Hey, Rick Dias here.
Huh. Bahamut9999 had a good question. What do the people outside of Hogwarts know of Nanoha? Not including Fudge, a few of his Ministry people, and possibly those in the Order, not much. The Ministry knows it can't do anything yet to Nanoha, and don't publicize their ineptness. The Prophet, taking orders from the Ministry, don't talk much about it, busying themselves with the Harry Potter smear campaign. Umbridge is keeping it under wraps, going through the mail for censorship. Hell, the students are partway between awe and fear, and they won't write about it. Any information made public would be hidden by the Observation team trying to hide their tracks. Voldemort has spies, yes, but the only plausible sources of information I can think of would be Snape (which he hasn't contacted) and Lucius Malfoy. Actually, yeah, maybe Malfoy.
...Crap. Oh crap big hole. For now, I'm assuming it's an OOC moment for Fudge, that he only told Umbridge and her lackeys. Yeah, let's say he pissed himself in finding out there's someone who could pose a threat to him almost as much as Dumbledore (or if he weren't in denial, Voldemort), and tried to keep it between himself and Umbridge.
Chapter 20 - Befriending
The night after, Harry sullenly came to see Nanoha outside.
"I saw Snape's memories in his Pensieve. Was my dad really a horrible person?" said Harry as he approached her that night.
"So he finally told you about it. Did you work it out?" Nanoha asked.
"No, he..."
Harry then went on to explain how he sneaked a look in Snape's Pensieve, and Snape's angry reaction.
"So he didn't tell you about it." Nanoha said. "That's it, you are settling this thing with Snape, tonight. Wait here." Nanoha went inside the castle.
Five minutes later, Nanoha came back with Snape in tow. "You two are working this out, tonight. Snape, you hate Harry because he's like his father, he made your years in school miserable, am I right?" She stared him down.
Snape looked at her, then glared at Harry. "Yes."
She continued, addressing Harry. "Because of that, Harry, you hate Snape mostly because he expresses a hate for your father in a way you think is childish, am I right?"
Harry mumbled, "Kinda...er...yeah."
Nanoha addressed the both of them. "Then settle this, the two of you! Really, petty bickering will get you nowhere. If you really want satisfaction, duel each other now and finish this little feud!"
The two stared at her. "You..."
Nanoha continued imperiously. "Duel. Right now, no Unforgivables or killing. Don't stop until you're satisfied."
Snape looked at Harry, confused. Harry said, "She means it. If we don't start firing spells at each other, she will on us."
Nanoha smiled. "I'll take full responsibility. Don't worry and beat each other into pulp already!" She started to reach for her trick wand.
Snape smirked. "If you say so. Levicorpus."
Snape proceeded to cast every spell that James Potter had on him. Admittedly, it was very cathartic.
Harry got back on his feet and tried anything that came to mind. Everything was blocked by Snape's nonverbal Shield Charms.
Nanoha shouted, "Harry, I trained you better than this! If you can't use spells, use your fists!"
Snape's eyes widened as he heard this. Harry's lips curled into a smile as his hands curled into fists.
After Harry managed to gleefully plant his fist into Snape's face, Snape managed to gather his wits and alternated his own left fist and his spellcasting.
Seven minutes later, both of them managed to tire out.
Nanoha stated to prop the two of them up. She then spoke. "Feeling better?"
Snape actually had a quiet laugh at the irony. "Potter broke my nose and possibly two ribs. Yes, I'm feeling better."
Harry shared in his laughter. "This is how you make friends? Because that might've been the greatest thing I've done, maybe ever."
Snape replied. "Don't think you're off the hook Potter. If you do screw up, I will be there."
Harry groaned. "Oh come on. You nearly killed the Boy who Lived, what the hell else do you want?"
Snape then had a serious face. "Potter, you're like your father. To me, all you've ever done is break rules and push people around with your arrogance. You should know by now that if I catch you being a git, I won't deduct points or anything childish anymore. I will simply punch you in the face."
Harry smirked. "I can see now why my dad was a git to you, but if you think I'll let you plant one, don't think you can get away with anything less than a punch back for my troubles."
Snape tried one last time, aiming his fist at Harry's chest. Harry tried to mirror his attack.
The two fists collided with each other with a soft bump. Both teacher and student then passed out.
Harry woke up in the infirmary. He then realized that last night definitely happened. Nanoha and Madam Pomfrey came to his bedside.
"Feeling better?" Nanoha asked.
"Urg..." was all Harry could say. After gathering his wits, he spoke. "Why did I do that again?"
"Because both of you needed to vent, especially on each other. I wonder if you knew the circumstances between you and Snape."
