She thought her life was over – but fate gave her another chance, in a world of magic. Now, running around Hogwarts with James Potter and his friends, she's about to make choices that will change the future in ways she never thought possible…

Marauder's Phase

CHAPTER NINETY-NINE

Closer

At the end of the week, after my sixth detention with Umbridge, I was sitting on a stone bench out in the courtyard, holding my hand and trying not to sob. As it was, blood had already badly stained my Gryffindor scarf.

"I hate her, I I said outloud, holding my stinging hand. "Oh my God, I HATE her..." Just remember the Cruciatus Curse...that hurt ten times worse... I reminded myself. At least I tried to...my hand was trhobbing painfully, and blood was dripping onto the floor. I nearly freaked out.

My hand was bleeding about as worse as Harry's in book five, I was sure. Maybe even worse! Because it had started bleeding on Wednesday, seeing as how Umbridge had made me write until my hand had bled a little on the first few days and, by now, the wound just wasn't closing over. I had managed to keep the nature of my detentions a complete secret from my friends (they had asked me what she was making me do, and I'd told them writing lines, which was half true) but I just didn't see how that was going to work anymore. And, I knew, as soon as Sirius found out, that he would go marching straight up to Umbridge's office, or would he...he'd been acting rather strange for awhile now...ever since the Champions had been selected...

My hand suddenly gave another painful throb, and I wished that I had essence of Murtlap.

And, suddenly, there it was.

I looked up to see Regulus Black walking in my direction very quickly, and there was nothing I could do to hide the fact that my hand was cascading blood. I saw him and he saw me, and he looked at my hand, and did a double-take.

"Don't you dare say a word." I said through gritted teeth, on account of the pain.

To give him credit, he didn't. He just slung his backpack onto the bench beside me, and began rummaging around in it.

"And what are you looking for?" I asked him quizzically but, before he could answer, he found what he'd been looking for - a small ceramic bowl and a vial of yellow liquid. "Please let that be Murtlap essnce..." I almost begged.

"It is," Regulus said quietly, pushing the full bowl toward me, and I unwrapped my hand from my Gryffindor scarf and placed my aching, bleeding hand into the bowl. I experienced a wonderful feeling of relief, which could only come from strained and pickled Murtlap tentacles, but even I had to wonder...

"Why were you walking around with Murtlap essence in your backpack?" I wanted to know, glancing sideways at the younger Black.

"Do I get to ask you what you did to your hand?" Regulus countered.

I nodded.

Regulus relaxed slightly. "Remidial Potions." He said quietly.

I gasped. "Y-you!? Remedial Potions!? Remedial anything!?"

Regulus flashed me his small, amused smile, and then glanced pointedly down at my soaking hand.

I took the hint, and I sighed. Then I told him about my detentions with Umbridge.

Regulus' face clouded over as my story progressed and, by the time I got to the part about Umbridge forcing me to write until my hand bled like this every night, or else she'd threaten my friends, his eyes were flashing like dual storm clouds.

"Let me tell you something, Em," He said quietly, taking off his Slytherin scarf and placing it around my shoulders, as it was a fairly chilly evening. "I may be a Death Eater, and I may believe in the purification of our kind - don't give me that look, I can't help it," He correctly interpreted my scowl of disdain. "And I may be related to Bella, but I would never, repeat NEVER do something like this to anyone," He paused, and then added quietly: "Not even to Muggles or Mud-Bl...muggle-borns," He corrected himself quickly, seeing my eyes flash. "I have more pride as a human-being than that."

I could've kissed him but, of course, I didn't, and just gingerly took my hand out of the bowl. "The bleeding seems to have stopped," I said, holding my hand up in the fading light.

"Yeah," Regulus agreed, taking my hand in his and running his forefinger gently over the cuts, in a way that reminded me of Remus. I shivered slightly. "Hey, hang on a second Ems...why does this say I LOVE Werewolves? I thought she was making you write 'hate'?"

I smiled slightly, feeling very rebellious. "Well, she is, only she can't read my handwriting. I figured, as long as I'm going to be permanently scarred, I might as well make it true, aye?"

"Umm...what?"