The Hazel Odyssey

by Foeglass

Metamorphmagi Hazel Lupin, daughter of Teddy Lupin, is starting her first year at Hogwarts. With a desire for Ravenclaw, and an obligation for Gryffindor, Hazel relies on her best friends Albus and Rose to get through her first year of witchery. C.1 5pgs.

Chapter 1: Diagon Alley

Hazel turned toward the window pane, it's frost-bitten surface glinting in the light shed by the cloud-covered sun. She had been there for hours, the anxiety writhing inside her curled and un-curled, taunting her resistance. At that moment, Erin entered the room holding a large, plastic basket of fresh laundry. Hazel looked at her mother, her eyes appraising. Erin sighed, placed the basket on the mahogany table and approached the window sill on which Hazel had been resting. "It will come dear, do not worry, it will come." She rubbed her back comfortingly. "What if it doesn't?" The worry she had ben holding from her parents finally fell from her lips before she could stop them. "What if I'm not a witch? What if the magic ancestry stops at me? I don't want to let you down." Hazel turned her green eyes to the ground, pretending to show a particular interest in the lacquered floorboards. Her mother sighed and stopped rubbing her back. Fighting the urge to yell, Hazel looked up at her mother with an apprehensive gaze. "Darling, seven to eight percent of your body is blood. That means that seven to eight percent of your body is pure magic. I assure you, it will come." Hazel smiled at her mother as she kissed her on the forehead. "Now, will you help me with the laundry? Your father is still at the Ministry, a rogue Hippogriff trampled into the Department of Magical Games and Sports half an hour ago. It had been subjected to the imperious curse and your father along with the rest of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures have been submitted for questioning." She rubbed her forehead absent-mindedly.

"Will he be alright? Surely Kingsl- I mean the Minister for Magic would know that Dad didn't have anything to do with it!" Said Hazel, her voice indignant. "That's what I thought. Poor Teddy, he has enough on his plate, especially with his evaluation coming up. You would think that the Ministry would have more important things to do than waste time questioning it's employees." Hazel patted her Mother on the back and said; "Dad will be fine, he'll just be a little late tonight. You know there is nothing to worry about." Erin nodded and smiled at her daughter. It took a little over thirty minutes to finish the laundry, having folded and stacked it all in categorised order. Hazel's hair had turned to a dull grey, the colour of boredom. Her mother, having noticed this, said; "Look, I'll finish up here, I suspect your letter will be here soon. I will let you know when it arrives, but in the meantime, I found your copy of Hogwarts: A History and put it on your bed." Hazel nodded and took a last long sweep of the kitchen. It was a circular room, decorated with colourful floral wallpaper and mahogany wall cabinets. The marble countertops were remarkably clean and so was the floor and dining table, their surfaces reflecting the pale blue ceiling. Smiling at her mother, Hazel grabbed her freshly laundered clothes and vacated the room. The walls encasing the ascending staircase, like the kitchen ceiling, were painted pale blue. Numerous photographs of her relatives smile and winked at her as she moved. On the upper landing, a large portrait of her Grandparents; Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, was hanging neatly on the wall opposite the staircase. She stopped to look at their smiling faces. Was it hard? Growing up without your parents by your side? Hazel had heard of one wizard, Harry Potter, who was an orphan like her Dad. Her bare feet felt soft carpet beneath them as she turned left and proceeded down the hall, again decorated by large portraits, each taking up considerable amounts of space. Hazel stopped in front of a birch door embedded with the words; Hazel Nymphadora Lupin. She turned the brass door knob and pushed the heavy door open. She was greeted by scented incense and complete darkness. Feeling her way forward, Hazel opened the fine purple silk curtains and let the fading light flow into the room. It had a cosy atmosphere, the pale blue carpet littered with stray quills and bits of parchment. There was an antique desk in the corner of the room, on which there was a stack of birthday cards that had arrived that morning. Hazel walked over to the desk and picked up the first card on the stack. It had a glittering exterior, with the large number 11 that spun and rearranged itself in front of her eyes. She opened it and read;

Dear little Hazel,

Happy 11th Birthday! Albus is starting his 1st year at Hogwarts too and he is very excited to meet you. He is asking whether you would like to meet at Diagon Alley at 9:00 O'clock on the 1st of September? Please write back your answer as soon as you can. Give our love to your Mother and Father and have a wonderful day!

