All the Time in the World

Chapter Eleven

Dumbledore was absent the next day too. Harry had no idea what to do next.

"Maybe we can ask Dobby to find him again?" Suggested Ron.

"No," Hermione shook her head. "Professor Dumbledore might be doing something important, and he might not like being interrupted all the time. As far as he is concerned, he has made his decision. We will only get Dobby into trouble. We need to wait for him to return."

"Merope said she was running out of time," muttered Harry. "What if Dumbledore doesn't return in time?"

"There's nothing we can do, Harry," said Hermione. "We can hope he returns in time, but if he doesn't, there isn't much else for us to do."

Which did not comfort Harry much, though he tried not to think too much of it. Paying attention in classes had never been more difficult and after enduring two hours of Slughorn's sly hints about why Harry appeared to be distracted, all Harry wanted was to disappear entirely.

"Defence against Dark Arts next," groaned Harry. "Snape will murder me today."

"Harry," said Hermione. "You need to pay attention in class. Snape will know if you are not."

"Yea, and he'll probably know why too," muttered Harry. "He's an accomplished Leglimens, isn't he?"

"He won't use Leglimency on students!" Hermione sounded scandalized.

"No?" Ron snorted. "He would probably crucio all of us if Dumbledore weren't here. Compared to that, a bit of leglimency is nothing."

Harry chuckled, but he knew that Hermione was right. Slughorn was one thing, but he couldn't not pay attention in Snape's class. He did not want to attract any undue attention in Snape's class. But, thought he bitterly, Snape did seem to single him out for attention, just because of some boyhood feud with his father. And Snape actually thought Harry was attention seeking! He shook his head. Snape was one seriously disturbed wizard. Twisted too. Evil. Whatever Dumbledore, Lupin and Hermione believed, Harry was not going to trust Snape one iota. Which made it all the more imperative that Snape should not even suspect something was amiss with Harry.

"We have the whole day free after this class," said Ron, scanning the timetable. "Cool!"

"We're supposed to be studying Ron," said Hermione.

"We'll study. Fortunately, Slughorn didn't give us any homework."

"Doing homework does not equate to studying, Ron," muttered Hermione.

"To us, it does," said Ron.

There was no chance for further conversation as Snape swept into the room just then.

Harry applied himself diligently to listening to Snape's words. But when the time came for the practical application, Harry could not recall a single word of what Snape said. He still had not got the hang of non verbal spells. He avoided Snape's eyes as the man made vitriolic remarks on Harry's celebrity status and big-headedness.

Ron and Harry were both groaning under the loads of homework given by Snape while Hermione was already onto hers.

"It'll be Christmas by the time I finish these," groaned Ron. "Snape is a git."

"He's evil," muttered Harry. "He's a death eater, after all."

"Harry, he's on our side," said Hermione. "He's a spy, not a death eater."

"I don't trust him," said Harry. "We've no proof he ever reformed."

"I'm sure Dumbledore has proof." Said Hermione. "Just because he doesn't share everything with you doesn't mean he's not privy to information that you don't have,"

"Whatever," muttered Harry. "He's an evil git."

Hermione shook her head and went back to her homework.