Harry was sitting in the common room, his invisibility cloak on, waiting.

He glanced at the watch over the wall; it should happen any minute…

The hand of the clock reached 23:00 and Ron and Hermione walked together towards the entry of the Gryffindors' Tower. Less than a minute passed and Harry grinned as his forecast came alive, two ginger twins standing.

Only five minutes had passed and they already managed to receive seven different customers. The deal was clear and efficient – the twins brought their equivalent of guinea pigs the product. A day later they returned, updating Fred and George about their experience with the product.

Harry stifled a laugh; Hermione had basically turned the twins into drug dealers.

He kept waiting patiently until all of the experimenters left, and just as the pair was about to leave, he popped out of the thin air, removing the cloak.

"I've been waiting for you." He said dramatically and took in the satisfaction of seeing them wince. It was a rare moment.

However, they recovered quickly. "Harry-kins, the man of the hour! What can we do for our favorite – " Fred's tone fell to a whisper " – Funder?"

"I need your help."

George cracked his joints. "Just tell what, when and where."

"I want to drive Umbridge mad." Harry smirked. This was why he loved the twins; they were loyal and discreet. Unlike his closest friends, however, they didn’t ask questions. "Mad in a Slytherin way." He gave them the required background and what he wanted to do.

Fred and George exchanged looks and offered him an improvement to his plans.

"Are you sure you weren't supposed to be Slytherins?" Harry asked with faked suspicious.

They saluted in return and retreated to their beds, leaving Harry staring at their backs.

He tried to deny the Slytherin nature of their plan, but after a few moments of contemplating about it he decided that sometimes acting like a Slytherin was better.

If only Snape could read his thoughts, he would've been so proud.

Severus Snape was torn between being amused and going insane.

In the last week, it seemed as if his past sins and all of the spirits he had tormented were revived with the sole purpose of hunting Dolores Jane Umbridge, the fresh High Inquisitor of Hogwarts.

Each day he encountered a different piece from his past. Occasionally a spell he had invented on his youth, other times a potion he had enhanced. It was crystal clear; somebody had gained a hold of one of his old Potions books, the ones he couldn't extinguish in a moment of weakness.

Nonetheless, Severus' sleep remained intact due to this fact. No, what agitated him was the signature on each of the hoaxes; Half Blood Prince.

How does somebody dare to sign his identity on these pranks? How dare they remind him of his past? His mistakes? The audacity was unnerving; he felt the need to crush beetle eyes until they were as thick as dust, even after doing so to a full bucket.

'Perhaps it had something to do with the green, emerald toning of the eyes,' Whispered a little voice in his head.

Well, it was official. He was losing it. Conceivably, after some explanations, Albus will accept his resignation and grant him a few days to gather his belongings before he moved to St. Mango.

A shiver went through his spine. With his luck, he will be in the bed between Gilderoy Lockhart and Alice Longbottom for everlastingness, affixed to his place amid the representor of his utmost failure at protecting Potter from danger, and his reminder of the hard truth; that originally, he was the one who placed him in his position.

He lifted again the barriers of his mind, squeezing the treacherous thoughts about the two Potters into the darkest, deepest core of his existence.

"A sickle for your thoughts?" Asked Minerva, who was sitting on his right and nibbling on a toast.

Severus grimaced. "I think I'm losing it." He recapped.

"At least you had it to begin with." She muttered under her breath, her eyes flashing to Albus' bright yellow robes.

"Why Minerva, I suspect that Severus is rubbing off on you." The Headmaster answered serenely, reaching to the poached eggs.

"I'd rather be the head of Slytherin than wear this hideous robe of yours."

Albus shrugged. "Your loss." Then, his face brightened and he grinned at Severus.

Severus did not like that expression.

"Severus, I had a wonderful idea." Here we go. "I couldn't prevent myself from noticing that throbbing vein in your forehead." What? "As the Headmaster of the school, I'm obliged to tend the well-being of the students and the stuff." This is why you endorsed Potter's participance in the Triwizard Tournament.  "And lately I've traveled to the Muggle London and was able to peek into a few stores." Did somebody call Arthur Weasley? "I observed many fascinating objects," but… "But one of them specifically caught my eye and I purchased it as a present for you."

Severus frowned and observed suspiciously as Albus retrieved a few balls which were filled with liquid from his pocket. "These are 'stress balls'," He explained. "When you're irritated and in need of trampling something, all you need to do is to squeeze the ball – " he demonstrated " – and soon your rage will go, the ball left unharmed. Quite delightful, actually."

Severus blinked.

And again.

He glanced at the Headmaster's joyful smile and at Minerva, who chuckled openly.

"Let me clarify the situation, old man." Severus hissed, through gritted teeth. "You think. That the optimal solution. To my throbbing vein. Is. A. Liquid. Ball?"