With love,

The Potters.

Hazel was smiling as she finished reading. She put down the card and grabbed a piece of parchment and her peacock feather quill. Opening the door to the hallway, Hazel hurried down the stairs to find her Mother cutting leek and spring onions on a battered chopping board. "Mum?" Erin looked up in surprise. "Can we meet the Potters at Diagon Alley? They asked me in my birthday card and I've always wanted to meet Al. We have to write back our answer as soon as we can." Her Mother contemplated this for a while, continuing to cut the ingredients and placing them in a silver saucepan cooking on the stove. "Sure, sweetie. Harry saw your Father at the Ministry today, he didn't tell him why he was there though." She started to cut up raw chicken and removed a frying pan from it's shelf, putting it on the rusting stovetop. "Harry talked about how excited Albus is to meet you." Hazel was elated by this, it as nice to know he wanted to know her as much as she wanted to know him. She sat down on a crochet pillow cushioning the dining room seats, placed the quill and parchment on the table and stopped; thinking. "Mum, can you pass the the ink? I think I have a rough idea for what I'm going to say." Erin grabbed a ceramic pot filled with a black, thick substance. Dipping the peacock quill into the bottle, Hazel began to write;

Dear Potters,

Thank you so very much for the Birthday wishes, the card was lovely. I would love to meet Al, Mum can tell you with full honesty how much I wish to do so. I have asked, and I am able to meet you in Diagon Alley on the 1st of September at 9:00 O'clock. She is more than happy to escort me too you. Thank you very much for the invitation.

Lots of love to you all,

Hazel Lupin.

"It's finished Mum. Is Sol on a delivery?" Sol was their eagle owl. He was large and handsome, with brilliant brown and black plumage. "Yes, your Father sent me a letter to let me know he won't be home for dinner. Sol should be back from the Ministry soon." Hazel nodded, folded the letter in her hand and pocketed it. "Look, here he is now." Said Erin, pointing out the window at a large figure, silhouetted against the horizon. It didn't look like Sol though, in fact, Hazel was quite sure it was a Tawny. "Wait a second..." Said Hazel, her words drifting off as she hurried to the kitchen window and wrenched it open. Just in time, the Tawny owl soared into the kitchen and landed gracefully on the top of the kitchen countertop. Hazel beamed as she walked over to the owl, which was holding out it's leg in pompous impatience. "Ministry owls." Muttered Erin resentfully, observing this. Hazel was positively bubbling with anticipation. It was here. Finally, it was here. She removed the letter from the owl's clutches. It took flight immediately, soaring through the open window and out into the chilly air. Hazel turned the envelope so that she could see the Hogwarts seal, it's crimson surface glistening. Opening it, careful not to damage the envelope, Hazel removed the letter and began to read;

Dear Miss Hazel Nymphadora Lupin,

You have hereby been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Transportation to the school will leave at exactly 11:00 O'clock on the 1st of September. The Hogwarts Express will be on platform 9 and ¾ at Kings Cross Station in London. Enclosed there will be a list of necessary items that will be required to purchase.

Hazel withdrew another smaller piece of parchment with a list of her Hogwarts things:

The Standard Book of Spells: Grade 1

An Owl, a Cat, or a Toad

1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi: Grade 1

A set of Hogwarts robes, purchasable from Madam Malkin's Clothes for all Occasions..

Wand

List of school books on back.

