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'Not about the chapter； no；' said Hermione。
'Well； we're reading just now；' said Professor Umbridge； showing her small pointed teeth。 'If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class。'
'I've got a query about your course aims；' said Hermione。
Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows。
'And your name is？'
'Hermione Granger；' said Hermione。
'Well； Miss Granger； I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully' said Professor Umbridge in a voice of determined sweetness。
'Well； I don't；' said Hermione bluntly。 There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells。'
There was a short silence in which many members of the class turned their heads to frown at the three course aims still written on the blackboard。
'Using defensive spells？' Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh。 'Why； I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell； Miss Granger。 You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class？'
'We're not going to use magic？' Ron exclaimed loudly。
'Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class； Mr…？'
'Weasley；' said Ron； thrusting his hand into the air。
Professor Umbridge； smiling still more widely； turned her back on him。 Harry and Hermione immediately raised their hands too。 Professor Umbridge's pouchy eyes lingered on Harry for a moment before she addressed Hermione。
'Yes； Miss Granger？ You wanted to ask something else？'
'Yes；' said Hermione。 'Surely the whole point of Defence Against the Dark Arts is to practise defensive spells？'
'Are you a Ministry…trained educational expert； Miss Granger？' asked Professor Umbridge； in her falsely sweet voice。
'No； but …'
'Well then； I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the 〃whole point〃 of any class is。 Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new programme of study。 You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure； risk…free way …'
'What use is that？' said Harry loudly。 'If we're going to be attacked； it won't be in a …'
'Hand； Mr Potter！' sang Professor Umbridge。
Harry thrust his fist in the air。 Again； Professor Umbridge promptly turned away from him； but now several other people had their hands up； too。
'And your name is？' Professor Umbridge said to Dean。
'Dean Thomas。'
'Well； Mr Thomas？'
'Well； it's like Harry said； isn't it？' said Dean。 'If we're going to be attacked； it won't be risk free。'
'I repeat；' said Professor Umbridge； smiling in a very irritating fashion at Dean； 'do you expect to be attacked during my classes？'
'No； but …'
Professor Umbridge talked over him。 'I do not wish to criticise the way things have been run in this school；' she said； an unconvincing smile stretching her wide mouth； 'but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class； very irresponsible indeed … not to mention；' she gave a nasty little laugh； 'extremely dangerous half…breeds。'
'If you mean Professor Lupin；' piped up Dean angrily； 'he was the best we ever …'
'Hand； Mr Thomas！ As I was saying … you have been introduced to spells that have been plex； inappropriate to your age group and potentially lethal。 You have been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet Dark attacks every other day …'
'No we haven't；' Hermione said； 'we just …'
'Your hand is not up； Miss Granger！'
Hermione put up her hand。 Professor Umbridge turned away from her。
'It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you； he actually performed them on you。'
'Well； he turned out to be a maniac； didn't he？' said Dean hotly。 'Mind you； we still learned loads。'
'Your hand is not up； Mr Thomas！' trilled Professor Umbridge。 'Now； it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination； which； after all； is what school is all about。 And your name is？' she added； staring at Parvati； whose hand had just shot up。
'Parvati Patil； and isn't there a practical bit in our Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL？ Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the counter…curses and things？'
'As long as you have studied the theory hard enough； there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions；' said Professor Umbridge dismissively。
'Without ever practising them beforehand？' said Parvati incredulously。 'Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be during our exam？'
'I repeat； as long as you have studied the theory hard enough …'
'And what good's theory going to be in the real world？' said Harry loudly； his fist in the air again。
Professor Umbridge looked up。
'This is school； Mr Potter； not the real world；' she said softly。
'So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting for us out there？'
There is nothing waiting out there； Mr Potter。'
'Oh； yeah？' said Harry。 His temper； which seemed to have been bubbling just beneath the surface all day； was reaching boiling point。
'Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves？' enquired Professor Umbridge in a horribly honeyed voice。
'Hmm； let's think：' said Harry in a mock thoughtful voice。 'Maybe： Lord Voldemort？
Ron gasped； Lavender Brown uttered a little scream； Neville slipped sideways off his stool。 Professor Umbridge； however； did not flinch。 She was staring at Harry with a grimly satisfied expression on her face。
Ten points from Gryffindor； Mr Potter。'
The classroom was silent and still。 Everyone was staring at either Umbridge or Harry。
'Now； let me make a few things quite plain。'
Professor Umbridge stood up and leaned towards them； her stubby…fingered hands splayed on her desk。
'You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead …'
'He wasn't dead；' said Harry angrily； 'but yeah； he's returned！'
'Mr…Potter…you…have…already…lost…your…house…ten…points…do…not…make…matters…worse…for…yourself；' said Professor Umbridge in one breath without looking at him。 'As I was saying； you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again。 This is a lie。'
'It is NOT a lie！' said Harry。 'I saw him； I fought him！'
'Detention； Mr Potter！' said Professor Umbridge triumphantly。 Tomorrow evening。 Five o'clock。 My office。 I repeat； this is a lie。 The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger from any Dark wizard。 If you are still worried； by all means e and see me outside class hours。 If someone is alarming you with fibs about reborn Dark wizards； I would like to hear about it。 I am here to help。 I am your friend。 And now； you will kindly continue your reading。 Page five； 〃Basics for Beginners〃。'
Professor Umbridge sat down behind her desk。 Harry； however； stood up。 Everyone was staring at him； Seamus looked half…scared； half…fascinated。
'Harry； no！' Hermione whispered in a warning voice； tugging at his sleeve； but Harry jerked his arm out of her reach。
'So； according to you； Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord； did he？' Harry asked； his voice shaking。
There was a collective intake of breath from the class； for none of them； apart from Ron and Hermione； had ever heard Harry talk about what had happened on the night Cedric had died。 They stared avidly from Harry to Professor Umbridge； who had raised her eyes and was staring at him without a trace of a fake smile on her face。
'Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident；' she said coldly。
'It was murder；' said Harry。 He could feel himself shaking。 He had hardly spoken to anyone about this； least of all thirty eagerly listening classmates。 'Voldemort killed him and you know it。'
Professor Umbridge's face was quite blank。 For a moment； Harry thought she was going to scream at him。 Then she said； in her softest； most sweetly girlish voice； 'e here； Mr Potter； dear。'