.
.They.keep.slipping.in.snide.comments.about.you..If.some.far‐fetched.story.appears,.they.say.something.like,..A.tale.worthy.of.Harry.Potter.,.and.if.anyone.has.a.funny.accident.or.anything.it.s,..Let.s.hope.he.hasn.t.got.a.scar.on.his.forehead.or.we.ll.be.asked.to.worship.him.next..‐..
.I.don.t.want.anyone.to.worship.‐..Harry.began.hotly..
.I.know.you.don.t,..said.Hermione.quickly,.looking.frightened...I.know,.Harry.
.But.you.see.what.they.re.doing?.They.want.to.turn.you.into.someone.nobody.will.believe..Fudge.is.behind.it,.I.ll.bet.anything..They.want.wizards.on.the.street.
to.think.you.re.just.some.stupid.boy.who.s.a.bit.of.a.joke,.who.tells.ridiculous.tall.stories.because.he.loves.being.famous.and.wants.to.keep.it.going...
.I.didn.t.ask.‐.I.didn.t.want.‐.Voldemort.killed.my.parents!..Harry.spluttered...I.got.famous.because.he.murdered.my.family.but.couldn.t.kill.me!.Who.wants.to.be.famous.for.that?.Don.t.they.think.I.d.rather.it.d.never.‐..
.We.know,.Harry,..said.Ginny.earnestly..
.And.of.course,.they.didn.t.report.a.word.about.the.Dementors.attacking.you,.
.said.Hermione...Someone.s.told.them.to.keep.that.quiet..That.should.ve.been.a.really.big.story,.out‐of‐control.Dementors..They.haven.t.even.reported.that.you.broke.the.International.Statute.of.Secrecy..We.thought.they.would,.it.would.tie.in.so.well.with.this.image.of.you.as.some.stupid.show‐off..We.think.they.re.biding.their.time.until.you.re.expelled,.then.they.re.really.going.to.go.to.town.‐.I.mean,
.if.you.re.expelled,.obviously,..she.went.on.hastily...You.really.shouldn.t.be,.not.if.they.abide.by.their.own.laws,.there.s.no.case.against.you...
They.were.back.on.the.hearing.and.Harry.did.not.want.to.think.about.that..He.cast.around.for.another.change.of.subject,.but.was.saved.the.necessity.of.finding.one.by.the.sound.of.footsteps.coming.up.the.stairs..
.Uh.oh...
Fred.gave.the.Extendable.Ear.a.hearty.tug;.there.was.another.loud.crack.and.he.and.George.vanished..Seconds.later,.Mrs.Weasley.appeared.in.the.bedroom.doorway..
.The.meeting.s.over,.you.can.come.down.and.have.dinner.now..Everyone.s.dying.to.see.you,.Harry..And.who.s.left.all.those.Dungbombs.outside.the.kitchen.door?..
.Crookshanks,..said.Ginny.unblusingly...He.loves.playing.with.them...
.Oh,..said.Mrs.Weasley,..I.thought.it.might.have.been.Kreacher,.he.keeps.doing.odd.things.like.that..Now.don.t.forget.to.keep.your.voices.down.in.the.hall.
.Ginny,.your.hands.are.filthy,.what.have.you.been.doing?.Go.and.wash.them.before.dinner,.please...
Ginny.grimaced.at.the.others.and.followed.her.mother.out.of.the.room,.leaving.Harry.alone.with.Ron.and.Hermione..Both.of.them.were.watching.him.apprehensively,.as.though.they.feared.he.would.start.shouting.again.now.that.
everyone.else.had.gone..The.sight.of.them.looking.so.nervous.made.him.feel.slightly.ashamed..
.Look…..he.muttered,.but.Ron.shook.his.head,.and.Hermione.said.quietly,..We.knew.you.d.be.angry,.Harry,.we.really.don.t.blame.you,.but.you.ve.got.to.understand,.we.did.try.to.persuade.Dumbledore.‐..