The next morning Ron woke to find that Harry had already left the dormitory. His bed was made and his hangings folded back as if they hadn't been used. Ron dressed quickly and went downstairs into the common room to wait for Hermione. Hermione was already there and she told Ron how she had seen Harry leave. "I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be eager to see Snape" Ron said. Hermione nodded in agreement "Yes I know how you feel but Snape may be our last chance to save Harry and the rest of the school."
The pair didn't go down to breakfast but instead remained in the common room going over the plan until the bell sounded signalling the first lesson. Ron and Hermione walked down to the dungeons slowly so that they were late. This was part of the plan.
Ron and Hermione entered Snapes dungeon five minutes late and saw that everyone was working silently on a very complex potion. "Where have you been?" said a voice from the shadows and Professor Snape appeared behind them. "Erm" Ron said but Hermione cut across him "We just couldn't get here on time sir." she said smiling. Snape eyed them curiously. "Very well, try and get here quicker next time" he said and he pointed to a spare desk, "You two can work there next to Potter and Malfoy." He added and he walked to the front of the class. Ron and Hermione stood behind their desk and took out their ingredients. On a table next to them Harry and Malfoy were working together as if they had been friends for ages. Ron looked behind him and saw Neville working with Pansy Parkinson. Ron shuddered, this wasn't natural.
At the end of the lesson everybody handed a flask of their potion to Snape. The potion was supposed to be a mystic purple colour. Ron and Hermiones potion was black. When they presented this to Snape his face turned into anger and then he looked from his desk and saw Hermione wink at him. "Weasly, Granger stay behind please the rest of you may go" he said but nobody moved, "NOW!" he shouted and the students walked out of the classroom in silence in a straight line. Snape followed them and locked the door. Then he walked back round to Ron and Hermione.
"So" he said, "I'm not the only person here who has free will." Hermione took a deep breath " So you know about the potion as well?" she asked. Snape nodded "Of course I know I am the potions master of this school after all" he said, " I recognised it instantly and have been eating in Hogsmeade ever since but how did you escape and not Potter?" Hermione looked at Ron knowing that only he knew the answer to that question. "Well" Ron started, "Harry has only been like he is after he got caught by Dumbledore following a black figure who was Dumbledore." He said. Snape rubbed his chin thinking. "We have to put things right!" Hermione said. "I would if I knew the name of the potion there are hundreds of hypnosis potions." He exclaimed. Hermione smiled "Well then sir it may be our lucky day because I know the Potion that is being used."