Umbridge...toadface...most annoying character alive...but Stephen King complimented her saying a good fantasy must have a good villain and she plays the part well.

If Harry had thought that the first day back had been horrible, he had been sorely mistaken.

The following day right before breakfast and right outside the Great Hall, he earned himself detentions for the rest of the week with Umbridge because Luna Lovegood and Ernie Macmillon had said they believed what he had said last year while Umbridge was in earshot. Not knowing this, Harry had agreed and when the woman had butted in he had stood against her. Luna and Ernie would also be serving detentions with him.

Than he had Double Charms and Double Transfiguration, both of which had been exceptionally difficult, before a terrible Care of Magical Creatures class with Professor Grubbly-Plank. Without Theodore attending these classes anymore, Harry had no friends here and was forced into a group with Blaise Zabini and Tracey Davis, the latter of whom spent the entire lesson flattering the former, who didn't seem the least bit fazed or interested. Malfoy had been insulting Hagrid throughout the lesson and Harry fumed his way up to Herbology to find Theodore, who gave Harry a stern look the moment Harry started to rant on about Malfoy.

Seething because even his best friend agreed with Draco, Harry was put into a foul mood all the way until detention.

The dark mood had dissipated, however, after what Umbridge did to him, Luna, and Ernie. The three walked the corridor quietly at first until Ernie mumbled, "We should tell a teacher..."

"They can't do anything." Harry whispered back, shame and disgust welling up within him. "It's the Ministry..."

"If the Ministry knew..." Ernie tried again, his voice faint.

"They won't believe us..." Harry cut him off.

Luna started to cry, hard, and took off running towards her common room. Ernie hung his head, seeming to feel as disheartened as Harry and started off towards his own.

Slipping down into the dungeons, Harry didn't discuss his detention with Theodore and went straight to studying despite how late it was. If there was anything he could do, at least he could assure he wouldn't fail his classes.

It was until the Saturday morning after his Friday detention, when the words "I must not tell lies" did not fade from the back of his hand, but remained red and bleeding, that Theodore noticed.

"What is this?" Theodore grabbed Harry's hand, but Harry yanked it away.

"It's nothing." Harry snapped irritably.

"Is too, something." The other Slytherin boy glared at Harry. "Is the work of a Blood Quill, that is."

"And?"

"Umbridge did it." Theodore wasn't asking: he was stating it as fact.

"And if she did?"

"Report her to Snape...or Dumbledore."

"No." Harry shook his head. "They can't do anything."

"Is evidence of an outdated and unlawful method of punishment for students. The Ministry couldn't turn a blind eye to it."

But Harry's shame and embarrassment won out and he refused to report the incident. Besides, what could any of the Professors do? Who was to say the Ministry wouldn't turn a blind eye? Perhaps, they had issued permission themselves.

"Shouldn't have stood up to her like that." Theodore stated strictly. "Shouldn't have gotten yourself in such trouble. Should be more careful."

"I was being careful!" Harry practically crowed. "I had no idea she was listening and then...and then she caught me off guard!"

"Should always be on guard, Harry."

"Stop lecturing me."

"Am only trying to help."

"I don't need your help."

"So you think you can handle this all alone? Want to be alone, Harry? I can leave you alone if you want."

"If that's what you want." Harry couldn't tell if Theodore was mad or not. There was no heat in the taller Slytherin's voice nor in his features. He was becoming more and more unreadable with each passing day.

"Is not what I want." Theodore said coolly. "But you sure make it hard to be a friend."

"Well, it's not as if you ever are certain we are friends."

"Wonder why?" It was a rhetorical question and Harry didn't bother humoring it with an answer as Theodore slipped off through the common room away from Harry.

They didn't speak again for the rest of the weekend and Harry received the shock that Ronald Weasley would be playing as a Keeper. From what Malfoy was saying in the Common Room, Ron was rubbish, but this didn't mean Malfoy's words were true as his high loathing of the red-head had often resulted in blatant exaggerations of Ron's poor wizarding skills.

Monday, things went from worse to downright horrible as Umbridge was appointed High Inquisitor over Hogwarts, which meant she would be inspecting teachers. Harry instantly worried for Snape and any other loyal members of the Order of the Phoenix. He was also suddenly very glad Hagrid wasn't there.

Thankfully, she hadn't been in either his History of Magic class nor in his Potions class, but she did turn up in Divination where he was sure Trelawney would be marked with a "T". If only Harry hadn't let his anger get the better of him and commented on Quirrell (She'd commented first, he argued within himself), earning himself another week's worth of detentions. He could see Theodore cast him a withered glance from the other side of the classroom. Even though he arrived after midnight that night, Theodore had stayed up to talk with him. Harry didn't want to talk though and rushed past him up to his bed where he crawled under the blankets without even changing out of his robes.

The following day found him in an Umbridge-supervised Transfiguration class and Harry was absolutely dying to see the witch in pink get eaten by the Great Minerva McGonagall. He wasn't disappointed. Naturally, he got himself another night's detention during Care of Magical Creatures.

Theodore waited for Harry again after that night's detention, but this time he did not let Harry past him.

"Come here, you idiot." The taller Slytherin pulled Harry over to a chair and set him down before taking Harry's hand and forcing it into a bowl of yellow liquid. "Is a solution of strained and pickled murtlap tentacles. Should help."

"Thanks." Harry relaxed as relief flooded his aching hand.

"Should still report her." Theodore advised.

"I don't want Snape getting in trouble." Harry responded quickly. "And Dumbledore's going through enough."

Theodore didn't say anymore and simply sat there opposite Harry until Harry said he felt fine enough and they went up to bed.

Umbridge... :(