The Dark Gryffindor

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Chapter Twenty-eight: The Burning Reed


A long line of Gryffindors trailed up the main staircase following their prefects. From the top of the stairs, a loud voice full of energy said, “I don’t care what he says Horace…Snape had no right when we consider it’s Hogwarts tradition…Now go in there and tell him to fix the point system. I want it back!”

Valerie turned the corner of the first landing and watched an irate Mcgonagall who stood beside the Slytherin head of house.

Slughorn backed away from Minerva, shaking his head, he whined, “I can’t do that, Minerva…My house won and you can’t expect me to vouch against my Slytherins…It would make me quite unpopular.” And Horace shuddered with fear, “and what’s more if it’s true the Dark Lord doesn’t want us to have points….Then so be it!”

Mcgonagall was shaking now too, her lips so tightly pressed they looked cemented together. “Then go Horace. Go to your wretched students. Some help you are!”

And Horace’s portly frame jostled his way through the crowd of Gryffindors that were still clomping up the stairs. He headed down to the Slytherins’ dungeon corridors that lead to their common room.

Without saying a word or looking at anybody, Mcgonagall marched up to the front of the queue and spoke instructions to the prefects.

A couple of minutes past. Gryffindors broke off into two points, Mcgonagall did not object but she did not say anything either. It was the segment that was apart of Dumbledore’s Army that wanted to hole up the night of house arrest in the Room of Requirement.

Valerie walked with Ginny through the corridors. They had nearly made it safely to the Room of Requirement when Ginny rolled her eyes and muttered, throwing her hands up, “Of course…”

Three prefects were waiting. The Carrows and Filch had told all the prefects where the D.A.’s secret hiding place was. The prefects there were just waiting for them to show up and see if they could learn how to get in.

“Do you think you can hold them off, Powers?” said Ginny. “If not I have to tell our people to stay in the common room for the night.”

“Yes. It so happens I’m on speaking terms with one of them. Not friendly, mind you,” Valerie added quickly as Ginny shot an angry glance her way.

So Valerie went over to Damion and his gang who weren’t facing her, but standing in the opposite direction, watching Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws merge together as all of them are members of the D.A.

But before she could say anything Valerie’s curiosity was piqued by Damion’s two comrades, the same two boys who had been punished for following Damion. She heard Greengrass, a fifth year Slytherin prefect say, “You know, Bulstrode…I’m telling you this is the last time I accompany you on duties or anything. I’m not risking my hide with you and I mean that literally after what happened. I don’t care what you have to offer. We never wanted girls or the boys to fondle in the dungeons. It was only you –who”

“Shut-up…Move it before we lose them…” said Damion. He meant to hurry before the D.A. entered their secret lair for he needed to observe how it’s done.

Valerie spoke up from behind them, “Pathetic loser!…Damion, you don’t have a clue what a woman wants.”

Immediately on the spot the three boys turned to face Valerie. Damion’s mouth twitched into a frown and he muttered icily, “I don’t care what a woman wants. It’s what a man wants and for me that’s a supply of blowjobs. I’m still waiting for more favours again from you, Powers.”

“Ugh…that’s sick. I can’t take it anymore, Damion,” said Richard, the other prefect.

Greengrass laughed a little but then looked back at Damion and gathered his courage. Finally he said a churlish farewell, “You blew it…See ya’ loser…”

Valerie watched as Damion’s two former friends left him on the spot, Greengrass actually nodding affably to Valerie.

Now they were alone in the corridor. At the other end the D.A. had made it inside without being detected thanks to her being the diversion.

It took only a few seconds and then Damion, feeling a monstrous rage grabbed Valerie and pushed her against the wall. Valerie could feel his heat radiating right off her as he stood towering over her. She looked up at Damion, into his brutal and blunt dark features, and he grabbed her jaw possessively.

Damion spoke, trying to live the fantasy for himself, “When I’m out of Hogwarts, Powers…I will find you…and I will gladly kill you…Whip you to your death…and then…bath in your blood.”

