Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used in this story, all recognizable names, locations, and characters are property of the wonderful JK Rowling, who was lovely enough to bless us with the Harry Potter books to become obsessed with as I have.

A/N: Alright, I got multiple requests to continue this story in order to show what Snape and McGonagall did to Umbridge, because we all know they did something, so I've decided to add this chapter to give it a nice ending.

…..

Forever Etched in Skin

…

Chapter 2

"Oh, Harry…" Professor McGonagall started to say. She choked up, however, and resigned to sitting silently.

Dumbledore still had rage in his eyes, but it was dulled, and he no longer seemed to be struggling with his magic. His eyes seemed a little more moist than usual, and Harry couldn't tell if it was because of what he had said, or if they were tears of rage. He seemed lost in thought.

Snape was the oddball. He looked as if he had been slapped in the face. He was so completely shocked that he didn't even really register exactly what that statement had meant. All he registered was that Harry had said he cared about him, the greasy git of the dungeons. Not just Dumbledore and McGonagall, which he could understand, but Harry had included him. Now that he thought about it, he also realized that Harry had put Dumbledore, McGonagall, and him, the greasy potions master, over his own safety. Snape was shell-shocked.

"Are you alright, sir?" Harry whispered to Snape, "You seem a bit, out of it I guess." Harry tensed, waiting for Snape to yell at his for being disrespectful. He didn't need to though.

"Harry, when you said you put us over your own safety, did you mean to include me in that statement, or was that a slip of the tongue?" Snape whispered back. Before, when he had been telling Harry his true intentions over the years, he hadn't needed to whisper so Dumbledore and McGonagall couldn't hear, they were so overcome with rage at Umbridge that they were completely lost in their own world. Now, however, they may be zoned out, but they weren't as out of it as before, so he needed to be careful.

Harry, for his part, looked genuinely confused. "I told you before, Professor, I don't hate you…" Harry started to whisper back.

"I know that, but I didn't think you actually cared about me…" Snape cut Harry off. Now Harry just looked shocked.

"Professor, I know the danger you put yourself in everyday in order to spy on him for the Order, not to mention what you've done for me. Of course I care about you!" Harry whispered back.

"Hm," Snape whispered back, with a fake look of confusion on his face; though Harry could see the genuine happiness radiating off Snape that he was trying to cover up. "I never thought I'd see the day when a Potter would care about Severus Snape."

Now Harry was a bit annoyed. "I am NOT my father, Professor. I've said that before. I know what happened when you, him, Sirius, Remus, and the traitor went to school, and I am genuinely sorry for what they did. I know my father can't apologize, but I feel like he would've if he had been given the chance, so I'm doing it for him. However, that being said, Other that my looks and my skills on the Quidditch Pitch, you are the only person I know that thinks I'm like my dad. People actually tell me quite often that I'm more like my mother, because I'm not a bully, I'm bullied…" Harry was mid-rant when Snape cut him off.

"I know that, Harry. I'm sorry for saying that before, and I'm sorry for thinking it, also. I see now that you're more like Lily." Snape nearly choked on her name, but forced it out with as little emotion as possible. He had already gone through enough emotional turmoil today without having to explain to Harry about his love for his mother.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Professor. You said what you believed, I just hope you see me differently now." Harry gave Snape a small smile, which was returned.

"I do, Harry." Snape replied. "Now," Snape said this louder, to get the attention of the others in the room. "What are we going to do about her?" He asked Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked at Harry. "Harry, would you please wait outside, I would like to discuss this privately with Professors Snape and McGonagall, and then I have something I wish to speak to you about. Is that alright?" Dumbledore asked this politely, but it didn't seem much like a suggestion, more like an order.

"Of course, Professor. Just…" Harry paused and glanced at Snape and McGonagall. "Please, Professors, don't do anything to her that can lose you your jobs. I don't want two of the best professors in the school sacked, or thrown into Azkaban, on my account." Harry gave a small, sad smile to the room before turning his back to his teachers and walking out of the office, closing the door behind him.

….

"Harry summed up what I was going to say perfectly." Dumbledore stated once the door was closed. Usually, this statement would be accompanied by the eye twinkle they were accustomed to, but it was still absent from Dumbledore's eyes.

"Nothing illegal, and make sure I can keep you two as teachers once you're finished with her. Will you please send Harry in here on your way to…meet…with Dolores?" Dumbledore spat Umbridge's name with more venom than either of them were accustomed to coming from the Headmaster.

"Alright, sir." Snape's voice still wasn't as smooth as usual, but his usual cold demeanor was back in place, albeit shakily.

"Harry," Snape called once he and McGonagall were out of the office and onto the spiral staircase.

"Yes, Professor?" Harry was sitting at the bottom of the staircase, fiddling with his wand.

"The Headmaster wishes to speak to you." Snape nodded at Harry as he walked past and gave him a tiny smile, unseen by McGonagall, which was acknowledged by a full-force grin from Harry.

