The woman dressed in pink was horrid. There were no wands in her class, no magic. They were doing everything the Muggle way. So, of course, they needed to get sneaky. Hunn started teaching Fred and George wandless magic for little things, and it took ages for them to get it down, and even then, they could only do the smallest things. They would spill drinks on Umbridge, move her books off the shelves, and make her life more difficult overall.
But today was a wonderful day. Today was the day the whole school was waiting for.
"Are you ready, Fred?" Hunn whispered to the empty space beside herself.
"You know it, love," Fred whispered back.
Hunn slipped him a small vial, and off he went. Right on cue, the owls flooded into the Great Hall, and she slipped out her wand with a quick glance around to be sure everyone was preoccupied with the post. Hunn said a quick spell and shot small green sparks into the air. She put her wand away and played along with the panic as the owls went crazy.
Feeling something knock into her, Hunn felt around blindly until Fred popped out from under the table with a crazy sly grin on his face.
The hall went silent as the owls left, and then a defining scream echoed through the hall. All heads turned to see their magic. Deloris Umbrige was covered in Boils. Large nasty green puss-filled boils. She continued to scream, running out of the Great Hall as she covered her face and through a door off to the side of the head table.
They finished their food and went off to Defence Against the Dark Arts. Knowing it was safe to assume she was going to be late.
Hunn held Fred and George's hand along the way to class. They didn't get as many looks as before, but the whispers still followed them as they walked. Some heads still turned, but it was easier to handle now.
They sat in the back of the classroom, three to a table, and giggled and whispered together. They planned their next prank against Umbridge and considered turning her a nasty shade of vomit green or maybe toad green. Or both.
She could always have spots or stripes.
The door to the classroom slammed open, and the woman herself rushed into the classroom. She worked quickly, considering she was only fifteen minutes late.
Umbridge turned to the class, scowling. Her face was covered in healing scars, and she was still slightly green, and the class laughed.
"Open your books to page 1. This school obviously needs a review on not using magic."
Groaning, they returned their pages to the introduction, "Mrs. Rose-Singer, begin to read."
Hunn began to read slowly, "No one should ever need to use defensive magic unless necessary. This text will take you deep into the world of theoretical defensive magic. You will learn how spells work and when to use them without picking up a wand. A safe classroom is a happy classroom," she continued to read for ten pages until the toad of a Professor cleared her throat.
"There will be no more acts of unauthorized magic in this school. Anyone caught practicing magic will be punished."
"Yes, because using magic at a school for magic is just crazy," Hunn whispered as the twins laughed under their breath.
"Mrs. Rose-Singer, did you have something to say?"
Hunn looked up at her and smiled, "I was just saying how us, 'green' behind the ear students, should know better than to use magic in a school built to teach magic."
She smiled so sweetly it was sickening, "Oh -Singer, your humor is amusing. You students wouldn't know magic if it hit you on the behind."
"Oh, I think I know more magic than you, professor," Hunn told her as she flicked her wrist under the table and pushed her desk back silently as Umbridge tried to lean on the edge.
She screamed as she fell on her arse, "Detention," she hollered from the floor.
Two months later, everyone had had detention with Umbridge. The school was a graveyard, in the halls, no student dared to be caught, and no one spoke above a low murmur. Students walked with their heads down and their wands hidden in their sleeves or socks anywhere so they wouldn't get confiscated. The twins never left Hunn's side, walking her to and from class and always sneaking her into their dorm at night just to be safe.
"Come on, Hunn, we've got to go." George shook her roughly.
"What do you mean? It's Saturday," she whined, rolling onto her belly.
"Yes, it is love. But we have a meeting with Harry. Remember about learning defensive spells."
"That's today?"
"Yes, it's today." He said, pulling her blanket away.
Twenty minutes later, they were on their way down to the Hogs Head, fully bundled up and ready to meet with everyone as snow fell from the sky in heavy clumps, and their breath came out in heavy clouds.
