The Teacher's Son

Chapter 13

Harry sat outside his mum's office, nervously wringing his hands.

McGonagall had decided to speak with the two boys separately about the incident, and he was terrified that she was going to ground him, or worse, keep him off the Quidditch team for the year.

"Uh, Harry....your turn...." Ron looked slightly pale when he left the room.

"I'll see you in the dormitory." Harry told him.

Ron nodded and started down the hallway.

"If I make it...." Harry muttered.

Pushing the door open, he nervously approached his mum's desk.

"Sit down." McGonagall said.

Harry sat in the chair and looked at his hands.

Instead of yelling, Minerva ignored him. She was putting together packets of paper for something.

Harry squirmed uncomfortably. He wished she'd scream at him, punish him, give him detention for weeks. The silence was unbearable.

"Mum-"

"Quiet."

Harry clapped his mouth closed.

Minerva finished up her work, waving her wand to move the stack off to the side of the room to sit on a small table.

Instead of starting to speak, she simply regarded Harry expressionlessly.

"Mum, can I-"

"No."

Harry bit his lip and avoided his mother's gaze.

After a few more minutes of tense silence, Minerva set her wand down firmly on the desk.

"Harry James Potter, what compelled you to perform such a stunt?" Her voice was calm and cold, no emotion to it.

"The barrier wouldn't let us in, Mum, I tried-"

"And why didn't you owl me?"

Harry looked at his hands. "I didn't think about it until there wasn't much of the ride left."

Minerva sighed. "Harry, this would have been a lot easier if you had just owled me."

"I know Mum."

"You are safe, that's the important part." She stood and rounded the desk. Harry stood and hugged her.

"However, you do have detention for this, as does Ronald."

"Okay." Harry pulled away and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Mum."

Minerva sighed at him, then smiled. "I thought we agreed that this year wasn't going to be as crazy as last year."

"I'm not trying!" Harry insisted.

"I know you aren't. Just be careful Harry."

"I will Mum, I promise!"

"Good. Now go, we don't want you to get another detention from Filch for not being in the dormitories."

Harry nodded and quickly ran out of the room, hoping to get away from the old caretaker.

Minerva watched him go, chuckling quietly.

---------------------------------------

"What took you so long, mate?" Ron asked when Harry scrambled through the portrait hole, panting.

"McGonagall wanted to discuss the terms of my detention."

"Oh. Does that mean we don't have it together?"

"Guess not." Harry shrugged.

"This is why you don't take enchanted cars to school." Hermione said acidly.

"Hermione, I already explained, we couldn't get through the barrier!" Ron exclaimed.

"I highly doubt that, it has never said in Hogwarts: A History that the barrier closes against certain people."

"It's true, Hermione. Books don't have all the answers."

The Muggleborn girl looked slightly scandalized at his words.

"Harry, the barrier doesn't close. Ever. It just doesn't let muggles through unless they know about the Wizarding world."

"Hermione, we promise that we couldn't get through the barrier." Ron said, sounding irritated.

"Well, fine." Hermione huffed.

"Did something happen on the train, Hermione?"

She scowled at him. "Malfoy happened, that's all."

"Malfoy, I'm going to-" Ron muttered several very unflattering things he planned on doing with with the blond Slytherin's wand, using gestures to demonstrate.

"Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed. "That is absolutely disgusting and no matter how much he deserves it, you will not do any of that!"

"Aw, come on, Hermione, just a little bit?"

"No." She stood and marched up the stairs to the girls dorms.

"What do you reckon Malfoy did?" Ron asked.

"Probably something horrid like he has a knack for doing." Ron growled. "And 5 galleons says he used the word 'mudblood' or made fun of her 'status' in some other way."

"It's Malfoy, you've almost got a guarantee that it happened." Harry responded quietly.

They sat in silence for a while.

"Well, I'm off to bed. Night, Harry."

"Night, Ron."

[A/N nothing really to say....]