Chapter 7: All Goes DarkSummary:Who turned out the lights?
Chapter TextAbruptly all the light went out. All the light, the stars overhead and the sliver of moon, even the ambient light from the lamps at either end of the alley. At the same time, the balmy evening air became deathly cold, to the point that her breath was misting before her face.
Dudley spun around, on the verge of a panic. "What's going on? Hazel, did you do this?!"
"No! I can't turn off the stars!" Only one thing could, that she was aware of, and she hoped to God she was wrong. "Listen, both of you get on the ground, face down, and cover your faces with your hands. Do not let go, no matter what!"
"Hazel, what's-"
"Do it! NOW!"
"C'mon, Leah." She felt more than saw Dudley pulling Leah down, stuffing themselves into the edge of the pavement where it met the fence.
She drew her wand from its holster in her vest and strained her ears, listening for those long, hoarse, rattling breaths. And then she heard them, and her heart fell into her guts. Dementors? Here, in Little Whinging? "They really wanna hang onto that cottage, don't they? Lumos!"
The tip of her wand lit up, piercing the darkness like a beacon. Illuminated before her was a vast, black shape, gliding smoothly through the air towards them. Instinctively she turned, thinking to run, but a second Dementor was coming from the other direction! What the absolute fuck! "Go the fuck away! Leave us alone!"
They had no response, of course, and she stood over Dudley and Leah with her wand held high. It had to be a prank, someone was trying to provoke her into breaking the Statute of Secrecy and getting expelled! No way would real Dementors be here in Little Whinging!
But as they drew closer, the cold grew heavier, the darkness grew more solid, memories of the night her parents died flashed before her eyes along with memories of Voldemort, of Quirrell, of Lockhart. She forced her Occlumency down to keep the fog out of her mind, but it was insidious, corrosive; this was no prank, she had to act…
She made herself think of Narcissa's arms around her. "Expecto Patronum!" A pulse of silver light shot out of her wand, giving the two Dementors pause. "Dammit, come on! Expecto Patronum!" A second pulse of light, but still no basilisk. They drew closer, bent down, she could see their clammy hands, hear their rasping breaths as the darkness closed in…
Leah, I'm so sorry, she thought dimly, seconds from giving up. Luna… Pansy…
She heard a sharp chittering scream in her mind's ear, remembered the savage exultation of the Unforgivable Curses, and that was enough! "Expecto Patronum!" An enormous burst of silver light, much brighter than before, filled the alleyway as the massive basilisk erupted into existence at last! The Dementor in front of her was driven away, it tried to flee but the Patronus caught it between its jaws and bit down hard, once, twice!
"Get the other one!" The silvery beast turned, silently lunged at the second Dementor, lovingly prying Leah's hands away from her face, bending down to administer its soul-killing Kiss. It too was caught up in the great jaws of her Patronus, bitten in half and thrown aside to evaporate into nothingness!
The unnatural darkness and cold went away with the Dementors, and for a second Hazel stood stock still, still straining her ears for any further sign. Seconds passed with nothing else, so she lowered her wand slightly, dismissed the basilisk, turned to the two Muggles. "Dudley, get up, they're gone."
"What the hell was that?!" He staggered to his feet, eyes still wide open. "You said you couldn't do magic! What just happened?!"
"Never mind that, check on Leah!"
He turned and knelt, checking on the dusky-skinned girl. She could only whimper faintly, shaking her head back and forth. "She's not responding!"
"Okay, pick her up, we have to get her-"
The sudden rattle of feet at the Wisteria Walk end of the alley had her spinning around, wand outstretched, but it was only Mrs Figg, their batty old neighbor; she was particularly disheveled right then, with her hair coming out of its hairnet and her carpet slippers halfway falling off her feet and a clunking string bag in one hand. Hazel panicked and made to stow her wand again, but stopped dead at the words the old lady blurted out: "Don't put it away, stupid girl! Oh, I'm gonna kill Mundungus Fletcher for this!"
"Not if I kill him first." Then her brain caught up with her mouth and she blanched. "I mean, what? Who?"
"Mundungus Fletcher! He was supposed to be on guard tonight! But no, he had to go see a man about some cauldrons! Left me in charge when he knows I've never so much as Transfigured a match! Ooh, I'm gonna flay him alive if he comes back tonight!"
Hazel blinked in shock but quickly gathered her wits. "You've been a Squib this whole time? Why didn't you say anything?"
"Dumbledore said not to! And who am I to go against Dumbledore?!"
Hazel was incredibly confused, but now wasn't the time to faff about. "Dudley, grab her and let's go! We can't stay here!"
"Why can't you-?"
"I need my wand!"
"Oh, right." He put a hand under Leah's shoulders and another behind her knees, and easily hefted her as he rose to his feet. "Seriously, what just happened?"
"Dementors, Dudley, I told you!" She turned to Mrs Figg. "We'll drop her off first, her house is on the way. Now how do you know Dumbledore?"
"Everyone knows Dumbledore! They told me you were smart!" The old lady led the way back to Wisteria Walk, tottering along with her string bag of cat food in one hand. "Oh my word, what a disaster this is! Dementors in Little Whinging!"
"How long have I been watched?"
"All your life! You really think we'd leave you here alone? But it's been especially tight this summer, and you haven't helped with all your field trips and trouble-making!"
"Fuck off, I get bored way too easily to sit at home like a good girl." She started to put her wand away, nervous about what the neighbors would say if they saw her carrying it.
"DON'T put your wand away, idiot girl! Don't you understand I'm useless?!"
"I said fuck off!"
"And don't speak to me like- Mundungus Fletcher you miserable coward!"
A slight crack and a sudden reek of tobacco-scented air heralded the appearance of a squat, bandy-legged man with a bald head and an unshaven face; he wore a tattered, bulging overcoat despite the season, and bloodshot, baggy eyes that gave him a somewhat doleful air. He was clutching a silvery bundle like a cheap invisibility cloak and had a lazy, drawling voice, and he was nervously eyeing Hazel's wand. "Wot's all th' yellin' fer, Figgy? I thought we was un'ercover, like?"
"I'll give you undercover, you sneak thief! Dementors in Little Whinging!"
"Wot?! Yer jokin'! Wot's Dementors doin' here?"
"Going after Hazel and her friends when YOU should've been there! Instead you were off buying stolen cauldrons! I told you not to go, didn't I?!"
"Now 'ang on, what else's a fella supposed to do when he 'ears about an opportunity like 'at?"
A light bulb went off, and Hazel put her wand away. "Wait a second, you're Mundungus Fletcher?"
"Who else would I b- YOWCH!" He was cut off by Hazel lunging toward him and bashing the side of his head with her fist! "Wot ya 'ittin' me fer?!"
"You were supposed to be around, you dense motherfucker!" He had fallen over, so she switched to kicking him repeatedly. "I had to use magic earlier and now the Ministry's gonna try to expel me from Hogwarts!"
"Ow! Ow, c'mon! Figgy, 'elp me out 'ere- OW!"
Far from helping, Mrs Figg had elected to use her string bag like a flail, bashing at the man's head and arms while Hazel kicked at him as hard as she could. "Take that! And that! And don't you ever leave your post again!"
"Oi, don't kill me! Someone's gotta warn Dumbledore!"
"Not just any someone! You had better warn him, or so help me I'll hold you down while Hazel kicks your head in!" The old lady was still bashing at every inch of him she could reach even as she ranted. "And you'd better tell him why you weren't there when you do it!"
"A'right, you mad old bat, a'right!" They backed off of him, and he staggered to his feet and disappeared with another pop of displaced air.
A door creaked open nearby. "What's going on out here?" Hazel froze up, realizing too late they had reached Wisteria Walk and had just been beating a man out where everyone could see.
But Mrs Figg was ready. "Never you mind, just some homeless bum!" Whoever it was seemed to accept this answer, because the door closed and they could proceed in peace. "Dash it all, get your wand back out!"
"People are watching us!" But she drew it again anyway, still scanning around.
"It doesn't matter anymore, the cat's among the pixies now! May as well be hanged for a mile as an inch! Ooh, I hope Dumbledore murders that man!"
"If he doesn't do it, I will. How's Leah doing?"
Dudley shrugged. "Still out cold. Is someone gonna tell me what Dementors are?"
