The Son of Lord Voldemort

Chapter 86

Ron glared moodily down at the stone floor of the headmasters office. While all around the large circular room, dozens of odd silvery objects whirred while emitting little puffs of smoke. The portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses stared at the occupants of the room, some looking quite annoyed, others disapproving, and one even amused. Ron pointedly ignored Dumbledore who was sitting behind a large claw footed desk, his blue and silver hat sitting precariously atop his head. Ron had been standing still for the past fifteen minutes while his head of house spoke angrily to the headmaster. Snape and Barty interjecting every once in awhile. Umbridge however had been so quite that Ron had forgotten she was in the room. Ron stopped listening several minutes ago, his angry consuming all of his focus.

'This is all those slimy Slytherins faults.' Ron fumed silently, his hands clenching and unclenching subconsciously. Ron began to listen once more when he heard Dumbledore address him.

"What?" Ron asked without thinking. His brown eyes going wide when he realized he had just been caught not listening.

"Mr Weasley!" McGonagall barked. "Were you even listening?" Ron flinched when he saw the fury burning in his head of houses' eyes.

"Of course he wasn't," Snape sneered silkily. Ron had to bite his tongue to keep from speaking. Snape turned to the headmaster, his fathomless eyes glinting. Ron gulped, he knew that nothing good ever came from that look. "Mr. Weasley has been a problem since he arrived at this school, Albus. He is always stepping over the line, disrupting class and causing fights. He has sent students to the hospital wing on more than one occasion, every time aided by his," Snape paused, his lips pulling back to show off his teeth, "friends." Snape's eyes roamed over the three Gryffindors with disgust. Ron's fingernails dug into his palms. "These three boys should be expelled."

"What?" Ron, Dean and Seamus yelled simultaneously.

"That isn't fair!" Seamus exclaimed, his skin paling drastically.

"This is all the Slytherins fault!" Ron roared, his face redder than his hair. "They should be the ones who are expelled!"

"Silence!" McGonagall yelled. "You three boys are in enough trouble." The three Gryffindors fell silent. "Do not speak." She enunciated every word. Ron didn't even realize that he had been yelling so loud that he was now panting in order to catch his breath. "Albus," McGonagall said stiffly, "I agree with Severus that drastic action must be taken." Ron opened his mouth to speak but stopped when McGonagall raised her hand and looked at him sharply. Ron spun his head around to look at Dumbledore who looked much older than normal, and who was watching McGonagall, his hands steepled. "However expulsion at this point wouldn't solve the problem." Ron audibly released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. McGonagall turned sharp eyes to him. "Don't think that you aren't in trouble Mr. Weasley. You, along with Mr. Finnigan and Mr. Thomas have disappointed me more than any student ever has, and I taught the Marauders." Ron barely noticed Snape's lip quirk into a smirk for the smallest moment.

"What do you suggest then Minerva?" Snape asked quietly.

"I suggest that these three boys lose two hundred house points each and spend the rest of the school year in detention," McGonagall said, her tone hard. Ron felt his jaw drop open.

"That's it?" Snape demanded, his face looking as though it was carved from stone.

"I think that is fair," Dumbledore interjected. Ron looked at the headmaster and immediately wanted to crawl into a tiny ball. Disappointment was radiating off of the headmaster in waves.