Chapter 69 - part 3

Chapter 14: Fletcher Gets HisSummary:Hazel takes her pound of flesh.

Take heed that this chapter contains a scene of torture.

Chapter TextAnd then, two days before her hearing, her own chance to make a difference arrived. "Mistress, the thief is here, and Weasel-Mother is in the kitchen. Kreacher cannot get the thief downstairs without being seen."

"Is she making supper?" He nodded, and she nodded back. "Make sure Fletcher gets firewhiskey tonight, then pretend to escort him to the bathroom when the time is right. I'll be along afterwards."

"Yes, Mistress."

It was a tense meal, with Fletcher hiding from Hazel's gaze and Hazel pretending not to see him; she could feel the moment of truth rushing at her like an oncoming train, and she wanted very much to change her mind and get off the tracks. But her mind was made up! And as the meal wore on his hiding grew clumsier, until he was nearly falling from his chair. "Oof, I gotta piss~"

Like clockwork, Kreacher appeared at his elbow. "Kreacher will take sir to the restroom."

"A'righ', lead on liddle fella." Luckily everyone was in the dining room, so they wouldn't notice the man and elf heading toward the kitchen.

A few long minutes later Hazel stood up. "Guess it's my turn." No one looked up as she left the room and went straight downstairs. "Where is he, Kreacher?"

"In there." He pointed at a closed door, and she could hear off-key singing. "Thief is taking a long time, Mistress will not be noticed."

"Good work." She patted his head and went for the door, pushing it open and slipping inside. Sure enough, Fletcher was hunched over an old chamber pot, no doubt enjoying a marvelous piss and singing at the top of his lungs.

No more hesitating; for the Cruciatus to work she had to enjoy it, at least in the moment, so she lowered her mental defenses and leaned on the dark corner of her mind. She drew her wand, cast a few muffling charms, then turned toward Fletcher, flicking her wand in a silent Summoning Charm; his wand fell from his coat and flew into her hand, and she had a moment to realize it felt short and a little greasy in her grasp. "Hey Fletcher! Crucio!"

Before he could turn around, the spell hit him and he fell to the floor writhing and screaming. Hazel reveled in the sensation of venom being drawn forth to fuel the dark spell. Ten seconds later she lifted it. "I told you I wouldn't hesitate, you miserable wretch."

He struggled to his feet, gasping for breath. "Wot ya done 'at fer! 'At's illegal, 'at is! I'll 'ave yer 'ead, Potter, I knows-"

"Crucio!" A second flick cut him off, and he screamed and thrashed again. Ten seconds later she lifted it again. "It doesn't matter who you know, you won't say a word! No one would believe a sneak thief like you!"

"Y-You've crossed a line!" He finally got to his feet, his pants hanging open and soaked in piss. "Wot I did weren't right, sure, but two wrong's don't make a right!"

"You'll never do wrong by me again, Fletcher." She twitched his wand, laughing as he flinched backward. "And I promise, if you so much as breathe a single word of what happened down here, you'll be in Azkaban so fast your head will spin. Hell, they might just give you the Kiss right there on the spot! I know people too, and they're more powerful than your people! Besides, what's gonna stop me from doing it again?"

"Outta yer mind…"

"Maybe I am. But at least I'm not a traitor!" Without another word, she turned and left him there, closing the door behind him. She knew she was safe. Even if he said anything, she was confident Sirius and Mad-Eye had her back; it was Sirius who had put the idea in her head with his comment about a pound of flesh, after all.

Kreacher was still waiting in the hallway, and he looked up at her eagerly. "Is Mistress feeling better?"

"Very much so. Help Fletcher clean up, would you? He had an accident of some sort. Also, he dropped his wand, make sure he gets it back."

"Right away." She patted him on the head again and went upstairs, where she took her seat and went back to eating like nothing had happened.

Minutes later Fletcher returned as well, a bit jumpier than he had been last time but not enough to comment on. Moody looked between him and Hazel, but only snorted and took a swig from his flask. "What happened, Fletcher, get lost on the way back?"

"Uh, somethin' like 'at, yeah…"

Most of the table carried on like normal, eating and chatting. Moody was faintly amused, which was reassuring; there was no way he hadn't seen her torturing Fletcher earlier, not with that weird eye of his. Arthur, meanwhile, kept glancing between Hazel and the thief, as if he wasn't sure which was worse.

As for Sirius, he was outwardly his usual self, but she could tell by the way he kept glancing from her to the thief that he suspected something was up. She wondered if he'd say anything, and then debated between coming clean and trying to lie her way out of it.

After dinner, her hand was forced when she saw Fletcher beckoning Moody and Sirius into a disused laundry room. Curious and more than a little worried, she went to listen in.

"Ya won't believe what tha' lil' tart did ter me earlier!"

"What, when you were in the bathroom?"

"I weren't in no bathroom! Tha' pesky lil elf a' yers tricked me downstairs! Then Potter comes in an', an' she-"

"Are you about to accuse my Heir and goddaughter of using dark magic, Fletcher?" Sirius was using his pureblood manners, Hazel noted with a silent giggle. "Consider your next words with utmost care!"

"Tell 'im, Mad-Eye! Tell 'im wot ye saw 'er doin'! I knows ye saw somethin'!"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." Moody seemed quite unconcerned, from what she could hear. "Even if I had, what would I have seen? The Heir of an ancient House exacting retribution for a slight on her freedom and her person?"

"Exactly, Fletcher, don't forget it was your actions that led to all this. Or should I say, your lack of action? Dumbledore trusted you personally with watching over her, and you let him down! You let us all down! You're lucky it wasn't ME down there crucifying you!"

"So 'at's 'ow it is, then?"

"Yeah, that's how it is. Got a problem with it, whine to Dumbledore."

"Fine, fuck all a' ya! I knows when I ain't welcome!" He stormed out of the room, though the effect was ruined when he ran into Hazel and stumbled back with a yelp. "YOU!"

She couldn't keep a smirk off her face. "Told you so, didn't I? Now fuck off before you get fucked."

"That was risky, Potter." Moody clunked out into the hallway as Fletcher scurried away. "Do that anywhere but in this house and you'd be going away to Azkaban, no ifs, ands or buts."

"And I'd appreciate it if you didn't put any of us in that position again, too." Sirius stepped out too, and he looked very unhappy with her. "You know how I feel about dark magic, Hazel."

"So, wait, not only can the Trace not detect me in here but I can use all manner of dark magic and the Ministry can't prosecute me?" She felt an indescribable sense of giddiness washing over her, and tried not to let it carry her away.

Sirius heaved a sigh. "You weren't supposed to know, but yes, by ancient, binding custom any property of the Blacks is an absolute sanctuary for members of the family against all outside persecution, so long as the acts take place on that property."

"And these customs supersede Ministry law, correct?"

"It does, and it's been a thorn in the side of the Aurors for centuries." Moody took a gulp from his flask. "Most of the old families have similar rules in place, though some of them are less thoroughly worded than others."

"So how could the Ministry prosecute Lucius Malfoy and do all those raids?"

"Narcissa let them in. As Lady, she had equal authority to her husband."

Note to self: Never get married, she decided right then and there. And if you DO get married, make sure it's a lopsided agreement! "Well, I'll be more careful next time. And thanks for backing me up this time, especially after what he did."

"We'd all prefer if there wasn't a next time at all, but at this point that would be a futile promise to extract." Sirius patted her on the shoulder. "Let's get outta here before Molly comes sniffing around again."

Hazel spent the rest of the day in the library, and that night she summoned Kreacher to her room. "Alright, Kreacher, got any more tidbits for me? I know there was a meeting of the Order earlier."

"Dark Lord is making movements at last. Has sent the Macnair to France to parlay with giants. Hopefully will fail, Order already sent the Hagrid and the Maxime weeks ago."

"Alright, what else?"

"Dark Lord has begun obsessing over a… a secret weapon, Kreacher is not knowing what exactly, but Dark Lord is weak from Mistress Hazel's meddling in rituals, is wanting to get strength back so can fight openly."

"Anything else?"

"That was all Kreacher heard before was seen by Master Sirius."

"Good work, Kreacher. Your ancestors would be proud." He seemed a bit happier about that, and Hazel sent him off with a pat on the head.

The hearing was the day after tomorrow. She had to be ready, she had to know the laws back to front so she could mount a defense. So tomorrow, she would spend most of the day with Hermione and Draco in the library, and maybe with Moody in the gun range if he thought she was ready for the sawn-off shotgun she had.

Before bed she did her usual workout, and made sure her Occlumency defenses were intact from using the Cruciatus Curse earlier. They seemed to be, so she settled in and went right to sleep.

In the morning, after a hasty breakfast, she went downstairs with Moody. "So do you think I'm ready for that sawn-off?"

"Eh. You might be. We can give it a go."

"Cool!" She reached for the weapon locker and picked up the larger gun. "What sort of gun is it, anyway?"

"Winchester, probably a replica of an older model. It's been modified more than just being cut down, see the loop? Normally it's a little smaller."

"I think I saw a Muggle movie where the hero had a gun like this. How do you load it?"

He showed her how the chamber worked, how to work the action between each shot. "You can only fit five shells in the magazine and one in the chamber, and reloading takes a while so make each shot count. I'll show you how to fire it first."

They each slipped earplugs in, and Moody stood at the counter, loaded the weapon with efficient movements, then flicked his wand to bring a few targets down. One by one he blasted each one away, and she watched how he worked the lever each time to cycle the shells. Then he smirked and fired it one-handed for the last few shells, doing something to spin the whole gun in his hand just like from the movie!

She clapped and laughed, and he smirked again. "Now you try. Don't do that spin stunt or you'll break your fingers, got it?"

