Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I should think this to be quite obvious by now.

A/N: I was reading OotP and just wanted to kill her. Only, in my mind, I wanted it to be a lot more painful, but this is the best I could do.

The shadows seemed to writhe with glee as a pitiful woman was thrown down to the floor. Her hands were bound behind her back, and her unkempt hair flew into her face. The man behind her yanked her into a kneeling position, and the eyes of Dolores Umbridge widened at the sight of her Dark Lord.

"Thank you, Mulciber," He hissed. The man bowed and left; the door clanged shut behind him.

"M-m-mercy! My lord, p-please. Mercy!" she immediately began babbling.

"Silencio," hissed the woman standing at his side. Dolores kept speaking, though she knew she could not be heard.

"Now, now, Bella, let her speak," the Dark Lord admonished gently. "She has...earned that right."

"My lord!" Dolores gasped, when he released the charm. "My lord, please, I will not fail again! I promise this!"

"Yes, you have failed."

Dolores cowered in fear.

"I will do what you ask, my Lord, anything! Please! Have mercy, have mercy, have mercy..." She trailed off into sobs. "My lord....we weren't expecting...we couldn't have known...Potter was disguised as one of our own!"

"Have mercy," Bellatrix mocked. "The Dark lord is merciful, Dolores Umbridge. But you let him go. He was right there, and you let him slip through your fingers! Tell me how that deserves MERCY! " Bellatrix shrieked, "Cru-"

"My lord!" screamed Dolores.

"-cio!"

Lord Voldemort watched impassively as Dolores screamed in pain. After a minute or so, he sharply signaled to Bellatrix, who immediately lifted the curse. Dolores' voice trailed off in a choked sob.

"Now, now, Dolores, did you really think I would forgive you just like that?" the Dark Lord asked with false puzzlement. Dolores pursed her lips and stared fixedly at the floor as she shook her head. There was a swish and an invisible hand forced her chin upward. She flinched at the anger in his eyes.

"My lord, I have always been faithful...Loyal...to you."

"And the Dark Lord always rewards his faithful followers," he replied.

Dolores slumped in relief, but the Dark Lord lifted his wand. Eyes wide in horror, Dolores could only watch as the green light of the curse enveloped her in its unforgiving grasp.

"You are forgiven," the Dark Lord spoke after a long silence. Then, he swept out of the room, followed by Bellatrix.