The Ever Changing Face of Death (unedited)

by TheL0sts0uls

After passing through a Veil archway, Hazel Potter and her adopted son Teddy discover they are in the DoM of a parallel world in 1991. Deciding to prevent the events that resulted in a nuclear winter, Hazel becomes an Operative, facing the dangers and traumas that exist in the crossroads between worlds, as she tries to build a life for herself in the new world. Female Harry Potter.

5. Chapter 41-50

Chapter 41: Beauxbatons

Dora did her best not to squirm as she ate from the plates of the Beauxbatons' Dining Hall among the seventh year students. She was thankful now for her mother's insistence that she learn etiquette, poise and the French language in her youth. All Blacks were supposed to know French and at least try to speak Latin and German after all, as the House had properties in the Continent. While she wasn't born into the family proper, Andromeda still wanted her to be prepared. Dora, for her part, rebelled by purposefully behaving less than lady-like and Andromeda eventually gave up, but not before a lot of the lessons were completed. She still remembered all the lessons and her mother had even helped to prepare her in the last few weeks before the start of the Beauxbatons term. At that time she saw Hazel only in the evenings and it bothered her seeing her partner and girlfriend look so … concerned. It's not like she was going off to war or anything. The moment she stood before the assembled students and was named as the transfer student Neaera d'Éon, Dora finally understood Hazel's concern. She would be here in the Academy, all on her own for almost two months, cementing her identity as the red headed, blue eyed French student from a reclusive family. No backup beyond the support of the Headmistress and that of the girl she was assigned to replace, Fleur Delacour. No comfort from the person that meant the most to her either.

Fleur Delacour was currently sitting beside her, eating her meal slowly as she chatted with her friend before turning around to face Dora. "Have you given thought to taking part in the Triwizard Tournament, d'Éon? I am sure the Headmistress informed you about it upon your arrival." Tonks drank from the glass of white wine in front of her a small sip before turning to her. "I have. Father's misfortunes in Britain have brought much shame to my family and my mother has requested I take the chance to improve our family's standing as a Champion." Fleur hummed. "And have you been practicing English for this occasion?" Dora smirked. "I have. Father was interested in expanding his business dealing in Britain and I was to be in charge of mingling with the younger crowd. A bit earlier than planned, but still a welcomed opportunity. I noticed a slight bit of our fair tongue's accent in your English. Would you care to practice with me? I am sure Monsieur Delacour would be pleased to hear that you continue to improve your English." Fleur eyed her carefully and smirked back. "Very well. As we have been assigned to the same dorm room, it should be most helpful. For now, let's finish our meal, oui?" Dora nodded and returned to her meal, being careful of her wine consumption. She didn't want to be drunk enough to make a scene, let alone potentially get yelled at by Hazel when she got home.

As soon as the door to their shared room was closed, Dora wiped out Hazel's wand and sealed it. She knew she had to be careful with it, more than likely switching to her primary wand for the classes, but she needed the safety the wand provided in warding currently. Fleur hummed as she used her wand to test the wards and frowned. "These are … quite strong for charm based wards." Dora sighed in relief as she shifted her body back to normal. She touched the charm on her necklace, feeling its current warm state but finding nothing of concern with it. "My girlfriend is an expert in charm based wards. She spent the last three years teaching me how to cast them." Fleur eyed Dora from head to toe. "I don't believe the Beauxbatons uniform suits your current form." Dora shrugged. "Hey, I am a Hogwarts graduate and proud of it, so I will take that as a compliment. I imagine Monsieur Delacour informed you of everything pertinent?" Fleur nodded. "He did. I am not pleased about surrendering my possible position as Champion." Dora stared at her. "You can add your name in if you want, but don't expect to come out of it alive if chosen. The whole point of my being here is to keep you and every other student alive from the dangers that several rogue elements are planning. Or were Madame Maxime's warnings not clear enough?"

Fleur blushed. The Headmistress had gone out of her way to warn the entire school that the Triwizard Tournament would be exceptionally dangerous and only the most skilled should even consider placing their name. Fleur sighed. "Well, when am I getting to join your training sessions?" Dora stretched her feet after removing her shoes, her toes snapping audibly. She missed her comfortable boots. "At Hogwarts. We have a secure training area and a tutor who is probably going to drive you and me into the ground." Fleur sat on her bed. "This tutor of yours is that rough with their charges?" Dora winced. "Depends on her moods. She is going to be tutoring Harry Potter as well, as his life is in the most danger, so in those moments she will be more polite, but I bet you the moment we arrive, she is going to be quite mad. The day after the selection won't be any different." Fleur was going to ask another question when she and Dora were blinded by a pure white light before a soft shrill filled the room. Dora rubbed her eyes. "Nova, that's you, isn't it? I can hear your laughter in that tone of yours!" Said merry bird flew around the room before landing on Dora's shoulder, presenting her with three letters. Dora blinked as she tried to get the spots out of her eyes before taking the letters. "Thank you, Nova. Care to go do the same to Hazel?"

The bird gave her a look and Dora sighed. "Nevermind, she'd be the one witch that might uncover the secret to providing magical immortal birds with a permanent death." The bird seemed to agree with her before taking off and vanishing in a softer burst of light. Fleur looked from Dora to where the bird was before it vanished. "Was that a Phoenix?" Dora shook her head to clear out her eyes. "Honestly? Not a clue. Headmaster Dumbledore has his own phoenix and it looks nothing like Nova. Hazel refuses to tell me anything about her other than not to piss her off. Teddy simply loves his Familiar and Hazel just lets her get away with just about anything, including pecking her on the head." Fleur blinked. "Wait, wait. Your partner isn't this bird's master, but her son is? How old is he?" Dora opened the letters. "He's twelve." Fleur sighed. "Gabrielle would be so jealous. My soeur is only eleven this year and she will be here next year, so she is just starting to look for a Familiar. I never found mine." Tonks started reading her letters and smiled. Her family was missing her and wishing her the best. Hazel's letter made her pause. "Well, we got some confirmation the First Task being about Creatures but the Second Task has changed from the original design. They can't say more, but they wanted to give me head's up."

Dora blushed at Hazel's more amorous statements before she took the letters and torched them wandlessly, envelopes and all, before vanishing the ash. Fleur looked at her with clear interest. "Not bad, for a non-Veela. Do you have your schedule for classes?" Dora nodded. "I think they are the same as yours. I decided to stick with Alchemy, Dueling and Warding as I never took the courses. Gives me a reason to actually study. The rest I already have my NEWTs for, so it will be more of a refresher." Fleur hummed. "Then we will have plenty of time to get to know each other. Also, word is our Alchemy course this year will have guests coming over to give lessons, meaning it will be quite the treat." Fleur started stripping her clothes off as Dora turned around quickly. "You are, uhm, surprisingly forward." Fleur's voice shifted into a more seductive tone. "Oh, do you find me attractive, Mademoiselle Tonks?" Dora was about to reply "No" when she felt something stop her tongue and her body grew instantly flushed. The feeling vanished in an instance as another magic seemed to chase the feeling out of her, almost violently. Dora stumbled for a moment before turning around, seeing Fleur in her underwear. "Did you try using your Allure on me?"

Fleur blinked. "For a second, yes. Why? Was it unpleasant to you?" Dora felt the magic inside of her almost growl. She shuddered. "Ah, not exactly but I would say never to do that again. It had no real effect." Fleur frowned. "Really? Because you clearly reacted to it." Dora blushed. "Look, I am in a serious monogamous relationship with a woman that I love and who is dangerously territorial." She blinked a second as the magic inside of her seemed to swoon. What the hell was happening with Hazel's magic? "So, for your safety, my sanity and the lives of everyone between here and Hogwarts, never try that again. You are beautiful but I have someone who I consider far more beautiful and I love her." Fleur gave her an almost longing look. "Then you are quite fortunate, Mademoiselle." Dora sighed. "Tonks. You can just call me Tonks and nothing else when we are alone like this." Stepping out of her Beauxbatons uniform, Tonks dressed in her pajamas and tucked in for bed. Two months. She had to make it two months before she returned home, where she could ask Hazel what was up with her magic and then proceed to make up for lost time in the bedroom with her.

Dora sat down beside Fleur as the Alchemy Class settled into their seats. She was glad that the course didn't need too much preparation for it, as Alchemy was a slightly more advanced practice than Potions. She took a few pointers from Croaker's Alchemists in tool preparations and alchemical reagents before she signed up for the course. Hazel's none existent skills in Potions, minus the apothecary's worth of vials she carried on her person, made them a bit vulnerable to Potion and Alchemic dangers. Croaker had made sure that despite having to be undercover for months, with only a few moments where she would appear as herself while at Hogwarts, Dora's time wasn't wasted. She and Hazel still had a lot of work to do in order to improve themselves and he was going to focus on that. Fleur's nudge made Dora look up and she watched as the guest Instructor walked through the door. A woman of dark hair and light green eyes walked in, wearing a dark robe, her long sleeves pulled back as she arrived at the front of the class. She slapped her hands together. "Welcome class, to another year of study in Alchemy. I will be taking over from Professor Elric until the end of October, so let's make the most of it. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Perenelle Flamel."

The entire classroom went silent before it descended into whispers as Dora stared at the woman, forgetting to speak in French. "As in, the co-maker of the Philosopher's Stone?" Perenelle, looking closer to forty rather than six hundred years old, smiled. "Ah, much better said that way. Nicholas always gets so proud when they speak his name in tandem with mine. Yes class, I am one of those Flamels. As Professor Elric has shown, you don't have to make a philosopher stone to be a great Alchemist, it just makes us more long lasting. Today we will cover or reinforce for some of you one of the principle elements of Alchemy; Transmutation. You have all been provided with a copper cup. The class assignment today is to turn the cup before you into one made of bronze. Not as exciting as pure element to element transmutation but still most effective and certainly a faster process than what chemistry allows, with the exception of the larger mass production facilities. The benefit of today's exercise is to show you all how to do transmutation without affecting the shape of the material. Have your ceramic Cauldrons heated up to the temperature as outlined in your text's page 34 and let's get started." Dora and Fleur activated the burner and they began to read the necessary pages.

The Instructor walked around as people started adding the other ingredients into the cauldron, including the reagents and pure water as a solvent before adding the bricks of tin. The Instructor tapped one of the students. "Keep the heat lower, we don't want to melt the cup or the tin. We aren't smiths. The purpose of this exercise is to learn how to make a controlled reaction. Remember, unlike Potions, this exercise will require the active participation of your magic. Now, can anyone tell me the benefits and drawbacks of Transmutation compared to Transfiguration and Conjuration?" Dora raised her hand and waited patiently, as did Fleur. Perenelle pointed at Fleur. "Transfiguration only please." Fleur nodded. "Transfiguration is considered a similar process, changing one item into another, from animate to inanimate and anything in between. It's drawback against Transmutation is that the change is temporary as the magic eventually fades, returning to the original shape. There are also inconsistencies with the behaviour of the transfigured materials. Transmutation is a permanent change, making it more viable in the long run, with the drawback being a slower and more complicated transformation process." Perenelle nodded and looked at Dora. "And Conjuration?"

Dora focused on Hazel's lessons. "Conjuration is a more magically taxing practice that creates objects or lifeforms out of raw magic. While it has the same drawbacks in inconsistencies with the materials as Transfiguration, greater knowledge of the intended result by the caster can overcome the inconsistencies. Like Transfiguration, the permanence of the conjurations is limited by the caster's skill and magical talent. Transmutation is still a permanent alternative, unless the items conjured are tied to wards that can sustain them independently. Unlike Conjuration, the behaviour of the materials in Transmutation are fully understood from magical and non-magical perspectives." Perenelle nodded. "That is indeed correct. The benefits of Alchemy is that of all the magical practices, it is the most consistent in its results. The same process with any number of practitioners can potentially give identical results, minus the application of magic required to initiate the alchemical process. Now, let's wait for everyone to reach the activation stage before we continue. Make sure you have your conductive rods in your hands before we begin." The students moved further into the process until everyone reached the aforementioned stage. Perenelle stood at the front and with a silent wave of her hand, latin words appeared on the blackboard behind her. "The spell is Aeris et Aere. Hold the rod, allow your magic to fill it like a wand and say the incantation."

The student's did as instructed and a few had to repeat it. Fleur went first and the two waited a minute before pulling out the now bronze cup from the cauldron. Perenelle checked with everyone and nodded. "A bit of practice now. Like all elemental transmutations, even partial ones with alloys, reverse the spell and watch as bronze becomes copper." Dora took the rod and cast it, careful not to draw on Hazel's magic. "Aere et Aeris." The cauldron flashed with magic and after a minute they pulled out the copper cup, fully restored. Perenelle leaned back onto the workbench of the Professor. "As you might know, the art of transmutation retains elements of chemistry and science. This means that certain scientific truths remain absolute. For example, as the tin was used in the creation of an alloy, it can not retake its original form when the change is reversed. It remains within the solvent and reagent mix, ready to be used. That's not to say it can't be recovered, it simply won't be like the cup, which retained its shape. Now, please look over page 40 and 41 and your class assignments will be on the preparation of non-water solvents. For now I will show you what neutralizing agents to use to recover the tin into a solid form before the class ends." Dora jotted as much of the information down before bells heralded the end of the class period.

Fleur looked at Dora with a smile. "Alchemy from one of the legends of the field. Not bad, right?" Dora nodded as they stored away the now cleaned cauldrons and rods. The Professor eyed them both as they prepared to leave. "Ms. d'Éon, a word please." Fleur nodded as she left as Dora turned to the older, well ancient, woman and bowed her head. "How may I help you, Instructor Flamel?" Privacy wards sprang up quickly and a slight smirk appeared on the older woman's lips. "You needn't worry so much, Ms. Tonks. My husband and I were part of your entry into Beauxbatons. Having permanent seats on the Board of Governors after centuries of sponsorship helps with that regard." Dora smiled back. "A pleasure to meet you and our thanks for your aid." Perenelle waved her hand. "You helped my husband retrieve one of our stones. It is only fair. I also have something for you." She opened a bag on the workstation behind her and pulled out a book. "Your employer wishes to see you complete the NEWT examination for Alchemy. This book will cover the basics of what you have missed and some of the shortcuts we Alchemists follow as we pursue our craft. As you are likely to be selected, you will be exempt from the physical classes once chosen as Champion. Make sure you study for this, in between training, of course."

Dora took the book and stared at the cover. "This is written by you and your husband." Perenelle winked at her. "Well, who else will uncover the secrets of Alchemy the fastest. Alphonse is a good lad, but he is more scientifically minded. Alchemy is the blend of science and magic, much the same as what Artificers uncovered. You need to have a foot in both worlds to grasp it fully. Not an easy feat for anyone not dedicating their lives to the pursuit but my husband and I have had plenty of time." Dora placed the book into her book bag and noticed Perenelle eyeing her carefully. The woman smiled. "You are welcome to see me in the time you have left at Beauxbatons about anything. Anything at all." Dora nodded and turned around, but was stopped by the woman's parting remarks. "Be careful with that magic in your veins, Miss Tonks. Betray its source and you might discover that there are worse things than death. Believe me, my husband and I have seen them. Keep that in mind as you discover more about yourself, and also about the person who sacrificed a bit of their strength to see you returned safely home." Dora turned back, unsure what to say as the wards collapsed. She left without saying a word, thinking about her white haired girlfriend and what exactly Hazel had sacrificed for her safety.

"Alright everyone. Gather around. Many of you will be trying out for the Triwizard Tournament and the accompanying Academic Competition. While Hogwarts has no dedicated Dueling course, they will still host a few Dueling matches between our finest, theirs and Durmstrangs. Do not doubt that Durmstrang will have a far less friendly assortment of spells at their disposal. Their reputation may be inflated at times and their Dark Arts course is not as dangerous as other people assume it is, but they are trained to fight and to fight well. Many of the more dangerous Professionals in the Dueling Circuits are theirs, so keep that in mind. I have observed you in the last few weeks and made a decision on who you will have your mock duels with. So please, step forwards when called. Make sure to use the spells you deem necessary. Jinxes and Hexes and minor Curses only." Dora stood back and watched as the Dueling Instructor paired the students with another of comparable skill and they got to dueling. It surprised her that while the students were definitely better duelists than the ones she saw at Hogwarts at the start of third year, by the end of it most of those in the sixth year category could probably match or even beat the seventh years from Beauxbatons. If Moody built on the success of the Dueling Club she and Hazel ran for a whole year, Hogwarts might take Beauxbatons by surprise, at least skill wise.

"You don't look too impressed." Dora eyed Fleur. She shrugged her shoulders. "My friends trained for quite a while. The standard Dueling skill sets aren't as impressive, even though I probably can be honest and say I was about their level when I first started." Fleur hummed and stood beside her. "Instructor d'Artagnan is a retired Duelist and has coached several people into successful careers after graduation." Dora looked towards the greying wizard with a styled mustache and trimmed beard. "Duels are one thing, fights are another thing entirely. Our tutor may surprise you, but you yourself received some external training. Am I correct?" Fleur blushed. "Veela are heavily targeted by the seedier members of magical society. Father refused to allow me to study here without securing my training, as did the leaders of the conclave my grandmere lives in." Dora looked towards Fleur for a second, gauging her physical state. She was fitter than most witches but nowhere near as fit as Hazel. Dora was sure her own physique was greater. One of Horatio's concerns had been making sure her shift into the d'Éon persona didn't take away her acquired skills and was taken care of by maintaining her own natural body type rather than assuming a new one.

Only differences between the persona and Dora's own form were an increase in her bust size a bit, adjustments to her facial structure and her cosmetic changes. Enough to fool people but not enough to throw off her capabilities. She did have to credit Horatio for the built up in muscle she acquired over the last three years. The Instructor whistled as the last two students finished their duel before calling out the next names. This continued on for half an hour until a final pair of names were called. "Miss d'Éon and Miss Delacour, come forward." Dora took her position and drew her normal wand. The two shifted their poses and waited, their wands aimed forward. "Begin!" Dora swung her wand and launched a powerful banishing spell, which caught Fleur off guard as her protego barely held up. Following Hazel's own lead, she pushed with stunners, banishers and summoning spells, leaving Fleur surprisingly flat footed under the concentrated barrage. A discreetly cast binding spell performed between the chain of attack spells caught Fleur by surprise before Dora summoned the bindings and stunned her roommate, leaving the Dueling class gobsmacked. The Instructor revived Fleur who woke up with a start.

"That will be all for today. Good job everyone. In the next class I will hand you my evaluations for suggestions on how to improve your form. I suggest you follow them." Dora stayed behind as the Instructor summoned her, Fleur and her friend, Aimere. "You three showed the most promise. I suggest you practice together. Ms. d'Éon, your chain casting was flawless. I assume you had prior training." Dora nodded. "Father was a bit of a worrywart and saw to my personal training with his contacts. Though I doubt I will participate in the academic competition, I can help these two learn a few important skills." The Instructor nodded at her. "Good. Try to get that skill down. Chain casting is considered the prime skill used by Duelists worldwide and it's not so easy to manage. You two do your best to master it." Fleur's friend waved them goodbye as she had Magical Law in the next period, while Fleur and Dora took a walk outside on the vast grounds. She swore that Beauxbatons looked like it was designed at around the same time as Versailles. The gardens themselves were manicured into various shapes. They reached the large fountain at the center and sat on an open bench.

"You humiliated me." Dora smiled at her. "Which would you prefer? Me or a student at Hogwarts?" Fleur glared. "No students know how to chain spells that well." Dora laughed a little. "Then you can kiss the Dueling section of the Academic Tournament goodbye." Fleur froze. "Non, you can't tell me the students there…" Dora hummed merrily. "Know how to chain cast? Your future tutor taught a few the basics on how to get the chain started. They had it down by the end of the year. The seventh year students graduated and are probably enjoying their time at the Auror Academy. The sixth years are probably testing the technique out further by now. Trust me, Hogwarts won't be as easy to beat in Dueling. They won't be able to match me in power and speed but it might be enough to beat some of your best students." Fleur rubbed her face before sighing. "This is going to be a long year, isn't it?" Dora nodded but became thoughtful. "Yup. And you won't be having to deal with the really dangerous creatures." Fleur looked at her. "They really make you worry, don't they? These Tasks?" Dora sighed. "More worried about my cousin, Harry. He's only fourteen and will be forced to do all this on his own." Fleur lowered her eyes. "I kept thinking about my own pride about this Tournament, but a life will be really at risk, won't it? Someone who isn't ready." Dora looked towards the sky and thought about Hazel, her silence ending the conversation. She knew her partner would protect Harry from anything. She'd make sure he was ready to face the Tasks. Dora just had to be sure she could do the same.

"I swear, BM, if something happens at the Castle tonight, you and I are going to have words!" Hazel's statement caused Horatio to be quiet for about a minute. "Noted." Hazel sighed as she looked down from the tall cargo crane, dressed in her Operatives tactical bodysuit, her hair shifted short for the mission. MI5 had gotten another tip about a group of wizards working alongside criminals, this time a terrorist network looking to deal some damage to Britain's shipping lanes. They would be setting up at a warehouse near the Port of Liverpool to attack the same port, so MI5's lead agents actually took Hazel's suggestion from the previous incident and called the DoM ahead of the operation. Hazel rubbed her eyes, feeling a bit weary in the late night hours. Over a month had passed since Dora was stationed in Beauxbatons establishing her cover and Hazel knew she was getting more and more abrasive. Waking up to an empty bed and the constant feeling of dread that settled into her would make anyone irritable. Hazel heard her comm device make a noise before a new voice spoke up. "This is the LA on site. O1, do you read me?" Hazel smirked. The DoM found a way to transmit the communication signals from non-magical systems through theirs. At least this would be handy later on. "O1 reads you loud and clear, LA. At a high vantage point and waiting for your signal."

Hazel heard some background chatter around the lead agent and could see movement down below her of vehicles getting into position surrounding the warehouse and several boats taking similar positions on the waterfront side of it. "The warehouse suspected to house the terrorists is number 13. Engaging now. You may commence your infiltration." Hazel stood up and stretched, pulling down her face mask, before leaning over the edge and going for a freefall from her position on the crane. She shifted into a dark colored seagull halfway down and flew to the roof of the warehouse, spotting a few snipers getting into position. Shifting quickly into her human form, Hazel silently swung her wand at the closest sniper before rapid firing piercing spells at the others. Avoiding the growing puddles of blood from her first kills on site, Hazel sealed the roof access points before lifting her wrist up. "Rooftop is secured. Snipers taken out and access sealed. LA, should I start searching for M targets?" The agent's voice responded quickly, the gunfire that was faintly heard from the roof being much louder from his microphone. "Acknowledged. Begin your intervention. Free to use firearms with lethal accuracy as we have non-certified officers aiding on site." Hazel clicked her tongue and holstered her wand before drawing her pistol. "Roger that."

Using the roof access points she sealed, Hazel moved into the building and with the enchantment attached to her eyes, she searched for any magical signatures. She frowned as she moved deeper into the building when she saw signatures that weren't human shaped, all stacked on the walls or lying flat on the ground within boxes. "O1 to BM and LA, we have non-living M signatures on site." Horatio cursed. "Permission for wandless magic granted. Low visibility spells advised. Spooks will be onsite to aid in investigation." The lead agent sighed. "Agreed. We are taking fire out here, but nothing suspicious or too difficult to handle yet. M targets must be inside. Good hunting, O1." Hazel allowed her eyes to focus purely on the magic around her as she sent her magic into the stone, feeling its reply. Disillusioning herself, Hazel conjured a blade into her offhand and moved through the catwalks, being forced to vanish the blood that kept splattering onto her invisible form as she carved her way through the guards in the upper area. Reaching a longer section, her enchanted eyes spotted the moving magical targets she was looking for. Moving silently from one side of the building to the other, Hazel spotted all the targets. "Six living M signatures. Switching to non-lethal force." Horatio's voice responded. "Acknowledged." Switching her pistol into her offhand to leave her left hand free to cast, Hazel jumped over the railing and landed silently and disillusioned onto the floor.

The criminals barely had a chance to respond as stunners and started taking them out one by one, with bullets blasting holes into the muggles' heads or knees. Of the wizards, only two managed to draw their wands, one wasting his time with a revealing spell as Hazel stunned him before he could make use of it. The other wizard seemed to be smarter as she was caught in a barrage of Reductos. Hazel was forced to raise shields and moved to safer positions, the storage containers and her shield taking the damage from the hexes, as she switched out the magazine of her gun. Seeing an opening, Hazel rushed the wizard who casted curses at her wildly, sliding across the floor with the aid of a thin layer of ice added for greater speed. The wizard's legs were taken out from under him by a few well placed shots before she stunned him as she stood back up from behind him. She then turned her attention to the rest of the interior's security, switching to her pistol and aided by a few wandless and invisible spells, before she continued exchanging gunfire with the criminals. The shots ended as she switched out her fourth magazine, before sliding in the fifth.

After verifying there were no stragglers and that all the people currently with a pulse were properly stunned, Hazel lifted up her wrist. "This is O1. All M targets are down safely, a few with bullet wounds. Permission to aid agents from inside?" The lead agent responded. "Not necessary. We got them surrendering. A few hold outs but nothing serious from outside. Wrap up your targets and get them out. Our agents will be entering the building soon enough. Anything of a magical concern better be gone by then." Horio followed through. "Agreed. Collect our living targets and extract. Spooks will be on site for M item retrieval soon enough with the necessary documentation. MI5 can handle the rest." A quick summoning spell later, followed by lots of conjured bindings, and Hazel was ready, tying a portkey to the bound wizards before grabbing the lines of rope. She sighed after raising her wrist up, seeing the time. At least she could go back to the castle and prepare for the morning patrols. Joy. "O1, ready to extract to the arrival point. Activating portkey. See you on the other side. Tartaros." Hazel and the tied up wizards portkeyed out of the warehouse. By the time the MI5 entered, all they found was a deathly silent warehouse, which seemed to be more terrifying to them.

"Alright everyone, well done with today's classwork. Your next class will be on producing Paracelsus' real Alkahest formula. While not the universal solvent he envisioned, it is considered one of the best Alchemic solvents. Remember to bring dragonhide gloves. You don't want this on your skin. The Academy's elves will be prepared to apparate you to the Infirmary. We will also have you work on its counteragent, for everyone's safety. See you all in the next class." The students packed up their books and exited the classroom as Dora felt her stomach fill with nerves. The last few letters from Teddy had made her feel a bit guilty. Hazel wasn't taking their separation well and while she never complained to her son, Teddy could still feel his mom's growing distress. Dora could understand that as she was feeling her own nerves building from being on her own. Beauxbatons was in no way a stressful environment and with Alchemy being her only true new course, she was just focusing on catching up with that course and refining her skills with the rest. But her nights weren't easy. She missed the comfort of her girlfriend's body beside her and she found her dreams a mix of pleasant remembrance and dread. She needed to get a bit of advice. "Instructor Flamel? Can I have a private word with you?"

Perenelle bade her with a gesture and she sat down in one of the seats of the Professor's office. Perenelle sat behind the desk and privacy wards were instantly raised. "You have been distracted this whole month, Miss Tonks." Dora swallowed the lump in her throat. "This assignment has been hard on my girlfriend and myself. I have been feeling anxious and depressed and apparently so has she. This has been the longest we have been apart and while it's nothing compared to a full year or decades, it still feels…" Perenelle gave her a soft smile. "Distressing. Believe me, Miss Tonks, you are not the first nor the last to feel this way. Many successful relationships can fall apart with distance, despite doing everything in your power to save them. Nicholas and I have been together a long time. I can assure you, we had our share of difficulties." She sat back into her chair and had a distant look in her light green eyes. "We knew each other for a bit in our youths but circumstances tore us apart. We met time and again, never clicking in place, until the people around us finally settled down. In the quiet of peace we were able to get past the why we fought and we chose to make something more of our relationship. The problems that plagued us in our early life would come up again and again, but we never lost sight of our promise to each other. So tell me, have you made a commitment to her?"

Dora blushed. "I told her I would stay by her side, no matter what. She is my partner." Perenelle hummed. "A good sentiment and you meant it. But did you prove it? A commitment sealed by words alone is nothing compared to one being proven by actions." Dora blinked and thought for a second. "I… don't know how to do that. By your logic, marriage is not enough and I am not ready for that." Perenelle tapped her hands. "Miss Tonks, anyone of an infinite number of divorcees can tell you marriage is not enough. The vows are not as binding as you might think and even if they were, you cannot force a person to truly love another forever. To prove your commitment is indeed possible, without placing a ring on their finger, but only if you pour your heart into it completely. Not an easy thing." Dora raised her hand and rubbed the locket that Hazel gave her, a motion Perenelle noticed. "Can I see it?" Dora pulled the chain over her head and handed the locket to Perenelle who seemed surprised by it. "When did she give this to you?" Dora smiled at the memory. "About three weeks after we got together. It was my birthday. Why?" Perenelle handed it back. "Your partner seems to be either a student or a practitioner of the Olde Ways. Tell me, do you know what is inside of it?" Seeing Dora shaking her head, Perenelle smiled.

"In the age of the Druids, Promise Token lockets like yours were common. Given at the dawn of a relationship, it signified promise and continuity of feeling between lovers. Two outcomes could come of it. One is that the relationship ends when the givers asks for it back. The other is when the locket breaks, revealing a sapling of a tree within. Care to guess what that means?" Dora thought for a second. "The locket is broken and it can't be returned as it was given. The relationship is finalized." Perenelle nodded. "Indeed. It was enough to be considered a fulfilled betrothal contract among the Druids. The sapling was then planted in the property that was to become their home or among a favored path for the nomadic tribes. The gifting of the object is both a sign of commitment and a prayer that what is shared will endure a lifetime." Dora rubbed the locket affectionately. "Is there something I can give in return? Something showing my own commitment?" Perenelle thought for a second. "In the past two of those lockets were exchanged, but giving one back now would not ease you or your partner's mind. There are a few more complicated alternatives. I know of one that can show a great deal of commitment from you, but the difficulty of it will test your feelings. Are you sure you want to know how much you love her?"

Seeing Dora's nod, Perenell stood up and pulled her bag towards her. "Do you happen to know what your partner's Patronus is?" Dora thought how best to describe it. "A dragon, but I can't be sure of the breed. It's also odd since it looks like a skeleton." Perenelle's hands froze within her bag and Dora could see her stiffen. "She has suffered much, hasn't she?" Dora frowned. "She has." Pulling out a medium sized crystal, about the size of her hand, Perenelle sat back. "Nicholas told me that she is not of our world. A skeletal dragon Patronus signifies that her life has been one of pain and death, yet duty and love forces her forward, in spite of everything. Does it have a name?" Dora looked at the crystal. "Aithusa." Perenelle placed the crystal down gingerly and Dora saw her rub her eyes, which but for a moment looked as if they were drawn into a memory. She turned to Dora, the eyes still filled with moisture. "An exceptional student then, one that has a good grasp of the Olde Ways and its final days. The item I am suggesting will need to be crafted by a friend of ours but what I need from you now is to take the crystal, think of the feeling of happiness you usually associate with the Patronus charm and fill the crystal with it."

Dora picked up the crystal and closed her eyes. She thought of every moment that she was with Hazel. The comfort she found in her arms as they sat together looking over the waves at the beach, the smiles that spread as they shared a meal together with Teddy, the safety of her back pressed against her own as curses and bullets flew past. She thought of the moments when those green eyes looked at her with a warmth and longing that she knew were reflected in her own, of the burning desire that ran through every inch of her body as they gave up on any semblance of intelligent thought. Her last thought was of waking up to the feel of that warm body pressed up beside her, the content and the certainty that everything was right in the world whenever she woke up with Hazel by her side. She felt her magic flare with the thoughts and feelings until it finally settled into a steady stream. She opened her eyes and winced at the bright light that filled the office before it settled down into a steady glow. Perenelle gave Dora a soft smile. "You may set it down, Miss Tonks." Dora placed the crystal onto the desk and pulled her hand away, yet the feeling of her magic being tied to it remained.

Perenelle pulled out a thick leather pouch and placed the crystal inside. "This will take time to craft, but I believe my friend will have it ready by Christmas Eve. You need not worry about how your magic is reacting to it, as you will feel it balance out. If she is as knowledgeable as I believe her to be, then she will know what this means." Dora stood up. "How much… ?" Perenelle waved her hand at Dora. "My husband brought home an anniversary gift he acquired from your partner worth far more than either the crystal or the craftsmanship that will come with it before it's sent to you. Believe me, this is but a fair exchange. One meaningful gift for another to celebrate the love shared between souls." Dora thanked her and left the office as Perenelle turned around and sighed. She reached over to the window sill and checked on the flowers her husband gave to her two years prior and touched them gently, feeling how they too absorbed some of the magic from the young woman. Perenelle sat back and closed her eyes, thinking of what now seemed but a brief moment of her past. "A Blessing from Another World, huh? May the Triple Goddess bless her with a better life here."

Chapter 42: Arrivals and the Champion Selection

Dora sighed in relief as Neaera d'Éon's name was called out. She stood up from her seat at the table, bowed softly at the other students in the Dining Hall and made her way to the table that had been established for the Beaubaxton's Delegation. She sat down and looked towards the Headmistress as she read the next name on the list. "Fleur Delacour." Dora clapped politely as her roommate joined her at the table. She looked among the other delegates, taking in the faces of the other students. As the schools would be taking part in an Academic Competition, and not just the Triwizard Tournament, students from fourth year onwards were selected to participate, all being the top scorers from a mock test done just last week and the scores from the year prior. Dora's own mock test was a lot more involved than the rest since she had arrived at the school with no academic history beyond the one the DoM developed based on her skills and previous scores. Her Defence, Dueling, Charms, Potions, and even Transfiguration scores were way higher than when she left Hogwarts. She had to give Hazel a very personal thank you for her scores in Transfigurations. Her partner was the undisputed master conjurer, but Dora was happy that what skills she had learned from her earned her quite a bit more academically.

"Thinking of your lady back home?" Dora blushed as Fleur sat down beside her at the table. "Two months. I have been away from her for two months and I am going crazy with anticipation." Fleur chuckled. "I am sure she has missed you as well. That Nova bird has made quite a few deliveries." Dora nodded just as the Headmistress finished with the list. Maxime waited until everyone was seated before she began. "Congratulations to all our delegates. Tomorrow morning, you embark aboard our Flying Carriage as we make our way to Hogwarts in the Scottish Highlands. Remember to either practice your warming charms or bring warm clothes, as we will be spending the Winter Season there. A reminder to our Delegates that wish to take part in the Triwizard Tournament. As a Champion, you are barred from taking part in the Academic Competition and exempted from physically participating in your classes. You will, however, be required to sit your NEWTs if you are in seventh year, OWLs if you are in fifth year and placement exams for fourth and sixth year students to determine how you continue your education. A final warning. Be careful if you submit your name. This Tournament will test you in ways our Academy isn't necessarily capable of preparing you for. You are risking your health, your education and your life. Think carefully before you submit your name. That is all. Please enjoy your dinner."

Dora engaged in pleasant conversations around the table as the food appeared on the plates. She noticed quite a few students seemed to be in deep thought, including Fleur's friend. "Second thoughts about submitting your name?" Amie nodded her head at Dora. "The Thousand Galleon reward was tempting but the Headmistress is very clear on the life threatening danger. I am my mother's only child. I… I can't do that to her." Fleur hugged her friend and the two chatted as Dora thought on those words. It reminded her of Hazel's words to her after she broke down on the first mission. Life was a fleeting thing and dying might seem like it's worth it for the people who fight, but it's never worth it for the survivors. They are the ones left behind to pick up the pieces, forced to live a life in absence of their family and loved ones. She knew that Dumbledore had approached her mother during the war and that she had refused to join his Order. Many of her friends in the Order had criticized her but she never regretted her choice. Andromeda chose to raise her daughter away from the war rather than endanger her life and her family's future. She took a job in the Department of Mysteries that forced her to stay quiet but was less time consuming than working at St. Mungos. All for her.

Hazel was the same. She never went into a fight prepared to die. She always sought how to take the enemy out quickly. The Order of her world called her dangerous and violent. She wasn't, not to Dora's eyes. She used every option available to her to not only win a battle but to minimize her own danger. Sure, she always seemed a little bloodthirsty but she knew the price of sitting back and doing nothing. Hazel suffered greatly for that knowledge. Dora finished eating her meal before she decided to take a walk through the gardens, feeling the light of the moon on her skin. She reached the fountain and stared down into the now still water, seeing the face of the person the Department had invented with the aid of their allies in France. She touched the two necklaces that were around her neck. Hazel had given her so much. The means to fight without losing her balance. A promise of a better life and her wand that surpassed all others. All for Dora to survive the coming Triwizard Tournament intact. Dora felt so guilty. Sure, she gave Hazel her time, her love and the support she needed. She deserved so much more. She looked up at the Moon, her mind settled. Dora held the locket in her hand, feeling it's warmth. When this mission was over, she would make sure to do more for Hazel. Her partner was the best thing to ever happen to her. She would survive to be with her and show her exactly what that meant.

"You know, I expected some downgrade from living inside a Carriage. So why do I feel like everything is just as flashy and ostentatious as in the Academy?" Fleur, for once, seemed to agree as they explored the greatly expanded interior of the Carriage. "I would be offended, but you aren't wrong. The records for the creation of the Carriage says it came into existence around the same time as the final reconstruction of the Academy, so I imagine they really wanted to show off. Though the flight enhancements and modifications are all recent additions. The Carriage was designed for travel along the ground, not up in the air." Dora stuck her head into a room and whistled. "Seeing as this is a miniature ballroom, I would have to agree." Fleur looked inside and shook her head at the glass walls and the large chandelier. The two continued on from room to room as the students and staff prepared to leave. They would all be summoned to a forward area where they could have a view of the sights from outside as they flew across the French and British Countrysides. No one was allowed to move while the Carriage was in flight, just in case something unexpected happened. The two eventually arrived at their assigned quarters and deposited their bags. Dora looked out of the window. "Guessing these are enchanted?"

Fleur pulled out a thicker robe, made in the colors and style of Beauxbatons and closed her trunk. "It is. Only area that has a physical window is the door leading out. The staffers will probably be stationed there for security." After they both secured their trunks and Tonks removed her own thicker robe to wear later, the two stepped out of the room and went to do one last sweep. They found Healer Smyth securing the items in the infirmary, several of the classrooms they would be using and the different rooms for the different year groups. To the far back of the Carriage, Dora opened the door and looked around. "I am guessing this is the reason for the lack of a shower or bath in the rooms." She walked a bit deeper into a room that resembled a Greek Bathhouse, white marble columns and light blue tiled floors stretched out surprisingly far. Fleur hummed appreciatively. "Well, it makes sense. It's a lot more efficient to have a single room that needs heavy water enchantments. Easier to keep clean too." Dora sighed in relief as she spotted some covered showers along the far wall. "Well, I suppose so. Hufflepuff has its shared bathrooms too but most of it is showers with privacy screens. Gryffindor is about the same. Ravenclaw and Slytherin have independent showers per dorm, like back at the academy."

A tone echoed through the air and Maxime's voice was heard in the room. "All students and staff, move up to the inflight seating area. We will be taking off for Hogwarts soon." Leaving their exploration for later, Dora and Fleur arrived at the seating area. The students were already sitting down in the several rows of seats, with Fleur and Dora sitting in the second furthest back row, as the staff were seated behind them. Maxime checked her list and counted the arriving students until she rolled the parchment up. "Very well. Everyone is here. Use the safety straps in case of rapid movements and enjoy the view as shown on the walls. It's a long flight so our staff will be passing around some prepared sandwiches and drinks for everyone." With that, the tall woman took her own seat and strapped herself in. Dora felt wards and enchantments activate across the entire Carriage and after the Abraxans neighed, everyone felt a tug. The carriage took a spectacular flight around the Academy, turning on both sides so the students could all enjoy it before the view changed to long countryside and large residential areas through the enchanted windows that were made to reflect the outside view. The experience reminded her a bit of the one time her Dad took her and her mom on an airplane to Spain, though the carriage was a lot less noisy and spent a much longer time closer to the ground.

Soon enough the ground outside the window turned to a wide open sea. Fleur visibly shuddered beside her, something Dora noticed. "Not a fan of large bodies of water?" Fleur shook her head. "Veela have never been fond of the water as we are more attuned with wind and fire. I find the beach and rivers pleasant, but large lakes and open ocean are a common fear of us. Not to mention the old treaty between our people and the Merfolk still makes it dangerous for Veela to enter into bodies of water with merfolk villages." Dora hummed. "Stay out of the Black Lake then. There has been a Merfolk village there since as far as we can remember." Fleur shuddered again. "Thanks for the warning." Dora sat back. "What about Centaurs? The Forbidden Forest has a resident herd. Any bad relations with them?" Fleur grew thoughtful for a second, her fear of what was visible outside the window momentarily forgotten. "I don't believe so. The conclaves have independent treaties with each herd close to their borders, so things are pretty normal." Dora sighed in relief. "Good. My friends have been working on improving their relations with the Centaurs near Hogwarts. Really didn't want to see what an angry Centaur herd looked like." Fleur took a look to the side and gripped her seat tighter. Dora shook her head. The ride was going to be longer for a few select people than for others. She rubbed the charms on her bracelet and thought of her family, Harry, Teddy and Hazel. Finally, she was coming home.

Harry sighed in relief, as did the entire student body, when a familiar ward activated around them as they stood outside waiting for the arriving students. He saw Dumbledore turn towards Hazel. "Ah, much appreciated, Auror Peverell." Harry could see a bit of tension on Hazel's shoulders but she didn't snap at the old man. "Rather not have Pomfrey yelling at me about letting the students catch a cold just to welcome the schools. She's already not happy about having to be The Primary Healer for this Tournament." Dumbledore nodded. "Quite right." Everyone started chatting among each other as Hazel went about to check the perimeter and the areas that would receive the arriving delegations. She walked up to Dumbledore after doing a closer sweep near the lake. "Durmstrang is here." The students frowned as they looked over the lake until a small boat appeared on the surface just around a bend. The moment it seemed to slow down and weigh anchor, the water around it shot up into the air. The small boat was now the crow's nest of a large sailing vessel, looking to be right out from the Age of Exploration. The ship moved closer until it reached the docks on the edge of the lake before deck hands dropped down and started mooring it. Hazel turned to the Headmaster. "I will go down there and do the first sweep." She left towards the dock, her wand at her side. The deck hands greeted her with a wave and she casted diagnostics and scans on the vessel's exterior.

A tall man appeared on the deck of the vessel, his height seemingly greater with the tall fur hats common in the Eurasian North. "Permission to disembark, Auror?" Hazel raised an eyebrow. "Granted. My apologies if I scan you and all your students on the way down. Ever since the World Cup, the ICW has been concerned over regions with sectarian violence in its international events. It won't take long and you can have your students line up before greeting the Headmaster." A wooden board with steps was pulled out from the ship and secured between the deck and on top of the dock. Headmaster Karkaroff was the first to disembark, his bearded face turned towards Hazel as he examined her. "Acceptable and reasonable. I imagine you will be helping to keep our students safe as well, yes?" Hazel nodded. "We are here for all the students who want to have a safe environment." A familiar face started walking down the ramp, some of the bruises she heard he acquired at the World Cup all but gone now. "And that includes any harmful potions or tainted food. Dealing with unruly fans, however, will require the student's cooperation. I can't beat fangirls with a broom every moment of every day to keep them away from celebrities." The young Bulgarian gave her an understanding smile. "Da, I can deal with some of that myself. I appreciate your concern and efforts for us all, Auror." She waved Victor Krum through after spotting only an enchanted ring on him, one designed to keep him aware of potions in his meals.