"Later, Duds, not now." They hurried up the street, and Hazel hoped it was too late for most people to be peeking out their windows. God, when she thought of how many people would have to be Obliviated…
Oh fuck, what about Leah? "Mrs Figg, will they send the Obliviators?"
"What? How should I know! I'm not the Minister for Magic!" She obviously wasn't listening to a word Hazel said. "Dumbledore's gonna blow his stack when he hears, we were supposed to keep you from doing magic at all costs! They'll have a field day with this, you mark my words!"
She didn't need to ask who they were. "Who's been following me, anyway?"
"People from the Order! Kingsley, Moody, Sirius Black! Fletcher of course, but not anymore!"
Sirius had been watching her? She thought back, but couldn't remember seeing Padfoot around the neighborhood at any point. "Oh wait, we're here. C'mon, Duds." She led the way up the steps, quite glad Shira was out late tonight. She unlocked the door and led the way inside. "Put her on the couch there."
Dudley deposited the girl on her couch, though he jumped slightly when she clutched at his arm. "Whoa, is she waking up?"
"No, she's just reacting." She knelt and pried Leah's hands off, gently kissing the backs and folding them at her chest. "Easy, Leah, it'll all be a bad dream in the morning." The girl seemed to calm down at the words, or maybe it was just the sound of her voice, and she planted a kiss on her forehead before standing up and leaving again, locking the door behind her.
Mrs Figg was fretting at the sidewalk, and went back to marching along the second Hazel and Dudley were with her again, muttering about delays and how she was going to kill Mundungus Fletcher. Hazel didn't say a word, and Dudley didn't seem inclined to say anything either.
Finally they reached Number 4, and Mrs Figg stopped muttering. "Get inside, both of you, and stay there until we figure out what to do!"
"Right. See you." The old lady tottered off back to her home, and the two teenagers crossed the yard to the front door.
Chapter 8: Heads I Win, Tails You LoseSummary:Hazel is in an awkward position, but she doesn't let it get her down.
Chapter TextThe door flew open before they could reach it, and Petunia was standing there in a panic. "Vernon, they're here! Where have you two been?! We've been getting the most alarming phone calls for ten minutes and-!" Petunia saw Hazel's wand and stopped in her tracks. "Oh no, what happened?"
Hazel shook her head. "Not out here, get back inside." Petunia stepped back, letting them inside so they could shut the door. "What did the phone calls say?"
"All kinds of things! You and that batty old Figg beating up homeless men! Dudley carrying unconscious girls around! All the lights going out!"
Hazel was getting fed up with older women shouting at her. "Dementors! Two of them, here! In Little Whinging!"
Bizarrely enough, the words had an effect on her aunt; she went very pale and suddenly seemed scared. "Y-You can't be serious…"
"I'm deadly serious, Aunt Petunia."
"But that's impossible! They're, they're supposed to be trapped on that island!"
"Azkaban? Not really." Come to think of it, what even kept them on the island anyway? They seemed to float in midair easily enough.
"What the bloody hell are Dementors?"
She finally had time to explain, she realized. "Demons, Dudley. Demons in black cloaks that suck all the happiness and positive feeling out of you. If they get too close they'll suck the soul right out of your mouth, which is why I told you and Leah to cover your mouths."
Somehow they wound up in the kitchen. Vernon was clearly lost, but he had latched onto the fact that Petunia was scared and Hazel was clutching her wand in a death grip, and he was smart enough to realize something had happened. "Everyone's safe and sound, though, right?"
"Yes, Uncle Vernon, we're fine."
"Good, good." He pulled Petunia into his arms. "I don't know what this all means, but everyone's alright, and that's the important part."
"Not for long. I had to use-"
Her explanation was cut off by the arrival of a large screech owl, which swooped in through the open window, dropped an official-looking letter at Hazel's feet, and winged away once again. She recognized the Ministry seal on the front, and felt her blood run cold. Could they have made their decision already?
A rushing noise filled her ears, drowning out all other sounds. She knelt down, grabbed the envelope and ripped it open:
Dear Miss Potter,
We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of two Muggles.
The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand.
As you have already received an official warning for a previous offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 a.m. on August 12th.
Hoping you are well,
Yours sincerely,
Mafalda Hopkirk
IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE
Ministry of Magic
The cold feeling spread, leaving sheer ice in its wake. Expelled. That was impossible! There were Dementors! Surely the Ministry's magic detection could have detected them!
…unless the Ministry had sent them in the first place?
It made perfect sense. If she used the Patronus Charm they could hang that around her neck and sweep her under the rug; if she didn't, she'd have her soul sucked out and she'd never bother anyone ever again. Heads I win, tails you lose.
"I had to use magic to save the three of us, and now I've been expelled. Politics, Uncle Vernon, remember?"
Petunia took the letter and read it quickly. "Patronus Charm?"
"It's a spell that defends against Dementors, maybe the only one that can." She was suddenly tired, and she fell gracelessly into a chair. "There were two of them, and-"
"-everything went cold, and the lights went out." Dudley was leaning against the fridge, and he looked worn down too. "Hazel told us to lie down on the ground and cover our faces, but I still heard things, felt like all the happiness was being sucked away forever."
"Make some tea, Pet." Vernon sat down too, still looking lost, and Petunia wordlessly started preparing tea. "So, what if you hadn't used this Patrony Charm or whatever it was?"
"The Dementors would have pinned us down and sucked our souls out our mouths. They nearly got me and Leah, but I got the spell off in time."
"Sucked your-?"
"-souls, yes. Wizarding version of a death sentence, basically."
Vernon seemed horrified, his eyes bulging and jaw dropping. "How's that any better than a good quick hanging?"
"It's not, actually. Magical society sucks in a lot of ways, but we don't have time for that debate."
"This Patronus Charm, is it a hard spell to cast?" Dudley asked.
"Yes, it's a very difficult spell. You need a strong memory of happiness and safety for it to draw from, or else it won't work."
His face contorted as he thought it through. "But, but with the Dementors eating all the happiness and all the positive thoughts, wouldn't it be even harder to use it when you really need it?"
"Exactly." She was surprised he could grasp that so quickly. "It's a matter of finding a memory so powerful they can't suck it out right away, and then using that memory as a light in the darkness. They don't just sap away happy memories, they make you relive the worst memories of your life."
Vernon and Petunia both turned to stare at their son in horror. Hazel found herself regarding him cautiously as well, wondering what her spoiled, pampered cousin would have had to relive in that moment.
Dudley looked uncomfortable under the attention, then sighed. "The last time Aunt Marge came to visit, remember? Her dog chased Hazel up a tree, and I… I tried to pull it away but it bit me. A lot." He closed his eyes against the memory. "I was in the hospital for days after that."
"Good thing it was put down afterward."
Petunia put the tea out for everyone. "She's never tried to drop by again, and thank goodness for that. She's a bit much, Vernon."
Whatever Vernon was going to say to defend his sister was cut off when Errol Junior flew through the window, dropping another letter on the table before Hazel. "Aunt Petunia, please get him some water, he's waiting for a reply." She opened the letter, and saw it was hastily written in thick black ink:
Hazel,
Dumbledore's just arrived at the Ministry, and he's trying to sort it all out. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE. DO NOT DO ANY MORE MAGIC. DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR WAND.
-Arthur Weasley
"Fletcher made it in time." She turned the parchment over. "Uh, is there a pen down here?"
"Here." Vernon handed her one, and she started writing:
Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere or using my wand anymore. What's Dumbledore gonna do? What are YOU guys gonna do to get me out of here? I can't defend myself against the Ministry from here!
-Hazel
She folded the parchment back up and tied it to the owl's leg, and he clicked his beak over the little saucer of water before launching himself back out the window again. "That was Mr Weasley, he's on our side and works in the Ministry itself."
"They can't expel you for saving people, this is absurd." Vernon finished his tea and concealed a yawn, though his mustache twitched from stress. "Dudley would be happy to testify for you, right?"
"Absolutely! I won't stand by and let them kick you out, Hazel, I promise."
"Thanks, guys." It was touching that her relatives were willing to defend her, even when they didn't understand what was happening.
"So what happened after you cast the spell?"
"Right. Well, Dudley was alright, but Leah fainted, she nearly got Kissed. Then Mrs Figg showed up all panicking and freaking out, so I had Dudley carry Leah and we left the alleyway. Then this other wizard named Mundungus Fletcher appeared, but he shouldn't have left because he was supposed to be watching me, making sure I didn't have to use magic."
