Harshing waited in the corridor of the dungeons, a cane in his hand and an open door next to him leading into a well lit yet filthy room with a whole manner of objects in them. He patted the cane in his hands impatiently, looking to the grandfather clock nearby. She had thirty seconds to arrive before a beating.

29...28...

*27...26..25...24...23...22...21...20...19...18...17...16...15....

She walked through the door with mere seconds to spare, with a wide smile on her face just because it was possible that it would irritate Harshing. She was actually happy to have this detention...even though she anticipated pain....It was the idea that the pain would be brought on by being a smart a*s. Melanie was only completely horrible when she was around Harshing, probably because she still hated him for everything he put her through.*



~Mel

"Miss Hunter, you are here to serve your detention for arrogance, treason and heresy against the state and Protection. You will now be suject to 4 hours of hard labour in the freezing cold with no layers to protect you from my magical bitterness."

He held out his cane. "Remove your clothes." He conjured a rag and a bucket of ice cold water, she would have to scrub the dungeons amongst the rats and lice, live through the freezing drafts while being subject to harshing's taunts.

*Melanie didn't see what she had done that went against the Protectors...all she did was help a little girl who was distraught....She would have to talk to Kiley about it. That is, if Kiley would listen to her. It depended what kind of a mood she was in.*

Melanie:"Well it's not like this situation's entirely new, is it?" *she asked as she began taking off her clothes.*"I seem to remember something much like this happening before, only you were watching me be raped instead of watching me very quickly get sick enough to die." *by now she was completely naked.*"Either that or you just really like to see me naked."

*She didn't like bringing up the subject of the last time he'd been around her when she was...indisposed, considering it was the reason that Kiley was later sent to Azkaban and Liam ended up missing Mark's birth, but it was worth it. If Harshing was going to make her life hell, she might as well have fun with it.*




~Mel

Harshing snapped around the cane so it hit her on the side of the face, that comment had slithered into him and exploded like dynamite. "Don't tell lies Miss Hunter," he whispered, smiling. "It is unbecoming of a young woman. No one here has been raped, a girl should not even know the meaning of that word. I am sure that someone once said it takes two to tango..."

He span the cane around his hands and circled her.

*Mel fell to the ground after being struck. She almost passed out, and secretly wished that she had. She touched the side of her face where Harshing had hit her. She tasted the iron flavor of blood in her mouth....She took a second to recuperate before going right back at it.*
Melanie:"Just because you won the court case doesn't mean it didn't happen. Mark did not spontaneously decide to come out of my womb two months early for no reason, and my memories were not randomly generated."

*She tried to ignore how much her head was throbbing and spinning and how desperately she wanted to throw up. Not only that, but she was already shivering from the cold. It wouldn't be long before the coughing started and she couldn't work any more. She wondered darkly if she'd even make it to the hospital....*



~Mel

Harshing smiled, by magic the tip of his cane started to glow bright red with heat. He lowered it and pressed it onto her back so to scold and burn her. "Ah yes, Mark - isn't that your little b*****d child? Yes the b*****d from a b*****d. Liam Harrison - the memories are just flying back to me now."

He knelt down, still holding the red hot cane to her naked back. He placed his head to her ear. "I am going to kill your b*****d child, just after making him watch his father and mother beg for death. And I shall take your hearts and eat them, one by one before burning you all...like a proper family."

Harshing smiled, his eyes shivering. "And when I've done it i'll be sure to tell the world I've rid it of yet another b*****d mudblood." He brought the cane down from a height to belt her side.

*Melanie screamed when the scalding hot cane touched her back. When she was hit with the cane, however, it was a wail of absolute agony. She felt the burns smoldering on her skin.She began to cry, half from pain, half out of pure and unadulterated loathing and anger. He would never lay his hands on Mark no matter what he said, and she would make sure of it.*
Melanie:"You are never going to talk about my son or Liam like that again, and you will never hurt them. You can do whatever you want to do to me, but you will never touch them. And you know what else?" *she continued fighting on through the pain and tears. All of this was coming out as almost a scream.*"We're not even a family anymore. I bet that makes you absolutely jovial. Yeah, you'll be thrilled to know that Liam doesn't love me any more. And do you know why? Because he decided to run off and get another girl pregnant. So you can just take your good time and laugh about how miserable I am right now."




~Mel

He stood up, "Hush now, little Hunter, hush now. He doesnt love you because you are a freak of nature, he would look at you and think you were a foolish, naive, little freak with nothing for her in life other than her b*****d son." He spoke as if he was speaking to a baby. "Yes, Mel. Its your fault Mark will grow up in a broken family, mentally scared, bullied, a freak like you."

He slammed the cane down again. "And this other girl, who might she be? Another freak? A pathetic case from a dirty blood line?"

*Melanie was seething with anger. Mark would not be like her. He would be happy...he would be loved. Most importantly, he would always have someone around him to care for them...even if she....*

Melanie:"Flame Lestrange." *she responded, with a sliver of the happiness she felt at revealing that it was one of his favorites sneaking through the hate and disgust. She didn't know about Flame being his daughter, though.*



~Mel

Harshing stopped his taunts, he was shaking, no...impossible, not Flame, not his Flame. She was lying. Yes - almost definitely. "You Liar!" He roared at the top of his voice. "Lying filth! Lying filth!" with both hands he began to beat the cane onto her helpless body, beating and beating, he would silence her lies. "Liar. Liar. Liar!"

