At breakfast the next morning, the chair beside Professor Snape was noticeably empty.
Before he could say anything, let alone stand up, Dumbledore was besieged by questions from his staff.
Hermione glanced over to the Slytherin table but Draco Malfoy was still there, his face pale as he sat staring stone faced at his plate, ignoring the other Slytherin's around him.
Standing, Dumbledore hadn't long to wait before the Great Hall became silent.
"As you have all noticed" Dumbledore began, his voice solemn, "Miss Malfoy is no longer with us."
A murmur was heard in the hall and Hermione snuck a peek over to the Slytherin table and to a very grim Draco Malfoy.
"Oh no, oh my."
Dumbledore was quick to assure them when he heard someone bemoan her death.
"Miss Malfoy has simply decided to return to Shangri La with her parents and she Apparated to London last night to meet them."
Before, the room had been a buzz over what might have happened, now they wondered who would teach them potions, especially with end of term exams coming up.
"Students."
Dumbledore was smiling benignly down at them.
"As it is so close to the end of term, Professor Snape has kindly agreed to take on double duty in administrating your exams for Potions as well as Defense Against the Dark Arts."
As if he had heard their unspoken questions, Dumbledore paused before sitting back down.
"And yes," he declared, his blue eyes twinkling merrily,"in September you will of course have a replacement Professor."
With a genial nod to all he sat down and happily resumed his breakfast.
Hermione had glanced across to where Professor Snape sat at the Head Table and noted that he seemed inordinately pleased with himself, almost to the point of smirking.
'I suppose' she thought to herself, 'knowing his position as DADA teacher is secure, he actually has a reason to smile.'
"That's harsh" Ron commented between mouthfuls.
"What's harsh, Ron?" Harry asked the red headed boy before resuming his breakfast.
"Having Snape twice in one day" Ron snorted and several Gryffindors groaned in agreement. Hermione had a puzzled look as she tried to pin point what was bothering her about Dumbledore's speech.
Raised voices caught their attention and all eyes turned to the Slytherin table as Draco jumped up, his wand at the ready, his voice ragged.
"You take that back!"
Before he could use his wand, Snape had swooped down and pulled it from him then stood, arms crossed, jet black eyes glittering dangerously.
"Malfoy."
His voice was firm, but not unkind, as he gazed down at the flushed face of his favorite student.
"He said" Draco started, pointing to a scowling seventh year student.
"His..." the boy started, then stopped suddenly at the slyly calculating look he saw on Snape's face.
"Mr. Malfoy, your wand."
Snape returned Draco's wand, a thoughtful look on his angular face.
"I will see both of you in my office tonight, directly after dinner, where we will discuss this matter" he sneered as he glanced around at the goggling students, "in private."
Without a further word he spun on his heel and left the hall, his voluminous black cloak billowing behind him. Glaring at the older Slytherin Draco turned and hurried after his Head of House. Crabbe and Goyle started up, then decided against it and resumed their seats and their breakfasts.
"That was interesting" Harry commented quietly, looking around at the others.
"I sure wish I could be a fly on that wall" Ron stated, grinning broadly, "that would be a surefire way to find out what that guy said to Malfoy."
The students nearby nodded as they got up from the table and headed for their first classes. No one had happened to glance down the table at Ron's twin brother's however, for if they had they certainly would have felt the cold touch of fear at the conspiratorial look they shared, not to mention their decidedly wicked grins.
Fred and George Weasely, however, were not the only Gryffindor's making plans for that evening, and Hermione Granger walked out of the Great Hall with the look of a cat who had swallowed the proverbial canary.
