The sound sliced piercingly to Hermione’s heart, too. She screamed inside, cursed all her friends for their cowardess, then willed Harry to stand up and face them with all the courage she knew he held within. Amazingly, as Hermione watched in her silent astonishment, Harry seemed to hear her. His shoulders rose up, squared off in that powerful stance he possessed, and he looked at each of the congregation in turn.