Major trouble for Lieirin. Snape is furious and wants her to get kicked out of Hogwarts. Dumbledore knows this is impossible to do and gives her another chance. Snape wonders why.

****************************************************************

Chapter 19

Reprimand

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked up in shock and saw Dumbledore approaching them, flanked by ... Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape, both looking deathly pale.

"But, Professor Dumbledore, I thought... we thought... that you were..."

"Dead? They were."

Six people looked around in astonishment. Lierin stood behind them, her cloak pulled tightly around her. Her face was ashen white and her eyes were cast down.

"And if Crejy had managed to get back to the crystal, they would have remained that way. Fortunately, Mr. Weasley here was able to stop her."

Dumbledore's eyes grew dark.

"We have to talk, Miss Heartilly. For by the love of Merlin, I can't call you Professor right now. To my office please," said Dumbledore in a more grim manner than he meant.

Lierin nodded, her eyes still cast down, and she followed Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore to his office.

****************************************************************

"You may begin to explain with why on earth you pulled such an idiotic stunt."

Lierin didn't dare to look up. She could feel the warmth and the light of the flames in the fire place playing with the features of her face, but she didn't look up to see their teasing tribal dance. She could also feel the wrath of Snape and McGonagall upon her. Well, there was a first time for everything; she never thought that those two would ever agree on something.

"I can give you several reasons that made me want to do it. But I'm afraid that they're not sufficient enough to be an excuse for what I did."

"Just try to make me understand why you would release such a dangerous and unpredictive force into this school. Why you would put all of our lives in jeopardy."

"I don't expect you to fully understand my motives. I didn't mean any harm, but at the moment I was angered. I had been humiliated in front of my class. I merely wanted to teach someone a lesson. I had no idea how powerful the entity of Achilles' Spear really was and once she was released, there was no way back."

"You always have a choice, Miss Heartilly and unfortunately you made all the wrong choices for all the wrong reasons."

"I know Professor Dumbledore, I'm sorry to have disappointed you in such a way. If it is all the same to you, I'll go and pack my things now." Lierin cast a sideway glance at Severus and noticed the unpleasant smile of victory on his face. She tried, but she couldn't get angry, she had it coming. She had tried to kill him after all. For some reason she wished back to that afternoon when she and Severus had talked about Serena, she wished things could have stayed that way between them.

"That won't be necessary. I'm not sending you away, though you do deserve just that."

Both Lierin's and Snape's head jerked up and looked at Dumbledore with an astonished look in their eyes. Gone was Snape's victorious smile, and both he and Lierin tried to protest.

"But professor! I almost..."

".... tried to kill me! A-and Professor McGonagall. Even you!"

"Be silent, both of you! I am very well aware of that fact. But, reluctant as I am to admit this, it wasn't Lierin who attacked us but the entity who had taken over control of her."

"But she did release it, didn't she?" Snape spat out the words like venom.

"Severus, I'm afraid that in this matter you will just have to abide my decision."

"I will if I have to, but just make me understand why you would allow a danger like Lierin continue to teach here at Hogwarts!"

"For the same reason why I allow you to teach at Hogwars, Severus. For the very same reason. Now, Minerva, Severus, if you would be so kind... There's a matter I need to discuss with Lierin."

Minerva nodded sternly and quickly left the Dumbledore's office. Severus didn't respond immediately. Curiously he observed Lierin. She was still standing there with her eyes cast down and though he knew she could feel him staring at her, she didn't dare to look him in the eyes. He wondered what in the world was so important about her that Dumbledore would let her stay here after that stunt she pulled this afternoon? Was she a deatheater too? That weird feeling that something strange or maybe even something dangerous was going on, returned. Lately he had been having some strange visions and some included Lierin, or so he thought. Was she here because of something that had to do with these visions? Not able to think of another reason, Severus pulled his gaze away from her and left the office as well. With both of them gone, Dumbledore turned to face Lierin.

"You know why I'm allowing you to stay here, don't you?" asked Dumbledore in a gentle way.

Lierin nodded."Yes, I think I do. It's because of the Goblet of Might, isn't it? But, if you want, I can still continue to work on that without teaching AMA. I mean, if today proved anything, it is that I'm not cut out to be a teacher."

"No, that won't do. Too many questions would rise if I would continue to let you stay here without allowing you to teach your class again."

"Thank you Professor Dumbledore, I promise I won't let you down again. But, there's something you need to know about the Goblet of Might affair."

"It was stolen recently, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but how do you know?"

"You wouldn't mention anything else about it, except if you would have found it's counterpart, but your serious tone of voice didn't suggest that. So, I came to a very simple conclusion."

"Right. Well... Charlie sent me a letter about it. A young man had been showing a peculiar interest in it and, as you already concluded, it got stolen. We suspect that young man, but Charlie didn't recognise him."

"I suppose this asks for even better securities, for now he'll go after Nightfall's Gain for sure."

"Do you think the dementors will try something again?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't know. Carry on, Lierin. Carry on."

Lierin nodded her head and left Dumbledore's office.