Like Mother Like Son

Donald soon arrived at the entrance to the Headmaster's office.

"Asphodel," he stated to the stone gargoyle, which jumped aside and allowed him to pass. Donald walked up the long spiralling flight of steps, his face set in grim anger. How dare Snape completely demean Sirius like that on his first day? This was an attempt to destroy his cousin's self esteem and confidence. It never took much to upset Sirius. There were times when Henry and Jonathan had made him cry without really meaning to do it, but for an adult to do it for no real reason was unacceptable.

Donald knocked on the door, but not before recomposing himself and calming down.

"Enter," came the dull, drawling voice of that bastard Snape. The Headmaster's office wasn't nearly as amazing as it was when Dumbledore was Headmaster. Fawkes was gone obviously, but all of Professor Dumbledore's strange and wondrous equipment was gone. It had all been replaced with the putrid jars from Snape's original office. The only positive change was the addition of Professor Dumbledore's portrait to the rest. The real Dumbledore had decided to settle down in a bungalow in Eastbourne.

Donald approached Snape's desk. Snape's head, which had turned grey over the years, was bent over a large folder. He was checking staff timetables as he looked up briefly.

"I am extraordinarily busy, Mr. Weasley. I trust you are here for a reason."

"I just have something that I felt I should bring to your attention, sir," said Donald with great restraint. He wanted to shout, he wanted to tell Snape exactly how he and everyone else felt about him, but his diplomatic nature wouldn't allow it, not yet. Snape stopped writing. After all his years in teaching he could tell when a student was sincerely angry but trying to control it. He looked up.

"Very well, what is it?"

"A first year has confided in me that he is being made to feel," he paused while searching for the right word, "undervalued at Hogwarts by a member of staff. The student in question is extremely upset about what has been said to him." Snape picked up his quill again.

"I hardly see how this concerns me, Mr. Weasley."

"It concerns you sir, when you're the one trying to destroy my cousin's self-confidence you evil git!" snapped Donald. He might as well have handed Snape his Head Boy badge right there and then. Snape rose slowly from his seat. Donald still towered over him when standing.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Snape calmly.

"You heard me. Sirius told me what you said to him."

"Mr. Potter is very young," drawled Snape, "he may have misinterpreted what I said."

"So now you're calling him a liar as well as a troublemaker? Your dislike of my uncle and his father is your business but you have no right to take it out on Sirius! He did nothing wrong and you didn't even give him a chance. You're just a bitter old man taking your grudges out on eleven year old boy!" Snape was still amazingly calm. A cruel smile spread across his pale face.

"That kind of insolence could cost you your position as Head Boy. You know, Weasley, it was never my decision to make you Head Boy in the first place. As Professor Dumbledore only retired at the end of the last school year, it was he that decided you should be Head Boy. There may be many decisions made by my predecessor that I am unable to undo but this is not one of them. Hand over your badge."

Donald unpinned his badge and dropped it defiantly on the desk. He then turned and left before he said anything he'd really regret.

~|~

Hermione had just finished her last lesson of the day, a second year class. She had decided to start their year with something simple, beetles into buttons. She had to step in when a student accidentally transfigured his own nose into a button, but stuff like that was normal in Transfiguration. She knew it would make Ron laugh when she told him. She had just finished her lesson plan for the next day and was heading for the main entrance.

She was eager to get to her home in Hogsmeade. Ron had promised to cook dinner, which usually meant he had a few other surprises planned. She ran her hands through her hair as she walked. Teaching had given her a few grey hairs, most of which her youngest sons took credit for. She was thinking of Ron and his surprises when she quite literally bumped into Donald.

"Oh! Honey, you need to watch where you're going. I'm sorry; I know I shouldn't call you 'honey' now that you're Head Boy," Hermione paused when she saw how angry Donald was. Not at her of course, he was breathing heavily and his eyes didn't seem to be focusing on anything. He used to do it as a child when his brothers annoyed him. "Donald, what's wrong?"

Donald told her everything. How Sirius had come into the common room in tears, how Snape had treated Sirius. He also told her how he had confronted Snape about it. It took some coaxing, but Hermione also got Donald to explain the whereabouts of his Head Boy badge. To say Hermione was outraged would be an understatement. Since her own days at Hogwarts she had the delusion that Severus Snape had some good in him. She could see now she was wrong. She sent Donald on his way back to Gryffindor tower, assuring him everything would be all right. As soon as he was gone, she turned on her heel and headed straight to Snape's office.

~|~

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP! YOU AREN'T THE ONE IN CHARGE ANYMORE AND I WILL NOT HAVE YOU UNDERMINING MY EVERY DECISION!"

Hermione could hear Snape's shouts as she climbed the stairs to his office. There was only one explanation. Dumbledore's portrait had its own objections to the way Snape had behaved and Snape was now arguing with it. Hermione didn't give a damn; she didn't even stop to knock and just barged into the office.

Snape was standing in front of Dumbledore's portrait; his normally pale face was red with fury. Dumbledore, however, was a picture of calmness.

"CAN I HELP YOU, PROFESSOR WEASLEY?" screamed Snape. He breathed deeply as he tried to regain his composure.

"I just had a word with my son, Headmaster. He told me all about Sirius Potter and how you decided to relieve Donald of his position as Head Boy. I want some answers."

"This does not concern you, Professor. I suggest that you...."

"Well actually," interrupted Dumbledore politely, "I think a third opinion might help our little discussion, Severus."

"THERE IS NOTING TO DISCUSS!" shouted Snape, "I AM THE HEADMASTER THEREFORE I MAKE THE DECISIONS! YOU," he pointed at Dumbledore, "ARE ONLY HERE TO OFFER ME SUPPORT!"

"Your role exactly, Headmaster," said Hermione bluntly as she stepped forward, "As Headmaster you are supposed to support the students, not bully and belittle them for spilling some powdered beetles. Furthermore, by taking Donald's badge you have abused your position of power and all because you have a grudge against James and Harry." Snape looked livid. His screams became a hoarse growl,

"You seem to have passed your insolence on to your son. Like his mother he is an interfering, insufferable know it all. If you wish to lose your job then you're going the right way about it."

"If you want to sack me, go right ahead. I'll have you in front of the school governors for unfair dismissal before you know it. It's only the first day of term but the staff would all love to see you go. They'd love a chance to persuade Dumbledore to come out of retirement!"

Dumbledore's portrait chuckled, "You flatter me Professor Weasley, or rather the real me. Sadly I believe my counterpart is very happy in Eastbourne. Also, I believe the current Headmaster now has a better idea of what being Headmaster is really all about."

Snape walked over to his desk and snatched up Donald's badge. He threw it at Hermione's feet angrily. "There, take it. Just take it and get out!" Hermione picked up the badge and left. As she walked down the stairs she heard Snape resume his argument with a painting. She sighed and wondered if teaching did that kind of thing to everyone.