Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any characters contained within
this story, J. K. Rowling does, and she kicks ass, so I wouldn't steal her
stuff from her.
Chapter 8: True Colors
Harry hugged Ginny tightly. "Don't worry, Gin, everything's going to be fine," he said, faking a smile at the ashen faced girl. "They'll give up eventually. They always have with me."
Ginny was wringing her hands and pacing about the common room. She had only half an hour before her "trial" with the professors, including Snape. "It doesn't feel like anything is going to be ok, Harry," she said forlornly. "There's no way that I can beat the system, they already know that I've been sneaking out. I'm going to be expelled for sure."
"Nah, you're a Weasley," Ron said punching her arm lightly. "Weasleys get into a lot of trouble, but we always manage a way out." Ron and Ginny smiled weakly at each other. They both knew none of the Weasleys had ever been in this much trouble before.
Hermione stood up from the couch and held Ginny's shoulders. "Remember, stick to your resolutions and keep a consistent story," she said calmly, showing the girl by example. "They don't want to see you in trouble Ginny, don't give them a reason not to trust you." She gave her a quick hug.
Ginny looked at the clock. "I should get a move on," she said, her face turning a shade of green that was wholly unnatural. "If I'm sick maybe they'll show mercy." She gave the group a weak smile as she walked out of the common room.
Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion; her feet carrying her down the corridor, the sound of her shoes clicking, her heart pounding in her chest. It all felt like a horrifying scene that she was watching instead of being a part of.
When she reached Dumbledore's office, Professor McGonagall was standing outside waiting for her. "Come along, Miss Weasley," she said quietly to the girl. Ginny hung her head in shame. She didn't feel that he was worthy of her secrecy or trust, but she gave her word all the same, and that was as good as ten thousand galleons. McGonagall stopped before they went into the chamber in which the professors were waiting. "Please Ginny; I don't want to see anything happen to you. Give up whomever it is you are protecting."
Ginny's face remained stalwart and fixed. McGonagall sighed and led her into the office. "Good morning, Professors," Ginny said as she walked in.
They all nodded at her.
"Now Miss Weasley," Dumbledore spoke up immediately. "I do not want to be here, holding an inquisition for your knowledge. This is your last chance, if you want I will take you in private and you can tell me who you were going to meet and everything will be handled quietly."
Snape held his breath as Ginny looked from Dumbledore to Snape to the ground. "I won't give the person up," she whispered as she began to wring her hands again. "I'm sorry."
McGonagall's face puckered more than usual. "Ginny," she said very exasperated. "This is not Potter and his friends going out to save the world. These are serious violations of school policy that you have admitted to already. You had no business being out that late meeting someone. We can't just let you off completely free."
Professors Sprout, Binns, Hooch, Hagrid, and Trelawney looked helplessly at Ginny. She knew that the rules stood and that she had no pressing earth-shattering reason to be about the castle late at night. But still, Ginny said nothing.
Dumbledore looked to Professor Snape. "You've been awfully quiet, Severus," he said knowingly. "Is there anything you would like to ask Miss Weasley?"
Snape looked guiltily at Dumbledore and cleared his throat. "Why, Miss Weasley," he began, his voice breaking. "Are you protecting this person? Why is he or she worthy of your trust?"
Shooting him a look of disgust, Ginny folded her arms across her chest. "The person isn't worthy of my trust," she snapped. "Not anymore at least. But I gave them my word, and that means a lot. You have to understand that. I have no more business with the person I was meeting."
"Well that is too bad," Dumbledore said, stroking his long beard. "It seems a shame for you to have to suffer the consequences of the actions of two by yourself. Hopefully you will have learned to put the rules before something fleeting."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I learned it."
"That's enough!" Snape roared standing up. Ginny's eyes grew wide as she stared at him. "You have been nothing but rude and snide since you have walked into this room. Your disrespect towards these professors has been unacceptable."
Her eyes bored holes into his soul.
He stepped back and sighed. "And it's been my entire fault." The professors all turned to look at Snape. "I was the person Ginny was sneaking out to meet." Snape hung his head.
"Well then," Hagrid said cheerfully. "If she was jus' gettin' some tutorin' then there shouldn't be a problem!"
