Harry Potter and the Sacred Twenty-Eight
Chapter 4: Chaos and Consequences
"Her name is Daphne Greengrass."
Hermione's words echoed through Harry's mind for what seemed like the thousandth time on the carriage ride up to the castle. In the short time since hearing it for the first time on the train, Harry had thought of little else. It was a mantra that beat through his brain as severely as the rain fell against the carriage as it squelched its way up the winding path from Hogsmeade Station. The confrontation on the train kept replaying over and over again in his mind's eye, and Harry was starting to shake from fury again.
"Her name is Daphne Greengrass."
With a yell, Harry punched the wall of the carriage, earning himself a sore hand to pair with his sore groin. Shaking his hand to distract from the pain, he looked around the carriage. Ron looked to be close to punching a wall himself, his face as red as his hair, lost in his own thoughts. Hermione had managed to pull herself together some since departing the train. She sat silently, her face set in a look of fierce determination as she stared at the pieces of her wand clenched in one hand. Only the Weasley twins had reacted to Harry's yell, by turning their gaze away from each other and towards Harry.
"No sense in taking it out on the carriage, mate," Fred said, his voice unnaturally serious. "Save it for Greengrass."
George nodded his agreement. "Speaking of which, Harry: what's the plan for her? Whatever it is, we want in."
Harry felt slightly off-kilter as he hear George's words. Plan? Wasn't it obvious? The only punishment suitable for that vile girl was pummeling her to a pulp. Except this time, he would make sure she didn't have a wand. He opened his mouth to voice this thought, but was pre-empted by Hermione.
"We're taking this straight to Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore," she said, her voice filling with a sadistic determination that Harry had never imagined her capable of before. "She'll be out of the castle for good before dessert for what she's done." She raised her head, and Harry saw that her face had twisted itself into the same furious scowl that she had held right before hitting Malfoy the year before. "She may not think I belong here, but I'll see that she never comes back." Her gaze dropped back to the wand fragments in her lap, still gripped in white-knuckled fists.
Harry, Ron, Fred and George exchanged looks that plainly said that they didn't think Hermione's plan was quite direct enough for their liking, but none of them said anything to Hermione, choosing instead to stay silent. Harry mouthed 'Later' to Ron and the twins, who nodded their assent as the carriage came to a halt.
Hermione shot from the carriage and began a determined sprint towards Professor McGonagall, who could be heard over the downpour directing students to their seats from her customary post in the Entrance Hall. Harry gestured to Ron, Fred and George to linger a second and said, as quietly as he could while still overcoming the sound of the storm, "Meet in the common room after everybody's gone to sleep."
The other three nodded, and began to trudge their way towards the dryness of the school. They hadn't made it more than five feet when a cold, triumphant drawl echoed behind them. "Is it true, Potter? Granger's had her wand snapped?"
Harry's heart began beating so fast Harry thought it might burst through his chest. He, Ron, Fred and George turned to see Draco Malfoy, who looked positively delighted as he emerged from the carriage behind theirs. He was flanked, as usual, by Crabbe and Goyle, who wore similar, if dimmer, looks of delight.
Harry could hear the blood thundering in his ears. He faintly heard Ron say, "Leave it, Malfoy, if you know what's good for you."
Malfoy's smile, if possible, grew even bigger. "Or what, Weasley?" he jeered, "Going to hex me with your bare hands?" Ron's face was by this point so red it practically glowed through the rain-filled darkness. Fred grabbed the neck of Ron's robes, while George did the same for Harry. "Save it, Harry," George shouted over the rain. "He'll get his, the git." His every instinct screamed for him to curse Malfoy, to beat him senseless, but Harry nodded tightly and began to turn back towards the castle, as Fred started guiding Ron in the same direction.
Malfoy's grin shifted from overjoyed to predatory. "Yes, Potter, save it!" he called out to Harry's turning back. "Why waste it on your pet Mudblood? She only got what she deserved!"
