Four Heads Are Better Than One

Year One: Dragons and Detentions

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Pomona looked slightly stunned as she entered the staff room. "Can someone explain to me how Gryffindor have managed to lose a hundred and fifty points overnight?"

Severus was wearing an extremely satisfied smirk. "Ask Minerva."

The Gryffindor glared at him. "Keep talking if you want to spend the rest of the day as a fruit bat." She was rather pale, but there was a dangerous glint in her eyes. Severus' grin broadened, but he kept quiet.

Pomona stared at them in confusion. "You took all those points?" Minerva nodded curtly. "But whatever for?"

Minerva scowled. "Potter, Granger and Longbottom were wandering around the castle after hours."

Pomona sank into a chair, her face a mask of astonishment. "You took away a hundred and fifty points for being out of bed?"

"They all got detention too," Severus added.

Pomona glared at him. "Not helping."

The Slytherin subsided at the waning in her voice. Pomona returned to attention to Minerva, wishing as she did so that Filius was there to help. "Don't you think that was a slight overreaction?"

Minerva sighed. "With any other students, yes. But this is Harry Potter, and we know he's in danger. He can't go wandering the corridors alone at night. Who knows what might have happened if he'd run into Quirinius."

Pomona nodded in understanding. "I see what you mean. But did you have to give them detention too?"

Minerva looked slightly sheepish. "I may have lost my temper a little." Seeing Severus' smirk, she added sharply, "They'll be keeping Mr. Malfoy company."

The smirk was immediately replaced by a scowl, but the Slytherin did not comment. Pomona raised an eyebrow inquiringly. "Mr. Malfoy?"

The faintest trace of a smile appeared on Minerva's lips. "He was also in the mood for a night time stroll. He then proceeded to tell me some story about how Potter would be along with a dragon."

Severus stared at her. "A dragon? Why would Potter have a dragon?"

Minerva shrugged. "Potter probably made it up to get him into trouble. We know how much they hate each other."

Severus nodded emphatically, but Pomona was frowning. "That doesn't seem like something Harry would do."

Severus scowled. "Of course, Harry Potter would never stoop to such underhand measures."

Pomona sighed. "I'm just saying that Harry doesn't usually go around lying to get other people into trouble."

Minerva looked thoughtful. "You do have a point there."

Severus glanced from one to another incredulously. "But why would Draco say there was dragon when there wasn't?"

"To get out of trouble?"

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Minerva, be serious. Draco may not be the most subtle of individuals, but even he wouldn't invent a dragon to avoid a punishment."

Pomona's lips twitched. "It's not a very believable lie, is it?"

Minerva was frowning now. "But if Malfoy wasn't lying…"

"Then Potter really did have a dragon," Severus finished. "Can we expel him for that?"

Minerva ignored him. "He did not have a dragon when Argus found him."

Pomona looked up sharply. "I don't think it was his. Think, who do we know who loves dragons?"

Her colleagues stared at her, eyes widening in shock. "You're not saying…"

"Surely he wouldn't be that stupid."

Pomona shrugged. "Where else would Harry get a dragon?"

"You mean who else is that insane?" Severus muttered.

Pomona did not hear him. "I've hardly seen him all week, and he usually stops by my greenhouse each morning. And the curtains in his hut have been drawn night and day."

Minerva groaned. "Wonderful. So Hagrid somehow got hold of a dragon and convinced Mr. Potter to go take it for a stroll round the castle. Mr. Malfoy found out, and the end result is four students with detention and Gryffindor at the bottom of the table. Oh, stop smirking!"

Severus' retort was interrupted by the arrival of Filius, who stormed into the room and fixed Minerva with an unusually fierce glare.

"Was it really necessary to take that many points?"

"Filius…"

"Don't you see what you've done? They've been completely ostracised by their housemates, and it's even worse for Harry because now the rest of the school knows about it and hates him too!" The other three Heads moved away slightly. The Ravenclaw's eyes were flashing, and while it was extremely rare for him to lose his temper, none of them had forgotten that Filius used to be a Duelling Champion.

Minerva took a deep breath. "Maybe it was excessive, but I'm only trying to keep him alive. If he keeps wandering round after dark, he could get into terrible danger."

Filius held her gaze for a moment, then nodded abruptly. "I see."

Pomona was studying him in concern. "What's happened, Filius?"

The Ravenclaw shook his head, weariness replacing the anger in his face. "I just saw Harry crossing the Entrance Hall. Every single person he passed looked like they wanted to curse him."

Minerva said nothing, but the look on her face spoke volumes.

Filius sighed and patted her hand. "I know you were only trying to protect him, Minerva. The other students will forget about it in time."

The Gryffindor shook her head. "What would Lily and James have thought?"

Pomona put an arm round her shoulders. "They would be glad that you were taking such good care of their son."

Minerva gave her a small smile. "Thank you."

Severus cleared his throat awkwardly. "Have you decided on their detentions?"

Minerva shook her head. "Not yet."

"Why don't you send them to Hagrid?" Filius suggested. "They know him well so it would seem less like a punishment."

Minerva brightened. "That is an excellent idea. I'll speak to him in the morning."

Severus grimaced. "While you're there, you can talk to him about keeping dragons in his hut."

Filius' mouth fell open. "He did what?"

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