Chapter 11: A New Dawn for OperationsNotes:Here is the next Chapter. Hope you all enjoy it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Hazel, wait up." Hazel stopped just outside of Acquisitions as her partner's familiar voice reached her. She turned around and smirked. "Morning Dora. Did you remember to wear your knickers?" Dora blushed and punched Hazel's shoulder. "Yes, I did. Why did you send me two pairs of knickers for Christmas anyways?" Hazel hummed happily. "Just in case you lost your bras since you don't seem to wear them. How were the boots and jacket?" Dora beamed. "They are great. I left them in the apartment because we were getting our Operative gear today. Won't cause a problem for us, though? Dragonhide jackets in maroon are for Hit Wizards and Hit Witches." Hazel nodded. "That they are, but that also happens to be our cover when we step out of the Ministry, remember? We either wear our Unspeakable Cloaks or we wear a Hit Witch's gear. Since I have a Basilisk set, I don't need a new set but you needed yours. I thought you'd like one with a bit of a personal touch, which standard issue ones lack. They tend to be more comfortable that way, especially around the bust. You can thank Quetz for working on it." Dora blushed as she pouted. "Thank you for that." The two reached the entrance and pressed their badges onto the door. Quetz looked up from her workstation and smiled as the door opened fully. "Welcome back you two. R1, your gear is in the back. Try it on. R2, get your trasero over here. I got a large assortment of knives for you. Take your pick so I can adjust the holster."
Dora looked over the table and scanned the large spread of knives. She eyed a few curved blades but decided against them. She would have to relearn how to fight with those. She held a few knives until she found a pair of slightly curved combat knives. Quetz hummed approvingly. "Not a bad pick. Good for forcing some distance or cutting someone's throat from behind. You bring your gear here every time after a mission, you hear? I ain't letting you out there with your knives rusted or dulled." Dora nodded and handed the two blades to Quetz, who pulled out a holster for them and started binding it with stitches to Dora's suit. Hearing a few heavy steps, Dora turned and froze. Hazel looked absolutely hot in the black full body suit that went down to her knees as she seemed to adjust her bracers. Dora had to turn away though Quetz gave her a knowing look before heading to Hazel. "I left some room for throwing knives in the bracers and belt for you, so try them out. Make sure you come by and restock before getting out there." Hazel chuckled, "Yes ma'am." Quetz walked around her, eying her up and down, looking for any imperfections. "Shift to your Animagus form. I want to see if any of the heavy spell resistant areas give you trouble or lose enchantment." Hazel nodded and shifted into a lynx. She stretched around, ran across the room and gave Dora the stink eye when she cooed at her, before shifting back. "A bit of a tight fit on the bracers, greaves and knee guards areas but nothing unexpected."
Quetz pulled out her wand and casted a diagnostic on the mentioned areas. She nodded. "No weakening, at least not yet. You come in and have me look them over after long missions as an Animagus." Hazel nodded as she pulled the Unspeakable grey cloak over her head and pulled down the face covering. Dora shivered a little. "Very Grim Reaper. If you weren't my partner and I ran into you in a firefight, I'd shit bricks." Quetz grinned. "Part of the game. Fear gets your enemy to make mistakes. More time for you to hit them first." Hazel pulled the lower end of the cloak off, leaving the mask in place around her head. She vanished in a second before appearing again. "Not an Invisibility Cloak but probably better than most in the market. Is the suit designed to strengthen a Disillusionment charm?" Quetz nodded as Hazel removed her face covering. "Got that right, amiga. Our eggheads found a neat balance between the two. People with the right gear will spot you, nothing we can do about that, but everyone else will see jack shit." Quetz went back to finish her work on Dora's suit as Horatio entered the chamber. "Croaker's got a mission for you two in two days. Strap those suits on and meet me at the training room. We need to get you up to speed before we send you out."
Hazel looked at Horatio with concern. "Is that wise? We only have six months of Operative training." Horatio looked between the two. "Which isn't much from an Auror's perspective. With Operations, it's a bit faster in getting results." He looked at a worried Dora. "Of the two of you, you are the less experienced, Tonks. This isn't something we can fix in a training room or with more casting and exercise. You need real life combat. You need to get a feel for what it's like and what you can do in that situation." Dora thought on his words as Hazel eyed her with concern. Dora looked between her partner and Horatio. "You aren't worried about Hazel?" Hazel sighed and had a distant look to her eyes. "This isn't my first run in with dangerous wizards and witches. I've put several in the ground already. I am guessing my learning aspect from this is working with you, watching your back and taking things a bit more slowly." Horatio nodded. "This is why we are a bit more confident sending you two out, Tonks. You have a partner with real world experience who can look after you. Listen to her, focus on your safety and the mission, and you should be fine."
Dora held her own body suit, her hand rubbing the material absentmindedly. She knew this was early and it was likely going to be dangerous. But the danger was part of the job. Horatio was right. All the training in the world wouldn't get her the experience she needed or the feel for a real mission. She would have to get her hands dirty for that. Which meant casting curses at others, killing them and repeating it over and over again. She'd done that in practice but could she do it in real life, without becoming like her aunt? Hazel's hand on her shoulder broke her though and the concern on her eyes was clear to see. "You can sit this one out if you want. It might be a bit harder but I can manage it on my own." Dora felt a new emotion build up. Guilt. Her partner was willing to go into danger alone, just to relieve her of the stress. Dora's hand clenched on her combat suit as she swallowed the lump in her throat. This was never going to be easy and while she could wait, she knew she would eventually have to make the same decision again and again. She chose to stick with this job and with her partner. She wasn't going to change that. She breathed deeply before looking at Horatio. "Get me as ready as you can. I am not letting Hazel do this alone."
-∞-
Dora stared at a map of the compound they would be breaking into as Horatio paced beside her while Croaker looked on. A voice was heard from a small comm device on the table. "R1 on the rooftop. Got four guards here on assigned watches, one roamer. Assigned guards are at the four corners." Dora nodded to herself as she marked the corners with a red inked pen. "Got it." She eyed Croaker who seemed to be writing in a book, charmed for communication. She knew the mission today was a big one. Croaker had called them because he felt they could manage it with sufficient backup and it would help get them support among the ICW, who had issued the warning. The Observers under the ICW had tracked a shipping company making deliveries of illegal muggle weapons and contraband via portkeys. Because of how the sensors around borders worked, the smugglers with magical assistance had to keep the items on site until they were sure they didn't get spotted. Croaker's DoM had been tracking them for years but with no Operatives and no means to bypass permission from the top, they had no way of sending in the DMLE without getting spotted or blocked. The owner of the place apparently made quite a few large donations to the Minister too, which made warrants harder to get. Dora interrupted her thoughts when Hazel's voice came over the comms again. "Ten wizards on the 3rd floor, none wearing any resistant gear so far. All at hallway intersections. Five on the second floor, a bit more spread out, but the same configuration."
Marking the hallways on the third and second floor floor plans, Dora also noted the amount of people per floor. A part of her had been annoyed that Hazel had been sent first but she could see why. Hazel could sneak past wards and people without being spotted. She had no idea how, but it felt like she could walk through walls. Her friend went alone ahead to get a good feel for the building and enemy placement, something that would give them the advantage they needed to avoid unnecessary complications. Dora would be called in for the strike. She felt her hands shake for a moment. She'd be killing soon. Horatio eyed her carefully. "Leave the nerves, R2. Focus on the moment. When you get back, you have my permission to shake yourself till morning. And stop thinking that this will make you like a certain witch. You know what these people are and what they do. You are going in to put a stop to it. Remember that." Horatio's words helped her settle herself as she swallowed. "Ten Wizards on the first floor, ten Muggles with assault weapons and body armour. Priority One on site as extra. R1, moving towards the basement. No sign of wardstone yet." Dora felt her nerves return a little. These men meant business if they brought muggles armed to the teeth, and the wizard bribing the Minister was on site. Croaker looked quite unhappy. "Getting permission to violate the Statute on muggle criminals from the ICW. Standby." Dora pulled the floor schematic of the basement level and waited. Hazel's voice came in clear, along with her anger. "Got ten wizards on the basement level and five muggle combatants. We have 35 civilian female muggles in states of undress held in cages, all with their hands bound. Wardstone has been located and it's vulnerable. Orders?"
