Chapter 7: Struggles of a MetamorphmagusNotes:Here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Fair warning, there is a mild torture scene in the section that starts as an OW memory. You were warned. Skip ahead to the NW section if it bothers you.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Funny seeing you here." Hazel sighed and closed her newspaper, seeing Dora as she sat across from her on the cafeteria table. "My usual lunch appointment got cancelled. Something about a surprise for dinner." She technically knew Teddy was baking her a cake with Leafsby, but she didn't dare interrupt her son's little experimentation. The excitable elf was keeping her eye on making sure it was edible and that Teddy didn't set the kitchen on fire. Dora hummed as she bit into her sandwich, before eyeing the newspaper headline. "Damn, so much for a Potter in Hufflepuff. Nothing would have improved the house's image like having the Boy Who Lived in with the Badgers." Hazel bit back an angry retort on calling him that. She had hated being called the Girl Who Lived. Everyone took it as a bloody celebration, forgetting it literally meant she had been orphaned. Then again, Wizarding Britain was just like that: forgetful. They forgot the truth if an obvious lie was more convenient, or if the bloody paper repeated it enough. She had really hated her fifth year for the amount of crap the Prophet said about her, even as she ignored it all. If she ever spotted Rita, she would transfigure her into her animagus form and squish her.
"Who knows, he could up and change houses later. Might make a bigger impression that way. Harry Potter leaves Gryffindor for Hufflepuff." Dora chuckled. "Oh, that would be rich. Charlie would absolutely lose mind over that. He was a Gryffindor nut, just a bit less than a Dragon nut." Hazel hummed, ignoring the comment on the Weasley. "So, how was Hogwarts for you? All I am hearing is a bunch of mixed messages right now. Best school in Europe but the worst student scores in OWLs and NEWTs, as well as fewer electives." Dora swallowed her most recent bite of her meal. "I guess it's a bit of both really. McGonagall is the best at Transfiguration." Dora paused for a moment. "Present company excluded." Hazel grinned at her. "Much appreciated." Dora smiled back. "Flitwick is the best at Charms, and no one knows Herbology better than Sprout." She took a moment to drink from her drink. "I studied History of Magic, Divination and Muggle Studies, so I can safely say Binns is a free nap period. Trelawney is either insane or can't control her gift. Quirrell was ok as a Muggle Studies Professor so he might do good in DADA, which never had a single Professor stay more than one full academic year. Astronomy was fine under Professor Vector." Hazel eyed Dora. "Noticing your avoiding one. What happened to Potions?"
Dora sat back and tried to be as diplomatic as possible. "Snape… is a brutally efficient task master. He expects you to know the subject and get on with it. Most of my classes were with Ravenclaws and I can't remember ever hearing him give a single point to either of our houses. I heard he deducted points from Gryffindors like a madman and practically gifted points to Slytherin." Hazel drank from her cup of water and digested Tonks' summation. Sounds about right for the Hogwarts she knew. She had gotten a standing order from Croaker not to kill Snape just yet, so that was out. She eyed Tonks. "If we ever sneak into Hogwarts for a long assignment, want to go to Snape's office and mess with him? I know a few tricks that will make him furious because he would know no student did it." Tonks brightened up at that. "Abso-freakin-lutely! The bastard gave me a permanent detention in my sixth year for accidentally dropping a Venomous Tentacula plant on him." Hazel blinked for a second. Her Tonks had never done that. "Are you sure it was an accident?" Tonks' glare made her chuckle.
Hazel sat back and thought about what Tonks had said and what it would mean for Teddy. Ignoring the fact a certain Werewolf might be at the school in Teddy's first year, her son would be going through a whole lot of problems aimed at Harry Potter. No Basilisk, she hoped, but definitely some insane escapée from Azkaban, whatever disaster this world called their Triwizard Tournament and then the next three years of clandestine warfare. She needed to talk to Croaker on how bad it would be if she murdered Dolores Umbridge before Teddy made it to Hogwarts and the hell was she letting Snape ruin her son's interest in Potions and DADA. So much to do… Hazel sighed as she rubbed her eyes before looking at Dora. "Are you ready for a much more intensive Physical Combat training session today?" Dora winced. "I am just worried. My balance and hand eye coordination is shit. I can cast fine but landing a punch the right way seems so hard. Not to mention my hand hurts every time I mess up." Hazel tapped the table, feeling a little concern. This sounded like her world's version of Dora's self-esteem issues. Hazel pushed her seat back and stood up. "Finish up soon. We have a 30 minute jog before we get to do some physical combat." Dora eyed her friend before she slumped her body onto the table. "Joy."
-∞-
Dora dropped onto the ground, the kneecaps she wore reducing the pain by just a little. "Again." She got up and turned towards Horatio as Hazel watched from the wall. After the last of the Candidates called it quits, Horatio moved her and Dora to a smaller Training Room, where they did everything that required close quarters combat, both magical and physical. It made things a lot harder for casting and dodging in the middle of a firefight but that was the point. The more she thought about it, the more she recognized how lucky she had been. The majority of her fights ended up being in wide open spaces, perfect for her Conjuration and Transfigurations. The closest to a narrow combat area had been her fight in the DoM, with the Hall of Prophecies and the Ministry hallways being very enclosed. Both the Death Chamber and the Atrium gave a lot more room to fight. Sure, she could switch to curses or bladed weapons, but Conjurations allowed her a freedom of observation she had desperately needed when the bloody Snatchers and Death Eaters got overzealous. Hazel winced as Dora fell on her knees again. Horatio was not taking it easy on her today. "Again."
Hazel could tell that Dora was reaching her tipping point. While her casting and curses were beyond reproach, Dora's footwork, physical combat and equilibrium were lacking and Hazel could see the strain getting to her. Horatio's aggressive regimen wasn't doing her any favors. Hazel watched as Dora switched into a kick aimed at Horatio's head before Dora's other leg slipped. Dora ended up hitting the ground hard. Horatio eyed her, clearly disappointed. "Alright, we are calling it a day here. Make sure you take another 30 lap jog in the large training room then you are free to go." Hazel walked up to Dora as Horatio left the room. Dora stood up, breathing heavily, but clearly agitated. Hazel looked at her and wondered. "Drop the shift." Dora froze. "What?" Hazel stared at her. "Drop the shift. You're keeping a form that is throwing you off. Drop it." Dora shook her head. "This is me, Hazel." Dora watched as Hazel's foot started tapping. "You asked me on the 31st of July if this was my original form and I said yes. I trusted you with my truth, so stop lying to me and trust me with yours."
