.You.will.be.pleased.to.know,.however,.that.these.problems.are.now.to.be.rectified..We.will.be.following.a.carefully.structured,.theory‐centred,.Ministry‐
approved.course.of.defensive.magic.this.year..Copy.down.the.following,.please...
She.rapped.the.blackboard.again;.the.first.message.vanished.and.was.replaced.by.the..Course.Aims...
..Understanding.the.principles.underlying.defensive.magic.
..Learning.to.recognise.situations.in.which.defensive.magic.can.legally.be.used.
..Placing.the.use.of.defensive.magic.in.a.context.for.practical.use.
For.a.couple.of.minutes.the.room.was.full.of.the.sound.of.scratching.quills.on.parchment..When.everyone.had.copied.down.Professor.Umbridge.s.three.course.aims.she.asked,..Has.everybody.got.a.copy.of.Defensive.Magical.Theory.by.Wilbert.Slinkhard?..
There.was.a.dull.murmur.of.assent.throughout.the.class..
.I.think.we.ll.try.that.again,..said.Professor.Umbridge...When.I.ask.you.a.question,.I.should.like.you.to.reply,..Yes,.Professor.Umbridge.,.or..No,.Professor.Umbridge...So:.has.everyone.got.a.copy.of.Defensive.Magical.Theory.by.Wilbert.Slinkhard?..
.Yes,.Professor.Umbridge,..rang.through.the.room..
.Good,..said.Professor.Umbridge...I.should.like.you.to.turn.to.page.five.and.read.
.Chapter.One,.Basics.for.Beginners...There.will.be.no.need.to.talk...
Professor.Umbridge.left.the.blackboard.and.settled.herself.in.the.chair.behind.the.teacher.s.desk,.observing.them.all.closely.with.those.pouchy.toad.s.eyes..
Harry.turned.to.page.five.of.his.copy.of.Defensive.Magical.Theory.and.started.to.read..
It.was.desperately.dull,.quite.as.bad.as.listening.to.Professor.Binns..He.felt.his.concentration.sliding.away.from.him;.he.had.soon.read.the.same.line.half.a.dozen.times.without.taking.in.more.than.the.first.few.words..Several.silent.minutes.passed..Next.to.him,.Ron.was.absent‐mindedly.turning.his.quill.over.and.over.in.his.fingers,.staring.at.the.same.spot.on.the.page..Harry.looked.right.and.received.a.surprise.to.shake.him.out.of.his.torpor..Hermione.had.not.even.opened.her.copy.of.Defensive.Magical.Theory..She.was.staring.fixedly.at.Professor.Umbridge.with.her.hand.in.the.air..
Harry.could.not.remember.Hermione.ever.neglecting.to.read.when.instructed.to,
.or.indeed.resisting.the.temptation.to.open.any.book.that.came.under.her.nose.
.He.looked.at.her.enquiringly,.but.she.merely.shook.her.head.slightly.to.indicate.that.she.was.not.about.to.answer.questions,.and.continued.to.stare.at.Professor.Umbridge,.who.was.looking.just.as.resolutely.in.another.direction..
After.several.more.minutes.had.passed,.however,.Harry.was.not.the.only.one.watching.Hermione..The.chapter.they.had.been.instructed.to.read.was.so.tedious.that.more.and.more.people.were.choosing.to.watch.Hermione.s.mute.attempt.to.catch.Professor.Umbridge.s.eye.rather.than.struggle.on.with..Basics.for.Beginners...
When.more.than.half.the.class.were.staring.at.Hermione.rather.than.at.their.books,.Professor.Umbridge.seemed.to.decide.that.she.could.ignore.the.situation.no.longer..