It had been difficult for Harry to decide whether he should go to see McGonagall first - or whether he should try to talk to Snape.
The truth was - he wasn't sure what he would say to Snape. And that was probably the reason why he hadn't stayed in Snape's office to wait for his return in the first place.
Harry had never been a coward. But this was different. He didn't really know why he wanted Snape to stay. The only thing he knew was that it felt painfully wrong for him to leave.
Maybe it was because Snape was one of the very few people who had been as deeply involved in the war as Harry. Or that Severus had been so close to Dumbledore.
There were still so many unanswered questions.
And maybe Harry was overreacting - but something told him that Snape was about to get as far away from Hogwarts and him as humanly possible.
Somewhere deep inside, though, Harry knew that there was more to it. That yesterday - with all its events - had changed things fundamentally. But Harry was by no means ready to acknowledge or analyze any of it. There was a thunderstorm raging in his heart that Harry tried very hard to ignore.
McGonagall wasn't happy when Harry woke her up at half past 6 in the morning. She was wearing a dressing gown, her hair was a mess - and her face creased in a deep frown.
"Mr Potter."
"Professor McGonagall. I'm sorry to bother you this early. But we need to talk about Professor Snape-"
"And we will. But this is hardly the time and place for it."
"You don't understand. He mustn't leave. I don't want him to leave. If you'd just listen to me I promise you I can explain everything. But you need to talk to him before he is gone."
"Mr Potter. First of all, there is no room for discussions. This is my decision, my decision only, and it doesn't make any difference to me who violates the rules and why. Whoever does such a thing will be let go. After all Severus has done before and during the war, I gave him the chance for an easy way out, and he took it. You will have to learn to accept that. Secondly, even if I would change my mind, and I won't, it is already too late. Severus left us just before midnight."
Harry was sitting at breakfast, stuck between Ron, who was bantering back and forth with Hermione about one of their usual subjects, and Ginny, who seemed to be trying to make up for all the conversations they had missed out on during the last few weeks at once by talking without coming up for air.
Harry didn't eat. All he could do was staring at Snape's empty place.
The doors of the Great Hall opened. For one wild moment, Harry thought Snape would come striding through - just like he had done weeks ago.
But no. Professor Slughorn had just arrived.
While he slowly made his way up towards the teachers' table, a whispering went through the hall. Why was Slughorn here? Heads turned to Snape's usual place, only to find it empty. The students didn't seem to know what to make of it while none of the teachers seemed surprised.
McGonagall stood up to greet Slughorn. Then she addressed the students.
"Professor Slughorn has thankfully agreed to help us out again. Professor Snape had to leave us yesterday to take on a short notice job offer abroad. We are very sorry to lose him but as I understand it is an opportunity one couldn't refuse."
Some of the younger students seemed quite happy and relieved about this news. A group of first-year Hufflepuffs actually started cheering. Snape was apparently still as popular with his students as he had always been.
"That's a bit odd," Hermione pointed out. "Why would he suddenly go away?"
"I think it's amazing." Ron leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head. "Means I might get my N.E.W.T. in Potions after all."
Hermione addressed Harry. "You've been with him yesterday, haven't you? Did he say anything-"
Harry looked at her. Before he could answer, Malfoy over at the Slytherin table stood up and addressed McGonagall.
"He didn't tell me anything about it. I just talked to him yesterday morning. He wouldn't just go without saying goodbye." He stared at her questioningly.
Some students at the Ravenclaw table started snickering.
Draco turned towards them angrily, then faced McGonagall again.
"Mr Malfoy, I am sure you can write to your godfather and he will explain it all to you. It was his personal decision and I won't go into any more details-"
"No. He didn't just leave." Harry stood up, too.
"Mr Potter…" McGonagall said warningly.
"No!" Harry was shouting now. "I won't accept that. It's a lie. You sent him away. You fired him - for nothing!"
Surprised, Draco turned to face him. "What?"
Harry glanced at Draco quickly but then turned back to McGonagall.
McGonagall didn't say anything for a while. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. Then the students started murmuring amongst themselves.
"Yes. I let him go. Do you want me to fill the rest of the school in on the reason why I did that?"
Harry just stared at her for a moment. Then Hermione addressed him.
"Harry, what's going on here? What happened?"
Harry looked at Hermione, at the frown on Ron's face, into Ginny's worried and tender eyes. Suddenly, every face in the Great Hall was fixated on him.
Harry struggled to get out of his seat and stormed out of the hall. What did he think? He was making it all much worse. He needed to come up with some kind of excuse... But first, he needed to find Snape. The only problem was, he had no idea where Snape could be. He knew that he must have a place where he lived during holidays, a house of some sort. But where?
An idea hit him, and he started to run, out onto the grounds and towards the gates.
As soon as he was outside of Hogwarts' grounds, he turned on the spot.
