.You.don.t.know.my.mother,.she.d.weasel.anything.out.of.anyone!..Seamus.snapped.at.him...Anyway.your.parents.don.t.get.the.Daily.Prophet..They.don.t.know.our.Headmaster.s.been.sacked.from.the.Wizengamot.and.the.International.Confederation.of.Wizards.because.he.s.losing.his.marbles.‐..
.My.gran.says.that.s.rubbish,..piped.up.Neville...She.says.it.s.the.Daily.Prophet.that.s.going.downhill,.not.Dumbledore..She.s.cancelled.our.subscription..We.believe.Harry..said.Neville.simply..He.climbed.into.bed.and.pulled.the.covers.up.to.his.chin,.looking.owlishly.over.them.at.Seamus...My.gran.s.always.said.You‐
Know‐Who.would.come.back.one.day..She.says.if.Dumbledore.says.he.s.back,
.he.s.back...
Harry.felt.a.rush.of.gratitude.towards.Neville..Nobody.else.said.anything.
.Seamus.got.out.his.wand,.repaired.the.bed.hangings.and.vanished.behind.them.
.Dean.got.into.bed,.rolled.over.and.fell.silent..Neville,.who.appeared.to.have.nothing.more.to.say.either,.was.gazing.fondly.at.his.moonlit.cactus..
Harry.lay.back.on.his.pillows.while.Ron.bustled.around.the.next.bed,.putting.his.things.away..He.felt.shaken.by.the.argument.with.Seamus,.whom.he.had.always.liked.very.much..How.many.more.people.were.going.to.suggest.that.he.was.lying,.or.unhinged?.
Had.Dumbledore.suffered.like.this.all.summer,.as.first.the.Wizengamot,.then.the.International.Confederation.of.Wizards.had.thrown.him.from.their.ranks?.Was.it.anger.at.Harry,.perhaps,.that.had.stopped.Dumbledore.getting.in.touch.with.him.for.months?.The.two.of.them.were.in.this.together,.after.all;.Dumbledore.had.believed.Harry,.announced.his.version.of.events.to.the.whole.school.and.then.to.the.wider.wizarding.community..Anyone.who.thought.
HE.SORTING.HAT.S.NEW.SONG.
Harry.was.a.liar.had.to.think.that.Dumbledore.was,.too,.or.else.that.Dumbledore.had.been.hoodwinked….
They.ll.know.we.re.right.in.the.end,.thought.Harry.miserably,.as.Ron.got.into.bed.and.extinguished.the.last.candle.in.the.dormitory..But.he.wondered.how.many.more.attacks.like.Seamus.s.he.would.have.to.endure.before.that.time.came..
—.CHAPTER.TWELVE.—.
Professor.Umbridge
Seamus.dressed.at.top.speed.next.morning.and.left.the.dormitory.before.Harry.had.even.put.on.his.socks..
.Does.he.think.he.ll.turn.into.a.nutter.if.he.stays.in.a.room.with.me.too.long?.
.asked.Harry.loudly,.as.the.hem.of.Seamus.s.robes.whipped.out.of.sight..
.Don.t.worry.about.it,.Harry,..Dean.muttered,.hoisting.his.schoolbag.on.to.his.shoulder,..he.s.just…..
But.apparently.he.was.unable.to.say.exactly.what.Seamus.was,.and.after.a.slightly.awkward.pause.followed.him.out.of.the.room..
Neville.and.Ron.both.gave.Harry.an.it.s‐his‐problem‐not‐yours.look,.but.Harry.was.not.much.consoled..How.much.more.of.this.would.he.have.to.take?.
.What.s.the.matter?..asked.Hermione.five.minutes.later,.catching.up.with.Harry.and.Ron.halfway.across.the.common.room.as.they.all.headed.towards.breakfast.
.
.You.look.absolutely.‐.Oh.for.heaven.s.sake...
She.was.staring.at.the.common‐room.noticeboard,.where.a.large.new.sign.had.been.put.up..