The Half-Blood Princess

Graduation Gifts

"I need to talk to you," Fred said, taking Harley aside a couple of weeks later. Things at Hogwarts had gone haywire, and the Ministry's presence had sparked a new hatred amongst the students for Umbridge. She even had a group of Slytherin students playing security guards for her: Malfoy amongst them. The Inquisitorial Squad. Harley had considered joining, just to make sure they didn't get out of line, but decided against it. She could very well wind up hexing one of them, and then she'd be expelled.

"What is it?" Harley asked. They were the last two in the common room, because they had a free period.

"This isn't going to be easy but...George and I want to leave."

"What do you mean, leave?" It was a silly question that she mentally berated herself for.

He gestured towards the window. "Leave. Get out. Open our shop. It's ready. Our products are ready, and I am bloody miserable here. I mean, I won't be leaving right away, but sometime soon. I just wanted to be sure you were okay with it."

"Fred, you do not need my permission. You have to do what is right for you," Harley said. "If you stay, I will support you. If you leave, I will support you as long as you keep doing what you love."

He bent down and kissed her, and she wished that the girls' dorm wasn't occupied by the Quidditch girls preparing for practice. "I have the best girlfriend in the world."

"Let me know when you're leaving, okay?" She tugged on his hair. "I will never forgive you if you just up and go."

"You got it, love." He checked the bulletin board. "Almost time for your meeting with Snape about your shop."

She nodded, standing up and getting her robe. "See you tonight at the DA." She walked down the halls to the dungeon to see that she was early: the fifth years were still handing in their potions. She saw poor Potter struggling to finish something, but she saw something else just as disturbing: Umbridge, sitting beside Snape, taking notes. He looked as though he was ready to hex her himself and was just containing his rage. So far, he was the only professor to not have had an inspection, until right then.

Finally, the class filed out, Harry looking fairly pleased, probably because Snape had not bothered him as much. Snape saw Harley standing at the door and motioned to his office, casting a side-eyed glance at the little toad.

It was another five minutes before Snape entered his office, looking flustered. "I apologise for the delay."

"Staff inspections?" Harley guessed. She had heard about the harrowing ones Umbridge had given Hagrid and McGonagall.

He nodded, but did not sit down. "Are you still interested in the shop in Hogsmeade?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent. Go to your dorm and get your cloak, please. We are going into town." The professor put his cloak on as well. "I have already gotten clearance, there is no way you can be punished for going, despite Hogsmeade trips being cancelled."

Harley did not tell him about Dumbledore's Army, or that that was the reason for their trips being cancelled. Instead she ran up to the dorm, and told Harry she was going to miss the DA meeting that night.

When he asked why she responded, "My future awaits me." Rushing back to the entrance of Hogwarts, she met her professor there. After having a terrible summer and beginning of the school year, she was glad to have something to look forward to.

"Are you ready to leave?" Snape asked her. She noticed his eyes kept straying to her hand, which was not fully healed. She would carry that scar for the rest of her life.