The Punch Heard Around The School

AN: Remembered this moment in the book recently and I was feeling very angry about what Snape said to poor Hermione. I just wanted to hit him. Here's the result

Ron had hurried forward to see what was wrong with her; Harry turned and saw Ron dragging Hermione's hand away from her face. It wasn't a pretty sight. Hermione's front teeth — already larger than average — were now growing at an alarming rate; she was looking more and more like a beaver as her teeth elongated, past her bottom lip, toward her chin — panic-stricken, she felt them and let out a terrified cry.

"And what is all this noise about?" said a soft, deadly voice.

Snape had arrived. The Slytherins clamored to give their explanations; Snape pointed a long yellow finger at Malfoy and said, "Explain."

"Potter attacked me, sir —"

"We attacked each other at the same time!" Harry shouted.

"— and he hit Goyle — look —"

Snape examined Goyle, whose face now resembled something that would have been at home in a book on poisonous fungi.

"Hospital wing, Goyle," Snape said calmly.

"Malfoy got Hermione!" Ron said. "Look!"

He forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth — she was doing her best to hide them with her hands, though this was difficult as they had now grown down past her collar. Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls were doubled up with silent giggles, pointing at Hermione from behind Snape's back.

Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, "I see no difference."

Hermione let out a whimper; her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.

It was lucky, perhaps, that both Harry and Ron started shouting at Snape at the same time; lucky their voices echoed so much in the stone corridor, for in the confused din, it was impossible for him to hear exactly what they were calling him. He got the gist, however.

"Let's see," he said, in his silkiest voice. "Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention each for Potter and Weasley. Now get inside, or it'll be a week's worth of detentions."

Harry was furious. More than furious. Year after year he had to deal with his bullying teacher. He held his tongue every year, tried not to provoke Snape, tried to just blend into the shadows and not be hunted like the celebrity he was. He hated it.

As those thoughts of anger and frustration rushed through his head, he venomously glared at the giggling Draco Malfoy. Malfoy stopped giggling and suddenly looked scared at the look Harry was sending him.

Harry then turned his face to the Potions teacher himself, Severus Snape. A million thoughts and words rushed to his head as he looked at the man who considered himself a teacher. HE was the dunderhead, not Harry. He made students miserable. And most of all, he made Hermione miserable.

Harry was used to bullies all his life. In Primary School from being around Dudley and his cronies to Draco Malfoy who liked to insult and berate people he saw as lower than him.

But Snape, Harry realised, Snape was a grown man who threw his weight around like Malfoy and insulted and berated others. And most of all, he made his best friend Hermione cry.

Pure unadulterated fury suddenly ensconced Harry as he thought of the times Snape hurt him and Hermione. He suddenly remembered the previous year when Snape called Hermione an 'insufferable know-it-all'.

The fury pushed through his body as he glared at the man as he thought of what he would like to do to him. Harry's right fist clenched violently. A voice in the back of his head suddenly said to him "Do It. You will not be expelled."

Before anyone started going into the classroom, Harry went right in front of Snape. His hand and heart was pounding from the fury. Harry brought up his clenched fist and did something he didn't think he would ever do.

He punched Snape right on the man's left cheek. He heard the sound of bone cracking as the man fell on the ground.

"YOU DUNDERHEAD," Harry shouted. "HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE CALLED NAMES? HUH. YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PIECE OF SHIT BULLY. YOU ARE PATHETIC, SNAPE!"

Harry didn't realise the students around him were stunned at the display of anger Harry had shown towards the Hogwarts Potions teacher. They all stared in shock, absolutely certain that Harry had just signed his death warrant by hitting the most hated teacher in Hogwarts.

Harry ignored the students and left the area, deciding the groaning man on the floor was not worth any more time wasting. He made his way to the Hospital Wing to see his friend.

"Hermione," he greeted when he saw her sitting on a bed, with Madam Pomfrey looking her over for other curses that might have been cast.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Potter?" Pomfrey spoke sternly. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

Harry kept his face straight as he answered. "I don't think Snape wants to see me for a while."

