Soon news spread inside the castle halls and every classroom and every corner about what happened in Potion class. Harry was having a fun time relaxing in the Hospital Wing of the castle as he feigned being injured and was under the tender worried care of Madam Poppy Pomfrey, the school nurse.

All the while the telling grow and grow as some whispered that Snape did some dark magic on him others talked about the grand duel they had in the classroom and so much more nonsense. His friends came by like Neville who looked relieved to see him alive, Fred and George patting him on the back like a champ, Hermione who berated him and also kept on hugging him, Colin who kept on asking for details about the grand duel, Lavender and Parvati who couldn't stop talking about how manly he was to take Snape on, Ginny with Luna tagging along who brought him get-well cards, his Quidditch team member from Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Alicia Spinnet, and even Daphne and her little group.

Plus so many more that wanted to check up on the alleged victim of Snape's cruel reign and somehow were really worried for him. Madam Poppy sent them all packing refusing to let her patient be disturbed. Once in a while, he would see his old 'friend' come by to get treated for his haphazard experiment on himself, other than that we never spoke to each other.

When the weekend was out, he was pronounced fit to leave the medical ward, and just as he was about to head off to his classes that started up from the week, he was summoned to the Headmaster's office.

He expected this to happen, it wasn't every day that a Professor attacked one of his students and caused him to spend time in the hospital wing. Coming up to the gargoyles that guarded the door, one of them, a much sterner one spoke up, "the Headmaster is waiting inside."

"Awful what happen to you," the other noted as he watched as the door slowly swung open. Gargoyles were loyal nasty creatures made up of stones, they were mostly employed by great houses and powerful wizards. What made them a dangerous lot is that their stone skin could soak up a lot of magic, I mean a whole lot. That's why you should expect heavy resistance from them, they will never go down easy at all.

Walking into the grand and magnificent circular office Harry noted the countless magical objects ranging from the most mundane and simple to the very powerful to the shelves filled with endless tones on a variety of subjects of magic. It had him drooling from the mouth which he quickly wiped away to him as he wondered about the many powerful spells, rituals and insights.

Seated on an enormous, claw-footed desk right in the middle of the room was Professor Dumbledore himself with a gaggle of Professors surrounding him from Professor McGonagall to Professor Flitwick, and even Hagrid who was a professor as well, and centermost was good old Snape scowling as if his mother has just been killed.

"Harry, my boy, how are you doing," the old man asked as he got up from his chair once he saw him walk in. All of a sudden the voices died down of the arguing Professors and everyone turned to face him with a range of look on their faces from worried, to happy to see him, and relieved, however, Snape looked like he swallowed a toad when he saw him enter.

"I am doing fine now thanks to Madam Poppy great healing skills," he answered politely. Even if it irked greatly to show any deference to the man that made his childhood hell thanks to sending him to these so-called relatives, he needed patience. It only through restraint that he would be able to bring his downfall from the shadows.

"Good, good," the old foggy said with a happy nod of his head as his bussy beard shook with the gesture. "It's good that you are all healed up now, we can not have you missing out on your valuable education."

"I agree, magic was always my favorite topic, took my mind off less fortunate topic," he voiced slyly as he brought up his childhood.

Clearing his throat awkwardly as he at least had the dignity to act ashamed, Professor McGonagall cut in, "Enough, we are here to deal with Severus's case today!"

It wasn't that she was not angry at what happened to him, he could clearly see it from how her face twisted up when he brought it up, and how she looked daggers at Dumbledore's back that she was not over it in the least bit. Plus he could see a bit of shame that she had any part in him being sent off to those animals which made her all the more frustrated and angry.

However, she wanted this matter to be dealt with immediately.

"Yes," Professor Flitwick agreed totally as indignant fury was written all over his face. "How could a Professor, a person given the responsibility and education of our children dare to attack them!"

"Actually, Professor," a pasty face man with bulging, pale eyes along with sunken cheeks spoke up. "I believe that those brats need a firm hand or else they will go wild."

"Shut it, Argus Filch," Hagrid growled looking menacing for the first time he had ever seen him which was a sight to truly take in. The squib took a hesitant step back at the palpable menace reeling off the half-giant.

Harry never noticed him as he was dusting off some shelves in the background, but of course, their so-called caretaker of the school would love to reinstate old archaic methods of torturing and punishing students.

Harry could just feel how jealous the old weasel was of the more magically gifted students. He did not know why he made himself suffer, but it must be hell for him to live with kids that throw around magic like it's nothing while he can't even produce a spark.