Valerie gasped and her whole body shook convulsively, and Damion making it more real, peered into Valerie’s eyes, with his eyes glinting with hatred. And then, roughly he withdrew and stalked away.

For a long moment, Valerie just stood there. She felt like she could easily collapse into the floor. But she gathered herself together and weakly went for the Room of Requirement.


*


But a little while later Valerie was returned to healthy spirits hanging out in the Room of Requirement, which was buzzing with activity, almost a celebration despite the huge loss. Neville had rallied everyone’s morale with a brief speech before where he vowed there would be revenge.

Valerie was particularly happy tonight, for she finally seemed to be forming a friendship with Ginny and also one with Neville.

Valerie and Ginny were playing a casual game of chess, whilst drinking mugs of warm, frothy butterbeer. The room echoed with ballads from the Wizarding Rock Band and several students were dancing.

“Fuck Snape and all the Slytherins,” said Ginny. It had become a custom for the three of them to randomly remind each other what a jerk Snape had been today as they enjoyed each other's company.

Valerie had decided she would agree with all the snide remarks. For she was particularly furious with Snape herself.

“Yeah, fuck Snape,” breezily answered Valerie, partially just to make Ginny like her. Ginny actually smiled warmly at her, something she’d never done.

“The greasy git is what Harry called him, and Ron,” said Neville thoughtfully. “He is. Snape really needs to go and wash his hair out. But I don’t think there is a potion strong enough to remove the grease.”

Valerie laughed sycophantically. “He’s really terrible giving it all over to Slytherin....I just wish there was something we could do.”

“I know…We need to do something right now. Cause I don’t think I’ll be able to bear it all, with them Slytherins rubbing it in my face tomorrow. Those lyrics about me and my family are finally really bugging me!” said Ginny.

Valerie thought about all Snape had done and his censorship and demeaning of Gryffindor in the Great Hall. “I have an idea!” said Valerie excitedly.

“We’ll sneak into the Great Hall tonight…Just the three of us. We can tear up all the Slytherin banners. It’s something that will surprise them tomorrow morning and nobody will know it was us.”

“That’s an awesome idea, Valerie,” said Ginny. Valerie beamed; she had not heard her third cousin say her first name ever. “You know you’ve grown on me...I really do like you, afterall.”

“Gosh, Valerie!..." Neville was flabbergasted at the unsettling daring adventure. "Tear up all the banners? What if we get caught?”

“Not if we’re careful,” answered Valerie sweetly and she grinned slyly at Neville.

So Ginny, Neville and Valerie put their heads together and plotted just how they were going to make it happen.

Sometime around eleven at night, the room was gradually quieting down. People were getting ready for bed and nobody took great care of notice when the leaders, Ginny and Neville with Valerie left the barracks.

They stole outside into the cool temperature of the corridors.

Ginny said, “Now remember, Valerie. If anyone sees us…We’re gonna say that we’re just out on prefect duty. It is our job and remember, Snape said prefects are allowed to leave the common rooms tonight.”

Neville chimed in, “As long as it’s before our curfew ends at midnight.”

“But don’t worry. We’ll cover for you and we have that story we made up for why you’re with us.”

Several minutes later, the three were very close to the Great Hall. Ginny, Neville and Valerie broke into a run, their slippers making almost no noise against the marble floor, until they zipped through the opened oak doors.

Ginny and Valerie cheered as they soared onto their broomsticks thirty feet above the floor of the Great Hall.

"Diffindo!," said Valerie, balancing on her broom, teetering on the edge of it as she held her wand. A banner ripped in half. One half remained in the air and the other tattered piece went plumetting to the floor.

And so they went around, ripping each of the glittering green and silver serpent banners, shining in the moonlight from the arched windows. And all the while, Neville was standing outside to keep watch by the huge front doors, held ajar. He kept turning around to watch the progress, smiling, and then he would jump back to make sure nobody was coming.

Almost through, Ginny laughed and hooted victoriously, slapping Valerie a high-five.