He stopped and backed away until he hit a wall. He pointed a quivering finger at her. "You.... you heretic! You should be killed for lying to your Patron...."

He looked to the floor. "Beg for forgiveness." He clicked and pointed to his feet. She would have to crawl and kiss the floor before him.

*Melanie shrieked in anguish with every blow.*
Melanie:"Do you think I would lie about this? I only ever tell you the truth that you don't want to hear, and that's why you hate me. You can ask her yourself, she'll tell you the same thing. So will Liam. She's a bloody slut, a home wrecker. She did this all because she hates me, because she wants to ruin my life. It's not wonder you two get along so well."



~Mel

Harshing shook his head, but he saw no lies in her eyes. He would have detected it via legilimancy. Flame would be tortured in due course, and the baby... the baby would have to be killed.

"I have nothing more to say to you. You shall remain in here for an entire night... mind the rats, they only want to nibble." He didnt move though. He withdrew his wand and pointed it at Mel.

"Didn't I say beg for mercy?"

*Melanie glared at Harshing.*
Melanie:"What will you do to me if I don't, torture me more?" *she inquired. There was only one thing he could say that would make her do it, and that would involve him hurting either Mark, Liam, or her siblings.*



~Mel

"I will render you unconscious then break into your mind and discover the location of your baby... well I think we both know what happens then. Have you ever heard a baby scream as its dropped into the ruthless crags from a clifftop?"

*Melanie felt her heart stop. He really would do that, and she knew it. She immediately went to Harshing's feet and bowed before him, feeling humiliated. He knew exactly how to control her, and there was nothing she could do about it....*



~Mel

He conjured a rag from his wand. "You shall scrub this dungeon in the time it takes for it to become completely clean. This room will become your punishment project, each detention you will aspire ever closer to it becoming a room fit to live in."

A bucket appeared with freezing water. "First the floor and walls must be rid of grime and moss. You shall begin now."

*Melanie was still distraught from what Harshing had just threatened to do, but she sat up and nodded her head in agreement.*
Melanie:"Yes, sir.

*She knew that the moss wouldn't be the first thing she'd get rid of. Oh no, it would definitely be the rats. She'd transform into her animagus cat form and chase after them. It wasn't nearly as fun as chasing mice, but it was at least mildly amusing and it got the job done. She just hoped that Harshing wouldn't think of that little fact so she would be free to transform as she pleased in the instance that she started feeling too sick from the cold and wanted to warm up a little bit.*



~Mel

Harshing smiled and watched her, then his Mensmagic detected something, a lone thought of excitement and delight. He home in on it, magnified it and read in a millisecond. She was going to transform to make it easier. Or try to.

"Don't even try to transform, or you shall be arrested for unauthorized transformation. Yes, Animagi are illegal now, the legislation comes into place tomorrow." He smiled and spat at her.

*Melanie stared up at him, absolutely shocked. For a second, she forgot about his little mind powers, but the main shock rested in the fact that being an animagus would now be illegal. That didn't even make sense...what had they done wrong? Absolutely nothing!

...But then she had an idea, and it suddenly clicked.

They were all going to be punished because of their affiliation with Sentinus.

She would've fought, argued that everyone who ever agreed with him on any level should be punished equally, but she wasn't going to risk anything happening to anyone because of her attitude.*

Melanie:"Yes, sir." *she replied again. Dejection and anger both clear in her voice.*



~Mel

Harshing couldnt let it rest. he needed to have his little evil genius moment. He sat down, a chair appearing as if it didn't dare do otherwise. "I couldn't have filthy animals scurrying around spying on the Protection, reporting here there and everywhere. Animagi hold too much power, too much was left to chance. My men are currently watching all the animagi outside of Hogwarts, ensuring they do not betray the might of the Protectorate.

Melanie:"Yes, sir, that makes sense." *she replied. *"It's a precaution, you can't risk anything." *she wanted to say that they might as well ban animals themselves, but she stopped herself.*




~Mel

Several hours passed in which Harshing said nothing, he just watched and mulled through many problems and thoughts over his lifetime, allowing himself to relive the best bits and write his diary entry in his head. He looked at his pocket watch and stood up.

"Get changed, your detention is over."

*Melanie was visibly sick. She looked like she would pass out any second; She was pale and shaky, lethargic, and weak. She would break out into fits of horrible coughing that left her too weak to move for at least a minute. She never thought she would get so sick in such a short amount of time. Harshing had ordered her to get dressed, so she stood up and began to walk over to where he clothes were. After only a few steps, though, her legs gave way and she fell to the ground in another fit of coughing.*



~Mel

Harshing smiled but made no effort to help her. She would learn from this, her hurt and pain would never be forgotten. Next time she dared cross him she would remember this and learn to obey. "You will attend a Personal Behaviour Meeting tomorrow where we can discuss your outcomes and goals and also reprogram your attitude and ethos."

He swept out of the room.