"Yes sir." She checked her earplugs, then accepted the weapon and stepped forward, loading it like he had shown her. Then she checked the safety and brought it up, but it felt awkward that way. "Hm, the stock isn't big enough to shoulder it."

"Hold it down below, like I had it just now."

"Alright." She lowered it down, and that felt better. A few deep breaths, squeeze the trigger, and the gun went off! "Cool! It kicked really hard, but it was still cool!"

"You definitely handled that better than the first time you ever shot a gun. Good work, Potter." They spent a few more hours shooting, then cleaned up and returned upstairs.

Ron was up there too, watching Molly and the elves make lunch. "You guys sure are practicing a lot."

"Yeah, so? Are you jealous?"

"No!" But his reddening ears said otherwise, and Hazel laughed as she went on to the dining room.

After lunch she went to the library to revise on the laws, and Hermione and Draco quizzed her relentlessly until she could recite them at the drop of a hat.

Dinner was quiet and somewhat sullen, and Hazel had difficulty swallowing her pork chops. "So, how am I getting there in the morning?"

Arthur smiled across the table at her. "You and Sirius can come with me, of course. We'll take the Floo to the atrium, and you can wait in my office until Madam Bones is ready to see you."

"Winky and I got your best robes ready, dear, and she'll help wash your hair in the morning too. Do try to be on your best behavior, won't you?"

"I'll try, Mrs Weasley."

The others chimed in too, and she felt herself choke up a little at their support. "Thanks guys. It means a lot to me, that you've got my back through all this shit." She managed to get her meal down, and feeling restless she went upstairs to work out for a while.

But she had barely changed into her workout attire when someone knocked on the door. "Come in?"

It was Ginny, and she had a smirk on her face. "I bet you're all anxious and pent up right now, huh?"

Pent up? "Funny choice of words there, Gin."

"I know what I said." She crossed the room and stood very close to her. "I wrote to Luna the other day, asking the best ways to help you relax, and you know what she said?"

"No, what did she say?"

She leaned in even closer and whispered in her ear. Hazel giggled. "Big words from a little minx. You sure you can handle me~?"

The redhead only smiled. "I can handle you all night, Potter. You'll be so relaxed in the morning you won't even wanna get up!"

"Really big words! Now you have to back them up~" A flick of her wand shut and locked the door, a second flick summoned privacy wards to keep sounds from getting out and house-elves from getting in. Then she spun Ginny around and pushed her to the bed. "I play rough, little firecracker…"

Chapter 15: The Ministry's Bullshit, Part ISummary:In which our girl faces the wrath of bureaucracy.

Notes:Sorry for the delay, everyone! I had to work on Friday, and Saturday I had to attend a funeral. But here I am!

Chapter TextGinny slipped away at some point, and Hazel woke up hours later to the sound of Winky banging on the door as hard as her tiny fists could. "Mistress Hazel will let Winky in, or Winky will get Master Sirius to make Mistress Hazel let Winky in!"

Oh shit, she forgot to take the wards down. "Sorry, Winky, hang on a moment." She fumbled for her glasses and her wand, and flicked it to let the little elf inside. "I got distracted last night, sorry again. You're here to help me get ready?"

"Yes, Mistress!" Winky snapped her fingers and brought her best robes out of the wardrobe; a second snap had a little wash tub filling with hot water, and a variety of small bottles appeared too. "Please to lay back and relax, and Winky will have Mistress' lovely black hair shiny and clean!"

"Are you sure? You've only looked after men for so long."

"Never fear! Miss Cissy and the Weasel-Mother let Winky help them, Winky can surely help Mistress Hazel too!"

"Well, alright then." She sat back and put her long hair in the bowl, and sighed as Winky went to work, rinsing all the hair over and over before working various products into it. She almost fell asleep again while Winky rubbed it into her scalp with her tiny fingers.

"All done! Please to stand so Winky can dry it off!" Hazel stood up, and Winky snapped her fingers, instantly drying her mass of hair out so that it lay long and straight. It was past her bum by now, and her head felt slightly lopsided.

With that taken care of, Winky helped her dress, then she slid her wand into the holster inside her sleeve and went downstairs. Arthur and Molly were in the kitchen, along with Sirius, Remus and Tonks; Tonks looked miserable and couldn't stop yawning, though she brightened at the sight of Hazel walking in.

"Breakfast, Hazel? Anything you want, porridge? Muffins? Kippers? Bacon and eggs? Toast?"

"Bacon and eggs sound great, Mrs Weasley." Hazel sat down by Tonks, who turned to face her. "Been up late?"

"Yeah… Up all night, felt like. Hate late shift…"

"Well, you drew the short straw, so you've got to deal with it." Remus looked well-rested, at least. "Did you sleep well, Hazel?"

"I sure did. Might have had a little help." Sirius laughed out loud, Remus chuckled and shook his head; even Arthur had to bite back his amusement. "What's so funny? I didn't say anything!"

Tonks smirked. "So you've got no idea why Ginny went upstairs right after you did but didn't get to bed until past midnight?"

"Uh, n-no, not a single clue! Mrs Weasley, is breakfast ready yet!"

"Here, dear." She placed a plate in front of Hazel, who eagerly tucked in. "Don't mind them, apparently they can't leave well enough alone the affairs of young ladies."

"Good idea." She buried herself in her food for a few moments, and Tonks looked away, saying something about Scrimgeour asking funny questions or whatever. Probably her superior in DMLE, Hazel assumed.

Eventually Arthur turned to her again. "We'll have to leave as soon as you're done, Hazel. We got word from Dumbledore that they moved up the time of the hearing, and relocated it to Courtroom Ten below the Department of Mysteries. Sounds like Fudge wants to make a spectacle out of it, he's called the full Wizengamot in."

"Ugh, of course he did." So much for a quiet, private hearing with Madam Bones. "Let me guess, he wants to oversee the process personally, right? Really try and railroad me?"

"No doubt." Arthur shook his head. "I was thinking it might be better to go in by the visitor's entrance, avoid using magic too much. Considering what you're being charged with, you know? But with the timing moved up, we won't have time-"

"-and we wouldn't do it that way anyhow, Arthur. Hazel's done nothing wrong, so she has no reason to skulk about like a Muggle." There was a hard edge to Sirius' voice, and she was grateful for his words.

She finished eating and stood up, nodding as the others offered words of encouragement. Sirius led the way to the dining room, where a fire had already been lit. "You know how the Floo works, right?"

"Yes sir, let's get going."

"Right then." He took a pinch of green powder and threw it into the flames, and they turned green and roared high. "Ministry of Magic!" He disappeared as he walked into the flames.

"Your turn, Hazel, I'll be right behind you."

She stepped up, took a pinch of Floo powder and threw it down, stepping into the green flames. "Ministry of Magic!" She closed her eyes and kept her limbs tucked in close, doing her best to ignore the whirling, sucking sensation and the rushing of countless fireplaces whizzing by…

Seconds later she felt it slowing down, and managed to catch herself on her feet as she was spat out into the Ministry's atrium. It was a vast chamber, brightly lit with a floor of dark, polished wood and a peacock-blue ceiling, on which golden symbols were constantly writing and rewriting themselves. She couldn't stop herself from gaping around like an idiot.

"Come along, we can gawk later." Sirius was beckoning her forward, and she went to him and hurried along. The walls were lined with more fireplaces; one side spat out a new witch or wizard every few seconds, and the other side had short queues waiting to leave.

Arthur arrived from a different Floo, and the three of them walked along. Halfway down the hall was a large golden fountain, composed of a group of statues that stood in the middle of a circular pool. The tallest was a noble-looking wizard holding his wand pointing straight up in the air; gathered around him were a beautiful witch who also had her wand held up high, a centaur brandishing a bow and arrow, a goblin wearing a silly pointed hat, and a pointy-eared house-elf. The last three all had servile expressions that seemed out of place for the centaur and goblin, and Hazel decided it wasn't a very realistic fountain. 

Glittering jets of water were flying from the ends of the two wands, the point of the centaur's arrow, the tip of the goblin's hat, and each of the house-elf 's ears, so that the tinkling hiss of falling water was added to the clatter of footsteps as Ministry workers, most of whom looked as miserable as Tonks had, strode toward a set of golden gates at the far end of the hall. "I'd hate to work here. Can you imagine getting used to a place like this?"

Sirius nodded in agreement, but Arthur just looked harried as he beckoned them onward. They passed beneath the fountain, and Hazel saw it was full of coins, mostly sickles and knuts, though she counted at least three gleaming galleons through the rushing water. A smudged sign was posted at the base:

All proceeds from the Fountain of Magical Brethren will be given to

St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries

Hazel decided she would drop a few more galleons in there if she got off.

Rather than heading for the golden gates, Arthur had diverted to a small booth off to one side, where a badly-shaven wizard in blue robes sat beneath a sign that said SECURITY. He seemed quite bored and rather glum, inured to the beauty of the room around him. Arthur cleared his throat loudly, and the bored wizard looked up from his magazine. "Look alive, Eric, I've got visitors!"

"Keep yer hat on, Weasley." Eric yawned and put the magazine aside. "Step up, you two." He grabbed a golden device like an antenna and waved it over herself and Sirius, then put it down after a moment. "Wands on the scale, one at a time."

Sirius went first, and the little scale vibrated before spitting out a narrow strip of parchment. Eric snatched it up and peered at the letters. "Thirteen inches, reed and dragon heartstring, slightly modified, been in use twenty-four years?"

"Correct."

Sirius got his wand back and Eric shoved the paper onto a brass spike. "Next?"

Hazel set her wand down, and again the scale vibrated and spat out some parchment. Again, Eric snatched it up. "Fourteen inches, eld- eh? That ain't right…"

"I assure you, sir, it is an elder wand."

"Weird." He cleared his throat and started over. "Fourteen inches, elder and phoenix feather, heavily modified, been in use four years?"

