with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps
were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately
carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were
silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs.
"Wait here," said Malfoy to Harry and Ron, motioning them to a pair
of empty chairs set back from the fire. "I'll go and get it my father's
just sent it to me -"
Wondering what Malfoy was going to show them, Harry and Ron
sat down, doing their best to look at home.
Malfoy came back a minute later, holding what looked like a
newspaper clipping. He thrust it under Ron's nose.
"That'll give you a laugh," he said.
Harry saw Ron's eyes widen in shock. He read the clipping quickly,
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gave a very forced laugh, and handed it to Harry.
It had been clipped out of the Daily Prophet, and it said:
INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office,
was today fined fifty Galleons for bewitching a Muggle car.
Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry, where the
enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr.
Weasley's resignation.
"Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute," Mr. Malfoy told our
reporter. "He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous
Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."
Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told
reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them.
"Well?" said Malfoy impatiently as Harry handed the clipping back to
him. "Don't you think it's funny?"
"Ha, ha," said Harry bleakly.
"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in
half and go and join them," said Malfoy scornfully. "You'd never know
the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave."
Ron's - or rather, Crabbe's - face was contorted with fury.
"What's up with you, Crabbe?" snapped Malfoy.
"Stomachache," Ron grunted.
"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick
from me," said Malfoy, snickering. "You know, I'm surprised the Daily
Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully.
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"I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it
doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst
thing that's ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle-borns. A
decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in."
*222*
Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a
cruel but accurate impression of Colin: "`Potter, can I have your
picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes,
please, Potter?"'
He dropped his hands and looked at Harry and Ron.
"What's the matter with you two?"
Far too late, Harry and Ron forced themselves to laugh, but Malfoy
seemed satisfied; perhaps Crabbe and Goyle were always slow on
the uptake.
"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "He's