They walked into the old beaten-up bar and saw the trio whispering quietly in the corner, "We've got to be able to defend ourselves," Hermione spoke fiercely.
"And if Umbridge refuses to teach us how, we need someone who will, Harry." Ron finished for her.
"This is mad. Who'd wanna be taught by me? I'm a nutter, remember?" Harry told them, laughing.
"Look on the bright side. You can't be any worse than old toad face," Hunn told him, plopping down in a chair to his right.
"Thanks, Hunn." He said awkwardly, scooting to make room for more chairs.
"I'm here for you, Harry."
"Who's supposed to be meeting us, then?" Ron asked, his eyes darting around the bar.
"Just a couple of people," Hermione answered, looking away nervously.
"This is a lovely spot." Fred joked, swiping his finger over the dust-covered table.
"Thought it would be safer off the beaten track. So, no one important can find us."
Twenty minutes later, a large group of students wandered in and sat huddled around Harry, sipping their butter bear out of foggy, half-cleaned glasses.
"You all know why we're here." Harry started, standing before everyone as they watched him carefully.
Hermione butted in when Harry didn't continue, "We need a teacher. A proper teacher. One who's had experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts."
"Why?" someone asked, their brows knitted together.
Fred looked at them as if they were stupid, "Why? Because You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot."
He scoffed, "So he says."
"So Dumbledore says," George countered, slamming his glass on the table top.
"So Dumbledore says because he says. The point is, where's the proof?"
Someone else butted in, "If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed..."
Harry shook his head and waved away the kid's stupid response, "I'm not gonna talk about Cedric, so if that's why you're here, clear out now," He waited and turned away, "Come on, Hermione. They're here because they think I'm some freak."
Luna spoke up, "Is it true you can produce a Patronus Charm?"
Harry paused and turned back, smiling at Luna; he nodded, "Yes."
"I've seen it," Hermione put in.
"Blimey, Harry. I didn't know you could do that."
"And he killed a basilisk with the sword in Dumbledore's office," Nevile added, proud of his friend.
"It's true," Ginny confirmed, "I was there."
"Then, in the third year, he fought off about a hundred Dementors at once," Ron told everyone, swinging his arms wide, "he did it all on his own and saved my life!"
"Last year, he really did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh."
"Wait. Look, it all sounds great when you say it like that, but the truth is, most of that was just luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time. I nearly always had help." Harry told them, bringing himself down.
"He's just being modest."
"No, Hermione, I'm not. Facing this stuff in real life is not like school. If you make a mistake in school, you can try again tomorrow. But out there..." he passed, a frown forming, "when you're a second away from being murdered..." he looked at everyone seriously, "or watching a friend die right before you. You don't know what that's like."
"You're right, Harry, we don't. That's why we need your help. Because if we're going to have any chance at beating..." Ronald paused, taking a deep breath, "Voldemort..."
"He's really back?"
Harry nodded, and a moment later, he was overcome with questions. At the end of the meeting, everyone had signed up and added their name to Hermione's spelled list.
Before everyone could leave, Harry spoke loud and clear, "Right. First, we must find a place to practice where Umbridge won't find out. Everyone needs to think of a spot where we could meet."
Everyone nodded and returned to their lives, thinking and anticipating. Together, the two trios, plus Ginny, walked back to the castle in a large group out of the Hoggs Head.
"What about the Shrieking Shack," Ginny asked hopefully.
"It's too small."
"Forbidden Forest?"
"Not bloody likely." Ron put in quickly, shuddering.
"Harry, what happens if Umbridge does find out?" Hunn asked curiously.
"Who cares?" Hermione interrupted, "I mean, it's sort of exciting, isn't it, breaking the rules?" she laughed.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Hermione?" Ron asked
"Anyway, at least we know one positive thing that came from today," Hermione said
"What's that?" They asked, all looking at her oddly.
