Harry Potter was missing.
Staff, friends and ministry workers paced frantically around the office of the hogwarts headmaster. The tension was doubled by the numbing drone of broken monitors that had gone into haywire when the blood wards of privet drive had collapsed. There was, however, no sign of the illustrious headmaster himself.
Minerva, Filius and Arthur Weasley had all made the journey to privet drive to try and find clues on Harry's whereabouts, but came across nothing more than Petunia and Dudley in tears, coveting a bucket of ice cream and a packet of cigarettes each. They had few words to spare for their questioners.
Within hours men and women of all professions were soon scouring the country for signs of Harry Potter, checking muggle and wizarding landmarks, houses of friends and known associates; as emergency announcements were broadcast and posters printed, hoping for news of his fate. Down in the hogwarts kitchens, a wise old man, several elves and a hook nosed bastard were partaking in the second annual hogwarts poker night.
"If I were not bound to you, rest assured Albus Dumbledore, these hands would be wrapped around your frail neck, squeezing the life out of you, cheat."
Severus lazily raised an eyebrow. "Calm down Dobby."
Dobby's furious glare turned to Snape. "Fuck you sir, fuck you."
Albus chortled merrily as the outraged elf smashed his crystal whiskey glass off the table, cursing fervently as he stormed out of the kitchen.
"I would call that a fitting conclusion to a substandard game," Severus sneered.
"Indeed," Albus nodded gravely as he helped the elves tidy away the beginners poker set he'd picked up in WH Smith. "Although, you must admit it went better than last years," he added, making sure to twinkle his eyes noticeably.
Severus nodded. Even his drinking habits could not remove the memory of Dobby's last annual rampage, the crazed elf smashed a bottle of tequila over his head. "I was picking shards of glass out of my hair for days," he moaned.
"Couldn't you just wash it out?" Albus asked, taken aback by his professor's admission.
Snape frowned. "I recall Potter sending me shampoo and raspberry conditioner, along with step by step instructions for such an occasion."
Albus stared. "Severus.. is there still glass in you're hair now?"
His collegues swift departure from the kitchens left little doubt on whether Severus had ever taken Harry's advice. He was thankfully distracted from Severus' latest low in personal hygiene by the arrival of Fawkes.
"Ah, a letter from Harry," he smiled as he opened the letter, offering his prized pheonix a few slices of roast duck from Dobby's plate.