The.Owlery.door.opened.behind.him..He.leapt.in.shock.and,.turning.quickly,
.saw.Cho.Chang.holding.a.letter.and.a.parcel.in.her.hands..
.Hi,..said.Harry.automatically..
.Oh….hi,..she.said.breathlessly...I.didn.t.think.anyone.would.be.up.here.this.early….I.only.remembered.five.minutes.ago,.it.s.my.mum.s.birthday...
She.held.up.the.parcel..
.Right,..said.Harry..His.brain.seemed.to.have.jammed..He.wanted.to.say.something.funny.and.interesting,.but.the.memory.of.that.terrible.winged.horse.was.fresh.in.his.mind..
.Nice.day,..he.said,.gesturing.to.the.windows..His.insides.seemed.to.shrivel.with.embarrassment..The.weather..He.was.talking.about.the.weather….
.Yeah,..said.Cho,.looking.around.for.a.suitable.owl...Good.Quidditch.conditions.
.1.haven.t.been.out.all.week,.have.you?..
.No,..said.Harry..
Cho.had.selected.one.of.the.school.barn.owls..She.coaxed.it.down.on.to.her.arm.where.it.held.out.an.obliging.leg.so.that.she.could.attach.the.parcel..
.Hey,.has.Gryffindor.got.a.new.Keeper.yet?..she.asked..
.Yeah,..said.Harry...It.s.my.friend.Ron.Weasley,.d.you.know.him?..
The.Tornados‐hater?..said.Cho.rather.coolly...Is.he.any.good?..
.Yeah,..said.Harry,..I.think.so..I.didn.t.see.his.tryout,.though,.I.was.in.detention...
Cho.looked.up,.the.parcel.only.half‐attached.to.the.owl.s.legs..
That.Umbridge.woman.s.foul,..she.said.in.a.low.voice...Putting.you.in.detention.just.because.you.told.the.truth.about.how.‐.how.‐.how.he.died..Everyone.heard.about.it,.it.was.all.over.the.school..You.were.really.brave.standing.up.to.her.like.that...
Harry.s.insides.re‐inflated.so.rapidly.he.felt.as.though.he.might.actually.float.a.few.inches.off.the.dropping‐strewn.floor..Who.cared.about.a.stupid.flying.horse;
.Cho.thought.he.had.been.really.brave..For.a.moment,.he.considered.accidentally‐
on‐purpose.showing.her.his.cut.hand.as.he.helped.her.tie.her.parcel.on.to.her.owl….but.the.very.instant.this.thrilling.thought.occurred,.the.Owlery.door.opened.again..
Filch.the.caretaker.came.wheezing.into.the.room..There.were.purple.patches.on.his.sunken,.veined.cheeks,.his.jowls.were.aquiver.and.his.thin.grey.hair.dishevelled;.he.had.obviously.run.here..Mrs.Norris.came.trotting.at.his.heels,
.gazing.up.at.the.owls.overhead.and.mewing.hungrily..There.was.a.restless.shifting.of.wings.from.above.and.a.large.brown.owl.snapped.his.beak.in.a.menacing.fashion..
.Aha!..said.Filch,.taking.a.flat‐footed.step.towards.Harry,.his.pouchy.cheeks.trembling.with.anger...I.ve.had.a.tip‐off.that.you.are.intending.to.place.a.massive.order.for.DungbombsP.
Harry.folded.his.arms.and.stared.at.the.caretaker..
.Who.told.you.1.was.ordering.Dungbombs?..
Cho.was.looking.from.Harry.to.Filch,.also.frowning;.the.barn.owl.on.her.arm,
.tired.of.standing.on.one.leg,.gave.an.admonitory.hoot.but.she.ignored.it..
.I.have.my.sources,..said.Filch.in.a.self‐satisfied.hiss...Now.hand.over.whatever.it.is.you.re.sending...
Feeling.immensely.thankful.that.he.had.not.dawdled.in.posting.off.the.letter,
.Harry.said,..I.can.t,.it.s.gone...