Hazel barely finished with the last of the Durmstrang Delegation when the sound of Abraxans and their flapping wings filled the air. Sighing, she made her way to the clearing that had been set aside for them, joining Hagrid as they watched the handlers land the Carriage. "Magnificent creatures, Abraxans." Hazel shrugged. "Personally I prefer your Thestrals. Then again, I am a Peverell. Our tastes in creatures has never been the norm." Hagrid chuckled. "Aye. A shame neither of them seem overly fond of ye." Hazel eyed the giant pegasi and pulled in her magic. The creatures noticeably calmed down as Hagrid went to untie them from the Carriage, with Hazel scanning and checking the drivers before following them to the door. A staffer stepped out and held the door as Madam Maxime exited the Carriage. "Ah, I heard we would be having an Auror inspect us on arrival." Hazel did a quick and silent scan before making way for her. "You are free to gather your students outside. Headmaster Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students are welcoming the Durmstrang arrivals as we speak. A ward has also been placed out here and will follow you into the Great Hall to keep your students warm, in case they didn't want to wear a thick robe while dining. We are working to add wards all along the castle in time for the comfort of all students." Maxime nodded as she passed Hazel. "We appreciate the hospitality. Students, let the Auror inspect you before lining up behind me."

Scanning the younger years was easy, until she saw Dora and Fleur Delacour walk out of the carriage. She kept an indifferent appearance on her face, despite her desire to kiss her girlfriend. She fed those feelings into her Family Magic, hoping the faint echo would be appreciated. Hazel stood at the back and waved at Maxime who started her students down the path to the Castle. She turned to the staffers of the carriage. "Send your head of staff to the courtyard outside the entrance after the students return. We will go over the security of your charges for the duration of the event. More ICW Aurors will be arriving to help with security in the coming days." Getting their agreements, Hazel walked alongside the Beauxbatons students before standing at attention at the doors of the Great Hall. Space was made among the Ravenclaw and Slytherin Tables for the guests due to the smaller populations of the two houses. Alastor passed by her as he finished escorting and scanning the Goblet in its casket before it was placed outside of the Great Hall. He nodded at her, giving her the all clear. Hazel sighed, looking back towards the students as the outer doors were closed for the Feast.

At the Ravenclaw table, Dora was doing her best not to break her cover. She never expected that seeing Hazel again would cause such a stir in her. The indifferent look had been tolerable when she caught echoes of Hazel and Teddy's true feelings from within Hazel's magic. The warmth from the two and the longing from Hazel had made her heartache lessen considerably as the students waited for Dumbledore to speak. "Welcome Beauxbatons! Welcome Durmstrang! Tonight we unveil within this Hall the impartial judge that will select the Champions from our three schools. A reminder that Champions whose name are selected, regardless if they change their mind due to the dangers involved, must compete. They will not participate in the Academic Competition between the schools or be forced to sit for tests, as their primary focus must be the Tournament. Faculty members won't be able to aid their respective Champions in any direct way, beyond their medical needs. As Champions, you will stand alone as you take on the Three Tasks required to obtain the Triwizard Cup. Now, for our impartial judge." Hazel moved forward and followed Filch as he and a staff member from each of the schools lifted the Casket up to the raised section of the Great Hall, setting it down besides Dumbledore and the Speaker's stand. Once it was secured in place, Hazel placed six wardstone disks on the ground in an array around it and activated them.

Dumbledore eyed Hazel as she stepped to the side, crossing her arms over her chest. He gave her a soft nod before turning to the students and tapping his wand onto the casket. While the students watched as the casket folded into itself until it became a stand for the Goblet of Fire, Hazel's eyes focused on the Elder Wand in his hand. Like the Cloak and the Ring of this world, it failed to react to her presence. Leaving it in his grasp was a danger she wasn't entirely comfortable with, but Dumbledore's own paranoia and care would keep it safe for now. It would be retrieved in time. She looked over the school, giving Harry a warm smile and a nod before tuning into Dumbledore's speech. "The Goblet of Fire was constructed at the dawn of the Triwizard Tournament. In order to submit your name, you must merely write it and the name of your school down on a bit of parchment and toss it into the flames. The wards our Auror has set down are an added layer of security, designed to prevent interference by anyone with the selection process and to prevent people from having others submit their names for them. As of this moment, the Tournament has begun. You have until tomorrow's Dinner Feast to submit your name for consideration. Until then, I ask our students and our guests to please enjoy their meals. Our elves have done a fantastic job preparing meals from the Continent for everyone's pleasure. Now, tuck in."

Hazel walked slowly along the edge of the room once, making sure everything was alright and giving Harry a reassuring tap on his shoulder. The boy turned and smiled at her and she smiled back before continuing on, feeling Teddy's own warmth towards her as she passed the Hufflepuff table. The Slytherins looked at her with weary respect, but the Durmstrang delegates all nodded at her, with Krum looking thankful. Satisfied the students were secure, Hazel came up and sat at the opposite end of the Staff Table from Moody, who kept eyeing Karkaroff wearily. Hagrid and Maxime discussed the care of her school's Abraxans and of the food they would need to be provided with, the mention of whiskey making her almost gag on her drink. Hazel ate her modest sized meal before sitting back, her eyes scanning the Hall. As the meal ended and the Headmasters stood up, she approached the two visiting members. "It is my understanding that your transports include instructors who will be teaching the delegation throughout the year. As soon as the Auror contingent arrives on the 1st of November, I would like permission from you both to inspect and speak to your staff members, just so we have an adequate count of who is staying within the Castle's wardlines at all times." They both nodded and made their way to the tables to escort their students back to their transport for the night. Hazel sighed to herself as the Great Hall started to slowly empty out. One day to go before Harry became her main priority.

Slipping out of the Carriage wasn't as easy as Dora would have liked. With the only entrance and exit being the door and apparition and portkeys not working, she had to literally wait by the locked door until someone opened it. She froze a bit when after thirty minutes of waiting someone opened the door. The staffer entered but the door was held open by a familiar slim hand. "Please inform the others as to the restrictions on movement. The day after tomorrow, with sufficient Auror presence, the students and staff will be able to spend longer periods of time outside of the castle. The Prefects will be doing the tour so please tell the students to dress warmly. Not everyone is proficient with warming charms and the warming wards burn out too quickly in their current state." The staffer nodded as Dora slipped past them both. "Of course we will inform them after the morning meal. Remind the Headmaster that our students have the right to choose not to partake in the Morning Feasts, with the exception of the one upon leaving or the ones tied to the Tasks. Good night, Auror." The staffer closed the door and Hazel started walking towards the Castle, a privacy ward activating around her. "Madame Maxime will be giving you access to the door, as the official Auror Guard for the Carriage. You will be able to leave at your own convenience."

Dora sighed. "It's frustrating, you know? I know for a fact my Disillusionment is as good as an Invisibility Cloak now." Hazel smiled at her. "True, but Moody, myself and probably Dumbledore will be able to see you. The magic I gave you, however, should negate the detection of your person on the wards if you so wish, but without my Cloak, it can't hide you from us." Dora frowned. "Then why could you still see me with that Cloak of yours?" A soft touch on Dora's waist made her skin flush. "Because the times you were under the cloak, you didn't move. Even so, you have a piece of my magic, my Family's Magic, inside of you. I can always find Teddy and I will always find you unless you ask me to purge your system." Dora felt the magic in her flair slightly, as if it was unhappy with that thought. "I will remember that." The two trekked silently through the castle until they reached Hazel's Chambers. As soon as she dispelled the disillusionment charm, two people tackled Dora to the ground. Hazel smirked as she walked away as the Invisibility Cloaks were pulled off, revealing the smiling faces of Harry and Teddy. "Welcome back, Tonks." Teddy hugged her harder, speaking after Harry. "Missed you, Dora." Dora tried to glare at Hazel but she decided to just hug the boys back. "Good to be back. Can I get up now?" Harry and Teddy chuckled as they sat up. When she looked at Hazel, she watched as her partner revealed a cake on the table. "Dessert?"

Everyone laughed at the instant growl of her stomach. Sure, she ate at the Feast, but her nerves kept her from eating a lot. Dora sat down between the boys at the table as they asked her between mouthfuls of cheesecake about Beauxbatons and how it was compared to Hogwarts. They also talked about Moody as their Defence professor, which was of big interest to Dora. Hearing that the gruff old man was keeping Hazel's Dueling instructions up and adding to them within the Defence course was great, even if it spelled disaster for Beauxbatons. Fleur might win her year bracket but the rest were going to get pummelled, especially in the fourth year division. Teddy looked to his mom. "You think Madam Maxime will let us get near the Abraxans?" Hazel rubbed his hair. "Sure. I believe Grubbly-Plank will do the same for her classes, but I will see if she can do something similar for the first two years. Having mostly tame Abraxans around here is a rarity and I am sure the others want the chance to see them." Teddy hugged her and Hazel kissed his hair. "Now, I believe it's curfew for both of you. Harry, escort Teddy to the Hufflepuffs and then make your way up. You have your father's map. Avoid Moody while you can." Harry nodded and he and Teddy stood up. Just before they opened the door, Hazel spoke up. "Remember. I have a map too. Don't get distracted." The dual reply of "Bye Mom!" cause her to freeze in place.

Dora smiled as she drank a bit of warm chocolate. "Harry is getting more comfortable around you, I see." Dora's words snapped her out of her momentary pause and she shook her head. "I think he did that with Teddy to mess with me." Dora raised an eyebrow. "Think or hope?" Hazel sighed as she sat down. "Both?" Dora chuckled as Hazel eyed her. "So, how was time being the roommate of a Veela? Anything I should know about?" Dora looked at her in the eyes, expecting to see jealousy. She wasn't expecting to see her being playful. "You… aren't mad or jealous?" Hazel's eyes shifted red and slitted. "Should I be?" Dora shook her head and raised her hands. "Nope! Nothing happened. I mean, she hit me with the Allure before your magic intercepted it but that's it." Hazel's eyes returned to their green shape and coloration. "Good. You get to sleep in my bed and Fleur gets to live for another few hours unharmed. I will, however, need to make our relationship clear to her." Dora swallowed the last of her hot chocolate before setting a mental reminder to talk to Fleur first. The two finished their meals and Dora stripped down until she and Hazel were wrapped in each other's hands. Hazel's hands traced Dora's face before she leaned in and kissed her. Dora's mind melted and the two remained lip locked for several minutes until sleep finally took them. It was good to be home again.

"Why did your family post that article, Harry?" Harry sighed as he sat down at the Gryffindor table a bit later than everyone after taking his morning run with Neville and the others, before he started putting food onto his plate. "The one about my signed and sworn statement of intent?" Ron nodded. "Yeah. Why did you go and do that?" Harry took a drink of orange juice, courtesy of some helpful elves in the kitchen, before he turned to Ron. "Because it's the truth? I don't want to be in the tournament, I don't want anyone to think I want to be in the tournament and if someone somehow puts my name into the Goblet, I want it to be clear I had nothing to do with it." He started munching on a slice of toast and he started building himself a breakfast sandwich with the nearby trays of food. "My guardians were worried I would get pulled into it because of everything that tends to happen around me and they got together and we worked out a way to make it clear for everyone else. Whoever puts their name in and gets selected is the rightful Hogwarts Champion. If my name comes out, it's just going to be me getting through the Tournament to the end safely, nothing else." Ron huffed. "You could do it though. I mean, Fred and George just threw their names in, as did Angelina, but you could do it. You're The Boy Who Lived after all." Harry winced and Hermione and Neville glared at Ron, the latter speaking. "Ron, we have talked about this. He hates that name!"

Harry sighed and ignored the goings on as his friends tore Ron a new one. He ate his meal, looking over at the staff table. Dumbledore gave him an imperceptible look. He probably wasn't happy about the article but he had no say in the matter. Ted and the people Hazel worked for wrote that statement to be as detailed and truthful as possible before they checked it with him and he went through the process of making the sworn statement with magic, with the event being witnessed by the Prophet's typical news reporter and photographed, as well as under the careful eyes of Ministry Legal Personnel. The Prophet waited until the unveiling of the Goblet of Fire before publishing the article the following morning, letting out the information on how the Goblet worked as the judge. They were quiet on the security being placed on the Goblet, beyond Hazel's warding to keep anyone from submitting the name of another student. He felt a light tap on his back and turned, smiling at Hazel as she made her way around the room, checking for curses or enchantments that don't belong. Dumbledore's eyes seemed to follow her across the hall, something that Harry noticed. Her round completed, she went and sat down next to Hagrid and Grubbly-Plank, probably asking about Teddy's request.

He remembered what he called her the night prior and blushed a little. He did it as a bit of a tease but if he was honest with himself, Hazel was feeling like what he felt a mother should feel like. She probably knew he was thinking about her like that too as she had been a lot more careful and caring of him since summer. Teddy's own acceptance of it was what made him say the words and he was happy he said them. Though her training sessions were a bit rougher than he would normally like. With the worry over the Triwizard Tournament, Hazel had been teaching him and Teddy how to move and dodge better, how to use spells in a variety of ways and how to think on the fly. It was really exhausting work but it definitely had an effect. He had an easier time casting than ever before and magic felt a lot more natural to him now. He doubted he'd ever be as good as Hazel was in Transfiguration or Conjuration, but he was doing better with hexes and jinxes, as well as charms and especially wards. She also had him reading up on how to avoid, safely interact with or otherwise force your way through creature encounters of a great variety. His Care papers were coming out a lot more as if Hermione was the one who wrote them but he didn't mind. Magical creatures and beings were cool after all.

The rest of the day was quiet at Hogwarts, as the students held their breath. He watched as sixth and seventh year students added their name to the Goblet, as the Weasley Twins and Angelina Johnson of his own house had done earlier. Victor Krum added his name with much fanfare, though many got restrained by a sudden ward popping up that kept them all back while he added his name comfortably. The Quidditch star nodded towards Hazel, which made Harry smile. He watched with worry as Dora, in her Beaubaxtons' cover, placed her name into the cup, followed by a few others of the Beauxbatons delegation. The rest would add their names quietly and without much enthusiasm, as the schools settled down, believing the Champions had already submitted their names. He watched as Teddy, Susan and Hannah pulled Cedric aside, probably warning him about what members of the Coalition knew what was about to happen as the Dinner Feast began. He knew the Bones and Abbotts had approached the Diggorys about joining but the naturally timid Amos Diggory was dragging his feet. As soon as the dessert dishes vanished from the table, Harry felt a warm hand on his shoulder. "I will be here for you, Harry. Whatever happens." He silently gripped Hazel's hand in gratitude as Teddy came over and sat by his side.

Dumbledore and the rest of the Headmasters stood up from the Staff Table and stood together at the Speaker's Stand. "The time is upon us. The Champion Selection will begin shortly. As stated previously, the moment your name exits the Goblet and is read out loud, it constitutes a binding magical contract. The Champions must take part in the Tasks and complete them to the best of their abilities." The burning white flames of the Goblet turned red before a bit of parchment was launched up into the air. Dumbledore caught it and, after inspecting the name, handed it to Karkaroff. The tall man gave a toothy smile. "The Champion for Durmstrang is… Victor Krum." The Hall broke out into applause as Victor stood up from his seat in the Slytherin Table and made his way to the back room at the behest of one of the staffers. The Goblet's flame turned red again and another bit of parchment was launched out. Dumbledore passed it to Madam Maxime, who turned to the students. "The Champion for Beauxbatons is…Neaera d'Éon." Fewer polite claps came after Dora's name came up but she bowed courteously and went to join Krum in the back. The Goblet sent out a third bit of parchment, which, after being verified by the other Headmaster's, Dumbledore read out loud. "The Champion for Hogwarts is … Cedric Diggory."

Harry and Teddy, as well as a large chunk of the student body of Hogwarts, clapped for Cedric as he stood up from the Hufflepuff table and went to the back chamber. Hazel's hand squeezed his shoulder. A few seconds later, as Dumbledore was about to dismiss the students, a fourth bit of parchment was launched into the air before he caught it. The Headmasters read it together silently, Maxime looking quite sad from seeing it, before Dumbledore looked in their direction. "Harry Potter." Hazel's eyes stayed focused on Dumbledore and Karkaroff as she escorted Harty to the back of the Chamber, the student's struck silent. They all knew about the article and the oathsworn document. They knew it wasn't Harry's desire to be in the Tournament. They had no reason to celebrate or berate him. Soon enough, Hazel and Harry were in the back chamber, Dora giving him a sad look. Cedric came over and patted Harry softly on the shoulder. "Sorry you have been dragged into this." Harry patted him back as Krum came forward. "The article was a prelude to this. You knew." Hazel answered for Harry. "We suspected. We didn't want the students or the press to harass him for something he had no control over. They have done that enough for the last thirteen years."

Krum patted Harry's shoulder as well and looked him in the eye. "Then you have my support too, at least in surviving this, yes?" Harry chuckled. "That's the plan." Hazel watched as the Organizers came in along with the Headmasters. Karkaroff gave Harry a measured look. "I must protest that Hogwarts get's two Champions in this Tournament." Hazel nodded. "As is your right, Headmaster, but Harry made his position clear in the paper. If he was forced to participate, he would do so without the support of Hogwarts. Cedric Diggory is the only Hogwarts Champion and Harry will be participating under protest, carrying out the bare minimum required of him to complete the contract. He will not represent Hogwarts." Dumbledore looked a bit displeased but Maxime responded. "Then there is nothing else to say on the matter. I imagine the Aurors will investigate this matter thoroughly." Hazel smiled, her teeth bared. "Of course. Anyone found to have submitted his name will be charged with interfering in a ICW sanctioned event, endangering a minor and attempted murder by proxy. We will handle the investigation and I and Alastor will take the Goblet to be investigated for any alterations or manipulations."

Dumbledore frowned. "The Cup is ICW property. The DMLE doesn't have clearance." Hazel glared at him. "As an ICW certified Auror, I do have the authority. I will be securing a chamber and have the Goblet transferred there before it's returned to the ICW. For now, I believe you have information to share with the Champions?" Ludo Bagman, an organizer and the spokesperson for the Tournament moved up, rubbing his hands excitedly. "Very well. To our four Champions. The First Task will take place on the 22nd of November. You will be summoned to the Arena after Breakfast, so all schools are requested to gather on this date in the Great Hall. To our Champions, you have the following clue as your focus for preparation. In the Arena you will face dangers of every variety, as Nature and its most savage Elements will determine if you are worthy. The wand weighing ceremony will take place a week prior and you will be summoned to participate, the event being overseen by the press. For now, that is all." Hazel held her hand to Harry's back. He looked up to her with a pleading look. Hazel nodded. "Come on. I am sure Teddy is already there waiting for us." Her son had indeed been waiting for them outside of Hazel's Chamber and Dora arrived a few minutes later. Harry fell asleep, worried about the tournament but happy his family was there with him in his time of need.

Chapter 43: Preparations and the First Task

Alastor made his way up the stairs of the Three Broomsticks as Hazel inspected the bar space. She handed Rosemerta the agreed upon sum of money and the woman nodded silently in return before tending to the other patrons. After Alastor made his scans of the door before popping it open, Hazel closed it behind her and set up the strongest wards she could. She watched Croaker do a sweep of the room and nodded as everyone sat down, before she spoke up. "Well Boss. What do you have for us? The Casket arrived sealed at the Castle and remained sealed until Dumbledore opened it in the Great Hall. My ward didn't detect any magic being used by the student body or anyone between the opening and selection, except for a few poor attempts at breaking it by wannabe Curse Breakers. Which means it was sabotaged prior to arriving at the school." Croaker handed her a file. "The Unspeakable that inspected it this morning at your insistence agrees, though we have confirmation the Goblet wasn't sabotaged. Not exactly. We believe someone activated the clause in the Goblet that allowed for the addition of a new school. The crafters of the Tournament weren't under any illusions that more academically minded magical schools would be founded and the Goblet was designed to always accept new schools. Harry's name was added as the only participant of a nameless fourth school."

Hazel sighed and looked at Alastor. "You think Dumbledore did it?" Moody shrugged. "Albus wasn't all too happy about the investigation but as you are operating under the ICW security force for the Tournament, he can't stop you. His downplaying of the danger of extremism in Britain is earning him a lot of negative feelings among the ICW Assembly. I do know that he wasn't part of the break in attempt at my house this summer, at least." Amelia looked to Hazel. "Which leaves Voldemort and his agents as the likely force behind the attempted attack on Alastor. Anything from Karkaroff?" Hazel sat back, thinking about last night. "All the Headmaster's expected the fourth name, which wasn't a surprise. Maxime was informed and releasing the article early spared Harry some political and social backlash, but it did give Karkaroff a cover. If he wasn't responsible for submitting the name, he at least knew it could happen, though I have no clue if Voldemort tried to contact him at all afterwards to verify the results." Croaker tapped the table. "Based on our information, the only people who could have known about the fourth school clause were the Headmasters and the Organizers. This leaves it as a possible action by Dumbledore, Crouch Senior or Karkaroff. All had access to the Goblet before it was guarded by the DMLE and us upon arrival at the school." Hazel looked to Amelia. "Are you checking Senior?"

Amelia sighed heavily as she drank her cup of coffee. "He was still displeased about the death of his elf and while we confirmed he was subject to the Imperius Curse and several other mental magics, he has refused to concede that he helped save his son from Azkaban. We will inspect him again for signs of new curse residue. If it did indeed happen again, we can pull him out of the project as a clear liability." Hazel rubbed her hair. "It won't change anything. Dumbledore and Karkaroff modified the tournament. The clue Bagman provided was never given in my world. Voldemort doesn't need anything from Harry or the Tournament now except for him to survive and get pulled away, likely in the Third Task on the Summer Solstice. He won't miss the grandstanding of beating Harry in his moment of triumph in the Tournament. His ego won't let him." Croaker rubbed his chin. "Agreed. Which gives us almost a year to find his last trinket. We have narrowed it down to Gringotts but there are no regulations on housing cursed objects in their Vaults. Our teams are working on developing a smaller tracking device for you to carry into the bank. While the Lestranges are the likely keepers, we are concerned over another family being trusted. It's even possible Voldemort stored it in the Gaunt Vault, so we are covering all our bases before sending you in."

Hazel thought for a second before she nodded. "Just be sure it's done by the 21st of June. If our plans go off the rails, we can't let him get away. No matter what." Croaker nodded. "Agreed. For now, continue your security detail. Quetz, with help from ICW Observers, is inspecting the cargo you helped secure from the terrorists the other day. Their plans to damage the trade routes have been thwarted but we are concerned over the source of the enchanted weapons. For now, it's an ICW matter, though if they call for help, you will be notified." Hazel nodded before turning to Amelia. "What's happening in the Wizengamot?" Amelia shrugged. "Sirius got his family seat secured and has positioned himself as an outsider. A few of the traditionalist families have been making nice with him, as well as the Neutrals, with Lord Nott being the more active party, as planned. The Coalition is keeping both of them out of its orbit for now, so the Traditionalists don't go running scared, which has further disrupted the typical votes. Dumbledore, Malfoy and Fudge have no means of pushing their proposals through. Umbridge tried to pass one to dismantle the relationship between the ICW and Britain but that failed, especially without Fudge's support." Croaker turned to a pensive Hazel. "Still not authorized to target her in any way."

Alastor chuckled as Hazel pouted at her Boss, before he stood up. "Well, I got some students that need to complete a test soon. I will be on my way." Hazel stood up. "I will follow him out. Keep me informed and I will pass it onto my partner without breaking her cover." Hazel disabled the wards and the two made their way up the path to Hogwarts. Moody refused to take the carriage, stating he needed to keep his feet moving. Activating a privacy ward, Hazel turned to the Auror. "Still surprised you took my origins as well as you did." Moody chuckled. "Oh Lass. I had a bit of an inkling. You had elements of my teachings in your dueling and no one was as good with Transfigurations as James was. McGonagall is a fine teacher but James had raw talent. Something you inherited fully and took it far further than that man could ever dream of achieving." Hazel blushed a bit under his praise. Her world's Moody had taken being replaced by Barty badly and, with Bella's blessing, had grabbed her during the summer after the Third Task and trained her in how to be an Auror. He was also a vindictive bastard so he showed her how the Death Eaters did a few of their tortures. She never wanted to try them out but after her Godmother's death, she didn't hesitate to embrace her more vindictive side.

"Anything I should know about Dumbledore that he might have told you? Anything I need to be careful about?" Alastor did his best not to laugh. "He thinks you might be possessed by Voldemort and that you are trying to warp Harry and keep him from killing you, as prophesied." Hazel hummed, trying to not show much of a facial expression. Moody was supposed to be watching her after all, especially if Dumbledore thought she was Voldemort. "Good to know. Too bad my Dumbledore never thought about that." Alastor eyed her. "I did notice a few of Voldemort's tells on you. He taught you how to fight?" Hazel sighed, her thoughts distant. "In my first year. I was a shit caster and a trembling mess. Hard to say what bothered him more, his ego not happy with how pathetically easy he could have ended me or his curiosity in what I could become if given the proper instruction. He wasn't a bad teacher though. His impersonation of Quirrell was well regarded as one of the better Defence Teachers. The fact Barty disguised as you did well too shows just how well they both knew the Dark Arts." Moody grunted. "Happens all the time, Lass. Students of the Dark Arts know them better than anyone. Make great teachers and all in how to stop their fellows. Surprised you haven't thought about taking the job." Hazel shrugged. "I am good at the Dark Arts but I honestly don't care. I just want to protect my family."

Moody gave her a soft smile. "That, Lass, is why I trust you. You are a Dark Witch alright, but you don't enjoy it. Not like Voldemort did or his Death Eaters. The fact that Albus can't see that in you is quite the loss on our part." Hazel turned to Moody. "Think Dora will ever accept the same truth? She still fears becoming Bellatrix, though this assignment has certainly kept her thoughts occupied. Still, the moment everything goes down, she will probably be in the line of fire. I don't like having my partner in the range of Voldemort's magic when she could be doubting herself." Moody nodded. "I think she will pull through and you are the right person for it." He turned to her. "Keep being yourself, Peverell. Show Tonks that being Dark doesn't mean she has to like it. The more she can sympathize with you, the better she will come of it. By the end, she won't be afraid. I guarantee you that." Hazel turned to him and lowered her eyes. "Thank you." Alastor grunted. "Don't go thanking me. When I leave this place next year, I better be thanking you. You keep the kids safe and go teach your troop how to do better. I want to see them all graduate in four years at the top of their classes." Hazel nodded and made her way down the side of the Castle. She'd do a sweep before checking in with her students. After today, training was going to get a bit more intense.

"I will let my father know, Mademoiselle. Best of luck beating Potter." Dora waved as she did her best for her face not to crack. She pulled Fleur further into the Castle's Dungeons before the young Veela turned towards her. "That… was unpleasant." Dora shuddered, though she remembered to cast a privacy ward. "Well, I had to do that for four days over twenty times each one. I felt absolutely filthy everytime we returned to base. By the time the mission ended, I was seriously considering casting some curses at the pompous bastards." Fleur shook her head. "That doesn't sound like the most pleasant of jobs." Dora shrugged her shoulders. "It can be hard. I have had it bad, taking injuries and dealing with the burden it places on you. But I have seen the good that comes from it. Harry has a family now, one he never would have had if we didn't intervene. Lots of people are alive, at home and free from the things we did. It's not easy getting into it but I think it's rewarding in its own right. But, you can always take the research route. Plenty of Enchanters trying to make breakthroughs. All of our equipment is enchanted in the Department."

Fleur hummed. "That does sound a bit more appealing. The Conclaves have their own enchanters too but it's more about passing down the traditions and skills. Not a lot of effort is ever made towards research. At least none that I have ever seen." Dora nodded as they reached the entrance to the Chamber. After checking to see if they were being observed, she pulled out the map of the castle. She tapped it and used the phrase that caused an echo that would make it look as if she, her real name hidden from the wards by some obscure Blood Magic, and Fleur just walked on by and used her wand to trace the route back to the carriage. "There. The wards will register us as leaving. Give me your hand and I will pull you through." After tugging Fleur through the wards, the two made their way down the stairs, the sound of spells being casted filling the air. Fleur watched as several students practiced on moving targets on a large wall at the side of the Chamber. "Chamber of Secrets indeed." Dora stared at the large open space. "It's bigger than it used to be." Susan looked over and came up to them as Dora dropped her shift. "So, what do you think? Hazel had us help out in expanding it a bit. Daphne, Tracey and Theo were a bit put out about changing a Founder's Chamber but the changes can be undone later."

Dora hugged the redhead. "It's good to see you and it looks great." The gloomy lighting had been lifted with comfortable white light, the walls now taking on a grayish coloration. All the snake statues were gone, though some of the water canals were still visible on the sides of the large open space. They passed by the other training students and Dora saw a smaller alcove on the side where the younger members were gathered. She was happy to see the Carrows were doing well with the group as they seemed to be working on assignments with Luna and Astoria. To the back, she could see a Dueling Barrier ward taking a bit of a beating as Hazel seemed to push Harry through the sort of exercises Horatio had them on for better hand eye coordination, dodging of curses and improving their magical output. The wards dropped as Hazel passed a conjured towel to Harry. "That's much better. Why don't you take a break and relax. Your next classes won't be too intense but best not to drain you too much. You can use the tunnel up to the second floor prefect bathroom for a shower before heading to class." Harry nodded and cleaned his face with the towel. "Got it. Thanks." Dora hugged her cousin and kissed his sweaty cheek before he went to rest, a certain redhead joining him with a bottle of water. Dora turned to Hazel. "You got the passageways to open?"

Hazel winced. "Uh, define open." Dora pinched the bridge of her nose. "You blasted through it with a siege engine spell from the inside, didn't you?" Hazel summoned a bottle of water and drank from it. "To be fair, I sealed said bathroom and blocked it from leaking any sound. No one heard a peep." Dora sighed. "I suppose it will come in handy. I guess you reapplied the wards to block the Castle's tracking wards?" Hazel nodded. "It's as shielded from the main castle wards as the Chamber. Our maps still show us being here, at least the updated ones." Dora nodded and turned to Fleur. "Fleur, this is my partner. Hazel Peverell. She practices the sledgehammer approach to fixing a problem." Hazel glared at Dora. "I preferred it when you called it the "torch first, ask questions later" approach." Dora shrugged and Hazel ignored Dora before looking at Fleur. The Veela felt her skin breakout into goosebumps as those green eyes seemed to take her in. "Are you going to be a problem when it concerns me and my partner's relationship?" Fleur wanted to be insulted but the raw power that seemed to press into her made her hesitate. "I respect her choice and won't be pushing her into anything improper." The pressure vanished instantly and Hazel's scowl turned into a smile. "Then that's the end of that. Ready to have a taste of a real fight?"

Dora stood back and winced as Hazel started sparring with Fleur, the blonde being knocked back against the barrier quickly after it snapped into place. Susan came over and whistled. "Did she piss Hazel off?" Dora sighed. "Once. Fleur used her Allure on me." Susan hummed. "You might want to make Hazel feel better tonight. Otherwise, I think Fleur might quit." Watching the Veela's attempt at blasting her girlfriend with her race's magical fire fail spectacularly as Hazel's own black flames blocked the attack made Dora nod in agreement. "I will do that. Any word from Cedric about joining you all?" Susan shook her head. "He wants to do the Tasks on his own merits. He is fine with Harry training as he needs it just to survive but Cedric refuses to train with us." Dora could hear the hurt in Susan's voice. She and Cedric were friendly acquaintances for years. Dora patted her back. "He will be ok. I promise." Susan nodded and started to walk away. "Oh, and Susan. No spying on Harry as he showers in the Prefect's bathroom." Susan's face went bright scarlet. The redhead refused to answer and just walked away, as Dora chuckled to herself. She summoned a bottle of water as soon as the dueling barrier dropped a few minutes later.

Fleur took it as she laid on the ground, breathing heavily. "You weren't kidding about driving a person into the ground. Mon dieu." Dora chuckled. "Well, you did try to use Veela fire on her." Fleur pouted. "Of course I did! I was literally getting tossed around the arena like a rag doll. Where did she learn how to use cursed fire anyways?" Hazel walked over to them, smiling. "From some very nasty books on Curse Breaking." Fleur shook her head as Hazel turned to Dora. "So, let's see how much rust you picked up in the last two months." Dora swallowed at the intensity in Hazel's eyes. "Do I have to?" The yelp that came from Fleur getting banished back and out of the arena, and the instant snap of the wards around her, made Dora nerves pick up. Watching Hazel take her Basilisk jacket off made her whine. The next thirty minutes did indeed show that she had slowed down a little bit, though Dora's spell chains were a bit more creative. She watched Hazel activate a Dueling Shield a few times in the fight, which was always progress. Still didn't stop her from getting dragged off her feet and hanged from the ceiling by her legs like a bat. Hazel smiled as she came up to her, Dora having trouble with looking at her girlfriend upside down. "First to five?" Dora sighed. "Sure."

Teddy tapped his fountain pen on his lip as he looked over his assignment within the Chamber of Secrets. They had been coming here for three weeks now since the start of October, after Hazel altered the Chamber's shape and form to be more receptive to hosting several students. The alcoves she made along the sides included several centuries worth of books that the elves had been collecting in the Room of Lost Things, but were now being used by the kids of the Coalition to have their own private place to study. While he liked studying in the library or in the unused classrooms, it became harder to do so as more and more people started to look for his friends. Hestia and Flora were being constantly bothered by the elder Slytherins on behalf of their parents, including the Malfoys, about coming to live with them. None of those people seemed to care that the girls were happy with Julia acting as their guardian or about essentially being new sisters to Daphne and Astoria. Daphne had taken them under her protection and it seemed to cause more issues in the Slytherin Common Room, with Professor Snape having to intervene a few times. Hazel had made sure to ward the room shared by the Twins in Slytherin and, with Snape's warning, the two were left alone in their Dormitories. That still didn't leave them much peace elsewhere. The abandoned classrooms were being searched constantly and they couldn't really afford to ward what was essentially a public space. The Chamber of Secrets became their new sanctuary for studying and practicing magic.

It wasn't all that bad really, as his Mom would usually be around, as would some of the older students who were tutored by her. Harry had tried to get his Mom to allow others to join them in the Chamber, more specifically his friend Hermione, though his mom had been very hesitant about letting her in. She agreed to Hermione being allowed entrance, but only after she had a stern talking to the Gryffindor girl, along with the other fourth years. The brunette had jumped at the chance to read from what amounted to an unrestricted copy of the library, though all the really nasty books were sealed away by his mom, who was left in relative peace whenever they focused on studying. Well, mostly relative peace as the First Task loomed closer. Harry had gone out with Hazel earlier today following a clue Ronald Weasley had provided him. Teddy could tell his mom knew more and was furious, which meant this was Dumbledore's doing. His Mom only ever got that mad about Dumbledore or the Weasleys and this one was about both of them. Well, mostly about those two. She had been clearly annoyed when the Weighing of the Wands ceremony was carried out, mainly because of Dumbledore's expected presence and the unwanted presence of Rita Skeeter.

According to his mom and Harry, Rita had been pushing hard for a "private" interview, something Hazel rejected outright. Any attempts to goad her into letting Rita interview him only seemed to increase his mom's ire. When Rita made an offhand comment about how Lily Potter would react to Hazel essentially stealing her son away from her family, Hazel snapped. The Quick Notes Quill and parchment was incinerated and Hazel had pulled Rita out of the Chamber for the Weighing Ceremony. Having summoned Nova to her side, Hazel had promptly dropped Rita off somewhere in the empty fields of Ireland, where even Skeeter would have trouble apparating back to any point in Britain or Scotland. As far as Teddy was concerned, the woman got off easy. The ceremony continued without a hitch, with Teddy agreeing with Harry that Ollivander was weird. The old man had spent some time inspecting Harry wand before nodding. "It seems that your new wand suits you well, Mr. Potter. It has accepted you fully and you have been very careful with its care." Dora's own inspection had been a bit more of a concern for his Mom. There was no way he would get to inspect the Elder Wand or Dora's original.

Ollivander had clearly been slightly disappointed when d'Éon's wand, which had been made to look like how the altered Elder Wand appeared, turned out to be one of Quetz' replacement wands. According to his mom, Quetz had been a bit furious when he called the construction subpar and unsuitable for Dora, but Dora refused to switch out of it, saying that it didn't matter. It was the wand she was willing to use and the fact that it worked made it so that Ollivander couldn't deny her. Madame Maxime's support ended any complaint after that. After that day, his Mom had kept a closer eye on the Map, vanishing a few times to deal with an incessant pest. Teddy almost felt sorry for the woman. Almost. He had heard about the Skeeter of their world and the damage she did to his mom's image before and after the war. The only reason she didn't end up dead was because Grandma Andi forbid his Mom from ever doing it. He wasn't sure his Grandma had made the right call. His Mom never deserved the hate that the woman sent her way. He was pretty sure that his Mom's Boss told her to spare her too, but Mom had been doing a lot of reading on the old Witchcraft curses in between Harry's training sessions, which had made him smile a little. Giving his Mom a bad order was never a good idea. She would always work around it.

Finishing his History assignment, Teddy was about to ask Astoria if she wanted to work on the Herbology paper, which he knew she was stalling on, before he sensed his Mom enter the chamber, followed by Harry. Seeing them both return from the search was great, but neither looked happy, which meant that the information wasn't good news. "Not Dragons?" Harry sat down and slump his head on the table, with Susan sitting closer to him and rubbing his back. Hazel went to the nearest bookshelf and pulled out a very thick book. " Well, we have one Dragon out there. A Hungarian Horntail Charlie Weasley had a hand in transporting here. That's not the issue." Teddy closed his eyes and sent his Mom some of his love and concern for her. He watched as her shoulders relaxed a little and she gave him a knowing look and soft smile, before coming to stand by his side, rubbing his hair softly. "Thank you." Teddy nodded and started putting away his papers, with Astoria giving him an odd look. It made him feel warm. He would have to ask his Mom what that meant. Later.

Dora and Fleur came to join them after they interrupted their dueling session, both drying the sweat off their faces with towels. "That bad?" Harry lifted his head up. "We don't know. The cages were quite different than we thought. Hazel heard Charlie talking about his Horntail and being worried about the rest of the creatures. They have dozens of sealed cages out there. We did notice that Hagrid's Hippogriffs were missing too." Hazel dropped Scamander's larger annotated version of his book on the table, but kept another one opened in her palm. "The cold was a sign of Dementors, so we have those two covered as confirmed threats." Dora blinked. "Wait, wait. They brought Dementors here for the Tournament?" Hazel nodded as Harry started flipping through the pages. "We think they brought other aggressive but tameable creatures. The types that are dangerous if you don't know how to handle them. The Dragon suggests they also have a lethal magical creature, probably as the final obstacle." Dora looked at the book Hazel was reading. "It's more than just getting past a Dragon?" Hazel nodded. "Our boss got a notice on several requests for dangerous creatures to be imported. A few were denied, including a strongly worded letter from Greece about never letting a Hydra out of their sights. From what we gather, three creatures were imported successfully, including the Dragon. So that leaves two unknowns and a locally sourced fourth."

The group shuddered at the mention of the most dangerous water creature on Earth. Teddy looked at Harry, a thought crossing his mind. "Didn't Bagman say something about dangers and elements? Could they be trying to get the most powerful elemental magical creatures for the Champions to fight and survive?" Dora paled. "Well… that's not remotely fair." Hazel hummed. "And with a mixed assortment of creatures, added to possible last minute selection of which one the person must face, there is no room to study one single way to best them all. We have to prepare for all four within the next week." Dora sat down beside Harry and rubbed his back. "Ok, we have a Dragon. What's the next three?" Hazel turned the page on her book. "Checking on those now. Based on the Hydra failure and a missing import, the water creature must be the one they sourced locally. Grab that book and start looking up Kelpies." Teddy pulled the book to him and flipped the pages quickly before passing it back to them on the right page. He blushed when they looked at him oddly. "What? They are cool and they are known shapeshifters." Hazel ruffled his hair as Harry and Dora read up on the water creature. Hazel cursed under her breath. "If the Horntail is the Fire Elemental danger, with the Kelpie being the potential Water Elemental, that leaves Earth and Wind. I doubt they brought a Thunderbird as those are endangered and MACUSA would have protested heavily about it. That leaves one other alternative for a Wind based creature."

Hazel duplicated the section in her book and passed the parchments to Dora. She stared at the paper. "Q is going to be pissed." Hazel nodded in agreement, as she leafed through the book further. Susan looked towards her. "What book is that anyway?" Hazel stopped for a second. ""How to Slay a Monster and Live" by Perseus Ross." Hermione, Daphne and Astoria looked up from their nearby table. "WHAT? That thing is real?" Hazel turned and glared at the brunette. "Of course it is. All the books I keep here are real. If you want to know more about killing magical creatures, go ask McGonagall. This was written by her birth family. The Ross family is notorious for being contracted by the ICW for dealing with the most dangerous creatures. Pretty sure they are still disappointed that McGonagall settled for being a teacher, despite her having a decent grasp of their family's knowledge." She turned back to the other table, seeing the looks they were giving her, while Hermione seemed to have a heart attack about the sort of person her Head of House was related to. Hazel looked to Dora who seemed to be piecing a few things together. "I told you I wasn't taking the Care NEWT for a reason. I know jack about raising a creature, but I know how to kill them. If I don't, this book does."

Dora rubbed her face. "I don't think we are supposed to kill them in the Tasks, Hazel." Her partner hummed. "Right. You can avoid a Dragon somewhat or a Kelpie. Want to try your hand at the one I handed you? I'll bet you 100 Galleons it's on you in less than 5 minutes." Dora closed her eyes. "Ok. You have a point. What's the Earth Elemental?" Hazel looked over the book. "Well, as I doubt we have the space to keep a Giant Mongolian Death Worm from destroying the Arena, the spectator stands and the Castle, not to mention all of Britain once it got bored." Everyone stared at her as she copied the pages of the book and placed them on the desk. "Then we are probably dealing with the Scourge of the Sahara." Dora looked down at the page. "The F-" Dora's curse was instantly silenced by Hazel, as the students looked over the papers. Harry rubbed his eyes. "Is it bad I want to face the Dragon?" Hazel shrugged. "As someone who has two Dragons kills under her belt, I won't deny it's not as bad as some of these. The Kelpie seems fun though." Dora looked up as she dispelled the silencing spell casted on her. "That is not a vote of confidence." Hazel leaned back and watched them study the creatures, thinking about her own First Task. She hoped it went better for Harry than it did her.

OW November 22nd 1994

Hazel watched as the ice spell she used on the dragon failed before she heard the creature take in a massive breath. She quickly rushed to the side. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Hazel hid behind a large boulder as a spray of Dragon's fire filled the empty space she had just vacated. Being told she would be facing a Dragon had not been great. That was made worse when she only had a single bloody week to prepare. She leaned to the side and barely got a glimpse of black scales before her boulder was blasted with dragon's fire. Feeling the rock getting hotter and hotter, Hazel looked towards her sides. She was running out of room to escape. She hoped she eventually got the chance to meet the bastard who placed her name in the Goblet of Fire. Punching and knocking Rita Skeeter out within the Champion's Tent had been cathartic as hell after the shit the woman posted about her on the Daily Prophet. It even seemed to earn her the respect of the other champions. Well, two of them really. She and Fleur had never had any problem getting along well. Her less than appropriate language in front of the Headmaster's had left little doubt in the French Veela's mind as to her not being responsible for her name appearing. Too bad no else but her Godmother believed her. Bella had pushed her training a bit harder in the Chamber as they waited for the inevitable. Said training had kept her from being roasted the moment she stepped into the arena, but there was literally no way to counterattack the Dragon.

Feeling the Hebridean Black moving closer, Hazel tried to trick it with a transfigured sheep but the Dragon seemed unimpressed with her conjured animal. Needing to move behind another rocky outcropping, Hazel was forced to raise a shield to protect herself. The dragon's flames cut through it and she felt as her right arm was instantly engulfed in flames. Biting her lip enough to draw blood, Hazel successfully found another boulder to hide behind and rest, as she took her slightly singed wand into her left hand, Hazel looked back to the approaching dragon, her now useless right arm cradled in her lap. She could hear Bagman commenting on the severity of her injury and really wanted to smash his face in too. He had been delighted the moment her name came out of the Goblet. Hazel looked through her mind but found no spells to fight the creature head on with just how resistant their scales were to magic. Her curses were designed to tear into people, not magical creatures and even her cursed flames would be worthless against the strength of the dragon's magical fire. She took several deep breaths, feeling her mind slowly going blank. The pain from her burned arm was slowly eating away at her, though it felt odd that her dread was vanishing too.

