A/N: This fanfiction is a one shot cowritten by oiseaudufeu and I. We were watching the first movie together and both found the distribution of points horrible. So this was our brain child.
The days had grown longer and the nights warmer. The staff of Hogwarts have seen many a Leaving Feast after so many years working in its hallowed halls. Somehow, however, no matter how far the underdog, Gryffindor has always seemed to come out on top. And now that Harry Potter himself is present, the situation is more infuriating than ever. Especially for some of the professors.
Dumbledore has awarded unfair amounts of points at the 11th hour for the last time. The teachers are rebelling this time, and even some of the students have joined in.
Severus Snape stood up behind the Headmaster, face aghast.
"Headmaster. You cannot possibly have meant to award that many points for so frivolous an act on the parts of those silly Gryffindors. Out of bed after hours, purposefully placing themselves in danger, being irresponsible, and generally just acting like dunderheads. And you give them points for it? You doddering old fool, what could they possibly learn from being coddled?"
The Headmaster turned to regard his Potions Professor.
"I know well what I am doing, Professor Snape."
Professor Snape sneered as he regarded the wizened old man. " 'Don't show favouritism', you tell us. 'Don't hold grudges and take out your anger on the houses you weren't in!' you say. But really, what more is this little show than a thinly veiled display of favouritism on your part?"
Assent rippled throughout the staff table, and even some of the students agreed. Draco Malfoy jumped up, eager to flame his peers at Gryffindor table.
"Draco, sit down!" Snape commanded. He turned back to Dumbledore. "Albus, needless to say this will be continued later."
Severus Snape stalked out of the Great Hall, robes billowing behind him as he went.
Minerva McGonagall was positively fuming. What was Dumbledore doing? If she was being honest, she herself didn't much favour Slytherin house, but the outright favouritism on show here was down right embarrassing. Not to mention the fact that he had completely undermined her.
"Albus," she said crisply. "Do you understand that I subtracted those one hundred and fifty points from Gryffindor for a reason?" the woman demanded, pointed out tilting perilously on her head, face stern. "You do something of this effect every single year, Dumbledore."
"Do you think that Harry and his friends did not deserve those points I awarded?" he asked, sitting down at his desk and looking across it at her. She had chosen to attack his misgiving later rather than in front of the teachers and students.
"Might I point out that they were venturing into a strictly forbidden section of the castle completely knowingly," Minerva said, barely managing to unclench her teeth. "Gryffindor might just have won the house cup, but honestly!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "I won't hear the end of this from Severus until Merlin knows when. He'll prattle on and on about 'favouritism' and 'cheating,' and the worst part is that it's true!"
"Harry and his friends saved the Sorcerer's Stone," Dumbledore pointed out, seemingly still altogether uninterested in the Deputy Headmistress' issues with his indiscretion in point-giving.
"They broke rules! Again! I can see it now. Harry Potter and his friends break rules for the next six years and we just award points!" she exclaimed, now becoming rather worked up. "You wonder why the Slytherins hate Gryffindors? They earned the House Cup, as much as I hate it, and then it was taken away from them unfairly!"
Severus Snape had stormed out of the Great Hall and sought refuge into his dungeons, muttering angrily to himself. An equally outraged Minerva McGonagall followed behind soon after.
"Minerva, you needn't follow me. I know very well how delighted you are that your precious little Gryffindors have secured your tenure for another year!"
"Oh, honestly, Severus, don't be so petulant," Minerva sighed. "It wasn't as if I awarded them those vast amount of points," she pointed out, rolling her eyes.
"But did you contradict his statements or awards? No. Therefore, you are just as guilty a party!"
"I will have you know," Minerva began crisply, "That I have in fact spoken with the Headmaster, I just chose not to make such a scene out of it in front of the students," she explained, a slight edge in her voice.
"Right, because I always have to be the villain. I swear, one day I will take that doddering old fool down!"
Minerva raised her eyebrows slightly. "Severus, honestly, do you think I enjoy my students thinking they should get rewarded for breaking explicitly stated rules?" she asked.