Ginny bowed her head in a deep blush and McGonagall looked at Hagrid sternly. "Oh." he said, feeling ridiculous.
"I wasn't going to tell," Ginny hissed at Snape.
Snape walked in front of the professors. "I know, and that's why I had to speak up. Ginny and I have been seeing each other for quite some time now," he confessed. McGonagall looked at him in horror and Dumbledore sat back, looking quite amused. "I broke it off this morning to save her pain, but it was too late. But we are in love, and I'm sorry that it all had to come to this." He walked to Ginny and took her hand. "I do love you," he said, looking into her eyes.
She looked down at the ground. "You ruined everything," she whispered to him. "You couldn't even let me save your lousy arse. Why did you think you could pull off what Draco did with Hermione?"
He was dumbfounded. He expected that his confession and bold move in front of the professors would win her back, but her coldness left him baffled.
"Well well," Dumbledore said, rising from his chair. "I'm glad that you've found love Professor, and with such a wonderful young woman."
Ginny's heart pounded in her chest. Could it be? Were they going to go easy on them?
"However," Dumbledore continued. Ginny's heart fell into the pit of her stomach.
"Rules are rules, and seeing how this was not a life-threatening situation, punishments will have to be made." Dumbledore looked at Snape. "You have been the most talented potions master that Hogwarts has seen in two hundred years, Severus." Snape looked at the ground. "It pains me to do this, but, you will take your things at the end of the winter term and leave this school."
Snape's jaw dropped to the floor. "You're firing me?" he gawked.
Dumbledore bowed his head. "I have no other choice, Severus. This is very bad business and you have broken a cardinal rule. I'm sorry. I hope you will find gainful employment elsewhere and quickly. The term ends in two weeks as you know."
Shocked and horrified, Snape bowed to Dumbledore and the other professors. "I am very sorry for all that has taken place. I will leave now and begin to pack my things."
"You have not waited for Miss Weasley's punishment," Dumbledore said, stopping him in his tracks. "If you love her so much, you might want to be around to comfort her in a few moments."
Ginny's knees began to shake. She was thankful that she was sitting down; she knew she would not have been able to hold herself up otherwise. A thin layer of perspiration began to form on her brow as her nerves went crazy.
"Miss Weasley, you have proven to be one of the most promising witches in your class and in the school. That is why it is with a very heavy heart that I must expel you," Dumbledore said quietly.
Tears began to stream down Ginny's face and her lip quivered uncontrollably. "I.I." she tried to squeak out, but the sounds were caught in her throat.
"Albus please," McGonagall pleaded. She saw in Ginny's eyes the hurt and confusion. "She is still a child, unaware of what she was doing, blindly following love. I believe that punishment must still be given, but please, spare her and her family expulsion. She is one of the hardest working students in Hogwarts; I believe only Miss Granger puts in more hours than Ginny does."
Dumbledore thought on it for a moment, considering the pleading looks of the professors and the blank stare present on Ginny's face. "Fine," he said finally. "From the end of the winter term, Miss Weasley will be suspended for exactly one year to return where she left off in the spring of the next year."
McGonagall smiled as did Snape and the other professors. Dumbledore winked at Ginny as she began to slowly rise from her chair. "Thank you, Professors," she said looking at each of them in turn, except for Snape. "Thank you for your mercy and kindness. I really do not deserve it."
Dumbledore smiled. "If you did not deserve it, my girl, then why would I give it?"
Ginny smiled weakly and exited the room, walking briskly past Snape. "Ginny," he said, catching up to her. "Please, I'm sorry for everything." He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.
"Don't ever come near me again," she spat. "I don't know what I ever saw in you, and I never want to see it again." She wretched her arm away and tore off down the corridor, tears streaming down her face.
Snape stood in the corridor, watching her go. "I'm sorry that it had to end this way, Severus," Dumbledore said from behind him. "But it does seem that you hurt her in more ways than one."
"You don't know anything about what I did to her today," Snape said hollowly. He didn't even have emotion left in him to cry or scream or even use a charm to blow something up.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he began to walk down to the Slytherin common room. "Everything always works out for the best, Severus. Just have some confidence in that fact."
