Chapter 37: Summer of RelaxationNotes:Here is the next chapter. Hope you all like it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Why do I get the feeling your daughter and her girlfriend are mad at me?" Andromeda leaned back and looked at the two women who were currently watching over the kids while the adults gathered around the outside patio table, the two witches hidden under the shade of the beach umbrella to avoid the sweltering sun. All around them stretched a wide and untouched sandy beach before the horizon was filled with the wide blue Atlantic Ocean as the group enjoyed a much needed break from the cold British weather. "Because they spent months planning a family only beach vacation and your invitation of not only us but the rest of the Coalition pretty much upended their plans." Sirius frowned. "How?" Andromeda arched an eyebrow. "They can't exactly have a romantic getaway on an island with all of us on it, especially the types of romantic activities that included a certain expectation of privacy. A half dozen kids that they both need to help babysit for isn't the least bit romantic either." Sirius pouted. "They couldn't have said that before we arrived?" Andromeda smacked Sirius on the head. "Of course Hazel couldn't. You invited all of Harry's friends and a few of Teddy's. She wasn't going to let Harry or her son miss out on it." Sirius rubbed his head. "Ok, fine. I am sorry I spoiled their fun. Maybe I can offer them a private stay on their own."
Amelia sat down beside Sirius, her modest one piece swimsuit and thin scarf wrapped around her waist making him think about securing some of his own private time. "Good luck with that. Hazel might leave you a drooling mess with a wave of her hand first. Especially if she is still holding a grudge over the ruined plans." Sirius grumbled. "I didn't do anything to her!" Andromeda nodded. "No, you didn't. But a look alike of yours did. Trust me, I barely got the full story from her and I could see the magic running up her arms. Just leave her and Nymphadora be for now. Let her get used to the idea that you aren't trying to kill her." Julia sat down beside Amelia and placed a few drinks on the table, with Amelia wrinkling her nose at the heavy alcoholic smell coming from them. The blonde looked over towards the beach before turning to Andromeda. "Are we talking about the hot killing machine dating your daughter, Andromeda? You have got to get Nymphadora to let me have my fun with them! I promise, they will both enjoy it. I know this lovely trick with my tongue." Amelia pulled Julia's hat further down her friend's face. "Your daughters and several of the children are within earshot, Julia." Julia pulled her hat off and placed it on her lap before drinking for her glass. "So? I already gave them "The Talk."
Sirius shivered. "Tell me I don't have to give that to Harry, Andi." Andromeda chuckled. "Nope. Already dealt with. Teddy was even there. I was surprised how detailed Hazel went with her son, but it certainly kept him out of trouble. His running commentary helped Harry relax a bit." Julia smirked. "So I heard. Astoria loved teasing the boy but most of it he already knew about. The rest he got easily enough. Heard the younger Carrow Twins were a bit disappointed they couldn't spoil him too." Sirius looked to Amelia. "Speaking about the Carrows, how did they get their seat back? They were convicted killers." Amelia sighed. "Fudge being bribed, most likely. Wish we could deal with that but an election right now is unlikely. Any amendments to the conditions for entry into the Wizengamot will have to wait as well. Fortunately, the two girls are staying at another family's home for now." She drank from her drink as the last few of the adults arrived, including Lord Nott. Sirius eyed the man, still unsure about him. The older gentleman gave him a knowing look. "Easy there, young Lord. I already told you I am on your side." Sirius looked away. "Even after I sent your own son to Azkaban?" Theodore Nott sighed but nodded. "My son made many mistakes, a few that I had a hand in. Whatever I raised him to be, it was not to be a rapist and a murderer. He is there of his own accord. I am quite glad my grandson, however, is growing up quite differently."
The adults turned to the children, with most of the boys swimming in the water, while the girls were applying their sun protection and tying their hairs up. Augusta nodded. "I myself am quite happy with Neville as well. The last two years have done him well." Sirius looked at the boys racing each other in the water. "He reminds me a bit of Frank, though his smile is all Alice." Augusta chuckled and turned to the rest, before focusing on Nott. "So, anything of concern from your less than pleasant contacts, Lord Nott?" Theodore drank from his cup of coffee. "Whispers of the other Death Eaters, mainly those who went unmarked or under the Imperius defence, getting together to sow chaos at the World Cup Finals. I know they are reaching out to the more senior members, looking for support. Also, I have secured a stay at the Manor for the two young Carrows. Their parents were all too happy to hear about them catching my grandson's attention. Not that they really have." Amelia looked to Hazel, aware of the events she had relayed concerning both the World Cup and the young girls. Her own Godmother had apparently kept Hazel away from the World Cup in her world. "We have a small Auror presence planned for the evening, with a few more being secured from the ICW. We are hoping the event improves relations between us and the other Auror departments elsewhere." Nott nodded. "A sound strategy, one our Minister will be happy to support for "international cooperation" purposes."
Sirius frowned. "Is it going to be safe for the kids to be there?" Julia giggled. "Please, if young Edward Peverell is there, they will all be safe." She turned to Amelia. "Are you stocking up on body bags yet?" Amelia sighed. "Yes, unfortunately." Sirius looked from between the two and back at the white haired witch. "You think she can handle them with little backup?" Nott gave Amelia a knowing look. "Is she the one that wrecked Williamson's Manor?" Amelia glared at him. "There a reason you suspect that, Nott?" Nott sat back and hummed. "The Aurors are silenced but there are still whispers. Williamson got sloppy and tried to make a run for it but his escape route arrived too little too late. Lots of former Death Eaters never made it home that night. A few other nights come to mind as well." Theodore raised his hands at the sharper glare he received from the redhead. "Now, none of that. Everyone is pointing at you and your exceptional leadership of the DMLE. Being on the inside here tells me it's more than that. Just curious, is all. I am trusting her with tutoring my grandson after all." Amelia sighed. "She is, though I am hoping for a less messy result." Julia bit her lip. "Does that mean I might get a chance to watch her at work at the World Cup? I might need to get some tickets then." Amelia groaned as Julia hummed happily, while a few of the others shook their heads.
-∞-
"You boys all tuckered out?" Harry, Neville and Theo dropped onto their towels, the seawater dripping from their wet hair. Teddy came up a bit less tired and pulled out the drinks from the extended bag his mom enchanted to be cold, passing them along to everyone. Hannah helped tie Susan's hair into a braid while Astoria did the same for Daphne, with Tracey just lazily sitting back and tanning under the sun. Luna Lovegood, who had come at Astoria's invitation, worked on a sand castle nearby, humming to herself. Astoria went to check on her as Daphne stood up and loomed over the boys, her wand spinning in her hand. "So, should we try out some magic? Lord Black made it clear that we are out of the British Ministry's jurisdiction and the island is warded." The boys looked between each other, a bit nervous. They had all gotten to see Daphne during the tutoring sessions and every single of them agreed she was scary. Susan complained from under the umbrella's shadow. "Oh come on Daphne, it's too hot out for that." Daphne huffed. "You just don't want to get tanned." Susan bristled. "I don't tan, I get burned. Even with the potion and ointments." Teddy looked at Daphne. "Besides, what would we do? Mom said no dueling training on the island. We are supposed to be taking a break."
Harry nodded as he downed his water, trying not to look too closely at the girls. Andromeda's talk from after last year's Christmas had left him blushing, especially around Susan. The redhead had gone for a black and yellow bikini that really showed a lot of her skin and curves. He had jumped into the water to swim, as well as to hide his reaction. He had seen Neville and Theo blush up a storm as all the girls pulled off their jackets, since none of them wore a one piece except for Luna and Astoria. The former struck him as a quiet girl that kept mostly to herself at school, though she had grown a bit more friendly at Astoria's urging. She had joined some of their study sessions, knowing a surprising amount about Care of Magical Creatures, even though she was only a second year at the time. He turned and looked at Hazel and Dora who were their chaperones for the day. Dora's pink bikini was certainly revealing and even he found he had to look away before he got a reaction from watching her too. Hazel had thankfully worn a one piece, though there was no hiding her lean, athletic build. He was thankful that she at least didn't make him feel anything. That would have been weird, especially with Teddy nearby. His cousin at least seemed to have less of a problem, at least until Astoria teased him. His changing hair colors betrayed him every time, much to the blonde's amusement.
