Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize. I only own the plot. It's mine and JKR can't have it!

Here's the next chapter. Anybody hoping Malfoy gets expelled?

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Chapter 55: Consequences

            Harry sat staring at the map. The hot rage had left him and he was cooling down to a dying fire. He stared at the map. McGonagall and Snape had been in Dumbledore's office for a long time.

            Malfoy was still in the Slytherin house.

            Harry could have cursed himself. Why hadn't he thought to use the map to track Malfoy in the first place? The answer came to Harry with a taunting, I-told-you-so voice, It's because you were too angry, Harry. Luna warned you, didn't she? "Harry, don't do anything rash". Heck, hadn't even Ron and Hermione warned him. "Are you sure? I mean I know you're angry but . . ." Why don't you listen to these warnings? You're a git, that's what you are. A pompous git like your dad was. That's why your mum couldn't stand him. You're a pompous git like Malfoy. "Leave me alone!" Harry said aloud, angry again. He hated these voices that crept into his head. It was always logic, or reason, or his conscience. Why wouldn't it all go away?

            Harry didn't notice a house-elf slip in and leave a piping hot meal and glass of cold juice for him until probably ten minutes after the elf had left. He started eating, wrapped brooding in his gloomy thoughts.

            Harry looked back down at the map and saw that Ron was entering the dormitory. "Ron," he asked, his voice like ice. "How were you able to find me?"

            Ron went and sat down on his bed. Harry could see that his ears had gone pink. "Well, we didn't know where you were, but we ran into Luna and she was afraid that you'd gone and done something stupid. Hermione and I came up here, well it was her idea but I came up here, and checked the map to see where you were. We saw that you and Malfoy and those other bloody gits were in the dungeons and we went down there."

            "And you just had to tell Dumbledore and Luna where I was?" he asked angrily, looking for something suitable to throw.

            "No. The map showed that Luna was already heading that way. I don't know who tipped off the professors but Dumbledore and the professors weren't too far behind either. Muriel was the one who told the other members of the D.A. She couldn't go down there herself since it would jeopardize her position spying for us, but she sent everyone down there in case you needed back up."

            "And Luna knew how?" he repeated.

            "I don't know, Harry. She just seems to know these things. Like how she was able to heal you by just talking and how she's the only one who seems to be able to calm you down when you're mad and how she's the only one you were able to talk to and finally work things through with after Sirius died. She's Luna, she's weird but somehow you and her just make sense together."

            "You had no right to go through my things. If you hadn't have found me, I could have kept going at Malfoy. I wasn't done with him yet."

            "Harry, even with Malfoy out of action, you could have gotten seriously hurt. You were outnumbered. You needed reinforcements."

            "I didn't need any help."

            "Yes you did. You never admit when you need help. You need it more often than you'll even admit to yourself."

            "I wonder what they've been up to," Harry asked.

            "Who?"

            "Come look at the map. Dumbledore is still in his office with Snape and McGonagall."

            "They've been in there a while. Sorry I couldn't come sooner. I tried to leave dinner early but Flitwick caught me and wouldn't let me leave. Probably Dumbledore's orders."

            "I'm getting so sick of 'Dumbledore's orders'."

            "You can't really blame him, Harry," Ron said, shrugging.

            "Why not? Why the bloody h—"

            There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" asked Harry crossly, forgetting he could just look down at the map in his lap.

            "Professor McGonagall," came the brisk voice. "Professor Dumbledore wants you in his office now."

            "I'll be right there," he sighed.

            Ron was studying the map. "Hey, mate? Luna's there."

            "What?"

            "Luna. The map shows McGonagall outside our door, and Luna in Dumbledore's office."

            "NOW, Mr. Potter, or I shall come in there."

            "I'll see you later, Ron."

            "Best of luck."

            Professor McGonagall escorted Harry to the headmaster's office. She was silent. Halfway there, Harry asked, "Is he expelled?"

            "What?"

            "Malfoy. He used one of the 3 illegal curses against me. Is he expelled?"

            "I am not answering any questions yet, Harry."

            "Well, how about this one, then? Why is Luna in Dumbledore's office?"

            "How did you know that?" She stopped and narrowed her eyes at him.

            "Professor, we're good friends, aren't we? I already told you: I know everything."

            She seemed mystified.

            "Sooner or later I always find out. I've got sources." He grinned cheekily and started again in the direction of Dumbledore's office.

            He heard McGonagall muttering under her breath, "I should take away 10 points for cheekiness."

            They reached the headmaster's office without further words and went inside after knocking.

            "I've brought him." McGonagall gave Harry a glare and took a seat.

            There were 4 seats in front of Dumbledore's desk today, Harry couldn't remember ever seeing so many before. Big cushy purple chairs. Snape was seated on one at the end, trying to stay as far away from Luna as possible. Luna was on the chair on the other end. McGonagall made her scoot over one so that she could be on the opposite end and not have to sit next to Snape or Harry. Harry ended up between Luna and Snape.

            "Harry, would you mind tell me exactly what occurred?"

            Harry was blunt. "I knew who it was who attacked Luna, even without Dobby's description, and I did get the description before we went after them. So me and a few friends decided to go and track down those we knew were responsible. I found them first. Malfoy used the Cruciatus Curse on me. I fought back against him, Crabbe, and Goyle. Parkinson was there but she ran off. The four of them had cornered me in the dungeons. Then my friends and all of you showed up."

            "You and Mister Malfoy both cursed each other. Who started it?"

            "That depends on how far back you want to go, Professor. When he attacked Luna? When his father burnt down her father's newsstand? Anytime when he and I haven't gotten along over the past 6 years?"

            "I mean today."

