H. Potter and the order of the phoenix AUDIOBOOK part 11

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#harrypotter  #audiobook #harrypotterfan  Narrator: James Dobinson

Transcript

00:00:00Chapter 28 Snape's Worst Memory

00:00:04By order of the Ministry of Magic, Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor, has replaced Albus Dumbledore as head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

00:00:14The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number 28, signed Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic.

00:00:21The notices had gone up all around the school overnight,

00:00:24but they did not explain how every single person within the castle seemed to know that Dumbledore had overcome two Aurors,

00:00:30the High Inquisitor, the Minister for Magic and his Junior Assistant, to escape.

00:00:34No matter where Harry went within the castle, the sole topic of conversation was Dumbledore's flight,

00:00:39and though some of the details may have gone awry in the retelling,

00:00:42Harry overheard one second-year girl assuring another that Fudge was now lying in St Mungo's with a pumpkin for a head.

00:00:48It was surprising how accurate the rest of their information was.

00:00:51Everybody knew, for instance, that Harry and Marietta were the only students to have witnessed the scene in Dumbledore's office,

00:00:57and, as Marietta was now in the hospital wing, Harry found himself besieged with requests to give a first-hand account.

00:01:03Dumbledore will be back before long, said Ernie Macmillan, confidently on the way back from Herbology, after listening intently to Harry's story.

00:01:11They couldn't keep him away in our second year, and they won't be able to this time, the fat friar told me.

00:01:17He dropped his voice conspiratorially, so that Harry, Ron and Hermione had to lean closer to hear him.

00:01:23That umbrage tried to get back into his office last night, after they'd searched the castle and grounds for him.

00:01:28Couldn't get past the gargoyle, the head's office had sealed itself against her, Ernie smirked.

00:01:33Apparently, she had a right little tantrum.

00:01:35Oh, I expect she really fancied herself sitting up there in the head's office, said Hermione viciously,

00:01:41as they walked up the stone steps into the entrance hall, lording it over all, the other teachers, the stupid, puffed-up, power-crazy old...

00:01:48Now, do you really want to finish that sentence, Granger?

00:01:52Draco Malfoy had slid out from behind the door, followed by Crabbe and Goyle.

00:01:56His pale, pointed face was alight with malice.

00:01:59Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, he drawled.

00:02:05You can't take points from fellow prefects, Malfoy, said Ernie at once.

00:02:10I know prefects can't dock points from each other, sneered Malfoy.

00:02:14Crabbe and Goyle sniggered, but members of the Inquisitorial Squad...

00:02:18The what? said Hermione sharply.

00:02:20The Inquisitorial Squad, Granger, said Malfoy, pointing towards a tiny silver eye on his robes, just beneath his prefect's badge.

00:02:28A select group of students who are supportive of the Ministry of Magic, hand-picked by Professor Umbridge.

00:02:34Anyway, members of the Inquisitorial Squad do have the power to dock points.

00:02:38So, Granger, I'll have five from you for being rude about our new headmistress.

00:02:42Macmillan, five for contradicting me.

00:02:44Five because I don't like you, Potter.

00:02:47Weasley, your shirt's untucked, so I'll have another five for that.

00:02:50Oh yeah, I forgot, you're a mudblood, Granger, so ten off for that.

00:02:54Ron pulled out his wand, but Hermione pushed it away, whispering, don't.

00:02:58Wise move, Granger, breathed Malfoy.

00:03:01New head, new times.

00:03:03Be good now, Potty, weasel king.

00:03:05Laughing heartily, he strode away with Crabbe and Goyle.

00:03:08He was bluffing, said Ernie, looking appalled.

00:03:10He can't be allowed to dock points, that would be ridiculous.

00:03:13It would completely undermine the prefect's system.

00:03:16But Harry, Ron and Hermione had turned automatically towards the giant hourglasses,

00:03:20set in niches along the wall behind them, which recorded the house points.

00:03:24Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had been neck-in-neck in the lead that morning.

00:03:27Even as they watched, stones flew upwards, reducing the amounts in the lower bulbs.

00:03:32In fact, the only glass that seemed unchanged was the emerald-filled one of Slytherin.

00:03:36Noticed, have you? said Fred's voice.

00:03:39He and George had just come down the marble staircase

00:03:41and joined Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ernie in front of the hourglasses.

00:03:45Malfoy just docked us all about fifty points, said Harry furiously,

00:03:49as they watched several more stones fly upwards from the Gryffindor hourglass.

00:03:53Yeah, Montague tried to do us during break, said George.

00:03:56What do you mean, tried? said Ron quickly.

00:03:58He never managed to get all the words out, said Fred,

00:04:00due to the fact that we forced him headfirst into the vanishing cabinet on the first floor.

00:04:05Hermione looked very shocked.

00:04:07But you'll get into terrible trouble.

00:04:09Not until Montague reappears, and that could take weeks.

00:04:12I don't know where we sent him, said Fred coolly.

00:04:14Anyway, we've decided we don't care about getting into trouble anymore.

00:04:17Have you ever? asked Hermione.

00:04:19Course we have, said George. Never been expelled, have we?

00:04:22We've always known where to draw the line, said Fred.

00:04:24We might have put a toe across it occasionally, said George,

00:04:28but we've always stopped short of causing real mayhem, said Fred.

00:04:31But now, said Ron tentatively.

00:04:33Well now, said George, what with Dumbledore gone, said Fred,

00:04:37we reckon a bit of mayhem, said George,

00:04:39is exactly what our dear new head deserves, said Fred.

00:04:43You mustn't, whispered Hermione. You really mustn't.

00:04:45She'd love a reason to expel you.

00:04:47You don't get it, Hermione, do you? said Fred, smiling at her.

00:04:50We don't care about staying anymore.

00:04:51We'd walk out right now if we weren't determined to do our bit for Dumbledore first.

00:04:55So anyway, he checked his watch.

00:04:57Phase one is about to begin.

00:04:59I'd get in the great hall for lunch if I were you.

00:05:01The way the teachers will see you can't have had anything to do with it.

00:05:07Anything to do with what? said Hermione anxiously.

00:05:09You'll see, said George. Run along now.

00:05:12Fred and George turned away and disappeared into the swelling crowd,

00:05:16descending the stairs towards lunch.

00:05:18Looking highly disconcerted,

00:05:20Ernie muttered something about unfinished transfiguration homework and scurried away.

00:05:24I think we should get out of here, you know, said Hermione nervously, just in case.

00:05:28Yeah, all right, said Ron.

00:05:30And the three of them moved towards the door to the great hall.

00:05:32But Harry had barely glimpsed the day's ceiling of scudding white clouds

00:05:37when somebody tapped him on the shoulder and turned.

00:05:39He found himself almost nose to nose with Filch, the caretaker.

00:05:43He took several hasty steps backwards.

00:05:46Filch was best viewed at a distance.

00:05:48The headmistress would like to see you, Potter, he leered.

00:05:52I didn't do it, said Harry stupidly.

00:05:54Thinking of whatever Fred and George were planning,

00:05:56Filch's jowls wobbled with silent laughter.

00:05:59Guilty conscience, eh? he wheezed.

00:06:01Follow me.

00:06:03Harry glanced back at Ron and Hermione, who were both looking worried.

00:06:06He shrugged and followed Filch back into the entrance hall,

00:06:09against the tide of hungry students.

00:06:11Filch seemed to be in an extremely good mood.

00:06:13He hummed creakily under his breath as they climbed the marble staircase.

00:06:17As they reached the first landing, he said,

00:06:19Things are changing around here, Potter.

00:06:22I've noticed, said Harry coldly.

00:06:24Yes, I've been telling Dumbledore for years and years he's too soft with you all,

00:06:29said Filch, chuckling nastily.

00:06:31You filthy little beasts would never have dropped stink pellets

00:06:34if you'd known I had in my power to whip you raw, would you?

00:06:38Now, nobody would afford throwing fanged frisbees down the corridors

00:06:42if I could have strung you up by the ankles in my office, would they?

00:06:46But when Educational Decree No. 29 comes in, Potter,

00:06:49I'll be allowed to do them things.

00:06:51And she's asked the minister to sign in order for the expulsion of peeves.

00:06:55Oh, things are going to be very different around here with her in charge.

00:06:59Umbridge had obviously gone to some lengths to get Filch on her side, Harry thought,

00:07:04and the worst of it was that he would probably prove an important weapon.

00:07:07His knowledge of the school's secret passageways and hiding places

00:07:10was probably second only to that of the Weasley twins.

00:07:13Here we are, he said, leering down at Harry as he rapped three times

00:07:17on Professor Umbridge's door and pushed it open.

00:07:20The Potter boy to see you, ma'am.

00:07:22Umbridge's office, so very familiar to Harry from his many detentions,

00:07:26was the same as usual except for the large wooden block

00:07:29lying across the front of her desk,

00:07:31on which golden letters spelled the word Headmistress.

00:07:34Also, his firebolt and Fred and George's clean sweeps,

00:07:37which he saw with a pang, were chained and padlocked

00:07:40to a stout iron peg in the wall behind the desk.

00:07:43Umbridge was sitting behind the desk,

00:07:45busily scribbling on some of her pink parchment,

00:07:48but she looked up and smiled wildly at the entrance.

00:07:51Thank you, Argus, she said sweetly.

00:07:53Not at all, ma'am, not at all, said Filch,

00:07:56bowing as low as his rheumatism would permit and exiting backwards.

00:08:00Sit, said Umbridge curtly, pointing towards a chair.

00:08:04Harry sat. She continued to scribble for a few moments.

00:08:07He watched some of the foul kittens

00:08:09gamboling around the plates over her head,

00:08:11wondering what fresh horror she had in store for him.

00:08:14Well now, she said finally, setting down her quill

00:08:17and looking like a toad about to swallow a particularly juicy fly.

00:08:21What would you like to drink?

00:08:23What, said Harry, quite sure he had misheard her.

00:08:26To drink, Mr. Potter, she said smiling, still more widely.

00:08:29Tea? Coffee? Pumpkin juice?

00:08:32As she named each drink, she gave her short wand a wave

00:08:35and a cup or glass of it appeared on her desk.

00:08:39Uh, nothing, thank you, said Harry.

00:08:41I wish you to have a drink with me, she said,

00:08:44her voice becoming dangerously sweet.

00:08:46Choose one.

00:08:47Uh, fine, a tea then, said Harry, shrugging.

00:08:50She got up and made quite a performance

00:08:52of adding milk with her back to him.

00:08:54She then bustled around the desk with it,

00:08:56smiling in a sinisterly sweet fashion.

00:08:59There, she said, handing it to him.

00:09:01Drink it before it gets cold, won't you?

00:09:03Well now, Mr. Potter, I thought we ought to have a little chat

00:09:06after the distressing events of last night.

00:09:09He said nothing.

00:09:10She settled herself back into her seat and waited.

00:09:13When several long moments had passed in silence,

00:09:15she said gaily,

00:09:16You're not drinking up?

00:09:18He raised the cup to his lips and then,

00:09:20just as suddenly lowered it,

00:09:21one of the horrible painted kittens behind Umbridge

00:09:24had great round blue eyes,

00:09:26just like Mad-Eyed Moody's magical one,

00:09:28and it had just occurred to Harry

00:09:29what Mad-Eye would say

00:09:31had he ever heard that Harry had drunk anything

00:09:33offered by a known enemy.

00:09:35What's the matter? said Umbridge,

00:09:37who was still watching him.

00:09:38Do you want some sugar?

00:09:40No, said Harry.

00:09:41He raised the cup to his lips again

00:09:42and pretended to take a sip.

00:09:44Though keeping his mouth tightly closed,

00:09:46Umbridge's smile widened.

00:09:48Good, she whispered.

00:09:49Very good.

00:09:50Now then, she leaned forwards a little.

00:09:52Where is Albus Dumbledore?

00:09:54No idea, said Harry promptly.

00:09:55Drink up, drink up, she said, still smiling.

00:09:58Now, Mr. Potter, let us not play childish games.

00:10:00I know that you know where he has gone.

00:10:02You and Dumbledore have been in this together

00:10:04from the beginning.

00:10:05Consider your position, Mr. Potter.

00:10:07I don't know where he is.

00:10:09Harry pretended to drink again.

00:10:11Very well, said Umbridge, looking displeased.

00:10:13In that case, you will kindly tell me

00:10:15the whereabouts of Sirius Black.

00:10:17Harry's stomach turned over

00:10:19and his hand holding the teacup shook

00:10:21so it rattled in its saucer.

00:10:23He tilted the cup to his mouth

00:10:24with his lips pressed together

00:10:26so that some of the hot liquid

00:10:27trickled down onto his robes.

00:10:29I don't know, he said, a little too quickly.

00:10:31Mr. Potter, said Umbridge,

00:10:33let me remind you that it was I

00:10:36who almost caught the criminal Black

00:10:37in the Gryffindor fire in October.

00:10:39I know perfectly well it was you

00:10:41who he was meeting,

00:10:43and if I had my proof,

00:10:44neither of you would be at large today.

00:10:46I promise you, I repeat, Mr. Potter,

00:10:48where is Sirius Black?

00:10:51No idea, said Harry loudly.

00:10:53Haven't got a clue.

00:10:54They stared at each other so long

00:10:56that Harry felt his eyes watering.

00:10:58Then Umbridge stood up.

00:10:59Very well, Potter,

00:11:00I will take your word for it this time,

00:11:02but be warned,

00:11:03the might of the Ministry stands behind me.

00:11:05All channels of communication

00:11:07in and out of this school are being monitored.

00:11:09A flu network regulator

00:11:11is keeping watch over every fire in Hogwarts,

00:11:14except my own, of course.

00:11:15My inquisitorial squad is opening

00:11:17and reading all owl post,

00:11:19entering and leaving the castle,

00:11:20and Mr. Filch is observing

00:11:22all secret passages in and out of the castle.

00:11:24If I find a shred of evidence,

00:11:27boom!

00:11:28The very floor of the office shook.

00:11:30Umbridge slipped sideways,

00:11:32clutching her desk for support

00:11:33and looking shocked.

00:11:35What was...

00:11:36She was gazing towards the door.

00:11:38Harry took the opportunity

00:11:39to empty his almost full cup of tea

00:11:41into the nearest vase of dried flowers.

00:11:43He could hear people running

00:11:44and screaming several floors below.

00:11:46Back to lunch you go, Potter,

00:11:48said Umbridge,

00:11:49raising her wand

00:11:50and dashing out of the office.