The thuds of the dragon's footfalls made her deeply aware that her death was just a moment away from happening. After a deep exhale, Hazel looked up at the stands, watching so many people looking at her as a curiosity and entertainment. She hated them. She hated them all. This is what she amounted to, some piece of meat meant to entertain them at their whim, a celebrity only when it was convenient to them, a pariah when it sold newspapers and a liar that sought attention at every turn. She hated Wizarding Britain and she hated that Dumbledore and Voldemort kept twisting and manipulating her, treating her no better than a puppet on strings. She looked towards the dragon, her heart feeling cold and empty as a single thought took root. Perhaps it was time to let go. She wouldn't be the first Champion to die in this blasted Tournament. It wouldn't be all that bad, really. No more tournament, no more of Voldemort's mind filtering in to her own, no more Dumbledore trying to mold her into whatever he thought was best for her and no more despicable people who were too dumb to realize she just wanted to be left alone with… Hazel's mind froze. Bella. Her Godmother was out there in her animagus form, watching her. Waiting for her to come back alive. She bit back a sob as the dragon's lumbering steps drew closer and closer. She started to laugh as tears ran down her cheeks as she slammed her head back against the rock repeatedly.

She couldn't give up anymore, not now. Bella loved her. She cared about her. Every moment from the end of summer to now, they spent all of it together as much as was possible. Her Godmother's smiling face filled her mind and her left hand grew steady as it gripped her wand, her knuckles turning white. Hazel couldn't bear to make her Godmother cry. She risked everything every day to be with her. Bella deserved better from her. Feeling lighter than she remembered, Hazel crouched low to the ground and casted what spells she knew to reduce her weight and increase her speed. She looked at the Dragon one last time and was reminded of her fight with the Basilisk. She had no Sword of Gryffindor to help her here, but maybe a modified version of a spell she learned afterwards would be enough to beat it. She gripped her wand tightly and took a deep breath. It would have to be enough. She needed to win, no matter what it cost her. As the beast's head loomed over Hazel, the dragon's slitted red eyes focused right on her. She remembered the moment she first saw them as she exited into the Arena. The Hebridean Black was absolutely beautiful. It was also a lot more dangerous than anyone gave it credit for. She had tried a Druidic Spell that should have allowed her to understand the dragon yet the beast had responded to her pleas for peace with fire. Red eyes stared into green and for a second she saw something within them. Some echo of recognition. The moment passed as she watched as the dragon reared its head up again, ready to incinerate her once and for all.

Hazel exhaled deeply and did the only thing she could. She dashed straight for the dragon while casting the freezing charm underneath it. Her lower weight allowed her to move quickly, even as she felt part of her hair catch on fire, the scent filling her nose. Still, she slid further and further, her back being shredded by jagged rocks, until all she could see above her was a massive spread of deep gray scales. She raised her wand up, pressed it into the thinnest of gaps between the scales and prayed with all her soul that this worked. She channeled every ounce of magic into her wand. For the first time she remembered, it felt content. A phoenix cry filled her ears just before she spoke the incantation. "Monstrum Divellunt Maxima!" The spell had been one she had learned to help Dobby render down the Basilisk, though she was modifying it on the fly. She prayed that the modification worked. Hazel felt her breath leave her body as all of her magic seemed to vanish with the spell. For a second she was sure the Hebridean Black had decided to just lie down on top of her as the scales landed onto her body, her wand slammed onto her chest.

Feeling the body atop of her shift a little, Hazel was momentarily frozen in fear that her plan had failed, before her vision was suddenly flooded in red hot liquid. She coughed as her mouth and nose were filled with dragon's blood, the taste of iron overwhelming her tongue and she was certain she swallowed and inhaled it. Still, she was literally powerless to do anything else. So she waited for the torrent of blood to end. Once she felt as if all movement on top of her had ceased, she pulled away at the slime on top of her. It took her a second to realize she was covered in dragon guts, not all of which were pleasant to think about. Hazel stood up and stumbled as her hands gripped the edges of the dragon's spine. After much effort, Hazel managed to clear out her eyes before she could see her handy work. The entire torso of the dragon had been sliced wide open. Covered in blood and guts, Hazel spotted the golden egg left in a nest full of now orphaned dragon eggs. Her hands clenched as her heart ached, even as she moved on unsteady feet. She never wanted to kill the creature but she had no way of stopping it. It was her life or the dragon's. She knew that she should have been the one to die, not the dragon but she couldn't let Bella's sacrifices for her be in vain. She made her choice and would have to live with it.

Walking slowly across the arena, Hazel was thankful for the stunned silence of the audience. She didn't know what they expected of her. She was only fourteen and the Tournament was made for older students. She had no natural talents beyond her use of fire and conjuration, none of which worked on the beast. She was powerless to do anything else. If they expected anything else from her then she would dare any one of them to step into a dragon's den unprepared and do better. Hazel bit her lip again, unsure if the blood in her mouth was either hers or the dragons. Her vision was narrowing and her body felt numb as she crossed the distance and reached the nest. She picked up the golden egg, hugged it to her chest and stared up at the judges. "I claim the corpse of the dragon by Right of Conquest, as the Heiress to the House of Potter. Any attempts to deny me my rights to it will see my participation in this Tournament forfeited." Dumbledore stared back at her with contempt but Hazel smiled. He couldn't risk losing her now, so he had no choice but to let the corpse go to her. Hazel would take every small victory that she could. She maintained a steady but uneven walk as she exited the still silent Arena before she was pulled into someone's arms. "I got you, my sapling. I got you." Hazel closed her eyes, a smile on her face, as her godmother took her away to safety.

NW November 22nd 1994

"Mom. That's the Kelpie. That means…" Hazel hugged her son from behind, kissing him on the head. "I know Teddy. I know." She watched as the shape shifting water horse magical creature was released in the larger as Dora made her way through the rest of the enclosures. The First Task of this world seemed to have been built as a Magical Creatures gauntlet as three enclosures held a variety of dangerous creatures before emptying out into the Arena. The first one was populated by hippogriffs, Bicorns, Snallygasters and Erumpents. None particularly lethal unless the person was a pompous moron but all decently territorial, making passage more about calm and knowledge about creatures than brute force. The second area was a lot less pleasant. Firecrabs, Ashwinders, Flaming Salamanders, Adolescent Wyverns and Firebirds. The Phoenix-like creatures shared none of the calm and gentle nature of their immortal counterparts, violently raining fire on anything that moved within their hunting grounds. The Salamanders kept the enclosure ablaze in never ending flames, but the danger of the Ashwinders hiding in the rocky terrain was something altogether unpleasant. The third area was one made by bastards that sought to make people suffer. The dark enclosure was filled with Dementors and it was closed off from light, with the audience seeing the champions through enlarged, floating, scrying mirrors. The Champion was forced to face the creature's effects and counter it before reaching the main arena.

Of the Champions, Viktor went first. He had some difficulty in the first section and it's less than appreciative and somewhat territorial creatures, but was better suited for the second, knowing a variety of anti-fire shields. The Dementors, however, took a lot out of him, as he never managed a strong enough Patronus shield. He brute forced his way through the enclosure and made it to the Arena to face the Hungarian Horntail. The Bulgarian learned the hard way that a barrier had been erected to keep the creatures in and objects out when he tried to summon what looked to be a Firebolt. The power the final creatures possessed was enough that no partly permeable barrier could hold them, not if they wanted to avoid injuring the audience. The only way in or out we're through the openings by which the creatures were released, where the Handlers waited in case they were needed, or the exit the Champions had to pass through in order to succeed in the Task. Viktor had been too magically exhausted by the Dementors to face the Hungarian Horntail on his own. He managed to permanently blind it in one eye, but it only served to infuriate the creature further. The Seeker was repeatedly pushed against the walls of the Arena before he activated the emergency portkey they all wore, mere seconds before the flames devoured him completely. Failing to escape the final arena meant his point tally would be lower than if he had succeeded. Karkaroff looked quite unhappy from Hazel's position in the crowd.

Cedric went second and passed the first enclosure easily enough. The second one was more difficult for him, as the Firebirds found him a particularly interesting target. He was almost out before an Ashwinder bit him on the leg, eliciting a groan from the Hogwarts students watching. The young man was forced to apply the freezing charm to his foot briefly to stop the spread of the fire inducing venom that doubled as a blood boiling curse. Sprout looked utterly terrified as she watched him do it several times, trying to avoid combustion and frostbite. He moved on with unsteady feet into the Dementor's Chamber and Hazel smiled as the Dementors were chased away by Cedric's horse. Unfortunately, the Hufflepuff took what was arguably the one creature that struggled with the rest for first place in the magical world in how utterly dangerous it was to humans. How Dumbledore and the Organizers thought the Scourge of the Sahara made for a great challenge was utterly beyond her. The jackal-like Salawa was feared all along the African desert as the demon of the sands. It literally conjured a sandstorm in its vicinity, blinding its prey utterly and completely. Hazel watched as Cedric used every type of elemental based magic he could but the young man was not powerful enough to counter the creature's naturally occurring sandstorm. The Salawa took its time, striking at Cedric's legs via hit and run attacks. The moment Cedric hit the ground, he activated the portkey, a second before the beast maws almost snapped his neck. The Handlers had an immense amount of trouble restraining the creature, eventually lulling it to sleep with ritually enhanced magic. The next creature was the one that made mother and son worried for the remaining champion.

In the tent, Dora hugged Harry as her persona's name was called out. "You got this. I know it's one of the hardest ones, but please make it through. I'll be waiting for you on the other side." Harry nodded. "Good luck." Dora sighed as she turned to the entrance of the enclosures and charged forward. She was happy she took a few pointers from Hazel about being respectful to creatures. She knew she could cross the area disillusioned, but she wanted to be careful how much magic she used. The Hippogriffs, Bicorns and Erumpents kept their cool around her but the Snallygasters weren't very pleased with her presence. A fireball to the face kept them away as she crossed over into the next area. Seeing the Ashwinders and Firebirds made her pause for a moment before aiming her wand. "Nix Tempestas." The sudden snow storm caused all the creatures in the area to scurry away as she crossed the enclosure without incident. The moment she felt the unnatural cold of the Dementors, she was ready too. "Expecto Patronum." A shape launched into the air in front of her and banished the creatures before it turned around, leaving Dora speechless. Her Patronus had been a rabbit. She casted it several times at Hogwarts for the Dueling Club in the final weeks. Yet here she was staring at a dragon. Unlike Aithusa, it looked healthy and playful as it stared at her with its glowing slitted eyes. Shaking her head, she sent the dragon ahead, clearing the path.

She took a moment to rest the second she exited the Dementor enclosure, the emotions from Hazel and Teddy filling her up as she took a deep breath and turned the corner. Teddy was absolutely right. The Kelpie was utterly beautiful. Its blue fur looked as if it was perpetually shedding water, its darker blue mane swaying as if eternally caught in a river's current. It's silver eyes resting on black orbs stared at her, daring her to pass it's territory. She noticed the entire arena was covered in water. Hazel had explained that like the Salawa, the Kelpie could conjure water if it was placed in a dry environment. It could then jump into the water and seemingly vanish, before appearing again, though it was limited by where the body of water it conjured connected to. Here it was limited to the size of the arena as it couldn't connect to the nearby lake. Not wanting to harm the magnificent creature, Dora decided to go with Plan B. She would take Hazel's displeasure later for it. After conjuring another snowstorm, she started freezing the water on the ground. Seeing what she was up to, the Kelpie rushed towards her, it's otherworldly neigh making her remember this was a dangerous creature that did enjoy eating humans. Dora used the slippery ground to move across the arena quickly, freezing more of the water before ending the storm. She disillusioned herself instantly and began transfiguring her robe. The Kelpie entered the area she was in quickly, looking for her by sound or scent and as soon as it looked the other way, Dora lunged.

The audience watched as Dora, now visible, landed on the creature's back and struggled to wrap a bridle onto its head. The water horse almost launched her off with a high back kick, but Dora gripped her hips tightly onto its back and leaned forward. The bridle slipped into place and Dora pulled back on the reins. The Kelpie stilled beneath her and she sighed in relief. The sudden roar of the audience made her wince but she could understand the uproar. Kelpies were a XXXX creature only for the fact they could be tamed, but only if the person was skilled enough to mount it and slap on a bridle before the creature drowned them. The Kelpie turned its silver eyes to her and Dora leaned forward and stroked its water soaked mane. "I will let you go, I just need to get past your territory. Mind taking me to the gate over there?" The Kelpie stared at her for a second before it nodded. It followed the direction she had pointed at and Dora was able to get off the back before pulling off the bridle. She rubbed its face and the Kelpie pressed into her with a surprising amount of affection before turning and laying down in the center of the Arena. Dora walked back a bit and sat down, sighing as she rubbed her hair. She could feel Teddy's pride filling her inside. Hazel… was a storm of emotions, some making her wince. Dora looked back into the Arena as the Handlers pulled the Kelpie away. "Please be safe, Harry."

Teddy nudged Hazel's side, trying to make her feel better. "Mom, Dora's ok. She's the first person to safely ride a wild Kelpie for almost a century." Hazel softly glared at Teddy. "That wasn't the plan." Teddy gave her a look and Hazel sighed. "Fine. She did great. Still going to be a bit hard on her later, for giving me a bloody heart attack." Teddy smiled and hugged her before they looked back to the Arena. Hazel watched as Harry entered the first enclosure safely enough. The lead Hippogriff was especially friendly with him and actually kept pace with him as he cleared the area, the rest of the creatures giving the temperamental creature and the boy a wide berth. She smiled as soon as she heard Harry cast "Aqua Vesica," striking the fireballs out of the sky and pushing the Ashwinders back, his Aguamenti clearing a path in front of him, while a bit of Glacius prevented anything from catching him unawares from the side. Within the Dementor enclosure, his Patronus lit the entire room, surprising the students from the other school with a fourteen year old casting an advanced Defence spell. Hazel frowned though as the doe seemed to hesitate in maintaining its form, taking on a more jagged appearance, before it vanished. As soon as he reached the end, Hazel's nerves started up again. His Potter luck had to have been the reason for him fighting arguably the second hardest of the four creatures. That or Dumbledore wanted him to face a bloody snake. She would bet on both being true.

Harry swallowed as he stared at a massive snake that seemed to undulate in the air. He could see the clouds and lightning it generated clashing with the wards protecting the audience. Unfortunately, it meant that he was stuck in a confined space with a Quetzalcoatl. The creature's rainbow colored scales weren't scales at all. They were feathers. Four small wings covered in feathers lazily moved as they kept the creature in position. He had to swallow an impulse to speak with it. Hazel warned him about using it only when no one else could hear it. Even then, she told him he didn't have the training for Parselmagic, so it was practically pointless. He couldn't force the giant Mesoamerican snake to not attack him. He cast a few deflection spells on his person as well as a charm ward to prevent him from suffering damage from lightning. He eyed the exit and decided to go for Plan A. Rushing forward across the arena, Harry cast charm based wards on the ground. He felt as the air filled with a humming noise before he remembered to deafen his ears. He got them protected just in time before a lightning blast struck the area next to him, one of the wards redirecting it away from his body. Harry casted ward after ward, getting closer and closer to the exit until he spotted movement from his side. His Protego took the brunt of the swinging tail as his back impacted the wall.

The Quetzalcoatl continued to cast lightning bolts at him, but Harry could hear it growing frustrated. His wards kept deflecting the lightning away from him, but he couldn't protect himself from the powerful blows of the snake's tail. Having had enough of the wards, the snake's last strike with its tail pinned him against the wall, knocking the air out of him. He watched as the snake raised its head and opened its maw as it planned to kill him. He bit his lip, pressed his wand into a gap in the snake's feathers and focused all of his magic to it. Hazel had been teaching him the spell as a last resort. Something to do if he literally was about to die. He was certain he was. They had trained with it only on the weekends, since the spell left him exhausted. He felt his magic build as the snake lunged forward. "Monstrum Divellunt Maxima." He felt his magic leave his wand but his ears were filled by the unnatural noise the snake made. He watched as large gashes appeared along its long body, the feathers becoming drenched with blood. The pressure from its body faded and Harry stumbled a little as he landed on the ground, his steps uneasy. He barely made it over the threshold of the Arena exit before he felt his legs give out. A pair of hands kept him from hitting the ground as Dora's voice settled his nerves. "It's ok, Harry. We got you. We got you."

Hazel turned to Teddy who hugged her, tears filling his eyes. "Can we go to him?" Hazel nodded and she pulled Teddy along. She watched as Dora, maintaining her form, dropped Harry into the Medical Tent before climbing onto a medical bed. Pomfrey rushed to the boy's side and cast diagnostics on him. "He has a severe case of Magical Exhaustion, as well as damage to his ribs but nothing life threatening." Hazel rubbed Harry's hair as he laid unconscious, and sat beside the boy as more people entered the tent. Her magic instinctively flared when Dumbledore entered. He looked at the boy with confusion before turning to her. "You taught him that spell." Hazel's eyes glowed green. "I taught him a spell of last resort, one he clearly needed. Or would you rather be burying a student than a snake that had no business being in this Tournament? There is a reason the Mesoamericans worshiped them as gods." Dumbledore glared back at her. "There were any number of other ways. The portkey would have taken him to safety." Hazel felt Teddy grip her hand to help calm her down. "Other ways? In an open field? Sure. He was in a sealed environment with a snake that prefers wide open spaces. Or did you not study exactly just how dangerous they were or what their preferences were? Had he activated the portkey while pinned down, you would have likely had a Quetzalcoatl rampaging outside of the arena. He had to choose between his life, everyone elses or the snake's. The snake's death is on you and the others who agreed to use it in the tournament. Now leave before I decide to rend you down and feed you to the Acromantulas."

Dumbledore glared but seeing the growing number of people around him, he decided to turn around and leave as Hazel's temper settled down. She and Teddy held Harry's hand as Andromeda, Ted, Sirius and Remus entered the tent. Pomfrey seemed to struggle between letting them stay or kicking most of them out. She heard Bagman's voice as the scores were announced. "In First place, with 50 of 50 points, Neaera d'Éon from Beauxbatons, with an impressive display of Cryomancy and for successfully riding a wild Kelpie, the first person to do so in nearly a century. In Second place is Harry Potter, with 40 of 50 points. He succeeded in completing the Task but our Judges were divided in awarding him points for the death of the Quetzalcoatl. Tied in Third place are Victor Krum of Durmstrang and Cedric Diggory of Hogwarts with 30 of 50, for failing to pass the final obstacle and for injuries received in the previous enclosures. This concludes the First Task!" Hazel shook her head before turning to Ted Tonks. "Go out there and keep the vultures away. Claim the corpse for Harry under the Right of Conquest. We will deal with the fallout from the Mesoamerican representatives and Handlers afterwards." Ted nodded but he stopped as he looked past Hazel. She turned around and smiled, her hand squeezing Harry's. "Hey, Harry." The clearly tired boy smiled at her wearily as he leaned his head down. "Can I sleep in tomorrow?" Hazel and everyone chuckled as she ruffled his hair. "Take all the time you need."

Chapter 44: Gestures of Love

Hazel walked up to Harry, who was sitting on the railing of the Quidditch pitch, his feet swinging under him slowly. The air was crisp as the grass glimmered, covered in soft snow as the sun barely rose over the horizon. She swung her legs over and sat beside him. The two sat in silence until Harry turned towards her. "I… don't know what I am supposed to feel." Hazel turned towards him. "Shame? Guilt?" Harry thought for a second before he nodded. "I… knew I was about to die. I felt it. For a second, I thought I would be too slow. Then the snake died. I … feel like I should be happy that I survived but it bothers me. Killing the snake." Hazel scooted closer to Harry, her arm circling around his back and pulling him towards her as she gripped his shoulder gently. "Everyone feels that way. Well, most people should feel that way. You were given the choice between one life living and one life dying, with a pick of which one would succeed. You saved your own life, but you feel like it wasn't worth it." Harry nodded. Hazel hugged him closer. "There is no point in measuring the worth of a life, Harry. Death comes for all of us. Someday the Quetzalcoatl would have died. Someday you will die as well. The question isn't if your life was worth more or less, but what you will do with it now after surviving."

Harry looked at Hazel. "Does the guilt ever go away?" Hazel sighed and pulled out the charms attached to her belt. She handed them to Harry and he eyed them. "What are they?" Hazel looked to be in pain. "Remembering Charms carved out of wood. Like a memorial. For the lives of the people and creatures that meant something to me. I didn't kill all of them but they all died, mostly because of me. Two elves gave their lives saving my home. My Familiar, an Owl like Hedwig, took a Killing Curse for me. One is the Basilisk from your second year. My first Dragon kill. Teddy's Grandmother, his mother too, though she died for different reasons. My ex. An elf that died a few months ago." Hazel grew still for a second as she pulled one up specifically, a star carved onto wood followed by Druidic Script. "My Godmother. She pulled me aside, saving me from a Killing Curse before her body fell… There was no finding what was left of her." Harry saw a tear descend from Hazel's eye, running down her cheek before she wiped it away. "Every one of these people and creatures meant something to me. Yet, as much as I would like to say they were worth more than my life, I can't." Hazel turned to him. "Because living meant seeing Teddy grow up from a smelly bundle of diapers into a bright and smiling boy. It meant that I met Dora when I had all but given up on having anyone else in my life. It meant that I could be here, helping you regain your life."

Hazel gently took back her charms before pulling out a freshly carved one, a rough, rainbow colored feather attached to it. She handed it to Harry. "A life has left this world and it should be mourned. But you are alive. Live your life, Harry. Don't forget what happened, don't let yourself become numb to the shame of taking a life, but don't let the shame drown yours away. Honor the loss by living as a better person. For as long as Death let's you." Harry held the charm in his hand, rubbing the feather and the etchings. "What will happen to the body?" Hazel sighed. "There were some complaints by the Handlers but Quetz came over and smoothed things over. Her family is from the same community and she, as a friend of ours, has taken responsibility for the body, rending it and preserving the important parts. She will let us know what else we can do about it for her people later." Harry nodded, feeling the feather between his fingers. "Thank you, for everything." Hazel kissed his head. "You don't have to thank me, Harry. Ever. One day I will look on you as you hold a child of your own, same as Teddy. They will make you smile and warm your heart just by being a child, one you will have a large part to play in their life. You will know terror and anxiety, but you will know love and joy. In that moment you will know. It was all worth it. The pain, the loss. Even the shame. It will all be worth it." They sat in comfortable silence for some time, the cold wind forcing Hazel to cast a warming charm on them both, before Harry spoke up. "Susan asked me to the Yule Ball." Hazel hummed. "Interested?" Harry blushed. "I… would like to. She has been there for me these last two years and she always seems to know how I feel."

Taking a moment to think about her words, Hazel responded. "Has anyone else asked?" Harry nodded. "Ginny did but I don't feel right taking her. We are friendly and all but she is just Ron's sister to me." Hazel tapped her fingers on his shoulder. "What about Hermione?" Harry shook his head. "I don't think of her that way. I mean, she is pretty and she is great and all but she feels like the sister I never had. We look after each other." Hazel looked at him. "Then as your sort of sister, ask her what she would say about you going and ask her who she wants to go with. Look after each other and when you both go to the Yule Ball, make sure it's with someone you both want to be there with." Harry seemed sad for a second. "Sorry for bringing it up. I know you won't get a chance to dance with Dora at all." Hazel ruffled his hair. "Nope. I won't. I had my own major dance once but I got turned down so it was a bust. Though my second one wasn't as bad. But it's fine, Harry. I know what I feel for Dora and what she feels for me. It will have to be enough." She kissed him on the head. "Now go check on your friends and decide who you are taking to the Ball. We need to fix up your formal robes to match before the night." Harry hugged Hazel before jumping back off the railing and onto the stands. Hazel watched as he made his way to the Castle, happy that Teddy partially dodged that particular bullet. Sure, he had three girls circling him, but at least he didn't have to worry about who to take to the ball.

OW December 1996

Hazel stared at her reflection in the mirror as she finished tying her hair into a braid. She had every intention to skip Slughorn's dance but when she got personally invited, she hesitated. During her fourth year, she had discovered that she wasn't interested in any of her classmates, except for one. Hermione had gotten a lot more pretty since they started classes together. She had stopped being as up front about her smarts and actually did the work silently. Even still, she never stopped offering to help Hazel. At first it was annoying as hell, but in their third year, they had come to an understanding. They would take certain days of the weeks to work on assignments together in the library and practice spell pronunciation. It had no effect on her spell casting at all but Hazel still enjoyed those quiet moments in the Library. Of the Gryffindors, Hermione was the first to come around and believe Hazel hadn't cheated to get her name into the Goblet. Hazel had no idea how anyone still didn't believe her as she cursed and swore with her every breath before the First Task started. She even attacked the Goblet with a Banishing Spell, but the Casket protected it. Dumbledore wisely took it out of the Castle soon after, as Hazel contemplated testing the Goblet's defences against her cursed flames.

So when McGonagall told her she was required to open the Yule Ball with the other Champions, Hazel hadn't rejected the suggestion outright. It took her a week to get past her nerves, with Bella's help, to go up to Hermione and ask her to the Ball. Hermione had stared at Hazel for over a minute until something finally clicked in her head. "Oh. Uhm, thank you for asking… Hazel. I… I already have a date. And while I am not really going with them as in date-date, I can't… I can't accept your request either. I am sorry Hazel. I am not interested in other girls. Not that you aren't pretty and all but I just don't see you like that. I am sure you will find someone though. Bye!" Hazel had stared into the retreating form of Hermione until she simply sighed. None of the other girls interested her. Susan and Sally gave her the cold shoulder since second year, none of the Ravenclaws were her type and Slytherins were off the table, though the blonde Daphne Greengrass was attractive. She knew McGonagall would complain and howler and try to force a date onto her to take to the Ball, so she did the wisest thing possible. She never brought it up. She read all about the supposed scandal her absence caused in the Prophet on the next day but she honestly couldn't care. Spending Christmas with her Godmother was worth the chaos she left behind.

Hazel bit back a sob that threatened to consume her as usually happened when she thought of Bella. Erring on the side of caution, she refused to put on any makeup, opting only for some lip gloss. She saw the time on the wall and sighed as she stood up. "Ok, Dobby. Apparate me back to the castle, just outside of the Slytherin Common Room." Her elf friend nodded and apparated her out of Grimmauld Place. She had been right that Dumbledore had been none the wiser about her nightly disappearances. While Grimmauld was a lot more comfortable than the Chamber, there were a lot more happy memories down there. Basilisk Venom and Phoenix Tears biological incompatibility notwithstanding. Wearing a black cloak clasped at the neck with the hood up, Dobby apparated her to a corridor that lead to a dead end near the Slytherin Common Room. She knocked on the hidden door and waited. Hazel watched as the wall opened and Theodore Nott looked out. "Heir Nott, please inform Heir Serpens his date is waiting for him outside." The pureblood Heir looked a bit surprised by the reversal of tradition but he nodded and stepped back inside. A few minutes later, the door opened and Tamlane Serpens stepped out wearing a tuxedo with a green tie, combing his hair. He turned to her and frowned. "You aren't going to wear that all night, are you?" Hazel sighed and pulled her cloak off from her body before vanishing it.

Tamlane seemed frozen by the sight of her. Or maybe it was her use of wandless magic. Ever since the First Task, her Magic had gone through a weird maturity. Her wand liked her now, though she found using her left hand with it was more comfortable, despite her right hand having healed correctly after the fire damage from the dragon. Even with her wand problems corrected, her wandless magic seemed to build up as well. She decided to just roll with it and ignore the issue. Her wanded spells were now stronger than her wandless spells and for once she was ok with that. "What? The cloak was conjured." Serpens shook his head as he snapped out of a daze before he gave her a smile. "I was going to say you look absolutely beautiful. Not the most traditional dress but more than acceptable in traditional circles." Hazel blushed. Her dress was something she struggled with. Eventually she went with a green and black dress with a high neckline that covered her chest and back, but highlighted her figure. While her arms could have been bare, she chose to wear long black gloves, exposing only her shoulders, as she didn't want to show the scars the dragon's flames left on her arm. Tamlane held out his hand to her. "Shall we?" Hazel placed her hand in his and the two walked towards Slughorn's Party. Her appearance caused quite a stir among the attendants but Tamlane kept much of the discussions brief. She took a moment to get a breather and serve herself a drink while Serpens talked politics with the other Heirs.

"You aren't good enough for him." Hazel sighed and drank the cup of punch before ignoring the pompous brat. Malfoy raised his hand and gripped her bare arm just above her glove. "I didn't dismiss you, halfblood. You don't deserve to be here or to be Serpens' date." Hazel's magic flared as she turned to him. "Release me, Malfoy." Draco sneered at her, reminding Hazel of Snape. "Or what?" Hazel's eye twitched for a second before she gripped the arm holding her. "You asked for it. Cr-" a loud voice stopped her mid curse. "Heir Malfoy. Unhand my date this instant." Hazel felt the magic in the room shift as Draco dropped her arm instantly. Tamlane took her hand and guided her out of the party. "I had that handled." Tamlane raised an eyebrow at her. "Cursing someone in the middle of a party with an Unforgivable? You call that handled?" Hazel shrugged. "It's not like anyone in there hasn't cast it at least once. Besides, Lucius Malfoy deserves to find his son twitching uncontrollably from a curse. Might make him more agreeable. Besides, if I ended up in Azkaban, who would bother coming for me? Dumbledore? He can barely do anything now with the war going on. Voldemort might make a visit but I would at least have enjoyed my final moments of freedom." Tamlane sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "You aren't much of a Gryffindor Golden Girl." Hazel glared. "I never wanted to be. I would rather be myself than what anyone else asks of me."

Tamlane brought her out to the inner courtyard and he spun her around gently. "And if I asked you to be my girlfriend?" Hazel blinked at him. "Aren't you required to court someone as an Heir?" Serpens shrugged his shoulders. "If I had a father, yes. But I don't. You and I are the last of our houses, so we don't need to Court. We can just be." Hazel searched his eyes. Those blue eyes look at her with expectation and maybe something like longing. She took a slow breath before she leaned herself up a bit and captured his lips. Tamlane took a moment to register the kiss before he kissed her back, with clearly restrained need. They broke the kiss as Hazel stared at his eyes. "Fine. But this relationship is ours. No one else gets involved." Tamlane nodded and Hazel smirked. "And I get to shorten your name. It's a bit of a mouth full and I feel like I am constantly saying it wrong." Tamlane sighed. "Fine. What will you call me?" Hazel tapped her finger on her lips in thought. "Tom." Tamlane glared at her. "Not happening." Hazel chuckled and slipped out of his grasp. She spun around a few times. "I don't know. I think it suits you." Tamlane rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Then I will call you Haze." Hazel laughed. "Sure. I don't mind." Tamlane stared at her. "You were supposed to back track." Hazel smiled. "Nope. You are Tom and I am Haze." She came up to him and kissed him briefly. "Goodnight, Tom." Hazel turned around and walked away. She barely spent much time at the party but maybe it had been worth it. Maybe she could make something of this. If nothing else, she would try and enjoy it while she could. After all, nothing ever seemed to last for her.

NW December 24th 1994

Dora escorted Fleur back to the Carriage, having enjoyed a pleasant night at the Yule Ball. When she had asked Hazel if it was ok that she took Fleur as her date, Hazel had seemed almost distant. She didn't reject the suggestion, saying it was their fault that Fleur was missing out on being a Champion. So Dora agreed, wearing a much more masculine looking formal robe with a silver tie to match with Fleur's silver dress. Wishing not to harm Hazel further, she and Fleur agreed to switch dancing partners, reserving only the first and last dance on the floor for each other. After the exquisite dinner and the opening dance was concluded, all the Champions in an agreed-upon show of sportsmanship and cooperation, switched dancing partners. Dora danced with Susan for a second, letting Harry take a break from being enthralled by his date. The young Hufflepuff's green dress had surprised quite a few with it's simple beauty, especially as it showed her developing figure, but it matched perfectly with Harry's tie and eye color. It was funny, watching Harry stumble a few times with his steps whenever he got lost in her eyes. Hermione, as it turned out, had been approached by several people, including Theodore Nott, whom she agreed to dance with. The two had been getting to know each other ever since Hazel allowed the brunette to join them in the Chamber.

The other Coalition children were scattered about. Neville took his date, Hannah, and the two were quietly enjoying the evening, only dancing a few times to slow songs. Daphne had invited Zabini, who spent much of the night attending to his date, much to the dark haired girl's amusement. The younger years weren't able to participate in the wider party, but Hazel had allowed them to stay in the Chamber together. Teddy, Astoria, Luna and the Twins were enjoying a quieter time in their own Christmas party under the supervision of the family elves. Dora hoped Teddy managed to enjoy the night, though she could guess at the mischief the Carrows would get up to. However, during the entire Ball, Dora's eyes wandered from face to face, looking for her girlfriend. Dora caught no glimpses of her white hair or green eyes anywhere and even Hazel's Magic remained oddly quiet inside of her, giving her a sense of melancholy. Even the appearance of her favorite band did little to lift Dora's mood. Seeing a few of the older students walking away, Dora felt it was time. "Mind if I escort you back to the Carriage?" Fleur gave her an understanding look and the two set off. "Sorry if I wasn't all that pleasant company."

Dora shook her head. "You were great Fleur. I am the one who has to apologize. All I can say is that I hope one day you find the person that makes you feel alive in events like these." Fleur smiled at her and nodded, kissing Dora on the cheek. "Thank you. Now go, as I believe your lady is waiting for you." Once inside their shared room within the Carriage, Dora shifted her appearance back to normal, wore her usual winter clothes and jacket, took her key and disillusioned herself. She made it all the way to Hazel's Chamber and unlocked it, stepping inside. It took her a moment to get her bearings as the wards within the room felt a bit rougher than normal. She stepped deeper in and looked around in the dark interior. "Hazel?" The magic inside her flared and seemed to pull her in the direction of their bedroom. The moment she opened the door, her thoughts lost any coherence. Hazel sat at the edge of the bed, staring into a mirror. Her eyes seemed lost in a memory even as Dora tried to understand what she was seeing. She had seen Hazel's hair be dark, but never the deep black that it was now. It certainly looked like it was the same as Harry's and Teddy's. "Hazel?"

A softer voice responded to her. "I heard you, Dora." It took her standing up for Dora to understand what she was seeing. Hazel's hair wasn't the only difference. She was shorter, thinner. She was also wearing a pretty green and black dress that looked so beautiful on her yet felt so wrong. It covered too much of the skin Hazel never seemed to not leave exposed. "Is this what you looked like when you were at Hogwarts?" Timid green eyes looked at Dora as she turned around. "Yes. At least up to my seventeenth birthday. I wore this when I went out to a Slughorn Yule Party with…" Hazel caught herself and she turned away. Dora felt something snap into place as she went and hugged Hazel. "You never took part in balls before, except with your ex." Hazel rested her head against Dora's chest, the change in size making Dora feel so out of sorts. "It was only once. After my Godmother… after things went bad, I was looking for anything to make me feel better. My ex invited me to the party but we left after I almost left Draco Malfoy in a puddle of his own drool." Dora chuckled, which seemed to make Hazel's mood better. "He asked me out after that. Should tell you everything you need to know about how crazy we were. I just about committed a crime in his presence and it didn't faze him."

Dora hugged Hazel tighter. "Did I make you feel like it was the same? Like we were repeating history?" Hazel shook her head. "What he saw in me was what he wanted. Nothing else. He couldn't see me at all. I, on the other hand, saw him for exactly who he was. I allowed myself to be with him to fill the emptiness inside of me. It worked. For five months we were ok. But like with all things in life, it had to end. The illusion had to fall sooner or later." Dora felt her fears rise. She knew where Hazel's thoughts were going. "Turn back. Now." Hazel turned towards Dora and stared at her. "I am somewhat tempted to make you work for it." Dora blushed but she felt Hazel's body shift back to her true form, the dress retaking its original shape as a long flowing robe. She stared at Hazel's hair, unsure why it wasn't shifting until Hazel pulled it off and tossed it aside, her short white hair growing out to its long state. Dora blinked for a second before she started to laugh, even as Hazel pouted. "I am sorry. I just… I feel so dumb right now. I forgot you couldn't take that color." Hazel glared. "I haven't lied to you." Dora looked up and smiled. "And I don't want there to be any lies between us. Ever." She handed Hazel a red present wrapped in a green bow. "Happy Christmas." Hazel took it and, with a questioning look towards Dora, opened it, freezing the moment she saw what was held inside.

Wrapping her arms around Hazel's waist, Dora kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. "Well?" She watched as tears fell from Hazel's eyes before she spoke up once more. "You gave me your magic, your Family's Magic, to keep me safe and alive. From the moment we met, you have been protecting me. This time, I wanted to protect you. Perenelle said you might recognize it." Hazel's fingers traced the charged magical crystal intricately carved into a medallion. The lines took on the form of a white dragon, it's wings forming the edges of the medallion, as its snout was pressing into the heads of two young dragons. A mother protecting its nest. Hazel could feel Dora's magic in the crystal, her body warming happily as it sought out her own. "A Patronus Echo. Designed to connect the feelings of the one who charged the crystal with the one who is the source of the happy memory." Dora took the medallion and looped the chain over Hazel's head. She felt instantly how Hazel's body seemed to fill with warmth. Those green eyes, filled with unshed tears, focused on her own purple eyes. Dora raised her hand up and cupped Hazel's cheek. "I can't put a ring on your finger just yet, but I promise you Hazel. I am here to be with you. Only you." Warm lips pressed into her own and Dora melted with the tenderness and love that seemed to spread across her body. She felt the back of her legs press against the edge before Hazel pushed her onto the bed.

Clothes vanished and the feeling of skin on skin made her mind lose focus as the world around her seemed to fade into the background. All that mattered was the feeling that seemed to fill her to the brim and her own essence responding back in kind. Green eyes stared at her as they both took a moment to breathe. Dora's voice escaped her lips in pants and moans as deft hands and warm lips sought out every inch of skin. She felt Hazel pressing into her and Dora's mind blacked out. The moment she could remember anything again, those wonderful warm lips were on her again. "Sorry about tomorrow, Nymphadora. But I need you to feel all that I am tonight. You, my most thoughtful and caring partner deserve it all and I am going to give you my all." The lips smashed into her again and Dora felt the meaning behind her words. Feeling and emotions filled her heart and mind as her body was driven to the edge of release. In one singular moment she felt Hazel in her entirety. A ball of blazing yet cold magic filled with desires, pains, insecurities and determination. But at the core of her was a single, all consuming desire. The desire to love and be loved back. Dora willed her emotions to reach Hazel and the momentary glimpse ended as her lips pulled back after the breathtaking kiss. By the end, she wasn't sure where she ended and Hazel started but at the moment she couldn't really care all that much. She was whole.

"Harry! How are you, Pup?" Harry hugged Sirius. "I am ok, Sirius. Happy Yuletide." Sirius smiled and rubbed his hair. "And Happy Yuletide to you." He looked up and had to hold his breath as Hazel stared at him. "Happy Yuletide, Padfoot." Sirius blinked at her for a second. "Happy Yuletide, Miss Peverell." Hazel walked past him and Dora came up and hugged him. "Don't mind her. The fact she didn't think about cursing you the moment she saw you is a good thing." Sirius hugged Dora back as the families gathered at Grimmauld for New Year's Eve. Dora watched as Hazel's eyes searched the place, echoes of memories visible in her eyes. She had begrudgingly agreed to spending New Year's Eve at the Black London Townhouse as a gesture of support for Harry and Sirius. The Marauder had spent the last few months with Mind Healers and under Andromeda's care before he was given a clean bill of health, though the experiences at Azkaban would always haunt him. He found a strange comradery with Lord Nott as the two worked to redefine the Traditionalist families, finding ways to reduce the influence of the extremists from the Death Eater supporters. Lord Malfoy found his typical support exceedingly ineffective in passing any proposals, with Ted Tonks retaining his position as Peverell Proxy examining every single law and pointing out the dangerous loopholes and possible economic impact.

The Progressives were shifting as well as Dowager Longbottom took a stronger lead as both a Governor for Hogwarts and as Neville's Regent. With Julia and Nott's aid, proposals were being crafted in a way that appealed to the vast majority of the Wizengamot, barring any need for seeking individual families to vote with them. The recent Magical Creature and Being reclassification law had passed with a surprising amount of support, despite the Undersecretary's vocal arguments. While Vampires and Hags were still listed as dangerous, establishments could now be co-owned with them to help provide them with a more comfortable existence. The growing ties established by the Department of Mysteries with the British Government was helping get support with the introduction of blood from blood banks for the Vampire population. There were still restrictions on where Vampires could be but a study into the Vampire condition was being conducted by the DoM with ICW support, same as with the Hags. Ever since the summer of 1991, the ICW, member nations and the United Nations had been working on ways to diminish the impact a breach of the Statute of Secrecy could have on the world, with cooperation being a key factor. This included the careful integration of the more outlier magical creatures, beings who could become a threat to the human population. Hazel was happy for that, as every step seemed like a positive change away from the catastrophe of her world.

Hazel watched as the rest of the invited guests arrived, with Susan greeting Harry warmly, the boy blushing as they sat together. Of Hazel's students, she was the more balanced, enjoying a good mix of physical movement and precise spellwork. She wondered if the girl would seek a career in the Aurors like her Aunt Amelia, but it seemed too early to tell. The girl did seem an odd mix of quiet and contemplative with moments of spontaneity. It made her smile as the girl seemed to help Harry out with slowing down and enjoying the moment. Dora had shown her a memory of the two dancing at the Yule Ball, both clearly nervous but completely oblivious to everyone else. Her thoughts were sent elsewhere as soon as Andromeda and Ted arrived. Teddy ran up to Dromeda and hugged her as Hazel stood up. The witch turned to her after hugging Teddy back and smiled. "Happy Yuletide, Hazel." Hazel pulled Andromeda into a hug. "Happy Yuletide, Andromeda. Mind joining me elsewhere. I want to talk to you in private." Andromeda nodded and two slipped away into the library after she said hello to everyone else. The older witch looked at Hazel as soon as the door closed. "Everything alright?"

Taking a seat on a small couch in the room, Hazel fidgeted. "I wanted to apologize. About Harry." Andromeda sat beside her and frowned. "About what?" Hazel looked away from her. "I know you tried to take custody of him for years. You managed to get it finally but over the last year and a half … I am sorry he focused more on me." Andromeda gave Hazel a soft smile. "Hazel. I sought his custody to give the boy a better life. I never had any intentions of replacing Lily as the boy's mother. I only wanted him to be happy. And he is. In the months he spends with us, he is polite and calm, but when you are around he relaxes completely. You give him the sense of safety and familiarity he desperately needed." Hazel turned to her. "I never set out to become like a mother to him. I told your husband as much." Andromeda nodded. "You didn't, but you can't help being yourself either. You lived a nightmare that seemed to be Harry's fate. Yet, here we are, a larger family gathered together. We are all here because of your actions. You shouldn't feel guilty for any of what has happened. Hell, my daughter and I are closer than ever, even with her spending the last few months in Beauxbatons." Hazel looked towards the door. "What about Sirius? He is Harry's Godfather but my behaviour towards him has practically destroyed any chances of Harry looking up to him like a father."

Andromeda looked towards the door and nodded. "That is certainly true. But again, you did everything you could." Andromeda raised her hand to stop Hazel's next comment. "Your trauma prevented you from bonding with the man, yet you knew this was wrong of you. You gave Harry the chance to know him and bond with him on his own. And the boy has. Perhaps not as you and your Godmother did but it's not as bad as it could have been." Hazel searched Andromeda's eyes. "Dora told you. About who my Godmother was." Andromeda's face turned sad. "She did. She felt it was better that I knew, even if I never shared it with anyone but Ted." Andromeda leaned forward and hugged Hazel, surprising her. "My sister's life was not an easy one. Our world did to her much as what yours did to you. I had to bury the memories of the bright older sister she once was. She is gone from this world. So believe me when I say I am glad that her light lives on in you. That your Bella was there for you as she was meant to be; whole and kind. Keep that memory alive and share her light with us, Hazel." Hazel's eyes watered as she hugged Andromeda back. The two returned to the others after and Dora sat next to Hazel, who felt a bit different than from when she arrived. She leaned her head on her girlfriend's shoulder as everyone chatted away, waiting for the hours to pass by as the New Year approached.

