Chapter 10: Ron Opens His Mouth
For the next week Umbridge was in a foul mood in class. Her wand wasn't as responsive as her old one, and she complained to staff that she should return to Ollivander's and demand he retest her wand. The sparks it had shot out weren't as pretty as those from her original wand when she was eleven, and she found simple tasks took a lot more concentration.
She decided that while she was breaking in her wand she'd use it less publically in case something didn't quite go to plan. Unfortunately she'd planned all her practical Boggart lessons that week. Well, at least the students were going to work for their marks today. Lupin had offered to help her as it was her first practical week of the year and with her wand being new she was unfortunately forced to be grateful and accepting. She certainly wasn't going to let her gratitude show though. She was the professor, and him just the menial classroom assistant, and that was how it was going to be. She didn't like him much - his shabby appearance, his quiet demeanour, his ability to get on with the students. And she'd seen him more than once greeting the Potter boy like he was his friend. None of those things seemed right in her book.
Her thoughts were brought to a close as the bell sounded for first lesson, Gryffindor third years.
Umbridge glowered at her class as they filed into her classroom. She glared at Mr. Lupin as he dared to greet the students warmly. They weren't here for fun - they were here for education. She gripped her wand tightly as the cupboard next to Lupin rocked from side to side caused by the creature clattering around noisily inside. She hated creatures, whatever they were. Wait until her laws were passed. It was a shame they had to take a back seat while she had to teach here for the year. Damn Fudge!
When the class had settled and had got their books, parchment and quills from their bags, Umbridge started her lesson.
"The essays you handed in were abysmal," she snapped. "I wouldn't normally grant you a practical lesson after such shoddy work, however there is only so long we can hold a boggart captive, so you will pay attention and learn. Mr. Lupin will be demonstrating the spell and wand action. Mr. Lupin..." she glanced over to him as a cue for him to take over.
"Good morning everyone! I'm sure you'll all perform admirably with the practical aspect of today's lesson..." started Lupin.
"It's not a social meet and greet, Lupin, the class are aware of the consequences of failure to not try their best!" interrupted Umbridge. There was an awkward pause as Lupin opened his mouth to make a retort but thought better of it in front of a class full of students.
"Of course, Professor," he replied smoothly, if with a little chill. "Everyone, this is the counter spell - Riddikulus!" shouted Lupin, with an accompanying wave of his wand. "And again - Riddikulus!" he performed the spell again. "And now demonstrated in action. Professor if you could release the boggart..." said Lupin, looking over towards Umbridge. With distaste, Umbridge opened the cupboard containing the boggart. The boggart advanced towards Lupin and changed into an item resembling a crystal ball. Lupin pointed his wand, "Riddikulus!" The ball was driven backwards towards the cupboard again, but not defeated. Lupin quickly kicked the door of the cupboard shut on it before it could recover and then he addressed the class.
"Students, the strength of the spell comes from within. The boggart, as you know, feeds off fear. You have to have inner strength to defeat a boggart. If you make a half-hearted attempt the boggart is merely stunned as I demonstrated there. To truly defeat a boggart you have to fully gather your thoughts about something that makes you laugh as you cast the spell. I think it will take most of you to be able to counter the boggart as this is your first time. Multiple weaker spells consecutively will also defeat a boggart. Before I release it again, I need you to concentrate on what makes you most afraid. If a boggart is faced with multiple people it won't know which form to take, thus weakening it to start with. After that, we can work on how to conquer your fears. Ready?"
The class looked apprehensive, but there were nods from around the room. Lupin opened the cupboard again. The boggart saw Parvati first and turned into a mummy. She shrieked before Lupin talked her quickly through how to make a scary item humorous. She performed the spell and the boggart was spun away towards Ron. It took Ron two attempts to successfully cast the counter spell, and the defeat of the boggart was passed to Neville. There was laughter from around the room as the boggart coalesced into Professor Snape dressed up as Neville's grandmother.
At this point Umbridge made the mistake of interrupting. "How dare you make a mockery of one of Hogwarts professors!" she screamed at Neville. All the attention in the room turned to her, including the attention of the boggart, even though it was in a weakened state. It turned into a Dementor and advanced on her. The room was silent as all the students felt the happiness and joy get sucked out of them. All they could do was watch. Umbridge pointed her wand at the boggart, her whole arm shaking, "Riddik... riddidulus," she said quietly, without conviction. The Dementor continued its advance.
