.Well,.now.‐..said.George..
.‐.what.with.Dumbledore.gone.‐..said.Fred..
.‐.we.reckon.a.bit.of.mayhem.—..said.George..
.—.is.exactly.what.our.dear.new.Head.deserves,..said.Fred..
.You.mustn.t!..whispered.Hermione...You.really.mustn.t!.She.d.love.a.reason.to.expel.you!..
.You.don.t.get.it,.Hermione,.do.you?..said.Fred,.smiling.at.her...We.don.t.care.about.staying.any.more..We.d.walk.out.right.now.if.we.weren.t.determined.to.do.our.bit.for.Dumbledore.first..So,.anyway,..he.checked.his.watch,..phase.one.is.about.to.begin..I.d.get.in.the.Great.Hall.for.lunch,.if.I.were.you,.that.way.the.teachers.will.see.you.can.t.have.had.anything.to.do.with.it...
.Anything.to.do.with.what?..said.Hermione.anxiously..
.You.ll.see,..said.George...Run.along,.now...
Fred.and.George.turned.away.and.disappeared.into.the.swelling.crowd.descending.the.stairs.towards.lunch..Looking.highly.disconcerted,.Ernie.muttered.something.about.unfinished.Transfiguration.homework.and.scurried.away..
.I.think.we.should.get.out.of.here,.you.know,..said.Hermione.nervously...Just.in.case.
.Yeah,.all.right,..said.Ron,.and.the.three.of.them.moved.towards.the.doors.to.the.Great.Hall,.but.Harry.had.barely.glimpsed.the.day.s.ceiling.of.scudding.white.clouds.when.somebody.tapped.him.on.the.shoulder.and,.turning,.he.found.himself.almost.nose‐to‐nose.with.Filch.the.caretaker..He.took.several.hasty.steps.backwards;.Filch.was.best.viewed.at.a.distance..
The.Headmistress.would.like.to.see.you,.Potter,..he.leered..
.I.didn.t.do.it,..said.Harry.stupidly,.thinking.of.whatever.Fred.and.George.were.planning..Filch.s.jowls.wobbled.with.silent.laughter..
.Guilty.conscience,.eh?..he.wheezed...Follow.me...
Harry.glanced.back.at.Ron.and.Hermione,.who.were.both.looking.worried..He.shrugged,.and.followed.Filch.back.into.the.Entrance.Hall,.against.the.tide.of.hungry.students..
Filch.seemed.to.be.in.an.extremely.good.mood;.he.hummed.creakily.under.his.breath.as.they.climbed.the.marble.staircase..As.they.reached.the.first.landing.he.said,.Things.are.changing.around.here,.Potter...
.I.ve.noticed,..said.Harry.coldly..
.Yerse….I.ve.been.telling.Dumbledore.for.years.and.years.he.s.too.soft.with.you.all,..said.Filch,.chuckling.nastily...You.filthy.little.beasts.would.never.have.dropped.Stink.Pellets.if.you.d.known.I.had.it.in.my.power.to.whip.you.raw,
.would.you,.now?.Nobody.would.have.thought.of.throwing.Fanged.Frisbees.down.the.corridors.if.I.could.ve.strung.you.up.by.the.ankles.in.my.office,.would.they?.But.when.Educational.Decree.Number.Twenty‐nine.comes.in,.Potter,.I.ll.be.allowed.to.do.them.things….and.she.s.asked.the.Minister.to.sign.an.order.for.the.expulsion.of.Peeves….oh,.things.are.going.to.be.very.different.around.here.with.her.in.charge.
Umbridge.had.obviously.gone.to.some.lengths.to.get.Filch.on.her.side,.Harry.thought,.and.the.worst.of.it.was.that.he.would.probably.prove.an.important.weapon;.his.knowledge.of.the.school.s.secret.passageways.and.hiding.places.was.probably.second.only.to.that.of.the.Weasley.twins..