Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all rights to Harry Potter

Authors Note: Thanks to everyone who has supported my story so far by following, favouriting, reading and reviewing my story.

A special thanks to rgwsisterhood and dsn9193 who are the latest people to favourite and follow this story. The support is very much appreciated.

Apologies from me also for the long wait.

Chapter Forty Seven:

"Can I go yet?", Harry asked Madam Pomfrey desperately as the Medi-witch clucked about like a mother hen checking his temperature and his skin to make sure all the swelling was gone as well.

Madam Pomfrey sniffed, gave him one last appraising look and finally said, "yes Mr Potter. Yes you can go. I'm satisfied that you are better". She waggled a finger at him and said sternly "however, I expect you to not get in such a situation again!".

"I promise I'll try not to", Harry grinned.

Madam Pomfrey huffed. "Off you go then", she said as she shooed him away from the bed and out of the Hospital Wing altogether.

As he was leaving he distinctly heard her mutter in a half affectionate tone "that boy".

He grinned and headed off up to Gryffindor Tower.

As he walked however, his good mood at being released from the Hospital Wing changed as he recalled what Malfoy had done to him. How he had ended up in a hospital bed in the first place. His anger was palpable as he vowed silently to get his own back on Malfoy.

He smiled coldly as an idea formed in his head. He would use the same hex that Malfoy had used on him and see how he liked it. 'Yes', thought Harry with a nod, 'that will make us even'.

It was early morning when he reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and gave the password to enter "caput draconis". The portrait swung open to admit him and a relieved Harry entered the common room which was, thankfully, devoid of people.

Don't get Harry wrong, he was absolutely grateful for all the love and support he'd received after having been confined to the Hospital Wing but he didn't want pity. If anything, what he really needed now was help. Help to get his plan underway. Help to trap Malfoy and use the stinging hex on him.

"Harry, you're back". Hermione walked over and pulled him into a hug. She was clearly relieved.

"After having to endure Madam Pomfrey's poking, prodding and constant questions", he replied with a grimace. He looked around the empty common room. "I assume Ron and Neville are both asleep and ditto for Lauren and Ginny".

Hermione chuckled. Well you know them, never up unless they have to be and it is a Sunday after all".

Harry smiled. "Yeah", he nodded.

The two of them decided to hang around in the common room until the others got up and they could head down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"How are the occlumency lessons going?", Hermione asked him after they'd exhausted all talk about what Hermione and the others had got up to the previous day while they'd not been visiting Harry.

"It's been good so far", Harry replied, "difficult but...I'm learning a lot".

Hermione nodded. "I'm glad Dumbledore's teaching you", she said.

Harry snorted. "Me too", he said, "do you know he originally wanted Snape to do it instead?".

Hermione's mouth hung open for a moment before she managed to close it. "Snape?!", she exclaimed, unable to hold in her disbelief and anger.

Harry nodded. "Dumbledore said it would have been safer. Said that if Voldemort broke my shields and found Dumbledore was teaching me he'd be able to snoop inside my head to find memories of Dumbledore".

"But that's crazy!", Hermione said.

Harry nodded again. "That's what my Uncle Jacob and Aunt Mandy said. Sirius as well. None of them wanted an ex-Death Eater teaching me something so important".

"I should think not", Hermione said seriously, "and in any case, you and Professor Snape don't get on".

"Exactly", said Harry, feeling glad that his best friend understood.

"Harry you're out already!". Ron and Neville joined them with Ginny and Lauren arriving a few moments later.

"Try not to sound too pleased to see me", Harry replied drily.

Ron's face turned red as he mumbled "I just meant...I mean...well we thought they'd keep you in...you know".

Harry chuckled. "Yeah me too mate. I had to badger Madam Pomfrey endlessly before she agreed".

"Malfoy is such a git!", Lauren said angrily as she hugged Harry. When she pulled back she said "I told him so in the Great Hall last night at dinner".

"She didn't just tell him either", Neville commented with a smirk.

"What did you do?", asked Harry, intrigued and a bit wary.

