. . and how did you find out about the Taboo?” he asked
Harry after explaining the many desperate attempts of Muggle- borns to evade the Ministry.
“The what?”
“You and Hermione have stopped saying You-Know-Who’s
name!”
“Oh, yeah. Well, it’s just a bad habit we’ve slipped into,” said
Harry. “But I haven’t got a problem calling him V— ”
“NO!” roared Ron, causing Harry to jump into the hedge and
Hermione (nose buried in a boot at the tent entrance) to
scowl over at them. “Sorry.” said Ron, wrenching Harry back
out of the brambles, “but the name’s been jinxed. Harry, that’s
how they track people! Using his name breaks protective
enchantments, it causes some kind of magical disturbance—
it’s how they found us in Totenham Court Road!”
“Because we used his name?”
“Exactly! You’ve got to give them credit, it makes sense. It
was only people who were serious about standing up to him like Dumbledore, who ever dared use it. Now they’ve put a Taboo on it, anyone who says it is trackable—quick-and-easy way to find