CHAPTER SIX
THE MISSING PROFESSOR
Even though the days grew darker and heavy with wind, rain, and hail, the Hogwarts castle continued with its good cheer. Classes resumed, yet Care of Magical Creatures was moved to the dungeons since the weather was simply murderous. The windows throughout the castle had been sealed shut to keep curious students from opening them and causing a riot that Mr. Filch would have to clean up after.
From the way that Snape was acting, you'd have thought someone had hugged him that morning. He was scowling harder than ever and assigned extra homework, he said, to keep everyone busy.
"I'll bet he was hoping that the Abaddon was going to blow us all away so he could have revenge or something." Ron commented as they made their way up the stone steps from the dungeons.
"Don't be silly, Ron, honestly. He probably just gets in a bad mood when he's forced to work hard." Hermione said, pondering the idea of telling Ron what she and Harry had found the night of their exploring.
"And why are you sticking up for him? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're actually growing fond of Snape!" Ron seemed to shudder at the very thought.
"I am not growing fond! It's just that it seems more sensible, doesn't it?" Hermione was again forced to her logic.
"Well, I can see why Snape would be all hot and bothered about this... but, it's getting better." Harry said, contributing to both Hermione's and Ron's opinions.
"Maybe Snape knows something that we don't!" Ron suggested. Hermione gave Harry a questioning glance. He shrugged lightly.
"Okay, Ron... There's something we have to tell you." Hermione started, pulling him by the sleeve to a halt. "Late Monday night, Harry and I heard someone yelling."
"You heard it too?" Ron asked, eyes growing wider.
Hermione nodded. "And we both snuck out to see what was going on."
"You snuck out?!" Ron exclaimed. Harry almost thought he was going to object. "And you didn't take me with you?!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Anyway, we found this door at the top of a staircase and heard Snape in there. He said something like... oh, what was it he said, Harry?"
"He said 'Take them out.' Then he mentioned something about going to get more ingredients." Harry said.
Ron's eyes were bulging. "So Snape is up to something!" he said.
Hermione held up a hand, "Now, wait a second. Let's not point fingers just yet. That's a mistake we've made too many times before."
"You have to show me that room, though! Let's go tonight." Ron said belligerently, continuing down the hall as if suddenly engaging himself in a mission.
"No, Ron, we almost got caught! It's too risky." Hermione said, running to catch up with him.
Harry came up beside her. "Yeah, Snape has probably done something in case we come back... like rigging the door to holler if anyone touches it or something..."
"Well, I'm going anyway," Ron said stubbornly. "Even if you two aren't coming with me."
"You won't have my invisibility cloak in case someone sees you." Harry told him, testing his courage.
Ron gave him a look of sudden disappointment. "But... I'll be sure to get caught."
"Exactly!" said Hermione, acquiring her stern look. "Going by yourself would be suicide! It's precisely what I told Harry that night. If you're going to go, take someone with you." Ron glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. Hermione suddenly wished she hadn't said that.
"Ron... if you're really serious about going..." Harry began, staring at the floor as he walked. "I'll go too."
"Harry!" Hermione glared with a hint of betrayal.
"I kind of want to know what's in that room, too." Harry admitted. Hermione rolled her eyes, shook her head at the two, and quickened her pace to start on her way to Muggle Studies. Harry and Ron continued to Divination with Professor Trelawny in her nauseating, incense-clogged classroom in one of the towers.
The Divination lesson was quite amusing. Professor Trelawny had asked the class to give a prediction of the future life of another student. Ron somehow managed to predict that Harry would loose all of his appendages one day, then wrestle a crocodile the next! He had a difficult time convincing Trelawny that he hadn't made it up, while Harry (along with most of the class) almost fell out of his chair with laughter.
They met up with Hermione afterwards in the Great Hall for lunch, though she didn't seem pleased to converse with either of them. She was undoubtedly quieter, which made the other two nervous and equally speechless. Ron tried to make a comment about how hard the cooks must be working as the recent meals had been excellent. This simply brought up remarks on Hermione's past struggles to give justice to the house-elves down in the kitchen.
"I don't think they mind working in those conditions, really." Ron said, trying to cover things up.
"I don't care whether they mind or not, it's the fairness in all of it." Hermione fumed, still not looking at him.
Harry jabbed an elbow in Ron's ribs. "Leave it." he mouthed. A hit from Hermione was the last thing he wanted to see (though he doubted she would sink that low). The meal wasn't as good as they hoped, predominantly because the three of them had lost their appetites in the tension. Even so, Hermione ate without a hesitation or complaint, while Harry and Ron played with their food for a while.
Their next class was Defense Against the Dark Arts with the new professor, and Triwizard Tournament champion from last year, Fleur Delacour. Hermione was ecstatic to finally have a female dark arts teacher. Ron felt the same deep inside, though didn't express it in any way to avoid bringing up the twinges of embarrassment from the year before.
Most of the boys in the class found it extremely difficult to concentrate, as Professor Delacour was part veela, a nymph-like creature who's beauty can bring men to their knees... or jumping out of windows, whatever.
As they entered the classroom and found their seats near the back, they noticed that the Professor had not yet arrived. Usually, she spent lunch in her office, jotting down notes in French on a clipboard. Today, there was a certain lack of- well... a teacher, sending curious conversation about the room. Ron gave a slight hint of disappointment, sitting in unusual silence. Hermione simply glared up at the chalk board.
Suddenly the classroom door opened, but the individual who emerged was not one Professor Delacour, nor was it Snape who was usually a substitute (being rather greedy for a stab at Defense Against the Dark Arts). It was Professor McGonagall with a grim expression plastered on her face. She strode to the desk and faced the class.
"Professor Delacour is unable to attend class today, so I will be substituting for now." No one dared ask where Snape was, for fear of McGonagall calling on him to be their substitute instead.
It was no use fibbing to the Professor when it came to what they had been learning in the past few days. She obviously knew exactly what she was doing. The lessons were even harder, simply because McGonagall was a stricter teacher than Delacour... And homework was even worse! Everyone groaned and complained when she assigned a 3-footed-parchment essay. "To keep you all busy" was her excuse.
When class was over, most of the students rampaged to the exit as quick as possible to avoid more homework. Harry, Ron and Hermione were the last in the crowd. As they passed by the front desk, Harry caught a glimpse of a sheet of parchment on Professor Delacour's clipboard. It was written completely in French with only a few words that he recognized. Some words that caught his attention were "Professeur S-"... but he couldn't catch the last few letters; and he didn't dare turn around to get a better look with McGonagall keeping a close watch. Could that have possibly been "Professor Snape"? Why would she write something about him in her notes?
When they were out of the classroom and down the hall a ways, Harry stopped and grabbed the other two by their robes.
"Did you see the notes on Delacour's desk? The ones in French?"
Hermione and Ron exchanged glances, then shook their heads no.
"I think I read something about Professor Snape on them... though I'm not sure." Harry said, staring bemusedly at the floor.
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Did you read anything else?"
"Yeah, but it was all in French." Harry began slowly down the hall again, deep in thought. The others followed closely.
"What a pile of-... what's anything she's concerned with have to so with Snape?" Ron said bitterly. There was a hint of jealousy in his voice.
Harry said nothing for a few seconds... then quietly "Are we still going to check out that room tonight?"
"If you still do, I'm for it." Ron replied, almost whispering. "How about you, Hermione? You sure you don't want to come?"
"I've seen it, thanks. I'm not about to be almost caught twice." Hermione said sourly, walking ahead of them. One thing was for sure; she certainly held some major grudges!
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