Hayley's pov
I rubbed my hand, the scab was healing although it had become increasingly itchy as of late. I assumed a side effect of the dark magic. Remus had owned me an ointment to dull the itching. It hadn't really been working but I didn't have the heart to tell him. He wanted so badly to help feeling it was at least his fault. Self Blame a theme in my family lately Harry and Ron were bickering about harry doing that very thing.
"Harry it's not your fault!" Ron exclaimed as we walked along the bridge. Harry only let out a grunt in response.
"He's right Harry if it's anyones fault it's ours," Hermione added,
"No one saw this coming how could we know that toad was well a toad," I chimed in.
Harry stopped walking and stared out across the lake. He looked so lost and heart broken, it hurt to see him like this. We weren't close as siblings but he was still my brother. He started a speech about going it alone. I had a thought I Pulled out my wand I accioed the picture of him and sirius when harry was a baby.
"Harry?" I said gently handing him the picture.
"Hayley... what..."
"I found it in our parents house among some other things,"
He looked at me with tears in his eyes. I smiled softly at him. He smiled back. Perhaps one day I'll tell him about the curse, one day he will know why he wasn't able to hug me in this moment. The moment of course was interrupted by a letter flying towards me and hovering in front of my face.
Hayley we have a prank planned need your help!
One eyed witch
All our love
Forge
A chuckle escaped my lips as I bid my goodbye to my friends and raced towards the one eyed witch entrance. By the time I arrived it was dark out. The twins were already waiting for me. They had set up three stools in a circle. It also seemed they had straightened their clothes and Combe their hair. I raised my eyebrow at them. George gestured for me to take a seat which I did. Both sat in front of me. Both had very serious expressions
"What are you getting a divorce?" I snorted. Their faces remained serious. I was started to get worried.
"Green we are dropping out," Fred started my jaw dropped.
"You don't have to come with us though you are welcome, however," George continued
"We would like you to help us plan our last prank on Umbridge," Fred grinned.
Severus's pov
"Focus! Discipline your mind!"
I snapped at potter exiting his memories he was atrocious at Occlumency. I entered his mind again. Images of Hayley handing him a picture to the siblings in the leaky cauldron. They seemed quite young in that memory. Hayley has grown so much since her first year. Then the pair stood before the mirror of erised. Potter stared up at his two parents. Lily smiled at him... I truly did miss that woman.
"Feeling sentimental," I drawled once more siting his mind.
"That's private," he gasped. I rolled my eyes honestly how were he and Hayley related?
"Not to me and certainly not to the dark lord!" I retorted. This boy irked me.
"If you would just let me rest!" He snapped. Walking away, I gripped his arm turning him to face me.
"The dark lord isn't resting, you and black are so similar, sentimental whining fools. Forever whining about unfair your life is this may have escaped your notice but life isn't fair. Your blessed father knew that in fact he frequently saw to it!" I ranted.
"My father was a great man!" Potter retorted.
I snorted using my grip on his arm to shove him back into his chair and prepared to enter his mind a again. He narrowed his eyes at me panting. He was exhausted but I knew the dark lord would not care. Potter for better or worse had a relationship with Hayley so I was inclined to help him protect his memories however I was not inclined to protect his fantasies about his father or his feelings.
"Your father was a swine, Legilimens!"
"Protego!"
Potter invaded my mind. He forced me to watch my own memories. Clumsily sorting through them. I watched my younger self walk up the stairs with Lily and watched black barrel into her. Knocking her books to the floor. The memory began fading, melting into a new one. One I wish would remain buried in my mind. James Potter. He hexed my 15 year old self hung me by my ankles. A hoard of students chanted. Lily. No Lily please I can't watch this again. Then the word left my younger selves lips. The horrid disgusting word. The word that made me lose her. The memory started fading it was replaced by 12 year old Hayley being floated out of the chamber of secrets. Odd cocktail of relief and terror flooded my system again the same cocktail I'd felt the day it happened. She was so pale and limp. What if she didn't live? What if I lost her? What if I never get to adopt her? Enough. Enough. ENOUGH.
I forced potter from my mind and turned away from him.
"Your lessons are at an end... get... out," I drawled still facing away from him. He made a weak sound of protest before opening the door. Once I heard it close I slumped into a chair. I was exhausted this year has truly been as the students would say "the worst". When will this all end. When the dark lord is defeated I reminded myself. A long hollow sigh escaped my lips. I just have to take each day as it comes and pray we win. Pray Hayley Lives.
Hopefully with the OWLS tomorrow hogwarts would finally have a day of relative peace and quiet.