"That was the homeless man they saw you beating up."
"Yeah, and if I get half the chance I'll finish the job, see if I don't!"
"Don't need bums loitering around the neighborhood." Vernon yawned again. "Well, hurry up, what happened next?"
"Fletcher left again, we dropped Leah at her place, then we came here and Figg went home to wait for orders."
"Orders? From who? Your sort?"
"Yeah, I guess she's a Squib?" Hazel shrugged. "Someone born to a wizarding family who can't use magic, in other words. They're not talked about very often. Anyway, that's what happened."
"And what happens next?"
Hazel looked at the letter from the Ministry. "I guess I deal with these Ministry goons one way or another, then head to my godfather's house and get ready for this disciplinary hearing. He's got a big library, I can do some research there and figure out a defense."
A third owl fluttered through the window, bearing a second official-looking letter for her. She plucked it from its beak, and it didn't wait around before flapping back out into the night.
Dear Miss Potter,
Further to our letter of approximately twenty-seven minutes ago, the Ministry of Magic has revised its decision to destroy your wand forthwith.
You may retain your wand until your disciplinary hearing on 12th August, at which time an official decision will be taken.
Following discussions with the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Ministry has agreed that the question of your expulsion will also be decided at that time.
You should therefore consider yourself suspended from school pending further inquiries.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely
Mafalda Hopkirk
IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE
Ministry of Magic
"Okay, the goons were called off, apparently." She put the letter aside, internally relieved, and stood up. "I guess that's everything?"
"What about your friend?"
Oh yeah, Leah. What would she think when she woke up? What would she tell her parents? "I'll call her in the morning. Right now I need to get some rest." Hazel didn't really feel like sleeping but she was drained.
"We all need to get some rest." Petunia stood up as well and cleared the tea away. "Sleep well, you two."
Hazel and Dudley went upstairs, brushed their teeth and got ready for bed. He turned to her. "Do you really have a plan?"
"Yeah, Duds. Get the hell out of here and research whatever laws they're charging me with so I can shake this bullshit off and get back to my life."
"Okay." He clapped her on the shoulder. "You got this, it sounds like. G'night."
"G'night." She went into her room and started her nightly workout, knowing she needed it even if she was already exhausted.
When she was done, Errol Junior appeared once more. This time he didn't wait for a reply but flew off as soon as his delivery was complete. Hazel opened the letter and saw Sirius' loopy handwriting this time:
I'll be there on the 5th with the bike to bring you back here. Bright and early again, make sure you're packed up and ready to leave; also make sure you eat before I get there, I don't wanna wait about. We'll sort this shit out, Hazel, I promise.
-Sirius
Reassured by her godfather's words, Hazel rolled over and went right to sleep.
Chapter 9: Our Right to Defend OurselvesSummary:Vernon does something shocking, and Hazel has a prolonged moment of introspection.
Notes:"Tell me you know nothing about the UK without telling me you know nothing about the UK!"
Chapter TextThe next day, Hazel got up and did her morning things, eager for the 5th to arrive so she could get back to the magical world. Even with all the stress waiting for her, she had a lot to look forward to. Her friends, her lovers, being able to use magic again.
Dudley was his usual self, but Petunia looked troubled as she prepared breakfast. "How did you both sleep?"
"Fine," they both said at the same time.
"Good, good." Vernon seemed distracted, and he kept exchanging glances with Petunia. "Pet and I were up late talking, and we've decided that if you're going to keep doing mad things, it's our right to defend ourselves if it comes down to it. So I'm taking the day off from work and going to see someone in the City. I'll be back around lunch time."
"You and Dudley need to stay inside today. It'll probably get hot, but bear with it."
Hazel and Dudley shrugged at each other and sat down to eat. "My godfather's picking me up on the 5th, he wrote to me last night. He'll be here bright and early just like before, and he said he doesn't plan on waiting around so I should have breakfast before then."
"That's a Saturday." Vernon seemed thoughtful, then shrugged. "Guess I'll have a lie-in then."
After breakfast, Vernon left to carry out his mystery errand, and Hazel thought about what she'd say to Leah, what kind of lie she could tell that she would believe. Eventually she decided on telling half the truth, and borrowed the phone to call the Adelmans. It rang a few seconds, then an unfamiliar male voice answered: "Adelman residence, Ezra speaking."
Oh, her father was visiting. That was awkward. "Hi, this is Hazel Potter. Is Leah up?"
"Yes, one moment."
His casual attitude was reassuring, but it didn't help the hammering in her chest much. A few moments later the phone shifted and she heard Leah's voice: "Hazel?"
"Leah, thank God. Listen, what do you remember about last night?"
"Nothing much, really. It got really cold and I was scared, and you told your cousin and I to get down on the ground and cover our faces. Then I- well, I…"
"You remembered something awful, didn't you."
"I remembered the night my grandparents were murdered. Hazel, what the hell happened? Don't tell me you don't know, you knew right away what was going on!"
She hesitated, hating to lie to her girlfriend but knowing it was necessary. In that moment she cursed the Statute of Secrecy with all her being; it was because of that stupid outdated law that she was in the position she was in now!
"We were mugged, Leah. They used a weird type of psychological attack, that made everything feel cold and dark and miserable. I knew what was going on because I read about it at school."
"What kind of school do you go to, that you have to study about psychological warfare?"
"Lady Astoria's Academy for Young Ladies~"
That brought a giggle, at least. Then Leah sighed. "Well, I promise I didn't see anything, and I can't make any sense of what I heard, so whatever secrets you're still hiding are safe. When can I see you again?"
"Maybe tomorrow, I'm not allowed out for today. Sorry."
"It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Oh, Leah? Have some chocolate, you'll feel better. I promise."
Hazel hung up, and Dudley took her place to call Piers and make his excuses. His story was a lot simpler: "Mum and Dad were weirded out by the power outage last night, so Hazel and I have to stay in while they badger the power company. Yeah, it sucks. See you tomorrow, I hope."
After that they played Dudley's Nintendo for a few hours, and Hazel felt a bit silly with the little plastic controller in her hand but she figured it out anyway. The phone rang a lot, but she ignored it and let Petunia handle things, glad she had spoken to Leah earlier.
Around lunch time Vernon came back, and he had brought a very shady-looking man in a tracksuit and sunglasses, clutching a bulging black duffle bag. He followed Vernon inside, whistling appreciatively at the interior as Petunia hurried about, closing the windows and the curtains. "Noice place ya got 'ere, Dursley."
"Don't dawdle, come on. I want to get this over with!"
"Yeah yeah, keep yer shirt on." The shady man strutted into the dining room and dumped the large bag on the table, unzipping it and laying the contents out for all to see. "Step right up, step right up! Git yer shooters!"
Guns? Vernon had brought a weapons dealer home with him? Hazel and Dudley exchanged nervous glances, and his words about "our right to defend ourselves" took on new meaning as the shady man laid out a random collection of handguns and smaller firearms.
Vernon was still impatiently waving them ahead. "Go on, pick one or two!"
Dudley wordlessly stepped back, leaving Hazel to take the lead. Taking a deep breath she stepped up, peering at the weaponry on offer. "I've never even seen a gun before in my life. What, um, what would you suggest?"
"Aye, a newbie'll want one 'a them." He pointed out a long-barreled handgun. "Revolver, yeah? Looks big, but that's what yeh want, yeah? Bigger frame fer absorbin' the shock, like."
"Alright." She picked the thing up and held it. It seemed to fit her hands well enough.
"Yeah, big strong 'ands fer a filly, eh? Take that'n too. Sawn-off!" He nodded at another one with a sturdy wooden frame.
"Like a shotgun?" She grabbed that one as well, feeling the balance in her grasp. It didn't feel too awkward either. "How do I use these?"
"Eh, I'll show ya, once ever'one's picked their poison." He waved her off, and the Dursleys crowded around the wares on offer. Dudley, feeling macho, picked out a matching pair of large semi-automatic pistols, and Petunia, looking faintly ill with the whole affair, pinched a dainty little derringer between her front fingers.
"What about you, Vernon?"
"My purchases are in the trunk. They're a little big to be bandying about, you see."
