Chapter 29: The Peverells ReturnNotes:Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Andromeda kneeled down to hug Teddy, kissing his cheek, as they stood on the edge of the platform next to the Hogwarts Express. "You be a good badger and show the rest of the Houses that Hufflepuffs can do just as well academically, ok?" Teddy nodded, trying not to think about his Andi and what she would say to him on this day. He swallowed the lump in his throat and smiled. "I will." After she stood back up she hugged Harry next. "And you try to stay out of trouble. You gave a good show of yourself this last year. Lily would have been very proud of your hard work. Taking two elective courses isn't bad, especially as a Quidditch player, so don't let your mother's choice to drown herself in work get to you. You do well and remember that you have people looking after you. We'll see you at Hogsmeade when you have a day off." Harry hugged her back. "I'll be there. I'll look after Teddy when I can too." Andromeda chuckled. "Hazel will appreciate that. Now go boys, find yourself a cabin or two." Harry and Teddy waved at Andromeda as they boarded the train before looking for a compartment, with Harry pointing out where the bathrooms were located. Teddy looked at Harry as soon as they found an empty compartment. "You sure you want me with you? I can go find the others. Astoria is a first year student too."
Harry smiled at him. "Up to you but I don't mind. Besides, won't Astoria get dragged into the same cabin as Daphne and Tracey? There might not be much room there for you. Not all of them are friendly." Teddy frowned. "You sure you aren't projecting your fears about the Slytherins? Not all Slytherins are bad. You met Daphne, Tracey and Theo at the get together." Harry sighed. He could admit to himself that Teddy had a point. He had heard from Ron and the other Gryffindors that Slytherins tended to be dark witches and wizards. Draco was certainly a good example of just how bad some of the Slytherins were. Daphne, Tracey and Theo had surprised him when he showed up at the summer get together with Neville, Susan and Hannah. They were very polite. Well, most of them. Tracey seemed to be a ball of energy that was only matched by Hannah, the two jumping from one conversation to the next and the next. Of the girls, she was the one that struck him as odd since she only ever seemed to observe the niceties of etiquette once. Daphne surprised him by being a bit like Hermione, obsessed with learning everything and anything about magic. Astoria seemed to have a similar interest in learning, but she was more laid back to Daphne's mania.
Theo Nott had been the biggest surprise. He was a lot like Neville, quiet and reserved, but he loved Quidditch and was trying out for the Chaser position this year. He could quote just as much Quidditch stuff as Ron, but he was always rational and collected. He also told him about Blaise Zabini, another Slytherin, who wasn't like the rest, though he tended to keep to himself for the most part. He was boisterous like Tracey but was more interested in the Dueling Circuits. They all avoided Draco and his group as much as possible but since it was a rule that Slytherins didn't argue in front of the other houses, they couldn't exactly act too friendly towards Harry without causing a scene. Tracey did say they would make an effort to be more forward and friendly towards Neville, Teddy and himself but they had to do it quickly. Harry had smiled at her logic. If they couldn't argue with Draco, they simply made Draco be the one to start the argument, getting him in trouble. His compliment on how utterly Slytherin of her that was earned him a blush from the brunette. Of the group though, Susan had been the big surprise. He remembered her being very shy when they were just first years in Quirrell's classroom. She was really outspoken and forward now, very confident in herself. She said part of that had been from the tutoring Hazel had given her, making her feel like she didn't need to hide who she was anymore.
That his relative Hazel was the tutor to most of them had been an eye opener, but no more so when he watched everyone training under her instruction. She was fast on her feet and seemed to glide around the room at times. What really surprised him was just how skilled she was with Transfiguration. He had thought McGonagall was the best in Britain, but Hazel seemed to defy that by conjuring lifelike animals in mid air without so much as a word. She was ridiculously good without a wand, something he asked her about. Hearing that her wand had rejected her for three whole years was a surprise and that she was forced to learn wandless magic to compensate was understandable. Her smirk and claims of being a lot more sneaky in practicing during summer without her wand made him smile. There were times when she seemed really sad, though, as if a thought seemed to sap all the joy out of her. That never happened around Teddy or Dora. The odd time she seemed happy alone was when she was thinking of breaking or taking advantage of the rules. A little light seemed to shine in her eyes then. He wondered if she would have gotten along with his dad and the Marauders he read about in his Mom's journal. Though it was for just a few days out of the weeks of summer he still had, Harry learned a great deal about magic from her, along with Theo who was the closest to him in skill with the little amount of time either spent training with Hazel.
Harry shook his head and looked at Teddy. "Ok, maybe I did a little, but you do have your classes to be with them. With you being a shoe in for Hufflepuff, when am I supposed to get to know you more?" Teddy smiled. "Ok, but you keep the Lions off my back. I am going to be a Hufflepuff like Mama and Dora and show everyone that we can be just as good as everyone else." Harry laughed merrily and watched as Teddy silently lifted their trunks up to the rack over their heads once they entered the cabin. "If you teach me how to cast silently." Teddy chuckled. "Sure, but Mom might try showing you first. She got good at it for a reason." The two sat down and chatted away as the time of departure neared. Teddy noticed that Harry looked worriedly at the clock. "Nervous about Hermione?" Harry nodded. "Her parents were really mad about what happened to her at Hogwarts. I think if Andromeda didn't explain the situation to them clearly, they might have sent her off to Beauxbatons. She said she would be here, but you know parents can be." Teddy hummed. "I heard of the school. Mom had a friend from there who had a kid close to my age. Our families got into a fight and I never got to meet her, not before she died." Harry often didn't know what to say to Teddy when the subject turned serious. He thought his life was bad but Teddy's was rough and Hazel's was apparently worse.
His gloomy thoughts ended when Neville opened the door. "Hey Ted, Harry. Look who I found." Harry smiled as Hermione popped her head in. "Can I join you?" The two Gryffindors sat opposite of Teddy and Harry as Neville helped Hermione with her trunk. Teddy stood up and gave Hermione a soft bow. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Granger. My name is Edward Peverell. Ted to friends. Harry has talked a lot about you." Hermione blushed. "A pleasure, Edward. You're Harry's cousin, right? He mentioned you in one of his letters. You look a bit alike." Teddy sat back down. "Mom looked a lot more like Harry, before her hair went white. She had our same black hair once upon a time. Hers got damaged by a curse and it's stuck white now. Mostly." Hermione descended into a discussion with Teddy about curses, which apparently Teddy knew a bit about. Harry eyed him oddly and Teddy flushed. "Mom is a worrier, so she taught me how to spot cursed objects." Hermione sighed. "That would have been handy last year." Harry looked at her. "How are you?" Hermione shrugged. "I feel depressed at the weirdest times. I have a Mind Healer appointment once a week at Hogwarts. Part of the reason why my parents allowed me to stay at all. I am also supposed to check in with Hazel Peverell about once a month for something."
Teddy smiled. "That's Mom. She has an eye for curse damage. She's probably checking that there are no lingering effects on your mind or spirit." Hermione blinked a bit before she smiled. "Oh, I hope I get to meet her soon then. Do you think she can teach me how that works?" The group looked up at the roof when they heard the train whistle blow in warning. Teddy looked at Harry. "Aren't you waiting for someone else?" Harry chuckled. "Trust me, they are always late." A few minutes later four redheads opened the door. "Oh, what do we have here, George?" The other twin hummed. "Looks like Harry has a little brother. Too bad the scary Aurors gave us an order or we'd offer you a deal. Right Fred?" Teddy chuckled and waved at them. "Hi Weasley Twins. Mom and Dora say "Hi" and that I am considered off limits. Dora says she'll tell Charlie to stop sending you materials for your experiments and Mom says she still dreams about checking your insides to see if you're identical all the way through." The twins paled. "Gred, I think we found the scary White Haired Witch's kid." The other responded. "Agreed Forge. Tactical retreat." The twins left, leaving Hermione, Neville and the other two Weasleys flabbergasted. Ron looked at the kid. "Your Mom is that scary?" Teddy smiled. "Only to mean people. Though waking her up early is always bad. Dora learned that the hard way a few times already."
Harry smirked. "Watching a bunny being chased around the Tonks residence by a badger was funny though." Ginny waved at Harry. "Well, I am going to find Luna. Take care, Harry." Ron looked at the group and the small amount of space and sighed. "I hope you don't mind, but I might go sit with Seamus and Dean. They were talking about the Quidditch World Cup coming up next year." Harry nodded. "Sure, we understand. See you at the feast." The train started moving as they started discussing classes. Harry and Hermione laughed a bit at how much Teddy and Neville liked Herbology while Teddy and Harry bonded over Care. Teddy sighed. "I wish I could take that class early. Mom says it can be fun, especially when they bring out the Hippogriffs and Thestrals, but that's all years away." Hermione shuddered and Teddy noticed. "The Thestrals?" Hermione bit her lip. "Tom … taught me about them." Teddy frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry." Hermione shook her head. "It's ok. I took the class anyway, along with Arithmancy and Runes." Harry and Neville shared a look. "Well, two out of three for us ain't bad. I am just glad I got out of Divination." Teddy shuddered. "Mom hates that class after she was made to sit in a few lessons against her will. Says the best teachers for the class are Centaurs." Hermione's eyes lit up. "Do they teach it?" Harry sat back, watching Teddy and Hermione chat away. It was going to be a long ride.