Dora spinned towards Hazel and practically growled. "THIS IS ME!" Hazel raised an eyebrow at her. "Ah, that makes more sense. You are lying to yourself first." Hazel caught the punch that was aimed at her face and spinned Dora around until she grabbed both of her arms and pinned them behind Dora's back. She slammed Dora into the floor and pinned her down. "Drop it, Nymphadora." Dora froze. "Where did you hear my name?" Hazel pressed her body into Dora, who had to fight a lot of mixed feelings on the contact. "Doesn't matter. You are keeping a part of yourself hidden and it's throwing you off. It happens to Metamorphmagi who can't accept a part of themselves but can't dismiss it either. Now drop the shift." Dora growled, "Go to Hell!" Hazel felt her instincts kick in and she almost smashed Dora's head into the ground. Fearing a loss of control, she released Dora and sat on the floor. She held her head, fighting a memory trying to consume her mind. Her hands started to shake violently. Dora stood up and expected to get back into a fight with Hazel when she noticed her friend sitting on the mat. "Hazel?" She saw Hazel look up at her and noticed her eyes rapidly changing color until they settled into an eerie pair of red before returning to her vibrant green.
Hazel stood up quickly before stumbling away, holding onto her head with one hand as she headed for the door. "Hazel?" Dora tried touching her shoulder but as soon as she did she couldn't breathe, her throat gripped tightly by Hazel's hand. She noticed the same shift in colors in Hazel's eyes before they resettled into green and her grip lessening. "Here is a free fact about me, Nymphadora. I am not a good person. I have moments where I forget I am trying to be a good person and in those moments, bad things happen. So please, get away from me. Go home and get some rest. I will be a better friend on monday. Now leave, before I forget who you are to me again. Please." Hazel pushed Dora back as she stumbled towards the Medical Wing. She'd never hurt Teddy but right now she didn't want her son to see her like this. She didn't want to disappoint him again. She barely made it to the Medical Wing's doors and slipped inside before her mind collapsed.
-∞-
OW August 1998
"Stop it! Please stop it!" Hazel ignored Hermione's pleas as she approached Ronald Weasley. The redheaded boy had been shadowing her for years. For years she had thought that maybe they could have been friends. Then he started trying to flirt with her in their sixth year, ignoring every time she told him that she wasn't interested. He followed her all throughout the hunt for the means to destroy the last Horcrux and the stupid sword that got locked in Lucius Malfoy's Vault. Whatever defences Voldemort had put on the Locket it refused to be consumed by Fiendfyre or even her own cursed flames. Even a straight Killing Curse failed. The only thing they discovered that could work on it was the Sword of Gryffindor and its Basilisk Venom infused Goblin Steel. In that time, Ron stuck to her like glue, refusing to leave. She had finally begun to warm up to him again until she took a bloody drink while at the Burrow. The moment the disgusting pumpkin juice touched her lips, she knew something was wrong. It's taste was off and her Family Magic had reacted to it as if it was toxic. She had excused herself, threw up the liquid into a vial and apparated away to Grimmauld Place, at least what was left of it. Her Godmother's family had been paranoid for centuries and she had no trouble identifying the potion in the drink with the potions kit she found in the rubble. Amortentia. Why the potion failed on her she couldn't really care.
A week later she had invited the twosome to her apartment in Edinburgh and they came. She never truly understood how they could be so stupid. She revived the bastard and woke him up by slapping his cheeks. "Hello, Ronald. Care to talk now?" The redheaded boy spat at her. "Piss off, you bitch. I did nothing wrong!" Hazel hummed before conjuring a thin and small spear, the size of a scalpel, into her hand. The screams from both began to build up as she carved into the bastard. She was as careful as she could be with her incisions, but it didn't stop her hands from becoming filthy with his blood. She stood back and conjured a towel to wipe her hands and forearms clean before turning back to the two people seated at the table. She waited for them to stop screaming before silencing Hermione and turning towards the redhead again. "You and your family fed me Amortentia last week. I want to know why and how long you have been planning this." The redhead glared at her, his body suffering tremors from the echoes of what she did to him.. "Go to hell you, psycho!" Hazel grabbed the bastard by the neck and twirled her scalpel in her fingers. "Wrong answer." Hazel hands were stained with blood again as Hermione seemed to do her best to tip her seat over, her screams still silenced.
The screams from the boy were surprisingly not that grating to her as the scent of blood seemed to fill the air around her. For the two it must have been quite disconcerting but for her it was just another in a long line of experiences. The smell and taste of blood were almost nostalgic, especially since for once it wasn't hers. Feeling a little winded from her exertions on the redhead, Hazel pulled back and rubbed her chin, a bit of blood visibly smudging it, as smaller dots of blood marked her face. She looked back at the tearful brunette. Hazel, deciding to try a different approach, silenced Ronald before slamming her scalpel down onto the table, making Hermione's eyes widen and her struggle to break free became all the more urgent. As soon as she did the bare minimum to wipe her fingers clean, Hazel unsilenced the witch and sat beside her against the table. "Care to answer for him? The clock is ticking and you know I am shit as a Healer. Though I hear chicks dig scars on their men." Hermione eyed her before looking at Ron's less than appealing state. "Dumbledore was right about you. You really are no different than Voldemort!" Hazel eyed the girl, the first person she had crushed on, even if it was brief, before touching her chin. Hermione visibly tried to pull away, the scent of the blood on Hazel's hand making her visibly sick. "No. I'm not. Not really. I tried to be different but it never seemed to amount to much. What's the point when you still end up losing? Some things are just meant to be, I guess. Crucio ."
