"I feel like my head is going to explode," Halley rested her head on the cool desk in a Transfiguration lesson in the middle of January.

"Sit up Halley," called a slightly dishevelled looking Venus from the front of the classroom.

Halley did as her mother asked, but closed her eyes, so she didn't have to use them.

Moments later the class broke into chatter, indicating that they had been set a task.

"C'mon Hal, let's at least give it a try," James said in an all too upbeat voice, which irritated Halley further.

"C'mon Halley," there was a loud rap on the desk, Halley reluctantly opened her eyes to see her mother stood there, "I feel just as bad as you do- if not worse- so if I can teach, then you can learn."

"But Mum- I mean Professor Longbottom, I feel icky," Halley protested.

"And I am fighting a never-ending migraine," Venus pointed out, "I'll give you a gallon if you pay attention for the rest of the day."

"Now that's a bet I will take," Halley shook herself, and focused in on the mouse in front of her.

Venus walked off towards the front of the classroom, shaking her head.

********

It pained Halley to watch her mother suffer every month. Sure, Halley did suffer ill health around the full moon, but what she and her siblings suffered, was nothing to what Venus and Remus went through.

In their third year, when they learnt about werewolves, Remus had described the pain of the transformation and how horrible it was to know that you could possibly kill your own family if given the chance.

But Halley knew that there was very little she could do to help them.

********

"What's that?" Halley asked as she and James entered the common room to see a large group of fifth years all gathered around the notice board.

James shoved his way to the front, returning to Halley not long later.

"It's careers advice with Professor Lupin," James told her, "you know when we talk about what we're planning to do after Hogwarts, so we can talk about NEWTs. Yours is on Tuesday, mine is Wednesday."

"Cool," the two moved away and sat down in some armchairs, "so Jamsie, what do you think you're going to do after Hogwarts?"

"I think I'd like to be an Auror, you know like my dad," James grinned, "what about you?"

"I don't really know, I guess I always considered being a healer," Halley shrugged, "I mean I go to St Mungo's to visit Grandma Alice and Grandad Frank, and healing always seemed like something I might like, but as I said, I haven't really thought about it."

"That would be perfect Hal," James seemed to laugh at an inside joke with himself, "when I get injured being a badass, you can patch me up!"

"Sounds like a plan!"

"I am a man with a plan!"

"Yeah, because you totally planned to get knocked off your broom last Quidditch practice."

"It was a tactic."

"Some tactic."

"I bet it looked cool."

"You broke your arm!"