"Sounds about right."

He thrust her wand back to her and impaled the parchment onto the spike. "State your names and your purpose for visiting, please."

"Sirius Orion Black, here to assist my Heir in her disciplinary hearing."

"And I'm Hazel Jade Potter, here to deal with your bureaucratic bullshit."

On cue he looked up, gaping at her face and her name, and she rolled her eyes but turned so he could get a good look at her scars. "Blimey, I heard about- but it- you're really here?"

"Get on with it, Eric, we're on a deadline."

"Merlin's pants, Weasley, ain't every day I get to meet a celebrity." Another machine had dropped a pair of badges with a clatter, and he handed one to Hazel and one to Sirius. "Put them on and don't lose 'em, bring 'em back when you're done."

Hazel looked at hers: it was square and silver, and it said Hazel Potter, Disciplinary Hearing in blocky letters. She attached it to the front of her robes, and it stuck automatically.

With that taken care of, she followed Arthur to the golden lifts. "What did he mean, I'm really here?"

"Probably thought you'd do a runner. But you're not that much of a coward, eh?"

"Come on, you two! We'll be late!"

Arthur was making small talk with some of the others, and Hazel tuned them out, though she glared defiantly at anyone who made eye contact with her until they looked away. They had a long way to go; the old courtrooms were below the Department of Mysteries, which seemed to be the last floor down.

With each floor, more Ministry workers got on and off, and sometimes they were joined by little hordes of what seemed to be paper airplanes, folded from pale violet parchment and bearing the Ministry's seal. "What are those, sir? Memos?"

"Yes, we used to use owls but the mess was awful. Droppings everywhere, you know."

At one floor they were joined by Kingsley, who pretended not to notice them. Hazel decided to mess with him. "I remember you from school last year. Auror Shacklebolt, right?"

"Indeed. And you must be Hazel Potter, the little Slytherin prodigy?"

"Yes sir. I've got a disciplinary hearing this morning! I sure hope Madam Bones decides my way!"

Kingsley smiled very slightly. "If the law is on your side, Miss Potter, you have nothing to fear." The next floor was his stop, apparently, and he nodded to Arthur as he departed.

Finally they reached the bottom floor, the "Department of Mysteries" as the cool female voice droned. Hazel and Sirius set off, but paused when Arthur didn't join them. "You're not coming, sir?"

"No, I've got to get to work. Go to the end of the hall and take the stairs to the left, don't go anywhere else. All the courtrooms are numbered, Ten should be unlocked. Good luck, you two!"

"Thanks." They hurried down the hallway as the lift departed. "Cold down here, eh?"

"Sure is, kiddo. But you're right at home in a dreary place like this, I bet."

"Hey, just because our common room is in the dungeons doesn't make it a dungeon."

"Sure, sure."

A door opened, and a sallow-skinned wizard with a very mournful face peeked out. "Visitors aren't allowed-"

"Stuff it, Bode, we're here for my Heir's hearing. Or is it a trial now?"

"Ah, of course. They still should have sent an escort." The sallow-skinned wizard joined them, leading the way downstairs; Hazel thought he had a rather sepulchral voice to match his appearance. "Strange of them to hold a disciplinary hearing down in the old courtrooms."

"Yeah, we thought so too. Has anyone else come down?"

"No, not yet. You'd be the first ones."

Point in their favor, Hazel thought. They hurried down a bare stone hallway lit by flickering torches; heavy doors with iron keyholes and bolts lined the walls. Finally they stopped before a particularly grimy door, so grimy she could barely make out the Roman numeral for ten stamped into the dark wood.

Bode tried the knob, but it was still locked. "Here." He waved his wand, and the lock came undone. "Good luck. Not everyone believes the Minister's bullshit."

"Thank you, sir." Sirius shook his hand and entered the courtroom, which lit up upon their entrance. Hazel gasped; she had been here before, in Dumbledore's memories! "Well, we may as well get comfortable while we wait." A flick of his wand summoned a pair of comfortable armchairs, and they each settled into one to wait for the Wizengamot.

Chapter 16: The Ministry's Bullshit, Part IISummary:The People vs Hazel Potter, Case No. blah blah blah...

Chapter TextThey didn't have long to wait. The doors opened again, and Percy walked in, clutching a clipboard and a thick sheaf of parchment, obviously not paying attention to what was in front of him. Hazel held her wand to her throat. "You're late!"

"Ah!" He dropped everything and stumbled backward, eyes wide. "Y-You're already here?"

"Obviously! A fine look for the Wizengamot when it delays its hearings."

Percy gave them both dirty looks and gathered his things again, muttering under his breath as he crossed to the first ring of stone benches. He flicked his wand and banished the dust that had gathered, leaving a few rows cleaner than before.

Moments later, the door opened again, and two people entered. One was the Minister for Magic, the second was a squat woman with a broad face, round and bulging eyes and a wide, slack mouth; she reminded Hazel of a toad, an impression reinforced by the presence of a girly black bow perched atop her short, curly hair. She caught Hazel staring and stared back, her pouchy features forming a brief leer.

Hazel sneered and put her wand to her throat again. "Is the Wizengamot always in the habit of delaying its trials and making its defendants waste their valuable time?"

The Minister frowned. "We are pleased you received our owl on time, however there is no need to shout."

Hazel smirked slyly. "This chamber is rather large, Minister, I just want to make sure I'm heard."

The toad-like woman murmured something she couldn't hear, and Fudge nodded after a moment and proceeded to the benches, where he took a seat in the center overlooking the courtroom. "The defendant will take her seat before court is in session."

"No, I don't think she will." Sirius was outwardly at his ease, but his eyes were hard.

Fudge went purple from rage, but the arrival of more Wizengamot members cut off whatever he was about to yell at them. Hazel tried to gauge their mood; most of them seemed irritated, throwing dirty looks at Fudge and the toad-like woman, possibly annoyed at having to come all the way down here for a simple matter of underage magic. Of the remainder, a few were cheerful, eager to see justice carried out one way or another; when those looked her way they seemed rather unimpressed, and quickly looked away again.

A very few were briefly surprised to see her and Sirius here already, and she gathered they didn't believe the bullshit, like Bode had said. But they all wore identical plum colored robes and silly hats, with elaborate silver W badges on their left sides.

The last to enter the courtroom was a tall, broad-shouldered woman with a square jaw, short gray hair, a monocle in one eye, and the same ambiguous sense of power that seemed to follow Dumbledore around. "Rather dark in here!" She swept her wand through the air, and the torches flared brighter, giving more light to the proceedings. "Right then, court is now in session!" She sat down next to Fudge and put her wand away. "Get on with it, Cornelius, we've all got a lot on our plates."

"The Wizengamot will not be rushed, Madam Bones." Fudge glared testily at all and sundry, and cleared his throat before holding his wand up; he needed a charm to speak as loudly as Madam Bones could naturally. "The defendant must still take her seat!"

"This isn't a criminal trial, is it?" Madam Bones wasn't shy about cutting Fudge off with her booming voice, either. "Get on with it, I said!"

He glared again, but when no one backed him he had to give it up. "Ready down there?"

"Yes sir!" Percy had collected himself and was sitting at the end of the bench, a long sheaf of parchment before him and a self-inking quill balanced atop it. Every court needed a stenographer, she guessed.

"Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August, convened to look into offenses committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley-"

The door slammed open once more, catching everyone off guard. "Witness for the defense: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

Hazel grinned at the sight of the tall man striding across the chamber, wearing robes of midnight blue. He had a calm expression on his face as he summoned a chair of his own and sat down next to her; perhaps a third of the Wizengamot was displeased at his presence, a few seemed frightened, but over half were quite happy to see him.

Fudge, of course, was once again put off his planned routine, and spent several moments stammering. "I see you, ah, received our notice-"

"Regrettably not, Cornelius, I merely happened to already be at the Ministry and heard the news by happy accident."

Fudge couldn't look Dumbledore in the eye; he cleared his throat several times and went on with the opening statements. "Accused, state your name and residence."

"Hazel Jade Potter, of 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey." Percy's quill was moving by itself, she noticed, though he had a second quill with which he made manual corrections now and then.

Next to her, Sirius sat up straight. "Counsel to the accused, Sirius Orion Black, of 23 Claremont Square, Islington, London."

Madam Bones rolled her eyes and snatched the papers from Fudge's grasp. "The charges against the accused are as follows! That she did knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of her actions, having received a previous written warning from the Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, produce a Patronus Charm in a Muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of a Muggle, on August the second at twenty-three minutes past nine, which constitutes an offense under paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under section thirteen of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy!"

She put the parchment down and looked back up at Hazel. "Does the accused wish to make a statement at this point?"

"Yes, she would." Hazel stood up and raised her wand to her throat. "I do not deny that I used the Patronus Charm at the indicated night and time. However, I do reject that it was illegal!"

"It is not necessary to use the Amplifying Charm in these chambers, Miss Potter. But to be clear, you cast a corporeal Patronus?"

"Yes, it was in the shape of a basilisk."

There was much muttering and murmuring as she admitted this. She couldn't blame them, basilisks were usually considered among the most vile beasts imaginable.

"Does it always take this particular shape?"

"It has, ever since I mastered the spell. Before that it-"

"This is hardly a relevant line of questioning!" Fudge was eager to get the trial back under his control again. "In fact it only weakens your case, Miss Potter, since you freely admit to using such flashy magic in a Muggle neighborhood!"

"The Muggle in question was my cousin, Dudley Dursley! He's known I could do magic since I got my first Hogwarts letter!"

Madam Bones interjected before Fudge could. "It can't be helped, since you live with him and his parents?"

"Correct, Madam Bones."

"The boy is still a Muggle! And there was another girl there too, she would have seen everything as well!"