“Almost done…Wait a second! We missed one,” said Valerie.

“Shit - I think someone’s coming…RUN!,” yelled Neville.

Ginny did not get off her broom. Thinking fast, she sped towards Neville, calling over her shoulder, “Come on, Valerie! Forget those dumb banners…FOLLOW US!”

Valerie hesitated. She went to the only unscathed banner, and ripped it down the middle as well, where it now hung lopsided.

As soon as Valerie finished she glanced back to where Ginny flew off. She saw Neville hop onto the broom, sitting behind Ginny and then speed safely down a corridor on broom, managing to definitely get away.

Valerie started to follow, making her way outside the oaken door. There was Draco joined by the caretaker. Draco shined light from his wand on Valerie and said, “Look who it is…that’s a chaser on the Gryffindor team, Valerie Powers. We got one!"

But Valerie didn’t listen. She started to speed away, to follow the two shadowy shapes on the broom, hundreds of yards away down a lonely corridor and impossible to identify.

Filch yelled, “Wouldn’t flee if I were you. We know who you are.”

“You’ll be in more trouble if you do,” drawled the Head Boy pompously and Draco raised his wand to cast a stunning spell. But before he could, Valerie swerved back to them in defeat. With a surging feeling of dread she approached Filch and Malfoy, braking her broom and walking towards them. What were they going to do?

Draco said shrewdly, “See?…I was right. I had a feeling something like this would happen tonight.”

Draco poked his pointy little nose into the Great Hall. “What did you wreck? What were you bashing in there?…Slytherins’ emeralds?”

“No…look above you, Malfoy. Only the stinking Slytherin banners.”

Draco snorted. “Filch, I think you should take her to Professor Snape.”

Valerie tried hard not to sigh with relief. That was certainly a better alternative, the other being the Carrows.

“I will do that Draco. Good night,” said Filch.

“Good night,” answered Draco curtly, and Draco smiled at Valerie. “Good luck. Maybe you’ll get expelled.”

And Filch swiftly took a step, and grabbing Valerie’s hair, swinging down her back he led her up the main staircase.

“Let go of me! I can walk,” snapped Valerie, and she fought to make Filch get his grubby hands off her hair.

But Filch wasn’t scared. He whispered, “You’re in big trouble lassie. Why don’t you tell me who your friends are who went along?”

“Never!” said Valerie bravely and she meant it. But she knew Snape would require this information and suddenly with a sagging feeling she realized Snape was going to be angry.

Minutes later she and Filch had gotten past the stone gargoyles. Valerie was finally beginning to feel ashamed of her behavior and Snape didn’t even know about it yet. She hated letting him down.

“What is this, Mr. Filch?”

Valerie still being held by her hair was practically dragged into the headmaster’s office.

“Students destroyed the décor in the Great Hall, headmaster!” said Filch with an excited rasp.

Snape was standing in long gray nightshirt and nightcap and at these words even his complexion grayed. His eyes flashed as he shot a glance at Valerie. Finally, Filch released his grip from her and Valerie broke free, backing away from Filch.

“What are you going to do with the lassie headmaster? Please can I have her hanging in the dungeons?” Filch, waited staring greedily at Snape, yellow teeth in a grin and jowls aquiver.

“Mr. Filch you’ve done your deed for me. I promise I shall be punishing this girl. Now kindly step out.”

“But headmaster…There’s more for this evening. Peeves, setting firecrackers in honor of Slytherin…”

Irritated even more, Snape shook his head incredulously and pushed Filch towards the door.

“Alright…alright…Good night, headmaster,” yelled Filch once the door was slammed in his face.

Snape inwardly resisted laughing at Filch’s idiocy, as he closed the door on him. He wanted Valerie to be frightened and he needed to have a serious attitude if he was going to glean the details.

Finally Snape turned to Valerie. He stared and stared at Valerie and nobody said anything for an inexorable moment. Valerie hoped desperately he would speak because she couldn’t, all she could do was back away from him, until the back of her thudded against a bookcase.