The shady man cackled. "Yer fella bought 'im some long guns, like. Now, demo time!" One by one he showed them all how to reload and use each weapon, talking up each one to reassure them about their choices; he also advised them on how best to conceal their new purchases when out and about. Hazel didn't anticipate ever having to shoot anyone or anything, but she paid attention anyway, because as the past few days had proven, she couldn't count on the future being predictable.
Eventually Vernon and the shady man left, and Hazel was left wondering what the hell she was supposed to do with her new guns. She took them upstairs, along with the nice pile of ammo she had also been given, and hid them in her trunk; if nothing else she could arrange a shooting gallery at Grimmauld Place.
The rest of the day she had nothing to do, so she dug back into her trunk for the Horcrux books. Secrets of the Darkest Art, the most important one was titled. Taking a deep breath she opened the book and started reading.
Its contents were blood-chilling indeed. There were plenty of truly nasty spells, and she flipped through these until she found what she was looking for: specific instructions for creating a Horcrux, including the exact spells to use and preparations to undertake. Cold-blooded murder, it claimed, was the crucial step, for it was by this act that the soul was sundered, allowing for the severed piece to be captured and sealed away. It also contained warnings on the nature of the soul, the sundering of which was critical for creating a Horcrux, and it noted that the only process by which one's soul could be repaired was to experience genuine remorse for the innocent lives lost to ensure one's immortality. However, this process was also quite painful, and could result in one's death anyway.
In the very back were more notes added after the book's publishing, where some mysterious dark wizard had written that the human soul could only be safely divided five times, allowing for five Horcruxes and the remaining piece of the soul left in the body. To divide beyond this point was to risk fatal instability and utter ruin.
"Remorse." Hazel stared out the window, thinking about that. She had killed two people so far, Quirinus Quirrell and Gilderoy Lockhart. Neither were especially innocent, and she wasn't sure she had ever felt remorse for their deaths. Also, the book emphasized cold-blooded murderas being key to the act, which to her implied premeditation and malicious intent or callousness towards another's life. When Quirrell died she had been mad with pain and desperate to end it in any way possible, and Lockhart's death had been a spur of the moment action in the midst of a larger duel.
Nonetheless, the idea that two bits of her soul were floating around out there was sufficiently disturbing for her to put the book aside and focus on the idea of remorse. She stretched out on the bed and thought about it, about remorse and regret, while trying to avoid thinking about the men who had died. If she did that, it would all fall apart.
After a few moments she sat up again. "This is pointless." She couldn't do it without thinking about them, and that ruined any hope of regret; she couldn't separate the necessity of their deaths from the circumstances surrounding those deaths. She wondered if that was just her own self-rationalization acting to avoid insanity, or if it just was what it was.
"Ugh. This sucks." She shook her head and redirected her thoughts. Remorse and regret were out of the question for now, that was fine, she could live with it. She smelled food being cooked downstairs, reckoned Petunia was putting dinner together. Time for one more thought experiment, she decided.
She took out the revolver, made sure it was unloaded, held it in one hand and her wand in the other. She imagined Voldemort, stripped of his power and his Horcruxes, brought to his knees before her. Mortal, helpless, death mere moments away at last. She imagined herself giving him a choice…
"Alright Riddle, this is it. You're gonna die in a minute or so, there's no getting around that, but HOW you die is up to you." She twirled the wand. "Be a man for once in your wasted life, feel some remorse and regret, and you get to die like a man. Like a wizard. But!" She brandished the revolver. "If you can't be a man, then I'll have to put you down like the broken creature you are. I've seen the fate that awaits you if you don't, Riddle, you don't wanna spend eternity that way. It's up to you..."
In her mind's eye, she saw those red slits narrow as he considered her words. Would he be defiant to the end, or would something change? How would he choose to die, when he had never granted such a choice himself?
His decision was inevitable: "What did you say to me, Potter, that night in the graveyard? Ah, yes. 'Take your mercy and fuck yourself with it then!'"
"I guess that's your final answer." She pulled the trigger without hesitation; the gun clicked as it dry-fired, and she opened her eyes with a sigh. How would that feel, to stand and pull the trigger on a man, to end his life with a twitch of her finger? It was easy, stupidly easy, much easier than the Killing Curse. God, how could Muggles deal with this kind of power over life and death?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Petunia calling her down for dinner. She put the gun away again and went down to eat, all thoughts of remorse and murder shelved to the back of her mind.
Dinner that night was ham and cheese, with mashed potatoes and peas. Vernon was already seated. "Dudley, Hazel, both of you listen carefully. I bought us those guns for a reason, understand? They stay home at all times, or else in your trunks at school."
"If we hear of either of you showing off with them to impress your friends, we'll take them away from you both. They aren't toys, they're tools, and they only have one purpose."
"Yes, Mum."
"I understand."
"Petunia and I aren't stupid, we know you two aren't just going around for tea in the afternoons. Whatever mischief you get up to, well, if anyone finds out you were even carrying a gun with you, it goes from mischief to crimes, and England has some of the strictest gun laws in the world."
"Isn't it very dangerous to even have them, Dad?"
"It is, Dudders, which is why you won't say a word about it outside this house. If something happens at school and you have to use them, that's one thing, I've got people who can hush that up and make sure you walk away with a medal. But fooling around on the streets is something else."
"That goes for you too, Hazel, even if you have your… your own things."
"I understand. I promise they won't leave my trunk." It was a struggle not to roll her eyes; she wasn't especially fond of repeating herself.
"Will we get to practice with them?"
Vernon nodded. "Yes, I've arranged for weekly target practice before school starts. Hazel, you'll have to work something else out with that Godfather of yours, since it sounds like you're leaving soon."
"I'll work it out." Kreacher and Sirius could sort something out, she was sure.
Chapter 10: A Great Many RedheadsSummary:12 Grimmauld Place at last!
Chapter TextShe worked out for a long time that evening, with everything on her mind. Guns, and the moral quandaries that went with them. Horcruxes, remorse, souls and murder. She could cast the Killing Curse, had used it on another person; was that any different than using a gun? Would Lockhart be more or less dead than if she had shot him?
One quick shower later and she slid into bed, where sleep was slow to take over despite her rigorous efforts earlier. Eventually her mind did slow down, and she nodded off.
The next day was quiet, and Hazel spent most of it at Leah's house, eager to get as much time with her as she could before leaving for her world once more. When they finally wore each other out, Hazel let out a long sigh. "I'm leaving tomorrow, might not be back until next summer."
"Because of that mugging?"
"Yeah. I saved us, but I got myself into an awful trouble at the same time, and I'll have to answer for it one way or another."
"You'll be okay though, right? Do you need me to testify?"
"Well, what could you testify about, anyway? Your face was covered, you were too busy recalling awful things. I'll be fine, I promise. I just have to deal with this."
"Okay. You'll be able to write, at least."
"Yeah." She had no idea how wizard-to-Muggle post worked, but there had to be something she could do. "What did you tell your parents?"
"Nothing. And I won't, either. They might keep me from hanging out with you, and I couldn't bear that."
"Aw, c'mere you~"
She went home later, spent the evening packing her stuff, and went to bed full of anxiety for the next day. Sirius was coming, and she'd have to face the music of her reality once more. God, she just wanted to stay home.
But she couldn't stop the sunrise, and woke up far too soon for her liking. So she dragged herself out of bed, got ready, let Hedwig out so she could fly on her own, and hauled her things downstairs.
In the kitchen, she saw Petunia slicing fruit. "I don't want to wake the others, so pour yourself some cereal and eat this."
"Alright." One bowl of cereal and some sliced apples later, she felt reasonably prepared. "Thanks, Aunt Petunia. For everything."
"Of course, dear. Good luck with your Ministry."
Whatever she would have said next was cut off by a knock at the door. Hazel got up to answer, wondering if it was Sirius or the mailman; it was Sirius, in a dark and somber Muggle suit. She grinned and hugged him briefly.
"Hey kiddo. Ready to go?"
"Yeah, lemme get my stuff." She turned back and grabbed trunk and cage. "Aunt Petunia, he's here. I'm leaving."
There was worry in her aunt's eyes, but she kept it to herself. "See you next summer."
Luggage in hand she went outside, following Sirius down the steps. Trunk and cage went into the saddlebag like before, and she climbed into the sidecar; unlike before, he made them invisible right away, and flicked his wand to send them into the air before kicking the bike to life and letting it fly by itself.
"What's the plan?"
