LUCY:

The Friday before the end of holidays ended, I made my way down to the common room early in the morning to find all of the tables littered with pamphlets and a new notice on the board. I had a feeling I knew what it all meant, but I walked over to the notice to investigate anyway.

CAREER ADVICE

All fifth years will be required to attend a short meeting with their Head of House during the first week of the Summer term, in which they will be given the opportunity to discuss their future careers. Times of individual appointments are listed below.

My stomach flipped uncomfortably. I didn't have the slightest clue what I would say, what I would do. I scanned the list and found that "Diggory, Lucy" fell right after "Brown, Lavender" and right before "Finnigan, Seamus." I was glad I would be between those two — they had (finally) broken up at the start of holidays, so it would have been more than a bit awkward for an encounter to occur between discussions of the future.

My amusement lasted only a second, though. The reality of the situation crashed over my head like a wave, and suddenly I felt small, so small. I adjusted my bookbag on my shoulder and marched out of the common room. I didn't want anything to do with any discussions of careers, and I didn't want to be found by anyone who would try to include me in those.

The sun was only just beginning to rise as I made my way out onto the grounds. I wanted to get away, as far away as I could, as if I could possibly outrun the concept of the future if I simply kept going and didn't stop and didn't look back.

Ultimately, my feet led me to the hill I'd visited three times in the past, all three times with Harry. On my birthday, six months later, and again when my werewolf magic had exploded out of me. I didn't explode that day. I receded inward.

I reached for a textbook, but it remained closed in front of me as I sat cross-legged on the grass and stared at the castle.

Every single person in that castle had dreams, plans, goals, futures.

I'd never allowed myself that luxury.

Every full moon could well be my last. No job would want me because of my condition. And on top of all of that, the destructive transformations aged werewolf bodies faster than human bodies, so I was destined to die young anyway. Dreaming was a luxury, and it was one I had never bothered to try to pursue. In my third year, Cedric had told me about his idea, and I thought that sounded like a good plan. Then I lost Cedric. Then I thought if I survived the grief, I'd just live with my parents until I figured out what to do. Then I lost my parents. Then I thought that I would stay until I graduated and go find my family and get a Muggle job.

But I couldn't exactly say that to anyone. I couldn't risk telling anyone else about my family, and the people who did already know about the Everlins would ask why I didn't want to stay in the wizarding world. Wizards fell in love with Muggles all the time in England, and they lived perfectly normal Muggle lives, at least until their child's Hogwarts letter appeared. I didn't know how to explain I couldn't possibly stay in a world that didn't want me to the only people in that same world who did want me.

I kicked my book aside and rested back against the grass, lacing my fingers behind my head and watching the April sun color the sky bit by bit by bit by bit. It was so nice being alone, where I knew I wasn't bothering anyone, where I knew I wasn't endangering anyone, where I knew I wasn't upsetting anyone, where I knew I wasn't worrying anyone.

Well. I thought maybe someone would get worried if he noticed I wasn't in the castle. But he had the Marauder's Map, so if he really wanted to find me, he could. I hoped he would wait, though, at least for a little while. I still wasn't sure what I wanted to say to explain myself, if anything.

Once it was light enough outside to keep reading, I reached for my book again and continued on with my studying. On the off chance I did stay in the wizarding world to pursue a career, I knew no one would want to hire me because of my condition — I had to be brilliant enough to even hope to make that irrelevant for my potential future employers. It was why I was studying like mad, and it was why I'd always studied like mad.

After a couple of hours, I heard someone approaching.

No... is that TWO someones?

It was in fact two someones. It was the Weasley twins who crested the hill, not Harry as I had expected.

"We convinced Harry to let us come talk to you first," George said, checking the map in his hands, "but we reckon we only have a few minutes alone with you before he'll start heading this way so we need to make this quick."

"Make... what quick?" I asked slowly.

Fred tugged the book from my hands, slammed it shut, and lowered himself onto the grass on my right. "Mind if we join you?"

"You already have," I pointed out. "Make what quick?"

"Georgie, you can do the honors, it was your idea, after all."

"What was his idea?" I turned to George as he sat down on my left. "What on earth are you two on about this time?"

"Well, Ginny had a word with us this morning about Harry," George said, "and about how he wants to talk to Sirius."

