Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of the Harry Potter saga (obviously), neither the places or anything to do with the HP world... as we all know they belong to JK Rowling (and also to WB studios :P) but since I get no profit other than enjoying my time by writing these fanfics I don't think this disclaimer is needed.

A/N: I know, it looks like I am only starting new stories and never finishing my old ones... but I am so inspired lately that I can't help it...

I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find... I hope you enjoy the story ^.^

Chapter 1 - The power of a lie
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Severus

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I don't think Dumbledore had really thought through the consequences of his death. Although he had given me some instructions to follow once he was gone we had never talked about the future of the school.
Maybe he did know that having control of the Ministry, the Dark Lord would take control of the school as well and make me Headmaster; maybe that was in Dumbledore's plan and he just didn't tell me. But I prefer to think it wasn't because that would mean he was aware that things like the events of October 27th could happen...

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Minerva

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It was after dinner, while all the students of Gryffindor were in the common room enjoying their time before going to bed, when I heard a strong voice outside and a lot of noise. I went out of my bedroom, wand in hand in case I had to put some order, only to find my children standing like soldiers in formation.
"What's going on?" I demanded but I was ignored.
I noticed most of them were laughing under their nose, others were trembling in fear. I didn't need to see him to know the Headmaster was in the room; but I crossed the formation of students anyway. Once I was standing in front of Severus I understood what was causing the silent laughs... The Headmaster of Hogwarts had came in accompanied by the Carrows, who had been victims of some pranks during the last days. Alecto Carrow was wearing a bright pink dress that didn't suit her at all... the day before someone had dyed her entire wardrobe in pink with some spell she couldn't reverse; Amycus, was wearing a ridiculous hat to hide her newly baldness... apparently somebody had poisoned his soup with a hair-growing potion which effects could only be stopped by shaving once hair... so now, not only the top of his head was hairless, but he also had no mustache, no beard, no eyebrows and I may guess... no hair at all in his entire body. The scene was quite funny.
"We know that whoever is responsible for the attacks professors Alecto and Amycus Carrow have receive is a student of this house..." the Headmaster said.
"Severus, I won't let you accuse my students like that," I felt the urge to interrupt.
"I am not accusing, professor McGonagall," he said, remarking the formality of his tone, "we know it for sure because a graffiti appeared this afternoon on the wall at the top of the main stairs saying 'you won't stop us' and signed with a Gryffindor shield."
The students broke their silence and began to whisper.
"Anybody in the school could have done it with the intention of putting the guild on my students and you know that, Severus," I pointed out.
"Don't be silly!" Alecto yelled, "Come on, who did it?!" she asked to the students.
"Alecto, please..." I heard the headmaster whispering to the Muggle Studies teacher and then he looked to the students, "If anybody," he said, "knows who the responsible of these acts is I suggest you tell us right now so he can receive the punishment he deserves..." he stopped and then kept going, "Otherwise, there'll be consequences for each of you..." he threatened.
"May I ask what kind of punishment he deserves..." I wondered.
"Of course," the headmaster said and looked at Amycus before answering, "professor Carrow suggested that, in order to give example to the rest of students, the vandal responsible for their attacks would be publicly lashed."
"What?!" I exclaimed horrorized as a loud noise raised behind me, "Are you serious?"
"We must give example," Alecto said.
"They must learn the lesson..." Amycus added.
"By being treated as middle age slaves?!" I yelled losing my temper, "Severus this is enough, we can't treat our students like that, for Merlin's sake..."
"Stop it, professor McGonagall," he said staring at me, "the punishment won't be changed."
"...but it's illegal..." I said with a lower voice, all of a sudden feeling impotent to help my students.
"I am the law in this school, professor McGonagall... and unless you are going to give me the name of the offender I suggest you stop interrupting me."
I looked around and saw the fear on the children eyes... even if it was true that one of them was the responsible for those childish pranks, none of them deserved to suffer that horrible pain and I would do anything to prevent it.
"I did it," I said.

TO BE CONTINUED...