Breakfast was quiet at Hogwarts these days. Harry ate with his head down and didn't look up even when his friends tried to whisper to him. He always ate with his left hand now. His right was curled into his lap in a protective manner. But if anyone asked he still insisted that Voldemort was back, just quieter.
When the owls arrived to deliver mail their noise seemed much louder now that the students weren't speaking. No one commented as letters were dropped at them. Most didn't even read them opting to put them away and read them in private. Of course not one single letter made it through without being ready by Dolores Umbridge or her people, whoever they were.
"That doesn't look good." Hermione whispered gaining Harry's attention from the table top.
"What is it?" he asked without moving.
"Umbridge is getting a box." Hermione explained, "She's smiling about it."
"I hope it's not more quills." Harry's face morphed into a glare but no one saw.
"Blimey." Ron turned back to his breakfast quickly, "She's looking our direction."
"She's leaving the head table." Ginny warned them.
Harry was muttering obscenities to himself too low for anyone to understand what he was saying. Hermione's hand slipped into his view of his lap and he watched her pat his leg. Ginny pressed a bit closer on the other side as he heard the click of the nasty woman's shoes on the stone floor. Harry almost breathed a sigh of relief as she passed him by and continued on.
"Mr. Potter." She hadn't even stopped, "I'm moving your Monday night detention to this afternoon after lunch. You should be finished by dinner."
"Blimey." Ron hissed as the woman continued out the door, "What do you think Harry?"
"I'm dead." He shook his head, "Anything that makes her that happy must be fatal."
"Oh Harry." Hermione patted his leg again.
Filius hadn't made it down to breakfast yet. He had received a floo call that had taken long than expected. But now it was finished and he was ready to go. He sighed in defeat as someone knocked on his door.
"Yes?" He opened it to find the Toad standing in front of him.
"I need your help." She smiled at the diminutive man, "There is a charm I need you to perform."
"What would that be?" Filius didn't even bother to invite her in or try to be polite in any way.
"I need the charm that reacts to lies." She explained trying to sound sweet he was sure, "I need these cuffs to attach to the person who tells lies in my presence. They should stay attached until they tell the truth."
Filius took the box and looked in then frowned, "These are magic suppression cuffs."
"I know." She had a smug look on her face, "I plan on using them in Mr. Potter's detention to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is lying."
"Very well." Filius sat the box down and clearly pronounced the two spells that were requested with a smile on his face, "These will work exactly as you have requested. When someone knowingly lies they will attach themselves to their wrists and won't release until they tell the truth."
She picked them up and turned away without a thank you or anything. Filius smiled anyway and cheerfully headed off to breakfast. Several of the teachers wondered what had the man in such a good mood. He hadn't had a smile for anyone, like many of the others, since Dumbledore had disappeared.
"Do I want to know?" Minerva asked as he took a seat beside her.
"You'll find out soon enough." He grinned before giving her a hint, "When is Mr. Potter's next detention?"
"After lunch, why?" she quirked an eyebrow.
"You'll find out shortly after lunch I'm sure." Filius turned to his breakfast and nearly chuckled as he fixed his plate.
Harry trudged down the hall with Ron and Hermione on either side of him. He was headed to his detention and the two of them were walking with him. They were going to take turns keeping an eye on the classroom and as soon as Harry was out they'd deal with whatever had happened to him.
"One of us will be in that alcove down the hall." Hermione was explaining, "That way we'll be on hand if you need help."
"You know this doesn't really make me feel any better about the detention don't you?" Harry glanced at his friend.
"I know." She admitted, "It's all we can do though."
"I appreciate it." Harry bumped her, "I do. I'm just nervous."
"Me too mate." Ron nodded.
At the beginning of the defense corridor they split up. Harry headed for the door alone while Ron made the loop around and Hermione went to the library to await her turn to watch. Well after Harry was already gone Ron came to the other end of the hall and leaned into the wall of the alcove in a way that he could still see the door of the defense classroom, but he wasn't easily seen. He would be surprised when not much time had passed before Harry would peek out the door.
As Harry was still approaching the door to the defense classroom he looked back over his shoulder, his friends were nowhere in sight. Sighing he pushed open the door and entered. Umbridge was waiting at her office door and giggled as she saw Harry's downcast and defeated expression. She stayed by the door and closed it behind him after he entered.
"Have a seat Mr. Potter." She indicated the paper with the quill in place, "I think a few more lines may make the lesson sink in."
Harry took the seat and picked up the quill and began to write. He had only managed a few lines when the Toad gave a little giggle before she began to speak.
"After all these lines have you decided to stop lying?" she asked.
"If you are asking if Voldemort is back I still say he is." Harry kept writing and didn't even look up.
Dolores turned to glare at the cuffs. Flitwick must have messed up the charm because they weren't moving. She sat in thought for a few minutes before she frowned at Harry.