Harry felt George's grip slacken and he turned back around to face Malfoy, his thoughts now laser focused. With a roar, he drew his wand and cried out:
"Expelliarmus!"
A jet of red light left his wand and connected with Malfoy's chest at the same time as two other jets of light, one a sickly yellow, the other bright orange, also hit Malfoy. Harry snatched Malfoy's wand out of the air and then looked behind him. Fred and George had their wands drawn, pointed directly at Malfoy, their usually good-natured faces contorted in fury. Harry turned back towards Malfoy in time to see Ron collide with Goyle, who had stepped in front of Malfoy in a delayed act of protection. Harry, Fred and George fired off another set of hexes at Crabbe and Goyle, who retreated quickly back down the road towards Hogsmeade, their faces sporting assorted boils and abrasions.
Harry paused for a moment to examine Malfoy. He was now being pummeled into the ground by a furious Ron, vomiting uncontrollably, and seemed to be breaking out in large, pus-filled boils all over his face and arms. Harry looked at the twins and said, "Get Ron to the castle. Malfoy and I are going to finish this." The twins nodded without question. They rushed forward, hoisting Ron under his arms and started dragging him towards the Entrance Hall.
Harry stepped forward to where Malfoy lay shaking uncontrollably with each heave of his stomach. The boils covering his face were beginning to darken and swell. The adrenaline of the fight was fading from Harry's mind, and he could hear the screams of the students who had arrived after Malfoy. He knew he didn't have much time. If the students arriving were in Slytherin...
Harry pointed his wand once more at Malfoy and muttered,
"Finite."
Immediately, Malfoy stopped vomiting, though the boils remained. Malfoy rose shakily to his knees, his facial features barely visible beneath the boils. Harry stored his wand in one of the pockets in his robe, and brandished Malfoy's own wand at him.
"Hermione is twice the witch you'll ever be, Malfoy," Harry roared. Malfoy could only look at Harry piteously, the boils on his face now dark purple and threatening to burst. Harry looked down at him with hatred in his eyes. He gripped an end of Malfoy's wand in each hand and raised it over his knee. He glared at Malfoy and swung the wand down.
"STUPEFY!"
Harry's body dropped to the ground, stunned, with Malfoy's wand gripped in both hands, an inch above his knee.
Harry awoke with a jolt. The first thing he noticed was that he was lying on his back. The second thing he noticed was that he was staring at a ceiling that could only belong to one of the many corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry craned his neck and saw that he was hovering in the air, the wand of an absolutely furious looking Professor McGonagall aimed at him. She locked eyes with Harry, and a second later, Harry dropped unceremoniously to the floor. He pulled himself to his feet, groaning, and noticing for the first time he and Professor McGonagall were not the only ones in the hallway. As he stood, he saw an absolutely livid Professor Snape; Ron, Fred and George eyeing him with pride mixed with worry; Hermione looking at him with eyes full of concern; and Daphne Greengrass, who glanced at him once, her face not revealing anything in their brief moment of eye contact.
Harry shook his head to clear the cobwebs that had gathered and looked around. They were standing in front of the stone gargoyle Harry knew to guard the entrance to Dumbledore's office.
"Cockroach Clusters," muttered Snape to the gargoyle, which hopped aside immediately. Snape gestured to Greengrass who stepped through the opening and onto the rotating staircase beyond. Snape gave Harry a look of deepest loathing and then swept after his student up the spiral staircase. Professor McGonagall then spoke, her voice under careful control, but leaving room for no argument. "Misters Weasley, Miss Granger, up you go. Mr. Potter, and I will follow." All three Weasleys and Hermione marched silently to the staircase and stepped on. Harry and Professor McGonagall waited a moment and then stepped on, too.
As the staircase brought them closer to Dumbledore's office, Harry looked up at Professor McGonagall and opened his mouth to speak. Whether to apologize or to justify himself, he did not know, but before he could get so much as a word out, Professor McGonagall spoke with a voice colder than anything Harry had ever heard from her before. "You will stay silent until asked to speak, Potter!"