"Cho couldn't take her eyes off you, could she?"
Harry blushed. Hunn couldn't help but notice the disappointed look on Ginny's face even though she smiled and laughed.
"Right. Over the next few days, we should each come up with some possibilities of places we can practice."
"We've got to make sure, wherever it is, there's no chance she can find us."
"Will do, Harry," The twins and Hunn saluted and walked off to the joke shop for last-minute shopping.
"Do you think this is a good idea?" Hunn whispered to the twins as they bought more supplies.
"Don't know love."
"But at least we have a teacher now."
Hunn nodded, and they walked into the bookstore a few shops down. They spent hours together before deciding to take a stroll with their arms dragged down with heavy bags and their robes even heavier with concealed items. They held hands and chatted about the snack boxes along the way. The twins had sold out over the last few weeks and had made enough gold back to buy more supplies and have enough money to save.
The twins dragged her to the Three Broomsticks, where they sat in the corner, drinking fire whiskey and butterbeer. They talked until the late night hours when they had to return to the castle.
"Come on, we should get back," Hunn told them, slurring her words slightly.
They groaned and stood to follow her outside into the cold.
Hunn took out her wand and lit their way to the castle, "This is beautiful," she spoke quietly, trying not to break the magic of it all.
"Not as beautiful as you," George told her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Nothing could ever be as beautiful as you," Fred said next, tilting her chin up to the stars.
Blushing, she hid her face in his chest as they laughed, "How can you be so shy?"
"You're so chees, that's why."
"Cheesy?"
"We're only telling you the truth."
"You're the most beautiful woman in the world to us. You bring so much light and love to our lives; even with that toad running around the castle, nothing will ever change that."
"I love you. I love you both more than words could ever describe."
"Hunn. You're the love of both our lives."
"You're the most important person to us. You brought us more love and laughter than any joke ever could." Fred told her, squeezing her between them.
Smiling with joy and feeling more love than ever, they slowly walked back into the castle, savoring the peaceful night. They laughed and kissed all through the corridor. People pointed and stared, but they didn't care. They were in love, and nothing could ever change that.
By the time they arrived at the Gryffindor common room before supper, Hunn felt light as a feather. They laughed and joked, waiting to get inside through a crowd of young first years when someone pulled her roughly back, nearly knocking her to the ground.
"I don't believe this is the Ravenclaw common room."
She looked up to find Umbridge holding her back.
Hunn was silent. She could not come up with the words to come back at her.
"She was just coming up to get a book from our sister Ginny," George tried to explain, shuffling the shopping bags in his hands.
"No, no, no. No lies today, Mr. Weasley. I have gotten many reports that this little girl has been sleeping in your common room."
"No, she hasn't. Anyone can tell you that."
"Well, her roommates haven't seen her at all this term."
"Her roommates are twits."
"I do believe name-calling is unnecessary."
"I spend my nights in the library!" Hunn added quickly, pulling away from Umbridge.
"Tisk, tisk. Lies get you nowhere. I do believe detention is in order," She pulled Hunn away, and the twins watched on in horror as they could do nothing to save her. Umbridge pulled her down the corridor, and everyone stared as she tugged at Hunn and pulled her into the pink office.
"Have a seat," She told Hunn, flicking her wand and pulling the desk out from the corner.
"Dear, girls your age are really far too young to have a boyfriend."
Hunn didn't speak. Too afraid of what she might say with the anger and Firewhiskey in her blood.
"Yet you have two," Umbridge laughed, "Do you spend your nights taking turns, fighting over where you'll sleep? Or do you sleep with both?" she taunted, her lips curling up in disgust.
Hunn sat and waited in silence, boiling on the inside.
"You will write lines for me," She clicked her tongue.
"What should I write," Hunn asked between clinched teeth, picking up her ink-black quill, and meeting Umbridge's cold eyes.
"I will not be a whore."