Lord Phantom

Chapter 16: Another Work

"What's going on?" Ron asked in amazement, as the whole of Gryffindor table leaned forwards to watch and another seven owls landed amongst the first ones, screeching, hooting and flapping their wings.

"Harry!" said Hermione breathlessly, plunging her hands into the feathery mass and pulling out a screech owl bearing a long, cylindrical package, "I think I know what this means, open this one first!"

Harry ripped off the brown packaging. Out rolled a tightly furled copy of the March edition of The Quibbler.He unrolled it to see his own face grinning sheepishly at him from the front cover. In large red letters across this picture were the words:

HARRY POTTER SPEAKS OUT AT LAST:

THE TRUTH ABOUT HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED

AND THE NIGHT I SAW HIM RETURN

"It's good, isn't it?" said Luna, who had drifted over to the Gryffindor table and now squeezed herself on to the bench between Fred and Ron, "It came out yesterday, I asked Dad to send you a free copy. I expect all these," she waved a hand at the assembled owls still scrabbling around on the table in front of Harry, "are letters from readers"

"Well, there is plenty," Danny said, appearing from nowhere, hands behind his back, "There might be a problem, though"

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Toad"

"What is going on here?" said a falsely sweet, girlish voice.

Professor Umbridge was standing behind Fred and Luna, her bulging toad's eyes scanning the mess of owls and letters on the table in front of Harry. Behind her he saw many of the students watching them avidly.

"Why have you got all these letters, Mr. Potter?" she asked slowly.

"Is that a crime now?" said Danny loudly, "Getting mail? Then you are breaking a law everyday"

"Well, Mr Potter?" Dolores growled, it was best to ignore him.

"People have written to me because I gave an interview," said Harry, "About what happened to me last June"

"An interview?" repeated Umbridge, her voice thinner and higher than ever, "What do you mean?"

"I mean a reporter asked me questions and I answered them," said Harry, "Here"

And he threw the copy of The Quibbler to her. She caught it and stared down at the cover. Her pale, doughy face turned an ugly, patchy violet.

"When did you do this?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"That's none of your business, Jane," Danny said in singsong voice, "Since this information is not related to your subject"

"Even so, I'm still High Inquisitor, Work. Fifty points from Griffindor and week of detentions, Mr. Potter," with that she walked away.

"You better watch your mouth, Harry," Danny said quietly, "If she will get a word that you did it during Hogsmeade trip, then she will ban you from that as well"

By mid-morning enormous signs had been put up all over the school, not just on house noticeboards, but in the corridors and classrooms too.

BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

Any student found in possession of the magazine

The Quibblerwill be expelled.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-seven.

Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor