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That was Mundungus？' Harry said； stunned。 'What was he doing in the Hog's Head？'
What do you think he was doing？' said Sirius impatiently。 'Keeping an eye on you； of course。'
'I'm still being followed？' asked Harry angrily。
'Yeah； you are；' said Sirius； 'and just as well； isn't it； if the first thing you're going to do on your weekend off is organise an illegal defence group。'
But he looked neither angry nor worried。 On the contrary； he was looking at Harry with distinct pride。
'Why was Dung hiding from us？' asked Ron； sounding disappointed。 'We'd've liked to've seen him。'
'He was banned from the Hog's Head twenty years ago；' said Sirius； 'and that barman's got a long memory。 We lost Moody's spare Invisibility Cloak when Sturgis was arrested； so Dung's been dressing as a witch a lot lately： anyway： first of all； Ron … I've sworn to pass on a message from your mother。'
'Oh yeah？' said Ron； sounding apprehensive。
'She says on no account whatsoever are you to take part in an illegal secret Defence Against the Dark Arts group。 She says you'll be expelled for sure and your future will be ruined。 She says there will be plenty of time to learn how to defend yourself later and that you are too young to be worrying about that right now。 She also' （Sirius's eyes turned to the other two） 'advises Harry and Hermione not to proceed with the group； though she accepts that she has no authority over either of them and simply begs them to remember that she has their best interests at heart。 She would have written all this to you； but if the owl had been intercepted you'd all have been in real trouble； and she can't say it for herself because she's on duty tonight。'
'On duty doing what？' said Ron quickly。
'Never you mind； just stuff for the Order；' said Sirius。 'So it's fallen to me to be the messenger and make sure you tell her I passed it all on； because I don't think she trusts me to。'
There was another pause in which Crookshanks； mewing； attempted to paw Sirius's head； and Ron fiddled with a hole in the hearthrug。
'So； you want me to say I'm not going to take part in the Defence group？' he muttered finally。
'Me？ Certainly not！' said Sirius； looking surprised。 'I think it's an excellent idea！'
'You do？' said Harry； his heart lifting。
'Of course I do！' said Sirius。 'D'you think your father and I would've lain down and taken orders from an old hag like Umbridge？'
'But … last term all you did was tell me to be careful and not take risks …'
'Last year； all the evidence was that someone inside Hogwarts was trying to kill you； Harry！' said Sirius impatiently。 This year； we know there's someone outside Hogwarts who'd like to kill us all； so I think learning to defend yourselves properly is a very good idea！'
'And if we do get expelled？' Hermione asked； a quizzical look on her face。
'Hermione； this whole thing was your idea！' said Harry； staring at her。
'I know it was。 I just wondered what Sirius thought；' she said； shrugging。
'Well； better expelled and able to defend yourselves than sitting safely in school without a clue；' said Sirius。
'Hear； hear；' said Harry and Ron enthusiastically。
'So；' said Sirius； 'how are you organising this group？ Where are you meeting？'
'Well； that's a bit of a problem now；' said Harry。 'Dunno where we're going to be able to go。'
'How about the Shrieking Shack？' suggested Sirius。
'Hey； that's an idea！' said Ron excitedly； but Hermione made a sceptical noise and all three of them looked at her； Siriuss head turning in the flames。
'Well； Sirius； it's just that there were only four of you meeting in the Shrieking Shack when you were at school；' said Hermione； 'and all of you could transform into animals and I suppose you could all have squeezed under a single Invisibility Cloak if you'd wanted to。 But there are twenty…eight of us and none of us is an Animagus； so we wouldn't need so much an Invisibility Cloak as an Invisibility Marquee …'
'Fair point；' said Sirius； looking slightly crestfallen。 'Well； I'm sure you'll e up with somewhere。 There used to be a pretty roomy secret passageway behind that big mirror on the fourth floor； you might have enough space to practise jinxes in there。'
'Fred and George told me it's blocked；' said Harry； shaking his head。 'Caved in or something。'
'Oh：' said Sirius； frowning。 'Well； I'll have a think and get back to …'
He broke off。 His face was suddenly tense； alarmed。 He turned sideways； apparently looking into the solid brick wall of the fireplace。
'Sirius？' said Harry anxiously。
But he had vanished。 Harry gaped at the flames for a moment； then turned to look at Ron and Hermione。
Why did he …？'
Hermione gave a horrified gasp and leapt to her feet； still staring at the fire。
A hand had appeared amongst the flames； groping as though to catch hold of something； a stubby； short…fingered hand covered in ugly old…fashioned rings。
The three of them ran for it。 At the door of the boys' dormitory Harry looked back。 Umbridge's hand was still making snatching movements amongst the flames； as though she knew exactly where Siriuss hair had been moments before and was determined to seize it。
… CHAPTER EIGHTEEN …
Dumbledore's Army
'Umbridge has been reading your mail； Harry。 There's no other explanation。'
'You think Umbridge attacked Hedwig？' he said； outraged。
'I'm almost certain of it；' said Hermione grimly。 'Watch your frog； it's escaping。'
Harry pointed his wand at the bullfrog that had been hopping hopefully towards the other side of the table … 'Accio！' … and it zoomed gloomily back into his hand。
Charms was always one of the best lessons in which to enjoy a private chat； there was generally so much movement and activity that the danger of being overheard was very slight。 Today； with the room full of croaking bullfrogs and cawing ravens； and with a heavy downpour of rain clattering and pounding against the classroom windows； Harry； Ron and Hermione's whispered discussion about how Umbridge had nearly caught Sirius went quite unnoticed。
'I've been suspecting this ever since Filch accused you of ordering Dungbombs； because it seemed such a stupid lie；' Hermione whispered。 'I mean； once your letter had been read it would have been quite clear you weren't ordering them； so you wouldn't have been in trouble at all … it's a bit of a feeble joke； isn't it？ But then I thought； what if somebody just wanted an excuse to read your mail？ Well then； it would be a perfect way for Umbridge to manage it … tip off Filch； let him do the dirty work and confiscate the letter； then either find a way of stealing it from him or else demand to see it … I don't think Filch would object； when's he ever stuck up for a student's rights？ Harry； you're squashing your frog。'
Harry looked down； he was indeed squeezing his bullfrog so tightly its eyes were popping； he replaced it hastily upon the desk。
'It was a very； very close call last night；' said Hermione。 'I just wonder if Umbridge knows how close it was。 Silen