Character(s): Potter, Dumbledore

Idea: End of 1st year and Harry doesn't like bullies.

Genre: Drama?

Alas Earwax

Muffled sounds were around me, distant, muted and difficult to focus on. Not that I was trying to focus on them, not really. Everything was just so dark… and boring. I was so bored. Like being asleep and awake at the same time. Or maybe it was just like waking up, but not being able to.

When the sounds came again I tried to listen. I figured the sounds might have had something to do with me waking up. Only opening my eyes wasn't working. Stupid eyelids were ignoring me. Besides, the sounds were familiar… no not the sounds, it was the tones that were familiar.

I wasn't sure where I was, but I knew I was warm and comfortable. And safe. That last one was important for some reason that eluded me.

Elude…

Proper use of my vocabulary… using big words… even if the word was only five letters long it was still a big word; the number of letters or syllables wasn't what made a word 'big' by definition. Hermione would be so proud of me.

Hermione!

Bugger. Where was Hermione? Was she okay? Was she safe? Did she get out? Did she find someone? The last time I saw her was when I sent her away to get help. She had just solved the potion riddle with that brilliant logical mind of hers. I went through one fire while she went back through the other.

Potion. Fire. Mirror. Quirrel.

The stone.

Oh bugger. The stone!

My eyes snapped open and I sat up with a jerk. Just as quickly I squeezed them closed when I flopped back down on the pillow. Ow. Just… bloody ow. It was really bright in the room and my head felt woozy making the world spin uncontrollably. Which technically it was spinning, but normally I didn't notice these sorts of things.

The sun was shining through a window. All I managed to see during my short sitting stint was the ceiling and a few things around me, like the window was behind me to my right, the privacy screen was on the left of the bed I was lying on and Dumbledore was peering down at me.

Dumbledore?

My eyes slid open again and I managed to turn to look at the headmaster. I didn't try sitting up that time. Falling wasn't something I was keen on doing. I reached over to the nightstand for my glasses, but didn't manage to find them. The headmaster handed them to me and I slipped them on. I blinked a time or two to will my eyes to focus and the elderly wizard smiled at me. I think Hermione called that a serene look.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter."

The Great Hall exploded into cheers as the Gryffindors threw their black pointed hats into the air at our sudden and last minute win. I grinned rather proudly at having won sixty points for my House and aiding in sweeping the House cup away from the snakes as any lion would be.

After being pounded on the back rather gruffly, my eyes swept the tables and my smile slipped away slowly.

Hufflepuffs looked confused at the sudden change and many looked at the Headmaster as if they were ashamed by the injustice of the sheer act of giving last minute points in order to undermine the snakes.

Ravenclaws looked unsettled by the sudden change and while no one but Slytherin would be happy if they won, they too were not overly pleased with the chain of events.

Slytherins were the most telling. Many were stunned, disappointed and angry, but it was the looks of betrayal that tore at me. I knew what it felt like to have something torn away by a bully and suddenly I felt like I was put in the position of being a bully and I was none too pleased.

My gaze swept to the head table and I took notice of the Heads of House. Sprout clapped politely, but the disappointment in her gaze was unmistakable. Flitwick also applauded, yet he glanced uneasily towards the Slytherin table while frowning, but the frown wasn't aimed at them it was merely on their behalf. McGonagall had a forced, thin lipped smile aimed at Dumbledore. Snape… glowered.

I knew what I had to do. I knew it wasn't going to be accepted well by my fellow lions, but it had to be done. I swallowed thickly and found my Gryffindor courage. Pushing myself to my feet, I clenched my fists at my sides and I called out as loudly as possible, yet still managing to show a modicum of manners. "Excuse me, sir."

Dumbledore raised a hand to still the students and waited until the hall turned quiet before addressing me, "Is there something you wish to say, my boy?"

All eyes were on me, as much as I loathed that fact, it was necessary in order to get my point across. I bravely met the headmaster's sparkling blue eyes and spoke, "I - respectfully - decline the late awarded points given to me."

The Gryffindor table exploded in jeers at the comment, but was soon quieted by Dumbledore, "I'm sorry you feel this way, Mr. Potter. I don't believe I've ever had a student refuse to accept points before."

Of course he didn't understand, but this was important. I was just going to have to make him take those points back. "Sir," I took a calming breath and charged ahead. "I broke the rules. My reasons don't matter, I did it. I knowingly broke rules and I can't accept points for getting away with it… even though you say it was for something different, everyone here knows why I got them.

"Besides, giving these last minute points after the cup was rightfully won, is both unethical and demoralizing." I was on a roll and looked down at Hermione as if for reinforcement that I was doing the right thing. My bushy haired best friend smiled up at me and gave me a nod to continue. Ron didn't look as if he agreed, but he too nodded at me. I looked around at the other students and continued, "What does it say to us, the students, if I were to accept these points? Go ahead and break the rules if you have a good enough reason and maybe you'll be rewarded in the end. Don't bother earning house points throughout the year because someone can take it from you at the leaving feast by giving just enough points away. So really there's no point in doing your best.

"I don't want to be a part of what boils down to outright stealing the House Cup from Slytherin House, even if they are our biggest rivals." At that I looked over at Draco who raised a single blond eyebrow at me. All I could manage was to give him a single shoulder shrug before I turned my attention back to the head table. I ignored the pride in McGonagall's smile, the nod of Flitwick encouraging me to continue and Sprout's clutching her chest while wiping a tear and looked at me hated potions professor. Snape scowled, but was no longer angry. He looked… curious. I then admitted, "While I'm not a cunning Slytherin, an impartial Hufflepuff, or a wise Ravenclaw; I am smart enough to recognize what taking the cup away from another House feels like. It's like having something you worked hard for, earned and took pride in is given to you, only to have someone snatch it away like a bully.

"Please, don't make me a bully."

AN: For reasons I can't explain, I really wanted a story (short or otherwise) to be titled Alas Earwax and this is what came out… unfortunately the title makes absolutely no sense once you actually read the short story with the small exception of the hospital scene which doesn't even go as far as the part where Dumbles helps himself to a candy (that he never asked for or thanked Harry for) … but there it is…