The first week back happened without incident, though everyone noticed that Rose only went to the bathroom if she had someone with her. In class, she was back to her old self, best student in the class, skilled in spells, willing to help others with a gentle smile. Everything went well until Friday afternoon, when Rose needed to use the bathroom and the closest one was Myrtle's bathroom. Of course she could have gone to another, but it would have made her late for the next class and she didn't want to risk it.
"I'll go with you." Hermione decided, knowing she'd need the moral support, especially in this specific bathroom.
Rose smiled thankfully at her friend and they both went. Of course Rose was nervous but she tried to rationalise. Mind over matter. If she wanted things to be fine, then they'd be fine.
"Rose! I'm so glad you came! I was afraid you wouldn't come here again after..." Myrtle started to say but stopped talking, afraid of offending her first friend.
"Of course I came. I mean, you're my friend. Being back here kind of scares me, but it's an irrational fear so... it'll pass eventually. Mind over matter and all that." Rose replied with a smile.
Rose had gotten several advice from the nurse on how to get over her fears, how to get better mentally as well. She had meditated, written it down and, of course, Serenity's presence helped her a lot feeling better.
.
The next few weeks passed rather quickly.
Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup, and of course it was celebrated greatly in the common room, with the help of Fred and George's products and of course a few stolen items from the kitchens. Rose and the different cheerleading team held a big show before the final game and did their best during the game, cheering on the players individually as well as on the teams.
The more time passed, the more Harry got glimpses of Voldemort and his obsession for the hall of Prophecies. With the stress of the OWL exams coming up, he was tired and had a hard time keeping his walls up all the time. Of course he had told his sister and they were both convinced that Harry would only get his peace of mind back if Voldemort stopped being obsessed by the Prophecy he didn't know fully, and for that to happen, they needed to get rid of it. Quickly, Rose got an idea and her brother agreed that it was a good one, so she promised him that she'd try to convince Sirius that it was indeed a good one.
With the end of the year exams coming closer for everyone, the majority of students studied more. More students also came in Rose's tutoring sessions in the room of requirement and from time to time, teachers came over to help them a bit whenever they had the time.
"Are you alright, Rose?" Sirius asked her after class one afternoon.
"Of course. I'm not nervous about the OWLs, if that's your worry." She smiled.
"You seemed thoughtful." He insisted.
"Just... An idea in my head, to trap Voldemort... But I'm not sure if it's a good one. Draco would have to play a part and give out information." Rose explained.
"He said he'd be willing to do it. What's your idea?" He asked her curiously.
"Draco could tell his aunt that Hermione, as his trusting girlfriend, told him that you and Remus were going to take, at a specific date like the day after the OWL, Harry and I to the Ministry of Magic to retrieve something. She won't say what, and he won't know, but she'll say it's in a restricted department. Voldemort will understand what this is about immediately. He could add that even Fudge doesn't know, that Dumbledore will help you do it in secret." Rose explained her idea.
"They have spies everywhere, we'd have to really take you two there. It's too dangerous." Sirius shook his head.
"Harry and I are willing to take the risk, we've talked about it. It's worth it, we could catch a few Death-Eaters and Draco would reinforce his position because he'd have relayed true informations. Harry can tell that Voldemort is obsessed by this prophecy, the few times his mental barriers slip, he sees the corridor, the door... We could accidentally destroy the prophecy, this way Voldemort will stop being obsessed with it, he'll be forced to move on and Harry will get some peace of mind back. Once there, we'll tell them that you knew he had spies at the Ministry that would inform him the minute we arrived and so you were prepared and had back-up just in case." Rose insisted.
"I don't like it but I have to admit that it's a good idea. I'll speak to Remus and Dumbledore about it." Sirius ended up nodding.
Rose smiled and went to her next class, knowing that Sirius would contact Remus and Dumbledore soon enough.
.
After dinner, Rose found herself in Dumbledore's office, along with Hermione, Harry, Drago, Sirius, Remus and Snape.
"I trust everyone has heard, by now, Rose's idea?" Albus asked and everyone nodded.
"I'm ready." Draco nodded.
"I do have a question though, Rose, why would Sirius take both you and Harry? The prophecy is about Harry..." Albus asked.
Of course Albus could guess it, ever since Bellatrix had told Draco that Voldemort wanted to deal with the Potter twins on his own, he had guessed the reason behind it. Them bringing the two of them would only show Voldemort that he, Albus, believed the same.