"You refer to Leah Adelman." All eyes turned to Dumbledore as he spoke. "Miss Adelman is not a Muggle, but a Squib. She is prepared to give evidence if necessary."

Hazel blinked up at him in shock, but Fudge was shouting again before she could remark on the revelation. "What? Another Squib in Little Whinging? What nonsense!"

"Actually, Minister, we do have her file here." Madam Bones plucked a sheet of parchment from the pile before them. "It wasn't brought to our attention before because the girl doesn't live with her father, the Israeli wizard Ezra Adelman."

Hazel couldn't believe her ears. Leah was a Squib? Her father had been a wizard all along? Then again, she hadn't really interacted with him much, had she?

Sirius took advantage of the confusion. "So you see, Minister, while my Heir may have been a bit reckless in casting the Patronus Charm, she didn't actually break any of our laws. The Statute of Secrecy contains exceptions for the immediate family members of a witch or wizard to be aware of their status, does it not?"

Fudge didn't back down, however. "The fact remains that she used a highly visible and attention-seeking piece of magic in an outdoor, Muggle area! Any of their neighbors could have been looking out the window at precisely the wrong time!"

Hazel was growing impatient."And they probably were, Minister, but not because of my Patronus. The Dementors drew them!"

Hazel had been eager to bring that up as soon as possible, and a fair few took her claim seriously; Madam Bones was among them. But just as many were scoffing and muttering, and Fudge was the loudest of them all. "Dementors in Little Whinging! Preposterous!"

"This is a serious claim, Cornelius, I move to pause the-"

"Oh no, you were in such a rush before, Amelia, we're not pausing now! Her story is nonsense, Muggles and Squibs can't see Dementors! So it's just her word-"

"I'm not lying! There were two of them, they came from opposite ends of the alleyway and they made all the lights go out and everything went cold-"

"Enough! The court doesn't have time for more of your lies, Potter, no matter how well-rehearsed-"

Dumbledore pointedly cleared his throat. "Minister, I believe I made it clear that Miss Adelman was on hand to give evidence? She is quite eager to defend her friend to the best of her considerable ability."

Fudge went slack for a moment, and Madam Bones stepped in once again. "Weasley, bring her in. We must abide by the Wizengamot's Charter of Rights, which clearly states that the accused can present witnesses."

Percy stood and hurried from the room, and there was an agitated silence for several moments. Hazel turned to Sirius. "How's it going so far?"

"You're doing great, kiddo, you've got this in the bag."

"Thanks." She looked around at Dumbledore, who smiled slightly and winked, and she grinned nervously back at him.

The door swung open again and Percy walked back in, leading a nervous-looking Leah behind him. Dumbledore stood up immediately and offered her his chair, and she sat down, smiling at Hazel and taking her hand.

Fudge cleared his throat yet again. "The witness will state her full name, address and occupation for the record."

"L-Leah Adelman, no middle name. 13 Wisteria Walk. I'm a student."

"And your father is a wizard, meaning you are a Squib?"

"Y-Yes sir. He filed his papers in June just like he was supposed to."

Madam Bones made a dismissive motion with her hand. "You're not to blame for the Ministry being behind on paperwork. Proceed with your testimony."

"Hazel, Dudley and I were coming back from our club, and she wanted me to meet her aunt and uncle so we took a shortcut between Wisteria Walk and Magnolia Crescent, which was this little alleyway that's all blocked in, like."

"What do you mean, blocked in?"

"Well, there's a very tall fence on one side, and garages on the other side, so it's very private, see? You can't see into it much, except from the ends."

"Very well, there was no chance of other witnesses. What happened then?"

Hazel's chest tightened, a sudden unease washing over her as she watched Leah recount the events. Leah's complexion had turned pale, her fingers fidgeting nervously. "Well, the lights all went out, like all of the lights. Street lights, stars, everything. And it got very, very cold, and I felt very sad and afraid all of a sudden… Hazel yelled for us to lie down and cover our faces, so I didn't see what happened next, but I heard her shouting something, and the sadness got worse, and then…"

She was getting more distraught with every word, and everyone in the courtroom was silent. Not even Fudge was interrupting. Sirius flicked his wand and conjured a handkerchief so she could blow her nose and wipe her eyes.

"Then I felt two cold, clammy hands grab my wrists, pull them apart… I heard dry, heaving breaths, coming closer and closer, then there was a sucking sound, I felt very dizzy and faint…"

Hazel was aghast. Had the Dementors really been so close to administering their Kiss? She had to blink back tears of her own.

"A-And then Hazel shouted a third time, and there was a bright silver light, so bright I could see it through my eyelids. And then the hands and the cold and the sucking went away, and… and I must have passed out after that, because the next thing I remember is waking up on the couch in my home."

She shivered and fell silent, and for a moment that silence dominated the courtroom. Then Madam Bones coughed slightly. "To be absolutely clear, you had your eyes closed the entire time?"

"Y-Yes ma'am, that's correct."

"All you saw was a bright light? You didn't see what created it?"

"N-No, Hazel told us to keep our eyes shut and our faces covered. She seemed so sure of herself, like she had been through it before."

"Very well, Miss Adelman. You are dismissed."

Chapter 17: The Ministry's Bullshit, Part IIISummary:Hazel's trial reaches an unsatisfying climax.

Notes:No excuses today, lads and lassies. I was just plain lazy yesterday!

Chapter TextLeah gave Hazel's hand another squeeze, then she stood up to leave. Dumbledore summoned a bar of Honeydukes chocolate for her before she left. She thanked him and walked out, peeling the wrapping off, and Percy ran over to hold the door for her.

Once Percy was seated again, Madam Bones moved things along. "Well! She was quite convincing, wasn't she?"

"Yes, I, I have to admit she was. But the lack of concrete eyewitness testimony must count against her, and she admitted to seeing a bright silver light! Proof that Miss Potter used the Patronus Charm!"

"Minister, you just declared that since she didn't directly see anything, that her testimony was invalid. You can't have it both ways!" Sirius sounded incredulous. "Besides, she felt the Dementor grab her wrists, start sucking her soul away. That's not something a Squib or a Muggle could lie about so convincingly!"

"Even so, the odds of two Dementors flying over Little Whinging and just so happening to encounter the only three people who could say anything? Not even Bagman would take those odds!"

"Oh, I don't think any of us believe the Dementors were there by coincidence, Minister."

"And what do you mean by that, Headmaster?"

"It means that I believe they were ordered to the area."

That drove Fudge ballistic. "More of your bullshit! There are no Dementors outside Ministry control! And we would certainly have a record of it if someone had ordered a pair of them to go strolling through Little Whinging!"

There! Hazel shot to her feet in her eagerness to pounce, cutting off whatever Dumbledore was going to say. "Then show us the records, Minister. If you have them, we can settle this in minutes!"

"Hem-hem."  

"Yes, Dolores?"

The toad-like woman leaned forward and spoke in a high-pitched, girlish tone that instantly set Hazel on edge. "I'm terribly sorry, Miss Potter, but I must have misunderstood you. So silly of me! You see, it sounded for a moment as if you were accusing the Ministry of directing the Dementors to Little Whinging, specifically to attack you and your little friends!"

She followed her little speech with a silvery, tinkling laugh that made Hazel cringe; some of the Wizengamot laughed along, but no one was truly amused.

Nonetheless, she took a deep breath and steadied her nerves. "That is exactly what I'm saying, Madam Umbridge. If there are no Dementors outside your control, then it must follow that you ordered the attack. So, again, I insist you show us the records!"

"I agree wholeheartedly, Cornelius, show us the records!"

Fudge stalled for a few moments, perhaps trying to find an argument out of the situation, but in the end he gave up. "Weasley! Bring up the file for extraordinary Dementor movements and authorizations in the month of August!"

Like before, the chamber was silent while Percy was away from his post, though this time it was a tense, expectant silence. He returned minutes later, a single sealed scroll in one hand. "Here you are, Minister, just the one order for the month so far!"

"Right, let's put this to bed once and for all!" Fudge snatched the scroll, broke the seal and unwound it before him. Whatever it said, however, left him breathless and aghast. "Impossible…!"

"Read it, Cornelius."

But the Minister was transfixed, paralyzed, and the impatient Madam Bones plucked the scroll from his shaking hands to read it herself. "Authorization for the Dementor's Kiss, to be performed on Hazel Jade Potter and Dudley Vernon Dursley." Her voice rang clear, even as her face darkened in anger. "Signed and sealed by Percy Ignatius Weasley!"

If Hazel hadn't been looking directly at Umbridge as those words were read out, she would have missed it entirely. But she saw it, she saw the split second where her slack, toad-like mouth grew firm, stretched into a malicious smile of pure, sadistic pleasure; the moment where her bulging eyes were alight with secret mirth at the chaos suddenly unfolding around her.

All around them, the courtroom was descending into bedlam, witches and wizards on their feet, yelling at the tops of their lungs. The Minister was still in shock; Madam Bones had locked eyes with Dumbledore and they seemed to be having a silent conference; Sirius was laughing so hard he was nearly bent double in his chair; Percy was on his feet, shouting denials, tears in his eyes as he pleaded with the Minister, with Madam Bones, with anyone who would listen that he hadn't signed those orders-

In the next second, Umbridge leaned back, and her face was back into its schooled pouchy expression, before it devolved into polite astonishment at the disarray around her. "Well! I guess the Ministry did order the attack, then~"

Dumbledore and Madam Bones raised their wands simultaneously, and two sharp bangs echoed through the chambers. Everyone was startled out of their shock and anger, though it still took a few more moments for them to settle down in their seats once more.

"There you have it, ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot. Proof positive, signed and sealed, that a Dementor attack was ordered on Hazel and her cousin not two weeks ago."

"It had to have gone through my Department. An investigation will begin at once!"

