Percy's anger

Read up to 15 chapters ahead on Patreon - patreon.com/Dark_sym

Bonus at 200 stones.

-----

Harry and Ron hesitated at the entrance of the Gryffindor common room, their heads hanging low. Having just incurred a hefty deduction of 650 points for Gryffindor, they felt a sense of apprehension about facing their classmates. Finally, Harry gritted his teeth, lowered his head, and entered the common room. The Fat Lady at the entrance regarded them with a perplexed expression, unable to fathom why the two wizards entered with such guilty looks.

Fortunately, the late hour meant the Gryffindor common room was deserted, providing a momentary respite for Harry and Ron. Like two cautious mice, they tiptoed into their room.

It turned out to be a night of misery for Hermione, Harry, and Ron. All three stayed awake throughout the night. When Seamus and Neville called for them to join breakfast the next day, Harry and Ron feigned sleep, unable to summon the courage to face their Gryffindor peers in the Great Hall. The prospect of their classmates discovering the additional deduction of house points, coupled with the realization that they were the culprits, was too overwhelming.

Seamus and Neville eventually gave up trying to rouse Harry and Ron and left for the Great Hall on their own. As soon as the bedroom door closed, Harry and Ron stood up, exchanging glances. The dark circles under their eyes mirrored the fatigue of a sleepless night. Both wizards wished they could find a hiding place, fearing the onslaught of Gryffindor classmates seeking answers about the house points deduction.

As expected, when Percy saw the scoreboard in the Great Hall, he immediately fainted with a thud. Ultimately, it was George and Fred who pinched and prodded his chest to bring Percy back to consciousness. The Slytherin students in the hospital wing watched with joy, having learned from Snape that morning about Harry and Ron's actions. Seeing the dire state of Gryffindor, the Slytherins were in a jubilant mood.

The Gryffindor students lost interest in their meals, engrossed in discussions about the previous night's events. The Great Hall erupted into a cacophony of voices. The Gryffindor lions finally learn about Harry and Ron's "feat," Percy's confrontation with Harry and Ron, and the subsequent deduction of house points. Percy, visibly angered by Ron and Harry's actions, abandoned his meal and stormed out of the Great Hall, heading towards the Gryffindor common room. Curious Gryffindors followed Percy to witness the unfolding drama.

The atmosphere in the Gryffindor common room was tense. Percy sat on a sofa, his hair disheveled, and his face pale.

Wood, Fred, and George stood rigidly in front of Percy. After a long silence, Fred finally spoke to report the situation, "Our scores have been reset again. Hufflepuff is more than two hundred points ahead of us. And forget about Slytherin and Ravenclaw."

Percy took a deep breath, composed himself, and studied the score charts of the different houses on the table. He spoke slowly, "Hufflepuff is still ahead. As long as Harry catches the Snitch in every game, Gryffindor can win in Quidditch, and everything will be fine."

Wood glanced at George and Fred awkwardly and said, "Prefect, Harry, he..."

George clenched his teeth and continued Wood's words, "Harry, he has been disqualified from participating in Quidditch this semester. We don't even have a Quidditch team now."

Percy removed his glasses with trembling hands, "If not for the excessive deductions, those from the Quidditch team, and those who add too much drama to the academy, leave first." Percy looked terrible now, and Gryffindor students didn't want to be associated with Percy's misfortune. They left the common room obediently, leaving only Wood, Fred, George, Ron and Harry standing in the corner.

As the young wizards exited the common room and the Fat Lady closed the portrait, Percy's furious outburst echoed through the remaining gap in the portrait.

"You've driven me mad! I ask for nothing else! No more deductions! Is it so hard for you to comply?" Percy yelled, his anger unrestrained. "You've dragged Gryffindor down, Harry, Ron, George, and Fred. Is it too much to ask for you to follow the school rules?"

Percy continued his tirade, "Even if I asked a monkey! A monkey! If it followed us for a semester, it wouldn't deduct 650 points! You guys, you're worse than a monkey! Including the Quidditch team, useless without Harry; you're all disgraceful!"

Wood couldn't tolerate it any longer, interjecting, "Prefect, this is too much."

"Shut up"

Percy's eyes reddened. "I'm filled with sadness and anger. When I was Gryffindor prefect, I believed Gryffindor was noble and great. Gryffindor stands for courage, not recklessness. I don't know how to make you understand"

After venting, Percy finally calmed down, slumping onto the sofa with disheveled hair, appearing utterly exhausted. He muttered, "Gryffindor is finished; we'll surely be at the bottom this semester. It's nothing. Do as you please."

Dazed by Percy's outburst, Harry and Ron, upon hearing they could leave, dared not linger in the common room. They stumbled out, feeling lost and uncertain.

Nowhere to go, Harry and Ron faced isolation. No matter where they went, fingers pointed at them. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students gathered, muttering when they saw them. Slytherin students, however, expressed sarcastic gratitude to Ron and Harry for their "help" to Slytherin.

Gryffindor, too, began to shun Harry and Ron. The fellow lions avoided conversations with them, intentionally distancing themselves. Whenever Harry and Ron approached Gryffindor's classmates, they would disperse, refusing to utter a word to them.

Facing the isolation in Gryffindor, Ron and Harry had no alternative but to visit the medical wing to check on Hermione. Hermione had been residing in the hospital ward for a few days, and the curiosity among students about her condition was palpable. As they walked through the hospital ward, a line of students formed, eager to catch a glimpse of Hermione. However, Madam Pomfrey had taken precautions by setting up a bed curtain around Hermione's bed to shield her from prying eyes and preserve her dignity.

Ron and Harry had exerted their best efforts to persuade Madam Pomfrey to permit them to visit Hermione.

"Hermione, are you alright? What happened?" Ron inquired, eyeing the tightly drawn curtains around Hermione with curiosity, tempted to peek behind them.

"Don't pull it away!" Hermione exclaimed, prompting Ron to retract his hands hastily. Recognizing her abrupt reaction, Hermione explained to Harry and Ron in a hushed tone, "Milicent has a cat, and what I obtained from her was her cat's fur. The Polyjuice potion isn't meant for animal transformation."

Taking in this revelation, Harry and Ron sighed deeply, exchanging sympathetic glances with Hermione behind the protective curtain.