Daphne's humming drew Harry's attention and he watched as she aimed her wand at Susan. "Aguamenti. " Susan yelped under the torrent of cold water. "Daph!" The dark haired witch grinned. "That seems to work fine. We can try controlling it and changing it on the fly." Teddy leaned over and whispered something in Astoria's ear as Daphne dodged a shot of water from Susan. A ball of water slammed into her back, making the Slytherin turn around. "What was that?" Astoria waved her wand in a circle. " Aqua Vesica ." A water ball the size of a balloon flew from the tip of Astoria's wand and Daphne dodged it, hitting Susan instead. "Oi! Not fair!" Teddy went to the boys while Astoria told the girls, spreading the spell around. The beach turned into a show down as everyone tried to tag the others with the balls. Luna yelped for a second as one went to strike her accidentally but the ball got intercepted by the sandy ground lifting up into its path, before it lowered and evened out. Hazel walked up behind the blonde and dropped a small disk with wards on it next to her. "It should keep the water and air from bothering you." Luna smiled at her. "Thank you, Ms. Potter." Hazel sighed. The weird blonde always called her that. She had searched her memories for the girl but found no one matching her description, so she assumed the girl either died before Hogwarts or was never born in her world.
Not bothering with correcting her for the hundredth time, Hazel turned to the kids throwing water balls at each other. She gestured to the ground and the sand started to shift. Theo casted a ball towards Astoria but a wall of sand rose up and blocked it. The kids froze and turned to Hazel, Teddy looking a big unsure if his Mom would be mad he shared that spell with them. Hazel sighed and turned to Luna. "Want me to make that life sized for you? Your friends can play inside it and you can have me change it on the fly." Luna beamed. "Sure!" Walls of sand rose around the group of teens. "Alright, since you wanted to play, let's play. The first one to the top that then tags everyone trying to get them down gets to sleep in late tomorrow." A massive Castle that matched Luna's design sprang from the sand and half a dozen doors formed out of the sand. "Safe water based spells only and Glacius is for making the floor slippery. Begin." Luna watched as Hazel adjusted the Castle's design while the kids played inside, adding slides and dead ends. Hazel smirked as an older wolf cub popped out of the higher exit and reached the top. The older kids were in for a tough time. Though to be fair, if Teddy slept in late, it meant she and Dora could maybe get some alone time. Teddy knew how to make water based shields after all.
-∞-
OW July 1994
"A bit more of a flourish." Hazel closed her eyes and waved her hands, flourishing her fingers as she focused on the magic needed for the wards. Charm based wards weren't being covered yet at Hogwarts but Bella wanted her to learn them. The ease of application and the difficulty for the untrained to spot them made them a good medium for keeping unwanted guests away. With the fact she had sneaked out of Hogwarts with Bella and had joined her on a bit of a bike tour of the Isle of Britain, Hazel knew she would have a lot of need for this particular spell and others like it. More than that, getting the spell to be casted wandlessly was important, as her wand was still being difficult and the Trace was still attached to it. She refused to be the reason her Godmother got caught by the Aurors. They had kept to the muggle areas, Bella using hair dye, contacts and a few glamour charms. Apparently, her mom had taken her out one summer on a tour of muggle shops and had shown her how to dye her hair. Hazel had to admit that Bella looked pretty as a redhead. Hazel had dyed her own hair red so that they would blend in as a mother and child.
With a few more waves of her hand she felt the magic snap in place. Bella walked around the spot and ran her wand over the edge of the ward. She nodded. "You got it. Ready for the rest?" Hazel smiled and got back at it. Bella eventually established the more complicated wards, the notice-me-not and muggle repellent wards, and two settled into their little campsite by the beach as the sun started setting over the horizon. The Irish Sea looked quite beautiful lit up, as if the horizon was a blaze. Bella sat on the log beside her and lit the campfire before she pulled out a frying pan. "So, hamburgers or hot dogs?" Hazel thought for a second. "Both?" Bella smiled. "Both it is." Hazel helped gripping the pan as Bella placed the meat on it and they both sighed happily at the smell. Bella leaned back. "Me, Lily, Alice and Marlene took a summer all for ourselves like this, just after our sixth year. The Death Eater attacks were getting worse, so we figured a week or two as muggles would be great and it was. Alice, being Alice, invited Frank over. This resulted in James coming along too. Lily was surprisingly mad. She really wanted a girl's only vacation."
Hazel hummed as she turned the food over on the pan. "Weren't they dating yet? Mom and Dad?" Bella smirked. "Dating? Yes. Being more affectionate? Not yet. Then again, their relationship was usually one massive jump forward every bloody time." Bella pulled the buns out and placed them on a rack to toast them a bit over the open fire as Hazel watched. "Did they do that? Make rash decisions all the time?" Bella sighed as she pulled the buns back. "We all did. They got together and got engaged right out of Hogwarts. I got a partial apprenticeship with my sister Andi at St. Mungos at the time. Then things got worse. The Ministry started fighting back harder and the Death Eaters and the Order were in need of Healers. I got approached by both and James convinced me to spy on the Death Eaters." Hazel frowned. "Didn't the Order have other spies?" Bella shook her head. "Not then. Snape joined later, after your birth. I wanted to look after my family on both sides. Regulus was in the Death Eaters and Sirius was in the Order with James and Lily." Hazel started physically shaking and Bella lowered the plates to the floor and held her. Bella kissed her hair and sang a soft tune as Hazel bit her lip.
Ever since the night Sirius attacked her, her body would suffer spasms of pain whenever she was reminded of it. Hazel had screamed at first but over time she fought the lingering effects of the Cruciatus. When she had gone to the Hospital Wing, the Headmaster and the Aurors had been around. Bella had stayed in the Chamber of Secrets, safely hidden away. For the first time, Pomfrey had looked at her with real concern but the Healer said there was nothing she could do. The nerve damage of the Cruciatus could only recover in time, if ever. Hazel prayed she was the former, as she felt her shaking slowing down in intensity. She breathed deeply until she felt her body growing still, though she felt her skin tingling at the memory. "I am ok… now." Bella rubbed her hair and refused to let her step too far away. The meal was nice as they stared out over the water. "Have you ever gone swimming at the beach?" Hazel blushed. "I … don't know how to swim that well. I almost drowned in that pool in the chamber." Bella cleaned a bit of mustard off Hazel's cheek. "Well, I need to fix that. Swimming is great for relaxing and you never know when you might need to jump in the lake or a river."
Hazel shivered. "Not right now, right?" Bella chuckled. "No, swimming at night should be something you reserve for when you know what you are doing. A wildlife repelling charm is also a good idea. James got stung by a jellyfish during our outing. Never heard the guy moan in pain as much. Not even that one time Lily kicked him between the legs for his less than gentlemanly behavior." Hazel smirked. "How much was it to get sympathy from Lily?" Bella made a gesture with her hand, showing a small gap between her thumb and index finger. "A little bit. Worked though. Pretty sure Lily spent the night with him. Neither of them remembered they weren't alone until after they woke up in the morning." Hazel laughed a little at that as did Bella. "Lily's face was as red as her hair that day. I had planned to take a photo but she snatched the camera out of my hand and tossed it. She couldn't look me or Marlene in the eyes for days." Hazel and Bella stayed outside that night, under the light of the stars. After spotting a shooting star, Hazel wished that these peaceful days would last forever. Her peace lasted till the 1st of September. For the first time in three years, she didn't want to go back to Hogwarts. It didn't feel like it was worth it anymore.
