The next day, just as Severus had suspected would happen, Minerva was up in arms for her poor, injured little lions. Severus simply snorted at her when he heard her calling Potter a nasty, mean-tempered, little brat to do something like that to those poor children after all they'd done for him over the years. He said nothing though, knowing the irate Scots woman wouldn't hear anything he said. She never did when she was upset over something one of those three claimed Potter did or said.
"My poor little lions just went to ask him if he'd come back to the common room and hang out with them. Maybe study with them like they used to do before he was moved to private chambers. We're trying to convince him it's safe for him to come home now.
The danger to him that Albus has always claimed was facing him isn't here this year and the children miss him and want him back in the tower. Not that giving him a private room did any good when he insisted on hunting out the very danger the room was to protect him against. But he's been avoiding spending time in the tower and letting my good lions tell him they forgive him for his previous bad behavior. So they wanted to find him and talk to him on his own ground as it were."
"But he did this to them. Repaid their kindness by striking out at them. Hurting them. They didn't do anything to deserve being disfigured like that," Minerva insisted. She was so angry she was actually making a mess of her breakfast, ripping her toast to shreds and crumbs while mashing her eggs into a paste. She'd even ruined her morning tea by adding too much honey to it for her own tastes. Albus would like it if she added a touch more cream but she wouldn't. These days Albus preferred everything he ate or drank to be more sweetener than substance.
"I'll definitely be speaking to Albus about it for them when he returns. This time, Mr. Potter has gone too far. This time, I'll insist Albus punish him. Or allow me to do so. He needs to be punished for this. He needs to learn he can't just do whatever nasty prank he wants whenever he wants.
And it was a prank. Don't even try to tell me it wasn't. The last time he did something where another student was injured, Albus rewarded him by giving him a private room. A room he wouldn't let me rescind until this year because he claims Mr. Potter likes having a private room. And he wants to indulge him because he's his magical guardian. Albus lets him get away with too much. Far too much if you ask me," she sniped.
That was going too far. Much too far as far as Severus was concerned. he stopped stiring honey into his own cup of tea and dropped the spoon to clatter sharply on the saucer unintentionally drawing the full attention of every diner in the hall as he did so. Severus spoke up eyeing her sharply, "First off, you poor little lions lied to you. Again.
Not surprising since I know they've made a habit out of lying to authority more often than they tell the truth during their time here. And you're a gullible fool for always believing every little word they tell you. But for expediency I'll concentrate only on the incident at hand now."
He didn't stop to consider just how the Triad had managed to lie to her when their marks forbade anything of the sort now. He knew them and her well enough to know they'd probably said just enough for her to leap to a conclusion they favored. And she'd been only too happy to do exactly that. Minerva was the proud embodiment of what being a Gryffindor was to any well bred Slytherin.
"For the record, they did not go to the library intending to ask Mr. Potter to return to the common room and hang out with them or study with them. Considering the trouble they have gone through over the years to keep him out of said common room, I'd be surprised to discover that thought had stayed in their minds longer than it took them to say the words to you."
"Yes, they did, Severus. Why would they tell me that was why they wanted to track him down if it wasn't true? They aren't liars like he is. Despite him being moved to private rooms, they've gone to a lot of trouble to remain his friends. Not that he does anything to support their efforts, of course.
Shunning them when they go to the trouble to make time in their schedules just to hang out with him and help him with his schoolwork. Ms. Granger even made special trips to get him books from the library he could use so he'd get better marks on his homework.
Because she knew we were to chaperone him everywhere and we didn't have time to schedule him Library visits. He was never appreciative of her efforts and it showed in the homework he turned in. Never bothered to actually read the books she got for him at all. Ungrateful brat. James would be so ashamed of his son. And Lily wouldn't be happy with him, either.
She valued her education here and she'd want him to do the same. She also knew how to treat her friends. Just like James did. No matter what you say, I know they wouldn't lie to me like you are always claiming they do," Minerva insisted ignoring what he said about her being a gullible fool as she always did when he claimed they'd lied to her.
Severus snorted while several of the other teachers rolled their eyes or hid a grimace they knew would distract the Scottish woman.
...
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