Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Web of Lies.
When Severus reached the doors leading outside, he saw a couple of teachers already gathered around Dumbledore. In front of the old headmaster stood the Minister of Magic, his face was flushed, and he was shaking. Severus didn't know why he was; it could either be in anger or in fear, since Dumbledore was looking positively murderous. The other teachers were all looking very annoyed too. Approaching silently, he went to stand next to Professor Sprout and quietly asked what was happening, while he listened to the minister shouting who he was and what he thought of them. The woman turned lightly to him, a deep frown on her face.
"It seems Fudge arrived a while ago, and Dumbledore went to meet him at the entrance. The fool immediately started to say that he had pulled out all his aurors from their search for Harry. Dumbledore didn't seem to like it much, but he stated that he understood. Then the minister kind of smiled and said he was glad that the old man agreed that they couldn't waste their resources in a worthless and mentally unbalanced child." The woman shuddered slightly. "I've never seen Dumbledore so angry in my life. He went all cold and told the minister to get off of Hogwarts' grounds. The old idiot didn't like that, and he has been shouting since then."
Severus winced slightly; he didn't like the Potter boy much, but he knew better than to plain out insult him in front of the headmaster. It seemed the old man had grown even more attached to him. Returning his attention to the argument, he listened as Dumbledore finally got the chance to speak.
In an icy voice, the old man regarded the other man standing in front of him. "Minister Fudge, I demand that you leave these grounds at once; I will not stand for you to insult my students. Harry Potter is not mentally unbalanced, and you know it as well as I do. The only thing you want is to ruin his reputation in front of the wizarding world for your sick power lust. I have been helping you all this time because I believed it would be in our best interest and in the interest of the wizarding world to join our efforts, but I've grown tired of your incessant whining. From now on my people and I will work on our own which is going to spare us many resources. This way, we won't have to deal with idiotic bureaucrats whose only interest is the money or the power they can gain from their actions. Now leave, you're not welcome to Hogwarts anymore."
Fudge looked at him, red with rage. "How dare you! I'm the head of the ministry, you can't..."
Dumbledore cut his stream of words. "I can; Hogwarts is an institution on it's own, we are not dependant on ministry regulations and never have. The school allows the Ministry to rule over it as long as they have the same interests, and I, as headmaster, can decide whether or not it is good for the school to follow the ministry's direction." Drawing himself up, Dumbledore spoke again, his power flowing through everyone. "I, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry hereby sever all bonds that tie this institution to the British Ministry of Magic. This will remain so until such a time in which I deem that the Ministry is once again capable to comply in its functions."
Fudge had gone deathly pale, and the teachers were looking at both men in awe. They had known that the headmaster had been growing increasingly displeased with the minister's performance, but to bring it this far... they weren't sure if it had been a wise decision, but the moment Fudge drew his wand, they immediately drew theirs. They may not completely understand the headmaster's reasons, but it was no secret to anyone that the Hogwarts' staff was loyal to the headmaster.
Fudge looked at them warily, he knew it would be stupid start a fight against them. From the instant Dumbledore had uttered those words, the rules of the ministry had stopped to rule over the group, and as long as they didn't kill him they would be able to curse him since he was technically trespassing their grounds. Not to mention that the adults standing in front of him were some of the most powerful wizards that the wizarding world had. Not anyone could teach at Hogwarts.
Buffing angrily, he planted his hat on his head and turned around. "Don't think that this is going to be the end, Albus, by tomorrow everyone will know about your betrayal and about how the Boy Who Lived is too scared to show his face."
Before he had the chance to take a step, several curses hit him at once, making him fall on the ground. He knew he should have kept his mouth shut, but he was just too angry. Before he lost consciousness, he heard Dumbledore's cold voice wash over him. "Hagrid, be sure to kick this piece of trash out of the grounds, we wouldn't want him to ruin the sight."
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000
While Dumbledore stormed up to his office, followed by Minerva, Severus and Madam Pomfrey went back to the hospital wing. The nurse thought Alec was well enough to leave, but with Albus in the state he had been in, it would be better if Severus took him for the day. The younger man had agreed, thinking he would be able to teach him a bit more about potions and silently walked next to the woman.
Harry was still sitting in bed; he had put his book down and was looking at through the window, a frown marring his face. When he heard them enter the ward, he immediately turned his attention to them. "Is everything alright?"
The nurse hurried at his side and started to check him over, muttering under her breath that he should have been resting. Severus looked at her in amusement and sat down next to the bed. When the woman was finally finished with her check up, Alec spoke again. "Is everything alright? What happened?"
The woman sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Don't worry, everything's fine; your grandfather just got a bit angry at the minister."
Severus snorted from his place. "A bit angry? Poppy, the man went ballistic; he would have killed Fudge on the spot if he could have got away with it."
The nurse glared at him, but didn't contradict him; she knew he was probably right. Harry looked at them alarmed. "Is Granddad alright? I need to see him!"
He jumped out of the bed, but Severus immediately caught him in his arms and placed him on his lap. "I don't think that's a very good idea right now, Alec. He was really furious and needs a bit of time to calm down."
Poppy ruffled his hair. "Don't worry, lad, Minerva went with him, I suspect they will be planning the future of Hogwarts as soon as Albus calms down."
Alec frowned. "The future of Hogwarts?"
Sighing, Severus passed a hand over his face. "Albus has severed all ties with the Ministry; as of right now, Hogwarts has it's own laws, and Albus and Minerva have to decide how they are going to do this."
Harry sat back against Severus, a stunned look on his face. The old man must have really been angry to take such drastic measures. He had always stated the as long as they were united, they would win, but right now he had severed his connections with their most powerful allies, he really hoped everything would turn out alright.
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader Vinnie and to Leena
Web of Lies.