-∞-
NW July 1994
Hazel stirred awake a little and felt her skin being a bit itchy. She looked around and felt her pillow shift. Dora, sporting some short and pink hair to avoid the heat, leaned over her. "There you are. You fell asleep on me. Everyone else went to sleep indoors. Well, I think the girls are having a sleepover party, but the rest are in their rooms." Hazel yawned a bit. "Sorry, I got a bit overzealous with that sandcastle." Dora hummed, looking in the direction of the mound of sand it turned into after Hazel called it quits. "All the kids had a blast, though. Even if Teddy won. Did you have to try so hard to dislodge him?" Hazel blushed. "He didn't take it the wrong way, right? Do I need to talk to him? Where is he?" Dora pulled Hazel back down onto her lap. "Your son is fine, Hazel. He understood you didn't want to look like you were favoring him. He had a lot of fun. Though now you have people wanting to try the animagus transformation." Hazel hummed merrily, and Dora leaned over. "Amelia said no." Hazel pouted. "Drats. Can I get up now?" Dora allowed Hazel to get on her feet before she waved her hand and releveled the sand on the beach. She turned to Dora and reached out, taking her hand. "So? Any plans for tonight, or did watching kids drain you too?"
Dora pulled her along. "A walk to the other side of the island?" Hazel nodded and the two walked the beach, hand's grasped gently. Hazel looked around. She knew they were in the Canary Islands, or at least nearby. Several old Families sought a summer retreat in the Atlantic during the Age of Exploration. Many bought islands in their entirety before warding them, vanishing them from sight and memory. The nearby larger island was bought by an older family from the Continent but they sold it during the Napoleonic Wars to cover their debts. While the main island became a Magical families destination of choice, the Lord Black of the time had secured the private island they were on as a wedding gift for his wife. It's been safely in the hands of the Head of House ever since. While she had been a bit mad at Sirius for hijacking their vacation, she couldn't deny the fact that Teddy and Harry were clearly enjoying themselves. Harry had invited his friends too, but the Weasley Matriarch wasn't too keen on letting her children into a private place owned by a known Dark Family and the Grangers had already booked a summer retreat with their daughter. While a bit disappointed, the fun the boy had today was all too real. She was happy she could give him a better summer memory.
Hazel leaned into Dora who squeezed her hand comfortably. "Still worried about the plan?" Hazel nodded. "I just… it's the first time we won't be depending on each other in the thick of it. It feels wrong and I don't want to watch you get hurt and not be able to do anything about it beyond prep work." Dora swung Hazel around and the two wrapped each other in an embrace. Dora bit her lip and lowered her libido a bit. Ever since she had confessed to Hazel, her girlfriend's eyes felt different. There was a warmth in them that she knew was only directed at her. Those same eyes were looking at her now, a bit of magic lighting them in the night. "You need to teach me that trick with your eyes." Hazel pouted. "No changing the subject." Dora sighed and rested her head against Hazel's. "I feel it too, Hazel. I feel vulnerable when you aren't watching my back. But you heard Horatio. I need to get better. The training and this mission will push me over my limits. I will be a better partner to you because of it." Dora winced a little as Hazel's grip tightened reflexively. She watched those green eyes grow slitted and red before returning to green as she pulled away, her arms wrapped around her own abdomen.
Dora watched as Hazel walked a bit into the water, doing her best to resist the urge to run her hand over Hazel's back. While she had picked her bikini with the express purpose of teasing Hazel, she found her girlfriend's swimwear even more alluring, and so very much her. A mix of an athletic one piece with a taste of style, it gave an unobstructed view of Hazel's back and legs. Her front was mostly covered, even above her chest, but she had found her hands getting slapped when she tried to caress her girlfriend's chest. That was something she was thankful for. The fact she had a girlfriend that not only called to her physically but emotionally. All of her flings in her last two years of Hogwarts had been just that, physical in nature. Charlie Weasley came close but the man had been too enamored with dragons to have enough room to court Dora over long distance. That had particularly hurt. But Hazel was different. She clearly loved her physically, but that was always second; an extension of the emotional connection they both shared. She was always physically intimate but never overly much. Dora felt warm knowing how concerned Hazel always was about her, especially emotionally. It was part of the reason she was so worried now.
Reaching out and wrapping her arms around Hazel' waist, Dora took a second to enjoy the cool water on her feet. "Nymphadora." Hazel turned around and stared at her, her hand pressing onto Dora's chest, right over her heart. "Promise me you will come back to me whole. You are a part of my life now. I can't … I can't even conceive of pushing you away. So you better come back to me, whole and yourself. I'll never forgive you if you don't." Hazel's eyes shifted into various colors before it settled onto an eerie silver that glowed brightly, sending shivers down Dora's core. "I won't forgive you if you turn your back on us or hurt what we have. Remember that, Nymphadora." Dora blinked, unsure what she just felt but Hazel's eyes had returned to green. "I promise, Hazel. I won't leave you. I'll make it back." Seeing the truth in her eyes, Hazel nodded. The two reached a rocky outcropping overlooking the farthest edge of the island. A wardstone dropped on the ground and Dora felt the magic cover her for a second. Hazel pulled back and stripped out of her bathing suit completely. "This is the only thing I can do that will settle me tonight. Will you let me make love to you?" The ward seemed to have affected the ground as well as she felt it was remarkably soft as the two pressed into each other.
Hazel loomed over her, her face lit by a bright full moon, those green eyes glowing. "I am going to feed you my magic, Dora. I am going to keep feeding it to you from now until the mission ends. This is part of my one condition. Will you accept it?" Dora blinked. "And the rest?" Hazel showed her her hand and Dora watched as a wand literally came out from underneath the hand's flesh. Hazel stared at her. "This wand chose me and it's bound to me. I can pass it along to another so long as my magic is inside of them, but it will always return to me no matter what." The wand changed form until it took on a simple wand design, not its series of lumps of elder wood. "You accept my magic and you use this wand when you have no other choice. These are my conditions." Dora took it and felt the wand reach out to her magic. It touched the faint echo of Hazel's magic that always lingered in her. Dora turned and saw real concern in Hazel's eyes. She nodded. "I'll do it." Hazel smiled before she leaned in. "This part you will like. I promise." Warm lips pressed against her own and she groaned. Magic. Pure, raw and all consuming magic filled her as Hazel made love to her that night over and over again. Dora woke up the next morning exceedingly sore and warm as she turned to her sleeping girlfriend, feeling her partner's magic singing beneath her skin. She decided to pay Hazel back a bit, even if it meant they were late to the breakfast table. She was worth being late for.
-∞-
Dora sat comfortably at the large breakfast table in the Black Summer House as she drank a hot cup of coffee. She watched Amelia walking gingerly to the table before sitting down. Dora smirked. "Long night of acquainting yourself with Sirius?" Amelia blushed as a cup of coffee was placed in front of her by magic. "You aren't one to talk. Heard your room has been silenced for almost two days straight." Dora smirked happily. "What, my girlfriend and I aren't allowed some good old fashioned privacy?" Amelia shook her head. "No, but don't tease others if you are up to the same thing. By the way, you missed a spot on your shoulder." Dora drew her wand to conjure a mirror but the mirror that appeared was a full sized one. It dropped onto the table and cracked, startling them both. Dora tried to vanish the mirror and accidentally vanished the table, two mugs of coffee crashing onto the floor. Dora sighed. "Hazel? Could you come out for a second? I need some help here."
