Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the character's! I just like to play with them! *nods shiftily*

Chapter 89

"Harry, Quidditch tryouts for the new keeper are on Saturday. I want you there to make sure whoever we get meshes with the whole team," Angelina, the new Gryffindor Quidditch Captain said as she started to go up the stairs to the girl's dorm.

Harry nodded around a pile of books. "I'll be there."

"How can we have so much homework in so few days?" demanded Ron.

"No idea," said Harry. "You should be caught up more than I am. You've not had detention with the evil toad lady every night this week."

Neville snickered.

"I've been busy," hedged Ron.

"With what?" asked Harry.

"Stuff," he muttered.

Harry just shook his head at his red headed friend. "Can someone explain to me why I couldn't transfigure my guinea fowl in class today? Because I sure don't know."

"You were mispronouncing the spell," said Hermione around a stack of papers.

"Oh." Harry turned red. "Then why didn't McGonagall tell me that?"

"I'm sure it's because she wanted you to figure it out on your own," replied Hermione as she wrote down something on a spare piece of parchment.

Harry just banged his head on the table.

"Detention Potter!"

"Why?" asked Harry furiously.

"Because of your messy homework."

"But professor, it isn't messy."

Umbridge looked it over. "It also looks like you cheated. That's a detention for Saturday as well."

"I didn't cheat!" exclaimed Harry.

The windows in the room started rattling. Harry took a deep, calming breath. The last thing he needed to do was explode something.

"See me after dinner," she said with a nasty smile.

Harry stormed out in the hallway after class.

"Harry?"

"What?" he asked as he turned around. "Oh. Sorry Susan." He had apparently lost his mind. Now he was randomly snapping at people.

"Are you all right?"

Harry sighed. "No. Angelina's gonna murder me."

"I'm sorry Umbridge is being so horrible to you," she said gently. "My aunt told me to avoid her if I could."

"Thanks. Unfortunately, it appears that I can't avoid her," he said as he shifted his book bag to his other shoulder. "Uh, was there something you needed?"

"I heard a rumor that you and Gabriella broke up," she said cautiously.

"Yeah, we did," he said. Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione had slowed down and were now walking behind them. He frowned back at them. 'Why did they do that?' he wondered.

"I was just curious. You know how rumor's fly around here."

Harry grimaced. He did indeed. "I'll see you later Susan. I have an essay to write for Hagrid at lunch."

She nodded and took off.

Harry then turned around to glare at Ron and Hermione. "Why did you two slow down?"

"Don't look at me," shrugged Ron. "She grabbed me by the robe and pulled me back."

"You two are utterly clueless. Why couldn't I have any girlfriends?" huffed Hermione.

Severus reached for one of his potion journals. With barely a glance, he flipped it open to the appropriate page.

He had just dipped his quill in a jar of ink to resume his own note taking when a knock at the door made him look up.

"What do you need Mr. Lann?"

"You're a Death Eater aren't you?" blurted out the boy.

In one swift motion, Severus had his wand drawn and pointed it at the door, causing it to slam shut and privacy barriers to erect.

"You foolish boy. You need to take care where you say those words at in this school." Severus stood up and circled his desk. He was pleased when the boy flinched.

"Are you a Death Eater?"

"What I may or may not be is of no concern to you. Why?"

"Because ... Because I want to become one too." The boy stood up straight and squared his shoulder's.

Severus sneered. "The Dark Lord does not take children into his service."

"I'm not a child. I'm seventeen!"

"You are still at Hogwarts! Until you graduate this spring, you cannot be marked."

"Why?"

"Do you not think the Headmaster will realize it when you show up one morning marked? Do you really want him to pull you from school and send you to Azkaban?"

"He wouldn't. My father wouldn't let him."

"Your father wouldn't have a say in the matter." Severus eyed the boy. "What is it you want to do after you graduate?"

"I have an apprenticeship waiting for me in France to study Curse Breaking."

"You need to wait until you're over there then before you approach the Dark Lord. Once you get over there and can make useful contact's, you'll have more to offer."

He was pleased to see the boy think about it. "All right sir. That makes sense. Thank you for your time."

Severus waved his wand, bringing the wards down and watched as he exited the room. He then sighed. He hoped the boy would reconsider. Hopefully once he got to France and started his training, he would forget all about the Dark Lord.

