Harry Potter Short Stories

Inner Slytherin Ch2

"Thank you sir."

"It's my skin I'm trying to save too," said Snape. "Good night, Mr. Slytherin."

"Good night, sir."

OoOoOo

"How did it go?" asked Hermione.

"I don't want to talk about it; I'm going to bed," said Harry. He had a lot to think about, not least that his supposed best mate might be a traitor. Not that Ron was really clever enough to be a traitor ... or was he? He hated academic work but he was amazing at chess. He might be being used as well, but maybe not. Harry frowned. He would keep this new truce with Snape secret from everyone, because if it all fell apart, Ron would gloat and Hermione would nag him for not trying harder, and if Snape was right, he could not trust Ron, and Hermione believed firmly in Dumbledore only for the reason that he was a figure of authority. And yet she hated Umbridge. But Hermione would never see the paradox of that. She'd probably still obey Umbridge without question, actually, because she was a teacher. Harry had a sudden revelation, and realised what frustrated Snape about Hermione; it was her absolute belief in the written word and in authority figures.

He stopped.

"Hermione?" he said.

"Harry?"

"You studied the second world war at Primary School, didn't you?" he asked.

"Of course," she said.

"Do you remember what was made inadmissible as a defence at the Nuremburg trials?" he asked. I can show her the error of her ways in a Slytherin fashion and make her a better ally, he thought.

"Yes, the defence of just following orders was ruled not to be enough of a defence, as people are able to think for themselves," she said.

"Do you believe that this was correct?" asked Harry, softly.

"Of course it was correct!" said Hermione.

"So if Dumbledore tells you not to write to me in the next summer holidays, will you be a good little party member like you were last July and August, compromising all that you believe in, or will you think for yourself?" he asked.

"Harry Potter, are you calling Dumbledore and me a Nazi?" Hermione planted her hands on her hips.

"I'm calling you a Quisling and I'm not sure what I call him, but I do know that the suppression of the Jews was 'for the greater good' and I know who uses that phrase a lot."

Hermione looked stricken.

"But ... but ..."

"Goats butt, Hermione. Good night," said Harry.

Hermione was left staring after him.

"But you have to do what teachers tell you," she said to herself, wringing her hands. "Don't you?"

OoOoOo

"Minerva, why have the school rules suddenly changed to permit the use of a blood quill?" asked Severus, who had gone visiting.

"Severus! Such a thing would never be permitted!" Minerva McGonagall was shocked.

"Indeed? Or is it only permitted for Harry Potter?" asked Severus. "Is this a scheme to get him so cowed so that Riddle can kill him and then leave the Lord of the Bees to step in and eradicate him?"

"Whit are ye talkin' aboot?" Minerva's accent thickened.

"Why, Minnie, the fact that Potter has a scar on his hand reading quite clearly 'I must not tell lies' from repeated, and I mean long-repeated, writing with a blood-quill to do lines, and when he talked to you about it, you told him to lie low and not make a fuss."