Chapter 6-

He had not had time to do any homework the night before as when he got in, he had collapsed right onto his bed and was asleep in seconds. He skipped breakfast that morning, to scribble down a couple of made up dreams for Divination, their first lesson, and was surprised to find a dishevelled Ron keeping him company.

"How come you didn't do it last night?" Harry asked Ron as he stared wildly around the common room for inspiration. He muttered something about "doing other stuff," before he bent low over his parchment and scrawled a few words . "That'll have to do" he said slamming the diary shut "I said I was dreaming about buying a new pair of shoes, she can't make anything weird out of that can she?" They hurried off to the North tower together.

"How was detention with Umbridge, what did she make you do" asked Ron

"Lines" Harry replied

"That's not to bad, then, eh"

"Nope"

"Hey i forgot, did she let you off friday?" asked Ron

"No," said Harry glumly. Ron groaned sympathetically.

It was another bad day for Harry, he could hardly focus on transfiguration as he tried to hide and not itch his raw hand by any means possible. He had an hour at lunch to complete his picture of the Bowtruckle and meanwhile, Professor Mcgonagoll, Grubbly-Plank and Sinistra gave them yet more homework, which he had no prospect of finishing with his second detention with Umbridge. To cap it all, Angelina Johnson tracked him down at dinner again and, on learning that he would not be attending the tryouts on Friday, was not impressed and gave him an earful.

"Im in detention" shouted Harry as she walked off "Do you think i'd rather be stuck in a room with that old toad or playing quidditch"

"At Least it's only lines" Hermione said consolingly, as Harry sank back on his bench staring at his steak and kidney pie, which he no longer fancied very much. "It's not as if it's a dreadful punishment, really…" Harry opened his mouth, but snapped it shut. He did not know why he hadn't told Ron and Hermione, but he knew the looks of horror on their faces would make the situation seem worse than it was. He felt that this was between Harry and Umbridge, a battle of wills and he was not going to lose.

"I can't believe, the amount of homework we got" Ron groaned

"Well, why didn't you do any last night?" Hermione asked him

"I was… i fancied a walk" said Ron shiftily. Harry had the distinct impression that he wasn't the only one hiding something

The second detention was just as bad as the previous one. The skin on the back of Harry's hand became irritated now more quickly and was more red and raw than before. Harry thought it was unlikely the healing would keep to its effectiveness for very long, soon the cut would remain etched upon his hand and then and only then would Umbridge be satisfied. He let no gasp of pain escape him, in fact not a word was said apart from "good evening" and "good night." His homework situation, however, was now desperate and instead of going to bed, he cracked open his textbook and began to write about the uses of moonstone. It was half past two by the time he finished Snape's essay, he knew he had done a poor job, but it was better than detention with him. He then gave some quick answers for Professor Mcgonagolls questions, put something quick and easy together for Sprout and finished his sketch of the Bowtruckle. He staggered up the stairs, towards his bed and fell asleep instantly

Thursday passed in a haze of tiredness. Ron had seemed very sleepy too, though Harry could not see why he should be. Harry's third detention passed in the same way as the previous two, except after two hours the lines: I must not tell lies… did not fade from the back of Harry's hand, but remained scratched on there, oozing droplets of blood. The pause of the quill, made Umbridge turn around

"Ah," she said softly, moving around the desk to study his hand. "Good. That ought to serve as a reminder to you, shouldn't it? You may leave now"

"Do I still have to come back tomorrow?" said Harry picking up his school bag

"Oh, yes," Umbridge said. "Yes, I think we can etch things a little deeper with another evening's work." Harry had never considered the possibility of hating another professor more than he hated Snape but as he exited her classroom, he realised what a strong contender she was. Harry shook his head and gave the Fat Lady the password, the portrait swung open and he almost collided straight into Ron, who held a cleansweep eleven behind his back.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked

"Er- nothing. What are you doing?" Ron replied

"Come on, you can tell me"

"I was just going to have a nice walk around the school"

"But why have you got your broom with you?"

"I - well - well, ok, i'll tell you, but don't laugh alright" said Ron turning redder by the second "I thought i'd try out for Gryffindor keeper since i've got a new broom and all. There. Go on laugh."

"I'm not laughing " said Harry "It's a brilliant idea, it would be cool having you as a keeper. Are you any good?"

