Hindsight

Repercussions

Holy fuck! What the bloody hell?'

Harry nearly spat out his breakfast sausage in surprise. 'What, Hermione? Is everything okay?'

'No!' she shrieked, pointing at the entrance to the Great Hall.

Harry turned his gaze where she was pointing. There, walking into breakfast as bold as brass was Draco No-Name, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. The three sauntered up to the Slytherin table, and immediately, the entire House shifted to one end, trying to put as much space between themselves and the three of them as possible.

Draco seemed to not have noticed or not have minded the negative attention. He sat down at the table and began piling food onto his plate as if he were the king of the world, and the other Slytherins were simply his subjects.

'Look at Snape,' Hermione whispered.

Harry turned his attention to the Head Table. Snape was beyond furious. His gaze looked like it would instantly drop dead anyone caught in its way. He was alternating between shooting hateful looks at Draco and glaring at Dumbledore.

Harry discreetly drew his wand and cast a Muffliato.

'It was Snape that was keeping Draco imprisoned in the dungeons, then,' Harry said quietly. 'Dumbledore must've overruled him. Bloody hell, he looks like he's about to kill both Draco and Dumbledore, and honestly, I wouldn't be too upset.'

'Why would Dumbledore release Draco, though?'

'Same reason he all but let him get off with almost sexually assaulting Daphne,' Harry replied, 'Same reason he got Ron to try to potion us.'

'Which is?'

'Abso-fucking-lutely no reason.'

Hermione glared at him. 'I'm trying to be serious.'

'So am I,' Harry replied. 'I don't know why he would do such a thing. It's completely illogical. But I think it's pretty clear by now that Dumbledore doesn't think too logically. He has a warped sense of what's right and what's not, and the problem here is that he believes that he's absolutely right, and he's in a position to get away with doing whatever he wants, however ridiculous.'

'That's…that's rather insightful of you,' Hermione said, sounding awed.

Harry rolled his eyes and jabbed her in the ribs. 'It's not just you who makes good observations.'

'Do you think he'll try anything?' Hermione asked, concerned.

'I don't think he will this close to his…release,' Harry contemplated aloud, 'But he…he might try to pull some stunt. This is the problem. Now he knows Dumbledore'll let him get away with it for some ridiculous reason that only he himself knows. He won't fear doing something worse.'

'Do you think he'll come after us?'

'Probably. I'll bet anything he's also going to target Daphne. He was thwarted the last time he tried to…you know…I'll bet you anything he's going to try again.'

Hermione paled rapidly. 'What're we going to do? We can't just…let her get attacked again.'

Harry sighed. 'There's painfully little we can do besides train her. She'll be reasonably safe in the corridors because one of us will be around at most times. In the Dormitories, though…'

Hermione buried her face in her palms. 'I want to murder Dumbledore. This is…this is beyond ridiculous…it's pure evil. He's letting a known rapist walk free…and putting him right back with his almost-victim.'

'I know,' Harry sympathized. 'Listen, when Riddle's gone, Dumbledore's going to be next. He deserves nothing less than life in Azkaban. Everything he'd done to me. Keeping me at the Dursleys when I'm sure he knows of better ways of "protecting" me, sealing up my parents' will, bloody love potions, and now this. I want him thrown in prison.'