Rory woke up on Saturday morning feeling like she was floating. Yes, they were a week away from OWLs. Yes, there were presently two dark wizards who wanted to take advantage of her preternatural divination abilities, and yes there was currently a fascist regime taking root in Hogwarts.
But when she woke that morning, there were only two things on her mind: Harry Potter and Quidditch. There were few things she loved more in this world than that.
She got dressed and headed down to breakfast. She sat down next to Harry and tried not to let her happiness make her vibrate into another dimension.
They'd stayed up late last night. Somehow, she and Harry managed to get a fair amount of homework and studying done in the library. It wasn't totally shocking because Rory was very studious and she was very serious about doing well on her OWLs.
However, they definitely could have gotten more done if they hadn't gotten distracted. Repeatedly. Two light scoldings and 10 house points later, they accepted that they weren't going to be very focused even in the library.
They'd gone back to Gryffindor Tower and sat in the common room on the couch. She was curled against him, tucked beneath his arm. They stayed there until the common room was empty and they were alone. And they talked like they used to like they hadn't spent the better part of almost four months not speaking to each other.
Rory was tired but happy, and she couldn't stop smiling.
"Your presence together is already insufferable," Matilda said.
"Quidditch!" Rory said.
"Quidditch my ass," Matilda said. "I know you two are happy, but some of us are lonely and miserable."
"Would you prefer it if we pretended to be miserable as well?" Harry asked.
"Yes, actually," Matilda said.
"I'd much rather have the annoying positivity than the two of you fighting all of the time, so if things seem like they're going to go that route again, spare us all and just break up," Hermione said.
"Your honesty is appreciated, as always, Hermione," Harry said.
"Miss Lupin." Rory looked up and McGonagall was standing there, smiling. "I was hoping you'd join me and Mister Jordan in the box today for the match."
Rory's eyes went wide. "Seriously? I kind of assumed Umbridge would never let me in front of a microphone again for as long as she walked the earth."
"You'd be correct about that. But thankfully, the decision was not up to her," McGonagall said. "I am still deputy headmistress after all. And for what it's worth, you'll just be observing today. Would that be fine with you?" Rory nodded. "Excellent." She gave Rory an encouraging pat on the shoulder and walked away.
"Holy shit," she said. "After choir and and careers advice I was pretty sure Umbridge was contemplating sticking me in Gryffindor Tower until I graduated. This is unprecedented."
"I think this might be McGonagall's way of rebelling," Hermione said.
Rory had been looking forward to watching the game with Harry, but this was even more exciting. After breakfast, she bid her friends farewell and went to the stadium. Everyone was already piling into their seats. McGonagall and Lee were waiting for her.
"Rory!" Lee said excitedly. "I told Professor McGonagall you'd be just the woman to take over this job."
"I appreciate the recommendation," Rory said. "It never actually crossed my mind until Fred and George mentioned it to me."
"That's insane to me," Lee said. "Professor, have you ever heard Rory rattle off the general statistics of every player on every house team? It's a bit frightening, but I think it's just the kind of thing people will want in my absence. Probably should've had you helping me this whole time."
Rory shrugged. "Hindsight, I guess."
The match was excellent. Hufflepuff put up a good fight. But to the astonishment of all, Ron played the best game of Quidditch he'd ever played in his entire life. He was unstoppable. He was a wall. They could not get the Quaffle past him. Gryffindor was losing their mind.
By the time Ginny caught the snitch, Slytherin's infamous "Weasley is Our King" chant had been co-opted by Gryffindor to praise him. It was incredible. Rory was so proud of him.
And she could not find Harry or Hermione
"They ran off at the start of the match," Neville said as everyone filed into the castle. "Haven't seen them since. They never came back to the game."
Rory groaned. "He's going to murder them. He practically won the Quidditch cup all on his own and they missed it. What could possibly be so important that they'd leave and not come back?"
The look on Rory's face as Harry and Hermione explained that Hagrid's half-brother, Grawp, was living in the forbidden forest and that was why Hagrid always looked like he was getting beaten on the regular, must've been a lot like what their faces looked like when Hagrid told them.
"He's pretty sure he's going to get sacked any day and just wants to make sure he's looked after," Harry said.
Rory nodded. "Is Hagrid aware that this is absolutely insane?"
"I don't think so," Harry said. "After Fluffy and Norbert and Aragog, I'm sure this seems rather unremarkable to him."
Rory shook her head and sighed. She looked over to Ron who was genuinely having the time of his life. Harry felt sick that he'd missed Ron's game. He couldn't bear to tell him that he'd been gone. He and Hermione agreed to tell him tomorrow, to let Ron have his moment.
"I have to go meet Stephen, Padma, and Susan in the library for tutoring. Make sure you keep pretending really hard that you didn't miss the game," Rory said.
