Lion's Breed True Outtake
This is the original chapter four, and is dedicated to avid reader.
It was unendurable, yet they had no choice but to endure. It was unwatchable, but Harry felt honor bond to watch. If Ron had to take it, the least Harry could do was watch him take it.
Harry couldn't believe this was happening. It was like being trapped in a nightmare. He cursed his curiosity. If only he hadn't snooped into Snape's memories, Harry would never have witnessed his father bullying Snape.
If Harry hadn't seen his father humiliating the potion's master, he wouldn't have had such an overpowering need to talk to his godfather. But such was his need to some how exonerate his father's behavior Harry had willingly turned to a blind eye to any danger.
The twins had seemed so bold and carefree, that Harry felt compelled to follow their example. No one meant to leave Ron holding the bag, but that's what had happened. Harry knew Fred and George would be horrified when they found out the trouble they had left their little brother in.
Harry's first instinct when he realized Ron had been caught so to step forward and confess. But of course he couldn't do that; the whole Order of the Phoenix would be exposed if he did. So he could only watch helplessly while Ron was forcibly marched out to the whipping post.
Harry knew the exact minute Ron realized he was to be whipped. Ron's body sagged suddenly, and Warrington and Goyle had to drag him a few steps before Ron regained his feet.
It hurt to have to watch Ron surrender his prefect's badge. Harry wondered why he had ever felt any jealousy over Ron getting the badge in the first place.
It hurt even more to have to watch Ron strip. All the Gryffindor fifth year boys knew how shabby Ron's clothes were, but all of them pretended not to notice. But now that shabbiness was being exposed to the whole school.
Why had Harry insisted Fred and George buy Ron those useless dress robes? A new school outfit would have been a lot more useful. Or a least a few new shirts.
Ron was shaking so hard he was struggling to unbutton his shirt, and he was was sweating so much that if he were a horse he would have been said to be lathered.
Harry fumed as he listened to the Slytherins jeers, all the more so because he knew Ron meekly accepted them. He wanted Ron to get angry; he wanted the steel that he knew was at Ron's core to shine through.
Then Malfoy badmouthed Arthur, and Harry was happy to see Ron's head snap up, his body straighten, and his shoulders squared as he marched up the platform steps.
Harry winced as Ron's wrists were so cruelly jerked up and he was stretched to full length against the whipping post.
"Harry," Ginny's voice whispered harshly in his ear, and Harry turned his head to look into her eyes. Ginny's face was painfully white, and she had a death grip on his arm.
"I don't think I can bear this. Why did I talk to the twins? Why did I ask them if they could help you?"
"Ginny, this isn't your fault. If anyone's one to blame, it's me. Just hang on to me, yeah? We'll get through this together."
"Oh Merlin, it's starting," breathed Ginny, staring at her brother.
Harry turned to watch, and flinched as the whip cracked across Ron's back, leaving a vicious welt that was already drawing blood. Harry closed his eyes as the second whiplash hit Ron's back, then immediately snapped them back open, disgusted with himself.
He would not be a coward. He would make himself watch.
"I can't watch this," whimpered Ginny.
"Then don't. Turn your back, and hang on to me," replied Harry, and was relieved when Ginny promptly did so. If nothing else, he could at least help Ginny through this. He owed Ron and the Weasleys that much.
To Harry's fury, the whipping seemed to go on far too long. But along with his fierce anger, an equally fierce pride was slowly building in Harry. Ron didn't scream. He jerked with each lash. There was an occasional whimper or moan, but no screams.
Harry knew it didn't really matter. He wouldn't have thought less of Ron if he had screamed. Still, Harry simply couldn't help feeling exalted. Ron was proving he was both a Weasley and a Gryffindor through and through; they couldn't break him.
Glancing briefly around, Harry realized he wasn't the only one who was thrilled that Ron hadn't broke. The students had automatically grouped together in their houses, with the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws flanking the lions.
The entire House of Gryffindor, from the first years to the seventh, were standing with their heads held high, while the badgers and the eagles were gazing at Ron with open mouthed awe.
Finally McGonagall and Pomfrey approached the whipping post, insisting that it was illegal for Ron to be given any more lashes. Flilch reluctantly lowered the whip, and Madame Pomfrey started up the steps of the platform.
"Stop!" yelled Umbridge, "What do you think you're doing?"
Madame Pomfrey stared at the headmistress in surprise, "I'm tending my patient."
"He's not your patient! He's still being punished. You can check him over tomorrow morning when he's let off the post."
There was a minute of shocked silence, then Harry heard Ginny gasp and his own voice screaming in outrage. He wasn't the only one. The entire House of Gryffindor surged forward shouting in anger. Harry heard Seamus yelling, "We'll storm the platform and take him down ourselves, you bitch! You can't whip us all!"