Ron, buoyed up with having defeated it once and wanting another go, called out, "Hey!" shooting sparks from his wand at the creature to get its attention. The boggart turned to him, turning into a giant spider. "Riddikulus!" The boggart exploded into tendrils of wispy smoke and dissipated into the air. The other students clapped.
"Ten points to Gryffindor!" said Mr. Lupin, impressed by Ron.
"I think not," countered Umbridge sharply. "Mr. Weasley clearly doesn't appreciate when to leave things alone. I had the boggart perfectly under control. His attempt to make me look inferior by defeating the boggart when I clearly had the situation in hand is due censure, not reward. Detention! 7pm this evening, Mr. Weasley. Your points are rescinded."
The class gaped at her. Ron's face flushed with anger. "But professor, I was only trying to help," he entreated.
"I think all of you have insulted the faculty enough for this lesson. Professor Snape will be hearing of your lack of respect for him too," she glared pointedly at Neville.
"Oh, come on, that was funny!" exclaimed Ron, still angered over his detention.
"Seeing as you think so, you can serve your detention with him this evening, rather than me then. After I've told him of your total disrespect."
Lupin opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off before he'd even got a word out.
"Thank you for your assistance today, Mr. Lupin. I do not require your services for the remainder of this lesson." It was a clear dismissal, and Lupin left the room, glancing over his shoulder in commiseration at the class.
The remainder of the lesson passed in sullen silence, the class writing up the practical boggart display and Umbridge censuring them for the least little thing. A further 25 points were lost in the remaining lesson time. The only words she spoke on her dismissal of the class were, "Remember your detention this evening, Mr. Weasley."
Harry was expecting the usual camaraderie in the library after lessons that evening. They'd got into a pattern in the month or so of term so far. They do some homework, exchange gossip about which teachers were doing what and generally have a catch up. They shared in each other's happy moments in class and commiserate over DADA.
Dudley had been better with Harry's friends recently, especially the twins. Harry had his suspicions that there was some form of plot hatching, but he knew the twins were too nice and they only did fun pranking. Dudley working with them should pull him up, not the twins down. Ron and Dudley were at least civil to each other now. Occasionally Ron even forgot he didn't like Dudley. Harry had hopes for Dudley and his friends.
Dudley was first up to the library. "We should go elsewhere, this isn't going to be fun. Your friends are mental."
"What happened?" asked Harry, unsure if he wanted to know.
"Ron was rightly in a pissy mood this afternoon, Umbitch has given him detention with Snape for doing the lesson well. We got back to the common room after classes and found Hermione's Crookshanks chasing Ron's poxy rat. I don't know why he keeps it. Ron, being in a mood, tried to rescue his rat, but used his foot to do so. Goody two shoes accused him of kicking her cat. He really didn't, he was just a bit rough, but that started them bickering, and that escalated into a proper verbal spat. Now they're not speaking to each other."
Harry sighed.
"And just because she's now also pissy, I'd picked up Crookshanks because they were yelling, and him and me get on so he was purring really loudly, she then accused me of subverting her cat. Honestly, some days I don't know what you see in them!"
Fred and George arrived.
"Oh, good, you've told him. We're off to do anything else. Sulky Ronnikins isn't what we need," said Fred, before the twins left.
Hermione came up on her own. "Ron's not coming," she said, "He said he was going to early dinner then detention with Snape."
Harry didn't ask. Anything. They quietly did homework instead.
At 7pm Ron knocked on the door of the Potion's classroom. When he entered, Snape was marking essays at his desk and there was a pile of cauldrons at the back of the room. Snape pointed at them without saying anything.
Ron sighed.
"I do not recommend disturbing me, Mr. Weasley. You are here for detention."
"Not a fair one," muttered Ron as he made his way to the sinks and the pile of cauldrons.
"And in a fair world I would not be supervising your detention for Professor Umbridge, but it would seem I have been lumbered with your presence."
"Given the choice between you or the evil toad, it's hardly a competition," said Ron, letting his mouth run away with him.