Snape spoke with deadly force, but quiet, “Is this true? Were you a perpetrator in the vandalizing, Mr. Filch claimed?…Answer me.”

“Yes, sir,” she answered feebly, staring at her slippers. She gulped audibly.

Tears formed in her eyes at the full realization of Snape's anger and disappointment in her. Snape took a step closer and raised her chin up, forcing her to look at him and for him to see the tears behind her eyes.

“What exactly did you do?”

“I – that is me and Ginny and Neville ripped up all the Slytherin hangings. But sir – they did not defy house arrest, it was before their curfew and they’re prefects!”

“No…This matter only shall concern us. Especially-,” added Snape with emphasis, “if it was your idea? Now was it?”

Snape’s hand tilted her head a bit higher as he peered intently into her hard-staring blue eyes that currently were so close to tears.

“Don’t you dare use Occlumency or I will have to hurt you…Let me probe your mind…I don’t care to torture it out!”

Valerie lifted off her defences as Snape performed Legilimency. It took him a moment to see everything; “So…I see what a disgrace you are and what a problem you caused for my school. As it was your idea, only you will be suffering for this…. They didn’t go against my house arrest unlike you, and it was your idea!”

“Indeed it was my idea! And – and you know what? I’m not sorry!” burst out Valerie.

“Yes…I can see that," said Snape sourly. "I’m not surprised you’re unapologetic… I just saw how you wasted the evening with those two other troublemakers…”

Valerie started to become mean and she had the nerve to laugh dryly. “Did you see how all of Gryffindor and the D.A. spent the night insulting you then? All the jokes about fucking-annoying-Slytherin-favouring-Snape…Shall I regale you of them, sir? Things they said like Greasy git and-“

“Enough of this!” spat Snape. “Do you honestly think I am so weak minded to take this vile verbiage?” Afterall, Snape had a lifetime of being taunted and abused.

Valerie frowned, and did not answer, looking serious again but not repentant and still angry with him.

“Valerie – I have a had a very trying day and I think it most unwise that you chose to do this.”

“A trying day? You?! You let your stupid house win! Plus, you tried to humiliate my friend, Neville for no good reason….And you should know he tried to break up the dueling on the pitch. You were so unfair…Gryffindor deserved to win.”

“Gryffindor would have lost completely if the little weasel hadn’t practically stolen the snitch from Draco,” muttered Snape offhandedly.

“Little what?!” said Valerie, her hands coiling into fists and she seethed, “She’s my cousin, sir!”

“I didn’t know this…You’re related-“

“Third cousin on my mother’s side.”

Snape stared again at Valerie. Finally he said quietly, “Let’s go to bed…Where I shall be dealing you with you,” he finished ominously and he moved towards the stairs.

“I guess I’m still in trouble…Aren’t I?…Sir?” she said listlessly.

“Oh, yes,” said Snape, smiling nastily. “Definitely. You will learn a lesson.”

Valerie followed Snape up the twisting staircase and into the large bedroom.

“Get yourself bent across my armchair.”

Valerie did as she was told, first pulling up her pink dressing gown and for good measure for the occasion, pulled down her knickers. Then she waited and listened. She could hear Snape’s bare feet padding over to his cauldron station. She heard him rummaging through boxes and drawers. Her heart skipped a beat. She should have thanked him profusely for not using the cane, but maybe he was still going to? She hoped it was only a spanking…

She heard Snape returning across the floorboards and she turned around, craning her neck to see. Relieved, she saw he was not carrying a rod or any other type of implement. His hands were empty, so he was only going to use his hand.

Remaining bent across the leather armrest, she wriggled her bottom expectantly and said with confidence, “I know you think I deserve the spanking. But I don’t deserve it!….That’s what you’re going to do? Isn’t it, sir?”

“No. However, yes – later you shall be laid across my lap for a sound thrashing.... But now-“

“What?” said Valerie tentatively. Besides still bristling with her own anger, she was a bundle of nerves.

