Harry Potter 05 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

and finished by telling them that it was foolish to put too much faith in such things, anyway, because even centaurs sometimes read them wrongly. He was nothing like any human teacher Harry had ever had. His priority did not seem to be to teach them what he knew, but rather to impress upon them that nothing, not even centaurs’ knowledge, was foolproof.
    ‘He’s not very definite on anything, is he?’ said Ron in a low voice, as they put out their mallowsweet fire. ‘I mean, I could do with a few more details about this war we’re about to have, couldn’t you?’
    The bell rang right outside the classroom door and everyone jumped; Harry had completely forgotten they were still inside the castle, and quite convinced that he was really in the Forest. The class filed out, looking slightly perplexed.
    Harry and Ron were on the point of following them when Firenze called, ‘Harry Potter, a word, please.’
    Harry turned. The centaur advanced a little towards him. Ron hesitated.
    ‘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 looked at 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 become 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 passed on Firenze’s message, 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 comin’ 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 O.W.L.s 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 come. 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 O.W.L.s.
    They had finally started work on Patronuses, which everybody had been very keen to practise, though, as Harry