"I'm sorry!" Harry blurted, flinging his arms around her waist. "I'm really sorry for all those awful things I said!"
Minerva reflexively clutched at the small, solid body that hurtled into hers, too startled to do anything else. Behind her, Snape smirked. It was nice to see that pointy forehead crashing into someone else for a change.
McGonagall managed to get her breath back and patted Harry gently on the shoulder, though her voice remained as firm as ever. "Yes, Mr Potter, yes, yes, I do understand. Now there's no need to be so distraught. I assure you I have heard significantly worse from other upset and angry children over the years. Now do dry your eyes and sit down."
Harry hiccupped and sniffled, newly grateful for such kindness. He returned to his chair and his da gave him a comforting pat on the head which further restored him.
Snape scowled at the brat as he sat. Minerva might have refused to tell him what Potter had actually done, but that cuff he'd just delivered should have clearly communicated his displeasure to the brat. Of course, he had been careful not to make it too rough тАУ but it had definitely been a clout, and surely even the brat would have understood it as such.
##
Minerva cast the Muffliato as soon as Harry reached the corner. "Now then тАУ"
"What did he do?" Snape demanded.
Minerva raised an eyebrow. "I already told you that there is no need for you to know."
"He is my s тАУ responsibility!" Snape snapped, catching himself at the last minute.
"And mine as well," she pointed out reasonably. "Severus, do not hover so."
"He has had a very difficult life," he argued angrily. "It is imperative that his past be taken into account when considering his current behavior. Just because тАУ"
"You are hardly the only teacher at this school who has had abused and neglected children in their House, and I believe I have several more decades of experience in such things than you тАУ though admittedly not your first-hand knowledge," she added, so sympathetically that Snape growled reflexively. "However, I consider myself perfectly capable of handling Mr Potter's moreтАж minorтАж misdemeanors."
"He is a special child with unique needs - "
"He is a very nice boy, Severus, and will do fine even without your constant supervision and interference," Minerva said firmly, fighting down giggles as she realized she was lecturing Severus Snape on the dangers of being an overprotective parent. "And Harry must become accustomed to facing the discipline of adults other than you. As his Head of House, I am the next logical candidate."
Snape grumbled and sulked, but he couldn't refute her logic.
"Now then, may we proceed to the question of who is targeting Harry in this manner?"
That got his attention, and he sat upright. "And why? Until today, I had hoped it might simply be some fellow students with a grudge тАУ real or imagined тАУ but if Albus had difficulty undoing the spellsтАж"
"It is a very insidious plot," Minerva mused, "to undermine Harry with faculty and students alike. To set him up to take the blame for pranks he didn't do, thereby increasing his sense of resentment, mistrust, and alienationтАжIt is truly wicked."
Snape gritted his teeth. It would have been nice if Minerva had been similarly astute when the Marauders had been setting him up for all manner of mischief. He could recall far too many undeserved detentions тАУ some with the very witch sitting across from him. But that was in the past, and there was little value in raising it now. At least it made him vividly aware of what Harry was going through.
"What is it they are after?" Minerva continued thoughtfully. "To isolate Harry? To drive a wedge between him and us? To get him into trouble? To attract negative press attention? To see him punished unjustly? To ruin his academic record? To blacken his name? To keep him so busy with detentions that he can't keep up his grades? What possible goal could they have to make us think Harry is behind these actions? They're making the Weasely twins seem positive underachievers by comparison!"
Snape stiffened. Something Minerva had said rang a bellтАж Or more precisely, it was the one penalty she hadn't mentioned that had caught his attention. Of course she, like Snape, knew it would never happen, but what if the mysterious adversary were less knowledgeable about Albus Dumbledore and his approach to school discipline?
While Snape had been lost in thought, McGonagall had moved on. "Regardless of motivation, we still need to decide how to respond. Harry tells me that thanks to That Woman, the other students are beginning to accuse him of getting a free pass on all mischief. For the sake of his interactions with his peers, as well as to mislead our foe, Harry will need to be punished for this latest stunt. Or, to be precise, he will be punished for his actions in my office, but if the rest of the school chooses to assume it is for the furniture prank, so be it."
Snape glowered forbiddingly. "Punished how?"
McGonagall looked thoughtful. "Hmmmm. I have an idea. Leave it to me."
"Minerva," Snape said warningly.
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, very well. I should think that having Harry scrub the floor of the Great Hall would convince any skeptics that he was well-punished for the prank."
Snape shook his head. "No. He is not to be treated like a house elf. It will be too reminiscent of the boy's treatment at the hands of his bastard relatives."
"I promise that will not happen." McGonagall had a suspicious twinkle in her eye.
Snape frowned, but in the end, he didn't want to jeopardize their alliance by flatly refusing. "If the boy becomes distressed тАУ"
"Severus. You really must learn to calm down," Minerva admonished, much to his annoyance.
The witch canceled the Muffliato and rose to fetch the boy, still standing dejectedly in the corner.
##
Harry wiped his mouth on his napkin and eyed the plate of biscuits greedily. While it was true he'd already had his pudding, the biscuits were just so tempting! When the house elves had popped in to offer a cup of after-dinner tea, both professors had accepted, and the elves had sent up biscuits as wellтАж including all of Harry's favorites. He tried not to drool as he did his best "puppy dog eyes" at his father. Draco had coached him on it, saying it usually worked with his parents.
McGonagall observed Harry's hopeful looks and Snape's stern glares with poorly concealed amusement. It really was so cute to watch the two of them together. "I believe Mr Potter should have one biscuit," she suggested to Snape. "He will need his energy for his task this evening."
Harry perked up and turned expectantly to his guardian. Snape looked as if he had just bitten into a lemon, but he very grudgingly nodded, and Harry's hand snatched a biscuit as quickly as if he were grabbing the snitch in a Quidditch match.
"Manners, Mr Potter!" his da scolded, and Harry mumbled a "th'nk'y" around the cookie crumbs in his mouth.
"Erm, Professor McGonagall, what'd you mean about me needing extra energy for tonight?" Harry asked curiously, swallowing the last of his biscuit. Once he'd rejoined the adults, his Head of House had summoned dinner trays for them, and there had been no further mention of the unpleasantness in the Great Hall or its aftermath.
"I meant, Mr Potter, that you have a detention with me this evening, and I suspect you will find itтАж tiring."
Harry gulped nervously, though he noticed that Professor McGonagall had a kind of twinkly look about her eyes. "UhтАж what is it?"