Dora felt her heart sink. Human traffickers. The bastards were more than gunrunners and smugglers. They were human traffickers too. Croaker cursed. "ICW gave clearance but I am sending a revised request on breaking the Statute with the muggle victims. Get ready to plant the charge on the wardstone. R2, head to the portkey exit point and take your deployable wardstone. I am going to call in the DMLE a bit early. We need the site contained." Dora nodded and placed her hearing comms device in her ear and raised her wrist to her mouth. "R2, online." Hazel 's voice was clear in her ear. "R1, roger." Horatio's voice followed. "BM, Acknowledged. All clear. Boss has the go ahead and DMLE will be onsite as soon as the deployable wardstone is in place. Orders given, main standing order is to get back to base safely, both of you. No one gets left behind. Got it?" Dora arrived at the portkey extraction point as she pulled her hood and face covering on before picking up the deployable wardstone. They had elected to leave the cloaks behind to reduce physical limitations in the confined spaces. "Roger that BM. R2, at extraction point. All green." Hazel responded. "Roger that BM. R1 awaiting orders to plant charge on wardstone before transferring to the roof for R2's arrival. All green." Dora waited as she felt her heart beating faster and faster. Horatio's voice broke the silence. "R1, neutralize the ward and clear the roof. R2, prepare for the portkey. Mission is a go."
-∞-
Noticing Hazel by her side as soon as she landed, Dora shook off the effects of the Portkey. Her eyes took in her surroundings, noting the five dead guards. She placed the deployable wardstone on the ground at the dead center of the roof. "R2, activating wardstone." Hazel felt the wards snap into place and she shivered. For a deployable wardstone, it was bloody strong. She was glad they were tuned to be able to apparate in and out of it. "R1 and R2 in position on the roof. ETA on DMLE?" Horatio's voice came in clear, unlike earlier with the local wardstone causing minor interference. "Two minutes, R1. Engage on my mark. Lethal force is authorized. Watch for collateral on the basement level." Hazel eyed Dora, seeing her a bit nervous. Her wand was shaking. "Deep breaths R2. Remember the drills. Aim for the torso, check your corners and keep moving. These people deserve worse than what you are giving them." Dora nodded, feeling a little better, before she looked at Hazel. "Any chance for fresh pizza tomorrow?" Hazel smiled to herself as she shook her head. "I'll get three." Horatio's voice came in. "DMLE on site. Engage targets on the third floor and proceed down. Avoid the red coats and stow the chatter." Hazel turned to Dora and got a nod. They descended the stairs as they heard screams and gunfire. Hazel, on point, took down two guards quickly as they made their way through, the green light of the Killing Curse flashing quickly and silently.
Dora found her breathing heavy as she followed her. She took two wizards down with a stunner before finishing them with a cyan AK each. She shuddered for a second before moving on. Hazel took down two more who tried to slip around them. Her enchanted eyes registered two more bodies moving towards them from the back and she eyed her friend who nodded. A flashbang spell and two AKs and the last two on the floor were down. Hazel spoke into the comm on her wrist. "Roof and third floor are clear. Two guards unaccounted for, probably down to the second floor." Hazel waited for a response. "DMLE is currently unable to breach the first floor. Transfer to Basement and make your way up. Aurors are preparing brooms to reach the roof." Hazel grabbed Dora by the waist and apparated her down to a safe room she had identified near the ward stone. Dora checked with Hazel the direction of the wardroom and noted it was occupied, probably with wizards trying to restore it. "Got five in the wardroom, two outside. Can't read rest because of non-combatant signatures." Hazel vanished as if disillusioned, startling Dora for a second. She shook her head to clear her mind as the door opened, Hazel standing outside as she seemed to make a cloak vanish into her stomach. "Three more down on the Basement level. Let's go." The people in the wardroom went down quickly with the two coordinating targets, before moving towards the area with the cages.
Hazel tapped Dora's shoulder. "Focus on clear targets, anyone who goes for hostages is mine." Dora nodded and the two charged into the room. Hazel's kinetic shield sprang up and Dora heard bullet fire aimed her way. She took down several targets as they cleared the room, Dora's fear and concerns evaporated at the sight of the women, some with obvious bruises on their faces. Hazel was right, the bastards deserved way worse for this. A few guards went for hostages but the spikes of metal that sprang from above their heads ended them quickly. The woman started screaming and Dora silenced them as she made herself visible, before casting a translator charm on the lot of them. "We're with the police. Stay low to the ground and no weapons. We will get you out as soon as we are clear." Dora turned slightly, her wand aimed slightly down and was suddenly sent flying into the wall. She saw a green curse strike the wall beside her as she heard a body drop. Dora stared at the wall as her heart started beating faster and faster. She had almost died. In a second she would have been dead. Just like the people she killed upstairs. She started breathing heavily, finding it hard with the mask, her hands and body shaking uncontrollably. She felt her face covering pulled aside as green eyes stared at her with concern. "R1 to BM, R2 is going into shock. Missed AK almost took her down. Orders?" Dora brought her hands to her face as her eyes grew unfocused. Dead. She should be dead. Like them. If it hadn't been for Hazel, she would be dead. She thought of her parents, how much her dying would hurt them and started to cry. Horatio's voice came in loud in her ear. "Blast it. The DMLE forces are cutting through the first floor and they got boots coming in from the roof. R1, shield R2 and clear the Basement level of hostiles. Extreme measures authorized. Watch for collateral."
Dora felt someone lift her chin. "Really wanted our first time to be different but you need a heavy dose of my magic. We will talk more later." Dora froze as warm lips landed in hers and then her mind went blank, a soft moan leaving her lips. Magic. Pure, powerful magic flooded her mind and body. It felt like she had on Halloween night at Hogwarts but this time it was overwhelming. She was drowning in magic. She felt so warm and safe. She felt herself being lowered down and saw a pair of glowing green eyes shifting to silver. Her mind registered as a cloth was placed over her head before the magic inside of her connected to the cloth. She felt so light and free. What had she been doing? That sensation remained as the area around her went silent, with sporadic bouts of noise bursting once in a while. She had no idea how long she lingered there on the ground, only that the silence eventually lasted longer. Her mind… she knew something had happened, but she couldn't place it. She did know she felt warm. So warm. She watched to touch. To be touched. She wanted those lips again. Those eyes had looked at her with something she knew was different. What was it? She felt a pair of hands touch her and the cloth was pulled away from her body. Warm green eyes looked at her and Dora felt her heart beat loudly again. "R1 to BM. Basement is cleared and Priority One is down. I have R2 in my possession. Permission to extract?" A voice sounded very loud in Dora's ear. "Permission Granted." She felt magic latch onto her and she was pulled away.
-∞-
"Croaker." Saul sighed as he entered the briefing room. While the Minister and the Chief Warlock would be informed, it was best to talk to the DMLE first. He sat down as he eyed the three Aurors before focusing on one of them. "Amelia, what's the word from your people?" The greying redhead sat back, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at Croaker, her eyes showing a rare glimpse of emotion. "Ten Aurors are in St. Mungos, most with bullet wounds and a few suffering from cutting curses, broken bones and two with blood boiling curses. Two Aurors are dead." Saul lowered his head. "My apologies. The smugglers were much more well trained and armed than what was anticipated and identified by the ICW." Scrimgeour growled. "That they were. Half of the captured wizards were foot soldiers under You Know Who. They got a light sentence to Azkaban and went right back to the streets. Seemed they weren't as "reformed" as we had hoped." Croaker rubbed his chin. Not the expected result but those were the type of people he wanted to keep out of Voldemort's hands should he return. This little ICW mission paid off a little bit on their main concern. He noticed Alastor Moody eyeing him curiously.
"Yes, Alastor?" The old Auror grunted. "Your team did a number on the third floor but much more on the basement level." Croaker stared at the man. "I never pegged you as the squeamish type." The man snorted. "I'm not. They did fine work. All the combatants were dead by the time we got down there. Some of the victims mentioned one of your people had a problem and was removed from the fight. That's not like Horatio, sending in someone so green." Croaker sighed. "The window for interfering was short and we had the means to disrupt this network that the ICW had been eyeing for years. One of our Operatives is indeed quite new to deadly engagements and is currently receiving medical attention. We don't see any concern and we hope the experience will help them along." Scrimgeour butted into the conversation. "I am more worried about your other Operative. The damage done to the criminals on the basement level was … severe at times. Far worse than the third floor. Our Chief Warlock will raise a fuss over this. Minister too." Croaker waved the issue away. "They can complain all they want. Our BM got the word of one of ours being out of commission. He gave the order for extreme measures and the remaining Operative carried it out."