Ron was already irritated with Harry after not putting the kibosh on things with Ginny before she unceremoniously stumbled upon Harry and Rory pretty immediately after they'd gotten back together. There was no way he was going to do anything else that might upset Ron tonight.
Surprisingly, Ron took the news better than expected the next morning. Yes, he was upset, but he was also pretty upset with Hagrid for taking this kind of risk in the first place.
"What's he think is going to happen?" Ron asked.
"I don't think he actually thought about the consequences of his actions, which is generally the problem where Hagrid is concerned," Hermione said.
"Morning," Rory said as she and Neville joined them. She sat beside Harry and kissed his cheek. He'd missed starting his day like this. "I'm not going to study today. My dreams were in runic so I think, I might need a break, especially since it's nothing but review this week anyway."
"I told you that your brain was going to break," Matilda said.
"Actually, lots of people who learn foreign languages report that they dream in the language they're learning as their fluency increases," Hermione said. "So it's really a sign more than likely that you're going to do well."
"Hence, taking a break," Rory said. "At least from Ancient Runes."
Everyone except Hermione groaned. "You're a bloody psychopath, you are," Ron said. "Can't give yourself five seconds to relax?"
"I did. Yesterday. I watched Quidditch," Rory said.
"And then you went to study," Matilda said.
"I was tutoring, and it was Divination so it barely counts," Rory protested.
"Take a nap. Read a book for fun. Go fool around with your boyfriend," Matilda went on
"That last suggestion sounds interesting," Harry said.
Rory smiled as she gently elbowed him as the morning mail started to get delivered.
"I will find something else to do with my day," she grumbled. "But if I don't do well on—."
"You're not going to do poorly on your exams," Harry assured her. "I think you two've studied enough for our whole year all on your own." He understood why she was stressed, why she wanted to study. This week they'd spend all of their classes reviewing. The following week, it would be time for their OWL exams.
A letter dropped down in front of Rory and he was relieved to see that it was from her dad. That always put her in a better mood.
"No fun pieces in the paper today it seems," Matilda said skimming The Prophet. "I kind of miss The Quibbler. Just for a little variety. They are fully unhinged most of the time, but sometimes you read about a unicorn-fish hybrid and your day is one hundred percent brightened."
"What would that even look like?" Ron asked.
"If I recall correctly, it was kind of like a whale, but it's got a horn that's like eight feet long," Matilda said. "I think they said someone saw them in Norway."
"Narwhal?" Hermione asked.
"Yes! Narwhal. Never even heard of that place," Matilda said.
"No, the animal you're describing is a narwhal, and it's very much a real, nonmagical creature," Hermione said.
"No way," Ron said. "A fish with a big horn?"
"Well, technically, I think it's a tusk, like an elephant," Hermione said. "And it's not a fish. It's a whale."
Harry shook his head, smiling, as he turned away from his friends. He forgot what he was going to say to Rory because he noticed there were tears in her eyes as she read over her letter.
"Rory?" he asked.
She folded the letter and wiped her eyes.
"Excuse me," she said. She got up from the table and walked out of the Great Hall.
"What happened?" Neville asked.
"I don't know," Harry replied. Forgoing the rest of his breakfast, he followed Rory from the Great Hall. He caught up with her at the top of the main staircase.
"Sorry," she sniffled. She wiped her eyes again.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "Is everyone okay? What did your dad say?"
Rory wiped her eyes again, trying to keep herself from dissolving completely into tears.
"Levi requested a hearing to determine whether or not my current living situation is suitable. And that custody arrangements are generally not dealt with by the ministry, but Fudge and Umbridge have taken a special interest in my situation," Rory said. "He said it's likely that it isn't going to go his way."
Harry was flabbergasted.
"Rory. I don't believe this," he said. "How can they even give this any thought?"
"Because they don't know that Levi is actually a psychopath. He's just a well-to-do, pureblood and not a werewolf," Rory said. "That's all anyone cares about."
"Even if we ignore the fact that Levi is in charge of a cult, your dad said he tried for ages to get in touch with him when you were a baby and Levi just pretended you didn't exist," Harry said.
"If only we could apply logic to this situation. They're not going to care. They're going to have Fudge and Umbridge in this hearing and they're going to hear 'werewolf' and their ears will shut off and nothing else will matter," Rory said.
Rory dissolved into sobs again. Harry put his arms around her and she buried her face in his chest.
"Your dad wouldn't let anyone take you away," Harry said. "If there's one thing I know about him it's that he'd do anything for you."
Rory shook her head. "You don't get it. I know you've always looked at my dad through this lens of understanding, but the rest of the world is absolutely vile. Even before the registry, the only reason my dad was getting by was because your parents were helping him. The only reason we have a roof over our heads now is because of Sirius."
Just as Harry never delved too much into the awful things that he experienced with the Dursleys, Rory was pretty tight-lipped about how things with her dad had been before Sirius came back. He knew that the Werewolf Registry made it basically impossible for him to get a job.