Harry would have been worried about Seamus, but there was so much noise his voice was drowned out. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were also shouting at Umbridge, and the headmistress fell back, looking a little frightened.
"Stop this! You're children! You're suppose to obey me!"
When everyone ignored her, Umbridge looked to the professors, "Get your houses under control!"
McGonagall waved her wand, and there was sudden dead silence. It took Harry a second to understand that even though he was still screaming, no noise was issuing from his mouth.
"Silence!" ordered McGonagall. "I agree that Mr. Weasley cannot be left here all night, but there will not be a riot at this school!"
"Mr. Weasley is going to be left here all night," said Umbridge, rigidly. "I'm still headmistress here."
McGonagall turned to glare at her, "You'll be recklessly endangering his health. I promise you I'll file a complaint with the Board of Governors, if Madame Pomfrey doesn't."
"I'll most definitely be filing a complaint," announced Pomfrey.
"He's been punished too harshly already," threw in Sprout. "Are you trying to kill him?"
"If I may point out Headmistress Umbridge," said Snape, "the boy is a Weasley. True, he's rather thick, and not particularly a good student. Why he was chosen to be prefect, I have no idea. But the Weasley clan is extremely large, if poor, and one of the oldest pure blooded families in Britain. They're part of the Sacred Twenty-eight, and related to most of the other pure blooded families.
"If he ends up in St. Mungos," Snape paused, "or worse, there will be quite a scandal."
Umbidge looked shaken, "I hadn't thought of that. All right. If all the students will return to their common rooms he'll be let down in two hours."
Harry would have screamed in fury about that if he could have, but McGonagall hadn't lifted the silencing spell.
Professor McGonagall stood in front of the Gryffindors like a general surveying her troops. "You will not shame me, or your house. I'm going to lift the spell, and you will quietly and orderly walk back to you common room. Do not let Mr. Weasley down. He didn't let you down."
And of course that ended any protest the Gryffindors might have made. So McGonagall lifted the spell, and the lions sullenly started back to Gryffindor tower.
Harry hated it. He wanted desperately to take Ron down from that post immediately. Ron looked dreadful. He was so soaked with sweat that he might have taken a dip in the lake. His head lulled listlessly to one side.
His back was crisscrossed with ugly welts oozing blood, and blood also was dripping down his arms from where the shackles had cruelly bit into his wrists. Harry hoped Ron was unconscious at least.
Harry tugged on Ginny's hand, "Come on. You heard McGonagall."
They turned to leave and almost tripped over a diminutive blond.
"Harry," started Luna, but Harry didn't give her a chance to finish.
"Not now Luna! My best mate has just been whipped half to death! Whatever it is can wait!"
Luna planted herself firmly in his path, "You will listen to me Harry Potter! You can't help Ron now, but Hermione needs you!"
Harry's heart dropped, "Hermione? Oh Merlin! Where is she?"
Luna pointed, "Over there. I can't walk her back to Gryffindor. You need to."
Harry and Ginny fought their way through the crowd, and found Hermione crouching in some mud. Her whole body shook with hard, gut wrenching sobs. Harry and Ginny flanked her, whispering encouragement for her to get up.
"Hermione, come on, please. We need to go back to Gryffindor," begged Harry.
Hermione lifted her head. Her face was so pale it looked grey, and tears were streaming down her cheeks, "They won't stop hurting him. They keep hurting him."
Alarmed, Harry and Ginny tried to pull Hermione to her feet. She didn't seem conscious of their presence, and didn't respond to their repeated tugs.
"It's over Hermione," assured Harry "Come on, you have to get up."
"Oh how sweet," mocked a voice behind them. "The mudblood weeping over the blood traitor."
Harry turned to glare at a smirking Malfoy, "Shouldn't you be slithering back to the snake pit?"
Malfoy sneered, "As a member of the Inquisitional Squad I don't have to go back to my common room. But you three do, so I suggest you hurry."
"Is there a problem here?" asked McGonagall, coming up to the four students.
Malfoy turned sulky, "I was just telling these three to hurry up."
"Obviously Miss Granger is in duress, so Miss Weasley and Mr. Potter are helping her, as they should. Thank you Mr. Malfoy, you may move along now. These three are in my house and are my responsibility. I'll handle it from here," said McGonagall.
Malfoy clearly wasn't pleased, but had no choice to obey.
McGonagall faced Ginny, Hermione and Harry, "I'm sure all three of you are distressed, but falling apart isn't helpful.
"Miss Granger, you're English. Pull yourself together child. I assure you Madame Pomfrey will check Mr. Weasley's condition and if necessary she'll take him to the hospital wing."
