Lilly stood outside Umbridge's office. She moved her hand up to knock, but she quickly removed it. What was going to happen to her? She had seen kids come out of here crying their eyes out. Lilly knew Filch had been wrangling to get corporal punishment back, what if Umbridge already had? Steeling herself, she knocked.
"Come in!" Umbridge's girly voice rang out. Lilly carefully opened the door. She was immediately bombarded by the sheer amount of pink in the room. Everywhere, tea-cups, pinks draperies and plates with moving kittens on them.
"Er…"
"Good evening Miss Gregory." Umbridge smiled a wide toadish grin. "You're going to be doing some lines for me today. Please, sit." She indicated a plain, wooden desk. There were two chairs, making Lilly realise the Weasley twins must have already been here at least once. She sat down and was about to pull out her quills and ink when Umbridge stopped her.
"No, no." She smiled. "You won't need any of that. "You're going to be using one of my very special quills." Lilly nodded, glumly. Writing lines was so pointless and boring. Plus, some of the worst teachers would tear them up as soon as you had finished, making you feel like you had just wasted what felt like forever on those goddamn words. Umbridge smiled a sickly sweet smile as she placed a midnight black quill on the wooden desk. Suddenly, a first year girl burst into the classroom.
"I'm so sorry Professor!" she panted. "I got lost and I-"
"Save it," Umbridge paused and consulted a list. "Miss Elspeth Chase. Go and sit by Miss Gregory."
"Miss Gregory, I want you to write 'I must not disrespect my elders'. Miss Chase, please write 'I must not disobey the rules'. Chop chop!"
"Miss we don't have any ink." Lilly pointed out bluntly.
"I said get going Miss Gregory!"
"Yes Miss."
"It is Professor, not 'Miss'!"
"Yes Professor."
"Very good,"
Lilly placed the quill on the paper.
I must not disrespect my elders
She watched as red ink came out of the pen. It looked kind of like blood. Maybe Umbridge did it to try and psych out her detentionees. Suddenly, she gasped in pain. Her hand felt like it was on fire! Staring in abject horror at the previously smooth skin on the back of her hand, she watched the words 'I must not disrespect my elders' appear on her hand as if cut by an invisible knife.
"Bloody hell!"
"Ah, another detention tomorrow night!" Umbridge said sweetly. "Carry on with your lines dearie!"
Lilly wrote another three lines. Again, the burning, cutting pain erupted and the cuts deepened.
"Right," she thought. "That old hag wants to see me cry, I won't give her the satisfaction, no matter how many times she sticks me in here!" Lilly had grown up on a rough council estate, she knew how to fight, avoid gangs and she had once been on the receiving end of a minor knife attack; she still had the shoulder scar to prove it.
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
She could hear Elspeth the first year sniffling quietly beside her. She looked over, seven lines compared to her twenty one.
"Miss I can't!" Elspeth sobbed. "It really hurts!"
"Yes, it does doesn't it?" Umbridge said sweetly. "Well, maybe it will teach you to remember the rules next time?" She giggled like a five year old girl.
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
Ten more lines had appeared on her sheet. Elspeth had written five more. Blood was pinpricking on Lilly's hand.
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
Elspeth had done twenty two now. Lilly was at around thirty five lines, each written in her own crimson blood.
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
Elspeth was sobbing uncontrollably now. It reminded her of her little sister, Emily. Helpless and in pain. Umbridge was still smiling sweetly over her tea-cup.
I must not disrespect my elders
I must not disrespect my elders
It was too much for Lilly.
"YOU BITCH!" She slammed the quill down, her hand dripping blood. "YOU UTTER SADIST!"
"Miss Gregory!" Umbridge screeched. "Sit down at once! Detention for a week!"
"YOU KNOW WHAT, BITCH?" Lilly laughed, still yelling at the top of her lungs. "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!" She stormed up to Umbridge. Pushing her backwards, she yelled. "THAT'S FOR ELSPETH!" She was already screwed, why not up the ante a notch and pretty much expel herself on the spot? She drew back her hand and slapped Umbridge around the face. "THAT WAS FROM ME!" She pulled her bag onto her shoulder and stormed out with a stunned Elspeth beside her.
"That…" Elspeth mumbled. "Was bloody brilliant."
"I know." Grinned Lilly. "It was wasn't it?"