-∞-
The train lurched to a sudden stop and Teddy looked out the window as it started frosting over. "Mom's going to be mad." Harry turned to him. "What is it?" Teddy looked to Neville. "Dementors." Neville cursed. "Damn, Miss Peverell tried teaching us the Patronus but none of us had the strength to cast it just yet. Only Daphne got the furthest along." Teddy drew his wand out, feeling it connecting his magic better than his Mom's ever did. "I know I can make a shield but I tire quickly." Neville nodded and looked at the other two. "The guards of Azkaban are Magical Creatures. They like hurting people. Voldemort used them in the war before they were controlled again. Stay away from the door and behind Teddy." Teddy stood in the center of the cabin, his wand drawn. He started to feel the cold digging in. His breath started being visible and he felt the tug on his mind just as the dark shape appeared behind the pane of glass. Thoughts and images started racing in his mind as the creature opened the cabin door. He felt his body hollow out like it did in his other world, as magic left him powerless. A memory surfaced that he wished he would never see ever again but the Dementor was relentless in his assault. Eventually the memory surfaced, making his heart ache.
The Goblins had been mad at his Mom for what she did to their bank and they came after her in broad daylight. They didn't care that Teddy was with her, one of the few times she brought him outside of the wards at his Grandma's place. They had gone out to Sydenham Hill Wood in London when they were attacked. His Mom was quick at casting curses and throwing weapons at them, but they fought as a unit, wearing her down. Desperate to keep him safe, his Mom pulled her Cloak over him and flooded him with magic over their bond. The next thing he knew his Mom had a spear sticking out of her chest as she pushed him away. She led the goblins further away from him as she snapped the ends of the spear against the trees, before she retaliated, leaving several goblins impaled behind her, many going still as blood stained the ground beneath them. Then his Mom screamed. He ran to her under the cloak and felt his legs give out from underneath him at the sight of her injured body. His Mom had been caught in a ward, the Goblins having impaled her extremities to the ground as soon as they could. He watched them tie ropes to her before one of the Goblins raised an Axe. He remembered screaming. The next thing he knew was his mother was cradling him in her arms, her face covered in tears. He never bothered to ask her why she was covered in blood. The memory's end ripped him out of the Dementor's loop.
Steadied by the thought his Mom would never leave him, even in the face of death or worse, Teddy raised his wand towards the creature. An image of his Mom, utterly happy and smiling at him filled his mind, her laugh filling his ears and warming his heart. The few times he saw her in that state were the happiest moments of his life. " Expecto Patronum ." Teddy felt the drain instantly as a shield of light magic filled the space between him and the others. He pushed forward, forcing the Dementor to retreat into the hallway of the train, even as he felt his arm shaking. He felt his vision blurring but he pushed harder, supporting his wand arm with the other one. He then heard another voice, it's power shaking him to his core. " Expecto Patronum!" He dropped his shield as his vision was filled with the bright light of his Mom's Patronus, his exhaustion almost melting away. He sat on the floor as screeches of pain from the Dementors filled the air. The light passed over him several times, each one filling him with joy. He managed to stand up when the Patronus returned, now the size of a little bird. It landed in his outstretched hand and growled playfully at him. "Hey Aithusa. Thanks for pushing them away." Teddy sat on his seat as everyone else did the same, the danger now gone as the train began moving again, their eyes on the white dragon in his hands.
Neville stared at it. "How? It was the size of the train earlier." Teddy rubbed the partly physical patronus on its head, earning a purr in return. "Mom can channel the magic into it better, changing its size and even making it solid." Hermione closer. "Is that… a dragon? It looks weird." Teddy winced as Aithusa turned around and growled and hissed at Hermione before it dissipated. "Ah, never say that to Aithusa. She's sensitive about the way she looks." Neville's eyes widened. "It's sentient?" Teddy shrugged. "Honestly? I'm not sure. I think she has a bit of Mom's personality. She's aware enough she knows to avoid people and is only playful with me. I don't even know if Mom does it on purpose." The door to the cabin slammed open and Hazel looked inside. "Everyone ok here?" Teddy and the rest nodded, with Neville adding in a few words. "Teddy shielded us with his Patronus for a bit before yours flew by and chased the Dementors." Hazel growled. "That's the last time I negotiate with those creatures. I wasted too much time trying to get them to leave." Hazel dug into her jacket pocket and pulled out some bars of chocolate. "Eat these. It helps with the aftereffects. I need to go check with… everyone else." Hermione blushed under Hazel's sudden scrutiny.
"Miss Granger, step closer." Hermione moved out of her seat and approached Hazel, who drew her wand. Teddy noticed it was her Holly wand and remembered she was hiding her Elder Wand from Dumbledore. She waved it over Hermione before she sighed and dug in her other pocket before pulling out a vial. "This is a Calming Draught. Take it if you feel the onslaught of a panic attack or ask one of the other's to empty it into your mouth if you can't do it yourself. You are to check in with Madam Pomfrey as soon as you are inside the castle. The Dementors effects may have pulled some memories loose that you aren't interested in revisiting again. I will call the Mind Healers to see you and the rest of the students in the morning." Hermione nodded and sat down as Hazel kneeled in front of Teddy. They stared at each other for a second before she leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. "You did good today. Please try and stay safe. Dora wont forgive me if I wreck the Castle because you boys get into more trouble." Teddy giggled. "I promise." Hazel turned to Harry and nodded at him. "You too. I have been on the receiving end of a mad Tonks and a Black before. I don't need a repeat." Harry nodded. "I'll stay safe. Promise." Hazel sighed and stepped out of the cabin. "See you all at the Sorting."
-∞-
"There you are. I was wondering where you went." Teddy smiled at the young blonde. "A pleasure to see you too, Astoria. How was your ride on the Express?" Astoria huffed, her hands on her waist. "Stuffy. My sister didn't leave me out of her sight." A girl giggled. "Already itching to step out of Daphne's shadow, what would she say?" A brown haired girl with blue eyes grinned as another identical girl scrutinized Teddy. "And to complain about it with a boy, what would the others say?" Astoria sighed and rubbed her eyes, waving her hand at the identical looking girls. "Ted, these are Flora and Hestia Carrow. They are being sorted with us." Teddy curtsied to them and blew on their knuckles. "A pleasure to meet you, ladies. Edward Peverell." The two brunettes blinked before they turned and narrowed their eyes at Astoria. "A gentleman, in a sea of kids." The other continued. "Has little Astoria already made her claim?" Astoria blushed. "No, but he is off limits to you two." The girls giggled. "Oh what fun, sister." The other responded. "What fun indeed. Come, Mr. Peverell, would you kindly lead three ladies to a boat?" Teddy blushed slightly. "If you will have me." The Carrows grinned together and spoke in stereo. "Oh, well taught indeed."
Teddy helped Astoria and the twins onto their boat before joining them. He went through quite a bit of teasing until the Castle appeared in view. Teddy had to admit it was beautiful, yet somehow the ruins of The Isle of the Blessed seemed more so, as a place preserved in quiet, ethereal beauty. He had helped his Mom replant some of the flowers they recovered from their world and resealed them properly a few times, making sure they were ok. He wanted to study them one day, maybe with Professor Sprout's help, as it was the only other living thing that remained of their world. As they approached the dock, he used a bit of wandless magic to steady a boat that almost tipped over before they arrived safely at the docks. Astoria pulled him a bit aside as they walked up the stairs. "Careful with those two. They love to tease. They were awfully bored at home since their parents were sent to Azkaban. I met them through our homeschool tutors when they decided the girls needed to meet some other kids their own age." Teddy nodded. "I gathered. Mom made sure to warn me about people teasing me to get a reaction." Astoria hummed. "Daphne did the same. I am about to break expectations, so she's worried about how everyone will treat me." Teddy squeezed her hand. "You know I will be happy to help." Astoria smiled. "Thanks. Enjoy your own little storm."
Waiting just outside the Great Hall was interrupted by a group of ghosts who flew about them, describing their old houses. A few looked at Teddy oddly and he wondered if they could feel the Peverell Magic in him. His Mom wasn't sure how they would react to it. The Peverells were tied to Death in some way, they both knew that, but there was little to nothing else about them, as the connection happened a full three generations before the main line ended abruptly. The fact there were no other Family Magics in this world had been a concern as well, something Croaker had placed a team in the DoM to study, getting almost nothing but vague references in return. Hearing McGonagall call them to the Great Hall, Teddy did his calming exercises as everyone else was staring up at the enchanted ceiling. Eventually the Sorting Hat stopped its song and McGonagall started calling out names. "Flora Carrow." Teddy watched as one of the twins sat on the stool and the hat placed on the head. A minute later it shouted. "Slytherin!" Hestia was called next and was also sorted into Slytherin, both to little fanfare. "Astoria Greengrass." Teddy watched as Astoria sat with the Hat on her head for three minutes before it shouted. "Ravenclaw!"
The Ravenclaw table gave a loud response as Astoria joined them, while half of the Slytherins looked on with clear surprise. Teddy made a note to remember the faces of those who looked displeased. The sorting continued until it happened. "Edward Peverell." Teddy walked steadily forward, feeling his mother's magic reach out to him through their bond in comfort. He caught a few conversations as he walked up to the seat, probably from children of magical families. Other than the few he heard, the hall was very quiet. "Peverell? As in the Dark Wizard Hunters of legend?" … "Didn't their line go extinct centuries ago?" … "He sorta looks like Harry Potter." … "Look at those purple eyes." … "He's going to be a heartbreaker." Teddy breathed deeply as he sat on the stool before the Sorting Hat was placed on his head. Oh, what do we have here? That's a nasty defence someone placed in your head. If I were made of flesh and blood, I might be needing a Healer's attention. Mind if I look inside, young man? Teddy relaxed as he remembered what his mother taught him about the mental shields she placed on him. The Hat slipped in as he lowered them down. My, my. You have come a long way, haven't you, young man. Lupin, Tonks, Black, Potter and now Peverell. All you but the latter two more so, by your own choice too. You have much potential in you, and I don't say that simply because of who your parents are. And by that I mean all of them.
