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had really seen it this time： it had vanished so quickly：
'Sirius's head？' Hermione repeated。 'You mean like when he wanted to talk to you during the Triwizard Tournament？ But he wouldn't do that now； it would be too … Sirius！'
She gasped； gazing at the fire； Ron dropped his quill。 There in the middle of the dancing flames sat Sirius's head； long dark hair falling around his grinning face。
'I was starting to think you'd go to bed before everyone else had disappeared；' he said。 'I've been checking every hour。'
'You've been popping into the fire every hour？' Harry said； half…laughing。
'Just for a few seconds to check if the coast was clear。'
'But what if you'd been seen？' said Hermione anxiously。
'Well； I think a girl … first…year； by the look of her … might've got a glimpse of me earlier； but don't worry' Sirius said hastily； as Hermione clapped a hand to her mouth； 'I was gone the moment she looked back at me and I'll bet she just thought I was an oddly…shaped log or something。'
'But； Sirius； this is taking an awful risk …' Hermione began。
'You sound like Molly；' said Sirius。 This was the only way I could e up with of answering Harry's letter without resorting to a code … and codes are breakable。'
At the mention of Harry's letter； Hermione and Ron both turned to stare at him。
'You didn't say you'd written to Sirius！' said Hermione accusingly。
'I forgot；' said Harry； which was perfectly true； his meeting with Cho in the Owlery had driven everything before it out of his mind。 'Don't look at me like that； Hermione； there was no way anyone would have got secret information out of it； was there； Sirius？'
'No； it was very good；' said Sirius； smiling。 'Anyway； we'd better be quick； just in case we're disturbed … your scar。'
'What about …？' Ron began； but Hermione interrupted him。 。 'We'll tell you afterwards。 Go on； Sirius。'
'Well； I know it can't be fun when it hurts； but we don't think it's anything to really worry about。 It kept aching all last year； didn't it？'
'Yeah； and Dumbledore said it happened whenever Voldemort was feeling a powerful emotion；' said Harry； ignoring； as usual； Ron and Hermione's winces。 'So maybe he was just； I dunno； really angry or something the night I had that detention。'
'Well； now he's back it's bound to hurt more often；' said Sirius。
'So you don't think it had anything to do with Umbridge touching me when I was in detention with her？' Harry asked。
'I doubt it；' said Sirius。 'I know her by reputation and I'm sure she's no Death Eater …'
'She's foul enough to be one；' said Harry darkly； and Ron and Hermione nodded vigorously in agreement。
'Yes； but the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters；' said Sirius with a wry smile。 'I know she's a nasty piece of work； though … you should hear Remus talk about her。'
'Does Lupin know her？' asked Harry quickly； remembering Umbridge's ments about dangerous half…breeds during her first lesson。
'No；' said Sirius； 'but she drafted a bit of anti…werewolf legislation two years ago that makes it almost impossible for him to get a job。'
Harry remembered how much shabbier Lupin looked these days and his dislike of Umbridge deepened even further。
'What's she got against werewolves？〃 said Hermione angrily。
'Scared of them； I expect；' said Sirius； smiling at her indignation。 'Apparently she loathes part…humans； she campaigned to have merpeople rounded up and tagged last year； too。 Imagine wasting your time and energy persecuting merpeople when there are little toerags like Kreacher on the loose。'
Ron laughed but Hermione looked upset。
'Sirius！' she said reproachfully。 'Honestly； if you made a bit of an effort with Kreacher； I'm sure he'd respond。 After all； you are the only member of his family he's got left； and Professor Dumbledore said …'
'So； what are Umbridge's lessons like？' Sirius interrupted。 'Is she training you all to kill half…breeds？'
'No；' said Harry； ignoring Hermione's affronted look at being cut off in her defence of Kreacher。 'She's not letting us use magic at all！'
'All we do is read the stupid textbook；' said Ron。
'Ah； well； that figures；' said Sirius。 'Our information from inside the Ministry is that Fudge doesn't want you trained in bat。'
'Trained in bat！' repeated Harry incredulously。 'What does he think we're doing here； forming some sort of wizard army？'
That's exactly what he thinks you're doing；' said Sirius； 'or； rather； that's exactly what he's afraid Dumbledore's doing … forming his own private army； with which he will be able to take on the Ministry of Magic。'
There was a pause at this； then Ron said； That's the most stupid thing I've ever heard； including all the stuff that Luna Lovegood es out with。'
'So we're being prevented from learning Defence Against the Dark Arts because Fudge is scared we'll use spells against the Ministry？' said Hermione； looking furious。
'Yep；' said Sirius。 'Fudge thinks Dumbledore will stop at nothing to seize power。 He's getting more paranoid about Dumbledore by the day。 It's a matter of time before he has Dumbledore arrested on some trumped…up charge。'
This reminded Harry of Percy's letter。
'D'you know if there's going to be anything about Dumbledore in the Daily Prophet tomorrow？ Ron's brother Percy reckons there will be …'
'I don't know；' said Sirius； 'I haven't seen anyone from the Order all weekend； they're all busy。 It's just been Kreacher and me here
There was a definite note of bitterness in Sirius's voice。
'So you haven't had any news about Hagrid； either？'
'Ah：' said Sirius； 'well； he was supposed to be back by now； no one's sure what's happened to him。' Then； seeing their stricken faces； he added quickly； 'But Dumbledore's not worried； so don't you three get yourselves in a state； I'm sure Hagrid's fine。'
'But if he was supposed to be back by now：' said Hermione in a small； anxious voice。
'Madame Maxime was with him； we've been in touch with her and she says they got separated on the journey home … but there's nothing to suggest he's hurt or … well； nothing to suggest he's not perfectly OK。'
Unconvinced； Harry； Ron and Hermione exchanged worried looks。
'Listen； don't go asking too many questions about Hagrid；' said Sirius hastily； 'it'll just draw even more attention to the fact that he's not back and I know Dumbledore doesn't want that。 Hagrid's tough； he'll be OK。' And when they did not appear cheered by this； Sirius added； 'When's your next Hogsmeade weekend； anyway？ I was thinking； we got away with the dog disguise at the station； didn't we？ I thought I could …'
'NO！' said Harry and Hermione together； very loudly。
'Sirius； didn't you see the Daily Prophet？' said Hermione anxiously。
'Oh； that；' said Sirius； grinning； 'they're always guessing where I am； they haven't really got a clue …'
'Yeah； but we think this time they have；' said Harry。 'Something Malfoy said on the train made us think he knew it was you； and his father was on the platform； Sirius … you know； Lucius Malfoy … so don't e up here； whatever you do。 If Malfoy recognises you again …'
'All right； all right； I've got the point；' said Sirius。 He looked most displeased。 'Just an idea； thought you might like to get together。'
'I would； I just don't want you chucked back in Azkaban！' said Harry。
There was a pause in which Sirius looked out of the fire at Harry； a crease between his sunken eyes。
'You're less like your father than I thought；' he said finally； a definite coolness in his voice。 The risk would've been what made it fun for James。'
'Look …'
'Well； I'd better get going； I can hear Kreacher ing down the stairs；' said Sirius； but Harry was sure he was lying。 I'll write to tell you a time I can make it back into the fire； then； shall I？ If you can stand to risk it？'
There was a tiny pop； and the place where Sirius's head had been was flickering flame once more。
… CHAPTER FIFTEEN …
The Hogwarts High Inquisitor