"That's enough Filch," Professor Dumbledore called out, looking disappointed in the man while the others just looked disgusted or outright hostile, "leave us, please. This is a meeting for the Professor only."

Seeing that he overstayed his welcome, he bowed his head to the old man and squirred out like a rat with his tail between his leg as his cat followed him along.

"Now," the old man said looking regal in his position, "would you like to tell us why you attacked one of your students, Severus?"

Looking around the crowd who didn't look like the most approving in the least bit, the man still carried on with his stiff back arrogant way. "He insulted me," he answered not winning over anyone with his attitude.

"Would you like to explain?" Professor Sprout asked with narrowed eyes as the jolly woman didn't look that jolly anymore, but looking like she did not believe a word that came out of his mouth.

"Of a personal matter," the greasy bat stated being tight lip just as he expected. There was no way he would let his little secret nickname spread around.

"Of course everything is a personal insult to you," Professor McGonagall voiced with a snort. "If someone looked at you wrongly, it would be a personal insult."

"Yer always 'ad somethin' against 'arry from way back then," Hagrid denounced.

"That is no excuse at all Severus to attack one of your own students!" Professor Dumbledore finally spoke up. "I thought you would get over your childish grudge, but now it's very clear that you can not!"

Facing twisting up into a variety of expressions, the hooked nose man had no words to utter to defend himself as Harry basically cornered him into a corner.

"Professor," Harry weakly spoke up feining the right amount of fear and faintness, "I don't think I feel safe in these walls anymore which had used to be like a true home to me away from my.... re-relatives."

"Oww, my sweet dear," Professor McGonagall murmured as she did some thing he never expect, coming up to him she gave him a tight grip hug and whispered, "Don't worry, you are safe here."

Frozen still for those few seconds as he never expected this motherly feel from Professor McGonagall, the sternest and most hard ass Professor who took no nonsense from anyone.

Everyone looked uncomfortable and simply simmering at themselves and mostly Snape, while he stared at him with his unblinking eyes. He assumed the man was on to him now, but who cared, he had him by the balls and he couldn't get away from him.

"I am sorry my boy that you had to feel that way," Professor Dumbledore spoke up once Professor McGonagall let go of him. Harry felt like sneering at the pretentious old man, but he kept his act together.

"For that, you have my deepest apology and my colleague's. Now for you Severus," he turned his gaze towards the hooked nose man glowering at him, voice hardening the old man declared, "I have taken you in at the lowest point of your life, stood by your against so many people, and even welcomed you into my school, but this is how you repay ME!" he asked, voice never raising an octave, but everyone could feel the pressure from it, especially Snivellus who looked abashed which in his opinion was a wonderful expression on his face.

"I have heard a lot of complaints from your students and even some Professors," he continued and the snake peered around daring them to step up but everyone was clearly a united front.

"LOOK AT ME, when I speak to you," the old man shouted losing patience with the man and his poor attitude. "This is your last and final warning, Severus, if I hear a single bad news from you out of the mouth of anyone then your tenure at this school is OVER. You may look for work somewhere else, we, no I do not permit or stand with the abuse of MY students! Is that UNDERSTOOD?" the old man demanded as the greasy bat looked shell shocked that the old foggy would even toy with the idea of sacking him.

Nodding his head stiffly, the snake tried to hold on to the small shred of dignity he had left, "May I go now, if we are finished."

"Yes," the old man said, "but before you leave," he called out before the bat could get anywhere. "Immediately, hence forth, you will be stripped of your position of Head of the Slytherin House."

This time instead of shock reflecting across his face, it was righteous fury, "You... can not do that to me," the little bitch growled and Harry couldn't help it as he chuckled inside with glee.

Standing up to his full height as power seem to seep out of the old man, "I can, and I have!" the man stated with clear finality, daring him to argue at all.

Not having the gull to say anything more, he swallowed whatever he was going to say, "that will not be all though," the old man said.

"There is more?" the sneering arrogant man asked.

"Yes, as much as it hurts me to do so and this is the first instant that this ever happened in this school history, but you will be taken of your privilege to take and give points to students, and you can not give detentions out anymore without the approval of four of your peers."

Gaping open mouth as his lips tried to for the words but couldn't, the greasy bat finally shouted out, "but how am I now to keep control of my classes! T-they will go absolutely wild!"

"You must deal with it now," the old man said with a shrug, "you have abused your privilege too much and now this is the outcome."

Sitting back on his chair, he waved at the man, getting the last word in, "You may leave now if you wish."

