𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 and turned, Harry and Alena hurried along it. Harry stumbled every now and then on the uneven floor playing it off that a ghost that he tripped or a mouse or a ghost tripped him.
Ten minutes later, they came to the foot of some stone steps, which rose out of sight above them. Careful not to make any noise, they started to climb. A hundred steps, two hundred, she lost count... then, without warning, Harry's head hit something hard. It seemed to be a trapdoor.
Very slowly, he paused the trapdoor open and peered over the edge. They were in a cellar, which was full of wooden crates and boxes. They climbed out of the trapdoor and replaced it — it blended in perfectly. So perfect that you wouldn't be able to know that it was there. They crept slowly toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now they could definitely hear voices, and the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door. Wondering what they ought to do, the pair suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs.
"And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they've nearly cleaned us out —" a woman's voice was heard.
A pair of feet was coming down the staircase. Harry leapt behind an enormous crate, dragging Alena with him and waited for the footsteps to pass. He heard the man shifting boxes against the opposite wall. Quickly and silently, they dodged out from their hiding place and climbed the stairs; looking back, Alena saw an enormous backside and shiny bald head, buried in a box. They reached the door at the top of the stairs, slipped through it, and found themselves behind the counter of Honeydukes — they ducked, crept sideways, and then straightened up.
Honeydukes was so busy with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Harry or Alena. They edged among them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as he imagined the look that would spread over his parents faces if they could see where Harry was now.
Harry and Alena squeezed through a crowd of sixth years and saw a sign hanging in the farthest corner of the shop 'UNUSUAL TASTES.'
Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. They snuck up behind them.
"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect." Hermione was saying.
"How about these for Lena?" Ron asked, shoving a jar of Liquorice Wands in Hermione's face.