Moody chuckled. "Aye, they did at that. And quickly too. Some of my former Cadets slipped on the slick ground a few times before noticing it wasn't puddle water. Horatio swooning over this one?" Croaker sat back. He hadn't seen the damage himself yet, but he had heard Hazel's brief after action debrief. The woman took Horatio's order and followed it to the letter. Every criminal, no matter their magical talent or lack of it, got skewered by her conjured lances. He could imagine the mess left after she dispelled them. Horatio had been happy to not be on the receiving end of them on this night. "You know our BM, he's making sure we got the best. We got lucky this last year. Now, I believe Rufus touched on the more problematic aspects of what's to come. The Minister was receiving bribes from the owner of the building. Were you able to identify them among the captured criminals?" Amelia glared at him. "You know they weren't. The owner's body is in the morgue with a decently sized hole in his chest." Croaker hummed, not dignifying that with an answer. Horatio had been the one to clear Hazel to take out the Priority One target after all. He just didn't countermand the order. "Imagine that. Guess Fudge will throw a memorial. A cheap one." Rufus and Alastor chuckled which earned them a glare from Amelia. "Yes, yes. Our Minister's pockets will be lighter now. Until the next scumbag offers him the galleons. The question is what do we tell the Chief Warlock and the Minister. We can't hide this in the morning." Croaker eyed the three Aurors. "The DoM is operating under the assumption that the Chief Warlock can't be trusted." That got Alastor's attention. "What has Albus done that's got you up in arms?"
Croaker passed a file to Amelia. "Our Department was informed of improprieties done by the Headmaster. Mr. Potter's illegal living arrangements, some attempts at accessing his vault and property, the cover up of a Troll slipping past the Hogwarts wards and endangering the students and lastly a cursed artifact left where any eleven year old could find it. This all comes after he has used his position as Chief Warlock to conceal, impede and delay any investigations into the safety of everyone involved. There is a suggestion of having Mind Healers on standby should students have found the artifact, but without a clear reason to send them, the students won't get the attention they might need and definitely deserve." Amelia looked grim. "Your Department is taking measures to mitigate the dangers?" Croaker nodded. "We are, but anonymity will be important, especially from the Chief Warlock. We got permission from the ICW Observers to keep our involvement today secret. We have a cover of a special task force in the Hit Wizards that we used in the past, one the ICW can activate independently of the Minister's orders. We want to use it again. For that we need the approval of the Director of the DMLE and the Head Auror." Amelia looked at her colleagues. Alastor nodded but Rufus Scrimgeour was thoughtful. "If we get into a situation where we need highly trained Aurors, would your people be willing to get involved?" Amelia looked to Croaker, who was pensive. He looked at the expecting Aurors. "If there is a justifiable cause. We have concerns over the misuse of our Department by the Ministry. It's why we are separate from it and the Wizengamot. If you ask, you will have an answer. If it's good, you will have back-up. That is the best I can do."
Rufus nodded. "I will take it. Though if they lend a hand, make sure they go with non-lethals first. I would rather not be the one to explain to so many families why so many people can't have open casket wakes." Croaker nodded. "Agreed." Rufus left the meeting room but Croaker was surprised to see Amelia and Alastor remain. "Yes?" Alastor fixed both his eyes on him. "Is Nymphadora Tonks one of your Operatives?" Croaker stared back. "Can't say." Alastor gave him a crooked grin. "You train her up well. Had my eye on her from her 7th year at Hogwarts. If she can hack it under Horatio, the better." The battered man left the room, slapping Croaker's shoulder in a surprisingly friendly gesture, leaving Amelia with Croaker in the briefing room. She leafed through the report and rubbed her eyes before staring at Croaker. "My niece is at Hogwarts." Croaker sighed. "Augusta's grandson as well." Amelia held the file Croaker gave her. "I lost my brother, sister, sister-in-law and fiancée to the Order and the Death Eaters. If you are sure Albus isn't as noble as they believed him to be then I want in, Saul. If I lose Susan, I am taking the escaped Death Eaters and the Order down with me. Got that?" Croaker could see the anger in Amelia's eyes. "I will have my Operative's keep you in the loop." Amelia nodded as she stood up. "If one of them is the woman I met at Madam Malkins then send her. If you hadn't taken her in, I would have." Croaker chuckled. "If you did, the Gamot would have been in ruins by now." Amelia waved him off as she left the room. "Right now I can't bring myself to care. Half of the pricks would have deserved it."
-∞-
Hazel sat quietly besides Dora who was resting on the bed after the mission. Andromeda had been mad with Horatio for taking Dora out so early in her career but Horatio had been right. She had been safe. Hazel made sure of it. She turned the page over on Horatio's book, seeing some interesting spells to try if she ever had to take on a Troll or a Dragon again. She saw a bit of movement from the bed and placed the book to the side after marking the page with a leather strap. Dora's eyes opened, those beautiful purple eyes focused on her. She couldn't bring herself to tell Dora that the shift on her eyes had slipped. She loved those eyes on Teddy and seeing them on Dora was making her feel things. "Hey Partner." Dora gave her a smile. "Watcher. What have I missed?" Hazel chuckled. "Horatio getting chewed out by your mom. Croaker went to clear things up with Amelia Bones and the DMLE. You also got some get-well gifts." Dora sat up and saw a table full of cards and sweets at the end of her bed. Dora stretched out and looked at her hands. She thought back to the mission. How she froze. A shiver ran down her spine. She felt the bed dip and an arm wrap around her waist. "Let it out." Dora turned to Hazel and felt her eyes teared up. "I screwed up. I almost got killed and you had to do the rest of the mission alone. I… should have died. I should have stayed." Hazel hugged Dora tighter. "There is a reason we don't go in alone, Dora. You could have died, but I had your back. You go out there again, I will always have your back. As for you staying, it wouldn't have mattered. Whether in the next mission or the one after, something like this was always going to happen."
Dora pressed her face into Hazel's chest and just held her. The feel of Hazel's warmth made her feel grounded again. It made it feel… alive. "Aren't I supposed to have your back too? How are you so sure you will be safe knowing I could freeze up again." Hazel hummed and Dora's body grew warmer. "I froze too. First three times my life was on the line. Back then I had no one to help me. Not really." Dora pulled back and looked her in the eye. "How did you stop freezing up? How did you get over the worry of just dying?" Hazel sighed. "I don't know if it will be the same for you Dora. You need to understand, my life was hell. The reason I froze… the reason I froze was because I didn't know if fighting was worth it. The first few times I survived by luck. The fourth… The fourth was when I finally had a reason to live. I had a reason to survive. I stared death in the face and knew that I had to live. So tell me Dora, do you have anything like that?" Dora blinked. Did she have a reason to live? She thought of her parents. How sad they would be if she died. She didn't really have any other friends. Then there was Hazel. Her partner, her friend. Would she want to live for her?
Hazel could see Dora thinking things through before she felt Dora shift in her place and her eyes looked at her. What was in those purple eyes made her pause. She had seen eyes like that before. On her ex. The desire, lust and longing. Dora pulled herself up but felt a finger press onto her lips. Hazel watched as Dora grew confused. "I… didn't you kiss me before?" Hazel blushed. She and her ex had quite a few amorous nights together. In one of those nights she learned she could pour her magic into others. Physical contact was needed but a kiss with her blood dripping into their mouths always proved to be the best method. She could also pull theirs out by taking their blood from them. Her ex had not been amused but he had deserved it. He was a bastard and he bloody well earned it for the stunts he pulled before their relationship came crashing down. Hazel nodded at Dora. "I did. To fill you with enough of my magic so that my cloak would protect you. Not even a Killing Curse would have pierced it." Dora blinked. "Oh. Wow. But…" Hazel could see Dora growing confused. Hazel bent her head down and pressed it against Dora's. "Dora, I will be blunt. I am interested in a relationship with you. But building it now, after your brush with death, feels wrong. You need time to strengthen yourself, to look inside. Find a reason to live that isn't me. I won't date you like this. Not right now. Please."