Hazel stepped out of the kitchen's door, using a towel to dry her hands. She looked at the empty dining room and the smashed cups, before she spotted Dora holding the Elder Wand. She waved her hand and vanished the broken mugs and spilled coffee before conjuring a dining room table. She eyed Dora. "You and I are going to have to practice. The amount of magic in you now and that wand aren't all that easy to control." Dora pouted as two mugs of coffee popped onto the table. "You could have told me that yesterday." Hazel raised an eyebrow. "Really, because when I wasn't with Teddy and the kids exploring the underwater sights via a moving air bubble, I distinctly remember your only coherent words to me were along the lines of-'' Dora rushed up and covered Hazel's mouth with her hands before she sighed. "Ok. You have a point. Can we not bring that up?" Dora shivered pleasantly as she pulled her hand away from Hazel, who only smirked at her as she pulled her tongue back into her mouth. "Right. So, you, me and Teddy are going to practice some wandless magic by the beach side. Bring your more conservative swimwear and be ready for a long day. Remind me to grab Harry too. He needs a bit more practice with his wand and I have a few spells I want him to learn for the coming year."
Dora groaned as she sat on the table. "Great." Hazel glared and playfully slapped Dora's shoulder. "No complaining. You are going to have a long year dealing with problems on your own with no backup. I am going to make sure you can come back safely." Hazel turned around and went back into the kitchen as Amelia hummed with her fresh cup of coffee. "This have anything to do with the briefing Croaker has for me in a few days?" Dora sighed. "Probably. We have another long year ahead focused on Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament. Hazel is being overprotective." Amelia looked to the door leading to the kitchen. "Dora, remember that she came from a world where she lost almost everything that mattered to her. She's building a home here now. She has acquaintances and coworkers, but I think you're the only one besides your family and Harry she truly cares for. Hazel is going to be overprotective of you, regardless of what happens." Dora drank from her coffee quietly before she felt a hug from behind. "Morning Dora." She smiled and ruffled Teddy's hair. "Morning, kid. Your Mom's going to be teaching me some wandless magic later and is dragging you along. Are you interested?" Teddy sat down as a glass of orange juice popped on the table. "Thank you, Leafsby. And sure. I need more practice with the more complicated stuff. Summoning and banishing are too easy now."
Harry sat at the table, rubbing his eyes, as a glass of orange juice popped into existence in front of him. "Morning everyone." He looked around. "I gather that Hazel is probably in the kitchen. Where are the rest?" Dora flushed. "Mom and Dad are going to have the day to themselves. It's their wedding anniversary. Sirius is wherever Amelia left him and I think Susan is sleeping in late." The table looked to Amelia who hummed merrily. "He'll be down, well as soon as he can get out of his room. Might take a while. And Susan will be here in a bit. She's always a little slow waking up in the mornings." The table chatted patiently for a bit until Susan walked slowly into the room and sat down, drinking a cup of hot chocolate. Hazel came out of the kitchen, carrying a large wok full of scrambled eggs and vegetables, as the elves popped in the selection of meats and breads. "Breakfast is ready." Hazel sat next to Teddy and served him and Harry their servings while everyone else served theirs. She looked to Amelia and gave her an appreciative nod, one Dora caught in the corner of her eye. Dora smiled to herself, glad that bad scenario was avoided again. Hazel wasn't blinded by murderous rage with Sirius anymore, but the itch to send him into a spasming fit was still very much alive.
Notes:So, how was it? A short break for everyone to just enjoy themselves before things get all to real. I also happen to be a fan of the beach episode anime trope. Year 4 officially begins soon.
Next Chapter?: changing responsibilities and the nightmares begin
It took me finishing my latest chapter to realize... I am 3 full unwritten chapters away from the end of this story... I don't know how to feel about that. This project took me longer to write than the first and has been on my mind quite a lot. Reaching this point...has left me with a lot of mixed feelings. I an happy with what I have written, it's just... there is a time when you don't want something to end. But everything must end. Anyways, there are plenty more chapters for you all to read before you need to worry about the end.
Leave a comment, discuss and see you all in three days.
Chapter 38: Quality Time with the FamilyNotes:Here is the next Chapter. Hope you like it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hazel leaned back into the sofa and closed her eyes. Ted Tonks looked at her with a bit of knowing look. Dora came back to the house just as tired before Andromeda whisked her up the stairs. His wife had fled quite early this morning to work, saying her daughter needed a bit of medical work at the DoM. "Rough training session today?" Hazel groaned. "Horatio decided to get creative with our last one. The bastard had me conjure quite a few magical beasts and pitted Dora against them." Ted winced. "How realistic are we talking?" Hazel laughed exhaustedly. "Down to the last detail. I had to put my foot down when he asked me to conjure a Basilisk or a Cockatrice. I didn't want Dromeda to ask me why her daughter needed a Restorative Potion." Ted drank his coffee as he looked at the kids in the backyard, Teddy trying to show Harry how to get into the mental state needed for an animagus. While Amelia vetoed them training the rest of the kids as Animagi, Harry was family. The transformation could also serve as a viable escape should something unexpected happen. "So, that's the reason our daughter had fire burns this morning?" Hazel winced. "Uhm, they weren't from the magical fire dragons are known for. I made sure to remove the curse aspect." Ted sighed in relief. "Good, because Andromeda thought they were. I saw her eyeing the surgical knives before leaving with her healer's kit." Hazel blinked. "For removing the damaged skin or filleting Horatio alive?"
Ted drank from his cup of coffee again. "Both." Hazel sighed and leaned forward. She looked at the lawyer. "Any word about Bertha Jorkins?" Ted shook his head. "Not one since she decided that Albania was a good place for a vacation." Hazel frowned. Moody had been warned to increase his security and to watch out for Barty Junior. While the Ministry Records listed him as dead, the same had happened in her world. He had been Voldemort's eye on her and the Tournament throughout her entire fourth year. Keeping Voldemort's access to Harry and the Goblet of Fire limited was their go to plan for now. Sadly, the reconnaissance she did going into the Crouch Estate hadn't revealed much. There were signs of some changes and damage in the basement, consistent with an unwilling prisoner, but by the time she investigated it, the place was empty. Charging Barty Senior was impossible without Junior as evidence. Hazel wondered if the fact that Pettigrew was dead, Voldemort's wand was missing, and this world's Sirius Black was innocent meant that Barty would have to be the one to collect his master and the wand. The evidence from Pettigrew's memories certainly seemed to point in that direction. Her eyes wandered to Harry outside, his eyes closed in concentration, probably trying to find his inner animal.
"Any nightmares of late for Harry? Weird dreams?" Ted eyed her carefully. "Nothing. He's been resting peacefully. We always check every morning, with Andromeda saying it's to make sure there aren't any lingering effects from his childhood or a symptom of his scar. He's being honest with us." Hazel wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. A pensive and quiet Voldemort was a dangerous thing. Then again, her's had been an obsessive thinker, with her as his primary target. "He asked about you again." Hazel blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "What?" Ted smirked. "He asked about you and your plans for the 31st." Hazel groaned. "Why must you all be so interested in celebrating my bloody birthday?" Ted raised his hands. "Hey, I am just the messenger." Hazel huffed. "Sorry Ted, but Voldemort sent plenty of messengers to me too. They were his gifts as well. As you can imagine, I didn't leave them in any way to deliver a message, except the obvious "drop dead." He didn't take the hint." Ted lowered his hands. "Well, this messenger just wants you to know that the boy wants you to spend your birthdays together. Teddy has apparently agreed on your behalf." Hazel clamped her jaw tight and lowered her head.
