A/N Friendly reminder that these next three to four chapters are bit of a downer for Harry (there is hope on the horizon though), so if you need to feel free to come back later and read these chapters after I post chapter 43, which is where is starts to pick up again.

BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-eight.

Signed: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic

The Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom was silent but for the sound of quills scratching on parchment and the intrusive thud of Umbridge's shoes as she walked around the desks, her beady eyes on the look out for any student not doing exactly as prescribed.

Harry kept his head down and his attention focused. Over the last week had stomached another four long nights of detention with Umbridge and her blood quill, and the back of his hand was still unhealed. From now on he was determined to not give her any more reason to punish him. There was no more DA, no more magazine articles or public attempts to stand up to her.

Umbridge had beaten him. There was no point in denying it.

Every word he wrote stretched and strained the cuts on the back of his hand, the four nights of detention coupled with daily note taking and homework leaving it in constant discomfort. Despite the aggravation of a bleeding wound Harry relished the pain. It wasn't a means to punish himself, but rather as a way to remind himself of what Umbridge had cost him...what she had taken.

The rest of the DA had been spared from punishment, a miracle given the blood lust Umbridge harboured for rule breakers, but particularly those associated with Harry Potter. Aside from Dumbledore's firing and his ousting from the castle Harry was the only one who had faced punishment. He didn't resent his fellow DA members for their luck and gladly bore the punishment alone - after all, Malfoy had literally warned him that they were coming for him. It hadn't occurred to him that Umbridge already knew about the DA when she asked him to tea, nor that the deal she offered might have spared him the public humiliation of what was coming that night.

Stifling a yawn Harry carried on with his note taking, conscious of Ron beside him who was looking at him in concern. Guilt stricken that he was punished while they were not Ron and Hermione had made sure he didn't fall behind on his school work because of his detentions, even if it meant technically they were plagiarising it for him.

But Ron and Hermione keeping him up to date with his homework didn't solve half of his problems. The late nights were grinding him down, and this time around Umbridge hadn't let him off over the weekend. Since the DA had been discovered Harry had spent every evening in detention with Umbridge or Occlumency with Snape, meaning he returned to Gryffindor Tower either late at night, or physically and mentally drained from having his head invaded. Right now he couldn't quite decide which one was worse.

Tonight would be the Monday evening Occlumency with Snape, repeated again on Wednesday night. Between those was his final detention with Umbridge.

Thursday...he just had to make it to Thursday night and finally he would get some rest.

Harry's eyes were drooping over the notes he was taking, his quill dripping ink onto the parchment after he paused to let his aching hand rest. He felt groggy and lethargic, and no doubt Snape would berate him for that in a little over an hour's time. But a subtle kick from Ron roused him, and he hastily opened his eyes and resumed writing his notes. Umbridge was prowling towards their desk, giving him that gloating smile she enjoyed so much. She paused by him for a moment, probably admiring the bandage on the back of his hand.

Harry refused to look up. He wanted to look her in the eye and match her disgusting stare just as he had done last week, but he didn't. He had given a statement to Madam Bones, repeatedly defied Umbridge's defamation, had gone public with the Quibbler and refused to back down in the face of her threats - and it had gotten him nowhere. In fact, he didn't recall ever being in a worse position. And so for that reason he was going to keep his head down, at least for now. The time would come to resume his defiance and persevere, but right now he was licking his wounds.

The obnoxious thud of Umbridge's shoes on the flagstone floor resumed, allowing Harry to breathe. He paused a moment, reading the next passage of the text book that he was transcribing while his hand rested.

The sound of the classroom door interrupted the monotonous silence. Craving anything even mildly exciting every student raised their heads and turned around, watching as Filch hurried in towards Umbridge. She seemed happy to see him, and didn't even scold them for looking up from their work. Filch whispered something to her, and Harry watched in interest, exchanging a glance with Hermione who sat nearby. Umbridge began to smile, looking very pleased indeed.

'Well, children,' she began sweetly while Filch hurriedly departed. 'It seems today's lesson will be cut short. The school will be hosting some very special guests tonight, and I'll be receiving them right away. You may pack up early.'

