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s own with his teeth。 There were still deep welts on his forearms where the brain's tentacles had wrapped around him。 According to Madam Pomfrey； thoughts could leave deeper scarring than almost anything else； though since she had started applying copious amounts of Dr Ubbly's Oblivious Unction there seemed to have been some improvement。
'Yes； they're very plimentary about you now； Harry；' said Hermione； scanning down the article。 'A lone voice of truth： perceived as unbalanced； yet never wavered in his story： forced to bear ridicule and slander：' Hmmm；' she said； frowning； 'I notice they don't mention the fact that it was them doing all the ridiculing and slandering in the Prophet：'
She winced slightly and put a hand to her ribs。 The curse Dolohov had used on her； though less effective than it would have been had he been able to say the incantation aloud； had nevertheless caused； in Madam Pomfrey's words； 'quite enough damage
to be going on with'。 Hermione was having to take ten different types of potion every day； was improving greatly； and was already bored with the hospital wing。
'You…Know…Who's Last Attempt to Take Over； pages two to four； What the Ministry Should Have Told Us； page five； Why Nobody Listened to Albus Dumbledore； pages six to eight； Exclusive Interview with Harry Potter； page nine： Well；' said Hermione； folding up the newspaper and throwing it aside； 'it's certainly given them lots to write about。 And that interview with Harry isn't exclusive； it's the one that was in The Quibbler months ago：'
'Daddy sold it to them；' said Luna vaguely； turning a page of The Quibbler。 'He got a very good price for it； too； so we're going to go on an expedition to Sweden this summer to see if we can catch a Crumple…Horned Snorkack。'
Hermione seemed to struggle with herself for a moment； then said； 'That sounds lovely'。
Ginny caught Harry's eye and looked away quickly； grinning。
'So； anyway；' said Hermione； sitting up a little straighter and wincing again； 'what's going on in school？'
'Well； Flitwick's got rid of Fred and George's swamp；' said Ginny； 'he did it in about three seconds。 But he left a tiny patch under the window and he's roped it off … '
Why？' said Hermione； looking startled。
'Oh； he just says it was a really good bit of magic；' said Ginny； shrugging。
'I think he left it as a monument to Fred and George；' said Ron； through a mouthful of chocolate。 'They sent me all these； you know；' he told Harry； pointing at the small mountain of Frogs beside him。 'Must be doing all right out of that joke shop； eh？'
Hermione looked rather disapproving and asked； 'So has all the trouble stopped now Dumbledore's back？'
'Yes；' said Neville； 'everything's settled right back to normal。'
'I's'pose Filch is happy； is he？' asked Ron； propping a Chocolate Frog Card featuring Dumbledore against his water jug。
'Not at all；' said Ginny 'He's really； really miserable； actually：' She lowered her voice to a whisper。 'He keeps saying Umbridge was the best thing that ever happened to Hogwarts：
All six of them looked around。 Professor Umbridge was lying in a bed opposite them； gazing up at the ceiling。 Dumbledore had strode alone into the Forest to rescue her from the centaurs； how he had done it … how he had emerged from the trees supporting Professor Umbridge without so much as a scratch on him … nobody knew； and Umbridge was certainly not telling。 Since she had returned to the castle she had not； as far as any of them knew； uttered a single word。 Nobody really knew what was wrong with her； either。 Her usually neat mousy hair was very untidy and there were still bits of twigs and leaves in it； but otherwise she seemed to be quite unscathed。
'Madam Pomfrey says she's just in shock；' whispered Hermione。
'Sulking； more like；' said Ginny
'Yeah； she shows signs of life if you do this；' said Ron； and with his tongue he made soft clip…clopping noises。 Umbridge sat bolt upright； looking around wildly。
'Anything wrong； Professor？' called Madam Pomfrey； poking her head around her office door。
'No： no：' said Umbridge； sinking back into her pillows。 'No； I must have been dreaming：'
Hermione and Ginny muffled their laughter in the bedclothes。
'Speaking of centaurs；' said Hermione； when she had recovered a little； 'who's Divination teacher now？ Is Firenze staying？'
'He's got to；' said Harry； 'the other centaurs won't take him back； will they？'
'It looks like he and Trelawney are both going to teach；' said Ginny