Umbridge did that annoying little cough thing again. "I believe your investigation can begin and end with young Weasley here. Who, I suspect, will be suspended immediately from the Minister's offices and remanded to your custody! Correct, Minister~?"

"Er, yes, quite right, Undersecretary…"

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "We still have the issue of Miss Potter's culpability in these matters to address, do we not? If I am not mistaken, Clause Seven of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery provides a clearcut exception to the law that her actions fell squarely within."

Fudge clearly had no desire to prosecute the trial any further; his attempts at forcing "justice" through the Wizengamot had blown up in his face, and he was now faced with a major inquiry not only in the Ministry's largest Department, but within his own offices to boot. Or at least, that was what Hazel imagined the next day's headlines saying.

Eventually he rallied himself to sit up and address the court. "Those in favor of clearing all charges, raise your right hand." Easily three-quarters of those assembled raised their hands. "Those in favor of conviction, by the same sign." Umbridge and half a dozen others did so. Fudge shook his head and looked tired. "Very well. Hazel Jade Potter, the Wizengamot finds you not guilty, and the charges against you shall be dismissed immediately."

The moment he was done speaking he shot to his feet and darted away from the room. Madam Bones beckoned to Percy as she left, and he gathered his things and followed after her, the very picture of misery. The rest of the court was more leisurely about clearing out, pausing to chatter among themselves or else discuss the trial.

"You did very well, Hazel." Sirius clapped her on the back as they walked out the door. "Everyone will be quite pleased when we return home."

Dumbledore interrupted them with an apologetic smile. "Before a well-deserved celebration, I require her assistance with a small matter first. You recall the locket we confiscated, Sirius?"

"Oh yeah, you finally got that sorted?"

"Not quite. But I believe we are close."

Sirius shrugged. "Well, needs must."

Hazel wanted to quickly get it over with so she could get her inheritance back, but the thought of her friend stopped her. "Wait, what about Leah? Is she still here?"

"Yes, I left her instructions to wait with Arthur. Do be brief, we really must be going."

"Right." They went upstairs and walked toward the lifts, where Kingsley was waiting for them. "Auror Shacklebolt?"

"Miss Potter. Lord Black, Headmaster." He nodded to himself. "I gather by Fudge's discomfort that the hearing did not go his way?"

"Indeed not, Kingsley, the poor man seemed quite shocked by the final bit of news. None were as shocked as Percy himself, however."

Kingsley frowned. "What did he have to do with any of it?"

"It was his seal and signature on the orders sending Dementors after us that night. And they didn't even Kiss the right person, either!"

"How awful." Ever unflappable, the tall Auror didn't even blink at the blatant political malfeasance. "Well, shall I show you to Arthur's office? I understand a young lady and her father were instructed to wait there for you."

"Yes sir." 

They stepped into the lift and went up again, though Sirius and Dumbledore got off at the Atrium. "You guys aren't coming?" 

Sirius was already heading for the fireplaces. "Someone's gotta pass on the good news. I'll see you back home, kiddo."

The Headmaster found a seat by the security booth. "I shall wait here, Hazel."

She and Kingsley went on up to "Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services," according to the cool female voice. Kingsley led the way down a much more welcoming corridor than the one down below, though it still had doors on either side.

They passed through a set of heavy wooden doors and entered an open area divided into cubicles, and a lopsided sign on the nearest one said AUROR HEADQUARTERS. It was very busy; memos flew everywhere, the air was filled with chatter and laughter. The Aurors themselves all looked uniformly dangerous; there was a witch with a patch over one eye, and a heavily scarred wizard in scarlet robes and a ponytail nearly as long as her own. He saw her staring and winked. "Heard ya got off, Potter?"

"I sure did. News travels fast around here."

"Good news does, anyway! I don't pity the blokes who gotta figure out what's up with Fudge's office!" He shook his head and laughed. "Ah, my manners. Darcy Williamson."

"Hazel Potter." They shook hands, and she kept moving, following Kingsley to the far end of the room. "They're awfully casual, aren't they?"

"Indeed. The Minister's efforts to smear you were not well received around here, and the impending investigation will doubtless be swift and thorough."

But the thought of that gleeful, ugly smile on Umbridge's face made her question that resolve. "Sir, that Umbridge woman. Is she very powerful around here?"

"The Senior Undersecretary? Second only to the Minister himself, but rather more untouchable. Why do you ask?"

She hesitated over how much to share, then shook her head. "She gave me a bad feeling, that's all. I don't like her one bit."

"Few do, young Potter. Here we are." They had passed through a second set of heavy doors and down a pair of shabby corridors to what had to be the worst offices in the entire Ministry, with MISUSE OF MUGGLE ARTEFACTS on a tarnished brass plaque to one side and an empty broom closet on the other.

The office was hardly bigger than the closet, and seemed very crowded with Arthur, Ezra and Leah all packed in. An elderly wizard with fluffy white hair was fast asleep at the second desk, and no one was paying him any mind.

"Hazel!" Leah shot forward and hugged her tightly. "Oh my god, I was so scared down there! But they ruled in your favor?"

"Yeah." News really did travel fast here! She decided it was those airplane memos. "Leah, how come you never told me you're a Squib?"

"Well, why didn't you ever say you're a witch?"

She could only shrug and look away. "I thought it was obvious, I guess. But… but why didn't you say anything? I was lying to you the whole time and you…"

"We take the Statute of Secrecy very seriously in Israel." Ezra had a dour expression, but it only lasted a moment. "Leah assumed you did as well, so there are no hard feelings. Right, mamaleh?"

"Yes, Dad." She hugged Hazel tighter. "I wanted to say something, the day after the attack, but…"

"I didn't exactly give you any time to talk, did I." Laughter from the adults, and she looked away, trying not to blush. "I was worried your parents wouldn't let us be together anymore if they knew what really happened."

"Don't worry, it sounds like it was all some political stunt, and you risked your freedom to save her." Ezra clapped her on the shoulder. "So really, Shira and I should be thanking you!"

"Alright, well, the Headmaster needed me for something so we should be going." She kissed Leah, shook hands all around, and followed Kingsley back to the lifts. They returned to the Atrium, where Hazel was handed off to Dumbledore without further incident. There was hardly anyone around, apart from Eric the security man, themselves, and two witches she assumed were reporters loitering at the far end.

"Not yet, my dear." Dumbledore had seen her looking at them, and correctly guessed the nature of that look. "You will have ample opportunity to tell your story to the press, for now we really must be going."

"Yes sir." They returned their badges and crossed the vast chamber, passing close by the Fountain of Magical Brethren. Up close the effect was rather ruined; the wizard had a weak and foolish look not unlike Lockhart, the witch was excessively buxom and had a vapid smile like a beauty contestant, and she was confident no goblin or centaur would be caught dead staring at any human with that sort of simpering expression. Only the house-elf's attitude of creeping servility was believable.

But it would go to a good cause, so she reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of galleons to toss into the glittering pool. "Where are we going, sir?"

"I would rather not say." They reached the far end, which she assumed was set aside for apparition. "You have apparated before?"

"Well, not really, Professor Snape took me a few times. He had me grip his arm very tightly."

"And I ask that you do the same now." He held out his arm and she put both hands on it, holding on as tight as she dared; dimly she noted he seemed rather solidly built for such an old man. "Three, two, one-"

She shut her eyes as the world disappeared, replaced by a squeezing darkness…

Chapter 18: LilySummary:Hazel experiences the unthinkable.

Chapter TextWhen the squeezing sensation stopped she opened her eyes. What she saw left her confused. "But this is that graveyard, isn't it? Where I fought Voldemort?"

"Indeed, located on the outskirts of Little Hangleton." In the daylight it was a much less threatening place, and she could hardly tell where the fateful duel had taken place; it wasn't until she saw a familiar angel statue atop a gravestone that she recognized anything at all. But Dumbledore was in no mood to reminisce, so she followed him to the low stone fence and hopped over it.

There, beyond a dead yew tree, was the old church she had seen that night, and beyond that was a hill, atop which the crumbling old Riddle Manor could be seen. Hazel recalled talk of her inheritance, how she had received an old hovel somewhere around here, and suddenly knew their destination. "We're headed for the old Gaunt house, aren't we?"

"Correct. I have spoken with Riddle's teachers since we parted ways, especially our charming former Potions Master, Horace Slughorn. It was he who told Riddle of the risks involved with creating multiple Horcruxes."

She already knew this herself, but was reluctant to reveal her knowledge. "Is there an upper limit to how many you can make, then?"

"As you know, a Horcrux is created by sundering one's soul, and then trapping the broken piece into an item of one's choosing. We have evidence he created at least two; the diary and the locket. And Horace's evidence indicates one can safely create up to five Horcruxes, after which there is not enough of one's soul left in one's body to properly sustain life."

"Bit like a pie then, sir? Only instead of cutting into even pieces, each Horcrux takes half of what remains?"

"Correct again. You have already destroyed the diary, and the locket is in a safe place; we are heading for a place where I believe a third Horcrux has been hidden. The remaining Horcruxes have yet to be located, or even identified."

They were walking as they spoke, of course, and the hedge at the side of the road grew taller and wilder as they went. "Is it possible to repair the soul, sir?"

"Well, once a Horcrux is created, it is severed permanently; the only way to save the piece of soul is to have a second Horcrux on hand when destroying it, so that the wayward soul can latch onto it and be absorbed, or else for the witch or wizard who created it to destroy it themselves, assuming they have enough of their soul in their body to act as a tether. Even then, even if one has all the pieces of one's soul back where they belong, one can only repair them all by feeling remorse. Genuine remorse, Hazel, of a sort we can safely assume Riddle is incapable of feeling."

"You've been very busy this summer, sir."

"Quite. Ah, we have arrived."