            "I'm not sure. There was some banter. He threw the first spell. The pain curse. Shouldn't he be expelled at least? It is illegal after all. That Ministry of ours that we love so dearly outlawed it," he said bitterly. The Ministry had way too many power-hungry idiots in it. He rubbed his temple, he had a headache. "Headmaster, why are the three of them here? Shouldn't this be just you and me talking?"

            "Harry, Professor Snape is the head of Mister Malfoy's house, Professor McGonagall is the head of your house. They were both present when we intercepted the fight."

            "What about Luna?"

            She said dreamily, staring at the ceiling, "I'm here because I won't go away."

            "Miss Lovegood is here because she appears to be the object, so to speak, of quarrel between you and Mister Malfoy."

            "You know our fights predate her even coming to Hogwarts, sir."

            "Be that as it may, she is remaining for the rest of the discussion, as are Professors Snape and McGonagall," Dumbledore said, finally sounding a little testy.

            "What could there possibly be left to discuss? I thought we covered everything."

            "There is the matter of your punishment and Mister Malfoy's punishment. As well as Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe's punishment. Miss Lovegood said that they are the cause of those bruises? You were fighting at school. Mister Malfoy will be doing double detention with Professor McGonagall. Misters Goyle and Crabbe will each be doing a detention as well. You will lose 50 points for Gryffindor."

            Harry was sorely tempted to tell him that it was certainly worth it, but he decided not to. It wouldn't be fair to his housemates if he lost more points. Harry realized the logic with Dumbledore's decision and silently gave him credit. Malfoy didn't give one whit about what happened to the rest of his house; so taking away points wouldn't have matter much. Malfoy only cared about what happened to himself, a detention with a teacher he hated would be the perfect thing for a punishment. A detention with Hagrid would be best, but Hagrid wasn't as good at telling Malfoy off and making life truly miserable for him, as McGonagall would be. Harry, on the other hand, rarely cared what happened to himself. But he was a team player and didn't want other people punished for his wrongdoings. Plus, most of the members of the D.A. were Gryffindors anyway, so it was kind of a group punishment.

            Snape smiled, satisfied that Potter had been justly punished. "Goodnight, Headmaster."

            "Goodnight, Severus. If you see Draco Malfoy or the other boys, tell them to be expecting letters from Professor McGonagall to arrange detention."

            Snape exited and McGonagall too, "Goodnight, Albus."

            "Goodnight, Minerva."

            Harry was let alone with Dumbledore and Luna.

            "Miss Lovegood, do you believe the boys' punishments were fair?"

            "Oh, yes. Fighting is bad. You notice it's never the girls' fault? They don't fight. Rowena and Helga got along wonderfully. Godric and Salazar fought like mad though. Like brothers, but enough to drive them apart. With him gone, this school was a three legged stool." She got up and walked away, dazed.

            "Amazingly perceptive, isn't she?" Dumbledore said humorously.

            "Yes. She is. Why was she really here?"

            "Because, she understands and see things where others do not. She can see things clearly and so she succeeds where others cannot. Surely you've noticed this yourself?"

            "Yes. I have. I can tell her things that I can't tell anyone. She's amazing. There's just something about her. She can do things. Heal just by talking even."

            "So I've heard."

            "What power does she possess, sir? There's got to be something. She knows things that people can't possibly know. What is her power that makes her different?"

            "The power of a pure and accepting heart. She has a sharp mind, but almost a child's willingness to accept everything. Faith so strong in the belief that things will be all right. Whether or not she was born with any special powers, I do not know, but most of her special qualities are her own design."

            "Most?"

            "I don't doubt that some of them are just the female charms that men will never understand."

            "So I'm doomed to misunderstand women?"

            "For the rest of your life, my boy."

            "Wonderful," he muttered. "And she's worse to understand than most."

            "Quite the contrary, I think you understand her better than most men understand the women who have their hearts."

            "Really?"

            "Yes, Harry. Goodnight."

            "Goodnight, Professor." Harry got up and started toward the door.

            "Harry, I'm sorry about those points, but you will earn them back at the next Quiditch match, won't you?"

            "Of course, Professor. Nobody is going to be beating Gryffindor."

            "I'm supposed to be impartial, but between you and I, I'm glad to hear it."

            "Goodbye, Professor."

            "Harry, please refrain from doing anymore fighting, won't you?"

            "I'll try. Why exactly didn't he get expelled?"

            "To prevent things from getting complicated. I'd rather have him where I can keep an eye on him."

            "Me too." Harry left and found Luna waiting at the bottom of the stairs to walk him back to Gryffindor Tower. Just before they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she kissed him goodnight and went back to Ravenclaw.

            "Harry, what happened?" asked Ron. Neville, Dean, Seamus, the Creevy brothers, Lavender, Parvati, and Hermione were all standing nearby. In fact, quite a large crowd was gathered around.

            "Dumbledore dealt out the punishments," Harry said.

            "What happened?"

            "Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle all have detention with McGonagall."

            The Creevy brothers high-fived.

            "Malfoy has double-detention."

            "Great!" said Neville.

            "What about Pansy?" asked Lavender.

            Parvati added, "I hope she got punished too."

            "No, more's the pity. Couldn't prove she did anything," said Harry. He was still a bit mournful over the lost points.

            "So what exactly did you do to Malfoy?"

            Harry started listing the curses. "And I gave him very painful boils. I lost Gryffindor 50 points over all of it."

            "We didn't see any boils," said Dean.

            Harry grinned. "They weren't anywhere normally displayed to the public. But I'll put it this way. It'll be very painful for him to sit on a broom."

            The common room roared with laughter.

            "Then it was worth it!"

            "I would have sacrificed a hundred points to be able to do that to Malfoy."

            The room was full of laughter and insults to Slytherins.

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Sorry to disappoint you. Nobody gets expelled today.