It's My Life
It had been a week since Harry and Draco tumbled down the stairs, and Harry ended up hurt. Thankfully, Severus made quick work of the wound itself and then he just had Harry stay awake for a couple hours to ensure he would not end up comatose from the concussion. The two just talked, Harry told Severus how it happened and left out the kiss that he and Draco accidentally shared. It hadn't been important to the injury sustained, so why mention it and get a thousand more questions. Harry still needed to figure things out, but the answer had already been there. Harry knew he liked Draco as his friend and more, but Draco seemed to a tad distant since the event.
They still spoke and got along, but Harry felt like Draco was in that need to think and figure things out phase. Harry hadn't brought the kiss up and probably wouldn't until it felt necessary to do so. That night after Harry said the headache had faded, he ended up falling asleep in Severus's room on the couch and Severus left him there to sleep, only covering his charge up and then going to bed himself. The last week had been somewhat peaceful, though Harry was waiting in anticipation for Dumbledore's or Umbridge's next move. Albus was likely setting up that Wizengamot meeting get Harry's rings removed, but Umbridge was the trick card and Harry didn't know what her next thing would be.
Dolores couldn't get away with failing him again, nor punishments. Albus may have given her the power to give detention, but as long as Harry wasn't doing anything wrong, she couldn't give him one. So Harry just kept up on his work in class, and out of; he always spoke with a respectful tone when forced to answer questions. Dolores seemed to be playing on the safe side with Harry as he would hold true to his threat and reveal her blood quill usage to the ministry, even if they weren't on his side because of him claiming Voldemort being alive, they would have to take action about a teacher using a dark artifact on a students.
Parents would be outraged at the thought of their kids being potentially tortured. It was one less problem Harry had to worry about, though he never truly was concerned with Umbridge to begin with; she was easy to work up and deal with. Albus was a problem, and so was Voldemort, not that the snake face had shown itself since fourth year when he came back to his physical body. Harry had only seen one act of Voldemort's and it was when Arthur Weasley got attacked, that was only back before Christmas. Harry knew the man was up to something because Severus still got called every few weeks, or so that appeared to be the pattern.
Harry knew Severus got called the night he hit his head, but his guardian came up with an excuse and didn't go to the meeting. Today was February 14th, so Harry noticed a surplus of couples spending time together that Umbridge was trying to break up any snogging or closeness. It was about 9:00 pm while Harry was sitting in the common room with his scar bothering him; he knew from the past that it meant danger usually or that Voldemort was up to something nefarious. Still, Harry kept his shields up almost all the time and he felt like that is what was giving him the constant headaches.
"You alright, Harry?" Draco asked.
"Yeah, headache…" Harry replied.
"You've been getting a lot of those lately." Blaise pointed out.
"They come on when my scar hurts, and there isn't much I can do about the scar pain as it's a literal connection to the dark lord." Harry informed.
"Maybe it comes from occluding all the time? You should talk to Sev, Harry. He does it, I'm sure he has a remedy," Draco suggested.
"Yeah, maybe I will…Think he's in his room?" Harry stood up.
"Likely," Draco nodded.
"I'll be back then," Harry moved to leave the common room and walk down the hallway to Severus's room. Harry knocked a couple times and waited, but it never opened. Was he not there? Had he been summoned. Harry sighed as he might have to resort to going to the hospital wing for pain reliever potions, but it might just be pointless too because nothing ever took the pain from his scar away.
Harry put a hand to his forehead and then pressed his palm into it. "Come on…Stop already," Harry groaned as he leaned against the wall. Severus usually knew when he was at his quarters, something about the wards going off when someone was there. He'd just wait for a little bit, unless it got too close to curfew.
"Mr. Potter?" Harry looked up to see Minerva.
"Oh, evening, Professor McGonagall. I was only seeing if Professor Snape was in his room yet…He told me he's usually here after dinner time and I could come whenever I needed something from him." Harry stated.
"Well, Professor Snape is in the headmaster's office. So are all the teachers except myself. There's a meeting and your presence, Potter, is necessary." Minerva informed.
"Have…I done something?" Harry questioned as he got off the wall and began to walk with her as it was clear she wanted him to come along.
"There seems to be a matter of urgency. I haven't been told what yet, but I was asked to retrieve you on my way." Minerva remarked.
Harry nodded and followed her down the halls and eventually, to the headmaster's office. Minerva spoke the password and the two went up the rising spiral staircase and reached the door. Minerva knocked with her knuckle and walked in with Harry behind her.
"Ah, welcome, Minerva and you as well, Harry," Albus greeted. "Thank you for coming."
"Didn't have much choice." Harry commented calmly.
"Lemon drop for either of you?" Albus offered by holding up a clear dish.
"No, thank you…" Minerva and Harry both said to him. Minerva went to take a seat as Harry moved himself closer to Severus, who stood off to the side. All the other teachers were present as well.
