Seamus Finnigan was not in a good mood. His mother was still threatening to take him out of Hogwarts and it was all Harry's fault. Every day the paper would have some stupid story about how Harry lies about everything. He knew it wasn't true but the stress his mother was putting on him made him want to burst and when he did it always seemed to be at Harry.
"Seamus maybe you should tell your mother she's stressing you out." Dean suggested. They were in the library trying to study but all Seamus could think about was the last letter from his mother.
"I can't tell me mam that." he waved him off then sighed, "I'm just going to go."
"You need to be studying." Dean pointed out.
"I'll take some books and do some reading after I shower and relax for a bit." he shrugged, "The library will close soon anyway."
"Go on and shower, I'll bring the books back with me." Dean offered and went back to his essay.
Seamus left the library and walked back towards Gryffindor tower. His head was bowed and he wasn't looking where he was going and he wasn't really seeing anything either. With his mind in the stupor it took him a minute to realize what he was doing. But when he woke up to it he knew something was very wrong. He was following a trail of blood spots on the floor and they were heading toward Gryffindor. He was sure some Slytherin had beaten someone up again. So it was with a keener sense for his surroundings that he quickened his pace.
He really began to worry when the spots on the floor missed the turn to go up to the tower. He didn't think there was anything down this way. He was really wishing Dean had come with him now. Pulling out his Gryffindor courage and his wand he continued to follow the spots that seemed to be getting larger. He heard a shuffle and thump ahead and he hurried forward only to stop in the shadows before he entered the hall. That was when he spotted Harry Potter wobbling down the hall with blood dripping off his hand and splashing to the floor.
"Harry?" he called stepping into the light, he didn't respond so he called louder, "Harry."
Harry stopped and turned quickly with his wand drawn but instead of moving to a defensive stance he fell over. Seamus kept his wand out and was looking around cautiously as he approached Harry. Harry, for his part was holding his head and trying to aim his wand at Seamus.
"It's ok Harry, it's just me, Seamus." he clarified in case Harry couldn't identify him, "What happened? Are you ok?"
"Seamus." he gasped and tried to stand, "Sorry, I was just heading back to the common room after detention with Umbridge."
"Why are you bleeding." he asked.
"Blood quill." he muttered, "Had to do four hundred lines. She doesn't want to believe that I'm not telling lies."
Seamus picked up the bloody right hand and could see the words I must not tell lies etched into the back. He quirked an eyebrow at the brunette and wondered, "Harry, after four hundred lines in your own blood do you still say he's back?"
"He is back." Harry stated clearly.
Seamus nodded and then helped Harry to stand, "Come on, I'm taking you to the hospital. You need a blood replunisher."
"Can't." Harry tried to fight him, "No one can know."
"Why not?" he asked starting to get frustrated.
"Anyone who opposes the Toad will be next on her list." he tried to stand on his own but began to tip over again.
"Ok." Seamus tried to think quickly, "You need to rest then, let me levitate you back to Gryffindor."
"I'm fine." Harry pulled away and began to walk again.
Seamus stayed with him and when Harry missed the turn to the tower again he didn't make the correction. The path they were on would take him to the hospital. If he got Harry close he was in no shape to fight Seamus off about the hospital visit. Harry stumbled again and Seamus took his arm and placed it over his shoulder. This other arm was around Harry's waist and he led him right through the doors to the hospital.
"Oh dear, what happened?" the medi-witch asked.
"I'm fine." Harry slurred even as Seamus placed him on the bed.
"Look at the back of his right hand." Seamus pointed, "He just came from detention with Umbridge."
"What?" she asked as she picked up the hand and turned it over, blood was still seeping from the wound, "How did this happen?"
"Blood quill is what he said earlier." Seamus stated, "He said four hundred lines tonight."
"I need to get an auror here." she huffed.
"I can floo call if you want." he offered.
