Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.
Snape looked up from the essays he was grading when Harry entered his office. "Finished yet another detention?" He asked coldly. He was completely fed up with Harry's attitude but at the same time, he knew something had to be very wrong but the boy wouldn't open up to him. Snape was running out of patience, something he did not have an abundance of as it was.
"No," Harry said quietly. "I'm supposed to be serving it now." He nervously approached his dad's desk.
Snape shook his head in frustration and stood up. "You have been irritable and difficult the last few weeks and it stops now," He said in a low voice. "I understand you are upset about the Quidditch ban but-"
"It's not about bloody Quidditch!" Harry burst out. His eyes widened and he looked at his dad warily.
Snape's face darkened and he turned away, forcing his temper under control. "Enough," He said quietly. "You know better than to talk to me like that. Whatever is bothering you, you will tell me. Now."
"I'm sorry," Harry said, feeling ashamed. He hadn't meant to snap at his dad but he was just so tense and upset.
Snape expression softened somewhat by the sincere tone in Harry's apology and he turned to face his son. "What is wrong Harry?"
Harry took a deep breath and held out his un-glamoured hand. It was red, swollen and some redness was spreading from the wounds. There was dried blood on it as the wounds had kept reopening over the last couple of days.
Snape's eyes widened and he summoned a cloth, quickly casting a spell to dampen it. "Did you cut yourself?" He asked as he began to gently clean the blood off. Once he was finished he stared in horror at the words carved into his son's skin. "What in Merlin's…what happened?"
"Detention with Umbridge," Harry answered. "She has this special quill that doesn't use ink."
Snape's eyes snapped to Harry's. "She made you use a blood quill?" He hissed as he immediately ran a diagnostic on Harry.
Harry nodded, embarrassed. "She said it was a special quill for problem students like me. I didn't know she was going to use it on anyone else but she did tonight." He glanced at the items on Snape's desk as they began rattling and he realized it was his dad's magic reacting to his anger.
"How dare she?!" Snape roared suddenly. "Oh, if she thinks she will get away with harming you she is in for an unpleasant surprise," He seethed as he summoned several vials and balms wordlessly. "Sit down Harry." He tried to control his anger but was having a hard time. That blasted woman had dared to hurt his son!
Harry obeyed, eyeing the various vials set before him. "What are all these for?" He asked tentatively.
"You have a fever caused by your hand being infected," Snape answered. "Blood quills are banned artifacts because they are so barbaric. I can't believe one detention could do so much damage," He murmured as he continued checking Harry's hand.
"Um, this happened in all my detentions." Harry admitted.
Snape lifted his gaze and stared at Harry. "Excuse me?"
Harry shifted uncomfortable in his chair. "I've had to use the quill in my previous detentions with her."
"Is there a reason that you did not tell me of this the very first detention you had with her?" Snape asked in a dangerous voice.
"She was so smug about it, and I didn't want to act weak," Harry said, realizing how stupid his thought process had been. "She was trying to break me and I didn't want to give in," He said in a sheepish voice. "She also said she could get you and the Headmaster fired, and I knew we had to stay on her good side..." He trailed off.
Snape was furious. He didn't trust himself to speak so he silently began to rub an anti-inflammatory balm into Harry's hand. He pushed the vials containing a pain-reliever and fever-reducer towards Harry.
Harry quickly downed the potions, shuddering slightly from the taste. He sighed a little in relief as he began to feel better.
Snape pointed his wand at Harry's hand as he performed a healing spell. Soon there was only a faint outline of the words that had been carved into the skin. "You'll need to apply more balm tomorrow morning."
Harry nodded. "All right," He said softly.
"You should have come to me Harry," Snape said sternly. "As soon as you realized what that quill was doing you should have left her office and come to me."
"I know," Harry whispered.
Snape ran his hand through his hair. "You mentioned another student being hurt?"
"Luna Lovegood," Harry said. "She had detention with Umbridge tonight for sticking up for me. She told Umbridge that Jeremy and Grant had lied and pulled their wands on me…" He gazed at his dad with sad eyes. "Because she defended me, she now has words carved into her hand. I told her to go to the infirmary."
Snape nodded. "Good," He said curtly. He needed to talk to Dumbledore and have that woman thrown out of the castle tonight. Or he could just turn her into a rat and let Mrs. Norris have some fun.
"I know I should have told you," Harry continued. "I just didn't want to cause more trouble and put your job at risk. I need you here."
"Harry," Snape sighed. "Your safety and health are a million times more important than my job or the Headmasters job. She was trying to intimidate you into keeping quiet and she succeeded!" He slammed his hand down on his desk. "If you are injured or sick you are to tell me! If someone is hurting you, you are to tell me! What will it take to get that through your thick skull?"
"I was trying to be strong and not let her break me!" Harry defended himself weakly.
"You let your stubbornness and pride get in the way of doing the right thing," Snape pointed at him. "In the past when you were abused, you didn't have a parent to turn to or an adult you trusted enough. But you now you have me Harry! When will you trust me?"
"I do trust you!" Harry said, feeling tears well up. All the stress he had been trying to hold in was catching up to him. "I didn't want her to fire you or cause you more trouble."
