Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I forgot to put the disclaimer in the previous chapter, so I do not own any of the characters or anything to do with the Harry Potter universe.

A/N: This was up faster than I thought. Thanks for the reviews! I'm thinking about having Draco be Harry's friend in this. Opinions?

Previously:

Suddenly, Umbridge burst through the door. The Minister of Magic, several Aurors, and a bunch of students were being held captive by the Inquisitorial Squad.

"What happened now?" Severus groaned.

"These students have been wandering in the halls after hours. I am to believe that they have formed some secret organization called Dumbledore's Army to take down our Minister of Magic." Umbridge said proudly in her high voice.

"Aha! Dumbledore, is this true?" said Cornelius Fudge with an excited glint in his eye. He had been waiting for an excuse to arrest Dumbledore.

"Let's face a bigger issue right now, why Harry Potter is lying unconscious behind these curtains in the hospital wing, shall we?" Dumbledore said calmly.

"Stop trying to change the topic Dumbledore! I wa-"

"Severus, please tell us how Harry came across these injuries." Dumbledore opened the curtain for everyone to see. Ron and Hermione were the first to gasp, but everyone soon followed afterwards. "I too for one would like to know."

Everyone, including the Minister, turned to Snape.

"Professor Dolores Umbridge has cast the Cruciatus curse and used a Blood Quill on Harry Potter," Snape said angrily.

As he was talking he saw Umbridge look at him with utter hate in her eyes, but schooled her expression to that of a concerned and innocent one and everyone turned to her.

"Now why would I do that? Maybe you, Professor, are putting the blame on me?" She squeaked with an edge to her tone.

"I agree with Dolores," Fudge finally said.

"Why would I want to kill Harry Potter?" Snape asked and saw Weasley quietly snort while being held by Goyle.

"Because you are a Death Eater and work for You Know Who!" Fudge yelled.

"So you admit he's back?" Dumbledore turned on Fudge.

"I-" he looked frustrated at the turn this conversation has made. "This has gotten off-topic. I have also been informed that Mr. Potter leads this so called army."

"Who is this source may I ask?"

Umbridge stepped aside to reveal Marietta Edgecombe looking at the ground. Everyone gasped and she looked around the room. Everyone saw "sneak" written on her face and Ron smirked at Hermione.

"Her parents will be most proud," said Umbridge with a sense of false superiority.

"As for your second question," said Dumbledore. "I believe this club is called Dumbledore's Army, not Potter's Army."

Umbridge smiled, which was a horrific sight and said, "Alright, but I know for certain that Potter has been at these meetings."

"How is that if he was in the infirmary today then?" Dumbledore challenged.

"There must be other leaders," she challenged, glaring at the students.

Dumbledore was silently thankful that she did not suspect Harry's friends to have led the club. "Well since Mr. Potter was not there, he is as guilty as any of the other students. I am the one to blame for the organization of Dumbledore's Army."

"Professor, don't! I-" Hermione said and was cut off.

"I am responsible for this and no one else," he said with a pointed look at Hermione and was grateful that she fell silent.

"Well then Dumbledore, I believe I will have to arrest you." Said Fudge practically jumping with glee as Umbridge and several other Aurors followed.

Snape stepped forward, but Dumbledore winked at him and called out, "Fawkes!"

"Fawkes?" asked Umbridge. "What is a Fawkes?"

Her question was answered when Fawkes the Phoenix flew through the door of the infirmary towards Dumbledore. Before the Minister could even yell at him to stop, Dumbledore disappeared in a flash of fire.

Umbridge wanted to scream so that all of Hogwarts fell down. The D.A. smirked to themselves, Snape was shocked, and Harry still lay unconscious on the infirmary bed.

Madam Pomfrey was the first to shake herself out of her stupor and immediately began yelling at everyone to clear out. "Mr. Potter isn't going to heal on his own you know!"

Everyone left the infirmary except Snape, Madam Pomfrey, Ron, Hermione, and Harry.

"Granger, Weasley! Why are you still here! Go back to your Common Room." Snape yelled from exasperation at all the events that took place.

"Please Professor, we want to see if Harry's alright." Hermione bravely said.