The brunette visibly started to shake as Hazel fed her curse all the pain she herself had once felt. There was a lot of pain for the spell to make use of. Hazel waited for the screams to stop before asking again. Hermione's face was covered in tears as Hazel looked at her. "We can do this all day. We are nowhere near civilization, you two were taken just as you left the Burrow and even if the Weasleys or the Order knew you were visiting me, no one would have seen you arrive at my place." Hermione shook her head, visibly shaken. "They will know. They will know and come after you! You monster!" Hazel showed her a toothy smile. "You know, there is a bit of a saying. Call someone a monster or a criminal and treat them that way long enough and they start to believe it. A bit of a bad idea in your current state, wouldn't you agree? Am I wrong, oh brightest Witch of the Age? Crucio. " Hermione's body visibly shook again as Hazel stared at her. Blood dripped from the edges of Hermione's mouth before Hazel canceled the curse. "There was a time I would have loved to have you at my mercy like this, you know? No scalpels or curses, though ropes and bindings sound quite pleasant. Alas, you had your preferences. So, care to talk now while your tongue is still intact?"
Hermione lasted one more touch of the Cruciatus Curse and an up close view of the amount of damage Hazel did to Ron before she cracked. Ron might have been trying to sleep with Hazel, but she knew Hermione somehow loved the git. He didn't deserve her. Her words were a bit slurred from the pain in her tongue. Or maybe it was the nerve damage. Hard to tell really. "You were supposed to have gotten engaged to Ron and a Contract had been signed! After you died against Voldemort, the Weasley's would have gotten the Potter wealth!" Hazel blinked at her. "How long did you know Dumbledore planned for me to die?" Not getting a response, Hazel gripped Hermione's chin again. "Answer me!" She hadn't known it but Hazel's eyes had gone red. Hermione, terrified about another round of the Torture Curse, answered. "Since the start of 6th year! Dumbledore was sure you were a Horcrux. You were getting too indifferent, too violent and too out of control. You were using Dark Magic! We needed you to live long enough for you to die with Voldemort. You were supposed to have stayed dead!" Hazel felt so cold inside. She knew Dumbledore had used her since the end of 5th year. She knew what Voldemort wanted from her until she desperately tried to kill him. But for kids to be fine with betraying someone they claimed as their friend? To have started that far back and be fine with it? She felt her jaw clench. "Let me guess. In his grief, you were supposed to console Ronald. Marry him. Have a few kids and then grow old and die together?" Hermione lowered her eyes, confirming her suspicions. Hazel turned back to the table and the still bleeding Ronald, his breaths quite a bit more shallow.
"Congratulations then, Hermione. You get one of those tonight. If you somehow make it to Heaven, apologize to my parents for me. I was a bad girl. If you land in Hell, tell Tom hello for me. I would gladly join him down there, but I have a godson that deserves better from this nightmare of a world. I will make sure he gets it. Just so you know, we are in the Forest of Dean. You said it was your favorite place outside of Hogwarts. You can go ahead and enjoy it. While you still can." Hazel silenced her mid scream. She went to the sink within the Wizarding Tent and washed her hands and face thoroughly, before tossing her clothes to the side. Fully dressed in an identical set of clothes, minus the blood splatter, Hazel took one last look around the tent. It had been their home for the better part of a year, the place where she thought she had made some inroads with her relationship with them. For years they had sort of followed her around, trying to get her to conform to Dumbledore's view on what the Girl Who Lived was supposed to be. She never did follow that vision. She didn't care for the adventure, the nobility or the Greater Good. None of that ever seemed to do anything for her except take more of the things she loved away from her.
Hazel's thoughts turned to the bundle of laughs and tears that was Teddy. Her Godson was now her only true concern. Nothing else mattered. What remained of her funds that the Goblins didn't take would go to him, as would be the majority of her attention. Because he was worth everything, including what she was about to do. " Ignis Monstrum ." The Fiendfyre lept hungryly and happily from the Elder Wand as it raced through the opening of the tent. She stood back outside and watched as the fire took shape, looking like an ever more dead dragon, as it consumed all traces of the traitors and the place that should have made them all friends. She knew the Weasleys would come after her but they wouldn't find any trace of their son. Even if they did, she would just kill them. Kingsley could send all the Auror and Hit Wizards still alive and it wouldn't change anything. The Order and Dumbledore had wanted her dead? Well, too bad for them that she had a reason to stay alive for now. She knew she would have trouble looking at Teddy tonight but she was sure the shame would pass. It always did. "I hate it that you were right. You said they would betray me because I was the same as you. You were right. Still, I hate it. I hate that I am the same as you. Did you know that, Tom?" No answer came to her as she apparated away from the scene. No answer ever did.
-∞-
NW September 1991
"Are you going to tell me what happened to you yesterday?" Hazel kept her hands busy at the workstation in front of her. It had taken a bit to convince Croaker to lend her a workstation, but when she showed him some of her previous work, he agreed it was worth it. "Had an episode when your daughter decided to let her stubborn side shine through. Made it to the Medical Wing before I collapsed, leaving behind a very concerned son." While Teddy hadn't seen her in the Medical Wing, she knew he had been worried sick. She had arrived an hour after she had promised to be there and he knew it meant something had happened to her, not that he didn't feel her emotions spiralling out of control through the Family Magic. She hated worrying him so much but ever since she had crossed over into this world she had been losing control of her memories and experiencing more emotional breakdowns than before. She knew why too. Back in her old world she had no time to worry about what kind of person she was. All that mattered was getting food on the table and making sure Teddy was happy. Here there was food aplenty, Teddy was safe and happy, he had a chance to have a family again and everything was great. Potter's don't get that much good luck without a bit of bad karma looking to balance things out, especially her. She hated karma.
Andromeda sighed and leaned up against the wall. "Dora isn't much better. She's blaming herself for triggering your episode. I got her to agree to come back and train tomorrow, but I don't know how long before she quits. Whatever you told her bothered her." Hazel stopped for a second. "Who does she look like that has her so terrified to be herself in front of others?" Andromeda sighed. "You know too damn much from your world. Of course you knew about that. She looks like my sister; Bellatrix." Hazel hummed, returning her attention to the woodcarving. "What did she do here?" Andromeda had a pained look on her face, something Hazel caught out of the corner of her eye. "Killed dozens of Witches and Wizards. Got caught after she helped torture Frank and Alice Longbottom to insanity. Yours?" Hazel turned her attention back to her project, rounding oug one of the edges of the charm. "Got sent to Azkaban for the same. Alice and Frank died in my world, though. She spent over a decade in Azkaban for it, before she escaped." Andromeda sighed. "Dora got… compared to her a lot when she wasn't shifting her appearance. Sure she was a Hufflepuff, but most felt she was just hiding among the Badgers. Eventually it got so bad she just never shifted to what she looks like normally. She kept the same appearance she has now, though with a bit shorter hair. Though it changes with her mood." Hazel could understand not wanting to look like someone. Snape had hated her just because she looked like a black haired Lily and never failed to torture her for it infront of others.
