"Not really. It's my own damn fault."
Madame Pomfrey shook her head and retreated to heroffice.
Aaron sidled over to the bed Harry was on. "How'dyou do that?"
"What?"
"Get her not to fuss."
"I told her if she fussed, I was leaving and nevercoming back."
"When? I didn't hear you say that."
"Last time I was here. She was being all hovering,and I told her she was making me very uncomfortable, and if she fussed I wouldleave and never come back. She seemed to believe me."
"Oh." Aaron backed away to let Harry rest. Hewanted to figure out all the ramifications of Harry's actions before returningto Slytherin. At first he thought Harry was just being his somewhatGryffindorish self, but the insults could have been calculated for maximuminsult. The old saying the truth hurts being very true. While Harry had luckedout with the timing of the appearance of the prefects. The head of house, andthe Headmaster's appearance had been fortuitous. Harry also hadn't said a worduntil after he had learned the shield spell from William and Daniel. And it wasabout the average time the prefects got back from the weekly meeting. Whichhalf implied Harry set Draco up. Which implied he was way more Slytherin thananyone else realized. Aaron suddenly had the urge to hide in the potions lab,because as volatile as potions ingredients were they at least were predictable.Harry wasn't dark yet, he didn't think. But if he got treated poorly enough byenough people it wouldn't be hard for him to turn dark. Aaron wondered ifMarcus saw it too. Maybe that was why he had been so careful building ties forHarry in Slytherin house. He reluctantly moved back towards Harry. "Um,Harry?"
"Yes, Aaron."
"I..um..need to go, unless you want me tostay."
Harry's green eyes opened they held a relaxed warmth thatreminded Aaron of a spring day. "Thanks but I'll be fine."
Aaron relaxed a fair bit at Harry's expression. It musthave been his imagination.
....
Early the next morning an uncomfortable group of adultsgathered in the Headmasters office. Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape,Lucius Malfoy, and Rufus Scrimgeour were gathered to discuss the fate of DracoMalfoy.
"I don't care he's only eleven. The boy attempted tokill a national hero," Rufus ranted. "He should be expelled with hiswand broken."
"He was provoked!" came from Lucius.
"Draco is hot-tempered and unused to thinking aboutconsequences for his actions, but I beg you don't condemn him to a life withoutmagic." Snape pleaded. "The Potter boy did provoke him. Not withoutjustification I know, but anyone would have lost their temper with what he saidmuch less a young immature boy like Draco."
And so it went for almost an hour. Finally Dumbledoresaid "Enough, obviously young Mr. Malfoy has made a dreadful misjudgmentbut I believe it behooves the ministry to be merciful in this instance. Ibelieve that a trace could be be our answer, a more restrictive one than normalto be sure. One that traces not his wand as is normal but one that traces hismagic itself."
"One where his every spell has to be accountedfor?" Rufus queried.
Dumbledore nodded. "He will for the next two yearsbe required to be in the presence of a certified teacher to cast any spells,and will be restricted from any offensive spells until the end of his fifthyear except in the course of his classes."
"Fine and if he casts a single non approvedspell…" Rufus stated.
"Expulsion." Dumbledore assured.
Lucius Malfoy looked ready to kill but even he could seethis was a good as it was likely to get for Draco. "And Mr. Potter'spunishment? I will not have him getting off scot free."
"He has had to spend time in the infirmary, I thinkthat punishment enough for an intemperate tongue." Rufus intoned.
"He gravely insulted me and my son."
"As I understand it the boy is already beingpunished by his Head of House for Gryffindorish tendencies. He has been amplyprovoked on numerous occasions by your son and he finally retaliated with a fewprovocatively albeit poorly worded truths. He is only eleven after all."Mimicking Lucius' own words about Draco. "That is unless you wish torecant what you claimed at the end of the last war?" Rufus arched aneyebrow. He had all but roared with laughter when he had heard exactly what theBoy-Who-Lived had said to the Malfoy boy and couldn't wait to share it with themajority of the aurors back at the office.
Although furious, Lucius knew when continuing was alosing proposition and so he backed off.
....
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