"And we thought, well, we can provide the distraction he needs in order to do that," Fred added, "but we'd be in massive amounts of trouble if we execute what we're considering."

I bit my lip. "What are you considering?"

"Unleashing everything at once," George answered.

"Everything?" I blinked. "At once?"

Fred waved his hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, keep up. Everything we planned for the next couple months all at once. It would be perfect."

"You'd be expelled on the spot."

"We know!" they exclaimed in unison with identical wild grins.

I shook my head. "You've lost it. You've lost me. What's so great about that, why are you so excited? You'd get expelled and get sent to the Burrow for your mum to flay you alive. I fail to see the appeal."

"We wouldn't go to the Burrow," Fred replied mysteriously.

"Grimmauld, then. Sirius would be proud of you, probably Remus too, but you couldn't hide there from your mum forever."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Go on, Georgie, tell her."

"Alright, alright. Cub, we wouldn't go home to the Burrow because the Burrow isn't home anymore. 93 Diagon Alley is."

I was struggling to keep up. "So you bought a flat?"

"More than a flat." George reached into his pocket and pulled out a long roll of parchment. "A storefront."

I immediately tore the parchment open. Surely enough, there in bright colors, was a plan for a joke shop, a real joke shop. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, right there in front of me.

"So this is the secret you've been keeping," I said, my voice hushed with awe.

George reached behind me and smacked Fred. "I told you she was onto us!"

"Of course I was," I mumbled distractedly as I studied the plans. "I know you two."

"Better than anyone, I reckon," Fred piped up. "We would have told you sooner, but you've had enough going on without this distracting you too. We're going to need you to keep this secret a bit longer, alright?"

I laid the sarcasm on thick. "I don't think I can. You know I'm dreadful at keeping secrets."

"That's our girl." Fred pulled another piece of parchment out and passed it to me. "And here are the plans for the flat."

I started to skim those too, but I noticed something interesting about it. "What the bloody hell does 'Lucy's room' mean?"

"We can easily convert it to another storage room if you're not interested," George said, "but if you're in need of a summer job, Fred and I are going to need help around the shop and we think you'd be the perfect candidate."

"I can't," I said automatically. "There are hefty fines associated with hiring werewolves. You'd both be in so much trouble if anyone found out."

"Us? In trouble? Imagine that," Fred replied with a smile.

My face flushed. "This is different."

"We know," George said. "If anyone found out. We've been working with Remus and Moody to make it work. The only person who needs to get on board is you, Cub. Just say the word, and this—" George snapped his fingers, and a gold badge with my name and their logo on it appeared in the palm of his hand. "—is yours. You don't have to do this if you don't want to do it, but don't give us the whole 'I'm dangerous, I'm not worth it' spiel because we won't listen to a word of it. We want you, and we will find a way to make it work if you want this too."

I was silent for a long moment as my mind raced. I wanted it to happen. I wanted to spend the summer with the twins in their joke shop. If summer was a success, maybe I could work there the summer between sixth and seventh years too. And if that summer was a success, maybe I could work there for the rest of my life.

All I had to do was say yes.

But could I? Could I really?

"They really think it could work?" I asked. "Remus and Alastor?"

"Sirius too," Fred added. "Remus told us everything we needed to do to make sure it would be safe for you from that angle, Moody helped us with general security measures, and Sirius just thought the whole thing was brilliant and said he'd hurry up and clear his name so he could work there too."

I couldn't help but laugh a bit at that. The laughter cleared my head, and I heaved a deep breath. "I'm in."

~

The twins decided they would leave on Monday. The plan was to cause the disruption at five o'clock that evening. Harry would get into Umbridge's office using the knife from Sirius and use her fire to talk to him about what he'd seen in Snape's Pensieve. Hermione, of course, was violently opposed to the plan and wasted no opportunity to tell Harry all about what a horrible idea she thought it was. So, of course, I was enthusiastically supportive of the plan and wasted no opportunity to tell Harry that I knew he would pull it off and I'd do anything I could to make sure he stayed out of trouble. All while completely ignoring Hermione, of course.

I was the only one the twins told about their plan to leave. Or, well, I was until Sunday night.

