.remember?.And.Moody.was.all.annoyed.because.he.didn.t.turn.up;.so.he.couldn.t.have.been.on.a.job.for.them,.could.he?..
.Well,.maybe.they.didn.t.expect.him.to.get.caught,..said.Hermione..
.It.could.be.a.frame‐up!..Ron.exclaimed.excitedly...No.‐.listen!..he.went.on,
.dropping.his.voice.dramatically.at.the.threatening.look.on.Hermione.s.face..The.Ministry.suspects.he.s.one.of.Dumbledore.s.lot.so.‐.I.dunno.‐.they.lured.him.to.the.Ministry,.and.he.wasn.t.trying.to.get.through.a.door.at.all!.Maybe.they.ve.just.made.something.up.to.get.him!..
There.was.a.pause.while.Harry.and.Hermione.considered.this..Harry.thought.it.seemed.far‐fetched..Hermione,.on.the.other.hand,.looked.rather.impressed..
.Do.you.know,.I.wouldn.t.be.at.all.surprised.if.that.were.true...
She.folded.up.her.half.of.the.newspaper.thoughtfully..As.Harry.laid.down.his.knife.and.fork,.she.seemed.to.come.out.of.a.reverie..
.Right,.well,.I.think.we.should.tackle.that.essay.for.Sprout.on.self‐fertilising.shrubs.first.and.if.we.re.lucky.we.ll.be.able.to.start.McGonagall.s.Inanimatus.Conjurus.Spell.before.lunch…..
Harry.felt.a.small.twinge.of.guilt.at.the.thought.of.the.pile.of.homework.awaiting.him.upstairs,.but.the.sky.was.a.clear,.exhilarating.blue,.and.he.had.not.been.on.his.Firebolt.for.a.week….
.I.mean,.we.can.do.it.tonight,..said.Ron,.as.he.and.Harry.walked.down.the.sloping.lawns.towards.the.Quidditch.pitch,.their.broomsticks.over.their.shoulders,.and.with.Hermione.s.dire.warnings.that.they.would.fail.all.their.OWLs.still.ringing.in.their.ears...And.we.ve.got.tomorrow..She.gets.too.worked.up.about.work,.that.s.her.trouble…..There.was.a.pause.and.he.added,.in.a.slightly.more.anxious.tone,..D.you.think.she.meant.it.when.she.said.we.weren.t.copying.from.her?..
.Yeah,.I.do,..said.Harry...Still,.this.is.important,.too,.we.ve.got.to.practise.if.we.want.to.stay.on.the.Quidditch.team…..
.Yeah,.that.s.right,..said.Ron,.in.a.heartened.tone...And.we.have.got.plenty.of.time.to.do.it.all…..
As.they.approached.the.Quidditch.pitch,.Harry.glanced.over.to.his.right.to.where.the.trees.of.the.Forbidden.Forest.were.swaying.darkly..Nothing.flew.out.of.them;.the.sky.was.empty.but.for.a.few.distant.owls.fluttering.around.the.Owlery.tower..He.had.enough.to.worry.about;.the.flying.horse.wasn.t.doing.him.any.harm;.he.pushed.it.out.of.his.mind..
They.collected.balls.from.the.cupboard.in.the.changing.room.and.set.to.work,
.Ron.guarding.the.three.tall.goalposts,.Harry.playing.Chaser.and.trying.to.get.the.Quaffle.past.Ron..Harry.thought.Ron.was.pretty.good;.he.blocked.three‐quarters.of.the.goals.Harry.attempted.to.put.past.him.and.played.better.the.longer.they.practised..After.a.couple.of.hours.they.returned.to.the.castle.for.lunch.‐.during.which.Hermione.made.it.quite.clear.she.thought.they.were.irresponsible.—.then.returned.to.the.Quidditch.pitch.for.the.real.training.session..All.their.teammates.but.Angelina.were.already.in.the.changing.room.when.they.entered..
.All.right,.Ron?..said.George,.winking.at.him..