They were at a stretch of hedge that seemed no different from any other, save perhaps for being even taller and slightly feral looking, though to Hazel it felt rather cold and ominous. "Severus? Are you here?"

Behind them, a crunch of gravel; Hazel turned to see Snape appearing from a shimmer in the air. "Potter. Headmaster."

"Very good. Were you waiting long?"

"No sir, though I am expected back shortly."

"Then we must hurry." He turned back to Hazel. "Reveal your ring, my dear, and open the way for us."

"Yes sir." She held up her hand, and the Gaunt ring revealed itself; she stepped forward, and the hedge parted before her, revealing a narrow dirt path that was nearly overgrown, and bordered by the same sort of high, feral hedges as she had just seen. The path vanished around a corner in the hedge, and the two men were already striding forward; she hurried to keep up.

The path was narrow and rough, sloping downhill toward a thick copse of trees, and it shortly opened up within the trees, which had clearly been encouraged to grow with magic; she had never seen natural trees so warped and entangled, though her mind insisted on the word ingrown, like a toenail. Lurking in the deep shadows of the trees was a moldering old shack, and the ominous feeling emanated from here more strongly than before.

"Hardly a very welcoming home. Be on your guard, Miss Potter."

"Yes sir." She had her wand out, and on impulse summoned the magic dagger with the ring's power. The two men had their wands out as well, and they advanced on the decrepit shack. The cold, ominous feeling grew stronger, but curiously, she did not feel unwelcome. "There's powerful dark magic here."

"You sense it as well, Severus?"

"Naturally. Without Potter's presence we would have been attacked already."

"Quite so. Step forward, Hazel, let the magic recognize you properly."

She stepped forward again, holding the ring and dagger high; the oppressive cold receded as she moved ahead, and the two men lit their wands. The front door was in sight, and their wands illuminated the remains of a garden snake that had been nailed there long ago. "Miss Potter, if at any moment you feel unwelcome or afraid, retreat immediately. That may be a sign that one of the Dark Lord's traps is about to spring."

"Yes sir. But I don't feel that way at all. I belong here." She approached the door, and seeing how rotted and flimsy it was, drew her foot back and aimed a solid kick just below the knob; the door splintered and the hinges broke, leaving it to fall to the floor with a crash. She rolled her eyes at Snape's disapproval. "Don't look at me that way, are we in a hurry or not?"

"She has a point, Severus, spells could have tripped any security in place. Let us proceed."

The interior of the shack was divided into three rooms, though one of them was inaccessible due to the ceiling caved in. The remains of a kitchen lay against one wall, with rusted old pots and pans and an ancient stove. The feeling of dark magic swirled about them, heavier than ever, and Hazel felt herself drawn to the middle of the room, where a few floorboards were oddly clean. As if the magic there was so heavy that no dust could settle in place.

"Whatever's in here, it's under there."

"I believe you are right. Please stand-"

"No. This is my property, Voldemort's curses have no power over me here." She stepped forward again, an intense look on her face as she focused on using her Parselmouth abilities. "I am the Mistress of this land, and I demand you reveal your secrets!"

The ruined hovel groaned and sighed, and there was a brief sound like a television left on a blank station, then the cold and oppression faded away altogether. She flicked her wand and the clean floorboards lifted away, revealing a small black chest that gave off its own aura of misery.

"Well done, Miss Potter, but you have no power over the enchantments on that chest. Please stand back." Snape strode forward and knelt, using his wand to bring the chest out of the hole and onto the floor.

"Here, Severus." Dumbledore flicked his own wand, and out of the debris several pieces of wood rose, attached to each other and settled to form a rickety old table, on which Snape placed the chest after a moment.

The two men gathered around the chest and began waving their wands, muttering complex incantations. Nothing seemed to happen, but she assumed they were attempting to identify whatever protections surrounded the chest.

Minutes later it creaked open, and Hazel stepped up to see a heavy-looking ring, crudely fashioned of gold, sporting a large black stone. She could faintly see a familiar design etched into the stone, but it was too dark to make out any specifics.

"Impossible…" Dumbledore seemed transfixed by the ring, and was suddenly moving very slowly as he reached down; the ring itself trembled and floated up to meet his hand…

"Sir! Stop!" She tried to yank his hand out of the way but he was immovable, held in thrall by the ring. "SIR!" Acting on instinct she swung her dagger at the ring itself, just before it could slide onto his finger; there was a blinding flash and a faint scream, pain bloomed in her forehead, and she was knocked backwards several steps.

When the pain faded and her vision cleared, she saw Dumbledore had been knocked off his feet, and Snape was kneeling next to him, waving his wand and looking quite furious indeed. "Have you gone senile, you old fool?! That ring was cursed to hell and back, you could have died! If Potter hadn't been here-!"

"But she was. And so were you." He sounded more annoyed than anything, and with Snape's help he rose to his feet. "When school begins, I shall ensure Slytherin receives a hundred points for your deeds today, Hazel."

"I didn't do it for points, sir." She moved around them and approached the ring and the chest; the black stone had a large crack in it, and the crude golden ring had partially melted from the force of the curses and spells being disrupted. She lit her wand and examined it more closely, and this time she saw the familiar symbol was that of the Deathly Hallows. "Huh, it looks like the Gaunts believed in the Deathly Hallows."

"I am not surprised. Those inbred hicks would have done anything for a little prestige."

"Now, Severus, those are Hazel's ancestors you are denigrating." Dumbledore joined her at the table and examined the ring as well. "No, my dear, if I am not mistaken this is one of the Deathly Hallows. The Resurrection Stone, to be precise."

"A-Are you serious, sir?" He had to be joking. But then, she thought of her own Cloak, which fit every quality of the legendary Cloak in the stories. "So if I pick it up and turn it three times-"

Impulsively she did exactly that, and on the third turn a spectral form appeared in the room before them, the floor creaking slightly beneath her weight. A tall woman with a gentle smile and a loving gaze, and a long sheaf of bright red hair. Or, it would have been bright, but she wasn't all there, as if trapped between worlds.

"This is a surprise. Hazel and Severus, and the Headmaster." Even her voice, though quite clear, sounded as if it were coming across a vast distance.

There was a clatter; Snape had dropped his wand in his shock. "Lily!"

"Oh Sev, are you still blaming yourself? I told you I forgave you, when you came to our wedding." She laughed gently and stroked his cheek; he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"Mum, it's- it's really you?"

"Yes, dear, it's really me." She stepped away from Snape and put her arms around her daughter; she felt the pressure, but it was weak, yet another reminder that she wasn't fully here and didn't properly belong. "You're taller than I am! You've become so beautiful~"

"Even with all my scars?"

"Of course. Oh, my dear girl." She held her close, and Hazel held her too, wishing she wasn't so absent while being here at the same time. "I'm so proud of you."

Then she let go and stepped away. "Now, you know I can't stay, right? Let me go, and please don't bring me back again. I don't belong here, and it would hurt all of us if I were made to stay."

Hazel's heart twisted painfully. She knew it was the truth, but it was painful to hear. She straightened her shoulders. "Okay, Mum. Tell Dad I said hello."

"Lily! Have- have you seen my parents? Tell them-" But the words choked off, and he looked away, the very picture of misery. "Goodbye, Lily."

"Goodbye, Sev, and stop blaming yourself." Hazel put the Stone down, and Lily faded away.

"Excuse me." Snape turned away and hurried for the door, doubtless so he could cry in private after seeing Lily again.

Hazel wanted to break down crying, but she couldn't, not yet. She ruthlessly compartmentalized her emotions and packed them away for later. "So it really is the Resurrection Stone." She picked it up again, wondering how it had come to be here. "How did Voldemort come to possess it? And why did he turn it into a Horcrux?"

"Perhaps it was an inheritance, and he assumed it was connected to his true family. But it is dangerous to speculate on such matters for long." If the episode with Lily had affected him at all, Hazel couldn't tell; he had recovered himself quite quickly if it had. "In the meantime, you should hold onto that Stone; it wouldn't do to leave it here now that the curses and protective spells have all been broken."

"Alright." She pocketed the artifact and looked around. "Well, that's probably everything. I should have this place demolished as well, when the situation with my parents' cottage is sorted out."

"An excellent plan. For now, let us collect Severus and return to Grimmauld Place."

They stepped outside, where Snape had gathered his composure once more, and they stepped outside the darkened copse before apparating away, Hazel clinging to Dumbledore's thick forearm once more.

Chapter 19: Legilimency and Other MattersSummary:Hazel doesn't get a chance to decompress, unfortunately.

Notes:Squibnation10 was unable to beta this chapter, so any flaws are entirely my fault.

Chapter TextThey reappeared in the foyer of Number 12, and Hazel was immediately swarmed by everyone, with Ron at the forefront. "I knew you'd get off! You always get away with things!"

Hermione was right behind him, looking faint with relief and anxiety. "They were bound to let you off, they had to, there was no case at all if they followed their own rules!"

Fred, George and Ginny were in the background doing some kind of war dance and a raucous chant that seemed to get louder and louder: "She got off, she got off, she got off!"

"That's enough, you three!" Molly was wiping her eyes on her apron, and she too looked immensely relieved. "Oh, Hazel, I'm so happy for you! You aren't expelled, you can return to school!"

"Everyone seems rather relieved considering the outcome was a foregone conclusion." It was jarring, to come from the hearing to the hovel, from meeting her mother for the first time to the noise and chaos of a relieved Weasley clan. "Look, I've had a long day, so could we-?"

"She got off, she got off, she got off-!"

"SHUT UP! By Merlin, those kids of mine…"

"What d'you mean, long day? It's not even lunch time yet!" Ron and Hermione were on either side, leading her to the dining room. "They had no chance of convicting you once Dumbledore showed up, I bet he swung it for you easy!"