00:11:51Harry gave her a few seconds start

00:11:53and then hurried after her

00:11:54to see what the source

00:11:55of all the uproar was.

00:11:57It was not difficult to find.

00:11:58One floor down, pandemonium reigned.

00:12:01Somebody,

00:12:02and Harry had a very shrewd idea who,

00:12:04had set off what seemed to be

00:12:05an enormous crate of enchanted fireworks.

00:12:08Dragons comprised entirely

00:12:10of green and gold sparks

00:12:11were soaring up and down the corridors,

00:12:13emitting loud fiery blasts and bangs

00:12:15as they went.

00:12:16Shocking pink Catherine wheels,

00:12:18five feet in diameter,

00:12:19were whizzing lethally through the air

00:12:21like so many flying saucers.

00:12:23Rockets with long tails

00:12:24of brilliant silver stars

00:12:25were ricocheting off the walls.

00:12:27Sparklers were writing swear words

00:12:29in mid-air of their own accord.

00:12:30Firecrackers were exploding

00:12:32like mines everywhere.

00:12:33Harry looked

00:12:34and instead of burning themselves out,

00:12:36fading from sight

00:12:37or sizzling to a halt,

00:12:39these pyrotechnical miracles

00:12:41seemed to be gaining in energy

00:12:43and momentum for longer

00:12:44the longer he watched.

00:12:46Filch and Umbridge were standing,

00:12:48apparently transfixed in horror,

00:12:49halfway down the stairs.

00:12:51As Harry watched,

00:12:52one of the large Catherine wheels

00:12:53seemed to decide

00:12:54that what it needed

00:12:56was more room to manoeuvre.

00:12:58It whirled towards Umbridge and Filch

00:12:59with a sinister

00:13:00Wheeeeee!

00:13:01They both yelled

00:13:02with fright and duct

00:13:03and it soared straight out of the window

00:13:05behind them

00:13:06and off across the grounds.

00:13:07Meanwhile,

00:13:08several of the dragons

00:13:09and a large purple bat

00:13:10that was smoking ominously

00:13:11took advantage of the open door

00:13:13at the end of the corridor

00:13:14to escape towards the second floor.

00:13:16Hurry, Filch!

00:13:17Hurry!

00:13:18shrieked Umbridge.

00:13:19They'll be all over the school

00:13:20unless we do something!

00:13:22Stupefy!

00:13:23A jet of red light

00:13:24shot out of the end of her wand

00:13:26and hit one of the rockets.

00:13:27Instead of freezing in mid-air,

00:13:29it exploded with such force

00:13:30that it blasted a hole

00:13:31in a painting

00:13:32of a soppy-looking witch

00:13:34in the middle of a meadow.

00:13:35She ran for it just in time,

00:13:37reappearing seconds later

00:13:38squashed in the next painting

00:13:40where a couple of wizards

00:13:41playing cards

00:13:42stood up hastily

00:13:43to make room for her.

00:13:44Don't!

00:13:45Stun them, Filch!

00:13:46shouted Umbridge angrily

00:13:47for all the world

00:13:48as though it had been

00:13:49his incantation.

00:13:50Right you are, Headmistress!

00:13:52wheezed Filch,

00:13:53who, as a squib,

00:13:54could no more have stunned

00:13:55the fireworks

00:13:56than swallow them.

00:13:57He dashed to a nearby cupboard,

00:13:58pulling out a broom

00:13:59and began swatting

00:14:00at the fireworks in mid-air.

00:14:01Within seconds

00:14:02the head of the broom

00:14:03was ablaze.

00:14:04Harry had seen enough.

00:14:05Laughing,

00:14:06he ducked down low,

00:14:07ran to a door

00:14:08he knew was concealed

00:14:09behind a tapestry

00:14:10a little way along the corridor

00:14:11and slipped through it

00:14:12to find Fred and George

00:14:13hiding just behind it,

00:14:14listening to Umbridge

00:14:15and Filch's yells

00:14:16and quaking

00:14:17with suppressed mirth.

00:14:18Impressive!

00:14:19Harry said quietly, grinning.

00:14:21Very impressive!

00:14:22You'll put Dr. Filibuster

00:14:23out of business,

00:14:24no problem!

00:14:25Cheers,

00:14:26whispered George,

00:14:27wiping tears of laughter

00:14:28from his face.

00:14:29Oh, I hope she tries

00:14:30vanishing them next.

00:14:31They multiply by ten

00:14:32every time you try.

00:14:33The fireworks

00:14:34continued to burn

00:14:35and to spread

00:14:36all over the school

00:14:37that afternoon.

00:14:38Though they caused

00:14:39plenty of disruption,

00:14:40particularly the firecrackers,

00:14:41the other teachers

00:14:42didn't seem to mind

00:14:43them very much.

00:14:44Dear, dear,

00:14:45said Professor McGonagall

00:14:46sardonically,

00:14:47as one of the dragons

00:14:48soared around her classroom

00:14:50emitting loud bangs

00:14:51and exhaling flame.

00:14:52Miss Brone,

00:14:53would you mind

00:14:54running along

00:14:55to the headmistress

00:14:56and informing her

00:14:57that we have

00:14:58an escaped firework

00:14:59in our classroom?

00:15:00The upshot of it all

00:15:01was that Professor Umbridge

00:15:02spent her first afternoon

00:15:03as headmistress

00:15:04running all over the school

00:15:05answering the summonses

00:15:06of the other teachers,

00:15:07none of whom

00:15:08seemed able

00:15:09to rid their rooms

00:15:10of the fireworks

00:15:11without her.

00:15:12When the final bell rang

00:15:13and they were heading back

00:15:14to Gryffindor Tower

00:15:15with their bags,

00:15:16Harry saw,

00:15:17with immense satisfaction,

00:15:18a dishevelled

00:15:19and soot-blackened Umbridge

00:15:20tottering sweaty-faced

00:15:21from Professor Flitwick's classroom.

00:15:23Thank you so much, Professor,

00:15:25said Professor Flitwick

00:15:26in his squeaky little voice.

00:15:28I could have got rid

00:15:29of the sparklers myself,

00:15:30of course,

00:15:31but I wasn't sure

00:15:32whether or not

00:15:33I had the authority.

00:15:34Beaming,

00:15:35he closed his classroom door

00:15:36in her snarling face.

00:15:37Fred and George

00:15:38were heroes that night

00:15:39in the Gryffindor common room.

00:15:40Even Hermione

00:15:41fought her way

00:15:42through the excited crowd

00:15:43to congratulate them.

00:15:44They were wonderful fireworks,

00:15:46she said admiringly.

00:15:47Thanks,

00:15:48said George,

00:15:49looking both surprised

00:15:50and pleased.

00:15:51Weasleys,

00:15:52wildfire whiz-bangs.

00:15:53Only thing is,

00:15:54we used our whole stock.

00:15:55We're going to have to start

00:15:56again from scratch now.

00:15:57It was worth it though,

00:15:58said Fred,

00:15:59who was taking orders

00:16:00from clamouring Gryffindors.

00:16:01If you want to add your name

00:16:02to the waiting list,

00:16:03Hermione,

00:16:04it's five galleons

00:16:05for your basic blaze box

00:16:06and twenty for the

00:16:07deflagration deluxe.

00:16:09Hermione returned to the table

00:16:11where Harry and Ron

00:16:12were sitting staring

00:16:13at their school bags

00:16:14as though hoping

00:16:15their homework would spring out

00:16:16and start doing it itself.

00:16:18Oh,

00:16:19why don't we have a night off?

00:16:21said Hermione brightly

00:16:22as a silver-tailed

00:16:23Weasley rocket

00:16:24zoomed past the window.

00:16:26After all,

00:16:27the Easter holidays

00:16:28start on Friday.

00:16:29We'll have plenty of time then.

00:16:30Are you feeling alright?

00:16:32Ron asked,

00:16:33staring at her in disbelief.

00:16:34Now you mention it,

00:16:35said Hermione happily.

00:16:36Do you know,

00:16:37I think I'm feeling

00:16:38a bit rebellious.

00:16:40Harry could still hear

00:16:41the distant bangs

00:16:42of escaped firecrackers

00:16:43when he and Ron

00:16:44went up to bed

00:16:45a little later

00:16:46and as he got undressed

00:16:47the sparkler floated

00:16:48past the tower

00:16:49still resolutely spelling out

00:16:50the word poo.

00:16:51He got into bed,

00:16:52yawning.

00:16:53With his glasses off,

00:16:54the occasional firework

00:16:55passing the window

00:16:56had become blurred

00:16:57looking like sparkling clouds

00:16:59beautiful and mysterious

00:17:00against the black sky.

00:17:01He turned on to his side

00:17:03wondering how Umbridge

00:17:04was feeling about her

00:17:05first day in Dumbledore's job

00:17:07and how Fudge would react

00:17:08when he heard that the school

00:17:09had spent most of the day

00:17:10in a state of advanced disruption.

00:17:12Smiling to himself,

00:17:13Harry closed his eyes.

00:17:15The whizzes and bangs

00:17:16of escaped fireworks

00:17:17in the grounds

00:17:18seemed to be growing

00:17:19more distant

00:17:20or perhaps they were simply

00:17:21speeding away for them.

00:17:23He had fallen right

00:17:24into the corridor

00:17:25leading to the

00:17:26Department of Mysteries.

00:17:27He was speeding

00:17:28towards the plain back door.

00:17:30Let it open.

00:17:31Let it open.

00:17:32It did.

00:17:33He was inside

00:17:34the circular room

00:17:35lined with doors.

00:17:36He crossed it,

00:17:37placed his hand

00:17:38on the identical door

00:17:39and it swung inwards.

00:17:40Now he was in a long

00:17:41rectangular room

00:17:42full of an odd box

00:17:43full of an odd

00:17:44mechanical clicking.

00:17:45There were dancing

00:17:46flecks of light

00:17:47on the walls

00:17:48but he did not

00:17:49pause to investigate.

00:17:50He had to go on.

00:17:51There was a door

00:17:52at the far end.

00:17:53It too opened

00:17:54at his touch

00:17:55and now he was

00:17:56in a dimly lit room

00:17:57as high and wide

00:17:58as a church

00:17:59full of nothing

00:18:00but rows and rows

00:18:01of towering shelves

00:18:02each laden with

00:18:03small dusty

00:18:04spun glass spheres.

00:18:05Now Harry's heart

00:18:06was beating fast

00:18:07with excitement.

00:18:08He knew where to go.

00:18:09He ran forwards

00:18:10but his footsteps

00:18:11made no noise

00:18:12in the enormous

00:18:13deserted room.

00:18:14There was something

00:18:15in this room

00:18:16he wanted very,

00:18:17very much.

00:18:18Something he wanted

00:18:19or somebody else wanted.

00:18:21His scar was hurting.

00:18:22Bang!

00:18:23Harry awoke

00:18:24instantly confused

00:18:25and angry.

00:18:26The dark dormitory

00:18:27was full of the sound

00:18:28of laughter.

00:18:29Cool!

00:18:30said Seamus

00:18:31who was silhouetted

00:18:32against the window.

00:18:33I think one of those

00:18:34Catherine wheels

00:18:35hit a rocket.

00:18:36It's like they mated.

00:18:37Come and see.

00:18:38Harry heard Ron and Dean

00:18:39scramble out of bed

00:18:40for a better look.

00:18:41Harry lay still

00:18:42and silent

00:18:43while the pain in his scar

00:18:44subsided

00:18:45and disappointment

00:18:46washed over him.

00:18:47He felt as though

00:18:48a wonderful treat

00:18:49had been snatched from him

00:18:50at the very last moment.

00:18:51He had got so close

00:18:52to that time.

00:18:53Glittering pink

00:18:54and silver

00:18:55winged piglets

00:18:56were now soaring

00:18:57past the windows

00:18:58of Gryffindor Tower.

00:18:59Harry lay and listened

00:19:00to the appreciative

00:19:01whoops of Gryffindors

00:19:02in the dormitories

00:19:03below them.

00:19:04His stomach

00:19:05gave a sickening jolt

00:19:06as he remembered

00:19:07that he had

00:19:08oculomancy

00:19:09the following evening.

00:19:10Harry spent the whole

00:19:11of the next day

00:19:12dreading what Snape

00:19:13was going to say

00:19:14if he found out

00:19:15how much further

00:19:16into the Department

00:19:17of Mysteries

00:19:18Harry had penetrated

00:19:19during his last dream.

00:19:20With a surge of guilt

00:19:21he realised

00:19:22that he had not

00:19:23practised oculomancy

00:19:24once since

00:19:25their last lesson.

00:19:26There had been

00:19:27too much going on

00:19:28since Dumbledore

00:19:29had left.

00:19:30He was sure

00:19:31he would not

00:19:32have been able

00:19:33to empty his mind

00:19:34even if he had tried.

00:19:35He doubted however

00:19:36whether Snape

00:19:37would accept that excuse.

00:19:38He attempted

00:19:39but to no avail.

00:19:40Hermione

00:19:41kept asking him

00:19:42what was wrong

00:19:43whenever he fell silent

00:19:44trying to rid himself

00:19:45of all thought

00:19:46and emotion

00:19:47and after all

00:19:48the best moment

00:19:49to empty his brain

00:19:50was not while teachers

00:19:51were firing revision

00:19:52questions at the class.

00:19:53Resigning to the worst

00:19:54he set off for Snape's

00:19:55office after dinner.

00:19:56Halfway across the

00:19:57entrance hall however

00:19:58Cho came hurrying up

00:19:59to him.

00:20:00Over here!

00:20:01said Harry

00:20:02glad of a reason

00:20:03to postpone

00:20:04his meeting with Snape

00:20:05and beckoning her

00:20:06across to the corner

00:20:07of the entrance hall

00:20:08which was now

00:20:09almost empty.

00:20:10Are you OK?

00:20:11Umbridge hasn't been

00:20:12asking you about the DA

00:20:13has she?

00:20:14Oh no!

00:20:15said Cho hurriedly.

00:20:16No it was only

00:20:17well I just wanted to say

00:20:18Harry

00:20:19I never dreamed

00:20:20Marietta would tell.

00:20:21Yeah well

00:20:22said Harry moodily.

00:20:23He did feel Cho

00:20:24might have chosen

00:20:25her friends a bit

00:20:26more carefully.

00:20:27It was small consolation

00:20:28that the last he had heard

00:20:29Marietta was still

00:20:30in the hospital wing

00:20:31and Madame Pomfrey

00:20:32had not been able

00:20:33to make the slightest

00:20:34improvement to her pimples.