"I suppose we'll just have to continue the detentions." She tutted, "Every night next week starting after dinner should do you some good."
Harry stopped and looked up at the woman, "What are you hoping to accomplish with these detentions?"
"I am teaching you not to lie." She started to smile but it turned into a screech as the cuffs attached themselves to her wrists.
Harry jumped at her screech and stared in morbid fascination as the woman tried to get out of the cuffs. He looked from the cuffs the short distance to her face before asking, "Would you like me to get a teacher?"
"Yes, be quick." She hissed like one of the cats on her plates.
Harry didn't set the quill down as he ran to the door and peeked out. He saw Ron peeking back from the Alcove, "Go get McGonagall and Flitwick."
"That bad?" he asked coming towards his friend.
"Some sort of cuffs just jumped on her and she can't get them off." He shrugged, "Hurry before she gets out."
Ron was chuckling as he ran off. He thought it was rather lucky when he caught McGonagall and Flitwick standing just outside the Great Hall. Meanwhile Harry returned to the office and took the seat he'd been in.
"Where is the help?" Umbridge demanded.
"Ron was walking past and he ran off to get help." Harry shrugged he didn't want to make her mad in her already agitated state, "I thought it best for me to come back."
"Very well, don't stop." She nodded at the paper.
Harry went back to writing. He hadn't even finished the line when the two teachers arrived. Harry grimaced as she began to yell at Flitwick.
"You messed up the charm now get these off." She demanded.
"I didn't mess up the spell." He shook his head, "The only way to get them off is to tell the truth."
"I was telling the truth." She argued.
"Harry, what are you doing?" McGonagall was hoping she wasn't looking at what she thought she was seeing.
"Writing lines with Professor Umbridge's quill." He stopped and looked up, "It uses my blood to write on the paper."
"Liar." Umbridge screeched, "They do not use blood. OW! What was that?"
"Part of that spell is that if the person continues to lie they get shocked." Filius smirked, "That was the spell you requested."
McGonagall walked over to the floo pot and grabbed some powder and went to throw it in.
"What are you doing?" Umbridge asked, "You can't use my floo."
"You want help getting out of those cuffs?" McGonagall asked, "The DMLE can help, we certainly can't do anything."
"Give me my quill back Potter." She glared.
"No I think you should keep it." Flitwick winked at Harry.
"Of course professor." Harry grinned, "I must finish my lines."
"No!" Umbridge glanced at McGonagall at the floo, "I'll just put it away and you won't have to have another detention this week."
"Sorry professor, I have to finish the lines." Harry looked like he was going back to writing but watched the woman.
"Give me that." She lunged at him and he pulled away with the quill still in his hand.
McGonagall was out of the floo and it flared again as Amelia Bones and two of Harry's favorite aurors entered the room.
"What's going on?" Amelia entered the room, "Why is Dolores in cuffs?"
"It's nothing." Umbridge tried to say.
"Dolores brought these cuffs to me this morning to add spells to them." Flitwick explained, "I believe she received them at breakfast."
"Who did you get these from?" she turned to the woman.
"I don't know what they're talking about." She tried to insist but screeched, "Ouch!"
"You used that spell?" she turned to Flitwick.
"It's what she asked me to put on them." He agreed, "She wanted them for Mr. Potter's detention."
"Did she ask you any questions Mr. Potter?" Amelia turned to the boy but frowned at the quill in his hand, "What is that?"
"This is Professor Umbridge's quill." Harry held up the item, "She is having me write lines for my detention." He handed her the paper for her to see what he was writing, "This is my thirty-seventh detention writing the same line. No less than two hours for any of the detentions."
"What does she think you're lying about?" Amelia was sure she already knew.
Harry explained about the conversation. He answered all her questions an even offered his memory of the event if she needed.
"Well Dolores did he lie?" she asked.
"Yes he did." She tried to hide the flinch but the shock was getting stronger, "Oh."
"Professor, would you cancel your spells please." Amelia asked.
"I can but it won't do any good." He explained, "She had me put the spell that holds them until the truth is spoken."
"We are ready for the truth Dolores." Amelia turned to her
"Fine." She glared at everyone, "I want him to shut up." It didn't shock her but didn't unclasp either. She glared at the cuffs and tried again, "I want him out of the way." Still they didn't budge.
"Did you send the dementors after me last summer?" Harry asked before anyone could stop him.
"Of course not." She flinched heavily and screeched.
"Shacklebolt, take her to lock up. Either you or Tonks stay with her at all times. I want to know when she tells the truth unless I get there first." Amelia instructed, "Now Mr. Potter, tell about your adventure last spring."
Harry sighed but launched into the story. With any luck they'd realize the snake man was back and Sirius was innocent. Maybe he could live with him next summer. He smiled as Umbridge was taken away.