"No we can't she's monitoring all the floos." Madam Pomfrey fretted for a moment, "Go get McGonagall, but don't tell anyone else then get back to your tower. If you hurry you'll have enough time. And for goodness sakes don't let the toad see you."
"Yes Madam Pomfrey." Seamus ran from the hospital casting silencing charms on his feet as he went. He was being careful at each corner and had to stop in a shadowed alcove once to avoid some of the inquisitor squad. He made it to McGonagall's office in short order and knocked.
"Mr. Finnigan, what are you doing out so late?" she asked when she opened the door.
"I have a question if we could step in your office please." he began looking around nervously.
"Alright." she opened the door for him and closed it behind, "What is it you need."
"Can you make sure no one can listen please." he wished she would hurry.
"Alright." she did the spells, "Now what do you need?"
"I found Harry in the hallway earlier and he was bleeding. He had just left his detention where he had to write four hundred lines with a blood quill. I made him go to the hospital and now Madam Pomfrey wants you to come."
"Get back to your dorm quietly." she instructed waving her wand over clothes changing them to outdoor wear, "Be quite and don't let anyone see you and don't tell anyone what happened."
"Yes Professor." He slipped out the door and she followed locking it behind her. He glanced back when he got to the corner and was just in time to see her cat form slip around the other end of the corridor. He decided right then and there he had to become an animagus.
When he made it back to the tower Dean was already there and looked at him in confusion. When he began to open his mouth Seamus shook his head then pointed up to the dorm. A few minutes after Seamus had already been in the dorm Dean walked in.
"Where were you?" he asked.
"Tell you in a minute." Seamus was busy writing a letter, "Ok, how does this sound. Mam, I think it's time I set you straight about a few things. First quit telling me you're going to take me out of Hogwarts. You're stressing me out in my OWL year and that will result in lower grades so just stop already. Second, quit reading the Prophet they're only telling you lies, Harry never has been an attention seeking brat or a liar. Third what harm will come to you if you believe Harry and get prepared? Now think what harm could come to you if you don't believe him and don't prepare and then you find out he's right. I have decided that I'm going to believe Harry and prepare for the worst. Remember what Da always says about the government. They only tell you what they want you to know, rarely is it the truth or what you need to know."
"I think she'll get your point." Dean grinned, "So what brought this on?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Ron said from the bathroom door, "Not that I don't appreciate the change of heart on Harry's behalf."
"I can't say exactly." Seamus held his hand in a surrender pose, "McGonagall says I can't say."
"Merlin, he's hurt." Ron put a hand to his head.
"How do you figure that?" Dean asked.
"Hush." Seamus waved him off, "Did you know about the monitoring?"
"People watching us and the floo." Ron nodded, "Couldn't have any communication actually going on. By the way you shouldn't send that, those are being watched too."
Seamus added about the floo monitoring and owl interception to his letter, "If I can't send it at least I can give it to her later."
"How did you find out about the monitoring?" Ron asked.
"I offered to make a call and Pomfrey said I couldn't." he shrugged, "She had me get McGonagall instead."
"Good." he sighed in relief and walked over to his bed, "She's got ways to get around things."
"Yes I saw her the same as in first year." Seamus nodded, "She's good."
"Can we quit talking in code?" Dean asked.
"No, walls have ears." Ron waved his arm at the wall.
"Ron." Hermione and the twins entered the room, "Sorry didn't know you all were here."
"It's ok." Ron waved her off, "What's wrong."
"It's curfew and he's not back." Fred stated worriedly.
"He's fine." Ron looked directly at Fred.
"You sure?" George asked.
"He's in good hands." Ron nodded at his other brother.
"When were you going to tell us?" Hermione asked.
"I just found out." he huffed, "I was going to head down after I got my shoes on."
"Wish we knew which hands." Hermione huffed, "I want details."
