming,
Harry couldn’t fail to be amazed. Behind the wall was a spiral stair-
case that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As he and
Professor McGonagall stepped onto it, Harry heard the wall thud
closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and
higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Harry saw a gleaming oak door
ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.
He knew now where he was being taken. This must be where
Dumbledore lived.

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