Chapter 17: Summer DaysNotes:Here is the next chapter. Hope you all like it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Hazel, you're with me." Hazel followed Madam Bones out of the Auror Department. "There a problem?" Amelia looked at her and shook her head. "Not exactly, I just have a bit of a different plan for you today. Plus I needed to get you out of there. Most of the wizards and quite a few of the witches were salivating at the sight of you." Hazel looked at Amelia with surprise. "Really? I thought the white hair turned most of them off. Haven't had a person accost me since I tried out red hair." Amelia eyed her and smirked. "You would look a lot like Lily if you did. And I meant your bloody jacket. Everyone wants a custom dragonhide jacket but that's a Hit Wizard or Witch prerogative only. Yours being blackish green is a surprise to them all. Many former Slytherins would probably kill for it." Hazel hummed. "Would they be interested if they knew if it was from Salazar's Monster? Might need to warn Dora about the jacket too. Where did you send my partner anyway? She was supposed to go ahead of me this morning." Amelia grinned. "Moody called dibs. He had been eyeing her as a protégé before Horatio, so he is going to use her to get his Cadets and Aurors in shape." Hazel chuckled. "Poor Dora, even here she can't escape Mad-Eye."
Amelia threw Floo Powder into the terminal and called the address to her home before sending Hazel through. Hazel eyed the high ceilings as soon as she arrived, trying her best not to lose her footing. "Was your home formerly a church or is the family interested in indoor Quidditch?" Amelia groaned. "Please don't bring up that accursed sport. Susan has finally given up on playing it at Hogwarts. I don't need you to rekindle her interest." Hazel waved her hand. "I personally hate the sport. Took a Bludger to the chest in second year and I was just in the stands. Never went back to the pitch again." Amelia winced. "I am glad to hear that but sorry about the hit. My brother, Edgar, loved the sport. Best beater Hogwarts ever had with his twin sister as his companion. I have dreaded the day Susan decides to follow her father's footsteps. This way and welcome to Bones Manor." The two women went down a set of stairs and entered a large open space. Hazel whistled and heard an echo in return. "Nice. So, what do you need from me, Director?" Amelia looked at her, a bit unsure. "The incidents at Hogwarts have shown that the students are not as safe as we would like them to be. For now Dumbledore holds too much power politically for me to intervene directly outside of a criminal investigation. I want my niece safe and you are the most likely to show her how to stay safe."
Hazel eyed Amelia carefully, crossing her arms over her chest. "As someone who trained herself to not feel vulnerable I can understand the sentiment. The question is how far do you want me to go. I killed my first person at the age of eleven. I don't think you want me to go that far." Amelia winced. How bad did her world fail Hazel that she killed so early in life? Shaking her head Amelia walked towards Hazel. "Not that far. Stunners, shields and any tricks you know that she can protect herself or others. Nothing she can't undo either. The Abbotts have agreed to have Hannah study with Susan but they don't expect her to gain much out of it except self defence, as Hannah has no real interest in being an Auror or a Duelist. Are you in?" Hazel gave her a long sigh and pulled her hair back, causing it to shorten it to close to shoulder length. "Sure. Just know I am going to ignore the Hogwarts Curriculum. I am going to teach them spellwork that I know can be useful in a fight and that they should be able to manage at their age." Amelia nodded and moved towards the stairs. "I will go get them." Hazel eyed her as she left. "Make sure they wear clothes for ease of movement. Robes can be death traps and I want to see their footwork, not a swinging cloth."
Turning back to the empty space, Hazel drew her wand and started casting. She didn't need it but the girls wouldn't be casting wandlessly. They needed to see her wand movements, even if she cheated with most of hers. Raising and lowering the floor in several areas, Hazel crafted a pretty good obstacle course, a good balance of open air, stone walls and uneven ground and narrow openings. "Oh, wow! Auntie wasn't kidding when she said you knew your stuff." Hazel turned and saw the surprised look on the two girls. "Just a bit of Freeform Transfiguration. Depending on your skill with the subject, I might teach you both how to do it. You'll never need to learn a silly incantation for turning a beetle into a button again. Might get McGonagall mad at you but she takes things too slow for my taste." Susan giggled. "It isn't my best class. Does Teddy know? Freeform Transfiguration I mean." Hazel nodded. "With him I started with it directly. He took to it well, though I have him use it to replicate the coursework Minerva will ask of him." Hazel eyed Amelia standing in the back. "Give me a schedule when I am going to be here training these girls. I want to bring Teddy along. He's learning fast but he needs a bit of a bigger place to practice. It takes a lot to get my boss to let him practice with us at work."
Getting a nod, Hazel turned to the girls. "Let's start with the basics. Can either of you do the Stun Jinx?" The girls shook their heads. Hazel conjured two wooden training dummies behind her with a wave of her wand. "It's a point and cast spell. No wand movements. Incantation is Stupefy. Focus on an image of hitting a person and watching them crumple to the ground. That's what you want to happen. Power and intent are what you need for this. Try it." Both Hannah and Susan stood in front of the dummies and spent a few minutes casting, to no success. Hazel looked at the two girls, trying to see what emotional cue could get their emotions to aid in the casting. "Susan, your Aunt is on the ground, a Dark wizard pointing his wand at her. Feel that image, let it fuel you. Her life depends on your next spell. Cast!" Susan shivered at the image but did as Hazel told her. She took a deep breath and narrowed her vision on the target, her wand in hand. " Stupefy! " A red beam of light struck the dummy, the piece of wood falling to the floor. Hazel casted a diagnostic and nodded. "Congrats, you got it. Remember the feeling of the spell and cast it repeatedly. Eventually you wont need to think about the motivation, it just happens. Your turn Hannah. Your friend Susan is down and you are the only thing keeping her from being in the Hospital Wing or worse. Cast!"
Most of the morning was spent getting the two to practice both stunners and shields repeatedly until Hazel called a stop to the practice. She eyed the two girls. "You got your spell work down. Good. Now you need to learn how to do it right. The school teaches you to cast on a chair or on your feet. Now, you need to cast on the run." Hazel conjured several very realistic looking Death Eaters. She saw as the two girls shiver a little at the sight of the masks. "They are going to chase you. They touch you, that's it for you unless your partner knocks them off you. You both go down, the training is done. You need to stun and block and you need to move. Go!" The Death Eaters lunged forward and Susan and Hannah ran into the obstacle course. Hazel made sure the golems were slow at first, letting the girls find their footing and get a feel for the course before speeding them up. Hannah got caught a few times but Susan was always there to get her out of trouble, stunning the simulacrums quickly. Hazel did eventually notice the two getting tired and after checking her wristwatch, she vanished the course and the golems. "Good work you two. I believe it's lunch time." The growl from Hannah's stomach made the girl blush and Susan giggled, prodding her friend with her elbow.
Following the two up the stairs, Hazel walked into the dining room and sat besides Amelia as the girls dug into their meals eagerly. Amelia looked at them and smirked. "Got them to work up an appetite." Hazel took off her jacket and sat down. "Casting for 1st and 2nd year students is a lot more draining, but with enough practice it becomes second nature." Amelia ate from her plate and eyed Hazel's halter top. "May I ask why you wear so little clothing?" Hazel chuckled. "Worried about me being a bad influence on your niece?" Amelia sighed. "I was … raised a certain way. I have been more relaxed with Susan, but there are expectations on all of us." Hazel snorted. "I stopped caring about expectations a while ago. The only one whose expectation matters to me is that of my son's. As for my choice of clothes, it comes with my strengths. If you bother to study magic properly as a form of combat, loose clothing can be an issue. There are also other ways that exposed arms are helpful, including having a clear view on injuries that can sneak up on you. As for my back…" Hazel shivered, feeling an echo of her beatings at the thought. She eyed Amelia. "I was in the care of a man who made sure my back was covered in scars and blood for the first ten years of my life. When my scars vanished, the idea of hiding that part of me felt wrong. I could say I was free from that life without speaking a word. So when the weather permits or I am inside a building, I will wear this type of shirt. Because I can without feeling a lick of shame."
Amelia looked away from her. She felt a bit of shame for asking. Susan, feeling the heavy atmosphere, tried to defuse it. "Teddy said you were in Gryffindor but that you hated it. Would you really pick Hufflepuff? The other three houses at school make fun of us a lot." Hazel snorted and bit into a piece of toasted bread. "Not surprised. I went to Gryffindor because the parents I never met were from there. Didn't get much out of it other than cold shoulders and backstabbers. As for being made fun of by others, just remember this. Each House has something that the Founders valued. Even Helga. But if the story is true, Helga took in all wizards and witches equally. She didn't care about blood, ambition, intelligence or bravery. She cared about the children learning magic, no matter how long and how difficult it was for them. That should tell you that she knew something the other Founders forgot. All children are important. To not consider them worthy is an insult to Magic, Life and goes against what Hogwarts stands for. Study hard and care about your fellow students, all of them, and you might be surprised by who comes to your aid." Susan grew pensive. "Did you have a friend out of Gryffindor?" Hazel had a bitter smile on her face. "Yes. We got close in my sixth year but with the war everything fell apart. Being a Slytherin and a git didn't help matters."
