Fairly soon after the start of term, things began to spiral. No one could say that Hogwarts descended into total chaos, but things certainly changed. The Carrows took over disciplinary matters, much to Filch's delight. He was finally able to break out the old sets of chains he had enjoyed stringing up students with, joining Alecto and Amycus in their twisted version of punishment. Hazel found herself almost powerless to stop them. Any sign of defiance would put them on alert, and if word got back to Voldemort that she was anything less than supportive, everyone would begin to question Sev. It wasn't a risk she could take.
Open defiance began as the third week of classes rolled around. The students quickly found that all of the fun had been drained from Hogwarts. Even the things that hadn't been banned were no longer enjoyable. Quidditch practices became a prime opportunity to spy on other students. The Duelling Club, taken over by Amycus, taught far more offensive spells than defensive tactics. And Defense Against the Dark Arts practically became a how-to class on committing war crimes. So the students began to rebel. Some of them skipped class. Others roped Peeves into antagonizing the Carrows. Whenever they reported him to Hazel, she refused to get rid of him. Yes, she knew how, and yes, she was the Ghoul Studies professor, but Peeves was a Hogwarts institution. There was going to be no getting rid of someone that generations of students remembered from their days at school.
Neville, Ginny, and Luna brought back Dumbledore's Army, teaching the younger students that there was so much more to learn than what the Carrows were requiring of them. Though she couldn't help them all that much, Hazel pointed them in the right direction whenever she could. She snuck into the Room of Requirement to teach them some of the crucial defensive and healing spells she had been taught as an Auror, and she did her best to warn the three of them when the Carrows or their minions were patrolling the hallway near the Room of Requirement. They eventually entrusted her with one of the enchanted coins that all D.A. members carried, specially designed so she could warn them if the Carrows were coming.
None of the professors talked to each other about defying Snape and the Carrows' orders, but many of them found ways to help the students, whether it be slipping them healing potions, casually mentioning protective charms, or accidentally letting slip the locations of secret passages that could get them across the castle if they needed to flee. They couldn't coordinate with each other, however. Some of them refused to, in case they were questioned, so they wouldn't be forced to give up their colleagues. Others adopted a policy of trusting no one with their secrets but themselves.
Even though Ghoul Studies remained the same, Hazel found herself worried that the Carrows might burst into her classroom at any moment, demanding to speak to a student who would no doubt return either bruised and bloodied or oddly quiet, having been tortured for information. It hadn't happened to her yet, but one of Professor Sprout's students was plucked from Herbology and returned battered and trembling. So once every few lessons, she would lock the door to her classroom, have everyone put their books away early, and teach healing spells, fixing up the black eyes and displaced shoulders her students came in with, or teaching them how to resist the Cruciatus and Imperius Curses. She never encouraged open rebellion, but she silently reminded everyone to make the Carrows' lives as difficult as possible without putting themselves in danger.
Staying silent when the Carrows announced a new edict was awful. She would reach out for Sev's hand, the two of them staring blankly ahead as one of the Carrows spoke at dinner. Despite Amycus and Alecto being the Deputy Heads of Hogwarts, Sev had reserved the seat to his left for her, a bit of defiance that no one took much notice of. The Carrows had shrugged it off, registering it as acceptable because of what she meant to him. Besides, she was a Pureblood. And part of the Ravenclaw family. Not nearly as bad as it could have been. Like Sev and the Carrows, Hazel found herself wearing black almost all of the time, her robes transfiguring her into another gloomy part of what had become normal at Hogwarts. To the Carrows, though, it was a sign that she was on their side, and serious about it.
The only place she could truly relax was Sev's quarters - their quarters, she had to remind herself - past layers of protective spells and jinxes. She could finally decompress, changing into Muggle clothes to lay around and grade papers or do research in front of the fire. It was nice having that small protective bubble that kept the gloom of the new Hogwarts at bay. It was also nice knowing that even if he was called away to meet with Voldemort or pulled out of bed in the middle of the night to deal with unruly students, Sev would always be back. The two of them hated leaving their quarters in the morning, having to face the harsh reality of the school and the image that they were forced to maintain. But it had to be done.
Hazel was on her way back to their quarters late at night when she heard screaming coming from one of the classrooms. "What's going on in here?" She had her wand drawn, ready to break up a fight.
"Ah, come for the show?" Amycus asked, crossing his arms. "Once more, Rice. More force in the curse. You really need to mean it."
"Sir, he's had enough," the older student objected. He had been aiming his wand at a second-year, one of the Hufflepuffs she saw in the D.A. meetings all of the time.