"Not bad" said Ron looking relieved "Charlie, Fred and George made me keep for them when we played"

"So you've been practising then?"

"Every evening since Tuesday… just on my own though."

"I wish i was there to see you"

"yeah, so do- what's that on your hand?" Harry, who had just scratched his nose with his free right hand, tried to hide it, and had as much success as Ron did hiding his Cleansweep.

"It's just a cut - it's nothing - its" Ron had grasped Harry's forearm and pulled it towards him analysing the words sketched upon the back of his hand.

"You said she was making you do lines" Harry hesitated but told him the truth, after all Ron had been honest with him

"The old hag!" Ron said retreating back into the common room, his quidditch practice now forgotten "she's sick! Go to Mcgonagall, say something! "

"NO!" Harry said at once "I'm not giving her the satisfaction of her knowing she got to me

"Got to you? You can't let her get away with this!"

"This is my battle to fight, no one else's" Harry said "I'm going to bed are you coming" Ron nodded looking deep in thought as they made their way up the spiral stairs.

—-

Harry knocked on Professor Umbridge's door at 5 o'clock on Friday evening. Two things had sustained him through the day, the first being it was the last day before the weekend and the second was that this was his last detention with Umbridge, at least he had a distant view of the quidditch pitch from her office. He entered the classroom for his final detention, the quill and parchment laid ready for him.

"You know what to do, Mr Potter" said Umbridge smiling sweetly at him

Harry sat down without a word and began…seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours as Harry continued to scrawl: I must not tell lies…I must not tell lies…i must not tell lies. Blood had begun to drip from Harry's hand and onto the parchment below, but Harry hardly noticed, he had become so used to the pain that it felt merely like a tickle. The sky began to darken as his cut got deeper and deeper and deeper, he looked up and saw Umbridge watching him with a satisfied expression on her toad-like face. When he looked up again., night had fallen and the quidditch pitch had completely disappeared from view.

"Let's see if you've got the message yet, shall we?" said Umbriges soft voice a half an hour later. She took hold of him with her short stubby fingers and wrenched him forwards as she began to examine the writing across his hand. A searing pain made its way through his body but not in his hand but rather his scar as he moved his free hand to rub it soothingly

"Yes, it hurts doesn't it?" she said softly. He did not answer. His heart thumped very hard and fast. Was she talking about his hand or did she know about the pain in his forehead?

"Well, I think I've made my point, Mr Potter. You may go" He caught up his school bag and took his leave. He took deep breaths to calm himself as he made his way up the marble staircase and to the portrait of the Fat Lady

"Mimbulus Mimbletonia!" Harry said to the portrait which swung open once more. A roar of sound greeted him. Ron came running towards him, beaming all over his face and sloshing butterbeer down his front from the goblet he was clutching

"Harry, I did it, I'm in, I'm keeper!"

"What - oh brilliant!" Said Harry his heart still thumping as his hand throbbed and bled

"Have a Butterbeer." Ron said, pressing a bottle to him "I can't believe it - Where's Hermione gone?"

"She's there" said Fred pointing to a dozing Hermione her drinking held precariously in her hand

"Well, she said she was pleased when i told her" Ron said looking slightly put out

"Let her sleep," George said hastily. It was a few moments before Harry noticed that many first years gathered around them bearing umistakeable signs of recent nosebleeds. Angelina came up to him while he smirked at Fred and George who were in the middle of getting first years to try their products.

"Sorry i was a bit short with you earlier, Potter" she said abruptly "It's stressful managing this lark you know, i'm starting to think i was a bit hard on Wood. Look I'll be straight with you, I know he's your best mate and all but he's not fabulous, with some practice he will be alright. Do me a favour and help him out, if we want to stand any chance at winning this year, we need him to do his best. We have a practice session at two tomorrow, so just make sure you're there this time." she strolled back towards Katie and Alicia. Harry sighed and moved over to sit next to Hermione, who jerked awake

"Oh, Harry, it's you…good about Ron isn't it" Hermione said blearily "I was up until one o'clock, making more hats. They Are disappearing like mad-"

"Listen Hermione, I was in Umbridge's office and when she touched my arm, my scar… it felt like my first year with Quirrell." said Harry cutting her off

"You think she's being controlled by You-Know-Who?" Hermione asked

"Well" said Harry "it's a possibility isn't it?"