"Well, Voldemort doesn't know the prophecy completely, so if he finds out that you're bringing both of us there, it could bring confusion, get him to take a bit of his focus away from Harry. Or at the very least, if he's sure of himself, that you're the one who's confused... I figured it could always help. Draco did say that, in her letter, Bellatrix assured that Voldemort wanted to kill Harry and I himself, so he thinks the prophecy could be about me too, since he doesn't know the end of it." Rose shrugged her shoulders.
"Once there, there could be fighting... The both of you coming along could put you in harm's way." Albus insisted, wanted to make sure they knew what they were walking into.
"We know professor. We're both ready." Harry stated while Rose nodded her agreement.
"What does Fred think about this?" Remus asked Rose.
"I... He knows we're preparing something regarding Voldemort and that I'll have to go with Harry somewhere and that it could lead to a fight. He doesn't know more than that. He has faith in me." Rose replied.
"Professor, with the OWLs coming, I've had a harder time pulling up my walls and every time it slips, I see the hall of prophecies, Voldemort is obsessed. It's all he thinks about..." Harry insisted.
"Alright then, we'll do it. Plan it for the day after the last exam. We'll pretend the Minister doesn't know but I'll warn Fudge and he'll have Aurors ready. We'll have to plan this very carefully. Find a reason to clear the Department of Mysteries for the afternoon..." Albus agreed.
"What do I tell Aunt Bellatrix?" Draco asked.
"You tell her that Hermione heard Harry and Rose talking about something that was going to happen after the last OWL, that she heard that Remus and Sirius were going to take them both to the Ministry, in a restricted section, to retrieve something behind Fudge's back. You'll have the date and an approximate time, some time in the afternoon." Albus decided.
"Should I say something as well?" Severus asked.
"You'll say that you know Sirius and I are planning something for the day after the OWLs, you don't know what or who it involves, but you'll have the exact date and time." Albus decided and everyone nodded.
"We might not like Voldemort much but, Harry, you have to admit, no matter how much he wants to kill you, he still cares about your education. I've just noticed, he always waits for the end of the year, after the exams, to bother you. With the Philosopher's stone, kidnapping Ginny in the Chamber of secrets, kidnapping you to come back, and now his obsession who only becomes unbearable at the end of the year..." Rose declared with a chuckle, making everyone chuckle along with them.
"Lust be his desire to stay at Hogwarts and be a teacher that's coming back to the surface." Harry chuckled.
"Alright, you all go back to your common rooms now." Albus smiled, asking them politely to leave.
"I'll get to my letter tonight and send it first thing tomorrow morning." Draco whispered.
"Don't forget to add something along the line of me being mad that Rose doesn't study as much and seems so confident, or you know, what you usually tell her to justify that I'm on my way to switching sides." Hermione reminded Draco.
"You're right." he nodded.
As promised, Draco started on his letter as soon as he was in his dorm:
"Aunt Bellatrix,
I have news!
Hermione has heard something that I believe will be important for the Dark Lord.
She was telling me how she was jealous because Rose barely studied for the OWL exams and yet seemed more ready than she was... Anyway, she overheard Rose and Harry Potter speaking. On the day after the last OWL exam, in the afternoon, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black are planning on taking them both in a restricted section of the Ministry Of Magic, behind Fudge's back, to retrieve something. She doesn't know what, but she understood that it was something to do with our Lord.
That's all I know for now, but I figured it was important to let you know immediately.
I'm sorry but she didn't know the exact time, or the exact location, but I'll keep my ears open.
I'll keep you informed if I learn more.
Draco"
As planned, he send his letter the next morning. The OWLs would start at the beginning of the coming week, and he hoped everything would go well for everyone. Surely the Dark Lord wouldn't send his mother in a battle... He never had so far.
He shook his head. He was doing what he needed to do. Even if his mother ended up at the fight, he trusted Sirius Black and the others to protect her, or even to make her a prisoner to get her away from Voldemort.
So, the battle of the Ministry will happen, just differently. Someone will die though. Can you guess who?
QUESTION: Someone gives you a foe glass (like Moody's), for your new house. Where do you put it? You can't throw it away because you don't want to hurt the feelings of the person who gave it to you.
Review please
Lorelei Candice Black