Rose was happy. She wasn't having as many nightmares anymore, and the knowledge that she was a part of a group defying Umbridge gave her hope for the future. It was a few days after the meeting before Rose started to lose hope.
"Did a boy just try to climb up the steps?" Rose said with a laugh. There had been loud wailing sound signifying that the steps had been turned into a slide.
"I think so. Let's go see," Hermione said. The two girls made their way down the slide, both laughing when they saw Harry and Ron staring helplessly up the slide.
"Hermione and Rose are allowed in our dormitory! How come we're not allowed up there?" Ron asked.
"It's an old fashioned rule," Hermione said as she got to her feet. Rose stood up after her and the two girls stood smirking at the boys. "Why'd you try getting up there in the first place?"
"To see you-look at this!" Ron said as he dragged them to the notice board.
"She's stopping all clubs and groups? That means-" Rose gasped.
"Someone must have blabbed!" Ron said angrily.
"They can't have blabbed," Hermione said darkly. "I placed a jinx on the paper. If anyone has run off and told Umbridge, we'll know."
"What'll happen to them?" Rose asked, very pleased with Hermione's thinking.
"Let's put it this way, it'll make Eloise Midgen's ance look like a couple of spots," Hermione told her. Rose cringed, knowing that Eloise was known for having really bad acne. "Come on, let's go down to breakfast and see if other houses got the notice too."
It was immediately apparent that everyone knew about the notice. Fred, George, Lee, Ginny and Neville surrounded the quartet the second they sat down.
"Did you see?"
"Do you think she knows?"
"What are we gonna do?"
"We're gonna do it anyways, of course," Harry told them as he grabbed the blueberry muffin out of Rose's hand and handed her a chocolate chip muffin.
"Knew you'd say that!" Fred said proudly as he slapped Harry on the shoulder.
"Here comes Ernie and Hannah...and that Zacharias bloke! It'll look too suspicious if they all come over here," Hermione noticed. She waved them away and they looked at her confused.
"I'll go tell Michael," Ginny sighed as she stood up. "That fool...
"No one looks spotty," Ron noted as he looked around the Great Hall.
"Harry! Ron!"
Angelina was running to them, looking very desperate.
"It's ok," Harry assured her. "We're still doing it-"
"She's including quidditch in this! We have to ask for permission to reform the team!" Angelina informed him.
"What?" Harry asked.
"She can't!" Ron gasped.
"The sign mentions teams, too! Look, Harry...please don't lose your temper with Umbridge again or she might not let us play!" Angelina pleaded.
"Okay, okay...I'll behave myself," Harry promised. Rose let out a tiny snort, knowing how unlikely that was.
"Good," Angelina huffed before walking away.
"It's time for History of Magic," Rose informed her friends as she stood up.
"Bet Umbridge is gonna be in there," Ron groaned. "She hasn't observed him yet."
Luckily, Umbridge wasn't in the class. It was just Binns, so no one was really paying attention. Rose was doodling random circles on her parchment until Harry let out a hiss.
"What?"
Rose looked and saw that Hermione was gesturing to the window. Hedwig was perched there, waiting to be let in.
"I've always loved that owl. It's so pretty," Lavender sighed to Parvati.
Rose noticed that the whole class was now watching Hedwig and not Binns, but the professor didn't seem to notice. Harry slid out of his seat and crouched down before making his way to the window and opening it. Hedwig immediately jumped onto Harry's arm instead of flying away, so Harry walked back to his seat and put the owl in his lap.
"She's hurt," Rose gasped. Hedwig's feathers were all ruffled and one of her wings was bent backwards.
"Rose?" Harry asked hopefully.
"We're in class!" Rose hissed. Harry sighed and looked down at a quivering Hedwig.
"Professor Binns!" Harry said loudly. "I'm not feeling well!"
"Not feeling well?" Professor Binns asked as he looked up at Harry.
"Not at all," Harry lied. "Can I go to the hospital wing."
"Yes...yes...hospital wing...off you go Perkins," Binns said boredly. Harry sent a pleading look to Rose as he grabbed his bag and cradled Hedwig.
"Professor!" Rose exclaimed. "I've got to...pee."
"You can do that after class, Miss. White," Binns told her. Rose furrowed her eyebrows at just how little effort he had put into remembering their names. She shrugged at Harry but he sent her a pleading look.