Hazel crossed her arms and looked outside. She looked back over the time she had spent with Harry over the last year. "Theodore, be honest with me. What does Harry see me as?" Ted sighed and placed his cup on the table. "Andromeda and I talked about that. He likes being with us and is happy but we think he is connecting more with you. You personally protected him for years and were there for most of his third year. You represent a safety he has come to associate with family. Even with Sirius being around, telling him stories about his parents and everything, he still asks more about you." Hazel rubbed her face. "I didn't set out to raise another son." Ted smirked. "Are you sure about that? All the evidence says otherwise." Hazel glared at him for a second before turning to look at the boys again. Teddy was looking towards her, sensing her emotional distress. Hazel made a motion with her finger and he nodded. "Can I have a private conversation with my son?" Ted stood up and straightened out his pants. "Sure. I'll be in my office looking over the files for the next Wizengamot session. We need to go over those afterwards." Hazel nodded absentmindedly. "I'll be up there soon." As soon as Teddy entered, Hazel patted the seat beside her.
"Theodore gave me a few things to think about, including Harry's request for the 31st. You ok with those?" Teddy smiled and nodded. "I know there are going to be people there you don't like." Hazel sighed. "In the case of Molly Weasley, I think the feeling is mutual." Teddy giggled as he sat down. "Well, yeah. You and Dromeda keep Harry away from her." Hazel looked outside. "Anything? Or is there enough Black blood in his veins that we might have to wait a year?" Teddy looked outside and nodded. "He sees something, but it's still not clear enough. I think he needs his magic to mature a bit more. Think he might be like you? Another late Metamorphmagus?" Hazel rubbed her fingers together, getting a feel for her magic and remembering the time she first shifted. "Not sure. It was too close to my getting the Hallows for it to have been a coincidence. My blood ties to the Black family were far thinner too. We will keep trying over the year but taking it easy, and maybe try getting him started on some wandless practice for now. Enough that he won't need a wand for the transformation and can summon it into his hand in an emergency. The exercises for the Animagus Transformation can help with that too."
Teddy nodded but looked worried. "So, the party?" Hazel sighed. "Fine, I will go." Teddy beamed and hugged her. Hazel hugged him back and kissed his head. "Ted also said something else. About how Harry is looking at me as more than just another family member." Teddy nodded against her. "He told me. When we talked about the wards at Potter Manor." Hazel pulled her son back a bit to look at his eyes. "Are you ok with that? I never thought about having or raising other children. I don't want to take being my only son away from you." Teddy smiled at her. "I know Mom, but Harry needs you too. I am not exactly sure if he will ever call you mom, especially after reading Lily's journals, but he needs someone there for him. He likes Andromeda and the way she has cared for him but he feels closer to us. I wouldn't mind him being more like my brother either." Hazel stared at her son. "Are you absolutely sure?" Teddy nodded and Hazel's shoulders sagged. "Alright. We can have a conversation with him later. For now, just get together with Andromeda as soon as she and Dora get home and plan the party." Teddy hopped off the sofa and kissed his mom on the cheek. "Thanks Mom."
Hazel watched as Teddy returned and spoke to Harry. The smile that grew on his face and his obvious excitement made her sigh. There weren't any doubts about how he saw her now. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the mirror above the chimney. Her own face reflected back at her. Her eyes flickered in color before resting on silver, then red and then returning green again. She never planned on ever having children. She swore that Teddy would be her only priority. Yet she couldn't deny the fact that she had made allowances for Harry. She had made sure he was loved, cared for and protected. She rubbed her hair again before looking at it. There was hardly any black of her original hair left. She had no illusions that it meant something had shifted inside of her. Her magic had shifted several times in her life and her body had reacted accordingly. She had told Teddy there wouldn't be any children from her. Now Harry was joining her family, even if a bit late in life and Dora… Hazel sighed and looked at the picture of Dora inside the nearest glass case cabinet. They had exchanged their feelings. All that was left was the last commitment. Vows. Would she want children too? Hazel closed her eyes. This was going to be a long year. She could feel it. For now, she would wait for Dora to decide. Her lover and partner deserved to make up her own mind on this. Even if the wait left her heart in a constant state of anxiety.
-∞-
"Happy Birthday, Harry!" The boy smiled and pulled Teddy into a hug. "Thanks Teddy." He looked up and beamed as Hazel smiled at him. Teddy pulled away and Hazel hugged him. "Happy Birthday, Harry." Harry smiled. "Happy Birthday, Hazel." Hazel released him and looked around. "Where is the other birthday boy? Even if we are a day late." Harry pointed to the glass door. "In his greenhouse. He wanted to show the girls the flower garden." Hazel chuckled and looked at Augusta standing nearby. "Heir Longbottom is already looking to court a future lady?" Augusta made a face. "He better not. He is much too young." Hazel smirked. "Right. Don't let Andromeda hear you say that. She was already eying her husband for a few years before they eloped. Astoria seems to have picked Teddy already too." Teddy shuddered. "Nope, too early. Too early for that, Mom." Hazel chuckled as she sat down on one of the sofas the Longbottom brought to the solarium. Since they had three people whose birthdays were nearly identical, it was decided to hold a single large gathering and celebration. Of the available places, Longbottom Manor was chosen for its accommodations and the comfort of certain families. Teddy sat next to Harry. "Did you get your scores for the exams?"
Harry nodded. "Exceeds in Potions, History, Astronomy and Herbology. Outstanding in Transfiguration, Charms, Care, Runes, and Defence." Hazel rubbed his hair. "Nice work. Your work in the Dueling Club paid off." Harry blushed as Augusta turned to Hazel. "Neville did quite well in Defence again. My thanks for your instruction." Hazel nodded at her. "Only doing my best to make sure they are as safe as they can be." Teddy smiled at Harry. "I got a few more Outstandings, but my History was only an Acceptable." Hazel kissed Teddy's hair. "And that's understandable. Grandma would have been just as proud as I am. You have plenty of time before the OWL exams to get your History score up." Hazel looked up as she saw a few more people arrive, a bushy haired girl rushing forward to hug Harry, almost tumbling him back onto the sofa. "Happy Birthday, Harry!" Hazel sat back and looked at the Grangers. She hardly met them in her past life, only passing by them once at the bookstore while Lockhart was posturing. Their eyes were certainly looking up everywhere with clear curiosity. "You must be the Grangers." The dentists turned to her and offered their hands. Hazel shook them as Hermione introduced her. "This is Ms. Peverell. She was the Instructor for the Defence Club at school last year and a substitute Defence Teacher. She's also an Auror."
Hazel gave out a loud sigh. "Hit Witch. There is a difference." Hermione blushed as the Granger laughed merrily. "A pleasure, Miss. Heard you were acting as security for the Castle last year." Hazel nodded. "And this year as well. A new map we developed will help me keep a closer eye on who is on the grounds." The Grangers held Hermione to them. "You were also the one who rescued our daughter from that Basilisk Creature?" Hazel gave Harry a look and he blushed. "Sorry." Hazel sighed. "It's fine, Harry. She is your friend. But if I do tell you something is to be kept secret, remember to do so. I do work a job that needs a level of discretion." Harry nodded as Hazel turned to the parents. "What I did for your daughter I would have done for any other child. I signed up to keep people safe, especially children, no matter what others may say of her background." The Grangers nodded, the mother hugging Hermione to her. "Nevertheless, thank you. She means the world to us." Hazel rested her hand on Teddy's back and looked at him and Harry. "Believe me ma'am, I know the feeling." They turned and chatted a bit with Augusta as the girls came out of the Greenhouses with Neville, Amelia watching over them. Hazel looked around and Augusta noticed. "The Tonks family left Harry with us this morning. They went to bring the cake in from the Alley before fetching Sirius." Hazel nodded her thanks as a group of redheads arrived.
