Chapter 43- Crypto Currency
Harry wasn't surprised, just embarrassed, when Snape came charging into the Hospital Wing. He noticed that the bracelet around his wrist gave off a small glow when his hand collided with the wall and he wasn't oblivious to the fact that it started to warm up, indicating that the bracelet was being tracked. He knew it was only a matter of time until Snape showed up, demanding answers. What he did not expect was the fear in his Professor's voice.
"He's alright, just got into a little fight is all," Poppy reassured as she finished healing Harry's fingers, putting his index finger and ring finger into splints until the bones healed completely.
"With who?" Severus demanded, his voice no longer filled with fear but with annoyance. Harry, along with Hermione, recognized the tone. It was the same tone that their Professor used when someone messed up what was supposed to be a simple potion, usually Neville.
"With a wall," Harry mumbled, keeping his eyes fixed on his broken fingers, feeling a slight throbbing as his bones knitted back together.
"He threw a punch, he missed and his hand hit the brick wall in the Owlery," Hermione explained, immediately feeling Harry's gaze on her the moment she stopped talking.
Severus took a step forward towards Harry, his eyes staring down at the boy. "And who were you fighting with?" Severus demanded, his voice turning cold and dark.
As Snape asked him the question, Harry felt a shiver run down his spine, he slowly looked up through his fringe into his professor's eyes. "Ron," Harry replied bitterly. Harry watched as Snape's lips pressed together into a thin line. He knew what was coming.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor for fighting with a fellow housemate," Severus yelled, earning the attention of a young Ravenclaw girl who sat at the back of the Hospital Wing with a stomach flu. "My chambers, now," Severus ordered, stepping back so Harry would be able to get up.
Harry opened his mouth to argue, but quickly shut it as Snape spoke again.
"Now!" Severus yelled, leaving no room for arguments as he pointed to the Hospital Wing doors.
Harry looked over at Hermione as if he was about to walk to his death before getting up and making his way out of the Hospital Wing, making sure he slammed the door behind him.
"Don't you have studying to do, Miss Granger? I know you are falling behind in potions," Severus remarked before leaving the Hospital Wing himself, following Harry down to his chambers.
Once Harry entered the Professor's chambers, he heard the door being violently shoved open. Turning around, Harry saw Snape and he couldn't think of a time when he saw his Professor this angry.
"I see we are back to our old self? Famous Harry Potter, believing he can do whatever he wants with zero consequences!" Severus yelled after casting a silencing charm around his chambers so no one could listen in on the yelling match that was sure about to happen. "Is there a reason as to why you are punching your friends?"
"He pissed me off!" Harry screamed in defense.
"That does not give you permission to go around punching people. As punishment, you are to clean my cauldrons without magic," Severus said, emphasizing the part about no magic.
"What?! That's not fair!" Harry complained, knowing it would take him all day to clean the cauldrons without the help of magic.
"Not fair? In this school, you are punished for misbehavior. You should be lucky it's not worse. We have a zero tolerance for fighting in this school," Severus explained.
"Clearly not a zero tolerance for rape," Harry muttered under his breath. It was meant as a joke or a snide comment, but judging by Snape's reaction, he did not see it that way.
"Potion lab. Now, And don't come out until you are able to see yourself in those cauldrons," Severus spoke calmly as he slowly lifted his arm and pointed to his private lab.
Harry froze for a moment, realizing how angry his Professor actually was. He quickly made his way into the private lab and allowed the bookcase to close behind him, feeling a lot better when he didn't have Snape's gaze on him, his eyes burning holes in the back of his head.
After five long hours of scooping thick green sludge out of twenty cauldrons before soaking them in hot water and scrubbing them with a wire brush, Harry was starting to see Snape's point, or much rather, Hermione's point. Punching Ron wasn't going to help anything. They had a castle filled with students and no one knew how many people were walking around with memories that could come back at any moment. The littlest thing could bring back a whole year of that person's worst memories.
But something Hermione said stayed with him; they needed to stick together and Harry had the perfect DA coins, but with a few extra features: it will also serve as an emergency portkey to the Hospital Wing and each coin will have a tracker. The coin will send out a silent alarm that only the professors will be able to hear if the student is in need.
Another six hours and twenty-five cauldrons later, Harry got to work. He dug out all the extra DA coins he had laying at the bottom of his trunk and laid them out on the table. He changed the design to a simple tabono, with the paddles representing strength and perseverance. Once he was done with that, he set to work on placing the charms on each individual coin and by the early morning, he was done. All that was left to do was to hand them out to everyone on the list.