Harry dropped his head, shame entering his emotions for the first time that night. The whirlwind of anger he had been living in ever since walking into Daphne Greengrass on the train had dissipated, replaced with a cold fear. He knew he had gone too far with Malfoy. Much too far. Almost as far as Greengrass had gone with Hermione. Harry felt sick to his stomach as he and Professor McGonagall reached the top of the staircase and rejoined the others. He raised his head again to look at Professor McGonagall, overcome by an impulse to explain himself. "Please, Professor, I—"
"Mister Potter." the voice was not the angry brogue Harry had been expected, but the venomous tones of Snape, who, upon hearing Harry, looked as angry as Harry had ever seen him. "You have launched unprovoked attacks on multiple students and the opening feast has not yet begun!" Snape's voice rose with each word until he was practically shouting. "You will be lucky to avoid the inside of a prison cell after what you have done today, so HOLD. YOUR. TONGUE!"
Harry's shame was quickly overpowered by a fresh wave of anger. He opened his mouth to respond, but Professor McGonagall beat him to it.
"I would hardly call Mister Potter's actions unprovoked, Severus!" Like Snape, McGonagall's voice rose quickly as she spoke. "In fact, I dare say that, however foolish and reprehensible his actions may be, they were a direct result of your students' despicable language and actions towards Miss Granger!"
Snape looked livid. "I have three students in the hospital wing—" he started to shout, but was drowned out by Professor McGonagall, who had lost any calm she had remaining. "AND I HAVE ONE WITHOUT A WAND BECAUSE OF YOUR STUDENT'S BIGOTRY AND HATRED!" McGonagall screamed at Snape, her face splotchy with anger. She advanced on Snape, drawing her wand. Snape's eyes widened and he reached for his own wand. Harry, the Weasleys, Hermione, and Greengrass all ducked, waiting with bated breath as McGonagall stepped closer to Snape. McGonagall however, pushed past Snape upon reaching him and aimed her wand at Dumbledore's office door and blasted it open. She and Snape hurried inside. Harry and the others followed tentatively behind, not wanting to get too close.
"ALBUS!" came the simultaneous roars of anger from Snape and McGonagall. Both professors began yelling their versions of what happened at a decidedly shocked looking Dumbledore. He recovered quickly, however, drawing his wand and emitting a loud bang from the end of it. Silence reigned immediately. He looked admonishingly at Snape and McGonagall. "Minerva, Severus, I am disappointed," Dumbledore's voice was quiet, but filled with annoyance. "To be setting this sort of example is not at all what I expect, from either of you." McGonagall had the good grace to look ashamed. Snape's face went blank, and he only nodded stiffly at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore gave both professors a long, penetrating look, before giving a satisfied nod. He turned to Harry and the others. "I think," he said quietly, "it would be best if we were comfortable before telling our tales." He conjured eight squashy arm chairs and gestured for everybody to sit. Snape and Greengrass took the seats on the far left. McGonagall and the Gryffindor students took the rest. Dumbledore sat down in his own, throne-like chair behind his desk and steepled his fingers and looked at all eight of them. "I will be asking each of you to tell me what happened in turn," he said, calmly. "I ask that nobody interrupt anybody else. If there are conflicting versions of what has happened, I will then ask to view your memories of the event to ascertain the truth. Is that understood?" He looked around the room until he received nods of acknowledgement. He sighed wearily. "Let us begin, then," he said. "Professor McGonagall, if you would be so kind as to tell us your version."
Professor McGonagall launched into her tale, beginning with Hermione approaching her in the Entrance Hall and telling her what had happened on the train, followed by seeing spell fire on the grounds, and culminating in stunning Harry before he could snap Malfoy's wand.