"Ha!" He cast a noise-canceling charm so they could talk. "If you wanted a plan you should've let Mad-Eye do his thing, he wanted to create a diversion for your relatives and have seven of us sneak you out by broom in the middle of the night! No, we're just gonna fly along to London, nice and invisible."
"Mad-Eye, huh." She still wasn't sure what to think of the man, even though he was likely to be the real Mad-Eye. "Whatever. Will I be able to use magic when we get there?"
"Yeah sure, there's so much magic around that the Ministry won't know their arse from a tea kettle." He threw her a grin. "Eager to cut loose, eh?"
"You don't know the half of it!" Hell, she'd settle for not having to wear a bra anymore.
"Just don't bring the house down and we'll be fine."
"No promises!"
They flew in silence for a few moments after that. "So, Dementors, huh?"
"They were really there, my cousin and my neighbor can both confirm it. It had to have been the Ministry, they sent me a warning at the start of summer break because I cast a few rejuvenation charms on the Dursleys' back garden, just like I've been doing for the past three summers."
"Yeah, it sounds like one of their hit jobs, alright. They're trying not to let on that Voldemort is back, and that involves keeping a lid on all the rumors, and seeing to it that you and Dumbledore are smeared and discredited in the court of public opinion."
"I know, I've been reading the Prophet all summer. When they aren't gasping over Grindelwald they're inserting my name into whatever random crap they can come up with, it's annoying." She shook her head. "Whatever. How's it going with the cottage?"
"Come on, we just got started. These things take time, Hazel, and the goblins aren't about to start a war for you over something like this."
So would they start a war for me over something more important? she asked herself. "Fine. What's the situation at Hogwarts?"
"Well, you heard about Binns, right? And they had quite a few other openings too, but Dumbledore's got most of them filled in already. Defense is the sticker, the Minister is personally vetoing everyone he wants; we're pretty sure he wants to force his own nominee in so they can push their agenda at the heart of Hogwarts."
"Great. And I heard Dumbledore is planning on resigning from the school too, so he can focus on running the Order and opposing Voldemort."
"Yeah, McGonagall isn't happy, but she's dealing with it."
That made it sound like he didn't know about the Horcruxes. Good, that was dangerous information. "So who all did they hire?"
"Hogwarts graduates, mostly, from the year before you started. They seem like good kids, for the most part."
"Fair enough. What's going on with Voldemort?"
"So far as we can tell? Nothing, and that has us worried. You did a good job warning Dumbledore as early as you did, the Order was in a good spot to track and oppose his movements during the Tournament. Not that it really did much, since Crouch was the mole all along, but we've got the real Moody back now."
"Is it really such a big deal having him around?"
"Are you kidding? Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him! He's one of the best dark wizard hunters England has ever seen, and since he's retired he doesn't have to work around the Ministry to make time for us. Tonks and Kingsley are great, but they've got to deal with all that crap."
"Okay, and why is it worrying that he isn't doing anything?"
"Well, he ought to be recruiting, right? And gathering strength so he can take the Ministry on. But we've got people watching everyone he's likely to approach, or else we got to them first, and so far no one's reported anything."
"Would they say anything if Voldemort had persuaded them?"
"Yeah, we've thought of that. Leave Voldemort to us, you focus on this hearing."
"Sure thing." She was glad adults were dealing with it, that was for sure. She looked away and examined the scenery below them, though it really seemed to be zipping by rather quickly. "Are we almost there?"
"Nearly." They were flashing over London now, and he started taking the bike down. Instead of the street, he landed in the alleyway behind the row of houses and pulled into a funny garage behind 12. He saw her wrinkling her nose at the smell and laughed. "These used to be horse stables, hence the smell."
"Right." She watched him flick his wand and send her trunk and Hedwig's cage to her room, and then she led the way inside.
"Oh, Hazel, dear!" Molly smiled and hurried forward. "Lovely to see you, simply lovely!"
"Same to you, Mrs Weasley." She let herself be smothered, and gamely hugged back. "Why are you here? Have you moved out of the Burrow, then?"
"Only for a little while. The Order moved in here and it needed looking after, and the Burrow isn't safe with everything going on, so. But come and meet everyone!"
A few people were gathered around the kitchen table, and she recognized Moody and Remus but not the obnoxiously busty blonde witch. She was immediately distracted. "There's no way those are real!"
The blonde witch laughed. "Wow, rude! Unnatural maybe, but real as anything else on me!"
Mad-Eyed cleared his throat. "Potter, what did I say to you the first time we met?"
"You told me to calm down, it was the real you this time. It was when Crouch Junior was being taken back into custody, but I didn't stick around to watch."
"Really rich of you, telling anybody to calm down."
"Yeah yeah, calm down. Nymphadora."
"Dammit Mad-Eye! For the last time, call me Tonks! I don't go around calling you Alastor, do I?"
Remus rolled his eyes and leaned around to shake Hazel's hand. "Good to see you, Hazel. Worried about the hearing?"
"A little bit. I was planning on spending a little time in the library to research the laws they're using to charge me." She turned around again, and saw the blonde witch changing before her eyes; hair turning pink, chest shrinking, face rearranging itself.
Her hand must have twitched toward her wand, because Sirius grabbed her wrist. "Take it easy, Tonks is a metamorphmagus. She can change her appearance at will, like you just saw. No Polyjuice involved."
"Also it's pretty stupid, drawing your wand on an Auror. After all the good times we've had, too!" Tonks changed her appearance again, taking on a mousy, drab, forgettable appearance. "Ey, guv?"
"Wait, you were at that crafts fair! You're the one who gave me that dreamcatcher!"
"Right in one!" She shifted again, to the tall, pink-haired witch with the heart shaped face Hazel remembered from Dumbledore's office. "That was one of my last tests to qualify as an Auror, and I passed with flying colors."
"It's a wonder you passed at all, what with how dead clumsy you can be."
"Fuck off, cousin~"
Feeling a little overwhelmed, Hazel slipped around and tried to make a break for the door, but she was cut off by the arrival of a great many redheads. And they all seemed happy to see her. "Hazel!" Ron hurried forward and clapped her on the back, expression wide and beaming. "Merlin's pants, it's good to see you!"
"Let her breathe, bro-"
"-she's been smothered enough by Mum."
"I'm going upstairs!" She pushed her way through the crowd and hurried up the hall to the landing. "Tell Sirius I want to speak to him privately!"
Chapter 11: Top Notch ParentingSummary:Hazel really doesn't have many positive male role models in her life, does she?
Chapter TextFortunately, Sirius waited a few minutes before heading up, which was enough time for her to compose herself, rip her bra off and put the usual charm on her shirt. She was ready when he knocked on the door. "Hazel? You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Come in."
He opened the door and walked into the room. "So what's up?"
"You're familiar with Muggle things, right? More than most wizards?" She went to her trunk and opened it, rummaging around, careful not to jostle the books.
"Well, yeah, you might say that. Why do you ask?"
"These." She pulled out the two boxes, put them on the desk, unlocked and opened them. "Uncle Vernon bought us all guns after the Dementor thing, and I guess he thought I needed some too."
"Huh." Delicately he reached out and picked up the revolver, and the way he checked the chambers told her he was familiar with firearms. "Top notch parenting, Dursley."
"Anyway, it isn't my first choice, but I'm gonna try and learn how to shoot. I might never need to, but I'm always up for learning new things."
"Well, I can show you a thing or two, but the ones you'd really wanna talk to are Tonks and Mad-Eye." Gently he placed the gun back in its box. "Part of Auror training is being familiar with firearms, at least enough to recognize one and react to it appropriately. And they took it a little further than required."
"Is there a basement or something we can turn into a shooting gallery?"
"I'll take Mad-Eye and Kreacher and we'll sort something out. It might take a few days, so keep those locked up until then."
"I planned on keeping them a secret to everybody, don't worry."
"Alright. I'll have Dobby come and get you when it's time for lunch, you probably want to relax a little more." He patted her shoulder and left the room; she locked the door and started in on a solid workout, just because she felt like it. It felt great to be able to use her broom as a pullup bar again!
A little while later there was another knock on the door. "Come in."
"Look bro, our financial savior."
"Hard at work as usual!"
"Fred, George." She pulled her broom down and sat on the bed. "What's up? How's the joke shop coming along?"
"Great! We can apparate so we're running it as a mail order service from the Burrow, for now."
