Disclaimer: See chapter one.

A.N. this chapter is unbeta'd

Thank you to all who reviewed, its greatly appreciated!(passes out free cookies to all who reviewed!) Anyway..happy reading before college life swallows me up for good! I want to thank my muse for helping me writing this chapter! (Snarky, you rule!) Please Read & Review

Ch.12 The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown Down

"OW!" Snape shouts after Hermione bites his hand hard to make him release his grip, dropping to the ground and rolling away from the enraged potion master. Hermione scrambles back to her legs and runs away. Snape shakes off the pain and sprints after her, with his long legs he quickly gains ground on and launches himself at her. Hermione is knocked down to the ground and the forward monument combined with Severus' own body weight sends them rolling. Sprawled under the hard body of the potions master and winded. Hermione starts to struggle and Snape mutters a curse because her knee is coming dangerously to a sensitive area. Not certain of Hermione's current emotional state he quickly takes the advantage and wraps his body around her and apparates both of them to the gate guarding the entrance to Hogwarts.

Hermione, now enraged because she realizes that both of them are in a compromising position, quickly knees Severus in the groin. Rolling away, Snape curses at Hermione due the incredible pain he is in.

"Merlin's balls! Stupid girl!" Snape roars at a now guilt-ridden Hermione hovering near him.

"Professor Snape, I am so sorry! I did not know what I was thinking, I just reacted. Today has been the worst day of my whole life. My whole life is so unbelievably fucked up right now." Hermione solemnly comments to the dark haired man on the ground.

Now in a even fouler mood than he was in when he left the castle, Severus gingerly rises gracefully from the ground trying to ignore the painful throbbing in his groin.

"Cease your whining! NOW pay attention you little know it all. If you attempt to do something like what you just did to me again...may merlin have mercy on you because I will be very angry." Snape spat at her and flung a snide comment as he walked away

"Ms. Granger..shut your mouth, you are gaping like a codfish and I will be taking you to the office where we will have a serious discussion regarding your actions...it is not safe to talk outside here. Oh, and 50 points from Gryffindor for cursing and attempting to injure a teacher."

Now scowling at the Potions Master, Hermione checks to see if she still has both her weapons in possessions and follows the black robes billowing back to the castle. I am no longer a little know it all...if its war snape wants...its war he will get from me. If he expects me to roll over and be a doormat during the course of my apprenticeship, he has a another thing coming...

Back in the kitchen of the Burrow, oblivious to the drama occurring outside in the gardens after watching Severus storm out the door with one furious and wildly kicking future head girl. Albus now turns his attention to the occupants of the table. There is no longer a twinkle in his eyes, in place of it is a cold hard fury swirling in his eyes. All of the occupants of the table suddenly cower under the harsh coldness radiating from Albus Dumbledore. Ron and Molly both instantly come to the realization why Albus Dumbledore is the most feared and respected warlock in centuries since Merlin. There is no joy in the hard lines of his facial expression and the rest of the occupants can feel the barely held back rage surrounding the no longer benevolent wizard. In a very quiet but commanding voice Albus orders Ginvera to floo to Minerva's office and notify the deputy headmistress of the events that have occurred and remain there. Ginny quickly rises and complies with the Headmaster's orders and vanishes from the view of the family in a flash of green flames.

Interlocking his long fingers and resting his chin on the fingers, Albus turns his attention to Harry now wincing in pain from the boils and in a deep bone chilling voice "Mr. Potter, explain to me what just I have witnessed minutes ago between you and Miss Granger."

Harry felt his bravado quickly fade under Dumbledore's intense glare and just stuttered "sssshe betrayed us! Snape is responsible for what happened at the department of mysteries, he sent the only thing I had left beside Lupin of my parents to his death!" Harry's voice continued rising with every word he said.

