Chapter: Fifteen

Bad

                       Months went by. And the Potter twins were again back at Private Drive to live with their uncle, aunt and crazy cousin Dudley.

Hailey was lying in the room she and Harry shared. In her hand was the book Hermione had lent her just before this summer. And Harry? Well, he was being typical Harry. Picking fights with people twice his size. She never understood why he even bothered going outside anyway. He didn't have any friends and just ended up breaking his glasses.

A gust of wind hit Hailey, and she shuddered. When did it get so cloudy? Keeping the book down, she got up to close the window. The sky was grey, like it was about to rain any minute. The boys should be back soon. So she went downstairs.

"Aunt Petunia, did Harry come back?" 

"I haven't seen him since he went out." The woman replied non-chantly reading the newspaper that was on her lap while sipping her drink.

Hailey was about to turn back to get going when the front door burst open with Harry who was practically carrying Dudley. Dudley's face was pale and looked like he would faint any second and Harry was trying his best to hold him straight.

Vernon and Petunia upon seeing their son immediately rushed to the door.

"Harry!" Hailey exclaimed. "What is going on."

"D-Dementors." He replied trying to catch his breath putting his hands against his knees.

"What the...  Aren't they supposed to be just at Azkaban?" She asked as he shook his head.

"I-I don't know." He replied. "Hailey I used magic... The Patronus charm. Meaning I could get expelled-"

"What did you do to my son boy?!" Vernon shouted making Hailey flinch. His face was red from anger.

"I didn't do anything!" Harry yelled back.

"Then-" He couldn't finish his sentence when an owl came in through the windows. Harry took the letter from the owl and started reading it to himself. Hailey went to peak but he pushed her away so that she couldn't.

"Hailey. To your room." Petunia said in a strict voice.

"But, I need to know what happened."

"Go to our room Hailey. Now." Harry said in a really cold voice. He never spoke to her like that.

"What the heck?! I have the right-"

"Hailey stop being so stubborn!" She clenched her jaws before going back. She sat down on the bed and kicked the bedside table in frustration making Hedwig flap her wings.

"Sorry."

That was something Hailey hated about Harry. He never liked telling her anything. He always kept secrets. She was pretty sure when Harry comes upstairs, he was either gonna start shouting, or stay quiet.

But there is one person who knows a lot right now. And she was going to write a letter to him. She scrambled out of her bed to get parchment and her quill.

Hailey completed the letter and took Hedwig out of her cage. She could hear all the shouting coming from downstairs and knew she had to be quick.

"Take this letter to Ron. Make sure he's alone when he gets this. Do it and come back as fast as you can, alright?" She asked petting the bird. It was almost like she gave her a nod before taking a flight.

She closed the window and was again about to sit on the bed when Harry burst into the room and slammed the door behind him. He kicked the bedside table before sitting on the bed. His head in his hand.

"Harry... What happened?"

"I don't know. I want to talk about it." He said lying down. He hugged the pillow and cover his face with it. He looked miserable.

Hailey took it as a cue to stay quiet. She sat down beside Harry and kept a hand on his shoulder and sighed. He scooted closer to her. She could hear small sniffles coming from him. He wasn't the type of person who cried easily.

It was bad. Really bad.

"I just need a break... Please." He sobbed. His body was shaking as he held onto Hailey's hand. "Please. I can't."

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Dear Hailey,
Mum is going to kill me if she finds out I wrote to you. Anyways, everyone has been keeping us in the dark too, but as far as I heard. Harry got expelled. But don't worry about that. Dumbledore is taking care of it. But he'll have a hearing. For now you two have to stay at your uncle's place. Don't use any sort of magic. Remus will go and pick you guys up from there really soon. Don't tell Harry I've written to you. I didn't reply to his letter. He'll kill me if he knew I replied to yours.

And, I miss you a lot. Like, you got no idea how much I miss you. Can't wait to see you.

Ron XX

Hailey smiled as she was the letter for the hundredth time. The last part made her blush- What the hell... Get your act together Hailey!

Her moment was destroyed when she heard Harry groan.

"I'm mad right now." He said closing the book in his hand. He was at the table reading. "Neither Hermione nor Ron wrote to me." Hailey slowly hid the letter in the book she was reading.

Ron had sent back Hedwig as soon as he got the letter so that Harry couldn't sense that she was missing. He sent their owl Pig to send her the letter. Harry later wrote to him and Hermione, but since then Hedwig didn't return.

"You know what Hails." He started turning towards her. "I think you should write to Ron."

"And why is that?"

