𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗢𝗬

ACT TWO, CHAPTER EIGHT
the farewell of the weasley twins.

"BUT WHY HAVEN'T you got Occlumency lessons anymore?" Hermione asked with a frown.

Venus also didn't understand. Harry had just suddenly explained to them that Snape didn't want to teach him Occlumency lessons — which was incredibly stupid, because Venus could tell that Harry was still having the dream about the Department of Mysteries. Of course he didn't tell her that exactly, but she knew him well enough to see that was still happening. If Voldemort was really making Harry see all oft this . . . he definitely had to get more skilled at Occlumency.

"I've told you," Harry muttered. "Snape reckons I can carry on by myself now I've got the basics . . ."

"So you've stopped having funny dreams?" Hermione questioned skeptically.

Harry averted his gaze from Venus' knowing look. "Pretty much."

"Well, I don't think Snape should stop until you're absolutely sure you can control them! Harry, I think you should go back to him and ask—"

"No. Just drop it, Hermione, okay?"

Right now, it was the first day of the Easter holidays. Hermione had spent a large part of her day drawing up study schedules for the four of them. Venus appreciated it tremendously — time management was always something she struggled with. Ron, however, was extremely startled upon discovering there were only six weeks left until O.W.L.'s began.

"How can that come as a shock?" Hermione demanded, tapping each little square on Ron's schedule with her wand so it turned a different color according to subject.

"I dunno . . . there's been a lot going on . . ." Ron trailed off.

Hermione handed him his schedule. "Well, there you are, if you follow that you should do fine."

Ron looked down at it gloomily before his face brightened. "You've given me an evening off every week!"

"That's for Quidditch practice."

Ron's smile slipped off of his face. "What's the point? We've got about as much chance of winning the Quidditch Cup this year as Dad's got of becoming Minister for Magic . . ."

Venus, however, wasn't really listening to that conversation. She was looking at Harry in concern, who was staring blankly at the wall of the common room while Crookshanks pawed at his hand in effort to get his ears scratched.

"Hey," Venus began quietly, nudging his side with her elbow. "You all right?"

"Hm?" Harry responded, straightening up. He suddenly seized his copy of Defensive Magical Theory and pretended to look something up. "Oh. I'm fine."

Venus sighed. "Harry—"

"Really," Harry reassured her. "I'm okay, Star."

"I saw Cho earlier, and she looked really miserable too . . ." Hermione revealed. "Have you two had a row?"

"Wha — oh yeah, we have."

Venus blinked. "You fought with Cho? What about?"

"That sneak friend of hers, Marietta," Harry answered.

"Yeah, well, I don't blame you!" Ron exclaimed angrily, placing down his study schedule on the table. "If it hadn't been for her . . ."

Ron then went into a rant about Marietta Edgecombe. He was probably the most upset — minus Harry — about the whole thing because he could see how much Penelope liked learning about Defense, and it had suddenly been ripped away from her. Venus also felt very strongly about Marietta — it was evident Harry loved teaching everyone how to defend themselves and she had just ripped it away from him.

The weather at Hogwarts grew breezier, brighter, and warmers as the holidays came to an end. However, there was no time to enjoy the outdoors now, not like that small study session with Charlotte and Elijah. Venus was spotted in the library most days along with the rest of fifth and seventh years. She could be seen with — either in groups, individually, or just one big group — with Charlotte, Elijah, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

This time, she was sitting in the library with Harry on a late Sunday evening, her knee tucked into her chest as she read over some Transfiguration notes. It was just them two because Charlotte said she needed chocolate ice cream to cure her headache, Elijah wanted to converse with some fellow Ravenclaws about notes, Hermione had gone back to Gryffindor Tower to review Ancient Runes, and Ron had Quidditch practice.

"Hey, V," a voice suddenly greeted, and Venus looked up to see Ginny approach the table and sit in front of her, looking very windswept and carrying a box.

Venus smiled. "Hi, Gin. What's up?"

"Just coming to deliver some presents." Ginny then looked back to Harry, who was still staring intently at his parchment. "Harry, I'm talking to you, too, can you hear me?"

