.Good,..said.Harry.quietly,.when.she.told.him,..because.we.ve.found.somewhere.to.have.our.first.Defence.meeting..Tonight,.eight.o.clock,.seventh.floor.opposite.that.tapestry.of.Barnabas.the.Barmy.being.clubbed.by.those.trolls..Can.you.tell.Katie.and.Alicia?..
She.looked.slightly.taken.aback.but.promised.to.tell.the.others..Harry.returned.hungrily.to.his.sausages.and.mash..When.he.looked.up.to.take.a.drink.of.pumpkin.juice,.he.found.Hermione.watching.him..
.What?..he.said.thickly..
.Well….it.s.just.that.Dobby.s.plans.aren.t.always.that.safe..Don.t.you.remember.when.he.lost.you.all.the.bones.in.your.arm?..
This.room.isn.t.just.some.mad.idea.of.Dobby.s;.Dumbledore.knows.about.it,.too,
.he.mentioned.it.to.me.at.the.Yule.Ball...
Hermione.s.expression.cleared..V
.Dumbledore.told.you.about.it?..
.Just.in.passing,..said.Harry,.shrugging..
.Oh,.well,.that.s.all.right.then,..said.Hermione.briskly.and.raised.no.more.objections..
Together.with.Ron.they.had.spent.most.of.the.day.seeking.out.those.people.who.had.signed.their.names.to.the.list.in.the.Hog.s.Head.and.telling.them.where.to.meet.that.evening..Somewhat.to.Harry.s.disappointment,.it.was.Ginny.who.managed.to.find.Cho.Chang.and.her.friend.first;.however,.by.the.end.of.dinner.he.was.confident.that.the.news.had.been.passed.to.every.one.of.the.twenty‐five.people.who.had.turned.up.in.the.Hog.s.Head..
At.half.past.seven.Harry,.Ron.and.Hermione.left.the.Gryffindor.common.room,
.Harry.clutching.a.certain.piece.of.aged.parchment.in.his.hand..Fifth‐years.were.allowed.to.be.out.in.the.corridors.until.nine.o.clock,.but.all.three.of.them.kept.looking.around.nervously.as.they.made.their.way.along.the.seventh.floor..
.Hold.it,..Harry.warned,.unfolding.the.piece.of.parchment.at.the.top.of.the.last.staircase,.tapping.it.with.his.wand.and.muttering,..I.solemnly.swear.that.I.am.up.to.no.good...
A.map.of.Hogwarts.appeared.on.the.blank.surface.of.the.parchment..Tiny.black.moving.dots,.labelled.with.names,.showed.where.various.people.were..
.Filch.is.on.the.second.floor,..said.Harry,.holding.the.map.close.to.his.eyes,..and.Mrs.Norris.is.on.the.fourth...
.And.Umbridge?..said.Hermione.anxiously..
.In.her.office,..said.Harry,.pointing...OK,.lets.go...
They.hurried.along.the.corridor.to.the.place.Dobby.had.described.to.Harry,.a.stretch.of.blank.wall.opposite.an.enormous.tapestry.depicting.Barnabas.the.Barmy.s.foolish.attempt.to.train.trolls.for.the.ballet..
.OK,..said.Harry.quietly,.while.a.moth‐eaten.troll.paused.in.his.relentless.clubbing.of.the.would‐be.ballet.teacher.to.watch.them...Dobby.said.to.walk.past.this.bit.of.wall.three.times,.concentrating.hard.on.what.we.need...
They.did.so,.turning.sharply.at.the.window.just.beyond.the.blank.stretch.of.wall,
.then.at.the.man‐sized.vase.on.its.other.side..Ron.had.screwed.up.his.eyes.in.concentration;.Hermione.was.whispering.something.under.her.breath;.Harry.s.fists.were.clenched.as.he.stared.ahead.of.him..
We.need.somewhere.to.learn.to.fight.….he.thought..Just.give.us.a.place.to.practise…