December, 2011
Chapter 2: The Mane Event
"First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity."
― George Bernard Shaw
Although the young witch was excited for Care of Magical Creatures - then disappointed to learn it wasn't offered until third year - she had to admit Transfiguration was fascinating. The weekly class quickly became her favorite, though Jack teased her, claiming that it was for the wrong reasons. He wasn't completely wrong, she thought, glancing down at her notes.
The subject itself was genuinely interesting, especially the animagus process. During the first class, Hazel recognized the russet-haired Gryffindor at the front of the room. To her surprise, Markus Ryker had recognized them too, waving at their table with a bright smile. As Tim settled to her right, the professor turned from his position by the board, dusting the chalk off his hands as he smiled calmly at the first years. The man appeared surprisingly young for a professor, with dark brown eyes and curling hair that was tied into a low ponytail. Unlike the others, the professor wore muggle clothes; a fitted blazer covered his black buttoned shirt and jeans. With his sleeves rolled back, Hazel could see vaguely runic tattoos cross his forearms, disappearing into the sleeves. What could those mean…? Someone cleared their throat, and her cheeks burned as Jack dramatically wiggled his eyebrows beside her. Before she could retort about Jack's crush on the part-Veela witch in Gryffindor, however, the professor's voice cut across the room.
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Professor Marcus Ridgeway, and this -" He waved his hand, "is my assistant, Markus Ryker." At this, Markus grinned, introducing himself as a fifth year. "I've been called the lion of Gryffindor, for whatever reason." The young wizard shrugged before he bent over; Hazel leaned forwards in concern, pausing as he seemed to shift and grow. One second, there was a ginger wizard; the next, a large, furry lion was sitting, looking rather pleased with himself. Merlin, he was an animagi! Hazel's mouth dropped open as excitement broke across the class. She exchanged wide-eyed grins with Kestis as they turned their attention back to the front, where the lion tilted its head. Hazel could've sworn the animal winked at her before Markus stood in his normal robes once more.
It was official, Hazel grinned, she was going to become an animagus, no matter what. Later that evening, the young girl had joined her roommate in the library; instead of doing homework, Hazel collected a tall stack of books on Transfiguration, and animagi in particular. While she was too...shy, to talk directly to the professor or Markus yet, the witch was determined to learn. That night, the boys and Hazel returned to the Kitchen, something that was quickly becoming a habit for the friends. Although Jack had been more interested in talking about girls, with Tim occasionally making sly comments, Kestis had shared her interest in the topic. The pair debated what animal they would be; the two boys eventually joined the conversation, talking and laughing over shared dessert until curfew ended.
The morning of their first break - how had four months already passed? - Hazel woke to snow blanketing the grounds of Hogwarts. Although she missed her family, more than she cared to admit, the witch knew it'd be difficult to travel across continents for such a short period of time. Thankfully, she wasn't alone. Kestis waved at the brunette as she approached the empty table; there weren't many Hufflepuffs staying for winter break. The boy must've been outside already for his cheeks were pink as she sat beside him. "Morning Kes," Hazel smiled, taking the offered basket of rolls from the half-giant wizard. "Morning, Hazel. Are you excited? I wonder what he's going to show us, this time." Hand pausing over the bacon, her eyes widened as she turned. Merlin, she'd nearly forgotten! A smile lifted her lips as she remembered Hagrid's promise to show them something incredible on their first day of break, dark eyes glimmering with excitement.
Although she'd had her share of adventure - she'd grown up alongside Ridgebacks and Ironbellied dragons - Hazel had promptly freaked out that morning. Her gasp was quickly muted by the look Hagrid gave her as they looked inside the large meadow within the Forest. The two young wizards were floored by the sight of a small, white creature stumbling across the grass. A baby unicorn, walking for the first time! This had to be the best day of her entire life. She scarcely noticed the flush on Kes's face - they were both thrilled by the majestic creature - or the tight grip of his hand on hers.
