"Have you gone senile, old man?" breathed Ginny. "This is madness! You're banking everything on your interpretation of Oleandra's prophecy being correct!"
"That's Professor Dumbledore to you, Tom," Dumbledore tut-tutted her. "As long as you persist on occupying Miss Weasley's body, you remain one of my students— regrettably."
Ginny scowled at Dumbledore— she hated that name, Tom.
Ever since Dumbledore had found out her true identity during the events of the Battle in the Department of Mysteries, the two had entered an uneasy cease-fire. Dumbledore couldn't raise a finger against her, since she was holding half of Ginny's immortal soul hostage in an undisclosed location, and since he required her cooperation to make the original Ginny whole again.
At the same time, Ginny could no longer scheme in secret— the moment she did something Dumbledore didn't approve of, such as killing a fellow student— he would strike her down, hostage or not. For the time being, he was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, since she had demonstrated the capacity to feel love and remorse, and since she hadn't really done anything dangerous after opening the Chamber of Secrets… as far as he knew of.
"Your plan is full of holes," said Ginny accusingly. "You've just cobbled the two prophecies together with hopes and dreams and thrown me at it. The timing doesn't hold up, and if you insist on having your way, it will get the both of us killed, mark my words."
"Is that so?" said Dumbledore quietly. "As I see it, most of the conditions stated in Miss Greengrass's prophecy have already come to pass."
Oleandra's prophecy went like so: When the Veil between Worlds grows thin and the Stars align…
During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, hadn't Miss Greengrass passed under the Archway and through the Veil— and returned from the underworld with Sirius Black? And hadn't her sister used the floating models of the planets and the stars in the Space Room for her spell—blasting a hole through a wall with the models, resulting in their alignment?
"Flimsy at best," sniffed Ginny. "I'll freely admit Oleandra's trip through the Archway might count towards the first part of the prophecy, but you're pushing it with the alignment of the stars line."
"Only one condition remains to be fulfilled," said Dumbledore, ignoring Ginny's words. "The Dark Lady shall be made monster by her peers… and what better way to solve both of our problems than by—"
Dumbledore's voice trailed off.
"Eight o'clock, right on the dot," he said. "Though it appears an uninvited guest has accompanied Harry for his private lessons…"
Dumbledore looked at Ginny meaningfully through his spectacles.
"I know, I know," Ginny grumbled. "I'll make myself scarce."
…
Oleandra and Harry were currently ascending the spiral stone staircase to the headmaster's study, automatically carried upwards by its steps, which had been enchanted to move on their own.
Harry gave Oleandra a long sidelong glance, feeling his heart hammering in his chest due to her proximity. Ever since he had seen her over the summer, he had found himself enchanted by her wild and untamed beauty, which had been enhanced by her Dusk Elf blood. It was as if an artist had taken a brush to her features, making them sharper, more alluring…
"Thanks for letting me tag along, hero," Oleandra told Harry gratefully. "Who knows how long Professor Dumbledore would have made me wait, if it hadn't been for you…"
"Er… think nothing of it," stammered Harry. "I owe you for saving Sirius…"
When Harry had heard of Oleandra's dizzy spell from Hermione, he had rushed to the Hospital Wing to see her. They had chatted for a while, and when he had broached the subject of his private lessons with Dumbledore again, Oleandra had expressed her desire to meet with the headmaster, so he had agreed to take her with him.
"Is there something on my face?" asked Oleandra, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Yes… I mean, no!" said Harry, hastily turning away from her.
Harry sighed.
He was feeling more and more unhappy with his current girlfriend, Cho Chang. She relished the attention she received as the Chosen One's beloved, but he preferred peace and quiet and his unpopular friends to fame. He and Oleandra had shared so many adventures together and shared so much in common, but as Gryffindors and Slytherins, they had held each other at arm's length.
Not for the first time, Harry found himself imagining themselves together, but a few seconds later, the stone staircase grinded to a halt, causing him to feel an irrational pang of anger towards the enchanted staircase, for shortening his time together with Oleandra.
"Oh hello, Ginny," said Oleandra spotting the red-haired girl waiting by the exit.
"D'you have private lessons with Professor Dumbledore as well?" asked Harry, startled to see her there.
"Something like that," said Ginny, sighing despondently. "I'll catch you later, Harry…"
As the spiral staircase began carrying her back down to the seventh floor, Ginny turned around and glared at Oleandra. That bitch already had a girlfriend, so why was Harry so interested in her? Even though Ginny was always there in the common room, Harry wouldn't give her the time of day! Or maybe it was Ron's fault, for being overprotective of her…
"I'm glad to see you're looking much healthier already, Miss Greengrass," said Dumbledore, looking up from the eclectic silver apparatuses on his desk. "To what do I owe this visit? I was only expecting Harry, I'm afraid to say."
"I never asked to take Divination to the N.E.W.T. level," said Oleandra in a huff. "I've had enough, and I'm not interested in spending any more time on the subject, so please take me out of Professor Trelawney's class."
Oleandra crossed her arms in front of her defiantly. She wouldn't take no for an answer!
"Very well," said Professor Dumbledore readily. "If you do not wish to pursue Divination, then I shall not force you to."
"Oh," said Oleandra dumbly.
She hadn't expected Dumbledore to agree this easily!
"However, while we're on the subject of Divination," Dumbledore suddenly added, "it has come to my attention that you have assaulted— yes, I'm aware those girls provoked you first, but that is no reason to resort to violence against a fellow student."
Oleandra looked at her feet glumly. She had managed to avoid detention thus far, as Professor Snape hadn't even bothered communicating Professor McGonagall's reprimand to her, but now…
"As such," said Professor Dumbledore, a twinkle in his eye, "I'm afraid I must ask you to write an apology letter to the wronged parties. Miss Patil, Miss Patil, and Miss Brown have already written letters for their behaviour— here you are, you may read them at your ease."
Professor Dumbledore handed Oleandra three sheets of parchment paper filled with insincere words— double spaced.
"Can't you just give me detention?" said Oleandra miserably.
"Let the punishment fit the offence," said Professor Dumbledore wisely. "Ah, and kindly have your apology letter reach Professor McGonagall by Monday."