"Wait a minute." Ron jumped up and went to Harry's trunk. He dug through and pulled out a packet of parchment. Seamus and Dean watched as he muttered something and tapped the paper. He flipped through it before stopping and pointing.
"Ok." she relaxed, "How did he get there?"
"Seamus." Ron indicated with a tilt of his head.
"I didn't put him there, I just took him there." he held up his hands in surrender when three blank faces turned to him.
"Hmmm." Ron hummed as he continued to look at the parchment.
"What?" Hermione moved to look and Fred and George looked over their shoulders, "Wonder why."
Ron looked up at his dorm mates, "Did he tell about his detention?"
"Yes." Seamus nodded, "He said four hundred lines tonight."
"Merlin." Ron looked faint, "Was she trying to bleed him dry?"
"He kind of acted like he was." Seamus offered, "It was still… dripping."
"Good thing he went." Ron sighed.
"I had to trick him." he grimaced, "He was headed here and kept making wrong turns."
Four pale faces found places to sit as they realized just what had happened. Hermione turned to Ron, "I thought…"
"We can't say specifics." he warned, "I didn't know that part."
"Hey look." Fred held up the parchment.
"What is that?" Seamus finally asked.
"Come see." George moved to look over Fred's shoulder.
Seamus and Dean moved over to the group and looked at the parchment, "Wow."
"Is that what's really happening?" Dean asked pointing to a group of names moving around on the parchment.
"It is." Fred nodded, "See there are seven of them. Two here and the rest here."
"Guards?" Seamus asked.
"I suspect so." Ron answered.
***Minerva's point of view***
Minerva locked her office door and shifted to her cat form. She ran down to the end of the hall and peeked around the corner. Moving as quickly as possible she stayed to the shadows and paused when people passed. It only took her a few minutes to make it to the hospital wing. Once through the doors she changed back and closed the doors locking them for good measure.
"Poppy, Seamus told me about the quill." she said by way of a greeting.
"I've given him blood replenishing potions and a dreamless sleep." she explained, "We need to get aurors here."
"I'm going to leave the school and go to Headquarters. Someone should be there." she sighed, "If I didn't know Sirius would insist on coming I'd send a patronus."
"Send it to Molly and have her get one of them." she suggested.
She conjured her patronus and prepared to give it a message, "Take this to Molly Weasley. I need at least five aurors at the school. The Toad has gone too far. I'll meet them by the tree."
She waited a few moments before a wolf patronus entered and Tonks' voice answered, "We'll be there in five minutes."
"Lock the doors behind me." she instructed, "The password will be Cockroach Clusters."
"Channeling Dumbledore?" Poppy asked with a grin.
"I hope so." she cleared the spells off the doors and left closing them behind herself.
She heard the click of the locking spell before she transformed again and headed out to the grounds. By the time she got to the tree a hand shot out and touched the knot. She transformed back and waited while one after another several people climbed out to meet her. Madeye was first followed by Tonks, Kingsley, Bones and a few she could not remember the names of.
"Amelia." Minerva greeted her first, "I'm rather glad you came."
"What is with all the fuss and sneaking about." she asked slightly annoyed.
"Madam Umbridge has the floo system monitored." she said, "She would try to stop me if she knew I had brought you in."
"What has happened?" Amelia asked concern filling her voice.
"She is using Blood Quills for lines in detentions." she tried to keep calm, "A student was brought to the hospital tonight suffering from blood loss. He had to write four hundred lines with horrid thing."
"You have got to be joking." She gasped.
"You can see the cuts in the back of his hand." her voice went shrill, "It was still bleeding when he was brought in."
"Where is the student now?" she asked and started towards the school.
"Locked into the hospital." Minerva finally calmed a bit, "We didn't want her to have another go."
"How long has this been going on?" Moody asked.
"I don't know." Minerva sighed, "I just learned about it tonight."
"Kingsley, Border go with Minerva to the hospital and guard the injured student." she instructed, "Rest of you with me. Her office is in the DADA room correct?"