"I can tell," Pomfrey said, looking over Harry's shoulder. Harry turned to see Snape hobbling into the room holding his cheek. Behind him was Malfoy trying to support Goyle. However, Goyle suddenly fell asleep on Malfoy and fell down to the ground, crushing Malfoy under him.

"Help me," Malfoy squeaked from under the massive figure of Goyle.

"Mr. Potter," the Mediwitch spoke. "Will you levitate Mr Goyle off of Mr Malfoy."

Reluctantly, Harry turned his wand on Goyle only to snigger. Goyle was kissing Malfoy's cheek in his sleep.

"You smell so good, Millicent," Goyle mumbled sleepily.

Harry burst into laughter at hearing that, levitating Goyle off of Malfoy, who was looking murderously at Harry.

"Did you put perfume on your cheek, Draco?" Harry asked mockingly, suppressing his laughter.

Malfoy glared at him, but as Madam Pomfrey was present he ignored Harry and walked out of the Hospital Wing.

"What did you do to Professor Snape, Harry?" Hermione asked. Madam Pomfrey had finished with her and made her way to Snape, who was groaning like a wounded dog.

Harry suddenly noticed the difference in Hermione. Her teeth were now a different size. Instead of the slight buck teeth she had they were now like normal teeth.

"You had your teeth shrunk," Harry stated, shocked at the sight.

"What's wrong with having normal sized teeth?" Hermione asked him.

"Your teeth made you look unique, Hermione," Harry countered. "I never cared what your teeth looked like. All I care about is that I have a pretty awesome unique friend who I love."

Hermione blushed vibrantly red at the praise.

"Don't evade my question, Harry," she retorted in a friendly tone. "What did you do to Professor Snape?"

"The brat punched me in the face," Snape said from the next bed, before clutching his cheek and moaning from the pain of talking.

Hermione was horrified, staring at Harry as if seeing him for the first time.

Madam Pomfrey heard Snape as well, and looked sympathetically at Harry, as if she knew he was on his deathbed.

"Merlin Harry," Hermione breathed. "Why did you do that? You could be expelled."

"Because I am sick of Snape's attitude," Harry countered. "I have gotten too used to it to care. But he insulted you so badly you started crying. I am not going to stand by any longer and hear him insult my friends."

"Alright, Severus," Madam Pomfrey said. "You're now all healed. Carry on to your next class."

With one look of pure loathing on his face directed at Harry, Snape left the room.

"Harry Potter," Madam Pomfrey said angrily. "Do you realise you have basically signed your death warrant?"

"I do," Harry timidly spoke.

"He's going to be expelled," Hermione shrieked.

Madam Pomfrey smiled and leaned close. "Don't let anyone know this, but Albus Dumbledore is never going to let Mr Potter be expelled. He wants him in the castle. And you're now free to go Ms Granger."

And with that Madam Pomfrey went back to her office, leaving Harry dumbstruck.

Dumbledore would never let him leave? Why was that?

IlIlIlIlI

After the Wand Weighing later that day, Harry went to dinner.

As he ate he was aware of all the whispered conversations around him talking about what he did to Snape. He stole a glance up at the Head Table where he returned Snape's furious glare with a cocky smile.

Suddenly he felt a familiar presence behind him.

"Harry, my boy," said Dumbledore. He didn't sound pleased. "I'd like to see you in my office after dinner."

Dumbledore reached forwards and grabbed a slice of sherbet lemon on the table. "Ah, I'd think I'll have a slice of sherbet lemon." He spoke pointedly at Harry. Harry instantly understood. That was the password to the old man's office.

So after dinner a high spirited Harry arrived at Dumbledore's office. He give the password and went in. In the room was Dumbledore himself, Snape, and Professor McGonagall.

"Harry," Dumbledore spoke. "We need to talk about what you did to Professor Snape –"

"TALK ABOUT," Snape roared. "HE PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE. EXPEL THE WHELP."

Harry looked at the three people. Suddenly remembering what Madam Pomfrey said earlier, he spoke.

"Go ahead, Dumbledore," Harry said. "Expel me. I don't see a point staying in the castle."

He almost laughed at the look of abject horror on the wizened wizard's face. Snape was looking like Christmas had come early with that damned smile on his face. And Professor McGonagall–

"Mr Potter," she spoke furiously. "Why in Merlin's name would you want to leave Hogwarts?"