The lunch ended and Hazel brought them down to the training room. She taught them the summoning and banishing spells. Both struggled with them for a while but the girls eventually learned them. Hazel had them play a pillow fight against each other until they got it down. Hazel watched as Amelia entered the room. "You are free to go for today, but tomorrow I am needed at work and Susan will be with the Abbotts. Expect a bit of guard duty out on Diagon Alley or at the Ministry. I'll let you and your partner know when you arrive at the office." Hazel nodded. "Sure. Anything to say about our training? I know you could see us. That's one nifty scrying security system you hooked up." Amelia blushed. "To be fair, it's everywhere on and in the house minus the bedrooms and bathrooms. As for your training, my only complaint was your first training exercise." Hazel turned to look at the girls and sighed, rubbing the back of her head. "Sorry about that. Not having much of a childhood doesn't give me the tools to teach children Defence all that well." Amelia looked at Hazel and nodded softly. "I can understand. Perhaps these sessions will help you out as a teacher too. Your son learned from you and you two managed to come out of everything mostly intact. You're welcome to bring him along next time." Hazel hummed. "I will ask him."
-∞-
"Humph." Dora felt a weight settle onto her back. She had to bite back a curse because, unlike at the Academy, she wasn't allowed to curse in Hazel's apartment. At least not within earshot of Teddy. Ever since the end of June, the two had been dragged onto guard missions at the Ministry and at Diagon Alley, whenever Amelia didn't sequester Hazel to train Susan. Those days, like today, ended with Dora at the Academy. She needed to find Horatio's birthday and send him a gift. He was a better instructor than Moody ever was, seeing as she had to visit the Medical Wing every time she left the Academy. One time though they were posted as guards for the Wizengamot. Amelia learned that day never to do that again with Hazel. Whenever someone Hazel hated spoke up, the person's voice would suddenly be replaced by an animal vocalization. Dumbledore was particularly irked as he kept getting his voice turned into that of a goat, which was often as the Chief Warlock. The guards and everyone else's wands were checked, to no avail. The fact no one considered a wandless caster in the room, except for those in the know, was absolutely hilarious to Dora. As was hearing Lucius Malfoy try and complain about the DMLE raids searching for dark artefacts. Said complaints turned into peacock noises. Amelia had glared at Hazel afterwards but her partner didn't budge. "Be glad all I did was prank them. I was half tempted to set Dumbledore on fire."
How Hazel somehow became the perfect mother after a day like that always surprised Dora. She could go from breaking a man's nose at the Alley for trying to cast the Imperius on someone behind their back to stirring a pot of Mac and Cheese for Teddy in a second. Speaking about Teddy, Dora was pretty sure the kid was currently on her back. "What can I do for you, kid?" Teddy giggled. "Mom's birthday is at the end of July. I was wondering if you might help me celebrate it. I thought about asking Dromeda but while she is great, I think Mom would like less people around. Besides, she likes you." Dora hummed. "Just how much do you think she likes me?" Teddy shifted his position on her back. "Not telling. Besides, Mom says you aren't done with Occlumency yet." Dora lifted herself up and sat against the sofa as Teddy, off her back, slid into the seat besides hers. "Spoilsport. So, Hazel's Birthday. How does she celebrate it usually?" Teddy frowned and looked at his lap. "She doesn't. Mom almost never celebrates it. I only know it's her birthday because Grandma asked me to remember. Grandma tried to celebrate it a few times but Mom wasn't happy. Once she left and didn't return till midnight the next day."
Dora sighed and ran her hand through her now much shorter pink hair. With summer this year being quite warm, Dora decided on leaving her hair short and messy. "Aside from taking care of you, cooking or hurting bad guys, what does your Mom like to do?" Tedy thought for a second. "She reads but most of those are for work. Other than that, not much. Mom never liked sports and she only plays games for me." Dora had a hard time seeing how to find a good birthday party for Hazel. "When is her birthday exactly?" Teddy kicked his legs playfully. "July 31st." Dora nodded and rubbed Teddy's hair. "Ok, if nothing bad happens then I will get your Mom to celebrate it. It won't be flashy but it will be a birthday, ok?" Teddy shoved her hand off and straightened his hair, smiling at her. "Thanks Dora. So, Mom can't tell me anything about Hufflepuff proper. Think you can?" Dora felt a smile grow on her face. "Oh yes. First things first, the Common Room is very close to the kitchens. If you find a painting of food in the Dungeons, just tickle the pear. The Hogwarts elves are very friendly and can even prepare food for parties. We had some of the wildest parties in the castle when we beat Slytherin for the Quidditch cup. Sure it only happened one year, but it was worth it."
The two talked for close to an hour about Hufflepuff until the Apartment door opened and Hazel came in with a bag of groceries. "Teddy, I'm home." Teddy launched himself off the sofa and hugged her waist. "Welcome home, Mom." Hazel rubbed his hair and looked at Dora smiling at her. "Hello Dora. How was Moody?" Dora pouted. "Awful. Though by the time summer rolls around I should have the ability to breach buildings down to an artform. He also had us do a hostage rescue mission with me as lead hostage retrieval. It's weird but interesting running drills with over a dozen Cadets as back up. How were the kids?" Hazel placed the groceries on the table. "The usual. Susan is a ball of energy and gets the spells more instinctively. Hannah takes her time learning the spell better. They are both getting much better. Their teachers are in for a surprise. Leafsby, let me separate the ingredients for tonight before you transfer everything into the fridge." Dora smirked. Leafsby had taken to doing their apartment work with great zeal. Dora loved it but Hazel was Hazel. She got exacerbated quite a few times, especially in the kitchen. Said green eyed witch looked at her closely. "I was going to try a Bolgnese pasta with Tofu as protein. Interested? I can use regular meat too if it's not to your liking."
Dora hummed. "Regular meat." Hazel saw that Teddy nodded in agreement and she pulled out the ingredients, "Leafsby, store the tofu and soy sauce. If you want to help cook, slice the vegetables. I'll work on the meat and the spices." Dora watched as Hazel and Leafsby worked side by side in the kitchen until they were just waiting for the food to heat up. She thought about Teddy's request and how to make it so Hazel wouldn't turn tail. Maybe they didn't have to make it a spectacle. Hazel looked and felt so at home in the apartment with them. Dora would also admit that she herself enjoyed being with them both. She knew she wasn't close to being ready with her Occlumency for anything significant to change, but maybe… maybe a little more of the same. "What are you scheming?" Dora grinned at a clearly glaring Hazel. "Nothing. Just thinking. Everything else is not kid friendly." Hazel sighed and went back to the kitchen, Dora's eyes following her partner's hips. She really needed to get through her Occlumency fast.
-∞-
"Amelia." The graying redhead stood up and hugged her friend. "It's good to see you again, Julia. I am sorry we haven't gotten together since you married your husband. How's life as the Widow of the Greengrass estate?" Julia Greengrass sat down, smiling at her school friend as she brushed a blonde lock of hair from her face. They had been an odd pair as a Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff but their grades never suffered for it. "Better than as a wife. Cassius was a lot of things, but a loving husband and father wasn't one of them. Good thing father is in the grave too. He might have tried to convince me to marry again. So, why did you ask me to visit your home today? I doubt it's just to get reacquainted." Amelia looked sad. "I do want to get reacquainted but there is a bit of politics at play. How many traditionalists are breathing down your neck right now?" Julia eyed her old friend carefully. "Too many. Daphne, goddess do I love her, but she didn't do me any favors by getting sorted into Slytherin. I am hoping Astoria goes to another house in a year's time. Even Gryffindor would be worth it. I am getting betrothal contracts from the typical Slytherin crowd and it's disgusting." Amelia nodded, knowing Julia would never force her daughter's into one. Not willingly.
"A few of my Wizengamot friends are getting a coalition together. Right now it's mostly progressives and some neutrals, but we aren't being picky as to who gets in. What we want is a united front. Better safety and academic conditions for our children, an end to extremist behaviour and to hold the Ministry accountable to its laws." Julia hummed. "Reasonable and wide enough to draw some traditionalists to your side. The question is why get it started in the first place?" Amelia drank from her cup of tea. "What have some of the Traditionalists said about You Know Who? Especially about a likely return?" Amelia watched as her friend's attitude shifted quickly. Julia cursed under her breath. "Damn it Amelia. Tell me Lucius is just spouting bullshit. Tell me my daughters won't have to deal with Death Eaters trying to get them to marry them the moment they graduate." Amelia sighed. "We hope it won't come to that. That's part of the reason we are organizing. My allies have notified me that there is a possible threat of Voldemort's return but they are working on diminishing his support and eliminating him early. But we can't do this alone. We need a strong Wizengamot, one capable of keeping Lucius' rhetoric out of the law books and his galleons out of the Minister's pockets. Are you interested?"