"It is." Minerva took her part to the hospital and upon arrival gave Poppy the password.
The two aurors entered the hospital and Kingsley went right to Harry's bed side and stood at attention. The other auror however took one look at the boy and scoffed, "Harry Potter. He probably cut himself for the attention."
"Border you've been given orders." Kinsley spoke his low voice filling the room without raising his voice, "None of us are interested in your opinion."
"Come on Kingsley you can't say you believe the drivel he's come out with." Border chuckled.
"I've known Mr. Potter for several years." Minerva frowned at the auror she now remembered him from his school days, "He has never lied to me."
"You must not be reading the Prophet." he began.
"No I tend to stay away from rubbish like that." Minerva's frown turned into a glare and the auror took the hint and shut up.
Meanwhile Amelia knocked and entered Umbridge's office, "Madam Umbridge."
"Hello Amelia." she smiled in a simpering way, "I didn't expect you to come by. What can I do for you this evening?"
"Madeye if you would please." she said with a cold smile. The simpering smile slid off Umbridge's ugly face and she began to speak. However a bright red spell hit her on the chest and she slumped in her chair. Amelia's smile warmed and she said, "Look for anything that could be even slightly considered dark or illegal. Becker, keep your wand on her."
Martin, another auror pulled the chair with the woman in it out of the way of the desk before he began to open drawers, "Four blood quills." he sat them on the desk.
"Shackles." Tonks pulled from another drawer, "Not exactly illegal but I do wonder what she used them for in a school."
"This floo has no restrictions." Madeye pointed out, "Every other one we've ran across was locked. That is breaking safety protocols for emergency large scale evacuations. One unlocked floo per ten students is the law."
"Found four more blood quills." Martin placed them by the rest of the stuff but levitated the next item, "And this. I don't know what it is."
"Reduction amulet." Madeye stated from where he was searching the walls, "Used in medical procedures. Temporarily removes magic from an individual. It's for cases of children with more magic than they can control, illegal for anyone outside the medical profession."
Madeye tromped over to the desk and spread the quills out and tapped each one. The parchment that spat out was attached to the quill before he went to the next one. Amelia picked up the first one and began to shake her head as she read.
"Quill owner Madam Delores Jane Umbridge. Last used today. Used by Harry James Potter to write I must not tell lies four hundred times. Merlin and Godric Gryffindor this is a mess."
"Must be if your cursing with two names." Tonks levitated another item out of the desk.
"Dark curse on that one." Madeye pointed out, "Don't touch it."
"These all belong to our dear Delores." Amelia grimaced, "And they have all been used by students. All of them less than Mr. Potter thank goodness."
"She really has it out for him." Tonks shrugged, "Last time I heard he had been to at least fifteen detentions with her."
"Where did you hear that from?" Amelia wondered how the girl knew Potter.
"Remus Lupin is a friend of mine. He was a friend of James Potter's so Harry keeps in contact with him. Remus keeps me informed." Tonks shrugged, "I met Harry last summer. He's a good kid."
"So you don't believe the Prophet?" Becker asked.
"Not a word." she offered.
"But why isn't he attacking." Martin pointed out, "If he was back he'd start killing again."
"Tell me Martin. If you were him and no one believed you were back what would you do with the time?" Madeye asked, "In my opinion he's gathering his forces. Sending people to the giants, vampires and werewolves. By the time he attacks he'll have our forces overwhelmed. If we don't start getting ready he'll be taking over within days of the time he starts."
"Moody do you have veritiserum on you?" Amelia asked.
"Always." he nodded.
"Right tie her up and feed her some." Amelia ordered. He did as told and then revived the witch. Amelia began the questioning, "Did you use blood quills for lines in detentions?"
"Yes, these brats need to learn discipline." she stated.
"Are you a death eater?" she asked.
"No." she scoffed, "But I'll be glad when he takes over and rids our world of those nasty half breeds, mud bloods and Potter."