Bewildered but thrilled, Harry and the rest of the class began packing up their things, keeping their voices low as they began to talk. Umbridge had returned to the front of the classroom to collect her pink handbag, and when she departed she spared her students not another thought, which suited them just fine.

'Things don't get much better than this, eh?' said Ron, grinning. 'Ten minutes early, and no homework.'

'Who do you think is visiting?' Hermione murmured uneasily, joining them.

Harry shared her unease. 'No one good if Umbridge is making a fuss.'

Now that Umbridge was gone the volume of conversation grew, everyone letting their guard down as they expressed their relief at their good fortune. Glad to get an early finish Harry looked at his watch and mentally planned out the rest of the evening, wondering if he could fit any homework in before Occlumency. He couldn't keep letting Ron and Hermione do it for him.

Lost in thought he mindlessly followed his friends out into the corridor, allowing the throng of fellow students to carry them down the corridor as they all headed for the Great Hall. He wouldn't eat before Occlumency, it only made him feel worse, but he might manage to get some homework done. So lost in thought he was that he didn't notice the atmosphere changing, the tone of conversation going from jovial and lighthearted to hushed whispers.

Without warning Hermione seized him by the hand and yanked at him hard, trying to stop him.

'Ouch!' he yelped, wrenching his hand back as he felt the cuts sear in pain. 'What are you doing?'

'Just - turn around,' she hissed urgently, grabbing him by the sleeve of his robes and yanking at him again. 'My God, what...'

Harry was bewildered by her behaviour, turning to Ron for an explanation, but Ron's behaviour was even stranger still. He was wide eyed and speechless, and then he moved to stand in the way. His hands were shaking as he awkwardly touched Harry's shoulder, giving him a subtle push to follow Hermione.

'What is wrong with you two?' Harry demanded, his right hand still aching from the way Hermione had grabbed it. 'You're acting completely...'

His thought began to trail off as he took notice of what was going on, the way people were hushing their conversations, stopping in the corridors to look at him. For one wild moment he wondered what he had done to warrant such attention, almost looking down at himself...but a dreadful feeling he associated with his worst fears began to creep over him.

Slowly it dawned on him….

Harry knew exactly who would be there. It made perfect sense that Umbridge would flaunt them in front of him. After all, they had only just been reappointed to their position following last week's newspaper article...how could he have not realised?

With a low breath he glanced between Ron and Hermione and braced himself. As ready as he would ever be he stepped aside to look past Ron down the corridor. It took a moment to see what was going on, the corridor was crowded after all, but Umbridge's garish pink robes oriented him straight away to where she stood, surrounded by a dozen or so of the school Governors.

Some of them he vaguely recognised, the group lingering together in the corridor as they exchanged pleasantries. It wasn't until one of them moved aside that Harry could see exactly what he had feared, the bright blonde hair of Lucius Malfoy drawing his attention immediately.

Harry stood there stunned, feeling the blood draining out of his face even though he had tried to prepare himself. He moved not a single muscle, his breathing held as his heart surely stopped...because this couldn't be real. But there stood Lucius Malfoy, not twenty yards away making small talk with the other witches and wizards who made up the Hogwarts Board of Governors.

'Harry, let's go,' Hermione urgently pleaded, tugging at his arm.

For now Harry ignored her plea. Malfoy had turned to look at him, and he tilted his head back a little as he stared at Harry long and hard. The expression on his face was difficult to read. It wasn't an outward sneer, for he wouldn't publicly deride Harry, but it didn't take long for him to understand.

He remembered firsthand seeing that look in Malfoy's eyes, a look of cool calculation. One that said there was nothing he could do…that he powerless.

'Come on mate,' Ron muttered, nudging him. 'Let's just go.'

Holding Malfoy's gaze Harry refused to look away, pleased to notice the other Governors were beginning to look uncomfortable. Their silent confrontation in the corridor had not gone unnoticed.

He wanted to confront Malfoy - or at the very least walk past him with his head held high. But it quickly became apparent that he didn't have it in him. He couldn't bring himself to go a single step closer to the scum who had tortured him.

