"To tell you the truth, I never liked Percy all that well. He had such a superiority about him," said Harry. "I would come to the Burrow and all the Weasleys would be so good to me, all except Percy. And if he ever caught me out late, do you THINK he'd ever let it slide? No, reported me straight away that one! He treated me so poorly!"
"You mean he wasn't one of your obsessive groupies, Potter?" said Malfoy. "I never liked Percy either, but I'm finding a new appreciation for him."
"Okay," said Harry. "I know I've always made out my fame to be a burden, but it's been quite beneficial at times. Look at Hollywood. In the Muggle world celebrities like myself can kill their wives and get away with it, but could I be out at night? No! Percy had a thing or two to learn about celebrity."
"I always knew it," said Professor Snape. "You are so like your father. Always showing off, thinking the rules don't apply to you."
"Don't forget you're a suspect too, Snapey," said Harry in a tone more sharp and cocky usual. "You had motivations as well, let's hear them."
Professor Snape took a swig of the Veritaserum. "I'll admit I was not a fan of Percy Weasley myself. Everyone knew he prided himself upon being a cheeky little scab. Though what's not known about him is he actually broke most of the rules he enforced upon you," said Snape. "If there's one thing I cannot stand it's people flaunting their power that they abuse in such a manner. I patrol the hallways at night myself quite often. The things I would catch that boy doing. And his little girlfriend. Despite my best efforts to put Mr. Weasley into his place, he would not listen to reason. He continued tramping around so smugly because no one would believe Percy Weasley would do such things. And until tonight, who of you would have believed me?"
"That's my brother!" said Ron, his face flushed. "I still don't believe you and if you say anything like that again, I'll make you eat your words!"
"I cannot help the fact that your brother was a fraud and a liar," said Snape icily. "As for your little threat, I must warn you, play with fire and you will get burned."
"That's enough!" shouted Dumbledore. "I would like to hear from the young Mr. Weasley here."
"Percy was my brother, and I loved him," began Ron. "But that love was deep down, very deep. He was always showing off, Prefect, Head Boy... Mum was always comparing me to him. He was a bloody show off. My Mum would always believe his word before she'd believe any of the rest of us. With Percy in the family, nothing was ever good enough."
"Aww pwoor wittle Wonny," said Draco. "My mummy loved my bwother more than she loved me, boo hoo hoo!"
Smack! Ron's shoe came flying across the room and hit Malfoy straight in the face.
By this time Dumbledore had given up trying to subdue them all. Harry stood up though and looked directly at Draco, "You've been quick to mock, Malfoy. But we haven't heard your testimonial yet."
"You are right Harry," said Professor McGonagall. "Do proceed, Mr. Malfoy."
Draco picked up the bottle of Veritaserum and took much too large a drink. "I never liked him, not for any of your miserable excuses for reasons, but simply because he was a filthy blood-traitor," said Draco. "You heard me right, blood-traitor. He thought he was hot stuff with his little badges, trying to corral us like dogs. To think! Me, taking orders from a filthy mudblood-lover. The only thing worse than being a mudblood is being a mudblood lover. It is one thing to be filthy, but it's entirely worse to want to be near the filthy. The Weasleys have always tarnished the name of wizard. And Percy could have been the worst of them. Talking down to me like he was so high and mighty when he was the blood traitor!"
Hermione was crying on the ground. "Hush dear, it is the Veritaserum. You should have known he'd say something like that," said McGongall.
"Let the mudblood give her statement!" cried Draco, still under the effects of the serum.
"I do not think Miss Granger is in the condition to do that as of yet, but if no one else will go, I will," said McGonagall.
"You mean he wasn't one of your obsessive groupies, Potter?" said Malfoy. "I never liked Percy either, but I'm finding a new appreciation for him."
"Okay," said Harry. "I know I've always made out my fame to be a burden, but it's been quite beneficial at times. Look at Hollywood. In the Muggle world celebrities like myself can kill their wives and get away with it, but could I be out at night? No! Percy had a thing or two to learn about celebrity."
"I always knew it," said Professor Snape. "You are so like your father. Always showing off, thinking the rules don't apply to you."
"Don't forget you're a suspect too, Snapey," said Harry in a tone more sharp and cocky usual. "You had motivations as well, let's hear them."
Professor Snape took a swig of the Veritaserum. "I'll admit I was not a fan of Percy Weasley myself. Everyone knew he prided himself upon being a cheeky little scab. Though what's not known about him is he actually broke most of the rules he enforced upon you," said Snape. "If there's one thing I cannot stand it's people flaunting their power that they abuse in such a manner. I patrol the hallways at night myself quite often. The things I would catch that boy doing. And his little girlfriend. Despite my best efforts to put Mr. Weasley into his place, he would not listen to reason. He continued tramping around so smugly because no one would believe Percy Weasley would do such things. And until tonight, who of you would have believed me?"
"That's my brother!" said Ron, his face flushed. "I still don't believe you and if you say anything like that again, I'll make you eat your words!"
"I cannot help the fact that your brother was a fraud and a liar," said Snape icily. "As for your little threat, I must warn you, play with fire and you will get burned."
"That's enough!" shouted Dumbledore. "I would like to hear from the young Mr. Weasley here."
"Percy was my brother, and I loved him," began Ron. "But that love was deep down, very deep. He was always showing off, Prefect, Head Boy... Mum was always comparing me to him. He was a bloody show off. My Mum would always believe his word before she'd believe any of the rest of us. With Percy in the family, nothing was ever good enough."
"Aww pwoor wittle Wonny," said Draco. "My mummy loved my bwother more than she loved me, boo hoo hoo!"
Smack! Ron's shoe came flying across the room and hit Malfoy straight in the face.
By this time Dumbledore had given up trying to subdue them all. Harry stood up though and looked directly at Draco, "You've been quick to mock, Malfoy. But we haven't heard your testimonial yet."
"You are right Harry," said Professor McGonagall. "Do proceed, Mr. Malfoy."
Draco picked up the bottle of Veritaserum and took much too large a drink. "I never liked him, not for any of your miserable excuses for reasons, but simply because he was a filthy blood-traitor," said Draco. "You heard me right, blood-traitor. He thought he was hot stuff with his little badges, trying to corral us like dogs. To think! Me, taking orders from a filthy mudblood-lover. The only thing worse than being a mudblood is being a mudblood lover. It is one thing to be filthy, but it's entirely worse to want to be near the filthy. The Weasleys have always tarnished the name of wizard. And Percy could have been the worst of them. Talking down to me like he was so high and mighty when he was the blood traitor!"
Hermione was crying on the ground. "Hush dear, it is the Veritaserum. You should have known he'd say something like that," said McGongall.
"Let the mudblood give her statement!" cried Draco, still under the effects of the serum.
"I do not think Miss Granger is in the condition to do that as of yet, but if no one else will go, I will," said McGonagall.