The first sign of the Ministry's interference with Hogwarts started with the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum. Haidee had found that there would be no use of practical learning, only theoretical, which not only made the class significantly harder to learn in but meant that the students were not learning to their full potential.
The class had quickly become Haidee's least favourite to attend. It was dull and mundane, all they did was copy from the textbook until the end of class. She had come to learn that Professor Umbridge was the same Umbridge who disputed her werewolf treatments, as she would often make reference to how absurd Hogwarts had been to hire half-breeds, in which she believed she was referring to Lupin.
The first time Haidee had heard her say it, she couldn't believe her ears. It was so subtle, spoken as if she cared for the student's safety when Haidee had never felt safer in front of an adult more than when she was with Lupin.
Haidee had never had an urge so strong in her life when she heard Professor Umbridge's nasty little laugh when referring to Hogwarts irresponsibility for hiring, "extremely dangerous half-breeds." Throughout her lessons, she seemed to mention it as if to convince the students of her values.
One day, Haidee seemed to have had enough. Never before had she walked out of a classroom in the middle of class without permission but she feared that if she hadn't she might have said something argumentative, which was extremely unlike her. Swiftly, she swept her things into her arms and scurried out of the classroom, ignoring the chants of her name being called from her horrid teacher.
Fred was not in her class that year, but she was sure he would have liked to see that. As she walked, considering turning back and apologising, she thought of how proud he would be and how if he was there, he would march out in protest by her side. It kept her striding. She didn't know where she was going. She didn't know what she was feeling.
She was walking faster than her average pace in her frustration, with her books pressed to her chest and her head hung. Her mind was running circled of confusion, she had never felt so bitter towards someone before. She was rounding a corner into another hallway when she met with a tall figure that loomed over her. She hadn't seen them in her daze of anger.
She stumbled backwards slightly, looking up to see Professor Dumbledore and her mind instantly cleared in humiliation.
"P-Professor, I'm so sorry," she stammered.
"It's perfectly fine, Haidee, in fact, it's prefered. I was just coming to get you. Sometimes, the world is convenient like that," he smiled causing her to nod. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing her to follow him as they moved back towards his office.
"I was heading towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. I believe that's where you are scheduled?" Dumbledore asked with a kind smile as they entered his office. He gestured for her to take a seat as he, himself, sat behind his desk.
"Yes," she muttered. "I was just there." She sounded ashamed.
"I do admit, I was quite surprised to see such a dedicated student like yourself parading the halls during class hours. Especially in your seventh year," said Dumbledore. She thought similarly, however, she also knew that she would not be learning anything significant from Professor Umbridge that she couldn't learn from reading the next chapter in the textbook. She did not say this.
"Yes, I apologise," she said, looking away from his eyes. He looked at her kindly, he knew she would not tell him why she was out unless he asked.
"Why were you out of class, Haidee?" he asked gently without any tone of accusation. She swallowed nervously before looking into his blue eyes.
"She keeps mentioning how foolish Hogwarts has been for hiring 'extremely danger half-breeds'," Haidee replied. "I believe in referral to Lupin."
"So you left?"
"It was horrible to listen to."
"I can imagine," Dumbledore sympathised. "Especially considering you two are quite opposite in the matter. You, who worked tirelessly to invent an easily accessible, cheaper and more pleasurable to consume sort of werewolf treatments and her, who disputes the distributing of said treatment because it benefits people she sees lesser of."
"You know about that?" asked Haidee and Dumbledore smiled.
"I was one of many who fought against her proposal," he said rather proudly and Haidee smiled, too.
"Thank you," she replied.
"I was not the only one. It seems that your contribution to the medical treatment of werewolves will go down in history," Dumbledore said with a hint of triumph, making her smiled slightly.
"Lupin seems to enjoy them," she replied, smiling silly to herself.
"Enjoy might be an understatement," said Dumbledore, looking into Haidee's innocent eyes and wondering how anyone could ever see any evil.
Dumbledore's wit was unmeasurable. That was why he could see that she had formed an attachment to Lupin. As Sirius said, one does not invent new revolutionary werewolf treatments for people they don't like. He had not asked her why, as Lupin had once asked, because he knew the answer.
Haidee saw a lot of herself in Lupin. A shy student who had a terrible secret they needed to hide. A terrible secret that segregated them from the rest of the community. Together, they were alone. Until some rather boisterous troublemakers came to ease their loneliness, striding themselves into their lives and nesting there, infesting them with a type of happiness they had never really felt before.
She looked at Lupin as a ray of hope. A man who thought so lowly of himself, was one of the kindest, most intelligent and fearless men she had ever met. When she looked at him, she saw more than his lycanthropy, she saw a man who overcame his bounds and became someone others thought he couldn't be. That was who she wanted to become. Someone who broke from their obligation and became someone entirely different.
That was why he had asked Lupin to be responsible for her because whatever Lupin asked her to do, he knew she would comply.