Dora frowned. "Why?" She watched Hazel close her eyes. The eyes she saw next weren't the happy eyes she knew, these were hollow. Empty. They terrified her. "Because if you did that, then you would be just like me. I lost my reasons to live, Dora. For a year I was ready to die. Then Teddy came around." Hazel's eyes brightened again. "He became my everything. I don't regret it but I can see the danger in that. I would die for him, Dora. And then what?" Dora thought for a second. Teddy and Hazel were alone. If she died, Teddy would be left behind. "You can't stand the thought of leaving Teddy behind, alone without someone to care for him, can you?" Hazel shook her head. "No, I can't. My parents did the same for me. They died trying to save me. And I hate them for it. They trusted strangers to care for me and I was betrayed and abandoned by almost everyone. I refuse to have my son live that life." Dora saw a light fill Hazel's eyes for a moment before it faded. Hazel looked at Dora. "Don't be like my parents, Dora. Don't focus on a reason to live beyond just yourself. It can easily become a reason to die. Don't ever get to that point. Please, Dora. Please live." Dora gripped Hazel's shirt and nodded. "Ok, I promise. I will. But don't think that I am forgetting that kiss."
Hazel grinned and brought her lips close to Dora's, making the young woman freeze. "I won't forget either. Trust me. If I was only interested in bedding you, I would be devouring you right now. I would make you forget that you are currently in your Mom's work area and get you to scream your lungs out." Dora's face and hair became a soft red. She was growing so warm. She wanted to kiss Hazel so bad. She wanted to let Hazel have her way with her. Hazel lifted her head up and kissed Dora's forehead. "But I want what we might have to last. I want to trust you. To know you. I want you to know me completely. Right now is not the time." Dora released a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. Looking back she could see what Hazel meant. They had fun together, they trusted each other, but they hardly knew each other. Dora nodded. "Ok. I can wait." Hazel gave her a cheeky smile. "If you ever get frustrated though, I might be tempted to help you relieve that stress. Maybe." Dora's face blushed and Hazel chuckled as she stood up. She took the cards from the table and brought them to Dora. "One's from Teddy, another from Quetz and the rest are actually from the women we rescued. Might want a written word translation charm. Pretty sure a few are in Spanish, Portugese, Chinese and I assume Russian." Dora took them and smiled. She looked at Hazel. "What's going to happen to them?" Hazel sighed and rubbed her hair. It took a moment for Dora to realise that Hazel's hair was out of a braid or a ponytail. She had shortened it for the mission. It looked good on her.
"All have agreed to minor Obliviations of all memories of magic. A few have asked for Obliviations of the worst the smugglers did to them. Mind Healers and Psychologists as well as Aurors and MI5 operatives are interviewing them, helping them out before the Obliviations are applied. The British government will see to their safe return home. The ICW has gotten in contact with Interpol too, so we could see a lot of the organization fall apart after today, from both sides." Dora blinked. "I never knew that they could all come and work together like that." Hazel shrugged. "They never did, in my experience. This mission seems to have stirred up a hornet's nest. It's scary actually. Croaker has been bloody smiling all day." Hazel shivered and Dora laughed. The door to the Medical Wing opened and a black haired missile attached himself to Hazel's leg. "Mom, you ok? Is Dora ok?" Hazel pulled Teddy up and dropped him beside Dora. "See, all fine. How about you help her with some of that candy. Dromeda probably won't let her eat it all." Andromeda huffed. "Of course not." Teddy and Dora started opening up candies and Hazel smiled at the two having fun together as Andromeda started casting diagnostics on Dora. They were home, Teddy and Dora were safe and the enemy was down. It was all that mattered right now.
Notes:So, how was it? Nothing quite like a trial by fire, especially for Recruits. While this mission was primarily in Dora's perspective, there will be later ones in Hazel's so look forward to those. If you are curious what the Full Body Suits look like as I imagined them then look up Motoko Kusanagi GITS SAC 2nd GiG (its the black outfit with the only skin shown being the face). The anime is one of my favorites and serves as some inspiration for what I believe Operations should be like, only less cyberpunk and more magic. The hood is a similar color and the area were the face should be is pitch black. Another good example is the Phantasm from Batman TAS, minus the mask and blade, when they are wearing the Unspeakable cloak.
Next Chapter?: Fallout and Securing Alliances
Just finished part of the Third Task. One more scene to go before I tackle the Graveyard. Getting closer to the 50th Chapter mark. Hope you are all still liking the story as I get closer to the conclusion and epilogue. Best guess is I hit Chapter 65 as the finale but still too far to know for sure.
Leave a comment, discuss and see you all in three days.
Chapter 12: Moving ForwardNotes:Here is the next chapter. Hope you like it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Are you sure that's wise?" Croaker eyed Hazel carefully. "I can understand your personal concerns Miss Peverell, but we are dealing with Dumbledore as a potential threat, as well as Voldemort. I already informed Amelia of my concerns about Dumbledore in order to secure your cover among the DMLE. Now we need to inform her of Voldemort's potential whereabouts and return. Coming from you, that should certainly help her understand how serious this is and perhaps convince her that I am not just crying wolf." Hazel frowned and Croaker noticed. "Did you have a poor experience with your Madam Bones?" Hazel ran her hand through her hair. She had shortened it for the mission but Teddy said it looked nice on her, having shoulder length hair, so she kept it for now. Dora certainly seemed to appreciate it as well. "Not exactly. I sent letters to the DMLE about my living situation but they were never answered. At first I thought I was being ignored but when I got pulled in front of a trial for trumped up charges, Madam Bones informed me that no such letters ever arrived. Her niece, Susan, did leave me with some bitter feelings. I tried befriending the Hufflepuffs in the later half of my first year but that ended when I opened my mouth and spoke snake in a Dueling Club match in my second year."
Croaker sat back. "Sounds like your mail was warded and blocked. We may need to do some redirection of mail on Harry just in case." Hazel nodded. "Since I never got a balance statement from Gringotts through the mail, I thought it was the likely thing that happened. Might I suggest a duplication of the mail? We keep a copy and see what does or doesn't filter through. I had an elf that tried blocking my mail in second year, including my Hogwarts letters. I thought I was going mad with worry as I could potentially get stuck at the Dursleys a whole year. My issues with Wizarding Britain hadn't been enough to make me want to leave it outright just yet." Croaker nodded, writing down the suggestion. "We will put the redirecting ward here, catch the mail, duplicate it and then send it out again. That should tell us a bit of what might be going on. I still suggest you go to the DMLE and inform Amelia." Hazel hummed. "How much do you want me to say? Because the Head of the DMLE pulling her niece out of Hogwarts will be a massive red flag for both Dumbledore and Voldemort." Croaker sighed and rubbed his face. "You have a point. Show her, if you have to, a memory from your Sixth year, if not at least tell her what became of her family's home. Your debriefs mentioned she died in her home after an attack by Voldemort. That will get her more worried about her home security, which will be in need of an upgrade anyway and will keep Susan at Hogwarts for the time being."
Hazel gave him a sharp grin. "She ever hears that you played her, she might come after you." Croaker glared at Hazel. "I am more worried about my sister. You haven't seen Augusta get bloody furious. She's the one I am having nightmares about not telling her about this shit." Hazel hummed. "And if Amelia recommends telling Augusta? Getting Dowager Longbottom back onto the Wizengamot might be wise. Especially as we start eating away at the seated gentry. We already have one seat left open. Might not want to let the traditionalists fill it without a fight." Croaker sighed and rubbed his face in thought. He eyed Hazel. "Discuss it with Amelia. Her and Augusta have been close over the years. The two getting together might nab us the Abbotts and eventually the Diggorys. It's not much but it's a start into the Gamot's members we can secure. We are already going to be shutting down the traditionalists that hid behind the Imperius defense and their vault contents. If we want to keep the government intact by the end, we need the Progressives and Neutrals on our side." Hazel hummed and Croaker groaned. "Stop thinking of a toppled Ministry. Might I remind you we are getting a paycheck from them?" Hazel pouted. "Spoilsport."
Standing up, Hazel stretched. "Well, guess I am heading upstairs. Any bodies I should drop on the way? I am good with leaving heads in boxes to get people in line. Worked like a charm on the Goblins. I could take out the Undersecretary and leave her head for Fudge. Might scare him straight." Croaker closed his eyes. "No bodies, no heads, no curses. I want you up there without drawing attention to yourself. If you have to bloody walk right through Amelia's door under cloak, then bloody do it. It's hard enough keeping the ruse that we are just a research department only without you leaving a trail of blood and entrails in your wake." Hazel thought for a second. "Fine, but if she sends you a Howler, you deserve it. I have a policy of not spooking law enforcement. Pissing them off when they come after me? Sure. But not spooking or seeking them out directly." Croaker nodded and he pulled out his paperwork. "Stick to ignoring them or working with them for now. You can sever heads later when we have an idea who is or isn't trying to undermine the Ministry. Now get going, R1." Hazel waved at him and left the office.
