[a/n: This is Monday. Harry was kidnapped Friday Night.]

Severus Snape woke blearily from a fuzzy, dark dream. Something about pygmypuffs landing on his head and smothering him, with Black and Potter laughing in the background. Blast! It was nearly time for breakfast. With speed borne from harsh training (Lucius Malfoy was rather a hard taskmaster about dressing, and he had been prefect for multiple years), Snape was dressed and heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast. More than halfway through breakfast, but he'd be damned if he'd let the blighters see him not there. His scowl was almost darker than usual as he entered near the Staff Table, wincing at Flitwick's shrill voice recounting one of Granger's wonderful, awesome, daring Charms that she had performed in class. Joy. With a sharp glare, Snape's attention focused on the Gryffindor table, and his perpetual scowl deepened as he saw that Harry Potter wasn't there - that boy spelled Trouble with a capital T. As if he needed more things on his plate! Did he dare to hope that Potter had been injured? Something not too dire, but enough to keep him in the hospital wing for a few weeks (and more importantly, out of Potions?)... With his luck, he'd be forced to deal with Potter whinging about drinking potions - perfectly ordinary potions, simply on the off chance that Snape might poison him; which might have been more thinkable if Snape wasn't hungover, and wouldn't have then been required to save Potter's sorry ass.

A glance at the Slytherin table revealed exactly what he had suspected - a subtle absence of Malfoy, which was causing both Crabbe and Goyle to act up more than usual. Typical clods and lummoxes both. They were smarter than they looked, sure... but that wasn't saying much.

He'd need to talk with his Slytherins, and soon. Before the end of the night, he thought. Unless Draco Malfoy dragged his sorry bum in from wherever he'd... wandered off to. Snape nearly snarled - his luck wasn't that good.


Morning Potions right after breakfast with the Slytherins and Gryffindors. Potter's class too - and Malfoy, who was almost as much trouble, and arrogant to boot! Not that Potter wasn't arrogance personified, but Draco had the Malfoy Presence that simply reeked of unshakeable confidence that I am better than you and I know it. Holding in a snarly grin, Snape thought, At least Potter knows how to shake by the time I'm done with him. Striding into the room (and slamming the door behind him as an afterthought), Snape strode to the front of the room and whirled, looking at his pupils. One missing - Potter. Granger and Weasley were exchanging nervous glances, Granger near to hopping up and saying something, even if it wasn't prompted or necessary.

Snape strode over, determined to have at least a little fun, and glared at the two Gryffindors as he leaned over them, "Has Mr. Potter injured himself? Do you know of any reason why he's not here right now?"

"No, sir." Granger said, her voice clear in the sudden silence of an attentive Potions classroom.

Weasley confirmed, "Haven't seen him all weekend, actually." Snape caught a sudden, fleeting glimpse of something he didn't want to see - a dark and shadowy wormlike presence in his mind, small yet fearsome. Mentally, he whirled away from it, knowing that it was likely to sneak up on him unannounced.

"I find it extremely hard to believe that you weren't both accomplices to his mischief. Both of you, follow me." Snape snapped as he straightened. Towards the rest of the class (as he was in the middle, he merely belted orders, assuming any who didn't listen would be helped by someone who did), "Read the first three chapters, and summarize the differences between the potions."

He successfully fought down a smirk at Millie's indignant, "But.. that's the difference between Lust Potions, Babbling Potions, and Glamour Potions!" It would certainly make an interesting assignment, if nearly ungradeable (hence why he hadn't given a length - the wise would be both concise and forthright, and the fools would turn in two inches).

As the door closed behind them, Snape paused a moment, and then turned toward his office. He strode swiftly, and waited until he had entered before he said a word. "Harry Potter, Saviour of the Wizarding World," Snape's tone was sulfuric acid, reeking of brimstone, "appears to be missing - when was the last time you saw him, and why didn't you report this immediately?!"

"I saw him at Dinner in the Great Hall on Friday, Professor Snape." Hermione said, her voice entirely too strained to sound confident.

"I saw him after dinner, in the Gryffindor Common Room." Ron replied, his face whiter than a bedsheet, freckles standing out in relief.

"Did either of you see him asleep?" Snape asked with an air of menace.

"No, but..."

"But what, Mr. Weasley?"

"On Saturday, I saw his bed had been mussed."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Well, sir, he wrote Ron a note, saying that he'd be out flying..."

"A note?"

"Yes, sir, and I received one the next day - he said he was skiving off to enjoy the day, and that he'd like to copy my homework... before your class..." The last bit was added in almost a whisper - but a clearly audible one at that.

"And you didn't think this was at all unusual?" Snape said, as a very grim thought was stalking him through his own skull. Not going to look at you, if I don't look at you, you don't exist.

"It was, a little - he's normally a bit of a loner, but... we'd generally see him for meals at least."

"Bring me the notes." Snape said crisply. "We will adjourn and meet in Dumbledore's office."


"What do you make of these notes?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape glowered darkly, "It would appear that Mr. Potter has disappeared - and not last night by the looks of it."

"He'd have told us if he was going to do something..." Ron bleated.

"I'm certain if he had intended to disappear, you'd have been right alongside him." Snape said waspily.

"But it's his handwriting!" Granger barked.

"Something easily copied, I assure you." Snape drawled out with just a hint of vehemence. He fingered the two notes - the first, "Gone flying, catch you later." was well done - almost suspiciously so. It was the second that told Snape who did it - Ron claimed he found it in his Potions book when he was studying with Granger on Sunday in the library... "Weekend's too nice to waste. Cover for me with 'Mione, I owe you one! See if you can get her to let me copy just this once. Gracias, Harry" Long association with the boy had taught Snape a bit about him - he had a tendency to babble, and most importantly - Snape'd eat his hat if the child knew Spanish. "If I may?" Snape rewrote the words on a different piece of paper, and burnt the evidence of tampering.

"Is Harry in any danger?" Granger asked, pale at the thought that their lax manners might have put her friend at risk.

"That is impossible to say, until we confirm who has taken him. If, that is, he hasn't wandered into a werewolf and gotten himself killed," Snape growled, enjoying the rather disconcerted look on Dumbledore's face, and said, "If you have nothing else to contribute, you may leave."


"Dumbledore, I fear I must be the one to find Potter this time."

"Oh, and why's that?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Vows press tightly on me, and I'd not see him dead, you know this."

"Not Lupin?"

"The werewolf? Surely you're joking, sir!" No, it would be a very terrible idea if Lupin caught Draco and Harry together - up to god knows what.

"Albus, call me Albus."

"Albus, then. I fear it won't be the Forbidden Forest, this time - and if that's the case, it may be some time before Potter can be located."

"Very well, my lad, you know I trust you completely."

"I'll send word when I may."

"Perhaps in a riddle this time?" Dumbledore suggested hopefully, which did nothing to improve Snape's mood or his throbbing headache.

"Perhaps. Nonetheless, there is another matter I ought to discuss with you. Draco Malfoy is missing."

"Related?"

"Who can really say? It would be a most unusual choice of companions - were either to get the idea to go gallivanting off into the sunset."

"I'll keep Lucius Malfoy as occupied as necessary. Preferably far away from Hogwarts." Dumbledore said, his eyes for once serious. Lucius Malfoy was not one to joke, chuckle, or guffaw about. He was quick as a snake, and twice as devious.

Snape smirked, and headed towards his next class - Malfoy may be devious, but Dumbledore was pure chaos. It tended to drive Malfoy to distraction, which would be a very good thing for all concerned.

[a/n: Up Next: Snape sets his affairs in order. Still Monday, just after lessons.]