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'： may well choose to leave： the indignity of it： on probation： we shall see： how she dares：'
'You and Umbridge have got something in mon；' Harry told Hermione quietly when they met again in Defence Against the Dark Arts。 'She obviously reckons Trelawney's an old fraud； too： looks like she's put her on probation。'
Umbridge entered the room as he spoke； wearing her black velvet bow and an expression of great smugness。
'Good afternoon； class。'
'Good afternoon； Professor Umbridge；' they chanted dully。
'Wands away； please。'
But there was no answering flurry of movement this time； nobody had bothered to take out their wands。
'Please turn to page thirty…four of Defensive Magical Theory and read the third chapter； entitled 〃The Case for Non…Offensive Responses to Magical Attack〃。 There will be …'
'… no need to talk；' Harry； Ron and Hermione said together； under their breaths。
* * *
'No Quidditch practice；' said Angelina in hollow tones when Harry； Ron and Hermione entered the mon room after dinner that night。
'But I kept my temper！' said Harry； horrified。 'I didn't say anything to her； Angelina； I swear； I …'
'I know； I know；' said Angelina miserably。 'She just said she needed a bit of time to consider。'
'Consider what？' said Ron angrily。 'She's given the Slytherins permission； why not us？'
But Harry could imagine how much Umbridge was enjoying holding the threat of no Gryffindor Quidditch team over their heads and could easily understand why she would not want to relinquish that weapon over them too soon。
'Well；' said Hermione； 'look on the bright side … at least now you'll have time to do Snape's essay！'
That's a bright side； is it？' snapped Harry； while Ron stared incredulously at Hermione。 'No Quidditch practice； and extra Potions？'
Harry slumped down into a chair； dragged his Potions essay reluctantly from his bag and set to work。 It was very hard to concentrate； even though he knew Sirius was not due in the fire until much later； he could not help glancing into the flames every few minutes just in case。 There was also an incredible amount of noise in the room： Fred and George appeared finally to have perfected one type of Skiving Snackbox； which they were taking turns to demonstrate to a cheering and whooping crowd。
First； Fred would take a bite out of the orange end of a chew； at which he would vomit spectacularly into a bucket they had placed in front of them。 Then he would force down the purple end of the chew； at which the vomiting would immediately cease。 Lee Jordan； who was assisting the demonstration； was lazily Vanishing the vomit at regular intervals with the same Vanishing Spell Snape kept using on Harry's potions。
What with the regular sounds of retching； cheering and the sound of Fred and George taking advance orders from the crowd； Harry was finding it exceptionally difficult to focus on the correct method for Strengthening Solution。 Hermione was not helping matters； the cheers and the sound of vomit hitting the bottom of Fred and George's bucket were punctuated by her loud and disapproving sniffs； which Harry found； if anything； more distracting。
'Just go and stop them； then！' he said irritably； after crossing out the wrong weight of powdered griffin claw for the fourth time。
'I can't； they're not technically doing anything wrong；' said Hermione through gritted teeth。 They're quite within their rights to eat the foul things themselves and I can't find a rule that says the other idiots aren't entitled to buy them； not unless they're proven to be dangerous in some way and it doesn't look as though they are。'
She； Harry and Ron watched George projectile…vomit into the bucket； gulp down the rest of the chew and straighten up； beaming with his arms wide to protracted applause。
'You know； I don't get why Fred and George only got three OWLs each；' said Harry； watching as Fred； George and Lee collected gold from the eager crowd。 They really know their stuff。'
'Oh； they only know flashy stuff that's of no real use to anyone；' said Hermione disparagingly。
'No real use？' said Ron in a strained voice。 'Hermione； they've made about twenty…six Galleons already。'
It was a long while before the crowd around the Weasley twins dispersed； then Fred； Lee and George sat up counting their takings even longer； so it was well past midnight when Harry； Ron and Hermione finally had the mon room to themselves。 At long last； Fred had closed the doorway to the boys' dormitories behind him； rattling his box of Galleons ostentatiously so that Hermione scowled。 Harry； who was making very little progress with his Potions essay； decided to give it up for the night。 As he put his books away； Ron； who was dozing lightly in an armchair； gave a muffled grunt； awoke； and looked blearily into the fire。
'Sirius！' he said。
Harry whipped round。 Sirius's untidy dark head was sitting in the fire again。
'Hi；' he said； grinning。
'Hi；' chorused Harry； Ron and Hermione； all three kneeling down on the hearthrug。 Crookshanks purred loudly and approached the fire； trying； despite the heat； to put his face close to Sirius's。
'How're things？' said Sirius。
'Not that good；' said Harry； as Hermione pulled Crookshanks back to stop him singeing his whiskers。 The Ministry's forced through another decree； which means we're not allowed to have Quidditch teams …'
'Or secret Defence Against the Dark Arts groups？' said Sirius。
There was a short pause。
'How did you know about that？' Harry demanded。
'You want to choose your meeting places more carefully；' said Sirius； grinning still more broadly。 The Hog's Head； I ask you。'
'Well； it was better than the Three Broomsticks！' said Hermione defensively。 That's always packed with people …'
'Which means you'd have been harder to overhear；' said Sirius。 'You've got a lot to learn； Hermione。'
'Who overheard us？' Harry demanded。
'Mundungus； of course；' said Sirius； and when they all looked puzzled he laughed。 'He was the witch under the veil。'
That was Mundungus？' Harry said； stunned。 'What was he doing in the Hog's Head？'
What do you think he was doing？' said Sirius impatiently。 'Keeping an eye on you； of course。'
'I'm still being followed？' asked Harry angrily。
'Yeah； you are；' said Sirius； 'and just as well； isn't it； if the first thing you're going to do on your weekend off is organise an illegal defence group。'
But he looked neither angry nor worried。 On the contrary； he was looking at Harry with distinct pride。
'Why was Dung hiding from us？' asked Ron； sounding disappointed。 'We'd've liked to've seen him。'
'He was banned from the Hog's Head twenty years ago；' said Sirius； 'and that barman's got a long memory。 We lost Moody's spare Invisibility Cloak when Sturgis was arrested； so Dung's been dressing as a witch a lot lately： anyway： first of all； Ron … I've sworn to pass on a message from your mother。'
'Oh yeah？' said Ron； sounding apprehensive。
'She says on no account whatsoever are you to take part in an illegal secret Defence Against the Dark Arts group。 She says you'll be expelled for sure and your future will be ruined。 She says there will be plenty of time to learn how to defend yourself later and that you are too young to be worrying about that right now。 She also' （Sirius's eyes turned to the other two） 'advises Harry and Hermione not to proceed with the group； though she accepts that she has no authority over either of them and simply begs them to remember that she has their best interests at heart。 She would have written all this to you； but if the owl had been intercepted you'd all have been in real trouble； and she can't say it for herself because she's on duty tonight。'
'On duty doing what？' said Ron quickly。
'Never you mind； just stuff for the Order；' said Sirius。 'So it's fallen to me to be the messenger and make sure you tell her I passed it all on； because I don't think she trusts me to。'
There was another pause in which Crookshanks； mewing； attempted to paw Sirius's head； and Ron fiddled