00:20:35She's a lovely person

00:20:36really said Cho

00:20:37she just made a mistake.

00:20:38Harry looked at her

00:20:39incredulously

00:20:40a lovely person

00:20:41who made a mistake.

00:20:42She told us all

00:20:43she sold us all out

00:20:44including you.

00:20:45Well we all got away

00:20:46didn't we?

00:20:47said Cho pleadingly.

00:20:48You know

00:20:49her mum works

00:20:50for the ministry

00:20:51it's really difficult

00:20:52for her.

00:20:53Ron's dad works

00:20:54for the ministry too

00:20:55Harry said furiously

00:20:56in case you hadn't

00:20:57noticed

00:20:58he hasn't got sneak

00:20:59written across his face.

00:21:00That was a really

00:21:01horrible trick

00:21:02of Hermione Granger's

00:21:03said Cho fiercely.

00:21:04She should have told us

00:21:05she'd jinxed that list

00:21:06having it was

00:21:07a brilliant idea

00:21:08said Harry coldly.

00:21:09Cho flushed

00:21:10and her eyes

00:21:11grew brighter.

00:21:12Oh yes

00:21:13I forgot of course

00:21:14it was darling

00:21:15Hermione's idea.

00:21:16Don't start crying again

00:21:17said Harry warningly.

00:21:18I wasn't going to

00:21:19she shouted.

00:21:20Yeah well

00:21:21good he said

00:21:22I've got enough

00:21:23to cope with

00:21:24at the moment.

00:21:25Go and cope with it then

00:21:26Cho said furiously

00:21:27turning on her heel

00:21:28and stalking off.

00:21:29Fuming

00:21:30Harry descended

00:21:31the stairs

00:21:32to Snape's dungeon

00:21:33and though he knew

00:21:34from experience

00:21:35how much easier

00:21:36it would be

00:21:37for Snape

00:21:38to penetrate his mind

00:21:39if he arrived angry

00:21:40and resentful

00:21:41he succeeded in nothing

00:21:42but thinking

00:21:43of a few more things

00:21:44he should have said

00:21:45to Cho about Marietta

00:21:46before reaching the dungeon door.

00:21:47You're late

00:21:48Potter

00:21:49said Snape coldly

00:21:50as Harry closed

00:21:51the door behind him.

00:21:52Snape was standing

00:21:53with his back to Harry

00:21:54removing as usual

00:21:55certain

00:21:56certain

00:21:57of his thoughts

00:21:58and placing them

00:21:59carefully

00:22:00in Dumbledore's pensive.

00:22:01He dropped

00:22:02the last silvery strand

00:22:03into the stone basin

00:22:04and turned

00:22:05to face Harry.

00:22:06So

00:22:07he said

00:22:08have you been

00:22:09practising?

00:22:10Yes

00:22:11Harry lied

00:22:12looking carefully

00:22:13at one of the legs

00:22:14at one of the legs

00:22:15of Snape's desk.

00:22:16Well

00:22:17we'll soon find out

00:22:18won't we

00:22:19said Snape smoothly.

00:22:20Wand out

00:22:21Potter.

00:22:22Harry moved

00:22:23into his usual position

00:22:24facing Snape

00:22:25with the desk between them.

00:22:26His heart was pumping fast

00:22:27with anger at Cho

00:22:28and anxiety

00:22:29about how much Snape

00:22:30was about to extract

00:22:31from his mind.

00:22:32On the count

00:22:33of three then

00:22:34said Snape

00:22:35lazily.

00:22:36One

00:22:37Two

00:22:38Snape's office door

00:22:39banged open

00:22:40and Draco Malfoy

00:22:41sped in.

00:22:42Professor Snape

00:22:43said

00:22:44Oh sorry

00:22:45Malfoy's looking

00:22:46at Snape

00:22:47and Harry

00:22:48in some surprise.

00:22:49It's all right

00:22:50Draco

00:22:51said Snape

00:22:52lowering his wand.

00:22:53Potter is here

00:22:54for a little

00:22:55remedial potions.

00:22:56Harry had not seen

00:22:57Malfoy look so gleeful

00:22:58since Umbridge

00:22:59had turned up

00:23:00to inspect Hagrid.

00:23:01I didn't know

00:23:02if Malfoy's face

00:23:03was burning.

00:23:04He would have had a great

00:23:05given a great deal

00:23:06to be able to shout

00:23:07the truth at Malfoy

00:23:08or even better

00:23:09to hit him

00:23:10with a good curse.

00:23:11Well Draco

00:23:12what is it

00:23:13asked Snape.

00:23:14It's Professor Umbridge sir

00:23:15she needs your help

00:23:16said Malfoy.

00:23:17They've found Montague sir

00:23:18he's turned up

00:23:19jammed inside a toilet

00:23:20on the fourth floor.

00:23:21How did he get in there

00:23:23demanded Snape.

00:23:24I don't know sir

00:23:25he's a bit confused.

00:23:26Very well

00:23:27very well Potter

00:23:28said Snape

00:23:29we shall resume

00:23:30this lesson

00:23:31tomorrow evening.

00:23:32He turned

00:23:33and swept from his office.

00:23:34Malfoy mouthed

00:23:35remedial potions

00:23:36at Harry

00:23:37behind Snape's back

00:23:38before following him.

00:23:39Seething

00:23:40Harry replaced

00:23:41his wand

00:23:42inside his robes

00:23:43and made to leave the room.

00:23:44At least he had

00:23:45twenty four more hours

00:23:46in which to practice.

00:23:47He knew he ought

00:23:48to feel grateful

00:23:49for the narrow escape

00:23:50though it was hard

00:23:51that it came

00:23:52at the expense of Malfoy

00:23:53telling the whole school

00:23:54that he needed

00:23:55remedial potions.

00:23:56He was at the office door

00:23:57when he saw it

00:23:58a patch of shivering

00:23:59light dancing

00:24:00on the door frame.

00:24:01He stopped

00:24:02and stood

00:24:03looking at it

00:24:04reminded of something

00:24:05then he remembered

00:24:06it was a little like

00:24:07the lights he had seen

00:24:08in the dream last night

00:24:09the lights in the second room

00:24:10he had walked through

00:24:11on his journey

00:24:12through the department

00:24:13of mysteries.

00:24:14He turned around

00:24:15the light was coming

00:24:16from the pensieve

00:24:17sitting on Snape's desk

00:24:18the silver white contents

00:24:19were ebbing and swirling

00:24:20within

00:24:21Snape's thoughts

00:24:22things he did not want

00:24:23Harry to see

00:24:24if he broke through

00:24:25Snape's defences

00:24:26accidentally.

00:24:27Harry gazed

00:24:28at the pensieve

00:24:29curiosity

00:24:30welling inside him

00:24:31what was it

00:24:32that Snape

00:24:33was so keen

00:24:34to hide from Harry.

00:24:35The silvery lights

00:24:36shivered on the wall

00:24:37Harry took two steps

00:24:38towards the desk

00:24:39thinking hard

00:24:40could it possibly

00:24:41be information

00:24:42about the department

00:24:43of mysteries

00:24:44that Snape was determined

00:24:45to keep from him.

00:24:46Harry looked

00:24:47over his shoulder

00:24:48his heart now

00:24:49pumping harder

00:24:50and faster than ever

00:24:51how long would it take

00:24:52Snape to release

00:24:53Montague from the toilet

00:24:54would he come straight

00:24:55back to his office

00:24:56afterwards

00:24:57or accompany Montague

00:24:58to the battle wing

00:24:59surely the latter

00:25:00Montague was captain

00:25:01of the Slytherin Quidditch team

00:25:02Snape would want

00:25:03to make sure

00:25:04he was alright.

00:25:05Harry walked

00:25:06the remaining few feet

00:25:07to the pensieve

00:25:08and stood over it

00:25:09gazing into its depths

00:25:10he hesitated

00:25:11listening

00:25:12then pulled out

00:25:13his wand again

00:25:14the office

00:25:15and the corridor

00:25:16beyond

00:25:17were completely silent

00:25:18he gave the contents

00:25:19of the pensieve

00:25:20a small prod

00:25:21with the end

00:25:22of his wand

00:25:23the silvery stuff

00:25:24within began to swirl

00:25:25very fast

00:25:26Harry leaned

00:25:27he was once again

00:25:28looking down

00:25:29into a room

00:25:30as though through

00:25:31a circular window

00:25:32in the ceiling

00:25:33in fact unless

00:25:34he was much mistaken

00:25:35he was looking down

00:25:36into the great hall

00:25:37his breath was actually

00:25:38fogging the surface

00:25:39of Snape's thoughts

00:25:40his brain seemed

00:25:41to be in limbo

00:25:42it would be insane

00:25:43to do the thing

00:25:44he was so strongly

00:25:45tempted to do

00:25:46he was trembling

00:25:47Snape could be back

00:25:48at any moment

00:25:49but Harry thought

00:25:50of Cho's anger

00:25:51of Malfoy's jeering face

00:25:52and a reckless daring

00:25:53seized him

00:25:54he took a great gulp

00:25:55of breath

00:25:56and plunged his face

00:25:57into the surface

00:25:58of Snape's thoughts

00:25:59at once

00:26:00the floor of the office

00:26:01lurched

00:26:02tipping Harry

00:26:03headfirst

00:26:04into the pensieve

00:26:05he was falling

00:26:06through cold blackness

00:26:07spinning furiously

00:26:08as he went

00:26:09and then

00:26:10he was standing

00:26:11in the middle

00:26:12of the great hall

00:26:13but the four

00:26:14house tables

00:26:15were gone

00:26:16instead

00:26:17there were more

00:26:18than a hundred

00:26:19smaller tables

00:26:20all facing the same way

00:26:21at each of which

00:26:22sat a student

00:26:23head bent low

00:26:24scribbling on a roll

00:26:25and the occasional rustle

00:26:26as somebody adjusted

00:26:27their parchment

00:26:28it was clearly

00:26:29exam time

00:26:30sunshine was streaming

00:26:31through the high windows

00:26:32onto the bent heads

00:26:33which shone

00:26:34chestnut and copper

00:26:35and gold

00:26:36in the bright light

00:26:37Harry looked around

00:26:38carefully

00:26:39Snape had to be here

00:26:40somewhere

00:26:41this was his memory

00:26:42and there he was

00:26:43at a table

00:26:44right behind Harry

00:26:45Harry stared

00:26:46Snape the teenager

00:26:47had a stringy

00:26:48pallid look about him

00:26:49like a plant

00:26:50kept in the dark

00:26:51his hair was

00:26:52lank and greasy

00:26:53and was flopping

00:26:54around the table

00:26:55his hooked nose

00:26:56barely half an inch

00:26:57from the surface

00:26:58of the parchment

00:26:59as he scribbled

00:27:00Harry moved around

00:27:01behind Snape

00:27:02and read

00:27:03the heading

00:27:04of the examination paper

00:27:05defence against

00:27:06the dark arts

00:27:07ordinary

00:27:08wizarding level

00:27:09so Snape had to be

00:27:10fifteen or sixteen

00:27:11around Harry's own age

00:27:12his hand was flying

00:27:13across the parchment

00:27:14he had written

00:27:15at least a foot more

00:27:16than his closest neighbours

00:27:17and yet his writing

00:27:18was minuscule and cramped

00:27:19five

00:27:20more

00:27:21minutes

00:27:22the voice made Harry jump

00:27:23turning he saw

00:27:24the top of Professor

00:27:25Flitwick's head

00:27:26moving between the desks

00:27:27a short distance away

00:27:28Professor Flitwick

00:27:29was walking past

00:27:30a boy with untidy

00:27:31black hair

00:27:32very untidy

00:27:33black hair

00:27:34Harry moved so

00:27:35quickly that

00:27:36had he been solid

00:27:37he would have

00:27:38knocked desks flying

00:27:39instead he seemed to

00:27:40slide

00:27:41dreamlike

00:27:42across two aisles

00:27:43and up a third

00:27:44the back of the black

00:27:45haired boy's head

00:27:46drew nearer

00:27:47and

00:27:48he was straightening up

00:27:49now

00:27:50putting down his quill

00:27:51pulling his roll

00:27:52he could hardly read

00:27:53what he had written

00:27:54Harry stopped

00:27:55in front of the desk

00:27:56and gazed down

00:27:57at his fifteen

00:27:58year old father

00:27:59excitement

00:28:00exploded in the pit

00:28:01of his stomach

00:28:02it was as though

00:28:03he was looking

00:28:04at himself

00:28:05but with deliberate

00:28:06mistakes

00:28:07James's eyes

00:28:08were hazel

00:28:09his nose was slightly

00:28:10longer than Harry's

00:28:11and there was no

00:28:12scar on his forehead

00:28:13but they had the

00:28:14same thin face

00:28:15same mouth

00:28:16same eyebrows

00:28:17James's hair

00:28:18stuck up

00:28:19at the back

00:28:20exactly as Harry's

00:28:21his eyes were

00:28:22rounded up

00:28:23they would be

00:28:24within an inch

00:28:25of each other

00:28:26in height

00:28:27James yawned

00:28:28hugely

00:28:29and rumpled up

00:28:30his hair

00:28:31making it even

00:28:32messier than it had

00:28:33been

00:28:34then with a glance

00:28:35towards Professor

00:28:36Flitwick

00:28:37he turned in his

00:28:38seat and grinned

00:28:39at a boy

00:28:40sitting four seats

00:28:41behind him

00:28:42with another

00:28:43shock of excitement

00:28:44Harry saw Sirius

00:28:45give James the

00:28:46thumbs up

00:28:47Sirius was lounging

00:28:48in his chair

00:28:49at his ease

00:28:50he'd never

00:28:51have achieved

00:28:52and a girl

00:28:53sitting behind him

00:28:54was eyeing him

00:28:55hopefully

00:28:56though he didn't

00:28:57seem to have noticed

00:28:58and two seats

00:28:59along from this girl

00:29:00Harry's stomach

00:29:01gave another

00:29:02pleasurable squirm

00:29:03was Remus Lupin

00:29:04he looked rather

00:29:05pale and peaky

00:29:06was the full moon

00:29:07approaching

00:29:08and was absorbed

00:29:09in the exam

00:29:10as he reread

00:29:11his answers

00:29:12he scratched his

00:29:13chin with the

00:29:14end of his quill

00:29:15frowning slightly

00:29:16so that meant

00:29:17Wormtail had to be

00:29:18around here somewhere

00:29:19he was a tall

00:29:20mousy-haired boy

00:29:21with a pointed nose

00:29:22Wormtail looked anxious

00:29:23he was chewing

00:29:24his fingernails

00:29:25staring down

00:29:26at his paper

00:29:27scuffing the ground

00:29:28with his toes

00:29:29every now and then

00:29:30he glanced hopefully

00:29:31at his neighbour's paper

00:29:32Harry stared at

00:29:33Wormtail for a moment

00:29:34then back at James

00:29:35who was now doodling

00:29:36on a bit of

00:29:37scrap parchment

00:29:38he had drawn

00:29:39a snitch on

00:29:40and was now

00:29:41tracing the letters

00:29:42L E

00:29:43what did they

00:29:44stand for?

