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'Is that Kreacher ing downstairs？'
'No；' said Sirius； glancing behind him。 'It must be somebody your end。'
Harry's heart skipped several beats。
I'd better go！' he said hastily and pulled his head backwards out of the Grimmauld Place fire。 For a moment his head seemed to be revolving on his shoulders； then he found himself kneeling in front of Umbridge's fire with it firmly back on and watching the emerald flames flicker and die。
'Quickly； quickly！' he heard a wheezy voice mutter right outside the office door。 'Ah； she's left it open …'
Harry dived for the Invisibility Cloak and had just managed to pull it back over himself when Filch burst into the office。 He looked absolutely delighted about something and was talking to himself feverishly as he crossed the room； pulled open a drawer in Umbridge's desk and began rifling through the papers inside it。
'Approval for Whipping： Approval for Whipping： I can do it at last： they've had it ing to them for years：'
He pulled out a piece of parchment； kissed it； then shuffled rapidly back out of the door； clutching it to his chest。
Harry leapt to his feet and； making sure he had his bag and that the Invisibility Cloak was pletely covering him； he wrenched open the door and hurried out of the office after Filch； who was hobbling along faster than Harry had ever seen him go。
One landing down from Umbridge's office； Harry thought it was safe to bee visible again。 He pulled off the Cloak； shoved it in his bag and hurried onwards。 There was a great deal of shouting and movement ing from the Entrance Hall。 He ran down the marble staircase and found what looked like most of the school assembled there。
It was just like the night when Trelawney had been sacked。 Students were standing all around the walls in a great ring （some of them； Harry noticed； covered in a substance that looked very like Stinksap）； teachers and ghosts were also in the crowd。 Prominent among the onlookers were members of the Inquisitorial Squad； who were all looking exceptionally pleased with themselves； and Peeves； who was bobbing overhead； gazed down at Fred and George who stood in the middle of the floor with the unmistakeable look of two people who had just been cornered。
'So！' said Umbridge triumphantly。 Harry realised she was standing just a few stairs in front of him； once more looking down upon her prey。 'So … you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp； do you？'
'Pretty amusing； yeah；' said Fred； looking up at her without the slightest sign of fear。
Filch elbowed his way closer to Umbridge； almost crying with happiness。
'I've got the form； Headmistress；' he said hoarsely； waving the piece of parchment Harry had just seen him take from her desk。 'I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting： oh； let me do it now：〃
'Very good； Argus；' she said。 'You two；' she went on； gazing down at Fred and George； 'are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school。'
'You know what？' said Fred。 'I don't think we are。'
He turned to his twin。
'George；' said Fred； 'I think we've outgrown full…time education。'
'Yeah； I've been feeling that way myself；' said George lightly。
Time to test our talents in the real world； d'you reckon？' asked Fred。
'Definitely；' said George。
And before Umbridge could say a word； they raised their wands and said together：
'Accio brooms！'
Harry heard a loud crash somewhere in the distance。 Looking to his left； he ducked just in time。 Fred and George's broomsticks； one still trailing the heavy chain and iron peg with which Umbridge had fastened them to the wall； were hurtling along the corridor towards their owners； they turned left； streaked down the stairs and stopped sharply in front of the twins； the chain clattering loudly on the flagged stone floor。
'We won't be seeing you；' Fred told Professor Umbridge； swinging his leg over his broomstick。
'Yeah； don't bother to keep in touch；' said George； mounting his own。
Fred looked around at the assembled students； at the silent； watchful crowd。
'If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp； as demonstrated upstairs； e to number ninety…three； Diagon Alley … Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes；' he said in a loud voice。 'Our new premises！'
'Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat；' added George； pointing at Professor Umbridge。
'STOP THEM！' shrieked Umbridge； but it was too late。 As the Inquisitorial Squad closed in； Fred and George kicked off from the floor； shooting fifteen feet into the air； the iron peg swinging dangerously below。 Fred looked across the hall at the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd。
'Give her hell from us； Peeves。'
And Peeves； who Harry had never seen take an order from a student before； swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset。
… CHAPTER THIRTY …
Grawp
The story of Fred and George's flight to freedom was retold so often over the next few days that Harry could tell it would soon bee the stuff of Hogwarts legend： within a week； even those who had been eye…witnesses were half…convinced they had seen the twins dive…bomb Umbridge on their brooms and pelt her with Dungbombs before zooming out of the doors。 In the immediate aftermath of their departure there was a great wave of talk about copying them。 Harry frequently heard students saying things like； 'Honestly some days I just feel like jumping on my broom and leaving this place；' or else； 'One more lesson like that and I might just do a Weasley。'
Fred and George had made sure nobody was likely to forget them too soon。 For one thing； they had not left instructions on how to remove the swamp that now filled the corridor on the fifth floor of the east wing。 Umbridge and Filch had been observed trying different means of removing it but without success。 Eventually the area was roped off and Filch； gnashing his teeth furiously； was given the task of punting students across it to their classrooms。 Harry was certain that teachers like McGonagall or Flitwick could have removed the swamp in an instant but； just as in the case of Fred and George's Wildfire Whiz…bangs； they seemed to prefer to watch Umbridge struggle。
Then there were the two large broom…shaped holes in Umbridge's office door； through which Fred and George's Cleansweeps had smashed to rejoin their masters。 Filch fitted a new door and removed Harry's Firebolt to the dungeons where； it was rumoured； Umbridge had set an armed security troll to guard it。 However； her troubles were far from over。
Inspired by Fred and George's example； a great number of students were now vying for the newly vacant positions of Troublemakers…in…Chief。 In spite of the new door； somebody managed to slip a hairy…snouted Niffler into Umbridge's office； which promptly tore the place apart in its search for shiny objects； leapt on Umbridge when she entered and tried to gnaw the rings