There,..said.Umbridge.sweetly,..we.re.getting.better.at.controlling.our.temper.already,.aren.t.we?.Now,.you.are.going.to.be.doing.some.lines.for.me,.Mr.Potter.
.No,.not.with.your.quill,..she.added,.as.Harry.bent.down.to.open.his.bag...You.re.going.to.be.using.a.rather.special.one.of.mine..Here.you.are...
She.handed.him.a.long,.thin.black.quill.with.an.unusually.sharp.point..
.I.want.you.to.write,./.must.not.tell.lies,..she.told.him.softly..
.How.many.times?..Harry.asked,.with.a.creditable.imitation.of.politeness..
.Oh,.as.long.as.it.takes.for.the.message.to.sink.in,..said.Umbridge.sweetly...Off.you.go...
She.moved.over.to.her.desk,.sat.down.and.bent.over.a.stack.of.parchment.that.looked.like.essays.for.marking..Harry.raised.the.sharp.black.quill,.then.realised.what.was.missing..
.You.haven.t.given.me.any.ink,..he.said..
.Oh,.you.won.t.need.ink,..said.Professor.Umbridge,.with.the.merest.suggestion.of.a.laugh.in.her.voice..
Harry.placed.the.point.of.the.quill.on.the.paper.and.wrote:./.must.not.tell.lies..
He.let.out.a.gasp.of.pain..The.words.had.appeared.on.the.parchment.in.what.appeared.to.be.shining.red.ink..At.the.same.time,.the.words.had.appeared.on.the.back.of.Harrys.right.hand,.cut.into.his.skin.as.though.traced.there.by.a.scalpel.‐
.yet.even.as.he.stared.at.the.shining.cut,.the.skin.healed.over.again,.leaving.the.place.where.it.had.been.slightly.redder.than.before.but.quite.smooth..
Harry.looked.round.at.Umbridge..She.was.watching.him,.her.wide,.toadlike.mouth.stretched.in.a.smile..
.Yes?..
.Nothing,..said.Harry.quietly..
He.looked.back.at.the.parchment,.placed.the.quill.on.it.once.more,.wrote.I.must.not.tell.lies,.and.felt.the.searing.pain.on.the.back.of.his.hand.for.a.second.time;
.once.again,.the.words.had.been.cut.into.his.skin;.once.again,.they.healed.over.seconds.later..
And.on.it.went..Again.and.again.Harry.wrote.the.words.on.the.parchment.in.what.he.soon.came.to.realise.was.not.ink,.but.his.own.blood..And,.again.and.
again,.the.words.were.cut.into.the.back.of.his.hand,.healed,.and.reappeared.the.next.time.he.set.quill.to.parchment..
Darkness.fell.outside.Umbridge.s.window..Harry.did.not.ask.when.he.would.be.allowed.to.stop..He.did.not.even.check.his.watch..He.knew.she.was.watching.him.for.signs.of.weakness.and.he.was.not.going.to.show.any,.not.even.if.he.had.to.sit.there.all.night,.cutting.open.his.own.hand.with.this.quill….
.Come.here,..she.said,.after.what.seemed.hours..
He.stood.up..His.hand.was.stinging.painfully..When.he.looked.down.at.it.he.saw.that.the.cut.had.healed,.but.that.the.skin.there.was.red.raw..
.Hand,..she.said..
He.extended.it..She.took.it.in.her.own..Harry.repressed.a.shudder.as.she.touched.him.with.her.thick,.stubby.fingers.on.which.she.wore.a.number.of.ugly.old.rings..
Tut,.tut,.1.don.t.seem.to.have.made.much.of.an.impression.yet,..she.said,.smiling.
.
.Well,.we.ll.just.have.to.try.again.tomorrow.evening,.won.t.we?.You.may.go...
Harry.left.her.office.without.a.word..The.school.was.quite.deserted;.it.was.surely.past.midnight..He.walked.slowly.up.the.corridor,.then,.when.he.had.turned.the.corner.and.was.sure.she.would.not.hear.him,.broke.into.a.run..