"First of all I slapped him as hard as I could", she told her cousin. Harry's eyes widened in surprise as Ginny then added "and then me and Lauren used the bat bogey hex on him causing him to run out of the Great Hall shouting and looking very embarrassed as these bats flew from his nostrils".

"It was the funniest thing I've seen in ages", Ron sniggered, "he was clutching his nose and Crabbe and Goyle followed him out calling after him".

Harry and the others began laughing now. Harry was much cheered up, although he still planned to have his revenge. To that end he said to the others "you head on down to breakfast if you want, I need to talk to Ron".

The others nodded and headed for the portrait hole. Harry called after them. "And if you see Daphne let her know I'll be down soon".

They agreed to do so and exited the common room via the portrait hole with Ron staring after Hermione thoughtfully.

Normally, Harry would give his best mate some advice about girls and seizing the moment but right now he was much more centred on getting revenge against Draco Malfoy.

"Ron", Harry said his name.

Ron continued to stare at the portrait hole as it closed.

Harry said his best friends name several more times before getting irritated and shouting "earth to Ron!".

"Wha...huh?", his best friend replied intelligently as he turned to face Harry. "Oh. Sorry Harry", he muttered.

"No worries mate", Harry replied feeling less annoyed. He then added "I'll talk to you about Hermione later".

Ron's face turned bright red as did his ears, a clear sign of his embarrassment.

"But right now I need your help", Harry told him seriously as he looked around to make sure they were alone in the common room.

"Well whatever it is shouldn't we call the others back?", Ron asked with a frown.

Harry shook his head at this. "No", he said, "Hermione and Neville would try to talk me out of it, I don't want your Ginny, Lauren or the others involved and I especially don't want Daphne to get caught up in it".

"I would guess we're going to be breaking some school rules then", Ron grinned.

Harry nodded. This was exactly why it was Ron he'd asked to stay behind, not merely because he was his best friend, although that had been a major part of it, but because his redheaded friend did not mind breaking the rules.

"A couple", Harry told him with a grin. His face turned serious again as he said "I want to get my own back on Malfoy".

"I should bloody well think you do after what he did", Ron replied understandingly. "So what's the plan?", he asked.

Harry looked around again and then launched into the explanation of his plan.

When Harry had finished speaking he said, "well...what do you think?".

Ron scratched his chin and replied "I don't know mate...could be a bit dicey. I mean...where will we get a sleeping draught from without Hermione brewing it for us?".

"Simple", Harry answered, "we steal it from Snape's store cupboard".

Ron looked at him as if he'd gone completely mad. 'It's not an unreasonable assumption', Harry had to admit in his head. After all, Snape would see them expelled should they get caught.

Harry, however, had the solution to the problem ready. "Dobby will grab a vial of it for us", he explained, "he'd do anything for me and he does now work for me after all".

Ron scrunched up his face, looking deep in thought. After a time, he nodded his agreement, "it's a good plan".

Harry clapped his best friend on the shoulder in gratitude. "Thanks for helping mate", he said.

"Hey, you'd do the same for me", Ron answered seriously. He grinned "and besides Malfoy needs taking down a peg or two. If this is the way to do it then..." he threw his arms out and declared "I'm all in".

Harry and Ron were still discussing the details of the plan in hushed whispers as they reached the Great Hall.

Suddenly, Ron began to cough and nod his head past Harry and said in a loud voice, "hello Daphne!".

Harry turned towards the doorway and jumped as he spotted his girlfriend standing near the entrance to the Great Hall. She smiled slightly and replied to Ron, "hi Ron", though she seemed puzzled as to why he had been so loud.

Daphne walked over to him and planted a kiss on his lips. "Hey you", she said with a smile.

"Oh...uh...hey Daphne love", Harry replied in a rather evasive fashion. She raised an eyebrow and Harry knew that meant she suspected something. "What's wrong?", she demanded to know.

"Nothing Daphne", Harry lied.

She crossed her arms and stared at him hard. He choked back his nerves and said convincingly "I swear it's nothing, just glad to be out of the Hospital Wing is all".