Sirius stared at Hazel as Amelia held his hands. "You… you were born to a different Prongs and Lily?" Hazel did her best to control her feelings as she nodded in response to his question. There was none of the madness she knew was present in her own world's Sirius Black, not anymore, but his appearance was still too close for her subconscious to just let it go. Worst of all were his eyes. This Sirius and Bella of her world were very much alike in appearance, though Bella's hair had a lot more curls. Seeing the same warmth and kindness she knew so well aimed at Harry from those eyes on Sirius' face made her emotions go into pure chaos. Sirius turned to Andromeda and the rest. "You are all sure of this? You all believe her?" Hazel sighed, looking for something, anything her world's Bella knew that might apply to Sirius. "In the summer before your fifth year, before you were due to inherit the Heir ring, Walburga took you aside. She tried to instruct you on what she wanted you to behave as. That meant breaking ties with James and Remus and getting friendly with the Slytherins. That meant sacrificing everything that ever mattered to you. In my world you refused, before your mother placed you under the Cruciatus. She kept you under for too long and my Godmother believes something in you broke that day. I am going to guess something similar happened to you but you managed to escape and spent the rest of the summer with Dorea and Charlus Potter."

Those grey eyes turned to her again, shock and horror written on them. "I never told anyone what happened, not even James. Only Dorea and Charlus knew about what happened at Grimmauld. Father… Father caught my mother torturing me. He forced her to stop and sent me away. He banished me from the house." Amelia squeezed Sirius' hand for support before turning to Hazel. "No one saved him in your world?" Hazel shook her head. "My Godmother only heard about it when word reached her via Regulus that Sirius had a need for a Healer. The Potters in my world had no real ties to the Blacks and Orion ordered the matter to be kept in house, so no one could say a word. Sirius went back to Hogwarts, jittery and suffering the effects but no one could do anything about it. He never recovered from that. Not really. He returned to Grimmauld every year until graduation, the last summer seemingly going better than the last two." Dora cursed. "They Marked him." Hazel shrugged. "That was the guess in hindsight. In our world, as soon as the children were seventeen years old, they could be Marked and they were. After they completed the initiation. Rape, Torture and Murder of an undesirable." Andromeda winced and turned to Amelia. The redhead sighed. "It's usually the same here, though a few got Marked for completing special assignments or being part of a prominent family."

Sirius rubbed his face and looked at Hazel. "You certainly know a lot about Death Eaters." Hazel turned away from him. "You know about Harry's nightmares. I had something similar. Voldemort could reach out to me. He could find me wherever I went and he could speak to me at a moment's notice. What do you think a megalomaniac with psychopathic tendencies did with that knowledge?" Sirius paled as Dora froze. "Your Family Magic." Hazel nodded as she marked the symbol of her family in the air with fire writing. "In our world he was the Lord Peverell and I was the Heiress. The magic decided that. Our magic bound us together. When he tried to kill me in 81, he lost control of the Family Magic. So it waited. It waited for me to be ready. In that time it waited we were equals, bound to never harm each other and to never usurp the other. He spent a great deal of that time trying to twist me to his side. He showed me every twisted memory, every great accomplishment. He took a perverse pleasure in making Purebloods behave no better than wild dogs as they unknowingly obeyed the orders of a Halfblood. He was proud of what he did." Hazel leaned her head back. "And I watched it all through his eyes." Everyone around shivered at that as Dora hugged Hazel. Sirius took a deep breath. "Andromeda said my look alike murdered your godmother." The air crackled with magic for a second before Hazel bit out her response. "Yes." Amelia gripped his hand, "Sirius…" The man pressed on. "You killed him, didn't you?"

The shift in magic in the room was instantaneous as black flames shot out from Hazel's feet before stopping a split second before they reached Sirius. The man jumped back as Amelia drew her wand. Everyone in the room was frozen as they stared at the black flames before they died down. There was no mistaking the hate in Hazel's words. "I did. First time I ever casted the Killing Curse against another person. First time I was so utterly consumed by hate that the curse turned darker than all other killing curses." Amelia smacked Sirius on the head. "Don't ever do that again." Sirius rubbed his head, looking somewhat ashamed. "I needed to know and she isn't the most friendly for me to talk to." Hazel took a deep breath and the air in the room felt far more comfortable afterwards. "Congratulations, Padfoot. You know." Sirius frowned before he realized why she called him Padfoot. "Guessing my alter ego had a different Marauder name?" Hazel lowered her head. "Not sharing it. I have enough trouble being reminded of him around you as it is." She stood up and green eyes that reminded Sirius of Lily glared down at him. "You have what you wanted to know. You know what I have done for your family. I am going to do my best to ignore the itch I have to hurt you because Harry deserves you in his life. Try not to piss me off again. Now if you excuse me, my son knows I am in a foul mood. I need to go to him and settle us both down." She kissed Dora and the cheek and walked out of the room.

Sirius rubbed his hair. "She reminds me of Lily. The woman was a terror when she got mad. Pretty sure I couldn't sit down for a week after I took Harry for a ride on my motorbike." Amelia scoffed. "You bloody well deserved it too." Sirius nodded as he looked towards the Tonks. "So, what do we do now?" Andromeda stared at him. "We treat her exactly as we always did. She is the closest thing Harry has to a blood family. Everything she has done in the last three years has been to make sure he doesn't turn out like her and for her son to live a happy life. The boys adore her because she has never hidden anything from either of them." Sirius sat back in his seat and rubbed his ring as the Head of House Black. A thought returned to him about what Kreacher told him. "Bellatrix was her Godmother." Dora nodded. "She was. Hers was younger, in your year at school and friends to both Lily and James. She was a Healer that worked as a double agent between the sides." Sirius sighed, feeling so conflicted. Now that he knew what to look for, she was certainly very much like Lily, but the ferocity in her was very much something all her own. "I will try not to set her off anymore and I have no problem with her being close to Harry." Dora stood up. "Good, because something tells me it wouldn't have mattered if she had your support or not." Dora left the room as Sirius looked to Andromeda. "Is she planning to tell Harry?" Andromeda nodded. "The boy is building up his Occlumency defences, but we believe Voldemort's connection to him bypasses that. She will tell him when Voldemort is dead and gone for good."

Dora, up the stairs of Grimmauld, found Hazel sitting beside Teddy in the boys room, with Harry sitting on his bed, both of the kids being wide awake. She watched as Aithusa flew around the room, Teddy's Alina following it around as Harry's doe pranced around beneath them even as it's form shivered. She watched as Hazel taught them how to vary the size of the Patroni, until Harry's doe was able to fit on the palm of his hand. "Focus your thoughts on a person that should receive the message and speak the words. The Patronus can carry the message pretty much anywhere." Dora flicked her wand and watched as her Snowball joined them. The name had originally been for her rabbit Patronus but Hazel and Teddy said it was still a good name for her dragon. Dora had pouted when they both said her dragon looked cute. She sat besides Harry as the three tiny dragons flew around their heads, the snow falling silently just outside the window. In no time at all the boys fell asleep and Hazel slipped out of the room with Dora by her side. That night there was no need for their clothes to come off. They cuddled together in the bed, comforted by the feelings they shared together, as the stars poked through the clouds, finding what peace they could before returning to Hogwarts. There was still much they had to prepare for in the coming year.

Chapter 45: Second Task

"So, there was no clue?" Both Dora and Harry shook their heads. "Bagman said the Second Task was a test of a Champion's capability. Preparation wasn't going to give an adequate test or show. All they said was to think about who we can trust to be by our side. The person has to be from the same school and the same year." Hazel frowned at Dora's words, looking at Harry. "I feel this was Dumbledore's work. That rule was designed to force the younger students to struggle more." Harry lowered his eyes, clenching his hands as Dora hugged his side. She looked up to Hazel. "You had a bit of intel on what the Second Task could be?" Hazel nodded. "We suspected the Tournament would use an old favorite. They like to use hostages in their tasks, but the trust thing is odd. Previous Tournaments hosted by Hogwarts utilized the Black Lake as an arena for a Tournament Task, but our research shows the Merfolk haven't been approached. The Centaurs, however, where. So the Second Task is likely to be in the Forbidden Forest, as the Quidditch Pitch just got sealed off by the Headmaster for what I am certain is the Third Task." Dora rubbed Harry's back. "Definitely a step up from XXXXX Creatures."

Hazel summoned a book from the library alcove in the Chamber to her hand. "Yeah, that's still a problem. The Centaurs have been kind enough to share with us the types of creatures currently living in the Forest. There is a massive nest of Acromantulas, courtesy of Hagrid's old pet Aragog. We have sightings of Barghests, which I personally put on a slightly lower level in danger than a Direwolf because they don't run in packs. We could see the Tournament release other dangerous creatures that prefer to hunt down targets in forests, but the Centaurs did mention that if the Organizers did that they would end peaceful relations with Hogwarts. Whether Dumbledore ignores the Centaur's threat or not is up for debate. My best guess is that the Second Task will involve safely traversing the Forest to a predetermined point, probably the area near the arena. I have no idea how the extra person is supposed to be used, since there is no indication they will be hostages. The wording Bagman used is wrong for that." Harry looked to Hazel. "So, what's the plan?" Hazel rubbed her chin. She sighed and looked at the chamber. "I can recreate the forest here. It won't be entirely accurate, but you can get a feel for it. I will keep changing the terrain so it's more skill improvement than memorizing paths. I can teach you some spells for direction and improved vision. Basic healing won't go amiss either."

Hazel turned to the Chamber and grew thoughtful as Dora turned to Harry. "Fleur will likely be my partner. She can get her taste of the Triwizard Tournament this way. You should check which of your yearmates you want by your side, Harry." Dora turned to Hazel. "We should have Fleur and the person Harry picks join us with this training your cooking up. Getting all four of us in proper form for navigating the Forest will be better, just in case." Hazel waved at Dora. "Sure. Get the word out. We can't train you to do the Task perfectly since we don't know if there is anything else to it, but we will get close. You two head on out while I work on the simulation. Tell your partners, go to dinner and then come back here." Harry stopped for a second as he made to leave before rushing back and hugging Hazel. Hazel rubbed his hair. "I know. Go be with your friends and have fun. We get this task concluded then we are one step closer to the end." With Dora a good distance away, Harry left the entrance of the chamber and made his way up to the Great Hall, where he sat down at the Gryffindor Table. He smiled at Susan from across the Hall and started to fill his plate as he thought about who would be the best to bring with him on the task. He knew those would be his friends that Hazel had been tutoring.

He had been training with them since the start of the year, so he knew what most of them could do. Neville and Theo were some of the best duelists, with Hazel pressing everyone not to stand still. Neville tended to take his time in mastering a spell, something Hazel said was a consequence of the use of his father's wand for a year, since he kept worrying if he was underpowering the spells or overpowering them. Theo had taken to dueling a lot better. The few matches he was in for the Academic competition made him a stand out in speed and power, but he was more focused on spells, jinxes and mild curses for fighting other witches and wizards. None of the Slytherins messed with him because he could beat them all but did that translate well to casting against creatures or using utility spells? Harry wasn't sure. He sighed as he downed his drink of juice while he looked to the two people he knew could do the Task with him the best. They were being trained for about the same amount of time by Hazel and they were more interested in a wider variety of spells than Neville and Theo. The question was if either of them wanted to come and if one of them wouldn't get mad at him for choosing the other.

"Ok, I am starting to regret ever wanting to be a Champion." Dora pulled Fleur out of the water before casting a drying charm on her. The hackles on her neck rose as she heard a snarl right behind them. She swiftly turned around and casted a kinetic shield just seconds before a maw full of sharp teeth bounced off of it. She swung her wand around and bound the Barghest before casting an overpowered stunner, disabling the creature. She took a deep breath and turned to a surprised Fleur. "Told you this was going to be nasty." Fleur pouted. "When you said this was training, I expected more exercise and matches, not running through an exceedingly realistic bog and forest. How is your partner doing all this?" Hazel's voice echoed through the area. "Try spending a full year on the run while being hunted by Death Eaters. I had a lot of fun dragging the bastards into the Moor wetlands. You get pretty intimate with the terrain. I also spent a good chunk of my time in forests, so this is all relatively easy to conjure." Fleur pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please tell me I heard that wrong. Please tell me this isn't all conjuration?" Dora shrugged her shoulders. "Not the most impressive feat of conjuration she has ever-"

Dora heard a branch above her snap and she pushed Fleur back and duck to the ground. Eight massive legs slammed into the ground around her as massive pincers started snapping at her. She wiped her wand around. "Diffindo." Half of the creature's feet were sliced clean off and Dora aimed her wand straight at its head. "Deprimo!" The spider's head exploded into a mist of gore and carapace as the creature's body slumped to the ground, one of its legs twitching. Fleur took some deep breaths as she stood up. "Ok, that is terrifying. How many of those are there in the forest?" Dora tried to remember what Hazel said. "Centaurs put the larger ones in the hundreds. They seem to have hit a plateau in population, probably from lack of food. They cannibalize their young to keep themselves fed and controlled." Fleur shuddered. "I am adding the spider banishing spell, and any other spider centric spells, to my repertoire." Dora nodded as the two made their way deeper into the woods, with Dora trying to increase their movement speed. The light in the area started going down and Fleur summoned a ball of blue flame into her hands as Dora casted a wandless light spell in her offhand. The two moved deeper and deeper into the woods until a familiar smell filled Dora's nose. "Oh, come on!" She ducked down as a massive club smashed into the tree behind her, showering the area with splinters. Dora rolled away and aimed her wand at the Troll's feet.

After tying the Troll's legs, she summoned the ropes, causing the creature to fall on its back before she banished the club into its skull. Fleur popped from behind the nearest tree, scrunching her nose and waving her hand. "That… is a disgusting smell." Dora covered her mouth as she cleared the air before she took some deep breaths. "And accurate. We took one down three years ago." Dora aimed her wand at Troll and cast a cutting curse, the spell practically bouncing off the creature's hide and into a tree, cutting part of the bark away. She rubbed her face. "Hazel, stop making them realistic!" The air was filled with an echoing giggle that seemed to send shivers down Fleur's spine. "I rescind my earlier statement, Dora. I am no longer interested in ever pursuing you or your partner. Pretty sure my Veela nature just told me to run as far away from her as possible." A voice responded from nearby. "Good! Mom is with Dora and no one else!" The forest seemed to lose cohesion as the trees and uneven ground vanished. Dora watched as Hazel stood nearby, an amused grin on her face, while Teddy glared at Fleur. The rest of the tutored students looked on with horror at what the practice entailed, including Harry. Well, most of them did. Daphne seemed exceedingly thoughtful. She turned to Hazel. "Would you say Cryomancy could be useful in this environment?"

Hazel shrugged. "Against Devil's Snare, Acromantulas and Barghests? Sure. Still a bit unsuitable if you start freezing the ground, unless you have the right gear. Same with Pyromancy, as I am sure the organizers will complain about burning the forest down, not to mention it would anger the Centaurs. Localized and controlled use of either should be fine, though. At your age I wouldn't recommend using Cryomancy too much. Unlike fire, it's far more magically draining." Daphne hummed as she turned to Harry. "Well, Partner? Ready to have a go?" Harry swallowed as Susan pushed him forward. "I no longer regret you keeping me out of this. Have fun you two." Harry turned to Susan, his face showing a bit of betrayal. "Fun? You call this fun?" Susan smirked and pointed to Hazel. "Well, it's fun for her to conjure and for us to watch. See you two in a bit." Hazel conjured pitch black bags and pulled them over the two kids heads, before disorienting them. She then proceeded to construct an entire forest from sheer conjuration and a few touches of transfiguration through the floor, the room building up with humidity and the smell of stagnant water, wood and composting leaves. Luna clapped her hands. "It's amazing! You sure you don't want to talk to the Weasley Twins? Ginny says they are making something similar." Hazel shuddered at the memory of the swamp she fell into in fifth year. She had trouble getting the taste of the putrid water out of her mouth for weeks until she cornered the two and demanded a fix. Her clothes had been burned the moment she took them off. "Nope. Not happening." Luna pouted as Teddy patted her back as Hazel whistled loudly, the bags over Harry and Daphne vanishing. "Begin!"

OW July 1995

Hazel opened her eyes and saw the familiar roof of the Chamber of Secrets. Yet she knew she had just spent a month by her Godmother's side, training with her and Moody for the coming fight against Voldemort. She knew she had gone to sleep in Grimmauld, hearing word of Dementors being spotted over Little Whinging and about someone casting a patronus within the Dursley residence. She had received a letter that very night, charging her with violating the Decree for Underage Magic and threatening the Statute of Secrecy. Dumbledore, like always, was sticking his nose in her business and went to get her expulsion revoked. For once she was happy to let the old man waste his time. If this was Voldemort's work, then it wouldn't matter. The man was clearly manipulating the Minister and taking advantage of Dumbledore's impatience to wreak havoc without so much as lifting a finger himself. Hazel sighed, trying to make sense of everything she knew of the man. There was no denying he was a phenomenal teacher, getting her to learn wandless magic in less than a year, yet Dumbledore liked to paint him as this violent madman bent on world domination. The megalomania she could see, especially in the young man from the Diary, but the madness? She had a hard time seeing it. Maybe it was just an act?

"You know, this is quite unexpected." Hazel froze as blue eyes stared at her as a man leaned over her. It took her a second to recognize him before she rushed to stand up. The moment her head crashed into his, she felt a sudden influx of thoughts and memories enter her mind, instead of the expected headache. She cleared her head and watched as Voldemort did the same. "Curiouser and curiouser. Hello again, Hazel. I must say, the inside of my mind was certainly the last place I expected to find you." Hazel scoffed. "Right, you expected to find me at my relatives house." Voldemort leaned his head to the side. "Considering what I have heard of your relationship with your relatives, no, I wouldn't." Hazel blinked at him and frowned. "Didn't one of your puppets send Dementors after me at my relatives place?" Tom rubbed his chin and shrugged his shoulders. "Not to my knowledge. I might need to summon my people and ask around." Hazel stared at the man. "You had nothing to do with the Dementors or my expulsion?" Tom stared back. "It might interest you my dear, though with Dumbledore filling your mind with lies I am not entirely surprised about your thoughts being what they are, but not all of my plans revolve around making your life miserable. I do have a country to conquer after all."

Well, he had the megalomaniac part down. Hazel sighed before she stood up, noticing she had awoken atop her usual conjured sofa. She looked around the Chamber, not seeing much difference between it and her memories, before focusing back on Voldemort who kept eying her curiously. "So, do you want to clear up some misconceptions for me about what is and isn't your fault in the last three years?" Voldemort narrowed his eyes on her. "I do have more important things to do, Potter." Hazel looked around the Chamber again. "Like house cleaning?" Voldemort rubbed his eyes. "You know, I can see why Barty likes you. You have the same sense of humor he has." Hazel crossed her arms. "Why don't we start there? How much of the Triwizard Tournament was by your design, my lord?" Hazel watched as a corner of his mouth twitched, as if Voldemort suppressed a smile. "I suppose that's fair. My plan was simply to put you in the Tournament and have you get yanked away by the Portkey in the Cup. Everything else was either your bad luck or Dumbledore's own maneuverings, minus the few times Barty gave you some hints. You had to win, after all." Hazel sighed, suspecting as much. After all, who the hell would pick Ronald Weasley as her hostage?

The Second Task had been an unmitigated disaster for her. Sure, Neville told her about Gillyweed, which she acquired easily enough from Snape's wares. She didn't care that the man suspected her and threatened her, he was an ass and she took the gillyweed as her own petty revenge. Unlike the bastard and his two masters, she could own up to her own failings. The Task itself was relatively easy. She jumped into the water with gillyweed giving her gills and webbed appendages, swan quickly into the Merfolk village and retrieved the person she thought she would miss most. Apparently, Dumbledore was a bloody moron and selected her hostage to be Ronald Weasley. Since the organizers can't be specific about anything, she had found the hostages and retrieved Hermione instead, being the first to return successfully. Only the judges didn't seem to agree with that. Rather than getting the top marks her performance deserved, the bastards gave her the same 25 participation points Fleur got for almost being Grindylow food. Now, Hazel didn't care for her score in the Tournament, as her killing of the Hebridean Black Dragon resulted in receiving a grand total of 5 points, leaving her well behind the other Champions, but it was the principle that mattered to her.

Hazel rubbed her hair, the motion followed by Voldemort's eyes. "Guessing Black's own attempt at leaving me as Dementor food was also not your plan?" Voldemort's face shifted. Hazel wasn't sure but he seemed… angry. "Most certainly not." Hazel sat back on her sofa and leaned back. "And that leaves the incident with the Diary." Again, Voldemort looked angry, only this time she was confused by the anger she felt. This one felt off from the previous one. Was he mad his followers disobeyed him or was it something else? "Again, not by my design. That book should never have fallen into your hands, or anyone else's." Hazel gave him a smirk. "Sounds like you have to get all your ducks back in a row then." Voldemort eyed her, his face turning expressionless. "As much as it pains me to admit it, it seems I do have a lot of business to discuss with my Death Eaters. So could you kindly leave my mind?" Hazel frowned. "I am pretty sure this is my mind."

Voldemort glared. "This is my family's Chamber." Hazel padded the sofa she was on. "And this is the sofa I use to sleep in it." Voldemort froze, his eyes darting around the room, as if looking for other inconsistencies, noticing the different lighting and the bookshelves on the wall. "Well, now this is very curious indeed." He turned to Hazel, who felt her heart stop for a second as a smile broke across his face. "Well, I think I will be going on my way. See you soon, Hazel." Hazel snapped awake in her bed at her Godmother's place, her heart beating wildly. She took deep breaths as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes looking reddish for a brief second before becoming green again. Whatever had just happened in her sleep had been something completely different than the dreams in the past year. She had a sinking feeling this wouldn't be the only time she would see Voldemort, the real living Voldemort, in her dreams.

NW February 22nd 1995

Hazel watched as two Centaurs made their way towards her, recognizing them both. She bowed her head. "Arrive in peace, First Warrior and Stargazer of the Herd. What are you willing to share with us about those who foolishly send children to traverse your forest?" Hazel's eyes grew a bit in surprise as Bane bowed to her. "No humans have entered the land beyond the ones who we escorted for the Longbearded Headmaster, all of whom have left. The Forest is as it was for the last few years. A pack of wolves roam the land, as do several Barghests and Trolls. The Acromantula Colony is restless with the thawing snow. Their numbers are fewer as is customary at the end of winter." Hazel bowed her head respectfully at Bane. "Our thanks to the herd in keeping our young ones safe from the madness that afflicts our kind." Bane chuckled. "Indeed. We will patrol the edges as agreed upon, Huntress. A swift end to your prey in the coming months." Hazel watched as Bane left before turning to Firenze. "Please tell me he found a mate? There is no other reason he could be in such a good mood." Firenze laughed softly. "In fact, he has. The herd has grown well with the supplies of food you and yours have brought, as well with the barriers keeping the spiders and winter from harming our kin at home. Bane's successful hunts attracted a mate who is most eager for a child." Hazel shook her head as she smiled. "Well, if it means relations between us are this cordial, I am most happy for him."

Firenze nodded and looked towards the woods. "The eight move through the trees towards your kin. Two of the foreigners and two of the locals struggle with the terrain, but the rest move well in the uneven ground. The wolf pack has taken notice but is keeping it's distance as they observe for any weakness." Hazel sighed as she rubbed her hair. "The Headmasters sent eight young ones into the Forest as soon as the snows faded. The ground is saturated with water and the predators hunger for food. This was a bad idea from the start." Firenze walked up to her. "Indeed. We will watch closely and intervene if things become life threatening. Until then, may your foresight serve you well, Huntress." Hazel watched as Firenze galloped away before she switched her patrol with another Auror. As she walked along the back of the spectator stands, her eyes looked up towards the scrying mirrors used to watch the Champions. Four large ones showed the four sets of students for all the schools to watch, while four smaller ones were used by the judges. She found Teddy towards the back and hugged him from behind before patting Susan and Astoria on the back, with Nova perched on Teddy's shoulder in case she was needed. "How are they?" Teddy kept his eyes fixed on Harry and Daphne. "They are getting closer to the halfway point. So far, nothing bad has happened."

Within the forest, Harry and Daphne rushed through the forest as fast as they could while safely taking in the surroundings, with Harry feeling magically exhausted. At the start of the Second Task, Bagman revealed an extra condition to traversing the forest. "Each pair of students must carry a charm that is designed to drain you of your magic as time passes. At the same time, only one person is allowed to have their wand out at any given time. As soon as the portkey deposits you in the forest, the charm will activate and one of you must place the charm around your necks. You must decide who carries the wand and who carries the charm quickly. Prepare yourselves Champions and allies. Remember, you must successfully reach this place again together to have the right to the full points score! Take your portkeys and wait for the signal." As soon as a cannon blasted, all eight of them got portkeyed away into the forest. Aside from Dora and Fleur, Krum had selected a friend of his from Durmstrang while Cedric picked the Hufflepuff Keeper from his team as his companion. Daphne turned to Harry. "So, who goes first with the wand?" Harry looked around the area he and Daphne got portkeyed into. "I don't think the Creature danger will be as high the closer we get back to the stands."

Daphne looked at the charm that also worked as their compass back to the finish line. "Agreed. The closer to the people, the less dangers. Which means the most danger we can expect to come across will be between now and the midway point, which we have no way to measure." Harry thought for a second. "So, what do we do? Do you take the charm and I go with the wand, then we switch?" Daphne shook her head. "I don't think that's the best idea." Harry and Daphne heard movement in the woods and moved behind a tree for cover. Harry whispered to Daphne. "Then what do we do? While having a single person carrying the charm the whole way makes sense, I am pretty sure neither of us can handle the entire journey back on our own. We will get tired regardless and neither of us will be able to do magic." Daphne rubbed her chin before she snapped her fingers. "The clue! The task was for the Champion to bring someone they trust with their lives. What if it's less about who holds the what and instead who holds both." Harry thought for a second and smiled. "Of course. One will get tired regardless, but the chances of using magic the whole time are zero, so one person can be tired out but the other will be ready to fight at a moment's notice." Harry took the charm from Daphne and placed it around his neck, feeling the drain begin instantly.

The dark haired Slytherin girl stared at him. "Are you sure you want to go first?" Harry nodded. "I've been training hard for magical endurance, so I can take the strain at first. You've always been better at thinking quickly on your feet. If we reach the midway point and things go bad, you have a better chance of getting us through." Daphne blushed a little but nodded. "Alright. Let's get going." The two made their way quickly through the trees until they reached a section of forest where the ground was more marshland. Harry pointed his wand at himself and Daphne and casted the featherweight charm. With their weight reduced, they were able to travel the saturated ground much more easily, to the cheers of their friends watching via the mirrors. Their first major obstacle was one that Harry remembered clearly from the training. The sudden appearance of two Mountain Trolls wasn't as overwhelming as it could have been if Hazel's own simulacra weren't exceedingly detailed in their smell. Keeping Daphne behind him, Harry cast a modified water balloon spell, this one filled with paint. With both trolls blinded, he then bound their legs with ropes and toppled them over. A second dose of paint to the face and the two fourth years ran away from the danger, the Trolls left behind to fend for themselves.

In another part of the forest, Dora and Fleur made their own way through the difficult terrain. In order to avoid making it look like they and Harry's team had been practicing together, their method for traversing the area was made to be different. While the younger students focused on using spells any fourth or fifth year might know and apply them in unique and effective ways, Dora had elected to focus on a more elemental magic approach. Basing her plan on her performance in the First Task and Daphne's own musings, Dora used her wand to harden the ground beneath them with a freezing charm, with both her and Fleur using conjured snow boots with cleats to traverse the more wetland portions of the Forest without too much difficulty. Dora turned to Fleur and both casted silencing spells on their feet as soon as they saw the first spider webs. It was too little too late as several human sized spiders dropped from above and started chasing after them. Dora aimed her wand at the spiders and the cutting charms and curses started sending spider limbs everywhere. The screeching of the injured creatures seemed to call even more of their kin to the area, with the trees above them filling up quickly. Fleur turned to Dora. "We need to do something!" Dora sighed and cast a warming charm on them both. "Here goes nothing. Nix Tempestas."

The Elder Wand unleashed a massive blizzard into the area behind Dora. "Grab my hand and guide me. I will keep the spiders busy." Fleur didn't think twice. Keeping her balance as much as possible, Dora could feel her chest warming up as they made their way across unstable leaf litter and massive roots. The snowstorm slowed down the spiders, the ones closest to Dora being flash frozen in place, but the mass of creatures did its best to pursue them. The two participants pushed on further away as Dora aimed her wand upwards, cutting off the movement from the spiders above their heads. It took several minutes of continuous casting before the two of them seemed to be safely away from the nest. Not leaving things to chance, they kept sprinting through the woods, their steps nimble and silent as darkness descended onto the forest. The change in lighting condition made them pause for a second before Dora enchanted Fleur's eyes and she adjusted her own to see in the lower light. They then picked up speed as the ground turned far more sturdy and the trees were spread out more evenly. Not even the sudden appearance of a Forest Troll slowed them down as Dora cast a curse that blinded the creature instantly.

As they moved further in the direction of the finish line, Dora caught movement out of the corner of her eye and smiled as she saw Daphne and Harry moving quickly through the underbrush, their path lit by wandless lumos charms on their hands. Fleur's yelp made her stop but Fleur's Veela Flames struck the Devil's Snare plant that had latched onto her foot. Dora flicked her wand and lifted Fleur up quickly before they kept pushing closer to Harry. Her elation at seeing her cousin ended where her hackles rose up. Two large howls seemed to pierce the air followed by snarling as she watched a Barghest heading straight for her, two bright red eyes sitting atop the creature's mouth dripping with saliva. It dodged several of her piercing and cutting curses until she nailed it with a wide area banishing spell. An overpowered cutting and piercing spell chain ended the life of the creature quickly. She and Fleur continued in their path, while Dora eyed the two fourth years. She watched as the other Barghest rushed towards the students before a fireball from Daphne knocked it back. A freezing spell froze the creature in place, making Dora sigh in relief. They two teams moved closer and closer and Dora waved as she and Fleur passed the young years ahead before reaching the finish line first. The Beauxbatons crowd cheered as Dora dropped onto the ground, feeling winded from the run as she pulled the charm over her head and passed it to the new judge.

The ICW judge, who had replaced Barty Crouch Senior after he was removed from the Tournament after the man was found suffering from several mental magics, including the Imperius Curse, disabled the charm from Dora and from Harry as Bagman addressed the crowd. "There you have it, Ladies and Gentlemen! Our first and second place winners for the Second Task are Miss d'Éon and her partner, Miss Delacour, as well as Mr. Potter and his partner, Miss Greengrass. They traversed the Forest at incredible speed, using a variety of spells to overwhelm the dangers from both the landscape and the beasts that dwelled within it. Their scores will be announced as soon as the remaining two teams arrive." Dora and Fleur sat down at seats in the lower end of the stands as Pomfrey checked on them both. Dora knew that the Healer spotted the same irregularity with her magic as before but still gave her a clean bill of health before checking Harry and Daphne. "You two have a few scrapes and bruises, probably from hitting branches. The bigger concern is your magical exhaustion. Miss Greengrass, I would suggest you spend two days without casting any magic. Mr. Potter, you are much worse off. No magic for over a week. I want you to show up for daily checks to make sure you are recovering." Harry, breathing heavily, nodded silently.

Astoria was the first to arrive, tackling Daphne into the back of the seat, as Hazel and Teddy sat with Harry, rubbing his hair and hugging him. Pomfrey informed Hazel of Harry's diagnosis, which made the white haired witch turn to the kid. "You kept the charm even after you stopped using your wand, didn't you?" Harry blushed. "Yeah. Daphne took it after I started slowing down." The young girl scoffed. "Bloody Gryffindor didn't want me to waste my magic." Hazel pulled Harry into a hug. "Well, what did you learn?" Harry smirked. "Daphne's stinging hexes hurt?" Hazel pouted. "No, wiseguy. You need to pace yourself. Pushing your magic to the extreme consistently can improve your casting and raise your limit but doing it severely like this is dangerous. Don't do it again, especially if it makes your family and friends get angry at you. Trust me, I have been glared at by Teddy for the same." Harry winced when he saw Teddy glaring at him. He pressed into Hazel's hug and nodded. "Ok. I won't do it again." Hazel kissed his hair. "Good. Come on, let's get you to the rest of the family." Harry smiled as he stood up and walked alongside Hazel, glad to have a family that cared about him enough to lecture him. Even after completing the Second Task, he found his family was much more important to him than the silly points they were giving out.

"As expected, Beauxbatons leads us in History of Magic, Arithmancy, Potions and Alchemy, while Durmstrang leads in the Defence against the Dark Arts course, though just barely. Everyone is quite surprised Hogwarts is leading in the Dueling competitions, except with Beauxbatons giving us a hard time in seventh year. Our students continue to do well in Herbology, Runes, Charms and Transfigurations, especially the fourth year students. Babbling is quite pleased with how well her students are doing." Dumbledore sat back and smiled. "Ahh, then perhaps Hogwarts may yet win the Academic Competition. I may earn some galleons from Nicholas after all. Though I must say I am surprised we are doing so well in Dueling." Minerva smiled. "The credit seems to go to both Miss Peverell and Alastor. The lessons from the Dueling Club last year have done wonders for the students in all the wand based magic courses and Alastor has dedicated a good chunk of his class to reinforce those lessons. The only student doing better than our students is Miss Delacour, which considering her father was the head of the French DMLE, is not so surprising. The same can be seen with our Miss Bones, who remains tied with Miss Greengrass, Mister Longbottom and Mister Nott for the top scores in Dueling for her year group."

Dumbledore stroked his beard, trying not to show any irritation. "Now, for the Champions. How are Mr. Krum and young Cedric? Are they and their partners recovering well?" Minerva nodded though sadly. "Poppy believes they will be out of the Hospital Wing in two weeks. Mr Krum and his friend are recovering slowly from the Acromantula venom and there is only so much we can do about the effectiveness of the antivenom. They were fortunate the Centaurs entered the forest and rescued them as neither could activate the emergency portkeys. Mister Diggory's injuries to his legs and back from the wolf attacks and the Devil Snare are recovering faster, but Mister Fleet will be needing a longer stay and several bones regrown after his run in with a Troll. That Mr. Diggory managed to drag the young man out with him as they completed the Task was a miracle, though Poppy is certain it might have been better for Mr. Fleet to have received medical aid sooner." Dumbledore nodded absentmindedly. "Very well. The hedges for the Maze will be ready by the time the Third Task begins. Until then, let's focus our attention on the students' education again. We have a while to wait before the Tournament will enter its final stage after all." Minerva left the Headmaster's office as Dumbledore sat back, reflecting on the results of the Second Task.

The performances of the others went as expected. The young Diggory boy was too unprepared to complete the task without suffering injuries. Young Viktor had done better until he ran into the nest of Acromantulas. The snowstorm created by the Beauxbatons Champion had forced the creatures away from their previous position, catching the boys by surprise. Dumbledore was pleasantly surprised how amenable the Centaurs had been in rescuing the boys and guarding the determined area for the Task from external influences. The young d'Éon girl proved to be exactly as his information stated. Her father was from an old French family looking to expand into Britain, much as the Malfoys once did. His arrest in an illegal Dueling Circuit here in Britain seemed to have caused his reputation to plummet, which is why the girl was sent to Beauxbatons to compete in the Tournament. She was a Dark Witch, using a combination of advanced dueling practices and curses, though she showed remarkable restraint against the Kelpie in the First Task. A personal favorite magical creature of hers? That was probably it. A small act of sentimentality. In the Second Task she was ruthlessly efficient in handling all the creatures in her path and her application of Elemental Magic was quite the sight, though why she chose to carry the draining charm throughout the entire task was a mystery. A personal test to prove herself beyond the others? That seemed very likely to him.

His thoughts turned to young Harry and Dumbledore's mind was deeply conflicted. The boy showed skill and efficiency, but a reticence to cause any permanent harm, as seen by his encounter with the Trolls. That he volunteered to wield both the wand and the charm and later refrained from relinquishing the charm for some time showed the type of nobility of spirit Dumbledore expected from the young Gryffindor. His choice of partner, however, said otherwise, perhaps proving the boy belonged in Slytherin as well. Of the boy's friends, he expected Harry to pick young Neville or perhaps young Miss Bones. Yet he picked Miss Greengrass, the daughter of a traditionalist and known sympathizer of Voldemort's. The calculated choice told him it was likely the influence of the boy's now near constant shadow. Dumbledore suspected Peverell was teaching the boy how to succeed in the Tasks. His execution of the snake was a clear indication of that. His expedient run through the Forest, as well as Miss Greengrass' ease, proved they somehow learned what the Task could have entailed and prepared for it. What was a difficult and dangerous Task for a fourth year was simply made extraneous with the charm slowing them down.

Miss Peverell continued to present an enigma to him. Her brutal efficiency and attention to detail screamed of Tom's early years as a student and as the leader of the Death Eaters. Yet the devotion and care she showed for the boy could not be the result of the prophecy. They were destined enemies after all. Still, she was pushing the boy into a closer chance at a victory, which he believed Voldemort needed to achieve his ends. Dumbledore had, after all, tried to influence the cup to release the boy's name. So it surprised him to find the Cup had already been tampered to do exactly that. Crouch's dismissal from his position as judge due to signs of mental manipulations showed that he was the likely source of the breach and the means by which the Cup was altered. So, was Peverell acting against Voldemort or was she Voldemort herself? His thoughts turned to his own research into the sort of magic Voldemort sought to master. The mention of Horcruxes had bothered him and the magic attached to the boy's scar was especially concerning. Unfortunately, without a Horcrux to compare it to, he had no way of knowing if the boy was one. If he was, Peverell's treatment of the boy made a lot more sense. What better way to vanquish Harry's destined threat than by turning the boy to her side.

He pulled open the documents pertaining to the Third Task. So far, each of the Tasks was designed to test the boy. Harry, if he was a Parselmouth as he thought he might be with a Horcrux in him, should have tried to speak to the flying Feathered Serpent. It was why he rigged the monster selection after all. But instead the boy displayed an impressive understanding of charm based wards. The snake's violent behaviour was unexpected, as was the boy's ability to kill it. The tasks had been designed to test the boy's power and heart. His respectful approach to the lives of dangerous creatures spoke well for Harry's nobility and compassion and there was no denying his power now. But the violent death of the Feathered Serpent and the selection of Miss Greengrass spoke of a cold and calculating mind too close to what Tom's once was. Dumbledore looked at the Third Task documents and rubbed his beard. Of all the Tasks, this one was the one he modified the most. He needed to test the boy's spirit. To know for sure if he would be the Champion of the Light he envisioned, or another Dark Lord to put down. He needed to know before he took on Peverell and potentially Voldemort. Fighting one Dark Lord was hard enough. Fighting three would be impossible. He needed to know, to be sure, for the good of all.

Chapter 46: A Breath of Normality

"Harry! Look!" Hazel looked on as the boys enjoyed a much needed break from the school, their eyes glued to the seemingly endless expanse of jungle beneath them. The end of the Second Task and the growing attention to the Academic Competition was weighing heavily on the students, many of them pushing themselves to the limit. Theo Nott and Daphne Greengrass were being particularly driven to succeed, as Susan and Theo stood at the top of the Forth Years in the Dueling Course and Daphne was considered the best in Charms and Defence. Hermione Granger had also taken to the Academic Competition with much fervor, devoting a lot of her time to studying for Transfiguration and Potions. With Harry's contribution to the Second Task completed and Easter Break on the horizon, Hazel had made plans for a week-long excursion away from everything. Quetz provided the perfect escape and a means for Harry to find some closure for the death of the Quetzalcoatl in the First Task. Her family originated from a close knit community deep in the Guatemalan jungle, right next to the Reserve from where the creature was acquired for the Tournament. She had managed to secure them access to the site and, after landing at the Mesoamerican International Portkey Terminal, they had jumped aboard a Disillusioned Airship and had made their way towards the city.

Quetz joined the two boys at the edge of the window and smiled, the blonde dressed in a traditional Mesoamerican outfit consisting of a huipil and a long skirt in deep orange and yellow colors with a blue sash around her waist. "That, chicos, is El Mirador. One of the oldest and largest cities in the Americas before the arrival of the Easterners. Archeologists are excavating it right now but it may take them centuries to uncover all its secrets. The place was massive. Even further along, those little mountains that you see covered in trees? Those are all pyramids still buried under loose earth and jungle." Beyond the white and grey stone structure seemingly stretched the endless sea of forest that covered much of this region of Guatemala. Quetz turned to Hazel. "We should be running into the wards soon." Hazel turned to the front of the airship, her eyes having a hard time seeing the wards until she noticed a slight shimmer in the air. "No wonder we can't portkey or apparate here. What were the ancient Mesoamericans doing, trying to replicate an Otherworld? I can barely see the wards." Quetz laughed softly. "Something like that. Welcome to Xibalba, the hidden city." As soon as the airship passed through the wards, the sea of trees was suddenly replaced by a large stone urban complex of pyramids, roads and thatch roofs. Canals of water ran down the sides of the main roads, seemingly supplying the city with an endless supply. The airship landed, the large inflatable balloon collapsing inward until only the gondola remained, before the pilots opened the doors and allowed them to exit onto the city.

Teddy's eyes darted from structure to structure as they walked down into the main road. "There is so much color everywhere. I thought Mayan structures were white or gray." Quetz smiled at him. "That's what happens when the rain washes away the colors. El Mirador has sections that almost look bleached, a bit like here, but the Mesoamericans love to paint, so we tend to decorate what we can using our homemade dyes. Every major storm comes in and washes away the paint, but it just makes people want to try new colors. Makes for some fun times for the younger kids." Quetz's smile dropped, however, when she and the rest heard a voice speak up. "Kuku! Porque no me dijiste que venias? Ya no me quieres?" Quetz pinched the bridge of her nose. "Maldita sea. Tezca! Te dije que no me llames así!" A woman wearing similar clothes to Quetz, though made of darker colors, smiled, her honey colored brown hair cut quite short. "No, no. Tu eres Kuku y lo sabes! Oww!" The woman rubbed her head as an older man lowered his wooden cane back to the ground, his hair a deep grey and wrapped in braids. "Tezca! Así no se tratan a las visitas." The old man walked forward, wearing similar clothes to the two women but his in a deep blue color, and stopped before Quetz. "Kukulkan." Quetz hugged the man warmly as Hazel casted translation charm on the boys, herself and Dora. "It's good to see you, Aapo. These are my friends from Britain."

The old man's eyes scanned the group and spent some time staring at Hazel before he nodded. "Welcome to Xibalba. Our Kuku says you have come to make amends." Dora rested her hand on Harry's shoulder as he swallowed a lump in his throat. Harry bowed his head as he presented a box to the old man. "Back in Britain I ended up killing your people's Quetzalcoatl. I brought its remains here as prepared by Quetz to return it to your people and offer my apologies." The old man walked up to Harry and looked him in the eyes before he smiled. "I, Aapo, Elder of Xibalba, accept your gesture. Come and join us for dinner. It has been decades since we had guests here. Tezca, go tell the cooks we have five more mouths to feed." Quetz spoke up afterwards. "Make that seven. Two here are shapeshifters with high metabolism." Tezca came up and kissed Quetz on the cheek. "Will do. It is good to see you again, Kuku." The woman darted away before Quetz managed to smack her in the head. Teddy giggled. "Why do you call her Kuku?" Aapo looked towards the boy as he fell into step beside Quetz as they continued down the road, his cane making a soft noise on the white limestone paved road. "Quetz here is one of many Aztec descendants whose families took refuge here after the Conquistadors arrived onto our shores, same as Tezca. We Mayans share many deities with them and one of them is Kukulkan. For the Aztecs, the same deity was named Quetzalcoatl. Hence why she will be called Kuku by Mayans, or those with a sense of humor, but Quetz to the Aztecs."