The day after Christmas, the pair had tea and exchanged gifts with the groundskeeper; she had given him the biggest hug she could muster when he'd given them homemade Thestral whistles. She hoped she could use it one day! Like when Auror Potter and his friends rode Thestrals in the last Wizarding War. Although, she reconsidered, she had no interest in war or battles. After a lovely lunch in the Great Hall - a familiar Slytherin boy nodded at her politely, and she hoped he didn't remember her embarrassing stare the week before - they decided to return outdoors. Her embarrassment returned when she'd been nearly rendered mute at the sight of Professor Ridgeway. Merlin, she was so obvious.
Once more, the dark-haired wizard was dressed in muggle clothing as he lifted his wands in the air. Amazed, Hazel watched the professor transform the entirety of the Black Lake into a frozen rink, even including a pile of magically-fitting skates by the edge. She wanted to be that talented at magic, one day. The short witch had tripped over her words trying to thank him; thankfully, Kes had been too busy getting their ice-skates to notice, and Professor Ridgeway merely smiled warmly. It was strangely warm outside for December.
After refreshing in the kitchen with hot chocolates and pudding, Hazel found herself inadvertently involved in a massive snowball fight in the courtyard. Students from all houses and ages were laughing, throwing a combination of charmed and regular snowballs at each other. Eventually, teams formed; Hazel and Kestis worked to take down Markus Ryker, who managed to hit the small girl in the face with a particularly fast snowball. When he had moved to apologize for bowling her backwards, Hazel had retaliated by levitating, and dumping, a pile of snow over his head. Her stomach hurt from laughing as she high-fived the half-giant beside her, grinning.
Just like that, the rest of the school returned with the end of winter break. It'd been with a strange mixture of excitement and disappointment that she greeted her friends and roommate. Over the weeks, Hazel mustered the courage to approach the lion animagus about the Animagus process, and was pleasantly taken aback when he offered to tutor her. Meditation wasn't exactly what she had in mind, though. Still, she was going to transform into an animal! Plus, maybe it would get him to notice her. Her face had flushed a vivid red at the very thought; at the dinner table, the boys had looked up in concern at her sudden coloring, and she had quickly insisted it was nothing, absolutely nothing. She'd never, ever admit that particular thought….ever.
Aside from almost failing her History of Magic exam - who needed that subject anyways? The past was in the past - the brunette completed her first year with decent grades. It was clear what her interests were in, given her top marks in Transfiguration and Charms. While she'd been upset about the idea of not seeing her new friends - what if they grew distant, didn't want to be her friends next year? - Hazel found herself writing letters to all three boys. Even Carly would occasionally send her a polite letter, asking about her summer activities.
Even more so, Hazel made new friends over the summer. The witch had met Magne and Isolde during their time in Sweden; the trio had easily gotten along, visiting all the best spots in the area. From the Vasa Museum to many, many national parks, Hazel enjoyed the pairs' company immensely. One afternoon, her mother had given her the old Moontrimmer she herself had used in school. Inviting Magne and Isolde over, the twelve year olds flew around a small pitch outside of the dragon reservation; Hazel hadn't even minded when her mother had insisted on including her little sister, Esther. The smaller, dark-haired girl had giggled as she rode with Hazel across the field. Time flies when you're having fun.
She had been ecstatic when she was able to put her flying practice to use during Quidditch tryouts. Although she hadn't expected it, she was honored to become a Chaser on the Hufflepuff team. Tim, Jack, and Kestis tried out as well; only Kes, however, made the team as a Beater. It suited his large frame, though the mental image of the half-giant on a broom still amused her. In addition to Quidditch, the four learned more spells in the study group they'd developed. Hazel had sprayed Jack with a jet of water, grinning mischievously as she dodged the returning spell. She had even invited her roommate, Carly, to the group after she'd found the bespectacled girl practicing in an empty classroom late one night.
Their visits with Hagrid became regular, with Jack and Tim joining the duo after they heard about the baby unicorn. To their amazement, the man had introduced them to the mother, a gorgeous adult unicorn that had only allowed Hazel to get within ten feet. She had resisted the childish urge to stick out her tongue at the boys, and tried to simply enjoy the moment. That peace, however, was ruined the next morning. Hazel had not been prepared for the day of her first Quidditch game.