She stood at the elevator, feeling the fabric of her cloak in her hand when she heard her name being called. "Watcher, Hazel. Never seen you take the elevator before." Hazel hummed. "Never had to do it a lot. Where are you heading out this early, Dora?" The lift opened and they entered together. Hazel liked how the red coat she got for her partner looked on her, though it would probably look better with her natural eyes. Oh well. Dispelling her thoughts before she got distracted she caught Dora's answer to her query. "Horatio wants me to hit the Academy. Moody wants to give his cadets a hard lesson and he volunteered me for the job." Hazel eyed her friend. It had been two weeks since her breakdown during the mission, but she could still see some stiffness in Dora's shoulders. A good mission and a lot of stunned cadets might do her good. "Try to be careful ok? I want my partner back in one piece. The cadets might drop at the toss of a hat but Moody likes a practical lesson. He is bound to test you. The man is a menace despite the prosthetic leg." Dora eyed her and smiled. "Will do, partner." Hazel's floor came up and she tapped Dora's shoulder. "Stay safe and remember that the bone breaker hex is technically fair game."
Dora's smile eased her concerns as she found a quiet corner and vanished behind her Cloak. Dora had told her how the Cloak had felt to her and it warmed her knowing how welcoming it had been of her friend. The Stone and the Wand would always be the stubborn ones, needing a lot more of her magic in a person to get them to behave. Not that she ever used the Stone for its intended purpose. She knew how vulnerable she was mentally. She had known since her sixth year. Raising the dead for a second wouldn't make it any easier for her. Though to be fair she was sure her dead wouldn't find her here so at this point her Stone was probably nothing more than the alternative foci she always used it as. Worked quite well for sustaining shield charms which had made her question a lot as to why the Peverell Brothers kept them separate. She was personally of the opinion that the Hallows weren't theirs but their father's, Alexander. Sadly that bit of information was now lost to her. The fact the Cloak here didn't respond to her magic meant that the method of creation was probably different. There was a good chance its origins were as well. Eyeing the counter to the DMLE's main offices, Hazel cleared her thoughts before she fed her magic into the Cloak.
Slipping through the door, she eyed the mess of Aurors milling about, most of them writing down a whole lot of paperwork. The far wall consisted entirely of filing cabinets. Dora better have counted her lucky stars because she really would have hated her job. Hazel had no idea how the Ministry expected the Aurors to work with carpal tunnel on their wand hands. She navigated the mess and found the door she needed. A quick peek of her head showed that the woman was alone. She slipped fully inside the office and lightly tapped the door behind her. Amelia looked up. "Yes?" The woman went for her wand before she recognized Hazel as the cloak was removed. She sighed. "You are going to be giving me a heart attack. I might just punch Croaker for this." Hazel smiled as she stored her Cloak away. "True but as we are still getting started, we thought it best not to just waltz into your office. Not that I even know how to waltz." Amelia motioned her to sit down and she did as she felt privacy wards snap into place. The graying redhead eyed Hazel. "Should I be concerned about the incident at the docks?" Hazel hummed. "Well, if your Aurors ever come knocking on my house door, I would start ordering coffins. Fortunately I am currently living at a place no unauthorized Auror should reach, so no chances of that happening. I will be mad if your people ruin my future house though, when I get one."
Amelia drank from her coffee. "I will make sure to leave a note. I don't want my successor to get mad at me if they ever make that mistake." Hazel winced and Amelia noticed. "What?" Hazel took a deep breath. "If I told you I know a different version of you, one that died on the job at the hands of Death Eaters, what would you say?" Amelia eyed Hazel carefully. What was it about those green eyes? "You aren't a Peverell." Hazel glared. "I am. Probably the best person to carry the accursed name. But if you're wondering what my birth name was when I was born I can say it wasn't Peverell. It was Potter." Amelia stilled, her mind realizing what she was looking into. Lily's eyes. "How?" Hazel sat back. "A long story, to which I will give you the highlights because everything else is just crap. In my world things started as they did this year, with me going to Hogwarts under Dumbledore's thumb. Every year since then my life was endangered and in June of 1995, one You Know Who came back from the dead. He gave you the honor of a personal visit a year later, which left your Manor in ruins, you in a closed casket and your niece inconsolable." Amelia closed her eyes and clenched her hands. "You think it's going to happen again. Here."
Hazel sighed. She told the woman of the signs of trouble in her world, the growing trend of Traditionalist policies passed and the indifference to the plights of the muggleborns who simply couldn't get into any positions to change their fate. Amelia took it all in. She sat back. "You wouldn't be here or under the DoM's employ if Croaker didn't believe you." Hazel snorted. "Walking, or in my case, dropping face first out of the Archway in the Death Chamber certainly made him a believer. The few pensive memories and the confirmed parallels made it all quite real." Amelia eyed Hazel. "Where is Voldemort now? This wraith of his?" Hazel hummed. "Observing and looking for an opportunity. He is more interested in recovering a body than sowing terror. We are keeping an eye on him and will intervene when the situation changes." Amelia could tell she wasn't getting much else from Hazel. She nodded. "That will have to do. My Department isn't staffed enough to fight another war and the Academy just saw its biggest group of washouts in decades. Your services are going to be in much demand. Can I ask you not to leave a trail of carnage in your wake?"
She couldn't help herself, Hazel grinned. "Dumbledore already giving you a hard time over the op?" Amelia glared. "First time he ever gave me his "I am disappointed in you" look, as if I had done it myself. It was insulting." Hazel giggled. "I got that look every year until he dropped dead. Pretty sure he had it on in the afterlife as I kept on going, refusing to die or be another one of his Order's pawns." Amelia straightened out her back. "How sure are you that our Dumbledore is like yours?" Hazel sighed, running her hand through her hair. "Either he has a long game planned out for Harry or he is waiting to see what Voldemort does next. We can both agree, whatever his intentions, that Harry's situation is enough of a concern. Croaker was able to secure a copy of the boy's medical file. I don't have to tell you what he found." Amelia nodded, since she too had seen that file. Nothing. The file was empty. No vaccinations or St. Mungos trips. Even after August 1st. Amelia breathed deeply. "Agreed. In that at least there is no doubt of criminal interference, neglect and child endangerment. His reputation will protect him from facing charges, unfortunately. What are you planning to do about Harry Potter?"
Hazel tapped her fingers on her arm. "Right now it's simply damage control. I intend to improve his living situation at the Dursley residence, gather evidence of his mistreatment and see he at least gets his vaccinations. I was going to ask Andromeda Tonks to handle that, as his extended family. Our issue of a stalemate is what bothers me. I would love for Harry to go to the Tonks family, but the Malfoys have the law and the galleons on their side to win a court case. Dumbledore's negligence aside, Harry is being kept out of their hands." Amelia rubbed her chin. "I will keep an eye on the situation. I could use my authority to grant temporary custody to Andromeda if it comes to it. Her license and work as a Healer will ensure that no one will contest it for a time." Hazel nodded. "Much obliged. Speaking of the Malfoys…" Hazel filled Amelia in on what Croaker had said about the situation in the Wizengamot and the concern over the currently opened seats. Amelia eyed Hazel. "Do I have your permission to inform Augusta and my friends in the Wizengamot? At least about the danger identified by the DoM and the need for a stronger response?" Hazel grew pensive.
"Careful what you say and to whom. We can't have Dumbledore secure his defences early, get informed by a supporter or get Voldemort to act out of turn. I would suggest after the academic year ends. If things go as predicted Dumbledore will try to cover up something of concern and the fallout of his lie will serve as cover for the Gamot reorganizing." Amelia glared at Hazel. "Do I want to know what's going to happen?" Hazel shivered under her gaze. "Probably not. Susan and all the children will be kept safe, I can promise that." Amelia settled down after that. "Coming from a mother, I can take your word for it. Just make sure nothing that happens can hamper our activities or lead back to you. I have marked the Special Forces division as active, with the members and identities kept secret for now. Make an appointment with your partner to get your DMLE identification. It will hold up under scrutiny better." Hazel stood up. "Will do. We will be in touch, Madam Bones." Hazel pulled her Cloak out and Amelia eyed her. "Don't be surprised if you get an invitation from me or Augusta for tea. We have a lot to plan for." Hazel nodded and pulled the Cloak over body, vanishing from sight.
