Then.they.spotted.me,.and.obviously.they.know.I.know.you,.so.they.bombarded.me.with.questions,..Hermione.told.Harry,.her.eyes.shining,..and.Harry,.I.think.they.believe.you,.I.really.do,.I.think.you.ve.finally.got.them.convinced!..
Meanwhile,.Professor.Umbridge.was.stalking.the.school,.stopping.students.at.random.and.demanding.that.they.turn.out.their.books.and.pockets:.Harry.knew.she.was.looking.for.copies.of.The.Quibbler,.but.the.students.were.several.steps.ahead.of.her..The.pages.carrying.Harrys.interview.had.been.bewitched.to.resemble.extracts.from.textbooks.if.anyone.but.themselves.read.it,.or.else.wiped.magically.blank.until.they.wanted.to.peruse.it.again..Soon.it.seemed.that.every.single.person.in.the.school.had.read.it..
The.teachers.were.of.course.forbidden.from.mentioning.the.interview.by.Educational.Decree.Number.Twenty‐six,.but.they.found.ways.to.express.their.feelings.about.it.all.the.same..Professor.Sprout.awarded.Gryffindor.twenty.points.when.Harry.passed.her.a.watering.can;.a.beaming.Professor.Flitwick.pressed.a.box.of.squeaking.sugar.mice.on.him.at.the.end.of.Charms,.said,..Shh!.
.and.hurried.away;.and.Professor.Trelawney.broke.into.hysterical.sobs.during.Divination.and.announced.to.the.startled.class,.and.a.very.disapproving.Umbridge,.that.Harry.was.not.going.to.suffer.an.early.death.after.all,.but.would.live.to.a.ripe.old.age,.become.Minister.for.Magic.and.have.twelve.children..
But.what.made.Harry.happiest.was.Cho.catching.up.with.him.as.he.was.hurrying.along.to.Transfiguration.the.next.day..Before.he.knew.what.had.happened,.her.hand.was.in.his.and.she.was.breathing.in.his.ear,..I.m.really,.really.sorry..That.interview.was.so.brave….it.made.me.cry...
He.was.sorry.to.hear.she.had.shed.even.more.tears.over.it,.but.very.glad.they.were.on.speaking.terms.again,.and.even.more.pleased.when.she.gave.him.a.swift.kiss.on.the.cheek.and.hurried.off.again..And.unbelievably,.no.sooner.had.he.arrived.outside.Transfiguration.than.something.just.as.good.happened:
.Seamus.stepped.out.of.the.queue.to.face.him..
.I.just.wanted.to.say,..he.mumbled,.squinting.at.Harry.s.left.knee,..1.believe.you.
.And.I.ve.sent.a.copy.of.that.magazine.to.me.mam...
If.anything.more.was.needed.to.complete.Harry.s.happiness,.it.was.the.reaction.he.got.from.Malfoy,.Crabbe.and.Goyle..He.saw.them.with.their.heads.together.later.that.afternoon.in.the.library;.they.were.with.a.weedy‐looking.boy.Hermione.whispered.was.called.Theodore.Nott..They.looked.round.at.Harry.as.he.browsed.the.shelves.for.the.book.he.needed.on.Partial.Vanishment:.Goyle.cracked.his.knuckles.threateningly.and.Malfoy.whispered.something.undoubtedly.malevolent.to.Crabbe..Harry.knew.perfectly.well.why.they.were.acting.like.this:
.he.had.named.all.of.their.fathers.as.Death.Eaters..
.And.the.best.bit,..whispered.Hermione.gleefully,.as.they.left.the.library,..is.they.can.t.contradict.you,.because.they.can.t.admit.they.ve.read.the.article!..
To.cap.it.all,.Luna.told.him.over.dinner.that.no.issue.of.The.Quibbler.had.ever.sold.out.faster..