The scene was extremely unfavorable for Gryffindor: Malfoy lay on the ground, curled up moaning and wailing, blood streaming from his nose. George only had a split lip, Fred's knuckles were covered in angry red scrapes, and Harry was barely hurt at all.
"I have never seen behavior like this—everyone else back to the castle immediately! Malfoy, the two Weasleys, and Potter, to your respective Heads of House offices! Now!" Madam Hooch was blazing with fury.
"I trust this matter will be handled with complete fairness, won't it, Professor McGonagall?" Snape swept his gaze over each of the Gryffindor team players in turn, then waved Crabbe and Goyle over to help Malfoy away first.
"Malfoy started the provocation!" Angelina shouted, unable to contain herself any longer.
"Be quiet, Miss Johnson!" Professor McGonagall snapped severely. Her face was ashen, and trembling, she yanked the Gryffindor scarf from around her neck, pointing at Harry, Fred, and George.
"You three, to my office!"
"Professor McGonagall, Malfoy insulted someone's family and parents—are Gryffindors supposed to just swallow their anger in silence?" Orli felt the blood surging in her chest. She looked at Professor McGonagall, unwilling to look at Snape. She'd always known Snape was someone who unconditionally favored Slytherin, but she was a Gryffindor—today she was destined to be unable to stand on the same side as him.
"He just lost, didn't he? Miss Waters, use that clever brain of yours—of course he'd deliberately provoke you! But instead of letting me or Professor Snape handle it, or calling Madam Hooch, you staged a Muggle brawl here—three against one!" Professor McGonagall roared, veins bulging at her temples as she surveyed every Gryffindor in the changing room.
"Do you understand what you've—"
"Hem, hem."
Everyone in the changing room turned to see Dolores Umbridge standing in the doorway. Perhaps to avoid the 'Pink Lady' nickname, she wore a dark green wool cloak today, but this made her look even more like a toad.
"Do you need assistance, Professor McGonagall?" she asked in her most sickeningly sweet voice.
An unnatural flush spread across Professor McGonagall's face.
"Assistance?" She struggled to keep her voice calm. "You—helping me?"
Umbridge walked into the changing room, still smiling that nauseating smile.
"I believe the students here should experience more of what true authority means."
Professor McGonagall's breathing grew noticeably heavier. Orli inexplicably thought of the Hungarian Horntail Harry had faced last year—if Professor McGonagall breathed fire from her nostrils right now, she wouldn't be surprised at all.
"Now, all of you listen." Professor McGonagall spoke rapidly, desperately trying to announce the punishment before Umbridge could.
"You three, I don't care how Malfoy provoked you, but your behavior was equally disgusting! I'm giving each of you a week's detention—"
"Hem, hem."
Professor McGonagall closed her eyes, as if begging herself not to lose the last of her patience. Then she opened them and looked at Umbridge.
"Yes?"
"I think they deserve a punishment more severe than a week's detention." Umbridge smiled even more sweetly.
"What do you think, Professor Snape?"
"I believe they certainly deserve a memorable lesson, especially Potter." Snape's eyes fixed on Harry, his lips pressed into a thin line.
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