.What?..said.Harry.in.disbelief,.as.Ginny.made.a.noise.like.an.angry.cat..
.I.know,..said.Ron.in.a.low.voice...And.it.got.worse..He.said.Dad.was.an.idiot.to.run.around.with.Dumbledore,.that.Dumbledore.was.heading.for.big.trouble.and.Dad.was.going.to.go.down.with.him,.and.that.he.‐.Percy.‐.knew.where.his.loyalty.lay.and.it.was.with.the.Ministry..And.if.Mum.and.Dad.were.going.to.become.traitors.to.the.Ministry.he.was.going.to.make.sure.everyone.knew.he.didn.t.belong.to.our.family.any.more..And.he.packed.his.bags.the.same.night.and.left..He.s.living.here.in.London.now...
Harry.swore.under.his.breath..He.had.always.liked.Percy.least.of.Ron.s.brothers,
.but.he.had.never.imagined.he.would.say.such.things.to.Mr.Weasley..
.Mum.s.been.in.a.right.state,..said.Ron.dully...You.know.‐.crying.and.stuff..She.came.up.to.London.to.try.and.talk.to.Percy.but.he.slammed.the.door.in.her.face..I.dunno.what.he.does.if.he.meets.Dad.at.work.‐.ignores.him,.I.s.pose...
.But.Percy.must.know.Voldemort.s.back,..said.Harry.slowly...He.s.not.stupid,.he.must.know.your.mum.and.dad.wouldn.t.risk.everything.without.proof...
.Yeah,.well,.your.name.got.dragged.into.the.row,..said.Ron,.shooting.Harry.a.furtive.look...Percy.said.the.only.evidence.was.your.word.and….I.dunno….he.didn.t.think.it.was.good.enough...
.Percy.takes.the.Daily.Prophet.seriously,..said.Hermione.tartly,.and.the.others.all.nodded..
.What.are.you.talking.about?..Harry.asked,.looking.around.at.them.all..They.were.all.regarding.him.warily..
.Haven.t.‐.haven.t.you.been.getting.the.Daily.Prophet!..Hermione.asked.nervously..
.Yeah,.I.have!..said.Harry..
.Have.you.‐.er.‐.been.reading.it.thoroughly?..Hermione.asked,.still.more.anxiously..
.Not.cover.to.cover,..said.Harry.defensively...If.they.were.going.to.report.anything.about.Voldemort.it.would.be.headline.news,.wouldn.t.it?..
The.others.flinched.at.the.sound.of.the.name..Hermione.hurried.on,..Well,.you.d.need.to.read.it.cover.to.cover.to.pick.it.up,.but.they.‐.um.‐.they.mention.you.a.couple.of.times.a.week...
.But.I.d.have.seen.‐..
.Not.if.you.ve.only.been.reading.the.front.page,.you.wouldn.t,..said.Hermione,
.shaking.her.head...I.m.not.talking.about.big.articles..They.just.slip.you.in,.like.you.re.a.standing.joke...
.What.d.you.‐?..
.It.s.quite.nasty,.actually,..said.Hermione.in.a.voice.of.forced.calm..They.re.just.building.on.Rita.s.stuff...
.But.she.s.not.writing.for.them.any.more,.is.she?..
.Oh,.no,.she.s.kept.her.promise.‐.not.that.she.s.got.any.choice,..Hermione.added.with.satisfaction...But.she.laid.the.foundation.for.what.they.re.trying.to.do.now...
.Which.is.what?..said.Harry.impatiently..
.OK,.you.know.she.wrote.that.you.were.collapsing.all.over.the.place.and.saying.your.scar.was.hurting.and.all.that?..
.Yeah,..said.Harry,.who.was.not.likely.to.forget.Rita.Skeeters.stories.about.him.in.a.hurry..
.Well,.they.re.writing.about.you.as.though.you.re.this.deluded,.attention‐seeking.person.who.thinks.he.s.a.great.tragic.hero.or.something,..said.Hermione,.very.fast,.as.though.it.would.be.less.unpleasant.for.Harry.to.hear.these.facts.quickly.