Harry.stared.at.him..He.could.not.see.how.Dumbledore.was.going.to.talk.him.out.of.this.one;.if.Willy.Widdershins.had.indeed.heard.every.word.he.had.said.in.the.Hog.s.Head.there.was.simply.no.escaping.it..
.Oho!..said.Fudge,.bouncing.up.and.down.on.the.balls.of.his.feet.again...Yes,.do.let.s.hear.the.latest.cock‐and‐bull.story.designed.to.pull.Potter.out.of.trouble!.Go.on,.then,.Dumbledore,.go.on.‐.
Willy.Widdershins.was.lying,.was.he?.Or.was.it.Potters.identical.twin.in.the.Hog.s.Head.that.day?.Or.is.there.the.usual.simple.explanation.involving.a.reversal.of.time,.a.dead.man.coming.back.to.life.and.a.couple.of.invisible.Dementors?..
Percy.Weasley.let.out.a.hearty.laugh..
.Oh,.very.good,.Minister,.very.good!..
Harry.could.have.kicked.him..Then.he.saw,.to.his.astonishment,.that.Dumbledore.was.smiling.gently,.too..
.Cornelius,.I.do.not.deny.‐.and.nor,.I.am.sure,.does.Harry.‐.‐that.he.was.in.the.Hog.s.Head.that.day,.nor.that.he.was.trying.to.recruit.students.to.a.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts.group..I.am.merely.pointing.out.that.Dolores.is.quite.wrong.to.suggest.that.such.a.group.was,.at.that.time,.illegal..If.you.remember,
.the.Ministry.Decree.banning.all.student.societies.was.not.put.into.effect.until.two.days.after.Harrys.Hogsmeade.meeting,.so.he.was.not.breaking.any.rules.at.all.in.the.Hog.s.Head...
Percy.looked.as.though.he.had.been.struck.in.the.face.by.something.very.heavy.
.Fudge.remained.motionless.in.mid‐bounce,.his.mouth.hanging.open..
Umbridge.recovered.first..:.
.That.s.all.very.fine,.Headmaster,..she.said,.smiling.sweetly,..but.we.are.now.nearly.six.months.on.from.the.introduction.of.Educational.Decree.Number.Twenty‐four..If.the.first.meeting.was.not.illegal,.all.those.that.have.happened.since.most.certainly.are...
.Well,..said.Dumbledore,.surveying.her.with.polite.interest.over.the.top.of.his.interlocked.fingers,..they.certainly.would.be,.if.they.had.continued.after.the.
Decree.came.into.effect..Do.you.have.any.evidence.that.any.such.meetings.continued?..
As.Dumbledore.spoke,.Harry.heard.a.rustle.behind.him.and.rather.thought.Kingsley.whispered.something..He.could.have.sworn,.too,.that.he.felt.something.brush.against.his.side,.a.gentle.something.like.a.draught.or.bird.wings,.but.looking.down.he.saw.nothing.there..
.Evidence?..repeated.Umbridge,.with.that.horrible.wide.toad‐like.smile...Have.you.not.been.listening,.Dumbledore?.Why.do.you.think.Miss.Edgecombe.is.here?..
.Oh,.can.she.tell.us.about.six.months..worth.of.meetings?..said.
Dumbledore,.raising.his.eyebrows...I.was.under.the.impression.that.she.was.merely.reporting.a.meeting.tonight...
.Miss.Edgecombe,..said.Umbridge.at.once,..tell.us.how.long.these.meetings.have.been.going.on,.dear..You.can.simply.nod.or.shake.your.head,.I.m.sure.that.won.t.make.the.spots.worse..Have.they.been.happening.regularly.over.the.last.six.months?..
Harry.felt.a.horrible.plummeting.in.his.stomach..This.was.it,.they.had.hit.a.dead.end.of.solid.evidence.that.not.even.Dumbledore.would.be.able.to.shift.aside..