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.

7. Chapter 61-70

Chapter 61: Fall from Grace

"Head Auror. You have a visitor." Scrimgeour lifted his head up from the stack of papers on his desk, his eyes on his attendant at the door of his office and sighed. "Give me a moment." The door closed and he went back to his papers, signing the remaining sections of the associated stack before placing them all in the folder and depositing them into his document box. If there was something he was grateful about the changes in security at the Ministry, it was the bloody letter and document boxes. The Department of Mysteries Records Division, an independent entity from the Ministry of Magic's Archives, had come together with their department's Research Division and successfully established a network of boxes anchored to the individual offices. The boxes were used to submit the documents, with the DoM and the Archives keeping copies of each submitted document, before they were transferred to the destination box, with no documents being recognized as official until they were confirmed by both the Archives and the Records as having the necessary signatures and originating from the correct boxes. Unlike owls or Departmental Memos, these were difficult to intercept and the paper trail was easy enough to follow. No one wanted to see a repeat of the Dementors fiasco again. Storing away all of his sensitive materials and making sure his wards were still active and reading clear, he opened the door to his office and looked at his assistant. "Yes?"

The young man sprang to his feet and bowed his head. "Head Auror. The Chief Warlock would like to have a word with you." The moment Rufus spotted Dumbledore and his flamboyant silver robes, he sighed, taking a step back. "Please come in, Chief Warlock. I will soon be heading home." Albus walked up to him. "Keeping short hours?" Rufus grunted. "A welcome respite after weeks of overtime. The mess from the attack in Level 9 is now finally being closed and the Auror Division is all too happy to get a bloody break." Albus nodded as he passed by, taking a seat while Rufus sealed the door and returned to his place behind the desk. "What can I do for you, Chief Warlock?" Albus looked at Rufus' eyes. "I was told some colleagues of mine under your employ were dismissed. I was curious as to why that was. Both are exceptional people." Rufus rubbed his eyes. "I take it you are referring to Ex-Aurors Shacklebolt and Jones. While the full details as to their dismissal are private, I can say they were dismissed because of behaviour that endangered the lives and safety of their fellow Aurors. Were this an isolated incident, it might have been dismissed, but there are a few reports of this occurring multiple times. If they can't behave in a manner that protects their fellows, then they can't be allowed to remain as Aurors." Albus looked thoughtful. "Would this not also apply to Hit Witch Peverell? I am told her behaviour may yet be worse than that of my colleagues."

Rufus looked back at the Chief Warlock, feeling his nerves rearing up. Hazel Peverell had always struck him as dangerous. From the moment he met the two metamorphmagus witches, she had stood out as different. The missions she had taken part in conjunction with Aurors always ended with a high degree of physical damage to the perpetrators. When she was allowed to be lethal, there was no stopping her. He still had a few nightmares from the Williamson Manor's interior scenes, with the basement level of the Manor and it's macabre forest of silver and bodies being vividly engraved into his mind. Yet despite his dislike of her methods, Rufus couldn't disagree with the woman's results. The majority of the organized magical criminal enterprises were essentially dismantled in their entirety, with the former Death Eaters being either behind bars or dead. Calls about illegal potions suppliers, deadly dueling circuits and dark artefact smuggling had dried up entirely. If it weren't for the Death Eater Breakout from Azkaban, he would have called this last year the quietest yet. He remembered the chaos after the war came to a screeching halt. This felt different. It felt like real change had taken place. Coupled with the reforms to the Judicial system, and he could happily say that they were all living in very different times. All apparently stemming from Hazel Peverell and Nymphadora Tonks and the DoM's Operations Division.

"While I can agree that Peverell's conduct in combat verges on the extreme, the truth of the matter is that she does quite well at staying within operational guidelines. As much as I might find her skills dangerous, she has used them adequately in combat and not outside of it. I also don't have to tell you she was considered to be an excellent Auror by the ICW during her long duration mission guarding the Triwizard Tournament. Where your two colleagues acted in ways unbecoming of an Auror, she has been exceedingly professional." Dumbledore frowned at him. "Even when she became an abomination in the Department of Mysteries?" Rufus stared at the man. "You are aware that you just confirmed to the Head Auror that the two "colleagues" of yours informed you of classified information." Dumbledore waved the comment off. "That is irrelevant when compared to the abomination we are talking about. She survived a Killing Curse and physically turned into a monster." Rufus leaned back. "She was also wearing experimental gear provided to her by the DoM, the same as several Hit Wizards and Aurors. As for her shapeshifting, she is registered as an Animagus and has a Transfiguration Mastery. That she was able to manipulate her form at all to such an extent was far more surprising than the whole Killing Curse thing, but neither are concerns of ours. Hell, young Mister Potter survived one too."

Dumbledore slapped his hands on the desk. "That woman isn't an Auror. She's a monster. A killer. Potentially even a vessel for Lord Voldemort. She is hiding within your ranks, erasing any traces to her former life and influencing the Ministry from within. You must see how dangerous she is! She must be stopped." Rufus stared at the man. He knew that Peverell surviving the Killing Curse wasn't a trick of the armor, though that transformation was well within her capabilities as a mix between an animagus and a metamorphmagus. She was a killer and powerful witch that gave him plenty of concerns. Despite all that, he knew she wasn't a monster or Voldemort. She had been working to dismantle Voldemort's base since she met Amelia and the Director trusted that woman with her niece's life. He personally kept a close eye on Peverell since the Williamson Manor. What he saw was a hardworking woman and a single mother that made even him wonder if he would ever find such a person willing to marry him. In his time as an Auror, he had found himself in Voldemort's presence, especially in the final years. There were similarities between them, but there were far too many differences to be the same person. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she wasn't Voldemort. "I believe you are seeing things that aren't there, Chief Warlock. She is a Dark Witch and Wizard Hunter. She is the embodiment of the Peverell legends of old. She is no Dark Lady and she is certainly not Tom Marvolo Riddle. I can assure you he is dead for good."

Seeing as Rufus wasn't budging on his position, Albus pulled himself back. "And my colleagues?" Rufus glared. "Still dismissed. They brought this on themselves. Now if you excuse me, I have a few more stacks of paperwork to go through before I head home." Albus shook his head. "I expected better from you, Rufus. I thought you, of all people, would understand just how dangerous she truly is." Rufus stood up and opened his office door. "Oh, I think I have a good idea. Now, please leave. And if I were you, I would keep your Order out of DMLE business. The wars are over, Dumbledore. It's time for the soldiers to rest and for the law to be enforced peacefully. We don't need vigilantes making things worse for everyone." As soon as the old man was gone, Rufus did a sweep of his office, finding a few discreetly placed eavesdropping spells on his desk. It seemed to the Head Auror that the Chief Warlock didn't like losing access to Auror information. He called his Curse Breakers in to document the findings, followed swiftly by the DoM. Once all the evidence was acquired, the spells were disabled. Rufus turned over the documents on the findings to Amelia, who sighed after reading the report. "Keep this under wraps for now. We can bring it up together in the next Wizengamot Session." Rufus nodded. "Very well. Anything else?" Amelia shook her head. "Peverell is aware of the danger and she and the Tonks family are taking matters to mitigate the danger to themselves. For now, let's just do our job. If Dumbledore wants to dig his own grave, that's his choice. We'll just have to be there to clean up the mess."

"They look so cute together. Though Theo looks like he wants to bolt." Harry chuckled as he pulled back from the window of the Hogsmeade bookstore. "It's a bookstore. Hermione is likely to be in there for hours. I imagine it's a bit like if Hannah dragged Neville into a clothing store." Susan giggled and pointed at the clothing store on the opposite end of the street. "She did. They have been there for five minutes already." Harry shook his head and presented his arm to Susan. "Well, I suppose we are on our own. Shall we get something to eat?" Susan looped her arm around Harry's. "Sure, but if you take me to Puddifoot's Tea Shop, we will have an afternoon one-on-one training session later." Harry smirked at Susan. "Might be worth it." After seeing Susan's pout, Harry wisely went to the Three Broomsticks and the two sat down on a quiet stall, before Harry wandlessly casted some wards after Rosmerta took their orders. Susan smiled at him. "Nice." Harry smiled back at her. "So, what do you want to talk about?" Susan played with one of her locks of hair, humming to herself. Harry swallowed a little, especially since Susan was wearing a tight fitting long sleeved turtleneck, which he hadn't noticed under her heavy coat.

Susan looked at him and smirked a little, making him think she knew what he was thinking about. "I have a few ideas." She frowned and held Harry's hand across the table. "But first, are you feeling ok? You have been really quiet since January." Harry nodded and squeezed her hand softly. "Yeah, I just had a lot on my mind after visiting Godric's Hollow. Seeing my parents' graves, hearing about Hazel's Family Magic and talking to Professor Bagshot left me with a lot to go over in my head. I am sorry if I wasn't the best company." Susan shook her head. "No, it's fine. I was in a similar state after I went to see my own parents' graves for the first time." Rosemerta arrived with their meals, teasing them a little about them holding hands, before she went to deliver other orders. After eating a bit of the beef stew, Harry looked at Susan. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Susan cleaned her face with a napkin. "I was curious if you had given some thought to what you want to do after we graduate. We are going to be taking our OWLs soon and next year there are NEWT courses." Harry took a drink from a glass of water and thought for a second. "I can't say I have thought too much about it. Hazel always tells me to take my time and just enjoy myself as a student." Susan chuckled. "Sounds like her. At first, she was very strict about our training but eventually she started loosening up and encouraging us to have fun along the way."

Harry took another spoonful of stew and thought about her question. "Have you thought about what you want to do?" Susan nodded. "I have. At first I wanted to be an Auror like Auntie. Then Hazel came around. Being around both of them taught me a lot about what both their jobs are like and I don't think I want to do either of them exactly." Susan took a drink from her glass of butterbeer. "But what Hazel did during our third and fourth years? That seems more like my speed." Harry thought back. "You want to work security?" Susan nodded. "Outside of Aurors and Hazel's work, there is no one else but Gringotts doing the job. Yet Auntie has always complained that Aurors can't be used for Security all the time and that they are needed on the field. As Security, I can still get the same training, but my hours would be more stable and I feel like I can do my part without putting things off." Susan's expression turned sad. "If I ever become a mother, I don't want my child to have the same fears I did. Auntie did a good job these last few years, but I want to be better from the start." Susan then smiled with a bit of mischief in her eyes. "Besides, if I start the security business myself, I can set my own times. Plus, I bet there are others who like the physicality of the Aurors' work, but not the long hours or the danger. Security is on paper safer since we don't go looking for trouble."

Having finished his meal, Harry wiped his mouth clean. "No, instead trouble has to come to you." Susan shrugged. "True, but if we spend so much time training, we eventually need to put it to use, one way or another." Harry nodded and started thinking. He felt the same way. For the last two years, Hazel made sure he was safe and protected, teaching him how to do it himself. That said, he didn't like putting his own life in danger or risking hurting anyone again. It wouldn't be fair after everything his parents, the Tonks family and Hazel went through for him. He felt his wards shift slightly as Rosmerta returned to take the used dishes, leaving behind a pumpkin cheesecake for both of them to enjoy. After eating a few bites, Harry spoke up. "I think I want to go into Warding. It's something I actually enjoy a lot. Hazel found that I had a knack for warding, same as her, and taught the craft to me earlier during the Triwizard Tournament. I haven't really gotten into rune based warding as much as I would like but the little I have managed of it is interesting." Susan smiled at him. "That sounds great. You'd actually be the first Wardsmaster raised and taught in Britain in the last seventy five years or more." Harry hummed. "I think some of my ancestors were Wardmasters too."

After finishing their dessert and donning their coats, Harry walked with Susan back up the path heading to the Castle. "Hey Harry. Seeing as you will be working along with security stuff… do you think you'll have a chance to work alongside me?" Harry thought for a moment. "That isn't what you are really asking, is it?" Susan blushed and hugged his arm to her. Harry stopped and turned to her, pulling her into a hug. "Whatever plans we end up making, I know that I don't want to be alone. I … would like it if you were there with me. But only if that's what you want too." Susan looked into Harry's eyes and gave him a short but sweet kiss on the lips. "I would like that too. Come on." Pulling Harry by his hand, Susan took him through the Castle's main doors and into the dungeons, before pulling him into an abandoned classroom near the Hufflepuff Common Room. After they shedded their coats, Susan conjured a sofa and the two sat together. "I don't think either of us is ready for more but would you mind waiting till the time we have to leave for patrols here with me?" Harry smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "I would love to." A few hours later, the two would make the rounds of the castle's corridors together, their faces flushed, but happily holding hands.

"Order, order! This Session will begin as soon as the Wizengamot is fully assembled! Aurors and aides! Members of the Visitor's Gallery, please settle down!" Ted sat back and watched the Minister trying to get everyone's attention, his mood soured a bit by recent events. His daughter had been spending more time at home, her concern over Andromeda's health clear to him. Sure, the cancer was nothing more than a small growth right now, but Hazel's concern and the echoes of what happened in her own world lingered in the minds of everyone who became aware. Healer Johnson, who had been working part time at St. Mungos' getting the two trainees some much needed experience, returned to her post in the Operations Medical Wing to help lighten the load on Andromeda. His wife took the strong show of support quite warmly and was spending a lot of her time with the Medical Division as they did far more in depth scans of the tumor, doing their best to grasp what Medical Science had already worked out through invasive and noninvasive procedures. Ted was by her side through all of it until the Session was called by the Ministry. His wife had been clear in where he needed to be. The woman that would one day be their daughter-in-law was being targeted by Dumbledore and he needed to represent her in the session.

Some of the laws passed in the last few years made articles in the Daily Prophet stick closer to the truth. Hazel confirmed that Rita Skeeter had successfully gone a full year without lying in writing. Based on when the curse collapsed, it seemed the witch had failed quite a few times to keep herself on the straight and narrow, but eventually succeeded. The woman's articles, especially those that remained grounded in facts and good reporting, actually expanded her readership, including gaining readers in the international markets, which seemed to have helped mellow her out about delving too much into gossip. Said witch was kind enough to warn them about an opinion piece being printed in the Prophet concerning Hazel Peverell. The warning wasn't enough to prevent the publishing of it, but it was enough for them to post a refutation of it in the next day's issue. The opinion piece was written by Dumbledore himself, calling out Hazel Peverell as a monster hiding in plain sight, claiming he had no choice but to present his findings to the public as the Ministry refused to act on it. Hazel, who almost never read the newspaper and had been eating breakfast in the Great Hall, had apparently noticed the looks from everyone else. McGonagall had wisely pulled her outside of the Great Hall with a copy of the paper under her arm. The students didn't hear anything incriminating, though the entire castle seemed to vibrate for a few minutes before the Headmistress returned to the Hall alone, urging all students to consider Defence class a self study period for the day.

He later got a message stating that Nova had graciously removed Hazel from Hogwarts and had brought her to her apartment in the DoM, where there was a slight shaking reported soon afterwards, not to mention some blackouts on the streets above. Ted shook his head at the thoughts. Hazel was beyond a doubt one of the most powerful witches in Great Britain, powerful enough to shake two massive structures to their foundations, and Dumbledore was going out of his way to piss her off. Had Teddy not convinced her to stay at home and not go out and gut Dumbledore in front of the Wizengamot today, Ted was sure he would be looking at a very different scene right now, as Minister Fudge tried to get the chamber under control. The man had survived the culling of the Traditionalist Extremists by the skin of his teeth. He donated a massive sum of galleons that was probably the majority of his bribes to both St Mungos and Hogwarts, and had kept his hands clean ever since the anti-corruption laws were put into effect. There was a betting pool in the Ministry and in his old Law Firm about how long it would take him to lose his job. Ted wisely kept out of such bets.

Minister Fudge sighed as the Chamber was finally quieted down. "This emergency session will now begin! The session was called by several members of the Assembly that feel that Albus Dumbledore is no longer fit to represent this body. His inflammatory opinion piece against a decorated member of our law enforcement community, not to mention a Head of House who has wisely placed the representation of her family in the hands of a respected solicitor while she personally instructs our children as a Professor of Hogwarts, shows that our Chief Warlock is unable to maintain the neutral position required to hold one of our most essential legislative postings. It is my opinion as Minister that this debate should be led within this chamber and that the gathered Heads of Houses cast their votes at the end as a Vote of No Confidence is held. I call Albus Dumbledore to the witness stand to explain himself before the Chamber." After the strike of the mallet, the lower doors were opened and Dumbledore entered the Chamber, his posture stiff and his head held high. "Minister, members of the Wizengamot. I urge you all not to turn a blind eye to this threat that walks among us. Despite what was reported, Voldemort is very much alive, as foretold by a prophecy. The man can only be vanquished by the Boy Who Lived. His apparent death was a ploy perpetrated by his executioner. The destruction of the Death Eaters is the erasure of this person's ties to the past. Please, do not be blinded by complacency."

Ted stood up as the Chamber descended into whispers. "This is slander of the highest order. Hit Witch Peverell has placed her life in danger multiple times for the safety of all magical citizens of this country. Her dedication to the dismantling of the Death Eater terrorist group was born from her hatred of the group that left her orphaned, abandoned and betrayed in the conflict years ago. From the moment she arrived at our shores, she has adhered to the Ministry's rules and has lived up to her family's reputation. She is a Peverell, dedicated to keeping our people safe. Voldemort, a distant relative, was her enemy from the start, as any Head of House must ensure their family members adhere to the family's ideals. His actions in the war made him an enemy to House Peverell. As for the claims to her being possessed or a vessel to some form of Voldemort, I can assure you she is not. Her line of work leads to quite a laundry list of injuries. Her Healers have found no evidence of possession. This is verified in her files with the DMLE." Amelia stood up as Ted sat down. "I can assure the members of this assembly and the visitors that Hazel Peverell is not possessed by anyone. I can, however, attest to the fact that Dumbledore, not Peverell, has been caught violating the laws of this Ministry."

Amelia's words silenced the Chamber. Dumbledore turned to her. "Every action I have taken has been for the Greater Good of the Wizarding World." Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Right. Was it for the greater good when you placed eavesdropping spells in the office of the Head Auror not a few days ago? Or when you had members of the so-called Order of the Phoenix betray their operational security oaths by delivering classified memories before we had a chance to issue an official statement?" Dumbledore ceased on that. "And what exactly were you trying to hide? The fact the woman was immune to a Killing Curse? Or that she is a monster?" Amelia sighed. "As was reported, her apparent immunity stands as a likely combination of the unique magic inherent to her family and the equipment she was wearing. The Department of Mysteries is researching with her as to whether the phenomenon can be replicated. As for her transformation, she is a master of Transfiguration and an Animagus. This gives her an advantage that far surpasses her predecessors with regard to her ability to control her animagus form. Everything that occurred was reasonable when taken in the correct context, which you did not have." Dumbledore screamed, catching the more progressive members by surprise. "You are merely spinning a narrative to conform to your false story. The woman is a threat who right now is poisoning the DoM and this Ministry!"

Croaker stood up from his place in the Assembly. "I can assure everyone that is not the case. Hazel Peverell is not a DoM Unspeakable and she has gone through a rigorous safety screening before we began to research the events of the attack on Level 9 of the Ministry. We can verify that she isn't possessed as well, as we were quite thorough in our attempt to understand her survival of a Killing Curse. The investigation is ongoing but we can infer it may have been for similar reasons as to why Harry Potter survived. Hit Witch Peverell has shared some fascinating Grimoires of her family, which the late Lily Potter had access to prior to her death. If a complete verification is eventually achieved, a report may be published, but only with the consent of the Potters and Peverells. This magic is very much their families' legacy, something this Chamber is intimately familiar with as something that must be protected." Croaker sat back down as murmurs spread amongst the attendees. Fudge struck the gavel down. "Director Bones, are there any further violations of the law you believe our Chief Warlock is responsible for?" Amelia nodded. "There are. The DMLE, after being contacted by the Peverells and the Tonks families, began a thorough investigation as to Dumbledore's illegalities. As was witnessed before this Chamber, the man has consistently broken the law, primarily by committing obstruction of justice, over the last few years. While he may not have been charged for these improprieties, these events constitute a dangerous precedent. I would like to inform this chamber without interruptions from the accused."

Dumbledore was forcefully sat down as Amelia adequately painted the picture of the chain of events since the final days of the war, citing Dumbledore's own words regarding a prophecy as proof, with Croaker adding in that said prophecy was already fulfilled. The Neutrals and remaining Traditionalist were eyeing Dumbledore with clear dislike, while the more progressive members, many colleagues of the Chief Warlock, looked on with a mix of horror and disbelief. As Amelia ended her report, Dumbledore, now free to speak, snapped. "None of what you have accused me of doing can be adequately proven within a court of law!" The Minister struck the gavel down and addressed the Chamber. "Whether that is true or not I will leave to the DMLE prosecutors to decide. I do, however, call now for the Vote of Confidence, as I do not believe this man can adequately represent this Assembly with honor and distinction." Augusta stood up, startling the progressives. "I second that. The position of Chief Warlock or Witch cannot be held by a person so thoroughly under investigation." Ted raised his hand as the votes were casted. With a few hold outs, the vast majority agreed with the Vote of No Confidence.

Minister Fudge turned to Dumbledore. "The Vote passes. Albus Dumbledore is no longer the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Aurors, please escort him out of the chamber. I would also like to hear nominations for the now vacant position before we call this session to a close." Ted watched as several people, including Amelia and Julia, were nominated as soon as Albus was lead out the Chamber by the Aurors, both of whom turned the nominations down due to their current positions as Director of the DMLE and Chairman of the Board of Governors, building a great deal of respect among the chamber for not overextending themselves. When Hazel was nominated, Theodore sighed and raised his hand. "The Lady Peverell has left behind written documentation where she dismisses all nominations for any political position within the Ministry and the Wizengamot. She added that should anyone attempt to force the issue she would be more than happy to challenge them to a Duel to the Death with the Wizengamot as an audience." The nomination was swiftly retracted, causing the chamber to chuckle. To the surprise of many, the front runners for the position were Augusta Longbottom, Theodore Nott and Amos Diggory. Regardless of who would win, history had been made. Dumbledore, once one of the most venerated men in Great Britain, was now just an ordinary wizard.

Sirius' foot kept tapping the floor repeatedly until Remus slammed his foot down on top of his, getting a whine out of his old friend. "Mother-, what was that for!?" Remus glared at his friend. "You are being annoying." Sirius raised his hand and waved it around. "These meetings are annoying. Every meeting is bloody annoying. Do you have any idea how many times I have had an unexpected visitor at Grimmauld Place? Every Lord and Lady wants to have a chat with me! Even bloody Gringotts won't leave me alone. My account manager, one that was born into the family in charge of our Vaults since as far back as the Bank remembers, is exceedingly interested in investing my family's gold." Remus chuckled. "Right. Complain about how much money you have just sitting around, collecting dust, behind a dragon guard." Sirius made a face. "Oh, no. I asked them to remove the dragon. I was not going to have any of the kids looking at me as the devil incarnate for having a dragon guarding the Black Family's gold. Sheesh. What happened to kids liking dragons?" Remus hummed. "Oh, I am sure they still like them well enough. They just prefer they look healthy and have the freedom to fly like those in the Preserves. Not half blind and lethargic." Sirius sighed. "Right. Still, my point stands. Meetings are boring!"

As soon as the door opened and two more people entered, Remus lifted his eyebrow. "I think this one might be the exception." Sirius looked towards the door and stared. "Here I thought you were dead." The former Potions Master of Hogwarts gave him a satisfied smirk. "Then I am most happy to exceed your expectations, Black." Snape moved to the end of the table, taking a seat, with Alastor sitting beside him. The rest of the Order started muttering to each other. Snape had stopped coming to the meetings since the summer of the previous year. There had been no word of him at all. Sirius, however, definitely knew where Snape had been. Looking over the man, he could say that Community Service at the Department of Mysteries was doing him wonders. His hair was, for the first time, not looking as greasy and it had clearly been trimmed. His skin didn't seem to be the same level of paleness that made him famous with the kids as the Dungeon Bat. Even his clothes weren't their usual full black piece robes, going for a mix of dark and regular browns. When Dumbledore arrived at the meeting, even he did a double take. "Severus?" The Potion looked towards Dumbledore. "Albus." The old wizard shook his head. "Where have you been, old friend?" Severus raised an eye. "Under arrest. Since you "vouched" for me, I never was charged for my crimes, so I was brought forward with the full charges for everything I ever did as a Death Eater."

Albus shook his head. "I am so sorry, Severus. Perhaps if I have a talk…" Alastor grunted. "You will probably do more harm than good, Albus." After raising an eyebrow at Alastor, Severus focused on Dumbledore. "As… unpleasant as my situation may seem… I cannot deny it could have been far worse. While I am not entirely free to move about at my leisure,… there is a certain degree of peace that my current situation grants me. A peace I am willing to surrender for tonight. Just this once." Albus frowned but nodded. "Regardless, it is good to see you again, old friend. I feared the worst." Sirius muttered under his breath. "Seemed the best option for me." Severus glared at Sirius but the animagus swore he saw a measure of amusement in those eyes. Albus took his seat and sighed. "I am afraid these are dark times. Hogwarts, the Wizengamot and the Ministry… all now lost to us. If we do nothing to stop the spread of Peverell's poison, we risk losing all of Britain. That cannot happen." Alastor grunted. "Why? Because the people you thought should listen to you for the rest of their lives have grown a spine? Or is it because you can't stand being left in the dust?" Molly screeched. "Mad-Eye, what is the meaning of this? You know that Albus has never steered us wrong!"

Moody laughed out loud, startling everyone. "Really? Because half the people here are all that's left of the old Order. And why? Because our good, fearless leader couldn't be bothered to treat Voldemort as a real threat in his prime! Look at him now! Old snake face is dead and you want to ruin a young lass' repose? You really need to make up your bloody mind, Albus." Dumbledore glared at Moody. "I will admit I may have made some mistakes in the past. I am doing my best to correct them now. But we cannot allow the danger that Peverell is to our people endure! She will destroy Wizarding Britain. Unlike before, she will destroy it from within, eroding the traditions of our people, the rightful concern over teaching our children magic at the right moment in their education. The students will take her example to tear the country apart, an army without a single commander to lead or take the blame, leaving the country in ruins. We cannot allow this to happen. We need to remove her threat to our world permanently!"

The meeting room was left speechless until Elphias sighed. "Albus, I am afraid you aren't thinking straight. Many of us have been near her, spoken to her. She isn't Voldemort." Albus slammed his clenched fists onto the table. "And that is why she will succeed! Because you are all too blind to see the truth. The greatest victory the devil achieved was making everyone believe he wasn't real. As long as you refuse to believe, we will lose everything." The silence that followed was broken by the most unlikely person. "You are wrong about her, Albus." The old man turned to Severus. "Not you too!" The Potion's Master sighed. "Albus, of all the people here, there are three that have seen her true nature. Those are myself, Lupin and Black. I will not speak for the others, but I stared into that woman's eyes. She didn't look at me as a man. I was a Death Eater to her, one she would have put down without a second thought if I ever proved her right. In the two years I was around her, she never once acted against me. She could have. I may be the best to spot a poison, but I do not possess the skill that she does with magic. I would have died within a second of facing her and she could have disposed of me, with the world none the wiser. Yet I was allowed to live."

Lupin sighed. "I agree with Severus. When that woman first arrived at Hogwarts, I was certain I would have died at her hand. Yet for all of her threats, both verbal and physical, for all the fear she instilled into my wolf with her presence alone, I never once felt unsafe around Hazel Peverell. Had I endangered a student's life, I am certain I would have been dead, yet here I am. She had me all to herself for most of my transformations. She could have ended my life and suffered no consequences for it. She didn't. That is not the way Voldemort would have behaved." Dumbledore looked incredulously between the two before turning to Sirius. "You can't say that you agree with them! She has taken Harry away from you." Sirius sighed, his eyes staring down at the table in thought. "No, Albus. We did that. I lost any chance at raising Harry as James would have wanted me to because I was too stupid and you were too happy to keep me away from him. That woman was there for Harry when he needed her most. She gave him a sense of safety, of belonging. She gave him a family, Albus. What you, the war and Voldemort denied Harry, Hazel gave it to him without a second thought. She could have kept him from me but she allowed him to make up his own mind. I cannot fault him for his choice… I would have made the same one myself. In fact, I did make that choice once upon a time."

Elphias spoke up. "Albus, I believe you should stand down. If Peverell is a threat, the Order can simply take a position of passive observation. There is no way she would be capable of hiding her true nature for years, if what you say is true. But if, as many of us believe, you are wrong about her, then there is nothing to be concerned about. The world is changing, that much is clear to all of us who lived through the last two wars, and the Wizengamot is changing with it, along with the Ministry. There is no stopping this change. So please, for your sake, leave Peverell and the Ministry be." Dumbledote searched the eyes of the entire gathered Order, seeing most of them were against his position. He lowered his hands off the table, hiding how tightly he was clenching his fists. "Very well, I will ask everyone to remain watchful. But mark my words. Voldemort is Lady Peverell. When she reveals herself as a Dark Lady, it will be too late to stop her without a great loss of life." The man left the Headquarters swiftly as the rest of the Order scattered into the night. Sirius remained behind, sweeping for eavesdropping spells, before approaching Severus. "He isn't going to stop, is he?" Severus stared at Black and shook his head. "I don't believe there is anything that will convince him he is wrong. This will end when either of them is no more."