Hazel scratched the last bit of Celtic Scripts into the wood and blew her breath on it, before rubbing the bit of wood clean. Andromeda looked over her shoulder and saw an odd looking charm, two holes at the side of a curved tag filled with indecipherable script. "What is it?" Hazel pulled a scalpel up and spinned it. "Something for your daughter. It's not a cure for her demons anymore than me being an Operative is a cure for mine, but it will get her past her problems until she is ready to face them." Hazel sliced her finger and began applying the blood to the wood, making Andromeda pale. "Where did you learn Blood Magic?" Hazel chuckled. "Funny thing about Blood Magic. It was bloody common, pun intended, among the Celts and Druids. The Peverells kept a lot of Grimoires on it and Salazar Slytherin's secret chamber has a library full of books on the subject. Pretty sure the Blacks had books on it too, as this charm is from the Black Family library. What was left of it from my world." Andromeda sighed. "Please don't get my daughter caught with it. It's an outlawed practice." Hazel gave Andromeda a look. "Not a problem. Once I tie it to her it will register as standard magic, hers specifically. It's technically not illegal to have a Blood Magic Charm, just making it. Since I made it in the Department of Mysteries and I will register it, it will be perfectly legal. Don't ask me about the theory on how this works exactly, I gave up trying to grasp Blood Magic logic a long time ago."
-∞-
Dora sat down at the bench in the locker room and stared at her hands. She hated how she had parted with Hazel. She could understand why Hazel had pushed her but that was a part of her she never wanted to remember. The fact it could be the reason for her clumsiness only made her hate it more. The whispers she had heard at Hogwarts behind her back for years had bothered her so much. When she had shifted her face a bit, made her hair short and pink and made her eyes brown, the whispers changed. She was no longer a mad witch's clone. She was a weirdo. She could live with that. She had been so focused on her thoughts that she failed to notice Hazel entered the locker. She did notice when Hazel jabbed her with a needle on her shoulder. "Oww! The hell!" Dora turned to the person who had jabbed her and saw Hazel poking the needle at some wooden charm in her hand, a circle of hide hanging from it's edges. "Why did you stab me, Hazel!?" Hazel looked up and stared. "Because you are too bloody stubborn for your own good, Nymphadora." Dora's hair went red as she raised her voice. "Don't call me that! Where did you hear it anyways?" Hazel, satisfied with the blood connecting to the charm, nodded and tossed the charm at Dora. The moment she caught it in her hands, magic surged inside of Dora and somehow she felt different. She eyed the charm carefully, noticing the carvings on it. "What did it do?"
Hazel shrugged. "It's adjusting your magic as a Metamorphmagus. While you wear it, you should have close to perfect balance and spatial awareness, or as close as you normally would have without it. It was made by a Black who weaponized a Metamorphmagus as a spy so that they wouldn't be weakened by the prolonged periods they spent as other people. It's literally a crutch but since you need more time to settle your demons, it will have to do. Wear it on your person and guard it carefully. Should it break midfight, you will lose your balance momentarily and the magic is incompatible with any unbreakable charm I could find, so it is at risk of breaking, especially with the more involved fights when it's magic can be overwhelmed by how much it compensates for. Wear it at your own peril." Dora stared at the charm, dumbfounded. "Why?" Hazel sighed. "Because you shouldn't let what others say about who you are bring you down. You are not her, Nymphadora. You are your own person. I hope that in time you will truly believe that. Until then, try that out." Hazel left as Dora remained behind, looking at the charm in her hand. She untied the leather straps of the charm and placed it around her neck as a necklace. Switching into her training outfit, she eyed herself in the mirror before leaving the locker room.
The change had been like night and day as Dora went through her daily routine. Over 30 laps around the Training Room later and she hadn't tripped once. She watched as Hazel fought Horatio in hand to hand combat, noticing her friend was a lot smoother in her strikes too. Then, when it was her turn, she wanted to laugh. She didn't slip. She didn't screw up the positioning of her arms or legs. She didn't fall until Horatio launched her over his shoulder. She had started laughing when she was flat on the ground, sweat covering her face. Horatio gave her a smirk. "Much better. Candidate Peverell told me what she gave you. You either guard it harder in case someone notices it or you get over your problems. Got that, Candidate Tonks?" Dora nodded, her body feeling so light. She had been guiddy for the rest of the evening, getting an odd look from her Dad and an interested look from her Mom. Later that night she stepped out of the shower, on her typically wobbly legs, and had pulled a large shirt over her body before sitting on the bed, the charm held in her hand, the magic connecting with hers again.
Dora thought of Hazel and a part of her wanted to cry. From the moment she had appeared in her life, the odd woman had been helping her out. Dora could cast faster now, her spells much more concentrated. She had always had a talent for silent casting but none of her spells felt any weaker now. Now… now she had the freedom to not worry about her clumsiness or her lack of coordination. She knew it was temporary but the relief she had felt all day was real. For the first time, she felt whole. Because of Hazel. Her friend who she now knew had her own demons, ones that literally could snap her personality and force her to flee. Dora touched the charm, feeling some magic on it that wasn't hers. Hazel's magic. Her friend said she was a bad person playing to be good. So why did that feel wrong? She was scary, especially yesterday, but the entire time she fought against that part of herself. Hazel had asked her to look past what her Aunt had done. To be herself. Dora swore she would try. For herself and for Hazel. And maybe… maybe she could help Hazel see past her own demons. Maybe… they could help each other be better. Dora fell asleep that night more relaxed than she ever remembered, the charm sitting comfortably on her bedside table.
Notes:So, how was it? The OW scene is the Hazel in the aftermath of Voldemort's death, so this is her at her mental and emotional worst. While it might seem an extreme reaction, remember that she technically can't take the issue to the Ministry, as Shaklebolt is the Minister, meaning the Order and it's supporters are in power. Being told that she was being targeted for death by so called friends and allies is not going to settle well with her.
