Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)

by J.K. Rowling

“The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue,” said Umbridge quietly. “No!” shrieked Hermione. “Professor Umbridge — it’s illegal” — but Umbridge took no notice. There was a nasty, eager, excited look on her face that Harry had never seen before. She raised her wand. “The Minister wouldn’t want you to break the law, Professor Umbridge!” cried Hermione. “What Cornelius doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” said Umbridge, who was now panting slightly as she pointed her wand at different parts of Harry’s body in turn, apparently trying to decide what would hurt the most. “He never knew I ordered dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same. . . .” “It was you?” gasped Harry. “You sent the dementors after me?” “Somebody had to act,” breathed Umbridge, as her wand came to rest pointing directly at Harry’s forehead. “They were all bleating about silencing you somehow — discrediting you — but I was the one who actually did something about it . . . Only you wriggled out of that one, didn’t you, Potter? Not today, though, not now . . .” And taking a deep breath, she cried, “Cruc —