Hermione dropped her head to her hands and dissolved in to tears.
"No, Professor! You can't!" Ron said in a panicky voice.
"Mr. Weasley," she said dangerously, "Do not presume that you can tell me what I can and can not do…"
"No, professor, please! We were doing this for a good reason!" Jessica blurted.
Professor McGonagall turned on her.
"And what, may I ask, is that reason? Keep in mind that you are trying to defend yourself against using a very powerful potion. A potion so powerful, infact, that the Ministry itself keeps tabs on its usage. Not only that, but you stole this potion from a teacher's private supply, and administered it on…another…student. Now," she continued, "tell me what this reason is, as I was under the foolish assumption that nothing permitted that kind of behavior."
Jessica suddenly forgot what she was going to say. Professor McGonagall and Snape were now both standing in front of her. McGonagall still looked furious, and Snape looked somewhat gleeful. Jessica continued to stare at them, but didn't say anything. Snape's mouth curled in to a sneer.
"I told Dumbledore it was a mistake to let her stay," he said quietly, "And I would be prepared to bet that she was behind the creation of the Dark Mark, and the death of all those…"
"No!" Jessica shouted, jumping to her feet.
"No?" Snape said in a venomous hiss, "'No' to what, Miss Ciccone?"
"I didn't create that Dark Mark! And I certainly did not kill all of those Aurors!"
Snape sneer turned in to a wide, malicious smile.
"Then how did you know about the Aurors? I don't recall anyone mentioning it to the students," he said softly.
Jessica felt the color drain from her face. She continued to glare at Snape, explanations running through her mind.
"She's not lying," Harry said quietly, standing up beside her.
She turned to stare at him, her eyes wide. What was he doing?!
"Excuse me, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said incredulously.
"I said," Harry repeated, a little bit more confidently, "She's isn't lying. We were with her when everyone was attacked."
"And how do you know that she did not have someone carry out the task for her?" Snape sneered.
"Come off it," Harry said quietly, "You and I both know she wasn't behind it. We know about the Aurors because we overheard the teachers' conversation right after happened…we've known for ages."
"Well, let's just go and see what Professor Dumbledore thinks about that. I don't imagine he'd be too pleased if he realized you had been listening in on private conversations…"
Jessica waited with bated breath. She glanced at Harry who was still staring defiantly at Snape. The only sounds to be heard apart from the wind outside, were Hermione's dry sobs. Ron was still sitting down, staring back and forth between Harry and Jessica. Finally, Ron stood up.
"Dumbledore already knows," he said softly.
"And he has not mentioned it to the professors?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply.
Ron shook his head.
"No, he hasn't. We weren't even supposed to tell anyone, but seeing as how you're trying to expel us…" Hermione gave a loud sob.
"Not trying to, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, "Did."
"Sorry, Professor," Ron mumbled, going red in the face.
Professor McGonagall considered them for a long time as Snape leered unpleasantly in the background.
"Very well," she concluded, "I will speak to Professor Dumbledore. As of right now, your punishment is pending."
Snape looked heartbroken. "You can't revoke a punishment!" he spat bitterly.
"They are in my house, Severus. The decision rests with me," she replied coolly. The she turned back to Jessica, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "All of you are to return to Gryffindor common room while I escort Miss Dirled here up to the hospital wing."
It took a minute for Jessica to figure out who Professor McGonagall was talking about.
"That must be Faith's last name," Ron whispered. Jessica nodded. She had been thinking the same thing.
"You are dismissed," Professor McGonagall's voice pulled Jessica's wandering mind back to reality. Dirled? How would one spell that…
(A/N short! I know! Forgive me! It's my muses fault! She ditched me and I had to hunt her down again! Well, anyhoo, one of my GREAT reviewers (grins) told me that Dumbledore can see through invisibility cloaks! Can he?! I don't know, because in Sorcerer's stone, he sees Harry, but I don't know if that means if he can see thru cloaks or did he just harry enter the room…?!? If anyone knows the answer, review me and tell me!!!
