The day had come for Haidee to return to Hogwarts. She was told she would be met at Hogsmeade by Tonks, who would lead her to Hogwarts edge and then be led by Hagrid up to the castle. She was not quite sure what the formalities were about, as she may have been an ex-student but only for a few months. She knew the in's and out's of that castle as well as any other.

Fred was not happy with her departure, as she had expected, checking her as she left to see if she had the jar, which she did not. However, she still had the ring on her finger, something Fred had not noticed. Kissing him goodbye, she Disapparated only to appear moments later at Hogsmeade and a feeling of nostalgia wrestled inside her.

For a few moments, she waited outside The Three Broomsticks as instructed, waiting for Tonks and when she had arrived, she looked quite different to the last time they had met.

Her hair was mousey, her eyes sunken and miserable. She stood, unsmiling, before Haidee.

"Wotcher, Haidee," said Tonks, without her usual cheer.

"Hello, Tonks. I am well, and you?" she asked, not meaning to pry, but hoping for an honest answer.

"I've been better," she said simply and Haidee nodded, understanding the feeling. "Come on, I'll lead you to the gates."

Haidee sensed she was not exactly in the mood to speak to her about her feelings, so she didn't pry and followed in her suit, leaving most of the walk awkward and silent.

"What are you doing in Hogsmeade?" she asked quietly, trailing beside her as they walked.

"I'm set here for extra protection on the school," she informed, not looking in her direction.

"Oh," said Haidee. It seemed that many lives were becoming miserable under obligation to the Order. They continued walking in silence until they reached the gate, where Hagrid was waiting for them.

"Nice ter see yeh, Haidee," Hagrid greeted in a much cheerier tone than Tonks, which put a slight smile on her lips.

"Hello, Hagrid, how have you been?" she asked politely as he opened the gate for her.

"Been good, thank you," he replied as she entered.

"Thank you, Tonks," Haidee said as she left her protection. She didn't say much, but nodded instead and then left, leaving her with Hagrid.

Hagrid and her had never really been close, but she had spoken to him a few times and she knew he was close to Harry and the others. They chatted as they walked to the castle and Hagrid told her all about the new creatures he had for his class and how happy he was to have Buckbeak back.

She smiled and nodded, she did not have much chance to speak before they reached the Entrance Hall, in which, she bid him farewell and continued her journey to Professor Dumbledore's office.

Although she hadn't been back there for the longest period of time since her first year at Hogwarts, she felt as if she had never left. Everything felt natural, all except the fact that she was no longer in Hogwarts uniforms, but instead, she wore a long green skirt, knee-high, brown lace boots and baggy jumper that hung over her skirt. The halls were silent, some portraits cheered for her as she walked past, glad to see her again in such a short time. She informed them that she had a meeting and needed to go, so she waved them goodbye, some of them chasing her through the portraits as she left.

She reached Dumbledore's office.

"Acid Pops," said Haidee to the gargoyle who guarded Dumbledore's office. The gargoyle leapt aside, the wall behind it slid apart and a moving spiral stone staircase was revealed, to which, Haidee stepped so that it could carry her in smooth circles until she reached the door of his office that had a brass knocker on it.

Haidee knocked.

"Come in," said Dumbledore's voice.

Slowly, she crept through the door and into his office, where Dumbledore stood, perhaps waiting for her. She did not know what he expected her to see but she knew he expected something, as he always did.

"Haidee, thank you for seeing me," he said politely as she wandered further into the office that had become all too familiar.

"Hello, Professor," she replied as she looked over Dumbledore, who was holding his right hand which was blackened and burnt as she had seen before. "I see you found the ring."

He smiled at her observation. "Yes, and it is destroyed, as you foresaw."

"You didn't heed my warning." Dumbledore's expression hadn't changed.

"No, not as carefully as I should have, I suppose," he said glancing down at his right hand. He still treated her like a student and she still treated him as a teacher.

"I see the treatment has not been working as well as expected," Dumbledore said in referral to her quivering hands. She smiled at the unsubtly of the remark, she liked how it was not sugarcoated.

"I'm afraid not. I've tried my own remedies, also. It seems that I have found myself in a difficult situation." She chuckled at her adversity.

"Difficult, indeed," Dumbledore agreed, smiling as she was. "Have you brought the jar?"

"Oh," she said, realising she hadn't transfigured it back yet, her expression evaporating from her face. "Yes, I have."

Haidee slid the ring from her finger and held it in the palm of her hand. Once she waved her wand over the ring, it transformed into the jar of rose gold powder. The cold glass was held firmly in her shaking hand, she stared at it with resentment.

"Clever," Dumbledore compliment. Haidee looked up from the jar to meet his eye, the resenting expression following her until she swallowed and smiled slightly.

"Thank you. Remus suggested I hid it after Fred was determined to eliminate it."

"Yes, he was quite angry when he arrived to see you, understandably so. He and Remus had a bit of a row before you woke. Is he still of the impression that you should not be helping?" asked Dumbledore.

"Quite."

"And you?"