"Sorry to drag you away from your friends, Mr. Potter. There seems to be a matter of urgency to handle," Dolores said with a smile, hands together in front of her.
"He actually wasn't in his common room. I located him outside Severus's room," Minerva stated calmly.
"Why were you outside my quarters, Potter?" Severus questioned.
"You told me to come see you if I needed anything," Harry replied respectfully.
"That I did," Severus nodded. "Now, what have we all been summoned for?"
"This is the very matter I was concerned about, Albus," Dolores mentioned.
"Indeed," Albus nodded. "The situation is that I received word you allowed a student to sleep in your personal quarters, Severus. That student being young Harry. It's highly unprofessional and falls under misconduct. I have grounds to terminate such a relationship. I would like to know if my facts are wrong."
Severus seemed oddly shocked he'd be accused of something so immoral. "A-Are you seriously accusing me of having anything other than a professional relationship with Mr. Potter? Albus, you really have lost your marbles…" The potions master folded his arms over one another.
"So then Mr. Potter did not stay in your personal room last week on the 7th into the 8th?" Albus inquired.
"He did, but not for the reason you believe," Severus scoffed. "I'm appalled you'd even believe so low of me, Albus. Sleeping with a student? Honestly."
"The reason doesn't matter. You allowed a fifteen-year-old student to sleep in your personal chambers." Dolores remarked. "We have all we need, Headmaster. This cannot stand."
Severus, for a moment, looked afraid to be fired. "This is so utterly ridiculous that it's making me sick…" Harry gave a stoic look and his stance copied Severus's.
"You would like to tell us what things Severus has done to you, child? Speak freely, no harm will come to-," Dolores offered.
"Professor Snape has never, nor would he ever hurt me." Harry cut her off. "I'll kindly ask you only once not to drag his name through the mud. He's a good man…" He continued. "Professor Snape has been there for me, protecting me, for years unlike other people who have claimed such." Harry remained calm.
"You're ready to toss him out on an accusation you have no proof of. Since you've asked, I'll tell you what happened that night." He paused. "Draco tripped going down the stairs from the dorm to the common room, I moved in front of him to try and break his fall and we both fell. I hit the floor back first and slammed my head on the stone. I was sore, dizzy, and the back of my head was bleeding."
"Draco rushed to get Professor Snape for me, and despite pain relievers and healing the back of my head; it was determined I had what muggles call a concussion, which, if allowed to sleep, can result in the person falling comatose. Professor Snape was kind enough, as it was nearing curfew, to allow me to stay in his room so he could keep me awake until the dizziness faded." Harry explained.
"I fell asleep around midnight, on his couch, and he only covered me up and let me sleep to recover. Professor Snape, in fact, never went to sleep as he stayed up to make sure I was alright. He's done nothing wrong; he only did his duties as a teacher and head of house to an injured student. There was and is no relationship between us, other than teacher and student."
The room was silent. "Severus, is this true?" Minerva asked.
"Every word." Severus nodded.
"What else were we supposed to think, especially after hearing you were waiting outside his room earlier too?" Dolores huffed.
"You were ready to fire him without even knowing the situation. What did it matter what you thought? It looks heavily like you're trying to get him out of the picture for whatever reason." Harry stated. "For your information, Professor Snape lets any of his snakes come to his office, or his quarters if they need anything. I happened to be there to ask if he'd get me a headache reliever." He remarked. "Though after all this, I might need one of the migraine relievers…"
"Poor dear is falling ill," Poppy said gently.
"I'm not sick…" Harry muttered before hissing in pain and his hand flew to his scar, pressing his palm into it.
"Potter," Severus helped him to sit down in the chair next to where he'd been standing. "Is it him?"
"Definitely," Harry cringed. "I can't see anything, but I usually take the scar pain as a warning that danger is coming soon…" He admitted.
"I'll get you something for the pain," Severus pulled a small bag from his pocket and enlarged it to locate a potion for Harry.
"There's nothing you can do about the scar pain, Professor…Nothing takes that away. It's the connection Tom and I have," Harry finally pulled his hand down.
"Even so, this should help with the headache," Severus pulled the stopper off the vial and gave it to Harry to drink, which the teenager did all at once.
"Tom?" Dolores asked.
"Tom is who the dark lord used to be known as." Harry remarked.
"I've told you about the lies, Mr. Potter. And not to mention his name!" Dolores narrowed her eyes.
"You told me not to say Voldemort, and I have not. I'm using his real, given at birth, name. Tom Marvolo Riddle. Or were you unaware that the dark lord was once known by another name?" Harry looked at her. "Nobody is lying here but you, to yourself, and the ministry to itself." He commented coldly. "I've told you before that just because you refuse to believe it does not make the events taking place any less true. I am no liar and I will not be silenced."
"The more who know, the more who can be prepared to fight back." He informed. "You keep hiding, I will not. You don't have any power to stop me because power goes to those who know and you didn't even know the dark lord, Voldemort, was once Tom Riddle. Pity. Clearly where you stand in your…High ranking position as undersecretary to the minister of magic isn't everything, is it, Professor?"