Daphne, Harry and Ron entered the Great Hall and took their seats at the Gryffindor table. Harry observed his girlfriend as Daphne gazed over forlornly at the Slytherin table for a moment before turning back to him.

"Why don't you just go and talk to her?", he suggested.

Daphne's faced turned hard. "No", she said resolutely as she shook her head, "if she wants our friendship back then she needs to apologise for what she said about you and she needs to make the first move". She pointed to herself and said "I'm not putting myself out for a friend who doesn't care about me".

Harry sighed and decided to let it go. As much as he wanted Daphne and Millicent back on speaking terms he knew his intervention wouldn't be helpful. He could only hope Astoria might persuade their friend to change her mind.

Harry had poured some cornflakes into a bowl, poured milk over it and had just scooped up some on a spoon. He paused in the act of putting in his mouth as Draco Malfoy, his nemesis, came swaggering into the Great Hall looking smug as usual and flanked by his two goons Crabbe and Goyle. Pansy Parkinson was also there hanging off his arm and gazing at him adoringly in a way that made Harry want to be sick.

"Bastard", he muttered under his breath.

"He is", she agreed but then had a word of warning, "be careful Harry, I don't want you to get hurt".

Harry stared after Malfoy. He reached out for his girlfriends hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "I won't", he promised her seriously. He stared into her eyes and saw her disbelief. He repeated himself, "I promise you I won't".

She held his gaze for a moment before nodding and smiling. She kissed him on the lips and then the two of them tucked into their breakfast. In his mind however he was envisioning his plan playing out. The humiliation that it would cause Malfoy and he felt like grinning. He knew Daphne would be upset with him for breaking his word but Malfoy had it coming.

A week passed by as Harry and Ron got each step of their plan in place. By the beginning of the third week of November they were ready and Harry couldn't wait to see the look on Malfoy's face.

It was Monday morning, the thirteenth of November. Harry and Ron were sat at the Gryffindor table with their friends but were paying no mind to attempts to engage them in conversation as they waited in anticipation for Malfoy's arrival.

"There he is!", Ron whispered with a grin. Harry leaned out in his seat and smirked at the sight of Draco Malfoy walking in-between Crabbe and Goyle, looking furious. As the three Slytherins reached the double doors Harry had to stifle a laugh at the sight of Malfoy with bright pink hair.

The hair was not the only part of the revenge prank either for when Malfoy walked, his shoes, which had been transfigured into oversized clown shoes, squeaked loudly with each step. Then Malfoy began to break wind uncontrollably. Red in the face he glared over at Harry and Ron who smiled innocently and waved at him.

Soon, the whole of the Great Hall had noticed Malfoy's hair, his squeaky clown shoes and his inability control his wind and most of the students were pointing and laughing at him. Only a majority of the Slytherins were silent including a very confused looking Crabbe and Goyle who followed Malfoy as he turned around and stalked out of the Great Hall.

"Keep the others distracted", Harry whispered to Ron who nodded and turned to engage Hermione in conversation. The subject was lessons and it soon drew in all the others in their friendship group distracting them as Harry rose from the Gryffindor table, slung his school bag over his shoulder and crept silently out of the Great Hall. What he didn't know however was that Daphne had got up and followed him from the hall.

Harry followed Malfoy towards the corridor that led down to the steps to the dungeons. Just as Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had reached the steps he shouted out "oi Malfoy, think fast!".

Malfoy whipped around as fast as a bullet but was too slow reaching for his wand as Harry yelled "eat pungens!". The spell hit Malfoy in between the eyes and caused his face to begin swelling up. His two goons Crabbe and Goyle surged forwards, cracking their knuckles menacingly. Harry fired a knockback jinx sending Goyle colliding into the Crabbe and knocking both off their feet.

Malfoy shrieked in fury at what had happened to his face and aimed his wand at Harry. "You'll pay for that Potter!", he snapped before shouting "sectumsempra!". The spell caused a deep gash on Harry's arm.

As he was distracted by the cut Malfoy struck him with more. "Attacking a student are we Mr Potter?". It was Dolores Umbridge the Hogwarts liaison and she was smiling coldly at him.