Sirius sighed and rubbed his hair. "I take it this was your one visitation allotment for the Order?" Severus nodded. "The DoM is being exceedingly careful with me. They understand my talents from the war, not to mention my skills in a Potion's Lab." Sirius smirked. "Must be nice, not having to deal with making the same potions every year, all while keeping the kids from blowing themselves up." Severus searched Sirius' face and saw no mockery in his eyes. "Indeed. Being around other gifted Potioneers… it's very liberating, in a way. Everyone is aware of every known reagent and material, not to mention having access to other less common ones. It's almost like…" Sirius stared at his old rival. "Like finally living the life you always wanted." Severus nodded silently. Sirius fidgeted a little, his eyes at where Albus had disappeared to. "It's an odd feeling, looking back at my childhood and seeing all the mistakes I made. Watching Albus targeting Hazel feels like I am watching myself and James, when we went after you." Severus eyed Sirius critically. "I… thought it felt familiar." Sirius turned to Severus. "I doubt we will ever go for a pint but I wanted you to know. I am sorry. For everything that happened between us. You didn't deserve to be treated the way we treated you."

Severus stared deeply into Sirius' eyes and eventually lowered his. "Thank you. I also doubt that I will be inviting you for tea, but Elphias is right. Times are changing." Severus looked in the direction Albus had disappeared to as well. "And holding onto grudges no longer seems to bring anything to anyone other than suffering and pain. I… have a chance to live my life as I always should have. I might be under house arrest and all my work is scrutinized, but it's the right price for me to pay for all of my mistakes. See you around sometime… Black." Severus gave a nod to Remus as Moody escorted him further away before they apparated. Remus shook his head. "Never thought I would see the day." Sirius smiled at his friend. "You worked with him a full year. That he turned himself in to the DMLE might have been an act of self preservation, but I think his remorse is real. We all made mistakes, some not even consciously, but many were. It's time to focus on being better, for all our sakes." Remus nodded. "Well, I have the weekend free. Want to hit up your family's liquor cabinet?" Sirius laughed. "Oh hell yes. Though I am hiding some bottles for later." Remus chuckled. "Saving them for a special occasion with Amelia?" Sirius' face lit up. "Damn right I am."

"Thanks for the escort, Cedric." The Head Boy waved at Teddy. "No problem, Edward. Have a good night." Teddy waved back as Cedric vanished down the corridor before he turned and knocked on his Mom's door. The wards reacted to him instantly, the door swinging open, before closing after he walked inside. He found his Mom on the sofa, sitting with her legs bent beneath her. He came from behind her and hugged her. "Hi Mom." Hazel kissed his arm gently. "Hi Teddy. Spending the night?" He walked around the sofa and watched as she lowered her legs to the floor to give him more room. He sat down beside her and rested his side against her. "Yeah. I don't feel comfortable staying in my dorm while Dromeda is at the hospital." Hazel wrapped her arm around him. "Yeah, I feel the same." Teddy's eyes focused on the book in Hazel's hands. He always found the Druidic Script to be so beautiful. At one time it was mysterious to him too, until his Mom taught him how to read it. She had been teaching him the spoken component for a few months now, since it was an important aspect of using the script for warding and enchantments. "What's the book about?" Hazel turned the page. "Some of the oral traditions of the Druids. About the Isle of the Blessed, as well as their Old Religion, especially of its final moments. Salazar had been worried about the Druids dying out and wrote them down."

Teddy giggled. "It's weird. We call the faiths and rituals of the Druids the "Olde Ways", meanwhile they called it the "Old Religion." I wonder if at any point it was considered new." Hazel chuckled. "True. Then again, faiths before the rise of the organized religions were always fragmented, stemming from centuries, if not millennia of oral traditions. I don't think we can ever truly trace back a real origin, same as with the dawn of magic. They were just there, a part of the world. A part of our existence." Teddy hummed. He rested his head against his mom's shoulder. "Do you think Andromeda will be ok?" Hazel nodded. "She has the top Doctors and Healers of the country looking over her at the same time. What one misses the other will catch. The surgery will be relatively safe and the mix of medicine and potions should keep her from having a long recovery." Teddy cuddled into his Mom more as she closed the book and placed it on the table. "Do you want to go see her before the break?" Teddy shook his head. "No, I think it would be better to wait." Hazel rubbed his hair gently. "I was thinking the same." Both of them sat quietly together, memories of Andi swirling in their minds, when Hazel's attention was drawn towards the door. She watched as Harry poked his head in. "Could I … join you?"

Hazel waved him over. "You never have to ask to enter our chambers, Harry. Unless it's me and Dora's bedroom, then please, always knock first." Harry chuckled as he walked into the living room, closing the door behind him. Hazel scooched over and he sat on the other side of her before she hugged him too. "Worried about Andromeda too?" Harry nodded. "I think I feel more anxious than worried, but I didn't feel right heading back to Gryffindor Tower after my patrols." Hazel rubbed his hair gently. "So, what's this I hear about you becoming the next British Wardmaster?" Harry blushed. "It's something I thought about after discussing NEWT classes with Susan. Do you think I could do it?" Hazel kissed him on the head. "If it's what you want. You are a natural at wards, Harry. But what really matters is not only that you are good at it, but that it interests you. That it drives you to be the best version of yourself. If you feel wards are your way, go for it." Harry nodded, feeling more comfortable with his decision now. Hazel then hugged Teddy tighter. "And you are welcome to take your time, Teddy." Teddy nodded his head but frowned. "I just wish I was more certain. Don't get me wrong, I like Herbology and it's fun taking care of plants, but after two years helping Professor Sprout, I don't think I want to go as far into it as she has."

Humming to herself, Hazel kissed her son on the head. "And that is perfectly fine too. I am not the same person I was at thirteen. The things I liked then are very different to who I am now. Even Harry here is different than when he started the OWL electives." Harry thought for a second. "Huh, I guess I am. I liked Charms a little more back then and Potions was interesting, but it just doesn't hold the same passion it once did for me. I never thought of it that way." Hazel conjured a seed into her hand and held it aloft for both to see. Slowly the seed broke as thin tendrils of roots grew out. "That's part of being a living thing. We grow up, changing every step of the way. In appearance, thought, dreams and even in our souls. We grow every minute of every day for the rest of our lives." After a minute, a small bush rested in her palm. "So allow yourselves to grow. Let your dreams grow every day until you find the ones that you yearn for." Hazel vanished the conjured tree from the palm of her hand. She stood up and looked at her boys. "So, sleepover?" The three settled into Hazel's large and expanded bed, after she made sure to change the sheets. Harry sighed in relief. "I am so glad you aren't like the girls. Susan said most of them spent our whole Island Black vacation gossiping about boys."

Hazel gave Harry a smirk. "Really? I could ask you about how you are doing with Susan if you'd like." Harry blushed and shook his head. "Maybe later. Besides, I think Teddy would be a better person to ask about girlfriends, seeing as he has three." Teddy bristled. "They aren't my girlfriends!" Hazel hummed as she pulled her legs under her body. "Really? They would be so heartbroken to hear you say that." Teddy blinked at his mom in confusion before he groaned. "I didn't mean it like that!" Hazel chuckled and ruffled Teddy's head. "Of course not, but you better be careful how you answer that question around them. Hurting a person's feelings is a lot easier than you might think, even if they know how you meant your words to sound like." Teddy's hair shifted color before settling back to black. "I'll remember that." Hazel kissed his blushing cheek. "Good." After turning on the record player, the three settled under the covers as soft Irish songs filled the air. Hazel turned the music off at a distance after the boys were both snoring softly, before the warmth of their magic surrounding her pushed Hazel into a peaceful sleep.

Chapter 62: Dead to the Last

Shots rang out repeatedly as Horatio entered the shooting range, seeing Hazel continuing her weapons training during the very beginning of the Easter Break, her boys and partner spending time with a recovering Andromeda. He stood back and watched as she paused a few times before resuming fire, until two things struck him. Firstly, Hazel was using a ballistic chronograph while practicing, the speed of her bullets changing slightly until they started to match more and more. The second thing he noticed was that his Conjuration Expert wasn't reloading her magazine, despite her pistol not usually being able to account for that many rounds. He smiled as he continued watching, letting his own magical senses feel Hazel's improvised wandless magic. He had to admit, he barely felt the conjuration at all, but it was there. He was also aware that Hazel knew of his presence but she kept her focus on her training. She knew if it was important, he would interrupt her. So the two stood quietly in the shooting range as Hazel continued her target practice. A few minutes later, Quetz entered the range and joined Horatio in watching Hazel. The old Battlemaster knew that his Quartermaster learned of Hazel's new trick the moment she groaned. "This bruja is going to make me retire."

Horatio chuckled. "I don't know about that. She's just taking the menial work off your hands. We all know you have been working on enchanting rounds in your workshop. How is that going, by the way?" Quetz smiled. "Quite well, actually. The notes we took from the bastardos in Austria came in quite handy. They got quite far with the modified pistols. Improved structural integrity, limited recoil, limited heat generation from rapidfire. They had a few people working on enchanting bullets, but their tests kept failing. Looking over their work and comparing it with mine fixed the issue. Though getting the right materials for the rounds to sustain an enchantment for a long time is hard to do. I handed the job over to the Enchantment Division, letting them have the kicks of trying out all the usable metals and alloys. Orichalcum seems the most promising, though we might use it like a copper jacket for the rounds, keeping the cores as your standard lead, minus the armour piercing rounds, of course." Horatio hummed. "Be sure to submit all this to the ICW. We don't want you getting pulled in for replicating the work of terrorists. Even if yours is better." Horatio added the last bit after Quetz glared at him. "Of course I am documenting everything, jefe. The ICW will have a full patent and research project on their hands. Can't wait to hear what the other Departments of Mysteries make of them, though."

Hazel pulled off her hearing protection and looked at the two. "Afternoon. How was my aim?" Quetz pouted. "It was good. Want to talk about you conjuring bullets on the fly?" Hazel shrugged. "It's hard getting the powder pressure right but once you get it, it works well." Quetz sighed and raised her hand up. "Fine. Let me go ahead and clean up your gun. I want to see the damage you did to it." Hazel blinked at her and paled slightly. "Ah, not. It's fine. I can clean it." Quetz' left eye twitched. "Hazel, hand me the gun." Seeing no way out besides making a run for it, Hazel sighed and handed her the gun. Quetz inspected it thoroughly before she drew her wand. "Finite." Horatio watched as the handgun vanished into thin air. Quetz stared at Hazel. "When?" Hazel's shoulders slumped. "I got a bit frustrated with the powder and igniter, so I tried conjuring the whole thing. I didn't think I'd make it work but spending so many hours doing maintenance on the damn thing gives you a good idea of the internal mechanics." Quetz pinched the bridge of her nose and Horario heard her counting in Spanish, before he spoke up. "While I am sure our Quartermaster is delighted you secured a new and unique set of skills, maybe it would be best if you stick to just conjuring the ammo. Besides, I think Quetz has some new rounds for you to inspect. The type you can't conjure."

The three sat down at a table in Acquisitions as Quetz went over each round's unique properties. "This last one is a bit experimental. It carries suspended Basilisk Venom in the round." Hazel turned towards Quetz. "I am guessing this a "if nothing else works sort of bullet," isn't?" Quetz smiled. "Of course. You aren't going to be carrying more than half a clip on you, all of them well sealed, just in case you run into something unexpected." Hazel shook her head. "Well, that's good. I wouldn't want to be the one to ask Andromeda to keep me still while Nova starts doing her magic." Horatio nodded sagely as Quetz leaned back. "How is our Head Healer doing?" Hazel stored the new rounds from Quetz into a sealed box and placed them into her expanded ammo bag. "Better now. The operation was a success. Not only did they get the growth, but the Healers are sure they took out the root cells that were causing the cancer in the first place. Both the magical and non-magical healers are writing a joint report that will be turned into the ICW and, hopefully in a few years, WHO. If the Statute drops or an exception is made, cancer treatment could see a massive change in success rates and remissions." Quetz sighed, a smile on her face. "La diosa la bendiga. Some good came of this at least."

Hazel looked at the old Battlemaster. "Speaking about Healers, any word from Johnson as to her trainees?" Horatio nodded. "They have been stationed at St. Mungos for a year and a half, going through each of the different sections and medical wards, though a stronger focus on the Spell Damage and Physical Injuries Wards. Both continue to show exceptional skills as Healers, though we have noticed one of them is better suited for field work, while the other is a bit more research oriented. If all goes well, Andromeda will have two juniors to break in and a Field Medic to get up to speed. What about you? Any potential Operatives among the Hogwarts students?" Hazel leaned back into her seat, her thoughts cataloging all the students she was currently teaching. "If I am honest, not for two more years. Of the kids I personally tutored, only three would be capable of it. Unfortunately, I think Theodore Nott will be more focused on his political career, Susan Bones has expressed interest in a more private endeavour and Daphne Greengrass strikes me as a full Unspeakable in potentia, not an Operative. I would say that it might be worth running all three through the trainee program and getting them to Recruit level, if they are interested. Would do the Division some good having some reservists out there in case of emergencies."

Horatio rubbed his chin. "Interesting. Your reservist idea has merit and all three have proven themselves trustworthy to the DoM. I will bring it up with Croaker and then let him approach Lord Nott, Amelia and Julia. Anyone else?" Hazel sighed. "I don't want to presume too much… but I think I know of two people who might be suitable candidates. Depending on how we want to proceed, we could approach them, get them some early preparation in place. Might reduce their training period and we could instead focus on group combat, infiltration exercises and advanced techniques a bit earlier." Horatio leaned back. "I am guessing these two candidates are young?" Hazel nodded. "Third year students currently. Flora and Hestia Carrow." Horatio tapped his fingers on the table. "Explain." Hazel looked towards the weapons racks to her left, her eyes not really focusing on anything. "They were both harmed by their parents. Of everyone at the school, their sense of safety is the most damaged. I have watched them applying my teachings to defence spells and they spend a great deal of time reading up on jinxes, curses and shields. They want to feel safe again, but the school will only give them a sense of safety for so long. If we don't do something soon, they may start practicing far more dangerous curses, without proper supervision."

Quetz looked towards Horatio. "I have seen this sort of thing happening back home as well. Our refugiados go through hell on earth before they reach our sanctuary. They struggle for months and years before signing up for the Guardianes, or eventually going out themselves to inflict unholy vengeance on the traficantes in the jungles. Letting the girls feel lost or to struggle with their fears won't do them any good and no amount of counselling will help them feel entirely safe within their own home, not when their own familia harmed them. Reaching out to them early, helping them by training them along the way, giving them an outlet for their pain, with a promise at a life when they don't have to feel unsafe ever again… it's the best help we could give them and we could get two exceptional candidates for our troubles." Hazel looked back at them both and nodded. "I already started them on some physical training and group exercises in the summer along with the other kids. Their gift as twins lets them synchronize well, thinking up strategies with more than one person in mind. They could be an asset to the Operations Divisions, if they so choose. I would never dare take the choice away from them. Not after what they went through."

Horatio looked between the two and saw the conviction in their eyes. He sighed. "Very well. I will confer with Croaker and Amelia, before we address Julia and the girls directly. If they agree, tutor them privately. Give them a leg up. When they graduate, we will call them in. For now, just focus on getting your tenure at the school completed." Hazel nodded before looking at Quetz. "By the way, did you send the letter to your friend back home?" Quetz smiled softly. "I did. She's intrigued by the offer and is getting accredited and certified by the ICW. If all goes as expected, she will be arriving in London by early June to apply for the job. I am pretty sure Cuella will be sending a letter to the Headmistress soon." Quetz then pouted. "Though Tesca was insufferable when she wasn't invited to come over." Hazel chuckled. "Well, that's not a surprise. You seem to have a complicated relationship with her, Kuku." Quetz glared at her friend. "Now don't you bloody start, bruja." Horatio drew their attention by standing up. "Well, now that we have everything else covered, how about a sparring match, O1?" Hazel's face turned into a smile. "Magical or Non-Magical?" Horatio thought for a second. "Let's go Magical." Quetz sighed. "I will go set the wards on high, before you two wreck the training room… again."

Dora felt her feet hit the ground before she reached over and steadied Harry, though his latest arrival did seem to be smoother. Hazel looked him over and smiled. "Getting better at handling the Portkey drops, huh?" Harry nodded. "Yeah. After a while, you just get used to it." Dora released Harry's arm and took in her surroundings, feeling her mouth slowly opening in wonder at the large field of grass stretching before her. "Hazel, how big is this plot of land you bought?" Her fiancée hummed to herself as the boys released Hedwig and Nova, the two birds circling each other as they inspected the area. "Not sure. Somewhere past six or eight acres. I was more interested in the terrain and location than the exact dimensions." Dora groaned. "How much did you pay for this?!" Hazel smiled. "A little below three quarters of the market value. It was still within the budget left behind by the Peverell Trust, thankfully." Dora had a sinking feeling. "And why was it so cheap?" Hazel shrugged her shoulders. "It might have been cursed at some point. The land had been sold to the Goblins who kept sending Curse Breakers to the property to cleanse it but nothing seemed to work. After a while, they tried selling it to unsuspecting customers, getting some nice deals where they sold the property cheap before buying it back at inflated prices. I had Legal and Financial work them over and we got it for far lower than expected. We think the Goblins are waiting to make quite a massive offer to buy it back. Not that I would ever sell it."

Pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation, Dora counted to ten before talking to Hazel again, who had turned around towards some trees that seemed to be within the property line. "Hazel, I have to ask. How dangerous is the curse on this land?" Hazel turned to her. "Not at all." Dora's left eye twitched. "Hazel, your idea of danger and mine is very different. How likely is it that this place will see an accident in the near future?" Hazel pouted. "Oh do give me some credit, love. I have looked at the curse properly and it's been taken care of. The land is perfectly safe now." Hazel turned to the woods and knelt down on one knee. Dora heard what she assumed was Druidic before three Elves popped in front of her. Harry and Teddy both looked at the Elves, noticing how they weren't wearing cloth, but what looked to be animal hide or leaves. The three elves cheered and hugged Hazel, before they popped away. After standing up and dusting her knee, Hazel turned to her family. "Those are the co-owners of the property. In exchange for protecting their trees and growing the woodland, we now have the freedom to develop the adjacent land without issue."

Teddy rushed to Hazel's side, his eyes darting all over the trees. "Those… those were Woodland Elves, weren't they?!" Hazel ruffled his hair. "Yup. Their names are Aelwen, Lindir, Calen. There are a lot more of them in the area, each group protecting what woodlands they can. This plot of land in particular holds a Fae Circle within the woods and is the gathering place for the nearby woodland elves in grave times, hence the local elves treat the area with a lot of respect and would protect it violently. Most of the people who bought the land sought to turn it into a massive farm, but the elves always fought back whenever the woods were threatened. Damaged equipment, leaky roofs, scary noises at night. When I arrived to view the property, I felt the echoes of their magic and traced it to the woods. Most Curse Breakers, not acknowledging the fact that these elves even exist, tried to break the local magic that permeates the area. I simply walked up to the trees and called out in Druidic. They were quite surprised to hear the old tongue." Dora rubbed her face. "So, is the land safe?" Hazel nodded. "Perfectly. There was no real curse, just elves and fairies protecting their home. There is a larger and more detailed agreement with the Woodland Elves that extends to the others in the area that makes whatever we build here a sanctuary for them in rough times. I don't think it will be a problem, right?"

Checking on Harry, who was shaking his head at them in amusement and saying that Susan was going to kick herself for missing this, and Teddy, who was speaking in Druidic, which did draw the attention of one of the elves, Hazel walked up to Dora. "So, what do you think?" Dora looked at the wide open field of grass behind her and at the woods behind her girlfriend. "Harry, Teddy. Why don't you go ask the elves about what it's like for them out here. I need to monopolize Hazel's attention for a minute." Getting the hint, both boys started talking to the little elf, with Teddy translating for Harry. Dora touched Hazel's face gently before tightening her grip around the back of her head. "I think it's just like you. Perfect." Hazel barely had a moment to blush before Dora locked lips with her. The pink haired witch pulled Hazel down onto the grass and the two embraced each other as Dora deepened the kiss. They eventually broke the kiss, both breathing heavily. Hazel seemed to search for something in Dora's eyes. "So, do you want me to cover the plans the architects have been working on and that the elves agreed to? Or should we just set up camp and enjoy the day?" Dora took a moment to look at the kids, both of whom were now joined by their Familiars, talking to all three elves now. "How about we set up camp and go from there?"

As soon as Teddy saw Hazel pulling out a case from her backpack, he and Harry excused themselves from the elves. "Come on! I want you to see this!" Hazel opened the case as the boys arrived and, with her wand out, started to raise the Wizarding Tent to its full height. Harry stared at the taller tent. "How big is it on the inside?" Hazel sighed. "Not as big as you might think. It doesn't have a second floor or anything like it. Just a bathroom, dining room, kitchen and bedroom. At the time it was the best I could get." Hazel pulled open the tent and Teddy pulled Harry inside. Dora walked up to Hazel, her hand touching the soft waterproof fabric of the tent as she approached. "Is this… ?" Hazel nodded, her eyes seeing more memories of her past than the moment. "Where Teddy and I lived for almost two years when the Nuclear Winter started. Don't worry, the DoM decontaminated everything we brought along from our world." The two walked inside and Hazel's heart grew warm as she watched Teddy showing Harry all the old art he had made as a young kid in their shared bedroom. Dora wrapped her arms around Hazel from behind, resting her chin on Hazel's shoulder. "This place… feels like a home." Hazel wrapped her arm around Dora's. "After a while, it was. That's why I wanted to go on a camping trip. So that we could plan our new home here."

Dora spent the afternoon watching as Hazel used her conjuration to create an impressively detailed model version of the future Peverell Estate. Hazel pointed at the initial building stage of the Estate, which was a modest looking two story building with a basement. "Since finances are a bit tight, the engineers and I agreed on a design that could be built out incrementally, without weakening or overwhelming the original structure. This modular approach will also help as we build a Ward Chamber, similar to the one at Hogwarts, to act as the primary anchor. The DoM is testing out with my help a way to attach wardstones and make them act less as ward anchors and more as relays for such a chamber." Harry looked it over as Hazel expanded the Estate to have up to four floors and far more rooms stretching a bit around and to the back of the building. "I see. You want each layer outward to add further protection, like a castle with more than one retaining wall." Hazel nodded, and built out a glass like structure on the back. "Of course, we are going to be having a lot of the standard things a Family Estate needs. Potions labs, Herbology garden for the usual materials, several workshops, a ritual chamber and so on." Harry looked at Hazel. "Do you think the DoM would be ok with me looking over their warding work?" Hazel hummed. "Maybe. If you keep their secrets via oath, you should be able to work with them. If you do well on your NEWTs they might even offer you an Apprenticeship." Teddy watched as more buildings sprang up around the back of the property. "Stables?"

Hazel shrugged. "And barns. The point of an Estate is to be self sufficient, or at least mostly self sufficient. We won't be able to hold livestock for meat, but we can have our own fruits, vegetables and even some grains. Maybe even some animals for milk." Dora hummed as she leaned back. "If you wanted a larger terrain, you might have started your own vineyard." Hazel blushed and Dora stared at her. "You thought about it." Hazel nodded. "It won't be massive by any stretch, but we could make our own grape juice and wines, as well as apple ciders. Nothing for selling, but enough for our own family." Hazel waved her hand and conjured some familiar looking woods in the far back. before more trees in between the woods and the farmland. "Part of the agreement will be growing trees in the woodlands, expanding it for use by us and the Fae. The Elves would be more comfortable with that and we could grow a variety of trees to use for wand making." Harry looked at the larger display of the planned estate grounds. "You really are planning to restore the full Peverell Estate. With the means to allow the future generations to branch out into every field." Hazel pulled him and Teddy closer and kissed their cheeks. "Of course I am. I know Potter Manor will still be there and grow on it's own one day. We might even find a way to get the two estates working together, since it's only ten minutes away by broom."

Dora watched as Hazel went into even greater detail with the boys, focusing on the house and it's rooms. It warmed her heart knowing that several rooms were being planned specifically for her parents to spend summer or winter breaks over for visits. She went to touch her pendant absentmindedly, thinking that Hazel did seem to make a perfect Head of House, even if she hated the part where she had to waste time at the Wizengamot, when she felt something poking into her chest. Frowning, she dug her hand into her shirt and pulled out her pendant, her heart beating quickly. She stared at the pendant Hazel had given her a little over three years ago, as several roots poked through the metal of the casing. It took her a second to notice that the tent had gone silent, until thin, shaking hands cupped her own. Dora looked up into Hazel's startled face, as tears started spilling from her green eyes. "I… I never… how…" Dora pulled the chain over her neck and presented the pendant back to Hazel. Her fiancée visibly shook as she held the pendant to her chest, Dora noticing the crystal pendant she had given Hazel was glowing brightly through Hazel's shirt. There weren't any words she could accurately describe the feeling of following her lover out of the tent.

Under the watchful gaze of the boys and the elves, with Nova and Hedwig flying circles above their heads and making happy bird calls, Hazel and Dora dug a deep enough hole and planted the sapling, before pressing the dirt back over the area. The elves approached and Hazel spoke to them, getting three enthusiastic nods from them. "They will mark the area for us and make sure the tree grows unimpededly." Dora wrapped her arms around Hazel's waist from behind and kissed her on the cheek. "There is no going back, is there? This is our home." Hazel leaned into her, rubbing her cheek into Dora's. "It will be. One day. All I know is… I couldn't be happier." Dora pecked Hazel's lips. "Neither could I." She took Hazel's lips passionately afterwards, forcing the teens to look away before the two broke apart, panting. Hazel pressed her forehead to Dora's. "Sorry to say, but you will have to wait for your reward, love." Dora chuckled. "I don't mind at all." Hand in hand, the four of them walked around the property, the group finding a small creek near the woodlands, before the sun started to set. After a comfortable dinner that left everyone feeling full, the group laid on top of blankets outside, their eyes fixed on the stars. They were together in a place they would all one day call home. There was no place they would have rather been.

Dumbledore moved down a dark passageway, his path lit by the soft light still held within his Deluminator. He stepped carefully, his wand out before him, sweeping for traps or tripwire spells. He walked over a few that he spotted, his mind thinking about the events of the last few months. After his removal from the Wizengamot, his Order had fractured severely as so many were fooled by Tom's brilliant strategy. The woman was a perfect decoy. She was violent, Dark as any of his Death Eaters, but she was unapologetically so. Where Tom's followers had to train themselves in the use of curses within the confines of their Ancestral Homes, Hazel Peverell could be as violent and deadly as she wanted to be right before the entire Ministry, without any fear of reprisal. The vessel's close ties to Harry Potter meant that vanquishing his foe would be all too easy. But Tom wouldn't need to vanquish Harry Potter, only turn him. The boy was meant to be his equal after all. Using the vessel, he must have heard the Prophecy. Peverell's actions since the end of second year proved that Voldemort had switched his strategy. What better way to conquer Britain than by fooling the entire country of his demise and of the grandeur of his vessel's power?

Stepping over loose rocks and bricks, Dumbledore reached deeper and deeper into the passageway, perfectly hidden from view. For now. He had heard the town's folk of Hogsmeade talking about how the wards of the area were being changed, prompted by the Hogwarts wards being repaired and repurposed fully. If the wards were completely altered, then his means into the Castle would be jeopardized. He had debated breaking in much later into the year, especially around the weeks around the OWLs and final exams, knowing just how time consuming those dates tended to be. Then the Easter Break happened. Voldemort's vessel had left the Castle, along with the young Edward Peverell and Harry Potter. For the entire week, they were just gone. His spies and contacts throughout the Ministry, Gringotts and the magical communities saw no trace of the group of people anywhere. His monitoring of Peverell revealed that she had been searching for some plots of land, many close to leylines, but his contact in Gringotts wasn't able to confirm a purchase or change in address. The one she was listed under was ridiculous, especially when he checked the location himself. Post Office boxes. What weird things muggles come up with. His search proved fruitless, until the three missing people returned to the castle. He knew he couldn't afford to wait for the late academic term. If he did, the wards would be changed and the woman could vanish, never to be seen again until she was ready to conquer the rest of Great Britain.

Seeing no other recourse, Dumbledore waited for a few weeks after her reappearance at the Castle and, in the dead of night, entered one of the secret passageways that lead from Hogsmeade into the school. During the woman's year as a guard against Sirius Black, he made sure to follow her movements as much as possible on the grounds. He was aware of the many passageways, including the one he himself made. So he watched them from afar and noticed that they searched the collapsed tunnels thoroughly, but they never cleared them. As his position in the castle grew weaker and weaker, Dumbledore planned for what seemed inevitable. Finding the small, finger sized recess to his right, he used the Elder Wand to summon the item he had hidden deep within the stone, far enough away that no spell would detect it if they didn't know to look for it. He grasped the white king chess piece, rubbing it fondly. He remembered the times that he and Gellert had played chess against each other in their youth, before Ariana's death. He had visited him at Nurmengard several times, hoping to convince him that their dream could still be achieved in a less devastating way. Gellert refused to concede and he never agreed to play chess with Dumbledore again, no matter how many times he offered. Dumbledore sighed, knowing that after tonight, he might not be able to see Gellert ever again. "Check."

