Amid a chorus of sharp intakes of breath, Theodore Nott walked out alone. He looked helplessly around at the wizards, at the school governors who had made promises to him, but not one of them stepped forward to speak for him. Nor did he have any family member who was a governor of Hogwarts.
"Professor Harris, why expel me? What did I do wrong?" Theodore Nott clenched his fists, doing his utmost to stay calm as he stiffened his neck and tried to defend himself. As far as he knew, none of the things he had done had ever been brought into the open. He had never openly opposed Professor Harris.
Allen reached into his pouch and rummaged around, then took out a small crystal vial. Inside was a clear, transparent potion. Allen turned the vial in his hand, then set it on the ground with the label facing outward. "I'll just leave it here."
"No! Headmaster Harris, even the Ministry of Magic cannot use Veritaserum on people at will, let alone on a student..." Amelia Bones spoke up at once when she saw the name on the label. "Even if you have become headmaster of Hogwarts, you have no right to use it on anyone!"
"Veritaserum..." Theodore Nott's face went deathly pale after he made out the label on the potion vial, and his fingers twisted together in panic. "Professor Harris... no, Headmaster Harris... you can't use Veritaserum on me... doing that is illegal..."
"Madam Bones, I did not intend to use it on Mr. Nott. It is not for him to drink. I simply don't want it anymore and am discarding it here. Whoever drinks it does so of his own accord..." Allen shook his head casually and turned to Mr. Nott. "Mr. Nott, however, you will have