Harry shut his eyes as he realised what a stupid mistake he'd made. "Up to the Headmasters Office I think", she said triumphantly. She added "I'd be surprised if you weren't expelled for this Potter".

Harry opened his eyes and glared at her. "Malfoy started it".

Umbridge scoffed. "I'm sure he did no such thing you nasty little liar". She turned and beamed at Malfoy. "He is from a very distinguished family after all".

Now it was Harry's turn to scoff. "Distinguished?", he said in disbelief, "his father is a convicted Death Eater".

"Harry can't be expelled!", a voice cut in to their conversation.

Harry turned around to see his girlfriend who, while looking furious with him for his stupidity, was standing by him. Daphne came over to stand next to him and said "Miss Umbridge, I saw everything, including Malfoy using a very dark spell to cut Harry. He used it a lot".

Umbridge raised an eyebrow and said "Miss...Greengrass, is it?". Daphne nodded. "Well Miss Greengrass I must say I am shocked to see a pureblood and a Slytherin one at that, condoning such violence to a house mate".

Daphne looked over at Malfoy and scowled. "He's not a class mate he's a Death Eater in training".

"Another remark like that Miss Greengrass and you will be in trouble yourself". Umbridge rounded on Harry. "And you Potter are coming with me to see the Headmaster along with poor Mr Malfoy". Harry snorted at the "poor Mr Malfoy" bit but said nothing as he followed Umbridge and Malfoy who, despite clearly being in pain, still looked very smug over the situation.

Daphne followed them up to Dumbledore's Office and on the way she hissed to Harry "how could you be so stupid!".

Harry sighed. "I know Daph. I know it was a stupid thing to do but I've taken his crap for too long. He had to be taught a lesson".

"And some lesson", she replied sarcastically, "thanks to what you've done you could be expelled".

Harry nodded glumly as they reached the stone gargoyles guarding Dumbledore's Office. Umbridge gave the password and ushered them all on to the spiral staircase.

They walked down the corridor to Dumbledore's Office and Umbridge opened the door without knocking. Dumbledore himself was sat behind his desk, hands clasped in front of him and an enquiring look on his wrinkled face. "Ah Miss Umbridge, what can I do for you today?", he asked mildly as he gazed over his half-moon spectacles at them.

"I've brought Potter to your office to be punished Headmaster", she said in her sickly sweet way and then added "I feel that he must be expelled for what he has done".

"Oh yes?", Dumbledore replied calmly, "and what has Mr Potter done that is so bad he should be expelled?".

"He attacked Mr Malfoy here with a hex that made his face swell up", she gestured to Malfoy who was smirking at Harry.

"I see", Dumbledore said thoughtfully, "and was anyone witness to this other than yourself?", he asked.

"I was Professor", Daphne declared before Umbridge could stop her. Daphne then ran down what happened and explained why Harry had gone after Malfoy. "So you see Professor, while Harry made a mistake and shouldn't have done it he was only getting even for Malfoy using the stinging hex on him".

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes I see your point Miss Greengrass". Umbridge looked furious as Dumbledore continued "however, Mr Potter should not have taken matters into his own hands".

The old wizard gazed at Harry. "You are a prefect Harry and as such should understand that actions have consequences. I am therefore confiscating your broom for a week and will inform Professor McGonagall that you are to have detention with her every night this week until you have learned your lesson".

"Ahem, ahem!". Harry had been willing to take the punishment but rolled his eyes when Umbridge cleared her throat and said sweetly "do you not think Headmaster that Professor McGonagall is likely to be lenient on the boy, he is in her house after all".

"And who would you suggest to carry out his punishment Miss Umbridge?", Dumbledore asked her lightly.

Umbridge smiled. "Why myself of course", she replied sweetly, "I am the obvious choice for I shall not be lenient on him and have no connection to him whatsoever".

Dumbledore nodded. "All true", he said thoughtfully. Harry was silently pleading with the old wizard to not agree with the idea. "Very well", he said eventually, "you will take charge of Mr Potter's detentions Miss...Dolores".