A thought fluttered in the back of Harry's mind…the notion that one day he might not be the one who was powerless. One day, things might be different between him and Malfoy.

'You're right,' Harry murmured to Ron and Hermione, letting out a slow breath before looking away from Malfoy. 'Let's get out of here.'

They doubled back on their path and turned down an adjacent corridor, Harry feeling the intensity of his classmate's stares and whispers right up until they had properly departed. The nearby corridor wasn't empty, other students from their Defence Against the Dark Arts class were lingering in the corridors, talking amongst themselves as Harry, Ron and Hermione passed them by.

'I can't believe this,' Hermione whispered in horror. 'How could Professor McGonagall let this happen? She knows who he is!'

'McGonagall probably didn't know he was coming,' Ron answered, hands clenched into fists as he stared daggers around, half expecting to see more Death Eaters. 'In here,' he said urgently, gesturing towards a nearby boys bathroom.

Without a second thought Hermione strode inside, and Harry followed, and it wasn't the first time this year he'd sought refuge in one of the boys bathrooms. Both his friends were looking at him in concern, worried about what they feared might be a terrible reaction.

'Harry…'

'You don't have to worry,' he assured them. 'I'm okay.'

'Really?' Ron questioned bluntly, folding his arms as he scrutinised him. 'Because a Death Eater who tortured you is wandering the castle, and no one seems to give a toss.'

Harry was spared from responding by the sound of a toilet flushing, the three of them learning they were not alone. They waited in awkward silence as Cormac McLaggen stepped out of a cubicle, but his interest in what he had overheard Ron saying was overshadowed by the shock of seeing a girl in the boys bathroom.

'G-Granger,' he said in surprise, an amused smile growing on his face. 'What are you-'

'Wash your hands and get lost!' she demanded shrilly.

It was a most uncharacteristic outburst from Hermione, one that served as an important reminder to Harry. While his friends hadn't been subjected to the captivity and torture he had, they too had been put through the wringer by all of this, they too feared Voldemort and what he was doing. While McLaggen made a token effort to wash his hands before getting the hell out of there Harry touched his hand to Hermione's shoulder. He didn't know what to say to her, he didn't know how to make things easier…

He began to feel rather queasy, like he'd put his foot through the vanishing step, but he was keeping it together. His heart was pounding, palms clammy, but he was alright. It was a surprise. After all, he'd publicly admitted to being more afraid of Lucius Malfoy than he was of Voldemort, and yet he wasn't afraid now. It wasn't like Malfoy was going to do anything to him…

The bathroom door slammed shut as McLaggen made his getaway.

'Umbridge,' he muttered bitterly. He didn't need to elaborate on his meaning.

'Oh, I bet she couldn't wait,' Hermione growled under her breath. 'It was no accident Malfoy and the Governors were waiting outside our classroom, Harry. She made sure you'd run in to him.'

At Ron's prompt he opened up his school bag and rummaged around inside, finding the Marauders Map and opening it. It took only a few moments to find Umbridge and the Governors striding through the castle. By now Lucius Malfoy had been joined by his son, he and Draco walking side by side with Umbridge who was likely boasting about the Inquisitorial Squad of which Draco was leader.

'Sure you're okay, mate?'

Ron's voice was a low murmur, one that went unheard by Hermione who was now angrily pacing. It was a gesture of quiet support between the two friends, Ron knowing that it wasn't always easy for Harry to let his guard down, even among his closest friends. Harry just nodded silently. He still didn't know what to say.

Malfoy and the Governors were making their way to the Great Hall, the group led by Umbridge who strode straight inside. A moment later the bell rang to signal the end of the day and the start of dinner. Judging by the way the Governor's dots were spreading out in a long line at the top of the Great Hall, they were staying for dinner.

'Merlin's arse,' Ron cursed. 'Like we can go to dinner with him staring down at us.'

'Absolutely not,' Hermione agreed. 'There's a difference between standing your ground and letting Umbridge gloat even more. Maybe…' she trailed off, sighing as she voice the rest of her thought. 'I don't like it, but maybe we should go down to the kitchens and ask Dobby for some dinner.'

