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A roar of sound greeted him。 Ron came running towards him； beaming all over his face and slopping Butterbeer down his front from the goblet he was clutching。
'Harry； I did it； I'm in； I'm Keeper！'
'What？ Oh … brilliant！' said Harry； trying to smile naturally； while his heart continued to race and his hand throbbed and bled。
'Have a Butterbeer。' Ron pressed a bottle on him。 'I can't believe it … where's Hermione gone？'
'She's there；' said Fred； who was also swigging Butterbeer； and pointed to an armchair by the fire。 Hermione was dozing in it； her drink tipping precariously in her hand。
'Well； she said she was pleased when I told her；' said Ron； looking slightly put out。
'Let her sleep；' said George hastily。 It was a few moments before Harry noticed that several of the first…years gathered around them bore unmistakeable signs of recent nosebleeds。
'e here； Ron； and see if Oliver's old robes fit you；' called Katie Bell； 'we can take off his name and put yours on instead：'
As Ron moved away； Angelina came striding up to Harry。
'Sorry I was a bit short with you earlier； Potter；' she said abruptly。 'It's stressful this managing lark； you know； I'm starting to think I was a bit hard on Wood sometimes。' She was watching Ron over the rim of her goblet with a slight frown on her face。
'Look； I know he's your best mate； but he's not fabulous；' she said bluntly。 'I think with a bit of training he'll be all right； though。 He es from a family of good Quidditch players。 I'm banking on him turning out to have a bit more talent than he showed today； to be honest。 Vicky Frobisher and Geoffrey Hooper both flew better this evening； but Hoopers a real whiner； he's always moaning about something or other； and Vicky's involved in all sorts of societies。 She admitted herself that if training clashed with her Charms Club she'd put Charms first。 Anyway； we're having a practice session at two o'clock tomorrow； so just make sure you're there this time。 And do me a favour and help Ron as much as you can； OK？'
He nodded； and Angelina strolled back to Alicia Spinnet。 Harry moved over to sit next to Hermione； who awoke with a jerk as he put down his bag。
'Oh； Harry； it's you： good about Ron； isn't it？' she said blearily。 'I'm just so…so … so tired；' she yawned。 'I was up until one o'clock making more hats。 They're disappearing like mad！'
And sure enough； now that he looked； Harry saw that there were woolly hats concealed all around the room where unwary elves might accidentally pick them up。
'Great；' said Harry distractedly； if he did not tell somebody soon； he would burst。 'Listen； Hermione； I was just up in Umbridge's office and she touched my arm
Hermione listened closely。 When Harry had finished； she said slowly 'You're worried You…Know…Who's controlling her like he controlled Quirrell？'
'Well；' said Harry； dropping his voice； 'it's a possibility； isn't it？'
'I suppose so；' said Hermione； though she sounded unconvinced。 'But I don't think he can be possessing her the way he possessed Quirrell； I mean； he's properly alive again now； isn't he； he's got his own body； he wouldn't need to share someone else's。 He could have her under the Imperius Curse； I suppose：〃
Harry watched Fred； George and Lee Jordan juggling empty Butterbeer bottles for a moment。 Then Hermione said； 'But last year your scar hurt when nobody was touching you； and didn't Dumbledore say it had to do with what You…Know…Who was feeling at the time？ I mean； maybe this hasn't got anything to do with Umbridge at all； maybe it's just coincidence it happened while you were with her？'
'She's evil；' said Harry flatly。 Twisted。'
'She's horrible； yes； but： Harry； I think you ought to tell Dumbledore your scar hurt。'
It was the second time in two days he had been advised to go to Dumbledore and his answer to Hermione was just the same as his answer to Ron。
'I'm not bothering him with this。 Like you just said； its not a big deal。 It's been hurting on and off all summer … it was just a bit worse tonight； that's all …'
'Harry； I'm sure Dumbledore would want to be bothered by this …'
'Yeah；' said Harry； before he could stop himself； 'that's the only bit of me Dumbledore cares about； isn't it； my scar？'
'Don't say that； it's not true！'
'I think I'll write and tell Sirius about it； see what he thinks …'
'Harry； you can't put something like that in a letter！' said Hermione； looking alarmed。 'Don't you remember； Moody told us to be careful what we put in writing！ We just can't guarantee owls aren't being intercepted any more！'
