A/N: Hey guys! This is a series of one shot stories which I shall update from time to time. Send in your ideas if you have any and I'll try to incorporate them!
Chapter 1: What if Snape caught Harry returning from one of Umbridge's detentions?
"Are you for real, Hermione?" Harry asked his friend as they made their way towards the DADA classroom.
"Yes, I am, Harry." Hermione said sharply.
"But she's a downright bitch to Harry, why the hell should he be the one to try and be nice?" Rob asked as if it was some kind of difficult Math question.
"Because she's a teacher, Ron. And Harry's behavior only gets him in trouble! Just try to not give out your sarcastic advice."
Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm not trying to be anything, Hermione. If she messes with me, I won't try and stop myself from hitting her ugly button nose."
Hermione sighed as Ron snickered.
"Fine. But don't come to me when you land yourself in trouble." She huffed and went forward.
"I can't believe she took the toad's side." Ron said as they both took a seat at the back and Hermione sat in the front of the class. "Even after knowing what she did to you." His head snapped over to Harry's hand.
"Leave it, Ron." Harry said as he rubbed his mutilated hand. "Hermione means well."
The door opened and the pink abomination entered with a ridiculous giggle.
"Good morning, Class." She said and waved her wand over the blackboard and 'Page 165' appeared on the board.
She frowned at them.
"I said Good Morning class." She smiled sweetly at them. Too sweetly.
The whole class murmured a greeting in return while Harry rolled his eyes and snorted softly.
"Problem, Mr Potter?" Her high-pitched voice pierced Harry's eardrums.
Harry saw Hermione shook her head while Ron softly kicked Harry under the table, a warning to not indulge her.
"No ma'am." Harry answered confidently.
"Didn't we cover this in your last detention, Mr Potter?" Her eyes shined and her face contorted into the world's ugliest smirk. "We must not tell lies, Mr Potter."
Harry flexed his hand as she spoke, and the words etched into his hand gave a painful flare.
"I guess one detention didn't do you any good. Detention, Potter. Tonight, 7, sharp." She smiled evilly at him and Harry glared daggers at her.
Hermione sighed and Ron closed his eyes in resignation.
After class, Harry saw Hermione walk towards them.
"If you want to brag, I'm not in the mood." Harry grumbled curtly.
"I am not here to brag, Harry. I'm your friend." Hermione said and sighed. "I have some cooling salve which I had taken from Madame Pomfrey last week. It will help with the pain."
Harry looked at her and gave her a small smile.
"Thank you." He said.
"I hate that woman." Ron commented angrily.
Harry just nodded mutely as he hoisted his bag more firmly on his shoulder.
The rest of the day was a blur to Harry. Charms was good, McGonagall took him aside in transfiguration and gave him a small lecture on the detention he had got today, and then there was Snape, who was as snarky as usual and had taken a million points from Gryffindor because Ron had yawned. All in all, Harry wouldn't consider it one of his good days.
Currently, the trio was walking towards the Great Hall for dinner.
"Do you think she will make you write the same line?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged in response.
Hermione elbowed the red head to stop speaking when she noticed Harry's mood.
Harry barely ate dinner. He was dreading his detention with Umbridge. It was not that he was scared of the woman, or the pain that she inflicted. He was more worried about his reactions to her constant quips and taunts. He already had temperamental issues this year, if he went over the line with Umbridge, he would get a one-way ticket out of Hogwarts. He sighed and rubbed his eyes from under his spectacles. He cast a look at his watch and noted that it was 6:50.
"I'd better leave." He said to his friends and got up.
"Best of luck, mate." Ron said from around a mouthful of lamb.
"We will be awake, Harry." Hermione said gently and Harry gave them a smile before walking off.
/
Harry took a deep breath and dried his sweaty palms on his trousers.
'You can do this, Potter.' He told himself.
With a new streak of confidence, Harry firmly knocked on Umbridge's office door.
The door swing open and Harry entered the highly detested room. Pink walls surrounded him and the cats in the plates meowed irritably.
"Good evening, Mr Potter." Umbridge smiled from behind her desk. "I see you are on time today."
Harry didn't reply but stared blankly at her face.
"You will sit at that desk and write what you wrote in your last detentions."
Harry inwardly sighed in relief. At least he won't have two scars from her.
He silently dropped his bag beside the small desk and chair slid himself in the seat.
The Quill seemed to tease him from where it was sitting neatly beside the rolls of parchment.
"How many times, Ma'am?" Harry gritted out even though he knew the answer.
Umbridge smirked at him devilishly.
"As many times as it takes, Mr Potter." She said and went back to her work. "Start now."
Harry grudgingly took the quill and started writing.
The first few sentences were bearable. Harry could tolerate the pain.
But as soon as he crossed the number 15, searing pain shot in his arm with every alphabet. Blood was already sleeping through his robe sleeve and he paused a moment to examine the damage.
He glared constantly at the bitch sitting opposite to him, seemingly oblivious to the boy's pain.
