June, 2017

Chapter 10: Pieces of the Puzzle

"It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them."

― Confucius

It had been almost a month since Kes and Tim had arrived, and Hazel found herself alone. She was actually quite content in the moment, comfortably tucked into the corner of a couch downstairs with a book on rare magical creatures. The door was partially ajar, and voices occasionally filtered through the gap. With the fire crackling softly and fresh butterbeer from Mitsy, Hazel was more than happy to have some time by herself.

Stroking the cover almost lovingly, Hazel smiled at the memory it inspired. For Christmas, second year, Carly had gotten her a signed edition of Newt Scamander's newest book. Of course, she had loved it; Hazel had practically grown up on his work, even once having read some of his earlier field notes on Occamy and Thunderbirds in America. Years later, it was nice to have the book as a reminder of the people in her life, but also of her passion for magical creatures, which had almost been forgotten.

Flipping open the book, Hazel grinned as she gently traced the sloping signature. Even now, she could hardly believe it was signed by the Newt Scamander! The witch, even at 17 years old, was near giddy at the thought of meeting the infamous magizoologist. After her conversation with Mason, Hazel had almost considered asking Ridgeway about what it had been like to meet him; however, she doubted it'd been a time in his life he wanted to relive…

She didn't consider herself someone who truly believed in prophecies, but Tim once reminded her that the last wizarding war had, in essence, been sparked by one. As such, she had tried to listen carefully when Tim had relayed the prophecy he'd overheard in Divinations during their fourth year; something about a cursed child, a history foretold..and screams? Yeah, she hadn't paid enough attention. But it's not as if it was about someone she knew...right?

She'd been reminded of the prophecy when she'd seen the lantern on Ridgeway's desk, a strange feeling of foreboding weighing on her. Though she knew she shouldn't, Hazel had found herself talking to Mason about the news. Why not Kes? Remember him, Hazel? To her surprise, Mason had taken the witch out to the dock overlooking the lake. It'd been quiet for a few minutes before he finally had said, "Did you know they used to call Ridgeway a cursed child, at least amongst those 'Pure Of Blood'?" Hazel, who'd been facing the water, had glanced over at the mention of her mentor, but Mason just continued in a low voice, "Some stated it was due to his relations with the Carrow Twins, two professors during the war who picked him...as a target, of sorts." She covered her mouth, pity flashing through her at the implications. Poor Ridgeway…

"Others said there was another reason. They say he'd become fretful and frightened before Hogwarts ended, pleading with professors to not return home. The September when he did, he'd be weak, bruised and broken. He'd return to himself quickly and hide it well enough, but Slytherins notice these things...They'd say the teachers would watch him fretfully for any signs of anger, and that he'd have meetings with others from outside Hogwarts. One of these meetings was, apparently, with a Mr. Scamander." Despite the swirl of emotions at the information, Hazel furrowed her brow at the familiar name. Scamander? Like, Newt Scamander? Brown eyes met grey as Mason finished, turning to face the girl next to him, "It was mostly rumor and innuendo, but it spread more so when he became a professor. Mr. Lithgow would go on and on about letting the 'Cursed One' Teach."

Hazel's heart broke at the sudden onslaught of information. She knew Ridgeway was a powerful and composed wizard, but to have suffered abuse at home and at school, at Hogwarts, no less...Though it wasn't much, she vowed to give Marcus Ridgeway a hug the next time she saw him. He deserved that much. It took her a moment to find her voice; clearing her throat, she looked up at the boy beside her, ""That's horrible. What must've been his home life like if he had wanted to stay at the castle where professors...targeted him?" Nausea rolled through her gut at the very idea, followed by a surprisingly strong flash of anger.

