Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the characters, locations or concepts used in the following. The Harry Potter series and all names and terms associated with it are the rightful property of J.K. Rowling and are not of my own ownership or creation. This story is intended only as an appreciation of the author's work and will at no time be used for my personal profit.
This story is set from the beginning of the book 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' and you will see that the story has been adapted in certain parts in order to accomodate my own character and storyline. This chapter is fairly short I know, but I want to concentrate on quality and on posting as often as I can, rather than length. Hope you enjoy it :) Sashe x
For as long as she could remember Hazelle had possessed the innate ability to see that which others could not. Over the years this unique insight had proven itself both a blessing and a curse, help and hindrance, friend and foe. On the advice of the late Albus Dumbledore, she had kept her powers secret from all but those whom she felt it necessary to know, fearing that, as Dumbledore had warned, she may become a tool to the forces of darkness if they learned of her existence. Now, though, standing looking up at the great iron gates of Hogwarts looming over her, the witch was, for the first time, ready to fully embrace the rare gift which she had been given. For she had returned to the school under the guise of assistant potions tutor but with a much greater purpose in mind. She must ensure the protection of Severus Snape.
As Hazelle stood, surrounded by a misty darkness, on the gravelled path, the only sound the grinding of small stones against one another beneath her feet, she caught sight of a large figure lumbering towards her, lantern in hand, on the other side of the gates. The figure drew closer and closer, the huge footsteps now audible in the night and a long, dark beard coming into focus.
"Hagrid!" Hazelle greeted the giant man happily as he fumbled with the great padlock that bound the hinged iron together.
"Well, well," Hagrid smiled in response. "If it isn't little Hazelle Horspeke."
"You remember me then?" the witch laughed, tossing her long golden ringlets over her shoulder with one hand and giving her trunk a light tap of her wand with the other so that it hovered unsteadily slightly above the ground bedside her.
"'Ow could I ever ferget?" He finally swung the gates open as he said this.
Now she thought about it, Hazelle was not surprised that Hagrid had remembered her so vividly. After all, he was there that first time, that first day that Dumbledore had led her to the edge of the forbidden forest. There she had called out into the trees in a language she had never learned and, as much to her own amazement as to that of her companions, a unicorn had emerged cautiously into the daylight to answer her call. She, neither, would ever forget that moment, that first touch upon the creature that filled her whole body with a sense of purity so overwhelming that tears had formed involuntarily at the corners of her eyes. The voice of Albus Dumbledore echoed through her mind as she relived the memory. "Extraordinary. Truly extraordinary."
"Hurry now, Miss Horspeke," Hagrid said, pulling her back into the present. "Can't have these gates left open for too long now, can we? Not in dark times like these. Never know who's abou'."
"Oh, of course," Hazelle replied distractedly, stepping through the gates with her wand still pointing towards her trunk. Her luggage, however, did not follow. "One moment," she said, turning around and flicking her wand frantically at the large wooden box. "I had it a minute ago, if I can just…" But it was no use, the object refused to budge no matter how she waved, pointed or flicked the wand and she was eventually forced to tug the trunk by its leather handles into the school grounds with all her might, dragging it through dirt and over gravel with great effort. "Looks like I'll have to do it the old-fashioned way," she said breathlessly, mustering all that she could of a smile and trying her utmost to suppress the hot, red glow of embarrassment she could feel creeping over her face.
Having secured the gates behind them, Hagrid scooped the trunk under his free arm as though it weighed nothing, looking down sympathetically at the witch over whom he towered.
"No matter, Miss Horspeke. I can get that fer yeh," he smiled, setting out across the grass, trunk held against his body with one hand, a large lantern dangling from the other.
"Thanks, Hagrid," Hazelle squeaked sheepishly, jogging to catch up to the huge man, who had already covered a fair amount of ground with his large strides. "And when are you going to start calling me Hazelle?"
"Be'ter get used to it now, Professor," he grinned, his raised eyebrows illuminated by the lantern's light. The witch simply laughed in response to this. "Oh, almost forgot. Professor Snape wanted to see you in his office. If you don't mind my sayin' I don't think he was all that impressed with your bein' late 'n' all."
"Ok, thanks Hagrid." Her face turned away from the lantern's light, it was impossible for her companion to see the broad smile which spread across her face at hearing this. It was exactly the way she had planned when she had 'missed' the Hogwarts Express earlier that day.