She made sure to irk him every half an hour and Harry willed himself to calm down while answering her.
After long painful hours, Harry finally heard the words which he had been yearning to since he entered the office.
"That will be all, Mr Potter. Hope you learned your lesson." She looked at him. "And not to worry if you have not, I have much time to assign detentions to you. I'm sure we will learn along the way." She gave him a small wave. "Dismissed."
Harry fumed as he slammed the door shut. His hand hurt terribly. The continuous blood loss for 3 days paired with loss of appetite and sleepless nights, was making him dizzy and he grabbed the wall to support himself. He glanced his watch and noted that it was almost 10:00. He groaned as he realised, he would have to climb and descend a lot of stairs to reach the common room. His head pounded as he made slowly made his way down the stairs, his hand cradled to his chest.
His legs felt weak, and with a groan, he dropped down on the last step, his sweaty forehead leaning against the cold wall of the castle.
His eyes blurred as the pain in his hand intensified. For a fleeting moment, he considered going to Madame Pomfrey, but the thought vanished from his head as soon as it had arrived. He would not give Umbridge that satisfaction just so that she can shut down the whole school. He slowly peeled off his robe and wrapped it around his hand, preventing the blood from dripping down.
His watch read 10:15 and he knew that any teacher could find him here while doing their nightly rounds.
He surprisingly found himself not caring about that fact.
With a push, he lugged himself up along with his bag and stumbled down the corridor.
His eyes snapped open as he heard sharp footsteps coming his way from the end of the corridor.
He could see the small bob of light on the wand and stepped against the wall, trying to make himself invisible.
But alas, he couldn't.
A hand grabbed his shoulder firmly and the lit wand was pressed into his face.
"I am not even surprised to find you now, Potter."
Harry winced.
Luck was a real bitch to him today.
Of all the teachers in this castle, Snape had to be the one to find him.
"Roaming around to find another mischief, are we?" Snape drawled our as he watched the contorted expression on Potter's face.
When Harry didn't speak, Snape grabbed hold of his injured arm to pull him towards the dungeons.
Although the small scream instantly made him leave the boy's hand as if it burned him.
Severus frowned when he felt something wet on his hand and looked at it in his wand's light.
Red blood spattered over his palm made his eyes go wide.
He looked at the boy who was panting heavily.
"What did you do, Potter?" He demanded roughly.
"N-nothing." Harry said. "I-I'm sorry. I'll leave."
"The hell you will." Severus cursed and stopped the boy from going. As much as he wanted to leave the boy after throwing in a few detentions for a good measure, he knew he couldn't. As a teacher, it was his responsibility to make sure that every student received the medical attention they deserved.
"We are going to see Madame Pomfrey. Come."
"Wh- NO!" Harry said loudly.
"You're bleeding all over the castle floor, Potter." Severus said sternly.
"No." Harry stared defiantly at the man.
"Do not make me carry you." Severus warned dangerously.
Harry eye twitched but he didn't budge.
"Fine." Severus snapped and was about to bend down to hold the boy's knees when Harry yelped and stepped back.
"Okay okay!" He cried. "But please Sir, I don't want to go to the Hospital Wing."
Severus looked at the pleading boy for a fleeting second and sighed. His headache, which had made itself known right now, intensified.
"If I take you to my office, will you tell me the truth?" Severus asked him.
Harry contemplated the situation for a moment.
Snape hated him.
But then he was a member of the Order which made him trustable.
Going to Snape's office in the middle of the night was certainly not a thing a wise man would do, but Harry's hand hurt terribly.
And Snape was a potions master. He might help Harry.
"Oh yes, take your time, Potter. It's not like you are bleeding profusely and on the verge of fainting." Severus remarked snidely snidely and tapped his foot in impatience.
Harry rolled his eyes before nodding.
"Okay, I'll tell you." He said quietly.
Snape gave a sharp nod and turned on his heels. The 'Follow me' command remained unsaid as Harry slowly trudged behind the man.
Harry had to stop for a few moments between their walk to regain his breath.
The most surprising part for Harry was that Snape waited patiently for him every time.
Soon, they reached the Potions Master's office and Snape beckoned him inside.
"Sit." He ordered and pointed to a chair in front of his desk.
Harry sagged in the chair with relief and for the first time, Snape could see the boy in full light. His complexion was pale due to the mysterious injury and his white dress shirt was now marked with big blotches of red blood. Sweat lined the boy's forehead and his hand was eerily white.
Snape instantly dropped to his one knee and slowly took hold of the boy's arm.
Harry watched without a word as his professor, with outmost care, peeled away his robe. He winced as the sticky fabric was ripped apart from his hand and his skin burned.
Severus banished the robe with disgust and gently turned Harry's arm to look at the wound. He inhaled sharply at the words and looked in the emerald eyes with shock.
Harry bit his lip and gulped to keep his tears at bay.
'It hurts!' His brain screamed.