Hazel finished reading, still beaming brightly. Her happiness was not only displayed on her face however. Bright yellow locks draped themselves over her shoulder reaching to her waist. Before the owl had arrived, her hair colour had been black, the colour of anxiety. Hazel didn't fully understand why her hair colour changed with her emotions. Her father had told her that it was because of a very rare gift she had inherited from him. Her mother, seeming to guess what she was thinking, said; "Hazel, I have asked Teddy to contact Professor Dumbledore to let him know you are a Metamorphmagi. The teachers will know by the time you get to Hogwarts, and Al should help you through it. He is a nice boy." "I guess so," Said Hazel, looking down. "It's just that, it has been my dream to be a great witch, and I am worried that it will stop me from doing well. Dad told me about Grandma Tonks and how she couldn't do magic properly when she was depressed." Her Mother sighed and walked over to her again. "Dear, if you want to be a great witch, you can be one. Your ability won't stand in the way of that. Remember, you are a strong girl, you will be fine." Hazel smiled as Erin returned to her cooking. "Thank you." Her Mother winked at her and Hazel closed her eyes, thinking of the year to come. The days until September the 1st passed in a daze, and before she knew it, Hazel, Teddy and Erin where on their way to Diagon Alley to meet up with the Potters. Teddy had hired a Ministry car, due to the flu network's inability to work. It was down all through the country, and Teddy was telling Hazel how hard it is to stop wizard's clogging up the busses and trains. It was 9:00 O'clock when they arrived at Diagon Alley, the cloudy sky only dimly lighting London. The busy street bustled with loud witches and wizards, all scrambling to get to where they needed to go. Teddy led the the party of three into the high-street. Rows of shops with fascinating magical merchandise displayed in it's windows glittered in the rising sun. A group of three children and two adults were in the middle of the lane, they seemed to be looking for someone. "Look! LOOK! It's them!" Hazel shrieked with excitement, her hair turning to a brilliant shade of purple. The Potters spotted them and Albus' face mirrored Hazel's excitement. The hurried up to each other, Teddy and Harry shaking hands, Ginny and Erin hugging and Hazel and Albus looking nervous. "Hi" Said Hazel with a timid smile. "Hey" Said Albus, grinning. Hazel felt the colour rise in her cheeks as she blushed furiously. A boy on Albus' right winked at her. "Oh, right, this is James" Albus pointed to the tall, lean boy with jet black hair and deep brown eyes. Hazel shook hands with him and smiled. "And this is Lilly." He gestured to a young girl who looked no older than nine. She had lovely long red hair tied back into a daisy-woven braid. "Hello." Lilly said, timidly. "Rose is starting at Hogwarts this year too" said Albus. "Rose?" "Dad's brother-in-law Ron's daughter, they were best friends growing up." "Oh" Said Hazel. "Have you met her? I wonder what she's like" "Oh, she quite nice. Mum says she has been looking forward to meeting Teddy Lupin's daughter." Answered Lilly, with an air of what Hazel could have sworn was jealousy. "Well, I'm sure we will all be friends then." Said Hazel, wondering whether his was the right thing to say. However, catching Lilly roll her eyes, Hazel decided otherwise. Albus, who seemed to have noticed this as well, rounded on Lilly. "She is just trying to be nice, so lay off." Lilly blushed angrily as she looked at Hazel. "Al, it's fine, don't worry." As she said this however, she saw the bottom of her fringe turn into a pale shade of azure blue. Flinging her arms in a futile effort to hide her hair, Hazel turned away, hoping against hope that it went unnoticed. Judging by the look on Albus, James and Lilly's face however, she was badly mistaken. Thankfully Al's Mother Ginny broke the tension. "So Flourish and Blots first?" The children all nodded in unison and they set off, Lilly and Hazel straying as far from each other as possible. Lilly seemed unwilling to endure another lecture from her older brother, was trying to be polite, although the bitterness in her voice went untouched. Hazel wondered what brought Lilly's behaviour on and she tried to remember everything she had said. "Hazel? Hazel!" Al's voice brought her back to reality. She seemed to have walked right past Flourish and Blots and into a crowd of witches. "Oh, whoops, sorry!" Hazel said hurriedly. "Shut up Al." Albus was laughing heartily