Julia glared at her. "You know I am. That peacock bastard has been trying to get my youngest into a betrothal contract with his son. Astoria isn't even at school! You help me keep him and the other vultures away from both my daughters, then you can have my full support." Amelia nodded though she felt some embarrassment about the peacock comment. "Let's not talk about Lucius as a peacock please." Julia looked at her and smiled. "Oh, you know who humiliated Lucius, Dumbledore, Fudge and Umbridge? Do tell." Amelia glared. "I know because I thought putting the person in the room would be a good way of testing her restraint. All I got was the clear indication they will just ignore the point by finding a different way to screw with people. I spent half the Session glaring at her." Julia laughed. "O goddess, please tell me I get to meet them. They made the Session bearable to me. I know for a fact Lord Nott cracked a smile with the spells on both Dumbledore and Lucius." Amelia frowned. "Isn't Lord Nott a traditionalist and former Death Eater?" Julia drank from her tea. "He is a traditionalist but not a Death Eater. At least not exactly. Cassius said he was part of the original Knights of Walpurgis group but he never took the Dark Mark. His son, unfortunately, did. Lately he has been … quiet. I think he wants out but he isn't likely to go looking for pity."
Amelia placed her cup of tea on the table and thought about Lord Nott. "Would he be willing to join the Coalition if we went to him politely?" Julia snorted. "Maybe. He will be open to it, at least. I think he is more worried about his grandson, young Theo. The boy is in Slytherin but for the moment he is keeping his head down. It won't be long, though, when the Malfoy spawn tries to exert influence on him. Same with Daphne. Any idea who will be spearheading the Coalition?" Amelia shook her head. "Right now it's just us getting started. We want a triumvirate in charge: a progressive, a moderate and a traditionalist. That way all voices can be heard and we can try and get everyone's approval. It will weaken the Wizengamot's established blocs too." Julia hummed approvingly. "Then Nott will be a good ally to get, even if he doesn't join the Coalition officially. He can swing people away from Lucius but he can claim the high ground in that he never was part of the extremists." Amelia nodded. "Augusta and I will go to him. Right now it's us representing the core groups. He will have an idea of what we want. We might even have a negotiation on the new Dark Artefacts law, giving Nott a chance to help shape it into something we can all agree on."
Julia watched Amelia looked at a mirror for a second before standing up. "One last thing we can offer you. Or more specifically your daughters." Julia followed her down to the basement and stared. She watched as Susan and Hannah trained together against a white haired witch with her back and arms exposed. A wave of a hand and a slab of stone shot up, blocking Susan's stunner. Hannah slashed her wand. " Sectumpetra ." A large gash split the stone slab in half as Susan casted towards it. " Depulso !" The slab launched towards Hazel who quickly stepped aside of it, her movements seeming to show her being as light as a feather. Susan and Hannah sat on the ground, breathing heavily. "How aren't you tired? You've been transfiguring stones the whole time! And how did you dodge that so fast!" Hazel shrugged. "Practice and a good idea about how much the stone needs to answer my intent. As for moving, a featherlight spell on my person and a depulso casted wandlessly from my offhand for propulsion. I would teach these to you too, if they weren't a bit magically taxing. Give it two years and we will see if you two are still interested. Now, good job on the teamwork between you two. Hannah, while cutting the block was a good idea as an improvised weapon, but you might want to give some thought to Transfiguration. Susan… "
Amelia watched Julia close her unhinged jaw before the blonde turned to her. "Where did you get her?!" Amelia chuckled. "Department of Mysteries. Croaker is getting into the game with You Know Who out there. He lent her to me over the summer after a particular mission left a bad taste in her and her partner's mouths. The woman has been at it for a few weeks and is already teaching them some really complicated magic. Not all are standard dueling spells but all are useful in some way. Had to stop her from teaching Susan a Siege Engine spell though. I don't need a hole through my walls. Not yet, anyways. Think Daphne might be interested? Astoria is welcome too, but please keep her away for at least a year. Hazel has no problem teaching underage kids spells they shouldn't be learning." Julia turned to look at Hazel again and smiled. "Daphne will be thrilled. She was disappointed in Quirrell as a teacher. She might just ask this Hazel of yours for every spell in her repertoire." Amelia winced. "Remind me to tell her to not share the more dangerous curses. She makes killing way too easy." Julia eyed the woman, her tongue licking her lips. "Is she a witches' witch and single?" Amelia groaned. She knew she forgot something about Julia.
-∞-
Teddy looked around feeling a bit intimidated. There were four girls looking at him with varying degrees of curiosity. "How are you so happy wanting to be a Hufflepuff? I can understand Hannah and Susan, their both airheads." An indignant "Hey!" from the two Hufflepuff's made the dark haired girl snicker at them before looking back at Teddy. "But you clearly could do better. Have you seen your Mom cast?! It's like watching a force of nature at work! You have to have some of that talent!" Teddy smiled. His Mom had come from her first training session with Daphne Greengrass looking quite sheepish. Not only did the girl want to learn everything Susan and Hannah had also learned but she wanted to be taught how to do it wandlessly. Though Teddy was sure that her Mom had been much more bothered by Julia Greengrass' advances on her. Telling the Lady Greengrass that she was in a relationship, which wasn't exactly the full truth, didn't seem to dissuade her apparently, much to Dora's amusement. "Mom has taught me a bit but she says no dangerous stuff till I am at least at school. Really dangerous stuff, like curses, are supposed to wait till I am fifteen, with the worse ones after I turn seventeen. And I happen to like Hufflepuff."
Daphne sighed and looked at her little sister. "You better make it to at least Ravenclaw. I can tolerate a Ravenclaw sister. But please don't be a Badger or a Lion. I won't be able to handle all the looks the Slytherins will send my way. Even Tracey will start poking fun at me just to get a reaction." Astoria gave her a knowing smile. "Not my fault you went with the whole Ice Queen idea. You should have thought about all the things that could go wrong with keeping an impassive persona up all the time before you did it. Besides, what's wrong with Gryffindor? Neville here is one of them." The girls turned to the boy in question who just shrunk into himself. Daphne snorted. "Please. No offense intended, but Neville isn't your typical Gryffindor." Neville nodded. "It's fine. I know I am not. The Hat wanted me in Hufflepuff at first too." Daphne blinked for a second before she paled. "I am surrounded by Hufflepuffs. How did this happen?" Astoria giggled, "You wanted to learn Magic from a powerful witch that works for Amelia." Daphne glared at Astoria. "Traitor."
The young blonde giggled but looked at Teddy. "Your Mom looks a bit bothered by our Mom's attention." Teddy looked to the adult table and had to agree. His Mom looked as if she wanted out of the table. Fast. Julia Greengrass kept making advances at her and Amelia just looked exacerbated while Augusta was just amused. Teddy giggled. "Mom doesn't like to be around people a lot. Your mom has her very confused. Especially since she knows mom could hurt her. She never met a witch who isn't scared of her like that. Except Dora." Daphne at one of the sandwiches on the table. "That's the woman that she won't cheat on?" Teddy nodded. "They're not together because Mom refuses to get in a relationship without the other person knowing her fully. She's waiting for Dora to finish her Occlumency training." Daphne hummed. "Sounds like a Badger to me." Teddy smiled and pumped his fist. "Yes!" Daphne pouted. "It wasn't supposed to be a compliment." Hannah and Susan giggled, while Astoria smirked. "Sorry sis. You're outnumbered here."
Daphne gave Astoria a mock glare before turning to Neville. "So, how is having Harry Potter as a dorm mate? Draco has been saying a lot of unpleasant things about him." Neville smiled. "He's ok. He's really shy and quiet but he isn't afraid to stick up to people. Though he is bothered by everyone calling him the Boy Who Lived. Especially Ron." Daphne shuddered and turned to Astoria. "Ron is your typical Gryffindor. Loud, obnoxious and a bit of a bully to Slytherins. Though to be fair, Draco isn't helping. Those two have been at each other's throats since the start of school. Good to hear Harry isn't like that. Right?" Astoria blushed. "No comment." Susan and Hannah looked at Astoria. "Oh, Astoria has a crush on Harry? You sure she won't make it to Gryffindor?" Daphne glared. "She better not. I won't have a night's rest from my house if she does." Astoria glared. "I think I am just going to let the Hat pick." Daphne groaned. "You aren't supposed to know about the Hat." She thought for a second, reviewed her earlier conversation and glared at a sheepish Neville. "I knew I heard something off. You weren't supposed to tell her." Teddy smiled, feeling a bit more comfortable now as Neville said "sorry."
