Harry was supposed to be heading down to detention, however, Professor McGonagall had stopped him and guided him into her office. Harry just wanted out, really, but she was determined to 'counsel' him about his nighttime wanderings. It wasn't as if he'd been doing them on a schoolnight! Just when it was Christmas. She seemed to think that he "wasn't fitting in" or was "perhaps having a nightmare." Harry'd been tempted to say that She was the nightmare for not letting him get to detention.
Instead, Harry let her talk, and only once she'd petered out, did he ask, "May I have a note, I'm bound to be late for detention."
Prof. McGonagall had sighed and said, "Yes, you may." She scrawled it out, and said, "Off you go."
Harry bolted downstairs, though he swore he could hear someone above him yelling, "No running indoors." Probably Percy, Harry thought with a grin. By the time he was in the dungeons, he was both on the lookout for stray feet (which could trip him up), and trying not to look like a hellion on a rocket sled.
By the time he'd knocked on the door to Snape's classroom, Snape opened it himself (having stood there for how long, Harry wondered). "Late, Potter? This is exceptional even for you."
Harry nodded, "Sorry, sir. I've got a note."
Snape read the note, in full, his hair falling down across his face. Then he looked up and said, "Fortunately for you, and rather Un-fortunately for me, I have a staff meeting today. So I cannot supervise your detention. We will reschedule for tommorrow."
"Sir?" Harry asked, "Why is a staff meeting such an unfortunate occurrence?"
"It is a waste of time, where the teachers gossip instead of providing accurate assessments. Rarely is anything done about even the most rambunctious of students." Harry read that as TheTwins, because of course that was who he meant. "I'd just as soon not go." Snape said firmly. "Alas, it is a condition of my employment."
Snape strode off without another word, and Harry started to plan. Because Snape might have to go... but... Harry had a mischievious thought, and he knew just who to recruit to help him do it.
[a/n: Your weekly reminder: Harry's a first year. He's really not good at many spells. What do you thin he's doing? Leave a review? UpNext: Quiddich and more Quiddich. Joy.]