"He will be if you leave us to treat him. Goodbye." Snape said, slamming the doors in their faces before they could protest. He rubbed his temple from his headache.

Snape walked over to Harry's bedside and looked sadly at the unconscious figure.

"How is he Poppy?"

Madam Pomfrey was bustling to heal him, waving her wand and pouring potions down his throat. "He's much better. Harry will make it through the night." She sighed with relief. "However, when conducting his medical exam I noticed some disconcerting things. He has had many bruisesin the past, and his arm has not been properly healed when broken. There were several broken ribs that I fixed, scars, and a particularly nasty one that's on his back probably from a stab wound. I really don't think Umbridge was the only one who caused harm."

Snape didn't know what to say. Who could have done this to the boy? He would talk to him about it when he woke up.

Suddenly, Harry let out a blood curdling scream as both Snape and Madam Pomfrey rushed to his side to stop the unknown attacker.

"What's going on?" said Snape in an uncharacteristically nervous tone.

Their question was answered when Harry put both his hands on his scar and softly cried. Snape felt pity for this boy, but this screaming made his headache worse. He snapped at Harry, "Potter, stop screaming your bloody head off!"

He was eerily surprised when Potter was completely silent except for quiet tears rolling down his face. Suddenly, Potter sat up very quickly in his bed and looked around urgently. He hugged his knees and put his face down. Madam Pomfrey said she would go get some dreamless sleep for him and walked away. Snape was left there to comfort the Chosen One.

"Potter, what happened?" Snape asked with no idea what one should do in this situation.

Harry mumbled something into his lap.

"What was that?" Snape didn't have the heart to insult Potter after seeing him in such a state.

"Nothing."

"Clearly that was something." Snape said trying to get the boy to open up.

Harry didn't answer.

"Who hurt you?"

Harry shrugged.

"Potter, I am not in the mood for a guessing game." Snape growled

He remained quiet.

Just as Snape was about to yell at the boy for giving him a blasted headache, Madam Pomfrey walked in with the dreamless sleep potion.

"Mr. Potter I've got your potion here. Drink up." she held it for the boy to take.

Harry lifted his head and Snape was surprised as to how red and swollen his scar was. He gratefully took the potion and downed it in one gulp. Harry lay down, ready for a peaceful sleep at last.

|8 hours earlier|

Harry sat in the common room with Ron and Hermione after dinner working on his homework, or at least trying to. He would give almost anything to go and sleep right now, but Umbridge had other plans for him. She assigned him a detention for talking about how Voldemort had returned.

Hermione took pity on Harry and did his homework for him, while Ron was trying his best to make him smile. Harry and his friends didn't remember the last time that he smiled with Voldemort being back and all.

Hermione took in Harry's ashen and skinny appearance with dark circles under his eyes. She and Ron knew that he had nightmares, but did not know the extent of how bad and often they occurred. Harry had to put up a silencing charm on his bed every night so his dorm mates could get some sleep. Voldemort and Vernon just wouldn't leave him alone.

"Harry, do you want something to eat before you leave?" Hermione asked knowing Harry wouldn't be back for most of the night.

"No, it's alright Hermione. Thanks though." He tried to smile but it must have looked more like a grimace.

"I think I'm going to go early," said Harry.

"All right mate, good luck with Umbridge." Said Ron as Harry got up to leave the Common Room.

He left early and decided to go to the Great Hall anyways to get a snack. When he got there, it was nearly empty except for a few Ravenclaws. He went to sit down at the empty table and poured himself some pumpkin juice. He took a sip and put his head on the table.

Falling asleep from fatigue, he hadn't noticed the great hall doors open and close. He hadn't noticed Umbridge walk in and get the Ravenclaws to leave. He hadn't notice Umbridge pour a ruby red potion into his pumpkin juice which dissolved and became transparent. Only then did he wake up to Umbridge's yell, "Mr. Potter, you'll be late for your detention."

He raised his head, finished his pumpkin juice, and left the hall. Umbridge followed with a big smile on her toad-like face.

A/N: Thanks for reviewing and reading :) Sorry this chapter is shorter than the first, but I thought it was a good place to end. As I said in the beginning of the chapter, thoughts on Draco being Harry's friend?