'We should tell Ginny he's here,' Harry suggested, already scanning nearby floors for her name. 'She won't want to see him either. He's the one who slipped her Tom Riddle's diary.'

'The twins should steer clear too,' Ron added. 'For Malfoy's sake more than theirs.'

Slowing her pacing Hermione paused to think, though she still seemed agitated. 'Ginny's got Herbology.'

Harry folded up the map and put it away, thinking out loud. He had just seen Snape leaving his classroom and heading for the Great Hall. 'You two go to the Greenhouses and find Ginny.'

'And you?' Ron said mistrustfully.

'I'll go straight to Snape's office,' he decided. 'I can do some homework while I'm waiting for him. I won't go near Malfoy,' he added, knowing what they were thinking. 'I promise I won't.'

'You don't want to come with us to the kitchens?'

He shook his head. 'I'm not eating before Occlumency. I'm alright,' he added again, emphasising. 'He'll be gone in a few hours, like he was never here.'

Ron and Hermione exchanged a worried glance with one another, but they seemed to settle on trusting his word.

'Well we're going with you down to Snape's office,' Hermione decided. 'You shouldn't be walking around on your own while there's a Death Eater loose.'

He didn't argue with them. Instead he let them do what they felt was the right thing, walking him down to the entrance to the Dungeons before splitting off to go and intercept Ginny on her way back from the Greenhouses. Though he wouldn't have said it to them Harry was glad when he found himself alone, having craved privacy to try and clear his head before Occlumency.

Down at Snape's office he dumped his schoolbag in the corridor and sat down, putting his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. He had one hour in which to clear his mind, to get himself mentally ready for the so called lesson Snape was about to inflict upon him. As if he could do it by force he concentrated with all his mind, listening to the sound of the silent dungeon as he tried in vain to think of nothing…but he couldn't.

How could he possibly pretend this was any other day?

Opening his eyes again Harry looked back down the dimly lit corridor. Footsteps echoed down here and would have alerted him to anyone approaching. Confident of this he closed his eyes again and tried to relax, to release the tension from his mind and body. Yet he could not.

Dumbledore hadn't been gone even a week, and there was a Death Eater in the castle. He wanted to open his eyes again, to look down the corridor and be absolutely sure that Malfoy was there…but he didn't. Refocusing his efforts he tried to clear his mind, but it was to no success.

Feeling more and more uneasy with every passing minute Harry retrieved the Marauders Map from his bag, opening it up to the Great Hall and studying it closely. Draco Malfoy was at the Slytherin table, his usual spot where he was the centre of attention, while Lucius Malfoy and the Governors were still at the Head Table, expanded to accommodate them.

It felt so strange that Lucius Malfoy was there, and that Harry had seen him with his own eyes. It didn't seem real.

By now Ron and Hermione had intercepted Ginny, and the three of them were already in the kitchens to see Dobby, but it seemed the twins had gone on to the Great Hall anyway. Harry dreaded to think of what they might be up to, hoping they weren't stupid enough to do anything to Malfoy. They might be safely protected in the castle, but those like Mr and Mrs Weasley were not.

With a sudden lurch Harry got to his feet, feeling his stomach clench as though he might be sick after all. His breath suddenly eluded him, horribly reminded of the things Malfoy had said to him in that cellar, his torture chamber.

'Putting Sirius Black's head there on a pike will be my tribute to you after I've killed him. I'll permit you to visit it there. Perhaps a Weasley head or two will brighten it up.'

All of that was still possible. The Malfoy's must know Sirius was hiding in Grimmauld Place, and the Weasley's weren't difficult to track down either, everyone knew they lived near Ottery St Catchpole. It was only a matter of time before something like that did happen. Right now the Death Eaters were laying low intentionally, making sure there was no undue attention. But Voldemort wouldn't be in hiding forever…

Slowly it was beginning to sink in, the notion that he was actually here. Lucius Malfoy…the wizard who had tortured him - who dragged the Cruciatus Curse out slowly so that he would break faster. And he did break. On his hands and knees he had begged Malfoy to stop, promised that he would do anything - anything at all for relief.