But even Mr. Weasley had a job. Had some way to provide for his family. Rory said that occasionally her dad worked odd jobs, but hand't worked at all since he taught at Hogwarts, and likely wouldn't be able to work again as long as the registry existed.
It was shocking to find out Lupin was a werewolf, but Harry knew him. He knew he wasn't evil or dangerous or crazy. He was just a regular person. But was Harry really in the minority in feeling that way?
He held Rory a little tighter. He didn't understand and he didn't think he would be able to because he hadn't lived it the way Rory had.
"Let's go write that letter to your dad," Harry said. "And then we can go to the library and study. I'll learn Ancient Runes if that's what you want."
Rory managed a chuckle. He couldn't understand what she was feeling right now, but at least he could make her feel better. That was the one thing he knew he could do.
"I'll never be able to study with this hanging over my head today," she said. She gently extracted herself from his embrace and wiped her eyes.
"I do want to go to the library though," she said. "I think it's time I got a little more familiar with some of the less extraordinary laws that are currently on the books."
Harry felt a little bad for the people who were going to have to face Rory after she did her research but knew that her dad was lucky to have a girl like Rory in his corner.
He reached out and brushed her hair behind her ear. He let his hand rest on the side of her face and Rory leaned into him. Then he kissed her.
"What was that for?" she asked.
Harry shook his head. "I just remembered I'm allowed to do that again. I felt like I should."
Rory nodded. "Good call."
Rory was grateful that she was back together with Harry because now she wasn't distracted by the incessant barrage of thoughts of "what if" and "should I or shouldn't I?" Instead, she got to hyperfixate on the upcoming hearing that Levi requested. She had relaxed a little when she got a carefully worded letter from Tonks explaining that, yes, Levi requested the hearing, but all of Rory's immediate, biological family would also attend on her behalf. Which meant that should they find that her dad wasn't suitable, Rory could also potentially be placed with Narcissa Malfoy or Andromeda Tonks.
While the thought of ending up under the same roof as Draco Malfoy made Rory contemplate homicide, it seemed likely that, if things did go sideways, Andromeda Tonks was the best candidate.
Between studying for OWLs and the hearing, getting back together with Harry was essentially a formality, because most of the time she spent with him was across from him at a table in the library or the common room while they studied.
And then OWLs were upon them. Their first was charms. Aside from Divination, Rory had the most confidence about Charms so she felt like she was starting off strong. She got back to the common room after her practical exams and dropped onto the couch beside Harry.
"Wow," he said.
"What?" she asked.
"I think this is the first time I've seen your face without a book in front of it since we got back together," he said.
She wanted to be irritated but he was probably right.
"How'd yours go?" she asked.
"Good. I think I did better on the practical than the theory exam," Harry said. "You?"
"Not to brag, but my examiner applauded," she said.
"Interesting that you would say that you don't want to brag and then immediately do," he said. She laughed and tucked herself beneath his arm, pressing herself against his chest.
"Do you think they're going to make you go back to Surrey again this summer?" Rory asked.
Harry shrugged. "Not like Dumbledore's around to make anyone do anything. And no one ever tried to kill me when I was at Grimmauld Place."
That made Rory remember something. She sat up and looked at him.
"I think Umbridge sent the dementors after you last summer," she said.
Harry stared at her, unblinking, for a long moment.
"What?"
"Sorry. I shouldn't say 'think.' I know she did," Rory said. "The same way I know all the other fucked up things that happen to you."
Harry stared at Rory in disbelief. "But why? She didn't even know me. That doesn't make any sense."
"Maybe she's just so obsessed with Fudge and keeping him in charge that she perceived you as a potential threat and sought to take care of you herself," Rory said.
"…That is literally insane," he said.
"Harry, I don't know if you've noticed, but Umbridge is literally insane," Rory said.
He shook his head. "I guess there's really no way to prove it one way or the other. And I guess it doesn't really matter."
Rory kissed him. "Hermione's in the library, but I'm pretty certain that the rest of my roommates were still waiting to take their practical exam when I was on my way up. Do you wanna go to my room? We can make out, or I can quiz you on potions."
"Will you be terribly disappointed if I actually want you to quiz me on potions?" he asked.
Rory shook her head and laughed. Just like Rory was killing herself over her Ancient Runes exam, Harry was similarly stressed about potions. He had to take NEWT-level potions if he wanted to be an Auror, and Snape was only taking students who got O's on their OWLs. Harry was an okay potions student, but he had to do an exceptional job on his potions exams in order to get the grade he wanted. It was literally going to make or break his career choice.
"Come on then," she said getting to her feet. "I've got flashcards and a mock theory exam."
She pulled Harry to his feet and he groaned.
"Am I going to regret asking you to study and not taking you up on your offer to fool around?" he asked.
"Probably," she said. "But now you have the benefit of hindsight and won't ever make that mistake again."
