Professor.Umbridge.was.still.breathing.as.though.she.had.just.run.a.race.when.she.strode.into.their.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Ars.lesson.that.afternoon..
.I.hope.you.ve.thought.better.of.what.you.were.planning.to.do,.Harry,..Hermione.whispered,.the.moment.they.had.opened.their.books.to..Chapter.Thirty‐four,
.Non‐Retaliation.and.Negotiation....Umbridge.looks.like.she.s.in.a.really.bad.mood.already…..
Every.now.and.then.Umbridge.shot.glowering.looks.at.Harry,.who.kept.his.head.down,.staring.at.Defensive.Magical.Theory,.his.eyes.unfocused,.thinking….
He.could.just.imagine.Professor.McGonagall.s.reaction.if.he.was.caught.trespassing.in.Professor.Umbridge.s.office.mere.hours.after.she.had.vouched.for.him….there.was.nothing.to.stop.him.simply.going.back.to.Gryffindor.Tower.and.hoping.that.some.time.during.the.next.summer.holidays.e.would.have.a.chance.to.ask.Sirius.about.the.scene.he.had.witnessed.in.the.Pensieve….nothing,.except.that.the.thought.of.taking.this.sensible.course.of.action.made.him.feel.as.though.a.lead.weight.had.dropped.into.his.stmach….and.then.there.was.the.matter.of.Fred.and.George,.whose.diversion.was.already.planned,.not.to.mention.the.knife.Sirius.had.given.him,.which.was.currently.residing.in.his.schoolbag.along.with.his.father.s.old.Invisibility.Cloak..
But.the.fact.remained.that.if.he.was.caught….
.Dumbledore.sacrificed.himself.to.keep.you.in.school,.Harry!..whispered.Hermione,.raising.her.book.to.hide.her.face.from.
Umbridge...And.if.you.get.thrown.out.today.it.will.all.have.been.for.nothing!..
He.could.abandon.the.plan.and.simply.learn.to.live.with.the.memory.of.what.his.father.had.done.on.a.summer.s.day.more.than.twenty.years.ago….
And.then.he.remembered.Sirius.in.the.fire.upstairs.in.the.Gryffindor.common.room….
You.re.less.like.your.father.than.I.thought….the.risk.would.ve.been.what.made.it.fun.for.James…
But.did.he.want.to.be.like.his.father.any.more?.
.Harry,.don.t.do.it,.please.don.t.do.it!..Hermione.said.in.anguished.tones.as.the.bell.rang.at.the.end.of.the.class..
He.did.not.answer;.he.did.not.know.what.to.do..
Ron.seemed.determined.to.give.neither.his.opinion.nor.his.advice;.he.would.not.look.at.Harry,.though.when.Hermione.opened.her.mouth.to.try.dissuading.Harry.some.more,.he.said.in.a.low.voice,..Give.it.a.rest,.OK?.He.can.make.up.his.own.mind...
Harrys.heart.beat.very.fast.as.he.left.the.classroom..He.was.halfway.along.the.corridor.outside.when.he.heard.the.unmistake‐able.sounds.of.a.diversion.going.off.in.the.distance..There.were.screams.and.yells.reverberating.from.somewhere.above.them;.people.exiting.the.classrooms.all.around.Harry.were.stopping.in.their.tracks.and.looking.up.at.the.ceiling.fearfully.‐.
Umbridge.came.pelting.out.of.her.classroom.as.fast.as.her.short.legs.would.carry.her..Pulling.out.her.wand,.she.hurried.off.in.the.opposite.direction:.it.was.now.or.never..
.Harry.‐.please!..Hermione.pleaded.weakly..
But.he.had.made.up.his.mind;.hitching.his.bag.more.securely.on.to.his.shoulder,