Snape paused in his essay marking. He knew from his Slytherins that Umbridge was harsh, not to mention Harry or the Weasley twins. The second evening of term Zabini had told him what had happened in his detention. She'd been too harsh in Snape's opinion, but he could see, at a pinch, that she was laying down the law in the first few days to deter future misbehaviour. He had counselled Zabini to stay out of trouble and had had his prefects quietly hint to the other students to be on their best behaviour in Umbridge's classes. Shame McGonagall hadn't done the same with her lions.
Snape hadn't seen much evidence of harsh treatment recently, other than the twins, but then if it happened to other houses he wouldn't know. It'd only been five weeks of term though. What was the toad up to in detentions these days?
Snape laid down his quill. "Enlighten me, Mr. Weasley. You were given a detention with Professor Umbridge, which she transferred to me after explaining what she termed disrespect for the professors at Hogwarts. Knowing from experience that my detentions are run with the express intention of you not returning for another in the future, what does Professor Umbridge have you do in detention that would make you prefer mine?"
Ron shuffled from foot to foot, trying to avoid Snape. Lying would be easily caught out, but he knew that if he told Snape about Umbridge's detentions, of which he'd only heard a very vivid description from Dean (his brothers hadn't been forthcoming about theirs), Umbridge would find out that Dean had told about his detention and then he'd be in more trouble with her.
"Just rumour, sir. You know, common room gossip."
"No, Mr. Weasley, I do not know. Do tell," replied Snape, silkily.
"But sir..."
"You are here for detention, part of which I have just decided is you telling me what happens in Professor Umbridge's detentions. If you do not wish to tell me, I can escort you right now up to the headmaster and you can tell him. However he wouldn't thank you for disturbing his evening." Snape would love an accurate student description of an Umbridge detention to further his cause to get rid of her, and he couldn't use the Weasley twins' seeing as he'd negated its effects.
Ron swallowed. He distinctly remembered his trip to Dumbledore's office last year when he'd got caught cheating. He had no wish to return to the headmaster's office for any reason.
"Er. It's just that I don't think that she likes her detentions talked about, if you see what I mean."
"Rumour and hearsay are all well and good, but I think I'd like the truth now."
"Well, it's just that when Dean had a detention with her for not completing an essay, he didn't sit down comfortably the next day. He didn't tell me the details," said Ron. The last bit was a lie, Dean had told the whole of the dorm what had happened. He'd got three strokes of the cane and spent the evening scrubbing the floor. He'd warned them not to mess about with Umbridge and avoid her detentions wherever possible, but Ron didn't want to tell that to Snape. Harry might trust Snape, but Ron didn't.
"And you thought I'd be more lenient on someone who clearly has respect issues?" asked Snape.
"Well you were more lenient with Harry over summer," said Ron.
Ron didn't notice the temperature in the room drop or Snape's suddenly very stony expression.
"Clarify, Mr. Weasley. How was I lenient with Mr. Potter?"
"You know, when Umbridge went round, after Harry and his aunt, and you didn't cane him like she said you did," replied Ron, slightly confused. Ron knew that Harry had said don't tell anyone, but telling the one person who knew about it when in a private classroom setting hardly counted. Why did Snape look so angry?
"I didn't mean that you're a pushover or anything, sir," he said, continuing his suicidal effort, "It's just that Umbridge is... well... downright nasty."
Snape got up from behind his desk and with a wave of his wand a house-elf appeared. Ron couldn't hear what Snape said to the house-elf as he must have cast a muffling charm. When the elf popped away Snape cancelled the silencing spell.
"Mr. Weasley, we will take this into my office." With a sweep of his robes Snape left the classroom giving Ron no choice to follow in his wake.
By the time Ron had reached Snape's office, Snape was already sitting behind his desk. Snape pointed to a spot in front of his desk indicating where he wanted Ron to stand. Snape didn't speak, but he was sitting in his chair with his jaw tightly clenched watching the door to his office, waiting for someone to enter.
How dare the boy?! Severus was angry. Incensed. Ever since the redhead had so casually stated what he'd done for Potter during the holidays. As if it didn't matter if anyone found out!