Next Chapter?: Halloween
Ok, so the story is now technically mapped out towards its climactic end. At the very least it will cover 60 Chapters as I start chapter 41, and that's not counting the long epilogue. Its now just me getting the outlines into proper chapters. Hope you like what I have planned.
Leave a comment, discuss and see you all in three days.
Chapter 8: A Troll on HalloweenNotes:Here is the Next Chapter. Hope you all like it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 8: A Troll on Halloween
"Ok, let me get this straight. Something is going to happen here in Hogwarts tonight. It might involve Harry Potter and a Mountain Troll. We are here because the presence of a Troll in the school is dangerous and we can't inform the staff because a staff member could be responsible for getting the Troll into the Castle in the first place. Even Dumbledore can't be trusted?" Hazel sighed and checked the Disillusionment and Privacy wards on their person while trying to feel the Hogwarts wards. "Dumbledore has final control of the wards in the castle. If a Troll crosses the ward boundary, he knows. That means that he can't read the wards correctly, which is bad for the whole school. Or he can and did nothing to stop the Troll from entering, which is also bad for the students. Or he temporarily trusted the wards to a staff member, the staff member sabotaged them and now we have a Troll in the school. We can make a case of negligence for two of those and willful endangerment of the students for the third. So no, we can't trust Dumbledore unless the Boss says so." Nymphadora sighed but could see the point Hazel was making, before she tugged on her sleeve. "Good thing I kept my old uniforms from a year ago." Hazel pulled on the uniform she was wearing, the Hufflepuff colors looking odd on her.
At Croaker's orders, they had sneaked onto the Castle Grounds through the hidden passageways and had disguised themselves as seventh year Hufflepuff students. There was a high chance they would be recognized as not from Hogwarts even with their shifted appearance, but the Disillusionment charm would hide them from the paintings, the scent cancelling charm would conceal them from Filch's cat and any other Animagi in the castle. The disguises were mainly a back up plan. That just left the wards. If Dumbledore confronted them despite the charms, then it meant the man had been aware of the Troll. If he didn't, then the wards had to be checked for damage or sabotage, as even a disillusioned person could be spotted by them. Either way, they would learn something from the infiltration. Hazel's eyes scanned the school's hallways, feeling a lot of memories threatening to surface here. For now, though, her mind was focused on completing the task at hand. "So, did you study here or were you raised elsewhere?" Hazel thought back to Croaker's cover story for her. "I studied here as a Gryffindor but not under my current name. Can't say the year or my original name. I graduated around when things got bad with the war. Spent a few sleepless nights fighting Death Eaters on my own until I got word my godson's parents died after the war was over. I took the kid, his grandmother and fled for safer territories."
Dora blinked at that. "Oh. What brought you back?" Hazel noticed they were approaching the Great Hall. "My godson is now my son and he wanted to go to Hogwarts when he turned 11. He has a little less than two years to go before the letter arrives so I brought him over, hoping to settle us down in the country before that day." Dora hummed. "Sounds reasonable." A few seconds passed before she did a double take. "You have a son!?" Hazel hummed happily. "I missed lunch at the cafeteria everyday for a reason, Dora. I don't have a boyfriend or a girlfriend either. What did you think I did everyday at lunch?" Tonks blushed. "I told you, just call me Tonks." Hazel waved a hand before realizing Dora couldn't see it. "Sorry, Dora sounds nicer." Tonks huffed. "Fine! Then I will call you Haze." The moment those words were out of her mouth Dora felt Hazel slam her against the wall. Those green eyes were staring right at her before shifting to slitted red, as if their Disillusionment charms had collapsed. "Don't … call me that." Tonks could instantly tell it meant something to her. Something bad. "Trade?" Hazel blinked at her, her eyes returning to normal before pulling away, disappearing in an instant as she stepped out of Dora's spell. "I… sorry. My ex used to call me that. At the time I liked it but… because of them I got hurt. A lot. That name just… reminds me too much of them. Of what they did." Dora swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat.
"Well, that's better than my excuse. Everyone just teased me because of my name. It got worse in the later years. Everyone expected me to just spread my legs for no reason." Hazel rubbed her currently invisible dirty blonde hair and sighed. "Fine. How about we get the mission done, we get back to base and then in the next week we can decide what nicknames we can both agree to. I am still partial to Dora as I doubt you want me to use the rest of your name. Sounds good?" Dora, moved away from the wall, bumping slightly into Hazel as she did. "Sure. Can I get more of that cake while we are at it?" Hazel groaned. Teddy had made a very tasty vanilla sponge cake with berries and cheesecake filling. He had worked really hard for it the day she had her collapse in the Medical Wing. The fact that it had been so delicious had left her feeling very guilty for scaring him. She had packed two boxes, one for Dora and one for Andromeda. The elder witch had enjoyed it too during one of their weekly get togethers. What was it with Tonkses and Cheesecake? Sure it's delicious but they all seem addicted to it. Teddy had protested when she made a one a week rule for it, but ultimately agreed. "We will see. That was a gift from my son and house elf. I had to put a limit on it and other sweets. You haven't known the stress of motherhood until you have a kid on a bloody sugar high."
Nymphadora started fantasizing about food when they both heard a man screaming about Trolls in the Dungeons, followed by the Great Hall screaming loud enough to make Hazel flinch. "Ok, we probably have a Troll. Point of entry is probably not in the Dungeons but on the first floor along the southern side that leads into the Forbidden Forest. Let's look around there and work our way out." Dora felt a tap on her shoulder and a pull in a direction. She turned to follow. "Got it." The two ran disillusioned along the Halls searching the first floor until a smell caused them both to stop. Dora jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "It's near. No paintings nearby. We can drop the disillusionment charms when ready." Dora drew her wand and started clearing corners as they progressed further down the hallway. "Nothing here." Hazel looked around, finding the place a bit familiar. She had been crying in the bathroom nearby in her world, tired of the kids celebrating while she had to live without having her parents around, especially on Halloween after Weasley insulted her mediocre casting at the time. Would the Troll be there again? She tapped Dora and nudged her in another direction and they moved further into the hallways, the smell growing thicker until they saw the troll entering a bathroom. Hazel had a bad feeling and dropped her Disillusionment, Dora following her lead. "Tonks, create a false wall behind us and put a barrier on it. I don't want anyone messing around with us while we are busy." Tonks nodded and started casting as Hazel aimed her hand at the bathroom. "Homenum Revelio."
