Headmistress Minerva McGonagle arose to a touch of frost on the outside of the window, the same window that overlooked the frozen lake that surrounded Hogwarts. After prepping herself for the day's events, she made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. There weren't many students gathered this early in the morning. Rarely, are students eager to jump out of bed from beneath their heavy quilts when the temperature outside is less than favorable. Professor McGonagle purposefully walked down the stairs of the castle, smiling and nodding to students as she was greeted here and there, and just as she was about to enter the doors of the Great Hall, she saw the black shoes, pants, and cloak of another Professor at Hogwarts; a Professor that she was hoping to run into on this particular morning.
'Oh Professor Snape,…' Professor McGonagle called, as she approached the Potions Master.
Severus Snape knew just exactly who was calling his name, before he even turned around. As stiff as a broomstick, he slowly turned to face the Headmistress. 'Minerva…to what do I owe the pleasure?' drawled Severus Snape, an inkling of sarcasm in his voice. The two stood in the entranceway to the Great Hall, facing one another.
'I had tried to reach you after the Order meeting last night. I know that you had some…business to attend to,' she added quietly, '…but I had tried to contact you long after I thought you would have returned.'
'I see…' said Severus. 'I was a bit…detained, Minerva,' he said to the Headmistress.
'Oh,' said Professor McGonagle, nonchalantly. 'Well then, I suppose you wouldn't have any idea why Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger were so late to arrive back in their dormitories, now would you?…' she added.
Severus Snape looked at her for a brief moment before saying, 'Minerva, I suggest that if you would like to sort out all the details, you should ask two of them, before –'…and before Severus could finish, he heard from in back of him:
'Ask us what, Professor…?'
The quiet voice belonged to none-other than Hermione Granger, for she and Harry had heard a fair bit of the conversation between the two Professors before making their presence known.
'Miss Granger…I…May I have a word?...' stuttered Professor McGonagle, looking at both Harry an Hermione.
Severus gave a final smirk, looking at the three individuals before making his way into the Great Hall for breakfast and naturally, to unfairly deduct house points from non-Slytherin students as well.
Ushering the two of them into a corner some distance away from the main doors to the Great Hall, Professor McGonagle looked at Harry and Hermione and spoke to the pair:
'I noticed that the two of you returned quite late to your dormitories last evening…I was speaking with Mr. Weasley in the Gryffindor common room last night, and he had informed me that the two of you had not arrived back at Gryffindor Tower,' said a somewhat concerned Professor McGonagle in a hushed tone, for more students were continuing to make their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
'Well, Professor,' started Harry, '…we were talking in the hall…the two of us…Me and Hermione…and then Professor Snape came up to us and…and he was speaking to us as well…about…' trailed Harry's voice.
'-about the War, Professor,' piped up Hermione. The Headmistress focused her gaze on the young witch. 'He…he said that You know Who may have a new plan..or something along those lines…actually I'm not really sure what he was talking about, we were so tired, really…' Hermione stated, the words flying fast out of her mouth.
'Yea,' added Harry, 'we…we were so tired, exhausted is more like it, that…that we really didn't understand what he was trying to tell us…I think…I think he may even had taken house points away from us for being out so late…' added Harry matter-of-factly, looking at Hermione.
'Really?' asked Professor McGonagle, still maintaining a hushed-like tone. 'Well, perhaps it was information he should share with the entire Order, if it does indeed concern the War as you just said. Perhaps I should ask him about it…' stated Professor McGonagle, eyeing the doors to the Great Hall, pretending to look for the Potions Master.
'No!' said Harry, eyes wide. 'I mean…I mean we'll ask him about it later…after all…he…we'll see him in Potions after breakfast,' said Harry, looking at Professor McGonagle. He was not worried looking at her, looking right into her soft hazel eyes. She was not as half as a good Occulmens as Professor Snape, and for this, Harry was grateful.
'Hey guys,' they heard called from behind Professor McGonagle. The Headmistress turned around to find Ronald Weasley, half asleep, shirt un-tucked, and tattered pea green book bag on his right shoulder.
'Hey Ron,' Hermione called to him, peering around the Headmistress to look at Ron, a small smile on her face.
'Mr. Weasley,' Professor McGonagle said, looking up and down at her student. 'You…Oh tuck in that shirt, for God's sake, do you really want to lose house points due to mere appearance?' added the Headmistress, a disapproving look on her face and the sound of unmistakable annoyance in her voice.
'And you two…' she said, turning around to give orders to Harry and Hermione: '…Go and eat some breakfast. I…I suppose we shall speak later...' She gave them one final glance, another disapproving look at Ron, and made her way into the Great Hall.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood there, watching the Headmistress disappear. They walked slowly to the entrance of the Great Hall, not paying attention to the other students that side-stepped them to make their way into the giant room to eat breakfast.
'What was that all about?' asked Ron to Harry, looking into the Great Hall.
'Oh nothing Ron….Gee let me think' Harry spoke, looking up at the ceiling, his index finger curled under his chin ' - you couldn't have said that McGonagle was looking for us last night, now could you' asked Harry as he looked at his best friend.
'Oh yeah, that…' said Ron, looking a bit sheepish and. 'Well I was kind of tired…and you lot did come in kind of late,' said Ron, trying to justify his reasoning.
'Oh never mind,' said Hermione to no one in particular in an irritated tone. For Hermione Granger was not feeling well this very morning. Not well at all.
'Let's just go into the Hall instead of dwadling here looking like idiots,' she spoke sternly to the two of them.
With Hermione glancing at the floor, Ron gave an inquisitive look at Harry, at which he nonverbally replied by shrugging his shoulders. Harry and Ron made their way into the Hall for breakfast, with Hermione following close behind the boys.
Well, they had thought she was close behind…
For as the three made their way halfway down the center aisle of the Great Hall, Harry glanced up at the head table. He was looking at Professor McGonagle, who was trying her darndest to have a meaningful conversation with Professor Snape. Snape, on the other hand, seemed not phased in the least by what the Headmistress was telling him, for his gaze shifted from panning the crowd of chattering students to one single student in particular. His brow furrowed, and a scowl masked his face. He made his way to stand up, at which Professor McGonagle stopped speaking to Severus, and turned her head in the direction of the scowling Potions Master. She gasped, eyes wide, put her hands over her mouth, and stood up faster than a bolt of lightening.
At seeing the sight of his two Professors, and hearing gasps and whispering in back of him, Harry turned around to see what all the fuss was about. As if in slow motion, and not taking sight off of what he had just seen, he grabbed Ron by the arm, forcing the young Mr. Weasley to turn around as well.
…For there lay Hermione Granger, in the middle of the Great Hall, surrounded by her classmates…. Unconscious.