"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 before him, clearly not taking the matter to heart.
"What are you going to do?" Ron asked uneasily.
"What else can I do? Of course, I'm going to serve detention with Umbridge."
Harry turned to look at the people whispering around him, then lowered his head and continued eating. He had never imagined that other people's malice could be so obvious.
Those whispering among themselves, those looking at him with strange expressions, did not care whether Harry could hear what they were saying.
On the contrary, they seemed eager for Harry to lose his temper, wanting to see him make a fool of himself in anger.
"Umbridge's plan has been quite successful!"
Harry tipped a tranquilizer from the medicine 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 the word everywhere. Whether I tell the truth or not, I'll be isolated by the whole school."
Hermione and Ron exchanged glances. They could both see the worry in each other's eyes.
"People are afraid to face harsh truths," Harry said self-mockingly. "The wizards who think I'm lying could line up from the Entrance Hall all the way to the other end of the Great Hall."
"Harry, what did you just take?" Ron asked quietly.
"This?"
Expressionless, Harry pulled a medicine bottle from his robe pocket and introduced it to Hermione and Ron. "Tranquilizers. Sirius gave them to me before I came to Hogwarts. The dose is small, but they can keep me calm for a short while."
"You've been taking those all this time?" Hermione grew even more