The Portkey activated and he felt relief when he found himself at the other end of the collapsed tunnel. He hid the portkey in his robe's pocket, just in case he would be in need of a fast exit, before he pushed the statue guarding the entrance to the side, avoiding the few detection spells he located in the entrance. He did notice a spell that triggered when he pushed the statue to the side, so he made haste. He needed to reach the Great Hall, before his plans were ruined. Following the many secret hallways and shortcuts he had mapped himself after years in the Castle, Dumbledore made it quietly into the trophy room to the back of the staff table. Disillusioned and silenced, he slowly opened the door, peaking through, before he closed it again and moved to the opposite door. There, to the right of Minerva, sat his target, her eyes scanning the Great Hall. Dumbledore took a steadying breath and thought about the monster that had entered his school, seeking the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor so many years ago. If he was honest with himself, Tom should have died that day. So much bloodshed and loss of life could have been prevented. He now had a chance to correct his mistake.

He stared at the new monster that haunted the Great Hall, feeling a measure of guilt. He knew that slaying it would not be easy but at the very least he needed to open the eyes of all the children to the truth. While a deadly blow would not end Peverell's life, as he saw in the memories of his friends, it should reveal the truth of her monstrocity to everyone, even if it ended up costing the country a few of its children. Their lives were a necessary sacrifice to save the entirety of Great Britain, if not the world from a far greater threat than Tom Riddle and Gellert Grindelwald had once been. Dumbledore took a deep breath, thinking of the man he once loved with all of his heart, who revealed himself to be no better than the muggles they both feared so greatly. He thought of the young boy he went to introduce the world to, hoping to draw him away from the dark path he was already treading, only to fail miserably. Both times a Dark Lord had risen, with thousands and even millions dying for his unwillingness to do what was necessary to keep everyone safe. Raising the Elder Wand, which he begrudgingly brought in order to have the best chance at succeeding in slaying the abomination, he focused on all of his pain and anguish over the lives lost in over half a century, and the men responsible for their deaths. He was ready to do what was necessary now, even if a few more innocents would die, for the Greater Good of all. "Avada Kedavra."

The moment the Dinner Feast started, Hazel felt something was off. She just couldn't place it. Dora was currently looking over some intelligence files Horatio had provided and was preparing to do the initial recon missions, so she wasn't the source of the odd feeling. She looked over at the Ravenclaw Table and watched as Teddy chatted with Astoria and the Carrow Twins, all perfectly safe, as far as her enchanted eyes could perceive. As Hazel frowned, trying to think what could the odd feeling be, she felt an old ward trigger. She recognized where she placed it. It was in the caved-in passageway in the Dungeons that lead out to Hogsmeade. Her eyes darted to the Gryffindor Table, where she spotted Susan and Harry chatting along with Hermione, Neville and Hannah. Ronald Weasley had steadily lost much of Harry's attention over the school year as he constantly spouted his mother's condemnations of Hazel. Though his attention span had improved under the care of the Mind Healers and the potion regimes, he was still unapologetic about everything, just like his mother. The boy sat further away now, mostly with the other Gryffindor boys of his year group. Ginerva seemed less interested in listening to her mother and more concerned over the next Quidditch game of the Holyhead Harpies, as Hazel spotted the Gryffindor Chaser discussing something with Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet, probably concerning the upcoming championship match against Hufflepuff.

Hazel's eyes focused next on the Weasley Twins, but they were both at the table themselves, talking with several of the Seventh Year students, most likely about their plans for their mail order business. Hazel swept the Great Hall again, not seeing any of the students missing. Pomona, who was sitting to her right, noticed the change in Hazel's attention. "Something wrong?" Hazel nodded. "I think so. I just don't know what it is." Minerva looked over at her and seemed to close her eyes. "I don't feel anything specific from the wards, except-" The Headmistress' statement was interrupted as Hazel's magic flared. Acting on instinct alone, Hazel pulled Pomona back and away from the table before she reached out with her hand. It barely registered what she was about to do when her hand intercepted a familiar green curse that would have likely killed her or Minerva. Her Family Magic reacted to the curse and started absorbing it as the familiar pain of death traveled up her now slackened arm, as the darkness of the void threatened to overwhelm her mind as it normally did. Her eyes landed on Teddy's shocked face and her heart stopped. There was no choice. She refused to give in so long as her boys were in danger. There was no other choice but to push on, the void be damned.

Pushing back on the approaching darkness and the all consuming pain as she had done before when the Direwolves had managed to bleed her out, Hazel slammed her still functioning hand onto the Staff Table and Transfigured it into a protective barrier between the staff and the door to her right. Her enchanted eyes pierced through Dumbledore's Disillusionment Charm and she growled deep in her throat. "Everyone take cover! Students, make for the exit now!" Seeing everyone making a panicking retreat, Hazel watched as Dumblodre turned his wand towards the opposite end of the Great Hall. His voice boomed, amplified by a sonorus charm. "No! You must all bear witness! The enemy must be revealed to you all!" Hazel slammed the former Headmaster back with a banishing charm, breaking his camouflage, but not before a spell exited his wand and seemed to seal the Great Hall. Hazel turned to the rest of the staff, all of them shocked beyond reason by the apparent identity of the attacker. "Minerva! Get the students out. Everyone else, help her out and keep them safe. Do it now!" At her raised voice, Dumbledore aimed his wand straight at her. "Sectumsempra!" The dark cutting curse dissipated over most of her Basilisk hide jacket, but the open front allowed for the spell to carve deep wounds into her chest, the slow trickle of blood hidden by her black turtleneck.

Willing her body to knit itself back together, Hazel watched as Dumbledore aimed again towards the students, all of them still trapped by the locked and likely warded door. Doubting anything short of an Elder Wand would unlock it, Hazel tried to Transfigure the tables and the floor of the Great Hall with her offhand into a barrier against the old man, but the floor resisted her magic. The Tables, at least, took the brunt of Dumbledore's attacks, which seemed to be hexes designed to impede the students ability to leave, though one had clearly meant to kill something. Dumbledore turned his attention towards her, launching a fire whip aimed straight at her neck. Not wanting to lose her head a second time in her life, Hazel raised her right hand, willing the Resurrection Stone into it, before catching the flames. The thin layer of black flames she had summoned into her offhand latched onto Dumbledore's flame whip and rushed towards the Elder Wand at its source. Dumbledore, seeing the flames, ended the curse, before launching a barrage of piercing hexes towards her, most of which were intercepted by her dueling shield. Getting tired of fighting with only one hand, Hazel sent a massive surge of magic through her left arm, regaining mobility, though not the feeling of touch, from it. Summoning her own Elder Wand to her left hand, Hazel dispelled the charm ward on the door of the Great Hall. Her attempts at Transfiguring the floor again proved just as ineffective.

Cursing under her breath, Hazel conjured a pack of wolves and sent them after Dumbledore, before slicing open her right hand with the Elder Wand. Slamming her open palm into the ground, she felt her magic link with that of the Castle's. Consciousness of stone, blood and earth. This man is trying to harm the students within your hallowed walls. Lady Hogwarts, protector of those born with the blessing of magic, please grant me the ability to alter your true form. Please! Let me protect the children. Let me protect my sons! Hazel felt the Castle's magic rush through her body, tasting her essence and searching for her mind. Hazel lowered her mental defences without a second thought. The castle's magic pierced through her very being, before it retreated from her mind, leaving behind a clear thought for her to interpret. So be it. Her hand still touching the ground, Hazel unleashed her magic through the stone, dispelling the reapplied ward on the door, before erecting massive columns of stone between Dumbledore and the students. "No!" No longer having to divide her attention, Hazel gripped the Castle's wards and slammed them shut as the old man launched a final curse directly towards the students. Teddy's face flashed before her eyes as the transfigured blocks of stone blocked the attack, making Hazel's heart stop beating. Dumbledore had just made his last mistake. Those old eyes latched back onto her own as Hazel's turned red and slitted, as she summoned within her every last ounce of magic to bring down upon him. Seeing his plan foiled, Dumbledore shouted. "Fawkes!" Hazel, not wishing him to escape, touched the link that existed between her and her son. "Nova!"

The two magical birds manifested into the air before them, the Hall filled with their competing shrills. Nova dove quickly and chased Fawkes away from Dumbledore. The old man returned his attention to her, hurling curses and hexes, all of them bouncing off her dueling shield. Hazel unleashed her conjured spears, which caught the old man by surprise. He was barely able to deflect and dispel any of them, a few barely scraping his arms. Seeing Fawkes making another dive, Hazel aimed her wand at it's likely path. "Avada Kedavra!" The dark green curse sailed across the open space, with Dumbledore conjuring a shield to intercept it, but Hazel dispelled it, allowing her curse to reach its target. The phoenix was struck by the curse and started it's burning cycle. Not leaving anything to chance, Hazel conjured a ball of water around the flames, diluting the ashes of the phoenix and trapping them in place as she froze the floating orb of water into ice, before Nova grabbed it with its claws and vanished in a flash of white light. Dumbledore stood staring at the spot where Fawkes had just been, allowing Hazel a chance to catch her breath and calm down somewhat. She could still feel the effects of the first Killing Curse running through her body, but she was certain she was clear of any complications. The old man snapped out of his shock and raised his wand towards her.

Two slim spears of silver embedded themselves into the old man's chest as he was launched back, becoming impaled into the wall behind him, his own spell ricocheting off a transfigured slab. Dumbledore quickly dispelled the spears, before unleashing a massive wall of fire towards Hazel. Unleashing her own black flames, Hazel was able to keep Dumbledore's magic at bay, though the nearby screams reminded her that the students were not yet out of the Great Hall, the stone pillars not very well suited for restraining a wall of flame. Altering the pillars into a solid wall, Hazel turned her attention back on the old man. She knew she could best Dumbledore on sheer power alone, but Hazel had no desire to add more injuries to her body. Her family would be bothered enough with the injuries she had already taken. Looking to end this quickly, she fed more magic to the Resurrection Stone and the Elder Wand, her Black Flames overtaking Dumbledore's firestorm. The old man raised his wand again when a soft and gentle voice called out to him. "Albie." Dumbledore froze, before turning around, his body shaking. He looked at a young girl, dressed in a blue dress that he knew matched her eyes and his, her dirty blonde hair tied in the braids his brother Aberforth would help her with. His mouth opened and closed silently several times before he was even able to speak her name. "Ariana?" The girl smiled at him and nodded, causing the old man to step back, shaking his head. "No, this is a trick. You aren't real." Ariana gave him a soft smile. "Do I need to knit you a pair of wool socks for you to believe me?"

After a second of shock, Dumbledore dropped his wand and rushed to her, hugging her tightly against him. "It's you. You are real. Oh Ariana. I am sorry. I am so sorry for that night." Ariana hugged him back. "It's ok, Albie. I understand. But it's time to let go. It's time to let go of the things that have been driving you down the wrong path." Dumbledore pulled back and shook his head. "I can't. I have to be the one to change the world. I have to be the one who will make sure what happened to you isn't repeated again." A voice spoke out as manacles attached to chains latched onto his ankles and wrists. "That won't happen again. Not after we are done." He turned around to Hazel, her eyes now turned silver, as her hands held his Elder Wand. He watched the eyes turn green, the bright green of the young Lily Potter and her son. Dumbledore shook his head, his expression turned sad. "You might have caught me with this illusion, but it won't change anything. I won't stop fighting you and neither will the Order. Capture me or kill me, it won't change anything." Hazel sighed. "In that you have a point. Alive or dead, you will continue to be an inspiration for others. I do, however, want to make something clear. This is no illusion. That is Ariana Dumbledore, your sister. Courtesy of this." Hazel held the Resurrection Stone between her fingers, drawing Dumbledore's eyes.

The old man sighed. "The Potter's Cloak is probably in your possession, and now you hold the wand. So you have become the Master of Death. What happens now, Tom? Are you satisfied? Is your fear quenched at last?" Hazel rolled the stone back into her skin, her magic still sustaining Ariana's existence in this plane. "Even if I told you the truth, you would never believe a word of what I would say, like so many others in my previous life. But no Dumbledore, I feel nothing but gratitude for my fate as Death's vessel, because everything in my last fourteen years of life has been because of her mercy. But this isn't about me anymore. Now it's about you." Hazel turned to Ariana, who hugged her brother around his chest from behind. "While his sins against man would deny him any kindness, can I ask you to show him the way to the other side?" Ariana nodded, smiling at her. "Of course, Mistress." Shaking her head at the dead girl's tone towards her, Hazel aimed Dumbledore's Elder Wand at his chest. "While there are merits to sparing your life, your death would solve a lot of problems. I doubt anyone other than Grindelwald knows you have the Elder Wand. I am also sure that I don't want you planning my death, let alone that of my son's, for whatever is left of your natural life." Hazel watched as the man reached into his pocket. "Portkeys don't work any more, Dumbledore. Hogwarts was kind enough to give me control of the wards for the fight."

Confused by her words, Dumbledore muttered "check" under his voice, but the portkey failed to activate. Hazel kept her eyes on him, her irises becoming silver once again. "There is no more hiding, Albus Dumbledore. You have brought much death to this world. It is only fair that it claims you as well. As it will claim all, one day. If you run into Tom in the realm beyond, do try and apologize to him. You carry just as much blame for his life as his family. Goodbye, Albus. Avada… Kedavra." Silence filled the Great Hall as the bright green curse snuffed out the light within Dumbledore's eyes. Ariana looked at Hazel and nodded, pulling a translucent and struggling Albus out of his body, before taking his hand. The two walked away, vanishing into a small and ethereal arched opening that formed on the wall behind them, disappearing into a void of darkness. As the doorway vanished, Hazel's eyes returned to green, causing the woman to sigh. She lifted the lockdown she had set the wards of the castle into, and returned the Great Hall to its original form, before pressing her blood stained hand against the wall. Thank you, Lady Hogwarts. The children, all of them, are safe now. A sense of gratitude filled her mind as the control of the wards slowly slipped from her will. Hazel took stock of her body's condition and sighed, taking the ear comm out from her wristwatch and placing it in her ear before speaking. "O1 here. In need of medical attention at the Castle. AD1 has fallen as well. Send the Aurors to retrieve his body from the Great Hall." Hazel slowly walked out of the Great Hall, her fiancée's startled voice filling her ears as she made her way to the Hospital Wing.

Andromeda dusted her dress as she arrived in the Hospital Wing of the Castle, her daughter following close behind, as Pomfrey opened the door of her office. "She's resting comfortably in one of the beds but refuses to let me scan her, let alone treat her." Andromeda chuckled. "Believe me, she hardly lets me look at her too. Her physiology has some unique characteristics that when improperly diagnosed can be quite concerning. As her private physician, I can look after her without issue." Pomfrey sighed. "Very well. I am at least glad that she is the only patient. The rest of the school simply needed some Calming Draughts and Dreamless Sleep potions." Dora rushed to her partner's side quickly, looking her over. "How bad is it? And don't you dare say it's nothing. You wouldn't call Mom in if it was nothing." Hazel blinked at Dora for a second before sighing. "Some damage to my chest because my jacket was still open from dinner, my left arm will be stiff for about a week and some minor blood loss." Dora looked at Andromeda. "Isn't minor for her somewhere between half of her blood and most of it gone?" Andromeda shook her head and placed her Healer's kit to the side of Hazel's bed, before drawing her wand. "We will see. Stand still and keep that magic of yours low." Hazel nodded, burying her Family Magic deep into her chest.

The scans made Andromeda sigh. "Severe nerve damage to your left arm, Sectumsempra curse damage to your torso and a few piercing wounds on your thighs. Signs of severe blood loss and heavy magical exhaustion." Hazel swallowed her casual response at Dora's glare. She remained silent as Andromeda got to work, applying the counter curse to Hazel's chest and stomach, before digging into her bag and pulling out a few vials of healing potions. As Hazel finished downing the last bottle, the doors to the Hospital Wing opened slightly as two dark haired figures rushed in shouting out "Mom!", followed closely by the Headmistress. The two boys hugged Hazel, despite Andromeda's warning not to, as McGonagall approached the group. "I am afraid they refused to head to bed before they could confirm her wellbeing." Hazel kissed her two boys on the head and rubbed their backs. "I am ok. See? Still in one piece." Andromeda's whisper of "barely" got her a soft glare from Hazel. "Not helping." Teddy searched her eyes. "You sure? You felt cold again like in December." Hazel winced. "I am ok. Whatever is happening with my magic, it's settled down. Seeing as you two are here, how about we all get to my room as soon as Andromeda gives me the all clear."

Dora stopped her mother from what she was about to say. "I can watch over her there. Trust me, she will stay in bed. I'll even put Dobby and Leafsby on her." Hazel pouted at Dora. "Traitor." Her fiancée smiled back at her and leaned in for a deep kiss. "For you, always." McGongall cleared her throat. "I thought you ought to know that Alastor Moody is leading the investigation, along with Head Auror Scrimgeour. Both arrived and… retrieved the body from the Great Hall after sweeping the area for evidence. Not that there was much to go on. You certainly cleaned it well, minus the missing tables." Hazel chuckled. "Sorry about those, Minerva, but Hogwarts stones are spell resistant for a reason. The tables… not so much." Minerva's face softened. "Quite. I must also offer you my thanks. Without you, I would not be here. I can only imagine how many more would have died if you didn't hold Albus and yourself back." Hazel waved the comment away with her right hand. "To be fair, he was aiming at me. If I hadn't pushed my seat back, it would have been me taking a direct hit. My stopping the curse from hitting you was a correction of my leaving you vulnerable in the first place."

Minerva nodded but still smiled at her. "Regardless, thank you for that. Pomona will likely offer her thanks in the next few days as well. The attack shook her and the rest of the staff deeply. Hagrid seemed inconsolable after the students were safely beyond the Great Hall." Two more figures arrived, one hobbling towards them with his staff in hand. "Peverell." Hazel nodded at him. "Mad-Eye. If you need my memories of the event, you know you need to wait in line." The gruff Auror chuckled. "Aye, I can wait for those. Just wanted to get a preliminary statement. Don't worry, I'll pass it along to the rest quickly enough." Seeing that no one was likely to leave, Hazel described the events of the evening as she remembered. "You might want to check Dumbledore's pockets. There was a portkey in it with the activation being the word "check." I believe it was his method into the Castle. He tried to use it to escape, but the wards were shifted to block all entries, exits or short jumps even within the boundary line." Rufus wrote all the information down. "You are aware that his allies are going to come after you for this." Hazel nodded. "I am. Get in touch with the powers that be. We can arrange for a thorough interrogation under Veritaserum. One that should dissuade the more level headed people." Rufus finished his notes and nodded. "We will get to that. Regardless, good work keeping the casualties down as much as you did." Hazel smirked at him. "You won't ever let me live that down, will you?"

Rufus chuckled. "Never. Rest up, Professor Peverell. You are in for some busy days ahead." Hazel looked at her boys and smiled. "It's worth it." The boys smiled and Rufus nodded. "I believe it is." The Aurors left with Minerva in tow, the three discussing any official statements between them and the school, as Andromeda continued her treatment of Hazel, whose right hand was held within Dora's, her sons dozing off slightly in the bed next to her. Andromeda rubbed her own forehead clear of sweat as she started removing her gloves. "Your wounds are sealed up well enough, but the tissue and muscles underneath need time to mend. After you reach your quarters I want you to rest. I would offer you a Dreamless Sleep potion but we both know that those don't work with you at all. So instead, I am recommending a week's worth of bed rest, bathroom breaks being the one exception. I will check in with you after three days and then be back at the end of the week." Hazel chuckled. "I have a feeling the Wizengamot will want me there sooner." Andromeda glared at her. "Well tough. Healer's Orders supersede a Court Order." Andromeda turned to Dora, her face softening. "Watch out for her, will you?"

After saying goodbye to Andromeda, Hazel was escorted by her family to her Chambers, Dora supporting her from under her arm, until they helped lay her down on top of her still expanded bed. Dora looked at the two boys, who shifted into their animal forms and did their best puppy eye impression. She sighed. "That's bloody cheating, you two." Seeing that their faces didn't change at all, Dora rubbed her face. "Fine! Pick your form, take a corner and sleep." Dora turned to Hazel and pointed at her. "You. Stay." Hazel's very dog-like bark in response lightened Dora's mood as she went and showered, before joining her family in bed, keeping Hazel spooned next to her. Dora wrapped her arms around Hazel's stomach and was rewarded with a whine. "You do know I have injuries there, right?" Dora winced and softened her touch. "Sorry. I just… I know why you didn't call for help and all but I feel like I should have been here for you." Hazel lifted Dora's hand and placed it on her own chest, just over her heart. "You were there for me. Right here. I am here, recovering, because of you, Harry and Teddy. Without you, there would be no point in me coming back. You have nothing to apologize for." Dora cuddled into Hazel's back more. "I love you." Hazel lifted Dora's hand and kissed it. " I know. And I love you." The four, comforted in each other's presence, managed to sleep peacefully after the night's events. They only prayed the next few days weren't anywhere near as chaotic as today had been.

Chapter 63: The Peace of Empty Battlefields

"Honored members of the Wizengamot, please calm down! We can't start the session unless we have order in the Chamber!" Ted's eyes scanned the chamber, hearing everyone trying to talk over each other, as the previous day's events went over in his mind. He was thankful that the DMLE and DoM had handled the investigation into Dumbledore's death quickly, rather than drag it out and allow the population to make up its own conclusions. Then again, this was Amelia and Croaker on the helm, two people he found to be quite good at their job when not bogged down by bureaucracy. Hazel was still very much under observation by his daughter after the attack, despite Andromeda finding her to already be back in peak physical shape, minus some lingering stiffness in her left hand. He shook his head as he remembered sitting with her in her Hogwarts Chambers, being interviewed first by Croaker and later by Rufus, the second interview being far more streamlined and narrow in its questions to keep certain anomalous events of the day quiet. The DoM had reviewed Hazel's memories, as well as several of the staff members, before allowing the DMLE access to it. The only section that had been omitted was Hazel's explanation of the Resurrection Stone, which was a relief to everyone. One could only imagine how many people would be knocking on her door if word got out she could summon the dead, however briefly.

Not that there was a door for them to knock on yet. Hazel and his own daughter, with the input from Harry and Teddy, had just barely completed the classified registry of the land she was going to build the Peverell Estate on. Ted would admit he found the expense and the massive size of the grounds excessive, but that stemmed from his own experiences as a muggleborn. After spending the last three years as a Proxy, certain things about the Old Families became clearer in his mind. The Old Family Estates may have evolved into grand, ostentatious and physical manifestations of wealth and power, but that wasn't their initial purpose. Estates were common in medieval times, extending out even further back in time in certain regions of Europe. The purpose had been a bit more geared towards defence rather than opulency. Sure, they represented the wealth and power of the old Families, with even plenty of references to how the serfs were part of the estate, but these places kept the average people from being victims of raids, whether from barbarians, zealots or vikings. To the modern Heads of House, the need to protect their family and allies remained a large part of their duties. The finished Estate, if it ever stopped being built out, would be capable of securing every member of the Coalition, should the other Estates fall. Of course, the immediate family had first dibs on the rooms. The section of the Peverell Estate that Hazel had personally designed for him and Andromeda had warmed his heart and he was curious to find out what books had been set aside for his personal study. As the Wizengamot grew rowdy, Ted gave a passing glance at his surroundings.

That Dumbledore had snuck into Hogwarts during the Evening Feast and attempted to assassinate Hazel before the entire school or, at the very least, prove to the school and the Wizengamot that she was a monster, caused even his blood to boil. He had watched the entire exchange from beginning to end and asked her about what was going through her head, in case he would have to report on the event before the Wizengamot. He had hoped no one would try to call for an early session, but the supporters of Dumbledore, now greatly diminished, still had enough members to appeal to the Minister and the Chief Witch to call a session. Augusta, acting as interim Chief Witch until the vote was finalized, had no choice but to follow procedure. He watched as she patiently waited with an hourglass beside her. As soon as the sands emptied out, she stood up and cast a massive silencing charm on the entire Chamber. No wonder no one was stupid enough to piss her off. Ted Tonks felt the spell to his core. "Enough! This session will begin shortly. Those permitted to speak to the Assembly may do so, but if anyone repeatedly speaks out of line, I will have the Aurors escort you out. I ask that everyone be on their best behaviour." After glaring at everyone in the newly silent Chamber, she sat down and read from her parchments.

"This emergency session has been called due to the incident that occurred at Hogwarts Castle. Before we begin, I would like to call Head Auror Scrimgeour to give this chamber the DMLE's current understanding of the incident that transpired." Ted sat back as the silencing spell dropped, before he felt a hand touch his shoulder. His wife leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Sorry I am late. I was checking up on the trainees. Johnson is giving them a tour of the Medical Wing and I wanted to be there." Ted gave his wife a smile, happy to see Andromeda's mood had only improved since the end of her medical leave. "Scared them stiff?" Andromeda chuckled. "Not exactly. Fawley takes the job seriously and is eager to get started. Clearwater is a bit more squitish, but after her run in with a Basilisk in her six year, I don't blame her. She's gotten better and has even signed up for field medic training, so she seems to be interested in conquering her demons." Ted hummed. "Hazel and Dora could help her with that." Andromeda sat next to him. "I am sure they will. For now, they are being acquainted with the layout of Level 9 and the Medical Wing's configuration. Horatio will bring the matter to Clearwater of getting her up to the acceptable athletic component of the field medics, after I remind him he can't treat her as an Operative. He and Quetz are going over their own medical files so both can stay clear of the Medical Wing while Johnson gets them ready." Ted smiled. "That's the lovely woman I married. Always looking after her charges."

Rufus closed his file, leaving the chamber in stunned silence. "Based on the evidence recovered, the narrative as seen by the unaltered memories of several witnesses that I just relayed to the Assembly seems to line up. A portkey was discovered in Dumbledore's pocket that would have allowed him to bypass the wards, it's arrival point set in a hidden passageway that had collapsed. The Wardmaster has now reset the portkey wards and no further unauthorized intrusions should occur." A member of the Wizengamot known to be a supporter of Dumbledore stood up. "What about the claims that Peverell instigated the incident?!" Rufus sighed. "Aided by her Proxy acting as counsel, a DMLE Healer and under the monitoring of Observer Badawi, the DMLE conducted a Veritaserum questioning of Hit Witch Peverell. She has confirmed that she held deep animosity towards Dumbledore but that she was content to just let the DMLE handle him as she was too busy to care about his behaviour until he attacked her. Fearing for her own life, the lives of her family and the safety of the students, she took the decision to use deadly force against him. As he started the altercation with a Killing Curse, by DMLE and ICW rules of engagement, she was well within her right to use deadly force in return."

Another progressive stood up, with Andromeda recognizing them. "Lady Jones. Her daughter is a member of the Order." Ted sighed. "Lovely. Sirius and Mad-Eye are going to have a lot to work on to keep them in line." The chamber grew silent as Lady Jones spoke up. "What of the allegations that Hazel Peverell is being possessed by Lord Voldemort?!" The Chamber entered into quiet discussions as Rufus turned towards Jones. "As the issue reported in the opinion piece kf the Daily Prophet seemed to be the reason for Albus Dumbledore's attack, we asked the question of Lady Peverell. She responded that she was not being possessed, influenced or is in any way emulating Lord Voldemort. She further added that while she will always call herself a Dark Witch, she refuses to ever call herself a Dark Lady and has no plans, active, imagined or inactive against the Wizengamot or the Ministry. Though she did admit that if the Ministry, an organization or any other individual threatened her life or that of her family's, she won't be against adding them to the Peverell Bloodline extinction list." The Chamber shuddered at the veiled warning. Augusta, not bothered by the threat, pushed the session onward, until the supporters of Dumbledore were left with nothing to cling to.

Ted did notice that some of the Traditionalists, those who were supportive of the Death Eaters but kept their own hands clean, did try and assist in trying to find fault with Hazel's actions against Dumbledore. He wrote down the names of those likely in need of observation. Eventually the questions dried up as the DMLE's investigation found no reason to charge Hazel with a crime in relation to Albus Dumbledore's actions and death. Augusta, seeing the matter was resolved, stood up. "Well, while this has been an informative session, I believe we can all agree that we could have allowed the DMLE to bring this up at the next scheduled session on the docket. As this was an emergency session, I hereby bring it to a close. I advise everyone to review the proposals already submitted for consideration for the next meeting. This emergency session of the 28th of April is now concluded." With the strike of the gavel, the doors of the Wizengamot opened. Ted stood up and offered his hand to his wife. She stood up and kissed his cheek. "We have been invited to the Castle to dine with our daughter, the boys and Hazel. With the approval of the Headmistress. Interested?" Ted smiled. "Of course. Though do you think they would mind if we take our time leaving? I know a few lovely broom closets that we could revisit." Andromeda playfully swatted his shoulder. "Now I know where our daughter gets her mischief." Ted kissed the back of her hand. "But of course, love. You said it yourself. You have to be a bit crazy to love a Black."

