.Get.out,.get.out,.I.don.t.want.to.see.you.in.this.office.ever.again!..
And.as.Harry.hurtled.towards.the.door,.a.jar.of.dead.cockroaches.exploded.over.his.head..He.wrenched.the.door.open.and.flew.along.the.corridor,.stopping.only.when.he.had.put.three.floors.between.himself.and.Snape..There.he.leaned.against.the.wall,.panting,.and.rubbing.his.bruised.arm..
He.had.no.desire.at.all.to.return.to.Gryffindor.Tower.so.early,.nor.to.tell.Ron.and.Hermione.what.he.had.just.seen..What.was.making.Harry.feel.so.horrified.and.unhappy.was.not.being.shouted.at.or.having.jars.thrown.at.him;.it.was.that.he.knew.how.it.felt.to.be.humiliated.in.the.middle.of.a.circle.of.onlookers,.knew.exactly.how.Snape.had.felt.as.his.father.had.taunted.him,.and.that.judging.from.what.he.had.just.seen,.his.father.had.been.every.bit.as.arrogant.as.Snape.had.always.told.him..
—.CHAPTER.TWENTY‐NINE.—.
Careers.Advice
.But.why.haven.t.you.got.Occlumency.lessons.any.more?..said.Hermione,
.frowning..
.I.ve.told.you,..Harry.muttered...Snape.reckons.I.can.carry.on.by.myself.now.I.ve.got.the.basics...
.So.you.ve.stopped.having.funny.dreams?..said.Hermione.sceptically..
.Pretty.much,..said.Harry,.not.looking.at.her..
.Well,.I.don.t.think.Snape.should.stop.until.you.re.absolutely.sure.you.can.control.them!..said.Hermione.indignantly...Harry,.I.think.you.should.go.back.to.him.and.ask.‐..
.No,..said.Harry.forcefully...Just.drop.it,.Hermione,.OK?..
It.was.the.first.day.of.the.Easter.holidays.and.Hermione,.as.was.her.custom,.had.spent.a.large.part.of.the.day.drawing.up.revision.timetables.for.the.three.of.them..Harry.and.Ron.had.let.her.do.it;.it.was.easier.than.arguing.with.her.and,.in.any.case,.they.might.come.in.useful..
Ron.had.been.startled.to.discover.there.were.only.six.weeks.left.until.their.exams..
.How.can.that.come.as.a.shock?..Hermione.demanded,.as.she.tapped.each.little.square.on.Ron.s.timetable.with.her.wand.so.that.it.flashed.a.different.colour.according.to.its.subject..
.I.dunno,..said.Ron,..there.s.been.a.lot.going.on...
.Well,.there.you.are,..she.said,.handing.him.his.timetable,..if.you.follow.that.you.should.do.fine...
Ron.looked.down.it.gloomily,.but.then.brightened..
.You.ve.given.me.an.evening.off.every.week!..
That.s.for.Quidditch.practice,..said.Hermione..
The.smile.faded.from.Ron.s.face..
.What.s.the.point?..he.said.dully...We.ve.got.about.as.much.chance.of.winning.the.Quidditch.Cup.this.year.as.Dad.s.got.of.becoming.Minister.for.Magic...
Hermione.said.nothing;.she.was.looking.at.Harry,.who.was.staring.blankly.at.the.opposite.wall.of.the.common.room.while.Crookshanks.pawed.at.his.hand,.trying.to.get.his.ears.scratched..
.What.s.wrong,.Harry?..
.What?..he.said.quickly...Nothing...
He.seized.his.copy.of.Defensive.Magical.Theory.and.pretended.to.be.looking.something.up.in.the.index..Crookshanks.gave.him.up.as.a.bad.job.and.slunk.away.under.Hermione.s.chair..
.I.saw.Cho.earlier,..said.Hermione.tentatively...She.looked.really.miserable,.too…
.have.you.two.had.a.row.again?..