Harry found a first year crying, he hated hearing anyone cry. "What's wrong love," he said gently once he got her to calm down. "What's got you so upset?"
She whimpered slightly, appearing as if she was about to begin crying once again. "I didn't mean to loose us points, I'm sorry."
"You're this upset over a couple of points," Harry asked surprised. He had almost expected the end of the world, then again at eleven he did know that loosing points could feel like the world was ending.
She shook slightly, "25, it wasn't even my potion that exploded. Everyone's going to hate me now."
That however made more sense. Just mentioning a potion explained how a first year in the house of the brave could be left crying over a class. "Let me guess, a Slytherine." She nodded slightly and so Harry continued. "I will guess that they accused you of tossing something into their potion when they screwed up and Snape took their side," Harry demanded as she nodded once again. "What's your name?"
"Maddison May," she stated.
Harry knew the name as likely a muggleborn one. Enough time in the wizarding world you could begin to pick them out. "Come here Maddi," he said taking her to the other first years, "I don't want to see any of you angry at Maddi over the point loss," he said to the amazed students. He was still a celebrity to them, a myth they had been told about since childhood. "Snape is a git and he's just choosing Maddison May as his newest target."
Colin had overheard and knew how that felt from experience, "Damn that sucks May," he said surprising them. "Being the target really sucks."
"Why does he hate me," she demanded. "He's a professor, he's supposed to be unbiased."
Harry thought the same thing. It was Dennis a girl in her year who answered. "It's because we are muggleborns. He took 10 points from me last week for asking a question but he's nicer to the pureblood student's especially the Slytherine's."
"Harrys an exception, he's a half-blood but a Gryffindor so he gets away with it since no one will stand up for us," Colin stated. "Sorry May."
"HOUSE MEETING," Harry shouted shocking everyone. Despite their shock, each of the students listened and came forward.
"Why the house meeting," a prefect demanded.
Harry stood up on a chair, "Who here thinks Snape is a bloodist prick," Harry demanded
Everyone raised their hands as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Who here thinks that the DADA teacher is insane and extremely dangerous?"
Once again nearly every student raised their hands. All but the first years who had only heard rumors.
"Who thinks McGonagall doesn't give a shit," he demanded again as over half the Gryffindor's raised their hands.
"Who here believes that history is completely pointless? Not because of the content but because of the professor."
Every single student raised their hands. Even the first years had learnt that lesson.
"Who here thinks Filch is dangerous,"
Every single student raised their hands.
"Why," Harry demanded.
"Because he gets you in trouble without you actually doing something wrong. I got ten detentions for trailing in mud. I hadn't been outside all day," a seventh year shouted.
"He dislocated my shoulder when he took me to talk about my crimes," a third year stated, saying crimes mockingly. "Back when I was in my first."
"He wants to whip students but we become squib haters when we complain. He wants to hang us by our thumbs and bloody whip us. Why shouldn't we complain? I got a squib cousin. I have no problem with squibs, I have a problem with being told he wants to whip me and the school should return to corporal punishment."
This fit well with what everyone knew, Harry however could see the wheels turning in their minds. "I have a question for everyone," Harry stated. "Why are we putting up with it? Why are we letting them bully us instead of teach?"
Everyone was shocked as Percival Weasley spoke up, "the reason is simple, all complaints first go to the head of house, then the headmaster before the schoolboard. They throw you off and no one cares. You're better off just counting the years until it's over."
It sounded bad but that's how everyone felt. However a few of them were just beginning to get angry about it. "Or we could do something insane like force a fix," Oliver suggested and a few people perked up but he had a really important question. "Why is this even coming out?"
"Snape's tormenting the first years again and I don't like seeing people cry," Harry said bluntly.
A lot of the students nodded understandingly, "Sounds like good enough reasons," Oliver agreed since he hated to see the itty bitty firsties cry as well. It took a lot since they were all put through hell at Hogwarts so it was always a big deal when they broke down and cried. You could knock them down, bloody their lips. They were Gryffindor they just kept on swinging. To see them cry meant they were going through hell.
"How exactly are we supposed to fix it," Colin demanded. "I can't get expelled, I refuse to spend more time then I have to with the muggles."
Harry looked at Colin knowing exactly why he thought like that, "I have another question, it's something that you don't have to raise your hands, who here has gone to the professors about issues with their home lives and nothing was done?" By glancing around the room, he could see a fair few. He knew of others not so apparent.
"Okay so since you're on the soapbox, what are we going to do about it," Dean Thomas demanded since laid out like that, something had to be done. "Come on Potter, you always have a plan."
"Where did you get that foolish Idea, I never have a plan," Harry countered since he really was horrid with the planning bit, "at least one that works."
This statement caused Ron and Hermione to snicker slightly. "He really doesn't," Hermione offered, "he is horrid at planning."
Neville spoke up hesitantly. "If everyone puts in a complaint with the head of house, then the headmaster, we can then go to the school board if nothings done."
"I've gone to McGonagall, I've gone to Dumbledore because Snape is a bloodist bastard who terrifies the students," Harry stated. "Who else has?"
Once again, over half the students raised their hands. "So nothing was done, we write to the school board," Hermione suggested.
"I've done it," Percy admitted. "They just don't care."
Seven others said there agreement.
"My dad's on the school board," Fay Dunbar stated. "We could bring up the issues with the other houses. A lot of them have parents or relatives on the school board. See if that helps."
"Something needs to change," Harry stated, "We do it diplomatically or we forcer it."
This caused the group of students to cheer. "I vote boycotting classes," Oliver stated. "I mean hell, no one shows up it becomes sort of pointless doesn't it."
Most of them looked excited by the thought but others looked hesitant, "Its OWL year," Katie stated. "We will fail."
Owl and Newts were important but they were beginning to feel like this was more so. "Or we could learn more," Percy said bluntly. "Self-studies are always more useful, and it's not like its all classes, Ruins, Arithmacy, Herbology, Charms are useful classes with unbiased professors."
"This is insane, we could all get expelled," Hermione stated.
Harry shook his head since he could understand the fear about that but he knew better, "they can't expel a quarter of the school can they?"
Everyone began grinning realizing this was possible. "Hufflepuff's will join," Oliver stated, "Especially the quidditch team. I mean they've been targeted as cruelly as we have,"
"Ravenclaw's, a lot of them are angry because their grades are being affected," Percy stated. "Being lowered because the teachers don't care or just don't like them."
Harry glanced around the room. "So whose for boycotting potions, history, transfigurations, and DADA?"
"Mugglestudies and Divinations," someone else added. "They need new professors."
"Boycott, Aye or Nay," Harry demanded
"AYE," Every student shouted.
"Who's going to spread the word," Harry asked.
With that a number of students left the room. It had begun and like most things, it only needed one step, one person to take a stand.