"I suppose" She said unconvinced "but i don't think he's possessing her the same way he possessed Quirrell. He's alive now, he has his own body. Why would he need to share someone else's

"She's evil" said Harry "twisted"

"She's horrible, yes but… Harry i think you ought to tell Dumbledore your scar hurts"

"I'm not bothering him, it's been hurting all summer anyway… It's just tonight it seem a little more agitated"

"Harry im sure, Dumbledore would want to be bothered by this-"

"Yeah" said Harry, before he could stop himself. "That's the only bit of me Dumbledore cares about… my scar"

"Don't say that… it's not true!"

"I think, i'll write to Sirius and see what he thinks-

"You can't put that in a letter Harry!" Said Hermione "Our owls could be intercepted"

"Alright fine I won't tell him!" Harry said standing up and swinging his school bag over his shoulder "Tell Ron for me, will you"

"Oh good, I can leave without being rude. I'm so exhausted and I need to make some more tomorrow. You can help me if you'd like, I'm getting better at doing the patterns and bobbles." Harry tried to look as though he was vaguely tempted by the offer.

"Er… no, i don't think i will, thanks" he said " Er- not tomorrow i've got loads of homework to do." He traipsed off to the boy's stairs, leaving her looking slightly disappointed.

—-

Harry was the first to wake up. He lay there for a moment, the sun emitting its luminous rays through the miniscule crack in the curtains and bouncing off of the lenses of his glasses which he had just placed on his face. The first week of term had dragged on like one big History of Magic lesson. The sound of twittering birds echoed through the room followed by the shallow breaths of his fellow Gryffindors. He changed quietly and pulled a quill and parchment from his school bag, making his way down the stairs and sitting in his favourite armchair. Harry uncorked his ink bottle and dipped his quill into it, then held it suspended above his parchment, thinking hard. He sat quite motionless for a while, gazing into the fireplace. He finally came to a decision and dipped his quill into the ink

Dear Snuffles

Hope your ok, the first week here has been terrible,

I'm really glad it's the weekend.

We've got a new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher. Professor Umbridge. She's nearly as nice as your mother. I'm writing because that thing that happened last summer happened again last night when I was doing a detention with Professor Umbridge.

Were all missing our biggest friend, we hope he'll be back soon

Please write back quickly

Best,

Harry

Harry reread the letter and prayed that he would get the hint about Hagrid and tell him when he might be back. Sunlight had crept across the common room while he had been working on it and he could hear the distant sound of movement upstairs in the dormitories. Sealing the parchment carefully, he climbed through the portrait hall and made his way to the owlery. Most of the school was vacant at this time and was startled by the feeling of Mrs Norris slinking past his leg, it turned its lamplike yellow eyes on him and ran off, no doubt to inform her boss

"I'm not doing anything wrong!" Harry shouted. He was entitled to walk to the Owlery on a Saturday morning. The sky was high in the sky now and when Harry entered the owlery it dazzled him causing him to raise his hand above his eyes. Harry stepped on the tiny animal bones that littered the floor of the owlery and craned his neck looking for his owl, spotting her near the top of the vaulted ceiling. With a long hoot she stretched her great white wings and soared down onto his shoulder.

"Right, I know this says Snuffles on the outside" He started stroking her under her chin "But it's for Sirius alright?" she blinked her amber eyes, which Harry took to mean that she understood

"Safe flight then" said Harry, taking her to the nearest window as she soared into the sky. He watched her until she became a tiny black speck and vanished. He looked towards Hagrid's hut and thought back to all the times they would meet after class and enjoy a talk and his inedible rock cakes. A movement caught his eye in the forbidden forest and he saw the great black, winged taking flight and then diving straight back into the forest. The owlery door opened behind him. He jumped in shock and turned quickly, he saw Cho holding a parcel in her hands.

"Hi" said Harry

"Oh… hi" she said breathlessly "I didn't think anyone would be up here this early… I only remembered five minutes ago thats its my Mums birthday"

"Right" said Harry thinking of anything to talk about, but the shock of seeing her made his mind go blank "Nice day, isn't it"

"Yes it is," said Cho, looking around for a suitable owl. "Good quidditch conditions, I haven't been out all week, have you?"

"No," Harry said bluntly. Cho had selected an owl and was tying the parcel to its legs

"Hey, has Gryffindor got a new keeper yet?" She asked

"Yeah" said Harry "it's my friend Ron Weasley, d'you know him?"