Teddy felt the eyes of the Hall on him, but he also felt his mother touch the Hat through their bond. The hat sensed her. Well protected, aren't you? What I see of her through you is interesting. You are so alike, yet so different. With you I too have a bit of trouble sorting, but because you have traits of three of the houses in such great quantities. You have the nobility of heart and spirit of a Lion, brave enough to face danger head on, especially when it concerns your family. Godric would have liked you. You have some cunning, but your ambitions are subtle and understated. Salazar wouldn't know what to do with you. You thirst for knowledge. A good book and a quiet night are a part of you. Rowena would have welcomed you warmly. But we both know where you belong, don't we? Your loyalty is not freely given, but to those who hold it, it is absolute. You have seen your mother struggle and suffer but you have seen her succeed where all others would have failed. You know the lesson she paid for dearly because she has shown it to you freely, in the hope you may never suffer as she did. Keep it close, young man. Hard work will follow and there will be struggles, but you will prevail in… "Hufflepuff!" The Hall seemed to sputter as the Hufflepuffs clapped warmly while the other houses looked partly confused. Those that knew the name probably expected a Gryffindor or a Slytherin out of him.
Moving down the side of the Hufflepuff table, he sat close to the Prefect. The boy smiled at him. "Welcome to Hufflepuff. My name's Cedric Diggory, Prefect and Quidditch Captain." Teddy remembered his name. His Mom mentioned him once in passing, about the events of the next year. He smiled. "Edward Peverell, a pleasure." Cedric shook his offered hand. "You were a bit of a Hat stall, but I suppose being the first Peverell in centuries here would leave even the Hat unsure what to do." Teddy shrugged, as he raised the defences in his mind back up. "My family has had people in all the houses, so no one should be surprised. We were never too stuck in following a specific set of characteristics as others tend to do." Feeling the defences securely in place, he dared to look at the Staff Table. Professor Snape was easy to recognize and he had to bite back a snarl as his eyes spotted Remus Lupin. He smiled at Professor's Sprout and Flitwick before he made his expression unreadable as he looked at Albus Dumbledore. He knew the man her mother cursed at repeatedly and he could see that there seemed to be some reason to doubt the man in this world too. His chair was austentatious and gaudy compared to the rest and he wore robes that screamed Wizard to anyone who saw him. His eyes caught on him for a second before he felt his barriers being touched.
Teddy smirked as the man winced in pain. The defences his mother found and applied to both of them were designed to be violent and aggressive on intrusions. The better and stronger the Legilimens intrusion, the more damage they suffered. The old man was lucky he didn't try harder. Beside him was McGonagall and to the end he saw who he assumed was Hagrid. At his side were two people he was happy to see. The Sorting completed, Dumbledore walked up and stood on the Speaker's Stand, his head shaking as to clear away the headache he had acquired. "Welcome all to another year at Hogwarts. I have a few announcements to make. Firstly, Professor Kettleburn has officially retired, wishing to leave before he suffered any further loss of limbs. In his place, please welcome Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be teaching Care of Magical Creatures from this year forward. Secondly, please welcome Professor Remus Lupin, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Best of luck, Professor. A few starting of year reminders. The far corridor in the Dungeons is off limits as the Chamber of Secrets remains under study by order of the Ministry. The Forbidden Forest remains forbidden to all students. We also have one final announcement to make."
The Great Hall went silent as they watched the Headmaster. "As you all experienced, the area beyond the Hogwarts grounds will be guarded by the Dementors of Azkaban. They will remain in place until Sirius Black is arrested by the Ministry. Please be wary. They are among the most dangerous creatures and are not known to be forgiving once angered." Teddy felt the students talk amongst themselves as Dumbledore sighed. Teddy smiled, knowing what was coming. "Due to the danger posed to the students by Black and and the Dementors, the DMLE has posted two Aurors to the school for the duration of the year, or until the fugitive has been caught. The rotation may shift, but the two primary Aurors are here with us today. They will also be hosting Dueling Club meetings every week, one for each academic tier of study. Fridays will be NEWT students, Mondays will be OWL students and Wednesdays will be first and second years. All students are free to participate or not at their discretion. There will be no academic reward beyond House Points for those participating. I now leave you with a few words from them."
Teddy watched as his Mom walked up and stood at the center of the raised platform, her voice echoing across the Hall. "To all students, please be sure to report any unusual happenings around the school to myself or my partner. This includes unusual behaviour from the Dementors. These are dangerous creatures that prey on the most vulnerable. All those who have had a difficult childhood, a traumatic memory or a grave loss are to be especially wary. Contrary to popular belief, the Dementors do not feed on happy memories. They seek the worst you have within you and force you to relive it as long as possible, feeding on the pain and suffering you endure as the memory repeats itself. One of the final expectations of the Club will be the successful casting of a Patronus Charm. Until then, please come to us for aid." Hazel drew her Holly wand, which Quetz had altered slightly with softly carved druidic swirls, to be less recognizable. " Expecto Patronum. " A large skeletal dragon flew across the roof of the Great Hall, silencing everyone and spreading its pleasant aura around, deafening everyone with a decent roar, before it dissipated. Everyone turned their gaze back to her, now convinced a bit as to her power, many remembering seeing said dragon on the train. Hazel eyed all of them. "I don't expect everyone to have a fully Corporeal Patronus, let alone one of that size, by the end of the year, but I will try my best to teach the spell to you all. Now, I believe we should introduce ourselves."
Dora came forth and Hazel pointed at her. "This is Hit Witch Tonks. For those who know her first name, good for you. Don't repeat it within earshot of her." Some of the older students chuckled, as well as a few of the teachers. Hazel looked over the students. "As for me, I am Hit Witch Hazel Peverell. Yes, that Peverell. Yes I am a Dark Witch or Wizard Hunter and currently employed by the Ministry. I am a survivor of the last war and I will make this clear. I will not tolerate discrimination, belittling or bullying of any student, regardless of the reason, in my presence. If you are from an ancient family or the first magical born child in your family, you are both the same to me. If your family has a history of noble deeds or your parents were former Death Eaters, I will treat you the same until you give me a reason to do otherwise. I am here to see to your safety and the safe capture of a fugitive, I am not here to give a damn about your parents Vault size. If you want to learn from me, prove you are not going to become a future problem for me to solve. I have the intention of beating Alastor Moody's record in all regards, including his body count. That should tell you what you need to know. Stay safe, be respectful and I will see a few of you on Friday."
The Hall remained silent for a few minutes after Hazel walked off the platform and sat besides Hagrid. Teddy had a smile on his face as he watched Dora and Hazel argue for a second before Dora gave up and started eating. Cedric tapped his shoulder after a bit. "I have a distinct impression that she is related to you." Teddy chuckled. "Yup, that's my Mom." The table went silent as they looked at him. "How good is she as a teacher?" Teddy smiled, drew his wand and silently summoned a loaf of bread from down the table. He started cutting into it with a knife. "Pretty good. I got a bit of a crash course because things were rough for a while at home but the last few years I was able to learn a bit more. Mom was working on teaching me wandless magic lately. It's harder than it looks." Cedric closed his jaw, as did most of the students. "Well, I don't suppose we have anything to worry about. We all thought we were getting another Lockhart." Teddy shuddered. "I wouldn't compare her to him. She will take that personally. She has a habit of not lying so she meant every word of what she said. Now you all know what you are signing up for with her as an instructor." Cedric eyed the two Hit Witches. "Good to know."
-∞-
Teddy got pulled into a hug by Susan as soon as the orientation for first years ended within the Hufflepuff Common Room, the chamber warmly decorated in yellow tapestries and dark, almost black woods. "Yes, we got Ted. See, I told you he wasn't a Gryffindor." Teddy blushed as Hannah sighed. "Damn, I have a few Galleons to give out. His Mom can be such a Gryffindor at times I thought for sure he would get dragged there. Especially as Harry's cousin." Teddy pulled away and shook his head. "Nope, I am Badger through and through." Teddy watched as Professor Sprout came closer, a smile on her face. "Well, I am glad to have you here, Mr. Peverell. These two talked about you a bit in June. Now, out of curiosity, do you have an owl or a bird? Due to our placement in the Dungeons, we and Slytherin have our own smaller Owleries a few floors above us, up the stairs just outside the Common Room entrance. You can send your bird there." Teddy nodded. "Sure, Nova will like that." Susan blinked at him. "Oh, you finally got an owl? What was it?" Teddy blushed. "Nova isn't an Owl. We found her at the Ballycotton Magical Sanctuary in Ireland. She's probably flying around the Castle, getting a feel for the place."
Before Susan could ask anymore, the Common Room door opened up and Hazel walked in. Teddy hugged her as soon as she was inside. "Hi Mom." Hazel ruffled his hair. "Hello Teddy, congratulations on making it to Hufflepuff." Hazel pulled out an envelope and handed it Sprout. "McGonagall has a copy but I wanted you to have one too. My son's legal protections as covered by the Ministry and Hogwarts Treaties, as well as the Hogwarts Charter." Sprout shook her head as she took it, eyeing the other two ladies. "Lots of families don't seem to trust the school anymore." Hazel hummed as the two girls looked apologetic to their Head of House. "Are you really surprised, after last year? As an Auror, especially the lead Auror for the case, I know you had a few of the girls who were assaulted by Lockhart." Sprout sighed. "No, I don't suppose I can blame any of you. I imagine you will be handling any other improprieties?" Hazel nodded. "As far as the law allows or what Dora lets me get away with." Sprout chuckled. "What times we are in when Nymphadora Tonks is considered the voice of reason in a partnership. Still, it's good to see her again. She looks much more confident than when I saw her last."
