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

portraits of old witches and wizards, all of whom ignored them, being engrossed in their own conversation. ‘You look really angry about something.’
    ‘Seamus reckons Harry’s lying about You-Know-Who,’ said Ron succinctly, when Harry did not respond.
    Hermione, who Harry had expected to react angrily on his behalf, sighed.
    ‘Yes, Lavender thinks so too,’ she said gloomily.
    ‘Been having a nice little chat with her about whether or not I’m a lying, attention-seeking prat, have you?’ Harry said loudly.
    ‘No,’ said Hermione calmly. ‘I told her to keep her big fat mouth shut about you, actually. And it would be quite nice if you stopped jumping down our throats, Harry, because in case you haven’t noticed, Ron and I are on your side.’
    There was a short pause.
    ‘Sorry,’ said Harry in a low voice.
    ‘That’s quite all right,’ said Hermione with dignity. Then she shook her head. ‘Don’t you remember what Dumbledore said at the last end-of-term feast?’
    Harry and Ron both looked at her blankly and Hermione sighed again.
    ‘About You-Know-Who. He said his “gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust –”’
    ‘How do you remember stuff like that?’ asked Ron, looking at her in admiration.
    ‘I listen, Ron,’ said Hermione, with a touch of asperity.
    ‘So do I, but I still couldn’t tell you exactly what –’
    ‘The point,’ Hermione pressed on loudly, ‘is that this sort of thing is exactly what Dumbledore was talking about. You-Know-Who’s only been back two months and we’ve already started fighting among ourselves. And the Sorting Hat’s warning was the same: stand together, be united –’
    ‘And Harry got it right last night,’ retorted Ron. ‘If that means we’re supposed to get matey with the Slytherins – fat chance .’
    ‘Well, I think it’s a pity we’re not trying for a bit of inter-house unity,’ said Hermione crossly.
    They had reached the foot of the marble staircase. A line of fourth-year Ravenclaws was crossing the Entrance Hall; they caught sight of Harry and hurried to form a tighter group, as though frightened he might attack stragglers.
    ‘Yeah, we really ought to be trying to make friends with people like that,’ said Harry sarcastically.
    They followed the Ravenclaws into the Great Hall, all looking instinctively at the staff table as they entered. Professor Grubbly-Plank was chatting to Professor Sinistra, the Astronomy teacher, and Hagrid was once again conspicuous only by his absence. The enchanted ceiling above them echoed Harry’s mood; it was a miserable rain-cloud grey.
    ‘Dumbledore didn’t even mention how long that Grubbly-Plank woman’s staying,’ he said, as they made their way across to the Gryffindor table.
    ‘Maybe …’ said Hermione thoughtfully.
    ‘What?’ said both Harry and Ron together.
    ‘Well … maybe he didn’t want to draw attention to Hagrid not being here.’
    ‘What d’you mean, draw attention to it?’ said Ron, half-laughing. ‘How could we not notice?’
    Before Hermione could answer, a tall black girl with long braided hair had marched up to Harry.
    ‘Hi, Angelina.’
    ‘Hi,’ she said briskly, ‘good summer?’ And without waiting for an answer, ‘Listen, I’ve been made Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.’
    ‘Nice one,’ said Harry, grinning at her; he suspected Angelina’s pep talks might not be as long-winded as Oliver Wood’s had been, which could only be an improvement.
    ‘Yeah, well, we need a new Keeper now Oliver’s left. Tryouts are on Friday at five o’clock and I want the whole team there, all right? Then we can see how the new person’ll fit in.’
    ‘OK,’ said Harry.
    Angelina smiled at him and departed.
    ‘I’d forgotten Wood had left,’ said Hermione vaguely as she sat down beside Ron and pulled a plate of toast towards her. ‘I suppose that will make quite a difference to the team?’
    ‘I s’pose,’ said Harry, taking the bench opposite. ‘He was a good Keeper …’
    ‘Still, it won’t hurt to have some new blood, will it?’ said Ron.
    With a whoosh and a clatter, hundreds of owls came soaring in through the upper windows. They descended all over the Hall, bringing letters and packages to their owners and showering the breakfasters with droplets of water; it was clearly raining hard outside. Hedwig was nowhere to be seen, but Harry was hardly surprised; his