The Philosophers Stone - Harry Potter Male Reader Insert

28: Hated Once More

"I'd never have believed it of you Longbottom."

Y/N and Neville were in Professor Mcgonnagalls study, things couldn't be worse. Y/N was very confused to see Neville there too, but apparently he had gotten up in the middle of the night to warn them about Malfoy, who he had overheard threatening to catch Y/N, Harry and Hermione with a dragon. Mcgonnagall looked more disappointed than anything, but she said something that made Y/N not really give a crap anymore.

"You on the other hand L/N, it is not surprising that I've found you breaking school rules. Explain yourself."

Y/N felt a wave of fury wash over him. Up until this point he had always respected Professor Mcgonnagall, he saw her as respectable, unbiased and an excellent teacher. But as she said that sentence every ounce of respect he once had for the Professor vanished.

"Why should I?"

Mcgonnagall looked shocked. "Excuse me?"

"Tell me Professor" He said, emphasising the last word. "Why is it so unsurprising that you found me breaking school rules?"

"How dare-"

"Shut up and answer the question."

Neville squeaked, he buried his head in his arms, not bearing to see how this would turn out.

"I see no reason for me to respond to your disrespectful demeanor Mr L/N." she said, her lips thin, Y/N knew that was a sign she was livid.

"Bullshit."

It was suddenly very quiet. Neville squeaked again.

"Excuse m-"

"You wanna know why I think you said what you said?"

"L/N this behaviour is unfit for-"

"Shut up and let me finish."

At this point, Mcgonnagall was red, she was clearly attempting to surpress her anger, but failing quite miserably.

"Have I ever broken a school rule once ever since I've joined this school?" Y/N continued.

"L/N, cease this childish tirade at once."

"Answer the bloody question!" Y/N shouted.

Mcgonnagall looked enraged once more, she pierced her lips together and didn't answer.

"Is it really so hard?" Y/N sneered. "Let me answer for you. Ever since entering this school, you nor any other teacher has not caught me breaking a school rule. The closest I ever came to was disrespecting Snape on my first day and becoming the second youngest Seeker in a century. I've never broken a single school rule other than those."

Mcgonnagall's red face lessened slightly, which Y/N was grateful for. She seemed to understand where he was coming from.

Y/N continued, his voice now less harsh and more reprimanding, as if he was scolding her. "The reason you said what you said is because of my mother."

There was another deafening silence. Mcgonnagall shifted slightly in her seat, she even started to look a little guilty.

"You, like everyone else in this school, in this godforsaken school, are basing my behaviour on my parentage. My mother was a sick murderer, and based on that, the entire Wizarding World is making the assumption that I am too."

Mcgonnagall looked incredibly guilty now. "L/N-"

"Professor, you are making the same mistake as everyone else. You said to me just now: 'It is not surprising that I have found you breaking rules.' And you said that entirely based on the assumption that I am as evil as my mother, despite the fact that I have never broken a serious school rule before. What you did just now, was biased and selfish."

Mcgonnagall looked incredibly humbled at Y/N's small speech. She had a mix of different emotions on her face, rage, guilt, sadness, understanding and... grief?

She opened her mouth to speak, but Y/N interrupted her once again.

"As a person, I am beyond offended, what you said pains me. And you have lost every ounce of respect I once had for you. But as a teacher, I understand my place, and that I must be punished, not only for my actions tonight, but for my disrespectful attitude towards you. And I fully accept punishment."

Mcgonnagall nodded. She gave him that familiar disappointed-teacher stare, and said, "Fifty points will be taken from Longbottom for being out of bed at night, and a hundred from you for being out of bed, and for disrespecting me. You both will serve detentions for your actions tonight, along with Mr Malfoy." she paused for a second before continuing, he glare softening. "But I understand that what I said was unforgivable, and while as a teacher I am punishing you, as a person I would like to apologise, and know, that if anyone gives you trouble for your parentage, you have my full support."

Neville looked up from his hands, still scared senseless, but relieved from the turn of events, even if he did look extremely upset about losing One Hundred and Fifty points for Gryffindor.

"You may go."

* * *

When Y/N and Neville returned to the Common Room that night, Neville went straight to bed, Y/N thought he heard a sob coming from him as he clambered up the spiral staircase to the boys dorms.

He expected Harry to still be awake when he entered the dorm room, but the nights events seemed to be a bit much for him, and he was knocked out on his bed, the Invisibility cloak folded neatly on his trunk.

The next morning the dorm was empty, Y/N dragged himself out of bed and went down to the common room, where Harry and Hermione were waiting for him, Ron was standing beside them, his hand wrapped in bandages. The rest of the Gryffindors were down having breakfast.

Hermione's eyes looked red and puffy, Neville had given her the news that Gryffindor had lost a hundred and fifty points. It was quiet between the four of them, finally Y/N spoke.

"Why are you so upset Hermione?"

Hermione gave a dry sob and and hugged Y/N tightly, Harry sighed and wrapped his own arms around the two of them, so they were in a mini group hug, Ron looked a little uncomfortable at first, but joined in.

The four of them just stood there, their arms wrapped around each other.

"We've lost a hundred and fifty points." Ron mumbled.

"Yeah..." said Y/N.

"Thank you for what you did Y/N." Harry said quietly. "Imagine how many points we would have lost if we were all caught."

Hermione still hadn't said anything, she just tightened her grip on Y/N.

"Y'know, Gryffindor's going to hate me for this." Y/N pointed out. "Man it's lucky I remembered the cloak. You two just left it behind when you left the tower, if I hadn't been there, you would've definitely been caught, and Harry would've lost his dad's cloak."

Eventually they all let go of each other, made their way down to the Great Hall, and braced themselves for the reaction of the school.