"Indeed, what would that do to a person…It's known that Potter came from a similar home." Mason sighed, grimacing at the girl before turning his eyes to the lake once more, "I'm...weary, Hazel. I believe in the cause, I believe in Ridgeway, but I'm weary." It had been almost a full year since that night in Paris. Placing a hand on his shoulder in support, Hazel tried to smile, "It feels as if so much has already happened, and yet it has barely started. I'm not sure how to feel, most days." About anything, or anyone, it seems. Mason nodded, lifting his hand to briefly place it over hers, "By the end I just hope I can say we did the right thing." She ignored the flutter of nerves, reluctantly pulling her hand away, "...That's all we can ask for, I suppose...Who knew doing the right thing would be so...confusing?" She added with a small laugh. Mason smiled down at her, "If it was easy, everyone would do it." Wha - Before she could react, he shoved her...right into the cold water.

That absolute arse! It was bloody freezing! "See," Mason was barely able to speak as he clutched his stomach, grinning, "that was definitely right to do, and not easy at all." His laughter was almost drowned out by Hazel's splutter of "You-!" as she swam to the surface, pushing her hair off her grinning face. She was so going to get him back for this. Despite the frigid temperature, Hazel tried to splash as much cold water at the boy's robes as she could. Eventually, she used magic to pull Mason in, their laughter echoing across the snow.

Hazel shivered in her spot on the couch at the reminder of the nearly frozen lake, the corners of her mouth lifting. That'd been...fun. As she looked at the book in her hands, Hazel let her smile drop. Could Ridgeway really be who the prophecy was talking about? If so, who is this Vanquisher it had mentioned? Someone he was supposed to defeat…? Ridgeway had been through enough as it was. But….Biting her lip, a strange thought occurred to her. Why had Scamander himself come to Hogwarts to see Ridgeway? Hazel hadn't thought much of it when Mason had mentioned him, though she had been distracted. That's one way to describe it. While she both pitied and admired the professor for everything he'd gone through as a student, Scamander studied magical creatures, not people. Unless….

There was something she was missing, just sitting at the metaphorical tip of her tongue. Why would a magizoologist come all the way to Hogwarts to talk to an abused, emotional student? Hazel ran her finger down the table of contents, muttering to herself. "There's something, something I'm not thinking of….what is it?" Huffing in frustration, Hazel flipped through the book, hoping to recognize...whatever she was looking for. What was she missing? Hazel paused as she saw a photograph of a dark mass suspended in mid-air, the words "Obscurus" written above it. Bloody hell...The butterbeer on the table long forgotten, Hazel hunched over the book as she read the description below, muttering quietly to herself, "unstable, parasitic force...created from denial of magic...common in children from abusive households….prone to emotional outbursts resulting…..resulting, in extreme cases, transformation...host often dead before the age of ten." Was Ridgeway…? Eyebrows furrowed, Hazel bit her lip, mind whirling at the implications.

Is Ridgeway...an Obscurial? Could it be? He fits almost all the conditions...but could he really be an Obscurial? Am I just overthinking things? Obscurials haven't even been recorded anywhere since the mid 1940's, before Gellert Grindelwald was defeated. Despite the rush of emotions at the realization, Hazel found it briefly amusing that she only remembered some of major wizarding history because it involved a magical creature. But still... how is this possible? He fits the criteria - abusive household, combined with being the Carrow Twins favorite...target…It would also fit the rumors about him being a "cursed child" by other students and teachers, even if they hadn't known. Mason said the teachers had observed him for any outbursts, and why else would Newt Scamander visit Ridgeway at school? Scamander is still the wizard known for keeping an Obscurus alive after separating it from the host, and personally bearing witness to the oldest living Obscurial, who lived up to his mid twenties.

How is this even possible? Who else knew? Hazel snapped the book shut with a snap, staring dazedly into the fireplace. There's no way, but….all the evidence points to Marcus Ridgeway being...most likely, the oldest living...and potentially the most powerful, Obscurial in all of wizarding history...Sweet Merlin. Later on, Hazel would wish this had been the biggest revelation she'd learn….Does history truly repeat itself, my dear?