Chapter - 53 : The Devil Among Us part - 3

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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

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Neville was amazed at the number of attackers his friends had faced, they just seemed to keep coming through the doors. Professor McGonagall entered along with the headmaster, her attention soon shifted from Dumbledore the instant she spotted Harry. "Mr Crow, a moment of your time please." All in the room knew this was not a request as the deputy headmistress led Harry back out the door.

She stopped in the empty corridor for a quiet word. "We find ourselves once more in this situation Mr Crow..."

"Only because people keep attacking my friends professor."

"I understand your concern and please trust me that every single one of those girls will be severely punished." She could see this had calmed Harry somewhat so Minerva continued with the discussion she'd pulled the lad out here for. "I have nothing but admiration for your willingness to protect your friends but do you remember the discussion we had the last time this happened? In this instance, you were sitting in a room with your head of house and the head of the DMLE. Do you doubt that either of them would have acted swiftly to protect your friends?"

Harry hadn't even thought about it. On discovering they needed help, he'd just blindly raced from the room. Even his training told him this was the wrong option to take, jumping into an unknown situation when he had very capable help right beside him. "No Professor, I trust both of them."

"Then you see why I once more must assign you detentions? Not for saving your friends - but because you had trusted adults on hand to take care of the situation for you."

"I understand Professor, you can't hammer the attackers and not punish me for breaking school rules too. It would leave you open to the charge of favouritism."

"I'm impressed you can see that Mr Crow, a certain other first year thought I was picking on him when handing out punishment. I feel in this case though, two nights with me working on transfiguration should be punishment enough."

Harry accepted this decision, knowing it was more a case of extra tuition rather than any form of punishment. Professor McGonagall confirmed this as she walked back into the infirmary with him. "I understand you might not want to leave your friends alone for a few days, they are of course welcome to accompany you on your detentions. I will arrange the times once I have dealt with these girls, they are going to keep me busy for now."

Filius was over in a flash. "Am I to understand Mr Crow has detention for his actions today?"

It was Harry who answered his head of house. "Sir, I earned my detentions. I should have let you deal with the problem and for that I apologise. I'm sure Professor McGonagall is also aware I would probably do exactly the same thing again, which is another reason I deserve my detentions."

Poppy was still dealing with Miss Granger so Minerva spoke with the injured Miss Patil to discover exactly what happened in that toilet. When the screen came back, Hermione gave Harry a nervous smile and he instantly spotted the difference.

"You had your front teeth made smaller than they were before?"

"Madam Pomfrey managed to cancel the stinging hex, then shrank my front teeth. She gave me a mirror and asked me to say when to stop, I've always been teased about my teeth being too large."

"Well I think those doing the teasing were either blind or stupid. Thank you for remaining my friend Hermione, that couldn't have been easy..."

"Harry, easiest decision I ever made. I intend to be your best friend for as long as you'll let me..."

Harry had her in a tight hug before she could say anymore. "Thanks Hermione, I'm so glad to here you say that - and to see you're okay."

"Padma jumped in front of me and then you arrived, otherwise it would have been a lot worse."

"Do these morons actually think attacking you is going to see us stop being best friends - that's just stupid!"

"So is them thinking they're better than Hermione because her parents are muggles. They can't pick on my blood status so the fact that the Patil family comes from India gets thrown in my face. Again, do they think I don't look into the mirror every morning? They are just bullies, using whatever words they need to justify their behaviour to themselves."

Hermione hugged a treated and once more boil-free Padma, "Thanks for sticking by me today, I never had friends who would do that before."

"I know you would do the same for me. Professor McGonagall has already heard what went on in that toilet, and Madam Pomfrey said we can leave. Shall we take Professor Weasley's advice and head for the great hall?"

Harry led the way with Hermione on his arm, Neville and the twins right behind them. All three Ravenclaws were wondering just what Roger would have to say about this.

-oOoOo-

Lucius had plenty to say when he finally got home, his four days in a ministry holding cell responsible for his rant. "I knew Fudge was a fucking idiot, but I thought he was at least our fucking idiot - bought and paid for. Cornelius won't get a job cleaning up owl shit at the post office by the time I've finished with him. As for that bitch Bones, her days are numbered. She'll be top of our master's list ..." Lucius then noticed his wife appeared distraught, far more than his few days in a cell warranted. This worried her husband as Narcissa was normally so aloof, emotions were for lesser beings. She nervously handed him a scroll.

The Gringotts seal on the scroll alerted the head of the Malfoy family this was serious but reading what it contained terrified Lucius more than that blade against his chest. "Those bastards are closing down our vaults because of that little shit? I better get right over there, it's going to take most of the twenty-four hours they've given us to get everything out."

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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

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