"Huh?" Harry inquired, his head snapping up. He then noticed Ginny sitting there, and pulled his books back towards him. "Oh hi. How come you're not at practice?"

"It's over. Ron had to take Jack Sloper up to the hospital wing."

"Why?"

"Well, we're not sure, but we think he knocked himself out with his own bat." Ginny let out a heavy sigh. "Anyway . . . a package just arrived, it's only just got through Umbridge's new screening process . . ."

She hoisted the box wrapped in brown paper on the table. Clearly, it had been unwrapped and then carelessly rewrapped. There was a scribbled note across it in red ink reading INSPECTED AND PASSED BY THE HOGWARTS HIGH INQUISITOR.

"It's Easter eggs from Mum," Ginny explained. "There's one for you both . . . there you go . . ."

She handed Harry a chocolate egg decorated with small, iced Snitches. Venus then took her own egg and admired it with a soft smile. It was decorated with iced figures of the planet Venus with some stars as well. According to the package, it also contained a bag of Fizzing Whizbees. Venus looked up to share her excitement about it with Harry, but immediately frowned upon noticing that he was staring at the egg sadly.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Venus asked quietly, concern filling her heart.

"Nothing, I'm fine," he responded.

"No you're not," Venus told him quietly.

Ginny nodded in agreement. "You seem really down lately. You know, Venus would be more than willing to listen . . ."

"It's not Venus I want to talk to," Harry voiced.

Venus raised an eyebrow, her heart suddenly dropping. "Oh?"

"No, no, no, not like that," Harry said quickly, his eyes wide. "Star, I want to talk to you all the time. You're the one who gets me the most, but . . ." He glanced around for a moment. "I wish I could talk to Sirius. But I know I can't."

Harry then unwrapped his Easter egg, took off a large bit, and ate it. Venus felt reassured again. At least Harry still wanted to talk to her . . . if he didn't, well that would be a problem.

Ginny helped herself to a bit of chocolate egg too. "Well, ify ou really want to talk to Sirius, I expect we could think of a way to do it . . ."

"Come on," Harry stated hopelessly. "With Umbridge policing the fires and reading all our mail?"

"The thing about growing up with Fred and George is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."

Venus nodded appreciatively. "They do have that effect, don't they?"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" Madam Pince suddenly shouted.

Venus blinked. "What?"

"Oh damn," Ginny whispered as she jumped to her feet. "I forgot—"

Madam Pince descended upon them, her shriveled face contorted with rage. "Chocolate in the library! Out — out — OUT!"

With a wave of her wand, she caused Venus and Harry's books, bags, and ink bottles to chase her, him, and Ginny from the library, hitting them repeatedly over the head as they ran.

As if the stress of O.W.L.'s wasn't already enough, the teachers decided to remind the students of the importance of their upcoming examinations. A batch of pamphlets, leaflets, and notices concerning various careers in the Wizarding world appeared on the tables in Gryffindor Tower shortly before the end of the holidays. Among that was a notice on the board.

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.

Venus looked down the list. She was expected to be in McGonagall's office at two on Monday, with Harry just half an hour after her. Her and the other fifth years spent a large amount of time of the final weekend of the Easter Break reading all the information that had been left there for them.

"Well, I don't fancy Healing," Ron admitted on the last evening of the holidays. He was currently reading a leaflet carrying the crossed bone-and-wand emblem of St. Mungo's on its front. "It says here you need at least an E at N.E.W.T. level in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. I mean . . . blimey . . . don't want much, do they?"

"Doesn't your own girlfriend want to be a Healer?" Venus asked.

"I mean, yeah, but still . . ."

"Well, it's a very responsible job, isn't it?" Hermione questioned absently. She was reading a bright pink and orange leaflet that read SO YOU THINK YOU'D LIKE TO WORK IN MUGGLE RELATIONS? "You don't seem to need many qualifications to liaise with Muggles . . . all they want is an O.W.L. in Muggle Studies . . . Much more important is your enthusiasm, patience, and a good sense of fun!'"