'All right； all right； I won't tell him； then！' said Harry irritably。 He got to his feet。 'I'm going to bed。 Tell Ron for me； will you？'
'Oh no；' said Hermione； looking relieved； 'if you're going that means I can go too； without being rude。 I'm absolutely exhausted and I want to make some more hats tomorrow。 Listen； you can help me if you like； it's quite fun； I'm getting better； I can do patterns and bobbles and all sorts of things now。'
Harry looked into her face； which was shining with glee； and tried to look as though he was vaguely tempted by this offer。
'Er： no； I don't think I will； thanks；' he said。 'Er… not tomorrow。 I've got loads of homework to do：'
And he traipsed off to the boys' stairs； leaving her looking slightly disappointed。
… CHAPTER FOURTEEN …
Percy and Padfoot
Harry was first to wake up in his dormitory next morning。 He lay for a moment watching dust swirl in the ray of sunlight ing through the gap in his four…posters hangings； and savoured the thought that it was Saturday。 The first week of term seemed to have dragged on for ever； like one gigantic History of Magic lesson。
Judging by the sleepy silence and the freshly minted look of that beam of sunlight； it was just after daybreak。 He pulled open the curtains around his bed； got up and started to dress。 The only sound apart from the distant twittering of birds was the slow； deep breathing of his fellow Gryffindors。 He opened his schoolbag carefully； pulled out parchment and quill and headed out of the dormitory for the mon room。
Making straight for his favourite squashy old armchair beside the now extinct fire； Harry settled himself down fortably and unrolled his parchment while looking around the room。 The detritus of crumpled…up bits of parchment； old Gobstones； empty ingredient jars and sweet wrappers that usually covered the mon room at the end of each day was gone； as were all Hermione's elf hats。 Wondering vaguely how many elves had now been set free whether they wanted to be or not； Harry uncorked his ink bottle； dipped his quill into it； then held it suspended an inch above the smooth yellowish surface of his parchment； thinking hard： but after a minute or so he found himself staring into the empty grate； at a plete loss for what to say。
He could now appreciate how hard it had been for Ron and Hermione to write him letters over the summer。 How was he supposed to tell Sirius everything that had happened over the past week and pose all the questions he was burning to ask without giving potential letter…thieves a lot of information he did not want them to have？
He sat quite motionless for a while； gazing into the fireplace；： then； finally ing to a decision； he dipped his quill into the ink bottle once more and set it resolutely on the parchment。
Dear Snuffles；
Hope you're OK； the first week back here's been terrible； I'm really glad it's the weekend。
We've got a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher； Professor Umbridge。 She's nearly as nice as your mum。 I'm writing because that thing I wrote to you about last summer happened again last night when I was doing a detention with Umbridge。
We're all missing our biggest friend； we hope he'll be back soon。
Please write back quickly。
Best；
Harry
Harry reread the letter several times； trying to see it from the point of view of an outsider。 He could not see how they would know what he was talking about … or who he was talking to … just from reading this letter。 He did hope Sirius would pick up the hint about Hagrid and tell them when he might be back。 Harry did not want to ask directly in case it drew too much attention to what Hagrid might be up to while he was not at Hogwarts。
Considering it was a very short letter； it had taken a long time to write； sunlight had crept halfway across the room while he had been working on it and he could now hear distant sounds of movement from the dormitories above。 Sealing the parchment carefully； he climbed through the portrait hole and headed off for the Owlery。
'I would not go that way if I were you；' said Nearly Headless Nick； drifting disconcertingly through a wall just ahead of Harry as he walked down the passage。 'Peeves is planning an amusing joke on the next person to pass the bust of Paracelsus halfway down the corridor。'
'Does it involve Paracelsus falling on top of the persons head？' asked Harry。
'Funnily enough； it does；' said Nearly Headless Nick in a bored voice。 'Subtlety