按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
'I would have thought her meaning was quite clear；' said Professor McGonagall harshly； 'there have been no secret meetings for the past six months。 Is that correct； Miss Edgebe？'
Marietta nodded。
'But there was a meeting tonight！' said Umbridge furiously。 'There was a meeting； Miss Edgebe； you told me about it； in the Room of Requirement！ And Potter was the leader； was he not； Potter organised it； Potter … why are you shaking your head； girl？'
'Well； usually when a person shakes their head；' said McGonagall coldly； 'they mean 〃no〃。 So unless Miss Edgebe is using a form of sign…language as yet unknown to humans …'
Professor Umbridge seized Marietta； pulled her round to face her and began shaking her very hard。 A split second later Dumbledore was on his feet； his wand raised； Kingsley started forwards and
Umbridge leapt back from Marietta； waving her hands in the air as though they had been burned。
'I cannot allow you to manhandle my students； Dolores；' said Dumbledore and； for the first time； he looked angry。
'You want to calm yourself； Madam Umbridge；' said Kingsley； in his deep； slow voice。 'You don't want to get yourself into trouble； now。'
'No；' said Umbridge breathlessly； glancing up at the towering figure of Kingsley。 'I mean； yes … you're right； Shacklebolt … I … I forgot myself。'
Marietta was standing exactly where Umbridge had released her。 She seemed neither perturbed by Umbridge's sudden attack； nor relieved by her release； she was still clutching her robe up to her oddly blank eyes and staring straight ahead of her。
A sudden suspicion； connected to Kingsley's whisper and the thing he had felt shoot past him； sprang into Harry's mind。
'Dolores；' said Fudge； with the air of trying to settle something once and for all； 'the meeting tonight … the one we know definitely happened …'
'Yes；' said Umbridge； pulling herself together； 'yes： well； Miss Edgebe tipped me off and I proceeded at once to the seventh floor； acpanied by certain trustworthy students； so as to catch those in the meeting red…handed。 It appears that they were forewarned of my arrival； however； because when we reached the seventh floor they were running in every direction。 It does not matter； however。 I have all their names here； Miss Parkinson ran into the Room of Requirement for me to see if they had left anything behind。 We needed evidence and the room provided。'
And to Harry's horror； she withdrew from her pocket the list of names that had been pinned upon the Room of Requirement's wall and handed it to Fudge。
The moment I saw Potter's name on the list； I knew what we were dealing with；' she said softly。
'Excellent；' said Fudge； a smile spreading across his face； 'excellent； Dolores。 And： by thunder：'
He looked up at Dumbledore； who was still standing beside Marietta； his wand held loosely in his hand。
'See what they've named themselves？' said Fudge quietly。 'Dumbledore's Army。'
Dumbledore reached out and took the piece of parchment from Fudge。 He gazed at the heading scribbled by Hermione months before and for a moment seemed unable to speak。 Then he looked up； smiling。
'Well； the game is up；' he said simply。 'Would you like a written confession from me； Cornelius … or will a statement before these witnesses suffice？'
Harry saw McGonagall and Kingsley look at each other。 There was fear in both faces。 He did not understand what was going on； and nor； apparently； did Fudge。
'Statement？' said Fudge slowly。 'What … I don't …？'
'Dumbledore's Army； Cornelius；' said Dumbledore； still smiling as he waved the list of names before Fudge's face。 'Not Potter's Army。 Dumbledore's Army。'
'But … but …'
Understanding blazed suddenly in Fudges face。 He took a horrified step backwards； yelped； and jumped out of the fire again。
'You？' he whispered； stamping again on his smouldering cloak。
That's right；' said Dumbledore pleasantly。
'You organised this？'
'I did；' said Dumbledore。
'You recruited these students for … for your army？'
Tonight was supposed to be the first meeting；' said Dumbledore； nodding。 'Merely to see whether they would be interested in joining me。 I see now that it was a mistake to invite Miss Edgebe； of course。'
Marietta nodded。 Fudge looked from her to Dumbledore； his chest swelling。
Then you have been plotting against me！' he yelled。
That's right；' said Dumbledore cheerfully。
'NO！' shouted Harry。
Kingsley flashed a look of warning at him； McGonagall widened her eyes threateningly； but it had suddenly dawned on Harry what Dumbledore was about to do； and he could not let it happen。
'No … Professor Dumbledore …！'
'Be quiet； Harry； or I am afraid you will have to leave my office；' said Dumbledore calmly。
'Yes； shut up； Potter！' barked Fudge； who was still ogling Dumbledore with a kind of horrified delight。 'Well； well； well … I came here tonight expecting to expel Potter and instead …'
'Instead you get to arrest me；' said Dumbledore； smiling。 'It's like losing a Knut and finding a Galleon； isn't it？'
'Weasley！' cried Fudge； now positively quivering with delight； 'Weasley； have you written it all down； everything he's said； his confession； have you got it？'
'Yes； sir； I think so； sir！' said Percy eagerly； whose nose was splattered with ink from the speed of his note…taking。
The bit about how he's been trying to build up an army against the Ministry； how he's been working to destabilise me？'
'Yes； sir； I've got it； yes！' said Percy； scanning his notes joyfully。
'Very well； then；' said Fudge； now radiant with glee； 'duplicate your notes； Weasley； and send a copy to the Daily Prophet at once。 If we send a fast owl we should make the morning edition！' Percy dashed from the room； slamming the door behind him； and Fudge turned back to Dumbledore。 'You will now be escorted back to the Ministry； where you will be formally charged； then sent to Azkaban to await trial！'
'Ah；' said Dumbledore gently； 'yes。 Yes； I thought we might hit that little snag。'
'Snag？' said Fudge； his voice still vibrating with joy。 'I see no snag； Dumbledore！'
'Well；' said Dumbledore apologetically； 'I'm afraid I do。'
'Oh； really？'
'Well … it's just that you seem to be labouring under the delusion that I am going to … what is the phrase？ … e quietly。 I am afraid I am not going to e quietly at all； Cornelius。 I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban。 I could break out； of course … but what a waste of time； and frankly； I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing。'
Umbridge's face was growing steadily redder； she looked as though she was being filled with boiling water。 Fudge stared at Dumbledore with a very silly expression on his face； as though he had just been stunned by a sudden blow and could not quite believe it had happened。 He made a small choking noise； then looked round at Kingsley and the man with short grey hair； who alone of everyone in the room had remained entirely silent so far。 The latter gave Fudge a reassuring