There was a knock on his door. He flicked his wand towards the door so that it opened. Harry entered the room and on seeing Ron merely looked curious. On seeing Severus' face, curiosity was replaced by concern. And so he should be, the ungrateful little brat, Severus thought.
Severus pointed to a spot in front of his desk next to Weasley. Harry looked increasingly nervous, but Severus could tell he had no idea what this was about.
"Mr. Potter, before I start asking you some very pointed questions, tell me, what am I likely to do if you lie to me?" asked Severus with a growl in his voice.
Harry swallowed. "Um." He swallowed again and nervously glanced at Ron, his cheeks going slightly red.
"Answer the question, Mr. Potter!" snapped Severus.
"I'd probably get the ruler, sir," replied Harry nervously.
"Then I hope you bear that in mind when I ask you some more questions," replied Severus.
Harry looked scared, but still didn't look like he knew what was going on.
"Did you tell Mr. Weasley about your punishment over summer for blowing up your aunt?"
Snape watched as Harry shut his eyes and the blood left the boy's face. Severus couldn't describe how disappointed he was in the boy. He'd retained some vestige of hope that Harry hadn't just blabbed the truth to all his friends. He'd hoped that Weasley had found out from someone else. Even if that someone else was Dursley.
"A verbal answer, Mr. Potter!" snapped Severus.
"Yes, sir," breathed Harry, so quietly that it was more lip reading than hearing.
Snape was silent for a few moments, considering what he needed to know.
"Who else knows?"
"No-one, sir," replied Harry.
"Mr. Weasley?" said Severus, addressing the now rather confused and increasingly worried redhead.
"I haven't told anyone, sir. Harry said not to. He said Umbridge would go mental."
"I don't think Professor Umbridge is Mr. Potter's problem right now," retorted Snape as he turned back to Harry.
"Why?" demanded Snape, slamming the palm of his hand onto his desk. Harry flinched.
Severus was surprised by Harry's answer. He was expecting something along the lines of 'Because he's my friend and I tell him everything', but that was not the case.
"Because he thought you were happy to cane me. That you should have defended me to her because you're my head of house. He was going to get revenge. He called you..."
"Mate, please just stop talking," begged Ron. Severus could hear in Weasley's voice that he didn't ever want Severus to find out what name he'd called him.
"I'm sure whatever epithet you gave me, I've been called worse," said Severus with a trace of menace that effectively silenced Weasley for a while.
"What do you think would be worse, Mr. Potter? You friends thinking I truly am the bat of the dungeons, or Umbridge finding out your punishment was not carried out?"
"She would never have found out," said Harry, "Ron would never have told anyone, I asked him not to."
"And I told you not to, and look where that ended up, Potter," growled Severus. "I trusted you to keep your mouth shut. I presume your cousin has managed that so far?"
"Dudley didn't want me to tell Ron. He's not told anyone," said Harry with feeling.
Snape inclined his head in acknowledgement that he believed Harry regarding his cousin. He was torn. He had never in his teaching career ever made a threat to a student that he hadn't carried out. Yet he remembered exactly what he said to Harry and his cousin that day.
"Mr. Potter, what did I say the consequences of you telling anyone about my leniency were? And I very specifically included Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger in my definition of anyone at the time."
"Sir, please..." pleaded Harry, his voice cracking.
Severus nearly caved. Right up until the point he remembered his disappointment, the trust that the boy had shattered. That and the fact that the penalty for Umbridge finding out would be far worse for the little idiot. He wouldn't just be getting six strokes. And purely from a personal point of view, Severus had no idea of the repercussions to himself of her finding out he had gone against her wishes. Severus believed that one day soon, at her current rate, she'd be someone not to be trifled with in the ministry, and Severus didn't want or need that kind of hassle given his past.
"What did I say would happen?" repeated Severus.
Harry's face drained whatever blood was left from it. "You said you will personally acquaint me with the punishment as dictated by Madame Umbridge," he replied in a small voice, as if reading from a cue card.
Weasley gasped.
Severus was impressed by the fact that the boy had remembered word for word what he'd said. Clearly he'd made an impression that evening. Shame it hadn't been enough to actually make him keep his mouth shut.
"Indeed I did. I need to speak to the headmaster. You will both remain here. Do not touch anything in here." Snape walked over to the fireplace and threw a handful of floo powder in then stepped into the grate.
