A/N: Some of the following events occurred in The Order of the Phoenix, but I put it in Draco and Snape's point of view as opposed to Harry's.

The Secret Hidden Inside

Chapter XXI

"Near Expulsion"

…

As Draco walked along a corridor, having been told that someone had let off Garroting Gas, he heard Hermione's voice whisper, "Good one…don't forget the signal." When he came around the corner, he saw Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood standing in front of the corridor leading to Umbridge's office. He walked over to them, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"What's going on here?" he asked, rather rudely. "So…is Potter trying to sneak into Umbridge's office again? You know what I don't get…why no one ever gets on to him for going against the rules. Why is it that he thinks he can break the rules, but, unlike anyone else, can manage to not get into any trouble with the teachers, save Snape and Umbridge? So…is he being a little saint again, Loony?"

Luna smiled sweetly and, while giggling, said, "No, silly Malfoy boy, someone let off Garroting Gas down this way!"

Draco glared at her for a moment, and she quickly stopped giggling. He smirked…at least that still worked. "Fine…but if he is…and if I find out about it…I'm coming after you, Loony, and Weaslette here," he sneered, then started to walk away. "And, mind you, I'm a member of the Inquisitorial Squad…and I'm sure Umbridge wouldn't mind throwing out another Weasley…and I'm certain she cares very little for an insane girl who reads the quibbler." At that moment, Millicent, Pansy, Crabbe, Nott, and a Slytherin named Warrington came running down the corridor, followed closely by Umbridge. Much to Draco's surprise, although he slightly expected to find something of this sort some time soon, Warrington had gagged Ron's mouth and was pulling him along. Ronald Weasley was actually putting up a rather good fight, for his part.

"Get them!" Umbridge yelled, pointing a fat finger at Luna and Ginny, who began to scream and started to run away. Pansy ran behind Luna, quickly trapped her, and Nott grabbed her roughly, gagging her mouth as well. Ginny, however, ran down a corridor and out of sight. The Slytherins, except for Draco and Millicent, ran after her, still holding their hostages. "Draco, Millicent, you come with me!" Umbridge shrieked, then Millicent grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him along down the corridor that was said to have Garroting Gas in it.

"What's up?" Draco asked, running after Millicent.

"Potter's in her office!" Millicent answered, indicating the professor in front of them. They ran into Umbridge's office, and found Harry, with his head in the fireplace, and Hermione, looking extremely shocked, her wand in her right hand, which hung at her side helplessly.

"Miss Bulstrode…," Umbridge said, and Millicent grabbed Hermione, who put up a dreadfully pathetic fight. In a moment, Hermione was being pushed into the wall so that she didn't get away. Draco looked down at Harry, whose butt was sticking out of the fireplace, and the first thing Draco thought was to give him a good kick in the ass and into the fire. However, Umbridge had different plans for him. She reached into the fire and grabbed his hair, then yanked him out and lifted his face up to the ceiling.

She then proceeded to whisper a few things to him, and afterwards looked up at Draco and barked, "Take his wand!" Draco hesitantly reached inside Harry's robes and took his wand from his chest pocket. He then walked backwards and leaned on the windowsill. "Hers too…" Umbridge shouted. Millicent grabbed Hermione's wand from her hand, after having to push her into the wall harder. Then, as Umbridge yelled at Harry, Draco found enjoyment in throwing Harry's wand in the air and catching it one-handed, while his other hand was in his pocket.

Draco smirked when Umbridge threw Harry on the ground, causing him to slam into the desk. Then, from outside the door, Crabbe entered, holding Neville, Warrington entered behind him, still holding Ron, and Pansy entered, with Ginny still struggling to get free, with Nott following closely, Luna held slightly in his grip, considering how little trouble she was. All four of the captives had been gagged. Draco did not listen to Warrington's unworthy words, but when Umbridge said, "Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?" he had to laugh.

"So, Potter," she said. "You stationed lookouts around my office and you sent this buffoon," causing Draco to laugh again at Ron being called names by a teacher, "to tell me the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew perfectly well that he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the school telescopes, Mr. Filch having just informed me so. Clearly, it was very important for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to talk to anyone…."

At this, Draco laughed again, this time joined by Millicent, although she was in a stressful state, Pansy, and Crabbe. "It's none of your business who I talk to," Harry snarled.

"Very well," Umbridge said. "Very well, Mr. Potter…I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you. Draco—fetch Professor Snape."