Hazel interrupted them before Amycus could reply. "Professor Carrow, what in Merlin's name is going on in here?"
"This is detention. Mr. Rice here was caught trying to sneak out of the school, and young Percell has been talking back to Alecto in class."
"I meant 'What are you doing?'"
"Simpy teaching them both a lesson, and a useful curse at that. All of the seventh-years in my class must learn it."
"You're teaching students to use Unforgivable Curses on each other? As detention?"
Amycus turned to her, paying no more attention to the boys. "Are you questioning my methods? I will remind you, I am the Deputy Headmaster of this school. And I do not just answer to Professor Snape, I answer directly to the Dark Lord himself. You may have the Headmaster in your clutches, but you have no power to stop this." He paused, stepping closer. "I bet the Dark Lord has only allowed you to live this long because Snape wants you around. You would've been killed long ago if he had discarded you. You may be a Pureblood, but I know better than to trust an ex-Auror."
"And yet we trusted Barty Crouch Jr.," she retorted, immediately regretting it.
"Clearly a mistake, one we are wise enough not to make. Snape may trust you, the Dark Lord may trust you, but I do not. Now scurry back, I bet he's waiting."
"Are you doubting the Dark Lord's judgment?" Amycus was silent, knowing better than to answer that. Hazel hated to go, but there was nothing she could do. The second-year's screams echoed down the corridor as she walked, intent on getting Sev to put a stop to the Carrows' barbaric methods. When she reached his office, however, she found Luna, Neville, and Ginny standing there, trembling in front of his desk. "Sev, what -"
"I caught these three trying to steal the Sword of Gryffindor, a precious relic that has been entrusted to Hogwarts since well before any of us in this room were born, humans and paintings alike," he growled, his glare never wavering from the three students. "This is an offense worthy of expulsion, but to have that splashed on the front page of the Prophet… would undermine everything I have been working towards. Unable to keep students in line in his own school, so far as to have them break into his own office? I can see the headlines now! Professor Ashmore, what kind of punishment would you recommend if this were your situation to deal with?"
Catching the glimmer in his eye, Hazel crossed her arms, looking the three of them over. "Well, as you said, Severus, this is an expellable offense. I would hate to turn them over to Filch and the Carrows - I do need to talk to you about them, while I'm thinking about it - but I have a better idea. I know Hagrid has been in need of assistance in the Forbidden Forest. Perhaps we could lend them to him for their detentions. It's not a venture for the faint of heart, and they have proven themselves to be even more than exceptionally bold."
"Very well," he nodded bitterly. "One hundred points will be taken from Gryffindor and fifty points taken from Ravenclaw for you, Miss Lovegood. I will be speaking with Hagrid to organize your detentions, but suffice to say you will be helping him for a very long time. Hazel, if you could see them back to their common rooms, I have even more work to do, thanks to the three of them."
Hazel pulled the trio outside, telling them not to worry. As they made their way first to the Gryffindor common room, she added, "I think there is some work to do. Let's give fifty points to each of you for your incredible cooperation. Ten points to Ravenclaw for your ingenuity, Miss Lovegood, and ten points each to Gryffindor for the bravery you've shown in the face of a great challenge, Miss Weasley and Mr. Longbottom. And five points each for very nearly tricking Professor Snape."
"How... Why are you doing this? You're on his side," Neville asked, not wanting to object to the points they had received, but still wondering. "You're helping us, but - you've always been helping us, but Professor Snape -"
"What side is that, Mr. Longbottom?" Leaving him and Ginny as confused as ever, she dropped them off at the Gryffindor common room.
"Thank you, Professor," Luna offered as Hazel walked her back to Ravenclaw Tower. "I think my friends have yet to see that there can be more than two sides at times."
"Very good," Hazel smiled, knowing she would understand. "There is often much more than we can see going on behind the scenes. After all, one can never truly know the mind of another, even if we could waltz through their thoughts at will."
When Hazel got back to his office, Sev was busy drafting up a document for the Ministry. "Thank you for dealing with that," he told her, carefully reading everything over. "This should about do it." He looked up as Hazel stopped in front of his desk. "They really do make it difficult to implement the plan."
"In their eyes you're the enemy. You're letting the Carrows force seventh-years to use the Cruciatus Curse on other students as a form of detention."
"I know, but we must maintain the illusion of order," he sighed, getting up to embrace her. "We have an image to maintain. If that wavers, we are all in danger."
"Sev, they're torturing kids."
"And I trust you're doing your best to help them fight it," he whispered, keeping his voice low enough that none of the paintings could hear.