"He'll reply to you." He said as she scoffed and gave him an as if look. "Don't give me that look. I know he's head over heels for you."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night brother." She said sticking her tongue out. Was he actually though? Of course, he isn't. Harry loves to exaggerate everything when it comes to her. Suddenly there was a noise that made the twins flinch.

"Did you hear that?"

"Did you hear that?"

The two shared a look. No one was home except them. Their aunt and uncle went out with Dudley. "Harry, go check."

"What?! Why me?" He whispered shouting. "You go."

"No, you go."

"No, you go."

"No, you go."

They could hear footsteps coming toward their room. Hailey grabbed her wand and stood up. Harry did the same. Both shared a look of... Terror?

"Are you sure this is the house?" An unfamiliar voice said.

"Yes. This is the house, Tonks." This was a familiar voice. It was Remus. So he came to pick them up as Ron said. Hailey took a step and opened the door revealing Remus with a few other people they didn't know.

"Professor Lupin?"

"Uncle Remus!"

The twins again shared a look. Harry still called him Professor even though he wasn't their teacher anymore. Remus had asked the twins to call him uncle. Something Harry felt awkward doing. Hailey on the other hand was delighted to call someone an uncle who cared about them. Unlike their uncle Vernon.

"They do look like their parents." Said a wizard. "But the girl has James's eye and the boy has Lily's."

"I know," Remus said with a warm smile. "Hello munchkin. Harry."

"What are you guys going here?" Harry asked in confusion.

"To take you guys."

"Where? The burrow?"

"You'll see."

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A few hours later they were in a place called The Twelve Grimmauld Place. They walked in and it was a really big house which looked like people haven't lived there in a while.

"Where are we?" Hailey asked Remus who was beside her.

"Well, Sirius lives here." He replied. "We also use it as the headquarter for Order of the phoenix.

"Wha-" She couldn't finish her sentence when she saw Mrs Weasley walk come in.

"Oh, Harry! Hailey!" She exclaimed embracing both of them in a tight hug. "Haven't been eating properly, have you two? Hmm... I'll take care of that." She muttered to herself seeing how skinny they both had gotten over time.

Hailey smiled in delight seeing the woman. Wait- If Mrs Weasley is here, that means so is Ron.

"Tonks, can you take Harry upstairs? I need to have a word with Hailey." She said holding the girl's hand before walking in another direction. "How are you?"

"I'm good."

"Ron wrote to you, didn't he?" She asked as her eyes widened.

"Umm... No." She tried to lie but failed.

"I saw him writing. Now, he isn't the type of boy who would study during the summer break. Hermione is here. So he wrote to you or Harry."

"Yeah. He did- But I asked him to write back. It's not his fault, I promise." She said trying to defend him. She didn't want him to get into trouble for writing to her. Mrs Weasley only chuckled in response.

"Okay. No problem. Go upstairs. You'll find them there."

Hailey sighed in relief as she walked upstairs. She made a guess and opened one of the doors to see Harry, Ron and Hermione standing awkwardly.

"What's going on here?" She asked. She looked from her brother to her best friend Hermione. Her eyes then stopped on Ron. He grew a lot since the last time she saw him. Both of them held eye contact.

"Hails," Hermione said with a small smile before hugging her. She looked terrified.

"Mione." She said hugging her back. Her brother mumbled something before walking out of the room. Hermione followed right behind him.

"Hi," Ron said with a grin and she couldn't help but smile.

"Hi." She said walking up to him, wrapping her arms around him. "Your mum found out you wrote to me."

"What- How?!"

"She saw you writing." She said with a laugh as he shook his head. He had made sure no one saw him. How did his mother see him? Does she spy on him? "But she said it was okay."

He smiled before hugging her again. "How was your summer?"

"Uneventful." She replied. "What about you?"

"Complete opposite. Eventful." He said looking down at her. Hailey was always a bit shorter than Ron. But this time the difference increased a lot.

Hailey looked up at him and smiled. Their faces were so close that she could feel his breath fanning her face. Chills ran down her spine when she felt his hands hold her waist.

Oh my god, what is going on...

"Hi Hailey!" The Weasley twins yelled popping out of thin air. Both of them jumped back and Hailey let out a squeal.

"What in the- Oh you're now legally allowed to do magic outside school?!" She asked.

"Yup."

"Fun innit?" Fred asked. "Wanna see more about how it works?" He grabbed Hailey's hand and apparated out of the room making Ron stomp his foot.

"What in the name of Merlin is wrong with you two?!" Ron asked as George chuckled.

"What? We ruined your first kiss?" He teased flicking his head before apperating.

Ron at that moment wanted nothing more than to strangle his brothers to death.

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