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第7章 大师驱邪

‘Why can't they take them off, Dad?’ asked Fred.

‘—it was that song that wound me up—’

‘No, father,’ Minnie interposed.

‘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 comment.

‘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 ...’

‘The pure-blood families are all interrelated,’ said Sirius. ‘If you're only going to let your sons and daughters marry pure-bloods our choice is very limited; there are hardly any of us left. Molly and I are cousins by marriage and Arthur's something like my second cousin once removed. But there's no point looking for them on here—if ever a family was a bunch of blood traitors it's the Weasleys.’

‘You ought to know, too, that as High Inquisitor it is my unfortunate but necessary duty to inspect my fellow teachers. So I daresay we shall meet again soon enough.’

‘I—you're lying,’ said Harry automatically. But his mouth had gone dry. He knew Dudley wasn't lying—how else would he know about Cedric?

‘Very well,’ said Fudge. ‘The accused being present—finally—let us begin. Are you ready?’ he called down the row.