"We're also trying to get a new spot all to ourselves, but that's not going so well."
"Brick and mortar is expensive!"
"Tell them I'm backing you. If they're the right sort of people they'll be impressed, if they're the sort of people who believe the bullshit about me then you're better off not dealing with them anyway."
"You really think that'll work?"
"It won't hurt to try. So who else is around?"
"No one but Order members, actually. And us."
"Dumbledore put a Fidelius Charm down, on top of all the old security."
She knew that was a spell to keep things secret. The secret was sealed inside a Secret Keeper, and afterward, only people who were told could even acknowledge it. Otherwise, you couldn't even remember its existence. Or something. But her status as Heir Black let her get through any extra security on the building. "What about Draco and Narcissa?"
"Well, she joined, so she's around somewhere."
"He is too, but he's not too keen on hanging out with us Gryffindors."
"You guys are a little overwhelming."
Fred laughed. "Were you hoping one of your girlfriends would be here?"
"Been a little pent up out there, surrounded by Muggles?"
"Actually I found a Muggle girlfriend, so I'm not pent up at all~"
"Oh good! We were worried about Ginny falling victim to your wiles!"
"Or even Hermione! But she might be just as pent up! We've heard the stories!"
"What stories?"
"The stories!" both twins said at the same time.
"Say George, wasn't there a purpose for us to come all the way up here?"
"Right you are, Fred! Mum's almost got lunch ready, so come on down soon."
"Way to bury the lede, guys. Now scram so I can get cleaned up." They laughed and slouched out of the room, and she flicked her wand to clean the sweat off herself before heading down after them.
On the next landing she saw Draco and Narcissa, who immediately pulled her into a hug. "Hazel, darling."
"Good afternoon." She was intensely aware of the older woman's body even through their clothes and the chaste hug. Draco mimed gagging behind his mother's back, and she flipped him off before letting go and stepping back. "I heard your divorce was finalized at last?"
"Yes, it certainly took them long enough." She looked pensive, but a victorious smirk teased at her lips nonetheless. "Lucius now has less than nothing, he has even been expelled from the Malfoy lineage itself for violating the first rule of the family."
"Family comes first, especially your heirs and spouse. That's the gist of it anyway. Father tried to contort his way out of it, claiming he was looking after the family as a whole through his actions, but since the Ministry is still denying the Dark Lord's return or his involvement in any events since his supposed death, that claim failed to hold water before the Wizengamot."
"So, what, you're Lord Malfoy now?"
"I'm still just the Heir for now." They went downstairs as Draco spoke. "Mother is Lady Malfoy, and all the family's resources are now aligned behind the Order of the Phoenix. All of them, even the things Father tried to hide."
In the dining room, the three house-elves were arranging food and chairs for everyone. Hazel found herself near one end of the long table, with Narcissa on one side and Ginny on the other; Draco was on Narcissa's other side, and Sirius was at the end, opposite Arthur at the other end.
Hazel helped herself to soup and bread and meat and everything else being handed around. "Weird to see so many people here. It's only lunch."
Arthur shook his head. "We get breaks at the Ministry too, you know. Even if they'd rather not, these days."
"I bet things are kinda shitty around there these days?" Molly scowled at her language, but she ignored it.
"Well, Fudge and his goons are storming around looking for people loyal to Dumbledore. Everyone with an ounce of sense is toeing the Ministry's line, that everything is fine and normal; any mention of You-Know-Who is met with scrutiny, and they've even buried the Tournament."
That was weird. "What's the Tournament got to do with-? Actually, it doesn't matter. Fudge tried to have me arrested last term, but he also had my prize money with him at the time. What's up with that?"
"Arrested? What for?"
"All those people who died at the graveyard when Voldemort came back." Most of the people seated winced or flinched, but she ignored them. "You didn't answer my question."
Tonks spoke up. "It was last-minute, yeah. Bit of a coincidence, Shack and I being the only ones around, but when the preliminary results of the inquiry at the graveyard came back, he went off his rocker and really started cracking down on everything."
"He didn't even wait for a warrant for my arrest?"
"Nope. He assumed it would be ready by the time we had you in custody. Not like anyone in that room would've let you be taken in. As for the money, well, either he forgot about it or he planned on confiscating it after your arrest."
"What a berk." Hazel shook her head. "Anyway, what about-?"
Molly cleared her throat loudly. "We don't need to discuss that now."
Hazel blinked in confusion. "So, we can discuss it later?"
Molly went red, then turned to Fred and George and loudly asked them about the piles of boxes in their room back at the Burrow. Ginny leaned in and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Save it. She's real stern about not letting us hear anything important. Says we're too young." She made a face.
Too young? Hazel almost stood up right then and there, as her temper flared up. "Being too young didn't save me last year, did it? Or any other year before that? That's a bullshit reason to keep us in the dark, and you know it!"
Narcissa put a cool hand on her wrist, cutting off her fury before it could build up too high. "Patience, darling. You'll find out what's going on soon enough."
"R-Right." The older woman's touch ignited goosebumps on her skin and butterflies in her stomach, and she felt herself relaxing. "Sorry."
Ginny snickered, and Hazel shot her a dirty look, but went back to the meal nonetheless, ignoring the looks of sympathy and pity her other friends were shooting her way.
After lunch, while Molly was tidying up, Hazel went and washed her hands. "I'll be in the library if anyone needs me." She had a few laws to research, and gossip to catch up on.
Chapter 12: Where's Percy?Summary:Hazel does a little research and starts a little row.
Chapter TextSure enough, a few minutes after she walked in, her friends walked in as well. Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Draco, even Fred and George. Fred didn't seem impressed. "Weird to be in a library without Pince breathing down our necks."
"Needs a little light in here!" George flicked his wand and lit the torches along the wall.
Hazel, who had been reading by the light of her wand, grinned. "Alright, guys?"
"If Mum comes up we'll tell her we're helping you get ready for the hearing. There's no way she can get on our case for helping you."
"I dunno, Ginny, she might get onto us anyway. You're not the only one she's determined to keep in the dark, Hazel."
Hermione shook her head."She won't even let Fred and George into the meetings, and they're of age."
Hazel sighed. "She's way out of line, the Death Eaters won't give a damn how old we are. Hell, being underage just makes us easy targets, we need to know as much as they do. Anyway, one thing at a time." She turned to Hermione. "You said you'd already found a few things?"
"Ah, yes, let me find the books I used." She got up to check the shelves. A few moments later, she came back with some dusty old books in hand. "Here, I bookmarked the sections; it's crystal clear."
Hazel opened the first book at the marked page. "Yep, right here in Clause 7, magic can be used before Muggles in life-threatening situations."
Ron leaned forward. "I asked Dad and he said the Ministry is supposed to keep records of all Dementor movements and related orders. The Dementors' Kiss is also supposed to be tightly controlled; if they were sent to perform it, it would be in the orders as well."
Hazel considered that for a moment. "Assuming they're still under the Ministry's control. But if Voldemort was controlling them, wouldn't the Order be aware of it? Maybe that's part of what Mrs Weasley thinks we're not entitled to know."
Ginny shrugged. "Could just ask. None of the others are as strict about keeping us in the dark as Mum is. And you get away with a lot more than any of us would, too."
"Kreacher?" The elf appeared and bowed. "Kreacher, do you ever eavesdrop on Order meetings?"
"Kreacher overhears many things, Mistress Hazel. But the Weasel-Mother has forbidden Kreacher to repeat them."
"Mrs Weasley isn't your Mistress, Kreacher. I am."
"Indeed! What does Mistress wish to know?"
"Has the Ministry lost control of the Dementors to Voldemort?"
The old elf hissed at that name. "Dark Lord is not controlling Dementors yet. Was first thing to be checked after news of attack on Mistress came through."
"Interesting. There will definitely be records at the Ministry of the Dementors being ordered to Little Whinging, then. Thank you, Kreacher."
Kreacher disappeared once more, and Hazel smiled. "That clinches it, then. The Dementors are still under the Ministry's control, so they'll definitely have records of their presence in Little Whinging. And we've got the right legal loopholes to make sure I can get out of whatever bullshit they're planning to pin on me, too."
"Sounds like we've earned ourselves a break, George!"
"They have, we've still got a few things to take care of."
"Right you are, brother mine. Shall we?"
"We shall! 'Til next time, fair friends!" and the twins Disapparated.
