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Aurora Areli
"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," Hermione said grimly. "Watch your frog, it's escaping."
Harry pointed his wand at the bullfrog that had been attempting yet another escape, said "Accio", and made it zoom gloomily back into his hand.
We were in Charms class, which happened to be one of the best opportunities to talk privately. All of the movement and activity that occurred made the danger of being overheard very slight. That day, we were practicing Silencing Charms on bullfrogs and ravens; their croaks and caws combined with the heavy downpour of rain clattering and pounding against the classroom windows allowed our discussion of how Umbridge had nearly caught Sirius to go unnoticed.
"I've been suspecting this ever since Filch accused you and Rory of ordering Dungbombs, because it seemed such a stupid lie," Hermione whispered. "I mean, once your letters 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 letters, then either find a way of stealing it from him or 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 bullfrog," I cut in, upon seeing that the bullfrog's eyes were popping from the pressure. Harry hastily put it back down on the desk.
"It was a very, very close call last night," Hermione said. "I just wonder if Umbridge knows how close it was. Silencio."
Hermione's own bullfrog was struck dumb mid-croak and glared at her reproachfully.
"If she'd caught Snuffles —"
Harry finished the sentence for her.
"— He'd probably be back in Azkaban this morning." He waved his wand carelessly, and his bullfrog swelled like a green balloon, emitting a high-pitched whistle.
"Silencio," I said quickly, pointing my wand at Harry's frog, which deflated silently.
"Well, he mustn't do it again, that's all," Hermione said.
"How are we supposed to let him know? Excuse you, silencio," I said for the second time to my own raven, which had been cawing loudly over me. I ignored it when it glared at me after discovering that no more sound came out of its beak. "It's not like we can send him an owl now."
