After the legendary dying of the Hogwarts lake, Halley and James decided to dial back the major stunts. This was mainly because of the gruelling week of detentions.
Venus had devised a week of pure misery for her daughter and James. They were with a different member of staff each night, completing the most arduous tasks that they could come up with.
Their very last detention was in the greenhouses with Neville. Neville had given them the task of skinning venomous tentacular pods. The pods had many uses in potions, all of which James happily was listing as they skinned the pods.
"James, if you don't shut up, I'm going to shove your head into the bucket of pods and watch whist they consume every pretty little hair on your head," Halley groaned, "I have a headache, and that's the only thing that will shut you up."
"You're just like your mother Halley," Neville looked up from some papers that he was marking.
"What, because I threatened to kill someone?" Halley looked up.
"Yes, but she gets this cranky on the full moon as well," laughed Neville.
"Oh, well, I wouldn't be this cranky if you weren't making me skin these blasted seeds," Halley took off one of her dragon hide gloves and rubbed her temples, trying to ease the headache that had formed there.
Despite the fact that she was only half-werewolf, Halley did occasionally suffer ill health around the full moon.
"Ug, I hate Herbology," James complained as one of the seeds bit him.
"Now, James, I wouldn't say that in front of the Herbology Professor," Neville pointed his quill at them.
"It's okay, said Herbology Professor would never seriously injure a student," grinned James.
"The Herbology Professor might make an exception for the two of you."
********
"You're Halley right?" A third year boy sat down beside Halley at Gryffindor table.
"Yeah, you're on the Quidditch team right?"
"Yeah, I'm the Seeker," he grinned, "my father said he'd be highly disappointed if I wasn't the captain for at least a year." He laughed.
"Sorry I didn't catch your name," Halley asked.
"Adam, Adam Wood," he offered her his hand, "you're behind the lake turning red right?"
"That's me!" Halley grinned, "so, if you're going to be Quidditch captain, I hope that you will let me and James on the team!"
"If you're good enough!" Adam grinned.
********
"Halley, you look like you've been put on a stretching wrack, are you eating at school?" Molly asked her Halley when the Longbottoms arrived at The Burrow for Christmas.
"She eats like she's been half starved, but she won't stop growing!" Venus ruffled Halley's hair.
Halley rolled her eyes, and ducked away from Molly's hug, leaving her father to endure the bone crushing hug.
"You're going to have to hug her eventually," said Nysa laughing as he followed his sister further into the house.
"Grandma Molly's hugs are lethal, you can hug her if you want Nys, but I will stick to friendly hugs," Halley told him.
"She is right Nysa," said Nova with a quiet smile.
"See, Nova understands the need to avoid hugs from Weasley family members." Halley patted Nysa's head, "well younger Longbottoms, I am off to spend some time with the cool kids."
"Did she just refer to James as a cool kid?" Nysa turned to his twin as Halley made her way towards James, Alfie and Hope.
"I think she did," Nova smiled, "well, she need to rethink her life choices."