"You'd need more than a good sense of fun to liaise with my uncle," Harry said darkly. "Good sense of when to duck, more like . . ." He was currently reading a phamplet on Wizard banking. "Listen to this: Are you seeking a challenging career involving travel, adventure, and substantial, danger-related treasure bonuses? Then consider a position with Gringotts Wizarding Bank, who are currently recruiting CurseBreakers for thrilling opportunities abroad . . . they want Arithmancy, though. . . . you could do it, Hermione! You too, Star!"

"I don't fancy much banking," Hermione revealed vaguely, now immersed in HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO TRAIN SECURITY TROLLS?

Venus shrugged. "Me neither, especially since I still haven't learned the wizarding currency over here. My mind is still on the Dragot and Sprink. Hm, maybe I should figure that out . . ."

"Hey," Fred's voice suddenly announced. Venus looked up to see him and George had joined their group. Fred stretched out his legs on the table in front of them, causing several booklets on careers with the Ministry of Magic to fall off the floor. He didn't seem to care and kept looking straight at Harry. "Ginny's had a word with us about you. She says you need to talk to Sirius?"

"What?" Hermione demanded sharply, freezing with her hand halfway towards picking up MAKE A BANG AT THE DEPARTMENT OF MAGICAL CCIDENTS AND CATOSTROPHES.

"Yeah . . . yeah, I thought I'd like—" Harry began, trying to sound casually.

Hermione straightened up and looked at Harry incredulously. "Don't be so ridiculous. With Umbridge groping around in the fires and frisking all the owls?"

"Well, we think we can find a way around that," George added, stretching with a smile. "It's a simple matter of causing a diversion. Now, you might have noticed that we have been rather quiet on the mayhem front during the Easter holidays?"

"What was the point, we asked ourselves, of disrupting leisure time?" Fred continued. "No point at all, we answered ourselves. And of course, we'd have messed up people's studying too, which would be the very last thing we'd want to do." He gave Hermione a little smug nod, and she looked rather taken aback by his thoughtfulness. "But it's business as usual from tomorrow. And if we're going to be causing a bit of uproar, why not do it so that Harry can have his chat with Sirius?"

"Yes, but still, even if you do cause a diversion, how is Harry supposed to talk to him?" Hermione questioned.

"Umbridge's office," Harry answered quietly.

Venus blinked in surprise. "Um . . . what?"

"Are — you — insane?" Hermione seethed, Ron even lowering his leaflet on jobs in the cultivated fungus trade to watch the conversation warily.

Harry shrugged. "I don't think so."

"You might be," Venus stated. "Love, if you get caught, you'll end up with a horribly bleeding hand."

"I won't get caught, darling."

"And how are you going to get in there in the first place?" Hermione inquired.

"Sirius' knife," Harry responded.

"Excuse me?"

"Christmas before last Sirius gave me a knife that'll open any lock. So even if she's bewitched the door so Alohomora won't work, which I bet she has—"

"What do you think about this?" Hermione ordered to Ron.

Ron looked alarmed at being asked to give an opinion. "I dunno. If Harry wants to do it, it's up to him, isn't it?"

Fred clapped Ron hard on the back. "Spoken like a true friend and Weasley. Right, then. We're thinking of doing it tomorrow just after lessons, because it should cause maximum impact if everybody's in the corridors — Harry, we'll set it off in the east wing somewhere, draw her right away from her own office — I reckon we should be able to guarantee you, what, twenty minutes?" he asked, looking at George.

"Easy," George voiced.

"What sort of diversion is it?" Ron questioned.

"You'll see, little bro," Fred told him as him and George got up again. "At least, you will if you trot along to Gregory the Smarmy's corridor round about five o'clock tomorrow."

Venus had know idea what that meant, but she decided to do what she normally did — roll with the punches.

╞════════ ༺ ༻ ════════╡

VENUS FOUND HERSELF anxiously awaiting for five o'clock the next day. She was anticipating what Fred and George were going to do — knowing them, it would be something huge.

Despite that, it was a gorgeous day. The sky was a clear yet misty opalescent blue, and when Venus walked by a window, the air outside was warm. She could tell summer was approaching, which was her favorite season.