'Bet Dumbledore wishes he could've got rid of Trelawney for good；' said Ron； now munching on his fourteenth Frog。 'Mind you； the whole subject's useless if you ask me； Firenze isn't a lot better：'
'How can you say that？' Hermione demanded。 'After we've just found out that there are real prophecies？'
Harry's heart began to race。 He had not told Ron； Hermione or anyone else what the prophecy had contained。 Neville had told them it had smashed while Harry was pulling him up the steps in the Death Room and Harry had not yet corrected this impression。 He was not ready to see their expressions when he told them that he must be either murderer or victim； there was no other way：
'It is a pity it broke；' said Hermione quietly； shaking her head。
'Yeah； it is；' said Ron。 'Still； at least You…Know…Who never found out what was in it either … where are you going？' he added； looking both surprised and disappointed as Harry stood up。
'Er … Hagrid's；' said Harry。 'You know； he just got back and I promised I'd go down and see him and tell him how you two are。'
'Oh； all right then；' said Ron grumpily； looking out of the dormitory window at the patch of bright blue sky beyond。 'Wish we could e。'
'Say hello to him fir us！' called Hermione； as Harry proceeded down the ward。 'And ask him what's happening about： about his little friend！'
Harry gave a wave of his hand to show he had heard and understood as he left the dormitory。
The castle seemed very quiet even for a Sunday。 Everybody was clearly out in the sunny grounds； enjoying the end of their exams and the prospect of a last few days of term unhampered by revision or homework。 Harry walked slowly along the deserted corridor； peering out of windows as he went； he could see people messing around in the air over the Quidditch pitch and a couple of students swimming in the lake； acpanied by the giant squid。
He was finding it hard to decide whether he wanted to be with people or not； whenever he was in pany he wanted to get away and whenever he was alone he wanted pany。 He thought he might really go and visit Hagrid； though； as he had not talked to him properly since he'd returned：
Harry had just descended the last marble step into the Entrance Hall when Malfoy； Crabbe and Goyle emerged from a door on the right that Harry knew led down to the Slytherin mon room。 Harry stopped dead； so did Malfoy and the others。 The only sounds were the shouts； laughter and splashes drifting into the Hall from the grounds through the open front doors。
Malfoy glanced around … Harry knew he was checking for signs of teachers … then he looked back at Harry and said in a low voice； 'You're dead； Potter。'
Harry raised his eyebrows。
Funny' he said； 'you'd think I'd have stopped walking around：'
Malfoy looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him； he felt a kind of detached satisfaction at the sight of his pale； pointed face contorted with rage。
'You're going to pay；' said Malfoy in a voice barely louder than a whisper。 'I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to my father：'
'Well； I'm terrified now；' said Harry sarcastically。 'I's'pose Lord Voldemort's just a warm…up act pared to you three … what's the matter？' he added； for Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle had all looked stricken at the sound of the name。 'He's a mate of your dad； isn't he？ Not scared of him； are you？'
'You think you're such a big man； Potter；' said Malfoy； advancing now； Crabbe and Goyle flanking him。 'You wait。 I'll have you。 You can't land my father in prison … '
'I thought I just had；' said Harry。
'The Dementors have left Azkaban；' said Malfoy quietly。 'Dad and the others'll be out in no time：'
'Yeah； I expect they will；' said Harry 'Still； at least everyone knows what scumbags they are now … '
Malfoy's hand flew towards his wand； but Harry was too quick for him； he had drawn his own wand before Malfoy's fingers had even entered the pocket of his robes。
'Potter！'
The voice rang across the Entrance Hall。 Snape had emerged from the staircase leading down to his office and at the sight of him Harry felt a great rush of hatred beyond anything he felt towards Malfoy： whatever Dumbledore said； he would never forgive Snape： never：
'What are you doing； Potter？' said Snape； as coldly as ever； as he strode over to the four of them。
'I'm trying to decide what curse to use on Malfoy； sir；' said Harry fiercely。
Snape stared at him。
'Put that wand away at once；' he said curtly。 'Ten points from