and even Hazel grinned a little. Lilly, however, was sullen and looked patronisingly at Hazel like she was a particularly immature school girl. Her hair went crimson as anger bubbled inside her. "Calm down, darling." Said Teddy soothingly, and Hazel's hair returned gradually back to it's original shade of soft brown. "Quickly!" Albus grabbed Hazel's hand and pulled her inside. The atmosphere was unlike anything Hazel had ever seen. Violet and gold bound books were flying around and settling themselves into vast mahogany bookcases lining the golden wallpaper. A long balcony wound itself around the walls supported by a spiral staircase. James and Albus pulled out their book lists. Albus, still holding Hazel's hand, dragged her around the store as they looked for the required books. When they had finished in Flourish and Blots Hazel asked her Mother "Can we go to Madam Malkin's now?" Erin nodded, smiling. They proceeded toward a large building with glittering letters that were arranging and rearranging themselves. Hazel grinned, remembering the Potter's birthday card. A brass bell tinkled as they pushed open the heavy wooden door. An airy saleswoman glided towards them. "Welcome, welcome!" She exclaimed in a distant voice. "We are looking for Hogwarts robes for these" Teddy gestured to Albus and Hazel. The woman smiled a very artificial smile and led them to a rack adorned with brass eagles on each end. When hazel exited the dressing rooms wearing her new Hogwarts robes, she twirled, laughing heartily with Al, who was also wearing brand new robes. Teddy and Harry both grinned at their children, laughing together as though they had been friends since birth. "Dad! Dad! Can we go to Ollivander's? Please, please, please?" Albus was positively bubbling with enthusiasm. Hazel couldn't deny she was extremely glad to see Harry nod his head, grinning at his son with an air of reminiscence. They thanked the saleswoman and left the shop, glowing with anticipation. "Mum told me that Derrick Ollivander is really, really old. I wonder how he can stay alive so long" said Albus as they walked, twiddling his thumbs. Hazel made a sound of agreement, which disguised the fact she wasn't listening very poorly. "Sorry, Al. I'm just, really nervous." Before Albus could answer this however, Ginny said "Did you guys want to go in alone?" Albus and Hazel looked at each other and nodded. The shop practically consisted of large, dark juniper bookshelves laden with thousands of wands. An elderly man with pure white hair and prominent wrinkles looked up, his face breaking into a grin. "You would be Teddy Lupin's daughter" Said Ollivander, gesturing towards Hazel. "And your Harry Potter's son" They both nodded, Albus with an air of slight confusion. Ollivander, deciding not to elaborate on the exclamation, asked "So, which one of you is up first?" Hazel pushed Albus forward. "Ah, Mr. Potter." Ollivander turned and disappeared within the mass of bookshelves, returning with a small pile of wand cases. "Nine inch, Phoenix tail feather, mahogany" Said Ollivander, removing a small wand from it's case. Albus held it gently, as though afraid of it. He waved it and they all jumped. A hot orange flame emanated from the wand and Albus, dropping it in surprise, jumped back in horror. Ollivander quickly yelled "Aguamenti!" A jet of water burst from his wand, extinguishing the flames. "Well, that's not the wand for you." Ollivander picked up the wand from the floor and placed it back in it's case. "Hm, this one is quite special. I wonder.." Ollivander trailed off as he handed Albus a second wand. He gave it another wave and with a shout of surprise, started grinning happily. Silk roses seemed to be growing from the end of his wand. "Ebony, ten and a quarter inch, Manticore hair" said Ollivander. "Manticore? The three headed goat thing?" Ollivander laughed heartily at this. "Yes, that's the one." Albus seemed very pleased with his wand and beamed at Hazel as she stepped timidly up to the counter. The first wand she tried was a twelve inch ash with a Unicorn tail core. Upon waving it, she smashed the shop window. He waved away her apologies and repaired the window with his wand. The second wand was not very successful either, having caused weeds to sprout through the floorboards. After several wands later, Ollivander sighed. "Wait a moment.. I have this wand," he disappeared and returned again with a purple velvet case. The wand he extracted from it was extremely pretty. It had elegant carvings of swirls and patterns. "Be very careful with this wand. It is made of Laurel, which has a