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"I'm going straight to Professor Dumbledore," Harry said with firm certainty. Hermione's eyes widened.
"But Harry, d'you think Dumbledore will have time to listen to us complain about a teacher? He does have other things to do," she said frowning.
Harry was silent and walked faster. His brow creased and his hands shook with anger as he played the scene in Potions over in his mind. "Don't you want to get back at him, Hermione? Don't you want to just get him sacked for what he did to you?"
Hermione nodded, "Yes, but that's not within my power. Harry, I'm really upset, but there's nothing I can do about it. We'll see what happens with Professor Dumbledore, but I don't think HE can do much about it either."
They had reached the front of Professor Dumbledore's office. Thinking quickly into his mind, Harry searched for the right password. "Cockroach cluster!" he shouted, fearing that the password would have changed. However, the gargoyle slowed opened and they were admitted into the hall. A giant door stood in front of them. Harry raised his hand and knocked hard three times.
~~~
There was no answer. Harry, disturbed, knocked again. Still, no one came to answer it. Ron, thinking that perhaps Harry had not knocked hard enough, stepped up to the door and thumped enormous bangs onto it, almost breaking his knuckles. He sucked on his hands for a few minutes as they turned red. Yet, there was STILL no answer. Harry was thoroughly worried now. He paced up and down the hall.
"He should be in there, he's always in his office. Where else could he be?" Harry muttered out loud.
"In Professor McGonagall's office?" Ron grinned.
Hermione frowed at him and said, "Well, maybe he went to lunch or something. He'll be back soon."
Harry stopped and shook his head, "No, I don't think that's where he went. Professor Dumbledore's usually in his office or at the Great Hall, but it's not time for lunch yet." He resumed pacing and muttering to himself. The three of them waited for half an hour in front of Dumbledore's office, not caring of the classes they were missing, except for Hermione, who gave occasional groans at the thought of playing hooky.
Finally, Harry stopped pacing and said, as though a light bulb suddenly flashed in his head, "I know! My Maurader's Map!" Hermione was delighted at Harry's brilliance and Ron was slapping Harry on the back as though he had won the Quidditch Cup as they headed back toward the Gryffindor common room.
Harry fetched his map and flicked it open. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he said quietly, careful not to catch anyone's attention. Hermione and Ron leaned toward him as the map slowly came into view. They scanned the page, but found no miniscule dot labeled Professor Dumbledore. Unnerved, they looked over it again. There was still no sign of Dumbledore. For another three times, Harry, Ron, and Hermione searched the map for the headmaster, and three times they failed. The truth eventually dawned upon them.
Professor Dumbledore was not in Hogwarts.
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