He.was.talking.in.a.very.fast,.feverish.way..
.But.what.have.you.got.your.broom.for,.you.haven.t.been.flying,.have.you?.
.Harry.asked..
.I.‐.well.‐.well,.OK,.I.ll.tell.you,.but.don.t.laugh,.all.right?..Ron.said.defensively,
.turning.redder.with.every.second...I.‐.I.thought.I.d.try.out.for.Gryffindor.Keeper.now.I.ve.got.a.decent.broom..There..Go.on..Laugh...
.I.m.not.laughing,..said.Harry..Ron.blinked...It.s.a.brilliant.idea!.It.d.be.really.cool.if.you.got.on.the.team!.I.ve.never.seen.you.play.Keeper,.are.you.good?..
.I.m.not.bad,..said.Ron,.who.looked.immensely.relieved.at.Harry.s.reaction.
.
.Charlie,.Fred.and.George.always.made.me.Keep.for.them.when.they.were.training.during.the.holidays...
.So.you.ve.been.practising.tonight?..
.Every.evening.since.Tuesday….just.on.my.own,.though..I.ve.been.trying.to.bewitch.Quaffles.to.fly.at.me,.but.it.hasn.t.been.easy.and.I.don.t.know.how.much.use.it.ll.be...Ron.looked.nervous.and.anxious...Fred.and.George.are.going.to.laugh.themselves.stupid.when.I.turn.up.for.the.tryouts..They.haven.t.stopped.taking.the.mickey.out.of.me.since.I.got.made.a.prefect...
.I.wish.I.was.going.to.be.there,..said.Harry.bitterly,.as.they.set.off.together.towards.the.common.room..
.Yeah,.so.do.‐.Harry,.what.s.that.on.the.back.of.your.hand?..
Harry,.who.had.just.scratched.his.nose.with.his.free.right.hand,.tried.to.hide.it,
.but.had.as.much.success.as.Ron.with.his.Cleansweep..
.It.s.just.a.cut.‐.it.s.nothing.‐.it.s.‐..
But.Ron.had.grabbed.Harry.s.forearm.and.pulled.the.back.of.Harry.s.hand.up.level.with.his.eyes..There.was.a.pause,.during.which.he.stared.at.the.words.carved.into.the.skin,.then,.looking.sick,.he.released.Harry..
.I.thought.you.said.she.was.just.giving.you.lines?..
Harry.hesitated,.but.after.all,.Ron.had.been.honest.with.him,.so.he.told.Ron.the.truth.about.the.hours.he.had.been.spending.in.Umbridge.s.office..
The.old.hag!..Ron.said.in.a.revolted.whisper.as.they.came.to.a.halt.in.front.of.the.Fat.Lady,.who.was.dozing.peacefully.with.her.head.against.her.frame...She.s.sick!.Go.to.McGonagall,.say.something!..
.No,..said.Harry.at.once...I.m.not.giving.her.the.satisfaction.of.knowing.she.s.got.to.me...
.Got.to.you?.You.can.t.let.her.get.away.with.this!..
.I.don.t.know.how.much.power.McGonagall.s.got.over.her,..said.Harry..
.Dumbledore,.then,.tell.Dumbledore!..
.No,..said.Harry.flatly..
.Why.not?..
.He.s.got.enough.on.his.mind,..said.Harry,.but.that.was.not.the.true.reason..He.was.not.going.to.go.to.Dumbledore.for.help.when.Dumbledore.had.not.spoken.to.him.once.since.June..
.Well,.1.reckon.you.should.‐..Ron.began,.but.he.was.interrupted.by.the.Fat.Lady,
.who.had.been.watching.them.sleepily.and.now.burst.out,..Are.you.going.to.give.me.the.password.or.will.1.have.to.stay.awake.all.night.waiting.for.you.to.finish.your.conversation?..
*.
Friday.dawned.sullen.and.sodden.as.the.rest.of.the.week..Though.Harry.automatically.glanced.towards.the.staff.table.when.he.entered.the.Great.Hall,.it.was.without.any.real.hope.of.seeing.Hagrid,.and.he.turned.his.mind.immediately.to.his.more.pressing.problems,.such.as.the.mountainous.pile.of.homework.he.had.to.do.and.the.prospect.of.yet.another.detention.with.Umbridge..