Umbridge beamed happily at Dumbledore before turning her cold eyes on Harry. "You will present yourself outside my office at six pm tonight", she informed him briskly, "you will stay in detention until your prefect rounds begin at ten o' clock at which time you will return to Gryffindor Tower".

"What will I be doing...Miss Umbridge?", Harry asked, pouring scorn on her name as he said it.

"You will find out later. Just make sure to bring plenty of parchment", Umbridge declared before sweeping out of the office along with Malfoy.

Dumbledore gazed sternly at Harry and shook his head in disappointment. "Harry, have you not learned anything in the five years you've been at Hogwarts?", he demanded.

Harry cast his eyes to the floor. "Look at me Harry", the old wizard commanded. Harry looked up. "I only chide you as I am worried for you my boy. You should not cross Dolores Umbridge, she has the full support of the Minister and has much power within the Ministry".

"I'll be more careful in the future Professor", Harry promised him and to his great surprise it was a promise he aimed to keep for he hated disappointing the man who was a mentor to him.

"That is all I wish to hear Harry", Dumbledore said with a smile. He picked up the dish in front of him and offered "lemon drop?".

That night, at half past five, Harry wolfed down his chosen dinner of sausage and mash, drained his goblet of orange juice, kissed his girlfriend goodnight, said goodbye to his friends and hurried on up to Dolores Umbridge' office which stood on in a corridor on the the fourth floor of the main castle.

Harry reached the office he'd been told about and checked his watch. He breathed a sigh of relief for it was only ten to six. He had managed to arrive with ten minutes to spare. He knew it wouldn't earn him any favours from Umbridge but perhaps she'd be less unpleasant.

Harry decided to knock on the door and alert the Hogwarts Liaison to his presence. He knocked loudly three times and frowned as no response came from within. He knocked again, three more times. Again, there was no reply.

By two minutes to six he was getting annoyed as he continued to knock. He tried one final time and waited. Once again, there was no response. He sighed and muttered irritably to himself, checking his irritation as at six o'clock precisely the office door opened to reveal Dolores Umbridge dressed in her usual ghastly pink cardigan and black skirt, her hair curled as usual. "Mr Potter I expected you to alert me as to your presence", she said in a sickly sweet voice, her face containing a sickly sweet smile.

Harry was flabbergasted but more than that he was outraged. "But I did!", he protested vehemently, forgetting for a moment just who this woman was and what power she had.

"Silence!", she commanded imperiously, "you must not tell lies", she declared as she sniffed the air. "Come in at once and sit down".

Harry just about managed to check the glare that he longed to show on his face as he walked past her into a spacious office containing several desks and a blackboard. He had the impression that it had, at one time, been a classroom but he shrugged the thought off as unimportant.

Harry set his school bag down, took out a quill, inkpot and several sheets of parchment before looking for confirmation to sit down. Umbridge nodded and he sat.

The toad like woman strode over to him and looked at his quill and ink. "Oh you won't be needing either of those tonight Mr Potter", she told him knowingly.

Harry frowned as she went on. "You shall be doing lines with a special quill of mine". Umbridge strode over to her desk, fished inside her handbag and returned with a quill.

She handed it to Harry who was nonplussed. 'How can I possibly write lines without ink?', he thought irritably. It crossed his mind as likely that she wanted him unable to write the lines so she could give him another telling off and give him further detentions.

Deciding he had best be polite for now Harry asked "please Miss Umbridge...where's the ink?".

Umbridge smiled. It was a cold, calculating smile that did not reach her eyes and Harry gulped in concern as she replied "oh you won't need ink Mr Potter. Just begin to write the lines I give you and the words will appear".

Harry held off a sigh and asked "which lines Miss Umbridge and how many?".

"I think ten lines of I must not tell lies relating to your lie that He Who Must Not Be Named has returned...".

"But he has. I've seen him myself!", Harry argued, unable to stop himself.

Umbridge gave him a sweet smile and continued "ten lines of I must not attack innocent students...".

"Innocent? Malfoy?", Harry burst out again and mentally kicked himself.

