On the Sunday afternoon of the first week of term, Ron received a letter from Percy.
On the surface, Percy was congratulating Ron after learning that he had become a prefect, while devoting much of the letter to advising him not to get too close to Harry. He also suggested that Ron consult Umbridge more often if anything came up.
In a tone of surprise and incomprehension, he said that Umbridge's reforms at school did not seem to have the support of the other professors and staff. But he also said that her work would become easier the following week.
In the letter, he also expressed his surprise and incomprehension that his parents actually disagreed with Minister Fudge's policies and believed Dumbledore and Harry's nonsense. He hoped that Ron, now a prefect, could align himself with the Ministry of Magic as he had.
He also told Ron bluntly that, as long as he stayed close to Umbridge, he might become Head Boy in his seventh year, just like Percy.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville read the letter together.
Hermione and Neville were both furious after reading it.
"How could Percy turn out like this?" Hermione said angrily. "He actually called what Dumbledore said nonsense? Harry, you told us how he behaved at the hearing. I thought he was still on our side."
Neville nodded along, though he clearly was not as good at putting his thoughts into words as Hermione and could not express his feelings very well.
What Hermione and Neville found rather puzzling was that Harry and Ron did not look the least bit surprised.
"Why aren't you two reacting?" Hermione was utterly bewildered as she looked at Harry's calm face and Ron, who had taken out a sheet of parchment and was marking Percy's letter, occasionally copying