When Severus reached the doors leading outside, he saw a couple of teachers already gathered around Dumbledore. In front of the old headmaster stood the Minister of Magic, his face was flushed, and he was shaking. Severus didn't know why he was; it could either be in anger or in fear, since Dumbledore was looking positively murderous. The other teachers were all looking very annoyed too. Approaching silently, he went to stand next to Professor Sprout and quietly asked what was happening, while he listened to the minister shouting who he was and what he thought of them. The woman turned lightly to him, a deep frown on her face.
"It seems Fudge arrived a while ago, and Dumbledore went to meet him at the entrance. The fool immediately started to say that he had pulled out all his aurors from their search for Harry. Dumbledore didn't seem to like it much, but he stated that he understood. Then the minister kind of smiled and said he was glad that the old man agreed that they couldn't waste their resources in a worthless and mentally unbalanced child." The woman shuddered slightly. "I've never seen Dumbledore so angry in my life. He went all cold and told the minister to get off of Hogwarts' grounds. The old idiot didn't like that, and he has been shouting since then."
Severus winced slightly; he didn't like the Potter boy much, but he knew better than to plain out insult him in front of the headmaster. It seemed the old man had grown even more attached to him. Returning his attention to the argument, he listened as Dumbledore finally got the chance to speak.
In an icy voice, the old man regarded the other man standing in front of him. "Minister Fudge, I demand that you leave these grounds at once; I will not stand for you to insult my students. Harry Potter is not mentally unbalanced, and you know it as well as I do. The only thing you want is to ruin his reputation in front of the wizarding world for your sick power lust. I have been helping you all this time because I believed it would be in our best interest and in the interest of the wizarding world to join our efforts, but I've grown tired of your incessant whining. From now on my people and I will work on our own which is going to spare us many resources. This way, we won't have to deal with idiotic bureaucrats whose only interest is the money or the power they can gain from their actions. Now leave, you're not welcome to Hogwarts anymore."
Fudge looked at him, red with rage. "How dare you! I'm the head of the ministry, you can't..."
Dumbledore cut his stream of words. "I can; Hogwarts is an institution on it's own, we are not dependant on ministry regulations and never have. The school allows the Ministry to rule over it as long as they have the same interests, and I, as headmaster, can decide whether or not it is good for the school to follow the ministry's direction." Drawing himself up, Dumbledore spoke again, his power flowing through everyone. "I, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry hereby sever all bonds that tie this institution to the British Ministry of Magic. This will remain so until such a time in which I deem that the Ministry is once again capable to comply in its functions."
Fudge had gone deathly pale, and the teachers were looking at both men in awe. They had known that the headmaster had been growing increasingly displeased with the minister's performance, but to bring it this far... they weren't sure if it had been a wise decision, but the moment Fudge drew his wand, they immediately drew theirs. They may not completely understand the headmaster's reasons, but it was no secret to anyone that the Hogwarts' staff was loyal to the headmaster.
Fudge looked at them warily, he knew it would be stupid start a fight against them. From the instant Dumbledore had uttered those words, the rules of the ministry had stopped to rule over the group, and as long as they didn't kill him they would be able to curse him since he was technically trespassing their grounds. Not to mention that the adults standing in front of him were some of the most powerful wizards that the wizarding world had. Not anyone could teach at Hogwarts.
Buffing angrily, he planted his hat on his head and turned around. "Don't think that this is going to be the end, Albus, by tomorrow everyone will know about your betrayal and about how the Boy Who Lived is too scared to show his face."
Before he had the chance to take a step, several curses hit him at once, making him fall on the ground. He knew he should have kept his mouth shut, but he was just too angry. Before he lost consciousness, he heard Dumbledore's cold voice wash over him. "Hagrid, be sure to kick this piece of trash out of the grounds, we wouldn't want him to ruin the sight."
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000
While Dumbledore stormed up to his office, followed by Minerva, Severus and Madam Pomfrey went back to the hospital wing. The nurse thought Alec was well enough to leave, but with Albus in the state he had been in, it would be better if Severus took him for the day. The younger man had agreed, thinking he would be able to teach him a bit more about potions and silently walked next to the woman.
Harry was still sitting in bed; he had put his book down and was looking at through the window, a frown marring his face. When he heard them enter the ward, he immediately turned his attention to them. "Is everything alright?"
The nurse hurried at his side and started to check him over, muttering under her breath that he should have been resting. Severus looked at her in amusement and sat down next to the bed. When the woman was finally finished with her check up, Alec spoke again. "Is everything alright? What happened?"
The woman sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Don't worry, everything's fine; your grandfather just got a bit angry at the minister."
Severus snorted from his place. "A bit angry? Poppy, the man went ballistic; he would have killed Fudge on the spot if he could have got away with it."
The nurse glared at him, but didn't contradict him; she knew he was probably right. Harry looked at them alarmed. "Is Granddad alright? I need to see him!"
He jumped out of the bed, but Severus immediately caught him in his arms and placed him on his lap. "I don't think that's a very good idea right now, Alec. He was really furious and needs a bit of time to calm down."
Poppy ruffled his hair. "Don't worry, lad, Minerva went with him, I suspect they will be planning the future of Hogwarts as soon as Albus calms down."
Alec frowned. "The future of Hogwarts?"
Sighing, Severus passed a hand over his face. "Albus has severed all ties with the Ministry; as of right now, Hogwarts has it's own laws, and Albus and Minerva have to decide how they are going to do this."
Harry sat back against Severus, a stunned look on his face. The old man must have really been angry to take such drastic measures. He had always stated the as long as they were united, they would win, but right now he had severed his connections with their most powerful allies, he really hoped everything would turn out alright.
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader Vinnie and to Leena