"Well," she said sheepishly, "I am here, aren't I?" Dumbledore smiled.

"Yes," he replied. "But I ask more of the terms of if you think it is proper."

"I've come to see many are sacrificing for the benefit of the Order," she replied. "I am merely another helping hand."

"Your ability to humble your unique circumstance will never cease to amaze me," said Dumbledore fondly, making her smile softly. "Whenever you're ready."

She stared at the jar for a moment, as Dumbledore expected. It had been a happy while since she had eaten that powder, the last being in the presence of Voldemort. Unscrewing the jar very slowly, as if it prolongs the deed as much as possible, she took a wif of the disgusting smell of rose and mint. She did not miss it.

Taking some powder on her trembling finger, she brought it to her lips. Her body jolted instantly, as if a wave had crashed on her, sending her crashing to the floor. Her vision was blank, she could hear and see nothing but as she laid huddled on the floor, her body kept moving as if being crushed by harsh waves.

Then, she couldn't breathe. When she inhaled, water began to fill her lungs leaving her gaging and gasping on the floor. Unable to see anything, she clawed at the floor for a moment to feel where she was. Her palm contacted the hard floor, she was not submerged in water, but the lack of air that filled her lungs every time she tried inhale suggested otherwise.

Her heart began to race in fear for her life feeling as if her head was about to explode from the deprivation of oxygen. It was then that her outstretched hand began to sting as if squeezing lemon into an open wound.

As the pain revealed itself, so did her vision, leaving her with a birds-eye view of rocky cliff edges next to a vicious ocean that pelted the rocks with force and rage. Hidden, was a seaside cave, just out of view from the others who would be on the nearby beach.

Right before her vision ended, she saw a glimpse of a familiar hallway; one which she had been in before. The Black family house hallway, at 12 Grimmauld Place.

Gaging, her vision returned and so had she, spewing the water that had contaminated her lungs into the floor, gasping for air weakly. Her strength was taken from her, it took all her energy to steady herself to her feet and to wipe the drool and water from her lips and chin. Her body, however, was completely dry, unusual to the fact that she was drowning.

Her palm held a wound, a cut slit into her skin, stinging in pain still. Using her wand, she first cleaned the water she had spluttered onto Professor Dumbledore's office floor with a quick apology before extending her palm for him to examine.

"Are you all right?" he asked in sympathy.

"Ugh, yes, t-thank you," she replied before recounting the information she had just received. "I-I felt as if I was being pelted . . . p-pelted by w-waves at the start," she began to explain, stammering as she continued to catch her breath and Dumbledore wandered over to examine her cut. "But I saw n-nothing then, the following feeling as though I was drowning. Next, the cut occurred, but it felt as if it were submerged in seawater. That was when I got a birds-eye view of a beach."

"A beach?" Dumbledore asked interestedly, waving his wand to heal her wound. "Do you know where?"

"N-no, but I can describe it," she replied, hoping it was helpful enough. Dumbledore nodded, listening very carefully as she began to explain what she saw. What the beach looked like, what the surrounding areas were, where to find the hidden cave. He seemed intrigued, so she didn't spare any details.

"I-I also saw . . . " she took a deep breath, still recovering from almost drowning. "I also saw 12 Grimmauld Place. The hallway," she said, more specifically.

Dumbledore nodded as a reply to her information.

"Thank you, Haidee," Dumbledore thanked. "You have been a tremendous help." It seemed like a dismissal, she was sure it was. Nodding brokenly, she collected her jar and transfigured it back into a ring, slotting it back onto her finger.

"Before you leave, Haidee, please see Madam Pomfrey for your next treatment. It will save her from having to send it."

Haidee nodded and abruptly left his office, making her way to the hospital wing. She had suspicions of what the beach could be or mean. She had never heard of Professor Dumbledore speak of a beach or even hint to a mentioning of one, however, she did know that his peak in the interest of the location could only mean it had something to do with Voldemort's Horcruxes. Maybe there was one there, maybe it was a place that held a clue to where the next Horcrux would be, but Dumbledores desire to know as much as possible about the location did not go unnoticed. But about 12 Grimmauld Place, she had no idea.

It was around lunch when she exited Dumbledore's office and by the time she exited the hospital wing, after taking another dose of the treatment which did not cause any improvement, she was seen by Harry, Ron and Hermione who were just exiting the Great Hall.

"Hey look, it's Haidee," Ron said to the others, pointing to her as she descended. "What do you think she's doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Hermione as she rolled her eyes. "She's here to see Professor Dumbledore."

"She's still doing that-"

"Hey!" greeted Hermione as Haidee neared them with a smile.

"Hello, how are you all?" she asked kindly, stopping before them with a timid smile.

"Uh, good, thanks," said Harry. "Here to see Professor Dumbledore?"

"Um, yes," she replied, her smile turning to a line as she nodded, knowing she was not allowed to mention any details to anyone.

"Still not allowed to tell us anything?" Ron asked and Haidee flickered a smile.