His Mom had been worried about him not having many friends or just being around kids and had asked if he might like to spend time with them. He agreed, even if he was a bit worried. At least they were all nice. Even Daphne. He felt someone looking at him and turned. His Mom gave him a questioning look and he smiled. She grinned and nodded before getting back into the conversation, though it looked like she didn't talk much. "So, what's it like? Being a Peverell?" Teddy blinked and turned to Daphne. "Nothing special. It's just a name." Daphne sighed. "It's not just a name. The Peverells are Ancient. Everyone assumed the family was extinct, especially after the Potters married the last Heiress. They are infamous for slaughtering lines of Magical Families that go Dark and target innocents." Teddy shrugged. "Mom was born with another name outside of a Magical family. She learned of the Peverells when getting a Family Tree made. Her Boss suggested she take the name and she did after I agreed." Daphne pouted. "Does she know about them?" Teddy nodded. "She has the Family Grimoires and reads them. She also got a book on them at Christmas from Bathilda Bagshot." Hannah and Astoria lit up and they both managed to speak at the same time. "You know Professor Bagshot?"
Teddy cringed a little bit. "We met her in Godric's Hollow. Mom wanted to honor the Peverells buried there and the woman showed up. She chatted a bit with us and left. She and Mom have exchanged letters since." Hannah sighed. "You meet the most reclusive witch at a graveyard. You have some weird luck." Astoria eyed Teddy. "Can we see the book? Family books made by her are super rare. Mom got one as a wedding present. She said it helped her avoid a Blood Curse that had been plaguing the Greengrass family for centuries." Teddy hummed. "I have to ask Mom. She has been reading from it since she got it. We sometimes read it together before bed. She might not be done with it by next year." Daphne blinked at him. "Wait. Your Mom is a slow reader? How is she so good at magic?" Teddy shrugged. "She reads a few parts and runs with it. She actually hated Transfiguration until she got sixth year books. When she tried Freeform and Conjuration, she never went back. She refused to teach me regular Transfiguration." Daphne pouted. "Great. Now I need to read sixth year books to catch up to you. I swear if you get to be top student of your year, Ravenclaw should feel ashamed. Especially if Story is there." Astoria's indignant "Hey!" made the table laugh. Teddy smiled. Being around other kids actually felt nice.
-∞-
"Come on! You could do it! A Peverell in the Wizengamot would be a great change of pace. We have plenty of empty Seats, as an Ancient and Noble Line, you could claim one." Hazel growled. "No! I am not getting into politics. That's your bloody job. We are also not a Noble line. We got the funds for a plot of land and a house, maybe a few years of living expenses but that's it. I am not making any large donations to the Wizengamot to get the bloody title back. They aren't worth it." Augusta hummed over her tea. "You might not have to. As an Ancient House alone, you could still claim a Seat and Vote, even after your family gave theirs to the Potters." Hazel turned her attention away from Julia and focused on the older woman. "That's not the point. I hate politics with a bloody passion. I spent years of my life being played around by two bastards who only saw me as a pawn. I am not going to sit in a chamber full of the same type of people again for several days a year, unless I am allowed to turn all the pricks into animals or I can bring a barrel of oil and light the place on fire." Augusta pinched her nose and looked at Amelia. "What possessed you to send her there as a guard in the first place?" Amelia drank from her tea to hide her embarrassment. "A moment of insanity, it seems."
Julia waved them off. "Ignore those two, that session was the absolute best we had in years. Dumbledore looked like he was going to blow a gasket." Hazel grinned at the memory. "Getting him to bleat was great. Especially when I added a tail to him. He knew it was there but couldn't dispel it." Julia cackled. "So that's why he kept shifting in his seat. Amelia, please get me to convince her to join us." Amelia and Augusta glared at Julia, "I think Hazel might have a point." Julia pouted. "Spoilsport. You two can't deny we need the votes." She eyed the white haired witch and grinned. "And the entertainment." Hazel shuddered. "Stop looking at me like that." Julia pouted. "I need to find this partner of yours. We need a girls night. I promise it will be fun." Hazel eyed Amelia. "You give her any info on my partner and she somehow agrees I am dragging you into this. No way you two were friends for so long that she never did drag you into one of her girls' nights." Amelia closed her eyes. "Julia, you stay out of my DMLE." Julia went back to drink from her tea. "In all seriousness, the Peverell vote would be nice to have, eventually."
Augusta sighed. "Agreed. The name is somewhat worthless politically, but the Peverells do have a symbolic value. Between the founding of Hogwarts and the end of their lines, they were known as some of the best Dark Wizard Hunters in the Isle of Britain. If the Seat is restored prior to the Traditionalists getting their Dark Lord, it could cause many to hesitate. The progressives would gather behind the name, same as with the Potter Family." Hazel glared. "If I were to take a Seat, I would not be sitting in it. What do you expect me to do?" Amelia lowered her cup of tea onto the table. "A Proxy. Get someone to go to the Sessions, vote the way you want them to and be amicable about it." Hazel thought for a second. "I don't trust anyone enough for that. Not yet. Any restrictions I should know about Proxies?" Amelia shrugged. "They can't hold another seat at the Gamot. Only a Head of House can have two votes maximum, as a Head of House and as a Director for a Ministry Department. I barely got permission for both of mine because I am a Regent, not a Proxy. The moment Susan is of age, I either quit as Director or quit as Proxy." Hazel sighed. "Fine! I'll think about it. But let's keep the Peverell name out of the open discussions. I will petition for a Seat as soon as Teddy is at Hogwarts, no sooner."
Julia smiled. "Good. Speaking about your son. Think he would be willing to look after Astoria? They are going to school in the same year." Hazel eyed Julia. "And?" Julia's eyes turned serious. "I am not foolish enough to think you didn't or wont be teaching your son how to defend himself or others. Astoria won't be part of these training sessions until after she gets her wand next year. That means she will be vulnerable for at least a year. Daphne will keep the Slytherins off her but the Ravenclaws have their own problems. I should know, I was often targeted for my association with Amelia and with several other students. I want my daughter to be safe within her own House." Hazel sat back. "He won't be in her house." Julia nodded. "He won't but he will be looked over. Nobody bothers with a Badger until they find themselves in the middle of a mauling." Hazel eyed the kids. "I will ask him but it's up to him. I refuse to force him to do anything." Julia smiled. "I am fine with that." Amelia squeezed her friend's hand. "Susan will look after her. Hannah might as well." Augusta looked at the kids. "I would offer Neville but his skill with a wand isn't there yet."
Hazel eyed Neville. "What's his issue?" Augusta sighed. "Poor power, no finesse. Most of his spells fail outright." Hazel frowned and looked at Augusta. "Have you checked his wand?" Augusta blinked at her. "It works fine. It was his father's." Hazel felt a headache building. "Augusta, the kid won't get far with his father's wand. Poorly tuned wands are dangerous." Augusta huffed. "Nonsense. The boy can grow into it." Hazel sighed as she pulled out her Holly and Phoenix wand. "This wand of mine was poorly tuned to me. It stayed that way until my fourth year. It didn't magically start working better. I had to go through a severe mental shift for it to finally accept me, and it was in the middle of a life or death situation. It could never have happened just as well. You want to risk your grandson's life in the hope that one day he runs into a Death Eater and somehow becomes Frank or do you want him to grow up into his own person?" Augusta eyed the wand in Hazel's hands before turning to her grandson. She spent a moment in quiet thought before she sighed. "Very well. I will take him to Ollivander's soon."
Amelia shared a look with Julia and the two smiled, before she looked back at Hazel. "So, anything else we need to discuss?" Hazel eyed the kids. "What's the word on the new Defence professor?" Amelia eyed the dimension traveler carefully. "Already selected." Julia sighed. "Dumbledore will be bringing them to the Board soon. The revised book list should be out by July 31st." Amelia noticed a change in Hazel's mood. "Is there a book signing programmed for the 31st in The Alley?" Julia frowned. "I think I heard of something like that. Why?" Hazel eyed Amelia. "Your kids might learn jack this year. Dumbledore might be playing one of his games. That or he is just as stupid as everyone who reads the man's books." Amelia paled as the identity of the professor became clear to her. "Please tell me you are joking." Hazel eyed her. "Can I get a free pass? Might make it look like an accident too." Amelia glared back. "As much as I hate the man, you aren't ending him." Hazel hummed. "And if he acosts or sexually abuses a student before he Obliviates them?" Amelia and Julia growled, though the former responded. "Get evidence to me. If you can get conclusive evidence, then you can deal with him."