Hazel cursed under her breath as her eyes registered a figure inside, besides the magical echo from the Troll. "One person in there. We stun and shield them before we take out Stinky." Dora, finished with the illusion, came by her and lifted her long sleeves back. "Got it." The two entered just as a girl screamed. Hazel dropped onto her knees as the massive club smashed the sinks and then the cubicles. She spotted the girl through the debris and stunned her instantly before casting an independent shield charm on her limp body. Hazel turned and saw the Troll aim his next attack towards her. The giant club slammed into another kinetic shield, just inches from Hazel's face. Eyeing the floor filling with water, Hazel remembered Dora's first fight with Horatio. "Freeze the floor." Dora aimed her wand at the ground. " Glacius. " The floor froze with a thin sheet of ice. It was all Hazel needed. "Banish his legs on three. One, two, three. Depulso ." Hazel aimed her wandless spell at the Troll's head while Dora took out the feet. The ground shook as the beast slipped on the ice and landed on its back. Hazel summoned the club and positioned it over the Troll's head before slamming it down, making Dora flinch at the sickening noise that it made. With the creature dead, Dora took a moment to breathe again before she gagged. She waved away the stench from her face and tried not to look at the now dead Troll. "Well, Stinky is down." Hazel turned and checked the unconscious girl, growing still as she recognized her.
Biting back her less than pleasant instincts, she casted a diagnostic spell on her. "Alive and unharmed except for a few splinters and cuts. I am lifting the spell on her and leaving her for the staff to find. Let's go." Dora nodded and disillusioned herself. She dispelled the false wall and felt an arm pull her to the wall instantly. Two kids passed by, almost running into her as the wall vanished. "I told you it was here! The Castle must have blocked the hallway for our safety. Hermione!" Hazel watched the staff rounding the corner soon after and stilled. Dumbledore's glasses would probably be charmed to pierce disillusionments. She pulled Tonks into her arms and whispered into her ear. "Don't talk or move. I am about to flood you with my magic." Hazel pressed her fingers roughly into Dora's skin. Tonk felt the magic latch onto her, her skin breaking out into goosebumps as her breathing grew cold, before a clothlike material seemed to wrap around her. They watched as the professors arrived, chastising the boys and debating as to what had happened. McGonagall woke up Hermione and got nothing from her. Seeing they could get nothing from the children, the Deputy Headmistress took all three students towards the Hospital Wing as the rest checked around. The moment those blue eyes landed on her own, Hazel's grip on Dora tightened. Dumbledore looked away quickly, seemingly finding nothing. "Professors, please remove the creature. I will go check the wards for anything else being amiss."
After the coast was clear of meddling old goats, Hazel pulled Tonks along towards the hidden passageway. "My magic and cloak blocks most wards from reacting to me. It might keep us hidden but I am not sure of it right now. Regardless, we need to get out of the wardline before I get drained. Stay close to me." Dora bit her cheek and nodded, feeling the magic rushing beneath her skin. The two navigated the hallways before reaching the passageway out of the castle. Hazel pulled her magic back inside of herself as soon as they were over the wardline, eliciting a noise of relief from Dora. Both of them dropped to the floor, underneath Honeydukes' cellar, breathing heavily. Hazel eyed Dora. "You ok? I've only done that to my son before and his magic and mine are tied via blood adoption. I have no idea how it would react to you. Also, sorry about the bruises on your skin. Transferring magic needs certain conditions. I didn't think you'd prefer the taste of my blood in your mouth." Dora huffed as she was out of breath before she could speak. "It felt draining and invigorating at the same time. Otherwise, I think I am fine. And no, I am happy to avoid tasting your blood." Hazel nodded, her face flushed from the exertion as drops of sweat dripped from her chin. "We didn't get a chance to mess with Snape but, other than that, I'd call that mission accomplished." Dora chuckled, her eyes closed. "Right. Mission Accomplished. We will get him next time." Hazel laughed a little and smiled in relief for a second until a thought entered her mind. "Think you could do the debrief with the Boss and Horatio alone?" Dora looked at her friend. "Sure. Got somewhere to be?" Hazel sighed, her hair going white and her face changing back to normal. "I have a date with a graveyard."
-∞-
Teddy kept his hand gripping his mother's tightly as they walked down the cobbled streets of Godric's Hollow. It had become a tradition of theirs to visit the place in their own world on Halloween, leaving flowers on the Potter graves. He had asked his Mom if they could do it again this year, as they missed the one from the year before, with the snow making the journey impossible and unsafe. He could tell his mother was worried and he knew why, feeling a bit guilty for making her come. She hated the place, even if it was the only thing left of her parents. Of course, these weren't the James and Lily that gave Teddy the best mom ever. Still, it seemed fitting. He hoped she would be ok. Hazel's own eyes roamed the streets before landing on the statue made by the Ministry. They had done something similar for her back in her world, though Teddy never saw it. Her eyes shifted across the area as they made their way to the nearly abandoned graveyard. Old wards, left behind by the caretakers of the graves, slipped right over her and Teddy as they moved along the headstones until reaching two slabs of white marble. Hazel moved up the space between them and placed a bouquet of black roses mixed with Lilies on both. She walked back, staring at the two graves for a second, her son's hand taking hers again.
They remained there for a silent moment before moving towards the only other grave she visited here. She knelt down next to it and scraped out the dirt covering the name with her fingers, before waving her hand at the grave, clearing it of all the muck and filth it accumulated after being abandoned for centuries. She transfigured a thestral made of the same black marble and placed it atop the slab, in the middle of a conjured wreath of black roses. Hazel stayed silent with Teddy by her side as she mourned the family that she now belonged to. The people responsible for giving her the gift of living long enough to raise her son and the power to do so. Her moment was interrupted as her senses registered a change in the area. She could feel a person's eyes on her, their movements stiff and slow as they approached from beyond the graveyard's boundaries. "It's been some time since there has been a visitor to this graveyard, even more so on this night of all nights. What family are you two here for, if you don't mind an old woman's curiosity?" Hazel stood up and turned to see a somewhat familiar face. "We are Peverells, Professor Bagshot." The woman waved her hand dismissively as she walked closer to them, her steps unsteady even with a cane. "None of that. I am quite happily retired. Peverell you say? Of which line?"
