〃If I thought I could help you；〃 Dumbledore said gently； 〃by putting you into an enchanted sleep and allowing you to postpone the moment when you would have to think about what has happened tonight； I would do it。 But I know better。 Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it。 You have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you。 I ask you to demonstrate your courage one more time。 I ask you to tell us what happened。〃
The phoenix let out one soft； quavering note。 It shivered in the air； and Harry felt as though a drop of hot liquid had slipped down his throat into his stomach； warming him； and strengthening him。
He took a deep breath and began to tell them。 As he spoke； visions of everything that had passed that night seemed to rise before his eyes； he saw the sparkling surface of the potion that had revived Voldemort； he saw the Death Eaters Apparating between the graves around them； he saw Cedric's body； lying on the ground beside the cup。
Once or twice； Sirius made a noise as though about to say something； his hand still tight on Harry's shoulder； but Dumbledore raised his hand to stop him； and Harry was glad of this； because it was easier to keep going now he had started。 It was even a relief； he felt almost as though something poisonous were being extracted from him。 It was costing him every bit of determination he had to keep talking； yet he sensed that once he had finished； he would feel better。
When Harry told of Wormtail piercing his arm with the dagger； however； Sirius let out a vehement exclamation and Dumbledore stood up so quickly that Harry started。 Dumbledore walked around the desk and told Harry to stretch out his arm。 Harry showed them both the place where his robes were torn and the cut beneath them。
〃He said my blood would make him stronger than if he'd used someone else's；〃 Harry told Dumbledore。 〃He said the protection my…my mother left in me…he'd have it too。 And he was right…he could touch me without hurting himself； he touched my face。〃
For a fleeting instant； Harry thought he saw a gleam of something like triumph in Dumbledore's eyes。 But next second。 Harry was sure he had imagined it； for when Dumbledore had returned to his seat behind the desk； he looked as old and weary as Harry had ever seen him。
〃Very well；〃 he said； sitting down again。 〃Voldemort has overe that particular barrier。 Harry； continue； please。〃
Harry went on； he explained how Voldemort had emerged from the cauldron； and told them all he could remember of Voldemort's speech to the Death Eaters。 Then he told how Voldemort had untied him； returned his wand to him； and prepared to duel。
But when he reached the part where the golden beam of light had connected his and Voldemort's wands； he found his throat obstructed。 He tried to keep talking； but the memories of what had e out of Voldemort's wand were flooding into his mind。 He could see Cedric emerging； see the old man； Bertha Jorkins 。。。his father。。。 his mother。。。
He was glad when Sirius broke the silence。
〃The wands connected？〃 he said； looking from Harry to Dumbledore。 〃Why？〃
Harry looked up at Dumbledore again； on whose face there was an arrested look。
〃Priori Incantatem；〃 he muttered。
His eyes gazed into Harry's and it was almost as though an invisible beam of understanding shot between them。
〃The Reverse Spell effect？〃 said Sirius sharply。
〃Exactly；〃 said Dumbledore。 〃Harry's wand and Voldemorts wand share cores。 Each of them contains a feather from the tail of the same phoenix。 This phoenix； in fact；〃 he added； and he pointed at the scarlet…and…gold bird； perching peacefully on Harry's knee。
〃My wand's feather came from Fawkes？〃 Harry said； amazed。
〃Yes；〃 said Dumbledore。 〃Mr。 Ollivander wrote to tell me you had bought the second wand； the moment you left his shop four years ago。〃
〃So what happens when a wand meets its brother？〃 said Sirius。
〃They will not work properly against each other；〃 said Dumbledore。 〃If； however； the owners of the wands force the wands to do battle 。。。a very rare effect will take place。 One of the wands will force the other to regurgitate spells it has performed…in reverse。 The most recent first。。。 and then those which preceded it。。。〃
He looked interrogatively at Harry； and Harry nodded。
〃Which means；〃 said Dumbledore slowly； his eyes upon Harry's face； 〃that some form of Cedric must have reappeared。〃
Harry nodded again。
〃Diggory came back to life？〃 said Sirius sharply。
〃No spell can reawaken the dead；〃 said Dumbledore heavily。 〃All that would have happened is a kind of reverse echo。 A shadow of the living Cedric would have emerged from the wand。。。 am I correct； Harry？〃
〃He spoke to me；〃 Harry said。 He was suddenly shaking again。 〃The。。。 the ghost Cedric； or whatever he was； spoke。〃
〃An echo；〃 said Dumbledore； 〃which retained Cedric's appearance and character。 I am guessing other such forms appeared。。。 less recent victims of Voldemort's wand。。。〃
〃An old man；〃 Harry said； his throat still constricted。 〃Bertha Jorkins。 And。。。〃
〃Your parents？〃 said Dumbledore quietly。
〃Yes；〃 said Harry。
Sirius's grip on Harry's shoulder was now so tight it was painful。
〃The last murders the wand performed；〃 said Dumbledore； nodding。 〃In reverse order。 More would have appeared； of course； had you maintained the connection。 Very well； Harry； these echoes； these shadows。。。 what did they do？〃
Harry described how the figures that had emerged from the wand had prowled the edges of the golden web； how Voldemort had seemed to fear them； how the shadow of Harry's mother had told him what to do； how Cedric's had made its final request。
At this point。 Harry found he could not continue。 He looked around at Sirius and saw that he had his face in his hands。
Harry suddenly became aware that Fawkes had left his knee。 The phoenix had fluttered to the floor。 It was resting its beautiful head against Harry's injured leg； and thick； pearly tears were falling from its eyes onto the wound left by the spider。 The pain vanished。 The skin mended。 His leg was repaired。
〃I will say it again；〃 said Dumbledore as the phoenix rose into the air and resettled itself upon the perch beside the door。 〃You have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you tonight。 Harry。 You have shown bravery equal to those who died fighting Voldemort at the height of his powers。 You have shouldered a grown wizard's burden and found yourself equal to it…and you have now given us all we have a right to expect。 You will e with me to the hospital wing。 I do not want you returning to the dormitory tonight。 A Sleeping Potion； and some peace。。。 Sirius； would you like to stay with him？〃
Sirius nodded and stood up。 He transformed back into the great black dog and walked with Harry and Dumbledore out of the office； acpanying them down a flight of stairs to the hospital wing。
When Dumbledore pushed open the door。 Harry saw Mrs。 Weasley； Bill； Ron； and Hermione grouped around a harassed…looking Madam Pomfrey。 They appeared to be demanding to know where Harry was and what had happened to him。 All of them whipped around as Harry； Dumbledore； and the black dog entered； and Mrs。 Weasley let out a kind of muffled scream。
〃Harry！ Oh Harry！〃
She started to hurry toward him； but Dumbledore moved between them。
〃Molly；〃 he said； holding up a hand； 〃please listen to me for a moment。 Harry has been through a terrible ordeal tonight。 He has just had to relive it for me。 What he needs now is sleep； and peace； and quiet。 If he would like you all to stay with him；〃 he added； looking around at Ron； Hermione； and Bill too； 〃you may do so。 But I do not want you questioning him until he is ready to answer； and certainly not this evening。〃
Mrs。 Weasley nodded。 She was very white。 She rounded on Ron； Hermione； and Bill as though they were being noisy； and hissed； 〃Did you hear？ He needs quiet！〃
〃Headmaster；〃 said Madam Pomfrey； staring at the great black dog that was Sirius； 〃may I ask what…？〃
〃This dog will be remaining with Harry for a while；〃 said Dumbledore simply。 〃I assure you； he is extremely well trained。 Harry…I will wait whi