In the Melancholy Moonlight, Part 5: Dark Matter

Chapter 258: With You I Fall Down, Down

LUCY:

Before we knew it, September was upon us.

I'd heard no news of Henry and Archie, and neither had the twins. As much as I tried to abide by the "no news is good news" mantra those days — as much as I tried to find comfort in the fact that I had not heard so much as a whisper about their capture, or worse — I began to understand what the twins meant when they said that hearing from me at all was good, no matter what I had to say. I checked in daily, when everyone else was busy, just to ask if they'd heard anything and to report that I had not.

I was certain that the others wouldn't mind the fact that I was in contact with Fred and George, but I didn't really feel the need to inform anyone about it, either. If the twins ever offered information that I felt the need to share, I would share it, but in the meantime, I thought it prudent to keep my worries to myself so we could all try to focus on the task at hand: breaking into the Ministry.

On the first of September, rather than rushing off to get on the train, I woke up and made my way downstairs to share a lazy and bountiful breakfast with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in our pajamas, since Snape was presumably returning to Hogwarts that day and thus no longer posed as direct of a threat to us. Once we'd eaten, Harry got dressed and donned the invisibility cloak and left for the Ministry, while I looked over the break-in plans with Ron and Hermione.

When Harry returned that evening, he was holding a copy of the Daily Prophet. "I've got news, and you won't like it."

Anxiety spiking, I summoned the newspaper out of his hand and spread it on the table, terrified that I'd be greeted by bad news about Henry and Archie. Instead, I found myself staring at the face of Snivellus, larger than life on the front page, beneath the headline SEVERUS SNAPE CONFIRMED AS HOGWARTS HEADMASTER.

I gasped. "No!"

Hermione rushed to my side and began to read the article aloud. "'Severus Snape, long-standing Potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was today appointed headmaster in the most important of several staffing changes at the ancient school. Following the resignation of the previous Muggle Studies teacher, Alecto Carrow will take over the post while her brother, Amycus, fills the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. 'I welcome the opportunity to uphold our finest wizarding traditions and values?' Like committing murder and cutting off people's ears, I suppose! Snape, headmaster! Snape in Dumbledore's study — Merlin's pants!"

With that, Hermione jumped up and sprinted away, calling over her shoulder that she'd be back in a minute.

Ron snorted. "If Hermione's saying something like 'Merlin's pants,' you know she's upset. Anyway, the other teachers won't stand for this. McGonagall and Flitwick and Sprout all know the truth, they know how Dumbledore died. They won't accept Snape as headmaster. And who are these Carrows?"

"Death Eaters. There are pictures of them inside. They were at the top of the tower when Snape killed Dumbledore, so it's all friends together. And I can't see that the other teachers have got any choice but to stay. If the Ministry and Voldemort are behind Snape, it'll be a choice between staying and teaching, or a nice few years in Azkaban — and that's if they're lucky. I reckon they'll stay to try and protect the students."

I nodded. "I just hope they can. I hid a few of Cedric's jumpers in Ginny's trunk, at any rate, so at least they have those just in case something goes sideways. I doubt they'll need those at all, it is still a school, but... I feel better knowing those are there."

"Me too," Ron agreed.

Harry sighed and flipped over the newspaper so we didn't have to keep looking at Snape's face. "Well, at least we know exactly where Snape is now. There are still a load of Death Eaters watching the house, by the way, more than usual. It's like they're hoping we'll march out carrying our school trunks and head off for the Hogwarts Express."