Draco quickly put Harry's wand in his pocket, and, after locking eyes with Millicent for a moment, left the room. He walked out of the empty corridor, and headed down the dungeons. On the way, he ran into Goyle. "Draco," he said in surprise, "where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"I'm going to get Potter expelled, along with the Weasels, that ditz, the whimpy dim-wit, and the stupid mud-" he stopped dead in his tracks, along with his words. "I'm going to get Hermione Granger expelled?!" he exclaimed, completely horrified.

At that moment, Snape walked by. "Draco, what are you doing?" he asked in monotone.

"Umbridge wants you," Draco muttered.

Snape nodded, and then he and Draco headed back out of the dungeons. "So, why do you look so upset?" Snape asked a moment later.

""Well," Draco replied, "if you go back to Umbridge's office, Hermione could be expelled."

"Trust me…she won't be," Snape reassured him, as they walked down the empty corridor.

"But how do you know?" Draco asked.

"Trust me," Snape said, then they entered Umbridge's office. He looked around at the pairs of students with a blank expression on his face. "You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" he said dryly.

"Ah, Professor Snape," Umbridge said, standing up. "Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."

"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter," Snape replied coolly. "Surely you did not use it all? I told you that three drops would be sufficient." Draco smirked at Umbridge's flushed face.

"You can make some more, can't you?" she asked.

"Certainly," said Snape, trying not to smile at her ignorance. "It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month."

"A month?" she squawked. "A month? But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"

"Really?" Snape asked, slightly interested, turning to look at Harry. "Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules." Snape looked into Harry's eyes, attempting to use Legilimency, but at the sight of those emerald green eyes, he couldn't manage to concentrate hard enough. He simply stared down into his eyes, not able to drop his gaze.

"I wish to interrogate him!" Umbridge shouted, causing Snape to tear his eyes from Harry's and look back at a furious Umbridge. "I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!"

"I have already told you," Snape said, "that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter—and I assure you, I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did—I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to gibe the victim time for truth-telling…." Snape looked back down at Harry, once again attempting to read his mind, but he couldn't seem to look passed those eyes—Lily's emerald eyes—staring back up at him with such hatred towards him. He couldn't turn away, and couldn't look beyond them, so he simply stared down into Harry's—Lily's, rather—eyes.

"You are on probation!" shrieked Umbridge, and at that Snape looked back up at her, completely shocked, and he raised his eyebrows in confusion. "You are being deliberately unhelpful!" at his, Draco stifled a laugh. "I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!"

Snape didn't know why, but as for respect for the Headmistress, he gave her a slight bow, and then turned to leave. As he was about to turn the doorknob, however, Harry shouted, "He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

"Padfoot?" Umbridge cried. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"

Snape turned around to look at Harry one last time, only this time, he ignored the eyes and easily looked passed them. 'Voldemort's got Sirius in the Department of Mysteries!' He kept his expression blank, however, and simply pretended he hadn't understood a word Harry said. "I have no idea," Snape said coldly. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage." He then looked over at Neville, whom Crabbe seemed to be murdering. "And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job."

Draco, once again, stopped himself from laughing, but was more than grateful towards Snape for being so complicated towards Umbridge. Snape then turned back around and closed the door behind him. He stood outside Umbridge's office for a moment, thinking of a way to contact Sirius to find if Harry had actually seen what he thought he saw. He walked out of the corridor and, after using wandless magic to summon his wand, he headed out of the castle. Once off Hogwarts Grounds, he apparated at Grimmald Place, Number Twelve.

He knocked on the front door, hoping that someone would answer. Finally, the door opened and Sirius looked up at Snape in surprise. "What do you want Snivellus?" he asked darkly.

"Nothing at all, Black. I now see that Harry's vision was incorrect after all." Snape was about to dissapparate, when Sirius grabbed his shoulder and spun him back around to face him.

"What the hell are you talking about, Snivelly?" he asked, slightly concerned.

"Your godson thought that the Dark Lord had captured you, and now he is in Professor Umbridge's office, more than likely about to be expelled. Perhaps he can stay with you afterwards…after all, it is what you wanted, so congratulations. You can hide in this place with the potter-boy instead of by yourself." Snape pulled himself out of Sirius's grip and dissapparated before he could be questioned any further. He quickly snuck back inside the castle and waited for Umbridge's next move. However, he soon discovered that Harry and Hermione had led Umbridge into the Forbidden Forest, and all the Slytherins in her office were lying unconscious on the floor, their captives gone.

Snape entered the office, finding the place exactly as was said. He walked over to a blonde-haired boy, and with a flick of his wand, the Slytherin was once again conscious. "What happened?" Draco asked wearily, rubbing the back of his head.