"Good evening, Severus, what can I do for you?" asked Dumbledore, glancing over at the sound of the floo.
"I need use of your cane," replied Severus in a sombre voice, not beating about the bush.
Albus looked up at him carefully. "In all your years as head of house you've never used it before. Who did what?" he asked.
"During summer when I went round to Privet Drive I threatened Mr. Potter and Mr. Dursley with it if they told anyone about our arrangement."
Dumbledore thought for a moment. "Mr Potter told Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger?"
Severus inclined his head. "Just Weasley. I have never not followed through on a punishment. You know I cannot now either."
"In the cabinet in corner," said Albus, indicating behind Severus. "Not her full punishment I take it?"
"Of course not. I was only going to give one stroke."
"Have you ever caned anyone before, Severus? Or been caned yourself?"
"No, headmaster. I have never needed, nor been that stupid."
"Then you might want to use a charm to test the strength of your arm. The cane hurts. If you aren't prepared to receive that level of punishment, don't inflict it. Put a reflection charm on a cushion and strike that. Just a suggestion."
"You seem like you've tested out the cane before, Albus," said Severus retrieving the cane. He applied a charm and picked up a cushion from one of the chairs.
"I gave the same advice to Professor Umbridge in her first week. She didn't take it. I don't think she has the same reluctance as you to use it."
Severus placed the cushion over the edge of Albus' desk. "Is this going to leave a mark?"
"On you, no, it's just a reflection of the stroke if you applied the charm correctly. On Mr. Potter it will leave a welt."
Severus applied the cane to the cushion with what he thought was a suitable amount of force.
He hissed a second later. "Merlin's beard, that smarts! She was going to dole out six?" Severus asked, internally wincing at how much pain the twins must have been in that evening. He knew he hadn't used the same force she had either.
"Yes, and knowing her, with more gusto than that. It's meant to hurt. It's a cane. It's a last resort, and not for lower school. I've only used it twice in my whole tenure here. Like I said, decide if the intended recipient deserves it. In this case, unfortunately, I don't see an alternative, seeing as that was what you promised, and to be honest, not an unreasonable threat at the time. I am glad you are only giving one stroke to make a point."
Severus nodded and floo'd out of the headmaster's office with a grim expression on his face.
Back in Professor Snape's office a conversation was going on.
"Harry, I don't know what to say. I didn't realise. I..."
"Which bit of don't tell anyone didn't you get?" snapped Harry angrily.
"You could have just said! I mean, you said Umbridge couldn't find out. And I couldn't even tell Hermione, but Snape was the one person who knew! I didn't know you weren't supposed to tell anyone."
"But you told Snape?! What the hell were you thinking?"
"If you were still in our dorm you'd get it. I'm in detention with Snape instead of with Umbridge. Dean had a detention with Umbridge. He didn't come back in a good state, if you get my drift. And the twins won't talk about theirs, but I know they didn't come down and sit at breakfast the next morning."
Harry thought about that for a moment.
"Neither did Blaise. Back of the classroom students. I'm surprised she's not found an excuse to give me a detention yet. Maybe she thinks Snape is cruel enough. Which he isn't. Which I tried to tell you when you said you'd get revenge," said Harry, his anger rising again.
"Look, I said I'm sorry. I'll offer to take your punishment when he gets back," said Ron with a certain forcefulness driven by remorse and Gryffindor bravado to make amends.
"No, don't bother, he won't go for it. He's not like that." Harry sighed, "I chose to tell you. The worst part isn't that he's about to cane me either. It's that he doesn't trust me anymore. We'd nearly come to an understanding, for all I used to call him the bat of the dungeons in first year."
Ron was about to reply when Snape stepped through the floo.
"Mr. Weasley, stand in the corner, face the wall," barked Snape, pointing to the corner at the back of the room. Ron hurried over, not wishing to aggravate Snape further, fervently wishing he'd been dismissed back to the classroom to scrub cauldrons.
"Mr. Potter," said Snape, flexing the cane slightly, "Bend over the desk."
Harry took a deep breath and placed his hands on the desk. Snape came to stand behind him to his left. All Harry could think of was the description that Snape had given over summer, and the fact that it was going to hurt.