Snape just stalked off to his dungeon to pack.
Chapter 8: True Colors
Harry hugged Ginny tightly. "Don't worry, Gin, everything's going to be fine," he said, faking a smile at the ashen faced girl. "They'll give up eventually. They always have with me."
Ginny was wringing her hands and pacing about the common room. She had only half an hour before her "trial" with the professors, including Snape. "It doesn't feel like anything is going to be ok, Harry," she said forlornly. "There's no way that I can beat the system, they already know that I've been sneaking out. I'm going to be expelled for sure."
"Nah, you're a Weasley," Ron said punching her arm lightly. "Weasleys get into a lot of trouble, but we always manage a way out." Ron and Ginny smiled weakly at each other. They both knew none of the Weasleys had ever been in this much trouble before.
Hermione stood up from the couch and held Ginny's shoulders. "Remember, stick to your resolutions and keep a consistent story," she said calmly, showing the girl by example. "They don't want to see you in trouble Ginny, don't give them a reason not to trust you." She gave her a quick hug.
Ginny looked at the clock. "I should get a move on," she said, her face turning a shade of green that was wholly unnatural. "If I'm sick maybe they'll show mercy." She gave the group a weak smile as she walked out of the common room.
Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion; her feet carrying her down the corridor, the sound of her shoes clicking, her heart pounding in her chest. It all felt like a horrifying scene that she was watching instead of being a part of.
When she reached Dumbledore's office, Professor McGonagall was standing outside waiting for her. "Come along, Miss Weasley," she said quietly to the girl. Ginny hung her head in shame. She didn't feel that he was worthy of her secrecy or trust, but she gave her word all the same, and that was as good as ten thousand galleons. McGonagall stopped before they went into the chamber in which the professors were waiting. "Please Ginny; I don't want to see anything happen to you. Give up whomever it is you are protecting."
Ginny's face remained stalwart and fixed. McGonagall sighed and led her into the office. "Good morning, Professors," Ginny said as she walked in.
They all nodded at her.
"Now Miss Weasley," Dumbledore spoke up immediately. "I do not want to be here, holding an inquisition for your knowledge. This is your last chance, if you want I will take you in private and you can tell me who you were going to meet and everything will be handled quietly."
Snape held his breath as Ginny looked from Dumbledore to Snape to the ground. "I won't give the person up," she whispered as she began to wring her hands again. "I'm sorry."
McGonagall's face puckered more than usual. "Ginny," she said very exasperated. "This is not Potter and his friends going out to save the world. These are serious violations of school policy that you have admitted to already. You had no business being out that late meeting someone. We can't just let you off completely free."
Professors Sprout, Binns, Hooch, Hagrid, and Trelawney looked helplessly at Ginny. She knew that the rules stood and that she had no pressing earth-shattering reason to be about the castle late at night. But still, Ginny said nothing.
Dumbledore looked to Professor Snape. "You've been awfully quiet, Severus," he said knowingly. "Is there anything you would like to ask Miss Weasley?"
Snape looked guiltily at Dumbledore and cleared his throat. "Why, Miss Weasley," he began, his voice breaking. "Are you protecting this person? Why is he or she worthy of your trust?"
Shooting him a look of disgust, Ginny folded her arms across her chest. "The person isn't worthy of my trust," she snapped. "Not anymore at least. But I gave them my word, and that means a lot. You have to understand that. I have no more business with the person I was meeting."
"Well that is too bad," Dumbledore said, stroking his long beard. "It seems a shame for you to have to suffer the consequences of the actions of two by yourself. Hopefully you will have learned to put the rules before something fleeting."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I learned it."
"That's enough!" Snape roared standing up. Ginny's eyes grew wide as she stared at him. "You have been nothing but rude and snide since you have walked into this room. Your disrespect towards these professors has been unacceptable."
Her eyes bored holes into his soul.
He stepped back and sighed. "And it's been my entire fault." The professors all turned to look at Snape. "I was the person Ginny was sneaking out to meet." Snape hung his head.
"Well then," Hagrid said cheerfully. "If she was jus' gettin' some tutorin' then there shouldn't be a problem!"
