*feels the staircase he's on stop; starts inching upwards noiselessly -- such escapes are part of the thrill of sneaking out at night*

*is aware by now that the approaching person is not Filch (too quiet) or a ghost (too loud); hopes -- in vain, as it turns out -- that their route isn't the same as his own -- but as the footsteps get closer to the staircase he's on, he drops any pretense of hiding and makes a run for it up toward the landing*