.:.:.:.:.

A few minutes later, Dumbledore's speech was over, and the feast had begun. Hermione hadn't noticed-- she'd been too horrified at the prospect of having a Malfoy in Gryffindor house to pay attention to what was going on.

"HERMIONE!" someone cried. "Wake up!"

Hermione looked up to see who was talking to her. "I wasn't asleep, Neville." she stated crossly. "Its just that we have her--" she jerked her head towards Rose, "in our house now. I'm not in all that great of a mood at the moment."

Neville nodded solemnly, then broke out into a grin. "But... we... its just- -"

Hermione sighed in annoyance. "What?"

"Well... how can you be unhappy at a time like this?!" he obviously assumed Hermione knew what he was talking about.

"What is it, Neville?" Harry asked curiously.

"Its just..." he could hardly contain his excitement, "Snape's left!"

Ron's spoon fell to the table with a clatter, spraying chicken soup all over a third year girl seated next to him. "Sorry." he mumbled.

"What do you mean, Snape's left?" Harry questioned eagerly.

"He's up and left!" Neville repeated.

"He's right, Harry," Hermione exclaimed, "--look at the staff table: Two new teachers, one empty seat, and no sign of Snape!"

"But-- where could he have gone?" Ron asked in confusion.

"Don't you see?" Hermione snapped impatiently, "It must be the special mission Dumbledore sent him on last year! You know, to go back to Vol--"

"Or," a voice from behind Hermione interrupted, "he's feeling a bit under the weather, and is unable to attend the banquet this evening." It was Professor McGonagall. "I should certainly hope never to see a student of mine--a prefect at that--spreading rumours about a Hogwarts teacher. Never again, Miss Granger." she reprimanded her disapprovingly.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall." Hermione replied humbly.

"And, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall shot Ron an icy glare, "I'd like to have...a word with you. Outside. NOW."

Ron gave Harry and Hermione a helpless look as he rose and left the Great Hall, along with his teacher.

.:.:.:.

Ron returned to Gryffindor house later that night... Harry and Hermione had waited up.

"Malfoy's sister is in my house, Snape is still here, I'm serving a detention next week, and I've lost fifty points for Gryffindor. Could it get much worse?" he asked in a depressed sort of way.

"Well... actually..." Hermione began quietly, "it might. Remember how I said there were two new teachers at the staff table?"

"Yes." Ron replied sharply. "Contrary to popular belief, Hermione, I can do math. Snape's substitute, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: 1 + 1 = 2."

Hermione shook her head. "Yes, Ron... but there was another empty seat. The empty chair was Snape's. One of the new teachers was our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Now, who is missing? Who haven't we seen all day? Who isn't here, and needs a replacement?"

Ron thought for a moment, then replied, puzzled, "Hagrid."

Harry nodded grimly. "Now, the question that remains is: why isn't Hagrid here?"