Bab 74: The Weight of Words
But even the Betrayers Mark didn't necessarily have to ruin Mr. Weasely's life. Yes it would make things harder for him but then he was magically born and raised just as she'd been. And he should've known what was allowable conduct for a vassal and what wasn't. So he would have to learn to live with it now. Because he'd tried to kill Mr. Potter personally. And that wasn't acceptable. At all.
To make sure everyone fully understood the marks were deserved or they wouldn't be there, Minerva made copies of that little book Irma had given her about it. She personally gave a stack of reprints to each of her fellow Heads of House, explaining that since the Law of Justified Retribution was so old, a lot of the students mightn't understand what had allowed Harry to call upon it as he had.
She explained she was going to set aside some class time to speak to the students about the spell and just why Mr. Potter had enacted it on the Triad but how that didn't grant them the same right as it could backfire if they called for it and just cause wasn't found. Because according to the booklet Irma had given her, Magic judged both participants and if magic found the one that had called for justice wasn't deserving of that justice, it'd punish the caller just as easily as the one the caller wanted judged. Both parties involved could also be found wanting just as easily as neither party.
Those books were handed out by all the teachers to any student who questioned either Harry's right or the marks themselves. This was one case where life itself was the best teacher possible and all of them were teachers at heart.
Even Severus took a stack of the booklets though he'd already spent many hours explaining the old law to the students of his house. He'd had to do a lot of research to answer some of the questions his Slytherin were asking but he felt it was time well spent.
Still the trio, led by Hermione who just couldn't get it through her head things had really changed for them, continued to whine and complain about being disfigured and tried to turn the school against Harry in any manner they could.
Which wasn't easy because every time they tried to cast blame on Harry their faces would swell telling their listeners not to believe them. But some of the students recognized Hermione as the ring leader egging the other two on and decided to try and get it through her head so they could begin learning better behavior.
The Patil twins went so far as to tell Hermione she should really consider shutting up since she was nothing but a muggleborn. The wizarding world wasn't known to be kind-hearted towards those of her birth rank who'd harmed someone of his stature.
"Of his stature?" Hermione had sneered at them. "As what? A freaky little halfblood raised every bit as muggle as myself? Oh wait. That's right. He wasn't. He was the freak of a servant his relative kept in a cupboard under the stairs. I was at least wanted by my family instead of being foisted upon them simply because there was no place else to put me. And for your information I have a much brighter future than that brain dead loser ever could." Her cheek swelled with her words of defamation.
The two Indian nationals shared a look before turning on her. Engaging in the twin speak the Weasely Twins were so well known for Padma calmly said, "If we were you,"
Parvati took over, "we'd shut up about his upbringing,"
"as continuing to spout off about that,
"can only come back to hurt you,"
"and those you think so highly of."
Parvati nodded before adding, "But by all means, don't listen to us."
"Keep running your mouth. You're good at it," smirked Padma.
"Let's see how long your current backing has your back."
"Just remember, when payment catches up to you. . ."
"And it will. . ."
"We warned you," said Padma.
Parvati sneered at the arrogant girl and said, "You think these marks are the only thing this world can do to you? You're a fool if you believe that. He's a bonafide hero, Granger. His status is independent of his birth rank. Those muggle filth he calls kinfolk may not have treated him as they should have. But that's nothing to do with you.
Nor does it make you better than he is. Them, being bloodkin to him protects them from almost all forms of retribution. And believe me, there's many a person in this world who'd love to repay them for his upbringing. All they're waiting for is an indication from him that it'd be appreciated. But his surviving their upbringing and not calling for retribution upon them for it, has the people's admiration."
Padma raked Hermione from head to toe before saying, "You don't share that protection which you'd do well to begin remembering. You have this year to begin working at removing that mark from your face but all we've heard you doing is whining about how unfairly your being treated. And how no one will stand up for you and punish him for marking you. Why should we when we know you deserved it?"
"You're of the lowest socially acceptable caste and no one will appreciate what you've been doing. Even those people who oppose him because he is the last of the Potters or because he defeated the Dark Lord whom they followed, or his house is higher, or richer, than theirs will be against you if word of what you knowingly did gets out. And you, they can get to all too easily. Because there's no one protecting you, is there, Granger?"
Parvati nodded adding, "Because he's a Hero to the entire Magical world, it wouldn't surprise me to discover there are headhunters after you once word of what you did and tried to do to him gets out. And no I don't mean those muggle headhunters who go around looking for people they can make famous Faye told me about in the dorm room.
These head hunters will cheerfully separate your head from your shoulders if they catch up to you once people hire them. And there are people in this society who won't even think twice about hiring them. You can damn well bet word will get out, too. There's no way something like this will stay confined to the school as your antics did."
Now Padma was nodding. "So do yourself a favor and shut your mouth before you get someone you care about killed."
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