Two.things.sustained.Harry.that.day..One.was.the.thought.that.it.was.almost.the.weekend;.the.other.was.that,.dreadful.though.his.final.detention.with.Umbridge.was.sure.to.be,.he.had.a.distant.view.of.the.Quidditch.pitch.from.her.window.and.might,.with.luck,.be.able.to.see.something.of.Ron.s.tryout..These.were.rather.feeble.rays.of.light,.it.was.true,.but.Harry.was.grateful.for.anything.that.might.lighten.his.present.darkness;.he.had.never.had.a.worse.first.week.of.term.at.Hogwarts..
At.five.o.clock.that.evening.he.knocked.on.Professor.Umbridge.s.office.door.for.what.he.sincerely.hoped.would.be.the.final.time,.and.was.told.to.enter..The.blank.parchment.lay.ready.for.him.on.the.lace‐covered.table,.the.pointed.black.quill.beside.it..
.You.know.what.to.do,.Mr.Potter,..said.Umbridge,.smiling.sweetly.at.him..
Harry.picked.up.the.quill.and.glanced.through.the.window..If.he.just.shifted.his.chair.an.inch.or.so.to.the.right….on.the.pretext.of.shifting.himseli.closer.to.the.table,.he.managed.it..He.now.had.a.distant.view.of.the.Gryffindor.Quidditch.team.soaring.up.and.down.the.pitch,.while.half.a.dozen.black.figures.stood.at.the.foot.of.the.three.high.goalposts,.apparently.awaiting.their.turn.to.Keep..It.was.impossible.to.tell.which.one.was.Ron.at.this.distance..
I.must.not.tell.lies,.Harry.wrote..The.cut.in.the.back.of.his.right.hand.opened.and.began.to.bleed.atresh..
I.must.not.tell.lies..The.cut.dug.deeper,.stinging.and.smarting..
I.must.not.tell.lies..Blood.trickled.down.his.wrist..
He.chanced.another.glance.out.of.the.window..Whoever.was.defending.the.goalposts.now.was.doing.a.very.poor.job.indeed..Katie.Bell.scored.twice.in.the.few.seconds.Harry.dared.to.watch..Hoping.very.much.that.the.Keeper.wasn.t.Ron,.he.dropped.his.eyes.back.to.the.parchment.shining.with.blood..
I.must.not.tell.lies.
I.must.not.tell.lies.
He.looked.up.whenever.he.thought.he.could.risk.it;.when.he.could.hear.the.scratching.of.Umbridges.quill.or.the.opening.of.a.desk.drawer..The.third.person.to.try.out.was.pretty.good,.the.fourth.was.terrible,.the.fifth.dodged.a.Bludger.exceptionally.well.but.then.fumbled.an.easy.save..The.sky.was.darkening,.and.Harry.doubted.he.would.be.able.to.see.the.sixth.and.seventh.people.at.all..
I.must.not.tell.lies..
I.must.not.tell.lies.
The.parchment.was.now.dotted.with.drops.of.blood.from.the.back.of.his.hand,
.which.was.searing.with.pain..When.he.next.looked.up,.night.had.fallen.and.the.Quidditch.pitch.was.no.longer.visible..
.Let.s.see.if.you.ve.got.the.message.yet,.shall.we?..said.Umbridges.soft.voice.half.an.hour.later..
She.moved.towards.him,.stretching.out.her.short.ringed.fingers.for.his.arm..And.then,.as.she.took.hold.of.him.to.examine.the.words.now.cut.into.his.skin,.pain.seared,.not.across.the.back.of.his.hand,.but.across.the.scar.on.his.forehead..At.the.same.time,.he.had.a.most.peculiar.sensation.somewhere.around.his.midriff..
He.wrenched.his.arm.out.of.her.grip.and.leapt.to.his.feet,.staring.at.her..She.looked.back.at.him,.a.smile.stretching.her.wide,.slack.mouth..