Hazel sat back. "Fine. But if he sexually abuses a little girl, it's on your head, not mine. I have a few things on my mind but I won't have a girl being raped because you had to have evidence of a crime be part of my issues. I can't be at Hogwarts enough to catch him in the act. He tries it and I happen to spot him, he is dead. Got that?" Amelia wanted to protest but Julia's glare and her own concerns for Susan stilled her tongue. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Fine, but I want you to try to arrest him first, if only to ease my conscience as an Auror. If the arrest doesn't stick, he is all yours." Hazel nodded. "Agreed." The women all turned to the kids. Julia looked at Hazel from the corner of her eye. "It doesn't bother you, killing for them?" Hazel shook her head. "I… would probably kill for hardly a good reason. With Teddy… He is my conscience and my heart. For him I would raze the world to the ground, but I know he won't want that. So I do what I can. I am a killer Julia. The kids just make it so I don't aim at the wrong people." Julia hummed. "Is it bad I find that super hot?" Hazel groaned. "Not this again!" Augusta and Amelia laughed at Hazel's discomfort. Amelia eyed the kids and smiled, happy to know someone was looking after them, no matter what kind of a person they were.
Notes:So, how was it?
Next Chapter?: Meetings in the Alley
And so my brief break of not feeling stressed out will likely come to and end. I am not looking forward to being stressed out again. Storywise, I have scene outlines for several chapters, including the battle I envisioned as the most important for my story. Now it's just up to me to fill the chapters in.
Leave a comment, discuss and see you all in three days.
Chapter 18: Crossing Paths in the AlleyNotes:Here is the next chapter. Hope you all like it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hazel looked over the report Croaker gave her and whistled. "This is a lot of mail." Croaker leaned back. "We actually had to assign an elf to manage it. They are storing it and organizing it by date in one of our warehouses. Unsurprisingly there are a few dangerous packages in there. We got them from Bubotuber Pus to Essence of Death." Hazel eyed Croaker. "I am guessing the latter is near instant death on contact?" Croaker shook his head. "A long and painful death, actually. The potioneer modified the original recipe. Nasty piece of work." Hazel eyed the report closely. "Ok, so we can at least attest that redirecting the mail was understandable, safety wise. What about his Gringotts vault statements?" Croaker nodded. "Those are being redirected as well. While not utterly illegal for a Guardian, Dumbledore is the Magical Guardian, not the Legal Guardian. He can't withhold the mail the boy receives for legal or financial services. Prior to his eleventh birthday this should have been acceptable. Afterwards, not at all. However, we did notice a change in the mail being intercepted as of late." Hazel looked up, a partial smile on her face. "No mail has reached Harry?" Croaker eyed her carefully. "Indeed. The intercepts are happening around the Dursley household." Hazel shook her head. "Sounds like Dobby. The Malfoy's house elf tried to stop me from returning to Hogwarts after overhearing a discussion between the Lords Malfoy and Nott."
Croaker tapped his fingers on the desk. "And this is good why?" Hazel chuckled. "Because he can be our eyes and ears on the kid. Dobby hates the Malfoys because of their mistreatment of him. We set him free, we can have an elf dedicated to Harry full time." Croaker hummed. "I see your point. He won't be traced to us or the Ministry. The issue is setting him free. Lord Malfoy won't be willing to part with him." Hazel waved her hand. "Leave that to me. Our main issue is tomorrow. If Harry is in the Alley, we need to observ-" Croaker watched as Hazel's eyes grew distant and leaned back in his seat. "Someone at the Dursley wardline?" Hazel nodded. "Three magical signatures, besides Harry's. One of which I am somewhat familiar with. The hell are the Weasleys doing at Privet Drive at four in the morning?" Croaker eyed the mail report. "There was an uptick in mail from the Weasley's youngest boy in the last few weeks. They might have noticed the intercept and went to check on him." Hazel eyed Croaker. "At four in the bloody morning?" Croaker shrugged. "Not the usual time, sure." Hazel was going to add something when she felt something shift from within the ward, causing her to stand up. "Harry has left the wards. Same as the other three. I'll go check what the hell is going on." Croaker nodded as Hazel left the office.
Safely outside the Ministry Wards, Hazel apparated to a point near Privet Drive before Cloaking herself. She eyed the somewhat lit house and looked up as she perceived an odd noise. Hazel spoke into her comm. "Boss, is there a registration of a flying car with the Ministry, potentially under the name Weasley?" Croaker's voice answered her through her earpiece. "There is. I am guessing you have eyes on it and that Mr. Potter is currently inside. Follow it at a safe distance." Hazel sighed. "I am going to be sore later today." Under the effects of her cloak, Hazel assumed the form of a Wyvern and took to the skies. She stayed below the car, following it further and further away from the urban landscapes as the hours passed by. She eventually spotted a dilapidated wooden structure in the middle of a large field of grass as the sun rose in the horizon. Hazel sighed and shifted her form to that of an Owl before finding a sturdy enough branch that could handle some weight as she returned to her human form to report in. "R1 here. The vehicle arrived safely at Ottery St. Catchpole, the Weasley residence." A familiar voice responded, though with a yawn in her voice. "Good Morning to you too, Partner." Hazel sighed. "Morning, R2. Sorry for the early wake up call." Croaker's voice chimed in. "Arthur Weasley is still checked in at the Ministry after going after several homes for Dark Artefact Raids. This wasn't him."
Under Cloak, Hazel moved closer to the house and looked through the window, spotting Harry's black hair, with three very young redheads guiding him through the messy home. "Seeing the three youngest Weasley boys with Harry. Oh, there's the mother." Mrs. Weasley's scream made Hazel wince before she brought her hands to her ears. She waited patiently until the woman stopped speaking before blowing air out of her nose and popping her ears. Croaker's voice was the first thing she heard afterwards. "R1, how's your hearing? R2 is currently trying to clear her ears." Hazel chuckled. "Same here. Get you eggheads to work on sound dampening on the comm for certain volumes. We don't need an audio concussion for the whole crew." Croaker, the only one who kept his comm on the table, chuckled. "Agreed. Oh, Mr. Weasley just checked out of the DMLE. He should arrive at the homestead shortly." Hazel stayed beneath the window frame in the lower floor before she heard a person arriving through apparition. "Arthur's here. What do we do? We don't have proper surveillance or wards here. What I am getting from the house are the types of wards a Curse Breaker would set for practice."
Croaker responded quickly. "Probably the work of the eldest son, William. He is a Curse Breaker, currently on assignment in Egypt. You might as well stay and observe the family and their interactions with our VIP. R2 will be on standby should anything happen. I will get Quetz to have your Auror gear ready as soon as you need it if they make their way to Diagon Alley." Dora groaned. "Great. Here is hoping this won't take all day." Hazel sighed at Dora's tone. "We will deal with it if it does. In the meantime, Dora, you and Teddy can work out the details for the birthday party you two are setting up for later today." A long silence stretched out after Hazel's words, until Dora responded, her voice showing some of her nerves. Hazel smiled, enjoying the fact Dora had a hard time lying to her. "What party? We aren't planning any party." Hazel hummed merrily. "So I should tell Leafsby to not get started on the cake?" A few quiet seconds later Hazel heard a soft sigh. "Fine. I will go make sure Teddy has everything set for later in the day." Hazel leaned back against the outside wall and waited for anything new to happen. As much the situation inflamed some mixed feelings within Hazel, she had a feeling today was going to be a long day.
-∞-
"Of course you had Leafsby tell you everything we were planning." Dora pouted as the two walked the streets of Diagon Alley. When all the Weasley's left with Harry via Floo, Hazel apparated there and met up with Dora, donning their Auror gear. Hazel bumped Dora's shoulder. "To be fair, he has a standing order to inform me of every request he gets from Teddy. I did tell her not to inform Teddy I knew of the party. Also, it wasn't hard to notice, as you two were awfully secretive this last month." Dora shook her head. "Should I stun you then, because when this mission is over, you are going straight home." Hazel glared but eventually looked sad. "I don't like my birthday, Dora. It never meant anything good to me. Not for a long time." Dora bumped Hazel back. "But it can mean something good now. So, do I stun you or are you coming quietly?" Hazel sighed. "Fine. I will go quietly. I already planned to, just so you're aware. I didn't want to make Teddy cry. Not because of me." Dora beamed. "Great, so you stay here and I will look in on the going ons at Flourish and Blotts." Hazel watched as Dora tried to navigate the mess that was the book store. A familiar face stared back at her from the window display. She really wanted to punch him in the face and break his teeth, which was why Croaker ordered her not to enter the store.
