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'Now； you two had better listen closely。 I do not care what provocation Malfoy offered you； I do not care if he insulted every family member you possess； your behaviour was disgusting and I am giving each of you a week's worth of detentions！ Do not look at me like that； Potter； you deserve it！ And if either of you ever …'
'Hem； hem。'
Professor McGonagall closed her eyes as though praying for patience as she turned her face towards Professor Umbridge again。
'Yes？'
'I think they deserve rather more than detentions；' said Umbridge； smiling still more broadly。
Professor McGonagall's eyes flew open。
'But unfortunately' she said； with an attempt at a reciprocal smile that made her look as though she had lockjaw； 'it is what I think that counts； as they are in my House； Dolores。'
'Well； actually； Minerva；' simpered Professor Umbridge； 'I think you'll find that what I think does count。 Now； where is it？ Cornelius just sent it： I mean；' she gave a false little laugh as she rummaged in her handbag； 'the Minister just sent it： ah yes：〃
She had pulled out a piece of parchment which she now unfurled； clearing her throat fussily before starting to read what it said。
'Hem； hem： 〃Educational Decree Number Twenty…five〃。'
'Not another one！' exclaimed Professor McGonagall violently。
'Well； yes；' said Umbridge； still smiling。 'As a matter of fact； Minerva； it was you who made me see that we needed a further amendment： you remember how you overrode me； when I was unwilling to allow the Gryffindor Quidditch team to re…form？ How you took the case to Dumbledore； who insisted that the team be allowed to play？ Well； now； I couldn't have that。 I contacted the Minister at once； and he quite agreed with me that the High Inquisitor has to have the power to strip pupils of privileges； or she … that is to say； I … would have less authority than mon teachers！ And you see now； don't you； Minerva； how right I was in attempting to stop the Gryffindor team re…forming？ Dreadful tempers： anyway； I was reading out our amendment： hem； hem： 〃the High Inquisitor will henceforth have supreme authority over all punishments； sanctions and removal of privileges pertaining to the students of Hogwarts； and the power to alter such punishments； sanctions and removals of privileges as may have been ordered by other staff members。 Signed； Cornelius Fudge； Minister for Magic； Order of Merlin First Class； etc。； etc。〃'
She rolled up the parchment and put it back into her handbag； still smiling。
'So： I really think I will have to ban these two from playing Quidditch ever again；' she said； looking from Harry to George and back again。
Harry felt the Snitch fluttering madly in his hand。
'Ban us？' he said； and his voice sounded strangely distant。 'From playing： ever again？'
'Yes； Mr Potter； I think a lifelong ban ought to do the trick；' said Umbridge； her smile widening still further as she watched him struggle to prehend what she had said。 'You and Mr Weasley here。 And I think； to be safe； this young man's twin ought to be stopped； too … if his teammates had not restrained him； I feel sure he would have attacked young Mr Malfoy as well。 I will want their broomsticks confiscated； of course； I shall keep them safely in my office； to make sure there is no infringement of my ban。 But I am not unreasonable； Professor McGonagall；' she continued； turning back to Professor McGonagall who was now standing as still as though carved from ice； staring at her。 The rest of the team can continue playing； I saw no signs of violence from any of them。 Well： good afternoon to you。'
And with a look of the utmost satisfaction； Umbridge left the room； leaving a horrified silence in her wake。
* * *
'Banned；' said Angelina in a hollow voice； late that evening in the mon room。 'Banned。 No Seeker and no Beaters： what on earth are we going to do？'
It did not feel as though they had won the match at all。 Everywhere Harry looked there were disconsolate and angry faces； the team themselves were slumped around the fire； all apart from Ron； who had not been seen since the end of the match。
'It's just so unfair；' said Alicia numbly。 'I mean； what about
Crabbe and that Bludger he hit after the whistle had been blown？ Has she banned htm？'
'No；' said Ginny miserably； she and Hermione were sitting on either side of Harry。 'He just got lines； I heard Montague laughing about it at dinner。'
'And banning Fred when he didn't even do anything！' said Alicia furiously； pummelling her knee with her fist。
'It's not my fault I didn't；' said Fred； with a very ugly look on his face； 'I would've pounded the little scumbag to a pulp if you three hadn't been holding me back。'
Harry stared miserably at the dark window。 Snow was falling。 The Snitch he had caught earlier was now zooming around and around the mon room； people were watching its progress as though hypnotised and Crookshanks was leaping from chair to chair； trying to catch it。
'I'm going to bed；' said Angelina； getting slowly to her feet。 'Maybe this will all turn out to have been a bad dream： maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and find we haven't played yet：'
She was soon followed by Alicia and Katie。 Fred and George sloped off to bed some time later； glowering at everyone they passed； and Ginny went not long after that。 Only Harry and Hermione were left beside the fire。
'Have you seen Ron？' Hermione asked in a low voice。
Harry shook his head。
'I think he's avoiding us；' said Hermione。 'Where do you think he…？'
But at that precise moment； there was a creaking sound behind them as the Fat Lady swung forwards and Ron came clambering through the portrait hole。 He was very pale indeed and there was snow in his hair。 When he saw Harry and Hermione； he stopped dead in his tracks。
'Where have you been？' said Hermione anxiously； springing up。
'Walking；' Ron mumbled。 He was still wearing his Quidditch things。
'You look frozen；' said Hermione。 'e and sit down！'
Ron walked to the fireside and sank into the chair furthest from Harry's； not looking at him。 The stolen Snitch zoomed over their heads。
'I'm sorry；' Ron mumbled； looking at his feet。
'What for？' said Harry。
'For thinking I can play Quidditch；' said Ron。 'I'm going to resign first thing tomorrow。'
'If you resign；' said Harry testily； 'there'll only be three players left on the team。' And when Ron looked puzzled； he said； 'I've been given a lifetime ban。 So've Fred and George。'
'What？' Ron yelped。
Hermione told him the full story； Harry could not bear to tell it again。 When she had finished； Ron looked more anguished than ever。
This is all my fault …'
'You didn't make me punch Malfoy；' said Harry angrily。
'… if I wasn't so terrible at Quidditch …'
'… it's got nothing to do with that。'
'… it was that song that wound me up …'
'… it would've wound anyone up。'
Hermione got up and walked to the window； away from the argument； watching the snow swirling down against the pane。
'Look； drop it； will you！' Harry burst out。 'It's