Dora leaned forward. "So, Kuku…" Quetz turned around to face her. "Oy, Rabbit! Don't you dare use that nickname for me now!" Dora blinked at her before her hair shifted color. "I knew it! You were still calling me a rabbit all this time." Quetz cursed under breath as the old man laughed. "I see you made some good friends beyond the great oceans, Quetz." Hazel smiled as they made their way to a home at the base of the grand pyramid where they sat down for a Mesoamerican meal. Hazel looked over at the old man. "I am surprised you aren't so angry about the Quetzalcoatl's death." Aapo sighed. "We are angry. With our government for agreeing to allow one of our sacred beasts to be shipped out like cattle, with the organizers of the competition for failing to understand the true nature of the Feathered Serpents, and… with ourselves. For allowing ourselves to be manipulated into letting her go. The boy, in my eyes, is blameless. He did what he had to do in order to survive, as all living beings must. Whether the Serpents agree will be up to them, though I see no danger for the boy."

Hazel drank from a ceramic cup full of water, her eyes looking around and out through the window, noticing that most people had a wooden staff along with them. She could feel and see the magic running through the objects and intersecting with their owners in a familiar way. "I am guessing staffs are your primary type of magical foci?" Aapo broke a piece of bread and shared it with her, Hazel nodding in thanks before dipping it in a sauce. Aapo chewed on a bit of bread before he answered. "That it is, though we are also capable casters without any foci. Our people have been using staffs for a millennia and while wands seem effective, we are comfortable in our ways here. Our craftsmen are quite proud of their work. As you might have noticed, we do use the feathers of the Quetzalcoatls as both a decoration and a component, but they must be freely given." Hazel nodded, hearing as much from Quetz when she had asked if any of the snake's leftover materials could be used for crafting. The only use they had were as rare potions ingredients. A young woman arrived and spoke into the old man's ear before he nodded. "Thank you so much, Cuella."

The same dark skinned woman bent down and hugged Quetz, before kissing her on the cheek. "Missed you, Quetz. Don't be a stranger and come see me later." Aapo turned to the rest of the group, though Hazel spotted the growing blush on Quetz' face. "My granddaughter has informed me that our shamans and priests have convened a ceremony tonight, to present the remains to the Quetzalcoatls in the Reserve. Would you be interested in participating? It may help the young man with his guilt." Hazel turned to Quetz who nodded before she checked with everyone else. "We would be honoured to observe." As the dinner progressed, Hazel asked Aapo about their people's concept of Transfiguration and Conjuration. The man laughed softly. "I am afraid an old man such as myself hasn't had the chance to study magic all that much in years. Instinct, not instruction, was my teacher. Cuella, however, has studied magic adequately. She is one of the caretakers of our people's children and an instructor in magic. I will ask her to make some time for you." Dora nudged Quetz' shoulder. "You sure? It looked like she would rather make time for Kuku here." The group seated at the table laughed softly as Quetz tackled Dora to the ground.

As soon as the sun set over the horizon, Quetz guided them up the stairs of the grand pyramid, having them all stand in line on the sides of the lower platform at the top, as the shamans and priests anointed the upper platform with oils and placed bowls with offerings of food. Hazel held her hands at Teddy's shoulders as Dora did for Harry. More of the people of Xibalba came up the stairs and filled out the lower platform before Aapo addressed them all. "Tonight we welcome back the body of one of our feathered serpents. Our people allowed the transportation of one as a gesture of cooperation in an event that was meant to test young men and women to the extreme. The organizers failed to account for the way their tournament could have negative effects on one of the great feather serpents of our people. A child of fourteen years was trapped with it as he tried to escape, as our serpent, driven furious by its inability to fly freely and from lack of food, refused to grant him safe passage. In a moment between life and death, the young man chose to live and took the Quetzalcoatl's life. A woman of our people rendered the creature by the customs of our culture and the boy, in respect for us and the life he ended, has returned the remains to our home. We gather here to summon the Feathered Serpents so they may mourn the loss of their kin."

A soft prayer from the shamans and priests rose in a language the translation spell did not interpret. The sounds of drums and ocarinas filled the air, followed soon by a building feeling of magic that made Hazel's muscles tense up. Soon the air filled with a noise only Harry and Hazel could hear and understand. Quetzalcoatls of varying sizes filled the air, their voices mixing into an indecipherable cacophony until Aapo opened the chest placed on the raised altar. The serpents wailed in grief at the obvious sign of the death of one of their own. Overwhelmed by the noise and guilt, Harry lunged out of Dora's reach and made for the raised platform. Hazel passed Teddy to Dora. "Stay here." The two nodded as she made her way up the raised platform, but not fast enough to arrive before Harry spoke up to the snakes. "I am sssorry for the life I took. I did not wisssh for her to die. Ssshe would not lisssten to me. If there isss anything I can do to eassse your pain, tell me." The snakes approached Harry as Hazel's hands lit up with black flames with her barely restrained magic. She pulled Harry back from the snakes. Her appearance seemed to agitate them further and Hazel sighed, as she tried to control her magic. "The boy wasss forced into a life or death ssstruggle with your fallen sssister. He isss not to blame for her death. He ssshould not sssuffer any more than what hisss conssscience is already sssubjecting him to."

Two of the larger snakes descended towards them and Hazel's magic started acting up again. The lead one approached them, it's dark eyes focused on Hazel. "The child ssspeaker isss innocent. Thisss we tassste in hisss esssssence. He will not come to harm from usss." Hazel frowned at the creature's words before she lowered her gaze to Harry. "Get back to Dora and Teddy. Now." Harry could feel the anger in Hazel's tone and nodded before he slowly backed away. Hazel turned to the flying snakes. "You sssaid the child wasss innocent but you did not addressss me. What do you make of me?" The lead snakes licked the air in front of her with its forked tongue. "You reek of blood and death. Many of your kin and othersss close to our kind have died to you." Hazel narrowed her eyes as they shifted to red in color and slitted. "I wasss forced to face death many timesss. I didn't choossse life. Death acted through me and ssspared me asss othersss died. I have accepted my place. I have accepted my purpossse." The snake licked Hazel's face. "Death, yesss, but not out of malice. Clossser to nature yet made flesssh. You we cannot judge. Return to your nessstlings, Predator in the sssoft flesssh. We will not ssseek conflict with you and yoursss." Hazel sighed in relief before she too descended, feeling the gaze of the people following her as she made her way to her family. She placed her arms on Harry's shoulders, who yelped softly before she realized her grip was too tight.

They stood silently as the feathered serpents approached the skull of their deceased member and the two of them heard as they offered their goodbyes. As soon as the last snake flew away, the drums slowed down as did the prayers before all sound ceased. Hazel stood with Dora, Quetz and the boys at the foot of the stairs leading up to the raised platform until Aapo walked down. "A most unusual night. We have heard of the Speakers who share the tongue of the snakes, but you are the first allowed to arrive here." Hazel's eyes remained fixed on the old man. "In our home it is a gift treated as a sin. Please do not share our names with the outside world." The old man nodded in understanding. "We won't, I can assure you. A gift such as yours is one many here will envy." He looked down at Harry and rested his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I assume you wished to apologize to them directly?" Harry nodded and the old man tapped his shoulder twice. "That was very brave of you. They have clearly found you forgiven so let go of your guilt, young man. Life is difficult enough without carrying a burden that has been lifted from your shoulders." His eyes returned to Hazel. "I take it they had more to say to you?" Hazel rubbed Harry's hair to help comfort him. "I have lived a hard life. Death is a part of who I am. The serpents could taste it on me and wanted to be certain I was not a threat to them or your people." Aapo hummed as he walked past her before stopping at the top of the stairs. "Quetz. Why don't you bring the other boy and your friend with you. I believe the pyramid may grant those two a bit of privacy tonight."

As soon as they were alone, Hazel released a deep breath before turning to Harry, his face lowered as he stared at his feet. "I am not really mad at you Harry. Nor am I disappointed. I am merely concerned for you. You don't need to risk your life for anything or anyone right now. You are just a boy with his whole future ahead of him. Do you understand that?" Harry nodded. "I just… I didn't want them hurting because of me." Hazel pulled him to the edge of the pyramid and she sat down on the upper most steps, before tapping the space beside her. As soon as he was seated, Hazel leaned forward. "Harry, pain is a natural part of life. Seeking it is dangerous, and inflicting it on others is wrong when done so without reason or purpose, but you can't make pain go away anymore that you can stop death. Pain is a dreadful thing, but it's important too." She pointed down towards the masses as they moved around in the illuminated streets. "This ritual was to allow people and creatures to come together, to share their pain and to mourn a life lost. By sharing it, they hoped to lighten the burden of loss and allow the wounds of separation to heal. It's why wakes and funerals exist. Pain, sadness and even anger can be cathartic when released appropriately. Now, do you know why what you did was just as wrong as it was right?"

Harry sat quietly for a second. "If something happened to me, you and everyone else would have been hurt by my loss too." Hazel rubbed his back. "Exactly. You are not alone, Harry. You are part of a family that loves you and cares about you. What you did was noble but it was also selfish. Selfish to you. Now, we are all selfish in one way or another and I prefer you to have a greater sense of self preservation over selfless sacrifice." Harry nodded. Hazel pulled him closer to her and she rested her head against his. "When I started thinking of Dora as more than a partner, I told her that I could only love her if she found a reason to live for herself. I want you to do the same, Harry. Don't live for me or for the family, or the brainless masses. Live because you want to live for yourself. Your life is yours alone, not mine, not Andromeda's, not Dumbledore's, not Lily's or James'. This life, this singular, limited ethereal life is yours alone. Please don't squander it. Not like I did. I am not a good person, Harry. I can't tell you to do the right thing without being a hypocrite. All I ask is that you become the person you want to be as all I can do is be there for you." Harry looked up and Hazel stared at him, green eyes affixed to the same colored eyes of hers.

"You have heard whispers of my life, Harry. As far as I was concerned, my life was a curse. I sought ways to be free of all the pain and suffering I accumulated. I was prepared to die before Teddy came into my life. I made a choice that was both selfish and selfless. I chose to live to give Teddy a better life. One day, as I said before, you will understand what that feeling is like. But for now, you are only a fourteen year old boy. Soon the monster hunting you will be dead and you can focus on just having fun. Until then, please. Promise me you won't do any heroic or noble things like that, unless you consult me first. I am not going to take your freedom away from you but you need to seek a second opinion. You might just find we can give you a better, less messy way of doing things where you still end up being a bloody Gryffindor. Ok?" Harry leaned into her. "Ok. I am sorry for scaring you like that." Hazel kissed his hair. "I know. You might want to apologize to Teddy and Dora too. Pretty sure they were scared more than I was." Harry nodded and they sat quietly as the sky filled with stars. "So, has Susan asked you to be her boyfriend yet? Or did you ask first?" Harry went red in the face. "Hazel!" Chuckling at the boy's reaction, Hazel ruffled his hair, happy he was ok.

Teddy, Astoria and the Carrow Twins descended the stairs into the Chamber of Secrets and noticed that all the fourth years were resting their heads on the tables. Teddy looked at each of them as they approached the adjacent table. "Long day from the Academic Competition?" A collective moan filled the air. Astoria went and rubbed Daphne's back. "How did you do?" Daphne turned her head to the side to look at her sister. "Tired. I'm so tired. However, it's finally over. We can finally rest." Teddy pulled out the chairs for all the girls before pushing them in while seated. He spoke to Susan as he sat down. "What about the final exams? Is that something you need to study for?" Susan shook her head. "All the students taking part in the Academic Competition will have their final scores from the event used as their end of year course score." Teddy looked around at the exhausted fourth year students. "Guess you all took most of the classes to get them done early?" Theo lifted his head. "It sounded like a great idea at the time and sure, our grades will probably be better for it, but we are all so tired." He looked over at Hermione, who was sleeping with a conjured pillow and blanket. "Hermione here went insane and took her entire course load. Sure, she scored well but she collapsed as soon as the exams were over."

The Twins gave Theo a knowing look. "Heir Nott is quite the gentleman. Isn't he, sister dear?" Flora nodded in response. "Indeed, dear sister. The future King of Slytherin is quite the thoughtful person." They both turned to the sleeping Hermione. "Does the lady appreciate your concern?" Hestia grinned. "Does she return such kind gestures in full?" Flora giggled. "Have the young ladies of our Noble House lost the war before the first battle was even waged?" Theo's face took on a decidedly red color. "You two will not speak another word of this." The two girls giggled and responded in unison. "As you wish, our Liege." Theo rubbed his eyes before spotting Teddy's confused look. "Slytherin has a bit of a hierarchy based on academic excellence and political power. The highest position usually falls to a fifth year student or older who essentially shapes the behaviour of the House. A bit of an unspoken rule since anyone can remember. With Malfoy's favor dropping and my own academic and political position growing, there is a lot of discussion about me being made the next "King." It goes without saying that Daphne is the leading contender for Queen."

Daphne raised her head, a pout on her face. "I would rather not." Theo raised an eyebrow. "Would you rather Pansy take it? Or worse yet, Tracey?" Daphne shuddered. "Point taken. Slytherin would become a den of gossip larger than Hufflepuff." The two fourth year Hufflepuffs raised their heads. "Oi! We are not gossipers!" Daphne raised an eyebrow at Hannah. "Really? So you weren't sharing some juicy gossip with Lavender Brown a few days ago?" Hannah blushed as Susan gave her a measured look. "I was asking about the Prophet's change in tone since her Dad works as one of the printers there." Theo rubbed his chin. "To be fair, I noticed that too. Rita Skeeter's articles aren't as grandstanding as they used to be and they seem to be going more balanced in their reports. Did Brown say anything?" Hannah nodded. "House Black apparently managed to get a large majority share of the newspaper before they started laying down some ground rules. No unfounded gossip, respect for privacy and careful reporting around minors. Skeeter protested at first but she seemed to turn around. Her Dad thought she got mugged or something since she got supper jumpy as if she was being watched."

The Carrow Twins turned their gaze to Teddy, who seemed to be trying not to draw attention to himself by burying his face in a book. "Oh dearest Lion of Hufflepuff, wouldn't you know something about that?" Flora leaned closer. "Oh most pleasant gentleman, would your illustrious parent be the reason for Skeeter's change into a more decent human being?" Teddy's cheeks reddened. "No?" Astoria gave him a measured look. "Ted, I think we can all smell that lie. Care to share what you know?" Teddy sighed before resting his chin on the book. "Mom caught Skeeter within the Castle's grounds after she was deemed persona non grata to Hogwarts. She was a beetle Animagus. I am not sure what happened afterwards, only that Dora seemed both impressed and terrified of Mom and Skeeter has behaved herself since. All I heard was something about an old Witchcraft curse called "The False Cryer." Mom keeps the nasty books locked away and I can't read them until I am seventeen." Daphne, Theo and the Carrow Twins stared at Teddy while the rest looked around in confusion. A soft snort caught their attention as Hermione stumbled awake. "Wha… did … someone say… something?"

Theo drew his wand and conjured a handkerchief before handing it to Hermione. "You, ah, have some dribble on you." Hermione took a second to understand him before she blushed, taking the handkerchief and cleaning her face, and then the desk, before handing it back to Theo who vanished it away. He looked back at Teddy. "You sure that you heard that right?" Teddy nodded and Theo's face broke into a smile. "Remind me to never piss your Mom off. That is one nasty curse Skeeter has on her. Hard to break too." Hermione stifled a yawn. "What curse?" Theo leaned back. "It goes back to the Witch Hunts. Plenty of people would go around spreading lies about others just to ruin their reputation or to profit from the Inquisition arresting them. Witches invented the False Cryer curse as a counter. A person afflicted needs to spend twelve months without spreading what they know is a lie, or the curse resets. For every lie, the person starts seeing things chasing them. A favorite choice of the witches was using hellhounds. You lie for twelve months straight, the creatures get more and more solid. On the thirteenth lie, they become real conjured creatures that hunt the person down till death. Go twelve months without making a single lie and the curse is lifted."

Hermione stared at Theo. "That sounds nasty." Theo shrugged. "It can be. The thing with old Witchcraft curses is that few people know how to break them. Those that do will know why the curse was cast and may choose not to help those subjected to them. The Witches of the Dark Ages were very vindictive. Even the Wizengamot suffered their wrath. It used to be called the Council of Wizards. When witches were barred from getting equal representation, the council members were all cursed. The curse made their lives living hells as long as they practiced hypocrisy. Half the council died off and the remaining families decided to reform it into a more equal chamber. The witches got their voice in politics and the hypocrites paid the price for their misbehaviour. Lots of Witchcraft is like that. Sure, people can use it to hurt others out of malice but the same happens with spells and charms all the time. Those who practice Witchcraft, however, prefer it to Wizardry. It places the burden on the cursed person, not the caster, to be a better person and save themselves." Hermione frowned. "I guess that makes sense. So Skeeter has to go a full year telling, or rather, writing the truth?" Theo smiled. "Yup. It's a smart move too. The Prophet gets a full year of good reporting, people build an expectation, and by the time the year is passed, going back to how things were isn't an option anymore."

Astoria hummed before turning to Teddy. "Do you think your Mom could teach me Witchcraft?" Daphne raised her head from the table. "Hey! She's my tutor." Astoria pouted. "Oh, come on. You can't learn every branch of magic possible." Daphne crossed her arms. "I am willing to try." Hermione yawned. "All yours. Witchcraft sounds too rough for me." Theo touched her hand. "That's fine. There are plenty of other magical and non-magical options available to you." Hermione blushed at the gesture as Susan, Hannah and the Twins giggled. Hannah got up from the table after spotting the time. "Got to go. Neville's Herbology Test should be finished soon. See you!" Daphne noticed the time and sighed before she got up. "Tracey wants my help with picking out some clothes so I have to go too. Teddy, you tell your Mom I want to study Witchcraft with her too." Teddy nodded and the rest focused on finishing their class assignments quietly. Teddy looked over and saw Astoria's lips moving silently as she read. He smiled, knowing that she only did that when she found something interesting. Susan cleared her throat. "Did something catch your eye, Teddy?" Teddy blushed as Astoria looked at him while he turned to Susan. "I will tell you if you tell us about that time you pulled Harry into a broom closet." Hermione whipped head around, making Theo wince at the sound of her neck cracking. "What!?" Susan pouted even as her face turned red. "Traitor." Teddy smiled. "You started it." Astoria giggled. "Seems there is a little Slytherin in you after all." Teddy turned to her and smiled. "Nothing wrong with that."

Harry approached Hazel as the Headmasters and the Champions dispersed, her arms crossed over her chest. "It's different." Harry blinked at her. "What is?" Hazel turned to him and pointed at the Maze with her thumb. "I have been keeping an eye on the Maze. The Hedges constantly move, which is typical of Magical Mazes. What isn't typical is the sudden buildup of enchantments. It's layered in such a way that even a Curse Breaker would have a hard time cutting through them." She reached out and touched Harry's back gently. "I am also guessing from the frown on your face that the clue provided by Bagman wasn't a pleasant one." Harry and Hazel started moving away from the edge of the Quidditch stands and towards one of the exits. "The goal is to find and retrieve the Triwizard Cup in the center of the Maze. When Krum asked what we were to expect from the Maze itself, Dumbledore was very cryptic, saying that we would face greater and greater threats as we approached the Cup and that we could easily get lost in more than one sense. That was all." Hazel took one brief look at the Maze. She seemed to come to a realization as the next words were bit out. "You … manipulative… interfering… bastard. Of course you would remove any real world threats."

The two walked quietly as they left the Pitch and started to enter the school hallways as Harry felt a shiver run up his spine. "That, Harry, is a privacy ward being erected around you. I am glad you are getting more sensitive to them, though it's probably going to be useless in the Maze." Harry blushed at the slight praise from Hazel. "What do you think is in there?" Hazel rubbed her hair, which was a bit shorter as the days grew warmer, though still long enough to reach down to the back of her neck. "My guess? Nothing physical beyond the Hedges and maybe some Devil's Snare. No creatures, except maybe a Boggart or two, and no grand traps. They want you to get deeper into the Maze because of the enchantments. My guess is that the Maze is filled with Enchantments designed to tug at your mind, creating hallucinations, visions, and vivid nightmares." Harry shuddered. "I have enough of those already." Hazel hugged him softly. "As do I." Harry looked at Hazel. "Do you see Voldemort too?" Hazel gave him a soft smile. "Once, a long time ago, I was in your shoes Harry. I had my own bad guy who hunted me and who invaded my mind. Not the best of ways to spend one's formative years. That part of my life is over, but I still have scars. I still dream that I am not almost thirty years old but still a teen. Still being hunted or doing things that no child should ever do to stay alive."

Harry hugged her back. "Does it ever get easier?" Hazel looking him in the eyes as she rubbed his head. "It will be for you, Harry. I promise you that. I am going to put an end to all of this soon and you will have the rest of your years at Hogwarts to have fun, study, go on dates and everything." She ruffled his hair. "Just make sure you don't go and make a baby too early. I already went through the teen mom phase. You don't want that just yet." Harry turned deep red. "I won't." Hazel smiled. "Good. As for passing through the Maze safely, I don't think it will be that easy. Those enchantments are probably strong enough to break through Occlumency. Your metal defences are better but still not stellar and even then, they would still probably fail." Harry lowered his gaze. "So, there is nothing we can do?" Hazel hummed. "Not nothing. I will check with my boss and see about a few long duration spells. Without knowing the enchantments and just how strong they are, we can't counter them, but we still give you an advantage. Pretty sure there are a few spells, charms or wards that can make you aware that you are being affected. Something like your nightmare counter. You will know it's happening and you should be able to fight back."

Nodding absentmindedly, Harry looked at Hazel. "And Voldemort? You said he had something planned for me at this event?" Seeing Harry's concern, Hazel smiled. "Trust me, Harry. We are working on it. The Maze will be sealed off and we will get everything ready. Whatever happens in there, you will be safe by the next morning. In the meantime, let's pickup Teddy, Dora and head back to my place. I have a cake that's been chilling in the fridge since last night." Harry beamed. "Cheesecake?" Hazel raised an eyebrow. "You know any other type of cake those two will like more, besides ice cream cake? I was hoping the one from Teddy's birthday would somehow have leftovers but you three devoured it too quickly." Harry blushed. "Sorry, it was just too good. I never had cookies and cream ice cream as a cake before." Hazel chuckled. "Well, it was supposed to be for your birthday last year but I got outvoted by the Tonks. They thought you would like a little something more traditional first." Harry nodded. "I liked it but the cookies and cream one was better." Hazel ruffled his hair. "Good to know. I will keep a decent supply of it in the freezer for the summer. Now let's get our sweet tooth taken care of before I call in the reinforcements." Harry, followed after Hazel, happy to have her in his life. In a month he would be facing the Third Task, but right now he was happy to just relax with his family.

Hazel walked into the large meeting room in the Department of Mysteries with Dora and the two proceeded to sit next to Horatio and Andromeda. They were just one week away from the Third Task and they had been called to coordinate the final parts of the plan. Every essential member of the Coalition had been called, including Sirius and Lord Nott, in order to deal with the potential fallout. Hazel was happy there was no need for damage control with the Goblins. She had snuck into Gringotts just a few days prior, carrying a backpack full of magical equipment designed to act as a portable sensor. It would have been a long and boring assignment scanning the entire tunnel system of the Gringotts vault under the bank, but Hazel decided to start at the lowest levels, where the older and far more secure Vaults were maintained. She passed by several emaciated and nearly blind dragons along her path, feeling a small measure of guilt as she couldn't free them. The mission required leaving the Goblins, and by extension Voldemort, unaware of anything happening in the bank. The dragons would be cared for later, or the Goblins would have a mass breakout on their hands. Hazel smiled at that, knowing she was being petty but not caring in the least.

Her scanner led her directly to the Lestrange Vault, which was a lot harder to phase through with the heavy concentration of both Goblin and human wards. After taking a moment to collect her bearings once she was inside, and walking carefully around the stacks of cursed gold, Hazel found the ancient cup sitting on a platform easy enough to see, instead of being buried in the mounds of Galleons. The stupidity of the Death Eaters never ceased to amaze her. Said Cup was turned over to the Unspeakables as soon as she got back, with a few of the former Hufflepuffs looking at it with equal parts devotion and disgust. If everything worked as planned, the Cup would be safely turned over to its rightful owners, Horcrux free. Croaker, noting everyone was seated, began the meeting. "Alright, everyone. The time is nearly here to end the danger that a revived Lord Voldemort represents to our world. Within a week's time, Voldemort is likely to regain his physical form." He gestured to his Operatives. "Our two witches here have mitigated the dangers of this tournament as much as we could without overly endangering the success of the operation. We are now preparing for the final confrontation. Amelia." The redhead, seated next to Sirius, lifted her document. "The Third Task will have the "honor" of hosting Cornelius Fudge as a spectator. This has provided us an excuse to have a larger Auror presence. The current roster includes Aurors who have all been vetted by myself and Alastor, as well as by the French DMLE thanks to Monsieur Delacour's aid. No one is a supporter of Voldemort or Dumbledore. We will be onsite ready to secure it at a moment's notice."

Julia nodded. "As the current Chairwoman of the Board of Governors, I am capable of authorizing a lockdown of the Castle with the aid of Augusta, Doge and Esmeralda Abbott. We will have the grounds sealed further in case of possible escape and the students will be escorted quickly to their dormitories should something occur. The Floo access will also be sealed. Though if Dumbledore is as paranoid as we think he is, this measure may not be needed." Andromeda spoke up. "Healer Johnson and I have secured the cooperation of St. Mungos for the likely high number of casualties should the remaining Death Eaters answer their master's call. Any Aurors that were stationed at Hogwarts should be transferred to St. Mungos' high security ward as soon as the all clear is given." Quetz smiled as she leaned back. "Non-standard issue suppression cuffs have been prepared and will be used to keep our less than agreeable survivors locked up tight. We also have a large supply of Draught of Living Death and la madre of all magically dampening containment cells ready for the main guest." Horatio nodded and turned to Amelia. "Make sure you inform your Aurors as soon as they gather that this is a High Level Operation. Our Operatives will be moving about the area and leaving quickly to deal with the danger." He turned Hazel and Dora. "You two are ready for the evening?"

Hazel nodded but she frowned. "We are for everything except the enchantments of the Maze. I managed to avoid the effects under my Cloak but that's not a viable option for Dora or Harry. From what I could tell they are using the strongest Mind Altering Enchantments and Wards in existence. I can't weaken them without dismantling the whole thing and alerting the organizers. The DoM and my own library only uncovered ways to mitigate the effect and prevent permanent alterations, but the hallucinations, vivid nightmares and visions will be all too real, even with the awareness charm attached to both of them. The other two are not likely to stand a chance." Amelia looked towards Croaker. "Mad-Eye and myself will be keeping tabs on Igor Karkaroff in case he tries to make a run for it or to actively interfere, same as Dumbledore. The kids that Hazel has tutored will be helping to keep the rest of the students from panicking and get them back to the Castle in an orderly fashion should things go belly up." Dora joined in. "Miss Delacour and Headmistress Maxime are aware that should anything happen, they are to have their students return to the Carriage. Unfortunately we couldn't inform Durmstrang for fear of them informing the Headmaster. ICW Overseer Badawi has been informed, will be onsite and will use his Authority to get them back to their ship safely."

Croaker looked at Sirius and Nott. "You two will have the difficult part of taking control of the remaining Traditionalists. Many were supporters of Voldemort but not marked. We doubt they will appear at the site, so they will be out and about. The moment word spreads about Voldemort's return, whether it's successful or not, they will start to make moves in the Wizengamot. The laws are secure enough that this operation will be perfectly legal but many won't see it that way. You two have helped many leave the sphere of influence of the extremists. When the next session is called, it's up to you to call in the rest. The stragglers will be earmarked as potential threats and will be monitored, same with any you two feel are only looking to avoid trouble. The survival of the Wizengamot depends on keeping as many people as possible thinking rationally. That will also mean pushing back against Dumbledore. Whatever happens tonight, we know Snape will inform Dumbledore of the summons. The old man will try to use this to galvanize the progressives. We are planning to end the war before it begins. We don't need him spreading fear and confusion everywhere." Nott gave him a smile. "Oh, I am going to enjoy this."

Sirius eyed the man. "Why do I get the feeling I am going to be the voice of reason out of the two of us in the next session?" Amelia patted him on the back. "Don't worry, it will pass and you can go back to being your typical crazy self afterwards. I will fetch the muzzle as soon as the session ends." Sirius turned to Amelia. "Not very comforting, dear." Croaker cleared his throat. "You lovebirds keep your kinks out of my head. Now, back on topic. The Operations Division has taken the necessary precautions and our other Divisions are ready to do their part. We have one chance at this, people. One chance at preventing another war and ending the previous one for good. Let's not squander it. I will be checking in periodically to make sure nothing is amiss in the next few days. Dismissed." Everyone stood up from there and started chatting in groups before leaving the heavily warded chamber. Horatio stood up and turned to Hazel and Dora. "We will be having a meeting of our own in a few minutes. You two aren't going to do this on your own. I have waited fourteen years to pay the Death Eaters back for the loss of my teammates. I am not missing this fight." Hazel watched Horatio go, confused on how to feel. She was glad he would be there giving them much needed support but he had been out of the fight for years. She eyed her blonde friend and pulled her aside. "Quetz, I need to ask if you can do something for me." If Horatio was coming, they wouldn't be taking any chances. Everyone was coming back home in one piece.

Chapter 47: The Third Task

OW June 21st 1995

The mist surrounding the cauldron seemed to settle as a figure stepped out, making Hazel swallow the lump that had built up in her throat. Her eyes widened a bit as the figure seemed to gain definition, shapes in the flawless skin texture of the head changing into ears, a mouth, a nose and eyes. The hair was the last to form, growing slowly as the being summoned a wand to his hand and a conjured black robe covered his body, leaving only his head and hands exposed. The man took a deep breath and then another and another. A smile grew on his face and a cackle filled the air. "I must say, you never really take notice of the little things you end up missing in life until you become a wraith. The taste of the air, the smell of grass." His eyes turned upwards. "Even the stars seem even more beautiful than I remember." He turned around for a second as his faithful servant arrived at his side. "Ahh, Sirius. My most loyal Death Eater. Lift up your arm. Your sacrifice of flesh will not go unrewarded." The madman lifted up his stump of an arm. "I would willingly forgo ever having an arm to keep you hear among us, my master." Voldemort smiled. "Indeed, but you are deserving of a replacement. As my right hand, it would be odd for you to miss said appendage wouldn't you say, old friend."

The rabid dog of a man laughed. "Of course, my lord. Whatever you will of me." Voldemort waved his wand around the stump as it turned into a mass of black liquid before it seemed to harden and take the form of a black hand. Sirius stared at it, seeing his fingers move as if it was his own. "I am, as always, eternally grateful for your generosity, my Master." Sirius remained kneeled before Voldemort, the mad dog pulling back his left sleeve, revealing his Dark Mark. Voldemort smiled as he took the presented arm. "Now, let us call our comrades and see how many remained faithful." Hazel watched as Voldemort pressed his wand into the Mark and for a second nothing happened. Then, ever so slowly, the pops of apparitions filled the air as hooded figures in masks approached before kneeling to their master. Voldemort stood passively, his eyes darting from figure to figure before he nodded. "As expected. One remains as he should, the other two are probably … ah." Voldemort closed his eyes and smiled. "Well, it seems Barty took his revenge. Karkaroff will no longer be a concern. Now then, my followers, have you done as I asked? Have you prepared this country for my triumphant return?"

Hazel watched as Voldemort went from figure to figure, hearing of their achievements. Her stomach turned as she heard how deeply embedded they were in the Ministry, securing positions of power and authority. Many of them looked to Hazel, clearly concerned as to what she was hearing, but Voldemort insisted. Once the last Death Eater was interrogated, Voldemort returned to the center, vanishing the Cauldron away, revealing the limp form of Cedric Diggory. Hazel closed her eyes. The young man had personally apologized to her for the behaviour of his housemates and his own disbelief after the First Task. She had left the boy a note about the Dragons since she doubted Dumbledore would tell him. The man was more interested in her success than in Cedric's, which didn't seem fair. After the Second Task, Cedric had tried to mend the bridges between Hufflepuff and her but the boy simply didn't have the pull to do it. He had promised that after the Tournament, he would help her. After they worked together to go through the Maze, with Hazel blasting holes through it with her flames, she had begged him not to take the Cup, but Cedric showed that he should have been a Gryffindor instead and convinced her to go for it together. Black didn't hesitate to cut him down as soon as the portkey dropped them off.

"Now I am sure a lot of you are curious about why we revealed so much before Hazel Potter, the Girl Who Lived." Good to know he hated that silly name as much as she did. "Her knowing these facts will only drive the Ministry into chaos. And best yet, no one will believe her." Voldemort turned around, his red eyes staring right at her. "You see, Potter, I am no fool. I knew one day I could be defeated. I made preparations for that eventuality. Even as I languished in the form of a Wraith, my followers prepared. The Ministry eagerly accepted them back into the fold, happy to let bygones be bygones. They have spent the last decade preparing not only for my return, but my ultimate victory. Now, Dumbledore believes you are the only thing that stands between me and my rightful place. Let's see how right he is." The angel statue released her onto the ground and she scurried away behind a headstone. Voldemort watched with a smile as Hazel's wand flew across the ground to her hiding spot. "Good, my dear. It seems you have kept up my lessons. Now come out and show me how much you have grown." The silence that followed seemed to irritate him before he blasted the headstone away, revealing nothing. He casted a wide range banishing spell and saw Hazel get launched into a headstone.

"Disillusionment by the end of fourth year? Not bad at all. But unfortunately, I want a better demonstration. Let's give you some motivation. Crucio." Hazel groaned as the Torture Curse impacted her but she frowned. It was barely hurting her. She struggled a bit to get up as Voldemort seemed to notice how it didn't seem to affect her. "Curious. McNair, step forward please." The Death Eater walked up and was instantly dropped onto the ground at the touch of the Cruciatus Curse. Hazel couldn't help but smile. The man deserved it after the stunt he pulled with the Hippogriffs a year ago. Voldemort noticed it out of the corner of his eye as he released the curse before hitting her again and again, as the curse seemed to not hurt her. In fact, it felt weaker the longer he used it on her. "Curiouser and Curiouser. Well, let's try something else. Diffindo." Hazel raised her hand. "Protego." The cutter slammed into the shield and shattered it, but it took the cutter with it. Voldemort smiled. "Better. Let's see how much further along you are." Hazel was momentarily driven back as cutters and banishing spells rained down on her, keeping her from barely mounting a counter attack. She ducked behind a tall statue and launched it at Voldemort, before she started her own spell chains.

Voldemort seemed to only smile wider and wider as the fight dragged on. "Now, let's see how well you are trained to deal with the inevitable. Avada Kedavra!" Hazel transfigured the ground and erected a stone slab to block it. She heard Voldemort clapping as the stone turned to rubble. "That's it. Even death no longer fazes you. That's what I wanted to see. You have come a long way from the shaking leaf of a girl in first year. Or the desperate little girl looking for friends from your second year, haven't you, Hazel." Hazel froze as her eyes met his. She watched as his eyes turned blue. He knew. He knew about the Diary. No… he was the Diary. How? She destroyed it! Voldemort frowned as Hazel's own eyes shifted in color, turning red like his but also becoming slitted like a dragons. He watched as sparks started gathering around her left hand, tearing away at the fabric of her Champion Robes. "You… you…" he watched as tears started to escape her eyes. "Even now… after all that… you haven't changed, have you?" Voldemort frowned. "After what?" Something snapped in Hazel. "Perrumpo Expugnatio!" The siege engine spell seemed to fire out of her wand with greater speed than normal as Voldemort barely managed to dodge it. It did smash straight into one of the Death Eaters behind him, launching him back and smashing him into a tall gravestone. The stone cracked from the impact and the person dropped to the ground, seemingly lifeless.

Siege engine spell after siege engine spell were launched in his direction and Voldemort was getting annoyed. "I have no idea why you are so angry at me, but right now, you aren't being very cooperative. Stupefy!" He watched as Hazel aimed her wand straight at the curse. "Perrumpo Expugnatio!" The two spells clashed and the magics seemed to synchronize between the wands, creating a golden cage of light around them. Both Hazel and Voldemort ignored the sound of a phoenix cry filling the air as they focused on keeping control over the moment. Hazel dropped the connection quickly and aimed her wand directly at Voldemort. "Ignis Obscuras." Seeing the familiar black flames headed his way, Voldemort dodged out of the way as the flames raced past him. It took him a second to realise his mistake as the flames latched onto the wards that protected the graveyard, devouring them. He watched as Hazel apparated from her position and next to the body of the boy. Hazel stared intently at Voldemort. "So, did I pass your test? Oh mighty Dark Lord?" All around her she watched as the Death Eaters drew their wands as she focused her magic. Voldemort eyed her carefully. "You have. See you around, Hazel." The way he spoke her name made her shudder even as she smashed through the hastily raised wards and apparated away with Cedric's body. She landed right in the middle of Hogsmeade and waved her wand to summon her Patronus, watching as Whiskers took form before turning towards her. "Bella, I am in Hogsmeade. I will wait for you at the Shrieking Shack."

Hazel levitated Cedric's body to the Shack and sat next to him, waiting for her Godmother to arrive with the cavalry. She knew that from this moment on, things were only going to get worse. Neither Voldemort or Dumbledore would willingly leave her alone. She watched as Bella entered the room and rushed in to hug her. "When you disappeared, everything went ballistic. Made-Eye seemingly killed Karkaroff before disappearing and only after I checked the map did I see Mad-Eye still in his office. I should have known. Someone was disguised as him." Hazel hugged Bella back. "Voldemort called the person Barty." Bella looked at her and frowned before she realized something. "Right, Junior. He must still be alive." Hazel gestured towards Cedric. "We need to get him to the castle but I don't want to go. I think Dumbledore is going to try and send me back to the Dursleys. He wasn't happy I escaped them last summer." Bella growled. "Over my dead body. Come on, we are going straight to Grimmauld. If he wants to know what happened he can come to us and ask but you are not leaving my sight." Hazel hugged Bella tighter, a small tear escaping her eye. It felt so good having someone to care for her. Maybe… maybe this next year wouldn't be so bad.

NW June 21st 1995

Hazel stood at the opening to the boys' room in her Chambers, watching as both of them slept peacefully. Harry had wanted to spend the night here with them and Teddy wanted to be with him. She smiled at the memory of the two being joined by several of their friends before dinner started and her Chambers were filled with the usual amount of students the Chamber of Secrets held. The Castle wards groaned as she expanded the room to fit them better but she didn't care. As soon as everyone was comfortable and the elfs got called in, the evening became perfect. She could tell Harry was still nervous about tomorrow but his friends did everything they could to distract him. Of course, Susan had that particular task down as she kept kissing his cheek whenever he got too pensive, much to the teasing of everyone. Eventually curfew time came up and everyone left before the assigned time, with Dora arriving a few minutes later after keeping away to maintain her cover. As much as Hazel would love for the cover to be dropped as soon as the Tournament was over, the d'Éon cover identities needed to be preserved for any future forays into undercover work in both Britain and France. They owed that much to the Chevalier d'Éon who not only endangered their own life for France but willingly gave their family name to a witch they saved. The witch's family secured the family name as one to be used by the French DMLE or the ICW affiliates in times of undercover work, in honor of the master spy's legacy.

So the lie had to be maintained to the bitter end until the Beauxbatons' academic year was over. At least Hazel would get some enjoyment out of Dora taking her NEWTs again, though the one for Alchemy would come in quite handy. Said Metamorphmagus was running her small hands through Hazel's waist, making Hazel sigh in content, the medallion on her chest warming noticeably. Dora had no idea how comforting the medallion was to her. She had felt several nightmares getting drowned out in the feeling of Dora's love for her. Not that they never passed through. Some memories were too vivid to be contained, some pain too overwhelming to be buried. She might not have woken up screaming as she did last year, but the memory of her Godmother's death still surfaced again. She watched her die all over again before her eyes, felt the sudden and violent destruction of her own heart. She chased after Black and killed him again in revenge though now there was an undercurrent feeling behind his death. Hazel had trouble looking at Harry that morning, out of shame. Padfoot was Harry's Godfather and while she had accepted that her interference had ended any hope of the man becoming like a father figure to him, that didn't mean she didn't feel guilty when the thought crossed her mind that she still would like to see him, or more accurately the memory of the mad dog she knew from her world, well and truly dead.

She allowed Dora to tug her away from the door of the boys room and they silently closed it before they made their way to their own bed. Their clothes littered the floor before Hazel felt her naked back hit the bed. There was no need for love making tonight or give into each other's lust. The feel of flesh against flesh was enough as they kissed each other warmly and deeply. Dora shuddered as she felt Hazel filling her with her magic again. Hazel turned her beautiful lover over and pressed her body into her, her mouth sealing Dora's as she sought to fill Dora with enough magic until they both reached a balance point. By tomorrow night she would have most of her magic back, ready to give this world's Voldemort the best fight she could. She had dreamt of their previous encounter in the Graveyard the night prior and she had delved deep into that memory, seeking every little detail she could pay attention to. Anything that might become obvious should she face the man again. Based on Horatio's description, Croaker's profile and Harry's dreams, she knew this world's Voldemort wasn't her Tom. There were a few key differences that though many would say were quite small, but in a person like Voldemort, the distinctions were all the more clear. She knew what to expect and what to look for in case he wasn't as predictable as she hoped.

Dora's hand touched her cheek and Hazel sighed happily into the touch. "Still thinking about tomorrow?" Hazel turned and rubbed her nose with Dora's. "Tonight, tomorrow morning and all the way until the mission starts. I am not going to be caught by surprise. I refuse to let Harry suffer the same fate I did. It's bad enough Dumbledore's additions to the Maze are beyond my ability to safely dismantle without interfering with the Task. My skills with Witchcraft and Blood Magic can only help him and you so much." Dora kissed Hazel's lips. "It will be enough." Hazel glared and Dora sighed. "Sorry. Your assistance may not be enough to stop the worse the enchantments have to offer but they are the best you could do for both of us. That's comforting enough for me and Harry." Hazel sighed as she rested her forehead on Dora's. "I am still going to worry, no matter what. Until we all safely come home after the mission." Dora rubbed Hazel's back. "A mother's concern?" Hazel smiled softly. "Something like that. I do have to say I am glad I was here for the last two years. Seeing Teddy settle into the castle, make friends. Seeing Harry grow into himself and not growing up isolated as I did. It was worth it." Dora smiled before kissing Hazel's lips. "Good, now let's sleep. I have a Third Task to complete tomorrow."

Teddy sat next to Susan and his other friends as music filled the air. He could see his Mom moving along the edges of the Maze that were grown within the Quidditch Pitch, the size greatly magically expanded to fit a larger Maze. Massive scrying mirrors were scattered hovering in front of the spectator stands for everyone to watch the ensuing Task. His eyes latched onto Dora and Harry. He had never really thought about having a brother. His Mom had confided in him that she was no longer able to carry a child to term because of the way her magic interacted with her body. No magic or potion could fix that. When they arrived in this world, he had been happy about his Mom finding more people to relax around and just be herself. When she started dating Dora, Teddy couldn't have been happier as it meant his Mom could finally be happy and maybe, just maybe they could make their family grow. Yet, over the last two years, the family grew in an unexpected way. Harry was this world's Hazel and his Mom was trying to make sure nothing bad happened to him. This meant they all ended up spending a lot of time together and as the days turned into months and years, Teddy realized that he didn't just acquire a cousin and a friend. He was pretty sure they were now brothers.

