Severus made his way to Dumbledore's office by the time he sent Potter to his common room by the time the day ended. Although they'd talked through what happened he still punished the little fool who wandered out of the protection of Hogwarts. Surprisingly enough the boy was mellow throughout the potion scrubbing and the ingredient preparations he made him do. It seemed that the boy was capable of understanding when he was rightfully deserving of a punishment.

Still. He had a lot of explaining to do to Dumbledore. He entered the room and saw Minerva sitting there, with a severe expression on her face. This was going to be tricky.

"Severus, my boy. I was just explaining to Minerva the importance of today's punishment." Nonsense. He'd never even told Dumbledore. He'd been so angry with the insufferable boy that he just wanted to punish him properly. And he wanted to keep his eye on him. Even when he let him return to Gryffindor tower his heart still raced in an annoying manner, as if not believing that the boy was indeed in front of him and not in the clutches of the Dark Lord.

"Surely he could not have caused so much trouble to deserve an entire day of exclusion." She said.

"You will find that he deserved nothing less. The boy willingly went after Draco Malfoy and did not even care when going beyond the anti-apparition wards. As I have explained to professor Dumbledore, mister Malfoy is under the Dark Lord's command to befriend Potter as a means of getting him to join his side." McGonagall seemed like she was ready to go on a pre-rehearsed speech about his unfair treatment of the boy. Instead, she reconsidered her words and remained quiet.

"Well… you did not explain that, Albus." McGonagall turned to Dumbledore who simply smiled at the animagus. "In that case I'll be sure to remind Potter of his unacceptable behaviour when I next see him. Goodnight gentlemen." She said and stood, leaving the room without any further explanations required. Severus was sure Dumbledore had plenty of questions.

"A day's exclusion? Only parents are allowed to consent to those Severus." Dumbledore said.

"I am aware." He replied blandly, taking a seat. This lecture would probably take a long time.

"I know I speak for the boy in many matters regarding the wizarding world, but even such a punishment can only be given with the consent of the boy's aunt."

"Do not speak to me like I am a child, headmaster. I am aware that I trespassed on powers that lie with someone else but I was not letting Potter out of this one unscathed." He said angrily.

"I am concerned Severus… you have never been irrational."

"The boy could have been taken Albus! Merlin knows what could have happened to him!"

"I know very well the severity of Harry's mistake today, but I am becoming more concerned with you Severus. I'm concerned that Voldemort will read through you as easily as I am doing now. You love the boy."

Severus felt every nerve in his body radiating with anger. "I do not! I vowed to protect him did I not?" he yelled.

"You're not his father, Severus."

"I know that!"

"Do you? Taking him out of his classes? Giving him extra lessons at no extra cost? Healing his wounds? I'm aware of Umbridge's tactics." He said.

"And you let that woman continue?" He hissed.

"I have no choice. However, you'll find that the house elves have conveniently misplaced every black quill in Umbridge's possession."

"She clawed at the boy's arm! She made him carve his entire arm and then scratched him! How can you let her continue?"

"Calm yourself , Severus. Fudge is waiting for me to do something so he can get the governors to remove me. Then who would protect the boy?"

"Headmaster, if you had been there for him when you learned of his secret he would have had you to rely on. If the boy has become attached to me it is only because you were not there." Severus said. The headmaster had the nerve to smile in amusement and sadness.

"My boy, the boy has become attached to you because you have become easy to read. He has become attached to you, because you think of him like a son. No longer like a student. No longer like James Potter's son."

The silence stretched between them. The words getting caught in his throat. So much anger coursed through him right now. Of course that was not true! He did not think of Potter as…

"If I had done as you wanted the boy would never have trusted again. And he may just have found Voldemort's current acceptance appealing." That seemed to hold Dumbledore's words back. "If I have become irrational in caring for this child it is only because you pushed me to care for him."

"I told you to create distance between you, Severus."

"I could not leave him! I could not let Potter just fall to pieces! He's only a child! He needed someone!"

"And that someone had to be you." It was a statement, not a question.

"I had hoped it would have been you, but you proved him and me wrong." Another long silence.

"Despite what you may think Severus… everything I do is to ensure all ends well after this war."