"Let's get one thing straight, I am the adult," Snape snapped. "You should have trusted that I would handle Umbridge. Accepting the torture of that quill is something I would never, ever want you to do. Nothing is worth that! And the only reason you are telling me now is because she used the quill on another student. Do you not care for yourself at all?" He asked in frustration.
"I, yeah, I mean," Harry slumped in his seat. "I almost walked out after I realized what the quill did. But then…my pride got the better of me." He admitted.
Snape could relate, his stubborn pride had gotten the better of him many times over the years. He tried to stay stern but seeing the dejected look on Harry's face was making that task difficult. "Listen to me," He said quietly as he put a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "Umbridge is the one at fault; she hurt you and used her position of power to intimidate you. You should not have been hurt like that. However, I wish you had used better judgment and come to me when it first happened. You know I am here for you right? You know I will always be on your side."
Harry nodded jerkily, trying not to let any tears fall. "I'm sorry I disappointed you," He whispered.
"I'm disappointed in myself, I knew something was bothering you," Snape said with a sigh. "I thought it was worry over the dreams or just regular teenage angst." He hesitated. "You haven't been keeping dreams or any pain in your scar a secret, have you?"
"No," Harry said honestly.
"I want you to write down everything that Umbridge said and did," Snape said as he levitated a quill and parchment to Harry. "And then I want you to go to our quarters and sleep there tonight. You took several potions so I want to be able to check on you as well as make sure your infection clears up."
Harry nodded as he began writing. "Dad? I'm so sorry."
Snape pulled Harry up and pulled him into a hug. "I know. But the one who should be sorry is Umbridge," He said. "I can't stand the thought of you being hurt Harry. You could have gotten really sick from that infection. You must tell me if someone hurts you, I don't care who they are. You do not ever deserve to be hurt Harry, not ever." He said fiercely.
"I will," Harry said as he relaxed into the hug, finally feeling his stress fade away.
Snape released him and pointed to the parchment. "Finish writing and then go to our quarters. I will have Dobby inform your friends that you will be sleeping there tonight."
"Thank you," Harry said gratefully. He was nervous about telling his friends although he knew he owed them an apology for his attitude lately.
Snape looked at Harry thoughtfully and then quietly summoned Dobby and whispered to him. The elf nodded and popped away without Harry even knowing he was there.
HP
When Harry walked into the sitting room he almost jumped out of his skin.
"Harry!"
Harry's mouth dropped open as he gazed at his friends. "What are you guys doing here?" He asked with a small smile.
"Dobby told us to come." Hermione answered as she looked at her friend worriedly.
"He said we couldn't stay too long though," Draco added, also looking concerned.
"So what's going on mate?" Ron asked.
Daphne approached Harry. "You look tired," She said softly.
"I took some potions," Harry said, taking Daphne's hand into his. "I think my dad put some calming draught in one of them."
"Why did you need potions? What's wrong with you?" Daphne led him to the couch and sat down with him.
"Are you sick?" Theo asked.
"First, I need to apologize for my attitude lately." Harry began. "Something was going on and I was really angry and upset. I shouldn't have taken it out on you guys."
"What was going on?" Tracey asked in concern.
"Umbridge has been having me write with a special quill in my detentions," Harry said. "My dad called it a blood quill."
"What?" Daphne gasped. "That isn't allowed!"
"Merlin," Draco breathed. His eyes darkened. "Wait until my father hears about this, she will be out of Hogwarts!"
"Wait, a blood quill," Ron frowned.
"It doesn't use ink; it carves your lines into your hand." Harry told him. "I finally told my dad about it tonight, I had a fever and infection from it." He looked down at his hand. "You can hardly see now though."
Daphne held his hand and gently traced the words. "Oh Harry." Tears filled her eyes.
"I'm okay," Harry said quietly.
Daphne shook her head. "Why did you wait so long to tell your dad? Or us?" She didn't sound like she was accusing him, she simply sounded sad and worried.
"It was like a battle of wills, I guess," Harry sighed. "Also she said she could get rid of my dad and the Headmaster if she wanted to, that she had been given that authority by Fudge. It's stupid, I know now that I shouldn't have let her intimidate me," He shook his head. "I thought she was only using it on me but she used it on Luna Lovegood tonight."
"Loony Lovegood?" Ron asked, remembering the odd girl in the D.A. lessons. "Ow!" He rubbed the back of his head where Hermione had smacked him. "That's what they call her!"
"They shouldn't!" Hermione snapped. "She's just…different."
Harry couldn't help but grin at that. "She stood up for me with Umbridge and that's why she got detention."
"Is Luna okay?" Tracey asked.
"I think so," Harry said. "I sent her to the infirmary."
"Are you okay?" Draco raised an eyebrow.
"I am now," Harry said honestly.
"You're a prat Harry, you know that?" Ron huffed. "Putting up with that is the barmiest thing I've ever heard."
"Ron," Tracey started.
"No, he's right." Harry shook his head. "I'm an idiot." He looked at Daphne, whose eyes were glowing with anger. Merlin, I haven't lost her have I? He worried. He wouldn't blame her for dumping him…
"That woman should be in Azkaban!" Daphne seethed. "I want to hex her with every hex I know!"
