.I.see,..said.Professor.Umbridge.softly,.making.yet.another.note.on.her.clipboard..
.I.‐.but.‐.but….wait!..said.Professor.Trelawney.suddenly,.in.an.attempt.at.her.usual.ethereal.voice,.though.the.mystical.effect.was.ruined.somewhat.by.the.way.it.was.shaking.with.anger...I….I.think.I.do.see.something….something.that.concerns.you….why,.1.sense.something….something.dark….some.grave.peril…..
Professor.Trelawney.pointed.a.shaking.finger.at.Professor.Umbridge.who.continued.to.smile.blandly.at.her,.eyebrows.raised..
.I.am.afraid….I.am.afraid.that.you.are.in.grave.danger!..Professor.Trelawney.finished.dramatically..
There.was.a.pause..Professor.Umbridge.surveyed.Professor.Trelawney..
.Right,..she.said.softly,.scribbling.on.her.clipboard.once.more...Well,.if.that.s.really.the.best.you.can.do…..
She.turned.away,.leaving.Professor.Trelawney.standing.rooted.to.the.spot,.her.chest.heaving..Harry.caught.Ron.s.eye.and.knew.that.Ron.was.thinking.exactly.the.same.as.he.was:.they.both.knew.that.Professor.Trelawney.was.an.old.fraud,
.but.on.the.other.hand,.they.loathed.Umbridge.so.much.that.they.felt.very.much.on.Trelawneys.side.‐.until.she.swooped.down.on.them.a.few.seconds.later,.that.is..
.Well?..she.said,.snapping.her.long.fingers.under.Harry.s.nose,
.uncharacteristically.brisk...Let.me.see.the.start.you.ve.made.on.your.dream.diary,
.please...
And.by.the.time.she.had.interpreted.Harrys.dreams.at.the.top.of.her.voice.(all.of.which,.even.the.ones.that.involved.eating.porridge,.apparently.foretold.a.gruesome.and.early.death),.he.was.feeling.much.less.sympathetic.towards.her.
.All.the.while,.Professor.Umbridge.stood.a.few.feet.away,.making.notes.on.that.clipboard,.and.when.the.bell.rang.she.descended.the.silver.ladder.first.and.was.waiting.for.them.all.when.they.reached.their.Defence.Agaist.the.Dark.Arts.lesson.ten.minutes.later..
She.was.humming.and.smiling.to.herself.when.they.entered.the.room..Harry.and.Ron.told.Hermione,.who.had.been.in.Arithmancy,.exactly.what.had.happened.in.Divination.while.they.all.took.out.their.copies.of.Defensive.Magical.Theory,.but.before.Hermione.could.ask.any.questions.Professor.Umbridge.had.called.them.all.to.order.and.silence.fell..
.Wands.away..she.instructed.them.all.with.a.smile,.and.those.people.who.had.been.hopeful.enough.to.take.them.out,.sadly.returned.them.to.their.bags...As.we.finished.Chapter.One.last.
THE.HOG.WARTS.HIGH.INQUISITOR.
lesson,.I.would.like.you.all.to.turn.to.page.nineteen.today.and.commence.
.Chapter.Two,.Common.Defensive.Theories.and.their.Derivation...There.will.be.no.need.to.talk...
Still.smiling.her.wide,.self‐satisfied.smile,.she.sat.down.at.her.desk..The.class.gave.an.audible.sigh.as.it.turned,.as.one,.to.page.nineteen..Harry.wondered.dully.whether.there.were.enough.chapters.in.the.book.to.keep.them.reading.
through.all.this.year.s.lessons.and.was.on.the.point.of.checking.the.contents.page.when.he.noticed.that.Hermione.had.her.hand.in.the.air.again..
Professor.Umbridge.had.noticed,.too,.and.what.was.more,.she.seemed.to.have.worked.out.a.strategy.for.just.such.an.eventuality..Instead.of.trying.to.pretend.she.had.not.noticed.Hermione.she.got.to.her.feet.and.walked.around.the.front.row.of.desks.until.tey.were.face.to.face,.then.she.bent.down.and.whispered,.so.that.the.rest.of.the.class.could.not.hear,..What.is.it.this.time,.Miss.Granger?..