00:29:45quills down please

00:29:46squeaked

00:29:47Professor Flitwick

00:29:48that means you too

00:29:49Stebbins

00:29:50please remain seated

00:29:51while I collect

00:29:52your parchment

00:29:53Asiyo

00:29:54over a hundred rolls

00:29:55of parchment

00:29:56zoomed into the air

00:29:57and into Professor Flitwick's

00:29:58outstretched arms

00:29:59knocking him

00:30:00backwards off his feet

00:30:01several people laughed

00:30:02and a couple of students

00:30:03at the front desks

00:30:04got up

00:30:05took hold of

00:30:06Professor Flitwick

00:30:07beneath the elbows

00:30:08and lifted him

00:30:09back to his feet

00:30:10thank you thank you

00:30:11panted Professor Flitwick

00:30:12very well everybody

00:30:13you're free to go

00:30:14Harry looked down

00:30:15at his father

00:30:16who had hastily

00:30:17written L E

00:30:18he had been embellishing

00:30:19jumping to his feet

00:30:20stuffed his quill

00:30:21and the exam paper

00:30:22into his bag

00:30:23which he slung

00:30:24over his back

00:30:25and stood waiting

00:30:26for Sirius to join him

00:30:27Harry looked around

00:30:28and glimpsed Snape

00:30:29a short way away

00:30:30moving between the tables

00:30:31towards the doors

00:30:32to the entrance hall

00:30:33still absorbed

00:30:34in his own exam paper

00:30:35round shoulders

00:30:36yet angular

00:30:37he walked in a twitchy manner

00:30:38that recalled a spider

00:30:39and his oily hair

00:30:40was jumping

00:30:41about his face

00:30:42a gang of chattering girls

00:30:43separated Snape

00:30:44from James

00:30:45Sirius and Lupin

00:30:46and by planting himself

00:30:47in their midst

00:30:48Harry managed to keep

00:30:49Snape in sight

00:30:50while straining his eyes

00:30:51to catch the voices

00:30:52his ears

00:30:53to catch the voices

00:30:54of James and his friends

00:30:56did you like question 10

00:30:57Moony

00:30:58asked Sirius

00:30:59as they emerged

00:31:00into the entrance hall

00:31:01loved it

00:31:02said Lupin briskly

00:31:03give five signs

00:31:04that identify the werewolf

00:31:05excellent question

00:31:06do you think you managed

00:31:07to get all the signs

00:31:08said James

00:31:09in tones of mock concern

00:31:10think I did

00:31:11said Lupin seriously

00:31:12as they joined the crowd

00:31:13thronging around

00:31:14the front doors

00:31:15eager to get out

00:31:16into the sunlit grounds

00:31:17one

00:31:18he's sitting on my chair

00:31:19two

00:31:20he's wearing my clothes

00:31:21three

00:31:22his name's Remus Lupin

00:31:23Wormtail was the only one

00:31:24who didn't laugh

00:31:25I got the snout shape

00:31:26the pupils of the eyes

00:31:27and the tufted tail

00:31:28he said anxiously

00:31:29but I couldn't think

00:31:30what else

00:31:31how thick are you

00:31:32Wormtail

00:31:33said James impatiently

00:31:34you run around

00:31:35with a werewolf

00:31:36once a month

00:31:37keep your voice down

00:31:38implored Lupin

00:31:39Harry looked anxiously

00:31:40behind him again

00:31:41Snape remained close by

00:31:42still buried

00:31:43in his exam questions

00:31:45but this was Snape's memory

00:31:46and Harry was sure

00:31:47that if Snape chose

00:31:48to wander off

00:31:49in a different direction

00:31:50once outside

00:31:51in the grounds

00:31:52he, Harry

00:31:53would not be able to

00:31:54follow James any further

00:31:55to his intense relief

00:31:56however

00:31:57when James and his three friends

00:31:58strode off down the lawn

00:31:59towards the lake

00:32:00Snape followed

00:32:01still poring over

00:32:02the exam paper

00:32:03and apparently

00:32:04with no fixed idea

00:32:05of where he was going

00:32:06by keeping a little ahead

00:32:07of him

00:32:08Harry managed to maintain

00:32:09a close watch

00:32:10on James and the others

00:32:11well

00:32:12I thought that paper

00:32:13was a piece of cake

00:32:14he heard Sirius say

00:32:15I'll be surprised

00:32:16if I don't get out

00:32:17standing on it

00:32:18at least

00:32:19me too

00:32:20said James

00:32:21he put his hand

00:32:22in his pocket

00:32:23and took out a struggling

00:32:24golden snitch

00:32:25where did you get that

00:32:26nicked it

00:32:27said James casually

00:32:28he started playing

00:32:29with the snitch

00:32:30allowing it to fly

00:32:31as much as a foot away

00:32:32before seizing it again

00:32:33his reflexes were excellent

00:32:34Wormtail watched him in awe

00:32:35they stopped

00:32:36in the shade

00:32:37of the very same

00:32:38beech tree

00:32:39on the edge of the lake

00:32:40where Harry, Ron and Hermione

00:32:41had once spent

00:32:43and threw themselves

00:32:44down onto the grass

00:32:45Harry looked over

00:32:46his shoulder yet again

00:32:47and saw

00:32:48to his delight

00:32:49that Snape had settled

00:32:50himself on the grass

00:32:51in the dense shadow

00:32:52of a clump of bushes

00:32:53he was as deeply

00:32:54immersed in the owl paper

00:32:55as ever

00:32:56which left Harry free

00:32:57to sit down on the grass

00:32:58between the beech

00:32:59and the bushes

00:33:00and watch the foursome

00:33:01under the tree

00:33:02the sunlight was dazzling

00:33:03on the smooth surface

00:33:04of the lake

00:33:05on the bank of which

00:33:06the group of laughing girls

00:33:07who had just left

00:33:08the great hall

00:33:09were sitting

00:33:10with their shoes

00:33:11and their feet

00:33:12in the water

00:33:13Lupin had pulled out

00:33:14a book and was reading

00:33:15Sirius stared around

00:33:16at the students

00:33:17milling over the grass

00:33:18looking rather haughty

00:33:19and bored

00:33:20but very handsomely so

00:33:21James was still

00:33:22playing with a snitch

00:33:23letting it zoom

00:33:24further and further away

00:33:25almost escaping

00:33:26but always grabbed

00:33:27at the last second

00:33:28Wormtail was watching

00:33:29him with his mouth open

00:33:30every time James

00:33:31made a particularly

00:33:32difficult catch

00:33:33Wormtail gasped

00:33:34and applauded

00:33:35after five minutes

00:33:36of this

00:33:37Harry wondered

00:33:38why James

00:33:39didn't tell Wormtail

00:33:40but James seemed

00:33:41to be enjoying

00:33:42the attention

00:33:43Harry noticed

00:33:44that his father

00:33:45had a habit

00:33:46of rumpling up

00:33:47his hair

00:33:48as though to keep

00:33:49it from getting

00:33:50too tidy

00:33:51and he also

00:33:52kept looking over

00:33:53at the girls

00:33:54by the water's edge

00:33:55put that away

00:33:56will you

00:33:57said Sirius finally

00:33:58as James made

00:33:59a fine catch

00:34:00and Wormtail

00:34:01let out a cheer

00:34:02before Wormtail

00:34:03wets himself

00:34:04with excitement

00:34:05Wormtail turned

00:34:06slightly pink

00:34:07but James grinned

00:34:08if it bothers you

00:34:09Sirius was the

00:34:10only one for whom

00:34:11James would have

00:34:12stopped showing off

00:34:13I'm bored

00:34:14said Sirius

00:34:15wish it was full moon

00:34:16you might

00:34:17said Lupin

00:34:18darkly from behind

00:34:19his book

00:34:20we've still got

00:34:21transfiguration

00:34:22if you're bored

00:34:23you could test me

00:34:24here

00:34:25and he held out

00:34:26his book

00:34:27but Sirius snorted

00:34:28I don't need to

00:34:29look at that rubbish

00:34:30I know it all

00:34:31this'll liven you up

00:34:32Padfoot

00:34:33said James

00:34:34quietly

00:34:35look who it is

00:34:36Sirius's head turned

00:34:37he became very still

00:34:38and he said softly

00:34:39Snivellus

00:34:40Harry turned

00:34:41to see what Sirius

00:34:42was looking at

00:34:46Snape was on

00:34:47his feet again

00:34:48and was stowing

00:34:49the owl paper

00:34:50in his bag

00:34:51as he left the shadows

00:34:52of the bushes

00:34:53and set off

00:34:54across the grass

00:34:55Sirius and James

00:34:56stood up

00:34:57Lupin and Wormtail

00:34:58remained sitting

00:34:59Lupin was still

00:35:00staring down

00:35:01at his book

00:35:02though his eyes

00:35:03were not moving

00:35:04and a faint frown line

00:35:05had appeared

00:35:06between his eyebrows

00:35:07with avid anticipation

00:35:08on his face

00:35:09Alright Snivellus

00:35:10said James loudly

00:35:11Snape reacted

00:35:12so fast

00:35:13it was as though

00:35:14he had been expecting

00:35:15an attack

00:35:16dropping his bag

00:35:17he plunged his hand

00:35:18inside his robes

00:35:19and his wand

00:35:20was half way into the air

00:35:21when James shouted

00:35:22Expelliarmus

00:35:23Snape's wand

00:35:24flew twelve feet

00:35:25into the air

00:35:26and fell with a little

00:35:27thud in the grass

00:35:28behind him

00:35:29Sirius let out

00:35:30a bark of laughter

00:35:31Impedimenta

00:35:32he said

00:35:33pointing his wand

00:35:34at Snape

00:35:35who was knocked

00:35:37Students all around

00:35:38had turned to watch

00:35:39some of them

00:35:40had got to their feet

00:35:41and were edging nearer

00:35:42some looked apprehensive

00:35:43others entertained

00:35:44Snape lay

00:35:45panting on the ground

00:35:46James and Sirius

00:35:47advanced on him

00:35:48wands raised

00:35:49James glanced

00:35:50over his shoulder

00:35:51at the girls

00:35:52at the water's edge

00:35:53as he went

00:35:54Wormtail was on his feet

00:35:55now

00:35:56watching hungrily

00:35:57edging around Lupin

00:35:58to get a clearer view

00:35:59How'd the exam go

00:36:00Snivelly?

