"How did it go, Harry?" Hermione asked worriedly. "What did Professor McGonagall say?"
"Professor McGonagall said she couldn't make Umbridge change her mind." Harry calmly ate the food in front of him, showing no sign of taking the matter to heart.
"What are we going to do?" Ron asked uneasily.
"What else can we do? I'm obviously going to serve detention with Umbridge."
Harry turned to look at the people whispering around them, then lowered his head and continued eating. He had never imagined that other people's malice could be so blatant.
The people murmuring to one another, the people staring at him with strange looks—they did not care whether Harry heard their gossip.
On the contrary, they seemed to be hoping Harry would lose his temper, eager to see him make a fool of himself in anger.
"Umbridge's plan is working rather well!"
Harry tipped a Calming Draught pill from the bottle into his mouth and said flatly, "She just wants me to admit that Voldemort hasn't returned. Then the Ministry of Magic can spread it everywhere. Whether I tell the truth or not, I'll be isolated by the whole school."
Hermione and Ron exchanged glances. Both could see the concern in the other's eyes.
"People are afraid to face cruel truths." Harry gave a self-mocking laugh. "The wizards who think I'm lying could line up from the Entrance Hall to the other end of the Great Hall."
"Harry, what did you just take?" Ron asked quietly.
"You mean this?"
Expressionless, Harry pulled a medicine bottle from his robe pocket and introduced it to Hermione and Ron. "Calming Draught. Sirius gave it to me before I came to Hogwarts. The dose is small, but it helps me stay calm for a short while."
"You've been taking that all this