Albus Dumbledore frowned over his desk as he stroked his beard, doing his best to maintain his disappointed glower. Standing across from him were those who were the source of the trouble that had occurred that night, trouble that went far beyond anything that had happened in his past tenure as Headmaster of Hogwarts...even more so than when the Marauders had been students. They'd never managed so much damage in a single night! In point of fact, despite the trouble they caused, they generally managed to avoid causing actual damage. But tonight...

"Six floors half trashed," he drawled grimly. "Nearly half the classrooms in the school in ruins. Three different walls ripped from their moorings. Four staircases and three common rooms in tatters. And nearly three quarters of the student body terrorized." He crossed his arms, slipping his hands into their opposite sleeves. "Not to mention half the faculty flattened and - had I not been awake - my office would have been included in that tally. What do you all have to say for yourselves?"

"Sorry, Professor," seven voices spoke up in shame...followed by three loud whimpering whines.

Albus raised his eyes from the students to the hound behind them. "I'll get to you," he stated firmly, causing Fluffy to lower all three heads. He then turned back to the students. "And that's not to mention being out after curfew." He let his scowl grow. "I don't suppose you have an explanation for your behavior?"

"It's our fault Professor!" Fred suddenly spoke up.

"We just wanted to show our brother and his friends around!" George continued urgently.

"We didn't mean for it to get so out of hand!" Fred added.

"If you need to punish anyone, punish us, not them!" George concluded.

"The only reason you two got involved was because I told Ron we should get you!" Hermione insisted firmly. "If anyone's responsible, it's me-"

"You only said that because I convinced you breaking the rules without getting caught was part of our magical education!" Penny insisted, making Albus' eyebrow raise as he suppressed an amused smirk. "If anyone's to blame, it's me-"

"You were only there to keep me company!" Harry insisted. "I'm the one who insisted on answering Malfoy's challenge to a Wizard's Duel-"

"Only because I agreed to it for you!" Ron interrupted. "If anyone's at fault, it's me!"

"It's all my fault, Headmaster!" Neville spoke up urgently. "I...I'm not sure how exactly, but if you give me a minute..."

As he struggled not to laugh at Neville's assertion - and to distract himself from the debate that was now brewing over who was at fault - Albus raised his eyes to Fluffy to see what he had to say for himself. The hound's left head had a rather resigned expression he knew far too well from Professor McGonagall as he rolled his eyes towards his other heads, one that said without the need of any words, "See what I have to deal with?" Fluffy's middle head had an aloof expression as he glanced to the students and then away, plainly of the opinion he hadn't actually done anything wrong. Albus could practically read the thought "I'm supposed to protect the students, aren't I?" in that face.

Fluffy Right was letting out defensive whimpers while pointing at Penny accusingly with his nose.

Letting out a final, rueful sigh, Albus spoke up. "Enough!" While he didn't say it very loudly, he said it firmly enough that it brought everyone up short. He then turned to Fluffy. "You," he said firmly as he pointed at all three heads, "are to return to your post immediately. You've left it unguarded." All three heads' eyes widened, let out a high pitched whining bark, and turned around to dash for the third floor corridor.

"His post?" Ron whispered uncertainly.

"He's a Cerberus," Hermione hissed back as quietly as she could. "They're guard dogs. Of course he works here!"

They both immediately fell silent as Albus turned his focus back to the group. "Now then, whose fault was all this again?" He lifted his hand as they all started to speak. "Just raise your hand, whoever is responsible." He struggled not to chuckle as every hand shot into the air. "Mr. Longbottom, by any chance have you figured out how it's your fault yet?" he asked with controlled amusement.

"Well...if I hadn't dropped my Remembrall when I got injured during flying lessons, Malfoy and Harry wouldn't have had their clash during class, leading to Harry ending up on the Quidditch Team, and Malfoy taunting him before challenging him to a duel?" Neville offered hopefully.

Albus raised his eyebrow. "Well we can hardly punish you for getting hurt or dropping something as a result, now can we?" he pointed out, amusement tinging his voice now.

"So does that mean no points need to be taken over this?" Neville asked hopefully, causing Fred and George to turn gobsmacked expressions and Ron nearly express a spit-take without the benefit of drinking anything.

Albus did his best to ignore Fawkes falling off his perch in laughter. Were he not doing his best to retain a disciplinary attitude, he would be tempted to join his friend in expressing amusement. "...and you doubted if you belonged in Gryffindor," he observed idly, making Neville duck his head in embarrassment as Fred, George, and Harry all gave Neville friendly encouraging nudges. "Still, as I've said to both Professors McGonagall and Sprout repeatedly so far this year, it would be most hypocritical to punish our students - and their housemates - for living up to the traits the houses represent. Courage...and Loyalty..." He smirked as all of them lifted their heads, some in awe and some in pride. "So yes, Neville, there will be no points taken over this incident."

He waited as Fred and George actually fell over in shock while Ron let out a startled whoop until Hermione elbowed him in the side to shut him up, while Neville looked like he would faint dead away if not for Harry and Penny moving to hold him up. "However," Albus continued dryly, immediately getting their attention, "not only did you break many school rules this night..." He sent an amused smirk Penny and Hermione's way. "...but you got caught doing so. As such, it is only right that punishment follow that. As such, you will all be serving detentions." He was unsurprised that Hermione wilted at that proclamation, but was pleased to see the worst reaction any of the others had was Neville swallowing convulsively. Ron, Fred, and George all stood straight, plainly accepting the consequences with brave faces. Penny stood completely relaxed, plainly having already accepted whatever consequence was coming her way as a price worth paying for being there to support Harry. Harry was struggling to stand tall and strong to show he was unafraid despite being all but crushed in Penny's supportive embrace. Smiling impishly as a roguish twinkle came to his eye, Albus proclaimed their punishment. "Which shall be served assisting Hagrid in repairing the damage this...excursion...caused to the school. After all, a good amount of the school's structure is so steeped in magic that it calls for a more...mundane approach at applying repairs, and some will require smaller hands even if Hagrid can handle the bulk of the work. The detentions will be two three hour sessions over the weekend and one hour each weeknight until all damage has been repaired...and in the meantime, if there is even one negative report of your behavior from any of you, I will have to reconsider my merciful approach. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Headmaster!" they all chorused together.

"Miss Wyrm," Albus called gently as they all turned to go, causing Penny to turn to face him. "Where might you be going?"

Penny smiled back at him. "It's not time for bed checks yet. Goodnight, Headmaster!"

Chuckling softly to himself, Albus sat back as the students made their way to Gryffindor Tower. Glancing over, he tapped his wand against an empty portrait frame which quickly became crossed by silvery threads. As a portrait-eye-view of the chase through the castle corridors appeared there, he popped a lemon drop in his mouth even as Fawkes started singing 'Yakety Sax'.

He really loved his school...