Bailee Potter

Time

The next day Bailee returned to Professor Umbridge's office and for five more days after that.
"I think that should be all. Said Professor Umbridge. I hope the message has sunk in enough for you Ms. Potter."
Again, Bailee said nothing. She only nodded and walked out of the classroom. She looked down at her hand. It was purple, red and blue in some places. The cut was swollen and now leaking with blood. It stung badly. She went to the bathroom to wash it off and then decided to go to the common room early. She hurried along the corridors and up the stairs to the common rooms. Dean Thomas was already going through the portrait hole. She followed him inside. Hermione and Ron were waiting for her at the long couch by the fireplace. Ron and Hermione were sitting on opposite ends of the couch. Bailee made sure to pull the sleeves of her sweatshirt down before sitting between them.
"How was detention?" Asked Hermione
"It was fine I guess" she said
There were a couple other people in the common room. After about an hour they had almost finished all of their homework. Bailee turned the page of her textbook, the sleeve of her sweatshirt slipped down a little.
"What's that on your hand?"
Bailee panicked but tried to remain calm. She placed her other hand on top of her text book.
"Nothing." she said, looking back and forth from her hand to Hermione.
"Your other hand." She said
Crap. Hermione pulled back Bailee's sleeve all the way. She gasped, so did Ron. She saw the deep cuts on the back of Bailee's hand spelling "I must not tell lies."
"That evil hag. So this is what you've been doing for detention this whole week."
"Yeah" Bailee said
"You've got to tell Dumbledore."
"No." Said Bailee "he's got enough to worry about and I figure I've given him enough trouble this year already."
"But Bailee, she's torturing you." Said Ron
"I'm fine." Bailee said a bit louder than she meant to. A couple people looked over.
"I'm sorry" she said "it's just that I keep getting hurt and I feel like it's because I'm just too weak."
"You're not weak." Ron said "you've been through a lot more than most kids our age have gone through that's for sure."
"Yeah I guess." Said Bailee half heartedly.
Bailee closed her textbook and leaned against the back of the sofa. The fire crackled in the fireplace dancing across her face. It was warm. And comforting. She held her hand. For some reason it didn't hurt that bad. In fact she found herself pressing her fingertips into the lines. Deeper and deeper. She still didn't feel anything. Small beads of blood resurfaced.
"Bailee!" Ron shouted looking down at her hand. She paused and blinked slightly dazed.
"Sorry" she said, shaking her head slightly.
Ron and Hermione were both looking at her strangely.
"I'll see you guys later." Bailee said standing up and picking up her books.
She quickly walked away not wanting to hear their protests. She walked up the short stairs that lead to the dormitory. Hedwig was perched on her bed. Bailee stroked the snowy Owl's feathers. She gazed out the window. It was dusk. She could see the strange, smoky, winged creatures. They were grazing at the edge of the forest.
"Bailee!"
Hermionie was running up the stairs.
"I've just had the most brilliant idea." she said grinning.