"Yeah, my dad ruined his life, I get it."
"And your mom was the only woman he loved, who turned him down for said ruiner of lives." Harry choked.
"What?"
"Snape told me about it last night. He actually doesn't know what to do with you, you know. He hates James, your dad, but protects you sometimes, because of your mom. He hates it when you act like your dad, and otherwise is bitter that you're like your mom too. He's a Professor, which gives him the capability to ruin your academic life, but that also means he has to teach you too, even if it's in his own way. He's with Dumbledore, meaning he's supposed to help you, but this way Dumbledore will also overlook smaller things that he can do to ruin you. That's kinda why I let him duel you, so he can figure out what he wants from you."
"So I was a punching bag?"
"It was for you too. You're confused that Snape seems to hate you for the little things you unwittingly do, frustrated that Snape, like the rest of the Order, does nothing about your situation other than what they call "your safety", which you scoff at. Also, Dumbledore trusts Snape above most people, but never sees you anymore, and that makes you envious."
"You had it all figured out."
"No, everything just clicked into place when I thought about it now. Last night, I just thought both of you needed to beat the crap out of each other."
"What? Oh Merlin, Neville and Befriending..."
"Exactly. Say what you want, that system works."
"What about Vivio?"
Nanoha paused. She then said, "Whatever I did to Vivio, I'll just have to make up with her. I know she's alright. Vivio's stronger than that. Things will work out even if Vivio is adopted by someone else... I hope. That's what I believe in." Nanoha was already talking to herself.
Harry left the infirmary just in time to join his friends for lunch.
As he was about to greet them, they noticed the numerous bruises he sported. Hermione was the first to comment. "Harry, your..."
"Your everything, mate. What happened to you last night?" Ron continued.
"Nanoha got sick of what she called 'the petty feud between me and Snape'. So she got us to duel each other," Harry said with a flat face.
"And then?" the twins asked.
Harry grinned. "I managed to punch Snape in the face."
Hermione was in shock. "Harry, you..."
"...are bloody brilliant!" Ron screamed.
Harry continued. "Yeah. Nanoha said it would be good for us, so we beat the crap out of each other. I think we came to an understanding."
Hermione frowned. "Which would be..."
Harry smirked. "If I piss him off enough, I know what to expect."
Harry's bout with Snape was a rather momentous occasion as "The Boy Who Lived" and "That Glory-Seeking Prat" soon became "That Gryffindor that Punched Snape in the Face". It earned him hard glares from most of his teachers, including Umbridge. He was soon brought to her office and all Harry said was, "Nanoha's Orders" before he turned to leave.
Nanoha was later dragged in for questioning by the teachers, led by Professor McGonagall. When they asked her (with all their wands out), she told them, "Ask Snape about it."
They did manage to convince Madam Pomfrey to let them all see Snape to ask him about the previous night. He told them all the circumstances of his feud with Harry, expressed his long-stewing feeling to "get at Potter", narrated five years' worth of feuding, and apologized for his improper conduct. He continued to defend his actions that night, and as Dumbledore had allowed Snape's petty feuding, the teachers (and later Umbridge) decided to stay out of it. They had never intervened for either Harry or Snape before, they were sure not to start now. As it was before, once Nanoha decided to act on something, there was nothing anyone else could do.
They did, however, notice that Snape was slightly smiling sincerely the entire time while he spoke.
It was finally the end of the week, and Nanoha was raring to train with her students again. There was still the problem of scheduling, though. She had no idea when she could train them, unless they were all ready to give up sleeping. Exams were coming too, but at least everyone would ace all of the practicals, save for Astronomy, as her training had placed her students on a standard all on their own. She was actually proud of their achievements.
She went out into the field, knowing no one would be there at the moment. It was currently the period for Defense with their new Professors. Nanoha had an idea about what they were like, even if she hadn't met them (Umbridge forbade them to see her), and she hadn't heard yet anything from her students. She knew that they would be fine. The new Professors might be babying them, but she'll fix that soon enough.
It was a surprise to her when her students poured out the doors in the castle. They all assembled in battalions, awaiting orders.
Nanoha then asked, "What happened to your Defense classes? I'm sorry to disappoint, but I didn't think any of you would be here right now, so I've nothing prepared yet."
Harry then replied. "Would we abandon our training? Anyway, you don't know what the new teachers are like. They don't say it, but they're making sure we can't defend ourselves."
"They what?" Nanoha's tone took on the feeling of ice. Everyone felt the temperature lower by several degrees.
Umbridge, the Inquisitorial Squad, and the Defense teachers then rushed from the castle. "What is the meaning of this?" Umbridge shrieked.
