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'You may stay；' Firenze told him。 'But close the door； please。' Ron hastened to obey。
'Harry Potter； you are a friend of Hagrid's； are you not？' said the centaur。
'Yes；' said Harry。
Then give him a warning from me。 His attempt is not working。 He would do better to abandon it。'
'His attempt is not working？' Harry repeated blankly。
'And he would do better to abandon it；' said Firenze； nodding。 'I would warn Hagrid myself； but I am banished … it would be unwise for me to go too near the Forest now … Hagrid has troubles enough； without a centaurs' battle。'
'But … what's Hagrid attempting to do？' said Harry nervously。
Firenze surveyed Harry impassively。
'Hagrid has recently rendered me a great service；' said Firenze； 'and he has long since earned my respect for the care he shows all living creatures。 I shall not betray his secret。 But he must be brought to his senses。 The attempt is not working。 Tell him； Harry Potter。 Good…day to you。'
* * *
The happiness Harry had felt in the aftermath of The Quibbler interview had long since evaporated。 As a dull March blurred into a squally April； his life seemed to have bee one long series of worries and problems again。
Umbridge had continued attending all Care of Magical Creatures lessons； so it had been very difficult to deliver Firenze's warning to Hagrid。 At last； Harry had managed it by pretending he'd lost his copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them； and doubling back after class one day。 When he'd repeated Firenze's words； Hagrid gazed at him for a moment through his puffy； blackened eyes； apparently taken aback。 Then he seemed to pull himself together。
'Nice bloke； Firenze；' he said gruffly； 'but he don' know what he's talkin' abou' on this。 The attemp's in' on fine。'
'Hagrid； what're you up to？' asked Harry seriously。 'Because you've got to be careful； Umbridge has already sacked Trelawney and； if you ask me； she's on a roll。 If you're doing anything you shouldn't be； you'll be …'
There's things more importan' than keepin' a job；' said Hagrid； though his hands shook slightly as he said this and a basin full of Knarl droppings crashed to the floor。 'Don' worry abou' me； Harry jus' get along now； there's a good lad。'
Harry had no choice but to leave Hagrid mopping up the dung all over his floor； but he felt thoroughly dispirited as he trudged back up to the castle。
Meanwhile； as the teachers and Hermione persisted in reminding them； the OWLs were drawing ever nearer。 All the fifth…years were suffering from stress to some degree； but Hannah Abbott became the first to receive a Calming Draught from Madam Pomfrey after she burst into tears during Herbology and sobbed that she was too stupid to take exams and wanted to leave school now。
If it had not been for the DA lessons； Harry thought he would have been extremely unhappy。 He sometimes felt he was living for the hours he spent in the Room of Requirement； working hard but thoroughly enjoying himself at the same time； swelling with pride as he looked around at his fellow DA members and saw how far they had e。 Indeed； Harry sometimes wondered how Umbridge was going to react when all the members of the DA received 'Outstanding' in their Defence Against the Dark Arts OWLs。
They had finally started work on Patronuses； which everybody had been very keen to practise； though； as Harry kept reminding them； producing a Patronus in the middle of a brightly lit classroom when they were not under threat was very different from producing it when confronted by something like a Dementor。
'Oh； don't be such a killjoy；' said Cho brightly； watching her silvery swan…shaped Patronus soar around the Room of Requirement during their last lesson before Easter。 They're so pretty！'
They're not supposed to be pretty； they're supposed to protect you；' said Harry patiently。 'What we really need is a Boggart or something； that's how I learned； I had to conjure a Patronus while the Boggart was pretending to be a Dementor …'
'But that would be really scary！' said Lavender； who was shooting puffs of silver vapour out of the end of her wand。 'And I still …can't … do it！' she added angrily。
Neville was having trouble； too。 His face was screwed up in concentration； but only feeble wisps of silver smoke issued from his wand tip。
'You've got to think of something happy；' Harry reminded him。
'I'm trying；' said Neville miserably； who was trying so hard his round face was actually shining with sweat。
