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ys　of　Voldemort's　reign　of　terror　were　legendary。　There　were　relatives　of　their　victims　among　the　Hogwarts　students；　who　now　found　themselves　the　unwilling　objects　of　a　gruesome　sort　of　reflected　fame　as　they　walked　the　corridors：　Susan　Bones；　whose　uncle；　aunt　and　cousins　had　all　died　at　the　hands　of　one　of　the　ten；　said　miserably　during　Herbology　that　she　now　had　a　good　idea　what　it　felt　like　to　be　Harry。
　　　'And　I　don't　know　how　you　stand　it　…　it's　horrible；'　she　said　bluntly；　dumping　far　too　much　dragon　manure　on　her　tray　of　Screechsnap　seedlings；　causing　them　to　wriggle　and　squeak　in　disfort。
　　　It　was　true　that　Harry　was　the　subject　of　much　renewed　muttering　and　pointing　in　the　corridors　these　days；　yet　he　thought　he　detected　a　slight　difference　in　the　tone　of　the　whisperers'　voices。　They　sounded　curious　rather　than　hostile　now；　and　once　or　twice　he　was　sure　he　overheard　snatches　of　conversation　that　suggested　that　the　speakers　were　not　satisfied　with　the　Prophets　version　of　how　and　why　ten　Death　Eaters　had　managed　to　break　out　of　the　Azkaban　fortress。　In　their　confusion　and　fear；　these　doubters　now　seemed　to　be　turning　to　the　only　other　explanation　available　to　them：　the　one　that　Harry　and　Dumbledore　had　been　expounding　since　the　previous　year。
　　　It　was　not　only　the　students'　mood　that　had　changed。　It　was　now　quite　mon　to　e　across　two　or　three　teachers　conversing　in　low；　urgent　whispers　in　the　corridors；　breaking　off　their　conversations　the　moment　they　saw　students　approaching。
　　　They　obviously　can't　talk　freely　in　the　staff　room　any　more；'　said　Hermione　in　a　low　voice；　as　she；　Harry　and　Ron　passed　Professors　McGonagall；　Flitwick　and　Sprout　huddled　together　outside　the　Charms　classroom　one　day。　'Not　with　Umbridge　there。'
　　　
　　　'Reckon　they　know　anything　new？'　said　Ron；　gazing　back　over　his　shoulder　at　the　three　teachers。
　　　'If　they　do；　we're　not　going　to　hear　about　it；　are　we？'　said　Harry　angrily。　'Not　after　Decree：　what　number　are　we　on　now？'　For　new　notices　had　appeared　on　the　house　noticeboards　the　morning　after　news　of　the　Azkaban　breakout：
　　　
　　　BY　ORDER　OF　THE　HIGH　INQUISITOR　OF　HOGWARTS
　　　
　　　Teachers　are　hereby　banned　from　giving　students　any　information　that　is　not　strictly　related　to　the　subjects　they　are　paid　to　teach。
　　　The　above　is　in　accordance　with　Educational　Decree　Number　Twenty…six。
　　　Signed：　Dolores　Jane　Umbridge；　High　Inquisitor
　　　
　　　This　latest　Decree　had　been　the　subject　of　a　great　number　of　jokes　among　the　students。　Lee　Jordan　had　pointed　out　to　Umbridge　that　by　the　terms　of　the　new　rule　she　was　not　allowed　to　tell　Fred　and　George　off　for　playing　Exploding　Snap　in　the　back　of　the　class。
　　　'Exploding　Snap's　got　nothing　to　do　with　Defence　Against　the　Dark　Arts；　Professor！　That's　not　information　relating　to　your　subject！'
　　　
　　　When　Harry　next　saw　Lee；　the　back　of　his　hand　was　bleeding　rather　badly。　Harry　remended　essence　of　Murtlap。
　　　Harry　had　thought　the　breakout　from　Azkaban　might　have　humbled　Umbridge　a　little；　that　she　might　have　been　abashed　at　the　catastrophe　that　had　occurred　right　under　the　nose　of　her　beloved　Fudge。　It　seemed；　however；　to　have　only　intensified　her　furious　desire　to　bring　every　aspect　of　life　at　Hogwarts　under　her　personal　control。　She　seemed　determined　at　the　very　least　to　achieve　a　sacking　before　long；　and　the　only　question　was　whether　it　would　be　Professor　Trelawney　or　Hagrid　who　went　first。