Hazel smirked, knowing the old woman would probably know. "Ignotus, last of the three. Iolanthe married a Potter, but her aunt did not. My line was presumed extinct but was restored in my generation and now continues on into the next." The woman thought for a second before she nodded. "Ah, yes. There was some debate on that. Still, it's good to hear the name spoken once more. The Peverells carried a heavy burden for centuries and died out for it, taking with them quite the legacy. Perhaps in your hands the burden may be lifted." Hazel wondered if perhaps Grindelwald's obsession with the Hallows came from the old woman. "I believe some things are best left to the mists of time. No one should revisit the terrors of Antioch's Lasting Shame, or Cadmus' Bane. No good comes from seeking powers beyond those men were born to wield." The woman nodded, her eyes looking at her much more clearly. "Then perhaps I was right. Thank you for remembering the last of your people, even if they carried the name Potter. A shame no one is there to tell the boy of his legacy." Hazel chuckled. "Everything in time, Professor. Let the boy be a boy before you burden him with the sins of men." The woman smiled at her and towards Teddy. "Quite right. A fine Samhain to you, my lady Peverell and young master Peverell." Hazel watched the old woman return to her home as her eyes turned to look at the only thing left to see of Godric's Hollow.
She made her way there, as if drawn by an old memory. Her hand touched the white picket fence, the little gate hanging from just one hinge. Teddy tightened his grip on his mother's hand, hoping to give her some support. The two walked up the stairs as her eyes landed on the dark, open doorway. She launched a floating blue light into the room, as Hazel's eyes were instantly drawn to the ground. Ever since she had been hit by Voldemort's last curse, she had been strangely intuned with the places where people died via magic, though she was careful with how she interacted with them. She knelt down and touched the wooden boards, the paint long peeled off and the ravages of time eating away at the material. She knew that a man died here. James Potter. She remembered her earliest memory, one that haunted her dreams as a child before worse memories followed. The sound of her father's voice screaming for Lily to take her and run was a part of her. This one died too, protecting his wife and son. "Mom?" Hazel pulled Teddy to her leg and touched his head. "I am ok still. I… need to feel what happened upstairs." Teddy hugged her leg tightly. "Be careful." Hazel nodded as she launched another light up the stairs, while steading them a bit with reinforcing magic. The two walked up before stopping at what she knew was the Nursery. The door had been reduced to splinters, while half the room, the part facing towards the front of the property, had been blasted open.
Hazel could feel two echoes here. She went to the one closest to the damaged crib. She knelt down and touched the rotted bits of carpet. A woman died here. Lily Potter née Evans. Hazel frowned, feeling as if some magic still lingered there, an echo but not one of a living soul. Blood Magic. "What did you do, Lily, to save your son's life? What has been twisted by those who could only guess at a mother's desperation as a psychopath hunted her year old boy?" No answers came to her from the echo, as Hazel stood up, cleaning her hand. She eyed the spot she dreaded most. She knew what she would find there. Still, she had to know. She knelt down and kissed Teddy, giving him a chess piece. "You keep this in your hand. If I can't get us home, you whisper the phrase that ends the game, your hand gripped to mine. Got it?" Teddy nodded holding the piece to his chest as Hazel turned to the black mark on the ground. She took a deep breath, trying to find some calm before she dared. She reached down and touched the rotted wood, the carpet long since eaten away by curse damage. The echo appeared in her mind, his magic both familiar and alien. A man died here, his flesh devoured by a magic designed to counter his final curse. Yet this is not his end. She could feel it. The magic lingered, as Lily's did. He was still alive and hers… hers could still be fighting him.
Other images began to intrude on her mind as his lingering essence triggered old memories. The times she spent with him as a Professor, teaching her how to protect herself from the vile world. A boy of 15 who looked at her with curious eyes as he showed her a memory of his past, in a grayscale version of Hogwarts. A man reborn from a Cauldron, smiling and laughing as his plans had been carried out to perfection. A whisper in her mind, calling to her, asking things of her. He never wavered from his pursuit of her for the next three years. He had made his claim that she was his to deal with. So he did everything to conquer her, to prove he was above Fate's strings. He took from Hazel everything that mattered to her and left her yearning for death. Hazel broke out of the echo and her memory before physically slipping onto the ground. Teddy, her beautiful son, looked down at her as her eyes filled with tears. A memory threatened to surface even as she fought it. She hugged Teddy to her as her body began to shudder, her mind filling with the voice of the man who tore her apart. Teddy started to cry, seeing his Mom in so much pain. "Checkmate." The phrase activated the black and white Queen, bringing them both to their new home.
-∞-
OW December 25th 1997
"Hazel Potter, alone at last." Hazel turned and eyed the man who had called out her name. She knew who he was. How couldn't she? He had been haunting her mind since the end of Third Task. Her wand slipped into her hand as she circled around him, the sound of snow crunching beneath her boots feeling all too loud in the silent night. "Halloween, my birthday, the Summer Solstice, the last night of term and now Christmas. Should I put out a sign for April's Fools? Maybe Beltane? Tell me, Tom. How much longer will we keep doing this?" The man smiled at her, his face being quite handsome for someone past his sixties, his dark hair cut and combed stylishly to the side. A Homunculus body would probably help with keeping him looking quite young. "You know the magic words, Hazel. You say them to me, this all ends." Hazel gave him a feral grin. "Sure. Avada Kedavra. " The spell came particularly close to hitting his arm as he dodged away, the cobbled ground exploding where the curse impacted. Voldemort gave her a glare, dusting his dapper jacket before drawing his wand. "Not the words I meant." Hazel laughed. "No, but I mean them. Now drop dead!" She casted the Killing Curse over and over at him, forcing him to vanish his overcoat.
