It.was.a.mark.of.the.seriousness.of.the.situation.that.Hermione.made.no.objection.to.the.smashing.up.of.the.Transfiguration.deprtment..
.OK,..she.said,.her.brow.furrowed.as.she.continued.to.pace...Now,.we.need.to.keep.students.right.away.from.her.office.while.we.force.entry,.or.some.Slytherins.bound.to.go.and.tip.her.off...
.Luna.and.I.can.stand.at.either.end.of.the.corridor,..said.Ginny.promptly,..and.warn.people.not.to.go.down.there.because.someone.s.let.off.a.load.of.Garrotting.Gas...Hermione.looked.surprised.at.the.readiness.with.which.Ginny.had.come.up.with.this.lie;.Ginny.shrugged.and.said,..Fred.and.George.were.planning.to.do.it.before.they.left...
.OK,..said.Hermione...Well.then,.Harry,.you.and.I.will.be.under.the.Invisibility.Cloak.and.we.ll.sneak.into.the.office.and.you.can.talk.to.Sirius.‐..
.He.s.not.there,.Hermione!..
.I.mean,.you.can.‐.can.check.whether.Sirius.is.at.home.or.not.while.I.keep.watch,
.I.don.t.think.you.should.be.in.there.alone,.Lee.s.already.proved.the.windows.a.weak.spot,.sending.those.Nifflers.through.it...
Even.through.his.anger.and.impatience,.Harry.recognised.Hermiones.offer.to.accompany.him.into.Umbridge.s.office.as.a.sign.of.solidarity.and.loyalty..
.I….OK,.thanks,..he.muttered..
.Right,.well,.even.if.we.do.all.of.that,.I.don.t.think.we.re.going.to.be.able.to.bank.on.more.than.five.minutes,..said.Hermione,.looking.relieved.that.Harry.seemed.to.have.accepted.the.plan,..not.with.Filch.and.the.wretched.Inquisitorial.Squad.floating.around...
.Five.minutes.ll.be.enough,..said.Harry...C.mon,.let.s.go.‐..
.Now?..said.Hermione,.looking.shocked..
.Of.course.now!..said.Harry.angrily...What.did.you.think,.we.re.going.to.wait.until.after.dinner.or.something?.Hermione,.Sirius.is.being.tortured.right.now!..
.I.‐.oh,.all.right,..she.said.desperately...You.go.and.get.the.Invisibility.Cloak.and.we.ll.meet.you.at.the.end.of.Umbridge.s.corridor,.OK?..
Harry.didn.t.answer,.but.flung.himself.out.of.the.room.and.began.to.fight.his.way.through.the.milling.crowds.outside..Two.floors.up.he.met.Seamus.and.Dean,.who.hailed.him.jovially.and.told.him.they.were.planning.a.dusk‐till‐dawn.end‐of‐exams.celebration.in.the.common.room..Harry.barely.heard.them..He.scrambled.through.the.portrait.hole.while.they.were.still.arguing.about.how.many.black‐market.Butterbeers.they.would.need.and.was.climbing.back.out.of.it,.the.Invisibility.Cloak.and.Sirius.s.knife.secure.in.his.bag,.before.they.noticed.he.had.left.them..
.Harry,.d.you.want.to.chip.in.a.couple.of.Galleons?.Harold.Dingle.reckons.he.could.sell.us.some.Firewhisky.‐..
But.Harry.was.already.tearing.away.back.along.the.corridor,.and.a.couple.of.minutes.later.was.jumping.the.last.few.stairs.to.join.Ron,.Hermione,.Ginny.and.Luna,.who.were.huddled.together.at.the.end.of.Umbridge.s.corridor..
.Got.it,..he.panted...Ready.to.go,.then?..:..
.All.right,..whispered.Hermione.as.a.gang.of.loud.sixth‐years.passed.them...So.Ron.‐.you.go.and.head.Umbridge.off….Ginny,.Luna,.if.you.can.start.moving.people.out.of.the.corridor….Harry.and.I.will.get.the.Cloak.on.and.wait.until.the.coast.is.clear…..