Albus took a deep breath in a attempt to calm himself down and quietly commented " Professor Snape is not at fault for what happened at the Department of the Mysteries. You have to accept some of the blame for Sirius' death. It was not entirely your fault but certain events that you set in motion eventually led to the death of Sirius. I also shoulder some of the blame for causing the death of Sirius Black. You seem to have this perceived notion that Professor Snape is to blame for everything that has gone wrong. It is not true but I admit that Professor Snape is prejudiced but he has reason to be...not that I am saying that the treatment of you from Professor Snape is right. Harry, you have to grow up now, its no longer a child's game. People die and will die in this war. Your actions tonight probably has changed the course of the war...we do not know if it was for the good or the bad. Hermione Granger is a tremendous ally to the light and you and Mr. Weasley may have just destroyed any chance of us keeping her on our side. This is a burden that you and Mr. Weasley will have to live with for the rest of your lives. Never underestimate the power and the lure of the dark side. I have reasons to trust Professor Snape implicitly with my own life and I do not think you are mature enough nor ready enough to be truly let into the order. Your actions tonight have shown me that it was a mistake putting the burden of the wizarding world on your shoulder because you have proven to be very emotionally violate and have no regards for putting others at risk. Voldermort has a direct link to your mind and that is why I have never let you into some of the order's very hard won intelligence. I do not want Voldermort discovering the plans and the movements of the order via your mental link. I am rescinding your and Mr. Weasley's membership in the order. Also I will have Minerva hand down her own punishments for both of your actions towards Ms. Granger tonight which may include possible dismissal or suspension from the Gryffindor quidditch team until both of you can prove to me that you are mature and emotionally responsible to shoulder your own actions. I allowed you to get away with things that I would have not allowed other hogwarts students to get away with. You and Mr. Weasley abused that privilege to the point of losing the most valuable person in your lives...namely Miss Granger. I thought I was doing the right thing by allowing you to have more freedom because you had been handed a hard card in life but I truly regret it now. I hope to merlin that Miss. Granger will be on our side at the conclusion of this war with Voldermort not on the other side because pardon my language...we will be in 'deep shit' like the muggles would say. It is a mistake of a old man blinded by the hopes I had for the boy who lived. This year will be a true test of how deep loyalty runs in your house and other houses in face of great evil that we have seen since Grindelwald's time. The events that have occurred tonight will have deep repercussion for all and I do not know who has won favor of fate from the events. I hope that it is the light that has won that favor not the dark. One last warning, you both are on probation and I suggest that you tread lightly. Harry remember what I said earlier...United We Stand, Divided We Fall..heed this warning and do not alienate any more people from our cause."

Stunned and humbled from what Albus has said to them. Harry and Ron stiffly nod their heads in acknowledgment of what they have done.Albus turns his attention to Molly and "Ms. Weasley, from what I can piece together from the incident tonight is that you overreacted and put a minor at risk. You did not take the time to rationally think about what happened to cause Ms. Granger to defend herself from your son. I do not blame Ms. Granger for feeling like she had to defend herself because your son came towards her in a threatening manner after being rejected. I have known for years that your son has a very violate temper which is fatal in some situations and this is the latest in a series of outbursts that are becoming dangerous. Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter and your son have been friends since their 1st year and there is no shame in that. Although, your son at times have drove a wedge in that friendship and tonight was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back as I am fond of muggle sayings. For all I know is that your son has virtually demolished any chance of rebuilding this friendship. You allowed your emotions to get the better of yourself and attacked a young lady who meant no harm to your family. People feelings were hurt tonight but I never expected it to come to this point where it has in a way essentially torn apart the new infrastructure of the order. The children are our future generation of new order members and we need every one of them and I have a feeling that Ms. Granger will be very reluctant to trust anyone right now as in a sense that she has nothing to live for nor to lose and that is a very dangerous weapon to have in your mind because she will be more likely to reach out in order to gain some semblance of control in her life which may attract some unsavory elements. She is the most valuable member of the new generations of witches and wizards to pass through the three magical schools in England and Europe. I strongly suggest that you think long and hard on how you are going to apologize for your actions towards Ms. Granger...I meant it..all of you. Good evening and I will see you all at the new order headquarters soon for the next order meeting."

With that final comment, Albus gracefully rises from where he is sitting and touches a personal portkey that would take him back to his chambers at Hogwarts.

TBC

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