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surveying him with a look of gloating pleasure。
'Whoops；' he said softly。 'Another zero； then； Potter。'
Harry was too incensed to speak。 He strode back to his cauldron； intending to fill another flask and force Snape to mark it； but saw to his horror that the rest of the contents had vanished。
'I'm sorry！' said Hermione； with her hands over her mouth。 'I'm really sorry； Harry。 I thought you'd finished； so I cleared up！'
Harry could not bring himself to answer。 When the bell rang； he hurried out of the dungeon without a backwards glance； and made sure that he found himself a seat between Neville and Seamus for lunch so that Hermione could not start nagging him again about using Umbridge's office。
He was in such a bad mood by the time he got to Divination that he had quite forgotten his careers appointment with Professor McGonagall； remembering it only when Ron asked him why he wasn't in her office。 He hurtled back upstairs and arrived out of breath； only a few minutes late。
'Sorry； Professor；' he panted； as he closed the door。 'I forgot。'
'No matter； Potter；' she said briskly； but as she spoke； somebody else sniffed from the corner。 Harry looked round。
Professor Umbridge was sitting there； a clipboard on her knee； a fussy little pie…frill around her neck and a small； horribly smug smile on her face。
'Sit down； Potter；' said Professor McGonagall tersely。 Her hands shook slightly as she shuffled the many pamphlets littering her desk。
Harry sat down with his back to Umbridge and did his best to pretend he could not hear the scratching of her quill on her clipboard。
'Well； Potter； this meeting is to talk over any career ideas you might have； and to help you decide which subjects you should continue into the sixth and seventh years；' said Professor McGonagall。 'Have you had any thoughts about what you would like to do after you leave Hogwarts？'
'Er …' said Harry。
He was finding the scratching noise from behind him very distracting。
'Yes？' Professor McGonagall prompted Harry。
'Well； I thought of； maybe； being an Auror；' Harry mumbled。
'You'd need top grades for that；' said Professor McGonagall； extracting a small； dark leaflet from under the mass on her desk and opening it。 They ask for a minimum of five NEWTs； and nothing under 〃Exceeds Expectations〃 grade； I see。 Then you would be required to undergo a stringent series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office。 It's a difficult career path； Potter； they only take the best。 In fact； I don't think anybody has been taken on in the last three years。'
At this moment； Professor Umbridge gave a very tiny cough； as though she was trying to see how quietly she could do it。 Professor McGonagall ignored her。
'You'll want to know which subjects you ought to take； I suppose？' she went on； talking a little louder than before。
'Yes；' said Harry。 'Defence Against the Dark Arts； I suppose？'
'Naturally；' said Professor McGonagall crisply。 'I would also advise …'
Professor Umbridge gave another cough； a little more audible this time。 Professor McGonagall closed her eyes for a moment； opened them again； and continued as though nothing had happened。
'I would also advise Transfiguration； because Aurors frequently need to Transfigure or Untransfigure in their work。 And I ought to tell you now； Potter； that I do not accept students into my NEWT classes unless they have achieved 〃Exceeds Expectations〃 or higher at Ordinary Wizarding Level。 I'd say you're averaging 〃Acceptable〃 at the moment； so you'll need to put in some good hard work before the exams to stand a chance of continuing。 Then you ought to do Charms； always useful； and Potions。 Yes； Potter； Potions；' she added； with the merest flicker of a smile。 'Poisons and antidotes are essential study for Aurors。 And I must tell you that Professor Snape absolutely refuses to take students who get anything other than 〃Outstanding〃 in their OWLs； so …'
Professor Umbridge gave her most pronounced cough yet。
'May I offer you a cough drop； Dolores？' Professor McGonagall asked curtly； without looking at Professor Umbridge。
'Oh； no； thank you very much；' said Umbridge； with that simpering laugh Harry hated so much。 'I just wondered whether I could make the teensiest interruption； Minerva？'
'I daresay you'll find you can；' said Professor McGonagall through tightly gritted teeth。
'I was just wondering whether Mr Potter has quite the temperament for an Auror？' said Professor Umbridge sweetly。
'Were you？' said Professor McGonagall haughtily。 'Well； Potter；' she continued； as though there had been no interruption； 'if you are serious in this ambition； I would advise you to concentrate hard on bringing your Transfiguration and Potions up to scratch。 I see Professor Flitwick has graded you between 〃Acceptable〃 and 〃Exceeds Expectations〃 for the last two years； so your Charm work seems satisfactory。 As for Defence Against the Dark Arts； your marks have been generally high； Professor Lupin in particular thought you … are you quite sure you wouldn't like a cough drop； Dolores？'
'Oh； no need； thank you； Minerva； simpered Professor Umbridge； who had just coughed her loudest yet。 'I was just concerned that you might not have Harry's most recent Defence Against the Dark Arts marks in front of you。 I'm quite sure I slipped in a note。'
'What； this thing？' said Professor McGonagall in a tone of revulsion； as she pulled a sheet of pink parchment from between the leaves of Harry's folder。 She glanced down it； her eyebrows slightly raised； then placed it back into the folder without ment。
'Yes； as I was saying； Potter； Professor Lupin thought you showed a pronounced aptitude for the subject； and obviously for an Auror …'
'Did you not understand my note； Minerva？' asked Professor Umbridge in honeyed tones； quite forgetting to cough。
'Of course I understood it；' said Professor McGonagall； her teeth clenched so tightly the words came out a little muffled。
'Well； then； I am confused： I'm afraid I don't quite understand how you can give Mr Potter false hope that …'
'False hope？' repeated Professor McGonagall； still refusing to look round at Professor Umbridge。 'He has achieved high marks in all his Defence Against the Dark Arts tests …'
'I'm terribly sorry to have to contradict you； Minerva； but as you will see from my note； Harry has been achieving very poor results in his classes with me …'
'I should have made my meaning plainer；' said Professor McGonagall； turning at last to look Umbridge directly in the eyes。 'He has achieved high marks in all Defence Against the Dark Arts tests set by a petent teacher。'
Professor Umbridge's smile vanished as suddenly as a light bulb blowing。 She sat back in her chair； turned a sheet on her clipboard and began scribbling very fast indeed； her bulging eyes rolling from side to side。 Professor McGonagall turned back to Harry； her thin nostrils flared； her eyes burning。
'Any questions； Potter？'
'Yes；' said Harry。 'What sort of character and aptitude tests do the Ministry do on you； if you get enough NEWTs？'