"I'm bleeding!" Rose said loudly before cringing. Binns looked at her as Ron started to snicker.
"I don't see any blood," Binns said.
"That's cause...cause I started my period," Rose lied. Hermione let out a disappointed sigh next to her as Ron cringed a little.
"Oh...well...then...you can leave," Binns said uncomfortably. Rose rolled her eyes but stood up and followed Harry, who put Hedwig on his shoulder the second they left the room.
"I've never healed an animal," Rose told him worriedly as they passed through the hallways.
"You two should be in class," a gargoyle croaked. Rose jumped and noticed that they were by the teachers break room.
"It's urgent," Harry told him.
"Urgent is it?" Another gargoyle teased. Rose rolled her eyes and went to drag Harry to a more secluded place where she could heal Hedwig, but the door opened and Mcgonagall stepped out.
"Have you two been given detention with Umbridge again?" Mcgonagall asked, a hint of worry to her voice.
"No, Professor Mcgonagall! It's Hegwig, she's hurt. Rose was going to try to...y'know," Harry told her.
"Come in here. Professor Grubbly-Plank is here," Mcgonagall instructed them. Harry and Rose shared a confused look but followed her.
"Injured owl...yes, she looks like she's been attacked," Professor Grubbly-Plank said as she gently grabbed Hegwig. "Could've been a Thesteral, but Hagrid has them trained not to touch owls..."
"How far has this owl flown, Mr. Potter?" Professor Grubbly-Plank asked.
"From London, I think," Harry answered. Rose knew the letter must be from her dad.
"I should be able to sort this out if you leave her with me for a few days," Professor Grubbly-Plank announced. "She shouldn't fly long distances for a few days, just in case."
"Er-thank you, professor," Harry said. Professor Grubbly-Plank nodded and stood up.
"The letter, please, Wilhelmina," Mcgonagall called. Professor Grubbly-Plank nodded and gently removed the letter from Hedwig's leg. The professor left and Mcgonagall turned to the two teens.
"Why didn't you let me help?" Rose asked.
"Have you ever healed an animal before?" Mcgonagall asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well...no," Rose admitted.
"Then the first time you do will not be on someone's owl, but rather a mouse or something small. We don't know the extent of what you can do, and we do not want to risk anything. Understand?" Mcgonagall explained. Rose nodded.
"Potter, bear in mind that channels of communication in and out of Hogwarts are being watched and examined," Mcgonagall warned. Harry gave her a nod and she nodded her head to the door to tell them to leave. They did and quickly caught up to Ron and Hermione.
"Is Hedwig ok?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Professor Grubbly-Plank took her and said she'll be ok," Harry told them before telling them what Mcgonagall said.
"It's like what they did to me last year, but with everybody," Rose said sadly.
"Who's the letter from?" Ron asked.
"Snuffles. Says 'same time, same place'," Harry read.
"The fireplace," Rose said.
"Obviously," Hermione told her. "I wonder if anyone else has seen this?"
"The letter was sealed. And no one else would know what it meant," Harry reminded her.
"Still...there are ways to read the letter using magic...and if they're watching the floo network..." Hermione said anxiously.
"It'll be fine," Rose assured her, but she wasn't sure herself. Hermione nodded and gave her a small smile as they joined the line for Potions class. Rose rolled her eyes as she heard Draco boast about how the Slytherins could play quidditch again. Rose started humming to drown out his words.
"Neville, no!"
Rose gasped when she saw Neville being held back by Harry and Ron.
"Not...funny...Mungo's...I'll show him..." Neville grunted as he tried to fight out of. Harry and Ron's arms. Rose immediately pushed past them and got face to face with Draco.
"What did you say, Malfoy?" Rose growled.
"Oh, so I'm Malfoy now?" Draco scoffed. Rose pushed his shoulders and he stumbled back and stared at her in shock.
"Yes. Now what did you say?" Rose asked, her voice dark.
"I...I said that there's a special ward at St. Mungo's for people whose brains have been muddled by magic...where Potter can go," Draco admitted, looking down at the ground.
"You make me sick," Rose spat. "I've been trying to tell people that you've changed, but you haven't. And you never will."
