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SITTING in the Great Hall once again was always going to be a surreal feeling no matter what.
After the Sorting was over, the tables filled themselves with food and drinks, and I dug in. In less than twenty-five minutes my plate was already empty.
"I think," Ruby remarked, "a certain green-eyed boy is missing."
I peered at her curiously, furrowing my eyebrows at the way she seemed to gaze over my shoulder. Wiping the corners of my lips with a napkin, I swallowed down the food in my mouth before speaking, "What do you mean?"
"Well, he's not in the Gryffindor Table."
"What?" I whipped my head behind me to find a familiar head of black messy hair next to a flaming ginger one, only to find that Ron was sitting alone with Hermione, the two of them occasionally glancing at the entrance for Harry.
Had he not returned to them after sneaking off to the Slytherin Compartment? Dread filled my stomach at the thought.
"Bloody hell," I muttered darkly once I finally spotted him emerging from the entrance doors and walking quickly to Hermione and Ron.
He was looking down to avoid anyone from staring, but even from where I sat I didn't mistake the crimson liquid pasted down his nose and mouth for something other than blood.
Ernie let out a whistle. "What the bloody hell happened to him?"
I sighed and tore my eyes away from the gruesome scene when Dumbledore stood upon the podium.
"The best of evenings to you all!" he greeted with a smile.
I plopped my chin on my palm and blocked out the rest of his speech, finding it too boring and repetitive.
". . .Professor Slughorn is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."
My chin almost slipped off as I jolted back to reality and exchanged shocked looks with Ernie and Ruby.
"Potions?" she repeated.
"That must be why he called you, Margo!" Ernie realized with a grin.
"Wait a second," I said quickly. "If Slughorn is going to take the Potions master post, then that means. . ."
"Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Dumbledore's voice boomed in the hall.
Ruby groaned and threw her head in her hands whilst Ernie slumped down his seat.
"I really thought that I was going to be escaping Snape this year," Ruby moaned in pain, "but no! The universe decided that I must suffer some more."
