.No!..said.Neville,.looking.upset...No,.I.m.not.scared.of.them!..
.It.s.quite.all.right,..said.Umbridge,.patting.Neville.on.the.shoulder.with.what.she.evidently.intended.to.be.an.understanding.smile,.though.it.looked.more.like.a.leer.to.Harry...Well,.Hagrid,..she.turned.to.look.up.at.him.again,.speaking.once.more.in.that.loud,.slow.voice,..I.think.I.ve.got.enough.to.be.getting.along.with.
.You.will.receive..(she.mimed.taking.something.from.the.air.in.front.of.her)..the.results.of.your.inspection..(she.pointed.at.the.clipboard)..in.ten.days..time...She.held.up.ten.stubby.little.fingers,.then,.her.smile.wider.and.more.toadlike.than.ever.before.beneath.her.green.hat,.she.bustled.from.their.midst,.leaving.Malfoy.and.Pansy.Parkinson.in.fits.of.laughter,.Hermione.actually.shaking.with.fury.and.Neville.looking.confused.and.upset..
That.foul,.lying,.twisting.old.gargoyle!..stormed.Hermione.half.an.hour.later,.as.they.made.their.way.back.up.to.the.castle.through.the.channels.they.had.made.earlier.in.the.snow...You.see.what.she.s.up.to?.It.s.her.thing.about.half‐breeds.all.over.again.‐.she.s.trying.to.make.out.Hagrid.s.some.kind.of.dimwitted.troll,.just.because.he.had.a.giantess.for.a.mother.‐.and.oh,.it.s.not.fair,.that.really.wasn.t.a.bad.lesson.at.all.‐.I.mean,.all.right,.if.it.had.been.Blast‐Ended.Skrewts.again,.but.Thestrals.are.fine.‐.in.fact,.for.Hagrid,.they.re.really.good!..
.Umbridge.said.they.re.dangerous,..said.Ron..
.Well,.it.s.like.Hagrid.said,.they.can.look.after.themselves,..said.Hermione.impatiently,..and.1.suppose.a.teacher.like.Grubbly‐Plank.wouldn.t.usually.show.them.to.us.before.NEWT.level,.but,.well,.they.are.very.interesting,.aren.t.they?
.The.way.some.people.can.see.them.and.some.can.t!.1.wish.1.could...
.Do.you?..Harry.asked.her.quietly..
She.looked.suddenly.horrorstruck..
.Oh,.Harry.‐.I.m.sorry.‐.no,.of.course.I.don.t.‐.that.was.a.really.stupid.thing.to.say...
.It.s.OK,..he.said.quickly,..don.t.worry..
.I.m.surprised.so.many.people.could.see.them,..said.Ron..Three.in.a.class.‐..
.Yeah,.Weasley,.we.were.just.wondering,..said.a.malicious.voice..Unheard.by.any.of.them.in.the.muffling.snow,.Malfoy,.Crabbe.and.Goyle.were.walking.along.right.behind.them...D.you.reckon.if.you.saw.someone.snuff.it.you.d.be.able.to.see.the.Quaffle.better?..
He,.Crabbe.and.Goyle.roared.with.laughter.as.they.pushed.past.on.their.way.to.the.castle,.then.broke.into.a.chorus.of..Weasley.is.our.King...Ron.s.ears.turned.scarlet..
.Ignore.them,.just.ignore.them,..intoned.Hermione,.pulling.out.her.wand.and.performing.the.charm.to.produce.hot.air.again,.so.that.she.could.melt.them.an.easier.path.through.the.untouched.snow.between.them.and.the.greenhouses..
*.
December.arrived,.bringing.with.it.more.snow.and.a.positive.avalanche.of.homework.for.the.fifth‐years..Ron.and.Hermione.s.prefect.duties.also.became.more.and.more.onerous.as.Christmas.approached..They.were.called.upon.to.supervise.the.decoration.of.the.castle.(.You.try.putting.up.tinsel.when.Peeves.has.got.the.other.end.and.is.trying.to.strangle.you.with.it,..said.Ron),.to.watch.over.first‐.and.second‐years.spending.their.break‐times.inside.because.of.the.bitter.cold.(.And.they.re.cheeky.little.snot‐rags,.you.know,.we.definitely.weren.t.that.rude.when.we.were.in.first.year,..said.Ron).and.to.patrol.the.corridors.in.shifts.with.Argus.Filch,.who.suspected.that.the.holiday.spirit.might.show.itself.in.an.outbreak.of.wizard.duels.(.He.s.got.dung.for.brains,.that.one,..said.Ron.furiously)..They.were.so.busy.that.Hermione.had.even.stopped.knitting.elf.hats.and.was.fretting.that.she.was.down.to.her.last.three..