Note to Headmistress Umbridge, delivered via House Elf
Headmistress Umbridge,
I have received your note, and I must say that I understand your concern. You are quite right: I should have contacted you earlier regarding this matter, once I saw how things were tending in my House. I can only excuse myself (and I realize that it is no excuse) by saying that I had hoped that upon reflection that some of the children---or their parents---would realize what a grave mistake they'd made, and would return their children to Hogwarts before their coursework was compromised entirely for the term.