Meanwhile,.Ron.was.reading.two.years..worth.of.Charms.notes.with.his.fingers.in.his.ears,.his.lips.moving.soundlessly;.Seamus.Finnigan.was.lying.flat.on.his.back.on.the.floor,.reciting.the.definition.of.a.Substantive.Charm.while.Dean.checked.it.against.The.Standard.Book.of.Spells,.Grade.5;.and.Parvati.and.Lavender,
.who.were.practising.basic.Locomotion.Charms,.were.making.their.pencil‐cases.race.each.other.around.the.edge.of.the.table..
Dinner.was.a.subdued.affair.that.night..Harry.and.Ron.did.not.talk.much,.but.ate.with.gusto,.having.studied.hard.all.day..Hermione,.on.the.other.hand,.kept.putting.down.her.knife.and.fork.and.diving.under.the.table.for.her.bag,.from.which.she.would.seize.a.book.to.check.some.fact.or.figure..Ron.was.just.telling.her.that.she.ought.to.eat.a.decent.meal.or.she.would.not.sleep.that.night,.when.her.fork.slid.from.her.limp.fingers.and.landed.with.a.loud.tinkle.on.her.plate..
.Oh,.my.goodness,..she.said.faintly,.staring.into.the.Entrance.Hall...Is.that.them?
.Is.that.the.examiners?..
Harry.and.Ron.whipped.around.on.their.bench..Through.the.doors.to.the.Great.Hall.they.could.see.Umbridge.standing.with.a.small.group.of.ancient‐looking.witches.and.wizards..Umbridge,.Harry.was.pleased.to.see,.looked.rather.nervous..
.Shall.we.go.and.have.a.closer.look?..said.Ron..
Harry.and.Hermione.nodded.and.they.hastened.towards.the.double.doors.into.the.Entrance.Hall,.slowing.down.as.they.stepped.over.the.threshold.to.walk.sedately.past.the.examiners..Harry.thought.Professor.Marchbanks.must.be.the.tiny,.stooped.witch.with.a.face.so.lined.it.looked.as.though.it.had.been.draped.in.cobwebs;.Umbridge.was.speaking.to.her.deferentially..Professor.Marchbanks.seemed.to.be.a.little.deaf;.she.was.answering.Professor.Umbridge.very.loudly.considering.they.were.only.a.foot.apart..
.Journey.was.fine,.journey.was.fine,.we.ve.made.it.plenty.of.times.before!..she.said.impatiently...Now,.I.haven.t.heard.from.Dumbledore.lately!..she.added,
.peering.around.the.Hall.as.though.hopeful.he.might.suddenly.emerge.from.a.broom.cupboard...No.idea.where.he.is,.1.suppose?..
.None.at.all,..said.Umbridge,.shooting.a.malevolent.look.at.Harry,.Ron.and.Hermione,.who.were.now.dawdling.around.the.foot.of.the.stairs.as.Ron.pretended.to.do.up.his.shoelace...But.I.daresay.the.Ministry.of.Magic.will.track.him.down.soon.enough...
.I.doubt.it,..shouted.tiny.Professor.Marchbanks,..not.if.Dumbledore.doesn.t.want.to.be.found!.I.should.know….examined.him.personally.in.Transfiguration.and.Charms.when.he.did.NEWTs….did.things.with.a.wand.I.d.never.seen.before...
.Yes….well…..said.Professor.Umbridge.as.Harry,.Ron.and.Hermione.dragged.their.feet.up.the.marble.staircase.as.slowly.as.they.dared,..let.me.show.you.to.the.staff.room..I.daresay.you.d.like.a.cup.of.tea.after.your.journey...
It.was.an.uncomfortable.sort.of.an.evening..Everyone.was.trying.to.do.some.last‐
minute.revising.but.nobody.seemed.to.be.getting.very.far..Harry.went.to.bed.early.but.then.lay.awake.for.what.felt.like.hours..He.remembered.his.careers.consultation.and.McGonagall.s.furious.declaration.that.she.would.help.him.become.an.Auror.if.it.was.the.last.thing.she.did..He.wished.he.had.expressed.a.more.achievable.ambition.now.that.exam.time.was.here..He.knew.he.was.not.the.only.one.lying.awake,.but.none.of.the.others.in.the.dormitory.spoke.and.finally,