.this.is.just.to.see.if.everyone.reacts.the.same.‐..
.If.you.don.t.stop.doing.it,.I.m.going.to.‐..
.Put.us.in.detention?..said.Fred,.in.an.I.d‐like‐to‐see‐you‐try‐it.voice..
.Make.us.write.lines?..said.George,.smirking..
Onlookers.all.over.the.room.were.laughing..Hermione.drew.herself.up.to.her.full.height;.her.eyes.were.narrowed.and.her.bushy.hair.seemed.to.crackle.with.electricity..
.No,..she.said,.her.voice.quivering.with.anger,..but.I.will.write.to.your.mother...
.You.wouldn.t,..said.George,.horrified,.taking.a.step.back.from.her..
.Oh,.yes,.I.would,..said.Hermione.grimly...1.can.t.stop.you.eating.the.stupid.things.yourselves,.but.you.re.not.to.give.them.to.the.first‐years...
Fred.and.George.looked.thunderstruck..It.was.clear.that.as.far.as.they.were.concerned,.Hermione.s.threat.was.way.below.the.belt..With.a.last.threatening.look.at.them,.she.thrust.Fred.s.clipboard.and.the.bag.of.Fancies.back.into.his.arms,.and.stalked.back.to.her.chair.by.the.fire..
Ron.was.now.so.low.in.his.seat.that.his.nose.was.roughly.level.with.his.knees..
Thank.you.for.your.support,.Ron,..Hermione.said.acidly..
.You.handled.it.fine.by.yourself,..Ron.mumbled..
Hermione.stared.down.at.her.blank.piece.of.parchment.for.a.few.seconds,.then.said.edgily,..Oh,.it.s.no.good,.I.can.t.concentrate.now..I.m.going.to.bed...
She.wrenched.her.bag.open;.Harry.thought.she.was.about.to.put.her.books.away,.but.instead.she.pulled.out.two.misshapen.woolly.objects,.placed.them.carefully.on.a.table.by.the.fireplace,.covered.them.with.a.few.screwed‐up.bits.of.parchment.and.a.broken.quill.and.stood.back.to.admire.the.effect..
.What.in.the.name.of.Merlin.are.you.doing?..said.Ron,.watching.her.as.though.fearful.for.her.sanity..
They.re.hats.for.house‐elves,..she.said.briskly,.now.stuffing.her.books.back.into.her.bag...I.did.them.over.the.summer..I.m.a.really.slow.knitter.without.magic.but.now.I.m.back.at.school.I.should.be.able.to.make.lots.more...
.You.re.leaving.out.hats.for.the.house‐elves?..said.Ron.slowly...And.you.re.covering.them.up.with.rubbish.first?..
.Yes,..said.Hermione.defiantly,.swinging.her.bag.on.to.her.back..
That.s.not.on,..said.Ron.angrily...You.re.trying.to.trick.them.into.picking.up.the.hats..You.re.setting.them.free.when.they.might.not.want.to.be.free...
.Of.course.they.want.to.be.free!..said.Hermione.at.once,.though.
I.
her.face.was.turning.pink...Don.t.you.dare.touch.those.hats,.Ron!..
She.turned.on.her.heel.and.left..Ron.waited.until.she.had.disappeared.through.the.door.to.the.girls..dormitories,.then.cleared.the.rubbish.off.the.woolly.hats..
.They.should.at.least.see.what.they.re.picking.up,..he.said.firmly...Anyway…..he.rolled.up.the.parchment.on.which.he.had.written.the.title.of.Snape.s.essay,
.
.there.s.no.point.trying.to.finish.this.now,.I.can.t.do.it.without.Hermione,.I.haven.t.got.a.clue.what.you.re.supposed.to.do.with.moonstones,.have.you?..
Harry.shook.his.head,.noticing.as.he.did.so.that.the.ache.in.his.right.temple.was.getting.worse..He.thought.of.the.long.essay.on.giant.wars.and.the.pain.stabbed.at.him.sharply..Knowing.perfectly.well.that.when.the.morning.came,.he.would.regret.not.finishing.his.homework.that.night,.he.piled.his.books.back.into.his.bag..