00:36:01said James

00:36:02I was watching him

00:36:03his nose was touching

00:36:04the parchment

00:36:05Impediment said

00:36:06Sirius viciously

00:36:07There'll be great

00:36:08grease marks all over it

00:36:09they won't be able

00:36:10to read a word

00:36:11Several people

00:36:12watching laughed

00:36:13Snape was clearly

00:36:14unpopular

00:36:15Wormtail sniggered

00:36:16shrilly

00:36:17Snape was trying

00:36:18to get up

00:36:19but the jinx

00:36:20was still operating

00:36:21on him

00:36:22he was struggling

00:36:23as though bound

00:36:24by invisible ropes

00:36:25You

00:36:26wait

00:36:27he panted

00:36:28staring up at James

00:36:29with an expression

00:36:30of purest loathing

00:36:31You

00:36:32you wait

00:36:33Wait for what

00:36:34Snape let out

00:36:35a stream

00:36:36of mixed swear words

00:36:37and hexes

00:36:38but with his wand

00:36:39ten feet away

00:36:40nothing happened

00:36:41Wash out your mouth

00:36:42said James coldly

00:36:43Scourgify

00:36:44Pink soap bubbles

00:36:45streamed from

00:36:46Snape's mouth

00:36:47at once

00:36:48the froth

00:36:49was covering his lips

00:36:50making him gag

00:36:51choking him

00:36:52Leave him alone

00:36:53James and Sirius

00:36:54looked around

00:36:55James' free hand

00:36:56had immediately

00:36:57jumped to his hair

00:36:58It was one of the girls

00:36:59from the lake edge

00:37:00She had thick

00:37:01dark red hair

00:37:02that fell to her shoulders

00:37:03with round shaped eyes

00:37:04Harry's eyes

00:37:05Harry's mother

00:37:06All right Evans

00:37:07said James

00:37:08and the tone of his voice

00:37:09was suddenly pleasant

00:37:10deeper

00:37:11more mature

00:37:12Leave him alone

00:37:13Lily repeated

00:37:14She was looking at James

00:37:15with every sign

00:37:16of great dislike

00:37:17What's he done to you

00:37:18Well

00:37:19said James

00:37:20appearing to deliberate

00:37:21the point

00:37:22It's more the fact

00:37:23that he exists

00:37:24If you know what I mean

00:37:25Many of the surrounding

00:37:26students laughed

00:37:27Sirius and Wormtail

00:37:28included

00:37:29but Lupin

00:37:30still apparently intent

00:37:31on his book

00:37:32didn't

00:37:33and nor did Lily

00:37:34You think you're funny

00:37:35she said coldly

00:37:36but you're just an arrogant

00:37:37bullying toe rag

00:37:38Potter

00:37:39Leave him alone

00:37:40I will

00:37:41if you go out with me Evans

00:37:42said James quickly

00:37:43Go on

00:37:44go out with me

00:37:45and I'll never lay a wand

00:37:46on old Snively again

00:37:47Behind him

00:37:48the impediment jinx

00:37:49was wearing off

00:37:50Snape was beginning

00:37:51to inch towards

00:37:52the fallen wand

00:37:53spitting out soap suds

00:37:54as he crawled

00:37:55I wouldn't go out with you

00:37:56if it was a choice

00:37:57between you

00:37:58and the giant squid

00:37:59said Lily

00:38:00Bad luck prongs

00:38:01said Sirius briskly

00:38:02and turned back to Snape

00:38:04Oy

00:38:05but too late

00:38:06Snape had directed

00:38:07his wand

00:38:08straight at James

00:38:09there was a flash of light

00:38:10and a gash appeared

00:38:11on the side of James' face

00:38:12spattering his robes

00:38:13with blood

00:38:14James whirled about

00:38:15a second flash of light

00:38:16later

00:38:17Snape was hanging

00:38:18upside down in the air

00:38:19his robes

00:38:20falling over his head

00:38:21to reveal skinny

00:38:22pallid legs

00:38:23and a pair of greying

00:38:24underpants

00:38:25Many people

00:38:26in the small crowd

00:38:27cheered

00:38:28Sirius, James and Wormtail

00:38:29roared with laughter

00:38:30Lily

00:38:31whose furious expression

00:38:32had twitched for an instant

00:38:33as though she was

00:38:34going to smile

00:38:35said

00:38:36Let him down

00:38:37Certainly said James

00:38:38and he jerked his wand

00:38:39upwards

00:38:40Snape fell into

00:38:41a crumpled heap

00:38:42on the ground

00:38:43disentangling himself

00:38:44from his robes

00:38:45he got quickly to his feet

00:38:46Wand up

00:38:47but Sirius said

00:38:48Petrificus

00:38:49totalus

00:38:50and Snape

00:38:51keeled over again

00:38:52rigid as a board

00:38:53Leave him alone

00:38:55Lily shouted

00:38:56she had her own

00:38:57wand out now

00:38:58James and Sirius

00:38:59sighed it warily

00:39:00Ah

00:39:01Evans

00:39:02Don't make me

00:39:03hex you

00:39:04said James earnestly

00:39:05Take the curse

00:39:06off him then

00:39:07James sighed deeply

00:39:08then turned to Snape

00:39:09and muttered the

00:39:10counter-curse

00:39:11There you go

00:39:12he said

00:39:13as Snape

00:39:14struggled to his feet

00:39:15You're lucky

00:39:16Evans was here

00:39:17Snivellus

00:39:18I don't need help

00:39:19from filthy little

00:39:20mudbloods like her

00:39:21Lily blinked

00:39:22Fine

00:39:23she said coolly

00:39:24I won't bother in future

00:39:25and I'd wash your pants

00:39:26if I were you

00:39:27Snivellus

00:39:28Evans

00:39:29James snored at Snape

00:39:30his wand pointed

00:39:31threateningly at him

00:39:32I don't want you

00:39:33to make him apologise

00:39:34Lily shouted

00:39:35rounding on James

00:39:36You're as bad as he is

00:39:37What?

00:39:38yelled James

00:39:39I'd never call you a

00:39:40you-know-what

00:39:41Messing up your hair

00:39:42because you think

00:39:43it looks cool

00:39:44to look like you've just

00:39:45got off your broomstick

00:39:46showing off with that

00:39:47stupid snitch

00:39:48walking down corridors

00:39:49and hexing anyone

00:39:50who annoys you

00:39:51just because you can

00:39:52I'm surprised your broomstick

00:39:53can get off the ground

00:39:54with that fat head on it

00:39:55You make me sick

00:39:56She turned on her heel

00:39:57and hurried away

00:39:58Evans!

00:39:59James shouted after her

00:40:00Hey!

00:40:01Evans!

00:40:02But she didn't look back

00:40:03What is it with her?

00:40:04said James

00:40:05trying and failing

00:40:06to look as though

00:40:07this was a throwaway question

00:40:08of no real importance to him

00:40:09Reading between the lines

00:40:10I'd say she thinks

00:40:11you're a bit conceited

00:40:12mate

00:40:13said Sirius

00:40:14Right!

00:40:15said James

00:40:16who looked furious now

00:40:17Right!

00:40:18There was another

00:40:19flash of light

00:40:20as Snape was once again

00:40:21hanging upside down

00:40:22in the air

00:40:23Who wants to see me

00:40:24take off Snivelly's pants?

00:40:25But whether James

00:40:26really did take off

00:40:27Snape's pants

00:40:28Harry never found out

00:40:29Her hand

00:40:30had closed tight

00:40:31over his upper arm

00:40:32closed with a

00:40:33pincer-like grip

00:40:34Wincing

00:40:35Harry looked around

00:40:36to see who had

00:40:37hold of him

00:40:38and saw

00:40:39with a thrill of horror

00:40:40a fully grown

00:40:41adult-sized Snape

00:40:42standing right beside him

00:40:43white with rage

00:40:44Having fun?

00:40:45Harry felt himself

00:40:46rising into the air

00:40:47The summer's day

00:40:48evaporated around him

00:40:49He was floating upwards

00:40:50through icy blackness

00:40:51Snape looked up

00:40:52at the sky

00:40:54Snape's hand

00:40:55still tight

00:40:56upon his upper arm

00:40:57Then with a swooping feeling

00:40:58as though he had turned

00:40:59head over heels

00:41:00in mid-air

00:41:01his feet hit the stone floor

00:41:02of Snape's dungeon

00:41:03and he was standing again

00:41:04beside the Pensieve

00:41:05on Snape's desk

00:41:06in the shadowy

00:41:07present-day

00:41:08Potion Master's study

00:41:09So!

00:41:10said Snape

00:41:11gripping Harry's arm

00:41:12so tightly

00:41:13Harry's hand

00:41:14was starting to feel numb

00:41:15So!

00:41:16Been enjoying yourself

00:41:17Potter?

00:41:18No!

00:41:19said Harry

00:41:20trying to free his arm

00:41:21It was scary

00:41:22Snape's lips

00:41:23were shaking

00:41:24His face was white

00:41:25His teeth were bared

00:41:26Amusing man

00:41:27your father

00:41:28wasn't he?

00:41:29said Snape

00:41:30Shaking Harry

00:41:31so hard

00:41:32his glasses

00:41:33slipped down his nose

00:41:34I...

00:41:35I...

00:41:36I didn't...

00:41:37Snape threw Harry

00:41:38from him

00:41:39with all his might

00:41:40Harry fell hard

00:41:41onto the dungeon floor

00:41:42You will not tell

00:41:43anybody

00:41:44what you saw

00:41:45Snape bellowed

00:41:46No!

00:41:47said Harry

00:41:48getting to his feet

00:41:49as far from Snape

00:41:50as he could

00:41:51I don't want to see you

00:41:52in this office

00:41:53ever again

00:41:55And as Harry hurtled

00:41:56towards the door

00:41:57a jar of dead cockroaches

00:41:58exploded over his head

00:42:00He wrenched the door open

00:42:01and flew

00:42:02along the corridor

00:42:03stopping only

00:42:04when he had put

00:42:05three floors

00:42:06between himself and Snape

00:42:07There he leaned

00:42:08against the wall

00:42:09panting and rubbing

00:42:10his bruised arm

00:42:11He had no desire at all

00:42:12to return to Gryffindor Tower

00:42:13so early

00:42:14nor to tell Ron

00:42:15and Hermione

00:42:16what he had just seen

00:42:17What was making Harry

00:42:18feel so horrified

00:42:19and unhappy

00:42:20was not being shouted at

00:42:21or having jars

00:42:22thrown at him

00:42:23It was that he knew

00:42:24how it felt

00:42:25to be humiliated

00:42:26in the middle of a circle

00:42:27of onlookers

00:42:28knew exactly

00:42:29how Snape had felt

00:42:30as his father

00:42:31had taunted him

00:42:32and that judging

00:42:33from what he had just seen

00:42:34his father had been

00:42:35every bit as arrogant

00:42:36as Snape had always

00:42:37told him

00:42:40Chapter 29

00:42:41Career's Advice

00:42:43But why haven't you got

00:42:44Occulmancy lessons anymore?

00:42:45said Hermione frowning

00:42:46I've told you

00:42:47Harry muttered

00:42:48Snape reckons

00:42:49I can carry on by myself

00:42:50now I've got the basics

00:42:51So you've stopped

00:42:52having funny dreams

00:42:53said Hermione sceptically

00:42:54Pretty much

00:42:55said Harry

00:42:56not looking at her

00:42:57Well I don't think

00:42:58Snape should stop

00:42:59until you're absolutely sure

00:43:00you can control them

00:43:01said Hermione indignantly

00:43:02Harry

00:43:03I think you should go back

00:43:04to him and ask

00:43:05No!

00:43:06said Harry forcefully

00:43:07Just drop it Hermione

00:43:08OK?

00:43:09It was the first day

00:43:10of the Easter holidays

00:43:11and Hermione

00:43:12as was her custom

00:43:13had spent a large part

00:43:14of the day

00:43:15drawing up revision

00:43:16timetables for the three of them

00:43:17Harry and Ron

00:43:18were arguing with her

00:43:19and in any case

00:43:20they might come in useful

00:43:21Ron had been startled

00:43:22to discover

00:43:23there were only six weeks

00:43:24left until their exams

00:43:25How can that come as a shock?

00:43:26Hermione demanded

00:43:27as she tapped

00:43:28each little square

00:43:29on Ron's timetable

00:43:30with her wand

00:43:31so that it flashed

00:43:32a different colour

00:43:33according to its subject

00:43:34I don't know

00:43:35said Ron

00:43:36There's been a lot going on

00:43:37Well there you are

00:43:38she said

00:43:39handing him the timetable

00:43:40If you follow that

00:43:41you should do fine

00:43:42Ron looked down

00:43:43at gloomily

00:43:44but then brightened

00:43:45You've given me an evening off

00:43:46every week

00:43:47It's time for Quidditch practice

00:43:48said Hermione

00:43:49The smile faded

00:43:50from Ron's face

00:43:51What's the point?

00:43:52he said

00:43:53We've got about as much chance

00:43:54of winning the Quidditch Cup

00:43:55this year

00:43:56as Dad's got

00:43:57of becoming Minister for Magic

00:43:58Hermione said nothing

00:43:59She was looking at Harry

00:44:00who was staring blankly

00:44:01at the opposite wall

00:44:02of the common room

00:44:03while Crookshanks

00:44:04pawed at his hand

00:44:05trying to get his ears scratched

00:44:06What's wrong Harry?

00:44:07What?

00:44:08he said quickly

00:44:09Nothing

00:44:10He seized his copy

00:44:11of Damp Defensive Magical Theory

00:44:12and pretended to be looking

00:44:13something up in the index

00:44:14Crookshanks gave him up

00:44:15as a bad job

00:44:16and slunk away

00:44:17under Hermione's chair

00:44:18I saw Cho earlier

00:44:19said Hermione tentatively

00:44:20She looked really miserable too

00:44:21Have you two had a row again?

00:44:22What?

00:44:23Oh yeah we have

00:44:24said Harry

00:44:25seizing gratefully

00:44:26at the excuse

00:44:27What about?

00:44:28That sneak friend of hers

00:44:29Marietta

00:44:30said Harry

00:44:31Yeah well

00:44:32I don't blame you

00:44:33said Ron angrily

00:44:34setting down

00:44:35his revision timetable

00:44:36If it hadn't been for her

00:44:37Ron went into a rant

00:44:38about Marietta Edgecombe

00:44:39which Harry found helpful

00:44:40All he had to do

00:44:41was look angry

00:44:42nod

00:44:43and say

00:44:44Yeah and that's right

00:44:46whenever Ron drew breath

00:44:47leaving his mind

00:44:48free to dwell

00:44:49even more miserably

00:44:50on what he had seen

00:44:51in the Pensieve

00:44:52He felt as though

00:44:53the memory of it

00:44:54was eating him from inside

00:44:55He had been so sure

00:44:56his parents

00:44:57were wonderful people

00:44:58that he had never

00:44:59had the slightest difficulty

00:45:00in disbelieving

00:45:01the apparitions

00:45:02the appersions

00:45:03aspersions

00:45:04Snape cast

00:45:05on his father's character

00:45:06Hadn't people like

00:45:07Hagrid and Sirius

00:45:08told Harry

00:45:09how wonderful

00:45:10his father had been?

00:45:11Yeah well

00:45:12look what Sirius

00:45:13was like himself

00:45:14inside Harry's head

00:45:15He was as bad

00:45:16wasn't he?