Standing above it Harry looked at the map again, looking at Lucius Malfoy's dot before turning away in disgust. Seeing him in person had been like a bad dream, over in moments - but the map made it real. The Marauders Map never lied. It didn't lie about Peter Pettigrew, it didn't lie about Barty Crouch Junior.

Trying not to work himself into a state Harry hurriedly folded the map and put it away in his bag. He needed to pretend this wasn't happening, that Lucius Malfoy wasn't really upstairs eating in the Great Hall. Snape wouldn't stay at dinner for the full hour, he could come down at any minute, and Harry needed to be level headed when he faced him.

Still feeling like he might be sick he continued to pace the corridor. He gripped his wand tightly - he needed it ready at hand if he was going to close his eyes and make himself vulnerable. Focusing as best he could he tried to clear his head, to breathe deeply and put himself at ease. But he wasn't doing himself any favours. By the time he heard Snape's soft footsteps approaching he was no better off than when he had started.

It was twenty minutes to six o'clock when Snape arrived, his eyes narrowed in annoyance when he found Harry waiting for him. Clearly his early arrival was an inconvenience, not that Harry gave a shit.

'What happened to your hand?' Snape asked, using his wand to unlock his office door.

Harry looked down, realising he hadn't changed the bandage which was now spotted red. 'A cut.'

Snape stared at him. 'Why has Madam Pomfrey not seen to it?'

'Haven't had time,' he lied, not breaking eye contact. Even if he trusted Pomfrey to keep the nature of his injury quiet there really was no point in healing it before he finished his detentions.

Either Snape didn't detect his lie or he didn't care enough to bother with it. He stared at Harry a moment longer and then silently gestured into his office, a clear instruction to go in. Taking his bag from the floor Harry did as instructed, his frame of mind only worsening when he stepped inside the gloomy office he so deeply loathed.

The moment Snape closed the door Harry turned to him expectantly. 'What is he doing here?'

There was no need to clarify the question. Snape didn't answer him for a moment, for he had already busied himself looking in one of the cabinets behind his desk.

'Attending to matters of the school. As you know, Lucius Malfoy has been reappointed to his position of School Governor.'

'What is he actually doing here?' he demanded, impatient for a satisfactory answer. 'What's Umbridge playing at?'

Snape was exasperated with him already. From the cabinet he withdrew a small glass jar, and set it on the end of his desk before facing Harry, holding his gaze and sneering at him. 'She is engaging you in psychological warfare. You publicly disclosed that Lucius Malfoy terrifies you,' he said cruelly. 'She is using your interview against you.'

Harry looked away, his gaze dropping to the floor as heat crept up the back of his neck. His article in the Quibbler was meant to get the truth published, not to humiliate him at the hands of Umbridge. Yet Snape was right, that was what she was doing.

'But why?' he asked wearily, so sick and tired of her. 'Why is she bothering?'

'Does the mind of Dolores Umbridge really require clarification?'

Only further embarrassed by Snape's derision Harry shifted his weight between his feet, changing the subject. 'Well thanks for the heads up that he was coming. It was great just running into him.'

Snape had already turned away, and he was now retrieving his pensieve from a different cabinet. 'What makes you think I was aware of his attendance?'

'You two are…colleagues.'

'I am Dumbledore's spy,' Snape stated, his voice annoyingly even and calm. 'Your presence here alive and well is proof of that.'

'Sure.'

This comment irked Snape. 'Take that,' he said sharply, pointing to the small jar he had set out before. 'Use it on your hand. That is not a request.'

Too weary to argue Harry took the jar of what turned out to be a thick salve, and he stowed it in his bag. No sooner had he done that did Snape point towards the chair on the other side of the room, telling him to sit and wait. Anxious to get started, the sooner to be over with it, Harry reluctantly sat down and waited while Snape removed certain of his memories.

Harry watched him from the corner of his eye, envious that he had such luxuries as privacy.

Increasingly tired Harry leant forward with his elbows on his knees, head buried in his hands. Bit by bit things were becoming overwhelming, and he was struggling to hold it back…this was the exact opposite of what he was supposed to be doing right now. But earlier he couldn't lose his shit in front of Ron and Hermione, he was determined to spare them from having to deal with him becoming a mess.