Snape went next, and Harry had to restrain himself multiple times from speaking out against details and characterizations in Snape's recollections. As Harry knew he would, Snape had emphasized Harry's actions and skated right on over Malfoy's words and Greengrass' provocations and attack.
Harry and the other Gryffindors went next, each of their stories matching and supporting each other.
Finally, Daphne Greengrass stood to give her version of events. Harry steeled himself, preparing to restrain himself as he had done when Snape had spoken. He set his gaze on her, the same anger he'd been feeling all day simmering and stirring in his stomach as she began to speak. "I cannot speak to the conflict between Malfoy and Mr. Potter and Misters Weasley," she began. "I was not present and therefore can offer no insight." Dumbledore nodded and gestured at her to continue. She spoke again, her voice the same proud, aristocratic voice that she had used on the train. "The incident on the train is largely as Mr. Potter described." Harry's mouth opened in shock. He had been sure she would deny everything. "Though," she continued, arching an eyebrow, "I would like to emphasize that every action I took was in direct response to being threatened or outright attacked. I acted in self-defense, and sent a message to discourage a fourth attack on my person." She sat down, looking unconcerned.
Dumbledore sat in silence for several long moments before speaking. "Let us deal with this one person at a time," he said quietly. "Miss Granger." Hermione stood. "You have been victimized today in a way I never thought would ever occur at Hogwarts. For that I apologize with all my heart. Professor McGonagall will escort you to Diagon Alley tomorrow morning so you can purchase a replacement wand. Do you have any questions or concerns?" Hermione shook her head. "In that case, Dumbledore continued kindly, "you are dismissed. You may return to Gryffindor Tower for the night. If you feel you require a Calming Draught, please feel free to stop by the Hospital Wing on your way back to the dormitories. Hermione nodded and left the office.
Dumbledore next eyed Ron, "Mister Ronald Weasley. You too are a victim of today's events, but also an aggressor against Mister Malfoy." Ron nodded tightly. Dumbledore considered him for a moment before speaking again. "For you role in the attack on Mister Malfoy, you will serve two weeks of detention with Mister Filch. Professor Snape, please return his wand to him." Snape stood briefly and handed Ron his wand without looking at him. Ron took it, looking slightly relieved, and departed.
"Misters Fred and George Weasley." Dumbledore's face tightened some. "Although you were only marginally involved with the events on the Hogwarts Express, you attacked and seriously injured a fellow student." Dumbledore's voice and face held a great deal of rebuke. Fred and George looked extremely nervous. "You are very lucky Mister Malfoy will make a full recovery," Dumbledore continued, "or else your punishment would be much more severe. You will serve a month's detention with Mister Filch, and your mother will be notified of your participation in today's events." Fred and George both went a little paler upon hearing their mother would be notified, but nodded stiffly at Dumbledore before leaving
"Mister Potter." Harry's insides tightened considerably upon being addressed so formally by Dumbledore, but stood nonetheless. "Miss Greengrass." Harry saw the Slytherin rise in his periphery. "I am extremely disappointed in you both," Dumbledore began, and the pit fell out of Harry's stomach. How could he have been so stupid? "You both acted rashly, irresponsibly, and with extreme prejudice, creating the problem that has so disrupted this school today." Dumbledore now focused his full attention on Harry. "Mister Potter, you attacked, or attempted to attack Miss Greengrass three times, and later attacked Mister Malfoy and attempted to destroy his wand. The fact that you did not succeed is your single saving grace in this matter. You have Professor McGonagall to thank for that, I think." Harry nodded, his insides churning with anxiety. He was about to be expelled, he was sure of it. In his rage, he had acted impulsively, and now he was going to pay the price for it.
