Chapter 7

Classes were slow this year. It was all Ron and Hermione could do not to think about Harry. Katie Bell was threatening to kick Ron off the team if he didn't start concentrating more on flying, and Hermione had gotten a grade of 95 out of her usual 116 in Charms.

"I'm somewhat disappointed in you, Miss Granger," Professor Flitwick had said when he stopped Hermione after class. "you haven't gotten a grade lower than your usual since your third year!"

All Professor McGonagall would tell them was that Harry had been sent to one of the optional schools. Of course, Hermione knew all about them – she was considering them.

They had seen Harry briefly over summer vacation; he had come to Grimmauld Place for a day's visit. It was strange, they thought, to have a school that went year round.

"More About Muggles is year round," Hermione said one evening in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I doubt he's there, though," Ron replied. "Checkmate," he added as his bishop knocked Hermione's king off the board.

Hermione flipped through the pamphlets Professor McGonagall had lent her. "Where else could he have gone?"

Ron looked up. "Y'know, I bet he's in Adventuring School, and they kept him over the summer to teach him how to defeat You-Know-Who!"

Hermione sighed. "Ron, we've been through this before. Dumbledore is the best person to teach him!"

"Yeah, but he's got an injured hand now, doesn't he? Maybe – "

"You're not still arguing about Harry, are you?"

Both Hermione and Ron turned to see Ginny standing over them. "Of course not." Ron said automatically.

Ginny's eyebrows went up.

"Okay, so maybe we were." Ron said. "What does it mean to you?"

"Oh, nothing." Ginny played with a strand of hair. "It's just that . . . oh . . . Snape let something slip in class today."

Ron and Hermione stared at her, eyes wide.

"No." Ron said, aghast. "Snape? No..."

"Yes." Ginny said, a smug look on her face.

"What did he say?" Hermione asked.

"Fine." Ginny pulled a chair up to their table. "It was mostly just muttering. One kid asked about Harry for the umpteenth time. Snape told her if she didn't stop asking, she'd be sent to a worse place than Harry. Then he wandered the classroom that way he does, muttering a bit about awfulness and how 'magic shouldn't be that way'."

Hermione and Ron looked bewildered.

Ginny shrugged. "That's all I know."

"So," Hermione said slowly, "It's a place that Snape hates."

Ron snorted. "That really narrows it down."

"Actually, it sort of does..." Hermione began sorting through the pamphlets. "Adventuring School might not be his thing . . . More About Muggles . . . Art School, perhaps . . . what about Fairy School?" Hermione tossed it at Ron and Ginny.

Ron looked nauseated as he looked through the paper. "No wonder Snape doesn't like this place. Who would?"

Ginny looked over his shoulder. She got the same look. "I certainly don't."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Hand it back, please," she said.

Ron complied, holding it as far away from him as possible "It looks like someplace Umbridge might've enjoyed."

Ginny shuddered. "I really hope Harry isn't there."

"It sort of looks like it," Hermione replied.

Ron shuddered as well. "At least I'm not there. Wanna play chess, Hermione?"

Ginny whacked him. "Ron! There are more important things to do right now than play chess!"

"Like what?" he asked, rubbing his arm.

"Like rescuing Harry!" Hermione and Ginny said in unison.

"Oh yeah." Ron frowned. "How are we gonna do that?"

Ginny and Hermione smiled. "Oh, we'll think of something," Hermione said.

"Meet us here tomorrow evening," Ginny added.

"What – " Ron started, but the two girls had already stood up and were heading toward the girls dormitory.