"Oh dear oh dear oh dear." Dumbledore muttered as he examined the former potions-master's body, which Sirius had so carefully laid to rest in the bath. The young man's face was so pallid, so white. So completely and utterly dead. It wasn't right and Albus simply couldn't come to terms with it. Of course, the old wizard hadn't expected Lucius to simply let everything go, let Draco go, but he certainly hadn't anticipated an attack as vicious as this,

"What do we do now, Professor?" Tonks asked quietly as she watched from the door, "What about Draco? Are we going to catch Lucius? Or are we going to give up."

"I do not know." The old man replied gravely, "Justice ought to be done, but we cannot risk this happening again. If Draco comes back here, what is to stop him from being taken away again? We'll just be going round and round in a never-ending circle. I don't know, Nymphadora. We don't even know where the boy is. Severus was the one that knew him best, he'd know what to do…"

"What would I know?" Both Dumbledore and Tonks turned simultaneously in confusion. A pearly figure was standing- well, more like floating- in the corner, wearing an incredibly bemused expression. This changed, however, when 'it' caught them staring at 'it', mouths open, eyes wide with shock, "What?" 'It' demanded indignantly, "Stop staring at me!" Dumbledore, being the first to regain his composure, stepped warily over to the shimmering spectre, which was gradually becoming more and more in focus,

"Umm, Severus?" The ghost raised an eyebrow,

"Yes?" Dumbledore turned away for a moment and pinched himself hard on the arm, before turning back to the ghost who was, allegedly, Snape. He grinned broadly,

"Jolly good!" He exclaimed randomly, throwing his hands in the air. Severus rolled his eyes and glided over to Tonks, who couldn't help but recoil slightly,

"What's the matter with him?" Snape asked, "He's being stranger that normal."

"I-I think he's a but surprised." Tonks told him, almost apologetically, "We weren't really expecting you. We thought you'd…you know…had gone forever." Severus frowned,

"What do you mean? Why would I do that?" Dumbledore walked cheerfully over to them,

"My dear boy, you are aware that you are dead. Aren't you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Dead." Albus repeated, "Deceased, expired no longer living. Whatever you wish to call it." Severus glared at him.

"I am not dead." He snapped, "In what way am I dead? I hardly think that if I were, I would be standing here talking to you."

"You mean to say, that you remember nothing of what has happened?" Dumbledore enquired gently, his former animated personality suddenly replaced by a somewhat sad and pitying one.

"I remember being attacked when I was trying to protect Draco. Lucius' spell knocked me out, but it didn't kill me. It can't have." He looked uncertainly over at the Headmaster, "Can it?"

"I'm afraid so. I'm sorry Severus."

"And what about Draco? Where is he?" Tonks and Dumbledore exchanged uneasy glances, "What does that mean?" Snape demanded, frustration rising, "He is here! He has to be! You can't have let him be taken away!"

"Well the thing is," Tonks said slowly, "Nobody knew what had happened until afterwards and by then it was too late." She went on hastily and Severus sent a murderous look in her direction, "But we will get him back. We were just wondering how when you, umm…turned up."

"Well, considering that Lucius killed me and everything, couldn't the Aurors arrest him for that, then you'd be able to rescue Draco and Lucius would be locked up in Azkaban." He folded his translucent arms smugly across his chest. Dumbledore nodded, impressed,

"Very clever, I should've thought of that myself…right, we'll get onto that right away. Severus, perhaps you would like to go a pay Miss Granger a visit, she is quite distraught at the recent events and maybe you could console her slightly?" Snape pulled a face,

"Very well."

Hermione lay despondently on her bed, sobbing into her pillow. She's been crying now for what seemed like days and days as everything that had happened washed through her mind. She felt like she could've stopped some of those things from happening, like they were her fault. She knew, also, that there was nothing that could be done, but that knowledge simply confused her, servicing to make her all the more upset until all that was left of Hermione were tears and thoughts.

"Granger?" Hermione raised her tear-streaked face towards the voice of the newcomer,

"Who is it?" She whispered, rubbing her eyes into focus. The shadowy figure of a man drifted towards her, making her start with shock, "Who is it?" She repeated, sharper and more urgent,

"It's Professor Snape." Came the reply. Hermione started at him incredulously,

"You're joking…"

"Nope." Hermione squinted at him and sure enough, the silvery image of her former teacher was floating in front of her. She promptly began to his herself around the head,

"Wake up! Wake up! Stop dreaming you stupid girl!"

"GRANGER!" The girl jumped,

"So…so you're not a dream? But-but…how?" The ghost shrugged,

"I don't know. I only found out a minute ago that I was dead. Strange how much people really know about themselves…"

"Why are you here?"

"What?" Hermione sighed with impatience,

"You're a ghost, aren't you? That must mean that you have a reason to be here. Dead people don't just turn up for no reason, you know." Severus' eyes narrowed,

"Don't start getting smart with me, Granger." He warned, "I am well aware of that fact and if you cannot think of a reason why I have 'hung around' you are one of the most stupid people I have ever had the misfortune to meet."

"Then why, Professor, are you wasting time talking to me? Surely there is somebody who needs you more?"

A/N: Allo! This is soo close to finishing :) Only about 2, 3 chapters to go so i hope you like them.

Au revoir to -addicted-2-hp- who has (apparantly) left the HP fannon for good. Been nice knowing you >sniff

And lemon cheese cake to...

-addicted-2-hp-, Miss-Be-haven, Sailor Hecate, lollenk, pinkalarmclock, grlkat, Hiei'sCrazySpaz , shining bright eyes, hogaboom, Sprite Eyes, Ivy by Moonlight, Sexy Cookie 1223, 13 BlackAngels, perfectpureblood, lilmissgullable, lilibet, Nikki's Evil Doppelganger, Irite4uall and Forks lover 1.

Kudos to ye all! Lily xxxxxx