I must not tell lies.

I must not tell lies.

Harry noticed that the words on his hand wasn't fading anymore and that the cut was slower to close.

He had blood practically everywhere.

Two hours later, the cut finally quit closing, but he still wouldn't complain. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of him doing so.

Harry's stomach growled slightly. He had missed lunch and dinner because of this detention. The food that the elf brought to the room was ate by her. He didn't get any of it.

He glanced toward the window after a while without ever breaking stride in his writing. It was dark out. He idly wondered who had made keeper during tryouts. When he had told Angelina that he couldn't be there, she had gone nuts.

Harry forced himself to keep writing. He had been serving detention since 11am. His hand was numb and cramped. It no longer hurt when the quill wrote into his hand because he couldn't feel anything.

At 9pm, Umbridge cleared her throat. "Clean up your mess, Mr. Potter."

Harry silently nodded. He cleaned up all the blood and put the pieces of parchment in his robe pocket. He would not leave any blood for her to do who knows what with. After he cleaned out the quill thoroughly, he headed to the kitchens using a secret passage.

An elf greeted him. "How can Izzy be helping sir?"

"Is Dobby around?"

The elf nodded and bounced away to find him.

"Harry Potter sir!"

"Hey Dobby. Can you fix me something to eat? I didn't get to eat lunch or dinner and I'm hungry."

Five minutes later found Harry sitting at a table talking to a few of the elves that he had gotten to know over the years. Winky, he was pleased to see, looked a little bit better than the last time he saw her.

It only took him about ten minutes to eat. "Thanks everyone. You all do really good work. I'll see you later."

It was 9:30 when Harry got back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Harry, I made it!" exclaimed Ron.

"Made what?" asked Harry, completely confused.

"Keeper!"

His eyes widened in surprise. "Nice Ron! I wish I could have seen it."

"Where have you been?" asked Neville.

"Detention," Harry said as he gently rubbed his glamoured hand. "I got out at nine and went to the kitchen to eat something really quick."

"She kept you in detention all day?" demanded Hermione.

"Yeah. I have so much homework to do but I'm tired. I'm going up to bed." He then turned his focus on his grinning best friend. "I'm happy for you Ron. Is practice still tomorrow?"

Ron nodded eagerly.

Harry went upstairs. After a quick shower, he used his two-way mirror to call Sirius.

"Sirius."

Harry sighed. Sirius must be out or asleep so after 10 minutes of waiting, he put the mirror up. Then he grabbed his potions' book.

Fifteen minutes later he found what he was looking for.

Essence of Murtlap for stinging pain. It was a really simple potion. He could have made it in his first year.

Hoping his dorm mates didn't come up for a little while, he quickly and quietly prepared the potion. It didn't require any heat and he had the ingredients in his basic potions kit.

Ten minutes later, he breathed a sigh of relief as he put his hand in the bowl. He closed his eyes and meditated as the pain left him.

"You still have your Hogsmeade visit right?" asked Ron as he changed into his pajama's.

"Yeah," Harry said as he climbed into bed. "I can't wait to get away from the castle and Umbridge."

"You ever get caught up on your homework?" asked Neville.

Harry snorted. "No and I doubt I will. Between detention and Quidditch, I only get to work on it a couple hours a night."

"You should tell McGonagall about all these detentions," said Ron.

"She already knows. I've received the 'stay out her way' lecture about seven times now. I can pretty much recite it word for word in my head as she says it out loud." Harry pulled his curtains around his bed. "Night you guys. See you in the morning."

"Night," they both chimed in.

Severus stalked to Umbridge's door. He had been about to knock on it when the portrait informed him that she was busy.

"Do you think I care?" sneered Snape. He then proceeded to knock on the door anyway.

"Just a minute," came a voice from within. Severus raised a brow. He was surprised she hadn't sound proofed her room.

"Lady Umbridge, might I have a word with you?"

"Certainly, Professor Snape. Come in."

Severus strode in and almost gagged at the room. It was all pink. There were also about four cats roaming around that he could see.

"What can I do for you?"

"I went to go assign Potter detention today for his inability to read directions correctly but he told me that you had already given it to him until Thursday."

"That's correct."