　　　Every　single　Divination　and　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　lesson　was　now　conducted　in　the　presence　of　Umbridge　and　her　clipboard。　She　lurked　by　the　fire　in　the　heavily　perfumed　tower　room；　interrupting　Professor　Trelawney's　increasingly　hysterical　talks　with　difficult　questions　about　ornithomancy　and　heptomology；　insisting　that　she　predicted　students'　answers　before　they　gave　them　and　demanding　that　she　demonstrate　her　skill　at　the　crystal　ball；　the　tea　leaves　and　the　rune　stones　in　turn。　Harry　thought　Professor　Trelawney　might　soon　crack　under　the　strain。　Several　times　he　passed　her　in　the　corridors　…　in　itself　a　very　unusual　occurrence　as　she　generally　remained　in　her　tower　room　…　muttering　wildly　to　herself；　wringing　her　hands　and　shooting　terrified　glances　over　her　shoulder；　and　all　the　while　giving　off　a　powerful　smell　of　cooking　sherry。　If　he　had　not　been　so　worried　about　Hagrid；　he　would　have　felt　sorry　for　her　…　but　if　one　of　them　was　to　be　ousted　from　their　job；　there　could　be　only　one　choice　for　Harry　as　to　who　should　remain。
　　　Unfortunately；　Harry　could　not　see　that　Hagrid　was　putting　up　a　better　show　than　Trelawney。　Though　he　seemed　to　be　following　Hermione's　advice　and　had　shown　them　nothing　more　frightening　than　a　Crup　…　a　creature　indistinguishable　from　a　Jack　Russell　terrier　except　for　its　forked　tail　…　since　before　Christmas；　he　too　seemed　to　have　lost　his　nerve。　He　was　oddly　distracted　and　jumpy　during　lessons；　losing　the　thread　of　what　he　was　saying　to　the　class；　answering　questions　wrongly；　and　all　the　time　glancing　anxiously　at　Umbridge。　He　was　also　more　distant　with　Harry；　Ron　and　Hermione　than　he　had　ever　been　before；　and　had　expressly　forbidden　them　to　visit　him　after　dark。
　　　'If　she　catches　yeh；　it'll　be　all　of　our　necks　on　the　line；'　he　told　them　flatly；　and　with　no　desire　to　do　anything　that　might　jeopardise　his　job　further　they　abstained　from　walking　down　to　his　hut　in　the　evenings。
　　　It　seemed　to　Harry　that　Umbridge　was　steadily　depriving　him　of　everything　that　made　his　life　at　Hogwarts　worth　living：　visits　to　Hagrid's　house；　letters　from　Sirius；　his　Firebolt　and　Quidditch。　He　took　his　revenge　the　only　way　he　could　…　by　redoubling　his　efforts　for　the　DA。
　　　Harry　was　pleased　to　see　that　all　of　them；　even　Zacharias　Smith；　had　been　spurred　on　to　work　harder　than　ever　by　the　news　that　ten　more　Death　Eaters　were　now　on　the　loose；　but　in　nobody　was　this　improvement　more　pronounced　than　in　Neville。　The　news　of　his　parents'　attackers'　escape　had　wrought　a　strange　and　even　slightly　alarming　change　in　him。　He　had　not　once　mentioned　his　meeting　with　Harry；　Ron　and　Hermione　on　the　closed　ward　in　St　Mungo's　and；　taking　their　lead　from　him；　they　had　kept　quiet　about　it　too。　Nor　had　he　said　anything　on　the　subject　of　Bellatrix　and　her　fellow　torturers'　escape。　In　fact；　Neville　barely　spoke　during　the　DA　meetings　any　more；　but　worked　relentlessly　on　every　new　jinx　and　counter…curse　Harry　taught　them；　his　plump　face　screwed　up　in　concentration；　apparently　indifferent　to　injuries　or　accidents　and　working　harder　than　anyone　else　in　the　room。　He　was　improving　so　fast　it　was　quite　unnerving　and　when　Harry　taught　them　the　Shield　Charm　…　a　means　of　deflecting　minor　jinxes　so　that　they　rebounded　upon　the　attacker　…　only　Hermione　mastered　the　charm　faster　than　Neville。