00:45:17Yes

00:45:18he had once overheard

00:45:19Professor McGonagall

00:45:20saying that his father

00:45:21and Sirius

00:45:22had been troublemakers

00:45:23at school

00:45:24but she had described them

00:45:25as forerunners

00:45:26of the Weasley twins

00:45:27and Harry could not imagine

00:45:28Fred and George

00:45:29dangling someone

00:45:30upside down

00:45:31for the fun of it

00:45:32not unless they really

00:45:33loathed them

00:45:34perhaps Malfoy

00:45:35or somebody

00:45:36who really deserved it

00:45:37Harry tried to make a case

00:45:38for Snape

00:45:39having deserved

00:45:40what he had suffered

00:45:41at James's hands

00:45:42but hadn't Lily asked

00:45:43hadn't James replied

00:45:44it's more the fact

00:45:45that he exists

00:45:46if you know what I mean

00:45:47hadn't James started

00:45:48it all simply

00:45:49because Sirius

00:45:50had said he was bored

00:45:51Harry remembered Lupin

00:45:52saying back in Grimauld Place

00:45:53that Dumbledore

00:45:54had made him Prefect

00:45:55in the hope

00:45:56that he would be able

00:45:57to exercise some control

00:45:58over James and Sirius

00:45:59but in the Pensieve

00:46:00he had sat there

00:46:01and let it all happen

00:46:03Harry kept reminding himself

00:46:04that Lily had intervened

00:46:05his mother had been decent

00:46:07yet the memory

00:46:08of the look on her face

00:46:09as she had shouted at James

00:46:10disturbed him quite as much

00:46:11as anything else

00:46:12she had clearly loathed James

00:46:13and Harry simply

00:46:14could not understand

00:46:15how they could have

00:46:16ended up married

00:46:17once or twice

00:46:18he even wondered

00:46:19whether James

00:46:20had forced her into it

00:46:21for nearly five years

00:46:22the thought of his father

00:46:23had been the source of comfort

00:46:24of inspiration

00:46:25whenever someone

00:46:26had told him

00:46:27he was like James

00:46:28he had glowed with pride inside

00:46:29and now

00:46:30now he felt cold

00:46:31and miserable

00:46:32at the thought of him

00:46:33the weather grew breezier

00:46:34brighter and warmer

00:46:35as the Easter holidays passed

00:46:36but Harry

00:46:37along with the rest

00:46:38of the fifth

00:46:39and seventh years

00:46:40was trapped inside

00:46:41revising

00:46:42traipsing back and forth

00:46:43to the library

00:46:44Harry pretended

00:46:45his bad mood

00:46:46had no other cause

00:46:47but the approaching exams

00:46:48and as his fellow Gryffindors

00:46:49were sick of studying themselves

00:46:50his excuse

00:46:51went unchallenged

00:46:52Harry

00:46:53I'm talking to you

00:46:54can you hear me

00:46:55huh

00:46:56he looked around

00:46:57Ginny Weasley

00:46:58looking very windswept

00:46:59had joined him

00:47:00at the library table

00:47:01where he had been

00:47:02sitting alone

00:47:03it was late

00:47:04on Sunday evening

00:47:05Hermione had gone back

00:47:06to Gryffindor Tower

00:47:07to revise ancient runes

00:47:08and Ron

00:47:09had Quidditch practice

00:47:11oh

00:47:12er

00:47:13hi

00:47:14said Harry

00:47:15pulling his books towards him

00:47:16how come you're not at practice

00:47:17it's over

00:47:18said Ginny

00:47:19Ron had to take

00:47:20Jack Sloper

00:47:21up to the hospital wing

00:47:22why

00:47:23well

00:47:24we're not sure

00:47:25but we think

00:47:26he knocked himself out

00:47:27with his own bat

00:47:28she sighed heavily

00:47:29anyway

00:47:30a package just arrived

00:47:31it's only just got through

00:47:32Umbridge's new screening process

00:47:33she hoisted a box

00:47:34wrapped in brown paper

00:47:35onto the table

00:47:36it had clearly been unwrapped

00:47:37and carelessly re-wrapped

00:47:38there was a scribbled note

00:47:39across it in red ink

00:47:40reading

00:47:41inspected and passed

00:47:42by the Hogwarts High Inquisitor

00:47:43it's easter eggs

00:47:44from mum

00:47:45said Ginny

00:47:46there's one for you

00:47:47there you go

00:47:48she handed him

00:47:49a handsome chocolate egg

00:47:50decorated with small

00:47:51iced snitches

00:47:52and according to the packaging

00:47:53containing a bag

00:47:54of fizzing whizzbees

00:47:55Harry looked at it

00:47:56for a moment

00:47:57and then to his horror

00:47:58felt a lump

00:47:59rise in his throat

00:48:00are you ok Harry

00:48:01Ginny asked quietly

00:48:02yeah

00:48:03I'm fine

00:48:04said Harry gruffly

00:48:05the lump in his throat

00:48:06was painful

00:48:07he did not understand

00:48:08why does it make him

00:48:09feel like this

00:48:10you seem really down lately

00:48:11Ginny persisted

00:48:12you know I'm sure

00:48:13if you just talk to Cho

00:48:14it's not Cho

00:48:15I want to talk to

00:48:16said Harry bruskly

00:48:17who is it then

00:48:18asked Ginny

00:48:19I

00:48:20he glanced around

00:48:21to make sure

00:48:22nobody was listening

00:48:23Madame Pince

00:48:24was several shelves away

00:48:25stamping out a pile of books

00:48:26for a frantic

00:48:27looking Hannah Abbott

00:48:28I wish I could talk

00:48:29to Sirius

00:48:30he muttered

00:48:31but I know I can't

00:48:32more to give himself

00:48:33something to do

00:48:34than because he really wanted

00:48:35any

00:48:36Harry unwrapped his easter egg

00:48:37broke off a large bit

00:48:38and put it into his mouth

00:48:39well said Ginny slowly

00:48:40helping herself

00:48:41to a bit of egg too

00:48:42if you really want

00:48:43to talk to Sirius

00:48:44I expect we could think

00:48:45of a way to do it

00:48:46come on

00:48:47said Harry hopelessly

00:48:48with Umbridge

00:48:49policing the fires

00:48:50and reading all our mail

00:48:51the thing about growing up

00:48:52with Fred and George

00:48:53said Ginny thoughtfully

00:48:54is that you sort of

00:48:55start thinking

00:48:56anything's possible

00:48:57if you've got enough nerve

00:48:58Harry looked at her

00:48:59perhaps it was the effect

00:49:00of the chocolate

00:49:01Lupin had always advised

00:49:02eating some

00:49:03after encounters

00:49:04with Dementors

00:49:05or simply because

00:49:06he had finally spoken aloud

00:49:07the wish that he had been

00:49:08burning inside him

00:49:09for a week

00:49:10but he felt a bit more hopeful

00:49:11what do you think about

00:49:12you are

00:49:13what do you think

00:49:14you are doing

00:49:15oh damn

00:49:16whispered Ginny

00:49:17jumping to her feet

00:49:18I forgot

00:49:19Madame Pince

00:49:20was swooping down on them

00:49:21but her shrivelled face

00:49:22contorted with rage

00:49:23chocolate

00:49:24in the library

00:49:25she screamed

00:49:26out

00:49:27out

00:49:28out

00:49:29and whipping out her wand

00:49:30she caused Harry's books

00:49:31bag and ink

00:49:32bottle to chase him

00:49:33and Ginny from the library

00:49:34whacking them repeatedly

00:49:35in the head

00:49:36as they ran

00:49:37as though to underline

00:49:38the importance

00:49:39of their upcoming examinations

00:49:40a batch of pamphlets

00:49:41leaflets

00:49:42and notices

00:49:43concerning various

00:49:44wizarding careers

00:49:45appeared on the tables

00:49:46in Gryffindor Tower

00:49:47shortly before the end

00:49:48of the holidays

00:49:49along with yet another

00:49:50notice on the board

00:49:51which read

00:49:52careers advice

00:49:53all fifth years

00:49:54are required to attend

00:49:55a short meeting

00:49:56with their head of house

00:49:57during the first week

00:49:58of the summer term

00:49:59to discuss their future careers

00:50:00times of individual appointments

00:50:01are listed below

00:50:02Harry looked down the list

00:50:03and found that he was expected

00:50:04to arrive at Professor McGonagall's office

00:50:05at half past two on Monday

00:50:06which would mean

00:50:07missing most of divination

00:50:08he and the other fifth years

00:50:09spent a considerable part

00:50:10of the final weekend

00:50:11of the Easter holiday

00:50:12break reading

00:50:13all the careers information

00:50:14that had been left

00:50:15there for their perusal

00:50:16well I don't fancy healing

00:50:17said Ron

00:50:18on the last evening

00:50:19of the holidays

00:50:20he was immersed

00:50:21in a leaflet

00:50:22that carried

00:50:23the crossed bone

00:50:24and wand emblem

00:50:25of St Mungo's

00:50:26on its front

00:50:27it says here

00:50:28you need at least

00:50:29an evening

00:50:30of reading

00:50:31and reading

00:50:32and reading

00:50:33it says here

00:50:34you need

00:50:35at least an E

00:50:36at newt level

00:50:37in potions

00:50:38herbology

00:50:39transfiguration

00:50:40charms

00:50:41and defence against

00:50:42the dark arts

00:50:43I mean blimey

00:50:44I don't want

00:50:45much do they

00:50:46well it's

00:50:47a very responsible job

00:50:48isn't it

00:50:49said Hermione

00:50:50absently

00:50:51she was pouring

00:50:52over a bright pink

00:50:53and orange leaflet

00:50:54that was headed

00:50:55so you think

00:50:56you like to work

00:50:57in a Muggle relation

00:50:58you don't seem

00:50:59to need any qualifications

00:51:00to liase with Muggles

00:51:01all they want

00:51:02sense of fun to liaise with my uncle," said Harry darkly.

00:51:05Good sense of when to duck more like.

00:51:07He was halfway through a pamphlet on wizard banking.

00:51:11Listen to this.

00:51:12Are you seeking a challenging career involving travel,

00:51:14adventure, and substantial danger-related treasure bonuses?

00:51:19Then consider a position with Gringotts Wizarding Bank,

00:51:23who are currently recruiting curse-breakers for thrilling opportunities abroad.

00:51:27They want arithmancy.

00:51:28No, though you could do it, Hermione.

00:51:31I don't much fancy banking, said Hermione vaguely,

00:51:34now immersed in have-you-got-what-it-takes-to-train-security trolls.

00:51:38Hey, said a voice in Harry's ear.

00:51:40He looked around.

00:51:41Fred and George had come to join him.

00:51:43Ginny's had a word with us about you, said Fred,

00:51:46stretching out his legs on the table in front of them

00:51:48and causing several booklets on careers with the Ministry of Magic

00:51:52to slide off onto the floor.

00:51:54She says you need to talk to Sirius.

00:51:56What? said Hermione sharply,

00:51:57freezing with her hand halfway towards picking up.

00:52:00Make a bang at the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.

00:52:04Yeah, said Harry, trying to sound casual.

00:52:06Yeah, I thought I'd like...

00:52:07Don't be so ridiculous, said Hermione,

00:52:09straightening up and looking at him as though she could not believe her eyes,

00:52:13with Umbridge groping around in the fires and frisking all the owls.

00:52:17Well, we think we can find a way around that, said George, stretching and smiling.

00:52:22It's a simple matter of causing a diversion.

00:52:24Now, you might have noticed that we've been rather quiet

00:52:27on the Mayhem Front during the Easter holidays.

00:52:29What was the point, we asked ourselves,

00:52:31of disrupting leisure time, continued Fred.

00:52:35No point at all, we answered ourselves.

00:52:37And of course, we'd have messed up people's revision too,

00:52:39which would be the very last thing we'd want to do.

00:52:42He gave Hermione a sanctimonious little nod.

00:52:45She looked rather taken aback by his thoughtfulness.

00:52:47But it's business as usual from tomorrow, Fred continued briskly.

00:52:51And if we're going to be causing a bit of uproar,

00:52:53why not do it so that Harry can have his chat with Sirius?

00:52:57Yes, but still, said Hermione,

00:52:59with an air of explaining something very simple to somebody very obtuse.

00:53:03Even if you do cause a diversion, how is Harry supposed to talk to him?

00:53:07Umbridge's office, said Harry quietly.

00:53:09He had been thinking about it for a fortnight and could come up with no alternative.

00:53:13Umbridge herself had told him that the only fire that was not being watched was her own.

00:53:18Are you insane? said Hermione in a hushed voice.

00:53:21Ron had lowered his leaflet on jobs on the cultivated fungus trade,

00:53:25and was watching the conversation warily.

00:53:27I don't think so, said Harry shrugging.

00:53:30And how are you going to get in there in the first place?

00:53:32Harry was ready for this question.

00:53:34Sirius is knife, he said.

00:53:36Excuse me?

00:53:37Christmas before last, Sirius gave me a knife that'll open any lock, said Harry.

00:53:41So even if she's bewitched the door, so a la Homura won't work, which I bet she has.

00:53:47What do you think about this? Hermione demanded of Ron.

00:53:50And Harry was reminded irresistibly of Mrs Weasley

00:53:53appealing to her husband during Harry's first dinner in Grimauld Place.

00:53:56I don't know, said Ron, looking alarmed at being asked to give an opinion.

00:53:59If Harry wants to do it, it's up to him, isn't it?

00:54:02Spoken like a true friend and Weasley, said Fred, clapping Ron hard on the back.

00:54:07Right then, we're thinking of doing it tomorrow, just after lessons,

00:54:10because it should cause maximum impact if everybody's in the corridors.

00:54:14Harry will set it off in the east wing somewhere.

00:54:16Draw her right away from her own office.

00:54:19I reckon we should be able to guarantee you, what, 20 minutes?

00:54:22He said, looking at George.

00:54:23Easy, said George.

00:54:25What sort of diversion is it? asked Ron.

00:54:27You'll see, little bro, said Fred, as he and George got up again.

00:54:30At least you will if you trot along to Gregory,

00:54:33the Smarmy's Corridor, around about five o'clock tomorrow.

00:54:37Harry awoke very early the next day,

00:54:40feeling almost as anxious as he had done on the morning of his disciplinary hearing

00:54:43at the Ministry of Magic.

00:54:45It was not only the prospect of breaking into Umbridge's office

00:54:48and using her fire to speak to Sirius that was making him feel nervous.

00:54:52Though that was certainly bad enough.

00:54:54Today also happened to be the first time Harry would be in close proximity to Snape,

00:54:58since Snape had thrown him out of his office.

00:55:00After lying in bed for a while, thinking about the day ahead,

00:55:03Harry got up very quietly and moved across to the window beside Neville's bed,

00:55:07and stared out onto a truly glorious morning.

00:55:10The sky was a clear, misty, opalescent blue.

00:55:13Directly ahead of him, Harry could see the towering beech tree below,

00:55:16which his father had once tormented Snape.

00:55:19He was not sure what Sirius could possibly say to him

00:55:22that would make up for what he had seen in the Pensieve,

00:55:24but he was desperate to hear Sirius's own account of what had happened,

00:55:28to know of any mitigating factors there might have been,

00:55:31any excuse at all for his father's behaviour.

00:55:34Something caught Harry's attention.

00:55:36Movement in the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

00:55:38Harry squinted into the sun and saw Hagrid emerging from between the trees.

00:55:42He seemed to be limping.

00:55:43As Harry watched, Hagrid staggered to the door of his cabin and disappeared inside it.

00:55:48Harry watched the cabin for several minutes.

00:55:50Hagrid did not emerge again, but smoke furled from the chimney.

00:55:54Sir Hagrid could not be so badly injured that he was unequal to stoking the fire.

00:55:58Harry turned away from the window, headed back to the trunk, and started to dress.

00:56:03With the prospect of forcing entry into Umbridge's office ahead,

00:56:06Harry had never expected the day to be a restful one,

00:56:09but he had not reckoned on Hermione's almost continual attempts

00:56:11to dissuade him from what he was planning to do at five o'clock.

00:56:15For the first time ever, she was at least as inattentive to Professor Binns in History of Magic

00:56:20as Harry and Ron were, keeping up a stream of whispered admonitions

00:56:24that Harry tried very hard to ignore.

00:56:26And if she does catch you there, apart from being expelled,

00:56:29she'll be able to guess you've been talking to Snuffles,

00:56:31and this time I expect she'll force you to drink Veritaserum and answer her questions.

00:56:36Hermione, said Ron in a low and indignant voice,

00:56:38are you going to stop telling Harry off and listen to Binns,

00:56:41or am I going to have to take my own notes?

00:56:44You take notes for a change, it won't kill you.

00:56:46By the time they reached the dungeons,

00:56:48neither Harry nor Ron were speaking to Hermione.