"Alright, settle down!" Molly's frustrated scream made Sirius wince, as did everyone else near her. "Settle down?! Albus is dead, Elphias! He was murdered by that harlot! We can't just ignore that!" Sirius shuddered, deciding it was best to provide Amelia with the memory of this meeting and not the DoM. There was no telling what Hazel would do if she heard what Molly Weasley was calling her. Elphias sighed. "Molly, Albus acted on his own and attacked her in front of the students. The woman went out of her way to keep the students safe, while Albus wasn't interested in their safety, only their presence. Hell, he even cast lethal curses in their direction! Your own children could have been harmed because of Albus' actions. If it wasn't for Peverell, they could have been gravely injured." Molly hollered. "They were in danger because she was there! Albus wouldn't have acted against her if she wasn't a danger to the children! The Order has to do something about her!" Elphias sat back and sighed, rubbing his face. "A candidate to replace Lady Peverell has already submitted her resume to the Headmistress and she will be reviewed as the next possible Professor of Transfiguration when we convene in the summer. Peverell is more than willing to leave Hogwarts and is only refraining from doing so until she has seen to the completion of the academic year, as per her contract."

Arthur took Molly's hand and tried to calm her down as Shacklebolt addressed the meeting of the Order. "Albus wouldn't have acted without reason, Elphias." Moody grunted from the far end of the table. "He would have, Kingsley. He had been obsessed with Peverell since she first appeared. Her upfront nature and willingness to stand up to Albus rubbed him the wrong way from the start. Despite his beliefs, the Veritaserum testimony carried out by the DMLE proves she isn't Voldemort or a Dark Lady." Molly snapped at him. "She could have taken an antidote to prevent the effects of Veritaserum before she testified!" Sirius whined in exasperation. "Molly, Rufus knows his stuff better than anyone. If there is someone who would have checked her for the antidote, he would be the type. Ask Shacklebolt and Jones just how the bloke is always so through. Only Alastor here would be any more paranoid." Though Sirius did question whether Veritaserum would even work on Hazel as Hestia sighed from across the table. "Black has a point. Rufus would have swept her for anything that could prevent Veritaserum from working. Her testimony is the truth as far as she knows it and based on the mental evaluation of her, she isn't suffering from any obligations or Mind Magics. I hate to say it, but Albus was wrong about Peverell."

Sirius watched as Arthur had to hold Molly back. "Enough! Enough, Molly. Albus may have been the head of the Order and our friend, but everything points to him making a serious mistake. He obviously took matters into his own hands because he couldn't trust that anyone else would believe him. Come on. Let's go home. We can send a letter to Minerva and ask her if we can enter the Castle and visit our kids, to make sure they are alright." Molly slumped onto her chair and nodded silently. As the couple went for the door, Mad-Eye blocked their path with his staff. "You better be careful about this, Arthur. Hazel Peverell isn't a Dark Lady, but if you or Molly threaten her or her family, she won't hesitate to leave your kids orphaned. The woman has been targeted by people her whole life, Voldemort amongst them. She learned the hard way that asking nicely doesn't stop anything. Be civil to her and her family, and nothing bad will ever happen. You have my word on that." Arthur looked at Alastor and nodded. "That was never the plan but thank you for the warning, Mad-Eye." As soon as the Weasleys left, the whole order seemed to take a sigh of relief.

Hestia looked towards Mad-Eye. "What happens to the Order now? We can't just disband, believing all the threats are gone." Sirius waved hand, dismissing Hestia's comment. "We can't go on believing the Death Eaters are active either. The DMLE has taken care of most of them. The only people left are the supporters who kept their hands clean and themselves out of the limelight." Moody grunted. "Black is right. We can't run the Order as Albus once did. The DMLE won't stand for vigilantes any more than they will stand for terrorists and I don't see anything wrong with that. If we don't want to disband, I believe we can remain intact. As a network of informants. We can make sure to have eyes on the people most likely to break the law and pass the information along to the right people." Kingsley sat silent for a moment but nodded. "I agree, though with me and Hestia not working for the DMLE anymore, that might be a bit harder to do." Sirius whispered under his breath. "Your own damn fault." Remus quicked him on the shin, before turning to both of the former Aurors. "With the proposed changes to the laws regarding Werewolves, Vampires and Hags, there is going to be a need for able bodied personnel that can handle dangerous situations. I know a few Werewolves gathering their resources together as a pack that could use a few non-cursed guards. Interested?"

The remaining members of the Order started dividing the new tasks among each other under the careful eye of Alastor, each one leaving as soon as they were sure on what their new role was. After checking the room thoroughly, Alastor took a moment to sigh. "That could have gone worse." Elphias chuckled. "Indeed." Sirius looked at the old man. "So, what do we do about the Order's leadership? I don't think a single leader will sit well with anyone. We want to also avoid setting anyone up to potentially be forced to make the Order act against the general good of its members. I doubt even Mad-Eye could keep everyone in line, despite doing so well today with dividing out the new assignments." Elphias nodded and looked between the remaining four people. "Perhaps something akin to what the Coalition is doing? Three representatives elected by the Order's members." Alastor growled in his throat. "Elphias." Doge chuckled. "Don't worry, Alastor, I won't be nominating you. But someone else might." Remus rubbed his chin. "The idea has merit. We can leave the Order in Mad-Eye's hands for now, but we can do the vote in the next general meeting, once we are certain that the Order's new agenda is holding up well enough." Sirius looked towards a clearly unhappy Mad-Eye until the old Auror growled under his breath. "Fine, I will do it until the next meeting." Elphias stood up and motioned towards Sirius. "Come along, young Lord. I have a meeting of the Board of Governors coming up soon and I would like your opinion on something."

Julia stood up before the Board of Governors and began it's session as the Chairwoman. "With Augusta's election as Chief Witch, she has withdrawn from her position among us as a Governor, for which I don't blame her. Handling the Wizengamot alone is enough to drive anyone to drink." The Board, including Elphias, chuckled at that. "Indeed. That leaves us the question of an empty seat on the Board, as well as an official statement regarding the incident at the Castle." He looked over towards where McGonagall was standing in the room. "The Headmistress' own statement to the DMLE and the Wizengamot can be seen as sufficient, but as Chairwoman Greengrass stated in previous sessions, the time for the Board to be silent is over. We must add our own voice to incidents within the school, especially one so serious as this one." Julia sighed. "Agreed. The question is what our official statement must be. In the past I accused Dumbledore of presenting a threat to the school with his presence alone. It seems the same could be said of Miss Peverell, for different reasons." Elphias and most of the Board looked towards her. "Are you considering censuring her publicly?" Julia waved the comment away. "Not at all, but it would be inconsiderate of me to not point out the obvious. While I don't believe the Board should condemn Hazel Peverell for acting in self defence, we can reiterate that her employment at Hogwarts will end at the conclusion of her one year contract."

The Board murmured in agreement and Elphias nodded. "That would be the safest course of action. Those who still idolize Dumbledore can't be seen as urging us to break a binding contract. It would set a dangerous precedent for the staff of the school and the Board. I volunteer to be the one to pen the official statement." Julia hummed and looked towards the Headmistress. "Minerva, would you be willing to provide an unbiased review of Hazel Peverell's conduct as the Professor of Transfiguration for the year?" It took a moment for the Headmistress to reply. "I take it you wish to include this in the official statement?" Julia nodded. "While we can agree to her not returning to teach at the castle, there will be those who will question her remaining months among their children. We can also attempt to not draw the ire of those who support her by being clear about her performance at the school so far." Minerva nodded. "Of course. I will say that my relationship with Hazel Peverell has never been the best. She held a great deal of resentment towards me, fully justified based on my performance as a Head of House. However, from the time when she worked as a guard to the school, to her current position as Professor of Transfiguration, Hazel Peverell has shown a dedicated work ethic and great care for the student body. Her understanding of the discipline of Transfiguration, I am in no way ashamed to say, surpasses my own."

Julia watched as an older member of the Board, and a former friend of Albus Dumbledore, spoke up. "There have been accusations that she might have been teaching specific spells out of turn. It is the belief of a few older members of the community that the way magic is taught at Hogwarts allows the students to gain a respectful approach to magic. Do you believe these accusations and that she may be sabotaging the student's understanding of magic?" Minerva sighed. "I won't deny that Peverell willingly chose to teach Transfiguration at a different pace. However, her syllabus was in keeping with the ICW standards and the times that I have observed her classes, I can attest that she kept to the syllabus accurately. As for the impact of her approach, I can assure you that it has seen a marked improvement in the way the students use magic. However, they do so with a greater degree of restraint and focus than what the previous instruction allowed. Her approach has even helped identify individuals who are in need of a different pace of instruction due to how unstable their raw magic tends to be. It is my opinion that Hazel Peverell's tenure as an instructor at the Castle has been of great benefit to the student body's magical aptitude, academic performance and the general well being of the school."

The older woman sat down, clearly rattled, as Julia smirked. She turned towards Elphias. "Do you have enough material to write the Board's official statement?" Doge nodded. "Indeed. I will try and complete a rough draft before submitting it to be evaluated by the Board. We can then bring the document to the Prophet and submit it to the Ministry." Julia nodded. "Very well. This just leaves us with the empty seat on the Board. Any nominations?" Julia sat back and listened as names were thrown in, but many were the typical older members of the Wizengamot. The nomination of Augusta had been to strengthen the Board's ability to stand up to Dumbledore, but due to the Board's make up of older members, the need to improve the School's curriculum had not been pushed as greatly as she would have liked. There were quite a few classes that the ICW recognized as accredited that could help the Ministry and Magical Great Britain in the long run. If only she could get a sympathetic ear that could push the matter through with her. "I nominate Hazel Peverell." Julia's mind crashed instantly as she looked towards Lord Doge. "Could you repeat that, Elphias?"

The old man had an amused smile on his face. "I nominate Hazel Peverell to fill in the empty seat of the Board of Governors." Doge's comment drew a lot of chatter from the others as a soft smile spread across Julia's face. That could work. The same woman as before spoke up. "Is that wise? We are already removing her from the School's faculty for the danger she represents to them, even if it's not directly because of her." Doge nodded. "Indeed, but, as a member of the Board, I believe she could continue to improve the academic performance of the school. Her history as a Professor, while short, should give her an unique insight into the sort of people we may want to see carrying on the education of the students. It is my understanding that she is quite popular with the students herself, which in a way provides them with a person they could approach with their own concerns. Lastly, thanks to her law enforcement career, she would be better capable of elaborating ways to improve the Castle's security. The current measures being taken should be tested to see if another incident like what just occurred cannot be repeated." The Board seemed to murmur among themselves as Julia spared a glance at McGonagall. The woman looked quite pleased with the discussion. "Very well. All those opposed to Peverell's nomination?" Two hands were raised, but were well short of the majority. Julia smiled. "All those in favour?"

"Someone please explain to me what the hell this is?" Croaker swallowed a bit of his nervousness as he felt Hazel's magic act out as an outlet of her clear irritation. "It's exactly what it says it is. As of the conclusion of the Academic year, you have been elected to sit on the Board of Governors. Congratulations." That was apparently the wrong thing to say as the woman just glared at him even more, her eyes seemingly having a hard time deciding between staying green or switching to red. "I can read that clearly enough. What I want to know is why? Why did they even think about electing me!?" Amelia, who had been invited to the meeting, chuckled. "Because of everything that you have done for the school. Or did you think no one was paying attention? Minerva had nothing but good things to say about you, your relationship with the staff and students speaks for itself and your expertise makes you a most valuable candidate. The Board of Governors agreed and voted you in." Hazel closed her eyes and seemed to be counting silently as Dora patted her on the back.

Looking over towards her boss and Horatio, Dora spoke up. "I am guessing that the Department of Mysteries has its own reasons to support this appointment?" Horatio cleared his throat. "Indeed. In the past it was standard policy to have the Director of the Department as a member of the Board. This changed with the previous two Directors, thanks, in part, to Dumbledore and Voldemort's machinations. Neither side wanted their prime candidates for soldiers vanishing into the void of the Unspeakables. Students and Graduates lost any direct references into the Department, with us having to look through the Department of Education's registries to evaluate candidates before approaching them. With you posted as a Governor of the Board, you will be able to visit and observe the students at the school, interact with them and get a feel for who might just be a proper fit. Just as you did a few weeks ago." Hazel groaned. "I swear if you planned this…" Horatio raised his hands defensively. "I most certainly did not. Unfortunately, I did have to pass the information to Croaker here. When Augusta heard who was selected as her replacement, she notified him first."

Hazel's eyes focused onto Croaker, who seemed to understand just how annoyed she was. Smart man. "And why exactly aren't you taking up the position? Augusta could have nominated you." Croaker hummed to himself. "True, but even if she did, with the Board given the option to pick between me or you, the end result would have been the same." Hazel slumped into the seat as Dora leaned towards her. "Think of it this way, Hazel. You get a free pass to visit the school, oversee the students in their classes and can make sure that all the rules are being followed. Not to mention you can watch over Harry and Teddy whenever you can't find my company to be enough to ease your worries. It's perfect." Hazel glared at Dora but her expression softened before she sighed. "Fine! But this is as far as I will go! I refuse to be Professor or the Headmistress beyond anything temporary and if anyone tries to force me into taking the position of Director, Minister or Chief Witch, I am burning the entire Ten Levels of this building to the ground! Dora, you and I are going to go see your dad. I am not going to sit in as a Governess and as a Head of House in the Wizengamot. He better be ready to hold the job for a few more years or recommend a replacement!" Dora stood up and bowed softly towards her boss before following after her partner, who just left Croaker's office.

Amelia watched as Croaker deflated. "Thank the Gods. I thought she was going to refuse." Her eyebrow rose after that comment. "I am guessing you weren't expecting her to agree?" Saul looked at her and shrugged. "Undecided. The points Tonks made were the ones we were hoping to sell her on, but I wasn't keen on bringing it up myself." Horatio chuckled. "Though if we are being honest, the Board made the right call. Her ability to gauge people quickly, with certain exceptions, does her well as the DoM eyes and ears at Hogwarts, as her previous observations made quite clear. I am also sure that she wouldn't be adverse to serving a similar role with the Auror Academy. It would certainly make Alastor's life easier with his recruits." Amelia nodded with a soft smile on her face. "Oh, I know. The summer before Alastor got selected as Defence Professor saw quite the skilled and motivated group of cadets arriving at the Academy. The ones that arrived the summer afterwards were similarly well trained. Alastor is itching to see the skills of the cadets that arrive this summer." Croaker nodded. "And that is why I was glad not to take the job. As much as she might hate interacting with others, Hazel is certainly the best person for it. Now then, the ICW Observers have been getting some unsavory reports about enchanted weapon shipments whose signatures don't match those from Austria…"

Pomona Sprout sat down at the staff meeting table and sighed, drawing the attention of Madam Pomfrey. "Do you need some more Dreamless Sleep potions?" Pomona shrugged. "Probably. Though it's certainly less needed now than it was a few days ago." Dumbledore's surprise attack at the Great Hall had caused a panic among the students, with the situation worsened by the doors being locked down for some time. The sudden and massive burst of magical fire terrified the younger years, the heat of the flames, the blinding light, and the roaring noise becoming a recurring nightmare to many of her younger charges, even as the stone structures blocked the attacks while the doors were opened and the students tried to leave the Great Hall without hurting one another. Pomona watched as Flitwick, Vector and Slughorn took their own sweet time to sit at the table, all them sporting dark circles under their eyes, the latter speaking up. "I can't remember a week like the last happening in all my years." McGonagall sat down at the head of the table and placed down the records book. She looked at her colleagues. "I suppose I don't have to ask if there has been any improvement with the students. Should I call St. Mungos to send more Mind Healers to check on the children?" Vector nodded. "Please do. The younger years have only gotten worse as the days went by since their initial visit."

The door opened and Lupin entered, taking his seat. "My apologies for my delay. The Weasley Twins decided to throw an improvised comedy show that left the second floor corridor… unpassable." Flitwick looked down at the man's pants. "Did they make a pool? You are certainly wet enough." Remus shuddered. "Worse. A swamp. They caught me by surprise by their instant Darkness Powder before I tumbled into waist deep water. The smell is remarkably accurate." Flitwick whipped out his wand and tried to dispel the water. After a few tries, he finally succeeded. "Interesting. A conjuration tied to some strong charmwork." Pomona looked towards the Headmistress. "Speaking of conjurations. Will Peverell be showing up today? I understand Andromeda has been checking on her health every other day." Remus nodded. "She will be right up. She was dealing with the swamp while some of her creations were chasing the Weasley Twins down. The first year and second year students were certainly enjoying seeing Fred and George being chased around by actual badgers." Pomona chuckled. "Oh, I am certain they were."

Vector took a sip from the tea, which had just been provided by the Hogwarts elves. "Well, she does have a way with children. The talent of an excellent mother, no doubt. It's a shame she refused to be the Gryffindor Head of House. I think she could get them to actually behave themselves for longer than ten minutes." Slughorn chuckled. "Oh, I think the greater shame is that she was never properly taught potions. Her attention to detail is uncanny, just what a good potioneer needs." McGonagall shook her head. "I think she is happy the way she is. Which reminds me. Have Edward Peverell and Harry Potter been doing well? The shock of seeing Hazel nearly dying was quite clear on both their faces." Remus leaned back. "Harry seemed to be fine, better than most of his classmates, really. Edward is harder to read." Pomona turned towards the werewolf, raising an eyebrow in question. "You did apologize to him about the Boggart incident, right?" Remus nodded nervously. "I did and he accepted it. He is just… cold towards me. I asked him if it was because I was a Werewolf and he said that didn't bother him at all, especially since his Mom was very skilled in teaching him how to take one out." He shivered. "Apparently he just doesn't like me and would rather just leave things to be professional between us."

Minerva hummed to herself. "Perhaps it's for the best. Now…" The door opened and Hazel walked in, before pausing for a moment as she took in everyone's expression. She turned around and made for the door before Pomona spoke up. "It's nothing, Professor. We aren't going to be asking you to do anything uncomfortable. We were about to start the meeting, actually. How are the Weasley Twins?" Hazel sighed and went to take her seat. "Currently scrubbing out the stench of swamp off the second floor corridor floors, under Filch's supervision." After she sat down, she produced two wands and handed them to Professor Vector. "Here. I thought they could use a little lesson in hard work. Filch agreed they needed it, especially after Mrs. Norris got caught in the swamp. After getting a whiff of that smell, letting them clean it with magic just didn't seem fair to Mrs. Norris." The table cringed as Vector took the wands. "I will be sure to check on them." Grubbly-Plank chimed in. "Remind me to follow you, Septima. I know just the stuff to get Mrs. Norris cleaned up after that mess." Hazel turned to the Headmistress. "So, when should we be expecting the Examiners? I have had my students working on OWLs preparations for the last few months." McGonagall smiled. "They will be here in three weeks' time." Hazel sighed in relief. "Good. Another month of reviews and my fifth year students would be rioting." The Professors chuckled as they all began to discuss the best schedules for their students' examinations.

After going over all the upcoming tests schedules and important dates, including when Lupin would be taking his next Full Moon induced break from work, the staff meeting ended. Hazel closed her folder and looked towards Pomona. "You have been strangely quiet. McGonagall said the students would be getting another visit from the Mind Healers. Did they keep you up at night?" Pomona nodded. "Most of them did. Cedric has been helping out a lot, though. Even your son has been helping out with the younger students." Hazel smiled at that. "I thought he might." Pomona sighed. "How do you do it? Just… move on from what happened so easily. You should be dead and here you are, just like every other month of the year." Hazel looked at her in the eyes. "I have been acquainted with Death for years now. As for how I can just move on from what happened? It's not easy. Not at first. But I had to swallow down anything and everything because someone depended on me. You have almost a hundred students depending on you, so I can't really say it's all that relatable." Pomona rubbed her face. "I just… wish I could have done more. You had to handle Dumbledore on your own and there I was, panicking about getting my students to safety."

Hazel stood up from her seat. "Well, I suppose you could try and prevent yourself from panicking in situations like that. As for helping more… there is only so much anyone can do at any given moment. You are a professor of Herbology. Sure you took Defence Against the Dark Arts, but I can tell you that it's not the same. No one is ever really ready to be in a situation like that the first time." Sprout sat quietly after that until Hazel touched her shoulder. "For what it's worth… the nightmares you are facing now will pass. As someone who is haunted by her past and will be scarred by both what happened and what I have done, even someone like me has trouble sleeping." Pomona looked her in the eye. "Then why keep doing it? Why not retire and teach? Why go back into dangerous situations like that?" Hazel gave her a soft smile. "So that Teddy or Harry don't have to. There will always be monsters in the world, ready to harm the people you care about. I would rather go to sleep expecting a nightmare or two for being a killer, than going to sleep, knowing that my boys are gone and that I could have done something for them. It's a price I am all too willing to pay. Just don't think you have to pay the same price I did. The boys need me for now just the way I am. Your students need you to be there for them. To care for them as best as you can."

Later that evening, Pomona sat in the far back of the Hufflepuff Common Room, watching as the Prefects tutored some of the younger kids on how to do the Arithmancy equations and how to translate Futhark into English, her mind hearing Hazel Peverell's words. The words of a soldier. She remembered that her own father had left his work at an Apothecary in Diagon Alley to fight in the Second World War. He came back with an eyepatch and a lot of scars, with nightmares becoming common soon after. Yet he never regretted taking the time to fight in the war. Sure, he was only a single foot soldier in the conflict, not even carrying a wand since he was born without magic. Yet, despite that, he still felt the need to do something, anything to help end the war just one second sooner. In the grand scheme of things it might not seem like much, but to those who lived and died fighting, just one second could mean so much. A little first year walked up to Pomona, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Professor, could you help us a little with the Herbology text? We got a little confused about how to prepare Asphodel root for potions use." Pomona smiled at her. "Of course, dear. I will be right there." Pomona stood up and straightened out her robes. Hazel was right. She could only do so much for the children when compared to her and Pomona was satisfied with that now. She could look after her students happily, knowing there were others out there willing to do what was needed so that moments like the incident at the Great Hall were never repeated again.

Chapter 64: Changing Times

Harry sat at the Gryffindor table as the students chatted amongst themselves. After the shocking attack by Dumbledore, it had taken a little over a month for the school to get back to normal. Eventually, though, it did. The younger students weren't as jumpy as they were just days after the incident and even the teachers seemed to have relaxed back into their roles. Well, most of them took a bit longer than the rest. Hazel had been the surprising breath of fresh air the students needed to recover quickly, being calm, collected and in a generally pleasant mood in the days after the incident. He heard from the younger years, especially the first year girl he now knew was called Lana, that Hazel had shifted her classes a little to involve the students more with transfigurations and conjurations, letting them have a greater degree of creative freedom with their work. The younger students took to the change exceptionally well and he remembered hearing them talking excitedly about their classes with urr in the Common Room. Looking over at the staff table, he couldn't help but smile at Hazel. Despite her dislike of most people, she couldn't help herself when it came to children. She always made sure they were happy and that they learned something from her, so long as they remained respectful of their peers.

Neville nudged his shoulder. "Already thinking you're going to miss her as a teacher?" Harry turned to him and nodded. "Yeah. She's going to focus more on her real job for the next few years, though she promised to come visit when she could." Neville looked over at the staff table. "I hope whoever they get can keep up with the style she championed. The students really liked her as a teacher. I just hope she likes the surprise they have in store for her." Harry narrowed his eyes on Neville. "What surprise?" Neville chuckled. "You will see." Harry closed his eyes and prayed that Hazel wasn't about to get spooked. That never ended well for anyone. He looked over towards where Teddy was and prayed he sensed his eyes on him. The young Hufflepuff turned and looked over at him, growing pensive at Harry's odd look. Then something weird happened. He smiled at Harry. Teddy's reaction did have the intended effect Harry wanted, at least. The change in Hazel's posture was minimal but it was there. Harry hoped it was enough to prevent any mistakes. As the feast neared its end, McGonagall stood at the Speaker's Stand and called for silence. She looked over all the students. "It is finally that time of year. Tomorrow, after breakfast, the trains will be returning you to your families. For our seventh year students, I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavours."

Harry and the rest of the Hall clapped their hands at the seventh years, all of whom went through the graduation ceremony in the last weekend before the Leaving Feast. As the applause faded, McGongall spoke up again. "As it is customary of the Leaving Feast, the House Points have been tallied. In a very narrow lead over the rest of the four houses, the winner of the house cup is… Hufflepuff!" Harry heard a few of the Gryffindors' curse but he applauded the Badger's victory. He had played as Seeker with the Gryffindor team now missing several of its previous star members. Without Angelina or Wood, any victories of theirs were narrow and hard fought, which made their obtaining the Quidditch Cup pointless. Cedric had managed to bring the Hufflepuff team to the final round against Gryffindor in an incredibly difficult game. Harry caught the Snitch, but not before the now more organized Hufflepuffs gave themselves a massive boost in points. He was at least grateful that they had successfully trained several reserves to take over the roles for Wood, Angelina and Alicia, the latter of whom was graduating this year. With the banners appropriately changed to the Hufflepuff colors, the Headmistress addressed the students. "Yes, well done Hufflepuff. Now, for our one last bit of news. As you all know our current Professor of Transfiguration will be leaving the school tomorrow."

Sparring a glance at Hazel, he could see the frown growing on her face. The Headmistress continued. "Though we may get to see her a bit as she will be taking a seat at the Board of Governors in the coming years. As her tenure as Professor not only saw the single greatest improvement in the academic scores of all her students, but also received the greatest amount of support from said students, I would like all of you personally to show us what Professor Peverell's tenure has meant to you." The Great Hall was instantly filled with fireworks that became animated creatures of flame and light. Dragons, griffins, quetzalcoatls and thestrals filled the air as the students cheered. Harry struggled to keep a straight face while looking at his mother figure. The woman looked like she wanted to apparate or make for the nearest exit as the students showed her how much she became a beloved teacher in her one short year, though many more still were grateful for her service since Harry's third year. The staff joined in with the celebration, standing up and applauding at Hazel, who only seemed to want to sink further into her seat. Hermione, sitting opposite him, spoke up after she and the students finally settled down. "I think Professor Peverell would like to be anywhere but here right now." Neville chuckled. "She does, but it was worth it. We owe so much to her."

Harry nodded, as he looked over at the staff table where Nova flashed into being just in front of Hazel, dropping off a rather thick stack of letters. He turned his gaze away from her after Nova perched herself on Hazel's shoulder and looked towards Teddy. The smile on the boy's face made a few things clear to him. "Teddy organized this, didn't he?" Neville smiled. "A little bit. Hazel never had any good memories at Hogwarts, or so Teddy told us. He wanted to make sure her last big memory wasn't about Dumbledore but about the school. The students agreed and the Weasley Twins were all too happy to pitch in. Apparently McGonagall got wind of this and decided to make it official." Harry shook his head. He saw Teddy looking at him and decided to smile back at his brother in everything but name. He was right, of course. After everything that had just happened and everything Hazel went through in both worlds, she deserved a night like today. She might see herself as this dangerous and violent person, but she was a warm person that genuinely cared about the children of the school. She deserved to be celebrated by everyone for all that she had done and what she will continue to do.

"How did she take it?" Teddy sat down on the opposite seat of Harry's as they filled into one of the Hogwarts Express cabins. Harry sat down after helping Susan and Hermione with their trunks now made smaller and lighter. Teddy chuckled. "She hated it as much as she loved it, so it went as expected. She did threaten to rescind my access to sweets if I ever did that to her again, so it was worth it as my one attempt at a surprise." Theo shook his head as he sat down besides Hermione. "Well, it's better than the alternative. Any idea if we ruined her mood for the summer? Daphne, Astoria and The Carrows seemed interested in taking more tutoring sessions from her." Hermione lit up. "Do you think she would mind if I joined you all? Seeing the progress on Harry's spellcasting since our third year has been amazing." Harry looked at Teddy, who shrugged. "Honestly, you will have to send a letter to Amelia. She is the host of the tutoring sessions. Though Mom might want to take a break this summer after teaching all year long." Susan leaned into Harry's side as she looked at Hermione. "I can tell my Auntie about you coming over but it's all going to depend on your parents. Auntie only lets anyone tutor under Hazel if the parents or guardians are ok with it. Astoria, for example, only really started tutoring after her first year."

Harry looked over at Teddy. "Did she mention any other plans for the summer?" Teddy tapped his chin. "We might get a trip somewhere just the four of us. Mom and Dora are still a bit mad at Sirius for disrupting their summer plans two years ago. Other than that, it's mostly getting to work on the Ancestral Homes. Potter Manor has been cleaned up, but you still need to start moving the clothes out of the old rooms into storage and check with all the portraits. Then there is the construction of the Peverell Estate. Mom wants to get started on that soon, since it could take up to a year, even with magic." Theo looked thoughtful. "That's odd. I thought it would be quicker." Teddy shrugged. "Mom might be planning to do some non-standard changes to how a Magical Estate is made. Since we are probably going to be targets for the rest of our days because of our names, she wants it to be as safe as possible. Not to mention that it won't be cheap and money has always been tight for us." Hermione shook her head. "It's weird thinking about it like that. That people will target you two out of fear because of a name." Susan hummed. "It's not so surprising. Think about the Flamels. They can't exactly announce where they are all the time because of all the people after their philosopher stones. Having a reputation as a witch or wizard is always going to draw people to you. Good or bad."