"How many lines did you set Potter for his last detention?" she asked.
"Four hundred." she growled.
"You know that four hundred lines would use a good deal of his blood?" Amelia asked.
"Of course. Next time it will be five hundred." she smiled, "I'll use every drop of blood he has."
Amelia casually stunned the woman and shook her head, "I'd say that's premeditation."
"Want me to give her the antidote?" Madeye asked.
"No I'll have more questions when we get her back to the ministry with a dict-a-quill." she waved him off and turned to the door, "Bring her along."
Madeye levitated the woman while Becker kept his wand on her. Martin and Tonks levitated the evidence into a bag and followed them out the door. The group made its way to the hospital and Minerva met them at the doors.
"Amelia?" She addressed the woman.
"Minerva, I am sorry but you are going to be short another employee." she sighed, "If you see Dumbledore tell him to come see me. I want to know why Fudge thinks he's after his job."
"Actually that's Mr. Potters fault." Minerva smiled, "He started a defense club and when Umbridge made all clubs not sanctioned by her illegal they didn't stop and they change the name to Dumbledore's Army. He took the blame so they couldn't do anything to Potter."
"I still want to hear from him." she stated.
"When you question her are you going to ask about Fudge's involvement?" Minerva coaxed, "She always seemed to push the idea that she had his backing to do everything."
"I may even pull him in for questioning." Amelia grinned, "I want to speak to Mr. Potter when he wakes."
"Just stop by anytime tomorrow." Poppy informed her as she gave the woman the medical report, "He's on dreamless sleep and I'm keeping him all day tomorrow and possibly tomorrow night. His blood levels are picking back up but they were dangerously low."
"Tonks I want you to stand guard overnight." Amelia turned on the young auror, "I'll send relief in the morning."
"Yes Ma'am." she replied and replaced Kingsley at Harry's bed side.
***Gryffindor tower, 5th year dorm***
"I wonder if they're taking her away?" Seamus stated.
"One way to find out." Ron dove back into Harry's trunk and pulled out a silvery cloak. He threw it over his shoulders before heading toward the door, "Fred can you let me out?"
"Sure." Fred went first and made sure Ron was behind him when he stepped out the door.
Outside the portrait the Fat Lady watched him lean against the wall, "Deary its after curfew."
"I'm waiting on someone. Can you stick around for us?" he asked.
"Ok." she giggled, "Have you been up to any good pranks lately?"
After ten minutes of chatting he saw Ron running and stuffing the cloak into his shirt. The portrait opened for the both of them and they headed through the crowded common room and strait up to the dorm. He tossed the cloak at Hermione who put it back while he regained his breath.
"Aurors arrested the toad." he gasped with a grin, "Pomfrey is keeping Harry for a few days."
"Good." Hermione slumped onto Harry's trunk.
"So can we quit talking in code now?" Dean asked.
Ron nodded but didn't speak.
"Ok, I was coming back from the library and saw spots on the floor. It took me a minute to realize it was blood. So I followed it to its source, Harry, who had missed the turn on the fourth floor and was headed down that empty corridor." Seamus explained.
"Merlin, that could have turned bad." Ron sighed.
"I tried to get him to go to the hospital he said no she'd be the next one on the list." he continued, "So I planned on just following him to make sure he got back. He missed the turn again which put us on route to the hospital. Not far from the doors he almost fell and I had to help him the rest of the way. Pomfrey sent me after McGonagall who went back to the hospital in her cat form."
"Why is it always Harry?" Dean asked shaking his head.
"Because he's famous and everyone wants a piece of him one way or another." Hermione huffed, "Actually that's not entirely true. They all want a piece of the Boy Who Lived. Very few know or want anything to do with Harry."
"Do you think it'd be ok for me to send the letter to me mam?" Seamus asked.
"Sure." Ron told him, "But it's likely to be in the Prophet in a few days."