00:56:51Undeterred, she took advantage of their silence

00:56:53to maintain an uninterrupted flow of dire warnings,

00:56:56all uttered under her breath in a vehement hiss

00:56:59that caused Seamus to waste five whole minutes checking his cauldron for leaks.

00:57:03Snape, meanwhile, seemed to have decided to act as though Harry were invisible.

00:57:07Harry was, of course, well used to this tactic,

00:57:10as it was one of Uncle Vernon's favourites,

00:57:12and on the whole was grateful he had to suffer nothing worse.

00:57:16In fact, compared to what he usually had to endure from Snape,

00:57:19in a way of taunts and snide remarks,

00:57:21he found the new approach something of an improvement,

00:57:23and was pleased to find that when left well alone,

00:57:25he was able to concoct an invigoration draft quite easily.

00:57:29At the end of the lesson, he scooped some of the potion into a flask,

00:57:32corked it, and took it up to Snape's desk for marking,

00:57:35feeling that he might at least have scraped an E.

00:57:38He had just turned away when he heard a smashing noise.

00:57:40Malfoy gave a gleeful yell of laughter.

00:57:43Harry whipped around, his potion sample laying pieces on the floor,

00:57:46and Snape was watching him with a look of gloating pleasure.

00:57:50Whoops, he said softly, another zero then, Potter.

00:57:53Harry was too incensed to speak.

00:57:55He strode back to his cauldron,

00:57:56intending to fill another flask and force Snape to mark it,

00:57:59but saw to his horror that the rest of the contents had vanished.

00:58:03I'm sorry, said Hermione, with her hands over her mouth.

00:58:05I'm really sorry, Harry.

00:58:07I thought you'd finished, so I cleared up.

00:58:09Harry could not bring himself to answer.

00:58:11When the bell rang, he hurried out of the dungeon without a backwards glance,

00:58:14and made sure that he found himself a seat between Neville and Seamus for lunch,

00:58:18so that Hermione could not start nagging him again about using Umbridge's office.

00:58:22He was in such a bad mood by the time he got to Divination,

00:58:25that he had quite forgotten his careers appointment with Professor McGonagall,

00:58:29remembering it only when Ron asked him why he wasn't in her office.

00:58:32He hurtled back upstairs and arrived out of breath only a few minutes late.

00:58:37Sorry, Professor, he panted as he closed the door.

00:58:40I forgot!

00:58:42No matter, Potter, she said briskly, but as she spoke somebody else sniffed from the corner.

00:58:46Harry looked around.

00:58:48Professor Umbridge was sitting there, a clipboard on her knee,

00:58:51a fussy little pie frill around her neck, and a small, horribly smug smile on her face.

00:58:56Sit down, Potter, said Professor McGonagall tersely.

00:58:59Her hand shook slightly as she shuffled the many pamphlets littering her desk.

00:59:03Harry sat down with his back to Umbridge and did his best to pretend

00:59:07he could not hear the scratching of her quill on her clipboard.

00:59:10Well, Potter, this meeting is to talk over any career ideas you might have,

00:59:14and to help you decide which subjects you should continue into sixth and seventh years,

00:59:20said Professor McGonagall.

00:59:21Have you had any thoughts about what you might like to do after you leave Hogwarts?

00:59:26Er, said Harry.

00:59:27He was finding the scratching noise from behind him very distracting.

00:59:31Yes, Professor McGonagall prompted Harry.

00:59:33Yeah, well, I thought of maybe being an Auror, Harry mumbled.

00:59:37You'd need top grades for that, said Professor McGonagall,

00:59:40extracting a small, dark leaflet from under the mass of her desk and opening it.

00:59:44They ask for a minimum of five newts, and nothing under exceeds expectations grade, I see.

00:59:50Then you would be required to undergo a stringent series of character

00:59:54and aptitude tests at the Auror office.

00:59:56It's a difficult career path, Potter.

00:59:58They only take the best.

01:00:00In fact, I don't think anybody has been taken on in the last three years.

01:00:05At this moment, Professor Umbridge gave a very tiny cough,

01:00:08as though she was trying to see how quietly she could do it.

01:00:11Professor McGonagall ignored her.

01:00:13You'll want to know which subjects you ought to take, I suppose, she went on,

01:00:17talking a little louder than before.

01:00:19Yes, said Harry.

01:00:21Defence against the dark arts, I suppose.

01:00:23Naturally, said Professor McGonagall crisply.

01:00:26I would also advise.

01:00:27Professor Umbridge gave another cough.

01:00:29A little more audible this time.

01:00:31Professor McGonagall closed her eyes for a moment, opened them again,

01:00:34and continued as though nothing had happened.

01:00:37I would also advise transfiguration,

01:00:39because Aurors frequently need to transfigure or untransfigure in their work.

01:00:44And I ought to tell you now, Potter, that I do not accept students into my newt classes

01:00:48unless they have achieved exceeds expectations or higher at ordinary wizarding level.

01:00:54I'd see your averaging acceptable at the moment,

01:00:56so you'll need to put in some good hard work before the exams to stand a chance of continuing.

01:01:01Then you ought to do charms, also useful, and potions.

01:01:05Yes, Potter, potions, she added, with the merest flicker of a smile.

01:01:10Poisons and antidotes are essential study for Aurors,

01:01:13and I must tell you that Professor Sneap absolutely refuses to take students

01:01:17who get anything other than outstanding in their owls.

01:01:19So Professor Umbridge gave her most pronounced cough yet.

01:01:23May I offer you a cough-drop, Dolores?

01:01:26Professor McGonagall asked curtly, without looking at Professor Umbridge.

01:01:30Oh no, thank you very much, said Umbridge, with that simpering laugh Harry hated so much.

01:01:36I just wondered whether I could make the teeniest interruption manoeuvre.

01:01:40I dare say you'll find you can, said Professor McGonagall, through tightly gritted teeth.

01:01:45I was just wondering whether Mr Potter has quite the temperament for an Auror,

01:01:49said Professor Umbridge sweetly.

01:01:51Were you, said Professor McGonagall haughtily.

01:01:54Well, Potter, she continued, as though there had been no interruption.

01:01:58If you are serious in this ambition, I would advise you to concentrate hard

01:02:01on bringing your transfiguration and potions up to scratch.

01:02:05I see Professor Flitwick has graded you between acceptable

01:02:08and exceeds expectations for the last two years.

01:02:11So your charm work seems satisfactory.

01:02:13As for Defence Against the Dark Arts, your marks have been generally high.

01:02:17Professor Lupin in particular thought you,

01:02:20Are you quite sure you wouldn't like a cough drop, Dolores?

01:02:23Oh, no need, thank you, Minerva, simpered Professor Umbridge,

01:02:27who had just coughed her loudest yet.

01:02:29I was just concerned that you might not have Harry's most

01:02:31recent Defence Against the Dark Arts marks in front of you.

01:02:34I'm quite sure I slipped in a note.

01:02:36What, this thing, said Professor McGonagall in a tone of revulsion,

01:02:40as she pulled a sheet of pink parchment from between the leaves of Harry's folder.

01:02:44She glanced down it, her eyebrows slightly raised,

01:02:46and then placed it back into the folder without comment.

01:02:50Yes, as I was seeing Potter, Professor Lupin thought you

01:02:53showed a pronounced aptitude for the subject and obviously for an aura.

01:02:57Did you not understand my note, Minerva?

01:02:59Asked Professor Umbridge in honeyed tones, quite forgetting to cough.

01:03:03Of course I understood it, said Professor McGonagall,

01:03:05her teeth clenched so tightly the words came out a little muffled.

01:03:09Well then, I am confused.

01:03:10I'm afraid I don't quite understand how you can give Mr Potter false hope that...

01:03:14False hoop, repeated Professor McGonagall,

01:03:17still refusing to look around at Professor Umbridge.

01:03:20He has achieved high marks in all his Defence Against the Dark Arts tests.

01:03:24I'm terribly sorry to have to contradict you, Minerva,

01:03:26but as you will see from my note,

01:03:28Harry has been achieving very poor results in his classes with me.

01:03:32I should have made my meaning plainer, said Professor McGonagall,

01:03:36turning at last to look at Umbridge directly in the eyes.

01:03:39He has achieved high marks in all Defence Against the Dark Arts tests,

01:03:43set by a competent teacher.

01:03:45Professor Umbridge's smile vanished as suddenly as a light bulb blowing.

01:03:49She sat back in her chair, turned a sheet on her clipboard,

01:03:52and began scribbling very fast indeed,

01:03:54her bulging eyes rolling from side to side.

01:03:57Professor McGonagall turned back to Harry,

01:03:59her thin nostrils flared, her eyes burning.

01:04:02Any questions, Potter?

01:04:04Yes, said Harry.

01:04:05What sort of character and aptitude tests do the Ministry do on you,

01:04:08if you get enough newts?

01:04:10Well, you'll need to demonstrate the ability to react well to pressure,

01:04:14and so forth, said Professor McGonagall,

01:04:16perseverance and dedication,

01:04:18because aura training takes a further three years,

01:04:21not to mention very high skills in practical defence.

01:04:24It will mean a lot more study even after you've left school,

01:04:26so unless you're prepared to...

01:04:29I think you'll also find, said Umbridge,

01:04:31her voice very cold now,

01:04:32that the Ministry looks into the records of those applying to be auras,

01:04:36their criminal records.

01:04:38Unless you're prepared to take even more exams after Hogwarts,

01:04:41you should really look at another,

01:04:42which means that this boy has as much chance of becoming an aura

01:04:46as Dumbledore has of ever returning to this school.

01:04:48A very good chance then, said Professor McGonagall.

01:04:51Potter has a criminal record, said Umbridge loudly.

01:04:54Potter has been cleared of all charges, said McGonagall even more loudly.

01:04:59Professor Umbridge stood up.

01:05:00She was so short that this did not make a great deal of difference,

01:05:04but her fussy, simpering demeanour had given place to a hard fury

01:05:08that made her broad, flabby face look oddly sinister.

01:05:11Potter has no chance whatsoever of becoming an aura.

01:05:15Professor McGonagall got to her feet too,

01:05:17and in her case, this was a much more impressive move.

01:05:20She towered over Professor Umbridge.

01:05:22Potter, she said in ringing tones,

01:05:24I will assist you to become an aura if it is the last thing I do.

01:05:28If I have to coach you nightly, I will make sure you achieve the required results.

01:05:32The Minister for Magic will never employ Harry Potter, said Umbridge,

01:05:36her voice rising furiously.

01:05:38There may well be a new Minister for Magic by the time Potter is ready to join,

01:05:43shouted Professor McGonagall.

01:05:44Aha, shrieked Professor Umbridge, pointing a stubby finger at McGonagall.

01:05:48Yes, yes, yes, yes, of course, that's what you want, isn't it, Minerva McGonagall?

01:05:52You want Cornelius Fudge replaced by Albus Dumbledore?

01:05:55You think you'll be where I am, don't you?

01:05:57Senior Under-Secretary to the Minister and Headmistress to boot?

01:06:01You are raving, said Professor McGonagall, superbly disdainful.

01:06:05Potter, that includes our, that concludes our careers consultation.

01:06:10Harry swung his bag over his shoulder and hurried out of the room,

01:06:13not daring to look at Professor Umbridge.

01:06:15He could hear her and Professor McGonagall continuing to shout at each other,

01:06:18all the way back along the corridor.

01:06:20Professor Umbridge was still breathing, as though she had just run a race,

01:06:24when she strode into their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson that afternoon.

01:06:28I hope you've thought better of what you're planning to do, Harry, Hermione whispered,

01:06:33the moment they had opened their books to Chapter 34, Non-Retaliation and Negotiation.

01:06:38Umbridge looks like she's in a really bad mood already.

01:06:41Every now and then, Umbridge shot glowering looks at Harry,

01:06:44who kept his head down, staring at Defensive Magical Theory, his eyes unfocused, thinking.

01:06:49He could just imagine Professor McGonagall's reaction,

01:06:51if he was caught trespassing in Professor Umbridge's office,

01:06:54mere hours after she had vouched for him.

01:06:56There was nothing to stop him simply going back to Gryffindor Tower,

01:06:59and hoping that sometime during the next summer holidays,

01:07:01he would have a chance to ask Sirius about the scene he had witnessed in the Pensieve.

01:07:05Nothing, except that the thought of taking this sensible course of action,

01:07:09made him feel as though a lead waiter dropped into his stomach.

01:07:12And then there was the matter of Fred and George, whose diversion was already planned.

01:07:16Not to mention the knife Sirius had given him,

01:07:19which was currently residing in his school bag, along with his father's old invisibility cloak.

01:07:23But the fact remained that if he was caught,

01:07:26Dumbledore sacrificed himself to help you in school, Harry, whispered Hermione,

01:07:31raising her book to hide her face from Umbridge.

01:07:33And if you get thrown out today, it will have all been for nothing.

01:07:37He could abandon the plan, and simply learn to live with the memory

01:07:40of what his father had done on a summer's day, more than twenty years ago.

01:07:44And then he remembered Sirius and the fire upstairs in the Gryffindor common room.

01:07:47You're less like your father than I thought.

01:07:49The risk would have been what made it fun for James.

01:07:54But did he want to be like his father any more?

01:07:56Harry, don't do it, please don't do it, Hermione said in an anguished tone,

01:08:00as the bell rang at the end of the class.

01:08:02He did not answer.

01:08:03He did not know what to do.

01:08:05Ron seemed determined to give neither his opinion nor his advice.

01:08:08He would not look at Harry.

01:08:10Though when Hermione opened her mouth to try dissuading Harry some more,

01:08:13he said in a low voice,

01:08:15Give it a rest, okay?

01:08:16He can make up his own mind.

01:08:18Harry's heart beat very fast as he left the classroom.

01:08:21He was halfway along the corridor,

01:08:23outside when he heard the unmistakable sounds of a diversion going off in the distance.

01:08:27There were screams and yells reverberating from somewhere above them.

01:08:31People exiting the classrooms all around Harry were stopping in their tracks

01:08:36and looking up at the ceiling fearfully.

01:08:38Umbridge came pelting out of her classroom as fast as her short legs would carry her,

01:08:42pulling out her wand.

01:08:43She hurried off in the opposite direction.

01:08:46It was now or never.

01:08:47Harry, please, Hermione pleaded weakly.

01:08:50But he had made up his mind.

01:08:52Hitching his bag more securely onto his shoulder,

01:08:54he set off at a run,

01:08:55weaving in and out of students,

01:08:57now hurrying in the opposite direction,

01:08:58to see what all the fuss was about in the east wing.