"Precisely!" Albus beamed and placed two colorful balls in his right hand. Severus squished them, hard.

"There you go!"

Severus shook his head, unable to comprehend the situation. "You're the most delusional, senile, detached from reality – "  

"Hem, hem." Umbridge tried to cut in. Ignoring the disturbance, he continued. "Insane, nuts, senseless, psychotic – "

"Hem, hem." Umbridge coughed louder. She leaned towards them, invading their conversation and Severus' personal space. It took a significant part of his stoicism not to throttle her in the exact moment. His right hand strangled the so-called stress ball.

He took petty revenge in navigating her pink scarf into a pitcher pumpkin juice.

Next breakfast he'll make sure she's sitting next to Hagrid. He didn't hold any grudge against the gentle half-giant, but he was sure that Hagrid would understand the circumstances.

Without losing her composure, Minerva turned to her. "Does your throat unsettle you, Dolores? Severus has developed a quite effective potion to enlighten the symptoms of Common Cold."

Severus shot at Minerva, in return, one of his famous glares, which showed exactly how much did he appreciate the chance to help the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts.

"No, thank you, Minerva. I simply wanted to announce a message. Headmaster?" She asked sweetly and Dumbledore gestured approvingly at her. Umbridge had risen from her seat and stepped forward.

Severus turned to Minerva. "Two gallons say that the message is related to Potter."  

"The odds of seeing me in Albus' yellow robes are colossal compared to the odds of you losing that bet."

Severus' lips quirked upwards as he leaned into his chair, waiting for the imminent speech of the loathsome toad-like.

"I bet that the new educational decree has something to do with the Half Blood Prince." Harry said to Ron and Hermione, loud enough that the Twins could hear him.

Hermione didn't seem pleased. "You're playing a risky game, Harry. I don't know if – "

"Shh!" Fred and George scolded. "You're causing – "

" A disturbance – "

"to the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts." They finished together, clasping their hands over her mouth.

Ron tried to talk, his mouth full of food, and managed to mumble something that sounded suspiciously similar to 'Yeah, Hermione'. However, the lack of a thump indicated that Hermione decided to let him have the benefit of the doubt.

Or maybe she was disgusted with the amounts of pudding inside his mouth.

"Hem, hem." Umbridge coughed loudly and everybody turned to her. "During the last week, a havoc was made out of this school. Some students… I suppose there's no need to throw names…" She looked directly at Harry. "Believe they have privileges due to their status. Today, I'm declaring the end of the terror regime which was caused by them. By order of The High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, according to educational decree number eighteen, all students whom blood status is half-blood must make an appearance in my office today or tomorrow." Her eyes scanned the crowd before her, making sure they've understood.

Harry looked at the professors. McGonagall looked ready to kill. Dumbledore and Flitwick frowned. Snape's expression didn't betray anything but his fingers were digging onto something, turning his palm to even paler shade than the usual.

Umbridge followed his glance as well and her smile widened. "In fact, every teacher whose blood status is not fully pure, or… human…" Hagrid's eyes almost popped out of his face and he was beginning to stand, but Flitwick held him down (which was quite absurd situation). "… Must also appear in my office in order to pass interrogation about the current events. The consequences of skipping this little chit chat could end in expulsion, prohibition or even… discharge." She looked at Hagrid, smug.

"She's insane!" Ron shouted, alike many people in the Great Hall. Suddenly, a popping sound was heard and Snape stood up. The ruckus faded away. Harry had seen him raged enough times to know that the vein in his forehead was throbbing.

"High Inquisitor, may I present… A hindrance?" His voice was dripping with malice. Without waiting for her reply, he continued, walking towards her. "Certainly, you are not suggesting that I am Potter's partner in crime… Are you?" He was now standing right in front of her, shadowing the toad with his bat-like robes.

Umbridge visibly flinched. "P – Professor Snape! I didn't know you were…"

"What, Dolores? What am I?" He took a step closer, merciless. "A prankster? Rascal? Imp? Gamin? Hooligan?" He sneered, revealing his teeth. Harry wasn't sure if Snape declares that he's a half blood or a half vampire.

Umbridge wasn't sure, too, since she jumped a few steps backwards.

It wasn't enough for Snape, however. He took another step towards her, his long legs crossing the gap in one stride.

"Dolores, I obey to one master and to him exclusivly. Care to guess who?" He scratched his left forearm, where Harry knew that the dark mark was. Umbridge was smart enough not to answer that question. "I won't show up to your questioning, and neither will any of my students." He laid his palm on her nape, pulling her closer to him. Despite his tone dropped, the hall was quiet enough and everyone heard every word clearly. "Or there will be… consequences."

With those words and another glare, Snape swept out of the room, his robes billowing.

"Woah." Panted Ron, breaking the silence.

Suddenly, a blue firework exploded and the hall turned into havoc.