"Correct, again." With her hands twiddling in front of her, she watched as the three sent each other a look. "So, who is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"Snape," Harry scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets. Not many students like Professor Snape, Haidee knew this. She also knew that Harry had a distinct hatred for the man, which Snape mirrored. Haidee, although she had great respect for his potion-making ability, also found it quite hard to find trust in him after seeing he bears the Dark Mark, yet Dumbledore trusted him, and she trusted Dumbledore.

Harry's scoff was no surprise as it would have been a great upgrade for Snape to become Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher as he had been applying for that role for many years. She was, however, surprised, to see that Dumbledore had allowed him to move positions. He was, undoubtedly, a brilliant potion-maker.

"Oh, that's surprising," she replied. "Then who, may I ask, is the Potions teacher?"

"A new teacher called Professor Slughorn. I dare say he'd like you very much," replied Hermione.

"Might have even joined his Slug Club," Ron scowled.

"Slug Club?" she questioned.

"It's a club he has created, filled with - who he thinks - are the brightest students in the school," Hermione explained apprehensively, looking to Ron who looked rather left-out and annoyed.

"How exclusive," she muttered. "I'm presuming you are in it?" she asked Harry.

"And Hermione," added Harry and Hermione smiled at the acknowledgement, leaving Ron looking rather upset.

"That's nice," she replied before adding, "but that does not make hidden gems any less valuable." With that, she waved them goodbye and exited, heading towards Hagrid's hut, where he walked her back to the gate. From there, she walked to Hogsmeade to find Tonks.

She thought that maybe she was in need of some company and although they were not very close, she would think that it would be easier to expel one's feelings upon a stranger rather than someone known.

She found Tonks monitoring the streets, not looking any happier than when she saw her last, suspected. She walked over to her.

"Would you like to talk?" Haidee asked, rather apprehensively, feeling her heart racing.

"About what?" Tonks asked and Haidee shrugged.

"Whatever you like."

Tonks nodded and the two of them entered The Three Broomsticks for a chat, ordering a Butterbeer each. They talked about nothing for a little while. Haidee had not seen Tonks smile once, which was rather unusual. They talked about all sorts of things and Haidee pulled out some of the sweets she had restocked her velvet bag with. Nothing they spoke about was too important, especially since they were out in public, and soon, the conversation fell dead.

"Are you all right?" Haidee asked suddenly, knowing as it was the polite thing to ask, however, feeling quite intrusive. Tonks looked to her as if considering if it was wise to answer her question honestly. "I'm, uh, I-I'm a great listener."

"Yes," she replied with a twitching smile that could hardly be seen before it disappeared. "Yes, that's true."

"And I'm a brilliant secret keeper," Haidee said with a hint of a smile, knowing Tonks was warming up once again. "If I may say so modestly."

Tonks chuckled softly, meeting her eyes. Her eyes were glazed, her lips tracing a miserable smile before she sighed deeply. "It's Remus."

"Remus?" she replied quickly, suddenly shaken with the fact that maybe something had happened to him that she had not known of. It had been a few weeks since she had last seen him, and being where he was, she knew it was not necessarily a pleasant or safe place to be.

"Yeah," she breathed, chugging the rest of her Butterbeer before continuing. "We're . . . well- well I don't know what we are!" she huffed madly, her eyebrows furrowing as she threw her hands about. The sudden reaction shook Haidee, but she was suddenly overwhelmed with relief with the fact that it was rather a relationship problem than a safety one.

"Oh," said Haidee, nodding in understanding, also finishing her Butterbeer.

"Two Firewhiskey's, please," said Tonks to the waitress that walked past. "This calls for something stronger than Butterbeer."

"So, you two are . . . together?" she asked and Tonks shrugged.

"I think so. I mean, yes . . . we are, but he- he's being difficult. You know how he is with his self-deprecation," Tonks replied sliding a Firewhisky over to Haidee once they arrived.

"Yes," said Haidee. "Yes, he is adamant on it, isn't he?"

"I love him," she said quickly. "I love him and I know he loves me, he just- he's just-" She threw back the whole of her Firewhiskey at once. "I'm too old. I'm too poor. I'm too dangerous. I'm too broken," she mocked. "He doesn't see that I don't care about that. He doesn't see that I still love him!"

Tonks huffed, her expression now miserable and angry.

"He has spent all his life separating himself from others, Tonks," Haidee said finally, after a moment of silence. "Because he's scared."

"I'm not scared of him."

"I'm sure he knows that. But I'm also sure he thinks that's foolish."

"What are you saying?"

"Well," she started hesitantly, "I just mean to say that . . . that, if you both truly love each other-"

"We do."

"I don't doubt it," Haidee smiled towards her. "That because you both love each other, things will work in your favour. It is hard to be separated from the ones you love." Tonks seemed to somewhat become lighter, however, Haidee was taken back to her moments with Voldemort where she thought she would never see Fred again. "All I am saying is that he is used to separation, being who he is - which although I find rediculous, he has no problem upholding - therefore meaning you just need to be . . . tenacious. He will come around."

"You sound like Molly," said Tonks with a bitter smile.

"Why, thank you."