Dolores's eyes widened with surprise, then anger as Severus recognized the words Harry had spoken. The very same, slightly changed, that he said to Harry in first year about fame not being everything when Harry didn't have the answer to a couple potions questions. He was proud, and Harry could see the light smirk on Severus's lips after what he'd said.
"I will not allow you to-," Dolores started.
"You do not control me." Harry glared at her. Dolores stiffened at the fire in Harry's green eyes. "You have no power here or at the ministry."
"I most certainly-," Dolores tried again.
"Do you know what the definition of power is, Professor Umbridge?" Harry asked. "It's the ability to direct or influence another's behavior or course of events…" He paused a moment as she was clearly listening, and so was everyone else. "That's what I have. Power." He added. "I see your confusion, allow me to elaborate on why I have power. For example, I could go to the ministry and reveal that not only have you refused to properly teach defense against the dark arts, as you're hired here to do, but you have also personally targeted me since the beginning of the school year."
"We had words during our class on the 6th of September, where you invited me to speak out on why you were the liar and promised you wouldn't punish me. Yet, you gave me detention. Night after night for two weeks. You kept me all day on the weekends for two weeks. You made me do hard labor with no magic. You kept me until after midnight and then used the after curfew detention to give me more detentions. You made me write lines every detention with that blood quill." Harry said calmly as Dolores tensed. "I have all the proof on my hand, and in my memories."
"So I could go to the ministry, right to Fudge and tell him everything and he would have to take action if things happened to go public. You'd be terminated on the spot, from here and the ministry…Likely arrested, found guilty and thrown in Azkaban. You would have no one on your side, and be forever scarred as a child abuser and criminal. All these things could directly affect your life." Harry told her. "That's power. That's what I have. Power. And you don't have any." He added calmly. "You are nothing…I don't like to throw my weight, in this case, fame, around."
"But I will if necessary. Call it deceptive, cunning, or whatever else…Just don't forget to add correct to the list. After all, I am a Slytherin. This is who I am…Don't cross me. Figuratively, I will end you. Mercilessly. And I say that because I don't believe in being merciful to those who have not given mercy." Harry remarked coldly. "You didn't care what you did to hurt me, why should I care what I do to hurt you? Or I could sit back and let the universe handle it. Who knows? I've often heard that you only get what you deserve and in muggle terms; what goes around, comes around because Karma is a bitch."
"Harry, I won't allow you to talk to Professor Um-," Albus started.
"Don't test me, Headmaster. It's freedom of speech and don't think you're invincible either because I well informed you of what she was doing and you insisted that she has the right to punish as she sees fit. Really? Last I checked, blood quills were dark artifacts and forbidden." Harry remarked. Albus said nothing. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm only here for my education. Nothing more. I will not be controlled. Nobody has power over me anymore, not even Voldemort. It's my life. This is my life…" Harry told them. "Now, if this is settled…I'm going back to my dorm."
"I'll walk you, it's close to curfew." Severus offered.
"Thank you, Professor." Harry nodded.
It was only moments later that Harry walked out and Severus was right behind him. "Well, it seems there are some apologies to hand out and forgiveness to be earned. I, for one, do not blame Potter one bit for how he spoke. Slytherin as he may be, he's still part Gryffindor. It was right there in his bravery to speak out on things." Minerva stated. "Is this all for the meeting?" Albus nodded. "Then I'll be going."
It didn't take long for the teachers to clear out, except Umbridge, who stayed back. "We're losing all chance to get the boy under control, Albus. Fudge was clear on silencing him. But Potter is right; if he goes forward with the information, the public will be outraged and to keep his position; he'll have to take action against us both." Dolores told Albus.
"I know, Dolores…I'm trying, but he's strong on his own. And he's got Severus on his side, as well as basically all the houses. Now, the teachers. We'll get him, we just need to be careful with it. He's definitely caught on, but there's no telling how much he knows." Albus said.
"You said you had no access to his things at the bank, and he's got his lordship rings…It shouldn't even be possible as you're his guardian." Dolores reminded. "Unless you're not."
"I am." Albus scoffed.
"No, I don't think you are, Albus." Dolores folded her arms. "How else was he able to get the rings without your allowances to? I believe Severus is more involved than we think. Harry and he have gotten much closer this year. You assured me that Severus hated Potter over the past with the boy's father and godfather. All I've seen this year is Severus protecting the brat like he was his son."
"I think they did something to remove you as guardian. Harry keeps saying you can't control him anymore…I believe it's worth it to look into." She suggested. "You yourself said he was out of the wards at his muggle relatives house for a good week or so. Maybe there's more to that story than we're hearing."
"Contact Fudge at the ministry to learn of my custody status over the boy. From there, if it is true I do not have it anymore and Severus or someone else does, I'll go to his muggle relatives to ask them what truly happened. We'll get the boy back…" Albus stated firmly. "It's essential."