"Rose, please!" Draco pleaded. Rose turned her back on his but whipped back around when he grabbed her wrist. She punched him right in the nose and he stumbled back and fell on the floor.
"What is this?" Snape asked as he opened his classroom door. "Fighting, Potter, Weasley, Longbottom, Black? Ten points from Gryffindor. Now release Longbottom or it'll be detention. Inside, all of you."
Rose stood in the hallway as the rest of the class entered the classroom, Draco holding his tie to his bleeding nose.
"Miss. Black, I told you to enter the room," Snape drawled.
"No," Rose said softly.
"No?" Snape asked surprised.
"No," Rose repeated.
"Well then, I'll see you in detention tonight at 5 o'clock," Snape told her.
"Hem, hem."
Rose almost started crying when she heard Umbridge's voice.
"Professor Snape, if you have no complaints, I will be more than pleased to take over the detention for you," Umbridge offered. Rose glared at her but said nothing.
"That is fine," Snape said before entering the classroom. Umbridge smiled sweetly as Rose before following after him. Rose's hand was already starting to tingle.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"There you are," Harry sighed. Rose turned around and gave him a small smile as he sat down next to her in the boat house by the lake.
"Sorry I disappeared....it's just...Draco was becoming a better person and it seems as if he's going back to who he used to be. And when he mentioned St. Mungo's I thought of my mum," Rose told him as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"I understand...you didn't miss much, by the way," Harry told her. "Umbridge asked Snape about how long he's been at Hogwarts and about the DADA position. Trelawney is on probation, apparently. She was really upset in class."
"That suck...what time is it?" Rose asked.
"Ten till five," Harry answered as he looked at his watch. Rose took a shuddering breath and stood up.
"Gotta go to detention."
"We'll be waiting for when you come back," Harry assured her. Rose nodded and placed a quick kiss on his lips before slowly making her way to Umbridge's office.
"Come in," Umbridge practically giggled when Rose knocked. Rose slowly opened the door and made her way to the desk where there was already a piece of parchment and a quill waiting for her.
"I want you to write 'I will not skip class or harm my fellow students'," Umbridge instructed. Rose nodded and slowly picked up the quill with shaky hands. Rose refused to let out any whines of pain for the whole two hours she was there. The words on the paper were practically hidden by her black blood.
"Very good, Miss. Black," Umbridge smiled as she examined Rose's hand. "I know I've already asked, but tell me. Why do you need an extra special quill?"
"I don't know," Rose lied again.
"Hmmm...I'll see you in detention tomorrow at the same time. You may leave."
Rose left the office and wrapped a scarf around her hand. Tears poured down her face from both pain and frustration.
"Rose?"
"Draco, please leave me alone," Rose pleaded as she turned around to look at her cousin.
"I'm really sorry about what I said and how I've acted. I tried to change but you know how Father is," Draco told her as he stepped closer to her.
"You're not your father. If you wanted to leave you could."
"Where would I go?" Draco scoffed.
"With me," Rose told him seriously. He looked at her for a second before scoffing and rolling his eyes.
"Your family would never accept me."
"They would...especially my dad."
"Even if they would, Father doesn't like it when people run away," Draco mumbled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Rose whispered.
"He...he blamed Mother and I for you leaving. And you know his methods. That's why I changed again...because I can't deal with that anymore. I have to be the perfect Slytherin he wants me to be," Draco said, trying to act tough but Rose could see just how tired he was. She wrapped him in a hug that he quickly returned.
"I'm sorry," Rose whispered.
"It's not your fault."
"Please think about it...coming to live with me," Rose said. Draco nodded as he stepped away from her.
"What happened to your hand?" Draco asked.
"I fell," Rose lied. Draco seemed to know it was a lie because he narrowed his eyes at her scarf covered hand. Rose quickly hid it behind her back.
"Sure...goodnight, Rose," Draco said.
"Goodnight, Draco," Rose smiled at him before walking back to her common room, thinking about ways to help her cousin.
The first thing Rose noticed when she entered the common room was just how mad Harry looked.
"What's up with you?" Rose asked when she sat next to him. Hermione and Ron also looked upset. Rose allowed a small smile to appear on her face when Tillie jumped into her lap.
"No quidditch practice still," Harry explained. "How's your hand?"
"It hurts a whole lot, to he honest," Rose admitted.