Sure, Teddy was the younger brother, but Harry never seemed to hold that against him. Everything they did together was agreed to first, with Harry always deferring to him. Teddy tried to break him out of that habit but his Mom was exactly the same and he couldn't really complain about it. As they studied and trained together, he realized that he eventually came to trust Harry not to take his Mom away from him. That had been a weird fear that came outta nowhere, one he knew his Mom noticed. Hazel always seemed to make more time for him whenever she spent time with Harry. Even in Guatemala, Hazel called him out one morning and they spent a great time with Aapo's granddaughter, Cuelli, guiding them through the fields where they grew their food and herbs. The Mesoamericans had had a great assortment of Herbs and Magical plants that simply weren't sold in Britain, which was cool. He had spent hours documenting all of them in his research journal, his Mom never once complaining about the long silences. In fact, he was sure she appreciated them. Even with Dora and Harry around, not to mention the Tonks family and his friends, there were times when he did miss the silence and peace of the years he spent with his Mom as his only companion. The fact she felt just as happy around him in these quiet moments was just the best. When they got back to the rest of the group that night, Harry had hugged him and apologized about what he did atop the pyramid. Teddy had blushed, but he was happy he had someone closer to his age who understood him.

He felt a hand grip his own gently and Teddy looked up at Susan who gave him a nervous smile. "He will be fine, Teddy. Your Mom and Dora too." Teddy nodded as he turned to look back at the Maze. Susan had also slowly become like a sister to him. She and Hannah had gone out of their way to care for him ever since he arrived at Hufflepuff. Most of his yearmates in the house were more interested in Quidditch and screwing around, so he was sorta of an outcast with them but the upper years were happy with him, as was Professor Sprout, who always checked on how he was doing. The fact Susan was sorta dating Harry only made him happier since she was so much fun being around. Unlike Teddy's yearmates, Susan always made sure she got all of her assignments done first before she went out to have fun. She had a similar outlook when she went to tutor with his Mom, being quiet and attentive and only relaxing as the training wound down. His Mom did tease her every once in a while with a surprise at the end, but Susan took it happily, learning as much as she could. The only person who could beat her right now from their year group was Daphne and that was because Daphne never seemed to have an off switch. Astoria's sister was scary with how obsessed she could be about learning about obscure magics. His Mom had to tell her that she wouldn't teach her Blood Magic or Witchcraft until she was of age, no matter what her own mom said.

Teddy's musings came to an end as a cannon blast filled the air with noise. He watched as Dora rushed into the Maze, one of the four scrying mirrors in front of him changing into a projection of her as she ran along the hedges. A few seconds later, Harry followed suit, with Cedric going out third and Viktor going in last. The stands filled with noise as the people started watching the Champions run around the Maze. The hedges were moving around seemingly at random, blocking each of the Champions from following certain paths while they also had to dodge Devil Snare that seemed to latch out from just underneath the walls at certain areas. He watched as Cedric got pulled to the ground a few times before he cast a fire spell at the plants, forcing them to retreat. Teddy suddenly started feeling something through his family magic. His Mom's concern filled him and was followed by the echoes of Dora's feelings. He watched as Dora seemed to struggle to stay up in a wide open area next to a fountain before she blasted the Fountain with flames. Bagman's voice filled the air. "Champion d'Éon certainly didn't seem amused by the use of a vaporized Essense of Insanity. Whether her tactics will work against the other potions filling the air that are contact based will be a sight to see, but time will tell if she can get past the enchantments as well! Harry Potter seems to have been fortunate enough as the Hedge prevented him from a similar fate! How long will the luck of the Boy Who Lived last!" Teddy glared at the speaker. As long as his Mom had anything to say, his good luck would last him the rest of his days. Teddy just hoped his Mom or Dora reached him in time.

Dora aimed her wand at the fountain. "Nix Tempestas!" The fountain's water froze and the surrounding air instantly filled with a blizzard. Dora took a second to breath, her head still suffering from the effects of the vaporized potion she ran into with the first fountain. Burning it had been fine but it took her a second to realize freezing it and the air was safer. She really needed to give Hazel a long and pleasant thank you for teaching her about the conjured snow storm spell. She took a moment to shake her head even as she touched the concealed pouch she carried on her chest. Hazel had given her a copy of her Apothecary's worth of potions to carry, with her own mother adding a few more vials. She knew she had a Purging Potion as well as a Neutralizing Potion, but using them now could be a potential danger later on. They would delay or impede the use of any of the major Healing Potions and make her recovery just as long as it had been two years ago. Dora sighed and decided to save it for a more important threat. Spotting the three exits, she casted her point me spell again and went for the path that seemed to get her even closer to the center of the Maze. She found another wide open area filled with mist but there didn't seem to be any fountains or source of water.

Feeling her hackles being raised, she turned around and found herself pointing a wand at Hazel. Dora narrowed her eyes. This wasn't her lover and partner. The eyes on her were the same deep red and slitted she had seen plenty of times but these… these were filled with something she knew didn't exist in Hazel. Madness. The not Hazel tilted her neck to the side. "You are so close, my love. Oh so close. A few more violent murders on your belt and you will be just like her. Just like me. Are you exited? I know I am." A blood covered hand touched Dora's cheek and Dora did her best not to flinch or react. This wasn't real. The illusion leaned forward and bit Dora's bottom lip between her own, eliciting a mixed response from the Metamorphmagus. The apparition smiled at her. "You know it's in you. The Black Madness. It took so many of your cousins and predecessors. It will take you too. And you will enjoy it as we have. You already feel the yearning to curse your enemies. Soon you will curse the fools who stand in our way." Those familiar yet wrong hands kept touching her skin as the figure moved to the side, revealing a person tied to the ground in front of Dora. Soft lips whispered right into her ear. "You know you want to do it. Once you do, you won't have to wear a silly little charm. You will be whole. You will be a true Dark Witch. A Black Witch. Go on, my lover. Cast the spell I taught you. Fill it with all your hate and self loathing. As it leaves your wand, you will be set free."

Dora turned her eyes onto the figure bound into a kneeling position as it raised its head. Purple eyes as familiar as her own stared back even as the face cracked into a wicked smile. "Looky, looky. The mudblood's baby grew up looking like a Black after all. But are you one of us? Are you willing to serve our master?" Dora shuddered as Not Hazel's hands travelled across her back. "We don't need her or her Master. You can be the true face of the Black Madness. You can take your cousin's place. All you have to do is end her. Be rid of her." Bellatrix laughed from her position. "Oh, dearest Nymphadora. You will never be rid of me. Kill me and you will be just like me. Just like her and my master. They are remarkably the same, aren't they? She hasn't told you everything about her past. She still keeps secrets from you. This witch can't love you. But I will. We are family after all." The witch cackled madly as Dora's head began to swim. "Kill her, Nymphadora." Hazel's voice was followed by Bellatrix'. "Listen to her, asking you to kill her Godmother. The woman she said she loved. Isn't she just lovely? Will you do it, Nymphadora? Will you spill the blood of your family or will you turn on the woman you gave your heart to?" The two voices began to compete in her mind as Dora collapsed onto her knees. "Kill, kill, kill, kill." The word repeated in her mind over and over again as she tightened her grip on her wand.

"Will you betray your oath?" The words seemed to carve their way through her heart as the other voices were drowned out. Everywhere she looked, the Maze was simply gone. Dora saw herself surrounded by darkness. A voice echoed in her mind. "Will you lose yourself to a game of smoke and mirrors? Is this what your love amounts to, Nymphadora?" Dora felt her heart beating faster and faster, her eyes darting everywhere. She could only see darkness. "You still seem to doubt. You doubt her and yourself. A little seed of a doubt that the mages' magic exploited. Let's see what we can do about it, shall we?" Dora suddenly felt as if she was spinning in place before she collapsed. She didn't know how long her eyes were closed but a noise woke her up. A baby seemed to be crying. Dora frowned as she opened her eyes and the room came into focus. It wasn't just any room. It was her room at her parent's house. Her eyes landed on the source of the noise and her heart froze. There, lying on the bed, her hair short, matted as if it spent days without a shower and colored brown, rested a woman cradling a baby in her arms. A woman with purple eyes. Her attention broke once the door opened and a young girl walked inside. Her heart started beating faster. Hazel, her hair pitch black but her beautiful green eyes dulled, looked at the woman on the bed. "Congrats, Dora."

The woman on the bed chuckled. "Thank you, but I didn't call you here for a baby shower." A soft smirk appeared on Hazel's face. "You sure? I can rain some chaos out there so you can invite the rest of the Order. I am sure I can keep Tom's attention on me." The mother shook her head. "No, I don't want that either." She stared at Hazel in the eyes. "I want you to be Teddy's godmother." Hazel seemed… lost. "What?" The older Dora kept her eyes on Hazel. "I want you to be the Godmother to my son." Dora watched as Hazel rubbed her face. "Dora, you know what I have been doing these last few months. Rita and the Prophet don't need to exaggerate anymore because I am done playing the victim. I have left streets littered with the corpses of Snatchers and Death Eaters." The woman rocked the child in her arms. "So?" Hazel raised her voice. "Damn it, Dora! I am enjoying myself! I am leaving mountains of corpses and a trail of blood in my wake and I like it! I am not Godmother material! I don't know if I am even human anymore!" Dora watched as the woman shushed the startled baby, keeping it comfortable, before she gave Hazel a gentle smile. "Maybe. Maybe not. But I think you can be a great Godmother. And most of all, I want Teddy to be safe. The safest hands happen to be yours."

Hazel scoffed. "As Britain's Most Wanted? Is motherhood what it takes for the Black Madness to wake up?" The older Dora chuckled. "No Hazel. I am not mad. Even as Remus gets us ready to leave the Order, you know the Death Eaters will still come for us. If anything happens to me, Teddy will be safe with you." Hazel stared at the woman. "Your husband won't agree to this. I don't." Dora watched as the woman's face took on a hard edge. "My husband doesn't get to decide this. I do. Not after he tried to run away from us." Her face softened. "I know you don't see it anymore, Hazel, but you are a good person. Underneath all of that pain and blood, you are still a good person. A very human being. So please, won't you at least hold my son? Won't you at least look at Teddy and decide then?" Hazel seemed to move almost mechanically forward before Dora placed the child in her arms. The moment baby Teddy looked up at her, the boy giggled happily and it's little hand caught one of Hazel's loose bangs of hair. Dora watched as something seemed to change in Hazel. Tears started filling her eyes and racing down her cheeks. "I… shouldn't… Dora… he deserves better. He deserves to be happy. I can't…" The woman gave Hazel a smile. "He deserves the best. And that… is you. I know you are Hazel. I knew that from the moment I met you. So, will you be Teddy's Godmother? For me? For him? And maybe… for yourself?"

Dora watched as Hazel nodded and returned the baby to its mother. She almost lunged forward as Hazel drew a knife but stopped as she sliced her finger open. The mother of the child tried to stop her. "Hazel, you don't…" Hazel pulled her arm back from Dora and pressed the blood covered finger on Teddy's head. "I, Hazel Potter, swear by my Blood, my Magic and my eternal Soul to care for my godson, Edward Lupin, till the end of my days. I will act in the best interests of his health of body, mind and soul and to never cause the child to ever come to harm should I be capable of preventing it to the best of my abilities. I will love him as if he was my own should his parents pass on from this world and I will never dare abandon him, no matter what. So says I, so mote it be." Both Doras watched as the Blood Oath was sealed by the flash of a red light, both stunned by her actions. Hazel looked at the boy's mother. "I can't be trusted to do the right thing, Dora. I can never be trusted with that. This way… this way I know I can be a good Godmother to him. And if I fail, I won't have to worry about ever hurting him again." The older Dora face softened into a smile as she pulled Hazel into a hug. "You are a good person, Hazel. That oath proves it. Never doubt that." The image before Dora of Hazel and her world's Nymphadora Tonks vanished from before her eyes.

Back into an empty void of darkness, a voice that sounded like Hazel's spoke up. "Do you still doubt her? Her very being is held as collateral by that oath. Her will is not being twisted or warped by the magic that binds her and she receives no warnings. She acts every moment of everyday to see to the child's wellbeing, self doubt a constant companion. Yet in thirteen years she has never wavered. She has dedicated her life to being the best mother to a child not born of her womb. Is this the mark of a monster to you?" Dora lowered her head. "No. It isn't." The voice filled her ears, much softer in tone. "Then return to your other half. Return whole and undamaged, just as you swore. Life is a fleeting thing and the world is cold and merciless. She knows that best of all. Yet she still hopes. She still loves you. Return to her, Nymphadora and find your own happiness." Dora awoke with a start, staring into the starry sky. She stood up and looked around before she felt a magic tingle underneath her skin but more noticeable in her hand. She watched as the Elder Wand seemed to crackle with magic. Hazel's Magic. Dora took a deep breath, checked to make sure her shift stayed in place, and the wand seemed to settle as she held it in her hand as her own thoughts calmed down. "Point me, Triwizard Cup." She rushed forward in the direction the wand pointed to, her hand reaching up to touch her pendant. She poured her feelings for Hazel into her magic and felt two echoing responses, making her smile. She wasn't going to doubt any more. She had a family to return to and a woman who deserved all the love in her heart. She would make it through for them and for herself.

Harry rested his throbbing head against a fountain, the cold easing away his headache for a bit. When Hazel warned him about the Maze, he thought it couldn't be so bad. He had been wrong. From the moment he got deeper and deeper into the Maze, his head started hurting more and more. Flashes of thoughts and memories seemed to pop out at every turn. Sure, he knew they were hallucinations, he was aware most weren't real, but it never seemed to do much. He kept hearing his mother's voice as she screamed and begged Voldemort to spare him. To let him live. He heard her beg for death. He saw the flash of green light and the mad laughter that haunted his nightmares as a kid. The thought instantly made him want to hurl as he brought his hand up to his mouth. He felt his throat burn but Harry closed his eyes and swallowed, feeling the burn go back down, his mouth left with the taste of bile as he took deep breaths. He stood up and looked around the exits, watching one vanish as the hedges shifted. He took his Willow Wand and held it in his open palm. "Point me, Triwizard Cup." He watched the wand spin for a second before pointing at the exit to his right. He took a deep breath before rushing through again, leaving the frozen fountain behind.

Everywhere his eyes looked, there were only hedges and hedges and more hedges. He had to jump a few times as Devil Snare sprang up from beneath, trying to grab him by his ankles. So far he had only been grabbed once and a quick fireball spell chased the plants away. He skidded to a halt as the hedges closed an opening in front of him and then they started closing down the entire passageway, with him still in it. He rushed back as fast as he could, almost pulling himself out of the hedges when they closed completely. After taking a moment to catch his breath again, Harry saw a new opening to his right and rushed through, trying to keep pace. He needed to get to the Cup. He slowed down as he arrived at another open area but he frowned, not seeing a fountain in the middle. With his wand in his hand, Harry walked up to the center, feeling his hairs standing on end. "You are walking down a dangerous path, my boy." Harry swung around and stared at the figure of Dumbledore. He watched as the old man seemed to look him over, judging him. "You are growing strong and powerful, but you are losing your way. Killing the creature was not the right choice." Harry glared back. "Was I supposed to let it kill me then? There was no other choice for me!"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Violence is never the answer. The more you harm others, the closer you will become to Voldemort. You will become the very being that killed your parents." Harry felt his temper rise. "Shut up! I am nothing like him. I mourned the Quetzalcoatl's death. I showed it the respect she deserved. As long as I care about others, then I am doing the right thing. So shut up and leave me alone." The figure seemed to vanish but even with it gone, it's voice still echoed in his ears. "Your parents were true heroes, Harry. They gave their life to protect you and all of Britain. Will you be capable of doing the same?" Harry felt his hand shaking as he stared at the empty space in front of him before lowering his wand down to his sides, his breathing turning heavy. Rubbing sweat off his face, he casted the point me spell again and pushed on through. He rushed deeper and deeper into the Maze before a glimmer of light caught his attention. Harry rushed forward as he saw the Triwizard Cup, sitting on a raised column just before his eyes. As soon as he stepped through another gap in the hedges, he felt his head spin. His headache seemed to get worse as he held the sides of his head with his hands. Soft hands rubbed his temples and Harry froze as a vaguely familiar voice spoke up. "I am here for you. Harry."

Green eyes met green as he stared into the face of Lily Evans-Potter. His lips trembled. "You are not real." Lily gave him a soft smile. "Of course I am, Harry. I gave birth to you. Or have you forgotten me already." Harry shook his head. "I haven't forgotten." Lily's next words seemed to chill his heart. "Really? Because you seem to have replaced me with that woman." Harry looked at Lily. "Hazel is good to me. She cares about me." Lily seemed to glare at him. "She is stealing you away from us, Harry. Turning you into someone you are not. You are abandoning everything we did for you." Harry raised his voice. "I am not abandoning you. You aren't here and she is." Lily's voice seemed to carve deeper and deeper into his heart. "Will she die for you as I did? Will she sacrifice it all for you to live? I gave everything of my life so that you could live. So that you wouldn't become a killer. You know she is one. You have seen the way she looks at Sirius. At Dumbledore. Is that who you want to become?" Harry clenched his jaw as tears rushed down his face. "You're not my mother. She would be happy for me. Happy that I found a family that loves me." Lily shook her head. "No mother would raise a child to become a killer. No mother would teach their child how to end a life as she did."

Harry closed his eyes. He knew Hazel was a killer. She told him. She had killed Death Eaters and creatures. Was that what he was becoming? He killed the Quetzacoatl. Would she make him kill again and again? Turn him into the person she is? Harry's knees hit the ground as he bent over, his head making contact with the soft green grass. Lily's voice filled his ears again. "It's not too late, Harry. You can still walk away from her. Don't be selfish, Harry. Return to Dumbledore and to Sirius. Follow in our footsteps. Be a better person. The person we died for so that you could be." As he felt the pain in his head worsen and his vision narrowing, a soft voice seemed to fill Harry's mind. "We are all selfish in one way or another." Warm hands wrapped around him and he felt someone rest their chin on his shoulder. Yet, when he looked there was no one there. Still, he knew who it was. He knew it in his heart. "I am not a good person, Harry. I can't tell you to do the right thing. All I can do… is be there for you… You will never have to thank me… we are family, Harry… This life. This singular, limited ethereal life is yours alone… you have people that love and care for you… the person who you want to be is up to you… and you alone." Tears ran down his cheeks as he looked up to the figure of Lily Potter. "I am sorry, but I can't follow you. Not any more."

The figure reared back as Harry pulled his feet out from under him and stood up. "I love you, for being the woman who gave birth to me. For dying for me. But I love her too. Because she is there for me and she never asks anything from me except to be myself. To not waste my life. I…" Harry swallowed a lump in his throat. "I know I won't become her. Because unlike you…unlike Dumbledore, I am not being asked to do anything except to live. To be a child. I am not the Boy Who Lived, mother. I am not just your orphan, the son of the selfless martyrs. I am Harry Potter. I am the last of the Potters. I have a family waiting for me to come home. I have a brother who cares about me." Tears spilled from his eyes again. "I… have a mother who is there for me, no matter what I might do. I don't have to wonder if she will ever come find me. I don't have to dream of you rescuing me from the cupboard anymore. I am already free and I have a home of my own. A family. And my Mom… will always come back for me. I am sorry mother, but I can't follow your path anymore. I refused to become the Boy Who Lived. I will be Harry Potter. Only Harry Potter." Harry took a deep breath and started walking past Lily's figure. "Goodbye mother. I will see you one day but you will have to forgive me if I take my time. I am not going anywhere but home."

As soon as he crossed the threshold Harry felt the magic snap away from his head. He leaned into the hedge beside him, breathing deeply, as tears ran down his face. He felt a tingle of magic on his arm and lifted it up, revealing the bracelets made of dragonhide that Teddy and Hazel had given him. He could feel that the wolf and the tree charms were warm, both glowing a soft light, though the tree seemed to be brighter. Even if you are the last of your line, you are never alone. Harry smiled as he rubbed the two charms in between his fingers, feeling their magic leaking into him. "You two are always with me, aren't you?" Both charms seemed to pulse in response and Harry closed his eyes. He almost said thank you again but remembered what Hazel would always say in response. Shaking his head merrily, Harry turned his attention forward and to the Triwizard Cup, glowing eerily with an internal blue light. Taking a deep breath, Harry approached it, knowing that the moment he touched it, the Third Task would be over. Every difficulty, ever day of training, every single moment of this year had led up to this moment. The moment he touched it, he would become the Triwizard Champion. Even then, he refused to be anything else. He was just Harry, and tonight he would be putting an end to it all. He stretched out his hand and reached for the cup.

Chapter 48: Death Comes to a Graveyard

"He's here, my lord." Voldemort wheezed. "Grab him, Bartemius. Before he escapes." Barty moved forward and aimed his wand at the figure of the boy. He watched as the stunner launched the Potter brat into the statue behind him before Barty cast a transfiguration spell on it, until the boy was bound by the Angel's scythe. He ignited the fire beneath the Cauldron before approaching the tomb next to the statue. Barty looked up at the struggling boy. "Don't worry, Potter. Your part in this will be over soon." He laughed a little as the teen seemed to struggle further as he levitated a leg bone out of the grave beside the statue and dropped it into the Cauldron. "A bone from my master's deceased father." Barty turned to the cauldron and drew out a knife which he held between his teeth. He held his hand over the Cauldron and swung his wand down. Barty's left hand fell from his arm as the cutting curse finished severing it. Barty stowed his wand away, before taking the knife out of his mouth. "Flesh from a faithful servant, ever willing to sacrifice for his master's will." Barty turned to the boy, a manic look in his eyes. "And now it's your turn." Barty jammed the blade into the boy's leg, nicking bone. He smiled up as the teen screamed in pain. "Can't have you running off, Potter. Tonight is quite the special treat. Tonight, my master is made whole once more."

Barty returned to the Cauldron, shaking the blade as drops of blood entered the brew before returning to his master. "Blood of the enemy, taken against his will. Let it restore my Master in full." The man in the dark coat dropped the homunculi into the cauldron and stood back. "Return to us, my lord. Return so we may rain havoc upon our enemies once more." The Cauldron seemed to shake violently until a plum of white smoke exploded outwards. A tall and lanky figure emerged, its skin deathly pale and hairless. It's skeletal like arms gripped the edges of the cauldron as it pulled itself out. Standing on the soft grass, breathing deeply as the being centered himself before the silence was finally, the voice from the now completed homunculi body sounded much smoother than it once was. "My wand, Bartemius." Barty came forward and kneeled, presenting a jagged wand made of Yew to his master. Voldemort took it reverently into his hands and conjured black robes over his body before rubbing his face with his fingers. "Ahh, good. I had hoped my "modifications" would endure through the restoration." He walked up to the boy and looked up at him, his fingers rubbing his skin. "Tell me, Potter. Do I look familiar? You were only a year old but I am quite memorable, wouldn't you say?" The mad man laughed as he turned his attention back to his servant, his red eyes shining brightly. "Your arm, Bartemius. We have some friends to summon. It's been far too long."

Voldemort took a moment to take in his surroundings after summoning his Death Eaters and fixing his servant's missing arm. He waited as several pops filled the air, his father's skull in his hand. He took a moment to look at the dozen or so who arrived, clear disappointment in his face, before tossing the skull uncaringly back into the grave. "Now this is unfortunate. I sense two others remain at Hogwarts, which is to be expected. The rest are rotting in Azkaban, a matter we will address in a more appropriate environment. Yet, look how few of you, my most faithful, gathered here today. I heard many of your fellow Death Eaters fell at the World Cup. It seems there is much recruiting to be done." He looked each of the Death Eaters in the eyes, stopping in front of one of them. "A shame. So many of you had such fire and passion when last we saw each other. So much of it has seemingly been extinguished. Tell me Lucius, does your son believe in our cause as you once did? Will the other children of the old and noble houses join our cause as they did before?" Voldemort vanished Lucius' mask off his face. The man visibly swallowed. "In time I believe many will be serving you, my lord, though other families seem to have forgotten their place. The Heirs of the Houses of Greengrass and Nott have been associating with mudbloods, all because of the Potter boy." Voldemort sighed. "I suppose they will have to be made an example off. We can't have our most illustrious families behaving like common rift rats."

"You would know all about that, wouldn't you, Tom? After all, your magical mother lived in a ramshackle hut not that far from here. Actually, I would say you wouldn't know since you were orphaned, but poor old Morfin Gaunt would say otherwise. After all, you framed him for the death of your own father." Voldemort whirled around and aimed his wand at the still bound boy who had spoken up. "How do you know that!? Tell me, Potter!" The boy smiled. "What's the matter? Is Patricide too much of a bad memory or is it a sore subject for your servants? You can't have the Death Eaters think you would order their children to kill them as soon as their usefulness was at an end, right? Who would follow you then?" Voldemort growled. "Crucio!" The red curse raced across the open space before a wall of dirt rose from the ground, intercepting it. The statue released its prisoner as the boy's voice shifted. "Sorry to disappoint you, Tom, but I have had my fair share of the Torture Curse. As much as I would love to revisit that experience, there are far more important things to do." The boy's body reformed and his clothes were transfigured into a skin tight suit and black jacket as the woman pulled on her gloves, her short white hair blowing in the wind as her green eyes glowed in the low light. "A pleasure to finally meet you in person, Tom Marvolo Riddle. Name's Hazel Peverell. Hunter of Dark Witches and Wizards." Hazel gave him a toothy smile as powerful wards slammed into place over the entire Graveyard. "So, care to show me what you're made of, my lord?"

Dumbledore stared at the blank scrying mirrors of the Judges platform on the grounds of the Quidditch Pitch just as he heard murmurings from the students. Minister Fudge leaned in beside him. "What's the meaning of this, Dumbledore? Why can't we see inside the Maze?" Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't know, Cornelius. Perhaps an Auror could go check." He was about to ask Amelia when the Director of the DMLE pointed her wand at Karkaroff's back. "Stupefy." The Durmstrang Headmaster crumbled as Dumbledore reared back, drawing his wand. "Madam Bones. What are you doing?" Amelia gave him a smile. "Making sure some loose ends are taken care of." Amelia leaned down and pulled Karkaroff's sleeve back, revealing a very clear and writhing Dark Mark. Cornelius' grip on his bowler hat tightened as he pulled himself away from the Durmstrang Headmaster. "But, the mark… it should have faded!" Amelia nodded. "It was faded until last summer. My Aurors have been keeping an eye on former Death Eaters and their movements ever since." Dumbledore frowned, concerned at what the fully restored Dark Mark meant. He looked at the darken scrying mirrors and sighed. "It seems Lord Voldemort has returned."

"Proudfoot! Help your Boss restrain Igor. Damn it, Amelia. I wanted to take that shot." Amelia turned to the source of the voice, the gruff old Auror hobbling in her direction. "Sorry Alastor, but he started shifting in his seat. Couldn't risk him getting away." Alastor grunted. "I knew I should have taken your place. This is what I get for signing up for babysitting duty." Amelia raised an eyebrow before turning to the boy walking beside Alastor. "So, how is he as a babysitter? I was considering asking him to watch over Susan when I was at work in the summer as soon as she got a boyfriend." Harry paled slightly. "He's… he's ok. Though it was only for a few minutes." Amelia chuckled at the boy's nervousness around her as Proudfoot slapped suppression cuffs on Karkaroff. She gestured to her Aurors. "Get him back to a DMLE holding cell. We will decide what to do with him as soon as we can confirm whether he had a hand in Mr. Potter's selection by the Goblet or not." Dumbledore raised his voice. "Amelia, what is going on?" The director of the DMLE turned to the Headmaster. "Not enjoying being a spectator, Albus? Well, too bad. The DMLE is running a sting operation, dealing with terrorists that managed to escape justice at the end of the last war. This time, we are finishing what we started. Come along, Harry. Your family is waiting for you."

Harry nodded but Dumbledore stepped in her path. "Mr. Potter needs to complete the Task, or his magic is forfeit." Alastor's magical eye rotated in his head before fixating on Dumbledore. "Amelia, take the boy's hand please. Just so you know, Albus, Mr. Potter did complete the Task. He was the first to take hold of the Triwizard Cup." Albus frowned. "Then why wasn't he portkeyed here?" Alastor chuckled. "What, did you think his cousin would have let the boy be portkeyed anywhere without being sure he was safe? Please, that woman is as paranoid as I am. She had an anti-portkey ward raised over the area just in case. Good thing too, as the Cup had a different destination attached to your portkey enchantment. The rest of the Champions are being escorted to safety at St. Mungos so they can receive medical treatment. Hit Witch Peverell placed the boy in my care to deliver to Amelia while she took a portkey ride to determine who might have been trying to kidnap the boy." Albus shook his head. "If it's who I think it is, the boy is safer here, Alastor. The Castle's wards…" Alastor growled. "Are not as strong as they should be. You might have blocked access to the ward chamber for the Wardmaster, but they could still read the wards well enough. The wards are unstable and fragile, Albus. No, the boy will be safe with us."

As Alastor and Amelia guided Harry away from the judges stand, Dumbledore closed his eyes and reached out to the Castle wards. The air filled with magic as the wards snapped into place over the grounds. Albus opened his eyes. "The wards are now set to lockdown, Alastor. The boy stays here until the matter is resolved. I will send for the Order and have them search some of Voldemort's old haunts. He is sure to be at any one of them. Until then, we will all wait here patiently. I will send the students back to their dorms." He waved his wand and a Phoenix Patronus manifested. After sending the message to Minerva, he watched the Minister approach him. "Albus, you can't just lockdown the Castle with all of the invited guests here!" Dumbledore sighed. "As much as I would love to open the Castle up, the danger to the students is too high. Voldemort is-" a soft screech filled the air as a pure white bird with golden stripes swooped in and landed on Harry's shoulder. Alastor gripped the boy's arm and smiled at Dumbledore. "Sorry Albus, but Peverell is quite scary when pissed. I am staying clear of getting on her bad side. See you at the front gates." Albus aimed his wand at the bird but the sudden blinding white light that filled the immediate area left him completely blind and disorientated. As soon as he could open his eyes, he searched his surroundings as well as the wards, to no avail. Harry Potter was gone from Hogwarts.

Teddy felt his feet hit solid ground, before Nova rubbed his cheek with its beak. Teddy smiled and rubbed the bird's chest feathers. "Thanks Nova. Think you can go watch over Mom and Dora?" The bird nodded and took flight before popping away. He turned around and watched as an older dark skinned woman wearing a long white coat smiled at him. "Hello young man. Your cousin and family are this way." Teddy smiled and followed after her. "Thank you, Healer Johnson." A few hallways later in the labyrinth that was the Department of Mysteries, the Healer opened a door and Teddy rushed in, tackling Harry into a hug. "You're ok!" Harry patted him on the back. "I am. Thanks to you and Mom." Teddy pulled back and Harry held up his wrist, showing his charms. "I felt you and Hazel through them. You two pulled me right out of the worst of the hallucinations." Teddy smiled at him before looking at Andromeda. "Mom is currently busy dealing with ugly snake face. Will you be able to help Harry while she is away?" Andromeda ruffled his hair. "We should. Our best minds had over a year to work on this and plenty of non-living objects to test it on." Another dark skinned woman with long black hair in a braid came forward, a red dot marking the center of her forehead. "A pleasure to see you again, Harry. We have all of what we need to get started and get that piece of nasty out of your scar. Are you ready?"

Harry nodded. "I am, Unspeakable Patil." The woman guided him to a raised platform surrounded by an intricate Circle with indecipherable markings. "That is Sanskrit. If you make it to NEWT level Runes you will learn how to read and write with them. Though my nieces will always have an easier time since they grew up with us speaking and writing it for years." Harry sat on the platform. "And this will get the piece of Voldemort out of me?" The Unspeakable nodded. "It's an old and tested array, just needing some modifications to be safer to use on people. The Subcontinent has had its fair share of Kings and Queens who claimed divine right, powers and even immortality, most of which being magical in origin. At least that was before the Statute could be enforced in our region. My family brought our traditions and knowledge with us here, including this ritual circle to strip foreign magic out of an object or person. Hand whatever items you are carrying that have magic on them that you don't want to see getting cleansed." Harry took his necklace, the bracelets and the Quetzalcoatl charm made for him off and handed them to Teddy. He also took off his wand holster and glasses. The woman waved her wand over him and nodded. "Good, that's everything. One last thing. This spell will strip the Blood Magic ward your mother erected to protect you. We could try another procedure to remove the fragment alone, keeping the ward intact, but it would take longer to dislodge the fragment."

Taking a deep breath, Harry thought of his experiences in the Maze. "It's ok. I don't think I will need it anymore." The Unspeakable gave him an unsure look but nodded. "Then lie down on the table. We are going to bring an object to act as the target for the purged magics. All the foreign magic will be transferred to it but without a living host, the blood ward will die. Last chance, Harry." Harry lied down onto the platform. "I understand but I am ok with it. Please, I want to be rid of him forever." The woman squeezed his shoulder gently. "Very well. We will get started. Here. So you don't bite your tongue. This will likely hurt." A soft block of leather was placed between his teeth and Harry bit down before he closed his eyes. At first he felt as if electricity was running down his arms, a small tingle that made his fingers go numb. Soon after a burning sensation began to build in his head and Harry was glad for the block of leather as he started to bite down harder. His ears filled with a chorus of people speaking in what he assumed was Sanskrit, the chorus building in volume as the minutes passed, along with the pain in his head. He clenched his fists as the pain kept on building and he could hear another man's voice in his head. For a brief second he watched through Voldemort's eyes as he traded spells with Hazel, before the vision passed and his world went dark and silent.

It took Harry a second to realize he could still breath and he did, opening his eyes and seeing the room around him was empty and bathed in white light. He frowned as he sat up, wondering where the mouth guard and everyone disappeared to when felt someone sitting beside him. He turned to look and saw a familiar looking woman with red hair. "Please tell me I am not back in the Maze." Lily chuckled. "No Harry, you are not back in the Maze. I am here to see you." Harry lowered his gaze. "I am sorry, if you heard what I said to that other… you." Lily wrapped her arm around her son. "You have nothing to apologize for. I am the one who should apologize to you. We trusted in the wrong people and your childhood was taken from you." Harry shook his head. "It's ok, I already forgave you for that. You couldn't have known." Lily frowned. "No, but I should've tried harder. Your father, for all that I loved him, was a stubborn man. I wanted to take you away from Britain. Despite the dangerous wildlife, Australia was wonderful when my family visited it once and I was sure it would have been a good home to us. But James wanted to fight the war. Even after he gave up his position as an Auror, he still wanted to fight." Lily smiled. "Ask Sirius about the fact I had to order him to practically drag your father back on your first birthday. Sirius brought him back alright, wrapped as a gift, for the two of us. It's one of my favorite moments with the mutt." Harry chuckled. "Sounds like Hazel. She did the same to Teddy's dad before his birth. Before she adopted him."

Lily smiled sadly. "If there is one thing I will regret about not being there for you is not giving you a proper home. But I am glad you found someone who could. Someone who clearly cares about you. I am happy for you, Harry." Harry lowered his eyes. "And you won't be mad if I call her Mom?" Lily shook her head. "No Harry. I won't. For all purposes she is your mother now, with that boy being your brother. I will never begrudge you that. That's why I am here, Harry. I am here… to say goodbye." Harry thought for a second. "The Blood Ward." Lily nodded and ruffled his hair. "Good to see you got my smarts and not James'. Just don't go studying that magic until you're seventeen. Suffice to say it bound me to you partly. Enough for me to see and know what happened to you. Enough to fight back against Voldemort's fragment as it tried to influence you. Now you are free of the fragment and of me too. So for me… this is goodbye." Harry closed his mouth. He turned his head to the side as he heard someone calling out to him. Lily hugged him and kissed his cheek. "They are waiting for you, Harry. Go on. Go home." Harry turned to her. "Will I ever see you again?" Lily smiled and rubbed his cheek with her thumb. "One day. Just make sure you keep your promise, Harry. Making your mother wait in this sense is a good thing. Oh, and be careful with the redhead. We do have a temper you know."

Harry smiled. "I figured but I am sure she is worth it. Goodbye, mother." Lily waved at him as her form faded away. "See you later, my son." The silence seemed to fill his ears before he heard a voice speak up. "Come on Harry. Mom is going to be so worried if you don't wake up." A bright light filled Harry's vision as he opened his eyes. He raised his hand to block it. "I am up Teddy. Sorry if I worried you." Teddy brushed tears out of his eyes. "It's ok. Mom can be just as bad when she comes back hurt. Sometimes it would take her a day to wake up." Harry winced at the thought. "Mind if I wish never to see that?" Teddy shook his head. "Trust me, I don't like it either." Harry turned to the approaching Unspeakable. "Is it gone?" The Indian woman gave him a gentle smile. "All gone. No trace of Voldemort left in your system. Sorry about your mother's ward. It was an impressive piece of magic." Harry hugged her, startling the woman slightly. "It's ok. I have her school journals and my own family. It's enough." The woman hugged him back. "Then go in peace, young man. And tell Parvati to come and see me sometime. That Gryffindor rebel hasn't sent me so much as a letter this year." Harry chuckled as he pulled away. "I will let her know." Harry turned to Andromeda who finished her own diagnostics scan on him. "Can Teddy and I wait with you at the infirmary?" Andromeda smiled as Harry dropped off the altar and onto the ground. "Fine, but you two don't go messing with anything sharp. We will be seeing some prisoners coming through too, so be careful. That is, if Horatio and Hazel remember to actually give a damn about taking prisoners."

Dora raised a transfigured dirt wall, blocking an incoming Killing Curse, before she returned fire with a piercing hex. She heard a man grunt in pain as she disillusioned herself, before slipping back behind some cover. She kept her eyes open for the magical signature of the snake as she fought against the Death Eaters that had answered the maniac's call. "Come on you racist bastards. I am standing right here! You all got away from us last time but, by the gods, I am going to make you all wish you didn't get branded like the dogs you are! That's it! Try a little harder. What was that? My bloody students can cast a Killing Curse better than you, punk!" Dora wanted to rub her face so badly, even with her face mask on. Sure, having Horatio as backup was great, but the man was off his bloody rocker. She knew he was still holding a grudge for the time he lost his entire team and he certainly came here to collect. She watched as the black flames of the Hellfire Barrier burned up another poor Death Eater sent its way by Horatio and sighed. He definitely knew how to take advantage of his environment. Watching another errant curse almost hit her, Dora dispelled her magic and opened up against another Death Eater, striking him with her standard capture and binding chain and launching them away from the main battle.

Just as she was about to turn around, her enchanted eyes caught a glimpse of a specific magical signature. She disillusioned herself and moved far enough away, while still keeping her eyes fixed on the target. "O2 here. Priority 2 spotted." Croaker's voice came over the comms. "Take it out quickly. HP2 is being cleansed as we speak." Dora smiled. "Acknowledged." Hearing that Harry would be rid of Voldemort for good made Dora feel great. Making sure she had every possible spell needed to avoid detection, Dora approached the snake from behind. She had read Croaker's files on Nagini. Whispers of a Maledictus woman from a circus that got dragged into Grindelwald's conflict, only for the woman to disappear after the end of the war. Years later, the same name was spoken in front of an Auror spy and a giant snake was seen next to the then rising Lord Voldemort. The memories had been shown to one Newt Scamander, who confirmed the snake was the same as the Maledictus from Paris. Dora focused on the feelings that came from reading those reports and Harry's own dreams of the snake literally being compelled to act. There was no loyalty or faith in the snake towards her master, only obedience. No one deserved such a life. With her wand aimed at the snake, Dora cast the Killing Curse as silently as possible. The cyan light struck the creature and an inhuman screech filled the air, causing Dora to cover her ears.

She noticed too late as a revealing spell was cast within range of her and she barely managed to dodge the Torture Curse sent her way. She eyed her options as to which direction to go, none being all that great of a choice. She was about to attack the Death Eater, who looked a bit like Bartemius Crouch Junior's arrest photo, head on when the man collapsed onto the ground, a spray of blood blooming from the man's chest. "You owe me one, Coneja." Dora sighed in relief. "I'll get you some good tequila and beers, Kuku." She heard a groan over the comms. "I knew I shouldn't have left you alone with Tezca." Dora laughed. "Bad idea indeed. O2 to OPs, Priority 2 is down. BCJR is down too." She heard Croaker grumble. "Trust me, we noticed after the ear piercing screech filled the comms channel. That adjustment for background sound reduction can't come soon enough." Dora eyed the barrier of black flames. "What is O1's status?" Quetz spoke up. "Her ear comm is off for obvious reasons. I can see her giving cara de serpiente one hell of a workout though. You should help Horatio clean up the stragglers as she is probably going to be exhausted." Croaker added to Quetz' suggestion. "Alive, preferably. Some of these people have been working with other Black Magic Market dealers. Any intel we can get that cuts into the illegal smuggling activities is worth it." Dora eyed the remaining Death Eaters who were desperately trying to destroy the wards. Too bad the bastards were dealing with three overlapping deployable wards. Even Hazel worked up a sweat trying to break through those conventionally.

Several hundreds of meters away, wearing her own Operations tactical suit as she rested high up on a hill overlooking the Graveyard and the Riddle Manor, Quetz laid in waiting. She adjusted the magnification of the scope on her sniper rifle as she surveyed the scene in front of her. She smiled a little as Dora took out another Death Eater safely, this one having tried to be sneaky and keeping close to the ground. She switched to the second scope on her rifle, getting a thermal read on the battlefield and noticed a few sneakier Death Eaters trying to dismantle her wards. Taking a moment to check the wind and the angle of descent, Quetz adjusted the position of her reticle to compensate, before she pulled the trigger. While she could hear a faint pop and feel the reduced recoil of the firearm, even as it rested on a bipod, no one else heard a thing. Well, they certainly heard the Disillusioned Death Eater screaming in agony as she blasted his knee into dust. She took a breath and exhaled as she aimed at the other pest as they went for cover, giving herself a good enough lead before pulling the trigger. The woman, based on her figure, dropped to the ground, screaming in agony, as her hip bones took severe damage. Quetz panicked for a second when a screeching noise caught her attention. She spotted someone apparently getting the drop on Horatio, before she shot them right in the head.

Quetz sighed, happy she didn't need to give Hazel any bad news about the Battlemaster before looking at the white bird perched up on the bush beside her, its eyes looking at her as it shrilled softly. "Thanks for the warning, Nova. Next time though… a little softer on the noise. You almost gave me a heart attack." The bird nodded and took to the skies, circling over the graveyard silently. Horatio took a moment to look up and spotted the bird while he hid behind some cover. He nodded at it in a gratitude after catching Quetz' comment over the comms, before eyeing the area around him. He watched as another Death Eater, Malfoy by his platinum blonde hair, was dropped by Tonks as she moved closer towards his own position, but keeping herself right out of his own field of fire. Taking a calming breath, Horatio rushed forward and rammed his shoulder straight into a Disillusioned Death Eater's chest, before the unsuspecting victim was smashed into a gravestone. Using his Ebony Wand, Horatio fired a stunner at the man's chest, before binding him to the stone with conjured ropes. He disillusioned himself as he swept around the edge of the wardline, catching a few more Death Eaters in the back before he spotted Tonks signaling him. "BM to Q1, confirm status on hostiles." About a minute later she responded. "All hostiles within the wardline neutralized, except for Priority 1." Horatio looked over at the battle raging on within the Hellfire Barrier. "Come on, Hazel. You can do it."

Said witch was walking calmly inside of the Hellfire Barrier, raising earthen barriers instantly after every Killing Curse sent her way. "Is this really the best you have, Voldemort? Killing Curses and Torture Curses? You are one sad excuse of a Dark Lord if this is all you can do!" Hazel's taunt hit a nerve as a large Basilisk made of crimson flames formed right before Hazel's face. Hazel's mouth broke into a grin as she held out her right hand. No one could ever force her to cast Fiendfyre with her Holly Wand ever again. Out of the black flames behind her manifested a large skeletal dragon, its wings open and spread, it's roar shaking her eardrums. She might have to give her coworkers an apology for any hearing damage. At least a ruptured eardrum was fixable with magic. The dragon conjured out of black flames charged forward and pinned the Basilisk down with its claws before it's flaming maws bit into it. Hazel watched as the Basilisk's flames turned black before the creature dissipated, leaving behind a stunned Voldemort. The man's face, pale and snake-like, turned into a furious scowl as he sent every known curse under the stars directly at her. Hazel smiled, even as she started to feel the drain from all her counter spells. Voldemort was certainly as strong as her Tom in sheer power. "That's better Tom. That's more Dark Lordy of you." The man growled. "Stop calling me that!" Hazel laughed. "Sure thing, Gaunt."

