82 It’s time (2/2)

How wrong he was.

The next morning, another piece of news had people fearing for their future.

Dumbledore has been suspended from his position as headmaster.

With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried and tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.

One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed Head Boy. Harry didn't realize what he was so pleased about until the Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Malfoy, Harry overheard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle.

”I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore,” he said, not troubling to keep his voice down. ”I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in...”

”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, but I bet that the pretty boy Arth was killed.”

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 —”

”Shut up Ron!” Hissed Harry. ”Stop being reckless! We can't afford to be stupid now! We have no one to take care of us now.”

Ron glared at Malfoy before forcibly turning his head around to look at Harry.

”So what do you want to do now?”

Harry went silent as he put his head down deep in thought.

What would Arth do?

Harry glanced at Ron with a grim face.

”I think,” said Harry, more quietly still, ”it's time to get my dad's old cloak out again.”