But strangely, it felt different here in Snape's office. After all, Snape already knew all of his secrets, already knew how weak and powerless he felt. So what was the point in pretending any different? Still, he was desperate to avoid further humiliating himself in front of this man, someone who had seen him at his absolute lowest…and someone who had personally tortured him.

As his eyes began to burn he blinked rapidly, glancing at his schoolbag on the floor nearby. The mirror was safely stowed in there, the opportunity to talk to Sirius. He should have talked to him earlier when he had the chance, but he'd been afraid of losing control. Now he needed to talk to Sirius, yet he probably didn't even know what had happened yet.

If Harry told him Lucius Malfoy was here at the castle, Sirius wouldn't stand for it. He would do something. Something stupid.

A soft thud made Harry glance up, and he was alarmed to see Snape staring at him. His hands were planted on the desk, either side of the pensieve he was now ignoring. Quickly Harry looked away, not yet ready to start.

'You are dismissed.'

Harry looked up again. 'What?'

Snape was already scooping the memories out of the pensieve, restoring them to his mind. 'Return to Gryffindor Tower immediately, and stay there. Do not go anywhere else, or speak to anyone else. I will know if you do.'

For a long moment Harry just sat there, letting it sink in that Snape was letting him off the hook. He didn't ask why, and he knew better than to think this was a kindness. Within minutes Snape had noticed already that this was going to be a fruitless exercise, that Harry was in no condition for an Occlumency lesson.

Snatching his bag from the floor Harry departed, not saying a single word. Now that he was standing up he realised he was trembling head to toe, a tightness building in his chest and throat. As he rose through the dungeons towards the Entrance Hall he forcibly choked it all down, refusing to let himself crack. He had to hold it together.

He kept his head down and walked quickly, ignoring the other students he encountered as they left the Great Hall, and dodging those who were hurrying in the opposite direction to get dinner before it ended. Yet it made little difference. Lucius Malfoy's presence at dinner had not gone unnoticed, and as it always did gossip, chatter and rumours were everywhere, following Harry's every step.

Ron and Hermione had a Prefect's meeting scheduled after dinner, and so there weren't that many friendly faces awaiting him when he returned to Gryffindor Tower. When he arrived the warm atmosphere and noisy chatter in the Common Room hushed ever so slightly.

Last year even at the height of the school's dislike of him for supposedly stealing Cedric's thunder his housemates had stuck by him, and they had largely done the same this year too, but even that support had finally waned. Now the DA was disbanded and Dumbledore was on the run the blame for those incidents seemed to fall squarely on Harry's shoulders, at least in the eyes of some Gryffindors. It didn't help that Gryffindor house points were at an all time low.

Unwilling to face his fellow housemates without Ron or Hermione by his side he crossed the Common Room towards the circular staircase, heading up to the dormitory where he would find solitude. But it seemed not to be in the cards for him that night.

'Harry, wait,' Ginny called, hastening up the stairs behind him.

There were few people he would have stopped for, and a Weasley was one of them. At least in the stairwell they were hidden from onlookers, but it was still with reluctance that he stopped to speak to her. Climbing the stairs to join him Ginny gave him a tentative smile, looking as worried as Ron and Hermione had, but to his relief she did not ask if he was okay.

'Ron and Hermione told me he was here. They said you reminded them about me.'

He nodded, confirming this. 'I figured you wouldn't want to see him either.'

'He's the reason You-Know-Who was able to possess me. So yeah, I didn't want to see him,' she said appreciatively. 'Snape let you off the hook for tonight, huh?'

'It was the least he could do.'

'Literally the least he could do,' Ginny stated, pulling a face. 'What a git.'

'Poisonous toadstools don't change their spots.'

Ginny nodded in agreement, managing a small laugh. There was an awkward moment in which neither of them knew what to say, unsure of where the conversation was headed, but it passed quickly.

'Do you want some company?' she offered. 'There's a little too much talk down there. And to be honest, Demelza doesn't get it.'