"Hey, I had it under control! But he helped, that's for sure." Everyone crowded around the table as the house-elves brought out an early lunch. Hazel wondered where the the old man had gone; had he even been there when she appeared in the hallway? Mysterious old berk.

"Dobby heard Miss Hazel has been freed?"

"Yeah, Dobby, I got off scot free, cleared of all charges." She scooped up some mashed potatoes for her plate and passed them around.

"Dobby is so proud of Miss Hazel for defending herself! Dobby shall make sure Miss Hazel's socks get extra clean tonight!"

"SHE GOT OFF, SHE GOT OFF-!"

Hazel flicked her wand, casting a non-verbal Silencing Charm, and the three would-be warriors were silenced in an instant. "Yes, I got off, but you don't need to carry on about it! Now listen-"

She did her best to tell them about what happened, starting from when she arrived early with Sirius to when Dumbledore surprised her by calling Leah in as a witness. Ginny frowned at the mention of the Squib girl. "Who's this Leah Adelman anyway? How do you know her?"

"Ginny, are you jealous~?"

"No! But Luna and Pansy might be!"

Hazel laughed. "She's really strong and she can kick all kinds of ass, and I'm gonna miss her a lot. Now let me finish, will you?"

When she got to the part where the paperwork authorizing the attack was revealed, silence fell as suddenly as if she had charmed them all. "Wh- say that again? Percy signed the orders to have you guys Kissed?"

"No, I said his signature and seal were on the orders. He was genuinely caught off guard when Madam Bones read off his name, I really don't think it was him."

"Well, it's gonna be a huge scandal-"

"-it might even sink Fudge's career!"

Hermione still seemed scared. "So, so who do you think actually did it?"

Hazel looked around; everyone was watching her every move, hanging off her every word. If she spoke badly now… "I honestly have no idea. But Kingsley and the others will get to the bottom of it, I'm sure. It seemed like most of the Aurors were on my side anyway, they just couldn't say anything beforehand."

"So did Dumbledore do anything besides bring in the Adelman girl?" Ron sounded disappointed that his hero hadn't played a more active part in the trial.

"I mean, he certainly was good about getting under Fudge's skin? Really, that man did not seem very strong during the trial, he had no control at all. Madam Bones was really running the show."

"Yes, she's a very strong witch in her own right, many consider her the equal of Dumbledore." Molly paused to scan the table for trouble. "I'm certain the truth will come out soon enough."

"Oh, I do hope Percy makes it out alright! Even after what happened, he doesn't deserve to be a scapegoat!"

"We'd love to disagree, Hermione-"

"-but that would be unfair, so we won't."

"Instead we'll ask Hazel why she didn't come straight back after the hearing!"

"And about where she went with Dumbledore that was so important!"

"Oh, that?" She scoffed. "He needed help with an errand in Little Hangleton."

"What kind of errand?" both twins said at once.

"Boys, leave her be. Even if you don't respect Hazel's secrets, you should respect Dumbledore's."

That wasn't worrying at all. "Should I be concerned about the way you phrased that, Mrs Weasley?"

The rest of the day was free and easy, and Hazel was surprised to realize how much she'd been stressing over the hearing and how the results would come out. That she only realized it once the stress itself was gone wasn't a surprise, so much. She made sure to write to the Dursleys to let them know she had been cleared of all charges, and asked Dobby to deliver it discreetly.

The next day there was a short article in the Daily Prophet that she had been cleared of all charges, though the phrasing made it sound as if she had gotten off on a technicality, and there was no mention at all that the Dementor attack had been proven with the Ministry's own paperwork. The article went on to strongly imply, without actually coming out and saying, that Dumbledore had intimidated the Wizengamot into ruling in Hazel's favor.

"Buried on page six, of course." She tossed the paper aside. "I can't believe they're still going on about Grindelwald! It's not like he's coming here, even if he gets parole!"

Moody was nearby, picking at the remains of his breakfast, and he snorted. "Don't be fooled, Potter, some say Grindelwald was a worse threat than You-Know-Who."

"If that's so, then why aren't people afraid to say his name?"

He shrugged apathetically. "Grindelwald was locked up fifty years ago, that's why. You-Know-Who is much more recent."

"Plus, if they're writing about him, they're not writing about you, and with the trial out of the way that could get awkward if they spend too much time on you."

"Practical as always, Hermione. Maybe I'm a narcissist who wants them to write about me, have you considered that?"

Moody finished eating and stood up, gulping from his flask. "Then go out and do something shocking, or tell them what you did to Fletcher."

Hermione gave her a worried look as Moody stumped off. "What did you do to Fletcher, Hazel?"

She cursed the old Auror under her breath. "I made him regret betraying me. It was his fault I had to go to that hearing, after all. I still can't believe how close Leah came to getting the Kiss."

Later that morning a familiar screech owl fluttered in from outside, landing next to Hazel where she was reading a book on the Dark Arts. "You're Hermes, right? Percy's owl?" He hooted affirmatively, and she plucked the scroll off his foot. "Get a few treats and some water before you fly off, alright?" While he refreshed himself and hooted at Hedwig, she opened the letter.

Dear Hazel,

I apologize in advance for writing, especially since we have never corresponded before. However, you might imagine I find myself in exceptional circumstances at the moment, and I feel the need to reach out.

You may recall that I was the Court Scribe for your hearing, and upon my dismissal my notes were confiscated, and in all likelihood, destroyed. However, I am confident that with the aid of Legilimency, or perhaps a Pensieve, I would be able to recall the contents of the notes in detail. I could also achieve the same outcome through Occlumency, but I am not practiced enough in that art to achieve the desired results in time. And I have reason to believe that time is very short.

To get to the point, I understand that you possess some skill in Legilimency? Would you perhaps be skilled enough to aid me in this endeavor? Or, failing that, could you introduce me to someone who does possess such skill?

Yours in discretion,

Percy

She stared at the letter and tapped her chin thoughtfully. Why didn't he write to Dumbledore? Apart from him, the only one Hazel knew for certain possessed Legilimency to such a degree was Snape. Then again, perhaps Narcissa would have such skill, or would know someone?

Seeing Hermes fidgeting impatiently, she reached for a fresh scroll of parchment to write a reply:

Percy,

Have you considered reaching out to Prof. Dumbledore? I'm not confident enough in my mind magic skills to try it myself; the only other wizard I know of who has the skill is Prof. Snape, and he is… indisposed, at the moment. I'll ask Narcissa Malfoy after I send this reply, she's sure to know someone who could help. You may rely on her discretion, as well.

Good luck,

Hazel

She rolled the letter up and sealed it with her wand, then tied it to Hermes' leg and gave him a scratch behind the ear; he nipped playfully at her fingers before taking wing once more. She gave Hedwig a few pats too, then grabbed Percy's letter and went looking for Narcissa. The obvious place to begin was her bedroom, so she paused on the landing and knocked politely. After a few moments with no response she knocked again, and had to conclude she wasn't in her room.

Then she heard footsteps on the stairs behind her, and turned to see Narcissa coming up. "Looking for me, my dear?"

"Yes, I am." Taking a deep breath against the usual butterflies the older woman inspired in her, she held out the letter from Percy. "I heard from Percy that he wants to try and recreate his notes from the hearing, and he wanted to know if I was good enough with Legilimency to help him out."

"And are you~?" She took the letter with a smirk and perused it carefully.

"Well. I'm not sure? I'm definitely not as good at it as I am at Occlumency. Dumbledore is probably busy, I'd imagine."

"As is our dear friend Severus. So, were you hoping I would be skilled at Legilimency?"

"That or you'd know someone who is." Then her words caught up, and she blinked. "What do you mean, dear friend?"

"Don't be foolish, Hazel, you know exactly what I mean." There were no butterflies from that look. "Foolishness aside, I do possess some skill in the mental arts. Do let him know I'd be willing to attempt, if the Headmaster is for whatever reason unavailable."

"Alright, I'll do that." Though, in the interest of avoiding crossed owls she would wait for him to reply to the first note.

Naturally, said reply was enormously confusing:

Dear Hazel,

I apologize again, but it was actually Dumbledore who suggested I reach out to you. He seems to think your skills are up to the challenge, though if you sincerely believe otherwise I will defer to Lady Malfoy's judgment on the matter. Either way, I would like to meet up as soon as possible, if you can arrange as much.

Yours in discretion,

Percy

"Seriously?" She put the letter down, staring at Hermes as if he'd have the answers. "Ugh. Hang on, boy, lemme speak to Narcissa." She went downstairs again, thankfully finding Narcissa quickly. "Hey, so, Percy wrote back."

"And~?"

"And he actually did ask Dumbledore, but Dumbledore told him to ask me instead."

One of Narcissa's eyebrows arched up. "That would suggest Albus has more faith in your abilities than you do, dear girl. What do you have to lose?"

"What do I- are you kidding? If I screw up in there Percy's mind is fucked! And that's even assuming I can get inside to begin with!"

"I asked what you have to lose, not what Percy has to lose."

Hazel blinked at that, and Narcissa smirked. "You see? Give yourself more credit, darling."

"Right, well, could you still be there to supervise? I've never actually done something so intensive as this. It sounds like Percy wants it done as soon as possible, too."

"Of course, my dear."

After that she went back upstairs and wrote back to Percy telling him to be at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch the next day, and by then it was time for lunch. Hazel made a point of turning to Narcissa part way through the meal. "Narcissa, will you be around tomorrow? I've got to get to Diagon Alley, you see."

Hermione seemed excited. "Ooh, have you got some shopping to do? Can I come along?"

Ron, of course, looked suspicious. "We haven't got our letters yet, how do you know what-?"

"First off, Ronald, I didn't need to do any shopping, so I wouldn't need my letter, would I? And second, it's none of your business."