“Now…there are several items to discourse that I wish to address first,” and his words flowed together with that strange mixture of both amusement and annoyance.

“And doing so with something different up my sleeve…Face forward!” he snapped when she tried to see what he was doing.

Snape opened his fist and in his palm was a bit of dried reed as hard as wood. It looked harmless enough. But Snape took his wand out and all the while Valerie was waiting with anticipation for what was about to ensue. She braced herself for just about anything painful she could imagine.

At a spell one tip of the reed glowed orange and red like a burning ember or a piece of coal. It was lit by a magical fire but of less power than a real one.
He plunged it into Valerie’s buttocks and she shrilled with sheer shock from the sensation.

“Oh, please…It’s burning me, I’m begging you…Please stop, sir!” But Snape did not release it and it remained lodged in there, nearly covering the entire span of the crevice between her buttocks.

“I assure you the burns will be temporary.” She continued to scream for another moment and finally, Snape dislodged the burning reed.

“I hate this punishment….Why can’t you have just caned me?” she wailed. “Instead you treat me like-like…worse than a child like I’m-“

“Valerie if we were married…if you were my wife you’d be getting the same.”

“What?”

“Granted, I wouldn’t expect I’d ever have to correct my wife for the reasons you give me tonight. How dare you insult me and how dare you desecrate my house!”

And at once the burning reed went back in, and Valerie’s slippered feet pounded the floor. It was like a feather of Fawkes on a burning day was inside her.

“Please…Sir!…Headmaster!…I will never say those things again. I’m sorry.”

“No. You will not,” said Snape darkly. “This is justice for cussing, your disrespect and also to curb your fiery passion…Admit the following, and I’ll release the reed…A Gryffindor’s fire cannot triumph and must be mastered and - controlled…. by the waters of Slytherin.”

“No…Please don’t make me…Okay, I agree…” and Snape at once released the reed.

Valerie between gasps noted observantly, “You mean - Opposites attract. That’s - why we’re attracted to each other.”

“True…But there is more I must say…Remind me of whom you were addressing before you called me those derogatory phrases?”

“The Headmaster of Hogwarts…I’m sorry. Please have mercy on me, sir.”

Snape laughed and said harshly, “This isn’t going to kill you. It will heal…Next part.”

Snape bent himself over and put his hands on Valerie’s shoulders, where she remained bent across the seat of the chair. She felt Snape press his member against her, and she realized it was hard. Hurting her had aroused him!

“Arrgh! OH!” she moaned in half pain and half pleasure as Snape’s cock invaded the charred place between her two lobes.

Valerie couldn’t help but squirm and moan in pain, and simultaneously Snape moaned and jeered with obvious pleasure at his domination of her, and he grabbed the crown of her head, pulling on her hair.

“Arrgh!” Snape screamed. He had climaxed. Waiting to regain control, he held Valerie’s body against his, panting, and he listened to her quiet sobs.

“Good girl,” he finished. “Suppose that for such a good fuck, as you were for me, it was well worth going to bed late. The rest of your punishment, tomorrow. Bed.”

And lazily Snape slapped her rear, thinking this was nothing compared to the spanking she’d get in the morning. Valerie stood up slowly off the armchair and then bent down again pulling her panties up, trying to eliminate her sobs.

But she couldn’t stop crying. She followed Snape climbing into bed under the covers. She had no desire to cuddle next to him. She kept herself on one side and he was gladly on the other.


Please Review.


I came up with the reed idea months ago. I decided to search the net, as I had a gut feeling reeds had been used for a punishment. Turns out I was right. I found this, “Bildad argued that as reeds cannot "flourish without water". The Roman soldiers gave Jesus a reed for a scepter during the Mocking of Christ after His scourging. It was as hard as wood and probably originally meant to be used as a cane to flog disobedient soldiers. They took the reed from His hand and struck Him with it, beating the thorns of His crown into His head.” It really does fit things perfectly for this story.