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Chapter 992: Protective Measures and Confidentiality
🕑 Added 2024-01-14 18:58:47 +0000 UTC“Er … yeah … good stuff abou’ Thestrals," Hagrid was a little incoherent. "Well, once they’re tamed, like this lot, yeh’ll never be lost again. ‘Mazin’ senses o’ direction, jus’ tell ’em where yeh want ter go..."
"Assuming they can understand you, of course," a burst of laughter broke out from the Slytherin crowd.
Umbridge smiled indulgently at them and then turned to Neville.
“You can see the Thestrals, Longbottom, can you?" she asked.
"Yeah!" Neville nodded.
"Whom did you see die?" she asked, her tone indifferent.
“My … my grandad,” said Neville, his voice low.
“And what do you think of them? Tenebrus and his kind that Professor Hagrid mentioned?" she said, waving her stubby hand at the horses, who by now had stripped a great deal of the carcass, Hagrid had prepared, down to bone.
“Erm,” said Neville nervously, with a glance at Hagrid. “Well, they’re … er … okay..."
“ ‘Students … are … too … intimidated … to … admit … they … are … frightened...’ ” muttered Umbridge, making another note on her clipboard.
“No!” said Neville, looking upset, “no, I’m not scared of them!"
“It’s quite all right,” said Umbridge, patting Neville on the shoulder with what she evidently intended to be an understanding smile, though it looked more like a leer.
“Well, Hagrid,” she turned to look up at him again, speaking once more in that loud, slow voice, "I think I’ve got enough to be getting along with... You will receive the results of your inspection in ten days’ time. "
Same as before, she made gestures while talking. When she said "ten days", she held up ten stubby fingers; when she said "receive", she mimed taking something from the air in front of her, and finally for "the results of your inspection," she pointed at the clipboard, as if Hagrid were mentally impaired.
Then, her smile wider and more toadlike than ever before beneath her green hat; she bustled from the midst of students.
She left all the Slytherins in fits of laughter, Hermione actually shaking with fury, and Neville looking confused and upset.
“That foul, lying, twisting old gargoyle!” stormed Hermione.
When she told Evan what happened in the Care of Magical Creatures class, she seemed a little unable to control her anger again!
“You see what she’s up to?” Hermione continued. “It’s her thing about half-breeds all over again — she’s trying to make out Hagrid’s some kind of dim-witted troll, just because he had a giantess for a mother — and oh, it’s not fair, that really wasn’t a bad lesson at all — I mean, all right, if it had been Blast-Ended Skrewts again or some other creature, but Thestrals are fine. I didn't expect him to show us the Thestrals — in fact, for Hagrid, they’re really good!"
“Umbridge said they’re dangerous,” said Ron.
“Well, it’s like Hagrid said, they can look after themselves,” said Hermione impatiently. "They’ve been living in Hogwarts for many years; and I suppose a teacher like Grubbly-Plank wouldn’t usually show them to us before N.E.W.T. level, but, well, they are very interesting, aren’t they? The way some people can see them and some can’t! I wish I could..."
She stopped abruptly, realizing what she was saying, and suddenly looked horrorstruck.
“Oh— I’m sorry — no, of course I don’t wish that— that was a really stupid thing to say!" Hermione said hastily.
"Evan, can't you find a way to give that woman a lesson, like you did last time?" said Harry gloomily.
"She's not giving us a chance now, she even canceled detentions!" said Evan, finishing his History of Magic essay. "Actually, as long as we do a good job in D.A. and learn a few more spells, it's the biggest counterattack against Umbridge. Think about what Sirius said, her main goal at Hogwarts is to prevent us from practicing combat, and now we're training right under her nose, doing things she and the Ministry don't want us to do."
"You're right!"
Time passed quickly, and the twice-weekly Dumbledore's Army activities had become a part of many people's lives.
For example, Harry felt as though he were carrying some kind of talisman inside his chest, a glowing secret that supported him through Umbridge's classes and even made it possible for him to smile blandly as he looked into her horrible bulging eyes.
Evan was right, the D.A. was resisting her under her very nose, doing the very thing that she and the Ministry of Magic most feared.
Harry performed exceptionally well in the activities, always the first to master spells, showing real talent in practical magic.
This was his strength, something Evan had noticed a long time ago.
Now he could even teach others, helping a few slower learners, which relieved Evan of a significant burden.
After learning Expelliarmus, Protego and Petrificus Totalus, they now began to challenge more difficult spells, such as Stupefy, Impedimenta, Reducto, etc., and started practical training step by step, first a confrontation between two people, and then It was the Acromantulas and other creatures provided by Hagrid.
Except for Ron, who had not yet been able to overcome his fear of spiders, others no longer had the panic when facing these terrifying creatures, and could skillfully use various spells when fighting against the Acromantulas, even the first-years, which was a remarkable progress.
In addition, Evan used Transfiguration to create a variety of creatures for everyone to practice against.
The number of D.A. members continued to increase, and new members were introduced at almost every meeting.
After a Charms class, Astoria apologetically explained to Evan the reason why she did not join. She personally supported Evan and wanted to join them, but the main reason was her excessive concern about the judgment of others around her. She lacked the courage to take the first step and needed more time.
Although it was a pity that people from Slytherin House could not be recruited, Dumbledore's Army was now beginning to take shape!
Evan cast tight protective spells and curses to prevent the secret from being revealed.
If it weren't for the inability to use the Fidelius Charm on the Room of Requirement, he would have considered completely hiding the address, just like the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
Due to the increase in the number of members and the need to adjust training times due to Quidditch practices, they couldn't inform others of the activity times, study content, and preparations as they used to. It would look so suspicious if people from different Houses were seen crossing the Great Hall to talk to each other too often.
Hermione planned to give each member a fake galleon, and she cast a Protean Charm on it so that the numbers on it could change.
By then, everyone would know the time of the next meeting!