I had just been wrapping up a section of my notes about the werewolf code of conduct late that night when the door from the boys' dormitories burst open to reveal a frazzled-looking George, mere minutes after a frazzled-looking Lee had similarly stumbled into the common room and started snoring on the sofa.

"Everything alright?" I asked, shoving my parchment aside.

George blinked a couple of times. "What are you doing up still?"

"I could ask you the same question, Georgie. What's wrong?"

"I — er — we, he — are you sure you want to know?"

I nodded. "Of course. You look like you need a bit of fresh air. Fancy a walk?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good."

I shoved all of my work into my schoolbag and stowed it under the chair for me to grab once we were back. George still looked dazed and troubled, so I grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him past the still-snoring Lee toward the portrait hole. We made our way through the castle in silence, not stopping until we reached the shores of the Black Lake.

George flopped down backwards onto the gravel and heaved a tremendous sigh.

"I take it you're feeling a bit better being out here?" I asked as I sat down beside him.

"It was brutal," he murmured, rubbing his eyes with one hand. "Nothing's wrong with me, but it's not looking too good for Fred and Angelina."

I blinked. "Fred and Angelina? What happened?"

"Fred didn't think to mention our plan to her until about an hour ago."

"Oh. I take it she wasn't terribly thrilled about that?"

George shook his head. "The rest of us might have slept through their row because of the silencing charms they were using, but when Angelina started throwing a Quaffle at the wall and Fred started stomping around, we woke up."

"That would do it," I replied sympathetically. "Does she want to leave with you? Is that the problem?"

"No. She doesn't want to leave at all, and she doesn't want Fred to leave either. I, er, foolishly stepped through the silencing charm for a bit to try to help mediate. She was upset about the short notice and all that, but I think she was most upset about the fact that Fred wouldn't be here for her last Quidditch match or for graduation or for anything like that. He kept trying to defend himself saying he'd make it up to her once the shop was up and running and his future was secure, but the last bit I heard before I left was Angelina saying her future matters too even if it's not as wild and illustrious as he wants his to be."

I exhaled slowly. "You're right, that is brutal. Reckon Fred will change his mind?"

"Oh no." George half-laughed as he shook his head. "No no no. He'll feel bad about it for a while, he'll try to find a way to go to at least the match, but his mind is made. Our minds are made. Not even Merlin himself could get between us and this dream at this point."

"Well, that's what I like to hear coming from one of my favorite dreamers." I sighed. "If it's meant to be, Angie'll come around. She knows Fred as well as just about anyone, for better or for worse."

"At the moment, for worse." George pushed himself up to a sitting position. "What they have is special. I doubt either will let it go entirely to waste."

I nodded, and we lapsed into silence. In the silence, in the darkness, in the cold, my mind wandered to a place I didn't often let it stray. My face must have given me away, though, because George leaned forward a bit and raised his eyebrows.

"What is it?"

I shook my head, pulling my knees to my chest. "Nothing."

"Aw, come on, don't give me that. I know it's not true."

"I'm just thinking about the last time I was down here with you," I admitted after a moment. "So much changed that night, and so much has changed since that night. It's just... where does the time go?"

"On," he replied simply. "Time goes on. For better or for worse, every day turns into night and every night turns into day and we do it all over again as best we can. You've had more than your fair share of horrible days and horrible nights, but you're still here, aren't you?"

I nodded. "Despite the best efforts of certain individuals, yes, I am."

"Well, if I ever come into contact with one of those certain individuals, I'm afraid they'll learn a new curse or two or fifteen."

"I didn't realize you knew fifteen curses," I replied with an amused snort.

"For you, darling, I'll learn sixteen. Can't have those tossers walking around thinking what they did to you is alright."

I shrugged. "It is what it is. Time goes on. Can't change what happened."

"We can make this summer better, though," he said. "And we will."

"Sounds like a plan to me." We were silent again for a minute before I started chuckling to myself. "Who knew Oliver accidentally-on-purpose letting a Bludger go while I was borrowing Harry's broom would lead us here, to this exact moment? That's when I first caught your attention."

"I think it's fair to say you had our attention long before that, but there was no turning back for you after that little stunt. Then there was the stunt you pulled with the other three at the end of that year—"

I laughed. "Feeling sentimental, are we?"

"Perhaps a bit," he replied with a fond grin.