Ginny jabbed her brother with her elbow. "You're never gonna learn, are you, bro?"

Hermione was still making pleading eyes at her, so Hazel sighed. "And third, I guess Hermione can come with us. If Narcissa doesn't mind."

"Not at all. Our little errand shouldn't take too long."

"Cool! It'll be good to get a head start on school shopping, even without our lists there's some things we can get!" Hermione went off like that for the rest of lunch, and Hazel had to hide a smirk at the look on Ron's face.

Afterward, she summoned Kreacher. "If Dumbledore drops by tonight, make sure he stays around so I can speak to him, alright? No matter how late it may be."

"Kreacher lives to serve."

She had no idea when or even if Dumbledore would drop by, but it was best to assume he would. She waylaid Ginny and dragged her upstairs, and busied herself with some "relaxation" for most of the afternoon.

Chapter 20: The LocketSummary:Hazel reclaims another piece of her heritage, and several revelations occur that she unfortunately fails to account for.

Chapter TextAs fortune would have it, Dumbledore did indeed drop in while dinner was ongoing. Molly was quite caught off guard. "Headmaster! You didn't- I mean- please, sit down!"

"Do not trouble yourself, Molly." He held up a hand to forestall her fussing. "I must borrow Hazel for a few moments."

Hazel got up immediately and crossed the dining room. "I wanted to speak to you as well, sir."

"And you shall, but let us retreat to privacy."

Ron still had a suspicious look on his face, and Hazel stuck her tongue out at him as she followed the Headmaster out the door. "Sir, do you have any advice for dealing with boys?"

"You seem to have dealt with them quite admirably before, my dear."

"Yeah, well, this time it's Ron. Things haven't been the same since the Yule Ball, and Hermione's getting the worst of it."

Dumbledore nodded gravely, understanding the issue in an instant. "My advice to you is to allow him space, my dear. If he is a true friend, he will find his own way back into your good graces. If not, well, I'm certain you know how to act in such a situation, yes?"

"Yes sir. So what did you need me for?"

"The locket. Severus and I have gleaned all we can, and judging by your performance at Little Hangleton, it should be simplicity itself for you to purge Riddle's magic and the piece of his soul from it, thus leaving it intact for your own use."

"That seems… easy."

"Let us hope it will be."

They were in the foyer; he offered his arm, she gripped it, and they twisted away, appearing once more outside the ruined hovel. It looked very different at night, but she could tell there was no threat. "Severus could not join us today, unfortunately."

"I hope he's alright. What's happening at the Ministry?"

"Madam Bones has her entire Department up in arms, and they are being actively stonewalled by Fudge's inner circle. He has activated a number of emergency powers normally reserved for wartime, one of which is a strict press blackout. He is trying even harder to meddle at Hogwarts, leaning on the Board to have me forced out."

"So it's lucky you were already planning to step down."

"Quite. Let us put this aside for now, however." They were inside, and with a flick of his wand he rebuilt the table and set a familiar crystal box down on it. "You know what to do, Hazel. Purge Riddle's influence and reclaim your heritage."

Hazel stepped forward, revealing her rings and summoning the dagger. A flick of her wand opened the box, and she picked up the locket. "Open."

It opened immediately, and the glass panes within held a single eye. And then she heard a voice. "You've never worn me before. Who are you?"

Despite herself, she answered proudly, holding the ring and dagger up. "Hazel Jade Potter, Heir of Slytherin. Pleased to meet you, Tom."

"You know who I am…" The eye narrowed thoughtfully. "You carry the weight of many bloodlines, Hazel Jade Potter, and I sense myself within you, as well."

"What do you mean, you sense yourself?"

The voice laughed. "Can this be? You are remarkably uninformed, Hazel. Put the dagger down and let us talk instead. I can tell you dislike not knowing things."

"That is very true, I hate not knowing things. What I hate even more, however, is not having my inheritance. And you, little soul shard, are standing in my way."

"YOUR inheritance!" The voice laughed again, though she imagined it was a bit panicked now. "I am the one true Heir, Potter! I am undying, eternal! I-!"

"Shut up! You died fourteen years ago, and the Gaunt laws of inheritance came into effect: death is final, even when it isn't! So yeah, it IS my inheritance and I don't need your bullshit infecting it!" She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I am the last living Heir of Salazar Slytherin, and in his name I purge this artifact of all foreign magicks!"

There was a sharp sizzle and a crack, and a faint scream; she opened her eyes to see smoke drifting away from the locket, though in the next moment her forehead seared and she fell to her knees. "Ugh!"

"Hazel? Hazel!" Dumbledore was kneeling at her side, his strong hand clamped on her shoulder. "Hazel, look at me, look at me-"

"Professor, I'm f-" But as she looked up and met his eyes, a sharp feeling of invasion slammed through her, along with a burning hatred and a sudden need to harm the man before her. "No! Get out of my head!"

She tore herself away from the Headmaster and tried to get away further, but stumbled and fell back to the floor while she wrestled within her own mind, trying to clamp down through Occlumency and force the foreign presence out. "Professor! Imperio!"

To his credit, he didn't stop to ask what she was thinking, he simply drew his wand and pointed it at her: "Imperio!"Immediately the familiar floating freedom enveloped her mind, and with Dumbledore's help she forced the presence out. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes." She forced herself upright, Occlumency clamped down hard. "Right after the Horcrux was driven out, I felt something slam into my mind, and whatever it was really didn't like you, sir."

"Did it feel like Voldemort?"

She thought about it for a second. "Maybe? Ugh, my head still hurts."

He put a steadying hand on her shoulder, and she let herself lean against him. "Where is the pain centered?"

She waved vaguely at her forehead. "Around the scars in front, the ones that keep growing every time I encounter Voldemort."

"Hm. If I am not mistaken, they appear to have grown again." He flicked his wand, creating a shimmer of silver in the air that hovered before her, showing her reflection; sure enough, the original scar was hardly discernible amid the growing web of harsh lines that was taking over her forehead like a tumor.

"Great! It's almost like I'm absorbing pieces of him every time I kill one of his Horcruxes!" When he didn't reply right away she looked up at him. "Uh, sir, I was only being sarcastic."

"Sarcastic or not, it is not a theory without merit. However, we have completed our task, and you have reclaimed a piece of your heritage. We should be going."

"Right." She picked up the locket, and when she didn't see any eyes in the windows she slipped it around her neck. It felt slightly warm, in a comforting way. "Oh, sir, I was exchanging letters with Percy today, and he said he wrote to you about using Legilimency on his memories of the hearing?"

"He did indeed, though I fear I will not have time to assist. Your skills should be more than adequate for the task, however; you will not be extracting or planting memories in his head, simply helping him find ones already there and reinforce them for more complete recall when necessary. The process will be similar to Occlumency, in fact."

"That doesn't sound so bad. When you put it that way, it sounds as if Occlumency and Legilimency are the same thing, though one is focused inward and the other is aimed at others."

"Very astute, Hazel. And you are quite right, Legilimency is offensive and Occlumency is defensive; they are similar skills, just as you observed."

She hated herself for needing his help to arrive at this realization, but put it aside. "So what will you be busy with? Meddling in Voldemort's plans?"

"Quite so, I will be leading him and his followers on a wild goose chase so that they do not have time for harassing others. Very soon I will let it slip that I am aware of his Horcruxes, which will, I believe, force him to behave yet more recklessly and make it easier for the Order to track him down. And when he is located, I will strike."

"If that was him in my head earlier, would he know already?"

"Perhaps. Whoever or whatever it was, we drove them out quickly, hopefully before they could make sense of what they saw."

"Hopefully. We've destroyed three Horcruxes so far, do you think he's made two more?"

He considered the question for a moment, and by then they were at the boundary of the property. "I suspect he has made one more Horcrux, and I have some idea of where it may be. As for a fifth, I do not believe he has, though when I tip my hand in earnest I expect that will change rapidly."

She wondered if the invasive feeling had been Voldemort himself. If it was, she further wondered if he would try again, and if she could use it against him, maybe reverse the connection.

In the meantime, he took her back to Grimmauld Place, where the others were putting things away, but Molly had left her plate out. Hazel thanked her and sat down to finish her meal, and no one remarked on the locket around her neck. Except Sirius, once she was done. "Is that it?"

"This is it. Slytherin's locket, purged of Voldemort's influence and safe to wear once more."

"Huh. What did Sniv- Snape say about it, the year before last? It held a fragment of his soul…?"

"I don't remember. It doesn't matter now, forget about it." Partially a lie, she remembered exactly what he meant, but he wasn't supposed to. He shrugged again, and she helped clean up before heading upstairs to bed. Ginny joined her a few minutes later, and she hoped it would be recurring as long as they could manage it.

The next day, she got ready for the trip to Diagon Alley, cleaning up and brushing her hair. She went downstairs, and it seemed to her that Hermione had touched up her appearance as well. "You look lovely today~"

"Oh, thanks! I'm meeting up with Viktor, you see. I figured I may as well, since we'll be running about."

"Viktor, huh? Better not let Ron know." They both giggled at that.

Grimmauld Place was weirdly empty that morning, with most of the Order out doing whatever tasks Moody or Dumbledore had for them. Even Fred and George were out of the house, no doubt working on their joke shop.

"Are you looking forward to seeing Krum again, Hermione?"

"Very much so, I've missed him terribly." She smirked mischievously. "I've been writing to him regularly, telling him all about the things we'll do to each other once I'm of age. I think I've got him quite wound up by now~"

Hazel giggled. "Are you sure you haven't gotten yourself a little wound up in the process?"

"Well, maybe, but I know how to sort myself out."

Footsteps came down the stairs, and Narcissa appeared. "Ready, girls?"

"We're ready."

"Good. Let us take the Floo to the Leaky Cauldron." She led the way to the kitchen, and they did exactly that.