-∞-
Tonks felt her muscles and bones aching along her back. She breathed deeply as she kept her eyes trained on the hallways around her. The first day back with Horatio had been a nightmare. Horatio took her freezing on the mission personally and trained her until she felt pain everywhere. He did the same for two more days. On the fourth, the bastard had set up a mock infiltration scenario for her that went south. The moment she saw a wand pointed at her and a green flash of light, she froze again. Hazel had been by her side the whole day after, with Teddy and Leafsby making her some great tasting cookies. She had screamed into her pillow that night, bothered by her inability to get past her fear. Horatio kept up his training, pushing her harder and harder before testing her out again. She had the Disillusionment charm down perfectly and her silent casting of even the Killing Curse was now done. But she kept freezing whenever she felt cornered. The time frozen was getting less and less, which she figured was the point, but it still left her feeling shitty for the day. She made sure that Hazel and Teddy knew how much their support meant to her.
Horatio had called her in earlier in the day, telling her that Alastor Moody had called from the Academy. While the mad Auror wasn't the Academy's Head, he was the chief instructor. The best Aurors the force had to offer over the last 30 years were all his students. Everyone questioned his sanity but never his results. He was aware of her status and had called for her personally. The mad man wanted to see what his Cadets could do against a single Operative Recruit. So Horatio signed her up. The moment she stepped into the Academy she felt so strange. This had been her goal for years at Hogwarts. Now… now the DoM Operations Division felt like something else. It was a job, sure, but something else. Something that overshadowed the Academy. She had trouble placing the word. She drew her wand on instinct when she felt her hairs stand up on the back of her neck. "Horatio's got your instincts up. Good. If you are going to be among the hotshots, you need to know when a person is looking at you funny." She turned slowly and saw an old friend. "Watcher Mad-Eye. Sorry about missing out as your protégé."
Moody waved her comment off. "Nothing to apologize for, Lass. Your Battlemaster is the reason I am what I am. I was a Recruit once, like you. Made it a year before getting reassigned to the Hit Wizards. Would have taken it personally if I hadn't been too much of a hot head myself." He tapped his massive staff on the floor. "Now, I have a dozen Cadets that need to be shown that they still have a lot of work to go through still. Think you can take them all repeatedly in a confined setting?" Tonks thought for a second. This sounded a lot like how her mission had gone down. Had Horatio planned this? One way to find out. "Sure, I need the exercise." She followed the old man into a building she knew was reconfigured all the time to test the Cadets on how to breach enemy locations. Moody eyed her as they arrived. "Breaching is important, but defending a building is just as necessary for an Auror. The Cadets are in there, waiting for a signal. A stunner to the face sounds like the appropriate wake up call. What do you say, Lass?"
Hazel had been right. Dropping Cadets had been relatively easy. At least the first time. She went through seven Cadets before the rest realised they were under attack, and she hadn't used her disillusionment charm yet. She and the Cadets were sent out again and again, every fight getting harder and harder. She had a moment of panic when one guy bursted through a door and casted at her but she dodged out of the way and shot back. She could feel herself getting winded, her vision getting blurred. She buried her nerves and kept going, pushing harder and harder. She wanted to be better than this. She wanted to not be afraid of failing. Of not making it back to base. She wanted to keep her promise to Hazel. That she would find a reason to live. To always come back, no matter what. After stunning another Cadet, she checked her corners and pushed deeper into the maze of hallways. She took down another Cadet before she saw a wand pointed at her. She growled and lowered her body, swung her wand around and casted a wide banishing spell. The Cadet got launched into the wall and she checked her corners before stunning him proper.
Tonks stepped out of the building, seeing Moody limping towards her. "Had enough, Lass?" Tonks took stock of herself. Her arms felt tired and she knew if she casted again it would be less than fifteen spells. She frowned for a second. Moody had said a dozen Cadets. She was sure she started hitting more and more people. She glared at the gruff Auror. "You were adding more than Cadets in there, weren't you?" Moody gave her a wide grin. "Damn right I did. You started with Cadets, then we added some Aurors. Even a few Senior Aurors decided to have a crack at you. Last few added were Hit Witches and Wizards. So, how was it? Fighting the best of the best we have? A bit disappointing?" Tonks took deep breaths. She could feel her exhaustion taking in, the fatigue. No wonder Horatio worked her to near collapse. "They did great. Just happy I can head to work without telling Horatio you got someone to take me down." Moody nodded and looked behind her. "Is that your shadow?" Dora blinked and looked over. Hazel was standing there, her eyes looking everywhere. "Yeah, my partner."
Moody chuckled. "You got a good one then. Showed up midway through the exercise and followed your movements the whole way through over and over again. This last match one of my Hit Witches got a bit creative. She tried to take you down from one floor below. Might want to think about that next time you're in a building with multiple floors. Your shadow casted a stunner that blew holes straight through the walls before taking the witch down. Pretty sure her teammates are having trouble waking her up right now." Dora couldn't help it. She smiled. There was no feeling like it, having someone looking after her back. "Might want to try overpowering the resuscitation spell. My partner hits hard and she might have overpowered it to cut through walls." Moody chuckled. "Will let them know. You did good today. Remember the feeling and keep a good feel for your body. In the middle of a fight it will feel like you could take on an army, but there is only so much punishment you can take and spells you can cast. In time, you stop, even if your head doesn't. Keep that in mind." Dora nodded. "Thank you for this, sir." Moody smiled at her.
"Don't worry, Lass. Pretty sure you and your partner will pay me and my Aurors back in time. We gots loads of Dark Witches and Wizards out there. Can't let them have their way all the time, right?" Dora laughed as she walked away and waved goodbye. She neared her partner who eyed her before drawing a wand. She felt her clothes knit back together. "You look like you went through the Forbidden Forest on a dare." Dora smirked. "Nah, if I did I'd have been streaking. I would have left my nice clothes back home too." Hazel lifted an eyebrow at that, giving Dora a once over that left her blushing. "Teddy has been studying all day. Want to grab some Mexican take out? My treat, of course." Dora beamed. "Your bloody on!" Dora's stomach grumbled and she blushed. "Maybe a triple serving for me? I'll pay you back." Hazel shook her head and held out her hand for Dora. "Are you good to go or do you need more of a breather?" Dora took Hazel's hand. "I'm good."
-∞-
Amelia pulled her niece into a hug. She was thankful that Hogwarts had their Easter Recess, especially after the visit she got from Hazel Peverell. She had a few more meetings with the woman since their first, discussing anything they needed about the goings on. One of the things mentioned had been the difficulty in getting information out of Hogwarts. None of the Staff had been on the DMLE or DoM payrolls and they would be unlikely to offer any valuable information even if they got anyone to work with them to begin with. Part of the issue was getting information from around Harry Potter as he was just a student and the Professor in charge of him was known to back Dumbledore. Which is where the current plans came into play. Amelia hated it but she understood the importance. The fact the plan included a safe method of communication for her and her niece had made it more appealing to her. She eyed her niece who had worn her hair loose today. "How has your winter term been so far, Susan? Are you and Hannah having any more issues with Defence?"
Susan nodded sadly. "Professor Quirrell still stutters a lot and he seems to be under the weather more often. He has been assigning readings and written assignments more which has helped out a lot. Hannah still has trouble with a few spells but she is getting better." Amelia nodded and pulled Susan to the Floo Terminal. "Bones Manor." The two flooed into the entryway of the Manor and Susan looked around, seeing wood panels removed from the walls, showing runic script etched in stone underneath. She eyed her Aunt. "Redecorating?" Amelia sighed. "There was a warning of unrest which includes some potential threats against certain families. I had to commission a Wardsmith from the Ministry to do a very thorough reexamination of our wards. The changes are from some new additions. We might have a rotating password on the floo access soon. For now, things aren't too different." Susan looked at her Aunt. "Are bad people going to come for us?" Amelia knelt down. "One day, but right now we are making sure it's harder for them to get in and easier for us to stay safe. I promise Sue, you won't be worrying about me not coming home." Susan hugged her and the two went up to Amelia's office.