Doing her best not to scowl, Hazel kept a somewhat friendly smile on her face. The younger kids came up to Harry. "Happy Birthday, Harry." He hugged them back. "Thanks Ron, thanks Ginny." As the younger Weasleys went to find Neville, the twins came up and Hazel gave them a knowing look. "If your gifts include your wares, make sure you include the counters and you know it's going to work, boys." The Twins swallowed, nodded and spoke in stereo. "Of course, Ms. Peverell." Arthur watched as the two left after dropping off their gift. "My apologies if their gift isn't all that appropriate." Hazel eyed Harry and Teddy. "Oh, I am sure it will see some use. I am more concerned over the kids getting stuck a certain color or bleeding profusely from their nose. I am skilled at breaking curses, wards and people, not potions or healing. Andromeda is already glaring at me over injuries incurred at work with her daughter. I don't need to get into more trouble with her." Arthur nodded and shook hands with her as Molly Weasley glared at her. "And you think that's a good environment to raise children, where their caregivers get harmed?" Hazel raised an eyebrow. "Right. You included your parents in that statement, Mrs. Weasley née Prewitt?" The woman's face turned red before Arthur turned to her. "Molly, enough. Harry seems perfectly safe and happy with them. Let it be."
Augusta watched as they left. "Not very civil." Hazel sat down. "Me or her? Two of her son's are active in dangerous careers, her brothers were all Aurors that died in the war, and her father made himself quite a target in the early days of the conflict. I won't be called out by people who have no right to judge me and not expect a response. That privilege is reserved to family only." Teddy giggled. "Right, as if you never talked back to Grandma." Hazel pouted. "I was less interested in being polite those years and your Grandma was less than pleased about my choice of jobs. She was also understanding enough not to protest too much. Times being what they were." Teddy nodded as Harry looked at Hazel. "What did you do before you were a Hit Witch?" Hazel winced but couldn't bring herself to lie to him. She looked at Harry. "You know how some Death Eaters got back into society? Like the Malfoys and their allies." Harry nodded and Hazel sighed. "A few fled after the war and hid out in the country where I was. The laws didn't help and people were still suffering. The Aurors were limited in what they could do. I might have taken… payments to make the problem disappear. Teddy's Grandmother didn't approve but we had little money to afford food and my skills weren't tailored to much else."
Harry looked at Teddy, who nodded. "Grandma argued with Mom, especially since she had some money saved, but Mom couldn't sit still. She wanted to make sure I had funds for school and good food too." Harry turned to her. "Are the laws here better now?" Hazel sighed and looked at Augusta. "They're getting there, finally." The old woman touched Harry on the back. "I don't particularly like her prior work either, but she is taking care of you kids now. That work taught her a lot about the worst things people can do to each other. Handy knowledge when writing new laws." Harry nodded and dropped the subject. He stood closer to her and Teddy sat at her other side, a silent show of support that warmed Hazel's heart. Neville finally got back and sat down, breathing heavily. "That… was a lot more trouble than it was worth." Hazel raised an eyebrow. "Careful. The girls might be offended. Being called "trouble" and all." Neville blushed as he looked between her and his Grandmother. "Sorry." Augusta's face softened. "Though we can certainly be troublesome, from time to time." Neville beamed at the understanding look from his Grandmother and Hazel chuckled.
The Tonks finally arrive, with the largest birthday cake Hazel ever saw. Hazel eyed Dora, who sat besides Teddy. "Is this a sign of what I should expect from a Tonks Wedding Cake?" Dora's face went red and her hair cycled through every color before settling on soft red. "Maybe?" Hazel pulled her by her shirt and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Good to know." Dora got a bit of payback on her girlfriend as the group sang Happy Birthday to everyone, with Hazel visibly squirming in her seat, before the cake carved into and the slices were passed around. Spotting a bit of wine on the table, Hazel passed a glass to Dora, who smiled at her but Hazel kept it out of her reach for a second. "The gifts for me that are not child friendly better be back at the Tonks residence or at our Apartment." Dora pouted. "Yes, they are." Hazel handed her the glass and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. They sat back with the adults as Harry and Neville opened their gifts. Sirius, who sat close to Augusta, gave Harry a few more Quidditch themed gifts, mainly new gear for the growing boy. He also secured the Quidditch World Cup Finals tickets for Harry and the more interested members of the Coalition.
Harry got an assortment of gifts from the rest, including a book on Runes from Hermione, one on Herbs and Potions from Neville, sweets from the Weasleys that Hazel made sure to check without being observed, a book on Wizarding Customs from the Bones family that made Hazel turn to a particularly red faced Susan. Harry thanked Remus, who was invited by Sirius to the event, for another photo album with his parents in them from their years at Hogwarts. He opened Teddy's gift next and lifted up the leather bracelet with charms hanging from it. Teddy chimed in, showing his own. "It's a tradition of ours. The charms represent the people in our family. The tree is Mom, mine's the wolf and Dora is the cute rabbit." Dora's "Oi!" made everyone chuckle. Teddy pulled the stuffing out of the box, showing another set of charms on another bracelet. "I wasn't sure if it was fair, so Mom suggested I make another one. The stag and doe are your parents and the moon and the dog are Remus and Sirius. They are both made from Direwolf leather and enchanted heavily. When you decide on a charm for yourself, ask Mom. She'll add it for you on either or both, as well as ours." Remus looked at Hazel. "Where did you get Direwolf leather? They're extinct." Hazel drank from her cup of tea. "Right. Tell that to the pack that decided I made a tasty meal. I got it the old fashioned way; a lot of curses, magical and otherwise, a knife and a whole lot of patience, not to mention plenty of healing potions. Those bastards had some bloody sharp teeth."
The party, thoroughly terrified of Hazel now, moved outside, with the kids chatting together on the grass, with a few brooms being brought out for them to play with. Though they chose not to play Quidditch, many of them did try some exercising, including a few of the kids wishing to ride Harry's Firebolt. Hazel got as close to Sirius as she dared. "You know your cousin will show you she was always a Black, despite what her father thought, if something happens to him on that broom, right?" Sirius chuckled. "She gave me quite the threat if anything happened to him on it, yes." Sirius eyed her. "Thank you, for not forgetting about us with your gift." Hazel shrugged, doing her best not to draw her Holly Wand. Dora holding the Elder Wand, even if she could summon it at a moment's notice, looked like a better idea everyday. "Just because I want to curse you two everytime you piss me off doesn't mean I don't know what you mean to the kid. Whatever path he picks, he deserves to know everything that came before." Sirius eyed her carefully. "Even the reason he and Neville went into hiding?" Hazel turned to him, her eyes shifted to red and slitted. "Everything. I have not lied to Teddy in my entire time with him. I refuse to lie to Harry. He will know soon enough." Sirius shivered at the sight before he turned away. "It won't make him safer." Hazel nodded. "No, it won't. But Harry will know that he can trust our feelings for him are more than just pretty words. No matter what. That is worth all the sleepless nights he may suffer from knowing the truth."
-∞-
Deep in a dark and still house, a figure approached a high backed chair kept close to a chimney, the flames licking up at a steady pace, the room covered in orange light and dark shadows. The figure kneeled facing the chair. "You summoned me, my lord?" A raspy voice filled the ensuing silence. "Tell me what has become of your fellows? Do they await my return? Have they made preparations to resume our conquest?" The figure's voice was unsteady. "No, my lord. Those who avoided Azkaban or left earlier have been facing difficulties. The Aurors have been most efficient in dismantling the illegal operations that could have served us. The laws are far less forgiving and Dumbledore's influence and pacifist approach has waned, as seen by Pettigrew's arrest and swift execution. Malfoy has squandered his family's position and the Black Fortune is now beyond his reach." An angry hiss filled the room. "What of Malfoy and this incident at Hogwarts after I was forced to flee? What happened to my family's chamber beneath the Castle?"
