.Harry..I.thought.you.d.finished,.so.I.cleared.up!..
Harry.could.not.bring.himself.to.answer..When.the.bell.rang,.he.hurried.out.of.the.dungeon.without.a.backwards.glance,.and.made.sure.that.he.found.himself.a.seat.between.Neville.and.Seamus.for.lunch.so.that.Hermione.could.not.start.nagging.him.aain.about.using.Umbridge.s.office..
He.was.in.such.a.bad.mood.by.the.time.he.got.to.Divination.that.he.had.quite.forgotten.his.careers.appointment.with.Professor.MGonagall,.remembering.it.only.when.Ron.asked.him.why.he.wasn.t.in.her.office..He.hurtled.back.upstairs.and.arrived.out.of.breath,.only.a.few.minutes.late..
.Sorry,.Professor,..he.panted,.as.he.closed.the.door...1.forgot...
.No.matter,.Potter,..she.said.briskly,.but.as.she.spoke,.somebody.else.sniffed.from.the.corner..Harry.looked.round..
Professor.Umbridge.was.sitting.there,.a.clipboard.on.her.knee,.a.fussy.little.pie‐
frill.around.her.neck.and.a.small,.horribly.smug.smile.on.her.face..
.Sit.down,.Potter,..said.Professor.McGonagall.tersely..Her.hands.shook.slightly.as.she.shuffled.the.many.pamphlets.littering.her.desk..
Harry.sat.down.with.his.back.to.Umbridge.and.did.his.best.to.pretend.he.could.not.hear.the.scratching.of.her.quill.on.her.clipbard..
.Well,.Potter,.this.meeting.is.to.talk.over.any.career.ideas.you.might.have,.and.to.help.you.decide.which.subjects.you.should.continue.into.the.sixth.and.seventh.years,..said.Professor.McGonagall...Have.you.had.any.thoughts.about.what.you.would.like.to.do.after.you.leave.Hogwarts?..
.Er.‐..said.Harry..
He.was.finding.the.scratching.noise.from.behind.him.very.distracting..
.Yes?..Professor.McGonagall.prompted.Harry..
.Well,.I.thought.of,.maybe,.being.an.Auror,..Harry.mumbled..
.You.d.need.top.grades.for.that,..said.Professor.McGonagall,.extracting.a.small,
.dark.leaflet.from.under.the.mass.on.her.desk.and.opening.it..They.ask.for.a.minimum.of.five.NEWTs,.and.nothing.under..Exceeds.Expectations..grade,.I.see.
.Then.you.would.be.required.to.undergo.a.stringent.series.of.character.and.aptitude.tests.at.the.Auror.office..It.s.a.difficult.career.path,.Potter,.they.only.take.the.best..In.fact,.I.don.t.think.anybody.has.been.taken.on.in.the.last.three.years...
At.this.moment,.Professor.Umbridge.gave.a.very.tiny.cough,.as.though.she.was.trying.to.see.how.quietly.she.could.do.it..Professor.McGonagall.ignored.her..
.You.ll.want.to.know.which.subjects.you.ought.to.take,.1.suppose?..she.went.on,
.talking.a.little.louder.than.before..
.Yes,..said.Harry...Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts,.I.suppose?..
.Naturally,..said.Professor.McGonagall.crisply...I.would.also.advise.‐..
Professor.Umbridge.gave.another.cough,.a.little.more.audible.this.time.
.Professor.McGonagall.closed.her.eyes.for.a.moment,.opened.them.again,.and.continued.as.though.nothing.had.happened..
.I.would.also.advise.Transfiguration,.because.Aurors.frequently.need.to.Transfigure.or.Untransfigure.in.their.work..And.I.ought.to.tell.you.now,.Potter,
.that.I.do.not.accept.students.into.my.NEWT.classes.unless.they.have.achieved.