chap12pg2

�Harry, you can�t go!� said Hermione the next morning. They were at breakfast, and Harry had just told them that he was going to read Snape�s letters tonight.
�I�m going, and you cant make me think otherwise,� Harry said stubbornly. Hermione gave Harry and Ron an angry look.
�He�s not going to get into any trouble!� Ron yelled at Hermione. Harry highly doubted this, but he didn�t say anything.
�You don�t know that for sure,� Hermione said nervously.
�Sure I do,� Ron said, �He�ll be fine, just calm down.�
�He�s not going!� yelled Hermione.
�Yes, he is!� Ron hollered. Several older Gryffindors stared at Hermione and Ron tensely. Harry felt his face grow hot.
�Guys, calm down,� he said nervously, �You�re making a scene.�
�Sorry,� said Hermione quietly.
�Listen,� Harry said, �I know it�s dangerous, but I�m still going. I�ll be careful, and use the invisibility cloak.�
�There�s no use arguing with him,� said Ron, �His mind is made up.�
Hermione gave the boys a troubled look, and then stood up from the table. She quickly walked back up to the Gryffindor commons room.
�I don�t think I�ll ever understand girls,� sighed Ron. Harry nodded in agreement.
That night, Harry was preparing to go down to the dungeons, when Hermione came up to him. �As long as you�re going,� she started, �You might as well try to bring back one of the letters you read, so we can all see it.�
�I�ll try,� Harry said uneasily. He knew it would be risky enough to just look at the letters, but to take one was almost like signing his death warrant. He obviously was going to have to be extremely cautious.
Pulling his Invisibility Cloak over his head, Harry opened the door of the commons room. Ron followed him.
�If I�m not awake when you get back, just wake me up and tell me what you saw!� he said quietly. Harry gave Ron a thumbs-up sign from under the cloak, and then hurried off down the corridor.
The halls were quite empty, but Harry still tried to be as silent as possible while he stole through the deserted passages. He passed many empty classrooms, took a few turns, and peeked warily around corners, finally reaching the dungeon entrance. When he arrived at the huge, wooden door, he looked around, checking to see if anyone was there.
The coast was clear, so he continued to enter the dungeon.
�Alohomora,� he whispered, pointing his wand at the lock. The latch turned, and the door creaked open. Harry silently snuck into the office, and looked around.
On Snape�s desk was a large pile of letters. Harry removed his cloak and wand, and put them on the table. The letters hadn�t been sealed yet, but they were all addressed to various death eaters. Harry sifted through them, looking at the different recipients. After looking at about fifteen or so, he came across one addressed to Mr. Lucius Malfoy. Harry opened the letter, and began reading it.

Mr. Malfoy,
You will be pleased to know that Harry Potter has indeed been let back into the school, and there is little protection over him. I know you want him dead as much as I, but as you know, the Dark Lord has reserved his right to kill him�

Harry felt nauseous after reading this last line, but he continued.

�With this in mind, I have devised a plan to capture him and bring him to Lord Voldemort. However, I need all of the death eaters� support. I cannot do it alone. If you wish to help me, I would be most grateful.�

Suddenly, Harry heard the latch to the dungeon door start to click. Harry instantly grabbed his cloak and threw it on just in time, hiding the letter underneath. Professor Snape entered the room, and proceeded to his desk. He began to reach for the letters, but then stopped. He was looking at his desk with a hideous scowl on his face. Harry wanted to know what he was looking at, so he inched closer.
�Potter,� Snape said coldly. Harry�s insides froze. He knew what Snape had seen, and now he was in a huge mess.