The morning of, the small witch felt positively nauseous. She'd been confused when Hagrid had insisted they visit him beforehand. As they'd walked through the forest, Hazel found herself silently watching the ground in front of her, terrified. What if she couldn't actually catch the Quaffle in a real game? She was the youngest Chaser on the team, she didn't want to let her team down. They were playing against Slytherin, and she knew the pale-haired boy was...the Seeker, or something similar. Would it be strange to play against someone she knew? She - A startled shriek escaped her lips as something firm suddenly wrapped around her waist, dizzy as she was lifted nearly twenty feet in the air. Gripping onto the soft material, Hazel had stared, mute, at a massive….giant..? Huge, curious eyes peered into hers as she swayed in his grasp, surprisingly gentle.
As it turned out, Hagrid's half-brother lived in the forest. Grawp was...sweet, even though his curiosity had nearly scared Hazel half to death. Jack and Kestis, in particular, adored the young giant. After the unexpected heart attack, Hazel was happy to step back and let the boys be picked up. Strangely enough, the scare seemed to shake away her previous nerves; their first Quidditch match had been, to put it shortly, amazing. Her small frame had allowed her to dodge and wave, adrenaline racing through her veins as she threw the ball into the hoop. Again, and again, and again.
The following celebration in the Hufflepuff Common Room was a blast, and Hazel proudly held onto the winning Quaffle that she'd been given from Jane, the captain. In her excitement, it'd been easy to follow Jack's example; the pair tried, and failed, to get a sip of the firewhiskey that was being passed around by the older students. Hazel felt almost sheepish when Jane had given her a stern look. It'd been worth a shot.
Her confidence had been shaken in the next game, however, when they played against Gryffindor. She had smiled at Markus before the match started, and had not been prepared for how aggressive the opposing team played. She had several bruises at the end of the match. Thankfully, they had somehow won. But only by ten points. The resulting exhaustion and soreness were eased by the success. Hazel was both surprised and grateful for the bucket of ice and towels left on her bed, smiling at the short note attached. Sorry about the match today. Hope this helps! - Markus.
Quidditch must've helped her confidence, as well. By this point in her second year, Hazel was finally capable of talking to the Transfiguration Professor without stuttering or blushing. Thank Merlin. When Kes, Tim, and Jack had all left for Easter Break, Hazel had been relieved to find familiar faces greeting her the next morning. The majority of the Transfiguration club she'd joined had remained at Hogwarts; she had to admit it was nice, making friends outside of the three boys. Though they were easily her best friends, it didn't hurt to have friends in other houses. In the evenings, the witch spent her time meditating and practicing Transfiguration spells with Professor Ridgeway and the club. She was determined to become an animagus.
Someone tapped her shoulder, and Hazel opened her eyes to glance behind her. Markus smirked down at the girl, and Hazel flushed in embarrassment. She'd been thinking of her friends and Quidditch instead of clearing her mind….again. The russet-haired boy helped her up as he gestured behind them, where an impromptu game of Exploding Snap had developed. A dark-haired Slytherin girl looked up at the pair as they approached, and Hazel blinked at the warmth of her smile.
Although she wasn't the best with names, she recognized the four students that attended every Transfiguration club meeting. All of them were older, but had welcomed the girl with smiles and offers to help her with especially tricky spells. It was with silent amusement that she noted the four were each from a different house. Markus, from Gryffindor. Henry, from Hufflepuff, her house. Edward, the perfect example of a Ravenclaw. And...what was her name again? The witch glanced to her right; she'd been mortified when Markus had leaned over to whisper the girl's name in her ear with a grin. Merlin, was she that obvious? Still, Miranda was rather kind despite her dry sense of humor and reputation as a "snake" and "ice queen". Hazel was broken out of her thoughts as the cards in her hands exploded, knocking the girl backwards. After a moment of silence, she sat up and made eye contact with Henry. Her lips twitched, then the group burst into comfortable laughter. The young girl giggled, trying to smooth down her messy hair. Dear Mom, Dad, it's not so bad here. I don't know how my second year at Hogwarts is almost over, but I've learned so much and made so many new friends. I still get nervous sometimes, but I can make it to classes without getting lost, now. I'll make you proud, I promise. Give my love to Esther and Ambrose. Can't wait to see you in a few months….Love, Hazel Cross.