A/N:Still not receiving any mails from FF_net, but I saw that some of you found the updates, as there were reviews on the new chapters. So, I read the reviews directly on the homepage. Well, here is the next chapter. Enjoy! *runs away giggling*
News at Dinnertime
Hermione, Harry, and Ron went to dinner Saturday evening feeling exhausted but also elated. All the homework was finished, and they had one glorious day without any thoughts of school left (Harry and Ron), or one day without the need to badger her friends into working (Hermione) ahead of them.
They sat down at the single table and chatted with the other students who were present. Mainly Ginny, the twins, and Draco, Vince, and Greg as they were calling the (de-cursed) members of the Slytherin trio now. They all cheerfully bemoaned their dwindling holidays, and Hermione and Vince started a discussion about something or other.
Again.
The other students had quickly learned to just let them be. The two were just too brainy for their own good, as Ron put it.
They ate, until Draco called out, "Mother? Father? What are you doing here?"
They looked up and saw a very blond couple entering through the side door, together with all the teachers and staff members staying over the break, smiling at the equally blond boy.
Professor McGonagall was with them as well, but she looked like she had dung under her nose, Harry thought.
Hagrid, on the other hand, looked very sad and was sniffling a little.
The adults took their seats and Mr Malfoy answered his son's question, "Well, there've been some developments. Please keep them to yourself until tomorrow evening, all right?"
The students nodded. They could do that, as owls were in such high demand right now, with the owlery being nearly empty, and their friends would return tomorrow evening anyway.
"Very well. Then you're the first to hear the news," Mr Malfoy said, and Professor McGonagall huffed. She was very clearly not happy about them.
"This afternoon, Professor Flitwick found this note on Headmaster Dumbledore's desk," Mr Malfoy held up a strip of parchment. "It states, 'I retire. Have a nice life. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore; PS: The Greater Good will always prevail.'"
Hagrid noisily blew his nose.
Shocked faces – with their mouths hanging open – greeted Mr Malfoy when he looked up after he read the note to his audience. (Not that he didn't remember its wording by heart by now, but it was such an absurd little text that he had to look at it again.)
"Please close your mouths, and swallow the food in it," he asked his audience with a mild but still stern tone of voice.
About twenty mouths snapped shut and Mr Malfoy started talking again, "Thank you. I must confess our reaction was not much different. My wife and I happened to hear Mr Flitwick's message to visiting Professor Snape, that's why we came too. My wife came in the capacity as a new staff member – it will be explained later, son – and I, as a sitting member of the school governors.
"We found all of Mr Dumbledore's things gone. His wardrobe, his books, and his letters. Even the Phoenix's bird stand, as well as all the little trinkets cluttering his office, have disappeared. So we are quite sure his resignation was legitimate. The question was, who would get to be the new headteacher? Every one of the Head of Houses declined. And very long story short, they asked me to take the job for the rest of the school year."
The students gasped, especially Draco, who didn't look very happy about it. Harry thought that the boy would've been smirking and lording his father the headmaster over everyone, before the counter-spell. But now, he seemed to see the downside, as well.
"Don't fret, Draco. Any disciplinary matter will be handled by Severus."
Draco huffed and Greg patted his shoulder consolingly.
"So, you're Headmaster Malfoy now?" Hermione piped up.
"Exactly, Miss…"
"Granger, sir. Hermione Granger."
"Oh, the smart one. I heard about you."
Hermione and Draco blushed.
"So, no one knows where Dumbledore went?" one of the twins asked.
"We've no idea. He left without a trace. But since his familiar is a phoenix, it's safe to assume he asked his bird to Apparate him."
Hagrid blew his nose again.
"But that's impossible in Hogwarts," Hermione said, frowning.
"For human beings it is not possible, that's true, but other species can do so easily, like phoenixes and house-elves, but we digress." Headmaster Malfoy hastily added when Hermione opened her mouth again.
"I wanted to tell the present Weasleys that I'm sorry for my behaviour in the bookshop last summer. I wasn't myself at the time. Or rather, for a long time."
Percy nodded and said, "Thank you, sir. But, if you don't mind me asking, why did they ask you?"
Draco's dad chuckled when seeing all the nodding student's heads and answered, "I don't mind your asking at all. I think it was partly because I was there, partly because I'm a politician at heart, and partly because no one else wanted the job."
The children sniggered.
"And you, mother?" Draco asked.
Mrs Malfoy answered, "Albus Dumbledore wasn't the only one quitting his contract today. This morning Madam Pomfrey resigned, and Professor Snape asked me to step in as the Matron, for this term."
"So, father will sit in the Headmaster's Tower, and you'll be at the Hospital Wing?" Draco asked.
"Exactly, son."
"That's all right then," Draco decided. At least they wouldn't teach him! He shuddered at the thought.
"And I quit being Head of House of Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall snapped out.
The children, especially the Gryffindors, gasped.
"Oh, but you'll still teach?" Hermine asked.
"Yes. But it was made clear…," She seemed to stop herself from talking about what exactly had been made clear and continued after a small cough, "Yes, I'll concentrate on teaching, Miss Granger. I also quit the post as deputy."
"Oh, who's the deputy now?" Percy asked and Professor McGonagall frowned.
Maybe she's expecting more protests from us? Harry thought, rather insightful.
"And more importantly, who'll become our Head of House now?" one of the twins (probably Fred) asked.
Mr … no… Headmaster Malfoy chuckled and said, "Professor Flitwick agreed to take the deputy post till the end of term and we've still to find a Head of House for Gryffindor as of yet, I'm afraid."
"And you quit that job anyways, Professor?" Hermione blurred out and then blushed.
Professor McGonagall sniffed and said stiffly, "I did indeed Miss Granger. Apparently, you all need a Head of House who teaches you about safety protocols and such. There were letters," she pursed her lips.
"Oh," Hermione chewed her lip. "Yes, I can see that."
Professor McGonagall's neck turned red.
Harry had bad experiences with people whose necks turned red. But at least, Professor McGonagall didn't start bellowing. And he thought, in her case, it might be more embarrassment than anger.
Headmaster Malfoy and Professor Snape looked happy, though. Harry guessed that Professor McGonagall had been very opposed to all the changes. She did respect Headmaster Dumbledore very much. As did Madam Pomfrey. Hm… Maybe the Matron had quit because Dumbledore was gone? But that couldn't be right. She resigned before Dumbledore, right?
Maybe his medical stuff had been forgotten about in all the hubbub, Harry hoped.
A/N1: McGonagall had quit as Head of House before they were discussing the new headmaster, and therefore she didn't get to vote. Only Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick did.
Her reasons – not in that order (nor are they very logical):
a) She had decided to quit it anyway after Pomona had written to her about all the parents' complaints about the students not knowing the safety procedures and
b) She expected to get nominated and voted for by the other three as interim Headmistress when they had discovered Dumbledore had left first and she didn't want to vote for herself.
c) She couldn't be both Headmistress and Head of House.
Someone put it best: She is in a snit.
My take: She feels underappreciated (rightly so) and manoeuvred herself into a corner that her stubbornness keeps her stuck in.
A/N2: I cannot count how often I burst out into giggles when writing 'Headmaster Malfoy' while writing this story. It's just so ludicrous!