Ginny bowed her head in a deep blush and McGonagall looked at Hagrid sternly. "Oh." he said, feeling ridiculous.
"I wasn't going to tell," Ginny hissed at Snape.
Snape walked in front of the professors. "I know, and that's why I had to speak up. Ginny and I have been seeing each other for quite some time now," he confessed. McGonagall looked at him in horror and Dumbledore sat back, looking quite amused. "I broke it off this morning to save her pain, but it was too late. But we are in love, and I'm sorry that it all had to come to this." He walked to Ginny and took her hand. "I do love you," he said, looking into her eyes.
She looked down at the ground. "You ruined everything," she whispered to him. "You couldn't even let me save your lousy arse. Why did you think you could pull off what Draco did with Hermione?"
He was dumbfounded. He expected that his confession and bold move in front of the professors would win her back, but her coldness left him baffled.
"Well well," Dumbledore said, rising from his chair. "I'm glad that you've found love Professor, and with such a wonderful young woman."
Ginny's heart pounded in her chest. Could it be? Were they going to go easy on them?
"However," Dumbledore continued. Ginny's heart fell into the pit of her stomach.
"Rules are rules, and seeing how this was not a life-threatening situation, punishments will have to be made." Dumbledore looked at Snape. "You have been the most talented potions master that Hogwarts has seen in two hundred years, Severus." Snape looked at the ground. "It pains me to do this, but, you will take your things at the end of the winter term and leave this school."
Snape's jaw dropped to the floor. "You're firing me?" he gawked.
Dumbledore bowed his head. "I have no other choice, Severus. This is very bad business and you have broken a cardinal rule. I'm sorry. I hope you will find gainful employment elsewhere and quickly. The term ends in two weeks as you know."
Shocked and horrified, Snape bowed to Dumbledore and the other professors. "I am very sorry for all that has taken place. I will leave now and begin to pack my things."
"You have not waited for Miss Weasley's punishment," Dumbledore said, stopping him in his tracks. "If you love her so much, you might want to be around to comfort her in a few moments."
Ginny's knees began to shake. She was thankful that she was sitting down; she knew she would not have been able to hold herself up otherwise. A thin layer of perspiration began to form on her brow as her nerves went crazy.
"Miss Weasley, you have proven to be one of the most promising witches in your class and in the school. That is why it is with a very heavy heart that I must expel you," Dumbledore said quietly.
Tears began to stream down Ginny's face and her lip quivered uncontrollably. "I.I." she tried to squeak out, but the sounds were caught in her throat.
"Albus please," McGonagall pleaded. She saw in Ginny's eyes the hurt and confusion. "She is still a child, unaware of what she was doing, blindly following love. I believe that punishment must still be given, but please, spare her and her family expulsion. She is one of the hardest working students in Hogwarts; I believe only Miss Granger puts in more hours than Ginny does."
Dumbledore thought on it for a moment, considering the pleading looks of the professors and the blank stare present on Ginny's face. "Fine," he said finally. "From the end of the winter term, Miss Weasley will be suspended for exactly one year to return where she left off in the spring of the next year."
McGonagall smiled as did Snape and the other professors. Dumbledore winked at Ginny as she began to slowly rise from her chair. "Thank you, Professors," she said looking at each of them in turn, except for Snape. "Thank you for your mercy and kindness. I really do not deserve it."
Dumbledore smiled. "If you did not deserve it, my girl, then why would I give it?"
Ginny smiled weakly and exited the room, walking briskly past Snape. "Ginny," he said, catching up to her. "Please, I'm sorry for everything." He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.
"Don't ever come near me again," she spat. "I don't know what I ever saw in you, and I never want to see it again." She wretched her arm away and tore off down the corridor, tears streaming down her face.
Snape stood in the corridor, watching her go. "I'm sorry that it had to end this way, Severus," Dumbledore said from behind him. "But it does seem that you hurt her in more ways than one."
"You don't know anything about what I did to her today," Snape said hollowly. He didn't even have emotion left in him to cry or scream or even use a charm to blow something up.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he began to walk down to the Slytherin common room. "Everything always works out for the best, Severus. Just have some confidence in that fact."
Snape just stalked off to his dungeon to pack.