McGonagall paused, and looked swiftly around. Harry had the impression she was checking if anyone was listening or not.
"While I don't want anyone to go to the hospital wing, I'm sure Madame Pomfrey will have all sorts of potions ready to use."
She gazed at the three students, "It would be a shame for those potions not to be used, don't you think? But I'm sure the Inquisitional Squad will be watching to make certain Madame Pomfrey doesn't smuggle anything out."
The she turned to leave, but paused and looked back over her shoulder, "Oh yes, I have it on good authority that everyone will be let for supper shortly before the two hours are up."
Harry, Hermione and Ginny blankly watched her leave, then Harry and Ginny turned to stare at each other while Hermione struggled to her feet.
Hermione grasped Harry's robes, "Harry...she...we can help! We can do something! We have, we have to..."
"Yeah, Hermione," agreed Harry urgently. "But we can't talk about it here. Let's get back to our common room."
Hermione was still white and shaky, but she looked considerably better. Ginny, fussing over Hermione, seemed to have forgotten her own distress. Harry himself acknowledged he also felt better for having something practical to do and not feeling so helpless.
"As soon as we get back to Gryfinndor tower," Ginny told Hermione, "we're getting you cleaned up and fixing you a nice cup of tea. Then we can figure out how to visit Pomfrey."
"Wait," interrupted Harry, "where are you getting tea?"
The girls both gave him pitying looks, then exchanged glances, "Boys!"
"Harry, all girls have tea in their rooms for the occasional cup," Ginny informed him.
"They do?" questioned Harry.
"Would you like a cup?"
"I'm English. I'm upset. Of course I would like a cup."
"Then I'll bring you some," Ginny said.
By this time they had reached their common room and stumbled in. The room was full, since no one seemed to want to go up to their dorms.
Lavender and Pavarti were seated on the couch, clinging to get other and crying. Neville, Dean and Seamus were standing close by looking angry.
The rest of the lions were respectfully giving the fifth years space, and when Harry, Ginny and Hermione came through everyone stood back for them as well.
Harry looked around at his housemates as Ginny shepherded Hermione toward the girl's dorms, and realized everyone would feel better if they were doing something, no matter how small.
With that in mind he approached Angelina, "Can I talk to you a minute?"
Angelina looked surprised, "Sure. What's up?"
"I have it on good authority that all the girls have tea in their rooms. I think this is a time when everyone could use a cup, don't you."
Angelina blinked, then smiled slightly, "I agree.
"Hey girls!" she called, "Gather round. We're all going to make some tea for the whole house. Everyone will feel better."
It worked. The girls swarmed up the steps, chattering about having extra cups and sugar and whatnot.
Harry turned; now for the boys who were watching the girls a bit enviously.
"When they come back down with the tea, drink it. It will make them feel better."
It was the right thing to say. Everyone laughed, and Lee chimed in, "It will make me feel better too!"
Taking a deep breath, Harry went to stand by the other fifth years boys, "Alright, the four of us are going to need some help here."
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Neville, Seamus and Dean stand a little taller. The rest of the boys gathered eagerly around.
"I'm going on the assumption that Pomfrey won't take Ron to the hospital wing, and Ron's too big for the four of to get him back here by ourselves. All the older boys need to take turns walking Ron back to the common room.
"As for you younger ones, Ginny, Hermione and I are slipping off to see Pomfrey instead of going to supper. But the Inquisitional Squad will be on the look out for us.
"I need all of you to scatter around and lay false trails and lead them away. Don't do anything really wrong," Harry cautioned. "Just act sneaky enough that they feel they have to follow you.
"Then go someplace innocent, like supper or the library. Can you manage all that?"
Everyone was nodding looking pleased, and by this time the girls were bringing pots and pots of tea down. Everyone gathered around having a cup and the atmosphere was definitely lighter.
When Ginny and Hermione came down, Ginny glanced around, "You're very clever Harry. The house is more united and feels better.
"You have the makings of a natural leader."
Harry flushed, "Everyone wants to feel useful in a crisis, yeah? I thought all this would help."
"How are we getting past the Inquisitional Squad to Pomfrey?" demanded Hermione, impatiently.
"We have the map and the cloak, and the younger boys are going to try to lead the members of the Squad off on false trails," Harry replied.
Harry, along with everyone else did feel better after he had some tea, and glancing at the clock, Harry decided he should fetch the map and cloak.
He started for his dorm room, but Ginny followed him, and drew him aside, "I need to know. Did you manage to talk to Sirius?"
Harry went very still, "Yes."
Ginny looked at him, "Was it worth my brother's sacrifice?"
And there's the original chapter four. As I said, I wasn't unhappy with it, but I disliked the changed POV. So I had to come up with other ways to cover the information in it. Thanks for reading.