Hazel smiled. "I'll send her your way for a chat. Also, if you know her old haunts in the Castle, it would be appreciated." Sprout nodded. "I'll let you know." Hazel kissed Teddy on the head. "You three take care of each other." Teddy nodded and Hazel looked at Susan and Hannah. "See you two on Monday. I want you to show the other kids what you have learned, at least up to Owl level." Susan pouted. "No conjuration?" Hazel smirked. "You can practice at your own time. Now if you excuse me, I have a patrol around the Hogwarts perimeter and a few Dementors to yell at for their stunt on the train. I think I will let them have some more time getting acquainted with Aithusa. See you all around." Hazel watched the Hufflepuff Common Room door close as she started doing her rounds. Checking the wards at the Chamber entrance were still untampered, Hazel ventured out into the grounds, feeling the chill in the night's air from the Dementors. She was glad the bastards never seemed to tug on her mind much anymore. Her own first experience with them had left her in hysterics as she was forced to remember the bloody mirror and the false image it showed her.
A soft screech made her look up, the noise dissipating a bit of her dark thoughts. A white eagle-like bird with horizontal golden stripes in its plumage landed on her shoulder and bit into her hair. Hazel pouted. "You know, when I went looking for a Familiar for Teddy, I wasn't expecting you to baby me." Teddy's familiar gave her a merry shrill that made Hazel sigh. "Fine, but you are Teddy's familiar. You keep him safe before worrying about me. I don't care what he orders otherwise until he is of age. After that, you can ignore my orders." The bird gave her a happy shrill before it took flight again. Hazel kept her eyes on it. She had a distinct feeling the magical bird was going to be bugging her a lot in her life but she couldn't blame it. Its bonding with Teddy had been a surprise to everyone, as the people of the island reserve had been looking after the bird for centuries. It simply flew away from the island almost weekly and returned, never satisfied. That it accepted Teddy yet could still interact well with her was something she ascribed to their Family Magic and how it was interacting with the bird. At least she knew Teddy was in safe hands. Nova would look after her son at Hogwarts while Hazel did her own part in keeping everyone else safe. Even from meddling old goats.
-∞-
Dumbledore sat, feeling far too tired for the first night of the new Hogwarts academic year. He had arrived at the school as soon as the Wizengamot meeting had concluded. And what a disaster that had been. The Assembly started like any other day until the Scribe spoke up, saying there were outstanding requests to be considered. An empty Seat from the Ancient Families section was requested and its reinstatement had been approved. Dumbledore had sighed at the time. "Very well, may the Head of House or their Proxy enter to claim their seat." He watched as Theodore Tonks entered the Chamber, several folders in his hand. "Good day everyone, I am here as Proxy to claim the vote and seat of my sponsor." Dumbledore frowned and looked at Narcissa, sitting quietly as the Proxy for the House of Black. Ted Tonks shouldn't have any other political families tied to him. He waved him closer. "Present your proof and the ring." Ted handed him a folder and showed that he was wearing a wooden ring on his finger. Dumbledore visibly paled. Only the truly Ancient Houses used wooden rings, though most had updated them to metal, but what made him pale was the emblem on it. Ted spoke up for the Chamber. "I stand as the appointed Proxy to the Ancient House of Peverell, now restored after centuries of silence."
The gathered witches and wizards started murmuring to each other, the more traditionalists looking worried. The Peverells had a reputation prior to the legend that claimed their end: Hunters of Dark Wizards and Witches. They were known as the contradiction. A family that studied and wielded the Dark Arts as a counter to all those who dared harm the people of Wizarding Britain. The Sacred Twenty Eight were only that number because the Peverells had gone out of their way to eradicate several families prior to the naming of the list over their centuries worth of slaughters. Dumbledore looked over the documents and sighed. Everything was in order and the ring, possibly among the oldest Proxy rings in the Chamber, was genuine. "Very well. The Wizengamot recognizes the return of the House of Peverell. You may take your seat." Ted smiled at him and presented another folder. "I am afraid I have more to deliver. Due to my house's relations with other families, a few irregularities were found. The House of Peverell wishes to file an injunction, demanding the Proxy of the House of Black be removed and the Seat left vacant." Lucius Malfoy stood up. "House Malfoy objects. The Proxy for House Black is perfectly legal." Dumbledore sighed and looked at Ted Tonks. "On what grounds?"
Theodore placed the folder in front of Dumbledore. "The House of Black Proxy was selected after the death of Arcturus Black at the request of House Malfoy, since their son was the expected Heir. Recent events reveal that the assumption was false. The Heir to the House of Black and Lord Presumptive remains Sirius Orion Black." The Chamber erupted into chaos as Dumbledore tried to silence them. Minister Fudge stood up. "Sirius Black is a convicted Mass Murderer. He lost any right to his family's seat." Ted looked at the Minister. "Really? According to the files, you yourself were at the scene. Tell me, Minister, were you summoned to present your testimony? Did you see that this Chamber sentenced him to Azkaban?" The Minister frowned. "I… no. I did not." Dumbledore stared at the Tonks Solicitor, feeling a mounting dread, as the man spoke up again. "As per the laws of this Chamber, a Lord or Heir cannot lose their claim to their seat and vote if they haven't been charged, tried and found guilty by the Assembly. Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban without any of that." Barty Crouch Senior stood up from his seat. "The law allowed for that at the time!" Ted nodded. "It did, in the case of sending criminals to Azkaban. Not for dismissing them from their seats. No such law was passed."
The Chamber descended into discussion as Theodore looked at Dumbledore. Sighing, Dumbledore read through the injunction and the provided evidence. Everything was in order. Madam Bones stood up. "The DMLE has reviewed the law and agrees. Despite Sirius Black's imprisonment, he remains entitled to his position as Heir and Lord Presumptive." Dumbledore looked up and was surprised to see Narcissa Malfoy standing up. "I recognize the law and my cousin's legal claim and step down from my position." Lucius looked flabbergasted as Narcissa left the chamber. Dumbledore sighed. "Very well, the Seat for the House of Black is to remain empty until the matter of Sirius Black's heirship is settled." He hammered the gavel onto the desk and was about to continue when Ted Tonks handed him another folder. Dumbledore felt a headache building. "What now, Proxy of House Peverell?" Ted smiled at him. "An injunction against you, Chief Warlock and Proxy of House Potter. Madam Bones." Amelia came over and took the folder. As she looked through it, Ted Tonks addressed the Chamber. "The House of Peverell recognizes Harry Potter as a descendant and a member of the family and as such checked his legal status. They discovered that he was illegally placed in a home declared by the Potter Will as unsuitable for him by one Albus Dumbledore, who also took over as Magical Guardian without notifying all other named candidates."
Dumbledore bristled. "The Potter Will was sealed by order of the Ministry. Opening it without authorization is a crime, Mr. Tonks." Ted eyed him. "Are you saying that my description is accurate, Chief Warlock, and that there is indeed a will? Because you testified to no such will existing before this chamber when you took the Proxy Seat." Dumbledore paled as the Chamber turned to him. "No, of course not." Ted hummed. "Then why is Amelia Bones in possession of a will from Gringotts and that Gringotts itself denotes there to be an updated will at the Ministry?" Dumbledore felt the entire Chamber staring at him as he realized he fell into a trap. "The end of the war was a dangerous time, Mr. Tonks. Your family was not a safe place to care for the child." Theodore smiled with a bit of anger in his eyes. "And the family you selected was not fit to raise one either. Your argument is also moot as my daughter graduated with honors and is currently employed by the Ministry. My home was plenty safe and capable of raising a child." Amelia closed the folder. "The Proxy of House Peverell has submitted ample evidence to support his claim. Due to a conflict of interest, I order the removal of Albus Dumbledore from his position as Proxy to House Potter and as Magical Guardian to Harry Potter. Ted and Andromeda Tonks are named as Interim Guardians until the investigation is concluded, with the Seat to remain vacant."
The Wizengamot Chamber carried on with its regular duties after that, with Ted Tonks using his legal expertise to question and essentially derail several laws that would have been beneficial to the Traditionalists and seemed to be fair in wording only, while helping to push through the massive Judicial Reform bill. The vote was exceedingly chaotic, but with just enough for a majority, the bill passed. Dumbledore then came back to the Castle, hoping to relax with the Sorting, only to be given two more surprises. The Witch who had barred him from the Hospital Wing was one of the lead Aurors assigned to the safety of the school, the other being Nymphadora Tonks. He had hoped to cultivate a relationship with the Metamorphmagus as Alastor's protégé, but the woman took her career elsewhere. When Minerva called out the name of Edward Peverell he had almost choked on a lemon drop. Dumbledore's attempt to read the boy's mind only resulted in him getting a headache, which was compounded when the White Haired Witch introduced herself. Hazel Peverell, a self described Dark Wizard Hunter. Dumbledore had wanted to scream in frustration. He fingered his wand, wondering if the Witch knew he carried it. He hoped not. The legend of the Master of Death may not have explicitly stated it but many believed only a Peverell could claim the mantle. Now… now there were two of them in his castle.
The documents Minerva dropped onto his desk confirmed the worst. Both Harry Potter and Edward Peverell were legally excluded from In Loco Parentis by all staff members. Their Guardians needed to be informed the moment something happened to them that wasn't a point deduction. Hazel Peverell had been granted In Loco Parentis over Harry Potter and was the parent of Edward. Everything now had to go through her. Dumbledore sighed and pulled out his papers on the Tournament. The boy would likely take part in the Dueling Club, meaning he lost Remus as a tutor and influence over him. Lupin's status as a werewolf also denied him any right to the boy under the current laws. He could only appeal to the boy's need for family. Dumbledore began to continue his revisions. He now had two full priorities as the events in the Wizengamot stripped him of any influence over the boy. The Triwizard Tournament was absolutely necessary to test him and he needed to uncover who Hazel Peverell was. She was clearly too dangerous to leave as an unknown.