Harry was about to say no. All he wanted to do was collapse onto his bed, to not think about anything ever again. But he changed his mind, touched by Ginny's suggestion and reminded again of their shared experience. Why had he never seen before that he and Ginny both had shared experiences with Voldemort? Different experiences, yes. But that didn't mean hers had been any less impactful.

'You still got your pack of Exploding Snap, or is it in ashes?'

Ginny brightened. 'The cards are pretty singed, but they still work.'

'Good. We're playing.'

'Prepare to lose, because I am undefeated,' she teased, playfully punching him on the shoulder before heading to the girls dormitory. 'I'll bring food,' she added, calling back to him.

Harry made his way up to the boys dormitory, ditching his robes and school tie. He didn't bother tidying up too much, Ginny's room at the Burrow was usually in a haphazard state, but took advantage of the few minutes he had before she came up there.

Disregarding his school books and the jar of salve Snape had given him Harry unfolded the Marauders Map once again. He knew he was only tormenting himself by doing this, that he would only end up feeling worse, but he just couldn't stop himself.

A quick glance to the First Floor showed the Prefect's Meeting in McGonagall's office, Ron and Hermione there safe and sound, though they were forced to share company with Draco Malfoy. Reassured that they were okay he turned his attention to the Great Hall, his heart rate picking up when he saw that the Governors were no longer at the Head Table. Where were they?

It took only a split second to find them. At the conclusion of dinner they had moved on, and were presently in the antechamber off the Great Hall, the positioning of their dots suggested they were seated around a large table. Umbridge was there with them too, sitting at the Head Chair that Dumbledore would have normally occupied.

For a few minutes longer Harry stared at Lucius Malfoy's dot, waiting for it to move - to do something. But it seemed he had settled in for the meeting, that he truly was doing nothing more nefarious than attending to school matters…not that this was at all reassuring. Harry knew he would not relax again that night until Malfoy was gone, until he watched his dot disappear off the edge of the map.

He turned his attention back to the map of the Great Hall, seeking out Cho's dot at the Ravenclaw table. They were no longer on speaking terms, Harry having lost all faith in her the moment she started trying to defend Marietta for selling them all out. It was easy for Cho to plead forgiveness…it wasn't her being punished. It wasn't her who had lost the biggest thing holding her to sanity.

Ginny's footsteps thundered up the stairs, exactly the way Ron always did. Harry didn't put the map away, Ginny knew about it and would be a good second to keep an eye on things. He wanted to make sure Ron and Hermione made it back safely after their Prefect meeting, and to keep an eye on the whereabouts of Umbridge and Lucius Malfoy.

'Dobby made you a sandwich,' Ginny told him, sitting cross legged on the end of his bed. 'Roast beef with pumpkin and gravy. Apparently it's your favourite?'

'It is,' he sighed, his spirits lifting. Thank you Dobby. He unwrapped the sandwich, and now his stomach clenched in hunger, his mouth watering already. It was still warm, absolutely perfect.

'Pumpkin on a sandwich?'

'If you play fair I'll let you have a bite.'

Ginny shook her head as she shuffled the cards, looking revolted. 'I always play fair,' she said in outrage. 'And don't even think about using your hand as an excuse. You've got two for a reason.'

Harry laughed, having forgotten all about his injured hand. He looked at her in amusement, glad for her company. 'This is why Demelza won't play with you anymore.'

Scoffing, Ginny skilfully dealt the cards. She shared his smile, looking glad to have company that night.

'Say goodbye to your eyebrows, Potter. Let's play.'

A/N Hope you enjoyed the chapter, this is definitely Umbridge and Lucius making every effort to gloat and intimidate Harry, I liked writing the silent confrontation between them.

I'm trying to make some small variations with my AU Snape. Although he's slow to make any changes, in my story he's beginning to understand that the last two and a half months of lessons have failed. Him letting Harry off from their lesson was about recognising he was in no condition for the lesson, and that the lesson itself stood even less chance of being productive than before. We'll see more of Snape in upcoming chapters.

Please do leave a review and let me know if you've enjoyed reading the chapter.