.Exceeds.Expectations..or.higher.at.Ordinary.Wizarding.Level..I.d.say.you.re.
averaging..Acceptable..at.the.moment,.so.you.ll.need.to.put.in.some.good.hard.work.before.the.exams.to.stand.a.chance.of.continuing..Then.you.ought.to.do.Charms,.always.useful,.and.Potions..Yes,.Potter,.Potions,..she.added,.with.the.merest.flicker.of.a.smile...Poisons.and.antidotes.are.essential.study.for.Aurors.
.And.I.must.tell.you.that.Professor.Snape.absolutely.refuses.to.take.students.who.get.anything.other.than..Outstanding..in.their.OWLs,.so.‐..
Professor.Umbridge.gave.her.most.pronounced.cough.yet..
.May.I.offer.you.a.cough.drop,.Dolores?..Professor.McGonagall.asked.curtly,
.without.looking.at.Professor.Umbridge..
.Oh,.no,.thank.you.very.much,..said.Umbridge,.with.that.simpering.laugh.Harry.hated.so.much...I.just.wondered.whether.I.could.make.the.teensiest.interruption,
.Minerva?..
.I.daresay.you.ll.find.you.can,..said.Professor.McGonagall.through.tightly.gritted.teeth..
.I.was.just.wondering.whether.Mr.Potter.has.quite.the.temperament.for.an.Auror?..said.Professor.Umbridge.sweetly..
.Were.you?..said.Professor.McGonagall.haughtily...Well,.Potter,..
she.continued,.as.though.there.had.been.no.interruption,..if.you.are.serious.in.this.ambition,.I.would.advise.you.to.concentrate.hard.on.bringing.your.Transfiguration.and.Potions.up.to.scratch..I.see.Professor.Flitwick.has.graded.you.between..Acceptable..and..Exceeds.Expectations..for.the.last.two.years,.so.your.Charmwork.seems.satisfactory..As.for.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts,.your.marks.have.been.generally.high,.Professor.Lupin.in.particular.thought.you.‐.are.you.quite.sure.you.wouldn.t.like.a.cough.drop,.DoloresT
.Oh,.no.need,.thank.you,.Minerva;.simpered.Professor.Umbridge,.who.had.just.coughed.her.loudest.yet...I.was.just.concerned.that.you.might.not.have.Harrys.most.recent.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts.marks.in.front.of.you..I.m.quite.sure.I.slipped.in.a.note...
.What,.this.thing?..said.Professor.McGonagall.in.a.tone.of.revulsion,.as.she.pulled.a.sheet.of.pink.parchment.from.between.the.leaves.of.Harry.s.folder..She.glanced.down.it,.her.eyebrows.slightly.raised,.then.placed.it.back.into.the.folder.without.comment..
.Yes,.as.I.was.saying,.Potter,.Professor.Lupin.thought.you.showed.a.pronounced.aptitude.for.the.subject,.and.obviously.for.an.Auror.‐..
.Did.you.not.understand.my.note,.Minerva?..asked.Professor.Umbridge.in.honeyed.tones,.quite.forgetting.to.cough..
.Of.course.I.understood.it,..said.Professor.McGonagall,.her.teeth.clenched.so.tightly.the.words.came.out.a.little.muffled..
.Well,.then,.I.am.confused….I.m.afraid.I.don.t.quite.understand.how.you.can.give.Mr.Potter.false.hope.that.‐..
.False.hope?..repeated.Professor.McGonagall,.still.refusing.to.look.round.at.Professor.Umbridge...He.has.achieved.high.marks.in.all.his.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts.tests.‐..
.I.m.terribly.sorry.to.have.to.contradict.you,.Minerva,.but.as.you.will.see.from.my.note,.Harry.has.been.achieving.very.poor.results.in.his.classes.with.me.‐..