Snape could here Dumbledore before Harry closed the door. "I've been meaning to tell you this for a while, Harry…" Must be about the prophecy Snape thought, with a wave of self-hatred that always accompanied thoughts of that damned thing that he had overheard and told Voldemort. I'm the reason she's dead…Snape stopped his train of thought, instead focusing on the task at hand.

How to hurt that toad the worst without doing anything illegal…

"Minerva, shouldn't we talk about what we are going to do before we show up at her office threshold? I don't trust you to go in there without a plan, I feel as if you'd get yourself thrown into Azkaban." Snape asked, pulling McGonagall out of her thoughts.

"You're probably right, Severus. We can go to my office, it's closer than yours." McGonagall muttered back. She was still somewhat lost in her thoughts of all of the things she wished she could do to that toad.

Once they made it to her office, McGonagall immediately closed the door and started pacing around the room.

"I cannot believe that toad made a student use a blood quill for detention, and not just Harry either…" McGonagall was muttering.

"Not just Harry?" Snape questioned.

"Oh no, that women also made Lee Jordan and who knows how many others use that damn thing. I swear if I didn't like my job…" McGonagall resorted back to muttering under her breath. Snape complied for a few minutes before pulling her back out of her thoughts.

"I believe we should wait until classes are finished tonight before we do anything, since we both have classes after lunch." Snape tried to say in his usual drawling voice, but it was still a bit shaky, so he ended up sounding like he had a head cold.

"Huh? Oh, right, legal payback, um, yeah, we should probably wait until after classes, though I don't know if I will actually be able to effectively teach anymore today, but Merlin knows I couldn't be worse that that toad…" McGonagall lost herself in thought again.

"Minerva! Honestly, if we are going to plan anything you're going to have to pull yourself together, I cannot continue to draw you away from your thoughts after every sentence." Snape snapped.

"You're right, I'm sorry Severus. I'm just so angry. I cannot believe she would do something like this! Right, right, losing myself in my thoughts is bad," she muttered at the look she got from Snape. "What do you think we should do, Severus?" McGonagall asked, struggling to focus her attention on the conversation.

"Oh, do I have ideas for you, Minerva…"

…...

It was dinnertime in the Great Hall, and Professor McGonagall almost seemed…giddy.

Oh, no, Harry thought, they must have planned to confront Umbridge tonight…he stopped that train of thought. He didn't much care anymore, not after what Dumbledore had told him earlier in his office…

Harry saw Snape give a tiny nod in his direction, which he returned. Snape must have sensed something was off, however, because he set down his fork and left his spot at the Head Table, heading toward Harry's seat at the Gryffindor table.

"Mr. Potter, may I have a word with you?" Snape drawled. Only Harry noticed that slight shake in his voice.

"Alright, Professor." Harry pushed away his plate, despite only having eaten one forkful of steak-and-kidney pie, and stood to follow Snape out of the Hall, with a reassuring smile toward Ron that said he was fine.

Snape, surprisingly, did not lead him down into the dungeons to his office, and instead lead him into an abandoned classroom not far from the Hall.

"Are you alright, Harry?" he asked, once he had firmly closed the door and cast a silencing spell on it, so nobody that walked by could hear anybody talking within the room.

"I'm fine, sir." Harry replied.

"Is this about your conversation with the Headmaster, or the imminent resignation of your Defense teacher?" Snape asked.

"The former, sir." Harry answered.

"Was it about the prophecy?" Snape asked bluntly.

"How did you…" Harry started to ask.

"I have my ways of finding things out, Harry. I just need to know if you're alright." Snape answered with a wave of his hand, effectively dismissing the topic of how he knew.

"I'm…alright, Professor." Harry answered.

"You don't seem to be, Harry, but I understand if you choose not to talk to me. I just want you to know that my door is always open if you need to talk, alright?" Snape replied.

"Thank you, Professor. Nobody has ever said that to me before." Harry answered with the ghost of a smile. He still seemed to be a bit lost in thought.

"I mean it, too. If you need to talk about the prophecy, or all of the stuff you've had to go through, or even need help with homework, you can come to me. Now that you know that I'm only pretending to hate you around other students, I want to help you as much as I can." Snape replied, returning Harry's small smile.

Then Harry did something completely, totally, utterly unexpected; he took two steps forward and hugged Snape, wrapping his arms around the older man's waist and pressing his face into his shoulder.

Snape nearly flinched, he hadn't been hugged since he was fifteen, but he held it back and returned the hug as best he could. After a few moments, where both Harry and Snape had to compose themselves, Harry let go of Snape and backed up a few steps.

"I'm sorry, Professor, I don't know what came over me…" Harry started apologizing.

"It's quite alright, Harry." Snape cut him off. "Better now?" He asked quietly, even though no one could hear them.

Harry gave a shy nod.

"Good. Now, I have to go, Professor McGonagall and I have some things we need to do," Snape winked at Harry, making him grin, "And I have some things I need to grab before we get started. Remember what I said earlier, Harry. Come to me if you need anything, alright?" Snape said.