The figure swallowed, its short dark, unruly hair failing to conceal the fear in his eyes. "Word is that the Basilisk was killed after the Aurors found and breached the Chamber's entrance. The children of our allies were unable to say further, beyond the fact it's entrance has been hidden and heavily warded by the Ministry. Nothing further has been spoken about it since. Malfoy was blamed for the incident and evidence was submitted that demonstrated a cursed book was responsible, one he supposedly owned. The man spent much of his gold to convince enough of the Wizengamot to doubt the evidence. He was left free, but his seat within the Board of Governors was turned over to Augusta Longbottom. He tried to prevent the transfer of the Black Lordship to Sirius Black and failed to do so as well." The silence stretched longer still. "What became of the book?" The man swallowed nervously. "Destroyed." An ear piercing, inhuman scream filled the room. "I will have Malfoy's hide for this! I gave him that to be protected, not wasted away in a bid to weaken Dumbledore! Bartemius, you are to keep Malfoy out of all discussions. The man has drawn too much attention to himself to serve us now!"
Barty nodded. "Of course, my lord." The room was filled with a piercing wheezing noise. "The others? Have they made any plans?" Barty raised his head a little. "Word is they plan to attack the World Cup Finals after the game concludes, catching the attendees mid festivity. The Aurors have secured small security forces from several ICW nations to guard the event." The raspy voice responded. "Good, good! The lambs of our world must be reminded who they should fear. The Aurors will be disorganized with so many foreign guards. Dumbledore's leadership of the group will be questioned if his own nation can't secure an international event. Do try to observe the planning of the attack. Listen and be vigil, but keep yourself distant from them. Should the Aurors catch wind of the attack, you are not to be compromised. Has Miss Jorkins given us everything we need for our plans?" Barty lowered his head. "Of course, my lord. The woman has nothing else to provide you. Should I bring her here to be disposed of?" The voice seemed to take a moment to think. "No, not yet. There is one last use we may just secure from her. Bring a bit of parchment and a quill, Bartemius. I have some materials you should go and acquire."
The man sat close to the chair and noted down several ingredients, many needing to be acquired fresh from living muggles and other magical creatures. "Return with these soon, Bartemius. We will use Bertha for one final honor. After that, you are to return to your position. Observe the attack on the World Cup and set our plans in motion for the coming year." Bartemius seemed to pause for a moment. "My lord, would it not be prudent to secure another to our side? Perhaps one free from suspicion? It would be dangerous to leave ourselves so vulnerable." A wheeze filled the room. "Perhaps you are right. Pettigrew's end is unfortunate and Severus is too close to Dumbledore for us to approach safely." A few moments of quiet thought ended as the voice seemed pleased with its plan. "Barty, why don't you go see our old friend hiding in Durmstrang? I am sure there is much he would be willing to do to earn my forgiveness for his treachery." Barty raised his head. "Is that wise?" The voice cackled. "Don't worry, Bartemius. My forgiveness doesn't mean you can't exact your own revenge. All I ask is that you wait till the task is complete for you to secure your vengeance on those who wronged you."
Barty smiled at his master. "Of course, my lord. Your generosity is most welcomed." The voice wheezed again. "Go and bring me the potion for tonight before you leave to fulfill our plans. There is much to prepare for in the coming months. But soon I will remind this country that I cannot be slain. Especially not by a mere child! Go so our revenge is that much closer to being unleashed!" The man left the room before the voice spoke again. "Nagini, my oldessst friend. Will you accept the honor of housssing a bit of my sssoul sssoon? The dessstruction of one of my anchorsss isss a concern that mussst be addresssssed. " A snake slithered from out of a shadow and curled on top of the back of the raised back of the chair. " Asss you wisssh, my massster. " The voice responded, seemingly pleased with itself. " Good. There isss much to be done. Our return and the death of the boy will leave the massssesss in terror. We will ssstrike at thossse who dared desssecrate my ancessstor'sss chamber. They will remember why they feared to ever utter my name! "
-∞-
Andromeda sat beside Harry on his bed, as Hazel entered the room. The boy threw himself into Hazel's arms and she held him after a moment of surprise. "What happened, Harry?" Harry was shaking. "A dream. Or maybe not. It felt so real. Voldemort. He is planning with someone called Bartemius. An attack on the World Cup and something for the rest of the year. He has a woman. Miss Jorkins. He's planning something for her. A ritual or a potion. I don't know. He spoke to this snake called Nagini, asking if it would house a bit of his soul. Only it didn't feel like he was asking her. The way she responded felt wrong. Like the snake couldn't say no." Hazel sighed and looked at Andromeda. "Would you mind if he spent most of the remaining summer with us? He will be safer there and you can get the others to look him over, with your supervision." Andromeda nodded and drew her wand. "I'll pack his clothes." As Andromeda got to work on that, Hazel pulled Harry back a little, her green eyes meeting his. "I believe that what you saw was real, Harry. The magic lodged in your scar is acting as a link. Was he in some physical form?"
Harry shuddered as he tried to remember. "I didn't see him, but he kept wheezing and asked for a potion." Hazel nodded. "Ok, so he is probably in a body, and an incomplete homunculus body at that. Trust me Harry, not all magic is pretty and you are not to research that till you are seventeen, if ever. Did you hear the ingredients he asked for?" Harry nodded, growing visibly green. Hazel conjured a small bucket and placed it on his lap. "I know, they are probably disgusting, but try and remember them. If we can figure out the ritual or potion, we can create a counter. Something to stop him or weaken him. Where we are going will be perfectly safe and full of people who know loads of weird and dangerous magic. They will help us with this, but only if you are ok with it. None of us will force you to do anything you aren't happy with." Harry hugged her and nodded and Hazel rubbed his head, sighing softly. She watched as Andromeda placed a slightly smaller trunk on the bed. "Ted?" The woman nodded and left the room to tell her husband where they would be going. Hazel rubbed Harry's back. "You remember the moments when we went somewhere new? Like when we went to your family's house? Well, it's that type of magical transport." Harry gave a bitter laugh. "Great." Hazel placed a comm device into her ear and activated it. "O1 to base. Transporting H1 and VIP HP2 via portkey to base. Confirm arrival."
Once Andromeda was with them, the three of them portkeyed away. Hazel's bucket came in handy as Harry emptied his stomach as soon as he landed, the two witches offering him support. A vanished bucket, with its contents, and a breath freshening charm later, Hazel guided Harry down the corridors of the DoM. She turned to Andromeda. "Talk to the Boss and the people working on the scar's removal. Tell them he is here and will probably see them soon. I'll get him to settle down for the night and we will have the check up early afternoon. If he is willing, I will look through his memories of the dream and store them to be sent for verification as soon as we are done." Andromeda nodded and kissed Harry's cheek. "I'll be here with Hazel, Teddy and Dora to look after you. You are with your family so everything will be alright, ok?" Harry nodded, feeling much better after the portkey. They reached an open chamber and Hazel turned Harry to the side. "The entrance is a secret, I need to cover your head. Everything inside will be fine, we just can't have the memories of the entrance method being shown, ok?" After Harry agreed, Hazel covered his head with a black bag she conjured, spun him a bit for disorientation and levitated him towards the wall before applying her ID to it.
Harry shook his head as the bag vanished. He looked around and noted the long hallway with lots of doors, before Hazel spoke up. "This way." A few more hallways and they soon reached one where the door opened and Teddy rushed out and hugged Harry. Dora walked up and Hazel gestured with her head towards the door that led to Dora's apartment. "He might spend the night with Teddy, but think you could have him in your guest room for the rest of summer?" Dora hugged Harry to her after Teddy released him. "What do you say, cousin? Want to spend summer here with me?" Harry smiled. "Sure." The four entered the apartment and Teddy went to show him where they could sleep for the night. "Leafsby." The elf appeared and Hazel showed him the trunk. "Since you would likely yank this out of my hands, could you sort Harry's non-Hogwarts clothes into the drawers of Dora's guest room? I will go with him to select a change of clothes for tonight. He will probably want a warm shower." The elf grinned. "Of course, Mistress Peverell." He and the trunk vanished as Hazel kissed Dora on the cheek. "Dogpile in the kid's room or alone?" Dora smirked. "You think I am missing this sleepover?" Hazel shook her head as she went to check on the kids, tapping her comm on the way. "O1 to BM, you might want to cancel training tomorrow." Horatio's less than pleased voice came up. "Agreed. Now, if you excuse me, some of us are trying to sleep." Hazel pulled the earpiece out and shrugged. Horatio apparently wasn't a night person. Who would have known?