Notes:So, how was it? Any Merlin tv series fans should recognize Hazel's dragon patronus name. The birth scene is still one of my favorites of the show. As for Teddy not getting past his shield patronus stage, please remember he is still only 11 years old. The fact he can cast a shield alone is extraordinary and speaks to how well developed his magic is thanks to Hazel teaching him magic at an early age. As for not making Hazel the Defence Professor, the subject will be brought up in world later on. Officially, she only has one Mastery (Transfiguration). There is a reason she didn't pursue a second one. As for any retrobution to Dumbledore's invasion of privacy... does giving him a headache all year count? Because she is going to do that plenty.
Next Chapter?: first few days at Hogwarts
I feel like I am writting so slow now. The heat is unbearable and RL is just so taxing. Now that I don't have to wake up at just before 7am anymore, I hope I can be rested enough to write properly. I am atleast working out the two potential stories in my head, though the SW ones are a bit open ended, meaning I could make them into a series of stories. We will see how it goes, though I am leaning to completeing my 3rd HP fanfiction first, since it too will have a proper conclusion.
Chapter 30: Difficult LessonsNotes:Here is the next chapter. Hope you like it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Teddy sat down and sighed beside Harry at the Gryffindor Table as they enjoyed their Monday Lunch. Harry smiled at him. "Trouble with the Badgers already?" Teddy frowned. "No, Hufflepuff is great. Mom taught me the silencing and deafening charms so I can ignore the snores from my dorm mates." Neville choked on his lunch. "Please teach us those. Ron and Seamus are bloody loud." Ron went "Oy!" and Harry chuckled at his friend. "Neville is right, Ron. You'd wake up the dead." Harry turned to Teddy. "What's keeping you on this side of the Hall, then?" Teddy looked to the other end. "Astoria and the Carrow Twins. The Twins have been teasing me mercilessly, trying to see when I break. Astoria keeps yelling at them to leave." Neville chuckled. "Let me guess, the Badgers are letting you deal with your girl trouble on your own." Teddy slumped the table. "No, Susan and Hannah simply refuse to be out done by first year students. They are teasing me too. Cedric just looks on and tells me to deal with it." Harry padded him on the back. "I think I dodged a bullet, not being raised a pureblood. I don't know what I'd do with that much female attention."
Neville eyed Harry. "You know half of that is the fact the Chasers look out for you, right? Angelina, Alicia and Katie practically glare the others away." Harry blushed. "Remind me to thank them later." Harry dug into his meal as he saw Angelina and Oliver coming over. "Hey Harry. We'll be doing a rotating practice schedule for a bit. Make sure you keep those exercises though. If Instructor Peverell keeps her Club time similar for you guys, she'll be having you run quite a bit." Harry nodded and Teddy looked over at them from the table. "How was Mom?" Oliver looked between them for a bit. "I swear you could be brothers minus the eyes." Teddy shifted his eyes to green. "Better?" Wood stared at him as Angelina chuckled and ruffled his hair. "There is first year Harry again. Though a bit less scrawny." Teddy's eyes shifted back to purple. "Well?" Oliver shook his head. "Your Mom is something else. The Club for NEWT is mostly Auror Academy hopefuls and a few others. She took them all on, one by one, and left them all on the ground stunned. Tonks kept score and time. She gave them all tips on what to improve and how much exercise to do."
Teddy smiled. "Yup, that's Mom. She likes practical lessons. How did you two do?" Wood shook his head. "Oh, no. I just watched. Angelina went for it. Last less than a minute." Angelina pouted. "Alicia dared me! I thought my shield could last. Instead Peverell summoned my shoes and stunned me on the ground." Harry blinked. "Huh, sounds like a useful trick. We will have her later today." Oliver chuckled. "Well, best of luck. The teachers were there to watch her and Professor Flitwick looked giddy as hell." Angelina laughed. "The retired Champion probably wants to test his skills against her. He must be so bored after years as a Charms Professor and Peverell is probably the type to keep up with him, if his skills are about the same as years earlier. Anyway, I am starving. See you later. And you. Don't have the Potters gift for flying. We need Hufflepuff to just have Cedric as their star." Teddy shuddered. "I won't be on a broom. Mom had a meltdown last time I flew one. I was six and I might have gone too high up in the air." Angelina ruffled his hair. "Good. Gryffindor got the Trophy last year and we want to keep it. Later." Teddy looked at Harry a few minutes after the older students went to sit down further out on the table. "You had Care today, right? What was it like?"
Harry hummed as he bit a slice of toast. "I thought it was fine. We stayed inside for the first class, going over the importance of the class and the jobs that hold an OWL and a NEWT as a requirement. She then went over the Ministry classifications and mentioned we would be getting to handle X to XXX Creatures through to our OWLs, with maybe getting a XXXX towards our fifth year. The NEWT courses are the ones that deal with XXXX creatures exclusively and then train people for how to handle the XXXXX creatures." Teddy frowned. "Darn, that's a long time to get to Griffins and Dragons." Ron shook his head. "He sounds like Charlie. He couldn't wait to get to the wizard killers." Teddy dug into his meal but noticed Harry looked sadly at Hagrid. "What?" Harry sighed. "Hagrid was hoping to get the job for Care, but the Board's regulations stopped him. He doesn't have an OWL and a NEWT in the course, since he got expelled, so he can't teach it. He says he will be helping Grubbly-Plank with the animals but he wanted to try to teach the course."
Teddy hummed and looked at the Half-Giant. "He can request to take the tests at the Ministry. After that he could maybe get an Apprenticeship with Professor Grubbly-Plank." Harry looked at Teddy. "He got expelled." Teddy nodded. "Yeah, Mom told me. She also told me the case was reopened and his charges were dismissed. He can take his OWLs and NEWTs at his own pace now and go get a proper wand again. Didn't the school notify him?" Harry turned to Dumbledore, feeling something in him shift slightly as he thought about the Headmaster. Maybe Hazel had a point about him. "I don't think so. I'll let him know after lunch. When can he take them?" Teddy thought about what his Mom said. "I think it's December and May at the Ministry. Mom took hers in December." Teddy smiled. "She skipped Care though, saying that she was sure the evaluators wouldn't like her tendency to focus on how to kill the creatures." Harry frowned. "Why did she focus on that?" Teddy brought his hands up and counted with his fingers. "Dementors, Acromantulas, two Trolls, two Dragons, two Basilisks, a Direbear, a pack of Direwolves, a black panther she has no idea how it found her and one Barghest. She ran into them all and most of them tried to kill her. She kind of took that personally."
Harry turned to the empty seats where Hazel and Dora would be sitting if they came for lunch. So far they would show up in shifts, with Hazel in the mornings, Dora in the afternoons and neither at lunch. "Ok, I can't blame her. I saw that Basilisk in the Chamber and I don't have a clue how to fight that thing." Teddy nodded and raised a slight privacy ward. "Mom actually hated killing that Basilisk. She said she talked to snakes a bit as a kid in the garden so she had a bit of a soft spot for snakes, but she could never get them to obey her. The first Basilisk tried to kill her in full force. The blackish green jacket she usually wears is made from its hide and scales. It's also a gift she got from her Godmother." Harry nodded and went back to eating before it was time to head to class, with Teddy dropping the ward. Harry found Runes to be a lot more interesting and he took plenty of notes. He still had his Mom's notes as well and he wondered if she had any tricks to learning Runes better. Eventually the time came for him and the other OWL students to gather in the Great Hall for Hazel's Dueling Course. He noticed a few of the Slytherins showed up. Blaise looked really interested and Theo looked calm. Harry knew that Theo started getting some lessons from Hazel earlier this summer along with the girls and Neville, so he was probably confident, more so than Harry felt. He also noticed all the Heads of Houses and Professors Lupin and Dumbledore were in attendance.
Hazel stood at the raised platform, her boot tapping on the ground as her arms were crossed. "Welcome everyone to your OWL level Dueling Club meeting. As mentioned by the Headmaster, you will be seeing me here on Mondays if you are interested. You can also show up and watch the NEWT meetings on Friday, for those curious as to what it takes to do well at the Academy. Dora behind me had the pleasure of leaving a good amount of the Cadets and Academy Staff stunned on the ground so she will be the one evaluating things from a more academic view, while I handle your practical evaluation. Now, my first suggestion for everyone here is to take between thirty minutes to an hour of your time everyday to have a jog or a run either on the grounds, the Quidditch pitch or through the hallways. We will do a few warm up exercises here when we get further into developing your skills. The point of all this exercise is to build up stamina. Professor Flitwick can probably tell you the thing all Duelists lack the most is stamina, with common sense being a close second." Harry watched the diminutive professor grin at that. Hazel paced in front of the students. "The better your stamina, the better your chances to avoid a fight in the real world, dodge a rampaging creature, or avoid a bottle of liquor being thrown at you at a bar." The students chuckled at that. Hazel eyed the professors at the back. "Dueling Champion Flitwick, would you join me up here please? I want the students to get a proper demonstration."