"Okay, Professor, I will." Harry replied. At this, Snape gave Harry a small smile and undid the enchantments he put on the door, opened it, and ushered Harry through and back toward the Great Hall.

Harry grinned at him before disappearing through the doors. After a few moments, McGonagall walked out of the same doors into the corridor, just as Snape knew she would.

"Ah, Severus. Do you have everything. She just left dinner about five minutes ago, when you were talking to Harry." McGonagall stated upon seeing Snape standing a few feet from the doors.

"I just need to grab them from my office." Snape replied.

"Wonderful, I'll walk with you." McGonagall grinned and lead the way down to Snape's office in the dungeons. She seemed a lot more cheerful than usual.

After they got everything they needed, the two made their way back up to the sixth floor, where the Defense classroom, and teacher's office, were located. McGonagall seemed to grow simultaneously more angry and giddy as they got closer to their destination.

Luckily, the classroom door was unlocked, and the office door stood ajar at the top of the short flight of steps leading up to it, so Snape and McGonagall didn't have to announce their arrival by stating any passwords.

McGonagall lead the way, meaning she was the first to enter the office.

"Why hello, Dolores, wonderful day isn't it!" McGonagall yelled as she slammed the door open.

"Oh, hello Minerva, Severus. And you're right Minerva, it is a fine day. To what do I owe this visit?" Umbridge giggled. Snape couldn't tell if she didn't notice McGonagall's rage, or was simply choosing to ignore it.

He pushed in front of McGonagall before she could hex Umbridge into oblivion. "Oh, not much, Dolores, just a simple fact of the illegal use of a blood quill on multiple students!" Snape yelled.

Umbridge's face drained of color. "I'm assuming that Mr. Potter has been spreading these lies, I assure you, I have not…" Umbridge started to say.

"We saw the scars, woman! DO NOT LIE TO US! You made Harry carve I must not tell lies into the back of his hand you evil, twisted, TOAD!" McGonagall screamed from behind Snape.

"Why would you believe anything that comes out of…" Umbridge started.

"SILENCIO!" Snape yelled, jabbing his wand at Umbridge. "Now, we have a little treat for you, Dolores, do enjoy it. Petrificus Totalis!" He jabbed his wand at Umbridge a second time, making her incapable of moving any part of her body except for her eyes.

He then stepped forward and dumped two vials of potions down her throat. "You'll need an antidote for the first of these, in order to get rid of the effects, the second one is permanent. Oh, and you'll need a Potions Master as advanced as I am in order to get an antidote." Snape turned to McGonagall. "Should I tell her the symptoms?" He asked with mock innocence.

"But of course, Severus, you wouldn't even tell me." McGonagall replied.

"Very well. You will not be able to speak until you get an antidote for the first potion. Instead, you will croak like the toad that you look like…" Snape was cut off by McGonagall's snort of laughter. Umbridge's eyes widened in horror. Snape continued once he was sure McGonagall was listening again. "The second, permanent, potion, doesn't have an antidote. I created it myself at the beginning of this year. I specifically designed it to use on you, Dolores. I was praying for something like this to happen so I could use it, though this wasn't exactly what I had hoped for…" He paused to give Dolores a murderous look. "This potion will cause you to grow a toad-like wart every time you do that stupid cough of yours. I dare you to annoy people with your stupid 'Hem hem' now." McGonagall was, once again, doubled over in laughter. She composed herself after a few minutes of laughing. "Anything you wanted to add, Minerva?" Snape asked.

"But of course, Severus." She waved her wand, turning all of the kittens on the plates into donkeys, and turning the pink color of the walls into an ugly puke color. "Do you like the new décor, Severus?" she asked. Now it was Snape's turn to double over in laughter. "The spell I used is specifically designed so it cannot be undone by anyone but me, and it will be in every office you occupy, Dolores, so you can't just change offices to escape it. Also, just for fun…" McGonagall playfully flicked her wand, causing Umbridge's pink cardigan to shred. "I always hated that thing…" now both Snape and McGonagall were doubled over laughing. Umbridge was trying desperately to say something, but she couldn't break Snape's Silencing Spell. Snape waved his wand, undoing only that spell. Umbridge tried to speak, but all that came out were croaks. Snape and McGonagall laughed for a few more minutes before Snape recast the spell and turned deadly serious.

"If you ever do something like that to one of my students again, woman, rest assured that I will not be so lenient. You're very lucky I like my job, toad, or else I would have done a lot more painful, permanent damage. I believe the same goes for Minerva. You stay away from our students, especially Harry." Snape muttered in a deadly whisper. Umbridge's eyes once again widened in horror.

Snape waved his wand and undid the Silencing Spell once again, then left the room with McGonagall, closing the door behind him, leaving Umbridge stuck in the same position as before, croaking loudly.

"Do you really care about Harry, after everything that's happened, Severus? After all of his rule-breaking and recklessness?" McGonagall asked as they made their way down the corridor.

"Always."