Without a word, the man swept his robes behind him and exited the office like a fire was behind him. Harry couldn't just help himself as he added a bit of fire to the oil as he telepathically sent out, "Take care Snivellus, don't trip on your way out!"

Doing just as he told him to avoid as he missed a step and nearly fell head first on to the ground, the man was able to quickly gather himself and most importantly hold himself back as he gave him a final loathsome stare.

With the doors closing behind him, Professor McGonagall was first to speak, "The punishment was light, I would have had him fired on the SPOT for daring to even touch a student."

"Yes," Professor Flitwick agreed with a nod, "how would our students feel if any teacher could attack them for nothing!"

"What about the parents?" Professor Sprout asked, raising her own concern, "they sent their kids here not to be molested by teachers but to come learn."

Rubbing his head to keep the headache away, the old man looked as if his age was catching up to him, with a sigh, he answered, "this is Professor Snape's last warning. If it ever happens again, then I will be first to show him the castle's front doors."

Looking unsatisfied, the Professors all still yielded to him since he was the Headmaster after all even if they did not agree with him.

Harry wondered why the old man wanted to keep the greasy bat around so bad, he was too much trouble in his opinion to be worth defending, something was clearly going on and he wondered what it was.

Seemingly forgetting he was there, they carried on, "Who will be the new Head of the Slytherin House since Severus is now removed from that spot?" Professor Flitwick asked.

"Professor Septima Vector will do," the old man answered as she and a few other Professors weren't here since they needed to continue with their classes and make sure the school continued running without students running amock.

Clearing his throat, Harry interrupted, "Professor."

Looking surprised to see him still there, the old man asked, "yes, my boy?"

"I would like your permission to take a small leave of absence next week."

"What for?" Professor Flitwick asked out of curiosity.

"Lordly matters! As you might know, I am the new head of house Potter since there is no one to take on the duty with the sad passing of my parents," he answered giving only part of the truth to hide the rest which of course was the other houses he had in his grasp. Plus it didn't hurt to get some pity out of them so he could easily bend them to his will.

"I am sure we could get you some advisers to take care of all that for you," the old man butted in, "your education is most important."

"You don't have to worry yourself, Professor," he answered with a bright smile but inside was itching to choke him. "I have numerous people advising me in all things. But now, I must take care of these matters and the future ones as well."

"Well, I am not if you could miss out on your classes."

"I don't mean to counter demand you, Professor, but I read Hogwarts: A History and it clearly states that if something pertaining to Lordly issues pops up then the student is allowed a small break from school."

"You may go," Professor McGonagall cut in over ruling the old man. "We all must follow the school by laws, including the Headmaster," she stated as she stared at Dumbledore blankly.

"Yes, Mr. Potter is at the top of his class so I sure he can hand a few messed days," Professor Flitwick added, trying to be helpful as ever.

Holding his grin back, Harry could see the small cracks in what once used to be a harmonious relationship.

There was no better why to put it, but he felt like a little devil allowed into a home. He was having too much fun wrecking trouble and it was only his first week back. Man, how he loved making that old foggy's life a living hell.

"Thanks Professors," he said with a bow. Aaa, if the old man only had a look inside of his head, he would have a fit!

"Professor Dumbledore," Hagrid spoke up.

"Yes, Hagrid" he asked as he looked to give in to the demands of his Professor.

"Will 'arry be still in Professor Snape's class after what happened?"

"No, I guess not," the old man spoke up as he rubbed his long beard. Then as if coming to a decision, "from now on Harry will be having Potions with me. I will clear some time off my schedules."

Pausing Harry looked between the gentle half-giant and the old man, this was not good, not good at all. Spending any allotted time with the old bastard might cause him to slip up for just a moment and he might have him on his trail like a hound.

He did not know if he should curse the soft hearted giant man or break out into tears. Still, if he looked it from the outside, it was a rare chance for him to learn from one of the most powerful wizards in all of Magical Britain.

That would be an honor that many would kill for!

Still he was the only person who really did not see it as that. To him, it felt like his life was over and he was going to the slaughter house.

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

Walking into his private quarters inside the castle, the fireplace came to life at his entrance lighting the place. All over the walls were Gryffindor colors and the portrait of a man who all young wizarding children know, Godric Gryffindor.

He figured that this place must have been the old legend's own private quarters, but he guessed they were now his. It was thanks to someone that he found this place and staked it out as his own.

Just as the thought of the person crossed his mind, Dobby the house-elf appeared inside the chamber. "Master,"