"I know headmaster… but as we decided fourteen years ago. Everything I do should be to ensure Harry ends well after this war." He could still feel how small the boy felt in his arms, reminding him of the heavy burden that lay on such scrawny shoulders. "If that is all, headmaster." He stood and went for the door.

"Can I still count on you Severus?" He asked. Severus looked back at him.

"Of course."

"Take care of him." Severus looked down and closed the door behind him. Why did this feel like a goodbye?

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Draco made his way to Umbridge's study, opening the door, trying not to react when he saw a sobbing Cho Chang sitting in front of Umbridge's desk.

"Ah, so glad you're here young Malfoy. Miss Chang has just informed me that mister Potter is meeting today in his gathering."

"Are we going after them professor?" He asked eagerly, the weight of the galleon increasing as he hoped Chang had not revealed him as being part of the group.

"That is exactly what I intend. Rise miss Chang. Show us right this moment." She roughly grabbed Chang by the arm and dragged her along, Filch and the rest of the inquisitor squad joining them along the way. Draco felt his heart racing. He had to warn Potter.

"What floor is it professor? I can go catch them off down the other end I case they try to escape again." Umbridge looked at him and nodded and turned to Chang with determination. A few seconds later Draco was getting a shortcut to the seventh floor.

"Potter! Everyone! Umbridge is on its way. Chang told. Everyone get out!" The room, which had frozen when he banged the door open, instantly burst into yelling and running. Potter tried to get everyone to calm down enough to not stampede out of there. He went with the escaping group to point them in the opposite direction of Umbridge and her crew.

As he rushed back he froze seeing Potter getting dragged out by Umbridge, who held him by the back of the neck. He could see her nails digging into Potter's neck. Weasley and Granger getting dragged out by Crabbe and Zambini.

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Harry sighed in relief as that woman let go of his neck and resisted the urge to rub it as she shoved him roughly to the side to explain to the minister what she'd found in the group.

"You see Cornelius? Dumbledore's Army! It's an outrage!" She said in her squeaky tone of voice. Harry felt his heart jump desperately in his chest, looking up in horror into Dumbledore's face who looked relatively calm. "He's planning to use this army to overtake the ministry no doubt!"

Dumbledore looked over at them who probably looked pretty pathetic after getting caught. "Naturally."

"It wasn't him! It was all me!" Harry called out. They couldn't put the blame of this on Dumbledore!

"My dear Harry there is no need to cover for me, after all the paper very well says Dumbledore's army. Not Potter's."

"Professor I-!"

"This is unacceptable Dumbledore…" the minister said. Harry shook his head but was ignored. "Notify the Daily Prophet and take Albus Dumbledore to Azkaban."

Harry felt his stomach tightening painfully and a knot form at the back of his throat. Dumbledore calmly stood up. He couldn't go to Azkaban!

"And yet here is where we disagree. I have no intention of going to Azkaban." The headmaster said calmly. Harry's chest dared to fill with hope. Dumbledore glanced at him and gave him a wink before Fawkes swooped down with a melodious squawk and disappeared with the headmaster in a burst of flame and light.

Harry couldn't help it when he smiled with relief, watching the adults recover from Dumbledore's escape. Minister Fudge remained looking at the spot with resignation. However, the first thing Umbridge did when she got up was shoot Harry a twisted expression of rage that made Harry's left arm ache in remembrance.

Cornelius shook his head and made his way out. "Dolores, you will take charge of Hogwarts for the time being. I will make sure everyone knows just what Albus Dumbledore had been planning."

Just like that Dumbledore was gone and Umbridge was headmistress. Harry clenched his jaw as he saw the pride in that toad's hateful features. He watched the woman turn toward the headmaster's chair and walk toward it. However her steps became slower and slower. She frowned and tried harder to make her way to the chair. Harry looked around curiously but no one seemed to know what was happening. Soon he too felt the pull and in a gush a wall of wind knocked them all off their feet, starting with Umbridge, who was thrown out the hardest of the Headmaster's tower which shut itself firmly against Umbridge.

Harry groaned as he got up, feeling sore from getting knocked against the stone wall. The youngest sat up looking at each other and then at the unconscious Umbridge. All Harry knew was that the woman was going to be furious when she woke up and unfortunately for him, he was the best target.