Compared to the scrutiny of other teachers, Umbridge was polite to Professor Snape. Of course, if you have a lot of powerful classmates, maybe you can get others to be polite to you.

"Well, this class seems to be pretty well learned," she said briskly into Snape's back, "but I doubt it's advisable to teach them potions like enhancers." I think the ministry will want to remove it from the curriculum. ”

Snape straightened up and turned to look at her.

"Now—how long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?" she asked, quill ready to take notes on the clipboard.

"Fourteen years. Snape's expression was unfathomable. Harry stared at him intently, adding a few drops of liquid, and the potion sizzled horribly, turning from turquoise to orange.

"You applied to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts first, didn't you?" Professor Umbridge asked Snape.

"Yes. Snape whispered.

"But didn't apply?"

Snape pouted.

"It's obvious. ”

Professor Umbridge scribbled on the clipboard.

"You've applied to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts many times since you entered the school, haven't you?"

"Yes. Snape whispered, his lips barely moving. He looked annoyed.

"Do you know why Dumbledore repeatedly refused to use you?" Umbridge asked.

"I suggest you go and ask him. Snape replied stiffly.

"I will. Professor Umbridge said with a smile on his face.

"Does it matter?" Snape asked, his dark eyes narrowing.

"Yes," Professor Umbridge said, "the ministry wants to know all about the – uh – background of the teachers. ”

She turned and walked away, pacing Daphne and beginning to ask her about the lesson. Snape looked back at Harry, and their eyes briefly met, Harry hurriedly lowered his gaze to look at his potion, which had now condensed into a filthy one, emitting a nasal smell of burnt rubber.

"Zero again, Potter. Snape said viciously, and with a flick of his wand cleared Harry's cauldron, "I don't know what your head is made of, can't you understand the process on the blackboard?

"Understood. Harry said angrily.

The Slytherin students almost laughed in their seats, and as soon as the bell rang, they got up and attacked Harry with impunity.

"Congratulations, you've broken the record, isn't it, King of Confinement. Draco slowly gathered his things, trying to silence his voice. It wasn't very successful, but Snape and Umbridge walked out of the classroom as if they were deaf.

Harry surprisingly endured it, put his bag on his back, and left without looking back. Harry didn't get angry, he didn't pull out his wand, leaving Draco a little disappointed.

After lunch, Phoenix went alone to an old tree in the courtyard, where Hermione was already sitting waiting for him.

"What?" Phoenix sat down and glanced at the title of the book on Hermione's lap, "The Man Who Defended the Law"

Angelina said the party could be on Thursday, and the weather forecast said there would be a full day of storms that day. Hermione picked up the book and put Phoenix on her lap.

"Okay, then let everyone know. When the time comes, I'm going to have you and Rogge demonstrate in front of them first, and tell them what the real magic battle is all about. It's fun for them to learn two spells, right, how about Potter?"

"It's bad, Angelina almost cried at noon. He's been absent from team training and has so much confinement that Ron says he dreams a lot at night and mutters a lot. ”

"Dreams, what dreams?" said Phoenix, pricking up his ears.

"A door, a door that leads somewhere. Hermione didn't care about the dream, "You don't know how that old toad punished him." ”

Hermione stared down at Phoenix's face, she rarely gave professors nicknames or disrespect.

Umbridge punished him for copying sentences, but the quills were magical. Every time Harry wrote it, it was engraved on the back of his hand - like someone had carved it with a knife, and it was bloodied every time he was locked up. Hermione looked at Phoenix with a disgusted expression.

"Umbridge is a pervert and not worth making a fuss about. Phoenix closed his eyes, "The forest is big enough to have any bird." ”

Hermione wrung his cheek, and he screamed and rolled to the ground. She hurriedly stepped forward to hug Phoenix, but the two of them got entangled together and fell to the ground.

"What are you doing?" shouted an exasperated voice.

They struggled to their feet, and Professor McGonagall stood a short distance away in a huff, with a large stack of homework floating behind her. Her expression was somewhere between surprised and angry.

"Nothing, I fell, Professor. Phoenix quickly explained, "Professor Snape asked me to come to his office and see him again. ”

As soon as Phoenix finished speaking, he turned around and ran, flipping straight back into the hallway through the gap between the surrounding pillars, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Hermione also made an excuse to go to the library, but McGonagall didn't stop her, shook her head and turned to get ready for the afternoon class.

On Thursday, they walked through muddy vegetable patches to their herb classes, their robes tumbling and rolling onto their bodies. In the greenhouse, Sprout couldn't hear a word of it, and the rain beat down on the roof like hail. The afternoon lesson on protecting magical creatures was held in an empty classroom on the first floor due to the rain.

"Harry, you should convince Ron," Hermione whispered to Harry, "because we're about to start our first defense meeting! Phoenix wouldn't do anything to him, he promised me. ”

"That's what he said?"

"Oh, well, well—" Hermione's hand stopped taking the mashed potatoes, "as long as he doesn't take the initiative to sneer." ”

Harry continued to eat his sausage and mashed potatoes. Thinking about something else, Cho had been very close to him lately, and maybe—this was an opportunity.

A small voice spoke in Harry's head. You're in the same situation as Ron, aren't you, and Cho has a boyfriend too.

"Why?" he said, holding on to the dachshund, Hermione staring at him for an answer, "I'll try." ”

Phoenix sat by the fire, thinking about what Hermione had told him about Harry yesterday. The door, it's not hard to guess that it's the door of the Prophecy Hall of the Department of Mysteries. Voldemort is starting to try to connect actively, which is a good sign. The connection between them will also be further strengthened. He felt that in order to deceive Harry, Voldemort would definitely arrange a real attack, and have his men attack the guards who guarded the doors of the Prophecy Hall every night. When the time came, Harry would have believed the fake dream, thinking that Blake, or someone else important to him, was trapped in the Ministry of Magic—

"It's time to go. Rogge kept an eye on the time and reminded him loudly.

"Well, let's go. Phoenix whispered something in Draco's ear before leaving. Considering that the time for this party was too short for the mission given to Cho by Phoenix, he felt that it was necessary to postpone the plan for the time being in order to better combat Harry.

At half past seven, they left the common room, and the fifth-year students could stay in the castle until nine, so they walked towards the eighth floor without any qualms. (To be continued.) )