Dumbledore drew a breath and began speaking again, "Mister Potter, you are hereby put on disciplinary probation, effective immediately, until the beginning of the Yule holiday break. Disciplinary probation severely restricts your freedoms in this castle for the duration of the probation. You will surrender your wand to Professor McGonagall each evening by curfew. It will be returned to you at the beginning of your first class each day. On weekends, you will need to see Professor McGonagall and ask her permission to use your wand for the day. This will, I hope, teach you to value wands, and disincline you from trying to damage anybody else's. You are, of course, also banned from visiting Hogsmeade until your probation is complete. Any further rule breaking will result in immediate expulsion. Do you have any questions about this, Mister Potter?" The knot in Harry's stomach loosened some. He wasn't expelled. Everything else he could handle. He wasn't expelled. He shook his head at Dumbledore, his knees shaking from relief. He turned to leave the office as the others had done, but stopped when he heard Dumbledore's voice, "I ask that you remain here, Mister Potter." Harry stopped, confused, but remained silent and re-took his seat. Dumbledore gave Harry one last disappointed look before switching his gaze to Greengrass. He began speaking again, his voice harder and colder than it had been with any of the others.
"Miss Greengrass. For all of Mister Potter's offenses, he could at least in good conscience claim his actions were motivated by a desire to protect those closest to him. Your actions on the other hand, seem to me to be rooted solely in prejudice and bigotry. Your attacks on Mister Potter might have been excusable as self-defense had they not been preceded by provocations by you, and, in the case of the last attack, a grossly bigoted statement and action aimed at one of Mister Potter's closest friends." At this point, Dumbledore's eyes flared in anger, "Your deliberate destruction of Miss Granger's wand served no purpose except as an exercise in demonstrating your perceived and incorrect assumption of superiority to Miss Granger, and her supposed unworthiness of holding that wand!" Dumbledore's voice had not yet risen beyond the scope of conversational, but there was a power and conviction behind the voice that made Greengrass twitch in discomfort before re-establishing her usual aristocratic air.
Dumbledore fixed Greengrass with a stare so stern, Harry thought her outwardly calm appearance must surely crack again. But she merely stared back at Dumbledore, awaiting his next words. Dumbledore stared at Greengrass, considering her for several long moments, before speaking in a slow, careful tone. "I must admit, my initial thought was to expel you from Hogwarts and see that your wand be snapped." Greengrass, to Harry's complete amazement gave a small grin at these words. Dumbledore noticed, too. "Quite, Miss Greengrass. Undoubtedly your family's connections with the Board of Governors would have seen my decision overturned and your wand restored to you. That is why I am not expelling you." The small grin disappeared from Greengrass' face. She spoke in a cautious voice, "Then what is my punishment, sir?"
Dumbledore gave her another long look, culminating in a small smile of his own. Harry suddenly got the distinct feeling that Dumbledore was looking forward to what he was about to say next. "Your punishment, Miss Greengrass, will be disciplinary probation, the same as Mister Potter." At these words, Professor McGonagall's face twisted in fury and she made a small noise, not unlike a cat whose tail has been trodden on, while Snape's face curled into a triumphant smile. Harry half rose from his seat in outrage, stopping only at a stern look from Dumbledore.
Dumbledore continued, as though no interruptions had occurred. "With one notable exception. Unlike Mister Potter's probation, which is set to expire upon the start of the Yule holiday this year, your probation will have a different set of parameters. Effective tomorrow, you will be enrolled in Muggle Studies with the third year students, in addition to your usual fourth year classes. Your probation will continue," Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, as Snape had just made a noise nearly identical to what McGonagall had made moments before, "until you have achieved an O.W.L. of Acceptable or higher in the subject of Muggle Studies. It is my hope this will teach you some tolerance towards those you clearly hold as beneath yourself."
