Percy Jackson and the Hound of Hogwarts [Book 3]

41) Caught

Sorry this chapter was late!

"Come with me, boys," Snape said, and I silently made a small water spell as he turned, using it to wash our hands as we walked. We walked down the stairs and into his office.

"Sit," Snape said. We sat down, and I found myself tapping Riptide anxiously on my thigh. I knew Snape wasn't afraid to make me run laps again. He stayed standing.

"Mr. Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter," Snape said, staring at my friend. Harry stayed silent.

"He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley — apparently alone."

Harry still didn't say anything.

"Mr. Malfoy states that he was standing talking to Weasley, when a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened?"

Harry only looked mildly surprised, "I don't know, Professor." I stayed neutral, no guilt and no innocence. They trained us to do that when being confronted about something, whether it was true or not.

Snape stared down at Harry, and I was reminded of Harry with Buckbeak.

"Mr. Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can you imagine what it might have been, Potter?"

"No," Harry said.

"It was your head, Potter. And Jackson's unmistakable curls. Floating in midair."

After a long moment of silence, I said, "Maybe he needs to go see Madam Pomfrey. If he's seeing things like—"

"What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?" Snape said softly. "Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade."

"I know that," Harry said, his face twitching. "It sounds like Malfoy's having hallucin—"

"Malfoy is not having hallucinations," Snape snarled, and even I jumped when he bent down over Harry, their faces a foot apart. "If your head was in Hogsmeade, so was the rest of you."

"I've been up in Gryffindor tower," Harry said. "Like you told—"

"Can anyone confirm that?"

Harry didn't say anything, and Snape's face twisted into a horrible smile.

"So," Snape straightened up. "Everyone from the Minister of Magic downward has been trying to keep famous Harry Potter safe from Sirius Black. But famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself. Let the ordinary people worry about his safety! Famous Harry Potter goes where he wants to, with no thought for the consequences."

Harry stayed silent.

"How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter," Snape said, his eyes glinting. "He too was exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers.... The resemblance between you is uncanny."

"My dad didn't strut," Harry hissed suddenly. "And neither do I."

"Your father didn't set much store by rules either," Snape pressed on. "Rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen—"

"SHUT UP!"

Harry was on his feet suddenly, his hands clenched into fists. I tried to sink back into my chair, shaking my head. Snape was staring dangerously at Harry.

"What did you say to me, Potter?"

"I told you to shut up about my dad!" Harry shouted. "I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad!"

Snape's skin went the color of sour milk, and I shook my head again, not liking how things were going.

"And did the headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?" Snape whispered. "Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears."

I watched Harry bite his lip.

"I would hate for you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter," a wicked grin twisted Snape's face. "Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you — your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment. There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts." His yellow teeth were bared, and he suddenly snapped, "Turn out your pockets, Potter!"

Harry didn't move, and I swallowed hard.

"Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the headmaster! Pull them out, Potter!"

Harry slowly pulled out the Marauders Map and a bag of candy he had gotten from Zonko's earlier.

Snape picked up the bag of candy.

"Ron gave them to me," Harry said, frowning. "He — brought them back from Hogsmeade last time—"

"Indeed? And you've been carrying them around ever since? How very touching... and what is this?" He picked up the map.

"Spare bit of parchment," Harry shrugged.

Snape turned the map over in his hands, his eyes landing on Harry, "Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment? Why don't I just — throw this away?" He moves his hand towards the fire.

"No!" Harry quickly said.

"So!" Snape's nostrils quivered as he spoke. "Is this another treasured gift from Mr. Weasley? Or is it — something else? A letter, perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or — instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the dementors?"

Harry blinked, and Snape's dark eyes glinted.

Yooooo.... sorry this chapter was posted late. I was kind of busy. I had homework, I had to help my sister with her algebra, and I went over to my mom's place. I also had to work on the chapter for my other book. I also maybe kind of binged several episodes of Julie and The Phantoms, which is really freaking good by the way. Yeah but sorry. Double update for the trouble.