Severus sighed. "No, Minerva. I remember you as a teacher. One of these days, however, someone is going to snap and he is going to sincerely regret that he fiddled with the points. I, for one, sincerely hope that it is not me."
"Perhaps one year we can start our own point war with Dumbledore?" Minerva said, a slight smile playing at the corners of her lips.
Severus smirked. "I would find that most agreeable. In six years, we will award all of the points possible to Hufflepuff."
"And make sure Dumbledore watches. They will be so obscenely ahead that he can't possibly award Gryffindor that many points," McGonagall reasoned.
"If I know the old codger, and I do, he will find a way. But I feel sure that it will be mitigated properly, if not by one of us, then by someone else."
"I look forward to the day," Minerva decided, smiling in earnest now.
Severus rewarded her with a half smile and offered his hand to her. "But for the next few years, it's on. My pity doesn't start until Potter's 7th year."
Minerva took his hand and shook it firmly. "You're just bitter that your spoilt Seeker has little natural talent, and Gryffindor continually wins its Quidditch matches."
Severus turned to Minerva. "You're just bitter that my students are craftier and get away with things without intervention."
6 Years Later
Once more, a Leaving Feast was in the midst of unfolding. Minerva McGonagall carried a stool in her hands, much reminiscent of the beginning of the year at the Sorting. Behind her walked Filius Flitwick, bearing a painting nearly the size of himself. They had taken Dumbledore's painting down from its place in the office and had brought it to the Feast for a few final words.
Minerva put down the stool and settled Albus Dumbledore upon it.
"Good evening, everyone!"
People stared at the painting, some in amusement, some in horror.
"I couldn't very well miss the Leaving Feast, now could I? Now, the honour of presenting the House Cup for the year has been bestowed upon me once more. As you can see, the Hufflepuff banners are waving proudly for the first time in many years."
A great cheer rose up from those still left at their House tables.
"Our Hufflepuffs showed great courage and bravery in the face of certain death during the Final Battle. They cared for their classmates regardless of House, gender, anything. And as such, they deserve to be rewarded! At a total of 680 points, they swept the floor over the runner up, Ravenclaw, who had a total of 345 points. And they practically shined the floor with Slytherin who had a total of 3 points for, well, obvious reasons. They even beat the Gryffindors who have swept the House Cup for the past 12 years!"
Minerva looked at Filius uneasily. Pomona Sprout, who was previously wearing a broad smile, looked more and more worried as Dumbledore's speech progressed.
"And so, I would like to present to you your House Cup winners!" Dumbledore clapped his hands. "GRYFFINDOR!"
A shocked sigh rippled through the student body as the banners above turned from saffron to crimson. Minerva buried her face in her hands as Filius plopped on the floor with a weary sigh.
"I award Gryffindor 300 points for being the House of our Golden Man, Harry Potter! Because, after all, he won the war! Another 100 points to Miss Hermione Granger for surviving the last year despite her blood status and the vast number of Snatchers after her. To Ronald Weasley, 200 points because he destroyed a Horcrux and for always being there for Harry. Well, most of the time, anyway. And, lastly, to Neville Longbottom, 75 points because he killed Voldemort's snake and surprised us all with his level of competence. " Dumbledore considered the totals for a moment. "And since that sets Gryffindor equal to Hufflepuff, I hereby award another 4 points to Gryffindor in respect of Percy Weasley, who turned out not to be such a prat after all. And 1 point to Ron and Hermione, who finally kissed."
Being a painting, Albus Dumbledore could not see the colour filling Pomona Sprout's face as her eyes narrowed. She shoved her chair back from the table rather violently and stomped towards the back of the painting.
"I'd like to see you win a bloody war without my Hufflepuffs!" she shouted. With an angry yell, she kicked the painting off of the stool just as it was visible that a very enraged Severus Snape was entering the frame.
Minerva lent a hand to Filius as he stood up. Bending down, she whispered something that elicited a chuckle from the small man.
"I hope Severus gets him good this time."
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