"Well then why don't we reminisce on your greatest hits, Weasley? You're the one who won't be here twenty-four hours from now."

"If we start reminiscing on my greatest hits, we'll be here all night."

"I'm alright with that if you are," I said with a shrug.

George inched closer, smiling wider. "Can't think of a better way to spend my last night here."

~

Where does the time go?
I don't want this to end
Where does the time go?
Let's hang on to the moment we're in

Of all the things we will remember
The good, the bad, and all the blessings in disguise
Today will stick with me forever
Even if we have to say goodbye

Where does the time go?
I keep losing track
Where does the time go?
We're too young to get lost looking back

Life doesn't always give us answers
Some dots they won't connect until the years go by
If we're not meant to be together
Some day we'll know the reasons why

Of all the things we will remember
The good, the bad, and all the blessings in disguise
Today will stick with me forever
Even if we have to say goodbye

Where does the time go?
I don't want this to end
Where does the time go?
Let's hang on to the moment we're in

"Where Does the Time Go"
A Great Big World

~

I wanted to stay there on the shores of the Black Lake with George Weasley forever, but before I knew it, I was yawning and he was yawning and we were stumbling up to the castle and going our separate ways for the night. I was dreading my career advice meeting, but I was glad it was early in the day so it was just over.

I was just about to Professor McGonagall's office when Lavender rounded the corner. As soon as she saw me, she rushed over and grabbed my arm.

"Umbridge is in there," she whispered in my ear. "She came in toward the end of mine. I think she's there specifically for yours."

I swore under my breath, dread settling like a rock in my stomach. I couldn't say I wanted to work at the joke shop with Umbridge right there. I couldn't risk that. I had to come up with something else. "Thank you for telling me."

"Good luck," she said with a meaningful, pitying look.

I made my way to Professor McGonagall's office more slowly and steeled myself with a deep breath at the door before walking in.

"Good morning, Professor!" I said brightly, pretending not to notice Umbridge.

Professor McGonagall gave me a tight-lipped smile. "Good morning, Miss Diggory. Please take a seat."

As I did so, I made a show of seeing Umbridge, widening my eyes and gasping inaudibly. She seemed pleased by my startled reaction and offered me a sickly sweet smile.

"Well, Miss Diggory, this meeting is to discuss career ideas you may have had so you can take the relevant classes in your sixth and seventh years," Professor McGonagall said. Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, and I could see the emotion she was barely managing to hide. Anger. Even a bit of pity. She knew as well as I did that werewolves didn't often stand a chance, and she knew as well as I did that there was no way we'd have an honest conversation about any of it in front of Dolores Umbridge. It would be a delicate game, as delicate as chess, but fortunately for her, she was a brilliant chess player, and I'd learned a thing or two from Ronald Weasley. "What would you like to do after you graduate Hogwarts?"

"I would like to be an Auror," I said without a second's hesitation. "Like my mum."

Before Professor McGonagall could say a word, there was a derisive little giggle from the corner.

"Did I say something humorous, Professor? Headmistress, I mean?" I asked as I whirled on Umbridge.

"Oh dear, forgive me," she said, still giggling, "but I'll admit I was rather taken aback by you calling her your mum, Miss Everlin."

I sucked in a sharp breath. No. No no no. Not here, not in front of Professor McGonagall, not now, not today.

"I'm referring to the woman who raised me," I said. Now my voice was trembling.

"She was a liar," Umbridge snapped, her laughter evaporating.

"She was my mum," I snapped back.

Her eyebrows slanted downward as she glared at me. "Like mother, like daughter, then."

"I'm choosing to take that as a compliment, Professor, my mum was the bravest woman I've ever known. She spoke up about what happened to Cedric, she was killed with her wand in her hand trying to fight back—"

"Enough!" Umbridge exclaimed shrilly. "You are blind to your own delusion! She was never your mum, you must know this!"

I turned back to Professor McGonagall with a determined fire burning in the pit of my stomach. Auror had just been what popped into mind, but the reaction of the PVT made me actually want to become an Auror. Perhaps I could help with missions while the shop was closed, or during the off season. I was going to be an Auror, one way or another.

"What do I need to do to become an Auror, Professor?" I asked, hoping she would just drop the whole mum thing and ask me about it later.

