The boy's face was as red as his hair and looked like he wanted to yell at Harry. Alas, the Potter scion raised his hand, "Look, Snape screwed you with the match. I know it, you know it, the entire school knows it. However, what I'm trying to understand is what you're trying to achieve here."
"We're just reminding you of your place, you slimy snakes," Longbottom answered.
Harry raised an eyebrow, "You know, it's amazing. You keep moving your mouth, making noises, but absolute garbage comes out of it."
"That's it, you're so getting it," Longbottom yelled and raised his wand. Harry discretely pushed his hand windlessly making him miss his teeth growing hex.
The young Slytherin gave him a dry look and raised his eyebrow, "Now, Longbottom, why are you so angry? You're not mad at me, not really. So why all of this aggression? For losing a Quidditch game? Well, if things keep on the way they are, you'll be playing a lot of these in the next few years. Is it about Snape being unfair? Then why don't you try to harass him and not us? So, what is making you so angry that you're trying to lash out at the world around you."
"SHUT UP!" the Longbottom scion yelled.
Harry didn't seem bothered by it and continued, "So, I'm getting close. Is it about the points you lost while doing the right thing?"
Yeah, that happened. Apparently, one day the Gryffindor hourglass was practically empty. It was already getting smaller every day because of Longbottom's behaviour, and apparently, the upper years were kinda sick of it. They had complained to McGonagall many times, to no avail. No one knew what happened, except that it was because of Longbottom who practically became a social pariah to the upper year Gryffindors. Yeah, peer pressure at its best, ladies and gentlemen.
Harry knew what it was about since Draco kept bragging about how he tricked the Golden Trio into getting caught with a baby dragon of all things. Harry assumed quickly enough that it was the Gryffindor trying to help Hagrid who had ended up with a poisonous baby dragon somehow. It was what the stories had told, but considering how restricted the sale of dragon eggs really was, Hagrid had to know that there was something shady going on. The story was really unbelievable if you think about it. Dragon eggs are worth more than mansions in the black market. It was very unlikely that someone would bet one in a pub in Hogsmeade of all things.
Still, McGonagall had caught the golden trio with a caged baby dragon and ended up losing a stupid amount of house points, according to the Malfoy scion at least. Apparently, he was the one who set them up or something. He kept pretending it was some sort of elaborate scheme while all he did was follow them around and tattle to a teacher about it.
Well, Longbottom was very angry about it. It would explain the rise in malicious pranks that have been going on for a week or so.
Harry had found the pressure point and kept digging at it, "Oh, so that's it. You're angry because it's not fair. You helped your friends, like a good Gryffindor was supposed to do, protected the school, prevented him from getting hurt, and you were punished for it."
Longbottom stopped being coherent anymore and just kept sending spell after spell at Harry, who shielded with a Contego. The spells simply washed away on Harry's shield. The duelling practice really did help the speed and stability of his spells.
By the end of it, Longbottom was gasping in exertion and Harry continued talking casually, "You're not angry at me. I'm just a convenient target. You're angry at the Professors, at Dumbledore, who let Snape of all people be a referee to your game, who made you get punished when things would have been worse if you hadn't done what you did. But you can't hex them, can you? You can't yell at them, so you yell at the people you're expected to hate. The Slytherins. Me."
"How dare you…" Weasley tried to speak, only for Harry to wave his wand and murmur, "Flipendo!"
The group of first years were pushed back slightly. Harry had made sure to underpower the spell, but they still fell over.
"Mr Potter, Mr Longbottom" Harry heard a severe voice coming from behind him. It was Professor McGonagall, "My office, now!"
Harry ignored Longbottom's sulky look and followed the professor. He shouldn't have been so riled up because of him. But Longbottom kept actively looking for him, and after the first few times, it was getting irritating.
The two students followed the professor to her office. When they were inside, she motioned them to take a seat and they did.
"Do you know why you're here, Mr Potter," the Professor asked him.
Neville started to answer, "Professor…"
"I wasn't talking to you, Longbottom. I'll deal with you later. Believe me, you're in enough trouble already," the transfiguration mistress answered her student who gulped. She then turned back to the young Slytherin, "So, I ask you again, Potter, do you know why you're here?"
"No," he simply answered.
"You do not? Well, as you well know casting magic in the corridors is prohibited," the Professor started.
"And yet Longbottom cast dozens of spells at me, while I used two, one of which was a shield. I don't know why you're singling me out here," Harry interrupted her.
"Yes, and he will be punished accordingly but unlike Longbottom, I expect you to act like a proper polite young wizard. You rarely let yourself be provoked as you were. So, why now?"
"He just wouldn't leave me alone, professor. Every couple of days, he just does his best to follow me, like he's trying to achieve something. After the first five times, I found that ignoring him just doesn't make him go away, so this was my alternative," Harry retorted.
The Longbottom scion's cheeks were almost as red as Weasley's hair. He tried to retort back and yet was silenced by a glare from the transfiguration mistress.
"You say that, and yet you're still trying to provoke him. You really should not treat your classmates this way, especially in front of a Professor."
"No, what shouldn't have happened is Longbottom minding his own business. I am entitled to feel safe in this castle. This is not some battleground; this is a school. And I should be free to walk around without fearing being cursed in the back, and study without looking for dung bombs everywhere I sit. I tried being civil, I tried ignoring him entirely, I tried being witty. If Longbottom only responds to violence, then that's what he'll get. And it's not just me. The upper years are getting sick of their little brothers and sister coming back with no hair or smelling horrible. And they will not be as considerate as to only send an underpowered pushback spell at him and his little gang."
The Professor seemed mournful for a second, "And Mr Longbottom was punished for every single transgression. I will admit that our punishments do not seem to deter him. He and his friends will serve detention until the end of the semester. He and Weasley are really stressing our patience here and are this close to being expelled."
She finished answering while slowly looking at the shaking Gryffindor.
"Then why don't you just contact his grandmother?"
The boy just gave his head of house a pleading look and actually started shaking. McGonagall shook her head, "I am not here to speak about Longbottom's punishment with you, but your own. You will serve your detention with him and his friends next Sunday."
Harry just nodded and left her office, hearing the professor start tearing into the young Gryffindor, "As for you, Longbottom…"
When he made his way to the Great Hall, he found out that dinner was over, and he simply decided to simply go back to the common room. His friends were waiting for him, and they ranted with him about the unfairness of the situation. It was just nice to have people in your corner. By the time he went to bed, he had almost forgotten all about Longbottom and McGonagall, having been distracted while hanging out with his friends.
As usual, his sleep was peaceful until something happened. In the middle of the night, Harry heard something scream. Something horrible had happened. He looked around and saw that no one seemed bothered by it. No one seemed to hear it in the first place. The screaming persisted during the night, and Harry didn't get a whiff of sleep because of it.
.....
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