Teddy snapped his fingers and cast a ward on the cabin. "I just remembered! We have an invitation to see the Flamels! Please don't tell anyone else, though." Hermione's voice made everyone wince. "WHAT?" After apologizing profusely for the outburst, Teddy looked over at Harry. "Since Mom returned their stone to them, they have been in contact with her. After everything that happened with Dumbledore, who was an acquaintance of theirs, they invited us over to discuss a few things. Dora also got taught by Perenelle some Alchemy, so we could see them work on some interesting stuff while we visit." Harry hummed to himself. "Might be interesting. I was considering taking Alchemy in the fall as a NEWT class, but it all depends on how I did on my OWLs." Susan grew thoughtful. "I think I can ask Auntie if we can gather at the Manor when the scores are delivered." She looked at Hermione. "It should be easier for you to come too, since you won't be doing anything strenuous. It would still be best to ask your parents for permission though. Since Hazel worked at Hogwarts for a year, she could know the date that the letters will be sent out and we can all have a party!"

Theo watched as Hermione clapped her hands together. "I would love that!" She looked towards him and he smiled back at her. "I will be there too. It might be nice for my grandfather to meet your parents. He has been reading up on muggles these last few years. And not the outdated stuff either." Harry chuckled as Hermione beamed at her boyfriend, before looking towards Teddy. "Sounds like it's going to be a busy summer." Teddy smiled at him. "Fine by me. I just hope Mom doesn't get buried with work. If everything stays peaceful, we can certainly have a lot more fun with everyone." As Susan and Hermione discussed the plan to have the OWL get together to become a sleepover, much to the boys' amusement and terror, Teddy looked through the window and over the roving hills. After everything that they had been through over the years, they finally had a chance to just relax and enjoy a quiet life. He smiled to himself, remembering the quiet days he had with Andi and Hazel in their old world. He missed those quiet days the most. Maybe he could convince Harry to tone down their summer plans a little bit. Just a little.

"This is new." Hazel nodded at Dora's comment as they both walked up a ramp and boarded a decently sized warship of the Royal Navy. Wearing their Operative gear minus the masks and the armor plates, the two followed a Naval Officer until he gestured them to enter a room. Inside they found several men and women looking over an electronic map of the immediate area, with a vessel clearly marked as their target, it's position slowly moving. One of the agents looked up and smiled at them and Hazel recognized him as being from MI5. "Still a Lead Agent?" The man chuckled. "Got promoted actually, but desk duty isn't for me. Still, it's good to see you two." He gestured to the table. "To business. Earlier today a vessel docked at the Southampton Port and refueled, yet it neither dropped off any cargo or personnel. Customs Officers went to check the vessel and returned, giving the vessel the green light. Since they returned far too quickly, MI5 grew concerned. We sent our own agents in impersonating Customs Officers and the same thing happened again. What we did notice was that our agents experienced a period where they lost time. That's when we called you. Sadly, the second inspection seemed to have spooked them. They left port ahead of schedule."

Dora leaned over the table as Hazel's eyes followed the expected course, before speaking up. "Sounds like Mind Magics. I am guessing you want to hit the target while the vessel remains in territorial waters?" The lead agent nodded. "The Navy and the Marines have kindly lent us some of their vessels and personnel for this mission. What we need from you is to counteract the target's magical safeguards and personnel. You can stun anyone else in your way, but as soon as you two are sure that the magical defences are down, we will be sending the ships in." Dora stood back and looked at her partner. "We don't have any intel on them or the vessel's configuration." Hazel nodded but she smiled. "Based on their speed, I think we have time for a recon mission just prior to engagement. I want you to station yourself with the Marines. I will pass on what intel I can before disabling their magical defences. The Marines will have a better time boarding with you there to block any incoming curses or bullets." Dora searched Hazel's eyes. "Are you sure you are good for this?" Hazel smiled at her. "I am." She turned towards the agents. "Get your personnel ready and keep the comm line open. Have your engineers help out as I try to describe the interior in a way that you can use to orient your Marines."

Kissing her partner and getting a "good luck" from her, Hazel shifted her form into that of a dark feathered seagull. She flew out and circled over the medium sized cargo vessel, noticing a heavy presence of armed guards patrolling the upper deck. Finding a point of entry, she landed and verified that there were no security cameras before she took human form again. After applying her armor plates and pulling down her mask, she pulled her Cloak over her body and vanished. Even on the upper deck she could feel the magic crackling over the iron and steel ship, like static electricity making her hairs stand on end. With a few noise canceling wards cast on herself, she spoke into the comms on her wrist. "O1 to LA and O2. Vessel is heavily warded. Will search for the focal point. Armed guards with automatic weapons patrolling the upper deck and between the cargo containers. Will inspect a few of these in my sweep. Over." Slipping through the thin steel walls, Hazel found a lot of industrial equipment that wouldn't look out of place on a ship. She slipped down a staircase, stopping every few minutes to update the engineers as they made a rough map of the vessel with her descriptions. Finding fewer guards on the lower floor, Hazel found rooms that were filled with weapons and ammunition, a few looking familiar and giving off the faint trace of magic.

"O1 to BM. Possible cargo from Austrian depot located. Issue warning to ICW." Horatio's voice chimed in. "Acknowledged. Boss is making the inquiries." Hazel then swept through more of the vessel's floors, finding enough food supplies to last the ship for years, a few held under enchantments. As she made her wait to the lower level of the ship, she touched the outer hull and felt the way the magic interacted with it. "O1 to all on Ops comm. Vessel has ward repeaters embedded into it's superstructure. No signs of it being retrofitted. Vessel was designed with M in consideration." Horatio cursed. "Understood. Will be updating the ICW. Observers will be on site with our spooks to evaluate it." Having passed that information along, Hazel swept through the lower holds until one area caught her attention. She pushed through the warded walls and scanned the room with her eyes before pulling back. "The vessel has human cargo. I repeat, the vessel has human cargo. Lowest deck to the far back, just a few corridors from the engine room." This time the Lead Agent cursed. "We will notify the Bootnecks to watch for human shields and collateral. Get the defences down and our soldiers on there as soon as possible, O1." Hazel looked at the heavy concentration of magic that seemed to be radiating from the engine room. "Acknowledged. Standby."

Inside the Engine Room, Hazel shielded her ears as she sensed her way through the people nearby. None of them had control of the wardstone that stood hidden behind a panel close to the engine. Doubling back to the upper deck and reaching the bridge, she scanned the men at the wheel, detecting a few Magicals amongst them. Finding the person in control of the wards, Hazel made sure the doors and hatches were safely warded by her own magic before she drew her wand. Taking most of them down with stunners before they knew what happened, the last few tried to aim their handguns or wands at her but ultimately collapsed as her red jinxes struck them all. Getting a blood sample from the person she assumed was the captain by breaking his nose, Hazel quickly made her way back to the wardstone, before she felt her wards on the bridge being triggered by someone trying to open the door. She pressed her bloodied conjured glove onto the wardstone. "Too little too late." After taking control of the wardstone and locking the ship down, she turned to the engineers who were terrified of her when she physically appeared before them out of thin air. "So, which one of you wants to show me the way to stop this ship?" The sudden appearance of black flames in her hands made them panic, one of them shutting the engine down entirely. Hazel smiled at all of them. "Much obliged."

After stunning the engine room crew, Hazel spoke into her comm. "Engines offline and wardstone under my control. Begin your approach. O2, you are free to engage from the upper deck. I will make my way up." Dora's voice responded. "Finally. On my way." Hazel heard her giving some comments to the marines as she checked and stunned the guards stationed with the human cargo. She then made her way through the vessel, stunning everyone in her path, even as she felt her body growing heavier with every person slumped over. Taking a moment to catch a breather, she heard the Lead Agent on the comm. "Vessel is being engaged. O2 is drawing fire away from the Bootnecks. Reports of high caliber impacts." Not wanting to leave her partner to handle it alone, Hazel pushed through her exhaustion and reached the upper decks. The sound of guns firing and bullets ricocheting off the containers filled the air. Seeing a boat pulling up to the cargo vessel, Hazel turned her attention to the guards and drew her pistol. The criminals had little time to aim towards her before her bullets hit their mark, striking many of them on the neck area just above what she assumed were bullet proof vests. After gesturing the Marines to pull up, Hazel took to the skies as a bird before taking position at the highest point, crushing a sniper's legs, before turning him over and shooting him in the face. Seeing no further snipers taking position, Hazel asked for a report.

An out of breath Dora spoke into the comm. "At the port side. Marines have safely jumped aboard and are making their rounds through the upper deck and the one just below." Hazel sighed in relief. "Starboard side Marines are stepping aboard now. Lowest floor should be secure. Any personnel in their cabins are sealed in." The Lead Agent spoke up. "Acknowledged. O1 and O2, do a final sweep of the ship. After that you are clear to stand down. Great work you two." Hazel sighed. "Will do. Moving down starboard stairs." With Dora sweeping from the port side, the two completed the sweep of the vessel quickly, before stepping into the bridge. She watched as the MI5 agents were trying to break into a safe. "Let me." With the agents standing clear, Hazel dispelled the wards on the safe and used an unlocking charm. The safe popped open, with the agents shaking their heads in amusement. "Thanks for the aid." Hazel nodded as the Lead Agent arrived. He smiled at her and Dora. "No casualties on our end minus a few bruises from high caliber impacts on body armor from snipers. Thanks for taking those out quickly." Hazel nodded and gestured to the safe. "Make sure you send our boss a copy of those. This ship was too well warded to be a fluke." The agent nodded as Hazel sat next to Dora, both of them breathing heavily. Her partner, her face still obscured by the mask, leaned her head into Hazel's shoulder. "Can we go home now? I think I am going to be seasick." Hazel chuckled. "Sure love. Let's go home."

The Medical Wing's doors opened as Dora swallowed the contents of a vial. She shuddered at the taste as Andromeda ran another diagnostic on her. "That should take care of your seasickness in the next few minutes. Do try and remind me to give you the potion prior to getting on a ship. It should last you a few days." Dora shuddered. "Right, I will remember that. It's a good thing that the Black Lake was calm that first night or I would have been puking my guts out in the Great Hall as a first year." She looked over at the door as Hazel stepped in, smiling softly at her. "Are we all good?" Hazel nodded but gestured with her thumb to the door. "We are but Croaker wants us in for a meeting in half an hour." Andromeda hummed from her desk as she noted down the diagnostic scan results and made an addendum to Dora's medical file. "Other than magical exhaustion she will be good to go by then. Now it's your turn. Sit." Hazel sighed and sat down on the medical bed opposite of Dora. Andromeda waved her wand over her and frowned. "That's odd. How much magic did you use?" Hazel blinked at her. "Enough to get winded. Why?" Andromeda scanned her again. "Your magic seems to be mostly restored. Some signs of exhaustion, but nowhere near as bad as Dora. How are you feeling?"

Hazel closed her eyes and tried to feel how her body felt. "A bit of muscle fatigue but otherwise fine. I also felt that scan you just did without asking." Andromeda blushed. "Sorry, I was curious. Your ability to sense your physical state seems to be partly tied to your magic. There was a surge of it when you concentrated. Is everything alright with your magic?" Hazel frowned and checked her Family Magic. It flooded her easily enough before she dissipated it. "It seems to be fine. It's easier to call up, though. Maybe since I have been using it for so long now, it's become more integrated with me?" Andromeda did one final scan. "It would seem that way." She went and scanned Dora. "The traces of the Family Magic in you are exactly like before, it echoes and is clearly distinct." Dora bit her lip. "Might have something to do with what her other self said. About the two being one. Maybe it's been happening slowly. The more you use it, the more it becomes a part of you." Hazel hummed. "Sounds about right. I am feeling fine, though. Just need to get some sleep." Andromeda made her notes on Hazel's file before she signed both. "Well, I suppose that will be all. You go on and check in with Saul. After that, you can go to bed. The boys went to bed early today, so you can go see them tomorrow morning."

As soon as they opened the door to Croaker's office, Dora spotted two other people inside, one of them being familiar to them. "Observer Badawi. It's good to see you once again. Did you find something of interest on the vessel?" The dark skinned man nodded. "We did. And it is good to see you both and hear about your continued work. The Observer Department is always eager to hear what new exploits you two get up to." Dora blushed as Hazel scrutinized the woman standing beside the Observer. Her body held no magic beyond what she could sense in all living creatures, meaning she wasn't a witch, as was also evident by her gray business suit. Her light graying brown hair seemed to betray the fire in her eyes. "I am going to guess you are either with MI5 or MI6." The woman gave her a knowing smile. "Indeed. A pleasure to meet the young women who have kept our agents in both agencies from enduring too many losses. I am the head of MI6. You can call me M." Dora couldn't help herself. "Oh, is there a Q working under you as well? Have they made the exploding pen yet? Oww!" Dora rubbed the back of her head as Hazel glared at her before turning to the woman. "Our apologies. Your agency does a good job of keeping it's activities secret and we are cultured enough to enjoy the fictional stories you use as cover." The woman took a much more thorough look at Hazel and smiled. "While our work isn't as glamorous as the movies portray, it's important for the safety of our country. I am here to thank you for your excellent work with our agents and to go over what was uncovered on the CS Errant Venture."

Dora lowered her hand and looked at Croaker. "I am going to guess and say they were part of a wider network. I have never heard of a ship having the type of warding Hazel described." Croaker nodded, with Observer Badawi and M taking their seats to both sides of Croaker as Hazel and Dora sat in their usual seats. "Our spooks went over the superstructure and the inner workings of the vessel as the Interrogators worked on the Magicals aboard, which weren't many. Probably just enough to run the wards, keep the victims in line and erase the memories of any inspection teams." Badawi joined in. "Their findings suggest a wider network operating in open violation of the Statute of Secrecy. However, the make of the ship and the weapons aboard is what really raised the concerns of our international contacts." M sighed. "Based on the ship's files and its physical characteristics, we can accurately say that the vessel wasn't constructed at any of the major or minor shipyards of the world. It's designs don't match anything being made out in the open. Of greater concern is that it seems to contain elements that were usually found in German vessels prior to and during World War Two." Hazel stilled. "More of the same weapons from the Austrian Munitions Factory were found aboard." Croaker nodded. "That and some that weren't being produced there. The intel acquired from the vessel indicates that there is at least one base of theirs still active. Our concern is that there might be more."

Badawi spoke up. "Out of all the Operatives in the world, you two have the best track record for infiltration and sabotage of magically protected bases. The ICW, CIA and our partner here from MI6 will be using satellite imagery to locate these hidden targets based on the intel we are decoding. Once we have them, we will need you both to take part in their infiltration." M looked at both of them. "While I am not as versed in what the impact of magic can be in a combat scenario, we can assure you that you two will likely have military support, beyond what the ICW will be providing. If there are indeed more than one of these bases, this operation may require a lot out of both of you to complete." Dora grew pensive as Hazel searched Croaker's eyes. "Do you think this might have something to do with my warning?" Croaker looked at her with a sad and tired expression. "We believe so. While your warning was not detailed enough, the elements at play do seem to suggest a link to Grindelwald's "Zweite Welle" plans as detailed from the classified intel we gathered at the Austrian base." Hazel turned to Dora who looked her in the eyes and nodded. Dora looked up at Croaker. "We are in. If this can diminish the threat of a catastrophic failure of the Statute of Secrecy, we will do what we can to take them down."

M stood up and pulled the files against her chest. "Very well. Keep your itineraries open for the next few weeks. As soon as we have a clear idea as to what we are facing, the British Government wants to see the threat neutralized. The Americans are in agreement and we are communicating with the Intelligence agencies of our allies to coordinate a response wherever the threat might be located. Best of luck to you two and do take care." Badawi stood up as well. "The ICW will get the Special Forces from the Aurors or Operatives from our allies to lend a hand as well. If there are more than one base to target, we will secure your international travels. Ma'am." M nodded at him and allowed herself to be escorted out by Badawi as Croaker sighed as he slumped into his chair. He looked at his two Operatives. "Horatio will have you two go through some drills so you can be better prepared and Quetz will work on your equipment to get it as safe and effective as possible. You two are free to plan some gatherings, but any excessive use of magic outside of training is discouraged." Hazel stood up and Dora followed suit. "Understood." After being dismissed, the two reached their apartments. Stripped of all clothing, they snuggled into each other and fell asleep quickly. They both knew they were in for some heavy training in the next few days. They would need all the rest they could get.

Andromeda placed the plates of omelettes on the table before tapping into her house's wards. "Breakfast is ready." She handed Ted his cup of coffee and kissed his cheek as soon as he arrived before smiling as Harry and Teddy came down the stairs. Seeing the two teenagers rubbing their eyes made her feel warm again, with the house always feeling full with both of them here. She knew Hazel and Dora would be arriving soon after going to sleep in their Apartment, so she had placed two servings of food aside for them under stasis. "So, what will you be drinking today?" Harry yawned. "Orange juice, please." Teddy stretched his arms behind his head. "I'll have apple juice." After serving them their drinks, Andromeda joined them at the table. "Hazel and Dora should be back soon. They were dead tired after their last job and had to spend the night at the DoM." Teddy nodded as Harry swallowed a forkful of eggs and ham. "Hazel mentioned something about a clearance process I have to go through." Ted Tonks lowered his mug of coffee onto the table. "I went through it myself. With Dora and my wife working at the DoM and my being potentially being asked to aid them in the legal side of things. It's a bit involved, including psychological profiles, Occlumency training and signing a lot of oaths, but you can certainly do it."

Harry drank from his juice before continuing. "What do the oaths cover?" Ted shrugged his shoulders. "The usual non-disclosure agreements, the legal penalties you are liable for if you break the oath, an understanding that the DoM can't be betrayed at any cost. It's not as bad as it might sound since the oaths are very well detailed and cover a lot of exemptions, though those are for family and law enforcement purposes." Harry paused for a second. "If I do this and…" he swallowed some nerves, "... eventually marry, do they have to go through the same?" Ted nodded. "If they aren't working for the DoM, yeah. Trust me, it can get annoying. Andi here never told me exactly what she did for a while, though it was mostly because she was allowed to work at St. Mungos to keep her skills sharp. Because of that there was no need for me to know about who was really paying her checks." Andromeda looked at Harry. "It's a necessary part of the whole Unspeakable business. With people like Rockwood getting in and spreading classified intel, the DoM clamped down hard on leaks." She smiled at Harry. "Though if it's about a certain redhead, she will likely get the clearance as fast as you. She has been learning Occlumency since her first year at school."

Blushing a little, Harry nodded. "Thanks. I don't like there being any secrets between us so I needed to know what it all would mean." Ted nodded as Andromeda raised her head and looked at the door. Teddy jumped off from his seat and opened the door, getting pulled into a hug. "Hey Teddy, did you have a good night's sleep?" Teddy nodded at his mom. "Yup. Harry and I stayed up and read about woodland elves from the books you brought out of the Chamber." Dora followed them in and closed the door behind her. "Nice. I am going to need to read that. Morning Mom, Dad." Dora kissed Andromeda and Ted on the cheek and cleared the stasis spell off the plates before serving her fiancée and then herself. Andromeda looked at them both. "Anything you can share?" Hazel looked at her boys. "More work, sadly. We were ordered to keep our itineraries open and not to use magic beyond what is necessary. Though we can certainly have the get together you all have been planning. No tutoring sessions until we are cleared, though." Harry and Teddy smiled at each other. Andromeda knew the two had been making some plans about the summer with the rest of their friends. She hoped that whatever order Hazel and her daughter had wouldn't interfere too much with those plans.

As the family finished up breakfast, they all moved over to the living room, with Harry and Teddy going over their plans for summer with Hazel and Dora. Teddy looked at his mom. "Do you think we will be able to do all this?" Hazel sighed. "I don't know. Like we said, our boss wants us ready to deploy on a mission at a moment's notice. The sleepover at the Bones Manor should be easy enough, but spending a week in France won't be easy." Seeing Teddy and Harry's mood dropping, Hazel rubbed her short hair. She always shortened it for the missions and tended to forget to get it back to being longer until after a few days. For a brief moment she remembered Bella taking her out to Ireland, even after the events of the Graveyard. If her Godmother could make time for her, despite being hunted by the Ministry, she could too. She looked at the two boys. "Since the plan for a French trip might not work, how about a trip to Ireland in a day or two for about a week with just the four of us? We won't need much and it's easier to make our way back home than France. If our world's aren't too dissimilar I certainly know a few amazing sites to visit." The boys looked at each other and Hazel swore they had their own bond, as they turned to her and said "Sounds great!" at the same time.

Andromeda frowned. "Are you sure that will be alright?" Hazel nodded. "The boss won't be sending us within the next week or so. It would be too soon and the non-magical side will take a while to coordinate. That gives us a window of freedom. Horatio might be a little annoyed with us, but we can focus on some training exercises on our own, as long as we warn the Irish. I am going to need a little bit of help from S-Padfoot and from the DoM Enchanting Division. It shouldn't take too long to prepare." Hazel turned to Dora. "Ready to put that motorbike license that Quetz forced you to get to use?" Dora blinked at her and paled slightly. "You're not serious?" Harry smiled at Dora. "No, that's your cousin." The entire family turned towards Harry, with Hazel being the first to break the silence. "Well, if Padfoot ever complains about not spending enough time with Harry, please remind him about this." Andromeda laughed along with the rest, including Harry. Sure, they were planning to have some time away from home, but after a year cooked up in the Castle and the DoM, they could all use some fresh air. She would make sure Sirius gave them what they needed to have this moment of peace to themselves.

Chapter 65: A Well Earned Respite

"There is so much green everywhere!" Hazel chuckled, keeping her eyes on the road. "That's Ireland for you, even up here in the north." Sparing a glimpse to look at her rear view mirrors, she was happy enough to see Harry and Dora just behind her, her fiancée looking a lot more comfortable now than earlier. The loss of her Godmother's motorbike had always weighed heavily on Hazel's mind in her old world. The Ministry under Voldemort had destroyed it after the crash, claiming it was a breach of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts laws. Technically it was, but they could have just fined her. Then again, Tom had never been that sentimental when it came to leaving her with mementos from her past. She had struggled to find a suitable replacement for it in her old world and had given up when Andi died. Aside from the money she had been saving towards buying the land where the Peverell Estate would one day be completed, Hazel had been setting a little aside in the hopes of getting that little piece of home back. Sure, Hagrid had kept the bike that Sirius had acquired in this world, but she wasn't interested in getting his bike. She wanted it to be hers. So she kept her eyes on the market and saved just enough to buy a slightly newer model than Bella's was, before getting it some needed care and upgrades.

The Department of Mysteries Enchanting Division had a bloody field day with it when she brought it in. Apparently, most of the Unspeakables there had their own custom vehicles modified and enchanted to the extreme. Even when she told them not to go too far, they went ahead and added enchantments that really made her question just how many of the Witches and Wizards in the Division grew up on the James Bond films, though their attempt at an ejection seat in the sidecar was vetoed. At least her requested magical enhancements and modifications had been completed to perfection. The ride was far smoother on the road than she ever remembered, the bike had no need for gasoline and the side car wasn't too uncomfortable. Dora had no problem getting Sirius to lend her his bike, especially when Amelia heard he had been working on it in his spare time after recovering it from Hagrid. The redhead had practically dragged him by the ear for a private chat, the gist of it, Hazel assumed, had something to do with keeping Susan away from it. The sidecar had been of great benefit to Dora, as she struggled a little with the balance of motorbikes, though her clumsy nature had diminished quite a bit since she stopped altering her physical appearance beyond just her hair length and color. Hazel was never shy in telling her that she was beautiful. Though Dora did have a new charm to replace the one that broke at the Ministry, she only ever used it for undercover work. Hazel was proud of how far she had come in the last five years.

"Mom, look! It's the Causeway." Hazel looked towards the shoreline and slowed down a little as they entered the area near the Giant's Causeway. With the weather being a bit less than ideal with an overcast sky, the road between Dunseverick Castle and the Causeway had been relatively empty. She spotted the car park nearby and drove past it, slowing down to a stop in an area where she could conceal the bikes from the muggles with wards. As soon as Harry and Dora were off their bike, they proceeded to walk down towards the Causeway. Far in the distance, barely visible with the cloudy sky, was a silhouette of Scotland on the other side of the open water. Walking carefully across the rocks, they reached an area few people knew about. With the permission from the locals, Hazel made a gap in the wards, allowing her family in, before closing the gap behind them. She smiled when Harry and Teddy breathed sharply at the sight. "So, what do you think? The regular area wasn't made by the gods or giants, but this place was. Well, it was made by the Druids, Giants and the Fae, not gods, but close enough." Walking under the massive archways of the partly ruined ancient fort, Harry and Teddy went straight to the nearest wall, with Teddy translating the Druidic Scrypt on the walls for Harry, detailing the events around the fort's construction.

Hazel felt her heart ache a little, but the feeling passed as soon as Dora hugged her from behind. "Your Godmother brought you here?" Hazel nodded. "I read the writings for her as Teddy is doing for Harry. We heard about this place from a friendly witch and the Selkies were kind enough to give us permission to enter." The look Dora gave Hazel made her laugh. "Don't worry, I came by earlier to make sure the structure was here and asked for permission. Word apparently had reached them of the White Haired Witch that was friendly to the Centaurs and the Woodland Elves. A few even remember the name Peverell. They were all too happy to let us in." Dora shook her head. "How do you do that? You practically hate spending any time with people, but the magical creatures seem to like you almost instantly." Hazel pouted. "First of all, it's not instantaneous. Their first bloody instinct when meeting me is to run away in terror. Secondly, the Fae are careful in how they speak, a bit like I am. Lying is a taboo among their people. Being direct, open and truthful earns you a lot of respect from them." Dora looked over at the boys, both of whom were moving further into the structure. "Even after these five years, you can surprise me so much."

The four of them reached an old area near the docks and Hazel asked the boys to wait. After casting charms on everyone that would help with translating the languages, she approached the dock and sat at the edge, dipping her now bare feet into the cold water. "Selkie, children of the sea, we come as promised, to hear your tales and to share in the beauty of what once was." She felt the magic pulse out of her and into the water, the waves lapping at her ankle. She watched as shadows moved closer, bulbose rubbery heads breaking the surface of the water. They eyed her carefully before they barked at each other, until a single seal approached the landing next to Hazel. As the seal touched solid ground, Hazel turned to her family. "Whatever you do, don't touch the pelts without permission. Be courteous and truthful at all times. We are visitors in their home." Seeing them nod, she turned to the seal who slowly stood up before it peeled off it's pealt, revealing a dark haired woman with wide eyes and fair skin. The woman pulled the pelt around her naked body and tied it around her waist, before coming to sit besides Hazel. "You are the Peverell, yes? The Witch of Death? Hazel sighed. "I am but that name is not one I appreciate." The woman giggled. "We can imagine. But that is what you are to us." Waving her webbed hand at the other Selkies, Hazel called the boys and Dora over to sit on the dock and to remove their shoes and socks.

They were soon joined by the other Selkies in their human form, with both Harry and Teddy being bombarded with questions by the younger boys and girls, many of them wondering if they shared a Selkie ancestor because of their black hair. Her boys were clearly awestruck by the stories of the deep waters beneath the islands and of the creatures, magical or not, that dwelled in the deep. Hazel smiled as she watched them all relax, with the boys touching the pelts after being offered a chance to feel them, but always respectful of the Selkies and their anxiety. One of the Selkie males was even flirting with Dora, something that made Hazel glare at the man, before Dora jumped into the water. The male thought he had won and jumped in after her, until he rushed out of the water via the landing as a crocodile snapped it's jaws at him, barely missing his foot. The group laughed as Dora retook her human form and sat right against Hazel, wrapping her arm around her fiancée, who proceeded to glare at the males. "Careful. This one is mine. She is also a Kelpie tamer, first in a century. It would be unwise to anger her." The message was received loud and clear and the Selkie males kept their distance while the females and the younglings laughed. As the light began to dim and the clouds grew darker, the Selkies slowly returned to the water. The woman who first exited, who revealed herself as the tribe's protector, bowed her head to all of them as the last Selkie to leave. "Thank you for this evening. It was good to speak amicably with the mages of today. Go in peace, family touched by Death."

The seals waved their flippers at them as they waved back, before the shadows vanished beneath the waves. After returning to their bikes and finding a patch of land that wasn't being battered by the growing wind, they raised the Wizarding Tent and took shelter from the rain. Harry looked at Teddy as they sat by the warm oven as wood crackled inside, the two boys holding their hands out towards it for warmth. "Do you think there is a Selkie village near Hogwarts? I know there are Merfolk and Kelpies in the Black Lake, but I haven't heard anything about Selkies." Teddy shook his head. "I don't think so. They have a better way of hiding than most Fae." Hazel chimed in. "I believe there are a few in the northern shores, but many still fear humans. The hunting of seals remains prevalent, even when food is nowhere near as scarce, so they tend to keep their distance. They have a stronger connection to nature than the Merfolk or the Centaurs, so they haven't made any treaties in the centuries since the Druids faded into memory." Harry looked at Hazel. "How come the Druids were able to interact with them so easily?" Hazel shrugged. "Druids were a nomadic people who deeply respected the land and saw a divine will in magic and nature. Their beliefs aligned well with all Fae and their language was altered by magic to be one that all Fae could understand. At least by those in Europe." Teddy grew thoughtful. "It's a shame they're gone. Who knows what they could have taught us about the world and magic."