As far as Hazel was concerned, Gilderoy Lockhart was a ticking time bomb. A man who had no restraint when it came to taking from others with a gift for Obliviation made him likely to have caused a great deal of harm. Croaker was able to get Legal to piece together a path of Obliviations, all tied to the man. The trouble was proving it, as most of the memories were lost, the price of not catching the Obliviation fast enough. Despite Julia's complaints about how the man would make a spectacle of the DADA class, a majority of the Board of Governors certified his hiring. Hazel eyed the Alley carefully and watched as Lucius Malfoy entered the bookstore, but not Lord Nott, who was nowhere to be seen. When Amelia mentioned they had approached Lord Nott for the Coalition, Hazel had been concerned. She knew the Diary arrived at Hogwarts through his actions here today. Yet in this world he wasn't the same fanatic that he had been in hers. She eyed Lucius' platinum hair. Was he the one who received the Diary? There was no way she could check right now and her initial check of his manor didn't turn up anything. She would have to wait for later in the night to check if the item was dropped off. Much later if she wanted to make sure Teddy was happy with the Birthday party they were planning. She was glad it would be a private one, as this bloody day came with too many bad memories from too many years. She dearly hoped she didn't break down later.
Hazel watched with some amusement as a fight broke out in the store, with the kids cheering on their parents. She could honestly say she never expected Lucius to throw a punch. Voldemort yes, he grew up in Muggle London, but Lucius grew up in the Wizarding World. Eventually the fight broke up and everyone went their separate ways. She saw Harry look towards her for a minute and she gave him a gentle wave. Harry tapped Mr. Weasley and pointed towards her. Hazel blinked as Harry walked up to her. "Excuse me, are you an Auror? Is Mister Weasley going to be in trouble for that fight?" Hazel grinned at him. "Depends on what my partner says. She was inside with everyone, while I watched the Alley. Though at worst he will probably get a citation and note on his Ministry file for improper behaviour and a bout of violence." Harry looked worried and Hazel bent down a bit. "You know Quidditch?" Harry beamed, though he looked at her eyes with clear curiosity. "I play Seeker at Hogwarts." Hazel blinked at the boy. Ok then. She wondered if the love of Quidditch was like the British love of Rugby. She was glad she avoided that fate. "Well, think of it like a foul. He gets a penalty and he goes free. It's only a problem if he makes a habit of it. Too many times and he gets fired just like a player gets expelled from the game. Tell him to watch his temper next time, even if Mr. Malfoy insulted him."
Harry looked at her oddly. "How did you know he did that?" Hazel chuckled. "Mr. Malfoy has a reputation for colorful language so it's no surprise he did it again. Now come on." Hazel walked him back to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as they were having a discussion. Hazel recognized who was talking with them. "Everything alright here, Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Tonks?" The two men turned to her and Ted smiled. She wondered how much Andromeda and Dora told the man about her since he clearly recognized her. Then again, she was the only adult whose white hair wasn't the result of age within the Alley. "Not at all, Auror. Mrs. Weasley simply seemed to have forgotten what a legal order is. Mr. Potter is required to attend a physical at St. Mungos and Mrs. Weasley has tried to refuse." Mrs. Weasley turned to her, giving her a once over before frowning. Hazel resisted the temptation to stun the woman. She had been on the receiving end of her disapproving glances since the first moment they met. Her world's Mrs. Weasley was fortunate enough to have her husband restrain her, especially after she sent back Bill Weasley bloody, beaten and wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper. Hazel hated the itchy wool sweaters she never asked for so she felt an unwanted present was deserving of another after she caught the moron trying to break into the Tonks residence.
William's wife apparently grabbed him by the balls afterwards, since she never saw him coming after her ever again. Then again, she and Andromeda moved out of the place soon after. "There is no need for any of that, the boy is perfectly fine, if a bit thin still." Hazel felt Harry tense up beside her. She looked down at him and drew his attention to her. "Have you taken any shots to avoid diseases?" Harry grew pensive but shook his head. Hazel nodded. "The law is clear on this. You need to see the Hospital, get vaccinated and get a physical. Your legal guardians should have done it by now." Harry looked embarrassed. "They are Muggles." Hazel hummed. "Then you should have gone last year with your introduction to the school curriculum. When muggle-raised witches and wizards join the Magical World, the law requires them to go through St. Mungos for a physical and inoculations. Some nasty diseases out there that if you are caught off guard can make the rest of your life quite the struggle, magic or not. Trust me, compared to the diseases, the innoculations are nothing bad. My partner gets worse injuries than that about once a week. Price of being a training dummy." An indignant voice rang out somewhere over the many heads in between them. "I heard that!" Hazel gestured with her head. "That would be my partner." Harry chuckled at her as she turned to the Weasleys.
"Mr. Weasley, if you are not Mr. Potter's Legal Guardian, you simply can't refuse the order. Neither can a Magical Guardian for that matter. Either bring Mr. Potter to St. Mungos when specified or be prepared to suffer some fines and an Auror visit to your home. After your less than stellar behaviour inside the bookstore, said visit can be costly for your career with the DMLE." Arthur sighed. "Very well, it's in Harry's best interest anyways. He will be there tomorrow." Ted Tonks handed him the papers. "Deliver these to the Healer who checks him. A good day to you, Arthur. Molly. Auror." Harry went to stand by Arthur, but he looked back at her. "Will you be there?" Hazel shook her head. "No, but my partner might. She has a Healer as a family member and takes patrols at St. Mungos at times to have a chat." Hazel dug into her pocket and pulled out three Galleons. She handed them to Harry. "How about you and the Weasleys go to Florean Fortescue's and get some ice cream, on me. As a birthday present." Arthur looked at her oddly, knowing three galleons was well above the price of the ice cream that they would all be buying. "We can't possibly…" Hazel waved his concerns away. "It's no problem." She looked at Harry and smiled. "My birthday's were never very pleasant. The least I can do is let someone else have a better one than me. Especially since we both share the same day." Harry beamed. "Thank you. Happy Birthday, Miss." Hazel nodded. "Happy Birthday, Mr. Potter. Take care."
Hazel walked up to Dora as the Weasleys moved further down the Alley. Hazel noticed a weird look in her partner's eyes and followed her line of sight. She added one more man onto her kill at opportunity list, though Croaker loved to order her not to pursue said targets. Concentrating a bit on her magic, she snapped her fingers, dispelling the charm. Dora shook her head and looked at Hazel. "What?" Hazel glared. "One; you were eyeing another person, despite our agreement to not pursue others until we settled what we have. Two; you just got owned by a Glamour charm. Let me guess, you didn't manage to spot anything suspicious at all." Dora blushed, her hair turning light blue. "Sorry. I guess I need to pay more attention." Hazel huffed. "That you do. Come on. A few more rounds on the Alley before the Weasleys take off. Then we can go home." Dora watched Hazel take some very long strides. She sighed and followed behind her, trying to keep up and apologize. Hazel eventually forgave her as her eyes lingered on Harry, not seeing any erant magical signatures on him beyond the scar. She would have to check him later. They eventually made their way back to their apartments and Hazel was instantly tackled by Teddy. He smiled up at her. "Happy Birthday, Mom." Hazel hugged him warmly. "Thank you, Teddy."
Dora watched as Teddy and Leafsby brought out a massive cake and enjoyed watching as Hazel squirmed in her seat as they all sang her the Birthday song. Dora groaned when she tried the cake. "Teddy, you and Leafsby might want to consider a business. This is good." Teddy blushed as Hazel smiled. "Let him decide later. Best we get some exclusive meals first." Teddy giggled and Dora smiled. The three spent the evening together and even went out for a stroll along the Hampstead Heath Circular Walk, enjoying the cooling afternoon air and the natural woodland sights. Hazel even wrapped her arm around Dora's waist, leaving the metamorphmagus' skin feeling quite warm. They eventually returned to their Apartments and Hazel tucked Teddy into his bed. Her son hugged her around the neck. "Did you like your birthday, Mom?" Hazel leaned in and kissed Teddy's hair. "Best birthday ever. Thank you Teddy. I love you." Teddy yawned. "Love you too, Mom. Good night." Hazel turned off the lights, wished Teddy good night and showered briefly before knocking on Dora's door. Nymphadora opened the door and felt her brain melt as a pair of warm lips latched onto hers. She moaned and pulled Hazel against her body before the white haired witch pulled away from her. Those green eyes stared at her, full of warmth. "Thank you for today, Nymphadora."
Those warm lips returned for a second before Hazel pulled away. Dora's eyes were fixed on those swaying hips before Hazel returned to her side of the door, a cheeky grin plastered on her partner's face. The moment the door clicked shut, Dora groaned, her hand coming up to rub her face in exacerbation. She was sure this was Hazel paying her back for falling victim to Lockhart's glamour spell earlier. And Dora had just gotten out of the shower too. That night Dora took longer to fall asleep, after making sure her libido was properly settled down. She cursed the fact that Occlumency took so long to master as she knew Hazel would not make it any easier for her in the coming months. That slight infatuation on Lockhart the charm placed her under was nothing compared to the affection and desire building in her for her partner. The fact she knew Hazel wanted and cared for her back was driving her insane. At least the summer would be over soon, which meant less Auror work and more Operative missions. She couldn't wait to get started again.
