"How many times do you claim that Madame Umbridge used the Blood Quill on you, Mr. Potter?" Madame Postern asked.
"I lost count," Harry admitted, "but it was at least two or three times a week for at least six months. She had me writing lines with the quill for sometimes up to four hours." Harry told her. "Personally, I think it was kind of a high price for not giving into the pressure that toad was trying to apply."
"I quite agree." The elderly witch looked at Umbridge a severe expression on her face. "You do realise Madame that even you are cleared on the other charges but aren't on this one, you can look forward to nine hundred and sixty-six years in Azkaban, just for the harm done to Mr. Potter."
"It hasn't yet been proven that Madame Umbridge brought a Blood Quill to Hogwarts or used one on the students." Merkson repeated.
"Quite true," Madame Bones agreed, causing Umbridge to look relieved, until she added. "It hasn't been proven… yet. Come here Mr. Potter."
Harry came to stand in front of Madame Bones.
She took his wrist in a firm grip and told him. "This might hurt a quite bit Mr. Potter, but I think you'll like the results." Placing the tip of her wand on the words carved in Harry's hand, she said, "Reverto ut tribuo si iniustus donatus."
Harry felt a painful burning sensation in the back of his hand and instinctively tried to pull away, but Madame Bones had an iron grip on his wrist and he couldn't get away.
"Just a few more moments, Mr. Potter," She whispered softly as a shriek came from Madame Umbridge.
Releasing Harry's hand, she said, "Have a look."
Harry looked at the back of his hand. The words that had been carved there for almost two years were now gone. "Thank you Madame Bones."
"You're quite welcome Mr. Potter." She assured him looking a little tired.
"Are you alright ma'am?" He asked concerned.
"Just a little tired." She assured him. "That spell takes a lot out of the caster because they become a channel for the pain."
"Can the counterspell remove the words from anyone?" Harry wanted to know.
"Only if the Blood Quill was used unjustly and the caster has to be strong enough to withstand the pain that went into putting the words there in the first place, before they are returned to the person who used the Blood Quill on its victim. It is part of the reason that Blood Quills were banned in the first place. They are so easy to abuse. Take your seat please, Mr. Potter."
Taking a deep breath, Madame Bones said, "I think we have settled the question as to whether or not Miss Umbridge brought a Blood Quill into Hogwarts and used it on a student." She pointed with a quill to where Umbridge was holding her left hand and rocking back and forth. "If she hadn't, then the unjustly given punishment to write 'I will not tell lies' would not now be imbedded in her hand. Let that be a lesson to you Madame. Next charge Miss Glendowling."
"The next charge is in three parts." The court scribe recited from her list.
"Madame Umbridge is charged with attempting to give veritaserum to an under-aged wizard. First without getting the Ministry's approval to administer a truth drug she is not qualified to dispense.
Secondly of attempted murder due to the fact that too much veritaserum was used in her first attempt and that might have killed Mr. Potter by overdose because she failed to follow the instructions of the school's Potions Master in administering it.
Thirdly she requested additional veritaserum to use on the same student at a later date, again without Ministry approval but due to the fact that the Potions Master of Hogwarts had none available she was unable to try again."
"As a Ministry employee Umbridge, you know that veritaserum is only to be used with Ministry approval and to be given to any person to be questioned only by someone authorized to prepare and dispense it." Madame Bones spoke up when the court scribe had finished. "I know from your records madam that you are neither of those. You failed to get an OWL in potions when you were going to school. Did you request Veritaserum from Professor Severus Snape?"
Knowing that if she denied requesting the veritaserum, they would just bring Professor Snape, who was a respected Potions Master in to confirm that he had indeed given her veritaserum to use on Mr. Potter and that she had requested a second vial from him, Umbridge decided to admit to this charge. She would however not accept the attempted murder charge. "I did request Veritaserum, but I did not intend to murder Mr. Potter with it."
"When I questioned Professor Snape about this matter, he advised me that he did instruct you as to its use and that you should place no more than three drops in any liquid. He will answer to charges for giving veritaserum to someone not licensed to use it." Madame Bones countered.
"Given that fact that you knew how much the dosage was supposed to be, why did you feel compelled to use the whole vial he gave you? Did you think you knew more about how to use it than someone whose job it is to dispense veritaserum? Or did you just not care because this was Harry Potter a boy you were trying to silence and if he died while you were getting the truth from him, well it was no great loss?"
"That was not my intent, Madame Bones," Umbridge was sweating slightly. "The boy had information on two wanted criminals and it was desperately needed to try and stop the Deatheaters and to keep Dumbledore from destabilising the government. Sirius Black was a known Deatheater…"
"Who has since been cleared on all charges," Harry put in.
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