As Filius moved towards the front, Dumbledore interjected. "Wouldn't your partner be a better challenger?" Hazel stared at him for a second. "If I wanted everyone here to learn choreography, sure. My partner and I have been practicing together for a while now. We have gotten to the point where we anticipate each other's moves. Not a proper display of skill, I am afraid." Dora blushed and glared at Hazel. "You say that despite winning all our bouts." Hazel waved her comment off. "Again, not a proper display of skill. Don't worry Headmaster, we will stick to OWL level spells only. Though I think keeping up the silent casting is fine as fifth years are expected to get started on that towards the end of the year." The fifth year students paled at that as Filius stood opposite her. "At begin." Filius nodded and the two took their positions. Dora looked between them as the students came closer to get a better look. "Three, two, one. Begin!" The collective mouths of the students dropped, with the exception of Hazel's tutored students. Hazel waved her wand around and practically glided around the platform, dodging every spell Flitwick sent her way. She took to the air a few times, casting stunners and binding spells at the Professor.
The Charms Master sliced through all the ropes and shielded plenty of stunners. Hazel lowered her center of gravity by spreading her legs further and forced Filius to adjust as her spells were coming from a lower angle. Hazel then tried the trick she used on a few students and summoned an article of clothing, in the Professor's case his jacket. The Quarter Goblin yelped as he got pulled closer before dispelling the charm but Hazel countered with two banishing spells, one hitting him and the other launching her forward and over his head. Landing behind the man, she started casting more binding spells and stunners, forcing Flitwick to cycle between cutting charms and shields. Hazel tried a different approach and levitated his shoes, causing the Professor to yelp again before he dispelled it. Deciding to end the fight, Hazel went for a chain casting of stunner and banishing spells before surreptitiously sending a binding spell and banisher straight at his legs. The ropes latched on but he was more distracted by the banisher to dispel them before she levitated the bindings, sending him high in the air feet first before a stunner took him out.
Hazel released a heavy breath as the Hall stayed silent, while she lowered and revived the Charms Master. "And that is how two Duelists can take an OWL curriculum of spells, charms and hexes and use them in a serious fight." The Charms Professor came up to her and offered her his hand. "Miss Peverell, if you need a different training partner every once in a while, just ask. I haven't had that much fun in decades." Hazel nodded. "Sure, I am sure Dora would welcome the challenge as well." Dora rubbed her face. "I am going to regret this assignment." Turning back to the students, Hazel smiled. "I am sure some of you were expecting to see more curses, but you don't exactly need to use them in a Duel. As I said, this was limited by the fifth year and OWL curriculum. I won't be teaching anyone here any new spells beyond OWL level except for the Patronus Charm. What I will be teaching you is how to use the spells Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Lupin will be teaching you to their full capability. You will also learn better magical restraint, as I am sure most of you would have passed out by the amount of spells I used. Lastly, I will get you started on silent and point casting. These are all useful techniques everywhere, so if you stick around, you might find your usual classes to be a lot less difficult."
Motioning for Dora to come up, Hazel summoned a bottle of water with her bare hand. Her pink haired partner spoke up. "Alright, we are going by year. Third year students, up front. We will start by seeing what spells everyone knows and work from there." Harry wasn't surprised when Susan, Daphne, Neville and Theo cast the spells perfectly, matching many of the fifth years, though she noticed they all held back a little. Harry personally tried a lot harder and his spells came out well, though Hazel tapped his shoulder. "You are going to need some magical control practice. Your spells were overpowered. Useful at times, but ultimately more trouble for you." Harry, feeling winded, could only agree. He sat down and Susan joined him. He smirked. "Got overzealous?" Susan stuck out her tongue playfully at him. "So did you!" Harry blushed. "I felt a little envious I guess. You all got to practice with her for far longer than I did." Susan smiled softly at him. "I guess I can see that. She's your family and you've only known her for a few weeks." Harry looked back at Hazel and felt his heart warm up a bit. He had family and they were here at Hogwarts with him. He couldn't be happier.
-∞-
OW July 1994
"Again!" Hazel flicked her wand and cast stunners, binding and banishing spells as quickly as possible at the dummies. She kept at it as her Godmother cast stunners towards her, making her dodge and weave out of the way. Eventually she felt her vision blurring and a stunner took her out. She felt gentle fingers holding her head and massaging her temples as she woke up. She could also feel a slight lump on the back of her head. "Did I hit the ground hard?" Her Godmother sighed. "Yup. I forgot to put cushioning charms on the ground. Sorry." Hazel smiled at her, but winced slightly. "It's fine." She lifted up her wand and felt its weight. "It still refuses to cast properly. It feels like every spell takes everything out of me to cast." Her Godmother took the wand and flicked it, casting a stunner. "Same for me." She took out her own wand and cast a diagnostic on it. "It seems to be in working order. No imperfects, no foreign magic. Nothing. It just doesn't want to cast well." Hazel sat up and took it back from her Godmother. "I don't know what to do. We have a ton of crazies out there casting Unforgivables and all my spells feel too sluggish to work."
Her Godmother stood up. "You need to give it and yourself time. You're still only thirteen." Hazel sighed. "You say the same thing when you refuse to teach me curses." Her Godmother frowned. "Hazel…" Hazel snapped at her. "I know! I am too young and we aren't at war. I get it! But they don't care. I met Voldemort twice already. Once at wandpoint. He didn't care that I was his favorite student. He didn't care that he was hurting me. He still cast an Unforgivable at me. Who cares at what age I learn them if I can still be cursed regardless. None of them will care that I am a thirteen year old girl with a faulty wand." Hazel breathed deeply as she stopped, feeling tears building in her eyes. "What does it matter if I wait? I am already a killer." Her Godmother pulled her into a hug. "No, you are not." Hazel shook her head. "I am. I watched a man burn to death from my cursed flames. I destroyed a memory of the same man a year later. I stabbed a bloody Basilisk in the mouth repeatedly as it bit me. I am a killer." Hazel felt those soft fingers rub her hair gently as she sang her a song.
She felt her heart grow heavy. "I am sorry. I am not the little girl you wanted to find after Azkaban." Her Godmother kissed her hair. "And I am not the person you expected either. This war, like all wars, changes people. Then again, I was always a bit of a screw loose. I loved driving people insane, no one having a clue it was me. Your Mom knew of course but she could tell it was all for fun. She yelled at James all the time because at that point it was expected of them. James made a prank, Lily yelled and I laughed at the two idiots too stubborn to see that they were both behaving the wrong way to make any real progress with each other. It was my own private comedy show." Hazel giggled. "Sounds like Ronald and Hermione. The two are polar opposites in everything. He's lazy, she's hardworking, he's messy, she is organized. They both argue over everything, even the stupidest thing. They were both arguing over Trelawney's class. Who argues over Divination?" Her Godmother shivered. "I am so glad I took Dueling. I would have left my Divination teacher traumatized with the weird stuff I could make up."
Hazel sighed. "Better than getting your death predicted every day. Her last one before I quit showing up to class after Dumbledore forced me to take it was "You will die, alone and betrayed by all who should have cared for you. You will know true pain for as long as you exist in this world."" Her Godmother tensed before she hugged Hazel tighter. "I won't let that happen Hazel. I promise you." Hazel closed her eyes. "I would have let them take me, you know? The Dementors. If you hadn't stopped them I would have been gone." The hug got tighter. "Though dying by hugs sounds nicer." Her Godmother laughed. "I am sure it does. I hope you understand I am never going to apologize for saving you. It was selfish of me but I do love you Hazel. I want to see you happy, no matter what." The two lingered quietly in the training room for a bit before Kreacher popped in. "Dinner is ready, Mistress and little mistress." Her Godmother patted her on the back. "Let's get some food and if you do the exercises for the next two weeks, I will let you practice some curses." Hazel looked at her Godmother's grey eyes. "Promise?" Her Godmother smiled. "Promise."
-∞-
NW September 1993
Dora breathed deeply as Hazel pushed her further and further until she cried in pleasure. She felt Hazel drop onto her back, breathing heavily and kissing Dora's skin. Dora tried her best to recover her senses. The evening had gone about the same as the last few weeks. They finished their rounds, checked a few of the tripwire wards and made sure all the students were in their dorms. They kept finding a few amorous stragglers, which only served to get Dora further and further into the mood. Hazel made it clear they would not be doing anything in a broom closet. Dora complained at first until Hazel made her move as soon as the door of their chambers was locked. They hardly ever reached the bed before Dora felt Hazel's lips devouring her skin and leaving her at the edge of release. If there was one thing that Hazel knew how to do, it was driving her over the edge. The more surprising moment had been after they had a run in with Professor Lupin. Hazel kept quiet the whole time, which was odd, so Dora spoke to him for a bit. When they got back to the chambers, Hazel had asked Dora how much she trusted her. Dora said completely.
The next morning, Dora woke up exceedingly tired, sore and well beyond satisfied. She tried to get Hazel to say if she was feeling jealous but she always refused to answer. Dora made sure not to give Lupin any further unneeded attention and Hazel seemed to calm down and be a lot more affectionate. There were times when her girlfriend just needed to talk to her. This morning was another one of those moments. Hazel had woken up with tears in her eyes and Dora tried to get her to open up about it. Hazel dodged the question repeatedly before she pinned Dora to the bed. The position and whatever bothered her in her sleep made it so that she decided to distract Dora and herself. Dora was happy to comply. Until now. She shifted around and made sure to press Hazel onto the bed before pinning her in place. For a single second she thought she had made a mistake. Hazel's eyes shifted into red slitted eyes before they turned green again. Green eyes that flooded with tears. Dora leaned down and kissed her. "It's ok. It's ok. Everything's fine." Hazel glared at her through the tears. "Damn it Dora, I almost killed you. Everything's not fine! You pinned me down and I forgot who you were."