Hazel thought about a particular pair of ancient mages and rubbed her Patronus Medallion. "Indeed. Though Salazar's close relationship with them at least made sure we have some records of their beliefs and ways. If you two are still interested, I will get you some copies of his memoirs. He spent years learning the ways of the Druids. I think even the incomplete copy of Helga's memoirs includes her own interactions with them." Their curiosity thoroughly peeked, the two chatted away into the night. Though night was relative. With the sun barely setting at ten in the evening, Hazel manually dimmed the walls of the Tent and watched as the boys collapsed into their beds. She cuddled up with Dora on their conjured bed in the main area lightly dressed to avoid overheating so close to the active heat source. Her fiancée searched Hazel's eyes. "Sorry if I worried you for a moment earlier." Hazel shook her head. "I wasn't worried. I trust you with my heart, Dora. I know you like to play and tease." Dora looked relieved before she pressed Hazel into the bed. "So, how early do we need to be up for?" Hazel thought for a second. "Five in the morning, I suppose." Dora whined and was about to complain but was silenced by Hazel's lips claiming her own.

"How was Northern Ireland?" Hazel smiled at Julia as they made their way down the path past the gates of Carrow Manor. "Wonderful, though the weather played dirty. Half the time it was raining and I didn't want to draw attention to us with wards keeping the rain away. Since we were driving along the shoreline, we had to take our time. We barely covered half the expected route before we decided to come home. The Causeway Fort at least gave my boys something to talk about. We took plenty of photographs that they will probably show at the next get together." Julia hummed. "Well, at least they had fun. I tried showing my girls some of the family business, especially when it concerns the larger plots of land we use to grow potion supplies. They took it well, though I could tell their attention wavered a lot." Hazel shook her head. "I did warn you. You have two budding Unspeakables as daughters, though Astoria might not go down that path. She strikes me as more hands on than a pure researcher when compared to her older sister." Julia nodded knowingly. "Agreed." She smirked a little and wrapped a hand around Hazel's waist. "Speaking about doing, have you and Dora considered my offer?" Hazel sighed, peeling off the hand from her body before it started to wander. "We have, the answer is still no." Julia pouted. "You ladies need to have some fun."

Hazel was glad that they reached the front door and proceeded to use the knocker before turning to Julia. "We have plenty of fun as it is. How about we have a deal. Ask again after we are married." Julia bit her lip. "Fine, but don't think I won't be making the most elaborate plans possible. I would love to have you both come back for seconds or thirds." Hazel rubbed her face as the door opened. "Of course you would." The older woman at the door smiled at them both. "Ahh, Julia making it hard to have a civil conversation again? She's been that way since she was a teen, no matter what my own older sister tried. There was no discouraging her." Hazel bowed her head. "Madam Fawley." The older woman with graying hair bowed her head in return. "Lady Peverell. I hope my niece has been behaving herself in the Wizengamot. My sister and I taught her better." After entering the foyer and waiting for the woman to close the door, Hazel shook her head. "My Proxy says Lady Fawley has been suitably agreeable. I also hear your great-niece has demonstrated exceptional skill as a Healer at St. Mungos over the last two years." The woman smiled. "Gemma has been a credit to our family. A full fledged Healer in two years of training." The woman shook her head in mirth. "Mama would have been proud. She served during Grindelwald's War as a Healer alongside Dorea Black."

As they made their way through the Manor, Hazel's eyes took in the view, noticing some fresh wallpaper on the walls. "The girls have been redecorating?" The woman nodded. "They have. It's been quite the sight. This old Manor always struck me as quite foreboding. The paintings themselves were unpleasant to have around. Always staring at you silently with reproach. The girls had the portraits moved into a Hall that is now specifically for them. With that and the changes in the rugs, curtains and paint, not to mention some work on restoring the wood, the Manor now feels much more alive. Much like the girls." Madam Fawley looked towards Hazel. "I hear I have you to thank for that. The girls talk about you and your son all the time." Julia chimed in. "And Astoria, though it's all about how to tease her more, I imagine." The Madam nodded. "Indeed. But it's good seeing and hearing them so animated. After their parents returned, I was so worried about their state. They looked so frightened, even as they tried to be the perfect examples of Heiresses." Hazel growled under her breath. "No child should ever fear their parents. Discipline learned from pain only invites more misery." The woman gave her a soft smile. "That was something my mother once would have said. It's good to hear those words again. Here we are."

The woman knocked on the door and waited to be called in. Had Hazel not been paying attention to her surroundings, she would have ignored the faint whispers she heard. "Hessstia. Wake up! It'sss the Lady Greengrassss and the Lady Peverell. Come on!" The Madam knocked again and a girl shouted softly. "One moment please!" Hazel narrowed her attention and her senses. "Ok, I am up, I am up. Help me with my hair." Julia gave Hazel a measured look. "Everything alright?" Hazel smiled to herself. "Yeah, nothing to worry about." The door finally opened and Flora invited them in. Madam Fawley bowed to the girls. "If you have a need for me, please call. I will have the tea ready in half an hour." As Julia took a seat on the small circular table, Hazel surreptitiously looked over the two girls a little, seeing some familiar traits that she had overlooked before. Julia spoke up first. "Hestia, Flora. Lady Peverell has come here to offer you two an opportunity. One that will see you two employed almost as soon as you leave Hogwarts. While the fringe benefits aren't as appealing to heirs as they are to others, the job can be rewarding on it's own." The two girls shared a look before turning to Hazel. "What sort of job?" Hazel smiled at both of them. "Mine." The girls blinked in confusion as Hazel raised a ward around them. "First of all, you two believe I work as a Hit Witch, correct?"

Seeing their nod, Hazel continued. "That is primarily a cover. There is a Division in the Department of Mysteries that involves the deployment of people with a variety of skills. The job concerns missions too dangerous and too difficult for Aurors and Hit Witches to do on their own. I am here to offer you two a spot as Candidates. If you accept it, you two will receive advanced training starting the moment you two sign a contract. Trust me, it's exceptionally detailed but not all that dreadful if you aren't intent on ruining the Ministry." Julia chuckled. "Not that you don't try that on your own." Hazel glared at her. "Not helping." Turning back to the girls, Hazel crossed her arms. "The training will include increasing your physical performance, magical capacity, mental fortitude and any other skill you can muster and is deemed necessary. That includes the licensed use of curses." The Carrows perked up at that. "On… who would we be permitted to use such magic?" Hazel smiled at them. "Anyone and everyone deemed a threat to a peaceful life. Rapists, Murderers, Smugglers, Drug Dealers and Terrorists. Anyone who chooses to advance their own agenda at the cost of the freedoms and wellbeing of others. Interested?"

The two girls stared at each other for a long moment before speaking at the same time. "Why are you offering this to us?" Hazel leaned closer to them, refusing to break eye contact. "Because I was exactly where you were once. Abandoned, betrayed, manipulated. Harmed by those who should have been caring for me. As soon as I could, I sought to learn magic not for magic's sake, but for my own safety. And my own petiness. I studied curses and I got good at them. I then studied how to kill witches and wizards as efficiently as possible. I got really good at that. But despite it all, I was left with an empty feeling. Sure, I was safe but the cost had been high. I am offering you two a chance to avoid that fate. To find a place where you can learn what it takes to feel safe within your own skin at any moment and to go every night to bed knowing that there is a smaller chance now than before that your own pain will be part of anyone else's life. We can offer you that and perhaps a little more." The girls searched her eyes. "What more could you offer us?" Hazel smiled at them both. "Family."

Watching the twins blink at her in surprise and confusion as she leaned back was almost as fun as the dumbfounded look on Julia's face. "You do know I am so going to be after you harder for that. Do you have any idea what that talent is known for beyond just Dark Lords?" Hazel looked at Julia and glared at her. "One, there are fourteen year olds in the room so try and have some decency, Lady Greengrass. Two, I am aware. My fiancée is quite familiar with all of my talents." Turning back to the girls while she left Julia to her daydreaming, Hazel gave them a soft smile. "I don't know exactly where you inherited the gift, but it isss a gift. Asss long asss you don't abussse it to harm othersss, including the sssnakes, we can work on developing the talent together. And if you are the rightful dessscendants of Sssalazar Ssslytherin, I can ssshow you the textsss he left behind revealing hisss true ssself, not the propaganda of the Gauntsss. You two can help ressstore your houssse to itsss rightful ssstate and do ssso with the help of your dissstant family. What do you say? Interested?" The girls snapped their jaws shut and smiled brightly, the first time Hazel ever remembered seeing the smile reach their eyes. "We would love to!"

"Watch out!" Sirius pressed himself against the wall as a lion, a wolf and a wolf-like dog and two familiars rushed past him and out the back door, before taking a deep breath. He looked over at Andromeda's daughter and shook his head. "Well, today seems like it's going to be a busy morning." Dora shrugged as Amelia and Hazel came into view from a hallway that led deeper into Bones Manor, with Amelia glaring at Hazel. "I told you I didn't want her to become an animagus." Hazel shrugged. "I stopped her training on the subject, but she clearly possessed all the information she needed or secured it from her boyfriend or the Hogwarts Library. That she has completed the transformation at this point suggests that she worked hard at it. So instead of chastising her, how about you remind her of how proud you are? You can then cut her sweets rations down as a punishment." Amelia rubbed her face and sighed. "You have a bloody point. I just wish we didn't have a zoo out in the yard first thing in the morning." Hazel chuckled. "Better that than having Julia on your case. Ever since I revealed myself as a Parselmouth to her, I swear I feel her eyes glued to my ass." Dora went to swat it but got intercepted and blushed at Hazel's glare, swallowing her next words.

Sirius chuckled to himself and looked out the back as the kids chased after each other in their animagus forms, with Hedwig and Nova diving in and causing a distraction whenever their other halfs would get caught. "Seeing this really makes me remember the good old days. Even Remus as a werewolf had a decent amount of fun with us out in the Forbidden Forest on the full moons." Hazel and Dora sat down on the table outside to watch over the kids, with Sirius and Amelia joining them. "Speaking of Parselmouths, any idea how the Carrows got the trait?" Hazel looked over the kids. "They aren't cursed, if that's what you are asking. No Gaunts or Slytherins on their official family tree either." Sirius looked at Hazel wearily. "And unofficially?" Hazel turned to look at him, her eyes turning red. "First off, I don't like that tone, Padfoot. Whatever their bloodline might look like, they have a right to be treated fairly." Amelia's own glare made Sirius sigh. "Ok, fine. But you have to have a guess. Probably the same one I had." Hazel shook her head. "Hard to say. The girl's would have to have been conceived just before his downfall. Based on records, they were almost born in Azkaban." Hazel looked to Amelia. "Which I swear better not become a habit. That rock is a magical syphon. A fetus won't survive there for long."

Amelia winced. "Yeah, it's possible she was doing something to delay their birth, which might have inadvertently protected them from the prison's effects. It took the Carrows months to be processed and sent to Azkaban and we weren't the wiser until she started to show and was transferred out to give birth." Sirius made a noise of disgust but kept quiet when he watched a red arc of magic travel down Hazel's arm. "Anyways, it's possible that their bloodline isn't as twisted and bent as the Blacks as we previously thought. Regardless, I am taking those two under my wing. They are Teddy's friends, not to mention the wards of House Greengrass and Fawley. They have the right and the chance to live their lives without the stigma of who their parents were." Amelia nodded, and looked over when her family's elf popped in. Soon enough Neville, The Grangers, the Carrows and Greengrasses arrived. Seeing as the kids were all enjoying themselves in the garden next to a small pond, Hazel went over and conjured a round table for them all to sit at, with the family elves checking with them on any snacks they would like before lunch. Hazel came back and sat next to her fiancée before Augusta asked the obvious question. "So, when is the wedding?" Mrs. Granger, who had come with her daughter as Augusta's guest while her husband worked a shift at the office, perked up. "A wedding? Who's getting married?"

Dora looked at Hazel and downed her cup of tea. "We haven't discussed it yet. With everything that has been going on, we have just been waiting for a moment of peace." Julia snorted. "Please. Peace isn't likely to come all that often for you two. That job of yours is exciting as hell, I bet, but it doesn't give you much time to plan for anything meaningful." Hazel hummed to herself as she added a cube of sugar to her tea. "I wouldn't say that. Right now we are dealing with remnants of the Voldemort and Grindelwald campaigns of terror. Soon enough those factions will run dry. After that it can be generally trusted to let the Hit Witches and Wizards handle the hard stuff. We should know after the next job or two and then we should have a better idea as to what we want for a wedding date." Augusta eyed the two of them. "I suppose that is reasonable. It's just difficult for the more traditional members to watch you two take such a long engagement." Hazel eyed her. "Right. And betrothal was so much better. How long were you betrothed to the former Lord Longbottom, Augusta?" The older woman blushed. "Yes, well, we were quite young. Besides, I am more concerned about you two having a child before the wedding. It may be more acceptable now, but your position as Lady Peverell does make anything you do quite trendsetting for the Neutrals."

Hazel raised an eyebrow. "Since when am I the poster child for the Neutrals? I thought it was agreed you three were the heads of the Coalition." Julia nodded. "Oh, we are. Yet your visibility with the Death Eaters and Dumbledore's downfall has earned you a reputation. We may be the Three Ladies, but you are the Witch Who Conquered." The whine out of Hazel's throat made all of them chuckle as Dora rubbed her fiancée's back in support. Hazel kept her face slumped on the table. "Well, you can tell the women of Magical Britain I don't care what they do. Besides, why aren't you on Amelia's case? She is the one who is currently pregnant." The silence that followed her statement made Hazel look up and at the others on the table. Everyone was looking at the clearly stunned Amelia, the witch touching her stomach gingerly. "I … there is no way. I am much too old." Hazel rested her chin on her hand, her elbow propped up on the table. "Amelia, your magic is warped and turned inward, with a second compatible magical signature developing slowly inside of you. You are pregnant. Congratulations." The women soon followed, with Julia hugging her friend, as Hazel's eyes turned to Sirius. The man made her laugh a little. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "I am going to be a father?" Hazel smirked. "Ohhh yes." Hazel laughed herself silly when he promptly fainted, falling off the chair and onto the ground.

"What do you think they are talking about?" Susan looked over towards the adults and frowned. "I don't know. They all seem to be crowding around Auntie and I don't see Sirius anymore." Teddy looked over and felt his mother's thoughts through their bond. "Amelia is going to have a baby." Susan took a sip of her tea. "Oh. That's nice." A few seconds later she spat out her tea and started coughing uncontrollably as Harry softly patted her back. Using a napkin to clean her tearfilled eyes and her mouth, she looked towards Teddy. "Is she really?" Teddy nodded. "Mom is sure. She seems to be enjoying the reaction out of Sirius the most though. He's out cold. I don't think they were planning on having a baby." Daphne hummed and looked towards Susan. "Well, congratulations on a future sibling or cousin. They might even call you Auntie." Susan blushed and stammered. "I … wouldn't… I don't know the first thing about babies. What should I do if Auntie asks me to help look after her child?" Teddy leaned back in his chair, enjoying the breeze that just blew through their spot. "I don't think there is such a thing as being ready. Mom was almost eighteen when she had to raise me on her own with Grandma, who wasn't doing all that well either."

Harry winced at that. "That had to have been rough, especially with the war just barely being over." Teddy nodded. "I don't remember much of the early years. Just Mom and Grandma arguing a little, but never to the point of yelling. Both of them always felt tired then, but they always did their best for me. I think that's the most anyone can ask. To make the best of the situation at hand." Neville looked towards his grandmother, watching her interact with the others, a smile forming on his lips. "Yeah. That seems right. It doesn't alway go well, but when you give your best, then there is nothing more you can do." A spattering of screeches and hoots filled the air as owls descended on them, dropping off their letters from Hogwarts. Teddy, Astoria, Flora and Hestia opened theirs first. The twins cheered. "We got Exceeds in all of our classes! Even Transfigurations." They stood up and kissed Teddy's cheeks, thanking him, while Astoria glared at them both, the rest of the table looking at the new fourth years with amusement. Teddy looked over his results. "Outstanding in Transfiguration, Care, Runes, Herbology and Defence. Exceeds in History, Charms, Potions and Astronomy." Harry patted him on the back. "See, I told you could do better."

Teddy looked towards Astoria and smiled. "I had a good tutor and study partner." Astoria blushed, with Daphne giving her a knowing smile. "So, how did our Ravenclaw do?" Astoria stuck out her tongue at her sister. "Outstanding in Runes, Charms, Defence, History and Herbology. Exceeds in Arithmancy, Transfiguration, Astronomy and Potions." Daphne smiled at her. "Not bad. Still, you tied with a Hufflepuff." Astoria shrugged. "So? We both studied about the same for our classes. Nothing wrong with that. How about you? How are those OWLs?" Daphne smirked. "I got Outstanding on everything minus Herbology and Arithmancy, which are Exceeds. I swear if Granger passed me again…" Harry smiled as he looked at his best friend, though he was saddened that Theo couldn't join them until later in the evening. She cursed. "No, you passed me in Potions." Daphne sighed contently. "Finally. Though to be fair I told you not to follow the textbook instructions too religiously. NEWT Potions is about adjusting the brews to get the most out of each ingredient." Hermione pouted before turning to Harry. "What about you? How did you do on the OWLs?"

Harry looked over his results. "Outstanding for the most part, with Exceeds in History and Transfiguration. Though my O in Runes has a plus on it." Teddy looked over his notes. "Same as mine. I think it means you had a perfect score." Hermione almost cracked her cup of tea as she slammed it on the table. "What? How?" Harry blushed a little as Teddy explained. "Hazel has me and Harry working hard on Runes since it's integral to working with wards. Apparently the OWLs have some questions that only students who study later materials can answer, as a way of rewarding students who show real passion for the subject." Hermione pouted as Susan read hers. "I got Outstanding in Transfiguration, Charms and Defence! All with pluses." Harry leaned over and kissed Susan on the cheek. "Congratulations, Susan." The young Bones redhead went bright red, with Daphne, Astoria and the Carrows snickering. "That's one way to get her to settle down." The glare that Susan gave Daphne made everyone laugh as the older students started talking about what classes they were taking come September, most being quite happy to drop Astronomy and History, with Daphne being the only one to keep the former. At Hermione's questioning look, Daphne shrugged. "Ritual based Magic requires specific conditions, including star alignments, runes and Arithmancy."

Looking over the application form, Harry filled in Enchanting as an elective. Susan looked over and smiled. "You are taking it? I thought you wanted to try out Alchemy." Harry nodded. "I do but I can study that in my own time. Taking Enchanting will help out with Runes for Warding." Hermione bit her dip pen. "I think I will take Enchanting too. Making magical objects seems so fascinating, especially when you consider what you can do with modern materials." Harry nodded and paused for a second. "Oh, when I wrote the letters about my road trip with Hazel, Teddy and Dora, I forgot to mention. Both bikes and their side cars were enchanted. I don't know who worked on Sirius' bike but Hazel's was really well done. Both of them could fly and go invisible with the passengers, though we went over to Northern Ireland on the ferry through Belfast." Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh. And did you take it up flying?" Harry shook his head. "Ahh, nope. Hazel says that's for emergencies only. Hers has a safe landing enchantment to avoid crashing, but she really doesn't like flying." Teddy hummed. "Oh, she likes flying, just under her own power. She doesn't trust anything enchanted to keep her up in the air after her first crash cost her her godmother's bike."

Susan frowned and sighed. "So… no chance of me getting her to teach me how to drive one of those?" Teddy smiled at Susan. "With Amelia pregnant and probably mad that you completed the animagus transformation… Probably not. But if Harry learns it, I am sure he could teach you. One day." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, it was fun and a lot more comfortable than using a broom. If Hazel doesn't mind, I wouldn't mind learning from her how to ride one." Hermione sighed. "Well, I suppose it's safer than a broom. And the enhancements make it better than a typical motorbike." As the day wore on, Theo joined them, with him getting high grades as well, while his Grandfather had a pleasant time speaking to the Grangers. Unlike anyone else, Theo chose to continue studying History at the NEWT Level, saying that if he wanted to sit at the Wizengamot he needed to know everything that came before, so that the mistakes of the past were not repeated again. Lunch was a large affair at the Bones Manor dining room, with the adults and kids eating together. Teddy sat next to Astoria, much to the chagrin of the Carrows. Seeing them talking with his mom excitedly, though, made him smile. He knew what they were being offered. They were his friends and he could understand the draw. They fact they might be distant relations of his only made it feel like he was gaining a bigger family. That certainly didn't feel wrong at all. It felt right.

"So, when are we getting married?" Hazel sighed as she sat on the bed of the Bones Manor guest room they had been provided for the sleepover. The kids had really enjoyed themselves after lunch when everyone was around, a few going down to the Training Room and trying out a few of the spells they had been wanting to practice. Under Hazel's supervision, the kids had a few mock fights against each other, using a lot more transfiguration and conjuration than she ever expected. Their ability to intercept spells with conjured shields was well above what many Aurors could do. Throughout it all, Hazel kept a closer eye on the Carrows. Even as third year students, it was clear they took her dueling lessons from their first year at Hogwarts and ran with it. While Theo was a good duelist, he still struggled at times with standing still. The same happened with Neville, though she could see that his heart wasn't really into dueling. The young Gryffindor took her tutoring lessons to prove to himself that he could be better. Now that he was, he seemed to mostly go through the motions. For his sake and Theo's, Hazel was already planning some less involved training exercises. They would never be at the level of either Daphne or Susan, but they would be able to protect themselves.

Said girls spent most of the time practicing with the Carrows, both teaching them a few of the more advanced spells they were using, while also having a few duels in pairs. Hazel was proud of the former Hufflepuff and Slytherin fifth years. If Susan kept to her career of choice, she would be one of the top security personnel in the country, outpacing several of the Aurors and Hit Wizards all on her own. The Twins, however, were clearly on their way to being special. Sure, Hestia and Flora would need some individual based training, since it was clear they depended a lot on each other for covering their vulnerabilities, but their coordination and teamwork could one day surpass hers and Dora's. Poor Astoria learned the hard way that the Twins had her outclassed when they doused her in paint, though Hazel was proud that Teddy held up against both of them and made it out with barely any paint on him. She knew he would never be an Auror, Hit Wizard or an Operative. Her son was too kindhearted to ever want to hurt someone intentionally for a living. Like with Neville, Theo and Harry, she intended to make sure he kept his training up so that no matter what he could keep his friends and family safe. A family that now was getting larger than either of them anticipated.

Looking over at her fiancée, who was clearly expecting an answer from her, Hazel sighed. She patted down the bed beside her. "It's not as easy as us getting in front of a judge and saying our vows, Dora." Her partner sat down. "Well, no. We have to get dressed, invite the family over, have lots of catering, a massive wedding cake, and a nice big room to have our way with each other once we are done." Hazel chuckled. "True, but it has to be more than that for us. Also, we are having a very long discussion as to what qualifies as a wedding cake." Dora blinked at her. "This has to do with your Family Magic?" Hazel nodded. "Being born into it is easy enough. With me feeding you the magic for years, your body is pretty much adapted to it. It's just the ceremony needed to make it a part of yourself. Permanently. You could technically be married to me without it, but the drawbacks can get severe in time." Dora hummed. "Ok, what does the ceremony entail?" Hazel shook her head. "Sorry love. Until you carry the family name, that is a secret I have to keep. What I can say is that it requires a ritual. A ritual that has to take place at the Peverell seat of power."

Dora clicked her tongue. "Right. The Peverell Estate, which so happens to be incomplete at the moment." Hazel wrapped her arm around Dora's waist, leaving kisses along her fiancée's neck that left the metamorphmagus shivering in delight. "Indeed. It's part of the reason I was focusing on getting the construction for the Estate started. Without the Peverell Estate and the ritual chamber, I can't add you or Harry to the Family Magic." Dora leaned into her fiancée's embrace. "Has he asked?" Hazel shook her head. "Not yet, but I can see him thinking about it. He has been asking Teddy about how it would feel for him to be tied to the magic. I should be able to feed him some of the Family Magic, if he asks, so that he can get a feel for the way it would interact with him. After that it would be his choice." Dora nodded. "So, how long do you think it's going to take?" Hazel hummed to herself. "About a year. At least that's the hope for the initial construction of the building which includes the Ward Chamber and Ritual Chamber. After those are completed, I can start applying the Family Magic to the grounds."

Hazel pressed her fiancée and two fell onto the bed. Hazel gently touched Dora's cheek. "So, that just leaves one last question." Dora searched Hazel's eyes. "Children?" Hazel nodded. "I already told you I can't have your child, but I can get you pregnant. If we get married in a year… when would you like to try to have one?" Dora thought for a second. "Not immediately. As things are going, it would be best to focus on work and give Harry and Teddy the attention they deserve." Dora smiled and had her hands wander down Hazel's body. "After that I will be happy to have your child. Though I am not opposed to practicing." Hazel chuckled. "Of course you aren't. You have been quite insatiable." Her breathing grew deeper as Dora's fingers found her sensitive spots. "What can I say, you are quite irresistible. Want to practice tonight?" After feeling a heavy ward activating around them, Dora found herself pressed into the bed, eventually feeling her fiancée's magic rushing through her again. Exhausted from their amorous evening, the two fell asleep, dreaming of a day not too far away in the distant future. A day when their family would be bound together by vows and magic.

Chapter 66: The Last Bastion

Hazel felt that her ribs might actually crack under the pressure from both Harry and Teddy hugging her. "Do you have to go?" Hazel sighed and gently rubbed Teddy's hair. "I do. The job for the coming week is important, Teddy. That's why I took you and Harry out to Ireland early. If I don't go, the criminals won't be as easy to take down. It's my job to end the fighting as soon as possible." Harry squeezed harder. "You are coming back, right? You and Dora? You won't disappear on us, right?" Hazel kissed his cheek. "Trust me, Harry. We will be back as soon as we can. With some bruises and cuts, but we will be back. You remember Quetz, right? She made a lot of improvements to her gear that will do a better job of keeping us safe. When we get back we can make some tasty food together, watch some movies and then go see your friends. Ok?" Harry pulled back and watched her eyes, with Teddy doing the same. "You promise?" Hazel nodded to both her boys. "I promise." They pulled her into a much softer hug. "We love you, Mom." Hazel closed her eyes, letting the feeling of both her kids saying that to her fill her with joy. She was adding that to the memories for summoning Aithusa. "Love you both. Now go say goodluck to Dora. She is getting jealous."

The boys chuckled and went to an expectant Dora who got practically tackled to the ground. Andromeda walked up to Hazel, her eyes fixed onto her daughter. "I am not all too happy about this mission." Hazel looked at her. "You will be deploying with us on the first part of the mission, right? You and Johnson?" Andromeda nodded. "I will be, but since you two have a two day long journey to go through, I get to leave tomorrow. We are leaving the trainees to handle the Medical Wing in our absence. Both asked if they could come and help, but they aren't ready for what's to come." Hazel hummed to herself, pulling her backpack onto her back. "I am guessing all of the Medical Division is coming?" Andromeda shrugged. "I believe so. We are being stationed aboard a medical frigate, along with non-magical medical personnel. A lot of the work that has gone into integrating the two practices will be tried out in full if the injured start piling up." Andromeda's eyes narrowed onto her. "I know you and my daughter. Promise me you will try not to come back with every possible injury known to us. I will heal you back up if only to knock some sense back into your skulls for making me worry." Hazel nodded. "I promise, nothing stupidly dangerous. Not for us, anyways."

Andromeda pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the cheek. "Good. Ted, Amelia and Sirius will watch over the boys while we are away. I will go say goodbye to my daughter. Make sure to only come to my station when you're magically drained. I will have a medical file ready just in case you are required to leave on more deployments since I will probably not be able to join you." Hazel nodded and watched as Andromeda practically cracked Dora's back via a hug. She watched as Susan and the visiting Hannah were trying to make the boys cheer up. Hazel knew it wasn't going to be easy, though Teddy's connection to her should give them a good idea of what was happening. A soft shrill was followed by four claws landing on Hazel's shoulders. She felt both Hedwig and Nova nuzzling her head. Touching them gently, Hazel responded to their unvoiced feelings. "We will be back. You will see. As for you, Nova. If and only if it becomes necessary, I will call you to pull one or both of us out. Until then, the children are your priority. You two look after them for me, ok?" The birds voiced their acceptance in their own way before taking to the air and landing on their owner's shoulders.