To Harry's great pleasure, for the first time, Daphne Greengrass completely lost her aristocratic composure. She was staring at Dumbledore, fury etched into her porcelain face. For a long moment, she stared angrily into Dumbledore's calm blue eyes. Finally, she spoke, and Harry was again satisfied to note another crack in her otherworldly calm demeanor: her voice was etched with as much anger as her face. "With all due respect, Professor, the Board will never uphold—"
Dumbledore raised a hand, interrupting her, and Harry was again struck by the suspicion that Dumbledore was somewhat enjoying himself at this point. "Miss Greengrass," he said gravely, "I'm afraid the Board will have no authority in this matter. They have the power to overturn suspensions, expulsions, and staffing appointments. But internal discipline remains the sole authority of the headmaster." He kept his gaze level on Greengrass. "Do you have any other concerns, Miss Greengrass?"
It took a long moment, but eventually Greengrass mastered her emotions again, and the calm aristocratic demeanor returned. When she spoke, her voice was a model of neutral respect once more. "Professor, will I be allowed to complete the third year Muggle Studies material at my own pace, or will I be forced to work at a third year pace?"
Dumbledore considered her for another moment before speaking. "A valid question, I think. You will be allowed to progress at your own pace, until you have caught up with your year, at which point you will join their regular classes." Greengrass nodded her acceptance of the terms.
Dumbledore gave one last sweeping glance around his office before speaking again. "If there is nothing else, Miss Greengrass, please surrender your wand to Professor Snape. It will be returned to you tomorrow morning, per the terms of your probation. Professor Snape, if you would be so kind as to escort Miss Greengrass back to the Slytherin Common Room?"
Greengrass handed her wand to Snape, who pocketed it and swept from the room, his cloak and Greengrass trailing behind him.
After the office door closed, Dumbledore turned to Professor McGonagall. "Minerva, if you would excuse Harry and me for a minute? I will only be a moment with him and then you can return him to Gryffindor Tower." Professor McGonagall nodded her consent and left the room. Dumbledore turned to Harry and fixed him with a serious gaze.
"Harry," he said, and despite the seriousness of his tone, Harry was relieved that Dumbledore was back to calling him by his first name. "I cannot impress upon you enough the severity of what has occurred here today. Take your punishment seriously." At this, Dumbledore gave him a piercing look. "I will know if you use your cloak to try to usurp your limited freedoms between now and Christmas." Harry nodded uncomfortably. He hadn't even thought of that, though he could understand why Dumbledore had thought he would.
Dumbledore gazed at him for another minute before nodding confidently. "I have no doubt you will come out the other side of this a better man, Harry. If there is nothing else, I shall dismiss you to Professor McGonagall so you can get some rest."
Harry began shaking his head and stood up from his seat. And then he sat down and blurted out, "Sir, wait!" as Dumbledore rose to walk him to the door. Dumbledore sat back down and looked at Harry inquiringly. "Yes, Harry?"
"Sir, something else happened on the train," Harry began, "er….it's nothing to do with Hermione and Greengrass," he said hastily as Dumbledore's look had suddenly hardened. Dumbledore gave a small sigh of relief before gesturing for Harry to continue.
"Well, sir, it's sort of hard to explain. I don't really understand it all, but I was talking to Ginny Weasley when we first got on the train, and she mentioned that she thought we were bound by a Life Debt." Harry saw Dumbledore's eyebrows rise fractionally, and Harry rushed to explain further. "Sir, I swear I never said anything to Ginny about saving her life, except for saying 'You're welcome' when she thanked me right after the Chamber incident happened, so how can we be bound, sir?"
Dumbledore spent several minutes in deep thought before responding. "Harry, I do not wish to give you misleading information. There are several possibilities, none of which I'm willing to expound on without hearing more from you and Miss Weasley. Let us do this: please invite Miss Weasley to have lunch with us here tomorrow. She can share why she believes you are bound, and I can hopefully give you more information at that time."
Harry nodded his assent. Dumbledore rose once more and gestured to the door. "If that is all, Harry, you are dismissed. Professor McGonagall is waiting behind the door to escort your back to your dormitory. Do not forget to surrender your wand to her."
Harry rose as well. "Yes, sir. Good night."
Dumbledore smiled at him for the first time that night. "Good night, Harry."