She looked equal parts confused, rattled, and furious, but she shoved this all aside and reached for a pamphlet, her hands shaking. "You'll need a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s with a grade of E or higher before undergoing testing and training with the Auror office."

"Brilliant!" I said with forced cheerfulness. "What classes do I need?"

"Charms, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, and another subject of your choice. I would typically recommend Ancient Runes or Herbology, but I've heard nothing but glowing reports from Hagrid about your performance in Care of Magical Creatures, which could come in handy and help set you apart from other potential recruits."

I beamed. "That would be excellent."

"I'm afraid, Minerva," Umbridge interrupted, "that Rubeus Hagrid is hardly a reputable resource for class performance. You see, he is on probation, and—"

"And he has abundant knowledge of magical creatures and is therefore perfectly capable of assessing a student's performance in his class," Professor McGonagall finished for her. "Do you have any further questions, Miss Diggory?"

"Everlin," Umbridge corrected behind me.

I accepted the pamphlet from Professor McGonagall's hand without making eye contact. "I think both are equally true," I said, looking down at my toes. I didn't give her the chance to protest as I thanked Professor McGonagall and told her I'd see her in class before marching from the office. I crossed paths with Seamus on my way back to class.

"Just a word of warning, Umbridge might be in there," I said.

He groaned. "Bloody hell, are you serious?"

I resisted the urge to say no and that my name was Lucy. I doubted he would find it as funny as Harry always did. I nodded instead. "She was there for mine. Proper pain in the arse, of course."

"Of course," Seamus chuckled. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck!" I replied as I continued on my way. I was about to leave the castle — my first class on Monday was Care of Magical Creatures — when I was grabbed from behind. I was about to fire off a hex when I heard Archie's voice.

"Don't resist," he said desperately, "I need you to know the truth."

I stopped struggling instantly and let him pull me down a hallway.

I blinked and looked him up and down. "Why aren't you in class? And — Archie, why are you part of the Inquisitorial Squad?"

"I can explain," he replied quickly. "I managed to get away the night the D.A. got busted and pretended I was in the Slytherin common room the whole time. After a week of trying to convince Malfoy that I've changed my ways, he talked to Umbridge and got her to accept me. I couldn't let Malfoy and the others have a complete monopoly over the school, Diggory, I had to try to use my position as a Slytherin to undermine their authority."

"How in Merlin's name did you convince the others you wanted in anyway?"

"It wasn't easy, and I'm not proud of what I said to do it, but I knew people like you needed at least one person on the inside."

"But you'll be in deep trouble if someone finds out," I pressed. "It could be dangerous, even. Archie, they've bullied you for years, they would love an excuse to start again and get the Ministry involved since you're technically connected in that way now."

"Well, then let's hope no one finds out," he said with a confident smile. "Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that Umbridge wants us all to keep a particularly close eye on you and Harry, so you two had better lay low."

I inwardly winced. Harry was planning on breaking into Umbridge's office just a few short hours into the future. Oops.

"This is a crazy risk you're taking," I said slowly, trying to get the attention off of Harry and me.

"Who says Gryffindors have to be the ones always taking risks? You can't talk me out of this, it's too late, I'm official. Now run along off to class, and warn Harry."

"You're in this class too, genius, so come with me," I muttered.

Archie grinned. "No can do. I told Malfoy I'd find you on your way back from your career advice meeting and harass you a bit, then take points away and go make sure they actually disappeared from the Gryffindor glass, so do me a favor and look upset when you go back, will you?"

"You're ridiculous, you know that?" I asked.

"If being ridiculous means doing the right thing even when it's the crazy thing too, I'm honored to be ridiculous. Now go, before Malfoy decides I'm taking too long and decides to come harass you too."

"You haven't even properly harassed me," I pointed out as I started walking backward in the direction of the doorway.

"Alright, if you really want me to harass you, you couldn't look intimidating if you tried. Happy?"

I laughed. "I'll prove you wrong. I'm very intimidating."

"I'll believe it when I see it, Diggory," he said, grin widening as he turned around and started walking away.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, grinning in spite of myself, and headed back down to Hagrid's class. Still rattled by Umbridge. Still impressed by Archie. Still nervous for Harry's attempt to talk to Sirius. Still excited to see the twins leave in all of their chaos and wonder.