Nanoha coldly replied. "I never asked them to come out here. What you see is simply what they think of your farce of a Defense curriculum."
Umbridge barked out, "Inquisitorial Squad! Show them what you think of this!" When she turned to them, they were already behind Nanoha.
Nanoha said, "Serpent Squad hasn't completed training yet. You shouldn't interfere with that."
Nanoha then pulled out her Device. "Raising Heart, set up. No Barrier Jacket. Telepathic command. Set limiter to low C-rank. Buster Mode."
Umbridge paled as she saw what seemed to be jewelry transform into a golden bident.
Nanoha continued. "If your business is done here, please leave, unless you want to train." Everyone else seemed to hear, "...unless you want to die."
Umbridge slowly turned and left. The Defense Professors tried to follow her, but they were stuck in place. It took everyone a second to notice the rings of light that seemed to trap the professors. Nanoha then said, "Restrict Lock."
Nanoha went to address the quivering professors. She approached them and spoke very softly. "If you think there are no consequences to making my students more vulnerable to the Dark Arts, you are very much mistaken. No teacher is permitted to keep his or her students from learning. If you are all conspiring to inhibit their capacity to learn, it makes me very upset. None of you seem to know much about your field. Where I am from, training is essential to survival. If you try and stop us from training properly, I see that as an attempt on my students' safety. I will not permit that. I think I will show you what happens when you face something you should have prepared for. Now watch as you taste the consequences of your foolhardy actions. Divine Buster."
Divine Buster, an A-rank spell, is a powerful shooting spell. However, by reducing the power output in a linear regression, it's effectiveness wanes exponentially. A C-rank Buster wouldn't be able to penetrate even a beginner mage's barrier. However, Nanoha made sure to hit them point blank, and she did not stop the spell until a full six seconds had passed.
Nanoha then returned Raising Heart to her gem form. She turned to her students and said, "If anyone would kindly bring their Defense Professors to the infirmary, please do."
Everyone scrambled to pick up the limp bodies of their professors. They needed a reason to get away from her that day.
The next day, instead of going to their classrooms for Defense, every student headed straight outside for training, as if Nanoha had never been sacked. The teachers chose to ignore the blatant truancy. It wasn't like the Defense Professors could do anything about it; after waking from the infirmary, all fourteen of the teachers had gone in hiding. Umbridge tried to raise search parties, but to no avail. She also tried to get more Ministry goons to replace them, but the rumors of the missing professors had done enough damage. Several people quit from the Ministry, while the rest had gotten favors from Fudge as not to get them appointed as Defense Professor. They knew that Defense Professors never lasted after the end of the school year, and weren't willing to leave in a casket.
And so everyone was outside during Defense for training.
Nanoha addressed everyone. "Today we'll just try mock battles between the battalions. First Battalion and Serpent Squad, you're up against Third and Fourth Battalion."
Several students broke off from the group. In Second Battalion, Harry couldn't figure out what they would be pitted against. All they could see was Nanoha...
When the battalion noticed this, they started to panic. Harry managed to put his members at ease. "We can take her on, even if it will be tough." However, Harry knew if Nanoha pulled out her Device their lives and anything else were pretty much forfeit.
Nanoha hearing the conversation unfolding right in front of her, said, "Don't worry, all of you have gone very far with your training. I'm not sure anymore if I could take all of you on." She then added in her head, "...without a Device."
Nanoha continued. "Second Battalion, you're up against Stars Squad." Harry noticed that she used Stars Squad instead of referring to herself as she usually did. He then quickly scanned around again...
...only to find Snape outside the castle.
As Snape approached Nanoha, she said, "Second Battalion, for today, Severus Snape is Stars-2. This should even out the field."
Snape's face showed nothing, but he stared at Harry the entire time. Harry chose to ignore it.
"Ready, everyone? Begin!"
Madam Pomfrey was paid a visit in the form of every Gryffindor in Second Battalion, led by Nanoha and Snape.
As they entered, she heard Nanoha speaking. "Mou, you could have used Stunners. Snape, you too. Could you all take this seriously next time?"
The students replied, "Yes ma'am." Snape chose not to say anything.
Madam Pomfrey couldn't say anything anymore. This was getting out of hand.
She wisely chose to write to St. Mungo's to lend her two Healers. If training was back as she had heard from the students, she would need more help if this went on.
She also chose to write to Nanoha's regular Healer about her behavior and included her medical records. When Nanoha leaves, she would have it passed on.
Nanoha was about to leave when she said, "Get ready for night training. Just something short so you'll have time for schoolwork and rest."
Madam Pomfrey edited her first letter to have the Healers come immediately.