Dora rubbed her nose with Hazel's. "Is that what bothered you? Were you thinking about your ex?" Hazel pouted. "Not until a second ago." Dora sighed. She added avoiding sudden and aggressive actions to the list of things to be careful of. Then again, that was a rule out of bed too. Maybe she should just blend the rules together. Less of a headache. Still, she was here and Hazel was strangely cooperative. She hadn't tried dislocating her joints yet. That was a trick Dora wasn't sure she ever wanted to learn. "Your Godmother then?" Hazel turned away. "Yes." Dora hugged herself tighter to Hazel. "And?" Hazel sighed. "Teaching the Dueling Club… she taught me everything I am teaching them. How to move, how to whisper, how to use spells creatively. That was all her." Dora nodded. "And it made you remember." Hazel's eyes watered. "She was the best. It took a while though, for us to click together. She was this positive ball of energy and I was a depressed thirteen year old who was more interested in hurting others. Despite twelve years in Azkaban, she was always so positive. I didn't understand how she could smile all the time. Not at first. Not for years."
A smile grew on Dora's face. "Not until Teddy." Hazel smiled and nodded. "Being here, having Teddy and the students learn as I learned, it's bringing it all back." Hazel hiccupped, something Dora had never seen her do before. "I miss her so much." Dora kissed Hazel on the forehead. "I wish I had a chance to meet her." Hazel laughed. "God, you would have been inseparable. She loved rock music too, though she only ever sang Scottish Folk Songs to me. We spent a whole summer on her bike going to different muggle places, from Cornwall all the way to Ireland, with the radio stuck on the Rock n Roll channels for the most part. She introduced me to Andi that summer too. They were not able to get along. Not at first." Dora kissed Hazel's cheek. "Better?" Hazel seemed to do a mental inventory before she nodded. "Yeah. Sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to force you." Nymphadora hummed. "It was still good. Different but good." Hazel blushed. "Still… you get a pass. It's only fair. Pick something you want to do and do it. Just no public indecency, please." Dora smiled. "You are going to regret it, you know?" Hazel pouted. "Maybe, but I need to pay you back." Dora kissed her. "Deal." Dora's stomach growled aggressively. "But first, Breakfast."
As Hazel whisked the eggs while Dobby chopped the meat and vegetables beside her, Dora looked back at their interactions with Remus Lupin. Hazel was always reserved in what she said, regardless of how important it was. The way she almost always had her eye on Lupin when he was around, constantly expecting something, anything to happen with him around Teddy gave her pause. A thought occurred to her. "Is Remus Lupin Teddy's…" The words were silenced in her mouth. In fact, every single noise in the room was utterly muted as Hazel placed the bowl down, leaving the rest of the cooking to Dobby. Dora's heart started beating wildly as her girlfriend's eyes shifted in color before her eyes, her usual red and silver colors seemingly fighting for superiority. A deep breath later and the sound returned to Dora's ears. "Hazel." Her partner glared at her after she opened and revealed her now green eyes. "I told you. The sperm donor is irrelevant. The blood adoption erased all traces of him and Teddy has no desire to ever know him. That is all that matters." Dora sighed. "Hazel, you can't keep secrets from me again." Hazel raised an eyebrow. "It's not a secret, it's the truth. There is nothing for me to say on this matter."
Dora rubbed her hair. "And if Lupin recognizes something from Teddy? Werewolves do have better senses than Witches or Wizards." Hazel chuckled to herself. "Sure they do. Mine are better. Or did you forget what we are?" Dora blinked for a second. "Ok, fair point. But you sure you aren't worried about Lupin catching on?" Hazel shook her head. "Trust me, there is nothing there to be found. The only scent he might catch is that we might smell of Lily Evans. As far as I can notice, our scent and Harry's is off, probably because of our slightly different Potter family tree. I also did a little search with Legal and we were able to claim a close family relation to the Evans family, so I don't have to hide my eyes anymore. As for Lupin…" Hazel sighed and shook her head. "Whatever he could have been or once was, he means nothing to me or Teddy. He isn't Teddy's father because he wasn't there. That's all." Dora nodded and kept quiet after that. Later in the day she watched as Teddy was sitting through a lecture on ghosts and poltergeists in Lupin's class, the boy giving no attention to Lupin beyond what was needed. Lupin, for his part, showed no sign of recognition and seemed oblivious. Maybe Hazel had a point. The man who might have been the boy's father didn't raise him.
The same could be said for herself. Teddy never once mistook her for his Mama. To him, she was just Dora, a woman that was like his mother but not the same. Never the same. Dora didn't give birth to him, she didn't raise him or tucked him into bed. That was all done by Hazel and her Andi. Hazel, who had been forced to be the sole parent to the boy she was growing to care for deeply. Yet, despite everything, Teddy didn't seem to be missing out on anything. Hazel was his Mom, the only immediate member of his family left. His only parent. Maybe that was the reason Hazel never acknowledged Lupin as the boy's father. Because there would be no reason to do so. Teddy was her son and he loved her as a son loves their mother. There was nothing else there for Lupin to be a part of. When Teddy turned around to look at Dora, she smiled at him. His smile in return warmed her heart. She would never be his Mama and she doubted the kid would ever see her as a mother, but Dora still felt a connection to the kid. She loved being a part of his life. She turned around and left the classroom, agreeing with Hazel's view on the matter. There was nothing there for Lupin to find. Teddy was a Peverell by choice. He would never be anything else to a man that meant nothing to him.
-∞-
Teddy eyed the wardrobe in front of him as all the students talked excitedly around him. He was sure this was a bad idea. His Mom said her first Boggart was in her third year. Now this world's Remus Lupin was having first year students try it. He wondered if maybe hers did too and she just didn't hear about it. Said Werewolf walked in front of the students, his hands behind his back. "Now everyone, please form a line and remember, the spell is Riddikulus. Be clear in the pronunciation. Now step up." Teddy watched as several kids tried it, most getting the typical fears. Snakes, spiders, a creepy old man. A few of them were their parents yelling at them. Teddy watched as the Carrows stepped up and each of them had the same; their parents cursing at them with the Torture Curse. He was going to tell his Mom as soon as he could about that. He knew the older Carrows went to Azkaban for a few years but recently got released. If they were still bad, his Mom could do something about it. Eventually it was his turn and he swallowed the lump in his throat. He looked at the Professor. "I don't think I should do it." The Professor eyed him. "There is nothing to be ashamed of, kid." Teddy bristled as the others snickered. Only Dora called him that.
"I am not worried about being humiliated. I am worried about bothering everyone else. I don't think mine will be pretty. I am pretty certain Mom will be mad too." Lupin sighed. "You are going to have to step out of her shadow some time, Mr. Peverell. It's not healthy." Teddy glared at the man before he turned towards the front, swallowing a lump in his throat. "Fine, but you get the blame for what's about to happen. I warned you." Breathing deeply, Teddy moved closer to the closed wardrobe before it opened. He knew what he would see. He saw it a few times in his nightmares. He never doubted his mother's love. Or that she could survive anything. He was worried what it would cost her. The horribly mangled body of his mother stepped out of the wardrobe, broken bones peeking out of the split open flesh, holes carved into her neck and chest, entrails dragged on the ground from her ripped open stomach. Her eyes were the same eyes he hated seeing on her. Those cold dead eyes she got whenever she lost herself. Teddy heard a few students scream in terror as others puked behind him, the Professor too stunned by what he was seeing to do anything. Steading his feelings, Teddy drew his wand. He hoped his Mom wasn't offended by what he was about to do. " Riddikulus. " The body shifted into the form of a puppet held up by strings before dropping on the floor. Tired and mad at himself and the Professor, he flicked his wand. " Depulso ."
The Boggart got launched back into the wardrobe, before Teddy sealed it up, before turning to look at the shocked Professor. "I warned you." He stepped to the edge of the classroom and picked up his bookbag before leaving the classroom entirely. He made his way through the Castle until he reached the Dungeons. He was about to open the kitchens when a voice stopped him. "I do believe you are out of your assigned classroom, Mr. Peverell." Teddy sighed and turned around to look at Professor Snape. Of all the Professors, he was the one he had the hardest time placing. He could see traces of what his mother told him about the man she met: arrogant, self entitled and overly critical. At the same time, he did seem to care about the students safety, making sure they all learned what not to put in the cauldrons at the worst possible time. Too bad he also neglected to teach anyone not wearing green how to prepare a cauldron before turning on the heat. Andromeda had to teach Dora that and had made sure he learned it too. All of that told him the man, while careful, still loved playing favorites with the Slytherins. He wondered which was the act and which was the real person.
"My class had a Boggart for today's entertainment. I dealt with mine after warning the Professor it was a bad idea. I decided to skip the rest." The Potions Master stared at him before breaking eye contact. "Your mother seems to think she has faced horrors beyond mention." Teddy shrugged. "I think she's telling the truth. You can tell sometimes, when you look people in the eye. You have it sometimes at dinner, whenever you look at Harry." The Professor seemed to restrain a wince. "You have an interesting imagination." Teddy shifted his eyes to green and saw Snape wince properly. "No, I am observant. Especially with the way people look at my cousin." Teddy's eyes shifted back to purple, which seemed to confuse Snape more. "You may like hiding who you really are, sir. My Mom and I are good at that too, but we learned a lesson. The longer you wear a mask, the harder it is to tell the difference between it and the real face. Mom has refused to hide who she is anymore, and I made sure I behave how I want to be. Can you say the same? Or is the mask getting harder and harder to pull off your face for you already. I would be careful though. Because if the mask you wear is that of a Death Eater, my Mom won't care who you really are underneath it. You will end up with the rest of them."
