"Harry mate, are you sure this is a good idea?"
"What would you have me do instead Ron?! Leave her there?! She's obviously upset about something; don't you think she needs us right now? Hasn't she always been there for us?"
A brief silence was shared between the two, as they both became briefly ensconced in their thoughts.
"You're right".
"Right so, a lot of the passageways were destroyed and cut off in the final battle. We'll make our way to the room of requirement and use the tunnel there".
Harry spun on his foot and continued along the dark corridor they had been travelling, map in hand.
Ideally, the two of them would have been using Harry's invisibility cloak, however it was at this time in the possession off Fred and George Weasley who were attempting to use it as a foundation design for another one of their creations.
It was unfortunate, that during the brief time Harry had spent reassuring Ron about the plan he had forgone another look at the map. It was due to this, that Harry found himself rounding the corner and walking straight into Professor Snape.
Jumping back, Harry heard Ron gulp from behind him as the Professor righted himself.
"Potter and Weasley. I should have known. I think that will be 50 points from Gryffindor for being out of bed after curfew", he said glaring at the two boys before him.
Ron began shifting uneasily behind Harry; however Harry made no move to back down.
"We're on our way to see the Headmistress actually, it's an emergency".
Harry watched as he saw Snape contemplate his answer. Surprisingly he seemed to find weight in the words and made no immediate sign of continuing his tirade.
"Perhaps you would be so kind as to inform of the details Potter, or has fame left you with a thirst only to converse with those of us who are of infinite stature."
Harry felt a quick shudder over take him, as he realised that the Professor was of course taking a jab at the recent photograph of himself shaking hands with the Minister of Magic under the title 'Potter Believes'. He had of course been reluctant to partake, but felt he owed it to Kingsley to help rebuild the wizarding world's trust in the Ministry.
It was however Ron who spoke up "Its Hermione, she's mis..."
"misplaced her cat", Harry quickly cut of the other boy shooting him a look of annoyance. They were supposed to be getting her back and trying to keep her out of trouble rather than landing her directly in it.
Snape sneered "I don't know which is more infuriating, you believing a missing cat to be a state of emergency or your belief that such a feeble lie would fool me?" Snape heightened his glare before continuing, "As it is, both the headmistress and I are both aware of the whereabouts, or should I say lack thereof, of Miss Granger".
"Aberforth sent you a patronus as well?!" Ron began, only to be once again silenced by Harry's glare.
Professor Snape however seemed almost placated by the slip of tongue "She's made it out of the grounds", it wasn't a question. Almost simultaneously, another realisation clicked in his head "And I'll take twenty points for lying directly to a teacher Potter. It seems we are rather nearer a certain required room than the Headmistress's office".
Harry grimaced and silently cursed Ronald Weasley, and not for the first time.
"Back to your dormitories, both of you, and if I such much as get a sniff of you leaving again I won't hesitate to remove your privilege of belonging to a certain house team".
With the Professor Snape changed directions and swept quickly up the corridors back to the Headmistress's office, leaving a very irritated Harry Potter behind.
"You better bloody hope she doesn't get in too much trouble, she'll never forgive you" and with that he left a very sullen Ronald Weasley in his wake.