"Sir, please, I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't negate the fact that you disobeyed my direct and very explicit order. I am disappointed by your choices, Mr. Potter."
Harry heard Snape draw back his arm, heard a swish and then felt the cane land low on his backside. A moment later the pain registered and he couldn't stifle a yelp.
"Please, not six." Harry begged. That hurt so much more than getting the ruler. That had stung and really set his bum on fire, but the pain in his backside after just one stroke was greater than after Snape had finished with the ruler, and all concentrated into one stripe. Harry knew it was going to leave a mark.
He heard Snape draw his arm back again and he bit his bottom lip. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "I'm sorry I disappointed you."
Snape regarded Harry for a moment before placing the cane on the desk next to Harry's hands.
"Get up." Snape turned to Ron in the corner. "Mr. Weasley, the cauldrons won't clean themselves. I'm sure I do not need to spell it out to you exactly what will happen to you, should you breathe a word of any of this?"
"I... I won't tell anyone, sir!" said Ron, without a moment's hesitation, glancing at the cane on the desk. Wild hippogriffs wouldn't get a word out of him.
"Go!"
Ron ran out of the room.
"Sir, I..." began Harry, but Snape interrupted.
"Harry, I do not think you understand," said Snape sadly, "You seem to repeatedly do things without consideration for the consequences. This is not about not doing as you are told. Well, it is, but not only that, I clearly do not appreciate you going against my direct instruction. But you do not realise the bigger picture. I assumed that you understood enough to follow what I told you to do in summer, or not say, in this case, but clearly not. Last summer you did accidental magic. Enough to make a few heads at the ministry look up. The fact that Professor Dumbledore dealt with the situation without what I'd call consequences for you, did not go down well with a few people. The 'Boy-Who-Lived' is in the general wizarding interest. If you are perceived to be able to get away with things, it puts some people's noses out of joint. So when essentially the same thing happened this summer, you can see how it was seen?"
"One of those noses belonged to Umbridge?" asked Harry, glancing up at Snape for a moment before looking at his feet again.
"Yes. She was, before being appointed professor here, an employee of the ministry dealing with misuse of magic, specifically underage magic. She certainly didn't like Professor Dumbledore interfering in what she saw as wholly her domain."
"So this year when you blew your aunt up she naturally went on the warpath. Dumbledore and Umbridge had a meeting with Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic. To save your expulsion, Professor Dumbledore accepted Umbridge as professor here for one year."
Harry swallowed. "But she's a complete bi..." started Harry, then caught the expression on Snape's face. Harry wouldn't put it past his head of house to smack his backside if he finished that sentence, and right now that would really hurt. He could feel his bum throbing as it was.
"Whatever your opinion of Professor Umbridge, she is for the year your professor, and you will accord her due respect," said Snape. "I don't think you fully understand that Umbridge is close to having the ear of the Minister. He thinks highly of her, her rise up the ranks of the ministry has been impressive. She is not a person of whom to get on the wrong side. I have no wish for her to find out I did not carry out her wishes. She would be likely to make life... awkward. And if the cost of that is that I stand by my word when I said I'd cane you if you told anyone, then so be it. I truly believed you would follow my instructions. In the nearly fifteen years I've been teaching here, and head of house to boot, I've never caned a student. Some days Potter, I honestly think you'll be the death of me."
"I am sorry, sir," said Harry, remorseful that he'd caused Snape to carry out his threat. "I didn't think it through."
"No, you didn't." replied Snape, without malice. "You are forgiven, Harry, but it will take time to build my level of trust back up with you." Harry looked crestfallen.
"But I didn't know any of what you just said," said Harry quietly, not quite indignant, but suggesting if he'd known more, things would have worked out differently.
"I do not see why I should always explain myself. You should know by now that I do things to help you, not to harm you. I would have thought you would have more trust in my words than you showed," replied Snape a touch coldly.
Harry flushed, but didn't answer.
"Go to your dorm for the evening. No magical healing either. The school cane is charmed. If you try to heal yourself you'll regret it."
Harry left Snape's office to go straight to his dorm, and Snape returned to the classroom to supervise Ron, making sure that the youngest Mr. Weasley wouldn't ever contemplate telling anyone about Harry's summer or this evening.