and plates already laid for dinner glinted in the light from a merrily blazing fire； on which a cauldron was simmering。 Nothing in the room； however； was more dramatically different than the house…elf who now came hurrying toward Harry； dressed in a snowy…white towel； his ear hair as clean and fluffy as cotton wool； Regulus's locket bouncing on his thin chest。
〃Shoes off； if you please； Master Harry； and hands washed before dinner；〃 croaked Kreacher； seizing the Invisibility Cloak and slouching off to hang it on a hook on the wall； beside a number of old…fashioned robes that had been freshly laundered。
〃What's happened？〃 Ron asked apprehensively。 He are Hermione had been pouring over a sheaf of scribbled notes and hand drawn maps that littered the end of the long kitchen table； but now they watched Harry as he strode toward them and threw down the newspaper on top of their scattered parchment。
A large picture of a familiar； hook…nosed； black…haired man stared up at them all； beneath a headline that read：
bSEVERUS SNAPE CONFIRMED AS HOGWARTS HEADMASTERb
〃No！〃 said Ron and Hermione loudly。
Hermione was quickest； she snatched up the newspaper and began to read the acpanying story out loud。
〃iSeverus 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 wele the opportunity to uphold our finest Wizarding traditions and values …'i Like mitting murder and cutting off people's ears； I suppose！ Snape； headmaster！ Snape in Dumbledore's study … Merlin's pants！〃 she shrieked； making both Harry and Ron jump。 She leapt up from the table and hurtled from the room； shouting as she went； 〃I'll be back in a minute！〃
〃'Merlin's pants'？〃 repeated Ron； looking amused。 〃She must be upset。〃 He pulled the newspaper toward him and perused the article about Snape。
〃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；〃 said Harry。 〃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；〃 Harry went on bitterly； drawing up a chair； 〃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。〃
Kreacher came bustling to the table with a large curcen in his hands； and ladled out soup into pristine bowls； whistling between his teeth as he did so。
〃Thanks； Kreacher；〃 said Harry； flipping over the iPropheti so as not to have to look at Snape's face。 〃Well； at least we know exactly where Snape is now。〃
He began to spoon soup into his mouth。 The quality of Kreacher's cooking had improved dramatically ever since he had been given Regulus's locket： Today's French onion was as good as Harry had ever tasted。
〃There are still a load of Death Eaters watching this house；〃 he told Ron as he ate； 〃more than usual。 It's like they're hoping we'll march out carrying our school trunks and head off for the Hogwarts Express。〃
Ron glanced at his watch。
〃I've been thinking about that all day。 It left nearly six hours ago。 Weird； not being on it； isn't it？〃
In his mind's eye Harry seemed to see the scarlet steam engine as he and Ron had once followed it by air； shimmering between fields and hills； a rippling scarlet caterpillar。 He was sure Ginny； Neville； and Luna were sitting together at this moment； perhaps wondering where he； Ron； and Hermione were； or debating how best to undermine Snape's new regime。
〃They nearly saw me ing back in just now；〃 Harry said； 〃I landed badly on the top step； and the Cloak slipped。〃
〃I do that every time。 Oh； here she is；〃 Ron added； craning around in his seat to watch Hermione reentering the kitchen。 〃And what in the name of Merlin's most baggy Y Fronts was that about？〃
〃I remembered this；〃 Hermione panted。
She was carrying a large； framed picture； which she now lowered to the floor before seizing her small； beaded bag from the kitchen sideboard。 Opening it； she proceeded to force the painting inside and despite the fact that it was patently too large to fit inside the tiny bag； within a few seconds it had vanished； like so much ease； into the bag's capacious depths。
〃Phineas Nigellus；〃 Hermione explained as she threw the bag onto the kitchen table with the usual sonorous； clanking crash。
〃Sorry？〃 said Ron； but Harry understood。 The painted image of Phineas Nigellus Black was able to travel between his portrait in Grimmauld Place and the one that hung in the headmaster's office at Hogwarts： the circular cower…top room where Snape was no doubt sitting right now； in triumphant possession of Dumbledore's collection of delicate； silver magical instruments； the stone Pensieve； the Sorting Hat and； unless it ad been moved elsewhere； the sword of Gryffindor。
〃Snape could send Phineas Nigellus to look inside this house for him；〃 Hermione explained to Ron as she resumed her seat。 〃But let him try it now； all Phineas Nigellus will be able to see is the inside of my handbag。〃
〃Good thinking！〃 said Ron； looking impressed。
〃Thank you；〃 smiled Hermione； pulling her soup toward her。 〃So； Harry； what else happened today？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Harry。 〃Watched the Ministry entrance for seven hours。 No sign of her。 Saw your dad though； Ron。 He looks fine。〃
Ron nodded his appreciation of this news。 The had agreed that it was far too dangerous to try and municate with Mr。 Weasley while he walked in and out of the Ministry； because he was always surrounded by other Ministry workers。 It was； however； reassuring to catch these glimpses of him； even if he did look very strained and anxious。
〃Dad always told us most Ministry people use the Floo Network to get to work；〃 Ron said。 〃That's why we haven't seen Umbridge； she'd never walk； she'd think she's too important。〃
〃And what about that funny old witch and that little wizard in the navy robes？〃 Hermione asked。
〃Oh yeah； the bloke from Magical Maintenance；〃 said Ron。
〃How do you know he works for Magical Maintenance？〃 Hermione asked； her soupspoon suspended in midair。
〃Dad said everyone from Magical Maintenance wears navy blue robes。〃
〃But you never told us that！〃
Hermione dropped her spoon and pulled toward her the sheaf of notes and maps that she and Ron had been examining when Harry had entered the kitchen。
〃There's nothing in here about navy blue robes； nothing！〃 she said； flipping feverishly through the pages。
〃Well； dies it really matter？〃
〃Ron； it ialli matters！ If we're going to get into the Ministry and not give ourselves away when they're iboundi to be on the lookout for intruders； every little detail matters！ We've been over and over this； I mean； what's the point of all these reconnaissance trip