Dreamless Sleep
Chapter 13
Disclaimer: If you haven't figured out that I don't own Harry Potter by now, I refuse to repeat it for you, fool.
Severus was glaring at the squib janitor for all he was worth. How DARE he accuse Virginia of that! She didn't have the heart to harm a fly, much less a person!
"Well," Filch said, " I was walkin' down the hall, mindin' my own business, when she jumped out and pulled a wand on me. She said that if I told anyone about her being there, she would kill me!" Filch was steadily getting more excited as he told his version of the story.
Severus jumped up and said, " I KNOW that isn't true!"
"She was in the second floor corridor. You know, the one that has the entrance to the Chamber, and where she wrote on the wall-"
"Shut up! You don't know ANYTHING about what happened to her in that Chamber. You have NO RIGHT to say anything like that." Severus could no longer control himself. He had heard people say that it was all her fault one too many times. It was no wonder that she never talked about it, everyone had her convinced that she did it to herself!
"The girl is a distraction. The students in class with her give her more attention than my lessons!" McGonagall said.
"Lets hear her side of the story." Dumbledore pulled out his wand and muttered a single long, complicated word.
A few seconds later, the entire school heard him call "Ginny" Weasely to that side room.
()~()~()~()~()~()~()
Severus had stood to give Virginia his chair when she arrived. She looked terrified, and he wondered if she could stand long enough to make it to his offered chair. She slowly made her way over, looking up at him with uncertain eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her that everything would be alright.
"Miss Weasely, you have been accused of a very serious crime. Mr. Filch says that you threatened him. Is that true?"
Virginia looked up with shocked eyes. When she leaned back in the chair to try and process what had just been said, she realized that Severus had left his hand on the back of the chair. She suddenly felt more at ease, sub-consciously knowing that he would protect her. She was much less intimidated with the reassurance of his presence.
"Well, Miss Weasely? What do you have to say for yourself?" Dumbledore and the rest of those present leaned forward, anticipating her answer.
"I didn't threaten him."
"Are you calling me a liar?" Filch stood and glared at her.
"No, I just said that you didn't tell the truth."
"That's the same thing, Deatheater!"
At that, Severus jumped forward and grabbed Filch by the collar.
"She is NO Deatheater. If I ever," he paused to shake the other man. "EVER hear you call her that again, you will wish you were DEAD."
Severus shoved the shivering squib back into his seat. He turned, grabbed Virginia's arm, and marched them both out of the room.
Virginia was fully concentrating on not tripping. Severus headed toward the dungeons, barely pausing when they reached the steep stairwell.
()~()~()~()~()~()~()
They finally reached his classroom, after what seemed an eternity. He yanked her into the after him. He turned to close the heavy black wood door. The echoing "BANG" was heard all over the wide awake castle.
