It.was.true.that.Harry.was.the.subject.of.much.renewed.muttering.and.pointing.in.the.corridors.these.days,.yet.he.thought.he.detected.a.slight.difference.in.the.tone.of.the.whisperers..voices..They.sounded.curious.rather.than.hostile.now,
.and.once.or.twice.he.was.sure.he.overheard.snatches.of.conversation.that.suggested.that.the.speakers.were.not.satisfied.with.te.Prophets.version.of.how.and.why.ten.Death.Eaters.had.managed.to.break.out.of.the.Azkaban.fortress..In.their.confusion.and.fear,.these.doubters.now.seemed.to.be.turning.to.the.only.other.explanation.available.to.them:.the.one.that.Harry.and.Dumbledore.had.been.expounding.since.the.previous.year..
It.was.not.only.the.students..mood.that.had.changed..It.was.now.quite.common.to.come.across.two.or.three.teachers.conversing.in.low,.urgent.whispers.in.the.corridors,.breaking.off.their.conversations.the.moment.they.saw.students.approaching..
They.obviously.can.t.talk.freely.in.the.staff.room.any.more,..said.Hermione.in.a.low.voice,.as.she,.Harry.and.Ron.passed.Professors.McGonagall,.Flitwick.and.Sprout.huddled.together.outside.the.Charms.classroom.one.day...Not.with.Umbridge.there...
.Reckon.they.know.anything.new?..said.Ron,.gazing.back.over.his.shoulder.at.the.three.teachers..
.If.they.do,.we.re.not.going.to.hear.about.it,.are.we?..said.Harry.angrily...Not.after.Decree….what.number.are.we.on.now?..For.new.notices.had.appeared.on.the.house.noticeboards.the.morning.after.news.of.the.Azkaban.breakout:.^.
BY.ORDER.OF.THE.HIGH.INQUISITOR.OF.HOGWARTS.^
Teachers.are.hereby.banned.from.giving.students.any.information....that.is.not.strictly.related.to.the.subjects.they.are.paid.to.teach..
The.above.is.in.accordance.with.Educational.Decree.Number.Twenty‐six.
Signed:.Dolores.jane.Umbridge,.High.Inquisitor
This.latest.Decree.had.been.the.subject.of.a.great.number.of.jokes.among.the.students..Lee.Jordan.had.pointed.out.to.Umbridge.that.by.the.terms.of.the.new.rule.she.was.not.allowed.to.tell.Fred.and.George.off.for.paying.Exploding.Snap.in.the.back.of.the.class..
.Exploding.Snap.s.got.nothing.to.do.with.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts,
.Professor!.That.s.not.information.relating.to.your.subject!..
When.Harry.next.saw.Lee,.the.back.of.his.hand.was.bleeding.rather.badly..Harry.recommended.essence.of.Murtlap..
Harry.had.thought.the.breakout.from.Azkaban.might.have.humbled.Umbridge.a.little,.that.she.might.have.been.abashed.at.the.catastrophe.that.had.occurred.right.under.the.nose.of.her.beloved.Fudge..It.seemed,.however,.to.have.only.intensified.her.furious.desire.to.bring.every.aspect.of.life.at.Hogwarts.under.her.personal.control..She.seemed.determined.at.the.very.least.to.achieve.a.sacking.before.long,.and.the.only.question.was.whether.it.would.be.Professor.Trelawney.or.Hagrid.who.went.first..
Every.single.Divination.and.Care.of.Magical.Creatures.lesson.was.now.conducted.in.the.presence.of.Umbridge.and.her.clipboard..She.lurked.by.the.fire.in.the.heavily.perfumed.tower.room,.interrupting.Professor.Trelawney.s.increasingly.hysterical.talks.with.difficult.questions.about.ornithomancy.and.heptomology,.insisting.that.she.predicted.students..answers.before.they.gave.them.and.demanding.that.she.demonstrate.her.skill.at.the.crystal.ball,.the.tea.leaves.and.the.rune.stones.in.turn..Harry.thought.Professor.Trelawney.might.soon.crack.under.the.strain..Several.times.he.passed.her.in.the.corridors.‐.in.itself.a.very.unusual.occurrence.as.she.generally.remained.in.her.tower.room.‐