"Can we turn her into a mouse and feed her to Nova?" Draco asked, his grey eyes gleaming.
"How about we turn her into a Quaffle ball and play some Quidditch?" Ron suggested with a smirk.
"How about the scrubbing brush Filch makes students use for cleaning toilets?" Hermione spoke up.
Draco looked at her admirably. "Nice one."
Hermione grinned.
"Dumbledore will fire her right?" Tracey asked. "She tortured two students."
Harry shrugged. "I don't know if he can since she's here on the Ministry's orders."
"There's no way she will be allowed to continue using that quill," Hermione said confidently. "If other parents knew about it, there would be a riot."
Harry squeezed Daphne's hand. "I'm sorry," He whispered to her as his friends continued to think of ideas to torture Umbridge.
"Don't be sorry, she's the one who hurt you," Daphne said firmly. "Just…promise me if anyone does anything like that to you again you will tell someone. Your dad, one of the other professors or me." Daphne gently touched the light scar on his hand. "I'm here for you. If she had done this to me, wouldn't you have wanted me to tell you? Or at least report her?"
Harry inwardly winced at the thought of Daphne using that horrible quill. He wouldn't have been able to stand it if she had been hurt that way and yes, he would have wanted to her to speak up immediately about it. "I promise," He said. Daphne leaned into him and he put his arm around her, feeling content.
Across the room, the teenagers were still discussing what to do with Umbridge.
"I think we should get Fred and George to use some of their joke products on her," Ron said.
Draco's eyes lit up. "Yeah, don't they have some products they still need to experiment with?"
"Ugh, I'm still trying to stop them from experimenting on the younger years," Hermione said. "Hmm, I guess Umbridge would be a good alternative for them." She amended.
"Shh," Daphne said as she joined them. "Harry fell asleep." She glanced over where Harry was lying back on the couch, his eyes closed. She smiled sadly at him. Once again he had accepted being hurt by someone and it made her heart hurt. Oh, she knew Harry would have felt challenged by Umbridge to endure the detentions but she also knew that he was mostly thinking of protecting his dad's job. Her fear was that deep down; Harry still believed he deserved to be hurt, thanks to those worthless Dursley's.
"We should go," Hermione whispered, gazing fondly at her friend.
"Yeah, we can talk more to him tomorrow," Ron said.
Before leaving, Daphne gently took off Harry's glasses and covered him with a blanket that had been on the back of the sofa. "See you tomorrow," She whispered.
Tracey smiled when Daphne followed her out the door. "You really do care about him don't you?"
Daphne nodded. "I really do," She admitted as they followed their friends down the hallway. "I never thought I could care this much about someone. And I want him to be happy; he's been through so much you know?"
"He has," Tracey agreed. "But he has a dad now, good friends, and you. I think he'll be okay."
HP
Snape used the floo in Dumbledore's office to return to his quarters. Dumbledore had decided to have Aurors come early in the morning to search Umbridge's office while he met with her. Snape had insisted to be at the meeting, he had a right to face that toad. A grim smile spread across his face as he thought about his meeting with the Headmaster. He rarely saw Albus Dumbledore truly angry, however all the windows in the office shattering after he had told him about the blood quill was something he wouldn't soon forget. The Headmaster had agreed that the pretense of letting Umbridge think she was in charge had gone on far too long. However, getting her arrested in the morning was not enough. Not enough at all.
Snape's eyes landed on Harry sleeping on the couch and his expression softened. He hoped having his friends come had helped. "Harry," He said, wanting to get the child into his bed. There's no way he could be comfortable sprawled on the couch that way. He sighed when Harry didn't wake. "Come on, into your bed you go," Snape lifted him up and carried him into his room. He wandlessly pulled the covers on the bed back and laid Harry down. He transfigured his son's clothes into pajamas and pulled the covers over him. He brushed his fingers through his child's hair. He snorted to himself as he left the room, wondering what his students would think if they could have seen him carry his son to bed and tuck him in.
He went into his lab, an idea brewing in his head. Maybe he couldn't actually kill Umbridge, as was his first instinct when hearing what she had done. He didn't want to end up in Azkaban after all. However, he wasn't a potions master for nothing. And no one got away with hurting his son. Just because she would face the authorities in the morning didn't mean she couldn't pay a little for what she had done tonight. He needed some help though…help that could be undetected.
Once Snape was finished brewing, he smiled at the vial he was holding. "Dobby," He called.
Dobby popped into the room. "Can Dobby help yous with anything Professor Snape?" His larger eyes got even wider when Snape told him what had happened to Harry and what his plan was.
Dobby's eyes now grew dark with anger. House-elf's were very loyal to their family and despite being a free elf; Dobby cared very much for Harry and his father. They were his family and he was fiercely protective of them. He took the vial, nodded, and disappeared with a pop.
Snape grinned to himself. Umbridge wouldn't be getting a good night's sleep tonight. Not at all.
TBC: It's my birthday, leave me a review? =) Hope you enjoyed!