'Harry； I think I'm doing it！' yelled Seamus； who had been brought along to his first ever DA meeting by Dean。 'Look … ah …it's gone： but it was definitely something hairy； Harry！'
Hermione's Patronus； a shining silver otter； was gambolling around her。
They are sort of nice； aren't they？' she said； looking at it fondly。
The door of the Room of Requirement opened； and closed。 Harry looked round to see who had entered； but there did not seem to be anybody there。 It was a few moments before he realised that the people close to the door had fallen silent。 Next thing he knew； something was tugging at his robes somewhere near the knee。 He looked down and saw； to his very great astonishment； Dobby the house…elf peering up at him from beneath his usual eight woolly hats。
'Hi； Dobby！' he said。 'What are you … What's wrong？'
The elf's eyes were wide with terror and he was shaking。 The members of the DA closest to Harry had fallen silent； everybody in the room was watching Dobby。 The few Patronuses people had managed to conjure faded away into silver mist； leaving the room looking much darker than before。
'Harry Potter； sir：' squeaked the elf； trembling from head to foot； 'Harry Potter； sir： Dobby has e to warn you： but the house…elves have been warned not to tell：'
He ran head…first at the wall。 Harry； who had some experience of Dobby's habits of self…punishment； made to seize him； but Dobby merely bounced off the stone； cushioned by his eight hats。 Hermione and a few of the other girls let out squeaks of fear and sympathy。
'What's happened； Dobby？' Harry asked； grabbing the elf's tiny arm and holding him away from anything with which he might seek to hurt himself。
'Harry Potter： she： she：〃
Dobby hit himself hard on the nose with his free fist。 Harry seized that； too。
'Who's 〃she〃； Dobby？'
But he thought he knew； surely only one 'she' could induce such fear in Dobby？ The elf looked up at him； slightly cross…eyed； and mouthed wordlessly。
'Umbridge？' asked Harry； horrified。
Dobby nodded； then tried to bang his head on Harry's knees。 Harry held him at arm's length。
'What about her？ Dobby … she hasn't found out about this …about us … about the DA？'
He read the answer in the elf's stricken face。 His hands held fast by Harry； the elf tried to kick himself and fell to the floor。
'Is she ing？' Harry asked quietly。
Dobby let out a howl； and began beating his bare feet hard on the floor。
'Yes； Harry Potter； yes！'
Harry straightened up and looked around at the motionless； terrified people gazing at the thrashing elf。
'WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR？' Harry bellowed。 'RUN！'
They all pelted towards the exit at once； forming a scrum at the door； then people burst through。 Harry could hear them sprinting along the corridors and hoped they had the sense not to try and make it all the way to their dormitories。 It was only ten to nine； if they just took refuge in the library or the Owlery； which were both nearer …
'Harry； e on！' shrieked Hermione from the centre of the knot of people now fighting to get out。
He scooped up Dobby； who was still attempting to do himself serious injury； and ran with the elf in his arms to join the back of the queue。
'Dobby … this is an order … get back down to the kitchen with the other elves and； if she asks you whether you warned me； lie and say no！' said Harry。 'And I forbid you to hurt yourself！' he added； dropping the elf as he made it over the threshold at last and slammed the door behind him。
Thank you； Harry Potter！' squeaked Dobby； and he streaked off。 Harry glanced left and right； the others were all moving so fast he caught only glimpses of flying heels at either end of the corridor before they vanished； he started to run right； there was a boys' bathroom up ahead； he could pretend he'd been in there all the time if he could just reach it …
'AAARGH！'
Something caught him around the ankles and he fell spectacularly； skidding along on his front for six feet before ing to a halt。 Someone behind him was laughing。 He rolled over on to his back and saw Malfoy concealed in a niche beneath an ugly dragon…shaped vase。
Trip Jinx； Potter！' he said。 'Hey Professor … PROFESSOR！ I've got one！'
Umbridge came bustling round the far corner； breathless but wearing a delighted smile。
'It's him！' she said jubilantly at the sight of Harry on the floor。 'Excellent； Draco； excellent； oh； very good … fifty points to Slytherin！ I'll take him from here： stand up； Potter！'
Harry got to his feet； glaring at the pair of them。 He had never seen Umbridge looking so happy。 She