There was also the issue of Harry breaking into Umbridge's office that day. Hermione kept trying to stop him. For the first time all year — and probably ever — Hermione was at least as inattentive to Binns in History of Magic as Harry and Ron. Venus kept taking her notes while simultaneously listening in.

". . . and if she does catch you there, apart from being expelled, she'll be able to guess you've been talking to Snuffles and this time I expect she'll force you to drink Veritaserum and answer her questions. . . ." Hermione was whispering.

"Hermione, you going to stop telling Harry off and listen to Binns, or am I going to have to take notes instead?" Ron inquired in a low and resentful voice.

"You take notes for a change, it won't kill you!"

By the time they reached the dungeons for Potions, neither Harry nor Ron was talking to Hermione anymore. Venus approached Charlotte with wide eyes, and Charlotte instantly dove into how stressed she was becoming and that Elijah was definitely not helping her case.

After a Potions class of making an Invigoration Draught — with Harry dropping his flask and Hermione removing the rest of his Potion — Venus settled down for lunch. She sat with Charlotte and Elijah at the Ravenclaw table today — Harry was evidently angry, and she didn't want to push him. He would talk to her if he needed it.

Finally, it was time for Arithmancy. She let Professor Vector know about her meeting, and at one fifty-five, she descended down the steps to McGonagall's office. Once she reached it, she knocked thrice and opened the door. McGonagall was sitting at her desk, surrounded by leaflets and pamphlets.

"Come in, Miss Black, and have a seat," McGonagall instructed. Venus obliged. "Well, this meeting is to discuss any career ideas you might have and to help you decide which subjects you should continue into your sixth and seventh years, as long as you don't transfer back to Ilvermorny. Are there any plans of that?"

"No, Professor," Venus replied.

"Ver well. Have you had any thoughts about what you would like to do after you leave Hogwarts?"

At first, Venus had thought about being an Auror. However, as time went on, she didn't really see herself in that position anymore. Watching Harry teach the D.A. really inspired her, and she knew she wanted to do the same.

"A Professor," Venus told McGonagall. "Of Defense Against the Dark Arts."

McGonagall picked up one of the pamphlets. "For that profession, you need an E in the rest of your subjects, and an O for Defense Against the Dark Arts. An E would also be acceptable, depending on the teacher that we have next year."

Venus nodded. "I understand, Professor."

She then opened a folder marked Venus Black. "At the moment, and from your grades at Ilvermorny, you are passing all of your classes with either an Acceptable or Exceeds Expectations. I would suggest doubling down on all of your classes, but especially for Defense."

"Yes, Professor."

"I believe that will be all. Good luck, Miss Black. You are dismissed."

Venus gave her a smile of appreciation. She exited the office and went back to Arithmancy for the rest of the period. Finally, at around three, it was time for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Venus took her usual next to Harry, who greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. Umbridge, however, was breathing hard as she strode into their Defense lesson.

"I hope you've thought better of what you were planning to do, Harry," Hermione whispered as they opened their books to chapter thirty-four, Non-Retaliation and Negotiation. "Umbridge looks like she's in a really bad mood already . . ."

Umbridge kept shooting glowering looks at Harry. Harry, however, kept his head down and absentmindedly tapped his fingers against Venus' thighs. It was evident he was anxious, so she allowed him to do so.

"Dumbledore sacrificed himself to keep you in school, Harry!" Hermione continued, raising her book to hide her face from Umbridge. "And if you get thrown out today it will all have been for nothing! Harry, don't do it, please don't do it!"

The bell than rang at the end of class. Neither Venus nor Ron gave their opinions. Well, Venus couldn't really change Harry's mind despite being his girlfriend. Ron kept trying to tell Hermione that Harry could make up his own mind.

Together, all three of them left the classroom. As they walked down the hallway, there were sounds of a diversion going off in the distance. There were screams and yells from somewhere above them. People stopped in their tracks and looked up at the ceiling fearfully. Umbridge then came springint out of her classroom, her wand out as she hurried off in the opposite direction as fast as her short legs would carry her.

"Harry — please!" Hermione pleaded weakly.