01:09:02Harry reached the corridor to Umbridge's office and found it deserted.

01:09:05Dashing behind a large suit of armor,

01:09:07whose helmet creaked around to watch him,

01:09:09he pulled open his bag,

01:09:10seized Sirius's knife and donned the invisibility cloak.

01:09:13He then crept slowly and carefully back out from behind the suit of armor

01:09:17and along the corridor until he reached Umbridge's door.

01:09:20He inserted the blade of the magical knife into the crack around it

01:09:23and moved it gently up and down,

01:09:25then withdrew it.

01:09:26There was a tiny click and the door swung open.

01:09:28He ducked inside the office,

01:09:30closed the door quickly behind him

01:09:32and looked around.

01:09:33Nothing was moving except the horrible kittens

01:09:35that were still frolicking on the wall plates

01:09:38above the confiscated broomsticks.

01:09:40Harry pulled off his cloak

01:09:41and striding over to the fireplace,

01:09:43found what he was looking for within seconds,

01:09:45a small box containing a glittering flue powder.

01:09:48He crouched down in front of the empty grate,

01:09:50his hands shaking.

01:09:51He had never done this before,

01:09:52though he thought he knew how it must work.

01:09:54Sticking his head into the fireplace,

01:09:56he took a large pinch of powder

01:09:58and dropped it onto the logs stacked neatly beneath him.

01:10:01They exploded at once into emerald green flames.

01:10:05Number 12.

01:10:06Grimoire Place,

01:10:07Harry said loudly and clearly.

01:10:08It was one of the most curious sensations he had ever experienced.

01:10:11He had travelled by flue powder before, of course,

01:10:14but then it had been his entire body that had spun around and around in the flames

01:10:18through the network of wizarding fireplaces

01:10:20that stretched over the country.

01:10:21This time his knees remained firm upon the cold floor

01:10:24of Umbridge's office,

01:10:25and only his head hurtled through the emerald fire.

01:10:28And then, as abruptly as it had begun,

01:10:30the spinning stopped.

01:10:31Feeling rather sick and as though he was wearing

01:10:33an exceptionally hot muffler around his head,

01:10:36Harry opened his eyes to find that he was looking up,

01:10:38out of the kitchen fireplace at the long wooden table,

01:10:41where a man sat pouring over a piece of parchment.

01:10:44Sirius!

01:10:45The man jumped and looked around.

01:10:47It was not Sirius, but Lupin.

01:10:49Harry, he said, looking thoroughly shocked.

01:10:51What are you?

01:10:52What's happened?

01:10:53Is everything all right?

01:10:54Yes, said Harry.

01:10:55I just wondered.

01:10:56I mean, I just fancied a chat with Sirius.

01:10:59I'll call him, said Lupin, getting to his feet,

01:11:01still looking perplexed.

01:11:03He went upstairs to look for Creature.

01:11:05He seems to be hiding in the attic again.

01:11:07And Harry saw Lupin hurry out of the kitchen.

01:11:10Now he was left with nothing to look at but the chair and table legs.

01:11:13He wondered why Sirius had never mentioned

01:11:15how very uncomfortable it was to speak out of the fire.

01:11:18His knees were already objecting painfully to their prolonged contact

01:11:21with Umbridge's hard stone floor.

01:11:24Lupin returned with Sirius at his heels moments later.

01:11:27What is it, said Sirius urgently,

01:11:29sweeping his long dark hair out of his eyes

01:11:31and dropping to the ground in front of the fire,

01:11:33so that he and Harry were on a level.

01:11:35Lupin knelt down too, looking very concerned.

01:11:37Are you all right?

01:11:38Do you need help?

01:11:39No, said Harry.

01:11:40It's nothing like that.

01:11:41I just wanted to talk about my dad.

01:11:45They exchanged a look of great surprise,

01:11:47but Harry did not have time to feel awkward or embarrassed.

01:11:49His knees were becoming soarer by the second,

01:11:51and he guessed five minutes had already passed from the start of the diversion.

01:11:55George had only guaranteed him twenty.

01:11:57He therefore plunged immediately into the story of what he had seen in the Pensieve.

01:12:01When he had finished, neither Sirius nor Lupin spoke for a moment.

01:12:04Then Lupin said quietly,

01:12:06I wouldn't like you to judge your father on what you saw there, Harry.

01:12:09He was only fifteen.

01:12:11I'm fifteen, said Harry heatedly.

01:12:14Look, Harry, said Sirius placatingly.

01:12:17James and Snape hated each other.

01:12:19From the moment they set eyes on each other.

01:12:20It was just one of those things.

01:12:22You can understand that, can't you?

01:12:23I think James was everything Snape wanted to be.

01:12:26He was popular.

01:12:26He was good at Quidditch.

01:12:28Good at pretty much everything.

01:12:29And Snape was just this little oddball who was up to his eyes in the dark arts.

01:12:33And James, whatever else he may have appeared to you, Harry, always hated the dark arts.

01:12:37Yeah, said Harry.

01:12:38But he just attacked Snape for no good reason.

01:12:41Just because, well, just because you said you were bored, he finished,

01:12:44with a slightly apologetic note in his voice.

01:12:47I'm not proud of it, said Sirius quickly.

01:12:49Lupin looked sideways at Sirius and then said,

01:12:52Look, Harry, what you've got to understand is that your father and Sirius

01:12:55were the best in the school at whatever they did.

01:12:57Everyone thought they were the height of cool.

01:12:59If they sometimes got a bit carried away.

01:13:01If we were sometimes arrogant little burks, you mean, said Sirius.

01:13:05Lupin smiled.

01:13:06He kept messing up his hair, said Harry in a pained voice.

01:13:09Sirius and Lupin laughed.

01:13:11I'd forgotten he used to do that, said Sirius affectionately.

01:13:15Was he playing with the snitch, said Lupin eagerly?

01:13:18Yeah, said Harry, watching uncomprehendingly as Sirius and Lupin beamed reminiscently.

01:13:22Well, I thought he was a bit of an idiot.

01:13:25Of course he was a bit of an idiot, said Sirius bracingly.

01:13:27We were all idiots.

01:13:28Well, not Moony so much, he said fairly, looking at Lupin.

01:13:32But Lupin shook his head.

01:13:34Did I ever tell you to lay off Snape, he said?

01:13:36Did I ever have the guts to tell you I thought you were out of order?

01:13:40Yeah, well, said Sirius.

01:13:41You made us feel ashamed of ourselves sometimes.

01:13:43That was something.

01:13:44And, said Harry doggedly, determined to say everything that was on his mind now he was here.

01:13:49He kept looking over at the girls by the lake, hoping they were watching him.

01:13:53Oh, well, he always made a fool of himself whenever Lily was around, said Sirius shrugging.

01:13:58He couldn't stop himself showing off whenever he got near her.

01:14:01How come she married him, Harry asked miserably.

01:14:03She hated him.

01:14:05No, she didn't, said Sirius.

01:14:06She started going out with him in the seventh year, said Lupin.

01:14:10Once James had deflated his head a bit, said Sirius.

01:14:14And stopped hexing people just for the fun of it, said Lupin.

01:14:16Even Snape, said Harry.

01:14:18Well, said Lupin slowly, Snape was a special case.

01:14:21I mean, he never lost an opportunity to curse James.

01:14:24So you couldn't really expect James to take that lying down, could you?

01:14:27And my mum was okay with that.

01:14:29She didn't know too much about it, to tell the truth, said Sirius.

01:14:32I mean, James didn't take Snape on dates with her and jinx him in front of her, did he?

01:14:36Sirius frowned at Harry, who was still looking unconvinced.

01:14:41Look, he said, your father was the best friend I ever had and he was a good person.

01:14:44A lot of people are idiots at the age of fifteen.

01:14:47He grew out of it.

01:14:48Yeah, okay, said Harry heavily.

01:14:50I just never thought I'd feel sorry for Snape.

01:14:52Now you mention it, said Lupin, a faint crease between his eyebrows.

01:14:56How did Snape react when he found you'd seen all this?

01:15:00He told me he'd never teach me oculomancy again, said Harry indifferently.

01:15:04Like that's a big disappointment.

01:15:05He what, shouted Sirius, causing Harry to jump and inhale a mouthful of ashes.

01:15:10Are you serious, Harry, said Lupin quickly.

01:15:12He stopped giving you lessons?

01:15:14Yes, said Harry, surprised at what he considered a great overreaction.

01:15:18But it's okay, I don't care.

01:15:19It's a bit of a relief to tell you that I'm coming up there to have a word with Snape,

01:15:22said Sirius forcefully, and he actually made to stand up.

01:15:26But Lupin wrenched him back down again.

01:15:28If anyone's going to tell Snape, it will be me, he said firmly.

01:15:31But Harry, first of all, you're going to go back to Snape and tell him that

01:15:35on no account is he to stop giving you lessons.

01:15:37When Dumbledore hears...

01:15:39I can't tell him that.

01:15:40He'd kill me, said Harry, outraged.

01:15:42You didn't see him when we got out of the Pensieve.

01:15:45Harry, there is nothing so important as you learning oculomancy, said Lupin sternly.

01:15:49Do you understand me?

01:15:51Nothing.

01:15:52Okay, okay, said Harry, thoroughly discomposed, not to mention annoyed.

01:15:56I'll try and say something to him, but it won't be...

01:15:59He fell silent.

01:16:00He could hear distant footsteps.

01:16:02Is that creature coming downstairs?

01:16:04No, said Sirius, glancing behind him.

01:16:07Must be somebody your end.

01:16:08Harry's heart skipped several beats.

01:16:10I'd better go, he said hastily, and pulled his head backwards out of grim old place fire.

01:16:15For a moment his head seemed to be revolving on his shoulders.

01:16:18Then he found himself kneeling in front of Umbridge's fire,

01:16:20with it firmly back on, and watching the emerald flames flicker and die.

01:16:24Quickly, quickly, he heard a wheezy voice mutter right outside the office door.

01:16:28Ah, she's left it open.

01:16:30Harry dived for the invisibility cloak and had just managed to pull it back over himself,

01:16:34when Filch burst into the office.

01:16:36He looked absolutely delighted about something,

01:16:38and was talking to himself feverishly as he crossed the room,

01:16:42pulled open a drawer in Umbridge's desk, and began rifling through the papers inside it.

01:16:46Approval for whipping!

01:16:48Approval for whipping!

01:16:49I can do it at last!

01:16:51They've had it coming to them for years!

01:16:53He pulled out a piece of parchment, kissed it,

01:16:56then shuffled rapidly back out of the door, clutching it to his chest.

01:17:00Harry leapt to his feet, and making sure he had his bag

01:17:03and that invisibility cloak was completely covering him,

01:17:05he wrenched open the door and hurried out of the office after Filch,

01:17:08who was hobbling along faster than Harry had ever seen him go.

01:17:12One landing down from Umbridge's office, Harry thought it was safe to become visible again.

01:17:16He pulled off the cloak, shoved it into his bag and hurried onwards.

01:17:20There was a great deal of shouting and movement coming from the entrance hall.

01:17:24He ran down the marble staircase and found what looked like most of the school assembled there.

01:17:29It was just like the night when Trelawney had been sacked.

01:17:32Students were standing all around the walls in a great ring,

01:17:34some of them, Harry noticed, covered in substance that looked very like stink sap.

01:17:39Teachers and ghosts were also in the crowd.

01:17:41Prominent among the onlookers were members of the Inquisitorial Squad,

01:17:44who were all looking exceptionally pleased with themselves,

01:17:47and Peeves, who was bobbing overhead, gazed down at Fred and George,

01:17:51who stood in the middle of the floor with the unmistakable look of two people

01:17:54who had just been cornered.

01:17:56So, said Umbridge triumphantly,

01:17:58Harry realised she was standing just a few stairs in front of him,

01:18:02once more looking down upon her prey.

01:18:04So, you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?

01:18:09Pretty amusing, yeah, said Fred,

01:18:11looking up at her without the slightest sign of fear.

01:18:14Filch elbowed his way closer to Umbridge, almost crying with happiness.

01:18:18I've got the form, headmistress, he said hoarsely,

01:18:21waving the piece of parchment Harry had just seen him take from her desk.

01:18:24I've got the form, and I've got the whips waiting.

01:18:27Oh, let me do it now.

01:18:29Very good, Argus, she said.

01:18:31You two, she went on, gazing down at Fred and George,

01:18:34are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in any school.

01:18:39My school.

01:18:40You know what, said Fred, I don't think we are.

01:18:43He turned to his twin.

01:18:44George, said Fred, I think we've outgrown full-time education.

01:18:48Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself, said George lightly.

01:18:51Time to test our talents in the real world.

01:18:53Do you reckon, asked Fred.

01:18:55Definitely, said George, and before Umbridge could say a word,

01:18:58they raised their wands and said together,

01:19:00Accio, brooms!

01:19:02Harry heard a loud crash somewhere in the distance.

01:19:05Looking to his left, he ducked just in time.

01:19:07Fred and George's broomsticks, one still tailing and trailing in the heavy chain,

01:19:12an iron peg from which Umbridge had fastened them to the wall,

01:19:16were hurtling along the corridor towards their owners.

01:19:18They turned left, streaked down the stairs and stopped sharply in front of the twins,

01:19:22the chain clattering loudly on the flagstone floor.

01:19:27We won't be seeing you, Fred told Professor Umbridge,

01:19:29swinging his leg over his broomstick.

01:19:31Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch, said George, mounting his own.

01:19:35Fred looked around at the assembled students, at the silent, watchful crowd.

01:19:39If anyone fancies buying a portable swamp, as demonstrated upstairs,

01:19:43come to number 93, Diagon Alley.

01:19:46Weasleys, wizard, wheezes, he said in a loud voice.

01:19:49Our new premises.

01:19:51Special discounts to Hogwarts students,

01:19:53who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat,

01:19:56added George, pointing at Professor Umbridge.

01:19:59Stop them, shrieked Umbridge.

01:20:01But it was too late.

01:20:02As the inquisitorial squad closed in, Fred and George kicked off from the floor,

01:20:06shooting 15 feet into the air, the iron peg swinging dangerously below.

01:20:11Fred looked across the hall at the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd.

01:20:16Give her hell from us, Peeves.

01:20:18And Peeves, who Harry had never seen take an order from a student before,

01:20:22swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute,

01:20:26as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below,

01:20:31and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.

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