"Here," Harry said as he brought out some water, a towel and some gauze.
"I have detention again tomorrow," Rose groaned.
"What? Why?" Hermione gasped as she helped Harry clean Rose's hand. Ron stood next to her to block Rose's hand from view.
"I won't tell her why my hand didn't heal before," Rose sighed. She flinched a little when Hermione pressed down really hard.
"Sorry," Hermione mumbled.
"You're fine. Thanks for this, by the way," Rose told her.
"Just do it yourself next time," Ron joked. Everyone sent him a look and he quickly cleared his throat. "I was joking...of course."
"I know, Ronniekins," Rose teased. Ron rolled his eyes at her and Rose sent him a teasing smirk that quickly turned into a look of disgust when she heard vomiting behind her.
"That's Fred and George. They're trying to sell Puking Pastilles," Harry explained. Hermione looked livid, but technically the twins weren't doing anything wrong so she couldn't scold them.
"You know, I don't get how they only got three OWLs. They really know their stuff..." Harry said as he watched the twins and Lee. Rose's hand had stopped bleeding so Hermione was wrapping it in gauze as Harry and Ron went back to their seats.
"They only know flashy stuff that's no real use to anyone," Hermione muttered.
"No real use?" Ron exclaimed. "Hermione, they've made about thirty six galleons already!"
Hermione didn't have an argument after that so the quartet started doing their homework until the common room was empty. Rose was dozing on Harry's shoulder when he suddenly jerked forward.
"Sirius!"
"Oh, sure. Practically throw me to the floor for my dad," Rose muttered as she kneeled next to Harry.
"Hi," Sirius grinned at them.
"Hi!" Marlene faintly yelled.
"Mum?" Rose gasped.
"She can't come to the fireplace right now, but she's here," Sirius told her. Rose pouted a little but nodded. She grabbed Tillie right before the cat swiped at the fireplace.
"Silly kitty," Rose whispered. Hermione grabbed Crookshanks as he tried to do the same thing.
"How're things?" Sirius asked. Rose glanced down at her hand but said nothing.
"Not that good," Harry said sadly. "The Ministry added another decree so we can't play quidditch-"
"Or form secret defense groups?" Sirius asked.
"How'd you know about that?" Harry asked.
"You might want to chose your meeting places more carefully next time. The Hog's Head-"
"Is better than the Three Broomsticks!" Hermione interrupted. "That place is always packed with people-"
"Which means less of a chance to be overheard," Sirius said.
"Who heard us?" Ron asked.
"Mundungus, of course," Sirius told them. He laughed at their confused faces. "He was the witch under the veil."
"Why was he there?" Harry asked.
"To keep an eye on you two," Sirius answered, looking between Rose and Harry.
"We're being followed?" Rose asked.
"Well, you were supposed to stay in the castle cause of the Ministry, so technically Harry was the one being followed. But, yes," Sirius replied.
"Why was Dung hiding from us? We would've liked to see him?" Ron asked, his voice disappointed.
"He was banned from the Hog's Head twenty years ago and the barman holds a grudge," Sirius explained. "We lost Moody's invisibility cloak when Sturgis was arrested so Dung's been dressing as a witch a lot lately...anyways, Ron, I'm supposed to pass a message along from your mother."
"Oh, yeah?" Ron asked, sounding very apprehensive.
"She says that you are in no way allowed to take place in this defense group. She says that you'll be expelled and your future ruined. There will be plenty of time in the future to learn defense. She also recommends that you three do not go through with this group as well," Sirius said as if he was reading a piece of paper.
"Well...what do you think?" Rose asked tentatively.
"I think it's a great idea!" Sirius laughed happily.
"Me too!" Marlene yelled in the background.
"Why can't mum come to the fireplace right now, exactly?" Rose asked again.
"Nevermind that," Sirius muttered. "I think this is a great idea. Where are you going to have it?"
"We don't know. There's no place we can think of to hold all of us," Harry replied.
"I'll think and get back to-"
Sirius suddenly cut himself off and started looking around.
"Dad?" Rose asked.
Sirius vanished suddenly.
"Why'd he-"
Hermione cut herself off with a gasp when the familiar hand of Umbridge entered the flames, groping around for Sirius. The quartet gasped and ran to their dorm rooms, falling into th