The two traded spells in the night, causing the nearby residents to seek shelter as Hazel grew far more frustrated. "Dammit Tom. Just die!" Tom, wishing to stop her, casted a disarming charm. The two spells collided and a familiar golden cage formed around them, casting a warm light over the snow covered ground, a familiar phoenix song filling the air. Hazel growled. "You know my bloody answer Tom! It's not going to change." Tom huffed, running his free hand over his short brown hair before his red eyes focused on her. "Now Hazel, what more can I give you to change your mind? Umbridge? She's efficient but expendable. How about Barty? After the fun he had with you in fourth year I think you could get a lot of mileage out of him. I would offer Severus but I already sent him your way for your birthday. Did you like my present? I know my Death Eaters found him in quite a few pieces." Hazel's mind stopped for a second, forcing Voldemort to reduce his own resistance. "You sent Snape after me on my birthday so I could kill him?" Voldemort smiled at her. "He was a decent Potions Master but a terrible spy. He had already lost any value to me. So I sent him to you. How was it getting your revenge after 6 long years under his less than pleasant tutelage? Must have been quite sweet."
Hazel eyed the man and for a second before she closed her eyes. Voldemort grinned, thinking he might have won before those eyes opened again. The two green orbs were brimming with magic, the irises slitted. Her voice came out raw as her magic rushed into the linked streams. "You bloody, psychotic bastard! He killed my Familiar right before my eyes! You helped take one of the last things in this world that mattered to me!" Voldemort began to feel the magic between them shift as more and more of Hazel's anger fed into the stream of magic. Hazel screamed. "Here's two more words for you, Tom! Choke on them and just die! Ignis Monstrum !" The fire consumed the linked magics between them, forcing Voldemort to drop his spell and apparate back a few feet. He watched as the Fiendfyre fell into Hazel's control, the fire coalescing until a massive winged dragon took form, its roar rattling the windows around him. Hazel's now red eyes remained fixed on him as she sent the beast straight at Voldemort. Seeing his chance lost for tonight, he sighed before apparating away from the area completely. Hazel, filled with pain and rage, screamed, causing the Fiendfyre dragon to roar loud enough to shake the village's houses to their foundations. She turned and saw the statue the Ministry erected of her family. She had been about to destroy it when Tom spoke to her.
After the fire melted the metal sculptures into slag, she dispersed the flames. Hazel dropped to her knees onto the now wet ground. She cried. She continued to cry as she realized that Voldemort wouldn't stop taking from her everything that mattered to her. Her life had been spent as a pawn of two wizards, both with their own ends in mind for her. In the end though, neither cared about her. Here, in the village where she had been raised for a year and where her life was first destroyed, she finally understood. There was no one left who cared about her. Maybe Dora, but not in the way Hazel wanted from her. Everything she had done for the last 7 years of her life was meaningless. It had all been for Dumbledore's and Tom's plans. She cried remembering the last time she had enjoyed a Christmas with her Godmother. She had been the only one to care. Hazel stood up and tried to clean her pants with her wand but nothing happened. She looked at the wand and felt more tears slip from her eyes. From the handle to the tip stretched a massive crack filled with embers. Hazel held the wand to her chest, feeling her heart break again. Her wand had been stubborn with her until her fourth year. Now… now her wand was gone too. She eyed the streets as people stepped out to see the source of the blaze. "Happy bloody Christmas." The words had been as bitter as she remembered when she spoke them alone in the cupboard as she turned her back on the home that never was. She vanished into the night, feeling emptier than when she arrived.
-∞-
NW November 1st, 1991
"Mom. Please wake up!" Teddy had asked Leafsby to drop his Mom into her bed before he joined her after they arrived at the DoM Portkey arrival point. He could feel her hurting inside. His eyes filled with tears. "Please Mom, you have to get up. Please!" He noticed his mother's eyes open and saw them look towards him. It was the same dead and emotionless eyes he knew were there whenever she had a bad day. He waited, hoping to see it change. It did, but not into her usual smile. Tears filled her eyes. She started crying. Hazel brought her hands up to her eyes. "I'm so sorry Ted. I tried. I try so hard! I can't seem to keep myself from falling apart in front of you." Teddy latched onto her side and hugged her. "You're here Mom. That's what matters. You always come home to me." Hazel cried. "You deserve better, Ted. I am a killer. A bloody murderer. You know that. I am going to kill again and again. I am a bad person, Teddy. You deserve someone better than me. Someone who isn't broken and bad." Teddy hugged her harder, rubbing her hair. "But you're here mom. I don't care that you kill people. They are probably bad. You don't want to be like them. You don't want to be bad. That means you are good. You're a good person, Mom."
Teddy reached out and touched his Mom's crying face, his thumbs brushing away her tears before he pressed his forehead against hers. "I don't care that you cry. You're always here, Mom. I know you have bad days. I know you're hurting. But we had good days too. Loads of good days. So please, Mom. Don't think you are bad. You aren't. You're a good mom. The bestest mom. You're my mom. That's all that matters to me. You don't have to cry." Hazel touched Teddy's face, clearing away his tears before pulling him against her into a hug. "I promise you, Teddy. I am going to get better. You deserve better. If you still want me as your Mom, then I will get better for you." The two hugged each other in silence for what felt like hours before Hazel felt Teddy fall asleep in her arms. She adjusted herself, keeping her son cradled against her, before conjuring a blanket to cover them both. She didn't want to wake him. She rested her head back and cried silently. She had to get better for Teddy. She had to be better. But she knew she would kill again. There was no stopping that. If she didn't, monsters would stay in the world longer, killing people like Teddy. They wouldn't care about the innocents or the undeserving. She breathed deeply as she hugged her son tighter. She would do better than them. She would try to be a better mother to her son. No matter what.
Notes:So, how was it? Hazel's Tom/Voldemort looks like an older and more refined version of Christian Coulson, as seen from the movie adaptation of Chamber of Secrets, who isn't afraid to look a bit more like a muggle when it suits him. No, he isn't snake faced. You will see more of him in the future as he played a major part in shapping Hazel. I even adjusted my Chapter's list to give a bit more coverage of him later. Hope you like it.
Next Chapter?: Getting the Job
As expected, it takes a bit to write these chapters, but at the current rate I am at least not losing my advantage. Currently about to write the Champion Selection before moving on to a different Triwizard Tournament.
Leave a comment, discuss and see you all in three days.