"While it pleases me that someone is finally showing him that the world does not revolve around his person, I have cauldrons that need cleaned and ingredients that need to be cut up. Might I borrow him for this evening's detention?"

She seemed to be thinking it over. "How long will you keep him for?"

"He normally does not get finished until near time for curfew," sneered Snape. He was forcibly trying to keep from vomiting due to the brightness of the room. It made some of the Headmaster's more eccentric robes look tame in comparison.

"Well. I could use an evening free to relax. I'll put a note on my door telling him to report to you after dinner."

"Thank you, Lady Umbridge. If there is anything I can do for you, just say the word."

She nodded.

Severus all but fled from her very pink quarter's. He felt he would be traumatized for life because of it.

Harry knocked on Professor Snape's door after making sure the glamour was active to hide his scarred hand.

"Get in here Potter. I don't have all day."

Harry went in Snape's office. He winced as Snape waved his wand at the door, causing it to slam and lock. Glancing around the room revealed the magical signature of Dumbledore in the corner.

"Send him to the class room when you are finished, Headmaster."

Albus nodded as he re-made himself visible.

"Have a seat Harry."

Harry sat down.

"How are classes going so far?"

"Most are all right."

"I take it you find your defense against the dark arts class lacking?"

"Sir, she's not letting us do any practicals' at all in class. If I didn't know for a fact she wasn't a Death Eater, I'd wonder about her."

"You can still tell that Professor Snape has the Dark Mark then?"

Harry nodded. "And at platform 9 3/4's I was able to see which adults had the mark. It's a distracting ... but useful ability."

The Headmaster chuckled slightly. "Professor McGonagall said that she talked to you about staying out of Professor Umbridges' way."

"She did, several times."

"Yet you are still getting detention."

Harry shrugged. "Apparently the fact that I exist is a good enough reason to give me a detention."

"What did you do to earn four days of detention in a row?"

Harry turned red. "I'd rather not say."

"Do you actually deserve this detention?" asked the Headmaster disapprovingly.

"Yes sir," he said sheepishly. And he did. He had called Umbridge a toad-faced teacher. Unfortunately, a group of 6th and 7th year Slytherin's had come out of the Three Broomsticks at that moment and heard him. When he had gotten back to the school, she was waiting on the front steps for him.

"Just try to stay out of trouble Harry. Now, I'm going to test your shields. Tonight, you are to take a Dreamless Sleep Draught."

Harry nodded.

An hour later, the Headmaster smiled. "Very good, Harry. They are strong. Just remember not to hide your emotions behind them. It can be very self-destructive."

"I understand, sir."

"Go on out to Professor Snape. I saw him with some cauldron's that needed cleaning earlier."

"Have a good night, sir."

"You too, Harry."

Harry put the dreamless sleep draught in his pocket and headed out to the potions classroom.

A/N: Argh. I want to be able to put my own line break's in! *throws a tantrum* Ok. Now that that's outta my system.

As you can see, ole toad-face has Harry in detention pretty much every single day. Can you imagine writing with that quill every single day for hours at a time? That would suck. Also, I think my blood quill is more messy than what Rowling described. Sadly, detention isn't over yet for Harry.

This chapter doesn't have a whole lot of action in it either (Sorry!), but it does take us to the end of September. The next chapter coming up has quite a few teacher's questioning Umbridge's motives towards Harry. I won't be able to update again until next Friday. I have a bunch of stuff to do that I've been putting off for a month. If I put it off any longer, I think both my mother and grand father will strangle me. lol Personally, I can't wait until I can do the twice a week posting again, because I have a lot of fun stuff written. Or rather, I should say, I had a lot of fun writing what's coming up. Hopefully I'll be able to go back to that schedule soon.

For those that asked, I have a nephew. He's doing really good. I quite enjoy the spoiling that I've done so far. hehe =)

Good-Book-Eater: The angry mob that showed up, I put them to work out in the yard. I figured that since they all had pitchforks and hoes and rakes, that that was what they were all here for. *grins*

Jade: Hopefully I have something that fits your criteria coming up, really soon too! *builds a barricade of pillows just in case*

And yay for first time reviewer's! =)

Next chapter will be up by/on Friday!

*set's out cupcakes, candy, pizza, and random shiney things to amuse people until then* =)