Venus looked at him seriously. "I don't like it, but seriously — be careful."

Harry kissed her quickly before hitching his bag more securely onto his shoulder and set off in a run. Venus watched after him for a moment before looking back to her friends.

"Why didn't you do anything?" Hermione demanded.

Venus raised her hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm not a controlling girlfriend. He wouldn't have listened, anyways. When that boy has a mission on his mind, he's going to go through with it. There's no stopping him."

The sounds of screaming got louder. Venus' head whirled around to see that Charlotte and Neville — holding hands though the crowd — were approaching them. Neville look flustered (maybe due to the fact he was holding hands with Charlotte) while Charlotte looked excited.

"Dude, it's wicked," Charlotte revealed, her eyes wide and bright. "Fred and George put a swamp in the corridor!"

Venus' eyes widened as well. "They did what?"

"A swamp?" Hermione added.

"In the corridor?" Ron finished. "Bloody hell . . ."

Suddenly, Fred and George themselves came racing down the corridor, the Inquisitorial Squad right behind them. The twins didn't seem to be frantically running, which kind of confused Venus. Nevertheless, the crowd of students decided to follow them. Charlotte latched onto Venus' hand with her free one and started to drag her as well. Hermione and Ron were left behind, but Venus knew they would find each other later, probably in the Gryffindor common room or at the next class or something.

They suddenly found themselves in the entrance hall. Students were standing around the walls in a great ring, some of them covered in a substance that looked very similar to Stinksap. Teachers and ghosts were in the crowd as well. The Inquisitorial Squad were the most prominent, all looking very pleased with themselves. Peeves bobbed overhead and gazed down at Fred and George, who stood in the middle of the floor, unmistakably looking like two people who had just been cornered.

"So!" Umbridge yelled triumphantly, standing a few stairs above the floor of the hall and looking down at her prey. "So . . . you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"

"Pretty amusing, yeah," Fred responded, looking back up at her with no fear whatsoever on his face.

Filch elbowed his way closer to Umbridge through the students, practically crying with happiness as he waved a piece of parchment around. "I've got the form, Headmistress. I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting . . . oh, let me do it now . . ."

"Whips?" Charlotte repeated in a whisper. "What the hell?"

"Very good, Argus," Umbridge replied. "You two—" she gazed down at the twins "—are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school."

"You know what?" Fred cut in. "I don't think we are." He turned to his literal partner in crime. "George, I think we've outgrown full-time education."

"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," George lightly agreed.

"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?"

"Definitely."

"Accio Brooms!" the two of them recited together before Umbridge could say a word.

Somewhere in the distance was a loud crash. Fred and George's broomsticks, one still trailing the heavy chain and iron peg Umbridge had used to faten them to the wall, came hurtling down the hallway towards their owners. They turned left and streaked down the stairs. Finally, they stopped sharply in front of Fred and George, the chain clattering oudly onto the flagged stone floor.

Fred looked at Umbridge as he swung his leg over his broomstick. "We won't be seeing you."

"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch," George said, mounting his own broom as well.

Fred looked at the crowd of assembled and silent, watchful crowd. "If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley — Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Our new premises!"

"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat," George added as he pointed to Umbridge.

"STOP THEM!" Umbridge shrieked.

However, it was too late for that. Just as the Inquisitorial Squad closed in, Fred and George kicked off the floor. They shot fifteen feet into the air with the iron peg swinging dangerously below them.

Fred looked across the hall at the Poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd. "Give her hell from us, Peeves."

From what Venus had learned, Peeves never took orders from anyone, especially not a student. However, this time, he swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute. Fred and George wheeled about to take in the applause from the students below them before speeding out of the open front doors. And as the Weasley twins left in the glorious sunset, Venus knew that Hogwarts was going to be a lot less fun without them.

» • » ✧ « • «

the weasley twins 🛐🛐🛐

also headcanon that's actually really canon: venus almost always keeps her wand in the waistband of her pants or skirt. idk just thought it fit her

and when fantastic beasts three is called the secrets of dumbledore 😍😍😍😍😍 can't wait to despise this man even more than I already do