Amelia sat Susan down and brought two items with her. "Now Susan, I do have something to ask of you. It's nothing too serious but I need you to be honest and forthcoming. First thing, was there a Troll at the school on Halloween and did you send any letter about it home?" Susan nodded. "Professor Quirrell ran into the Great Hall and screamed "Troll" before fainting. The Headmaster ordered the students back to the dorms while the staff handled the Troll. I said all this in a letter, but you never brought it up." Amelia sighed. She hugged Susan. "No I didn't Susan. Because the letter never arrived. We think someone is screening letters at Hogwarts which is why I brought this." She placed a wooden letter box on Susan's lap. "This one is tied to a network of people, myself included. We are seeing if Neville Longbottom can be added in and we are looking for people in Ravenclaw and Slytherin that can be trusted. We need to hear about things happening in the School, things like the Troll that no one hears about because of the issues with the mail. You write the name of the person on the Envelope, add the letter, seal it and place it in the box. Once the lid closes, the letter will be transferred to a hub to be copied before it is sent out again to the intended recipient. This is all for safety. Understand?"
Susan touched the box and looked thoughtful. "So, any important letters are sent through here?" Amelia nodded. "Send regular letters to me so it doesn't look like anything is different, but anything super important needs to be through the letterbox. Store it safely in your trunk. When you come back in June, we will go get a new trunk with plenty of compartments. It will make storing stuff easier and safer." Susan smiled, looking forward to having more space in her trunk. Amelia placed the last item on Susan's lap. "This is an enchanted Diary. You can choose whether to take this with you or not. There are two other diaries tied to it. One is here with me, the other is with Croaker. You remember Croaker, right?" Susan nodded. "Scary guy we shouldn't talk about?" Amelia chuckled. "Yes, him. He's the one managing all the new security measures. If you're interested, you can use this as a diary. Write down anything you hear that you either know it's true or believe it's true. Even if you don't think it deserves a letter. If something happens and I read about it, I can respond quickly by writing in the book or by the letter box. We want to ask if you could do this because even little things could be important. For example, what do you make of Harry Potter?"
Amelia watched Susan blush. "He seems nice. He isn't as brash or annoying as the other Gryffindors. He's a bit like Neville, except with flying. He's great on a broom and got to be a seeker for Gryffindor. Cedric is a bit jealous since he can't be Seeker until our Seeker graduates at the end of the year. Harry does his work ok in Herbology. Hannah and I actually partnered up with him and Neville a few times when repotting the larger plants. We have DADA with him too and he always seems to have a bit of a headache. Other than that he is really polite. Don't know why he is friends with Ron Weasley though. Probably too polite to tell him to leave." Amelia hummed. It sounded like he was less like James and a lot more like Lily, minus the temper. "Any rumors about him that might be true?" Susan thought for a second. "He gets into fights with Draco Malfoy a lot, though it's mostly Weasley stepping in and dragging him along. He stayed at the Castle for Christmas and I think I heard he was sneaking out after Curfew from my friends. He has spent a lot of time with Hermione Granger at the library. She and him became friends after Halloween when she was found unconscious near the Troll." Amelia raised an eyebrow at her niece who flinched.
"Sorry, I wrote that in the letter. Granger was knocked out in the bathroom where the Troll was found. She thinks she saw someone there with her but can't be sure. When she woke up, the Troll was dead from its own club and there was a thin layer of water on the floor. None of the Professors know what happened. Weasley tried to give Harry the credit but Harry said it wasn't him. That a wall appeared and kept them from seeing the bathroom until the Troll was out." Amelia hummed. Sounded more like Croaker's Operatives got there just in time and kept the kids safe. She needed to chat more with Hazel and actually try to get her to talk about Hogwarts. "That sort of thing is what we want to know about, Susan. We think someone is trying to hurt Harry and we want to keep him and the other students safe. Either write it in a letter for the letter box or in the diary if you think it might just not be enough for a letter. Detentions, talks among the Professors and anything the Headmaster might say. Are you willing?" Susan nodded. "Sure. I always wanted to try out a Diary and this way my friends are safe. I'll use the box too. Can I use it for letters from Hannah to her parents?"
Amelia shook her head. "Not right now. I haven't had a chance to tell them. If Hannah or your roommates ask, say it's your Auror Aunt being paranoid. I will see if the Abbotts can be added to the letterbox network. Now one last thing. Do you remember the woman with white hair from Malkins this last summer? Dark leather jacket and a son with black hair?" Susan nodded. "Sure. I remember Ted. That's what he asked me to call him. He looks a bit like Harry too." Amelia had no doubt about that, considering the boy was Hazel's, blood adoption or not. "They are related actually, through the Potters. Here." She passed her a note with Hazel's name written on it. "If at any moment something happens to Harry, something serious, send a letter straight to her and let her know. She's taken to protecting the boy but can't be at the Castle all the time, especially while raising her own son. She's working for Croaker and with the Aurors. I will introduce you to her more in the summer. Might even ask her to give you some tutoring in Defence." Susan beamed. "Sure, I'd love that! She was really cool and it looked like she knew a lot of weird stuff."
The rest of the evening went quietly for Amelia who took the warning from Hazel to heart. Hazel's Susan had adored her Aunt but she always felt like that world's Amelia took her job much more seriously than her niece. When that particular Amelia died, Susan had apparently withdrawn into herself, feeling equal parts guilty for fighting with her Aunt about how much time she made for work and mad at her for never trying to be more like a family. Amelia looked back at the last few years and had felt such shame. She had done the same to her niece. So she got in touch with her secretary, renegotiated time with Rufus and made sure she was there for Susan for as much as possible. The world Hazel Potter had seemed exactly like she described it. Hell. A nightmare that devoured good people and broke them apart. She could see traces of that on Hazel herself, the moment she brought up certain people Hazel's eyes would darken. Whatever her world's Shacklebolt did, Amelia hoped it wasn't repeated. There was a lot of hate directed at that man. She personally sat with her niece by her bed that night and wished her a goodnight. She had a lot to make up for.
-∞-
"Welcome to Longbottom Manor, Lady Peverell." Hazel bowed her head slightly. "I am afraid any titles associated with my family ended some time ago, Dowager Longbottom. We are just a mother and son bringing life into an old name." Augusta gave Hazel a measured look. "Nevertheless, you are a Lady, even if you have nothing to show for it currently except your blood. And this must be the young man Amelia spoke about?" Teddy bowed his head and kissed Augusta's knuckles. "A pleasure, Dowager Longbottom. Edward Peverell, Ted to friends." Augusta eyed Hazel. "A charmer." Hazel chuckled. "His Grandmother's influence, I'm afraid. She spent much of her time homeschooling him while I worked and brought food to the table. After her passing, I made sure to keep him educated, though how his manners survived with me I have no idea." Augusta smiled. "Then he learned well and you did what few could manage in trying times. Please follow me. I had our elf prepare for our get together near the greenhouses. Getting Neville to stay out of them is practically a full day's job." Teddy eyed Hazel who mouthed "later" to him.
The three walked through the Halls of the ornate Manor, bringing memories of the Malfoy estate to Hazel's mind. The Longbottom were more in keeping with her expectation of an old family's house; more Victorian than Medieval. Or it could just be the differences between their worlds. Despite the difference she could feel a sense of cold detachment from the house. It felt less like a house and more like a Mausoleum. She remembered what Croaker told her about his sister and Hazel had to agree. Maybe a more aggressive approach was required. She'd play it by ear. Soon they reached a massive glass solarium that covered the back of the manor and Hazel could see her son's eyes looking over the plants through the glass. A boy opened a glass door and wiped his knees as he approached. Hazel blinked at the differences between the boy she saw and the man she knew. Rather than Sandy blonde, the boy had dark brown hair. He also seemed a bit more closed off and sheepish. He moved to his Grandmother's side and bowed. "Hello. My name's Neville Longbottom. Welcome to our solarium." Hazel and Teddy nodded before Teddy approached Neville. "What kind of plants do you keep in the Greenhouses? The ones I have sketched and studied are the ones for practical potions and food. Do you have cosmetic plants or herbs that serve as stabilizing agents?"
Neville blinked a bit before he smiled. "We have a few plants that are just cosmetic. My Mom had a really elaborate flower garden. I've restored most of it. Want to see?" Teddy turned and saw his Mom pulling out his sketchbook from an expanded pocket in her jacket. "Don't go too overboard. If Dowager Longbottom doesn't mind we can come over in the summer." She handed him the book and his sketching pencils. Teddy beamed. "Thanks Mom!" The two boys vanished out the glass doors, leaving behind a surprised Augusta. "I knew Neville had a passion for plants but it always seemed such a solitary thing." Hazel eyed her carefully. "It can be but a love for plants can get even the oddest of people together. From what Saul says Frank and Alice didn't see eye to eye until Alice tossed him on his ass in a Dueling match. He then grew to appreciate plants, though most were aimed at wooing a certain girl." Augusta had a fond smile. "Yes, I suppose some hobbies can bring some people together." The two sat down and Augusta served Hazel some tea. Hazel went to drink for a moment before she noticed the odd behavior of the tea.