Hazel watched as Dora went through the same with the rest as she reached down and touched the items under her skin through her magic. Dora was currently holding both the Wand and the Stone that were from her old world, the latter as a ring on her hand. Should something happen to them, those were easier to retrieve. Hazel was, instead, wielding both this world's Elder Wand and Resurrection Stone, the latter incorporated inside of her hand as she usually kept her stone. She had been feeding Dora the Peverell Family Magic for weeks now. While Hazel felt weaker, she was more than happy to know that her partner and fiancée was as safe as she could possibly be. This mission was going to require them to split up once they arrived at the location. For the plan to work, Hazel needed to leave Dora behind and do a quick recon and sabotage mission of the facility. After that, the mission could then begin in earnest. A mission that had been years in the making, utilizing the combined strength of the ICW and the corresponding non-magical militaries. Once this was over, then they would all be back home to relax. Dora looked at her as she finished saying her goodbyes, her own eyes showing determination that went further than Hazel ever remembered seeing on her. She was as ready as she was going to be. Hazel was as well. Now it was all a matter of time.

Feeling the vibrations of the ship's engine stop, Hazel leaned down and tapped Dora on the shoulder three times. Feeling her partner tap her back, Hazel made her way out of the cargo container filled with women that had been kidnapped, and made her way up the ship, all under the protection of her Cloak. The mission had started a few days earlier, when Hazel cautiously removed a woman from one of the containers while the ship was refueling at port. Their earlier raid on a similar ship had made the current crew jumpy, making it difficult to find the hidden compartments and get Dora in and a victim out. Eventually she did and, using a portkey and taking temporary control of the ship's wards, they were able to take one of the women out to be replaced by a shifted Dora. The plan had the possibility of replacing the entire cargo, but MI6 had made it clear that such an infiltration would have been noticed. The previously captured crew had been known to "sample the goods." M had looked sickened by her own words when she revealed that during the pre-mission debrief. Since hiding anyone else on the ship would have been detected on the wards, going with just the two of them became the only working scenario to ensure they reached the ship's base of operations and cut off the problem at the root.

As soon as she reached the upper deck, the glare from the sun made Hazel wince a little, before she followed the smugglers down the ramps and onto the dock of the hidden island. The intel retrieved from both the Errant Venture captain, documents and the wizards on board revealed that the ship made port at a hidden base in the English Channel, close to the border between France and Belgium and obtained during the Invasion of France fifty years prior. The location had been warded to high heaven to conceal its existence, something Hazel could feel first hand. Tapping into her Family Magic, Hazel's eyes lost a sense of color and focused on the thin trails of magic that seemed to envelop the island. She quietly made her way deeper into the fortified structure that looked closer to a World War II concrete bunker than a smugglers' hideout. Pressing deeper into the structure, she could feel the wardstone location drawing nearer. It wasn't until she passed one room that she was forced to pause. Quietly getting the six men in the room to fall asleep, she used Legilimency on the one wizard tied to the wards and cursed in her head. There were seven officers controlling the wardstone. Taking a sample of this man's blood, placing a remotely activated portkey on his person, and trapping the criminals inside of the room, Hazel ventured further into the complex, now looking for the rest of the wizards controlling the wards.

After collecting five blood samples from the officers scattered throughout the base, she found the remaining two in what she would call the base's command and communication center. Counting a dozen people inside, she surreptitiously placed silencing wards on all the exits, before she moved in as close as possible to the two targets. Hazel swung her wand in an arc, her stunner knocking both men down, before she unleashed a spread of cutters. Limbs, blood and soft screams filled the air, before her spears materialized and impaled the remaining people in place. Taking a breath, she looked behind her at a locked door, feeling the wardstone just behind it. With blood from the two remaining wizards collected, she used a Blood Magic spell to emulate their magical signatures. The wardstone fell into her control easily after that. Smiling to herself, Hazel placed her comm device into her ear and altered the lockdown wards. She spoke into her wrist. "O1 to CIC. Wards have been secured. Activating portkeys attached to the seven leading officers, initiating lockdown settings and disabling the island's concealment spells." The CIC operator's voice came in loud and clear. "Roger that! Assault forces will begin their approach. Activate the Trojan Map."

Taking out a small enchanted disc out of her belt pocket, Hazel placed it at top of the ward stone, before binding it. Based on the Marauder's map, and after years of work by the Enchantment and Warding Divisions, the Trojan Map discs were able to latch onto a wardstone and use the wards themselves to create real time maps of the installation on parchments distributed across the fleet, with the location of every living person inside of the wards range shown in real time. The ICW and Operations had been waiting to test it out in the field for months now. "Trojan attached." The operator's voice replied to Hazel's status report. "Confirmed. Base floor plans are coming through. O2, you are clear to begin your attack on the defences on the port where your vessel is currently docked. O1, move to the eastern port and disable the docked vessels and defences. Lethal force is authorized. Good hunting." Dora's voice chimed in. "O2 here. Cargo containers with victims have been secured. Commencing attack." Hazel sighed in relief and made her way out of the newly sealed wardroom. "O1 here, on route." Hazel dropped her Cloak's concealment and went to work, carving down anyone and everyone in her path as she reached the eastern docks.

As soon as she reached the outside area, she noticed several witches and wizards in the air on brooms, searching the grounds as people started shouting out orders. "O1 to CIC. Hostiles have magical air superiority. Hold off on the helicopter deployment. I have an idea." Not paying attention to the response, Hazel focused her mind on the creatures she met with Quetz and her family in Guatemala. While a dragon could take the riders out, the feathered serpents were the undisputed rulers of the sky. Time to put that reputation to use. Feeling a massive drain to her magic, Hazel took a deep breath and opened her eyes to gaze at her three beautiful creations, their rainbow colored scales glistening in the bright summer sun. Hazel spoke to them in Parseltongue, happy that at least they would listen to her. "Attack the two leggersss flying the ssskies on pieces of wood. Do not leave the barrier. Cut them down by fang or lightning. Return to me once the ssskies are free of pesssts." The three conjured Quetzalcoatls took to the skies, their magic unleashing lightning strikes at the poor morons on brooms. Hazel smiled at her handiwork until she heard a panicked voice over the comm. "Unidentified creatures in the skies over the facility!" Dora's sigh was heard soon after. "CIC, check with O1. Pretty sure those are her creations." After confirming to the startled CIC that the snakes were hers, Hazel turned her attention to the port.

Lowering her weight and increasing her momentum, Hazel jumped over the dock, spying the location of all the anti-air and anti-ship gun emplacements. With the Elder Wand in hand, she stared down at one of the turrets. "Perforo Reducto!" The piercing explosive curse shot out of the wand and pierced the outer layer of the turrent's shielding. A few seconds afterwards the turret burst open in a massive explosion, the jagged metal bent outwards covered in blood and ash. Hazel repeated the spell over and over again, using her Resurrection Stone as a shield to block bullets and spells alike as she cleared the bay of the fixed turret emplacements for the soon to be arriving craft. Feeling a massive drain on the Family Magic that she could feel came from Dora, she pinned down one of the wizards and jammed her hand into his heart. "Sorry but I am in a hurry and the two of us are going to need this." The man screamed in agony as Hazel pulled the magic right out of his flesh, before crushing his heart with her bare hand. With her Family Magic somewhat renewed after taking down three more Magicals, Hazel refocused her attacks. Seeing people rushing towards a vessel that looked too much like a U-Boat for her own liking, she launched herself onto the ship's upper deck and pressed her wand onto the ship's hull. "Sectumnavis!" Whipping her wand back and forward, the spell sliced right through the hull of the U-Boat.

Jumping off the now sinking ship and draining the magic of another wizard, Hazel was approached by the Feathered Serpents. "Two leggersss on wood are gone from the ssskies." She nodded at them. "Thank you. Metal beasssts with two leggersss will arrive from sssea or air. Protect them from two leggersss on wood until they all return to ground." The serpents returned to the air as Hazel lifted her wrist up. "East dock is secured, as are the skies. Send the cavalry in, CIC. Oh, and the flying snakes are on defence, so don't shoot them." The CIC responded quickly. "Acknowledged. Landing troops incoming. Standby." Hazel took a moment to rest, her eyes following some of the smugglers getting out of the water. Soon enough, the sound of engines and rotors filled the air as the Marines arrived, all of them escorted by Hit Witches and Wizards from Britain, France and America, with destroyers taking up position just outside of the dock. She signaled a few of the landing personnel with a wave and they acknowledged her position. "O2 here. West dock is secured. Send in the cavalry." Hazel sighed in relief as the CIC acknowledged her. "O1 and O2, your job is done. Return to the flagship and take a rest. Curse Breakers will check for intel in the Command Centers. Amazing work, you two. Come back home." Hazel took a moment to breathe and relax, pulling out her portkey as her weariness began to set in. "O1 here. Acknowledged. Returning to the flagship. Code Omega." The activation phrase triggered and Hazel was portkeyed away.

"Oh come on! No way Jurassic Park is real!" Hazel pushed her kinetic shield against the twenty feet or so tall creature that looked remarkably like a T-Rex covered in feathers, as it's maws attempted to take another bite out of her and her partner. "Yeah, well tell that to Rexy here! Depulso!" The creature yelped as it got launched into the air before crashing down onto a concrete structure behind it, the stone cracking from the impact. Dora aimed her wand straight at it. "Avada Kedavra!" The flash of cyan light impacted the creature and it finally went still. Dora and Hazel sighed as the heat of the bright scorching sun shined down onto them. "First those weird seal-like tentacled creatures with massive jaws, then those massive amphibians that were like scaleless dragons without wings and now a bloody T-Rex? What is this, Isla Nublar?" Hazel laughed a little. "Welcome to my life. I thought that after the Salawas in Tunisia's hidden fort, the Direwolf pack on the Norwegian base we took out, we would be done with the dangerous creatures kept as guards. Leave it to Indonesia and Australia to have some nastier ones." Dora ran her hand through her currently soaked, short brown hair. "No kidding." The two perked up as a voice called through the comms. "O1 and O2, Marines have confirmed the capture of the Command Station and most of the remaining personnel. You are free to return to the flagship. Job well done."

Dora raised her wrist up. "Might want to get your Australian Handlers out here. Bloody monsters caught us by surprise after the smugglers opened their pens. One looks straight out of a Spielberg movie." The Australian CIC chuckled. "Local Ops run into those all the time out in the wilds. Don't worry, we got them covered. Come on home." Hazel gripped Dora's hand and kissed her fiancée hard. Dora sighed happily before activating the portkey, dropping both of them onto the deck of the flagship. Since the seventh and final installation was located in the Indonesian archipelago, the operation was handed over to the Australian and American navies, with the local governments giving their blessings, the local Operatives and Hit Wizards lending support as well. The officers on deck checked them both over before sending them up to the bridge. The Australian Battlemaster, a young blonde man with brown eyes, looked them over as they entered and plomped themselves on the nearest open seats. "You two look like shit." Hazel gave him a rude hand gesture. "In the last three weeks we have hit seven hidden bases crawling with magicals and non-magical criminals that were trafficking humans, magical and conventional weapons, plus bloody dangerous creatures. We are beyond exhausted!" The man laughed softly. "True that, but your bloody track record is beautiful. Minimal casualties on assault forces, all primary leaders captured and no casualties on innocents. Damn fine job."

"I agree." Hazel and Dora looked over as Observer Badawi arrived, handing them both a keychain and a cold bottle of water. "Go get looked over by the medics as soon as you can. After that and some showers, those portkeys should take you back to the arrival point for your base of operations. Other than that, your work has been perfect. You have helped in successfully taking seven bases in the last three weeks, with the criminals unable to move their resources thanks to the wards and the blockades established around each one by the Allied Forces and their magical support units. There hasn't been a month like this since the end of the Second World War." Hazel swallowed several mouthfuls of water before responding. "You will forgive me if I say I don't want to see a month like this ever again." The dark skinned man gave her a knowing look. "Believe me, O1, we all feel the same. Regardless, the missions have been successes. You two are going to be getting several citations for services rendered by a lot of countries." The Battlemaster nearby smiled. "I am sure my country will be in that list." Hazel and Dora sighed, the latter waving her hand. "Just give us time to rest, please."

The two spent about an hour being looked over by the flagship's medical staff before being given a clean bill of health, though the Healers and Doctors had a lot of trouble with Hazel until Andromeda's instructions were verified through Floo calls. As the two stepped out of their cabin's shower and were storing their clothes away before leaving, a knock came to the door. Hazel checked to make sure Dora was decent before checking who it was. The Australian Battlemaster looked them over and smiled. "Damn. You two sure you aren't interested in spending a week here? I can promise loads of fun in the sun. My boys and gals would love to get to know you." Hazel shook her head. "Not right now, though a visit to Australia may be on the books for our honeymoon." The man sighed dramatically in disappointment but still presented Hazel with a bag. "Our Handlers wanted you to have this, since the other Operatives have been gossiping about you two. A memento from Australia for you to take home." A bit curious, Hazel looked inside. "Those are some familiar looking teeth and claws." The man nodded. "That last creature you faced was a Burrunjor. Australia is a dangerous place, and that's not even accounting for magic. The Bunyip and Euroa Beasts you killed were some of the continent's most dangerous, just behind the Burrunjor. We are only glad that the Rainbow Serpents weren't part of the illegal haul. Those things are considered divine out here. Since they were your kills, you get to keep these."

Hazel smiled a little. "Well, I suppose my son's collection of exotic claws and teeth just went up again. Thank you for this and for the warm welcome." The man shrugged. "It's no trouble. You and the British have made one hell of an impact, you know. We have been working alongside the ASIS for a few years now and we are all loving the results. Our delegation is part of the ICW and UN negotiations on the integration of Mages into the world should the Statute fall. In the Outback, the Statute is hardly a thing, really. The Aboriginals and us work together to make sure the local creatures don't vanish because of them getting spotted by the general population. You have no idea the trouble the Thylacine fiasco cost us and the continent as a whole. Though don't be feeling bad about these kills here. These creatures had been trained to be killers. Only mercy that we could have given them was a quick death." Hazel nodded. "Yeah, sounds about right. We are glad for the changes around the law enforcement agencies and our fellow operatives. You tell your people to take care and if we manage to make it out here for a honeymoon, maybe we will hit you guys up." The man smiled. "You do that. My husband and I make some damn fine meats on the barbie that go great with the local beer. Take care and see you both around, O1 and O2."

Dora sighed to herself as the Battlemaster left, with Hazel closing the door. "Well, I certainly wouldn't mind coming down here for a honeymoon." Hazel hummed to herself. "Neither would I, though I am reading up on the best wildlife repellent wards. For now, let's just get our stuff ready and make our way home. Though I do have a place I want to go visit after we get our gear back. That is, if the ICW and Croaker give us clearance." Dora looked at her fiancée. "And where would we be going?" Hazel placed the gift bag on the bed, sweeping it for foreign magic, before sealing it up into her backpack. "Austria." Dora thought for a second. "For the weapons facility? I thought MI6 cleared the place." Hazel shook her head. "Not there. After taking out these seven locations, I think it's time we went ahead and visited the mastermind, or at the very least the inspiration. After all, there is no way these bases were a fluke. They were built during the heyday of World War II with a particular goal in mind. That goal probably got distorted as the bases turned to smuggling, piracy and hostage taking in order to survive but, according to Croaker, they all started from the same place. The same group of people responsible for driving my world into a Nuclear War." Dora moved up and hugged Hazel. "You sure you want to go? We can let him rot." Hazel hugged her fiancée back and kissed Dora's lips. "I am sure. The war is over. It's time the old man admitted his defeat. For everyone's sake."

"He's all yours." Hazel nodded at the guard as she and Dora passed by the last of the checkpoints within Nurmengard Prison. In the lead up to the operations against the hidden bases, the guards of the prison had gone under a thorough review. A few were found to have been charmed by the old man's intelligence and charisma, while others were the descendants of some of his officers. After verifying that they had been passing along information to him from the outside world, they were all transferred out and many were detained. This was just an example of just how dangerous Gellert Grindelwald remained, even after fifty years since his defeat. If it had been up to Hazel, he would have been executed. Instead, Dumbledore advocated for clemency for both his former lover and his supporters. There was a part of her that wondered if Dumbledore knew about the hidden facilities and ignored them, potentially using them as justification for any takeovers should they become a viable threat. She had no idea if these bases facilitated the attacks on the G8 summit in her world, but she was at least certain they could have existed and that the younger and more idealistic generations of Grindelwald's followers were responsible for the outset of the war. At least now that threat was reduced considerably.

As they approached the last cell, Hazel checked on Dora. Her partner nodded, touching the protective disc she was wearing under her shirt. Both of them came wearing their Hit Wizard jackets closed and with mind art blocking charms, just in case. Their wands were safely stored away. Well, the Elder Wand was never far away from Hazel, but they couldn't bring any wands up here for safety reasons. As they reached the prison cell's door, they peered inside through the wrought iron bars. Within the thin cell sat a frail looking old man. Sitting with his legs crossed underneath him, Gellert Grindelwald seemed to be meditating, his eyes closed. "Can I help you? It isn't dinner time just yet." Hazel checked with Dora, who nodded, confirming the translation charm was working. "Sorry to disappoint you, but we are here to provide you with some recent news. You see, not far from here, a research and munitions base dating back to your war was located. Imagine our surprise when it was found fully managed and in operation. What was the name of the town again? Sankt Georgen an der Gusen? It was connected to your pal's Bergkristall installation."

The old man uncurled his legs and turned his attention to them, his heterochromatic eyes taking them both in. "Who are you?" Hazel bared her teeth. "Just a couple of soldiers bringing you some news. Most of them are sad, really. Well, sad for you. After that base was taken out, we got word of other hidden locations, all dating back to your reign of terror. Imagine our surprise when all of them were found active. Some had some interesting facilities on them. Chimera-based research installations in the Indonesian Archipelago, Elemental magical training stations in the desert coasts of Africa and the tundra of Norway, plus a recruitment and personnel base in Argentina. Not to mention how most bases had drydocks and shipyards. Old and slow in production, but still impressive, especially in how they incorporated magic and conventional construction techniques. Too bad all seven of your "Zweite Welle" bases are now under the control of Allied countries." Hazel watched as the man's composure slowly unravelled. "You lie." Hazel raised an eyebrow. "Really? Your Austrian base might have been an extension of your partner's Wunderwaffe projects, but we both know that wasn't your goal. With the war getting worse, you had these seven locations all around the world sealed off. Warded and erased from German files, no one would know about your back-up plan. A "Second Wave" of magically enhanced forces like your Hexenmeister Kampfgruppe ready to take on an unsuspecting world."

Dora chimed in. "They hardly worked, you know? After the fall of the Reich, these bases were so isolated, they could hardly sustain themselves. They used their U-Boats and assault ships for piracy, not war. Sure, you made them with your best and brightest from the Thule Society, but they couldn't do much. It took them years to be anywhere close to what you envisioned. By then it was easier to just be pirates than soldiers. Human trafficking, drug and weapon smuggling, hostage taking. So much for your grand army or your supposed Greater Good." The man practically shot up to stand, his fist clenched in indignation. "Do you have any idea what has been lost? In a few years, the Statute will collapse. Those forces were my guarantee for Wizardkind Ascendancy. When the muggles hear about our kind, they will turn their weapons on us." Hazel shook her head. "They won't. Not anymore. Those bases weren't taken just by magicals. They were taken by non-magicals, with our support. The nightmare scenario you were irrevocably pushing this world into won't happen. We have learned from the mistakes of the past. Britain, the Americas, Europe and Oceania are all well on their way to a new treaty, with the rest of the world warming up to the idea. Inclusion and fair treatment for magicals should the Statute fall."

Hazel and Dora moved back as the man slammed onto the bars. "That won't happen. You will see! The Muggles will turn on us the first chance they get! When that happens, you will wish you hadn't destroyed my reserves. Dammit Albus, I should have told you about them. You would have understood their value and protected them." Dora stared into the man's eyes. "Unlikely. Albus Dumbledore had his own agenda. Unfortunately, it will never be fulfilled either. He died several months ago." Gellert froze, his hands gripping the bars tightly. "No… I would have felt something. I would have been told." Hazel blinked at him. "You really didn't realize just how much your followers hated him? Not the officers he helped keep from getting executed, though I am sure very few of them actually cared for him all that much as your vanquisher. I am talking about the second and third generations. They all despised Dumbledore. They probably celebrated his death. They had no reason to let you know." Tears ran down Gellert's face. "No. Damn it, Albus. We could have saved the world. Together. We could have saved them all." Hazel reached out and gripped his neck. "You wouldn't have. The only future you could have led us to was one of death and destruction."

Dora gently held Hazel's shoulder. Feeling that Dora was only making sure that Hazel didn't kill him, the latter pressed on. "I saw what the world born from your ideals would have led us to. A cold dead wasteland. No magic, no people, no life whatsoever. That would have been the legacy of every one of your plans. The world is moving down a different path. Cooperation, peace, acceptance. For now the steps are small, but we are moving forward. We are making a difference. When the Statute falls, our people will live. Nothing will be the same, but the people, the world and our future will be there. No thanks to you. Well, some thanks actually. Your forces actually galvanized our countries into cooperation. No one wanted another world war. Together, the world silenced your soldiers' threat. Together, we made a difference. In a century, you will be nothing more than a memory. A footnote. The children will be safe and my family's legacy will have been restored." Gellert glared at her. "Who are you?" Hazel pulled back her jacket sleeve, revealing the bracelet her son made for her, revealing the mark of the Hallows. "I am Peverell, the head of my family. I am the one tasked with restoring the true meaning of our family's emblem, not your bastardization of it."

Gellert looked at the emblem and then at her. "The Wand?" Hazel glared at him. "Snapped in half. No one else will carry Antioch's Shame. The Deathstick has seen it's last change in masters. From here on out, the Peverells will live free from that accursed tool of destruction's infamy. Soon we will be freed from your stain, just as we freed ourselves from Dumbledore's. It will be in a better world, made by everyone working together towards a common goal. Peace. We came here to let you know, Gellert Grindelwald, Butcher of Europe. We came here to tell you that you have been defeated. No followers will come to your aid now. No Dumbledore will shield you from the cruel world. The war is over and you have lost. If I were you I would start to think about your soul. Right now, that is all you have left." Hazel released him and walked away with her fiancée, with Dora catching a small glimpse of magic lingering on Grindelwald's skin around his neck before it faded. As they made their way out of the Castle, Dora took Hazel's hand into her own. "What did you do?" Hazel looked at Dora and caught her meaning. "A bit of Witchcraft. Consider it insurance. Whatever happens, if he fails to learn and regret his actions, his fate will be sealed." Dora leaned into Hazel's shoulder as they approached the guards maintaining the Portkey Entry and Exit point for the Castle.

Word would eventually reach them that the old man wept for days, bemoaning his state and his defeat. Over the next few weeks his condition would seem to deteriorate quickly, so much so that Dora asked Hazel for the rundown on the Witchcraft spell she had used. After confirming that the effects could only manifest with Grindelwald's own lack of regret and further thoughts on how to endanger the lives of others, including attempts at bribing the guards, she learned that the DoM and ICW had signed off on the curse being used as a final line of defence against Grindelwald. Dora's concerns evaporated away as it became clear that it was only a matter of when, not if. Just a few days after Albus Dumbledore's birthday, Gellert Grindelwald's body was found hanging from a noose made from his bedsheets. The Butcher of Europe passed on, his death barely being a footnote in the magical and non-magical governments of the world. Very few, if any, mourned his passing. For those that counted him as an enemy, there was no need to celebrate. His death now merely closed the books of the Magical and Non-Magical World's most devastating war. The autopsy revealed nothing of real note except one thing. There was no trace of magic found within his body. No trace at all.

Harry took a deep breath and sighed. He looked over at Teddy, who seemed to be doing better today compared to the last few weeks. According to him, Dora and Hazel were fine now, neither of them pulling on the Family Magic to fight anyone. The Family Magic of the Peverells seemed to have been exceedingly active in the last month, with both Dora and Hazel using it severely, enough that it made Teddy worry about both of them. Which only made Harry worry more. He felt a soft hand touch his shoulder and he looked up to find Andromeda, looking at him with concern. "Everything ok?" Harry nodded. "Yeah. Just wondering when Hazel and Dora will be coming back." Teddy perked up a second when he heard Andromeda's voice. "Have you heard anything from them?" Andromeda nodded. "They dropped by London to give their debriefings and went out to Austria for a second. They should be on their way back now." Harry sighed in relief. "Are they both ok?" Andromeda sat down at the table in the Bones Family Library with them, as Amelia had them over to keep them both entertained. "They are. Dora took a few nasty cuts to her arms and legs over the month, but she was able to stabilize them. The Healers and Doctors had no problem with any of them and she was fully healed before going onto the next fight."

Teddy scooched his seat closer to Andromeda. "And Mom?" Andromeda sighed. "You know how she is. She was practically unscathed, minus her Magic being severely depleted. Despite that she was able to recover it to usable levels quickly." Teddy made a face. "Bet you she wasn't happy about that. It's rare for her to reach her limit, so she never had to forcefully recover Magic. They must have done a lot of fighting." Harry looked over at Teddy. "How would she do that?" Teddy gave him a sad look. "Harry, the Peverell Family Magic isn't all fun and games. I have it because of the blood adoption and Mom had me read the Grimoire because it could mean the difference between living or dying. There are things in there that are … terrifying, things that I don't want to share with you because when given the choice of living or dying…" Harry lowered his eyes. "Oh. You two use it all the time. I never thought it could be used in a way that was dangerous." Andromeda rubbed Harry's hair gently. "But that is who Hazel is, Harry. It's what it means to be a Peverell who lives up to the family name. To do everything in their power to not only defeat Dark Witches and Wizards, but to return home alive. And it's not just them coming home alive."

Andromeda sighed but decided it was fair to let them both know. "The people they went after were criminals of the worst sort. Enemies of an evil of a bygone era. In a way they were worse than Death Eaters. They didn't just kill non-magicals. They kidnapped them, raped them and sold them as property. They also sold enchanted weapons and magical creatures to people who had no interest other than to cause pain and misery with them upon innocents and soldiers alike. Had Hazel and Dora not taken part in these missions, hundreds of victims wouldn't be on their way back home to their families and thousands of weapons would have fallen into the hands of terrorists and pirates. Hundreds of law enforcement or military personnel, magical or non-magical, would have died trying to stop these people. That is what Hazel and Nymphadora were up against. That's why you shouldn't judge them for using less than pleasant methods to survive. Because they have survived, to save hundreds if not thousands of people. To come home to you two and make sure that every day the world is a better place. That is what this job means to both of them."

Harry looked down at the table and clenched his fist tightly. "I just wish… that they wouldn't get hurt because of us. That they wouldn't have to do these things when they could be here." Andromeda nodded. "As do I. But they can't help themselves. Nymphadora always wanted to make a difference in the lives of others and Hazel only ever wanted a better world for Teddy. Well, Teddy and now the rest of her family. They get to fulfill their dreams and duty every time they go out for work now. It was the same for me, when I became a Healer. The fulfillment that came from helping others in their time of need. One day, when you become a Wardmaster, you will know the feeling. When you hear about all the people your wards could and will save." Teddy reached out and touched Harry's hand. "I know it's not easy now, but it will get better. Mom will always come back and she will keep Dora safe. Telling them to stop won't do any good to anyone. Sure, Mom could be a teacher at Hogwarts, but she would be miserable there. Because it's not the castle or the students that matter to her." Harry relaxed his hands. "It's us." Teddy nodded. "That's why she will come back. Because while she likes her job, she loves being with us more. Right, Mom?"

Teddy chuckled a little as Dromeda and Harry looked around, until the rippling of an Invisibility Cloak gave way to the appearance of Hazel. She bent down and kissed Teddy on the cheek. "Hello Teddy. I am back. How was the sleepover? Did Harry sneak into Susan's room or did Susan sneak into his?" Harry's face went the reddest it had ever been. "We didn't do anything!" Hazel looked at Harry and smiled. "Ohh? But you aren't denying you were in each other's rooms." Harry froze. "Uh… well… you see." Harry blinked as Hazel seemed to vanish before her arms wrapped around his shoulders from behind. "Do we need to go over the birds and the bees again?" Harry closed his eyes and raised his voice. "Mom!" Andromeda and Teddy laughed, as did Hazel. The pout on Harry's face slowly melted as he began to ask Hazel about the different places she saw. The bag of exotic fangs and claws she showed them made all of his worries vanish. He smiled when he saw Nymphadora come into the library, her short hair in bright pink as always as she hugged her mother. Something told Harry that he would always worry about Hazel and Dora when they left for work. But he couldn't deny that moments like these, where Hazel, Teddy and Andromeda were all with him laughing and smiling were as important to him as being by Susan's side. His family was home, safe and sound. It was everything he ever wanted and more.

Chapter 67: Time Marches On

Hazel glared at the smiling Julia as she entered the meeting room of the Board of Governors within Hogwarts Castle. "For the record, dragging me into this job doesn't in any way make me want to invite you over to my bed." Julia pouted. "Really? I thought you would love to have a better excuse to sneak into the castle to check on your boys." Hazel sighed. "And I appreciate that. But I have made it clear I am not fond of people. There is a reason you, Augusta and Amelia handle all the work for the Wizengamot." Lord Doge passed beside the two women on his way to his seat. "As unlikely as it might seem to you, Lady Peverell, you are possibly one of the more important members here because of that. It will be quite refreshing to hear someone speak whose tongue isn't restrained by etiquette or social standing. As a former Professor, and a guard of the Castle for years now, you are in some ways better prepared to be a Governess of the Board than most people, even myself." Hazel's eyes followed Doge as he sat down before she wandlessly shot a stinging hex at Julia. The woman's soft yelp made the rest of the Governors chuckle as they all took their seats. As soon as Hazel was seated and the Headmistress and her Deputy were present, Julia called the meeting to order.

