Chapter 4 McGonagall hears more than enough
Frank Longbottom (Head Boy, Gryffindor), Alice Oakby (Head Girl, Hufflepuff), Lily Evans (5th year Prefect, Gryffindor), Regulus Black (Slytherin 3rd) and Severus Snape (Slytherin 5th) went to Prof. Minerva McGonagall's office.
Frank had already asked one of the Hufflepuff prefects to notify Prof. McGonagall that he'd be up shortly with his report about the jinx that had been cursing the school since the Easter holiday, once all this morning's victims were properly attired.
Minerva's face hardened to the point where her thinned lips were going to be aching for the next day at least. The list of insensitive acts committed by Potter, S. Black, Pettigrew and Lupin following this morning's DADA OWL was mind-boggling. Using a scourgifyspell on a person instead of an inanimate object with the intention to prevent the ability to breathe. Openly casting the breast-baring jinx on both Lily Evans and Alice Oakby. Completely undressing Severus Snape in front of a crowd. Spouting hateful talk about the victims and that they deserved it simply because 'they exist'.
Frank Longbottom efficiently laid out the facts for Prof. McGonagall. The details were so damaging that there was no need to elaborate.
It was hard being a victim of such a cruel prank, but Alice was thankful she had the support of her house, Frank and the entire school. What saddened her most is that so many girls had already been objectified by this cruel group of malcontents over the past two months.
Regulus did not have to do much except agree with whatever Longbottom asked him to. Longbottom was considerate enough to point out that it was Sirius who was the deviant that disrobed Snape completely. He also enjoyed McGonagall's name for his spell – the Breast Baring Jinx, how sweet sounding. He could think of wittier names, but it was kind of funny to think of McGonagall and Dumbledore having a chat over tea about his jinx and having to come up with something to call it.
Unlike Regulus, Snape knew things could not be going this well. At some point, the promise that the Marauders might actually be punished would be snatched away. The Hogwarts Express would take them away to their summer holidays in two days, and McGonagall wasn't going to cut into study time by assigning detention the night before the Transfiguration OWL. McGonagall offering the group of them lunch here in her office blackened his mood even more.
Lily's thoughts were swirling about on a variety of subjects. James Potter was the biggest toerag on earth. Sirius Black was the second biggest toerag on earth. Peter Pettigrew was pathetic, and it was doubtful that a Slytherin prefect could be worse than Remus Lupin when it came to outright favoritism. It was mortifying that they cast that jinx on her. It was doubly mortifying that they would cast it on Alice, who was one of the nicest people Lily knew. And Severus … if Lily wasn't so angry right now, she'd be crying. It was all just so unfair, and there really was no line those foul bullies wouldn't cross. It may be good in a way that the holidays were almost here. Lily would have a lot of time alone with Severus for when he was ready to talk about today's humiliation, if he ever did. She could probably pry a few words out of Severus to gauge a little about how he felt, but Lily felt that this could be another one of those subjects Severus didn't want to discuss – like his parents and what actually went on inside that house. Knowing that they both had their DADA practical exam this afternoon, Lily handed Severus half a sandwich off the platter summoned by Prof. McGonagall. Lily couldn't tell from his dark glare at the sandwiches whether he was stewing over this morning or already making plans for revenge.