"And ten lines of I must not interrupt Miss Umbridge when she is speaking", Umbridge finished. She sounded overjoyed at the whole thing.

Harry sighed and put the usual black quill to the parchment. As he began to write nothing happened at first but as he completed the first line of "I must not tell lies", the words began to appear on the parchment in red ink.

Harry frowned at the words and then at the quill, unable to understand how words could have appeared without any ink. Just as he did so he gasped. He could feel a searing pain on the back of his right hand, the one he wrote with. He gazed at it and his mouth fell open in horror for there, on the back of his hand, emblazoned in red lettering, his own blood he now realised with shock, were the words "I must not tell lies".

Harry looked from his hand up to Umbridge who was smiling sweetly at him from her desk. "Is the message sinking in yet?", she asked with a smirk.

Harry wanted nothing more than to hex her to next week but he knew he couldn't. He also knew that he had to suck it up and get on with his punishment despite the pain. "Not yet...Miss Umbridge". He added the last part reluctantly as he returned to his writing.

The pain in his hand got worse as he wrote the remaining lines. It felt like his skin was being torn off as blood dripped from his hand. Thankfully the blood soon dried but as Umbridge called out "detention is finished for now...you may leave" and then added "I shall see your work first however".

Harry packed up his things and showed her his work. She nodded approvingly and smiled sweetly at him. "Good to see the message beginning to sink in Mr Potter. Be back here the same time tomorrow...see you then".

Harry just about contained his fury as he exited the office and made his way back to Gryffindor Tower.

As he walked, he pulled his robe sleeve down over his hand in an attempt to hid the obvious scarring, knowing as he did that if Hermione or any of the others saw it they would try to convince him to go to Dumbledore and Harry knew this was one battle he had to fight on his own.

Harry reached the portrait hole at five past ten that night and found Hermione waiting for him at the entrance to the tower. "Ready for prefect rounds?", she asked him. He nodded and the pair of them headed off on their inspection of the surrounding area.

"How did detention go with Umbridge?", she asked him as they walked, "I hear she is a real bi...is really tough on students".

Harry shrugged trying to appear nonchalant. "It was fine", he replied, "she had me write thirty lines".

"Well that doesn't sound too bad", Hermione seemed surprised and a bit glad.

Harry found himself distracted by the scars on his hand which were itching like mad. He tried to surreptitiously scratch them only for Hermione to notice as she did with most things. "What are you doing?", she asked him as she looked at his hand.

Harry had no time to pull the sleeve back over it and from his friends gasp of horror he could tell she had seen it. "What...what is...are those lines...in your hand?".

Harry grimaced and nodded. Hermione pulled him over to a bench and the pair of them sat down for a moment. "How did you get...did Umbridge do that to you?".

Seeing no way of lying to her, Harry nodded. "Yeah. She gave me some sort of special quill to use but no ink. I found the words were appearing in red and...and...".

"Not your own blood?!", Hermione was outraged he could tell.

"Calm down Hermione", he urged her as he cast a look around the deserted corridor.

"Calm down?!". She stared at him and then hissed "how can I calm down when I find my best friend is being tortured?!".

"It's...it's not that bad", he offered up lamely.

"Not that...of course it's bad!", Hermione snapped. The next moment she said seriously "you have to tell Dumbledore or at least Sirius".

Harry shook his head stubbornly. "Both of them are far too busy with Order business and teaching". Seeing her look he added "don't tell anyone else either".

"But...".

"I mean it Hermione", Harry said sternly, "no one else. I don't want anyone feeling pity for me and I certainly don't want that toad to think she's winning".

"But Harry...".

"Promise me Hermione", he said seriously, "Promise me right now. A wizards oath that you won't tell anyone".

His best friend huffed a sigh and said "fine. Fine I promise".

"Take out your wand and make the oath", Harry insisted.

Shaking her head, Hermione took out her wand, pointed it in the air and swore "I promise to not reveal to a living soul that Harry James Potter is being forced to use a torture device in detentions".

"Good". Harry was satisfied and they continued their rounds with Harry all the while wondering how he would cope with another four days of detentions like tonights.