-∞-
OW July 31st 1992
"What do we have here? Hazel Potter slinking away? So much for the outrageous Gryffindor." Hazel sighed. She had been glad that the Wizarding World had a very different idea on who she was, as it seemed to provide her with some measure of anonymity. She managed to sneak into the bookstore, buy her books and was just on her way to leave when she ran into one of the many reasons she was tempted to miss out in the school year. "Good afternoon, Heir Nott. May you and your family have a productive day." Hazel was sure Theodore Nott was about to respond with a bit of snark, though Malfoy had him beat in that regard, when he suddenly found himself at a loss for words. She was glad she had found an old etiquette book in a weird room full of junk on the 7th floor. She knew the Slytherins would be an eternal thorn on her side because many of them grew up on stories of the Great Lord Voldemort. Hazel figured they would at least have a harder time pestering her if she was civil to them. Though she wondered if they really knew the real Lord Voldemort and not some aggrandized vision of a man. Would they still serve him if they knew the man would probably force them to do anything they found distasteful if it served his interests? A part of her wanted to say that they wouldn't but she didn't want to lie to herself. Everyone else was already doing that after all.
"My, my Theo, you never said she knew of our ways." Hazel stopped in her tracks. She looked up and felt her heart stop. "Good afternoon, Lord Nott. A productive day to you and your Heir." The older gentleman raised an eyebrow though he had a thin smile on his face. "So you do know a bit of our ways. Curious. I was under the impression Dumbledore sequestered you amongst Muggles." Hazel kept her head low. "I was under the care of Muggles, sir. I simply don't think it's wise to not know how to behave myself, especially in a culture so different from the non-magical world." Lord hummed. "A wise policy indeed. Though I must say, I am surprised." The man stuck his hand into Hazel's shopping bag and pulled out her books, a few showing the strain of being kept open, the pages yellowed further than what regular parchment tended to be. "I thought the Potter's were far better off that you could afford new copies of school books. How much has that Noble line wasted away. Though as the only family member, I can understand being careful. There is no one to bring the galleons home, is there?" Hazel didn't dare alter her posture. "I am simply making sure my parent's money isn't wasted, sir. Just because I am of a Noble line doesn't mean I can be wasteful with what money my ancestors and parents worked to acquire."
The man returned her books to her bag and looked Hazel over with a more critical eye. "Perhaps you aren't as ignorant as your parents. One wonders what they would say to you now." Hazel didn't rise to the bait. "I wouldn't know sir. Rumors, whispers and tall tales do nothing to fill in the absence. I can only make my own decisions based on my own expiriences. Nothing more." She dared to look up and saw something odd on Lord Nott's face. Was that a bit of respect? "I believe you're quite right. Good day to you, Miss Potter." Hazel bowed her head and left the store quickly. She wanted to bite her tongue. Her studies had worked but she hated every minute of it. Lies. None of these people cared about her well being. Not the Aurors, not Lord Nott and certainly not Albus Dumbledore. She had been concerned about her finances after the end of the school year and the possibility of never being able to return to Hogwarts, so she went to check with the Goblins. They said she had been receiving monthly statements since forever. To ask for a recent one would have cost her extra. Hazel asked if they knew who might be receiving them and they merely stated it was probably her Guardian. She knew her Uncle would have extorted her for money if it was him. They were willing to give her a list of her guardians, for a price.
Feeling the information was at least worth it, Hazel paid the galleons. What she found made her feel worse about her situation. The paper listed her grandparents and parents, all dead, which was to be expected. Her Godfather, which surprised her as he shared a last name with her classmate Neville, was dead too. Her Godmother was somehow still alive but imprisoned. Which left her with one last name as Magical Guardian. Albus Dumbledore. She had stuffed the paper into her bag and had set out to buy her stuff for the coming year. At least the man had sent someone to check on her when she didn't respond to any official letters. She didn't really notice that none had arrived until a few days before her birthday. Worried Dumbledore might intervene with her finances, Hazel decided to not splurge in her academic needs. She would buy used books when it was possible, as long as they were legible. The only thing she bought that wasn't used were her clothes, though she made sure to bring her old sets to sell them back. She knew someone else less fortunate could use them. Hazel held her extended shopping bag to her chest and looked back down the Alley. Hagrid had walked off somewhere, probably to the tavern again. She was alone, watching as parents led their children around from one shop to another, the kids smiling or pouting as they entered store after store.
She looked at Ollivanders and lowered her face, doing her best to not show how painful the old man's words had been. The Ollivander had no other wand for her to use at all. None worked for her as well as the Holly and Phoenix feather did. Except it hardly worked at all. The old man had been stumped with her situation and his only advice to Hazel was to push on. That one day it would suit her. Hazel wasn't looking forward to going back to classes and barely managing to cast again. McGonagall was especially displeased with her. The woman even deducted points from her when she tried to do a spell wandlessly. At least her wandless magic was getting better, with all the practice she was doing at home, her flames being easier to control now. Her mind wandered back to her list of Guardians as she made her way back to the Leaky Cauldron, in hopes of finding Hagrid. She had enough of the Alley for today. She thought about her imprisoned Godmother, the only person still alive with any ties to her family. Did she remember that Hazel existed? Did she care? Hazel shook her head and rubbed away some moisture from her eyes. She couldn't afford to hope. She had been constantly disappointed all year long. She couldn't bear to think that the last person she could trust in would disappoint her too. Hope in the form of someone else was just another lie waiting to be uncovered. She was so tired of lies.
-∞-
NW August 1st 1992
Andromeda watched as the young boy walked into the examination room she had been provided by St. Mungos, his eyes searching the room out of curiosity and some hesitation. She smiled as soon as his eyes landed on her face. "Hello Harry. My name's Andromeda Tonks, I will be your examiner today. Please take a seat on the medical bed, I will be right with you. Mr. Weasley, please wait outside." Arthur nodded and left the room as Andromeda raised the privacy wards. She turned to Harry. "Now Harry, everything I find from my scan is private. You should only share it with people you trust fully or with family, understand?" Harry nodded and Andromeda drew her wand. "I am going to cast a diagnostic spell. You might feel it a bit but it's just checking to make sure you are ok." Harry nodded silently again and Andromeda casted the spell, activating her dictaquill. What she found bothered her. Signs of malnutrition, broken bones that didn't get reset properly, no vaccinations and some signs of anemia. She had the dicta quill write all that down. "There was something off about your back. Can you show me?" Harry tensed. Andromeda kneeled down and held his hands. "I know it's hard and it's embarrassing. You don't want to seem weak. It feels like you will let the people who hurt you win. But not dealing with it will only hurt you longer. They will win longer if you let it linger. Can I see?"
Harry nodded and took his shirt off, revealing his back. Andromeda bit back a curse. Hazel had been right. There weren't a lot of scars but enough to make the boy anxious and self conscious. Andromeda casted a spell over them. "Harry, are you willing to let Madam Pomfrey see these? I can recommend a treatment for them. Some discoloration might linger but they will be fully healed over. The treatment will be an ointment you would have to have applied on your back at least weekly." Harry took a while to answer. His voice came out soft and unsure. "Ok." Andromeda made her notes and wrote a medical order for Pomfrey. She allowed Harry to put his shirt back on. "Last thing, let me look at that scar on your head." She casted a spell on it and frowned. Someone was playing games, that's for sure. She casted stronger and more in depth scans. Most showed nothing, which told her someone had casted a masking spell. A few showed some magical traces on it. She remembered Croaker taught her a specific diagnostic spell and she casted it. She bit back a curse. The spell was designed to detect magical signatures. Aside from Harry's, there were three others.Andromeda couldn't place them all, though if Hazel's report was accurate, one was Lily's and the other was Voldemort's. She guessed the last one could be Dumbledore, as he was the last to see Harry before he was sequestered away.
Andromeda pulled out a crystal and looked at Harry. "There is a lot of magic on your scar. This will essentially give me an imprint of what's there. I can't heal it now but it should help me find out how to do it later. May I?" Harry nodded and Andromeda applied the crystal. She casted the spell again and waited for the crystal to stop glowing before pocketing it away. "Any symptoms with the scar?" Harry thought for a second. "At school, I felt a headache every time I was close to Professor Quirrell. I thought it was the garlic he kept in his turban but it didn't stop. It happened again in…" Andromeda watched him stop himself. She sighed. "You remember the paper the lawyer gave Mr. Weasley?" Harry nodded and Andromeda gave him a smile. "I work for the same people, Harry. The people who have been keeping you safe all year. I know about the cloaked figure in the forest and about the Griffin. Is that when your scar acted up?" Harry looked at her closely now. "Yeah." Andromeda nodded. "That's all we needed. Did you read the note you got at the station?" Harry smiled. "It's weird seeing the Dursleys not being able to be mean to me again, but it's better than before." Andromeda was happy to hear that. "And they won't. If they break the contract, they lose custody. Want to know a secret?"
