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The word echoed all over the Hall as people wondered wheel they had heard right.
"Potions." said Ron and Hermione together, turning to stare Harry. "But you said —" "Professor Snape, meanwhile," said Dumbledore, raising voice so that it carried over all the muttering, "will be taking the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." "No!" said Harry, so loudly that many heads turned in his direction. He did not care; he was staring up at the staff table, incensed. How could Snape be given the Defense Against the Dark Arts job after all this time. Hadn't it been widely known for years that Dumbledore did not trust him to do it.
“But Harry, you said that Slughorn was going to be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts!" said Hermione.
"I thought he was!" said Harry, racking his brains to remember when Dumbledore had told him this, but now that he came to think of it, he was unable to recall Dumbledore ever telling him what Slughorn would be teaching.
Snape, who was sitting on Dumbledore's right, did not stand up his mention of his name; he merely raised a hand in lazy acknowledgment of the applause from the Slytherin table, yet Harry was sure he could detect a look of triumph on the features he loathed so much.
“Well, there's one good thing," he said savagely. "Snape'll be gone by the end of the year." “What do you mean." asked Ron.
“That job's jinxed. No ones lasted more than a year... Quirrell actually died doing it...
Personally, I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for another death..." “Harry!" said Hermione, shocked and reproachful.
“He might just go back to teaching Potions at the end of the year" said Ron reasonably.
"That Slughorn bloke might not want to stay long-term. Moody didn't." “Dumbledore cleared his throat. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were not the only ones who had been talking; the whole Hall had erupted in a buzz of conversation at the news that Snape had finally achieved his heart’s desire. Seemingly oblivious to the sensational nature of the news he had just imparted, Dumbledore said nothing more about staff appointments, but waited a few seconds to ensure that the silence was absolute before continuing.
"Now, as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength." The silence seemed to tauten and strain as Dumbledore spoke. Harry glanced at Malfoy.
Malfoy was not looking at Dumbledore, but making his fork hover in midair with his wand, as though he found the headmaster's words unworthy of his attention.
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