Harry needed to install a mouth filter. Running off at the mouth in Umbridge's class was not a smart move, and he knew that, yet he did it anyway, which was why he was currently standing outside her office, trying to make the door spontaneously combust with the glare he was giving it.

"When are we going to practice some of these spells?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, there's no reason to need to practice them," Umbridge replied, her tone sickening.

"But what if we're attacked?" Hermione challenged.

"And who would attack you, silly girl?"

"Oh, I don't know," Harry cut in suddenly. "We could start with Voldemort, followed by his Death Eaters, and certain Ministry officials who set dementors loose on Hogwarts students - "

"Enough!" Umbridge cut him off. "You might be psychotic, but that doesn't mean I'll stand to have you spew your lies in my classroom."

"Would you rather I spewed the Ministry's lies then?" Hermione shot him a worried look, but Harry just sneered back at her.

"Detention, Potter!" Umbridge screamed. "Get out of my class!"

"Why, thank you," Harry smirked back at her, grabbing his bag. As he neared the door, he turned to the class and waved his hand in farewell. "See you later, peasants!" And with that, he grinned and left a sputtering pink toad behind.

Ah well, Harry wasn't defiant enough to not show up to his detention. Snape would probably kill him as it was, and he still needed to get that stupid potion too. It had nothing to do with the fact that now that he didn't have any friends, Snape's company was preferable to no company. Absolutely nothing to do with that at all.

Harry reached out and knocked on the door. It opened of its own accord and Harry stepped in glaring defiantly at Umbridge, who sat behind her desk, stirring a cup of tea.

"Take a seat, Mr. Potter," Umbridge said sweetly, gesturing to a padded seat opposite her desk. Harry grimaced but did as he was instructed. It didn't tarnish his honor to sit, any more than it tarnished it to enter the toad's room in the first place. He made a face at her and lowered himself into the chair, then proceeded to glare at her. Umbridge had nerve enough to smile and laugh at him. Harry felt his anger rising rapidly. He was not funny. Dangerous, angry, scary, intimidating. But not funny.

"Did you call me here just to laugh at me?" Harry snapped.

"Of course not," Umbridge dismissed. "I called you here to have a detention."

"I already have to meet Professor Snape tonight," Harry said coldly. "So if we can get down to business before curfew, I'm sure he would appreciate it."

"Alright," Umbridge agreed. "But I want to discuss appropriate punishment for liars."

"Start discussing," Harry smirked. "It's a good thing you're the only liar present and accounted for." Umbridge's nostrils flared wildly, but to her credit, she didn't do anything in response to Harry's blatant sass. Instead, she purposefully set her tea cup down and rose. Harry stayed put, leaning forward in his chair a bit. She began circling him, and Harry put forth an aura of false bravado. He wasn't going to admit that her gaze was almost as disconcerting as Snape's.

"Liars," she intoned. "They should be punished, don't you think? Punished harder than nearly any other offense. Liars spread war and discord. They take other's good names and drag them through the mud. They tell stories to incriminate their friends and to exalt themselves above everyone else. Don't you think that deserves to be punished?"

Harry just watched her expectantly, a mischievous grin playing on his face.

"Well, no matter if you don't respond," Umbridge dismissed. "I think they should be punished, yes. I think they should be shown what lies can do." She resumed her former position at her desk and began stirring her tea again. "How would you feel about a good switching, perhaps?"

"Corporal punishment has been banned at Hogwarts," Harry reminded her, his smirk extending over his face. "Dumbledore wouldn't stand for it."

"Yes," Umbridge said, a bit sadly. "All these new and modern ways. As much as a switching would show you the pain your lies cause, I'm sure we can find another appropriate punishment. How about no food? That would show you how your lies rob innocent people of their rights."

"House elves," Harry smirked again. "They're instructed to make sure no student goes without food." Then he dropped his voice so low that Umbridge couldn't hear it, "I should know."

"Fine," Umbridge agreed. "How about being locked up?" Harry's mask fell into minuscule pieces and he tried to put it back together, but sadly, not before Umbridge saw his reaction. "I think locking up liars is an excellent idea," she continued. "It will show you how your web of lies confines you. The truth will set you free. Lies confine you and lock you up. And there are no rules about that at Hogwarts." Harry began to tremble a little bit, and clasped his hands in his lap as he broke eye contact, a dark look passing over his face.

"You can't lock me up," Harry muttered.

"And why not?"

"I can just magic my way out," Harry said, though his voice wasn't nearly as confident as his words. "This is Hogwarts. It's not like there's Muggles around."

"I'm sure there are ways to lock you up, Mr. Potter," Umbridge smirked back at him. Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair, looking at his hands which he still wrung nervously. "You are not the most powerful wizard here. I'm sure there are lots of things adults know that children don't." Harry risked a defiant glance at her.

"Like how to cast fifth year Defense spells," he ground out. "Look, I have to meet with Snape. He's going to be pretty upset if I don't see him. If you're done threatening me, I think you've made your position quite clear." Umbridge hesitated for a moment.

"Alright," she said, quite unexpectedly. "Just be sure you actually go to see him. Dismissed." Harry rose and left without a word.

He rushed to Snape's office, where, on the door, he saw a note.

In the Potions lab.

It was a simple note, but Harry turned and rushed off to that end of the dungeons to meet Snape. Harry figured the note was mostly intended for him anyway, since Snape rarely had visitors except for detentions. Harry smiled a bit at the thought of Snape handing out detentions simply because he wanted company.

Harry opened the lab door and closed it behind him, not loudly, but hopefully it would announce his presence. Snape wasn't anywhere around. After a moment of worry that he'd misread the note somehow, he saw Snape come out of the stock room.