-∞-
"Anything your Unspeakables managed to figure out?" Hazel watched as Croaker pulled out a stack of papers, her thoughts wandering back to the long night and day prior since Harry joined them at the Department of Mysteries. Dora had joined her as they spent the evening in Teddy's room, the bed Transfigured to be quite a lot larger to accommodate everyone. Wishing to ease Harry's mind, Teddy showed Harry a few of his things, mainly his growing collection of animal claws, something Quetz seemed overly fond of providing these last few years. At the mention of the Griffin claw, Harry asked where she got the Griffin that saved him in his first year. Wanting to entertain the kid, she shifted into her Griffin form. He and Teddy then proceeded to inspect her claws, feathers and beak while Dora looked on, doing her best to hold in her laughter. Hazel guilted her into taking her bunny form and the two kids showered her in a lot of pets and adorable noises. Her girlfriend spent a few minutes later pouting on the far side of the bed, mortified, as Hazel made sure to kiss her hand. Sometime after six in the morning, as the sun finally rose, the kids finally fell asleep. Hazel blocked the artificial windows and everyone just took a space on the bed, Teddy even shifting into his wolf pup form to be more comfortable.
Andromeda managed to join them at noon as the group finally woke up and had their late breakfast. Hazel waited until everyone had their food in front of them before she asked what Andromeda got ready for them. She looked at Harry as he ate some slices of toast. "The people who were figuring out how to remove the scar have made time available in about an hour to look at him. They want to test some of what they have been working on, see if they can remove the magic Dumbledore applied to it. We would be applying a similar one afterwards, but it will be easier to counter with the caster being in the room. They have a good idea of the magic Lily left behind and won't interfere with it, but they need to see how it's interacting with Voldemort's." Harry swallowed. "Mom left some magic on me?" Hazel nodded but gave him a sad look. "The magic she used is Blood Magic, something I have some experience with. My boss gave me permission to pursue it more actively since I got here. An old book of mine detailed the protection she used. It redirected the Killing Curse used on you, but the price for the protection was her own life, as well as the anchor she, uhm, placed on your head."
Harry rubbed his scar. "And some of Voldemort's magic got stuck to me?" Hazel sighed. "We are certain some of it did. We know more but it's safer to not spread the word. This is one of those secrets you don't share." Harry nodded as Andromeda looked at Hazel. "Dumbledore may be removed from his position as Harry's Magical Guardian but he might not be above reading his mind." Hazel rubbed her hair and looked at Harry. "We will have a chat later about something to keep your mind safe. It won't stop the visions but it could protect you from an attack. Other than that, we will see what the experts say. If everything goes well, we will be back here by dinner and we can then see what plans we can make. Depending on how busy we get, Andromeda, Leafsby or a friend of ours will come and look after you two. We can probably get permission so you can practice casting spells here." Harry smiled. "That sounds great." The group finished their lunch and Hazel and Andromeda guided Harry into the Department of Mysteries as Dora watched over Teddy. The Division Head in charge of studies of Soul Magic, an older woman with grey hair, was very courteous to Harry as she had him lie down. The Unspeakables went to work on him for hours before everyone returned to the Apartment. It took a while longer for Hazel to make it to Croaker's office, after making sure the boys were comfortable.
Croaker, finally finding the right report, cleared his throat, drawing Hazel out of her thoughts from earlier in the day. "Soul Magic Division has confirmed the existence of a soul fragment on the boy, enough to create a link with the primary piece. They ran some research on its fragmentation and arrived at the conclusion that Voldemort had made five Horcruxes prior to his destruction and the creation of Harry's fragment." Hazel stopped taping her fingers on her arm and stared at her boss' face. "We only have four pieces, one of which was destroyed." Croaker nodded. "And the memory you provided from Harry suggests that he plans a sixth with the snake, reaching his magical number." Hazel frowned. "Wait. My Voldemort reached a magical number with three horcruxes. How is six a magic number outside of Kabbalah Mysticism?" Croaker eyed her curiously and she blushed. "Transfiguration is similar to how a Kabbalist shapes natural materials, though theirs is closer to Alchemy. I was curious how they worked a set of commands onto a clay automaton. Not to mention how they made them permanent." Croaker clicked his tongue. "Right. Moving on before I decide to see if a Kabbalist might welcome you as an apprentice, the number six isn't a magical number outside of the magics that trace back to the Key of Solomon. Voldemort, however, didn't seem to be aiming for seven horcruxes, but instead seven fragments, himself included. This is evident from the structure of his inner circle."
Hazel watched as Croaker placed papers on the desk, each one a file on a known Death Eater. "Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy held the position at the end of the war of the highest honors. Six Death Eaters followed after as his next top followers. Two spies, Pettigrew and Snape, and lastly one hidden Death Eater, Barty Crouch Junior. 11 Senior Death Eaters in total comprising the Inner Circle." Hazel frowned before she noticed the pattern. "Three heads, three spies, seven Senior Death Eaters, with one hidden member, all totaling twelve. They are magical numbers, but only when he himself is added to the equation." Croaker nodded. "Voldemort didn't trust anyone to be beyond his reach. Everyone answered to him and he was involved with every aspect of his organization." Hazel looked at the first two mentioned. "If Voldemort trusted Malfoy with a Horcrux, would he have trusted Lestrange with another?" Croaker blinked before he looked down at his papers. "Ah, yes. That would make sense. I will have Legal and Financial track all the Lestrange Assets. We will investigate from there. This will aid with the other tasks we have in mind."
Croaker handed Hazel a file and she read it. "You think you can track the soul fragments?" Croaker nodded. "They serve as anchors, right? Which means they must have a connection between them and the main fragment in Voldemort, just as Harry has. The theory is that we can make a tracking system to identify all the pieces. If the snake is added to the list, which the ingredient list suggests that is the plan, we will be able to track it. We need you to have us informed of Mr Potter's movements in the next few weeks in order to calibrate the tracker. We will then use that to identify Voldemort's location. By the time he has a full physical body, we will have a means to make sure he can't hide from us and hopefully have everything else we need." Hazel sighed. "Which means that Harry needs to keep the soul fragment in him for longer." Croaker had a sad look on his face. "Indeed." Hazel returned the file to his desk and stood up. "I need to talk to him about Occlumency and shielding his thoughts. After that, he will be going to the World Cup Finals." Croaker pulled his papers back and organized them. "Then we are done for now. You have your orders for the Cup. Follow them through." Hazel smirked. "Oh, I plan to."
Notes:So, how was it? Harry's feelings towards his family are changing and Voldemort has re-entered the game. If you are curious how Hazel got the ring, remember that in her world, the three Horcruxes were the diary, the ring and the locket. The three things that mattered personally to Voldemort. Being a Hallow also made it a priority for Hazel. As to why they haven't trapped his likely locations, the plan requires him not to be spooked away. Letting Voldemort think no one knows where he is important to the plan that the DoM has established.
Next Chapter?: The World Cup
A few more scenes done in the final three chapters of the story. Being productive is hard when I am suffering from either heat strokes or A/C inspired hybernation. There is no inbetween. My Muse keeps pushing me towards my third project, but I will see this one completed first. Hope you are all still here. Year 4 is about to begin in earnest.
Leave a comment, discuss and see you all in three days.