Ginny giggled. "Probably gone back to the Burrow to check on their orders."
"Fred was right though, we have earned a break." Hazel stood up and stretched. "Dueling practice, anyone?"
They went down to the ballroom, where Kreacher summoned the mats again and they had a lovely time dueling and slinging spells. Though since they had an uneven amount of duelists Hazel took it on herself to observe, stepping in where necessary and lending a hand in general.
"So where's Percy? I haven't seen him around since-" But when she mentioned Percy, everyone flinched, and the Weasleys looked stone-faced and wooden. "Er, what'd I say?"
"Percy's turned into a bigger prat than he ever was in school." Ron kicked the mat. "Took a job in Fudge's office, right after all that Tournament stuff, right when Fudge is tearing around trying to uproot Dumbledore's loyalists."
"Dad thinks Fudge wants to turn him against us."
"And the overachieving prat would probably do it just to keep his job and advance in the Ministry."
"Are you for real? You actually said that to his face?"
"Well. Dad did, but-"
"Jesus Christ, am I glad I'm not in your family." Hazel didn't raise her voice, but the others flinched anyway. She ignored them. "Percy worked his ass off through school, he was Prefect and Head Boy, he aced every OWL and NEWT he took, and for what? For you lot to take the piss out of him when he got recognition at work?"
"Come off it, you weren't there, you didn't-"
"I don't need to see it! Did you think for a second that maybe he could've been a spy for the Order, instead of Fudge?"
All the Gryffindors looked abashed of themselves, except Draco who seemed smug. "I thought the same thing, but I didn't feel like saying it."
Ron wasn't backing down. "Hazel, listen. You should've been there, okay? Percy was moving up the ladder anyway. He was Deputy Head of International Magical Cooperation, all set to become Department Head when Crouch retired."
"But Crouch isn't retiring any time soon, he believed us about You-Know-Who and he wants to make sure we get it right this time, or something."
"I know he believes us. He was there when I told Dumbledore about the graveyard. Hell, he made me his heir and everything."
"Can he do that?" Hermione sounded skeptical. "You're not part of the Crouch family, are you?"
"No, but there was no one else for him to acknowledge as Heir, and I guess I impressed him. Anyway, whatever, what happened with Percy?"
"Well, he comes home one day, even more full of himself than usual, bragging about how Fudge had offered him a spot in his inner office."
"He thought Dad would be impressed!"
"But he wasn't, Dad was furious instead!"
"Well, why not? Only a year out of school, that's an amazing opportunity for someone so young."
Hermione shared a look with Hazel as if she could see her point, but Ron kept going.
"Sure, normally it might be, but right now Fudge has it in for anyone sympathetic to Dumbledore, and that includes Dad. I dunno how Crouch is still on, maybe he's been around too long just to be dismissed. But the point is, why else would Fudge hire the son of someone who's on the outs at the Ministry?"
To Hazel's ears it sounded like the perfect cover story. Ambitious young lad, spurned by his family, takes refuge in his new promotion at work during a politically turbulent time. "I dunno, guys. I admit I didn't know him as well as you, but I never would have pegged him for a traitor."
"Look, what's done is done, so let's change the subject." Hermione seemed eager to put the argument behind them, her eyes pleading with Hazel to drop it, and the others shrugged. "Hazel, have you heard from anyone over the summer?"
"Apart from you guys, not really. I wanted to ask, did Krum and his mates come over like they said they would?"
Ron scowled at the reminder, but Hermione was happy to discuss him. "They have! They aren't staying here because of the Fidelius, but they've got a whole row of flats to themselves near the Ministry's external entrance. I'm not sure what they've been doing, of course."
"Come off it, they had a Death Eater for a teacher, Dumbledore's got them infiltrating those bastards. I'll bet you anything!"
Hazel rolled her eyes. "How can you possibly still be butt-hurt about that, Ronald? Hermione doesn't see you that way, so you need to get over whatever this is."
Ron's face went beet red. "I-It's not like that!"
"How many times do I have to repeat myself, Ron? You're like a brother to me, to all of us!"
"Well, not me." Draco snickered. "But I must admit, the way you keep returning to that is embarrassing."
"Come off it!" Ron's ears were red now too, not just his face. "It's just weird to be dating foreign guys, that's all!"
Ginny scoffed. "Any weirder than if you started dating a Beauxbatons girl?"
"It's not the same thing, and you know it."
"But it IS the same thing." Deeply annoyed, Hermione put her wand away. "I've had it with your attitude, Ronald. If you don't knock it off I'll have to tell your mother what's going on."
At that exact moment, the door swung open and Molly entered the room. "Tell me what, Hermione dear?"
"Ron's being a prat about my dating Viktor. Again."
"Not this again!" Molly was shorter than her son, but her presence made her seem larger as she frowned at him.
"Let's get outta here." Hazel and the others ducked out of the way, not wanting to be around for one of her infamous lectures.
Later that evening, after dinner, Hazel approached Arthur. "Mr Weasley, do you have a moment?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"Let's go outside." She led the way to the back, where they stood in the garage that still smelled like horses. "Do you mind if I ask about Percy? I brought him up earlier and it started a row."
Arthur looked offended for a moment. "I'm not surprised, they all took it personally when Percy chose the Ministry over his family."
"Can you really blame him, though? Fred and George never missed a chance to take the piss out of him for wanting to work hard and focus on his grades, and from what I saw, you lot didn't exactly stand up for him."
"You don't think I haven't thought of that?" He was getting angry, she noticed. "If you brought me out here just to criticize how we've-!"
"No sir, not at all." She stood straight and regarded him coolly. "I just want you to consider that his actions weren't entirely unwarranted, alright?"
"Be that as it may, it was still quite the blow. We Weasleys put great stock in family unity, especially in times like this."
"And, sir." She looked around to be absolutely sure they were alone. "Was Percy alone with Dumbledore at all, before the big row? Did you see them talking?"
The change in subject caught Arthur off guard, and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, they may very well have. Dumbledore's been acting quite cagey, even more so than usual, so it's hard to say for certain. What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking, instead of the Minister promoting Percy as a means of getting a spy inside the Order, what if Dumbledore saw it as an opportunity to insert a spy into the Minister's inner circle? No one could doubt the story, not when you're giving him the cold shoulder at work all the time."
"I… no, I never thought of that at all." He seemed a little sad now. "It's an interesting theory, but still just a theory, right?"
"Yes, just a theory. But you could reach out to Dumbledore and corroborate it, if you wanted."
"You can be sure I'll do that." After a moment they went back inside, where Hazel went upstairs to get ready for bed. She was missing Leah, and wondered if Luna wouldn't mind if she tried to sleep with Ginny.
Chapter 13: On UsefulnessSummary:Hazel learns new things, and the usefulness of certain parties is the subject of much debate.
Chapter TextThe next day, after breakfast, Sirius beckoned her to the kitchen. "Mad-Eye and Kreacher got things set up quicker than I thought they would. The guns have already been brought down, and Mad-Eye's waiting, so head on downstairs."
"Oh, cool! Thanks, Sirius." She hugged him impulsively.
"Aw, don't thank me, I didn't do much besides give them access to the wards." He hugged her back. "Go on now."
Hazel went down to the basement, and through another door she found a long, low room lit by torches, with a wooden bench taking up most of the width at the near end. The bench was divided into sections by partitions, and she could see mechanisms along the back wall and the ceiling with paper targets attached.
As promised, Moody was waiting for her. "Potter, good. Pay attention." He beckoned her forward and gestured at a box of little orange things. "Recognize these?"
"Ear plugs, right? Isn't there a charm for that?"
"Sure, but it's good to learn the basics anyway. Grip one like so and roll it between your fingers to flatten it, then slide it into your ear. Not too deep, mind you."
She did as instructed, and felt a little weird with the wads of orange stuff jammed in. Moody did the same, then gestured at one of the boxes on the counter; she opened it and removed the revolver, which gleamed in the flickering light of the torches.
"Looks like a Smith & Wesson, .45 caliber. Bit big for a first gun, but that's okay. You've got the hands for it." Step by step he walked her through loading the thing, showed her where the safety was and how to flick it off and on, how to bring the hammer down and how to grip it before shooting. "Got all that?" At her nod, he stepped back and flicked his wand, bringing one of the targets down. "Ready?"