"The Tornados-hater?" Said Cho rather coolly. "Is he any good?"

"Yeah" said Harry "though i didn't see it, i was in detention"

"That Umbridge woman is foul, giving you detention for telling the truth about how… he died… Everyone had heard about it in school, you were really brave standing up to her like that" Harry opened his mouth to reply but at that moment Filch the caretaker came wheezing into the room with his cat who had a smug look on its stupid face.

"Aha" said Filch, his cheeks trembling with anger "i've had a tip off that you are intending to place an order for Dungbombs" Harry folded his arms and stared at the caretaker

"Who told you I was ordering Dungbombs?"

"I have my sources" said Filch his teeth clenched "Now hand over whatever your sending"

"Cant. its gone"

"Gone?" FIlch said his face contorting in anger

"Gone" said Harry calmly

"How do i not know you haven't got it on your pocket"

"Because-"

"Because i saw him send it" said Cho angrily causing Filch to round on her

"You saw him?"

"That's right, I saw him," she said fiercely as they glared at each other until Filch turned around and shuffled back. He turned around his hand on the door

"If i get so much so much as a whiff of Dungbomb" He left with Mrs Norris who gave a hungry look at the Owls before following him

"You weren't ordering, Dungbombs were you?" Cho asked her face pink

"No" said Harry

"I wonder why he thought you were then"

"Me and you both," Harry said, giving a light chuckle. They left the owlery together and walked to the end of the corridor sharing a general chit chat before arriving at the Great hall together and parting ways to their own tables. He saw Daphne and Tracey with a group of girls at the slytherin table in the scarce hall and they watched as he waved goodbye to Cho. Harry made eye contact with Daphne who had an unrecognisable look in her eye while Tracys eyebrows knitted together so much that it looked like she had a thick moustache on her forehead. Harry gave a mental shrug and moved to sit down by Ron and Hermione.

"Morning" said Harry

"What are you looking so happy about" Ron asked

"I'm just glad, it's the weekend. This entire week has been miserable" said Harry pulling a plate of eggs and toast towards him

"Do you mind going out with me later, just to give me some practice before training" Asked Ron

"Yeah, OK" said Harry

"I really don't think you should, you're both really far behind on homework as it-" she was interrupted as the morning post came and dropped the newspaper in front of Hermione, who scanned the front page.

"Anything interesting?" Ron asked. Harry grinned knowing he was just trying to keep her off the subject of homework

"No" she said "Just some guff about the weird sisters bass player getting married. Right, well, I think we should tackle the essay for Sprout on self-fertilising shrubs first and if we're lucky we'll be able to tackle Mcgonagall's inanimatus spell before lunch.."

"I mean, we can do it tonight" said Ron as they made their way down towards the quidditch pitch.

"We need to, i'm afraid Hermione will hex us silly if we don't" Said Harry taking the balls out of the cupboard and began throwing them at Ron who weaved between them catching them, with surprising elegance. He was decent, nothing amazing but it would do. Eventually the rest of the team began to make their way to the field and began taking shots at Ron, while Harry continued his practice with the snitch and Fred and George tried to hit each other with the bludgers. Harry looked over and saw Ron sweating profusely and missing most of the shots that were fired.

"He's making a right Pig's ear of things" said George who began to fly beside him

"He's just nervous, he was fine earlier" replied Harry flew nearer and heard a chant

"Gryffindors are losers, Gryffindors are losers" the chant came from a huddled group of Slytherin led by none other by Draco Malfoy. Harry flew by the goal posts within earshot of Ron

"Ron!" who kept glancing over at the Slytherins "Forget about them! Focus on the ball, only the ball, you do that and the saves will come to you" Ron nodded wearing a determined expression on his face and began to stop the quaffles a little better. Harry quickly hid from view and casted a weak incendio smell, melting the mud and making it a disgusting looking goop. He quickly flew back over the mud in his hands and dived straight down over the Slytherins who cowered and raised their hands. Malfoy, who had been laughing, had been hit with a mouthful of dirt and began to choke and empty his stomach. Harry smirked, satisfied and recalling the time he put a worm in Dudley's food… Harry looked over at his team who began to laugh at the gagging Malfoy and he couldn't help but notice the two separate Slytherins, sitting in the stands watching the events unfold…