Digging for the Truth

Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley rushed away from dungeons and through the rest of their classes that day. Finally, they were all sitting down to dinner in the Great Hall together.

"You know, Hermione, Treey sey says Venus is in rising or some nonsense. Basically, it means Harry is going to die tonight." said Ron, between mouthfuls.
"Oh, and I suppose it is MY plan that is the cause? Did the Professor prophesize that as well?"
"Well, you know that isn't how seers work, Hermione" smiled back Harry.
"pfff." she shot back."And I suppose when she got to you, Trelawneydictdicted what your plan to trip up Snape would be, hmmm? I bet it was helpful, as I knooow you haven't come up with your own yet!"
"Hermione! Shocking! You never told us YOU had part seer in you!" Ron responded,playfully aghast.
Hermione just stared back unamusedly, her lips pressed tightly together.
"What Ron is trying to say is that he will indeed be tripping up Snape tonight at the designated time." offered Harry.
"COME OFF IT YOU TWO! I KNOW THAT! YOU STILL HAVEN'T TOLD ME HOW!"
"Hermione, calm down. We're just playing with you. I intend to literally trip him when he starts heading down to the dungeons. Between the crowd that will be attracted outside the Great Hall, the long rant that will follow, and the amount of time Madam Pomfrey will keep the greasey git tied down in her infirmary we'll be all set. Not to mention him having one bugger of a headache." Ron added with a grin.
"Hmph...just try not to hurt him too badly. We still need him to give Harry his lesson."

That was Hermione's way of conceding that it was a good plan and the boys knew that. The trio kept mostly silent after that. Not because they were nervous, though they were. But, because Hermione was rapidly trying to finish her dinner. She had to leave in the next few minutes to stay on schedule. The boys would have longer to sit at the Gryffindor table and finish eating. But, they didn't want to bother her with small talk about Quidditch, so they too remained silent. One giant sip of pumpkin juice later, and she was ready to go. The three wished each other luck and with a small nod, she was walking towards the exit.

At the staff table, Severus Snape saw a mass of bushy brown hair walking towards the exit. "Granger!" he growled a bit too loudly.
"Whatdya say, Professor?" asked Hagrid genially.
"Nothing" he snarled back.
This was his chance to finish tearing the know-it-all to shreds. He was so unpleasantly disrupted from his objective earlier. He rose, making his excuses to the others at the staff table. And headed towards the exit as well.

Ron was poked sharply in the ribs in the middle of a sip of pumpkin juice, causing him to spit half of it out.
"What'd you do that for??"
"Look." and Harry turned to look in the direction of their Potions Master who was making his way towards the exit.
"You go take your place, and be ready!" and with that, Harry jumped up, making his way towards Professor Snape.

"Excuse me, Professor." Snape whirled upon hearing his name.
"Potter." he sneered out.
"I was wondering where I should meet you tonight for our lesson,sir?"
"Potter, you constantly amaze me with how dim-witted you are." and wa voa voice no louder than a whisper, he added, "It confounds me that the Headmaster still puts all his faith in you defeating the Dark Lord!"
Harry's eyes squinted in anger. He wouldn't take this for anyone besides Hermione. "The Headmaster never mentioned where the lesson would take place." he returned.
"Precisely where they took place last year, in my office! If you'll excuse me Potter, I was going somewhere before you interrupted me!"
Harry thought quickly, he knew every minute spent stalling Snape would give Hermione an advantage. "Sir, one more thing?"
"WHAT POTTER?" The Professor was livid.
"What time is the lesson again?" Harrokedoked to the ground, expecting the man to do something positively awful to him.
"Potter, You can not remember even the simplest of information! Eight P.m. Sharp. And I will look forward to the tutoring tonight." He left nothing to be imagined about his intentions on torturing Harry later that night. He turned and made his way towards the exit before the boy could interrupt him again.

Five minutes earlier, Ron Weasley had ran out the exit of the Great Hall expecting to take his place near the stairs to the dungeon, ready to delay Professor Snape. What he saw surprised him, Hermione Granger standing in front of him, looking ready to jump out of her skin, while Professor Binns drawled away. Ron ran right over to them and grabbed the girl by the arm, tugging hard.
"Sorry Professor, Hermione promised to help me with an essay on Elf Riots."
"Ahh, of course, fascinating subject, Elf Riots, It all began when ..." ready to give them a long account,before he realized the two were already whizzing past him.

"Why in the bloody hell aren't you in the dungeons brewing the potion?!" Ron barely squeaked out.
"The old codger cornered me and began a long discussion about one ofessaessays.What was I supposed to do? He wouldn't let me get away. He obviously didn't need to get to dinner, being a ghost and all."
"Well you better run, Snape is on his way!"
"What! Its so early!" her eyes widened. She didn't listen to anything more Ron had to say. She ran down to the dungeons as fast as her feet could carry her.