"No, Professor! You can't!" Ron said in a panicky voice.
"Mr. Weasley," she said dangerously, "Do not presume that you can tell me what I can and can not do…"
"No, professor, please! We were doing this for a good reason!" Jessica blurted.
Professor McGonagall turned on her.
"And what, may I ask, is that reason? Keep in mind that you are trying to defend yourself against using a very powerful potion. A potion so powerful, infact, that the Ministry itself keeps tabs on its usage. Not only that, but you stole this potion from a teacher's private supply, and administered it on…another…student. Now," she continued, "tell me what this reason is, as I was under the foolish assumption that nothing permitted that kind of behavior."
Jessica suddenly forgot what she was going to say. Professor McGonagall and Snape were now both standing in front of her. McGonagall still looked furious, and Snape looked somewhat gleeful. Jessica continued to stare at them, but didn't say anything. Snape's mouth curled in to a sneer.
"I told Dumbledore it was a mistake to let her stay," he said quietly, "And I would be prepared to bet that she was behind the creation of the Dark Mark, and the death of all those…"
"No!" Jessica shouted, jumping to her feet.
"No?" Snape said in a venomous hiss, "'No' to what, Miss Ciccone?"
"I didn't create that Dark Mark! And I certainly did not kill all of those Aurors!"
Snape sneer turned in to a wide, malicious smile.
"Then how did you know about the Aurors? I don't recall anyone mentioning it to the students," he said softly.
Jessica felt the color drain from her face. She continued to glare at Snape, explanations running through her mind.
"She's not lying," Harry said quietly, standing up beside her.
She turned to stare at him, her eyes wide. What was he doing?!
"Excuse me, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said incredulously.
"I said," Harry repeated, a little bit more confidently, "She's isn't lying. We were with her when everyone was attacked."
"And how do you know that she did not have someone carry out the task for her?" Snape sneered.
"Come off it," Harry said quietly, "You and I both know she wasn't behind it. We know about the Aurors because we overheard the teachers' conversation right after happened…we've known for ages."
"Well, let's just go and see what Professor Dumbledore thinks about that. I don't imagine he'd be too pleased if he realized you had been listening in on private conversations…"
Jessica waited with bated breath. She glanced at Harry who was still staring defiantly at Snape. The only sounds to be heard apart from the wind outside, were Hermione's dry sobs. Ron was still sitting down, staring back and forth between Harry and Jessica. Finally, Ron stood up.
"Dumbledore already knows," he said softly.
"And he has not mentioned it to the professors?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply.
Ron shook his head.
"No, he hasn't. We weren't even supposed to tell anyone, but seeing as how you're trying to expel us…" Hermione gave a loud sob.
"Not trying to, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, "Did."
"Sorry, Professor," Ron mumbled, going red in the face.
Professor McGonagall considered them for a long time as Snape leered unpleasantly in the background.
"Very well," she concluded, "I will speak to Professor Dumbledore. As of right now, your punishment is pending."
Snape looked heartbroken. "You can't revoke a punishment!" he spat bitterly.
"They are in my house, Severus. The decision rests with me," she replied coolly. The she turned back to Jessica, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "All of you are to return to Gryffindor common room while I escort Miss Dirled here up to the hospital wing."
It took a minute for Jessica to figure out who Professor McGonagall was talking about.
"That must be Faith's last name," Ron whispered. Jessica nodded. She had been thinking the same thing.
"You are dismissed," Professor McGonagall's voice pulled Jessica's wandering mind back to reality. Dirled? How would one spell that…
(A/N short! I know! Forgive me! It's my muses fault! She ditched me and I had to hunt her down again! Well, anyhoo, one of my GREAT reviewers (grins) told me that Dumbledore can see through invisibility cloaks! Can he?! I don't know, because in Sorcerer's stone, he sees Harry, but I don't know if that means if he can see thru cloaks or did he just harry enter the room…?!? If anyone knows the answer, review me and tell me!!!