"I heard one of your more recent visions had been the most painful you have ever felt," said Dumbledore. "It must have been frightening, I am sure, but I am glad to see that you continued your duty as asked." He then smiled. "At least we now know what the pink is referring to." Haidee twitched a smile in response, knowing what he would ask of her next.
"Yes," she said, thinking of the unbearable amount of pink Professor Umbridge wore. Without him having to ask, she pulled out her jar and placed it on the desk. Together, they both stared at it. Dumbledore waited patiently. Haidee wondered if one day her urge to throw the powder out of a window would be strong enough for her to fulfil it, just as she had with storming out of the classroom. But she knew better.
She tasted a dusting of powder. Her body stiffened in the chair and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Instantly, she felt an immense surge of rage pulse through her, so uncontrollable and strong, she had never felt anything so evil before. A hatred so powerful, she wanted to strike whatever she could.
She saw Harry pacing angrily, lashing out at people who cared for him. It was his anger, or more, the anger he was carrying. She watched as Harry went to sleep, his dream. She found herself standing in a long, dark corridor were at the end was a door. She desperately wanted to go inside. She wanted to know what was behind it. A little closer . . . a bit more . . .
The face of Voldemort flashed before her eyes. His expression was greedy and ravenous. He, too, wanted to get through the door.
She woke from her daze with a stinging pain on her forehead. Instantly, her hand flew to the wound to apply pressure. When she took her hand away, she saw a trail of blood run down her hand.
"Professor?" she asked warily. She could not see what was on her forehead. He looked at her curiously before handing her something to wipe up the blood. "Professor, what's on my forehead?" she asked, the pain still throbbing.
"Harry's scar," he said simply, making her stiffen in shock. "And it stings?"
"Y-yes," she replied making Dumbledore nod in understanding. With a wave of his hand, the scar had disappeared. A smile twitched on her face as she thanked him.
"What did you see?" asked Dumbledore. She questioned whether she should tell him. It was very personal to Harry, she felt intrusive that even she knew. But she had never known Harry to be so vicious but she could see his temper had changed since Voldemort had returned.
She started thinking for a while. About what she saw. About what she felt. She said nothing to Dumbledore as she did, her head bowed in thought. It was Harry's dream, but she also wanted to go through the door. But . . . it was Harry's dream. Voldemort's expression of hunger. He was desperate, grovelling, to know what was behind that door.
Voldemort. Harry. Haidee.
Him. You. Me.
"Harry's mind is connected to You-Know-You's, isn't it?" she asked quietly, looking up at Dumbledore, who wore a blank expression.
"What did you see?" Dumbledore asked again. She swallowed nervously.
"Uh," she muttered. "I felt anger. Violent anger a-and then Harry had a dream a-about . . . a dream about a-a door. I wanted to go through it . . . no he wanted to go through it. Y-You-Know-Who wanted to go through it," Haidee explained.
Dumbledore nodded at the news, standing from behind his desk to pace.
"You are correct, Haidee. Harry's and Voldemort's minds are connected in some way. The anger you felt was not Harry's, as I am sure you are aware, and Harry was not the one who desired to know what was past that door," said Dumbledore.
"That was why you didn't want Harry to know about the powder-"
"Because once he knew, it may no longer be a secret to Voldemort, yes," said Dumbledore. He had stopped pacing. Haidee's heart was thumping anxiously at the news.
"B-but I don't think either of them knows about the connection," Haidee stammered.
"Nor do I," Dumbledore said with a quiet smile. He could see she was nervous at the fact Voldemort might become aware of the prophecy. "It is concerning news, Haidee, but you are safe at Hogwarts," he reminded with a smile and she nodded, feeling slight ease.
Fred, later that day, rushed up to Haidee in the middle of a crowded hall and scooped her into his arms, laughing delightedly as he swung her about. George was also beside him, cheering and making a scene. Students stopped to watch as the scene unfolded, younger students scurrying out of the way of the large twins.
Haidee had been thrown in the air in celebration for minutes before Fred placed her down, securing a passionate kiss on her lips.
"What was that for?" she asked light-headedly as she found her balance.
"Only the fact that the most dedicated student in Hogwarts stormed out in protest in the middle of class!" George cheered, clapping his hands disruptively.
"It's all around the school! People had never seen you so mad! I can't believe I missed it!" Fred exclaimed, his grin touching his ears.
"That Umbridge deserved it. Nasty piece of work that one is," George huffed. "I can't believe you didn't get detention!" Haidee smiled, trying to avoid the gazes of other students that passed and ignore the ones who stayed to eavesdrop.
She hadn't told them that she had gone to Dumbledore's office after that, or what she had learnt during her time there. Dumbledore had sworn her to secrecy, which she understood. Nor did she tell them that Dumbledore had excused her from the detention Professor Umbridge had given her.
School continued as normal for a while. Haidee had driven herself into her work, although admittedly there was much less to do for Defense Against the Dark Arts now that it was only theoretical.