　　　Harry　would　have　given　a　great　deal　to　be　making　as　much　progress　at　Occlumency　as　Neville　was　making　during　the　DA　meetings。　Harry's　sessions　with　Snape；　which　had　started　badly　enough；　were　not　improving。　On　the　contrary　Harry　felt　he　was　getting　worse　with　every　lesson。
　　　Before　he　had　started　studying　Occlumency；　his　scar　had　prickled　occasionally；　usually　during　the　night；　or　else　following　one　of　those　strange　flashes　of　Voldemort's　thoughts　or　mood　that　he　experienced　every　now　and　then。　Nowadays；　however；　his　scar　hardly　ever　stopped　prickling；　and　he　often　felt　lurches　of　annoyance　or　cheerfulness　that　were　unrelated　to　what　was　happening　to　him　at　the　time；　which　were　always　acpanied　by　a　particularly　painful　twinge　from　his　scar。　He　had　the　horrible　impression　that　he　was　slowly　turning　into　a　kind　of　aerial　that　was　tuned　in　to　tiny　fluctuations　in　Voldemorts　mood；　and　he　was　sure　he　could　date　this　increased　sensitivity　firmly　from　his　first　Occlumency　lesson　with　Snape。　What　was　more；　he　was　now　dreaming　about　walking　down　the　corridor　towards　the　entrance　to　the　Department　of　Mysteries　almost　every　night；　dreams　which　always　culminated　in　him　standing　longingly　in　front　of　the　plain　black　door。
　　　'Maybe　it's　a　bit　like　an　illness；'　said　Hermione；　looking　concerned　when　Harry　confided　in　her　and　Ron。　'A　fever　or　something。　It　has　to　get　worse　before　it　gets　better。'
　　　
　　　The　lessons　with　Snape　are　making　it　worse；'　said　Harry　flatly。　'I'm　getting　sick　of　my　scar　hurting　and　I'm　getting　bored　with　walking　down　that　corridor　every　night。'　He　rubbed　his　forehead　angrily。　'I　just　wish　the　door　would　open；　I'm　sick　of　standing　staring　at　it　…'
　　　
　　　That's　not　funny；'　said　Hermione　sharply。　'Dumbledore　doesn't　want　you　to　have　dreams　about　that　corridor　at　all；　or　he　wouldn't　have　asked　Snape　to　teach　you　Occlumency。　You're　just　going　to　have　to　work　a　bit　harder　in　your　lessons。'
　　　
　　　'I　am　working！'　said　Harry　nettled。　'You　try　it　some　time　…　Snape　trying　to　get　inside　your　head　…　it's　not　a　bundle　of　laughs；　you　know！'
　　　
　　　'Maybe：'　said　Ron　slowly。
　　　'Maybe　what？'　said　Hermione；　rather　snappishly。
　　　'Maybe　it's　not　Harry's　fault　he　can't　close　his　mind；'　said　Ron　darkly。
　　　'What　do　you　mean？'　said　Hermione。
　　　'Well；　maybe　Snape　isn't　really　trying　to　help　Harry：'
　　　
　　　Harry　and　Hermione　stared　at　him。　Ron　looked　darkly　and　meaningfully　from　one　to　the　other。
　　　'Maybe；'　he　said　again；　in　a　lower　voice；　'he's　actually　trying　to　open　Harry's　mind　a　bit　wider：　make　it　easier　for　You…Know…'
　　　
　　　'Shut　up；　Ron；'　said　Hermione　angrily。　'How　many　times　have　you　suspected　Snape；　and　when　have　you　ever　been　right？　Dumbledore　trusts　him；　he　works　for　the　Order；　that　ought　to　be　enough。'
　　　
　　　'He　used　to　be　a　Death　Eater；'　said　Ron　stubbornly。　'And　we've　never　seen　proof　that　he　really　swapped　sides。'
　　　
　　　'Dumbledore　trusts　him；'　Hermione　repeated。　'And　if　we　can't　trust　Dumbledore；　we　can't　trust　anyone。'
　　　
　　　*　*　*
　　　
　　　With　so　much　to　worry　about　and　so　much　to　do　…　startling　amounts　of　homework　that　frequently　kept　the　fifth…years　working　until　past　midnight；　secret　DA　sessions　and　regular　classes　with　Snape　…January　seemed　to　be　passing　alarmingly　fast。　Before　Harry　knew　it；　February　had　arrived；　bringing　with　it　wetter　and　warmer　weather　and　the　prospect　of　the　second　Hogsmeade　visit　of　the　year。　Harry　had　had　very　little　time　to　spare　for　conversations　with　Cho　since　they　had　agreed　to　visit　the　village　together；　but　suddenly