Snape wasn't dressed in his normal black robes. He was wearing black trousers and a black dress shirt, rolled up at the sleeves. He was wiping his hands on a potions stained towel, and seemed to be deep in thought.

Harry cleared his throat and Snape looked up.

"Oh," he said. "I was beginning to wonder if you were coming." Harry didn't respond though. His eyes were focused on Snape's Dark Mark. It was one thing to know the man had one, and an entirely different matter to see it. Harry gaped a bit.

Snape must have understood, because he quickly began to roll his sleeves down. Snape had the grace to look slightly embarrassed.

"Take them off," Harry demanded, gesturing to himself.

"Excuse me?" Snape blinked.

"The glamours," Harry clarified. "Take them off."

"What about your friends?" Snape asked. "Have you talked to them?"

"I don't have friends," he sneered. "Take them off."

"Alright," Snape agreed, a little reluctantly. He took out his wand. "Finite Incantem."

"Thank you," Harry huffed, feeling a little better. "So…" he trailed off, his anger dissipating somewhat. "I'm here for the stupid potion?"

"Ah yes, the stupid potion," Snape replied and picked up a vial from his desk. "Here." Harry knocked it back and set the bottle back where it came from. He turned and made to leave.

"Thank - " he began.

"Get back here," Snape grouched, but Harry noted it wasn't his usual irritated tone. It was more like he were trying to fake irritation. Harry froze and turned. Here it would come - The Snape-ish Inquisition.

"You don't expect me to let you get away with unhealed arms, do you?" Snape asked. Harry just shrugged. He stepped back over to where Snape had his wand ready and rolled his own sleeves up to reveal last night's escapade.

Snape performed the same ritual as the night before, on both arms.

"I suppose you're wondering why I asked you down here, rather than my office," Snape began. "Come with me." Snape motioned Harry to follow him into the stock room, where Snape had a cauldron out and next to it, several containers of a pale yellow paste. Snape took one and unscrewed the lid. He dipped his fingers into it and held his other hand out expectantly for Harry's arm. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes, but gave Snape his left arm - the worse one - first. Snape immediately started rubbing the paste on his arm.

"It's not that effective," Snape began, "but it's the best I can do. It should make your scars a little lighter."

"Okay," Harry said, unsure what to say. He hadn't asked for this. Was he supposed to say thank you?

"You don't have friends?" Snape prompted when the silence became too awkward.

"Ron and I had a fight," Harry shrugged, offering Snape his other arm. "Hermione was working on fixing it up for us, but then last night she said she was done with me. They're the only two I've ever had, and they're gone now." He ended his story with a shrug.

"That seems - uncharacteristic of Miss Granger," Snape observed.

"Yeah," Harry agreed quietly. "I tried to apologize. She told me she didn't want to hear it." Snape winced a little.

"I'm sorry about that," Snape said after a moment. "You could have come back to me last night, instead of - " his voice trailed off.

"Even after curfew?" Harry snorted.

"It's less harmful than the alternative," Snape said coolly, wiping his fingers of the remaining paste and recapping the jar. Harry rolled his sleeves down and the two of them left the stock room. Harry scooted closer to the door.

"Thank you, sir," he said quietly. "You don't have to do any of this, you know."

"I know," Snape replied. "I think - I just wish someone had done it for me. You're welcome, Harry." Harry tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. He whipped his wand out.

"Alohomora!" He tried the door again, but it was still locked.

"Is something wrong?" Snape asked, stepping close behind him.

"The door," Harry explained. "It won't open!" Snape tried the door and the unlocking charm as well, but it wouldn't move for him either. Snape went through several more spells, but nothing happened.

"You can't get it open?" Harry asked, beginning to have traces of panic in his voice.

"No," Snape said slowly, watching Harry closely. "It's a child-proof charm."

"What do you mean, 'a child-proof charm'?" Harry challenged, flushing a bit.

"Do you have any idea of what's happening?" Snape asked, throwing his wand on his desk. "The wands are useless. The spell prevents all magic, thus why neither of our unlocking charms work."

"I - I had to see Umbridge before coming here," Harry stammered. "That's why I was late. I sort of - talked back in class - " Snape glared at him to go on. " - and she had me in detention - " Snape continued glaring. " - and she said liars should be locked up - " Harry felt his soul begin to crumble under Snape's gaze. " - and I panicked and asked her not to lock me up and I said you were expecting me and could I please go and she said yes just make sure I actually went to see you and I did!" Harry was wringing his hands and shifting his weight uncomfortably by the end, breathing quickly and shallowly.

"So Umbridge cast a spell that would lock you into any room that was not my office to lock you in for your supposed lie," Snape concluded. "And since this isn't my office, her spell assumed you must have been lying and has trapped us here."

"Oh God," Harry breathed, the panic becoming more apparent. "Oh, God, how can we get out?"

"We sit tight and wait for someone to find us."

"How long will that take?" Harry gasped, beginning to pace back and forth, pulling at his shirt, trying to make it easier to breath. "Won't we be missed for classes tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Saturday," Snape frowned. "Monday," he said quietly.

"Monday?" Harry shrieked. "Why not breakfast tomorrow?"

"I - had told the Headmaster that - you and I would be gone for the weekend," Snape said awkwardly. Then his voice became very quiet. "No one will miss us." Harry gaped for a moment and then rushed at the door. He began banging on it with both fists, occasionally clawing at the metal supports like a caged animal.

"Let me out!" he screamed. "Let me out!" Harry sank to the floor, still beating his palms against the wood, though his adrenaline rush was wearing out. "Let me out," he sobbed.