Snape stared at the boy for a solid minute before he sighed. "You Peverells are something quite interesting. I thank you for the advice, young man, but I will warn you not to try and skip one of my classes. I am not forgiving of those who dismiss the value of Potions." Teddy smiled. "I won't, sir. Oh, and if my Mom irks you because she doesn't know anything about potions, it's because her own instructor never bothered to teach her anything. She tried learning afterwards but she chose to focus on the things that mattered to her more." Snape gave him a small nod. "I will keep that in mind. Good day, Mr. Peverell." Teddy made it into the kitchen and sat down to drink a cup of hot chocolate. He waited for a bit before he sighed. "I know you are there." Hazel pulled her Cloak off from her body and sat down beside him. "You have been mad for a bit. Was it Snape? Do I get to take him to the forest and give the Headmaster and my Boss a new headache?" Teddy giggled. "No, it wasn't him. I faced a Boggart today." The growl out of her throat raised Teddy's hackles. "It's ok Mom. I am ok."
Hazel knelt down in front of him and waited. Teddy sighed. "Ok, I am getting better." Hazel kissed his head. "Good. Now, what happened?" Teddy eyed her carefully. "I saw you, your body broken and your eyes dead." Hazel closed her eyes. She breathed deeply. "I am doing everything I can so that never happens. You know me." Teddy nodded. "I know. I just hate it when you get hurt." Hazel ruffled his hair softly. "I hate it when you are hurting too, Teddy. Dora hates it when I am hurting too. She was very mean to me the other morning when I almost harmed her." Teddy giggled. "Bad dream?" Hazel nodded. "Too many memories here. But in the end, I need to be here. For you, work and school. And maybe for me too. To let go of some things that follow me around." Teddy nodded. "Ok, but you have to let Dora be mean to you. She makes you behave when she's mean." Hazel pouted. "Fine." Teddy smiled and the two sat down to drink some hot chocolate. "Can I still go and skin a werewolf?" Teddy shook his head. "No, otherwise you'd be forced to take his job. You don't want it. Besides, don't you have enough direwolf pelts stored away? You don't need a werewolf one." Hazel sighed. "Fine, fine. I won't skin him." Teddy giggled and watched as the elves brought them food. He didn't mind having a quiet meal with his mom. It certainly made the day much better than how it started.
-∞-
Albus Dumbledore waited until all his staff were seated before starting the staff meeting. "It's good to see you all in high spirits. Now that we have had a chance to see all our students after the summer break, are there any standouts? Let's start with first years." Filius hummed. "Of the first years in my class, I would say the definite standouts are Edward Peverell of the Hufflepuffs, Flora and Hestia Carrow of Slytherin and Astoria Greengrass from my House. They were all quick to cast the Lumos Charm and had decent control of it. The Carrows were able to cast it without difficulty and seemed to spend the class adjusting the brightness. Interestingly enough, both Greengrass and Peverell started doing whispering exercises towards getting the spell done with silent casting. I believe Mr. Peverell succeeded, much to my other students' dismay." Dumbledore frowned. The young Peverell seemed to be a lot more advanced than the others, including the children of Purebloods who were likely to have received private tutoring. It was odd since the Peverells, based on his research, weren't Purebloods. What little he found showed them to be either second or third generation magicals. He turned to Minerva. "Are those four also showing promise in your class?"
Minerva shook her head. "Not entirely. Flora and Hestia have not completed the small transfiguration exercises. Like most students, they have trouble with Transfiguration. However, Astoria Greengrass did the exercise well from the start. Edward Peverell did it as well, though his spells were cast silently. He repeated the exercise over and over again, with a clear focus on refining the design and shape of the needle. I asked him at the end of class how much he knew of the curriculum and the boy said he was somewhat ahead. His mother tutored him in Transfiguration quite well it seems." Dumbledore sighed. He was sure the boy was going to be trouble for the school. Nothing good came from teaching students magic too early. Aurora spoke up. "Everyone is pretty much the same in my class. Mr. Peverell knows his stars well, though his education was geared towards recognizing them and one's cardinal directions based on them. A few other students had a similar upbringing, mostly muggleborns." Dumbledore nodded, feeling more confident in his deductions about the Peverells.
Pomona Sprout was giddy as she looked around. "I am glad to hear one of my newest Badgers is doing so well. He's quite the budding Herbologist, much like Mr. Longbottom. His approach is quite interesting as he likes to draw the plants ahead of time, something his mother encouraged for memorization. He was able to identify all the plants in Greenhouse 1. As expected, Miss Greengrass has quite some knowledge in the field as well, though not the passion for it." The staff turned to the two remaining Professors, both relatively quiet. One did seem to sport a reason for his silence. "Professor Lupin, has Poppy checked your jaw? That bruise looks quite painful." The Healer huffed. "I did look at it, Headmaster. Miss Peverell is quite talented with curses apparently. There is curse residue on him that is resistant to Healing Magic. He will be sporting the swollen jaw for at least a week, if not more." Dumbledore sighed. "Should I inform Amelia that she should remove her Auror? She seems quite dangerous if she is willing to harm a professor like this." Pomona and Poppy glared at the Headmaster, with the former speaking up. "Were it unwarranted, I would agree. However, Professor Lupin was warned that a Boggart for first years was possibly too much for them to handle. Mr. Peverell warned him that his Boggart's form was possibly quite gruesome, especially with an audience around to see it. Almost all of my first years were traumatized by what they saw."
Poppy glared at the Were. "My stores of Dreamless Sleep potion are quite low because of your little stunt." The Professors looked at Snape who sighed. "My Slytherins are not known to be squeamish. That said, my own stores of Dreamless Sleep are also quite low. For… obvious reasons." The Potions master glared at the Were who shrunk in on himself. "It seemed like a good idea at the time, to help the kids bond early. They were also eleven and twelve year olds. They shouldn't have had fears greater than mild phobias. Certainly not one as gruesome as that." Dumbledore looked at Poppy. "Perhaps the boy is in need of a Mind Healer or Child Services?" Poppy shook her head. "Mr. Peverell came to me and I did a bit of checking of his state of mind with what little training I have. He has a strong bond to his mother, but no outstanding trauma. As for Child Services, we do have one of their officers coming over to check on Mister Potter as per the Wizengamot's custody deliberations. I could ask but I see no reason for the boy to be questioned as well." Pomona glared at the Headmaster. "I have plenty of experience with children from difficult homes. Edward is not in need of Child Services. He is in need of Professors to actually listen to him. Something I hear is a recurring problem among my fellows."
McGonagall and Filius both lowered their heads as Pomona looked around. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Well, let's move on. How are the second year students?" The meeting dragged on a bit, especially as Dumbledore tried to gauge any changes in Harry Potter. His academic work seemed to remain steadily high among his year mates, which was promising. Dumbledore asked Remus to linger as soon as the meeting ended. "You haven't mentioned what Harry Potter's Boggart was." Remus looked away, his face looking quite guilty. "Himself, locked away in a cupboard alone. There was nothing else. I thought it was going to be Voldemort but clearly I was wrong." Dumbledore didn't catch the pain Remus' words carried in them as he left the meeting, his thoughts lingering on his run in with Peverell a day earlier as he rubbed the swollen and tender skin on his face. Hazel Peverell had done more than slug him in the corridor of the school. Feeling his jaw dislocated by the impact, he watched as the white haired witch stared him down. "I swear to you, Lupin. You cause harm or pain to my son or Harry, physical, mental or emotional, a dislocated jaw will be the least of your concerns." Remus had glared at her, his voice muffled by his injury. "I would never do that to James' son."
Hazel had laughed at him bitterly. "Really, so you didn't abandon him for twelve years of his life? Two of which he spent aware of magic? No visits, no checks on his physical or mental state? Congratulations, the moment you die, be sure to prepare for the beating James and Lily Potter will visit upon you. You left their son abandoned in a home that didn't want him, among people who could care less about the boy and cared more about the gold Dumbledore fed them. You've already harmed Harry, by doing nothing. Harm him or my son again and I will not hesitate to end you. I don't care what Order you once belonged to. I have slaughtered Death Eaters without a shred of remorse. You will be no different." Hazel stared at him with those green eyes that reminded him of Lily before she stomped away. Her warning had almost slipped from his mind until Harry met his Boggart. The sight of a scared little boy huddling in a dark corner broke him. Hazel Peverell had been right. He had failed Harry. He had failed James and Lily. He deserved their anger.
Unbeknownst to the Professors, a rippling shadow slipped through the walls and halls before reaching a guests chamber. Dora watched as Hazel took off her Cloak. She frowned. "You look rough." Hazel shrugged. "These walls are filled with magic to the brim. Crossing through them is like walking in deep snow. I'm sticking to the doors from now on." Dora nodded. "How was the staff meeting?" Hazel sat down and rubbed her eyes. "As expected. Dumbledore refuses to assign fault for the mess made by Lupin, Snape seems to have some semblance of a heart when it comes to Slytherins and Dumbledore remains fixated on Harry. Watching Pomona Sprout guilt trip McGonagall and Flitwick was cool, though." Dora chuckled. "Oh, she's good at those. You should have seen her when Charlie and I got caught with our pants down in a broom closet." Hazel eyed Dora. "We are not having sex in a broom closet, no matter how much you bring it up." Dora pouted. "Not even for my pass? Some free pass that is." Hazel sighed. "Fine! But you pick a distant one and you give me a day's head start." Dora glared. "Warding it isn't fair." Hazel raised an eyebrow. "I can selectively Obliviate you so you don't know I have done a thing to it." Dora sighed in exacerbation. "Fine. No Obliviation. I'll let you know. Spoilsport."
Notes:So, how was it?
Next Chapter?: Halloween
I feel so bloody tired. On the plus side, I got some writing done and loads of editing, which is what I can manage when the heat melts my brain. I have also refined the outlines for the epilogue, as well as the beginning of my next project. For now though, I hope you all enjoy the up coming chapters.
Leave a comment, discuss and see you all in three days.