habit of shooting violent sparks when picked up by the wrong hands. Makes it impossible to steal. It has a core of a Griffin Claw. I haven't seen another wand like this in all my life. Embedded into the claw, there is a Chamira Scale Fragment." Hazel's jaw dropped. "However did you find a Chamira Scale? I read in Hogwarts: A History that there was a massacre." Albus seemed quite oblivious to the situation. "Well, there was a massacre, but fragments of Chimera Scales were littered all over the world. I was on an expedition in my youth when I came across one. I tried to sell it in a wand, but no-one could possess it. The wand chooses the wizard, Miss Lupin." It was anticipation unlike anything she had ever felt. "Before you pick it up, Albus move away. You can never trust a Laurel wand not to electrocute someone." Hazel placed a hand on the wand and shut her eyes tightly, expecting to feel a charge of electricity. But none came. She waved it and a jet of fire shot out of the tip. Ollivander, Albus and Hazel all thought it hadn't worked, but instead of setting fire to the shop, it formed a large flaming rose. All three of them were completely astonished and Ollivander positively marvelled at her as though she was some kind of magical miracle. Her and Albus beamed at each other, each having procured wands they loved, one of those wands, in Hazel's case, was of considerable rarity. With wonderful timing, their parents faces appeared looking through the shop window. With quick thanks to Ollivander, Hazel and Albus ran out to greet their parents. "So, how did you go?" Asked Harry and Teddy in unison. "Ten and a quarter inch Ebony Manticore hair." Said Albus, grinning. "That's wonderful!" Exclaimed Ginny, fondly. "What about you Hazel?" Asked Erin, also with an expression of deep affection. "Eleven and a half inches, Laurel, Griffin claw embedded with a Chimera Scale Fragment." All four adults stared at Hazel in disbelief. "My God, Hazel." Said Teddy, proudly. Both her and Albus beamed up at them happily. They continued to obsess over their wands all the way to the Magical Menagerie. On a perch in the shop window stood a tall, handsome midnight owl. Hazel had never seen a black owl before and couldn't believe that she was unaware of their existence. "Mum! Look at that owl, I love it!" "Well, how about we find out how much it is." Hazel grinned and hugged her Mum, then hurried into the shop. The midnight owl turned out to be thirty galleons and Erin generously purchased it for her, on the basis that she writes to her at least every week. Hazel put Jasper in his cage and handed him to her Father. Albus bought a large wicker cage along with Memphis, a white Persian cat with bright yellow eyes. Harry looked at his watch and said, "Blimey, it's ten-fifty. We better get going or you will miss the train. "You wouldn't want that." Said Lilly bitterly, glowering at Hazel with particular distaste. Hazel smiled sarcastically and waved at her. Lilly looked down at the road, scowling. Hazel winked at Albus and he sniggered. It took a little over five minutes to get to Kings Cross Station, having had to lug their heavy trunks everywhere they went. "Here it is" said Ginny, pointing between platforms nine and ten. Casually, the party leaned against the brick straight into a whole new station. Hundreds of students were bustling around, dragging their trunks and saying their farewells to their parents. Hazel let Mr. and Mrs. Potter say goodbye to Albus and James by pulling her parents away into privacy. "I'm going to miss you." Tear sprung into her eyes and she brushed them away quickly, but Teddy recognised the deep blue colour of her hair. "Will you be angry? If I'm not in Gryffindor?" Teddy and Erin chuckled fondly. "Of course we won't, dear. We wouldn't mind if you were in Slytherin, as long as you're happy, so are we." Said Erin, smiling affectionately at her. "Your mother's right." Hazel pulled her Father away and Erin pretended that she couldn't hear anything. "Dad, you know how I have that.. thing?" Hazel gestured to her hair. Teddy nodded slowly. "Well, will it affect me, my magic?" Teddy's smile faltered and he put his hands on her shoulders. "It can only affect you if you let it. Keep your head up high, and you will be fine. Quickly now, the doors are closing." Hazel looked around to find her Father was right. "Al! Where are you?" Hazel called over the crowd. She saw his excited face bobbing toward her and they boarded the scarlet steam-engine together. Hazel quickly glanced out the window and waved as her parents slowly faded away, into the distance.