The next morning at breakfast, the Daily Prophet reveals that 10 Death Eaters have escaped Azkaban. The newspaper attributes the escape to Sirius, but Harry notices that more people seem to believe his and Dumbledore’s version of events about Voldemort’s return. Many students whose relatives were killed by the Death Eaters receive renewed and unwelcome attention, as does Harry.

They also read that Boderick Bode, the wizard they saw incapacitated at St. Mungo’s, has been killed by Devil’s Snare gifted to him in the form of a potted plant. They are shocked when they remember seeing this. Umbridge releases a new teaching decree ruling that teachers cannot discuss information unrelated to the subjects they teach. Lee Jordan is disciplined by Umbridge when he challenges her for talking about Exploding Snap, which has no direct relation to her subject.

Hagrid reveals that he is on probation, as is Professor Trelawney; Umbridge continues to attend all their classes, putting them off with probing questions and judgmental comments. Hagrid forbids Harry, Ron, and Hermione from visiting him, worried that Umbridge will find out.

In DA meetings, Harry is thrilled with the group’s progress, particularly Neville’s. Harry’s Occlumency lessons with Snape continue to result in little improvement; in fact, Harry is more susceptible to feeling the changes in Voldemort’s

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