Harry was about to answer back when something caught his eye. A stone coloured basin lying inside a cabinet. He got up from his chair and walked over to it. There were odd carvings around the edge: runes and symbols that Harry did not recognize. There was a silver light coming from the basin's contents, which were like nothing Harry had ever seen before. He could not tell whether the sub stance was liquid or gas. It was a bright, whitish silver, and it was moving ceaselessly; the surface of it became ruffled like water be neath wind, and then, like clouds, separated and swirled smoothly. It looked like light made liquid — or like wind made solid — Harry couldn't make up his mind.

"What is this?" Harry asked, wonder in his voice.

"It is called a Pensieve Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall said, coming over to him. "You can view memories in this. You take your wand up to your head like this-" and she demonstrated "-and pull the memory that you're thinking of out and place it in."

Harry gazed in wonder and suddenly had an idea. He knew he could trust Professor McGonagall. He greatly respected his Transfiguration Professor. On occasion he liked to think of her as a Grandma figure in his life.

"Can I show you the reason I got in trouble with Snape?" he asked, ignoring Dumbledore correcting him in the background.

"I highly doubt you did it on a whim," his teacher said. "Go ahead."

Harry nodded gratefully and put his wand up to his head, expunging the memory he was thinking of into the basin.

Professor McGonagall stuck her head in. Harry smiled at the sight of his Transfiguration Professor looking like a duck with its head underwater.

When McGonagall surfaced Harry stepped back.

Pure fury was in the Scotswoman's eyes and suddenly he feared for his life more than he ever did with Snape.

However, to his surprise she went up to Snape and slapped him. Shock washed over Snape's eyes as he looked at Dumbledore.

"Minerva, what are you -"

Dumbledore didn't finish his statement as McGonagall physically dragged Dumbledore and forced his head into his Pensieve.

After a few minutes she dragged him up. "Tell me Albus," she screeched. "Should a teacher act like that."

"Minerva, I -"

"Shut up, Albus," she growled. She turned to Snape. "You go down to the Dungeons and come back with Draco Malfoy right now."

Harry didn't say a word. He was too scared to say anything in case McGonagall would turn her ire on him. Snape left and came back not fifteen minutes later with Malfoy.

"Empty your pockets Mr Malfoy," McGonagall spoke sternly.

Scared and confused, Harry watched as Malfoy emptied his pockets. The main thing that caught his eye was that damned badge Malfoy made.

McGonagall charmed the badge to reanimate and suddenly the words Support Cedric Diggory changed to Potter Stinks.

"Bullying to the highest degree, Mr Malfoy," she spoke sternly. "Harassing a fellow student."

Harry was surprised. He thought the teachers all knew about the badges but didn't care.

"You will be serving a month's detention with me, Mr Malfoy," she spoke. "Harassment is strictly against school rules. Go back to your dorm. If I catch you or anyone else wearing this badge in the future there will be dire consequences."

"Minerva, I -"

"Hold your tongue, Albus," she fiercely said.

Harry didn't say a word. He was glad he had Professor McGonagall on his side.

"As for you, Mr Potter," she spoke. Maybe not. "Striking a Hogwarts teacher is immediate grounds for expulsion. You will serve one half hour detention with me tomorrow night."

She give him the tiniest wink and Harry calmed down.

"HALF AN HOUR," Snape found his voice again. "EXPEL THE BRAT."

"My hands are tied, Severus," Dumbledore spoke. "Harry Potter will not be expelled. However, you and me are going to have a serious talk once everyone leaves this room."

"I am not leaving, Albus," McGonagall nearly roared. "I am staying here and I am going to have some choice words with Severus that I don't want young people to hear."

She turned to Harry. "You are free to go Mr Potter. But be in my office tomorrow at eight sharp."

Harry nodded to her and left.

Back in his Common Room he swore he could still hear McGonagall shouting at the other end of the castle.

That night, he slept well.

AN: Although I like Severus Snape and feel like Dumbledore manipulated him into a job he hated, it still doesn't mean I like him as a teacher. Truthfully he is absolutely horrible to the students around him and doesn't teach properly, despite his hatred for it.