Seventh Year was quite possibly the worst year of Holly's life. That was saying something because she had been chased by Acrmantualas through the Forbidden Forest and injected with Basilisk venom moments after slaying the beast. She had been hastily made to time-travel and found herself face-to-face with a transforming werewolf. She had been nearly burnt to a crisp by a Hungarian Horntail, witnessed the Darkest wizard of all time be resurrected, dealt with tyrannical government officials, and drowned by Inferi in a cave with Dark magic. Among that there were more minor situations like broken bones, concussions, dead unicorns, angry Centaurs, battles at the Ministry, failed tests, detentions, and rude classmates gawking due to the scar on her forehead.

Holly rather thought things couldn't be worse than all that, but she was wrong. Very wrong. Every meal, she stared around the Great Hall. It was so empty. At all tables there were gaps, sometimes small and sometimes big. Students were hiding in their homes, staying with family, unwilling to leave in such unsure times. It stunned Holly that so many parents didn't trust Dumbledore and McGonagall to keep their children safe within the castle.

Each morning, the Daily Prophet was delivered. It was filled with dark pictures and claims of disappearances, out-right kidnappings, destructive raids, and brutal murders. The first Friday of their first week back, a letter arrived for a Third Year Hufflepuff. The girl seemed so small to Holly with her wavy gold hair and rounded face. She let out a shriek, dropping the letter, putting hands to her face as she bent over the table, sobbing in deep heaves. Professor Sprout and Professor McGonagall went to the student quickly, both wearing sorrowed expressions. That morning, as Holly stared blankly at the moving black and white picture on the front page of the Daily Prophet, she realized the Third Year Hufflepuff's name was Francis Smith. She was Muggleborn. And her parents were murdered. They had a small house with a tiny square of neatly trimmed grass. Above the house, startling and proud, was a skull with a slithering snake protruding from its mouth. Holly learned to hate the image.

Classes continued as normally as possible, but even that familiarity provided no comfort to her. Holly took notes, but the empty seats around here felt like sharp jabs in her ribs. So many students gone. Hiding. Missing. Zacharias Smith glared at Holly constantly during meals and in the corridors. Her friends took notice and Ron had cast a Stinging Hex at the boy once, earning himself a detention with McGonagall. Still, the Hufflepuff glared. Holly learned, after Hermione took pity on her and explained, that Francis Smith was his younger cousin. And Zacharias had lost a beloved aunt and uncle to Death Eaters. After that, Holly ignored the glares and stopped Ron from punching the boy whenever Zacharias rammed her shoulders in passing on more than one occasion.

"You shouldn't let him do that," Ron ranted one late afternoon. Holly, Ron, and Hermione were walking toward the dungeons. Three times a week, Ron walked both girls all the way to the Potions classroom. The tension and frustration in his face stopped either girl from complaining. Holly didn't wish to admit it, but having Ron beside her eased a bit of the burning burden living inside her chest.

Holly dully said, "If it makes him feel better, let him do it."

"I understand Zacharias is hurting," Hermione quickly spoke before Ron could begin to shout. She added, "He's bullying you, Holly. It isn't just glaring and sneering now."

"Besides, you didn't murder anyone." Ron muttered hotly.

She shrugged and adjusted the strap of her satchel. She replied, "He's lost his family. Nothing will ever make that right."

Hermione whispered, "I'm sorry for him. We aren't saying he deserves that. Nobody deserves to lose their loved ones, but you didn't take them from him."

Both Ron and Holly stepped closer when Hermione's voice wavered. She wiped at her watery eyes and said, "Sorry. I'm just…emotional."

"Don't apologize, Mione." Ron said firmly.

"When this is over…" Holly glanced at Ron and finished, "The three of us will go and find your parents."

Hermione gave a sad smile, leaning into Ron's side when he awkwardly put an arm around her shoulder. He gave Holly a panicked look. Holly smiled and gave a thumbs up as Hermione quietly sniffled into Ron's uniform vest. Holly started to step away, but Hermione pulled away from Ron and quickly said, "Wait. Don't go."

Ron blinked, confused and disappointed. Holly sent him a sheepish glance before saying, "We might be late for Potions."

"Oh," Hermione sniffled, "You're right. Let's go. See you in a few hours, Ron."

Hermione stepped toward Holly. Ron said, "I'll be waiting here. Five o'clock. Don't leave without me. There's no telling where Zacharias or wanna-be Death Eaters are lurking."

Both girls agreed and entered the darkened Potions classroom. They walked slowly to their seats, spreading out a fair amount in order to set up complicated potion stations. It took several minutes before Holly's eyes adjusted to the dim-lit room. When it did, she found a silent Severus sitting behind his desk. There was a tome opened and he was busily writing with a black Eagle quill that looked too fancy for Holly's liking. Thinking back, she remembered him using it directly after Christmas. She wondered who had gifted him with such a thing, but then frowned heavily.

She mentally berated herself for caring and wondering at all. Holly flicked her wand with too much zealous attitude and a fire roared to life under her golden Cauldron. It soared nearly to the ceiling and had Holly jumping back from her desk. Hermione squeaked, reaching for her wand from within the pocket of her robes. Holly's was already in her hand, so she waved it again in a hasty pattern. The flames dimmed to a manageable level while Holly blinked wide eyes. She glanced at Hermione, whose eyes were just as wide as hers, before reluctantly looking at Severus.

He had risen from his desk, wand in his hand, but pointing downward. His face was perfectly blank. He asked dryly, "Do you have need of the Hospital Wing?"

Hermione shook her head and said, "No, sir."

Severus swung dark eyes as hard as flint in Holly's direction. He raised a black brow in an impressive arch. She muttered, "No, Professor."

