"Take a seat Mr Lupin" McGonagall said through gritted teeth.
"Why was I the only one brought in? I wasn't even the one who drew it." Teddy said lacsadasicly.
"Because the others are not Riley's best friend." McGonagall was on her last straw.
"If you think she's still my best friend after everything that has happened, you're barking!" Teddy yelled.
Minerva Mcgonagall rarely lost her cool. In fact she prides herself on keeping calm in most situations. She even managed to not slap the cruel smirk off of Umbridges face. She was a well composed women. But right now. Right now she was doing everything in her power not to start screaming at the boy sitting in front of her.
"He's lying." Severus Snape's portrait said with a touch of malice.
"What would you know?" Spat back Teddy.
"I know your mother and father would be disappointed to see what their son has done to his best friend." Snape said matter of factly.
"Severus!" McGonagall yelled.
"Well I wouldn't know, her mother killed my mother!" Teddy was struggling to hold back tears. None of this was going to plan.
"What exactly isn't going to plan?" Snape sneered.
McGonagall looked between the both of them, she didn't realize Snapes portrait possesed the power to use legilemency.
"You! I had everyone convinced-" Teddy was now openly crying "- I needed a few more days of everyone believing it before we made a move." Teddy put his head in his hands and cried.
"I don't understand." McGonagall said.
Teddy got his tears under control.
"I don't hate her, I could never hate her. It hurts sure, but I would never do this to someone without good reason."
"Go on." Severus said.
"I heard most of your conversation with Elanora, how Riley was motivated by fear.. how she was scared to tell me not just because of the impact it would have on us but the potential to lose another family. Riley would have preferred taking her secret to her grave instead of the possibility of rejection from My family. Of course she preferred that, I saw her heartbreak and my own in her eyes. Riley feels so much, much more than her heartless mother. You're right-" Teddy looked at Severus "-my mother and father would be disappointed in me for turning my back on my best friend. I would not be the young man my grandmother raised me to be if I did such a thing. But they know. If they are watching over me than they know." Teddy said more to reassure himself more so than anyone. He sighed. "My plan was to reveal her secret and get close enough to whoever showed the most hatred towards her. The boys at breakfast for example. If those boys went after Elanora because of rumors her parents were Death Eaters than you know as well as I do they'll be gunning for Riley. Eventually I hoped to either get them to trust me enough to tell me what happened in the prefect bathroom or plan an attack on Riley and have you catch them red handed, Headmistress." Teddy revealed.
"And how exactly did you plan on proving your own innocents? Idiot child." Snape chastised.
"I hadn't really gotten that far yet." Teddy said quietly.
"Why not let anyone in on your plan? The plan itself is brilliant but the friendships you've had to destroy in the process.. You could have avoided surely?" Asked McGonagall.
"It needed to be believable. Elanora attacking me in public, believable. It hurt sure but I knew Riley would have them as support. She will forgive me one day." Teddy sighed.
"We cannot let him walk out of here.. unpunished, Minerva. It would look suspicious." Severus Snape said calmly.
"Yes yes I know." She replied.
"Take a ridiculous amount of points." Stated Snape.
Teddy glared over at the portrait.
McGonagall sighed. "Now is not the time for house rivalries, Severus."
"Oh but it is, if you take an unfair amount, the boy can use it against you. He can imprint further the idea that Riley is joining Slytherin. Most of the school sees how much you care for the girl, no matter how careful you were. A few truths and lies told in the great hall for everyone too hear should fuel the Gryffindor's to act even more." Severus concluded rather proudly.
"No one in their right mind would believe that I am favouring a house because of one student, let alone that house being Slytherin." McGonagall exclaimed.
"That's Professor Snapes point." Teddy said looking over at the portrait.
"It would seem you aren't as daft as I thought you were." Smirked Severus.
"Well? What are you on about then?" McGonagall was getting slightly impatient.
"You're correct that no one in their right mind would believe it. The boys who attacked both Miss Alton and Miss Killick are clearly not in their right mind. No student here should possess any desire to control somebody with an unforgivable curse. If they're crazy enough with anger to attack them they will be crazy enough to believe such a simple lie, especially when their is evidence with the house points tally." Severus explained.
"It's genius!" Exclaimed Teddy.
"Maybe there is hope for you, after all." Said Snape.