Hazel watched as the man fumed. "Who are you!? How do you know so much about me!?" Hazel smiled bitterly. "I know you, Tom, because I was made in your image. Cold, calculating and cruel. Though that last part I could never truly compare to you. In 1981 you set out to slay your vanquisher. Unfortunately for you, Harry Potter wasn't the only person born at the end of July." Hazel smirked softly as Voldemort seemed to pale further. She watched him wave his wand at the ground and instantly her hackles were raised as soon as he spoke Druidic. "Rise and serve me, vessels of bone, flesh and rot! Rise and cut down my enemies!" Hazel's voice deepened, her eyes turned silver, as she watched as corpses began to dig their way out of the ground. "You dare! Not only do you desecrate the living but the dead as well!" Unleashing a wave of magic around her to force Voldemort back, Hazel slammed her right hand onto the ground and connected the Resurrection Stone to the wild and untamed Necromantic Magic that filled the area. A deep and resonant voice filled the air. "Vessels of souls now departed, return to the stillness of your earthen grave, let not the arrogance of man disturb your slumber." Hazel dodged as a purple organ liquefying curse passed just above her, as the magic around her began to settle, the mounds of dirt resettling into solid earth as the Inferi were undone.

Voldemort looked around the graveyard, his gaze seeking his creations and finding none. "How? Necromancy is the height of Black Magic. How did you counter it?" Hazel chuckled to herself as she cracked her fingers on her offhand, her eyes slowly returning to green. "You forget who you are facing, Tom. I am a Peverell. We have faced Death since time immemorial. We know all the secrets and legends of the arts of Death Magic. In the end, Death reigns absolute. It is a thousand times easier to return the dead to their grave than to awaken them. But you wouldn't understand that, would you? How long has it been since you feared death? How long has it been since you had no other thought but to cheat your rightful fate?" Voldemort whipped his wand towards her. "Silence, I fear nothing!" Hazel grunted as she casted a dueling shield, feeling it buckle slightly under the power and ferocity of Voldemort's curse chains, one of which she was certain had a withering curse by the way it reacted with the ground as it was deflected. "Really? Then why did you spend so much time researching ways to cheat Death? Philosopher stones, accursed chalices and even Soul Magic? You are nothing more than a coward, Tom. So driven by your fear of death that you damaged the souls of others and your own to survive. Too bad for you your little trinkets won't save you now! So show me what you are capable of, Heir of the Gaunts, Defiler of Slytherin's Legacy and murder of children. Show me you are worthy of the title Dark Lord!"

The taunts had the expected effect as Tom screeched as he seemed to build up as much of his power before casting another curse. "Avada Kedavra!" Hazel raised her Holly Wand. "Stupefy." The two spells intersected and the familiar magics linked. The cage of golden light began to manifest around them both as Hazel held the connection, the familiar song of a phoenix drowning out all noise around her. She watched as the echoes of Bertha Jorkins and a man she never met before manifested around her. Two more echoes sprang from the wand and landed beside Hazel. She turned for a split second to look at the spirits. James Potter gave her a calculated look. "Sirius doesn't deserve your contempt." Hazel grinded her teeth. "Working on it, you narcissistic prick." The man nodded at her softly, not dignifying to respond to her jab, as the woman moved closer to her. Lily Potter smiled warmly at Hazel. "Take care of our son. He has let go of his past. Show him. Show him that he deserves his own future." Hazel nodded at her. "He will have his path to choose from. All I can do is be there when he needs me." Lily smiled at her. The spirits turned to their killer and launched themselves at Voldemort, blinding his vision. Hazel focused her magic and felt as a familiar piece of Elder Wood returned to her offhand, its essence screaming in absolute joy. The rapid-fire spell chain that left her wand didn't go unnoticed as Voldemort raised a wandless duelist shield but Hazel's spell chains almost always contained a shield shattering hex.

The Dark Lord fell to his knees quickly. Not wishing to tempt fate, Hazel dashed forward and pulled out a vial full of Draught of Living Death, before emptying it down the man's throat. She unceremoniously dropped him face first onto the ground and bound his hands and legs from behind with suppression cuffs. Taking her first real breath since casting the Hellfire Barrier, Hazel took her ear comm out of her watch and slipped it on as she dispelled the barrier. "O1 here. Priority 1 bound and dosed. Status report." She heard a sigh of relief. "O2 and BM here. All DEs have been neutralized. We have a few of the big shots alive, bound and dozed. We are good to go." Another voice chimed in. "Q1 here. No other hostiles in the vicinity and the wards kept the action from being spotted by the locals. Statute is secure." Croaker joined in on the conversation. "Great work everyone. Q1, secure your wardstones. BM, O1 and O2, secure the prisoners for extraction. We have the arrival point safely guarded by our Unspeakables, while our Healers will stabilize the prisoners before they are sent to the containment cells or to St. Mungos for more intensive care. Start sending your prisoners in before returning safely home." Hazel levitated Voldemort before dropping him next to the growing pile of stunned Death Eaters next to Horatio. She watched as Dora took off her Unspeakable mask and smiled at her. "Mission Accomplished?" Hazel watched as Quetz walked up to them, two deployable wardstones in her hands, one strapped around her chest and resting on her waist and a sniper rifle strapped to her back. Hazel released a breath and smiled as Nova landed on her shoulder. "Mission Accomplished everyone. Let's go home."

As soon as they appeared at the arrival point, Hazel pulled Quetz into a hug. "Thanks for coming out, Q. I am sure you had other things to do but having you there watching our backs was the best thing we could have hoped for." Dora pulled her into a hug too after Hazel released her. "Same here, Kuku. Loved having you out there." Quetz blushed before turning to Horatio. "You too, jefe?" Horatio shook his head but he smiled and held out his hand. "No hugs from me, Quetz. But you have my thanks for the support you provided. I'd probably look a lot more like Mad-Eye if you weren't around." Quetz shook his hand and pulled Horatio into a hug. The man froze before turning to Hazel and Dora. "Not… one… word." Both of them shook their heads as he managed to get out of the hug. "I'll go see Saul and give him my after-action report. You three have the night off and can give your reports in the morning. I'll do the rounds and see how many Death Eaters are being placed in the morgue." The ladies watched Horatio leave and Quetz turned to Hazel and Dora as soon as he was off the platform. "I got jefe to crack! Yes!" Quetz gave a high five to Dora before picking up the wardstone she placed down on the ground on arrival. "Well, muchachas, I have a lot of equipment to store and an evaluation to write on this enchanted rifle. See you two soon and thanks for the invite!"

Dora watched Quetz leave. "Think she can join the team? It might be nice." Hazel shook her head. "Nah. Quetz doesn't do well with magic beyond enchantments. Though her skill as a sniper is good, sending her out in full on missions is asking for trouble. Besides, she likes the quiet life. Come on. Pretty sure we have your mother and two kids waiting for us." They walked slowly through the hallways, passing a few Unspeakables helping with security as they carried away the incapacitated Death Eaters, before making it to the Medical Wing. Two dark haired missiles tried and failed to tackle Hazel to the ground, but she took the hit happily. She hugged both of them back. "Evening boys. We are back." Harry looked up. "How did it go?" Hazel smiled. "Full success. Snake face is currently locked up, for now, as are a few of the remaining Death Eaters." Teddy nodded. "We saw a few getting levitated in here before being taken by the Unspeakables. Dromeda and Healer Johnson have been busy patching them up." Said former Black witch walked up to the group. "You two, get on the medical beds in the back of the room now. I want a full scan to make sure you are both good to be left to your own devices." Hazel ruffled the boys' hair as they reached the back and sat up on opposite beds. Andromeda checked Dora first. "Magical Exhaustion, signs of exposure to Mind Magics, none permanent, a few cuts and bruises and a flushing potion in your system."

Andromeda pulled out a jar and handed it to Dora. "Rub this on the cuts and bruises. It won't be as effective with the potion still in your system but it should stop an infection." Andromeda turned to Hazel and frowned. "Severe Magical Exhaustion, a few cuts and bruises, not to mention that nasty blood magic concoction you cooked up to weaken Voldemort if your blood was used in the ritual, but nothing else of concern. How are you even still up?" Hazel shrugged and Andromeda sighed. "What am I going to do with you? Based on past experiences, you will be out for a while so I suggest you get comfortable and lie down in your room. I will fill out Teddy's and Harry's papers so they can stay with you for the rest of the day. While I haven't heard much out of Hogwarts other than Dumbledore and Fudge having a bit of a falling out and Amelia showing everyone why she is the DMLE Director, the conclusion to the Tournament should officially be the day after tomorrow. Usual rule when dealing with a Tournament where people get hurt and everything." Hazel thought for a second. "Any word about the other Champions in St. Mungos?" Andromeda passed a similar jar of cream to Hazel as she had her daughter and a purging potion. "Cedric and Krum are both going to be out for the day too. The mental strain of the Maze's enchantments was too much, even with Krum's Occlumency but especially for Cedric's low training in Mind Magics. We also found traces of mental manipulations on Krum, which leads us to suspect that Karkaroff was ordered to sabotage his Champion for this Task. We will know more later."

Hazel nodded as she dropped to the floor, her legs a little wobbly. Dora came up behind her. "Come on, partner. Let's get home and go to bed." Teddy and Harry helped her along all the way to the apartment, where Leafsby popped in. "Leafsby knew. Mistress Peverell is tired. Mistress is to sleep and let Leafsby cook tomorrow." Hazel gave the elf a smile. "No arguments from me about tomorrow." Hazel turned to the boys. "Are you two ok spending the night here?" Teddy nodded and Harry seemed to have wanted to ask something of her but thought better of it. Hazel kissed them both on the head. "Well, you two get some sleep too. We can chat about more important things in the morning." Harry caught her meaning and nodded. "Night, Mom." Teddy kissed the still somewhat stunned Hazel on the cheek. "Night, Mom." Dora chuckled as Hazel shook her head. "Do you think he might want to make it official?" Hazel sighed as she stepped into her room, stripping her clothes off, before dropping face first onto the bed. "That… is a discussion for another day." Dora settled into Hazel's side and spooned her, her arm wrapped around Hazel's waist. "Another day then." For the first time in a week, both managed to sleep without interruptions, content in each other's arms and being back home safe and sound.

Chapter 49: A Different Life

OW January 1992

"Again." Hazel closed her eyes and tried to feel the magic inside of her again. It always took a lot of focus but eventually she could feel the magic building in her hand as she kept it pointed at a training dummy. As soon as she was sure she had enough built up, she spoke the incantation. "Stupefy." The dummy was launched back and fell onto its back. She watched Professor Quirrell wave his wand at it and nodded. "A successful stun. Not bad, Miss Potter." Hazel rubbed the sweat from her brow. "It takes so long to build up the magic for it, though." Quirrell gave her a smirk. "That it does. For now. You are still only an eleven year old girl, so your magic is still growing. There is a reason the first two years of wanded magic is so… repetitive and underwhelming. The goal is to develop the child's magic to be better capable of sustaining a spell and to grow a person's magic limits. Not everyone will have the capacity of the greater witches and wizards of all time, but we do get a decent level. After that, it's up to the caster to develop themselves further." Hazel frowned. "Then why can I do transfiguration so easily? Well, at least without a wand." That caught Quirrell's interest. "Show me."

Hazel looked around the Defence Classroom and spotted a broom. She took it into her hands and walked up to Quirrell before she closed her eyes and focused. She felt the material shifting underneath her hands, but she kept her mind focused on the image before she was sure she got everything right, even as drops of sweat ran down her face. She opened eyes and smiled as she held a sword in her hand, panting softly. Sure it was simple and without ornamentation, but the hilt was clearly made of leather, the guard was adequate and the blade looked straight. Quirrell took the blade into his hands and held it flat on his palm, shifting its position. "The weight is off center. The balance of weight needs to be where the blade meets the guard." He held it so that his eye could travel down the length. "A few bends." He ran his finger down the edge and winced as he pulled his finger away, a thin line of blood blooming on his skin. "Not razor sharp, but still capable of cutting." He handed Hazel the sword back before he ran his wand over the cut, sealing it. Hazel gulped. The man did it without using a single word. Did it work like her magic or was it different? She looked at her blade. "Guess I still have a lot of work to get this right. Still slow to make as well."

Quirrell smiled at her. "Miss Potter. That sword, made by an eleven year old, is outstanding. Have you held a real blade before?" Hazel shook her head. "The closest I have come would be my Aunt's knives." Quirrell eyed her carefully. "Explains the way the shape of the edge was like. Sword edges are a bit more nuanced than a knife, especially if you worked with a serrated blade." He took the sword again. "This, my dear, is what's known as Free Form Transfiguration. I can tell you where to look for the books but most will be using wanded casting instructions. I would suggest you also wait to build up your magic before you try it yourself on a grander scale. Of all the forms of Transfiguration magic, it is often considered the most rewarding, but also the most taxing, next to Conjuration, of course." Hazel pouted even as she nodded. "I suppose that's why McGonagall doesn't give me the full marks." Quirrell looked bothered by that. "That's a shame, as she should be giving you top marks for this type of work. Then again, she studied under Dumbledore and the man abhorred anyone skipping steps. Still, it seems the Potter Transfiguration trait lives on well inside of you." Hazel watched as he restored the sword back to a broom. She bit her lip. "Sir, I have heard others mention Family Magic and traits. What are they exactly? The books mention them too but they all assume the reader already knows."

The professor sat back on his desk and crossed his arms. "I am not surprised. Dumbledore would not keep the original books in the Library. Not after the war." Seeing Hazel's clueless expression, Quirrell sighed. "Family Magic is something all magical families possess, in one form or another. Or at least they should. No one knows exactly how they came to be. The more traditional of our people would say they are a gift from the gods, a reward of faith and purity of blood. The more progressives say they are nothing more than a genetic trait passed down the bloodlines, with no real independent factor to them." Quirrell had a distant and faraway look on his face. "An old friend once said he believed that Family Magic took shape by the accumulation of magic over centuries, potentially taking on defined functions and even some form of sentience. It fixates on certain bloodlines because these are the most suitable to sustain the magic and perhaps even grow it. Of all the explanations, this is the one I find most likely as I myself have seen how… sentient Family Magics can be, though the belief is not as widespread. In the end, Family Magics tend to secure the future of the family, granting talents to the descendants to keep them safe and alive, passed from parent to child and spouse to spouse, and in so doing, securing its own existence. Nothing likes to die, after all." Hazel thought for a second. "That doesn't sound bad. Why was the subject banned?" Quirrell scoffed. "Because the Dark Witches and Wizards that sided with Voldemort believed it was paramount that the Family Magics were to be preserved. They felt the influx of mud- muggleborns, and their lack of Family Magic was endangering their future with their blank slates."

Hazel cocked her head. "But if the muggleborns are blank slates, aren't they better suited to receive a Family Magic via a spouse? Wouldn't that be beneficial to sustaining a Family Magic, rather than mixing the Family Magics and losing them through overlap?" Quirrell chuckled. "A simple and accurate viewpoint. Muggleborns do in fact make the best recipients to Family Magics, but many have refused them. Though you are right about mixing the magics. Not all Family Magics can be mixed and this results in lines dying out or being replaced by another. The Magics are a relatively unknown factor to Muggleborns as well, but so many of them fear them or reject them upon marriage. This rejection, coupled with political, religious and ethical differences of opinion have made the subject… unteachable by the more progressive members of society." Hazel rubbed her arm, thinking about her Cloak. Was that what she felt tying it to her? Family Magic? If it was, then there was nothing wrong with it. It felt right. It made her feel like she belonged to something. So far, only the Professor and the Cloak made her feel that way. "So my ability to use Transfiguration is a trait of the Potter Family Magic?" Quirrell shrugged his shoulders. "Hard to say. No family would ever share the full extent of their Family's Magic gift. All that is known is that certain families have certain traits, but even then they are considered the less impressive feats of Family Magic. There is so much more to them than perhaps anyone can ever conceive of understanding."

Quirrell saw the time on the clock. "We will call this session here. If you're interested, keep practicing transfiguration on a smaller scale. Work on improving your detail. Get more intricate if you get bored. Right now, your magic needs to be unlocked by hard work. Do that for the next few weeks, in between sessions, and you might find casting to become much easier." Hazel rubbed her pocket and Quirrell noticed it. "When you have a chance, check with Ollivander. It's rare for a wand to refuse to work for their owner. He may have a better explanation as to why it's not working as it should. Also, buy yourself a wand holster or at least save up for it. It's worth it." Hazel nodded and picked up her bookbag. "Have a goodnight, Professor. And thank you for the history lesson. Much better than listening to Binns." The man chuckled. "Believe me, I fell asleep in his class too. Have a good evening, Miss Potter and know that you are doing well. Asking questions and working hard are the signs of an inquisitive mind, not an underachiever. No matter what happens, make sure you never forget that." Hazel left the Classroom and instantly pulled the Cloak on top of her. She owned it for almost a month now and there were days when she didn't feel like taking it off. Was that the Family Magic at work, telling her something? Quirrell said it was sentient enough to preserve its descendants. Was the Castle dangerous enough that the Family Magic was keeping her safe from it? She didn't know but she knew one thing. This was so far the only good thing about being born a Potter.

OW November 1995

Hazel opened her eyes and knew she was back in her dreamscape. She could also guess Voldemort was in here, somewhere. She swung her legs over the edge of her futon sofa and stretched out her arms. "You know this is a mental landscape, right? That body is nothing more than an illusion." Hazel sighed as she pulled her braided hair over her shoulder. "Hello to you too, Tom." Voldemort, looking over the books in her book shelves, growled softly. "Stop… calling me that." Hazel cocked her head. "Your teen self never complained while I called him by his name when we were both in the Diary." Voldemort closed the book and looked to the ceiling of the Chamber, his lips moving silently. "I was a different person then." Hazel stared at the man. "Really? Because from where I am sitting, you are very much the same. Arrogant, cocksure and ambitious. Cunning too. Did the Hat take even a second to sort you?" Voldemort turned towards her, raising an eyebrow. "Oddly enough, it did take Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff into consideration. My ambition, however, superseded all other aspects." Hazel hummed as she watched Tom place the book back before opening and skimming another one. "No Gryffindor trait? Though I suppose your three out of four houses to choose from is better than my big, fat zero."

Voldemort turned to her. "I remember you saying that. I still say you might have been better off in Hufflepuff." Hazel chuckled bitterly. "Right. As if all the houses don't have it out for me. And while I know you aren't directly responsible for the Prophet's slander campaign, I also know you aren't doing anything about it." Voldemort replaced the book and took out another one. "True, but it has driven Dumbledore away from his more political positions. You can appreciate why I wouldn't stop them." Hazel sighed as she sat on her usual seat by the edge of one of the many alcoves as a fire sprang up inside of it, improving Hazel's comfort. "At least they were half right about the breakout last night. Or was it a third correct?" Voldemort frowned as he watched the fire burning in his family's chamber. "A third seems right. Black was with me when we broke my people out." He turned to Hazel. "You also have a terrible memory. All the books are either empty or an indecipherable mess." Hazel turned to him and shrugged. "And I suppose your memory is eidetic?" Voldemort approached her and smiled. "Very much so, as I told you once before. Here, let me show you." Before Hazel could stop him, Voldemort gripped her shirt and slammed his head into hers. While there was no pain, Hazel whimpered as she was dragged into a memory as seen through Tom's eyes.

"Please… don't… I can pay you!" Hazel felt a grin spread across her face, though she knew it wasn't really her. "I am afraid it's too late for that, Lady McKinnon. You and your daughters picked your side. Crucio." Hazel watched as the woman writhed in agony under the effects of the curse, tears tracing paths across her cheeks. She watched as more people were brought into the exquisitely decorated house, one of the women familiar to Hazel. The curse on the Lady was lifted and Hazel went to the other young women in the room before turning back to look at the older woman, her body still prone on the floor, convulsing. "Now there is only one thing left to do. We have to make an example. A warning to the others who would dare rise up against us. Rodolphus, I hear you had a crush on this young woman at Hogwarts but she rejected you. Why don't you show her the price of her decision." Hazel closed her eyes, knowing exactly what the bastard would do to her. Mad-Eye was a distant relative of theirs and Hazel's and he made sure he learned what the bastards did to his family. He planned to pay back Lestrange in kind. Rather than letting herself experience this particular vision, Hazel instead dug up her own memory from two years prior and did something she hadn't done since. She allowed herself to relive the memory in full.

Her body started convulsing violently even as she refused to scream in agony. She did hear a scream and felt as Voldemort pulled himself back and away from her, his metaphysical body shuddering under the effects of the curse. Hazel lunged at him and pinned him to the ground. "We could have been civil, you know. We could have spent our time here just like in first year and in the Diary. But you can't leave things well enough alone, can you? Did it cross your organized mind that the McKinnon were my family too? Did it?" Hazel didn't give him a chance to respond as she pressed her head into his and dredged up the memory again. She held him under its effects for as long as she could before the memory itself drained her of her own strength. Voldemort pushed her off of him and scrambled back as Hazel glared at the man. "You… can't be happy with your meager accomplishments. You brought a country to its knees. You broke out your people from a practically inaccessible prison. You mastered magic no one else can, but it's not enough. You need to be in charge, you need to feel power over others. Newsflash, Tom. I AM NOT A GOD DAMNED PUNCHING BAG TO PLEASE YOUR EGO!" Hazel watched as the man flinched on the floor, his appearance shifting.

Feeling her own mind trying to wake up, Hazel released a breath. "I don't know what it is that binds us together, Tom, but I can tell you this. I won't be letting you use me in my own head." Tom stood up, a trail of blood running down from his lip. "I will keep trying, you know. You will see what I have seen. You will understand exactly why I am the Dark Lord everyone fears. You are powerful, my dear. You will either serve me or be broken by me. There is no inbetween." A tear slipped from Hazel's eye. "So my second year meant nothing to you?" Hazel watched as the man winced. "I…" Hazel approached him slowly, her hand arching with red sparks of magic. "You and I understood each other. I trusted you and deep down… you trusted me. Hell, your end game plans were insane and weren't all that appealing to me but you never once considered hurting me, Tom!" She watched as Voldemort's own image seemed to flicker, shifting into that of the boy who was closer to her in age before it reset back to his true form. Voldemort seemed to take a deep breath before his eyes opened again, showing clear blue eyes. "It seems… I have some thinking to do. You can enjoy your peace of mind, Hazel. For now." The man vanished and Hazel awoke inside the Chamber in the real world. Her body started convulsing again in pain as reliving the effects of the Cruciatus Curse tended to do. She did her best to not bite her own tongue as she waited for the feeling to pass. She hoped Tom was suffering the same. He deserved it for what he tried to show her. Too bad she was certain this wouldn't be his last attempt.

OW May 1st 1997

Hazel dragged Tamlane by the arm through the Forbidden Forest on their latest date. While they had only three dates to Hogsmeade so far, they managed to spend several weekends alone together. The young Heir had been surprisingly sweet on Valentine's Day. He sent her messages and gifts through the elves, with Hazel waking up to Dobby screening a dozen roses for spells or potions, finding none. The young man had waited for her outside near the Thestral Carriages and the two spent a quiet day just chatting away. He was even courteous enough not to ask her for a kiss though she did kiss him back quite thoroughly for the moment of peace and quiet in a dreadful year. Dumbledore seemed to grow more distant from her, no longer seeming to care about her beyond using her to defeat Voldemort. Hazel was sure he had a hand in Ron's exceedingly awkward attempts to court her, something that seemed to amuse Tamlane as much as make him a bit territorial about who spent time with her. One time that Ron had tried to manhandle her in the hallways ended with the boy getting launched into a wall. Hazel had actually cast first but Tamlane's own banishing spell compounded the issue. Both of them had received detention for sending Ron to the Hospital Wing, but Hazel couldn't really care about any of that. Tamlane tried to take the blame but Hazel silenced him. He objected afterwards until Hazel dragged him into a broom closet and thanked him personally.

Tamlane was ambitious, hoping to improve the Ministry by entering the Wizengamot and building up a coalition to end the conflict between the Light and Dark families. While he said he wasn't overly fond of the Death Eaters' methods, he couldn't argue that force was sometimes needed, especially in societies where the prejudices were so heavily institutionalized in the laws themselves. Hazel had conceded the point, though her disregard for politics, or any socialicing for that matter, didn't appeal to him. At least not all the time. It was days like today when Hazel was sure that she was talking with the real Tamlane. They were seated out in a clearing of the Forbidden Forest under heavy wards as they dug into a premade lunch, a blanket keeping the smaller critters away. Tamlane bit into his sandwich and blinked. "What's in this?" Hazel thought for a second. "Roasted pork, beef, and chicken slices with sauteed onions and peppers, shredded lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and a touch of mayo. Why? Not to your taste?" Tamlane shook his head. "It's good. I was just surprised you commissioned such a complicated sandwich." Hazel shrugged. "I thought you were probably used to some more plain sandwiches, like the ones at Slughorn's parties. I wanted this to be a special meal, not another one in a thousand for you."

The soft smile on Tamlane's face made Hazel's cheeks feel flushed. "Thank you. And your elves for this. It's really good." Hazel blinked at him for a second. "I did all the work on the food myself, you know?" Tamlane froze just before he could take another bite. "Wait, wait. This was made by you entirely?" Hazel blushed fully. "Well, I didn't have someone grow the ingredients in a farm, though the idea is cool, but I did all the food preparation. My elves were quite annoyed with me until I agreed to let them cook for me for the next month." Tamlane shook his head. "How is it you are only an Acceptable student? You clearly work hard enough to be Exceeds if you put as much effort into cooking as anything else." Hazel finished her own bite of food and answered as he ate. "Well, the classes I have aren't that difficult but after my OWLs came back with mostly Acceptables, I just… stopped caring. I tried my best in Charms, Transfiguration and Defence and managed to score Exceeds on Charms and Defence, but Transfiguration…" Hazel sighed. "I know I can do Transfiguration well. Or more exactly Conjuration. It's fun and I get to try new things all the time. But the OWLs and McGonagall all wanted me to use the pre-written spells. I can do it all without the incantation, without the wand movements and without the particular spell. I get my best results in Freeform Transfiguration. So why should I care about casting any other way?"

Tamlane sighed. "I get your point but I don't think the school works that way. They need to have a way of measuring your success and failure. With the established spells, they know what they can expect and how to measure success. If you constantly disregard those means of grading, they can't do anything about it." Hazel finished her meal and looked towards the castle. "I think… I think people have forgotten what magic was about." Tamlane drank from his cup of tea. "In what way?" Hazel gestured to the Castle. "They treat magic and education as a system. Sure, you get results but the magic becomes stagnant. When was the last time anyone created a new spell that wasn't about something as simple as harming another person or just solving some small problem, rather than letting the magic itself guide you? When was the last time people tried to feel their way through magic instead of making it a tool? Sure, OWLs and NEWTs test people's education but do they really demonstrate a fundamental understanding of magic? I bet you if we asked people in the castle how magic feels to them, all they can describe is the effect of when they cast. Magic is more than action though. It's passive inside all of us. It's bloody alive. I can feel it shifting and coiling inside of me, building up when I just relax or get angry. Yet all they care about is what they can use it for."

Hazel finished her own cup of tea and served another to Tamlane and herself. "I just… get so mad that I can understand magic, maybe better than the professors do, but I somehow am wrong because the method I use isn't the established method. Sure, I can conjure a wolf that behaves as realistic as I possibly can and make it last for hours, if not days, on its own power without wards, but that isn't good enough because I didn't use the spell they wanted me to use, because I didn't wave my wand in a certain way or, hell, because I refused to use my wand at all." Hazel sighed. "Sorry I went on a rant." Tamlane gave her a soft smile. "I can see how frustrating that can be. I imagine that other systems and teachers would applaud your accomplishments but here… here we are too set in our ways." Hazel stared at the Castle. "I have thought about leaving Britain, you know." Tamlane froze. "Why?" Hazel turned to him. "You have seen the Prophet. You know what your fellow housemates are up to. I am tired, Tom. I am tired of seeing everything and everyone tearing each other apart. Worst of all, I am tired of being asked to be the one to fix everything. No one ever asked me to be a part of this war, they just assumed I would be. I would rather be done with this. I want to just be myself." Tamlane's hand reached out to Hazel's. "Stay." Hazel turned to him and looked him in the eyes.

She took his cup and placed it in the basket before straddling the young man. She saw his eyes darken and focus on her lips. "I would need a reason to stay. A good reason." Tamlane ran his hands under her outer robes and against her shirt. "I want you to stay." Hazel searched his blue eyes and leaned forward and captured his lips with hers. Hazel decided to not worry about anything. Not the war, not Dumbledore, not about the Horcruxes, nothing but herself in this very moment. Right now it was all about her needs. Hazel and Tamlane disrobed each other quickly, leaving their unbuttoned shirts on. Both struggled a bit with their pants but eventually there was nothing separating them but air. Then there was nothing separating them at all. Hazel barely felt the pain. All she knew was that she was burning with need. She bucked on top of Tamlane who groaned, his hands exploring her body before gripping her back. She felt his warmth inside of her and she revelled in the feeling. Soon enough all thoughts were being washed away. All that mattered was feeling better, wanting that warmth to last. When the moment came, she gripped Tamlane tightly.

Hazel saw his smug face and got a bit annoyed. Pressing him into the ground, she sought another release, one he seemed eager to provide. As she kissed him deeply, she suddenly could feel his magic just as she could her own. Out of curiosity, she tugged on it and felt Tamlane shudder. She grinned into the kiss and proceeded to pull and release his magic repeatedly. "Haze… stop that." Hazel breathed deeply as her lower body kept moving. "Why, Tom? Doesn't it feel great?" Tamlaine glared. "You are draining me of my magic." Hazel bit his lip and heard him groan. "Good. Because you seem to have gotten a bit cocky back there." Hazel took his mouth again and proceeded to drain and refill him again and again until he seemed to lose control and increased his pace. Both gripped each other tightly as Hazel's vision blurred before they slipped onto the blanket in a tangle of limbs and cloth. Tamlane breathed deeply. "Don't … do that again." Hazel chuckled. "Sorry Tom, can't hear you. Because I am pretty sure you enjoyed it as much as I did." Tamlane glared at her. "Haze." His protests were silenced as she kissed him again, without draining him this time. Still, Hazel knew better than to listen to him. She knew why she did what she did. It was selfish and stupid but right at this moment she didn't care. She felt better now than she had for almost a whole year. That alone was what made it all worth it. At least for now.

OW June 30th 1997

Dumbledore managed the apparition from Hogsmeade to the Astronomy Tower just barely as Hazel held him up, a certain locket hanging from her neck just beneath her shirt. "Come on, you paranoid bastard. Let's get you back to your office." Dumbledore seemed to be too tired to dispute her comment. "Summon… Severus." Hazel rolled her eyes. "Right. As if he wasn't the one who designed that potion that Tom left in his Family's Shack in the first place." Dumbledore actually managed to glare at her. "Just call him." Hazel shrugged her shoulders. "Your funeral." She drew her wand and casted a Patronus as they moved their way closer to Dumbledore's office. The spell seemed to shudder, the form becoming less defined for a second before Whiskers appeared, making Hazel close her eyes to avoid feeling the pain the image brought to her. "Snape, your Phoenix Puppet Master is calling for you. Make your way to his office." Dumbledore sighed as the cat vanished. "You could have been more civil with that message." Hazel turned to Dumbledore. "Right, I could have called you a goat and him Snivellus. I was in no way restraining myself at all when I sent that message." Dumbledore closed his eyes. Hazel hoped he was cursing in his head. After he confronted her after the battle in the Department of Mysteries, she had lost any respect for the man.

Hazel had been too emotionally distraught by Bella's death to care about a silly prophecy that day. Voldemort, who had arrived as soon as Sirius Black was dead, had moved around Hazel carefully, showing a rare bit of concern. Whether it was for her or for himself, she really didn't care at that moment. He asked her for the Prophecy and she agreed to give it to him. The moment she pulled the orb from her pocket, she felt her fingers bleed. Numbed to pain by that point, it didn't bother her but her grip on the now slick and cracked glass orb slipped and it smashed into the ground. An eerie voice that sounded like the few times she heard Trelawney speak when Hazel wasn't napping filled the immediate air. "The one that can challenge the Dark Lord approaches. Born as the seventh month ends to those who have defied him three times, the Dark Lord shall seek them and make them his equal. Bound together in life by magic most old, neither will be capable of dying while the other lives. Only Death will judge who is worthy to live and whose time is at an end." Hazel had barely caught the prophecy as Voldemort seemed to go through several emotions. Relief was clear enough to see, an odd emotion that came soon after confused her but his untethered laughter at the end she knew all too well. Dumbledore had arrived at that time and tried his best to defeat Voldemort but he failed to so much as dampen the Dark Lord's jovial mood.

When Dumbledore portkeyed her away to his office, she had been grateful for the silence the place provided. Her gratitude ended when he gripped her arms violently as soon as he arrived that evening. "You foolish girl. Do you realise what you have done? Voldemort knows he is invulnerable now. He will wreak havoc on our world and tear us all apart. You have given him the means to take over Britain without a care in the world. Everything we spent years to prevent, undone in a second. Your Godmother didn't risk her life for you to destroy everything she sought to protect!" Dumbledore's words dug right through to her heart. Only it wasn't regret or guilt that his words elicited. It was rage. Pure, unbridled rage that was now as familiar to Hazel as pain. Dumbledore got launched back to his desk, his breath knocked out of him completely as Hazel rose from her seat. Hazel summoned his wand into her hands the moment he drew it and snapped it. Neither of them noticed a flash of magic from the wand, a trail of magic that lingered on her skin for a second before it sank within, the magic racing through her veins. Her hands went straight for his throat. "You arrogant bastard. She didn't die for you! She died because of me. She risked her life to save me!" The walls of the Castle began to shake violently, the portraits of the Headmaster too terrified of their destruction to care about how she addressed the man. "She's gone. My… my mother…" Tears filled her eyes, the bright red coloration shifting back to green as tears ran down her cheeks. "My… mother… is gone. Because of me."

She had completely blocked the memory of her apparating straight through the wards soon after, landing inside of Grimmauld Place and searching everywhere for Bella, screaming at the top of her lungs for her, praying that the past few minutes were nothing more than a dream. She collapsed soon after that, her heart broken. Days later she would remember the prophecy and laugh herself silly, even as she cursed Dumbledore's interference. She knew Voldemort only got to the part of her being born. He never heard the warning of being incapable of killing her or about making her his equal. The prophecy could have manifested in so many different ways if the message had never been manipulated or intercepted. She had tried to see if Voldemort would bother showing up in her head and talk to her but he never did. She had a full year of mental peace and quiet and she was grateful for that. Still didn't stop Dumbledore from scheming or getting himself cursed soon after, trying to discover what she now knew were Voldemort's Horcruxes. The man, being the overachiever and paranoid prick he was, made three, all tied to his family. His Diary from Hogwarts, His Grandfather's Ring and his Mother's Locket. The Diary was burned, the Ring had been cleansed by Dumbledore and now they had a locket to destroy. Too bad her flames didn't work on it or she would kill Voldemort outright the moment he tried anything against her again.

She kicked the door to Dumbledore's office open and released the old man as soon as her vision was filled with a familiar green light. Said light struck Dumbledore in the chest, launching him back out the door and onto the ground, his body perfectly still. "That… is the single most cathartic thing… I have ever done." Hazel looked up from her position on the floor and stared at Tamlane. "Did you think about whether you could hit me or not, asshole?!" Tamlane looked at her and smiled. "Of course I did. But hitting you wouldn't have been a problem. After all, I can't kill you anymore than you can kill me, Haze." Hazel felt her eye twitch. "That's not the bloody point, Tom! You almost hit me with a Killing Curse again!" Tom blinked a few times, his eyes widening. "You knew?" Hazel rolled her eyes. "Of course I knew! You were left perfectly alone by the Slytherins, had the children of Death Eaters at your beck and call and spent all of your time negotiating with the rest, while you never bothered to visit me in my head again. I am ill tempered and somewhat suicidal, not a bloody moron." Tom blinked a few times before he sighed. Hazel heard a few shouts coming from the empty door. "Oh, looks like my Advanced Guard is near." Hazel turned back to him and he smiled at her. "While adjusting this body was a lot more complicated than anticipated, I think I can call this infiltration a success. Though that Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Hidden Things was a lot more damaged than I had initially thought. Still, it did its job getting my followers here."

Hazel felt her heart shift inside of her. "Tom, why are you here?" The young man, or old man in a young body, smiled at her. "For a lot of things, obviously. Dumbledore is dead, my Death Eaters are storming the Castle from the inside and I got the chance to retrieve you." Hazel felt her heart shift again. "And what do you want with me? I told you I wanted to leave. I already planned to skip out next year." Tom shook his head. "Oh no, Haze. You don't have to do that anymore." He approached her and held out his hand. "I told you to stay. You won't be needing to bother with fighting this war. Just take my hand and I will take you home. Then, when I am done conquering this nation, you will marry me. Think about it Haze, you will be my queen. The mother of my heirs. My equal. Isn't that absolutely perfect?" Hazel's heart cracked. "You were dating me to get your Peverell Lordship back, weren't you?" Tom nodded. "Of course, my soon to be Lady Peverell. It is rightfully mine, after all." Hazel looked at his hand before lowering her eyes to the ground. Tears impacted the stone floor as Hazel's fingernails scraped the ground. She heard the truth in his words. The meaning behind them. He hadn't changed. Six months of dates, two months of passionate lovemaking and heartfelt and honest conversations and he was still the same. She knew what she was getting into when she allowed herself to date him. It didn't mean it would hurt her any less.

Ignoring Tom's outstretched hand, Hazel stood up and clenched her fist. "You never learn, do you Tom. I thought you had finally learned something. I thought six months by my side was enough for you to understand what kind of person I am. It seems I was wrong. You haven't changed one bit." Tom frowned. "About what?" Hazel raised her eyes, Tom taking a step back as they became as red as his. "You still have to ask? That's the point! You have known me for years and you still don't get it! Everything you claim to do and offer to me, you never once think to ask if it's what I want!" Tom glared at her. "I am offering you to be my Queen." Hazel growled as tears raced down her face, the entire office shaking again. "No, you are telling me. I am sick and tired of people telling me what to do!" Tom barely had a second to think as a wand snapped into Hazel's hand and a dark green spell raced towards him. He barely managed to dodge it as it pierced right through the chair he levitated in his path. "Haze-" his next words were lost as soon as a barrage of killing curses raced straight at him. While Tom knew he shouldn't be able to die due to the prophecy, he certainly wasn't interested in becoming a wraith again. Climbing down a hidden back exit to the Headmaster's Office, Hazel followed after the feeling bastard, before she caught sight of a certain Death Eater.

"Severus, Cast the Dark Mark over the Castle and make for the wardline. I will order the others to retreat." Snape frowned before his eyes focused on her. "You can't tell you are frightened over that brat!" Snape raised his wand at Hazel but Voldemort lowered it, even as he raised a barrier of stone from the ground. Again, Hazel's killing Curse pierced right through it, almost taking Severus down for good. Tom glared at Severus. "Don't be a fool. Feel the Magic in the air. She's pushing herself to the brink of full magical output. The Castle is shaking itself apart wherever she stands. Get out there, set the Mark and call for a retreat. We got what we came for. Go!" Severus scowled but nodded, barely dodging another curse. Tom casted a spell chain to try and immobilize Hazel, but a deep green barrier took shape around her and blocked them all. Hazel almost caught him with a piercing curse as he made for the nearest rampart and jumped off, using a featherweight spell to make his descent smoother. Hazel grinned maniacky when she heard him make a less than dignified noise when she apparated loudly just behind him on the ground, the Castle's wards recoiling around her. He did everything he could to slow her down or incapacitate her but Hazel was far too gone mentally to care for anything other than killing Tom. She watched as he grew more composed as the Death Eaters started vanishing just past the Castle's gates, with only Snape waiting for him.

Snape's attempt to slow her down ended with him being launched into a wall by an overpowered and wide range banisher, before Hazel's wand glowed green as she aimed it straight towards Tom. Tom sighed after he dodged the curse, before giving Hazel one last look before he stepped over the threshold and apparated away. Hazel was about to redirect her rage towards the recovering form of Snape and aimed her wand at him when someone managed to tackle her to the ground. "Get off! They all deserve to die!" Remus tried to pin her arms down. "Enough! He works for Dumbledore as a spy. He has orders that we need to trust." Hazel kneed Remus in the groin. "Albus is dead, you moron!" She pushed the Werewolf off of her before looking towards the gate. She growled as all the Death Eaters had vanished. She spun around and aimed her wand at Remus. "Argentum Lanceam." The Were practically howled in pain as she skewered him through his stomach with a conjured silver lance. "Do that again and I will forget that Dora loves you. Everyone of those bastards deserved to die, especially Snape." Hazel silenced him as she made her way back to the Castle, feeling exhaustion settling into her bones with a vengeance. Feeling too tired to reach Grimmauld and not wanting to bother the elves with her less than stellar mood, Hazel made her way up to the Room of Requirement and made it so only she could enter it for the night. She'd find that cabinet and destroy it later. Her back landed on a comfortable bed and Hazel stared at the ceiling, before she lifted her right hand up.

The ring Dumbledore did his best to keep hidden from her sat comfortably on her finger. It had at one point been Tom's Horcrux, hidden in some nasty cave that Dumbledore stumbled his way through before the Withering Curse on the ring almost ended him. Why Dumbledore kept the ring on his person, she couldn't understand. Like the Wand and the Cloak, both seemed to call for her when she was near him, almost screaming at her to take them. The Wand had gone silent when she snapped it a year before and she never saw it again on Dumbledore's hand. The ring, though, kept calling to her ever since Dumbledore tried to teach her about Horcruxes. She had nicked the ring from his creepy dead hand while he bemoaned the death of what Hazel assumed was his sister after drinking from that basin in the basement built beneath the Gaunt Shack, which was inaccessible to anyone who wasn't a Parselmouth, hence why the bastard dragged her along and explained what the things were. Aberforth was quite clear about his brother's own guilt the few times she talked to him this last year after her Godmother's death, though he refused to give her any of his alcoholic drinks.

The fact that Dumbledore tried to guilt trip Hazel into drinking the potion first was hilarious to her. She had never once taken one of Snape's potions. She wasn't about to drink the one left behind by Tom as a defence mechanism for one of his soul pieces. She made it clear she could care less if he succeeded with the hunt for Horcruxes, as she was only there to see if he hadn't lied to her about them being real in the first place. That and she had been curious as to what the Gaunt property had looked like. Dumbledore had given her a disappointed look before he drank the potion to reach the locket. Hazel's other hand rubbed said locket on her chest, snapping out of her thoughts. She needed to figure out how to destroy the locket, as her Cursed Flames had failed spectacularly as soon as she had a chance to use them on the object. Somehow, she needed to make Tom mortal again. Maybe then she could finally end him and be left alone. Hazel turned over and sighed. Maybe the only way to end it all was for both of them to die, just the prophecy suggested. The thought, oddly enough, didn't bother her at all. She had no one left to live for anymore.

NW June 22nd 1995

The morning light touched Hazel's closed eyes and she stirred awake from her dreams. She rubbed her eyes as she thought about the man she had once known and, in some twisted way, came to care for. The Tom Riddle from her world was dangerous in so many ways, yet he was blind in other respects. Being raised in an orphanage during the Great Depression and World War II did him no favors. He learned to lie, cheat and steal in order to survive. When none of those options worked, he turned to violence. Yet he never forgot to manipulate first and use force later. It was his calling card throughout his life. She had seen and read the letters in the Black Library from one Alphard Black about his time at school. As the outcast of the Black Family before Bellatrix, he had the unique point of view to see the sort of person Tom was without falling for his charms. Tom never bothered with him at all, as he was considered politically toxic. What Alphard reported about Tom was what Hazel encountered in the Diary. Bright, charismatic and thoughtful, but always focused on what he could gain. He revealed his gift as a Parselmouth sometime after the incident of the Chamber and allowed several of the prominent family Heirs to become his acquaintances. He listened to them and heard about the pureblood supremacist movement. As a Halfblood, he was probably disgusted by it but the man was a pragmatist. He used the resentment and the hate of the community to suit his aims.