She nodded again, brought the gun up and aimed carefully, clicking the safety and breathing evenly. In, out, squeeze… The gun firing caught her off guard and she jumped backwards; the recoil sent it flying back too, nearly smashing her nose in!
"Typical." Moody plucked the gun from her grasp. "Weren't expecting it, were you?"
"Nope." She shook her hands, still feeling the recoil. "Wands are definitely easier. How do the Muggles handle it?"
"Like anything else. Training and experience. I'll show you how it works." Step by step he showed her how to aim and fire, and she paid particular attention to how he held his arms while gripping the gun.
"How are you holding your arms, sir? I can't tell if they're locked up or relaxed."
"Sort of in the middle, vague as it sounds. If they're locked up too hard all the recoil goes back to your head, but if they're too relaxed you'll lose control when you fire, like what happened just now. Lean forward from the waist a little, too."
He fired a few more times, and she studied his grip on the weapon. He had larger hands and presumably more mass and muscle behind him, so she'd still need to find a grip that worked for her.
"Let me try again." He shrugged and gave it back to her; she reloaded it, checked the safety, and took her stance again, fiddling with the grip until she found a comfortable arrangement for her fingers. She bent forward at the waist and fired again, and this time it seemed to work a little better.
"Not bad, not bad. You're already handling it better than most Auror trainees, and it's only your second shot."
"I'm a quick learner, sir." She kept firing, and at one point Moody switched to moving targets.
Before she knew it, they were nearly out of bullets. "Shit, where we gonna get more?"
"Are you a witch or not?" He pointed his wand at one of the remaining rounds, said, "Gemino," and the round split in two. "See? Never run out again, so long as you keep your wits about you."
"Cool! What other spells can you use to make shooting easier?"
"The Silencing Charm, obviously. Muggle Repelling Jinxes are handy as well, and if you're a dab hand at Runes you can paint or carve them into the weapon itself for extra effects. Elemental charms are also useful." He checked his watch. "Back upstairs with us, they'll be wondering where we went."
"Right behind you." She performed a few cleansing charms on the gun and on her hands, then put it away and followed Moody back upstairs.
Ron gave them a suspicious look. "Where'd you two go?"
"Mad-Eye was teaching me a few things." Which was entirely true, and she refused to elaborate. "So what's for- YOU!" The sight of Mundungus Fletcher caught her off guard, and she stared for a moment before whipping out her wand. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't hex you into next week, you fucking coward!"
"OI!" Fletcher tried to dive under the table, but Moody snapped his wand out and cut that escape route off. "Come off it, you 'n Figgy a'ready busted me arse in, didn'cha? Wot ya still pissy fer?"
"What am I sti- I'm being dragged in front of the Ministry next week because of you! You were off, what, buying stolen cauldrons? When you should've been watching me!"
"C'mon, it was th' chance of a lifetime, it was! 'Sides, you 'ad 'em pretty well sorted, didn'cha?"
"You are GOING to make it up to me, you spineless sack of shit!" Out the corner of her eye, she saw Moody waving the others off but didn't have time to think about it. "You'll do whatever I say, whenever I say it!"
Fletcher's pleading expression turned surly. "Or else wot? Yer still unnderage, ain'cha? Wot ya gonna do?"
"I don't need magic to make you regret crossing me, Fletcher. Besides, I'm still Mistress of this House, the Trace can't track me in here."
"Hazel, dear, lower your wand please." Mrs Weasley slipped around Moody and gently nudged her arm down. "We shouldn't be fighting in here, amongst ourselves."
"Are you def-!?"
"I hate what he did as much as any of us! And rest assured he'll get what's coming to him."
"'Ere, Molly's right, ya don't needa be pickin' on ol' Dungy, I know I gotta make up fer-"
"You'll see yourself out after lunch, Mundungus, won't you?" Molly's gaze hardened as she stared him down. "If you refuse to be responsible for what you did, then you've no business being part of the Order."
"Oi, you can't kick me out, I'm 'ere cuz o' Dumbledore! Only 'e can kick me out!"
"Out of the Order? No, but I can kick you out of my own House." Sirius had moved up as well and stood behind Hazel. "Don't think you can buy your way out of this, Dung. Not cheaply, anyway."
After a moment, Hazel put her wand away. "If I see you again, Fletcher, I won't hesitate."
Lunch was subdued, with Hazel plotting vengeance on Fletcher and the others talking among themselves. As promised, the little thief was out the door as soon as he finished eating, and Hazel was relieved.
Sirius nudged her. "I wouldn't count on anything happening to him right away, Hazel. There's too much going on, and he's too useful to the Order for us to risk pushing him away."
"Was he useful the night he ran off and hung me out to dry? Were those cauldrons of his even worth it?"
"Probably not." He had a sip of his drink. "I'm not saying you can't take your pound of flesh when no one else is around, of course. But if you're looking to the Order for anything immediate, you're bound to be disappointed; Dumbledore is likely to delay any punishment until afterward."
"Afterward when? After my hearing, after Voldemort is defeated? Oh, get over yourselves!" That last was aimed at everyone else, who shuddered or dropped things when that name was heard.
Sirius hid a smirk at their reactions. "That, you'd have to ask Dumbledore about."
Hazel finished eating and went upstairs, where she locked herself in her room and thought about the pound of flesh she'd extract from that useless sack of shit Fletcher. His imagined screams and pleadings as she used the Stinging Jinx and the Bat-Bogey Hex and whatever other curses on him were quite soothing, indeed.
But why stop there? Why not go all the way, make him really regret crossing her? An echo of tortured pixies crossed her mind's ear, and she tried to push the thought away. But it lingered, and she realized Sirius was right. They wouldn't do anything to Fletcher, not right away, and by the time things cooled down they'd forget, or Fletcher would be out of their reach.
What if the Ministry used Priori Incantatem at the hearing? They'd have it on record that she had tortured someone, and then she'd be gone to Azkaban. She could just use his own wand against him, she replied to herself. If she wanted justice done, she'd have to do it herself. Just this once. And she knew just how to set it up. "Kreacher?"
There was a quiet pop. "Mistress?"
"If Mundungus Fletcher returns to the house, lure him downstairs and let me know straight away. Don't let him escape."
"Even if Mistress is 'busy'?"
"Don't be clever, Kreacher. And, no, wait until I'm done if that's going on."
"Kreacher lives to serve." There was another quiet pop, and he was gone.
"House elves are awesome."
Hazel kept herself busy the next few days, training in the shooting range and dueling the older members of the Order when they had time, and eavesdropping on secret meetings with Fred and George's help. They had these things called Extendable Ears, which helped with eavesdropping unless Mrs Weasley used an Imperturbable Charm on the door.
At one point she found herself alone with Mr Weasley again. "Sir, why doesn't the Ministry do anything about Fletcher? He's been sneaking and stealing for decades, from what I've gathered."
"Well, it's just like with the Order, he knows a lot about the underbelly of the world, and any time he gets brought in he always gives up someone bigger to get out of it."
"What, like murderers and rapists or whatever?"
"Exactly, and his evidence has led to at least two Death Eaters being put away, as well. So the Ministry isn't exactly keen on prosecuting him in earnest, so long as he stays below a certain level of criminality."
"It seems to me like they're enabling him, letting him think he can get away with anything as long as he snitches on someone worse."
Arthur could only shrug helplessly. "Believe me, I'd love to put him away for good, after the trouble he's caused my department. But, you go to war with the army you have, not the one you want."
"Jesus, the Ministry really is corrupt, isn't it? How can you support them, sir?"
He shook his head and chuckled. "I ask myself that same question, Hazel. Some days it seems like every prankster and saboteur I bring in leads to two more being released by the Aurors. But then I ask myself, if I'm not there, who would be? So I do my best to make a difference, every day, even in small ways."
"Lots of little changes eventually add up, or something?"
"Or something."
"But if you really wanted to put Fletcher behind bars, do you have enough dirt on him to make it happen?"
"Do we! We could throw the book at him right now and he'd never see the light of day again!" Then something seemed to occur to him, and he frowned down at her. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, say I wanted to punish him myself in a way that maybe wouldn't look too good. I'd need some other way of threatening him to keep his mouth shut, right~?"
A distinct look of What have I done? crossed his face for a moment, then he cleared his throat. "Right then! I think we've talked enough, Hazel, let's get back to the others!"