She eyed Augusta. "Not very trusting of your brother, if you feel the need to dose his employees with Veritaserum." Augusta shrugged her shoulders. "I have been around for many years, Lady Peverell. The Croakers learned early on not to trust easily, even with family." Hazel placed the cup of tea down and crossed her arms, her fingers lingering on her throwing knives. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Umbridge or the Selwyns? I hear they have a similar policy." Augusta flushed with anger. "I am nothing like that toad of a woman or those Death Eaters." Hazel eyed her carefully. "And yet, wars are fought by remarkably similar people. They all just happen to disagree on a few things. So tell me, Augusta, what would it take you to step out of your Mausoleum and get back in the fight?" Augusta magic raced closer to the surface. "Lady Peverell, you are-" Hazel cut her off. "Being direct. In the brief glimpse I had of your house, only this area shows any sign of life. Your grandson thrives here but looks so shy and diminished the moment he exits the glass doors. You tell me Augusta Longbottom, have you been raising your grandson or do you continue to mourn the fate of your son, keeping your home in an everlasting wake?"
For a second Hazel considered raising a shield when Augusta looked about to curse her before she seemed to deflate. "You don't know what it's like, to watch a child you raised into a man wither away, his mind trapped or lost." Hazel nodded. "No, I don't. Then again, the woman who raised me taught me that a swift death can be quite a mercy. I have been rather fond of granting people a swift death ever since. I would offer you one for Neville's parents and for yourself if Croaker wouldn't take offense or if it didn't leave your grandson alone in the world. We both know Croaker is no father figure." The old Dowager stared at Hazel right in the eyes. "You are no Auror." Hazel stared back. "No, I am not. I have left plenty of them dead, actually. Death Eaters too. Like you, I had a life that depended on me. I chose to nurture that life because he deserved a mother that loved him, even if I could drown in the blood of the people I have personally slain. What will you do from now on for the life your son entrusted you with? The Potters trusted outside of family and were betrayed. Will you trust another to raise the future Lord Longbottom as you join your husband in the grave? I would be more than happy to assist you."
Augusta lowered her eyes, her hands shaking in either rage or guilt. "I… can't. You are right. Neville deserved better. Frank deserved better from me." She sat back and sighed, seeming to age a few years in just seconds. "You are a contradiction, you know? I have seen that look in your eyes among the men and women that took my family from me, but the care and gentleness you show your son is very much like Alice's." Hazel loosened her grip on her knives. "Before Teddy I was no different from a Death Eater, I simply lacked any faith in any human being, even those that fashioned themselves as saints or gods. I would have easily died as I would have killed. But a stubborn woman named me the godmother to her son. She knew of the blood on my hands, she had heard the stories of the horrors I perpetrated. She didn't care. Because in a war we are all killers. We are also all somehow still human. She saw something in me that I didn't believe existed until she passed on and a life depended on me. There are days that I still have trouble believing. I still wake up and make my son his breakfast, I make sure he studies and grows. I make sure he knows that he is loved."
Hazel watched Augusta remove her hat from her head and looked at it. Where did she even get a bloody vulture for it? She placed the hat on the table. "It seems I have a few things to change around here. If Saul sent you, I imagine he wants something from me?" Hazel nodded and drank the Veritaserum tea, catching Augusta by surprise. "The Death Eaters aren't as dead or buried as we would like and two old chess masters are moving to take their seats at the table again. Your brother has asked me to help end the threats that endanger his family that still linger in the shadows of this world. But that's not enough to save it or make it a better one. I am no saint or leader. I have no voice, only a wand that kills as easily as it saves a life. Amelia can't handle the Wizengamot alone. So, Augusta Longbottom, interested in getting onto the board yourself? At the very least if the people responsible for your families suffering ever leave Azkaban, I promise to end their lives. If it pleases you I might even take my time with them." Hazel watched some of the fire return to Augusta's eyes. "Tell my brother I will be at the next Gamot Session. I'll get in touch with Amelia. Now, what exactly is going on that you are preparing for war?" Hazel smiled. "You are going to need more tea, and I am going to need an antidote for this later. So, where do you want me to start? With how Voldemort ain't dead yet or how Dumbledore seems to enjoy breaking the law as much as he demands of others to follow it?"
-∞-
Hazel dropped onto the couch back at her home and she felt a knock on her appartment's inner door. "Enter." Dora popped her head in and frowned. "I had a long session with Horatio on body language and slipping weapons into my hands without getting noticed. My back feels like it's going to snap from how stiff I had to hold my pose in a bloody dress. How do you look so much more tired?" Hazel eyed her partner. "Any chance Horatio took pictures?" Dora gave her a sultry smile. "I can go get the dress and slip it on for you, if you like." Hazel shuddered, feeling her body growing warm. What was it about Dora that made her feel like a teenager again? "Best not then, I might get too interested in taking it off." Dora walked in and sat besides Hazel. "Maybe later?" Hazel eyed her wearily. "Later. As for me being tired, I went into a game of 20 questions under Veritaserum with the Dowager Longbottom. Croaker bloody owes me, his sister should have been an Unspeakable." Dora hummed. "I remember Mom talking about how Augusta made Alice go through a thousand loops just to agree to Frank courting her. Guess the old crow is still in for the overkill."
Dora watched Hazel take off her boots and sigh. "Still is but we got what we needed. We now have Director Bones and the Regent Longbottom on our side. They will start reshaping the Gamot as soon as summer comes around, though recruitment will start early. We also now have eyes inside the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Common Rooms." Dora hummed. "So if any more dangers appear around Harry Potter, we now have a means for a faster response." Hazel stretched her toes and Dora heard them snap. "Yup. Getting eyes and ears in Slytherin will be the hard part. That group of students can be a downright cult sometimes, your mother excluded." Nymphadora smiled. "Much appreciated. I know the Malfoy and Nott families hold the most political power. Zabini are mostly Neutral with a capital N. If something bad happens, they will flee to Italy. Only families that might listen are Greengrass and the Davis, the latter maybe being more open minded. There was a bit of a riot when the Heir that was named was a Halfblood. Problem is that those two families are like the Bones and Abbotts." Hazel hummed. "To get one, you need to get both, starting with the more political. I'll leave it to Amelia to work on that in the summer though."
Dora eyed Hazel. "Why the summer?" Hazel sighed and looked Dora in the eyes. She missed those purple eyes. "How's your Occlumency coming along?" Dora pouted. "Better than it was a year ago. Mom says I will be fine in a year, maybe by Christmas." Hazel nodded. "Then I tell you all by Christmas or next summer." Dora rested her chin on her hand. "What about you, how is your Occlumency?" Hazel stretched out her arms. "It was shite. Until I learned some neat workarounds. My mind was either damaged beyond the use of Occlumency, which seems likely, or I simply never had the gift. Found some interesting Blood Magic books about warding the mind and found that they worked on me. I can let someone in safely but I recommend no one tries to bruteforce it. Wouldn't suggest it for you though, it's a bit nasty." Dora remembered something her mother said. "This have anything to do with you refusing to see a Mind Healer?" Hazel eyed Teddy's room. "I can't trust anyone with my mind Dora, not unless I am sure they will never hurt me or Teddy, even by accident." She turned to Dora. "Besides, my issues are something I want to deal with on my own." Dora leaned onto Hazel's side. "If you ever change your mind, I am here for you." Hazel nodded against her. "You get those Occlumency defenses up, you got yourself a deal."
Notes:So, how was it? No memory this week. The DoM is starting to deal with the bigger picture and they can't do it alone.
Next Chapter?: A Walk in the Forbidden Forest
Just wrote two chapters in a row. I am so drained and so happy. I am especially happy with the last one. We are at the end of Year 4 and heading into the summer before the beginning of Year 5. Story lines are beginning to close and the end is becoming much more clear in the horizon. Don't know what happens after as I am going to take a small break from writing. With my release schedule, you will probably not even notice it. I might- "falls a sleep and starts snoring."
Leave a comment, discuss and see you all in three days.