.Just.nod.or.shake.your.head,.dear,..Umbridge.said.coaxingly.to.Marietta,..come.on,.now,.that.won.t.re‐activate.the.jinx...
Everyone.in.the.room.was.gazing.at.the.top.of.Marietta.s.face..Only.her.eyes.were.visible.between.the.pulled‐up.robes.and.her.curly.fringe..Perhaps.it.was.a.trick.of.the.firelight,.but.her.eyes.looked.oddly.blank..And.then.‐.to.Harry.s.utter.amazement.‐Marietta.shook.her.head..
Umbridge.looked.quickly.at.Fudge,.then.back.at.Marietta..
.I.don.t.think.you.understood.the.question,.did.you,.dear?.I.m.asking.whether.you.ve.been.going.to.these.meetings.for.the.past.six.months?.You.have,.haven.t.you?..
Again,.Marietta.shook.her.head..
.What.do.you.mean.by.shaking.your.head,.dear?..said.Umbridge.in.a.testy.voice..
.I.would.have.thought.her.meaning.was.quite.clear,..said.Professor.McGonagall.harshly,..there.have.been.no.secret.meetings.for.the.past.six.months..Is.that.correct,.Miss.Edgecombe?..
Marietta.nodded..
.But.there.was.a.meeting.tonight!..said.Umbridge.furiously...There.was.a.meeting,.Miss.Edgecombe,.you.told.me.about.it,.in.the.Room.of.Requirement!
.And.Potter.was.the.leader,.was.he.not,.Potter.organised.it,.Potter.‐.why.are.you.shaking.your.head,.girl?..
.Well,.usually.when.a.person.shakes.their.head,..said.McGonagall.coldly,..they.mean..no...So.unless.Miss.Edgecombe.is.using.a.form.of.sign‐language.as.yet.unknown.to.humans.‐..
Professor.Umbridge.seized.Marietta,.pulled.her.round.to.face.her.and.began.shaking.her.very.hard..A.split.second.later.Dumbledore.was.on.his.feet,.his.wand.raised;.Kingsley.started.forwards.and.
Umbridge.leapt.back.from.Marietta,.waving.her.hands.in.the.air.as.though.they.had.been.burned..
.I.cannot.allow.you.to.manhandle.my.students,.Dolores,..said.Dumbledore.and,
.for.the.first.time,.he.looked.angry..
.You.want.to.calm.yourself,.Madam.Umbridge,..said.Kingsley,.in.his.deep,.slow.voice...You.don.t.want.to.get.yourself.into.trouble,.now...
.No,..said.Umbridge.breathlessly,.glancing.up.at.the.towering.figure.of.Kingsley.
.
.I.mean,.yes.‐.you.re.right,.Shacklebolt.‐.I.‐.I.forgot.myself...
Marietta.was.standing.exactly.where.Umbridge.had.released.her..She.seemed.neither.perturbed.by.Umbridge.s.sudden.attack,.nor.relieved.by.her.release;.she.was.still.clutching.her.robe.up.to.her.oddly.blank.eyes.and.staring.straight.ahead.of.her..
A.sudden.suspicion,.connected.to.Kingsley.s.whisper.and.the.thing.he.had.felt.shoot.past.him,.sprang.into.Harry.s.mind..
.Dolores,..said.Fudge,.with.the.air.of.trying.to.settle.something.once.and.for.all,
.
.the.meeting.tonight.‐.the.one.we.know.definitely.happened.‐..
.Yes,..said.Umbridge,.pulling.herself.together,..yes….well,.Miss.Edgecombe.tipped.me.off.and.I.proceeded.at.once.to.the.seventh.floor,.accompanied.by.certain.trustworthy.students,.so.as.to.catch.those.in.the.meeting.red‐handed..It.appears.that.they.were.forewarned.of.my.arrival,.however,.because.when.we.reached.the.seventh.floor.they.were.running.in.every.direction..It.does.not.matter,.however..I.have.all.their.names.here,.Miss.Parkinson.ran.into.the.Room.of.Requirement.for.me.to.see.if.they.had.left.anything.behind..We.needed.evidence.and.the.room.provided...