He nodded once before waving his hand mutedly. Instructions appeared in elegant, spidery writing across the chalkboard. With grace Holly envied, Severus sat himself down and began reading through the unmarked tome once more. Holly stared at him until Hermione reached across the table, nudging her in the shoulder. With reluctance, Holly pulled her Advanced Potions book from her satchel and began reading the assigned chapter. She was a rather slow reader, so she wasn't surprised when Hermione began gathering ingredients from a cabinet only minutes later.

Holly had tried speaking with McGonagall about having a free period in place of Advanced Potions on the very first morning back in the castle. The woman had sternly explained that Potions was vitally necessary to becoming an Auror. That, coupled with Hermione's panicked looks at being left alone with Severus, had Holly agreeing to keep the class on her schedule. That didn't mean she liked the class. She didn't.

Holly kept reading, distracting herself every time Severus's quill scratched too loudly on parchment. She wrinkled her nose and went back to reading. She scratched at an irritating itch behind her ear, tapping her index finger against the soft skin as she reread a particularly boring sentence. When Hermione began gathering tools and cast Cleaning Charms, Holly realized class was nearly over. With a sigh, she marked her place in the text, shoved the book in her bag, and gathered her knives and stirring rods. She covered them in various cloths, rolling them into their protective case and shoving the lot into her bag. Just as Hermione was wiping down the desk with a wet cloth, Severus came gliding toward them.

He held out a hand, taking the vial of murky, white liquid from Hermione. He said, "You are dismissed, Miss Granger."
Her friend cast Holly a questioning glance before Severus stated, "Leave."

Hermione pressed her lips together and slowly grabbed her bag and books. She passed by Holly's desk and whispered, "I'll be in the corridor."

Holly nodded carefully, eyeing the tabletop in front of her. As soon as the heavy doors fell closed, Severus sent her a cool look of disdain. He smoothly said, "You will remain here and brew the potion you were assigned. When it is finished, you will be released."

She gritted her teeth and said, "If I stay, I'll miss dinner."

"You will finish the brew. I'm sure you're capable of calling to that wretched House-elf. He would be overly pleased to attend to the Chosen One." He answered dryly.

Holly stalked to the doors, threw it open and eyed her friends. Ron was frowning. Hermione was biting her lip nervously. She snapped, "Go ahead to dinner. I'll be here for a while. Have to brew Skele-Gro."

Before she could do more than whirl around, Severus had flicked his wand and slammed the door. He whispered a Locking Charm as well as the Imperturbable Charm. Holly glared before stalking to the ingredients' cabinets. She slammed bottles and jars around, storming about from one end of the classroom to the other. After taking her book from her bag, she tossed it onto the desk with a loud thump. Her first attempt at Skele-Gro ended in disaster ten minutes later when she added one too many Hag's hair. The potion began to sizzle and emit dark purple sparks. Growling, Holly Vanished the mess and began again. This time, she read through the instructions twice. Her hands trembled as she chopped, dropped, and stirred. Holly tried to pay attention, but her vision was nearly blurry with her anger.

Holly was all too aware of the time slowly passing as she impatiently waited to add each ingredient at the precise time. She nearly stuck the iron rod in the potion instead of the crystal rod. With a huff, she tossed the iron rod down. It rolled off of the desk, clanking against the stone floor. She continued stirring with her crystal rod, relieved as she looked into the cauldron, watching the liquid go a violent shade of purple. She took the rod out, setting it aside and casting a Tempus Charm. She began to count down the time, tapping her fingers on the desk.

When the potion was finished, Holly set out a crystal vial. She crammed multiple jars into their assigned cabinet and hastily wiped down her station. She scrubbed vigorously, all the while muttering swear words at a particularly stubborn stain stuck in the wood. She aimed her wand and tried to Vanish the stain, but it stayed in place. Giving up, Holly tossed aside her dirty cloth. She turned to the cauldron, pouring the brew into a crystal vial. She was both angry and unsurprised when the warm liquid cracked the vial and leaked across the desk.

Sighing, she Vanished the mess and pulled another crystal vial from her bag. She cast another Tempus Charm, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Another five minutes passed. Holly let her palm hover over the cauldron; it was still letting off steam. Holly sat on a stool and let her forehead thump down. The desk smelled of Cleansing Solution and frog guts, but she still kept her forehead pressed against the old wood. She muttered, "Damn it."

Holly glanced up and immediately found Severus staring intently at her. He held her gaze for a moment before calmly turning back to the parchment in front of him. Holly leaned over, palm above the cauldron once more. It was warm, but not nearly as much so as before. She took her spoon, carefully filling a second vial with the liquid. She had none to spare now, so she was relieved when the crystal vial didn't crack. She let the potion breathe for a moment before firmly corking it.

Holly scrawled her name and the title of the potion onto a sticky label, slapping it on the side of the vial, and marched to his desk. She set it on the very edge, keeping her eyes firmly away from him. Holly turned on her heels, scooped her bag and book off of the desk, and left the classroom. She was only one corridor away, heading for the staircases when Ron and Hermione found her.

"There you are." Ron said in relief, "We were just coming to find you."

Holly, still fuming, shoved her book into her bag. She stalked ahead of her friends, who ran after her. Ron demanded, "Are you okay?"

Hermione asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." She snapped, "I brewed. I'm hungry. He's a jerk. That's it."

Ron whistled lowly, eyeing Holly as if she were a dragon. They climbed up multiple staircases, passing through fairly empty corridors, and began the long ascend to Gryffindor Tower. When they entered the Common Room, plenty of students were sitting by the fire, playing chess or studying. Holly went directly toward the girl's dormitories without a backwards glance.

Ron muttered, "Can we find a way to Curse the git?"

"No," Hermione sighed, "He's too skilled. Besides, Ronald, that would only hurt Holly even more."