Hazel had hoped that what she had seen in the Diary of Tom had been real. There was a yearning there for companionship. He wanted her because they were exactly the same. He had accidentally made her that way, just as much as Dumbledore did. Yet if there was one thing that Tom never learned to do, it was to allow others to make up their own minds. Everything had to happen his way. Everything had to be under his control. What he controlled he didn't fear and as much as he was attracted to her, he feared her just the same. That fear took a back seat when he heard the prophecy. Hearing that she couldn't kill him made him feel safe. He spent a year trying to pursue her in a different way. She had never been fooled about who Serpens was but she decided to go along with it. His attentiveness and thoughtfulness touched her and she allowed herself to feel something other than resentment. She was willing to go along with his plans, on one simple condition. That Tom would allow her to choose. That he would be willing to let her go. She gave him her body and enjoyed their time together, hoping his changing feelings for her would overwhelm his need for control. They never did. He still saw her only as a prize, never as a person. She was a means to an end, never the point. Hazel had been so disappointed with him. His failure to let her go also made it clear there was no hiding or escaping from him. He needed to die for her to be free.

Taking a deep breath, Hazel sent her magic down her legs before she swung them over the edge of the bed. She stretched her arms and the rest of her body, hearing bones popping into place all over. "That can't be healthy." Hazel turned around and smiled. "Morning, Nymphadora. I assure you, I am in the best of health. Your mother says as much too." Dora yawned and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Hazel bit her lip and returned to the bed until she straddled Dora. She gave her pink haired lover a deep kiss on the lips, one that Dora reciprocated eagerly. They came up for air and Dora hugged Hazel to her. "I love my mornings with you." Hazel rubbed her back. "As do I. So, how about we get up before the other two wake up? We can enjoy each other later, once we hear about what's going to happen with our prisoners from last night." Hazel shuddered for a second as Dora decided to tease her with her hips before releasing her. Once out of the bed, She felt Dora's eyes on her back. "Save that for later, Nymphadora. You go shower in your room and I will in mine." Dora pouted. "Killjoy." Hazel shook her head as she smiled. Washing away any of the grime for last night, she slipped into her usual black halter top but went with regular jeans before stepping out into the kitchen. "Leafsby."

The little elf popped in. "Mistress promised." Hazel knelt down to the elf, who always fidgeted when she did that. "A promise is a promise, Leafsby. You get to cooking breakfast for the four of us. Four small pancakes each, a plate of scrambled eggs, ham, the usual vegetables and two and a half servings of bacon. The half serving is to go with a mango for our Familiars. After that, could you change all the sheets in the apartments. I think we were all rather filthy last night and too tired to wash up. Our apologies for making your night and day so exciting." Leafsby shook her head. "Leafsby is happy to serve the Mistress and her family. Elves have been whispering all night. Many bad masters didn't come home." Hazel chuckled. "Well, with them gone, we can finally pass the Magical Being Welfare proposal. No more bad Masters for the House Elves." Leafsby smiled. "Leafsby be happy house elves will be happy. Leafsby be starting on breakfast for best Mistress ever." The elf darted and popped softly from one corner of the kitchen to the next as Dora walked out after taking a quick shower, using a towel to dry her hair. "No off switch yet?" Hazel shook her head, bemused. "Nope." She kissed Dora warmly again before checking on the boys. Not finding Teddy in his room, Hazel checked Harry's and stared.

There were two balls of fur curled up on the bed. One was Teddy with his distinct pitch black coat and the other she assumed was Harry. She moved closer, her feet silenced, and took a good look. The fur was a nice tan and the beginning of a mane was marked with red and black patches of hair. She found a space between the two and patted their heads until both of the animals woke up slowly. "Morning boys. Care to shift back? Or should I go out and buy some dog and cat food and serve them up on plates on the floor with a bowl of water?" The two shook themselves awake and shifted back, both dark haired boys rubbing their eyes and yawning. "Morning, Mom." Their response in unison made her smile. "Morning. Leafsby is almost done with breakfast and she will be cleaning the bedsheets soon so you two should shower. You can wear your normal clothes and change them back to your uniforms at school, if it's safe to send you back. So go and wash up." She watched the boys nod and step out of the room for their respective showers. She waited in Harry's room after leaving a change of clothes for him in the shower. As soon as he arrived, he seemed to fidget with his hands. Hazel patted the bed. "Come here and tell me what's on your mind."

Harry sat beside her on the bed, his expression an odd mix of guilt and comfort. "I saw my mother yesterday." Hazel froze a little. That would explain the guilty look he had. "In the Maze?" Harry nodded. "Yeah. She told me that she didn't die for me… to become a killer. For me to replace her… with you." Hazel had to restrain her arm from reaching out to him. "Harry, after last night, as far as I know, you will never have to kill again." Harry looked Hazel in the eyes. "And if I choose to kill again?" Hazel didn't turn away from him, even as she felt her heart breaking. "I would never wish that fate for you, Harry. But the choice is yours. And I will be there for you for as long as you want me to be. No matter what path you pick." Hazel stared at the boy until his face softened. He lunged at her and hugged her. "I know. I don't want to be a killer, Mom. But I am happy. I am happy that you won't leave me, no matter what I become." Hazel rubbed his back and pressed her cheek against his head. "I won't ever turn my back on you, Harry." She felt him take another deep breath. "I saw Lily again. The real her, I think. When they pried Voldemort off my head."

Hazel pulled back and searched Harry's eyes. "And?" Harry smiled at her. "She was happy for me. She was happy that I had you and Teddy in my life. That I was able… that I was able to move on." Hazel rubbed his hair. "As am I. I never set out to have another son, Harry. But I can't imagine you not being a part of our family anymore. If you want to keep calling me Mom, that is your choice. Regardless, I will make sure that you have the best life you can. Because you deserve to be happy." Harry hugged her back. "Thank you, Mom." Hazel kissed his hair. "Leafsby has got breakfast ready. Go before those two bottomless pits eat the crispy bacon." Harry pulled back and nodded. He kissed her on the cheek and walked out of the room, as Hazel took some calming breaths. Dora shared a look with her as Hazel sat down, but focused on breakfast. As Hazel watched her two boys happily chatting away, her heart finally managed to calm down. This right here made last night and the entire year worth it. Voldemort was defeated, the Marked Death Eaters were mostly obliterated and Harry and Teddy, along with all the students, were alive and well. She knew she and Dora would soon face the aftermath of what they did, but no matter what came in the following days, it was all worth it.

Chapter 50: Final Goodbye to an Old Friend

Amelia slowly made her way to the conference room next to the offices of the Minister for Magic and his staff, a large set of reports in her hand. While the report from the Graveyard was accurate, it omitted several details from the Department of Mysteries investigation. Alastor, Rufus and her had been called in by Croaker and Horatio late in the evening to go over the events at the graveyard. As Horatio was present for the incident, the debriefing of both Operatives weren't necessary. They had all smiled when they heard that the operation went off without a hitch. All Marked Death Eaters out of Azkaban who hid behind the Imperius defence arrived at the graveyard and were either killed in the skirmish or captured. The only ones not at the site were Karkaroff, who was being interrogated by the ICW's Observers and Aurors, and Severus Snape. The Potions Master's motives and loyalties were still in need of clarification. Susan, Harry and all the students noticed a change in the man's behaviour after the arrest of Marcus Flint. He had stopped being as antagonistic to Harry and was less involved in the deduction of points for worthless reasons. He still gave his house preferential treatment, but if his students broke the rules and he caught them doing it, they were given detentions as well, all handled by other professors. This change had thrown doubt as to what had been the man's motivations, something they would be looking into. While not a great priority mission, no one wanted to hear about the man getting found in the Forbidden Forest as a corpse because he pissed off a certain witch.

Rufus looked to Amelia as they neared the desk of the Minister's Secretary. "This is going to take a lot to sort through. The Wizengamot is going to be in an uproar." Amelia sighed. "They will be but we have reached out to the more agreeable members. They should be helping out with informing the seated gentry and keeping things from becoming chaos incarnate." Rufus chuckled. "You mean they will try and keep it just a little less chaotic." Amelia gave him a soft smile. "Whatever we can do. How were the students?" Rufus' partial smile thinned out. "Not overly concerned, thankfully. The lockdown bothered them, as well as Dumbledore's orders for a stop to all mail. After you sent word about his summons to the Ministry and the Board grew frustrated, the man finally lifted the restrictions. The students are nervous about what happened but not overly concerned for their safety." Amelia sighed in relief. "Good. We will send Hazel to give them all the official statements of what happened last night. We don't want Dumbledore to spin the story his way unnecessarily. Her presence has been a source of safety over the last year. She can help calm them down." Rufus nodded. "Agreed. Was there any issue with the prisoners?" Amelia shook her head. "Most of those who took a lethal hit went down quickly, which was to be expected. As Hazel kept Voldemort's attention on her, the rest were able to handle the Death Eaters. Many of them were too old or too out of practice to pose a viable threat, especially after the World Cup." The two stopped as an obnoxious voice filled the air. "Hem, hem."

Both turned to the sight of Dolores Umbridge, wearing her usual pink attire. "The Minister is expecting you." Amelia did her best not to narrow her eyes. "We are also here to debrief the Chief Warlock." Dolores sickly sweet smile turned into a frown. "Dumbledore is inside as well. We are ready to hear about what happened last night." Amelia raised an eyebrow. "I am afraid there is no "we" here, Dolores. The incident has been classified to its highest degree. You do not have clearance." Which was a partial lie. There were two other classified categories that were higher still. DMLE and DoM primaries only and the highest one being ICW and DoM only, but she wasn't going to tell that to the toad of a woman. There were things no one should know about in the world and Amelia was happy not to know about the things that kept Croaker up at night. Umbridge seemed to restrain an eye twitch but Amelia and Rufus opened the door, with Rufus shutting it in Umbridge's face, before he sealed it. A quick sweep for eavesdropping charms and animagi only revealed a few of the former, which were promptly dispelled. Amelia sat down as Rufus went to hand the reports to Fudge and Dumbledore. "Those are preliminary reports. Once we have the case closed, you will be provided with the final copy. We will be requesting you don't share the contents of what you read and that the reports are returned to us in full before you leave the room."

Fudge frowned. "Is all this secrecy really necessary?" Amelia decided to be upfront. "As it concerns the resurrection and the imprisonment of one Lord Voldemort, I believe it does." The Minister paled as Dumbledore looked a little smug, though still worried. The Minister swallowed noticeably. "Are you certain it's him?" Amelia shared a look with Rufus and looked back at the Minister. "We are. His wand, which was retrieved from a safehouse Peter Pettigrew hid in by Barty Crouch Junior, who died at the scene, matches the one sold to him by Ollivander and registered at the Ministry. He also successfully summoned over a dozen Marked Death Eaters, a large part of whom were arrested at the scene, while the rest died resisting arrest. All those not needing medical attention have been placed within DoM holding cells, in order to guarantee their imprisonment before they are properly interviewed and interrogated, all adhering to ICW standards." Dumbledore frowned. "While it pleases me that you refrained from having them all killed as what happened at the World Cup, are we certain imprisoning them is proper? Many have claimed they were forced to take on the Mark under the Imperius Curse." The door clicked open and Amelia watched as Saul Croaker entered the conference room. He resealed the door behind him and swept the room. "My apologies for the delay. Dealing with over a dozen prisoners isn't something my department is usually up to. At what point are we in the briefing?"

Amelia motioned him to sit. "Dumbledore is questioning the point of the containment of the Imperiused Death Eaters." Croaker sat down. "Ah, yes. The DoM is taking advantage of the situation and is reviewing the process by which the Mark was applied. We will have a report on it by the second regular Wizengamot Session in the Summer Schedule. Investigations on these matters are quite complicated after all." Fudge used a handkerchief to wipe his brow. "Is that wise? Many of the Gamot's more Traditional members were marked against their will." Croaker stared at the Minister. "The debate between the means of how the Dark Mark was applied has raged on for over twenty years, ever since the first Mark was found on a Death Eater corpse. We would like to bring that debate to an end. We might even find a way to dispel it, though that will depend on what happens after Voldemort is no more." Fudge winced at the name but Dumbledore turned to Croaker. "I am afraid that may not be soon. The man studied arts that have long since been lost or forgotten. We cannot assume his capture will be the end of him." Croaker eyed Dumbledore. "We were aware of Voldemort's survival for almost two years now. A detailed scan of one Harry Potter revealed a link to the man. While the DMLE prepared for his eventual capture, the DoM worked to uncover the secret to Voldemort's survival. We succeeded. Our Department will render him mortal prior to his appearance before the special Tribunal."

Dumbledore didn't seem to be all that convinced, though the mention of the boy concerned him. "Where is Harry Potter now?" Amelia glared. "He is with his family recovering from a magical ritual performed last night. His connection to Voldemort has been removed. Permanently." Dumbledore paled. That could potentially endanger his plans. If the boy was a Horcrux, it gave him an insight into Voldemort's mind. If the man succeeded in making several Horcruxes, there was no way the Department of Mysteries would have found them all. The successful completion of the prophecy had just been endangered. "I would like to see him." Amelia crossed her arms. "Sure. I'll just make sure to alert your brother as to your upcoming death. The boy is being guarded by Hit Witch Peverell, who is in a particularly foul mood. She was ordered to take Voldemort alive, which she did, after she prevented Mr. Potter from being kidnapped during the Triwizard Tournament. A Tournament you played a large part in planning. She is not going to like a surprise visit from you." Croaker turned to Dumbledore. "The procedure was carried out by my Department and under Healer supervision. The boy is fine, the scar is healing and his connection to Voldemort is now an emotional one. There is nothing to be concerned about the boy." Dumbledore pursed his lips. "I would like to be part of this Tribunal."

Amelia shook her head. "You will be allowed to witness the event, but not participate. The Tribunal has been deliberating for months as it stands, composed of members of the local and international magical community. They have already been selected to impartially look over the mountains of evidence, with a law professional playing devil's advocate when possible and to then make their verdict after the man is presented to them. They will all remain anonymous, for their safety and that of their families. This is not up for debate. The crimes Voldemort committed amount to War Crimes and that is the purview of the ICW Justice System. This Tribunal is under their management." Dumbledore straightened out his back. "I am the Supreme Mugwump. I have-" Rufus interrupted him. "No right to intervene in the ICW Justice System. You are the leader of the Assembly, nothing more. Observer Badawi made that very clear when he was consulted on the matter." Dumbledore clenched his hands and Fudge sighed in relief. "I myself am glad for the DMLE's expedient and effective response to this … threat. Is the ICW Justice System going to handle the Death Eaters as well?" Amelia resisted rolling her eyes at the obvious attempt to keep his administration from doing any work. "Only those found to have committed international crimes. For those whose criminal activities were restricted to Britain only, the DMLE will notify the Wizengamot as to the dates for their trials, as well as the charges." Fudge nodded, cleaning the sweat from his brow again. "Understandable. May I?" He motioned to the report and Amelia nodded.

Croaker kept his eyes on Dumbledore as he read the report along with Fudge. All mentions of Horcruxes and what Harry's scar was were removed, with the latter simply being referred to as a connection. Despite whatever the Prophecy Orb said in the Hall of Prophecies, the boy was no longer going to be dragged into any more dangerous situations. Now that Voldemort was no longer a pressing danger, Hazel's instincts would point her to the next threat. He hoped Dumbledore wasn't stupid enough to try anything but he wasn't so sure. The man hated being kept from exerting control. Croaker felt that he was lucky Hazel was kept busy most of the time. The woman was at times chaos incarnate. He thought back to their last meeting with Badawi and Hazel's request. Her request was unusual but an acceptable choice, one that would have benefits to their contingency plans. Now it was just a matter of waiting for the Tribunal to finish reviewing the evidence and making their primary conclusions before they faced the man himself. The Department would enact all magical dampening techniques possible, in order to prevent any tampering. He doubted Voldemort's charisma alone would get him out of a Guilty verdict. The ICW had made sure the members were all capable of making their own minds without being swayed by anyone else. He watched as Dumbledore closed the file and stood up. "If you excuse me, I will be returning to Hogwarts. I await the letter with the date of the Tribunal."

Amelia and the rest watched him leave, with Rufus closing the door and resealing it. Fudge finished his reading of the file soon after. He sighed and rubbed his eyes before looking at Amelia. "My congratulations to your Department's exemplary work, Amelia. Will your Hit Witch be willing to receive an Order of Merlin?" Amelia watched as Croaker covered his lower jaw as he tried to avoid laughing before focusing on Fudge. "I am afraid Hit Witch Peverell sees this as part of her duties to the Department and to her family. They had quite a few Dark Lords and Ladies under their belts before they vanished. If you are still interested, perhaps you could donate the usual money to St. Mungos?" Fudge smiled. "An excellent idea." He handed the file to Amelia before placing the hat on his head. "The Wizengamot may meet soon concerning the missing members." Amelia nodded. "We will have a partial report by then but the Trials must wait till after the investigation is concluded." Fudge nodded. "Of course. A good day to you all." As soon as Fudge left, Croaker recasted every privacy charm he knew. "Dumbledore didn't seem to be convinced. Alastor's comment on his belief that Hazel might be another one of Voldemort's fragments is likely to influence that." Rufus sighed. "Then what do we do?" Amelia rubbed her face. "We prepare for the worst while hoping for the best. It's the only thing we can do."

Dora stared at Hazel as she fidgeted. "Your ex … was Voldemort." Hazel nodded softly. Dora eyed the bottles of firewhiskey, gin and wine at the table. She knew she was in for a long talk after they just dropped off Harry and Teddy back at Hogwarts. All the students were happy to see them back, safe and sound. Hazel had interrupted the Headmaster, silencing him with her wand, before addressing the school about the events leading up to the Third Task. While the magic of the Goblet was satisfied to declare Harry Potter the victor, the DMLE concluded that sabotage had played a hand in the victory. Viktor Krum showed signs of being under several spells and potions designed to diminish his capability in the final task. The Bulgarian had been understandably angry and embarrassed at the actions of his Headmaster. Cedric had been fortunate to not have suffered a similar fate, though he did show signs of a single dose of a Befuddlement Potion being in his system on the evening of the Third Task. Hazel explained that similar attempts were made against Beaubaxtons, but d'Éon's own safety measures caught them all, though she still arrived second to the Triwizard Cup. The students were told that the Cup itself contained a portkey spell applied by Headmaster Dumbledore, but modified by Karkaroff to include an additional destination.

Many of the students were surprised to hear that a sting operation was conducted to catch the perpetrators and masterminds of the sabotage, as well as their criminal associates. That a formal statement would be issued by the Ministry soon enough about the involved parties and their charges. The student body visibly calmed down after her assertion that the school and its guests were never in mortal danger and that the steps taken were successful in keeping them all safe. She left the matter of the Triwizard Tournament prize to the remaining organizers and to the Champions. Harry's acceptance of the proposal to declare the Tournament a four way draw was well received by the students, with the ICW Observer applauding the display of international cooperation he came here to see. A clearly annoyed Dumbledore addressed the students afterwards about the victory of Hogwarts in the greater Academic Competition and thanked everyone for their participation. Hazel and Dora left for their shared Chamber right after, leaving the Castle secure in the hands of the Aurors. Dora could tell something had been bothering Hazel of late, but she certainly hadn't expected the reason for it. "You do know he is over sixty years old, right?" Hazel bristled. "Of course I knew that. He was also in a homunculus body that he adjusted to be sixteen years old for an entire year. "

Dora blinked at that. "Wait… he was at Hogwarts with you? Did your world's Dumbledore not know he had Voldemort under his roof?" Hazel shrugged. "Hiding from the map and the wards isn't hard when you know how to fool them. He had the legal right to the Serpens Family name and his name was a Scottish variant of Tom. He was able to magically change it without erasing his original name, the same as me and Teddy when we took the Peverell name." Dora sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Did you know who he was?" Hazel blushed. "Yes." Dora glared at Hazel. "You knowingly slept with your parents' murderer?" Hazel glared back. "First of all, I didn't care about the Potters at all at that point in time. Second, my future with Bella had just been obliterated so my mental state was just short of suicidal. Lastly… he actually put a lot of effort into wooing me." Dora served herself a shot of whiskey and downed it. "What do you mean?" Hazel eyed her own drink options but refrained from taking any. "He stopped trying to manipulate me for the entire year. Left my head alone, directed all his Death Eaters to not target me or mine and then spent six months trying to be friendly. He was thoughtful, insightful and gentlemanly the entire time. At a time when I was considering leaving Britain for good or just being done with life as a whole… it was nice having someone else looking like they actually cared. So I allowed myself to be with him. To feel something other than pain."

Hazel's words made Dora pause. She had done the same once before too. Before Charlie, she had allowed herself to date another guy, a Hufflepuff, just to feel something other than the loneliness she had put herself in. He showered her with attention and affection and it had felt great. After making sure she was on the potion for long enough, Dora had given her first time to him. Her second time too. Their relationship crashed and burned when she heard him bragging about being her first and his plans to ask her to shift her form to match what his ideal girlfriend should be like. Sprout had chastised her for sending the brat to the Hospital Wing with a broken jaw, but not overly much. She actually dated Charlie for similar reasons the next year, just to get over the prick. Her breakup with Charlie hurt just as much because she actually liked the maniac. She looked at Hazel, who refused to take a drink. She felt her heart sink a little. Hazel had pretty much lost everything in life that mattered to her. Of course she would seek some way of making herself feel better. "You said he was different from our Dark Lord. How different?" Hazel grew thoughtful for a second. "Tom, my Tom, was manipulative and charming at first. It was his modus operandi. What good was violence if he could trick people into doing it all for him? He only ever got personally involved when it was something important to him."

The thing Hazel said earlier clicked into place. "He sacrificed a whole year worth of missions… all for you." Hazel nodded. "I … might have been delusional in hoping that us dating might reveal a better part of him. It sorta worked. I saw things from his point of view and he did see things through mine. Well, most things. I could empathize with his issues with our world. I agreed that there was no real fixing society, at least that society, the long way. Taking over and tearing the establishment apart was an effective way of fixing what was wrong. Getting the biggoted bastards to do it for him was just a stroke of ironic genius. But like any violent change, it had its casualties. Innocents were dying and he allowed it to happen because it simply was inconsequential to him. I mattered to him because of the prophecy, my position as the future Lady Peverell and as his equal in power." Hazel's eyes grew misty. "I had hoped it would have been enough. That me being so valuable to him could make a difference. That we, as the two most screwed up people in Britain, could maybe find our path together. But we couldn't. Because for all of the good that I saw in Tom, I also saw his greatest flaw. The thing he could never surrender. Not even for the person he might have possibly loved." Dora sat closer to Hazel and took her hands. "What was it?" Hazel looked up at Dora, a memory bubbling up in her head. "Control. No matter what it was, everything had to be under his absolute control. Even me. And I… would never accept anything short of a true partnership."

OW June 1998

"Tom." Hazel watched as Tom turned around, a line of Death Eaters behind him as they gathered together in a familiar clearing within the Black Forest. It was weird, looking him in the eye since Christmas. He had been so confident and collected then. Now… now there was a manic look to his eyes that reminded her too much of Black. After she retrieved the Sword of Gryffindor from the Malfoy Vault, earning Hazel her second bath in Dragon's blood, she had wasted no time in destroying the Horcrux in the Locket. She felt Tom's instant panic, followed by his attempts at shredding his soul again and again. Unfortunately for him, Hazel had been doing a lot more research into what being the Head of the Peverell Family meant. She discovered that while she couldn't cast him out of the family or strip him of his power, she could direct certain curses at him from a distance. In her research into Horcruxes, she had found a Blood Magic curse designed to anchor his soul into his body. Using the very blood that ran in her own veins, which he had stolen from her at the Graveyard for his homunculi body, Hazel had effectively rendered him incapable of making another Horcrux. He could splinter, mangle and tear at his soul, but there was no way to extract the fragments. Not anymore. Only Death was left open to him. At the same time as she destroyed the last Horcrux, she heard of Neville's plans for a rebellion in the Castle. The Death Eaters posted there were chased out by the efforts of the students, the remaining Staff that had been loyal to Dumbledore and what cowards the Order of the Phoenix had left.

The Order itself were all cowards in her eyes. Throughout the entire year, she had taken to battling the Snatchers and Death Eaters in the open. Hazel had long forgotten how many people she had killed by now. According to the Prophet and the Underground Wireless Broadcasts, she was probably in the high hundreds. The attack on the Ministry itself took out an easily hundred casualties. When she got word of the locations for the Muggleborn concentration camps, she had gone straight there and slaughtered the guards. She didn't care if they were Ministry employees, Aurors or Death Eaters. They were there keeping innocents in camps. They earned at the very least a swift death. Hazel's campaign had been strangely effective. Voldemort's power base began to slip quickly and his supporters weren't as vocal as they once were. In a war where either side could kill you for speaking out against them, silence became the new golden rule. The loss of the Ministry damaged Voldemort's standing and the Order finally decided to join in. Not that they ever dared to approve of her actions. They bitched and complained about her decision. They called her a criminal and a monster at times. Kingsley Shacklebolt, the de facto boss, was the only one that kept them from attacking her. She knew he was just hedging his bets, but a part of her hoped his promises of a quiet peace after the war bore fruit. She was hoping for some peace.

As she walked calmly forward, her mind traveled back to the last people she went to visit. Talking to Andromeda was like talking to the dead. You knew they were there, watching. But the loss of her family had sapped much of her life from her. Only Teddy seemed to keep her going. Little Teddy still laughed as she held him, always switching his appearance to match hers. He especially loved pulling her hair, even if it was much shorter now. He tugged on the few stray bangs with quite the strength. Hazel had hugged him and kissed his head with all her heart. She kept replaying his giggling and laughing in her head as she walked the silent streets of Hogsmeade and made her way into the Forest. She had made her Blood Oath. With Dora and Remus dead now, there was no other choice left to her. She had to live. She had to get in here, slaughter every single bastard and live. But above all… she had to kill Tom. Fate said it was impossible. That they were locked in an endless struggle until Death decided for them. So Hazel came up with the only plan she could; force Death to decide now. She would drag herself and Tom to the edge of death. And she would come back. Crawling, screaming and broken if she had to. Teddy deserved a peaceful world where he was loved and she would give it to him.

"Haze." Hazel gave him a soft smile. "You know, you didn't have to bring a posse with you. This was our spot after all." Tom gave her a soft smile too. Too bad it didn't reach his eyes. "It is, but I highly doubt you are interested in surrendering yourself to me. Still, for old times sake, I will ask. Will you join me? With you by my side, the Order will collapse. You know this. We can still rule over Britain." Hazel stared into his eyes. "And if I say no?" Tom bared his teeth. "Then you die, right here." Hazel sighed. "Seven years, Tom. Seven years and you still haven't learned." Tom glared. "Haven't learned what?" Hazel looked back as tears fell from her eyes. "To let go. You could have been the king over an intact kingdom if you had let go. You heard a prophecy and hunted down a one year old to end it. You ask me to be by your side, but it's never a choice. It has to be your way. You look at me and see a powerful witch, a killer, a broodmare and… and equal. Except you don't know the meaning of the word. If you did, I might have taken your hand. I might have one day carried your child in my womb. But you don't. You don't see me as an equal. You don't let me choose. Everything has to be the way you wanted." Hazel moved her hand as if it was to wipe the tears from her eyes before she whipped it in an arch.

A dozen conjured lances sailed across the air just past a stunned Tom as the air was soon filled with gasps of pain and screams of agony. The wand in Hazel's hand turned to ash and two more wands dropped from her wrist holsters. Hazel moved closer to Tom as his other minions tried to move around the impaled corpses of their compatriots. Tom sighed. "You could have said so before. Things could have been different." Hazel shook her head. "I pointed it at you all the time. You always insisted. You always refused. If I have to tell you what it takes for me to love you, then that isn't love. We would just be actors playing roles. I played a role with you last year, Tom. I played a role in Dumbledore's schemes. I am done acting. I am here to be myself. I am here to end this game, once and for all." Tom's eyes softened for a brief second as a single tear escaped his eye. After a deep breath, he straightened his back as he opened his mouth. Hazel enchanted her feet and started gliding above the forest floor, her lances of metal filling the empty air as Tom screamed out his order. "Kill her!" Hazel did smile at that. For the first time in his life, he was giving up on doing it himself. Too bad for him, she wasn't going to let him or anyone else kill her. The myriad of wands she stored in her holster crumbled away as dozens upon dozens of Death Eaters littered the ground with spears sticking out of their bodies.

Seeing that his forces in the immediate area were gone, Tom wasted no time in unleashing a Fiendfyre curse straight at her. Using her offhand without a wand, Hazel roared as she unleashed a torrent of black flames. Her flames fed on Tom's magic as it took the shape of a massive winged dragon, before it lunged into Tom's direction, devouring the Fiendfyre in its mad dash. Tom canceled the Fiendfyre curse and, with his wand, unleashed a lightning storm that acted as a cage, stopping the flaming beast's movements. He had smiled at his handiwork until Hazel materialized beside him, sweeping a conjured blade up and tearing a massive gash across his chest. The man banished her away from him and sealed the wound, before being forced to move away again as Hazel struck him from the back with her spear, though the sound of her apparating through the wards was easy enough to follow. He yelped in pain as he found the floor coming alive with insects, lizards and mammals, all with sharp teeth, fangs and claws that dug into his legs as Hazel went through another wand to shield herself as he was able to predict where she would apparate to next, trying to cut her down with a Blood Boiling Curse. Freezing the ground gave him the chance to avoid any more creatures as he moved closer towards the Castle and possible reinforcements.

Having expended the last of the wands in her right holster, Hazel raised her right hand in the air, yanking the spears that remained straight off the corpses and launching them straight at Tom. His transfigured slabs of dirt and stone became pincushions but they pierced deep enough that he had to move away from his cover. He casted every Dark Curse he knew at her but they were all intercepted by a slab of stone. Tom growled as Hazel kept pushing him further back until he moved into a small depression on the ground. She concentrated her spears into a straight line just as she wiped her wand up to create a narrow corridor of stone. With his ability to dodge and his only escape sealed up by a wall of spears, Hazel physically launched her last spear just as she cast a curse straight at him. Her eyes never left his as the words left her lips, the same curse uttered by him in turn. "Avada Kedavra!" The two green bolts of magic raced past each other as Hazel waved her wand in order to conjure a solid barrier, with Tom doing the same. She watched as her curse was deflected, even as her spear pierced his conjuration, probably leaving a decently sized hole in his stomach. Her breath caught, however, as the slab of metal she envisioned failed to materialize, the wand in her left hand crumbling to dust. She closed her eyes and cursed the world. The moment she wanted to survive was the moment she was destined to die. Her last words were barely above a whisper as the curse struck her dead center. "Teddy." Then… only darkness greeted her.

For the longest time she was sure she was dead as all sensation had ceased, only for pain to consume her very being. Had she had a mouth, she would have screamed. Had she had hands they would have been clenched, her nails digging into her palm as blood dripped from her fists. Pain threatened to devour her very essence in its entirety. But even through all that pain and misery that seemed to stretch out for an eternity in the endless void, one thought lingered in her mind. She wasn't allowed to die. Her godson needed her. He needed her to be alive. Teddy needed her to raise him. She promised. Everyone else in her life had made promises. Promises of a better world. Promises of love. Family. A future. They were all empty. Broken. Meaningless. This however, was a promise she had made. She made the promise to a child who was less than a month old but it didn't matter. A promise was a promise. So within an endless cycle of pain, Hazel endured, her core sustained by the thoughts of the child that depended on her to come home. She had to live. In a moment that fell somewhere between the blink of an eye and an eternity, the all consuming pain vanished even as the darkness lingered, sound began to fill her ears. A voice that she knew all too well speaking up not too far from her. "Your Chosen One is dead! Hazel Potter, the Girl Who Lived, is no more! I, Lord Voldemort, have defeated your greatest Champion and your only hope for victory. Surrender now and you may be spared. Enough magical blood has been spilled."

Hazel slowly came to realize she was being carried in someone's arms just behind Voldemort. She opened her eyes slightly, realizing that she could see again, and saw Tom's silhouette as he paced back and forth, waiting as several children made their way forward. She tried to draw on her magic but it felt too drained for her to cast any spell wandlessly. What she wouldn't give to have a wand right now. As soon as the thought entered her mind, she felt a weight on her palm and something filling out her hand. Her fingers traced the wood and felt bumps along the stick. She also felt something else. Elation and satisfaction. It came from the wand and from the ring on her finger. She also felt it on her back where her Cloak was. Deciding to leave said thoughts for later, Hazel focused on the moment. Moving her hand as slowly as possible, she pointed the wand's tip right at Voldemort's back. "Goodbye, Tom. Sorry I won't be in Hell to greet you. You will have to wait for me." The man and everyone froze as they heard her voice before a green beam of light struck the Dark Lord in the back. Her relief ended as soon as she was dropped to the ground by whoever had been carrying her. "Oww." Hazel felt her back ache in pain for hitting the uneven ground as she looked up into the face of Hagrid. "You know, you used to say you carried me as a babe once. Now I am not sure I want to imagine that." The Half Giant had the decency to show some shame as Hazel got up from the ground, before turning to the shocked Death Eaters.

The moment they drew their wands, Hazel swung her new wand in a wide arch. Magic, that had a mere moment earlier felt so drained within her, now began to slowly fill her veins. She watched as her spears skewered every single one of the bastards she could see. She watched as many of the others dropped their wands and surrendered as the Order rushed forward to bind them. Seeing no more chances at getting cursed from the back, Hazel turned to the corpse of Voldemort. She knelt by his side and saw as the body began to disintegrate. The Dark Magic that sustained the Homunculus form having failed upon death, the body itself was collapsing into ash. There was no joy or sorrow left in her. Whatever feelings she had were partly muted by something. She would blame it on the pain. "Sorry Tom, but Death seems to have made her choice." She stood back up as she waved her wand, scattering his ashes to the wind. She saw people heading towards her but they were all irrelevant. None of them mattered. With an ear splitting crack, Hazel apparated right though the Hogwarts wards and appeared in a familiar backyard. A surprised Andromeda allowed her to enter and Hazel took the warm bundle of giggles and shifting colors into her hands. For the first time since she woke up she felt an emotion again. Joy. Pure, unadulterated joy. Tears raced down her cheeks as she felt her face ache. "It's over Teddy. The war is over and I am not going anywhere. You will have me in your life to the very end. I promise you that." Andromeda would later tell her that the pain on her face was from a smile. She had no idea she could smile properly again. For Teddy, she would always smile. Always.

NW July 1st 1995

Dora held Hazel's hand as the large black casket binding Voldemort was brought into the center of the Courtroom, the Unspeakables clamping it down to the floor as a row of fifteen faceless robbed members that comprised the Jury watched in silence. None of them would speak or reveal their names or identity. They had three nearly identical pieces of parchment before them from which they would select their verdict and pass it along to Amelia, who was presiding over the Tribunal as the highest ranking law officer, with Observer Badawi bearing witness on behalf of the ICW. Once the Tribunal was concluded, the Jury would all be Obliviated of their memories associated with it by Badawi. There would be no records of who they were to be found anywhere. No one would know these people were the ones to pass judgement on Voldemort, for their safety and their families. The moment the judgement was made, there would be no further reprisals allowed on innocents. Only those in law enforcement would carry the danger, as it should be. As soon as the clamps were in place and the Unspeakables began to unlock the casket, Dora's hand gripped Hazel's tighter.

Hazel's confession had surprised Dora but she had been deeply understanding and gave her no further issues concerning the matter. She had asked Hazel if she felt anything for this Tom like she did for the one in her world. She said yes. Pity. Hazel pitied the man she had called mentor, friend, lover and enemy. She pitied what had become of a brilliant mind driven mad by fear, obsession and megalomania. There was nothing else left between her and Tom but pity. Dora had embraced her after that and the two went on to carry out their duties. Dora had been forced to return to maintaining the d'Éon cover for the remainder of their stay and would be flying back to France in the Carriage soon. Her lover had managed to drag her into the Beauxbatons communal bath, with permission from the Headmistress, for some much needed stress relief. Hazel was already making a list of places she was sure Dora would like to indulge in. She would ward all of them before her lover dragged them there, for everyone's sake. They didn't need any more attention, as was made evident by Harry. The sight of his healing scar had caused a stir among the population of the school. She particularly didn't like the way Dumbledore looked at it. It made her itchy to drop him dead on the spot.

Everyone's attention was fixed firmly on the casket as the lid was pulled open, revealing the body of a man bound in a magic dampening white straightjacket, chains binding him even further both in place and to the casket. The man's red eyes were darting everywhere. He was afraid. He should be. The Unspeakables led by Division Head Patil had successfully reintegrated all his soul fragments back into his current body. The pain he underwent for it was taken as a bonus. After checking that no further fragments remained, he had been locked up in the casket and kept in stasis, with everyone waiting for this day. Amelia struck the gavel down, her eyes fixed on Voldemort. "I, Amelia Bones, hear by preside over this Special Tribunal convened today, July 1st 1995, for the sentencing of one Tom Marvolo Riddle, known as Lord Voldemort, for innumerable crimes against the people of Great Britain. The charges are as follows." Amelia went through what Hazel was sure was the longest scroll she had ever seen, reading every single criminal offence they could trace back to him, beginning with the death of Myrtle Warren and ending with the Murders of the Potters. There were a lot of names and Amelia had to drink a lot of water. As soon as she finished, Amelia looked to Voldemort. "How does the defendant plead?"

Voldemort remained silent, staring at Amelia and everyone in the courtroom with murder in his eyes. Amelia turned to the members of the Tribunal. "You have all read the evidence files as presented to you by the DMLE and observed several pieces of recorded evidence in the form of unaltered memories. You have seen the identity of the prisoner as verified by blood and magic. For the safety of the members of the Tribunal, your decision will be made in silence. The verdict is now in your hands." Voldemort strained into the chains. "My followers will kill you all! You will see! There will be blood on the streets of Diagon Alley! The bodies of your families will be hanged from the roofs as a warning to those who dared to judge me. I am the rightful ruler of this country! When my followers avenge me, you will know. Lord Voldemort is beyond you all!" The Tribunal seemingly ignored him as their gloved hands passed the slips to Observer Badawi who verified with them all of their choices before presenting them to Amelia. Her eyes left the parchments and met Voldemort's without flinching. "By unanimous vote, Tom Riddle, you are hereby found guilty. Your sentence for all the crimes you have committed is death. May the gods have mercy on your soul. What's left of it." Amelia struck the gavel down and Dora released Hazel's hand.

Walking silently up to the casket, Hazel drew her Elder Wand, it's shape altered so as to not attract Dumbledore's attention. He and several other members of the Ministry, all vetted to not be supporters of Voldemort or his ideals, sat in the Visitor's Gallery, the area blacked out from view from the lower chamber. Hazel reached the opening of the casket and her eyes met Voldemort's. "Peverell." Hazel gave him a sad smile as silencing wards snapped into place around her. "Tom. I am afraid this is goodbye. Just so you know, I met a man like you once. Like you he had a promising future ahead of him. Fear, obsession and circumstance drove him down a similar path to yours. A great Wizard, turned into a monster by his own ego. He died by my hand, a curse to the back. He had deserved to die facing his death but circumstance denied him that right. You, enemy of my family, will have that honor now. Death has come to collect what you owed her since 1981." Hazel's eyes turned silver as she finished speaking those words. "Death always collects what is owed to her. Goodbye, Tom Marvolo Riddle." Hazel aimed her wand straight at Voldemort's chest. Flashes of memory of the man she knew filled her eyes for a split second. The face of a young boy no older than seventeen looked back at her and smiled. A true genuine smile. The memory faded and only the inhuman face of Lord Voldemort remained before her. "Avada Kedavra."

Silence filled the courtroom as the cyan light of her killing curse struck him in the chest. Like her world's Tom, his homunculus body slowly began to degrade. She stood aside for Observer Badawi to run his scans before he nodded. "Tom Marvolo Riddle is dead. The sentence has been carried out." Hazel closed the lid of the casket as the Unspeakables returned to retrieve it. Amelia struck the gavel down again. "This Tribunal for the verdict and sentencing of one Tom Marvolo Riddle is hereby dismissed. Members of the Tribunal, please follow the Aurors out of the Courtroom. Visitors may leave as well." Hazel watched as Rufus and Alastor escorted the members of the Tribunal out to another chamber, where expert Obliviators would be there to remove all traces of the events of today and of the lead up to the sentencing. The recording, official memories from Badawi and Amelia and the transcriptions would serve as the only evidence of what happened here today, though the reporters selected to observe would pass the information out soon enough. As Hazel took Dora's hand, her partner pulled her into a hug. "Come on, Partner. Let's head back to the Castle and take a walk." Hazel nodded. "Sure. Just not in the Forbidden Forest. Not today." Dora gave her an understanding look as they left the courtroom, hoping that the remnants of the last war would now be buried for good. If only they could be so lucky.

A woman with purple eyes dug into her measly meal in a dark and damp cell of iron bars and blackened stone when she suddenly froze. She dropped her bowl as she pulled her sleeve back, showing unblemished pale skin. Thinking herself mad she searched her other arm and found the same. Her mark. Her glorious mark given to her by her beloved Dark Lord was gone. She slammed into the bars beside her. "Rodolphus! Rudy, honey! Come here. Now!" The woman watched as a man came closer to her, dressed in the same dishevelled prison clothes. "What do you want, woman? Lunch ain't done yet." Thin arms reached out through the bars. "Your arm. Give me your arm. I need to see it. Master's Mark. Show it to me!" Rodolphus Lestrange sighed and pulled up his sleeve. "See, it's righ-." The man froze as his eyes landed on pale, clear skin. Like his wife, he checked his other arm and found nothing. "Rabastan!" The man checked his brother's arms and found the same thing. Word travelled from cell to cell throughout the floor. The Dark Mark that so many carried was now gone. When the information was relayed back to Rodolphus, the man slumped in his cell. "He's gone. That's the only explanation. The Dark Lord is gone for good."

His wife's scream of agony filled the air, drawing the attention of the human guards. "Keep it down, will ya? We are trying to eat!" The prisoners remained quiet for the most part, with the exception of one. Tears filled her eyes as her hands shook. "He can't be gone. He can't be! He swore to us he was immortal. He swore that if something happened, all we had to do was remain faithful. That he would return for us!" Rodolphus sighed. "Whatever he did wasn't enough. He's gone, my wife. Get used to it." The man winced as his wife screamed even louder in agony. "If he's gone, we should make them pay. The people that did this. Our home that rejected his righteous rule. We must make them pay for this! They must all pay for daring to strike down their new god!" The human guards arrived, followed by the Dementors. "See that one there? The crazy witch you all seem so fond of? Have at her for today. Well fetch you after we are done eating. Don't go taking her soul." The man, shivering under the effects of the Dementor next to him, flees at a rapid pace from the hallway next to the cell. A woman's screams fill the air again, this time louder than ever before.

Beyond the confines of the prison of Azkaban, word had reached the home of every witch or wizard in the British Isles, as well as some homes in the Continent abroad. The Dark Lord Voldemort, found alive after thirteen years of silence, was officially declared dead via execution. Celebrations filled every major pub from the Hebridean Islands to Cornwall. The Aurors were toasted wherever they were seen as word of the achievements of one of their own spread. At Hogwarts, the students from three of the four houses celebrated the end of the man who seemed to haunt the Castle itself. The Slytherins were left in silent contemplation, with several unsure what their future had in store for them now as their parents had remained in DMLE custody, awaiting their own trials. High up in his tower, an old wizard stared out the window, his thoughts ever in motion, trying to understand what the disappearance of the Dark Mark from his Potion Master's arm meant about the future and the prophecy that he still believed was left unfulfilled. He turned back to his desk and began to write letters that would need to be delivered quickly. Back at Azkaban, even as her mind fought the aftereffects of exposure to the foul beasts, the mind of a witch struggled to make her own plans. Bellatrix Lestrange would avenge her Master's end and spread death and destruction upon the people responsible. She would make them all pay.