.And.it.looks.like.it.s.going.to.rain...
.What.s.that.got.to.do.with.our.homework?..said.Hermione,.her.eyebrows.raised..
.Nothing,..said.Ron.at.once,.his.ears.reddening..
At.five.to.five.Harry.bade.the.other.two.goodbye.and.set.off.for.Umbridge.s.office.on.the.third.floor..When.he.knocked.on.the.door.she.called,..Come.in,..in.a.sugary.voice..He.entered.cautiously,.looking.around..
He.had.known.this.office.under.three.of.its.previous.occupants..
In.the.days.when.Gilderoy.Lockhart.had.lived.here.it.had.been.plastered.in.beaming.portraits.of.himself..When.Lupin.had.occupied.it,.it.was.likely.you.would.meet.some.fascinating.Dark.creature.in.a.cage.or.tank.if.you.came.to.call.
.In.the.impostor.Moody.s.days.it.had.been.packed.with.various.instruments.and.artefacts.for.the.detection.of.wrongdoing.and.concealment..
Now,.however,.it.looked.totally.unrecognisable..The.surfaces.had.all.been.draped.in.lacy.covers.and.cloths..There.were.several.vases.full.of.dried.flowers,
.each.one.residing.on.its.own.doily,.and.on.one.of.the.walls.was.a.collection.of.ornamental.plates,.each.decorated.with.a.large.technicolour.kitten.wearing.a.different.bow.around.its.neck..These.were.so.foul.that.Harry.stared.at.them,
.transfixed,.until.Professor.Umbridge.spoke.again..
.Good.evening,.Mr.Potter...
Harry.started.and.looked.around..He.had.not.noticed.her.at.first.because.she.was.wearing.a.luridly.flowered.set.of.robes.that.blended.only.too.well.with.the.talecloth.on.the.desk.behind.her..
.Evening,.Professor.Umbridge,..Harry.said.stiffly..
.Well,.sit.down,..she.said,.pointing.towards.a.small.table.draped.in.lace.beside.which.she.had.drawn.up.a.straight‐backed.chair..A.piece.of.blank.parchment.lay.on.the.table,.apparently.waiting.for.him..
.Er,..said.Harry,.without.moving...Professor.Umbridge..Er.‐.before.we.start,.I.‐.I.wanted.to.ask.you.a….a.favour...
Her.bulging.eyes.narrowed..
.Oh,.yes?..
.Well,.I.m….I.m.in.the.Gryffindor.Quidditch.team..And.I.was.supposed.to.be.at.the.tryouts.for.the.new.Keeper.at.five.o.clock.on.Friday.and.I.was.‐.was.wondering.whether.I.could.skip.detention.that.night.and.do.it.‐.do.it.another.night….instead…..
He.knew.long.before.he.reached.the.end.of.his.sentence.that.it.was.no.good..
.Oh,.no,..said.Umbridge,.smiling.so.widely.that.she.looked.as.though.she.had.just.swallowed.a.particularly.juicy.fly...Oh,.no,.no,.no..This.is.your.punishment.for.spreading.evil,.nasty,.attention‐seeking.stories,.Mr.Potter,.and.punishments.certainly.cannot.be.adjusted.to.suit.the.guilty.one.s.convenience..No,.you.will.come.
.r.here.at.five.o.clock.tomorrow,.and.the.next.day,.and.on.Friday.too,.and.you.will.do.your.detentions.as.planned..I.think.it.rather.a.good.thing.that.you.are.missing.something.you.really.want.to.do..It.ought.to.reinforce.the.lesson.I.am.trying.to.teach.you...
Harry.felt.the.blood.surge.to.his.head.and.heard.a.thumping.noise.in.his.ears..So.he.told..evil,.nasty,.attention‐seeking.stones.,.did.he?.
She.was.watching.him.with.her.head.slightly.to.one.side,.still.smiling.widely,.as.though.she.knew.exactly.what.he.was.thinking.and.was.waiting.to.see.whether.he.would.start.shouting.again..With.a.massive.effort,.Harry.looked.away.from.her,.dropped.his.schoolbag.beside.the.straight‐backed.chair.and.sat.down..