To change the future

a very big spider

Summer was advancing across the castle grounds; the sky and lake both turned a shade of periwinkle blue, and flowers as large as cabbages bloomed in the greenhouses. Yet, without Hagrid visible from the castle windows, marching across the grounds with Fang by his side, the scene seemed amiss to Harry; no better than the inside of the castle, where things were terribly awry. The two Gryffindors and three Slytherins had attempted to visit Hermione and Jason, but now visitors were prohibited from the hospital wing. "We're taking no more chances," Madam Pomfrey declared sternly through a crack in the infirmary door. "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might return to finish off these people..." With Dumbledore absent, fear had spread like never before, making the sun that warmed the castle walls outside appear to halt at the mullioned windows.

"It was awful."

Hardly a face was to be seen in the school and any laughter echoing through the corridors seemed shrill and unnatural, quickly being suppressed.

"That doesn't sound like Hogwarts."

"You should have seen it during the war."

Harry constantly recited Dumbledore's final words to himself: "I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me... Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." Yet, what good did these words do? Who were they supposed to ask for help when everyone was just as bewildered and frightened as they were? Hagrid's clue about the spiders was much clearer; the problem was that there seemed to be no spiders left in the castle to follow. Harry searched every place he visited, with Ron assisting him (albeit reluctantly). Their search was hindered by the rule that they couldn't wander alone but had to move around the castle in a group with the other Gryffindors. While most students appeared relieved to be escorted from class to class by teachers, Harry found it extremely frustrating.

One individual, however, appeared to be thoroughly relishing the prevailing atmosphere of fear and suspicion. Draco Malfoy was parading through the school as if he had been named Head Boy. Harry didn't grasp the reason for his delight until a Potions class, nearly two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid's departure, when he overheard Malfoy boasting to Crabbe and Goyle while seated directly behind him.

"Why did you even sit by him?" 

"I've always suspected Father might be the one to oust Dumbledore," he proclaimed, not bothering to lower his voice. "I've told you he considers Dumbledore the worst headmaster the school has ever had. Perhaps now we'll have a worthy headmaster, one who doesn't wish to seal the Chamber of Secrets. McGonagall won't hold out; she's merely a stand-in..." As Snape glided past Harry, he offered no remark on Hermione's vacant seat and cauldron. "Sir," Malfoy called out assertively. "Sir, why not apply for the headmaster position?"

"Like I want that position." Snape says

Snape responded "Professor Dumbledore has been merely suspended by the governors. I suspect he'll return to us before long."

"Yeah, right," said Malfoy, smirking. "I expect you'd have Father's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job - I'll tell Father you're the best teacher here, sir -" Snape swept off around the dungeon, fortunately not spotting Seamus Finnigan, who was pretending to vomit into his cauldron. "I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy went on. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger -"

"We will be having a chat with Mr. Malfoy when we get back." Dumbledore promises, a cold look in his eyes

The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at Malfoy's last words, Ron had leapt off his stool, and in the scramble to collect bags and books, his attempts to reach Malfoy went unnoticed. "Let me at him," Ron growled as Harry and Dean hung onto his arms. "I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands -