            Hermione stood there, eyes wide and lips parted stupidly, as her old professor-turned-headmistress glided out from the room behind the guard. As the wizards departed, McGonagall stepped slowly forward, hands clasped at the waist of her emerald robes, spectacles slid halfway down her nose. She appraised Hermione with an air of inspection Hermione knew all too well from her school days of mischief with Ron and Harry.