Hermione had come up to her one day in the library while she was studying and started to complain to her about Fred and George. Haidee sat there for a while as Hermione kept repeating how dangerous it was.
"What's dangerous?" Haidee asked, looking slightly confused.
"That they're testing their tricks out of first-years, of course," Hermione proclaimed, making Haidee's expression twist to one of shock. "You didn't know, did you?"
"Certainly not," she said quickly as she gathered her things. "Don't worry, Hermione, I'll speak to them."
She had found them in the Gryffindor common room, in the corner, feeding first-years their new sweets in experiments. Fred and George were not pleased that Hermione had ratted them out to Haidee, but Haidee assured them that she did nothing wrong.
"I'll be your test subject," Haidee reinforced, as she looked at the unconscious first-years laying on the floor, suddenly becoming distracted. "But that does look like the correct dosage," Haidee complimented as the child stirred. "Is this the Fainting Fancies?"
"Haidee!" Hermione scolded from behind her.
"Sorry, Hermione," Haidee smiled as she helped the child that started to wake. "How do you feel?" she asked kindly.
"F-fine, I think," the dark-haired girl muttered.
"Excellent," Fred smiled as Haidee pulled out a Rejuvenation sweet and handed it to her.
"Here, take this-"
"No more sweets!" Hermione shrieked causing Haidee to flinch.
"It's a Rejuvenation sweet, Hermione," Fred smirked, recognising the lolly Haidee held in her hand. "Take it, kid, it's the best." The young student looked up to Fred and then to Haidee, who was smiling kindly at her and took the sweet. Instantly, everyone could see she felt better.
"Hermione's right," Haidee said. "I think it would be better to find less impressionable test subjects."
Haidee walked down to Quidditch pitch with the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Fred had invited her down to watch them practice, so, of course, she went. She had made a fresh batch of Rejuvenation sweets for the occasion. Plus, Ron had made the team and Keeper, which was excellent news. He was glad Haidee was coming, it seemed that she was the only one who managed to reduce the amount of time the twins mocked him for being a Prefect and he hoped that her being there would stop them from laughing hysterically whenever he messed up.
She brought down some of her textbooks and sat in the stand while she watched the practice. It wasn't long until the Slytherin team showed up, jeering and catcalling the Gryffindor team, it didn't take long for them to find Haidee sitting in the stands and once they had, they attacked her too.
"Should have kept those creepy eyes covered, Deirdre!" one called, but she ignored them. She wondered whether they had better things to do, considering most of them were in their fifth-year. Their attention was taken by Ron, who whenever he hissed a goal, would cause them to scream and cry with laughter. She watched as Fred and George shared a look regarding the horrible missed save, but said nothing, to which Ron was grateful for.
Their practice continued and Haidee continued to watch, her attention caught by the faint call of her name as the Gryffindor team started to descend from the skies. The call sounded urgent, so she rushed from the stands and down the field, where she was met with Fred and George holding up Katie, who was chalk-white, her whole front drenched in blood.
"I think I gave her a Blood Blisterpod by mistake," Fred said quickly, looking stunned. Haidee, looking horror-struck, flung herself into her pocket, throwing mindless objects that she carried to the ground as she sought for her velvet bag, in which she stuck her entire arm into, pulling out handfuls of useless sweets until she reached a purple sweet and pushed it into Katie's mouth.
Haidee watched as the blood stopped pouring down her front and Haidee released a sigh of relief. She then pulled out another sweet and gave it to her, and they watched as Katie, who was once draped across the twins with no strength in her body, woke. Her posture fixed and she seemed more alive to the world. She had given her a Rejuvenation sweet.
"Thanks, Haidee," she managed to say and Haidee nodded.
"She needs to go to the hospital wing," Haidee said to the twins, who nodded and started to walk to her to the castle. When Fred passed Haidee, he kissed her forehead and thanked her.
"Does your freak girlfriend always save your arse, Weasley?" the voice of Malfoy shouted as Haidee walked to the rest of the Gryffindor team.
"I made these for you all," she said, handing Angelina the bag of Rejuvenation sweets. "Katie should be fine," she reassured.
"Good thing you were here," Angelina said as she handed a sweet to each of the team members. "Thanks for these," she said, holing up the bag of sweets.
"It's quite all right," she smiled softly, walking to Ron to congratulate him on his efforts.
"Don't even bother," she heard Harry say, causing her to stop her procession towards Ron. "I just tried to talk to him. He thinks he's loosey."
"It was a couple of mistakes. If he was really any bad, he wouldn't have made the team," Haidee said.
"That's what I said, but he won't listen," Harry said. She watched as he shoved one of her sweets into his mouth but a line of red caught her eyes.
"I must not tell lies," she said in shock, touching the top of her hand where the words were once engraved, and now, engraved on Harry. Her eyes darted from the mark on Harry's hand to his eyes. She spoke as if she recognised the saying and he suddenly knew she had seen it in her visions.