"A blood quill?" Severus asked in a soft voice. One of the most torturous instruments of all time.
Harry nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
Severus refrained from asking any more question until he had taken care of the injury.
He summoned a bowl of water and added a numbing solution to it. With gently force, he took a wash cloth and gently dabbed the wound till it was clean of the blood.
The words stood out prominently on Harry's hand.
"Hold this." Severus said and Harry took over and pressed the wet cloth over his hand. He could feel he numbing potion working as his control over his hand slipped little by little.
Snape then summoned a fresh bowl with yellow sticky liquid and added a few more potions which Harry didn't care to ask about.
Severus then mixed the solution and took over again, removing Harry's other hand.
"I can't feel my hand now." Harry informed him as he flapped his numbed limb towards Snape.
"Good. I don't think you would like to feel this." Severus dipped the wash cloth in the solution and pressed it over the wound.
A hissing sound met Harry's ears and smoke rose from the carved words. Harry looked away and gagged at the sounds.
Severus repeated the process until he was certain that enough potion was administered. He then banished everything and summoned a role of bandage and professionally wrapped it around Harry's hand.
He stood up, and his knees popped unkindly. He rummaged around his potions cabinet and took out three vials.
Harry frowned.
"I don't want to drink any potions." He whined.
"You are in no position to make demands, Potter." Severus said and opened two of them before moving towards Harry. He handed him the first one.
"Blood replenishing." He said and Harry hesitantly tipped the potion in his mouth with a grimace.
"Calming draught." Harry opened his mouth to protest but Severus beat him to it. "Don't you dare refuse, because I can and I will force it down your throat one way or the other."
Harry gulped at the threat and quickly drank the offered vial.
Snape put the third one beside him on the desk.
"It's pain relief, you can take it with you when you leave. It is likely that your hand will hurt tomorrow."
Harry nodded. He knew Snape would demand explanation anytime now.
"What potion did you apply, sir?" He stalled.
"Murtlap Essence and a few other potions which will prevent the wound from scarring. Albeit I doubt, considering the extent of damage, that it will be of any use."
Harry nodded. He watched as Snape stopped talking, and instead of sitting at his usual seat behind the desk, he sat down in the chair beside Harry.
"Care to tell me all about this, Potter?" Severus already had a rough idea of who might have administered the punishment but he was a little dicey in assuming it straight away.
He watched as Harry's brain worked whether he should tell the truth or not. For the boy's sake Severus hoped that he would tell the truth.
"It was Umbridge." Harry said in a small voice. "She gives me detentions because I don't wish her 'Good morning', or my trousers had a small wrinkle, I walk too fast, or maybe because I breathe in extra oxygen." Harry said angrily.
Severus closed his eyes and took deep breaths.
"Did you not tell anybody?" He asked the boy.
"I tried to tell McGonagall; she said I had to endure it." Harry shrugged hopelessly.
"I doubt you told her clearly what happens in these detentions. Your Head of House will never let her lions get hurt." Severus said knowingly. McGonagall was far too protective.
"I tried to! But she won't listen!" Harry defended himself.
"Calm down, Potter." Severus said. "One would think the Calming Draught hasn't taken effect on you."
Harry mumbled something on the lines of 'Sorry' before looking down.
"Are you going to tell Dumbledore?" Harry asked.
"As much as I enjoy to terrorise children, Potter, I would be damned if I kept quiet while someone else hurts them." Severus said.
"So, you will tell him?"
Severus rolled his eyes at the boy.
"Yes, Potter. It is my duty to report this."
"But she will-"
"You don't have to worry about her anymore." Snape said in a surprisingly gentle voice. "Myself and the Headmaster will look into it."
"What about the detentions she has scheduled for other children? I mean, I can take it, but the first years are so young and they-"
"I said I and the Headmaster will look into it."
Snape gazed in the Emerald eyes and Harry nodded.
The young wizard then stood up and picked up his bag and looked at Snape uselessly.
"I-I don't know how to thank you, sir." Harry said honestly.
"Just wish the damn woman 'good morning', Potter." Severus said and watched the boy hobble over to the door.
"I shall try that, sir." Harry said, a little bit offended as he opened the office door.
"Of course, you will." Severus said under his breath. "Are you really that daft that you will walk all the way to the Gryffindor Common Room at 11:30 at night?" He raised an eyebrow at the boy.
"Well, I can't exactly apparatenow, can I?" Harry retorted.
"Floo, Potter. Take the floo."
Harry's eyes shone with realisation and he gave Severus a sheepish smile.
"Sorry." He said and went over to the floo.
"If you get anymore detentions with her, Potter, you come to me." Severus said as the boy took a handful of floo powder.
"Before or after?" Harry asked cheekily.
"Depends on your will to live." Severus smirked at the boy who snorted.
"Good night, sir."
"Good night, Potter."
With that, Harry disappeared into the fire, leaving behind a very amused Severus Snape.
/—/
Kindly read the rest of my stories as well if you liked this one!
