Harry awoke and went down to the common room early the next morning to find a group of Gryffindors gathered around the notice board. "What's going on?" he asked. "Didn't you hear the news?" Seamus asked. "Potions lessons are cancelled for a week!" He grinned widely. "Cancelled? Why?" Harry asked, pretending not to know what was going on. "The rumours are that Snape got sacked yesterday. I bet it's probably too good to be true though," Dean said. Harry forced his face into a smirk. "Let's hope they're true," he said. "I'm starving. I'm going down for something to eat."

When Harry reached the Great Hall he found Ron and Hermione sitting together, talking about Snape. "The whole school knows and they're all happy," Hermione said. "There's so many rumours going around about what he did to get sacked." Harry was in no mood to hear any of them. He started to eat his toast, staring off into space. "Are you going to be all right?" Ron asked. "I don't know," Harry said. "At least I know that it's not going to happen again." Hermione touched his arm sympathetically. "It will get better. You just have to take it one day at a time," she said. "I know," Harry told her, a miserable look coming over his face.

Before anyone could say anymore Fred and George sat down. "Morning everyone," they chorused with identical evil grins on their faces. "What are you guys up to now?" Harry asked. "Just a little invention that we've managed to perfect," George said with a smirk. "Not more canary creams?" Hermione said with exasperation. "Nope," Fred said. "Even better." Both he and George grinned even wider. "Are you going to tell us what it is or do we have to guess you prats?" Ron asked. "We don't have a name for them yet but basically they're toffees that can get you out of class," George said. "You eat the green ones and you turn all pale and throw up. When you go to the hospital wing you eat the red ones and then you're back to normal and free to play hooky from school all day." The twins grinned again. Hermione looked as though she disapproved but Harry was grinning. Then he realized that it was the first time he'd smiled in days. Maybe Hermione was right. Maybe if he just took it one day at a time the rape would fade into a distant memory and then everything would be all right after all. Harry smiled to himself again and began to mull over whether or not he should buy some of Fred and George's toffees.

The End.