Harry nodded and Andromeda smiled. "Your Grandmother on your father's side was my great aunt. Your Godfather also happens to be my cousin. If they break the contract, I am named as your next guardian. So hold out as much as you can, but if they break the contract or we clear up your custody mess, you won't be with them much longer. I have been trying to get you into a better house for years. I am sorry that this is the first chance we get to talk." Harry smiled at her. "Ok. I hope you don't mind if I would rather be with you sooner." Andromeda hugged him. "I don't. It makes me happy to hear that Harry. For now, know you aren't alone. You have a family who genuinely cares about you and one day you will have a home. A real home. I promise." Andromeda had him lie down and she administered some potion to heal his bones and the vaccines carefully until he had all of them, a few driving him a bit loopy. She made sure all the papers were in order to be filed away before she turned Harry over to Arthur. "He needs a lot more iron in his system, so if he spends the rest of the summer with your wife, make sure he eats. He has his vaccines right now but keep him away from anyone who may be ill for at least two weeks." Arthur nodded. "Molly will probably make a lot of beef the next few days after hearing that. Thank you, Healer Tonks. Let's go Harry." Andromeda watched him walk away. She had no choice but to let him go. For now, she had a crystal to send to Croaker.
-∞-
Harry stared into the ceiling of the room the Weasley's had leant him. The shelves were full of books on dangerous magical creatures, particularly Dragons. He had actually looked up the Griffins after his encounter in the forest. He was grateful that the Griffin from that night had been so friendly, because according to the books he should probably have been dead on the spot. The whole year had been the strangest one of his life. From discovering he had magic, to being seen as this person everyone knew about. It was terrifying a lot of the time. Still, being at Hogwarts was the best thing that had ever happened to him. While he couldn't say everything was perfect, he honestly couldn't complain. Not with his life at the Dursleys being his only point of reference. He touched his back, remembering the last few months. While the absence of letters had bothered him, he couldn't exactly complain about the silence at Privet Drive either. His relatives had been a lot more careful about how they treated him, which left him a lot more comfortable. He still helped to cook the meals but now he could eat a proper portion of the meal. But the best part was what he found in his new closet.
The trunk had belonged to his mother and he spent days upon days reading her journal. It was so surreal reading about how she too found herself drawn into the magical world, learning everything about magic for the first time. The fact she kept complaining about James Potter made him smile as he knew what would become of them. The weirdest thing had been reading about Severus Snape and the friendship they shared. The two were clearly close friends and grew up together, which only made Harry all the more confused about what became of them that Snape seemed to despise him with every breath. He read a few of her homework assignments and notes on charms and potions and promised himself to do his best to match her level of academic achievement. He wanted to make his mother proud, that he could be more than just the Boy Who Lived or the Gryffindor Quidditch Seeker. Hermione would probably be surprised he did his homework on time and everything before he delved deeper into his mom's journals and notes. He even found her old scarf and had placed it, the potions notes and the journal in his own trunk. He did leave the notes he received from this mysterious "friend" in his mother's trunk for safe keeping. The vagueness of the letters and the secrecy made him feel that there was a reason for it all.
Learning that Andromeda Tonks, the woman who gave him his physical, was not only family but had desperately been trying to check on him and get custody had warmed his heart. That she knew about the Griffin from the forest meant that she and the lawyer were both trying to help him. To keep him safe. They might even be working for this "friend" of his. Dumbledore had pulled him aside and told him that he believed Voldemort had been possessing Professor Quirrell and that something happened to them both the night he had been stunned. He had felt such relief knowing that someone else had stopped him from facing the man that killed his parents. He was only eleven years old at the time. What could he do against a trained Defense teacher and a Dark Lord? This mysterious friend, however, seemed to care more than just about his safety. They cared about him personally. The book on his family had been a favorite of his the moment he found it at the base of his bed. He had no idea that the Potters had been around for so long or that they did so much for Wizarding Britain. That a few had taught Transfiguration, Potions and Defence made him all the more self conscious about his own scores in the courses. He felt guilty about how he barely applied himself to his studies in the last six months. While Ron complained about Harry being a lot more studious after the New Year, Harry simply couldn't let it go, especially now after seeing what a studious person his mother was.
Feeling a bit too awake to fall asleep soon, Harry raised himself up on the bed and went to fetch a book from his trunk when he stilled at what he saw moving inside of it. His trunk was open and a snake was slithering about, it's tongue tasting the air. He moved closer but kept a safe distance from the creature. "Hello. Looking for some warmth?" The greenish snake turned its head towards him. " Ssspeaker!!!!! To find a ssspeaker here. Sssnake isss pleasssed. " The snake looked around before it slightered closer to him, moving out of the trunk. " Ssspeaker must be careful. Other two legged onesss will not like him ssspeaking our tongue. The sssound ssscaresss them. " Harry frowned. "I am speaking a different language?" The snake nodded it's head. " To you it may not sssound different but othersss hear a sssnake's hisss. They will fear ssspeaker. They have forgotten and condemn asss a curssse what once wasss a gift. " Harry looked around before he sat on the floor in front of the snake. " But why? Why have they forgotten?" The snake coiled itself into a disc, it's head lifted up and focused on Harry. " Ssspeakers usssed the gift to harm other two legged onesss. They hunted the ssspeakers who didn't agree. Only bad ssspeakers remained in the end. Other two legged onesss hunted ssspeakers too. Not many remain. You are rare. You mussst ssstay sssafe. Do not ssspeak before other two leggersss. They have forgotten the Naga'sss gift. They will ssseek you harm. Ssspeaker mussst be careful."
Harry was sad to hear he couldn't share this part of himself but if people were harmed because of the gift, perhaps it was for the best it remained a secret. " Very well. I will remain sssafe. I will not ssspeak of thisss to anyone." The snake nodded. " Good. Then sssnake isss happy. Ssspeaker is safe. Ssspeaker's friend will be happy. " Harry stared at the snake. " What do you know about ssspeaker's friend? " The snake slithered closer. "They worry. Old bad ssspeaker, the one who harmed ssspeaker's family. He ssstill huntsss for you. Othersss who claim to help ssspeaker ssspeak only but do not act. Friend isss worried. Friend wissshes ssspeaker to be careful. There are sssecrets buried in the old cassstle. Sssecrets of Ancient Ssspeaker of the Houssse of Sssnakes. Be careful of the Ancient Ssspeaker's Sssnake. If awakened it will hunt among the hallwayssss and within the wallsss. Ssspeaker must ssstay sssafe. " Harry sat back and thought of the snake's words. " Isss ssspeaker's friend hunting the Ancient Ssspeaker's sssnake? " The snake nodded. " Ssspeakers friend will hunt but sssnake hidesss. Friend wantsss ssspeaker sssafe while they hunt. " Harry sighed in relief. " Tell ssspeaker's friend I will be careful and ssstay sssafe. " The snake stared at him, " Friend will know. May sssnake leave through the window? Two leggers don't like sssnake. "
Opening the window, Harry watched as the green snake slithered onto the desk before turning to him. "Friend wissshes ssspeaker a sssafe year at cassstle. " Harry nodded. "Thank you." The snake slithered out completely and Harry watched it climb higher onto the roof. He remained confused as to why it headed up instead of down until Hedwig landed on the window sill. "Hello Hedwig. Good night for a flight?" His owl screeched merrily and turned to look out the window. A brown owl landed besides Hedwig and seemed to speak to the bird with hoots until it flew off, circling in the sky. Hedwig turned to Harry and he petted her chest feathers. "Go ahead and fly with your friend. I won't mind." The snowy owl took off and Harry watched as the two owls chased each other across the sky, diving and gliding in the air. Eventually Hedwig returned to the window and she and Harry looked back as the owl circled above them a few more times, hooted merrily and then flew away into the quiet summer night. He went to sleep that night, thinking back on the last few days. His last thoughts were on the Auror that he met at the Alley and her familiar looking green eyes.
Notes:So, how was it? As a non-Brit, it's a struggle finding information about local areas for activites but I felt the Hampstead Heath Circular Walk was a good place for a quiet time. Some of the photos remind me of some of my earlier years in the wilder areas of where I live, though less Tempered and more Tropical flora in my case. We are finally touching on Harry. Hope you enjoy what I have planned for him as my plans shifted slightly the more I wrote him.
Next Chapter?: Back to Work and dealing with Elves
Three scenes. That's how much I was able to write in three days. I feel so disappointed in myself. Then again, my mornings are me managing a few things before sleep compells me to hit the bed again. Here is hoping my next few days are a bit better. I did make more scene outlines for later, touching the moments I had planned since I started working on this story. Still several chapters away from writing and I am concerned about needed to add more chapters in between but we will see.
Leave a comment, discuss and see you all in three days.