Harry Potter: Go To Hell

Harry set the book down when Severus knocked on his door. Knowing very few people would actually disturb him while he was in his rooms Harry answered the door and let the Professor enter the chamber. He said nothing as Severus waved his wand deadening the room to any surveillance Albus might have put into place in order to monitor the occupant. Both of them knew it was likely the wily old man had devices Harry hadn't yet uncovered.

He then took his seat in the easy chair Dobby had found for him when it became obvious the Potions Master would be a frequent guest. "I just stopped by to give you a heads up. The Headmaster met with your servants this evening and has discovered what transpired during his absence. Ms. Granger has been expelled since she admitted in front of Professor McGonagal and I that she has been cheating in order to achieve her grades and class ranking."

"It seems she's been dumbing down your work on his orders by substituting her own work for yours. Then she turns in the work you did as her own work to receive a higher grade for herself. Work, she admitted she's been stealing from you ever since your first year here. All so the Headmaster can control what grades you're given and keep people believing you are only suited to becoming an auror when you finish your schooling."

"Expect him to call you to his office to discuss the matter. I'd like for you to come get me before you meet with him however as I don't trust him in this instance."

Harry nodded. He'd been expecting the discovery and to be called to account for his actions in the matter. "What do you think he'll try?" he asked simply.

"I believe he'll try to make you feel guilty. Especially for what befell Ms. Granger. She, in front of witnesses, implied he told her to dumb down your assignments and that it was ok to use your work as her own. The girl doesn't learn from her mistakes obviously as that is exactly what got her the mark on her face. She seemed to believe he would keep her out of trouble for it. Though I do doubt those were actually the orders he gave her, it is what she said and it could get him in trouble if she repeats it to anyone else. I fully expect him to try and coerce you into admitting you wanted her to dumb down your work or agreed to allow her to submit your work as her own."

"Somehow, I can see him believing that will get her out of trouble while not getting you into any he can't use his influence to get you out of. Which of course would grant him leverage over you in the future as you'd be grateful for his help in remaining a student of Hogwarts. He could hold your future placement here over your head for the rest of your schooling if he got you to agree to bailing her, and him, out of the trouble her mouth got them into. In fact, even after you finish your schooling he could hold it over your head, if you agree to help her like that. Because it would call into question the validity of your qualifications and your honor no matter what you're actually involved in at that time. So yeah, I see him trying to get you to agree to lie for her." Harry grimaced in disgust.

Severus delicately lifted a shoulder. "No one ever said I thought he was above using blackmail, Mr. Potter. I know better. How do you think he keeps me here when it's so very clear I don't like teaching? He seems to honestly believe you didn't want to do well in your classes and needed her to make certain you didn't. He most likely feels she only confessed to her cheating because she's upset about the branding. That if she'd been more in her normal frame of mind, she would've known to never admit to falsifying either her work or your own in front of either Minerva or myself."

"I know he's upset over Minerva and I both insisting that mark wasn't formed by Dark Magic as she believes it was. So you can expect a lecture on being careful what magic spells you use and how the more esoteric spells we find can often be misconstrued for something they aren't. Or can be something we don't actually think they are until after we've used them. He will also try very hard to get you to verbally say it was Dark Magic you used against them though Ms. Weasely admitted she knows it isn't."

"And then of course, he'll more than likely trot out that old tired line about you needing to forgive people when they make mistakes. For that he'll drag Ms. Weasely into things because she admitted she knows full well what she did was wrong and that her mark wouldn't be there if she didn't. But she also said she has no idea how to atone for it. So he'll try to convince you it's up to you to forgive her and remove the mark from her face. He still doesn't comprehend only the bearer of the mark can remove it."