"Welcome to the first meeting of the Board for the 1996 to 1997 academic year. Our first task on the docket is filling out the current vacancy on the Hogwarts Staff. As our former Professor of Transfiguration is currently sitting among us on the Board, with some measure of protest for it… " The Governors laughed softly as both McGonagall and Sprout covered their mouths to hide their smiles, before Julia continued. "... It falls to all of us to find a suitable replacement for her. Headmistress McGonagall, do you have a candidate to present to the Board." Minerva walked up to Julia and handed over a stack of documents. "I do. A most unusual recommendation, but the candidate is certified by the ICW as holding a Transfiguration Mastery and is able to speak English, though it is not her original language, and has been certified to teach Latin based spells." Hazel looked over the file as it was copied and passed along. "Having a Magical Language as a Primary Language should present quite the interesting viewpoint concerning magic. I am sure Professor Babbling would welcome the challenge of conversing with her, or at the very least learning the intricacies of Mesoamerican Logographs as a Runic Language."

Elphias hummed to himself as he looked over the file. "Reference material from her community where she spent years as a caretaker for the younger children, a citation for excellent and imaginative Transfiguration with a focus on the Visual Arts from her examiners. She will definitely be an interesting choice." Lady Abbott looked towards McGonagall. "May I ask where the recommendation for the woman's candidacy came from?" McGonagall smiled. "I believe the initial introduction by letter was facilitated by Miss Peverell." The Governors looked towards Hazel and she sighed. "I took my family on a vacation to the Yucatan Peninsula with the help of a friend. While among the locals, my friend introduced her and we got to talking a bit. Like me, she was a firm believer in the application of art and magic together to help a child develop their ability for memory retention and increase their enthusiasm for learning magic safely. Her village has a few other caretakers so her leaving isn't an imposition and she was always looking for a potential job out of her cultural borders." The Governors discussed the recommendation further and agreed to a vote. The decision was unanimous. Julia turned to McGonagall. "Please inform Miss Cuella Pech that her application has been approved. As is policy, she will be a Provisional Professor for one year before being evaluated for a permanent position."

McGonagall nodded. "I will write it as soon as I can. Speaking of Provisional Professors." Julia moved the meeting to the next subject. "Very well. Professor McGonagall, what is your opinion on Remus Lupin and his likelihood of remaining as Defence Professor on a permanent status?" Handing a parchment over to Julia, McGonagall spoke up. "He is certainly willing to take on the job. As a Professor, his instruction has improved in both retaining the students attention and reinforcing the lessons prior to examinations. Among the students, while not the popular pick for the class…" Hazel glared at everyone when they looked her way, before a smirking McGonagall continued. "... He is considered more than adequate. The scores for the students that have taken the Defence course over the last three years have been the highest they have ever been since Galatea Merrythought's tenure." The Governors discussed the matter amongst themselves, though Hazel spoke up. "What of his performance as partial head of Gryffindor House?" Minerva sighed. "Also adequate. He handled the students well during the traumatic experience at the Great Hall. However, he was obviously unable to perform the role on certain days of each month. Professor Vector, for her part, was just as effective and covered for him on those dates."

Hazel turned towards the Governors. "While it's not standard policy, I believe we should amend the Charter and have a male and female Head of House for each of the Four Houses. As a Professor, I can attest to seeing much improvement among the students' well-being when they could safely approach multiple professors for their troubles. Though the Gryffindor Co-Heads were chosen due to one of the Professors having personal concerns, the two together probably did better than a single Professor, without sacrificing their performance in the classroom." Hazel looked over at the Headmistress. "I also believe that some students are uncomfortable in approaching some staff members regarding personal matters. According to Mr. Potter, a few of the first year students were being selective concerning who they visited between Vector and Lupin. A system like this should help the students immensely and decrease the workload of a Head of House who happens to teach all seven years worth of students." Pomona spoke up. "I agree with Peverell's assessment. Of all my students, there are a few who are always uncomfortable coming to me for advice. While Bathsheda and I did what we could to be accommodating, it is not always possible to reason with them." Hazel looked over at the Governors. "Though it's a more difficult suggestion to fill, having a male Healer on Staff should also present a similar comfort to the students and alleviate Madam Pomfrey's work schedule to a more manageable level. It would also open up both Healers to the possibility of taking up the Healing Elective that has been inactive for half a century."

Julia looked on at the other members of the Board of Governors with a smile. For all of Hazel's protestations, Julia knew the woman was insightful and observant. Her suggestions would have fallen on deaf ears under Dumbledore, but the change in staff and the now more open Board were taking the suggestions seriously. She tapped the malet down on the desk. "All recommendations should be explored further. For now, I believe we can move to a vote on the selection of Professor Lupin as a Permanent Member of the Hogwarts Staff. We can continue his position as Co-Head of Gryffindor House with Professor Vector as we take the matter of more Co-Heads into serious consideration." Lady Abbott nodded. "I second the motion." The vote for Lupin's appointment passed and the Governors began to debate Hazel's suggestions further in earnest, mostly speaking of them in a positive light. As the hours dragged on in peaceful debate, for which Hazel only gave a few scating remarks, nothing else could be agreed on instantly. Seeing the time, Julia tapped the malet down repeatedly. "I am afraid that this meeting must be adjourned for now, unless we want to be here for supper." Seeing the Board in agreement, Julia turned to McGonagall. "Please bring the discussion of the suggestions debated today up during your next staff meeting, as I am sure we would all like to hear about the Staff's point of view on the matter. I will go over the school's funds with Doge to see how we can allocate the necessary expenses for the suggested changes. For now, this meeting is concluded."

As the Governors began to leave the chamber, McGonagall and Sprout approached Hazel. "I believe Lady Greengrass was correct. Having you as a member of the Board will be just as effective in improving the school. Though I have to ask where you came up with the Co-Head recommendation?" Hazel blushed at Pomona's words. "As a single mother, there were moments when I had to ask for a bit of help with my son from his Grandmother, while she lived. There were questions that were a bit difficult for me to answer, though I don't believe the difficulties cannot be overcome in time. In a gender fluid family, these difficulties might never present themselves at all." McGonagall nodded in understanding. "But our students don't come from gender fluid families. Not all of them." Hazel nodded back. "Exactly. The focus should be on helping the students be comfortable in the Castle and with the adults in charge of their wellbeing. While adding more staff is an expense, the benefits to the students, I believe, outweighs the economic considerations." Pomona tapped her chin. "I think I might know a few Potions prodigies that passed through my House. Slughorn won't work for Hogwarts for long and they could take the position of Co-Head with Bathsheba."

McGonagall turned to Pomona. "Do contact them. I will see if there are any former Slytherin or Ravenclaw Healers in St. Mungos willing to help Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing and potentially teach the Healers course. I am sure a few would be interested after years of working in the hospital." Hazel chuckled. "I can imagine. Though I know one crazy woman who wants to work at St. Mungos. Her replacements are actually from Ravenclaw and Slytherin, so my apologies if we stole your prospects." McGonagall gave Hazel a soft glare. "I doubt you are truly sorry." Hazel smiled. "You'd be correct." Pomona came up and hugged Hazel, catching her by surprise. "Thank you, though, for everything." Both Hazel and McGonagall watched Sprout exit the chamber. "What was that about?" McGonagall looked at Hazel from the corner of her eye. "Though you do inspire fear in quite a few people, you certainly seem oblivious to all the good you do. Hogwarts is on it's way to living up to its reputation, with you being a major contributing factor. We are all grateful for what you have done." Hazel stared at the back of McGongall's head as the old woman left, before she took up her own papers. She shook her head and stored her thoughts and feelings away as she left the Chamber, checking the clock as she left. It was time to go home.

"Cuella!" Hazel leaned back against the wall of the international portkey arrival point at the Ministry as Quetz rushed forward to greet her friend from home. Dora leaned into Hazel's side as the dark haired Mesoamerican girl took their Quartermaster into a rib crushing hug. "So, what do you think?" Hazel shrugged. "We will have to wait and see. Her bad luck with dates could have been because she already had her eyes on Pech." Dora chuckled. "Yeah, sounds like Quetz. She had a pick of a hundred or so weapons to test her enchanted bullets, but no, it had to be using a specific make and model. If it's not perfect, she won't be satisfied." Hazel leaned over enough that her breath sent shivers down Dora's neck. "Speaking about perfection, what's this I hear about Andromeda and Narcissa spending massive amounts of time together looking over wedding dress designs?" Dora swallowed a little. "You know, Amelia is going to be marrying Sirius in a few weeks. The wedding of the Lord Black and the Director of the DMLE is going to be massive news. Nothing like having the two Black Sisters reconcile over their broken family ties like helping to plan their cousin's wedding."

Dora watched as Hazel vissibly seemed to repress a memory and she sighed. "Sorry, bad subject matter." Hazel raised her hand and waved it. "It's fine. We can't tiptoe over everything for the rest of our lives. Like the morons having to stop flinching whenever Tom's name comes up, it's something I have to get over. Getting back on topic, please tell me those two aren't also looking for dresses for our wedding too." Dora kissed Hazel's hand. "If they are, I haven't been consulted. I promise you that." Hazel sighed in relief. "Thank goodness." Seeing Quetz approaching with her friend, Dora pulled herself off the wall. "Though we are going to have to discuss that at some point." Hazel nodded as she shook Cuella's hand. "Welcome to England, Cuella. How is Aapo?" The tanned woman smiled at Hazel. "Doing well. A huracán just did a number on the area, but no one got hurt from the village. He sent out some of our guardianes to help the non-magical indigenous population recover. A good chunk of them know about magic, so the guardianes don't have to be as careful, only watching out for missionaries or traficantes." Hazel hummed as they made their way out of the arrival point, and waited patiently as Cuella registered with the Customs Officer, with Quetz giving her DoM apartment address as the location where Cuella would be staying.

Cuella looked over at Quetz as they left the Customs checkpoint and entered the Ministry Atrium. "Should I go see the duendes about a bank account?" Quetz thought for a second. "Up to you. If you are getting the DoM clearance, you can get Legal's help. Though getting a Gringotts basic account should be fine. You are going to need it to get your payments from Hogwarts." Hazel and Dora waited outside of the Bank for them to finish setting up the account, before Quetz dragged Cuella into Madam Malkins. They spent a lot of time going over the warmer sets of clothes the shop had to offer, much to the discomfort of the Guatemalan. She dropped on the table at the nearby café, with the rest looking on in bemusement. "Cómo es que necesito tanta ropa!?" Quetz patted her friend on the back. "Because you will be in the furthest point north of the Island where winter is longer and colder than our dry season back home. Warm clothes are a definite must." Hazel leaned back in her seat. "At least you can wear most of your clothes in well heated apartments and homes. My son and I had to buy warm clothes completely after spending two years in arctic conditions." Dora pointed her finger at Hazel. "This one barely wears any clothes even when it's cold. It's down right cheating."

After Hazel stuck out her tongue to Dora, Cuella chuckled, before taking a drink of coffee and making a face. "This isn't good coffee." Quetz tried a bit of hers. "About what you will get out here. I have some beans I have imported from home, so we should be fine when you are staying over at my place." The latina hummed approvingly. "Sounds like I will be spending plenty of time with you then, Kuku." Leaving Quetz blushing, Cuella looked towards Hazel, who seemed to not be bothered by the coffee at all. "So, what can I expect from the students?" Hazel smiled as she lowered her cup. "All good things." After the two discussed the current curriculum while Quetz and Dora ate their sandwiches, Cuella leaned back into her chair. "I might need to shift some things around but yours was close to what Xibalba covered in our private studies." Hazel thought for a second. "I think I have some copies of the syllabus back home and the textbooks we used. You can have them and adjust it to your specifications before appearing in front of the Board. I had to start teaching quickly but you have more than enough time to get your syllabus verified. Anything else you can check with the Headmistress, since she was our predecessor." The four chatted about Hogwarts and made their way down the street, where Cuella and Dora went into the Owl Emporium after the Latina admitted to not owning an owl.

"So, you staking your claim?" Quetz gave Hazel a glare. "Oy, bruja. You are taken." Hazel smiled. "And you, Kuku, are not. Not only did you suggest for her to be my replacement at Hogwarts, but you also invited her to spend time in your DoM apartment when she wasn't living at the Castle and offered to keep her coffee palate intact. Any more territorial marks from you and she will be wearing a ring on her finger and a hickey on her neck." Quetz went deep red. "Ella es mi mejor amiga." Hazel raised an eyebrow. "And your eyes were glued to her rear end as she and Dora entered the store because…" Quetz cursed. "Ok, si. Posiblemente quiero algo más. Feliz?" Hazel pulled her friend into a hug. "Por tí? Claro que sí." Quetz' blush softened. "Do you think you could teach me how to make some of those Italian dishes that leave me and the Coneja in a food coma?" The sudden burst of "I heard that!" from the store made Hazel smile. "Sure, but you aren't allowed to be mad at me for my use of conjured bullets and guns." Quetz sighed. "Fine. But I want to inspect them properly. I don't want to see a gun blow up on you, real or otherwise." Hazel nodded as Cuella came out with a tiny barn owl on her shoulder that kept tugging on her dangling earrings. "You have a deal."

Teddy walked out of the massive Wizarding Tent that had been erected on the Peverell property and found a tree that had fallen over in a recent storm. After verifying the bark was clear of bugs, he sat on it and took a deep breath of the cool and crisp air. Just a day prior to the festivities, his Mom had arrived at the property line and, thanks to the Ward Chamber being the first thing that had been completed of the construction, she infused and activated the wards with the Family Magic. Though still nowhere near as complicated as the Hogwarts wards, the joint project between the DoM, the Wardmaster that visited Hogwarts and his Mom's knowledge in utilizing Druidic Script, the wards in the area were some of the most complex ones ever raised. Even now he could feel the magic just barely over his skin. He knew that eventually the feeling would become almost second nature to him and he had no problem with that. From the moment he entered the wardline, Teddy knew he was safe here. In a way it reminded him of the way his mom's magic wrapped around him when they crossed the Archway. Even Nova seemed to enjoy the feel of the magic in the air, falling happily asleep on the birdstand that had been placed outside the tent just for her and Hedwig.

"There you are." Teddy turned his head and spotted Astoria walking over towards him. He blushed a little as he caught himself looking over at how much she had grown in the last year alone. Today her long hair was tied in a simple braid and left hanging over her shoulder. "Sorry, I just wanted a moment of peace and quiet." Astoria snorted. "Right, and did you think to offer that to your Mom? She looked about ready to make a run for it when I left the tent." Teddy chuckled a little. Even after six years in this world, his mom still hated celebrating her birthday. She had put up with the planning and the mess of people for Harry and Neville's sakes, but the moment the adults started to focus on her, her irritation became easy enough to see. "Dora is in there with her. I am sure it will be fine. If anything goes wrong, Nova will just flash her out back to her apartment." Astoria sighed. "I suppose as back up plans, that definitely works." The blonde Ravenclaw sat beside Teddy and leaned back, her eyes scanning the sky. "It's really nice out here. You can hear and feel the magic in the air so clearly. Those Woodland Elves you introduced us to were very interesting too. I was thinking about inviting our family elves to talk to them but a part of me felt like it would be cruel."

Teddy nodded. "I know the feeling, but, according to Dobby and Leafsby, there is nothing wrong. The Elves always knew their woodland counterparts existed and have always talked to them over the years. They understand how the magics used by the Witches and Wizards of old twisted them into an existence that depended on others to survive, but as long as they are not harmed, they actually enjoy the company of humans." Astoria hummed to herself. The passage of the Magical Creature Welfare Act had been a massive success for the Coalition. The Act was essentially a bill of rights for the magical creatures, whether recognized by the Ministry or the ICW as fully sentiant or semi-sentient, as deserving of the same protections that Magicals enjoyed. The House Elves were given a provision that allowed them to continue with the Magical Families, though the sale of them was prohibited. The Elves that weren't attached to any specific family had become wards of the Ministry, with the DoM researching ways to remove the magic that prevented them from returning to the Woodlands. With his Mom's help with translating the original texts and asking the surviving Woodland Elves as to how they interacted with magic, there was a strong hope that the magic used to bind the elves could be lifted. With how much he knew Hazel loved elves, Teddy was very happy that his Mom took the initiative in helping them all.

"Here." Snapping out of his thoughts, Teddy looked over and took the small present box tied with an orange bow that was offered to him. "What's this?" Astoria blushed. "It was supposed to have been a birthday present for you in April… but I had a hard time finishing it. I eventually needed my Mom to help me out, hence why it took so long. It's been shifted in size so you need to cancel the spell before opening it." Teddy nodded and cancelled the spell, causing the box to widen considerably. Opening it, he froze at seeing what was inside. "You made this?" Astoria blushed but nodded. "Like I said, I ended up needing a bit of help. I always notice how miserable you look in winter, despite being quite warm with your jackets. I thought… something a little more personal could help with that. The wrap for the shoulders and throat, however, was all my work." Teddy pulled out the large jacket of the box, with the wrap folded nearly on top of it. He felt the small traces of magic running through it, telling him it had some enchantments. The feel of the fur and the leather felt familiar to him. "Did you ask Mom for the Direwolf leather?" Astoria nodded but she pouted. "I tried to buy it off her since it's really expensive stuff but she wouldn't hear of it. All she told me was to make sure it was made for an adult and to then have magic adjust it to a smaller size."

Teddy chuckled. "That's Mom alright. Her Godmother tried to do something similar with the Basilisk hide Jacket and boots but neither liked to be affected by magic directly. You could only shrink them when the space around them was already warped." Astoria hummed. "That's interesting. I wonder… Anyways, you should grow into it and… if it ever gets too tight, just bring it to me. I will get it fixed up and return it good as new." Teddy stood up and tried the jacket, feeling the enchantments on it activate to better fit his form and to adjust the temperature into a more comfortable level. The wrapping for his neck felt very comfortable. It reminded him a bit of his Mom's really crude attempts at making weather gear for both of them back in their old world. He smiled as he pulled it off and stored it back into the box, before looking at an expectant Astoria. "I love it. Thank you, Story." Astoria blushed. As soon as he sat back down he felt Astoria fidget beside him. When he turned to ask her what's wrong, his mind misfired. It took him a second to realize that Astoria was kissing him on the lips, before he kissed her back. They broke apart and stared into each other's eyes before both moved in for another kiss.

"Tell me, dear sister, do my eyes deceive me?" Teddy and Astoria snapped away from each other, both looking at the smirking Carrows. Flora's smirk widened. "No, dear sister. They do not. Edward Peverell and little Astoria, found kissing on a tree." Astoria's face turned red. "Don't you dare!" The girls giggled and Hestia carried on. "Oh no, little Story. We wouldn't think about singing that awful song." Flora moved further back, her arms behind her head. "We were, however, thinking a certain lady and older sister should know." Both Teddy and Astoria paled and spoke in stereo. "Please don't." Another voice joined in. "Please don't what?" The Carrows and Astoria froze as they turned their eyes towards Hazel, who was holding a slice of cake on a plate. Both Teddy and Astoria rushed forward and wrapped their hands around the Carrows' mouths, casting wandless silencing charms on them just for good measure. "Nothing!" Hazel's eyes narrowed before she dispelled the charms on the twins. "Why don't you two go back inside and get some more cake. It seems I need to have a chat with my son and his potential girlfriend about lying to me… in private." The two giggling Carrows left as Astoria was stared down by Hazel, with Teddy moving close to her and taking her hand into his. They were in for a very long talk.

"You know, there was a moment I thought I needed to stun you on your birthday." Hazel glared at Dora as they made their way through the hallways of the Department of Mysteries towards the Medical Wing of Operations. "Whatever do you mean?" Dora sighed. "I mean your near meltdown with the whole Astoria and Teddy thing." Hazel looked away from Dora. "I will admit that my first thoughts were… not pleasant. And undeserved. Both of them have been close for years and it was a matter of time that they would eventually date. It was just… that was the first time Teddy almost lied to me. I say almost because as much as my son can try, I will always know when he is lying. I will also know when he is being sneaky and after verifying he isn't going to end up dead or hurt then I am perfectly fine letting him have his fun. But he was never that direct about it." Dora shook her head. "Did it cross your mind that it was because he didn't know exactly what he was feeling at the time and became confused?" Hazel nodded. "Of course it did. Hence why I sat with those two under heavy wards for close to an hour. I needed to make sure they both knew what they were getting into." Dora smirked at Hazel. "Politically?"

Hazel shuddered. "Hell no. I don't care one way or another how this looks to the vultures of the world. If Teddy eventually loves Astoria enough to marry her and she feels the same for him, I am not going to stand for any bullshit from anyone. The first moron who tries to insist anything at all will be reminded that this is my family and they can ignore it or join the rest of the morons six feet under." Dora shook her head. "You know, I think it was a good idea that you left Hogwarts. You were already overprotective of Harry concerning Susan." Hazel raised an eyebrow at Dora. "As were you." Dora waved her hand. "Not the point. Letting Teddy have a chance to pursue this relationship without feeling your eyes constantly on his back will be good for him." Hazel stopped just outside of the Medical Wings doors. "Was I… that bad?" Dora pulled Hazel into a hug. "No, you were the best mother you could be. But he is fourteen now. It's time that he feels a little bit more independent from you. Astoria will be good for him and the Carrows will keep them in line. Not to mention Harry, Susan and Daphne." Hazel released a deep breath. "Fine, but I reserve the right to contemplate murder if I find him heartbroken."

Dora released her fiancée from her embrace after kissing her softly on the lips. "Trust me, that's the most normal parental thing you could do. There was a reason Charlie never dared to walk up to my Mom. As a Black, he knew she could kill him in a second. And I know for a fact that she thought about it. Especially after our breakup. Now come on, let's meet the new medics." Dora pushed open the Dora, seeing Healer Johnson giving both of the new Healers a few last minute pointers. Both Andromeda and Johnson had distinguished themselves among the Medics during the assault on the first of Grindelwald's bases. A few of the marines arrived with spell damage and serious injuries ast they fought their way to capture the island with the Hit Witches and Wizards. Both of the Ops Healers were quick and thorough with their diagnostics, with the medics using standard medical practices to stabilize the injured while the Healers applied the potions and spells to repair the damage. The exceptional work from both groups had become one of the major talking points in the UN and ICW negotiations, especially concerning the Statute collapse. The benefits to the field of medicine combining conventional and magical practices was something everyone wanted to safeguard, regardless of the economic impact such a change could have.

Seeing the two Operatives enter, the dark skinned Healer waved them over. "Lastly, these two are going to be your main patients for the moment, along with Battlemaster Horatio and Quartermaster Quetz, the former for training injuries and the latter for long nights of experimentation." The blonde Crafter who was seated next to Horatio bristled. "Hey, I have gotten better at avoiding any accidents or overtime!" The older woman ignored her as she drew the two young women attention to Hazel and Dora. "These two have unique physiologies, which Healer Tonks will go over with you today as she gets you acquainted with them. This is important as it does affect how their bodies react to magic and potions, particularly on Operative Peverell. Potions need to be administered with her being aware, or the magic in her system will just ignore it, with a few potions like Dreamless Sleep being worthless on her. Also, if Operative Tonks here is unconscious, be wary around Peverell. Her instincts are to protect her partner through curses first, questions never." Hazel merely smiled at the two Healers, not bothering to deny the allegation. It was true enough.

Her eyes did look over the two witches, recognizing both from her and Dora's first year long deployment to Hogwarts. "Miss Clearwater, Miss Fawley, how has St. Mungos treated you two?" The red-headed former Slytherin Prefect bowed her head to Hazel. "It's been educational, Lady Peverell. Though I must admit it was rather quieter than I thought it might be. Then again, my Aunt and Mother say it was mostly your contribution. As the Heiress to House Fawley, my gratitude on preventing the extremist Death Eaters from gaining any political ground." Hazel looked the girl over. "I take it you were worried about being forced into a marriage of convenience?" Gemma shuddered. "The thought was one I had been forced to entertain for years. Despite having to deal with some unpleasant people, first at Hogwarts and then these last two years at St. Mungos, though the latter was mostly the crazies and the drunks who kept getting themselves splinched on a weekly basis, I can't say that I wasn't happy. When Healer Johnson approached me with the offer to not only practice medicine but also help with some interesting research projects, I certainly couldn't refuse."

Dora shook her head. "You know you don't have to be so formal all the time here, Gemma." The former Slytherin glared slightly at Dora. "I am being respectful. You two did a lot to help us all out, if your mother and Johnson are to be believed." The other young woman walked up to Hazel, her long dirty blonde hair tied in a neat ponytail. "I know for a fact that I owe you a lot, Miss Peverell. Both for the Basilisk and the instructions in our third year. I don't think I would have passed my Healer's certification without it." Gemma nodded. "That I can agree with Clearwater here. Your lessons in silent casting and better magical control have been a blessing on the more celebrated holidays. The amount of patients with broken teeth, splinched arms and transfigured legs was quite distressing. We only managed those days with your lessons in mind." Hazel blushed as Dora nudged her side. "See? You are too good of a teacher." Failing to land a wandless stinging hex on Dora, Hazel turned to the two Healers. "So, which one of you is thinking of being a Field Medic?" Penelope raised her hand timidly. "That would be me."

Looking her over, Hazel sighed. "Miss Clearwater, you do know what that means, right? Curses will be thrown around you and you will have to heal patients in non-optimal conditions. Are you certain you want to place yourself constantly in dangerous situations?" The former Ravenclaw seemed to steel herself a bit. "I… ever since the Basilisk, I had trouble getting my confidence back. The shadows always seemed to hide something scary and deadly. Your Defence Lessons helped me a lot. I doubt I would have been able to make it through as Head Girl without you two helping me conquer some of my fear. I want to conquer the rest. I want to be able to help anyone I can, no matter where they are." Horatio came up to her. "You understand that this will require you to take some of the basic training required of an Operative, including the use of curses and Unforgivables?" Seeing the young Ravenclaw looking affronted, Dora stepped into the conversation. "Trust me, it's not easy to accept the fact that you will be using such curses, but there is a reason. There will be patients who will do everything in their power to make your ability to heal them impossible, even if they plead for treatment. Being able to hold them down will be important and the Imperius avoids the hand-ups of dealing with an uncooperative body."

Hazel nodded. "As for the other two, the Cruciatus curse was initially a neurological jinx, designed to test muscle spasms and check that there was no damage to the patient's nerves. You will be learning what it takes to cast the original spell, not the one bastardized by extremists who delight in causing others pain. As for the Killing Curse, you will be forced to face the worst fate all Healers must suffer. The possibility that the only comfort you can give a patient is a swift and merciful death. These moments may be few and far between, or you may be fortunate to never experience it, but you need to be ready to face that eventuality. Operations primary order is that no one gets left behind, but we need to be ready for the moment we can't keep that order. So I ask again, are you sure this is what you want to sign up for? No one will hold it against you if you stay here in the Medical Wing." The young woman clenched her fist and shuddered a little before shaking her head. She stared Hazel in the eyes. "I am. I want to be there for the people who helped me live. I want to help as many people make it home as possible. If it requires so much out of me, I will gladly pay it."

Horatio smiled at her. "I think I am going to like you, Miss Clearwater. Have you both agreed to in house living arrangements?" Both young Healers nodded, causing Hazel to frown. "Penelope, aren't you in a relationship?" The growl out of the young Ravenclaw's through made Hazel raise an eyebrow. "That pig Weasley can go find himself another trophy wife. I refuse to be manipulated by him into being someone I am not." Gemma came up and patted her coworker in the back. She looked at Horatio. "We will both be taking the DoM apartments. While I won't be a Field Medic, I wouldn't mind joining in on the daily exercises." She blushed a little. "The ones Lady Peverell suggested have been very beneficial to both of us." Horatio smirked at Hazel. "Should I be worried you are stealing my job from me?" Hazel glared. "You and I both know you will be leaving your post in a stretcher or a body bag." Horatio laughed. "Damn right I am." Looking over both girls, he nodded. "Up and early at 5 am, ladies. Clearwater will get the full training and Fawley will be taking our less stressful training program. Make sure you all follow Head Healer Tonks' nutrition guidelines. You will be dead in a week if you don't." The two women nodded and went to finish signing a few papers with Andromeda and Johnson.

Quetz hummed as she walked up to her friends. "Seems like our family will be getting bigger. I wonder when I should start looking for an apprentice myself." Hazel thought about her birthday. "If you're interested, check on the Greengrass family. Young Astoria Greengrass showed some interesting initiative. She made Teddy a decently effective jacket out of some spare Direwolf pelts I still had. She ended up buying more than she could chew and had to ask her mother for help, but she showed great promise." Quetz rubbed her chin as Dora's eyes narrowed. "Are you scheming something?" Hazel shrugged. "Her getting the clearance level needed to know the truth about Teddy and myself will be an issue later on. The girl has a narrower interest than the Unspeakable in everything but the name she calls a sister. It would solve one issue while also giving her the best education a budding enchantress could get right out of Hogwarts." Quetz nodded. "I will give the Greengrass family a call and check her talents for myself. If she shows interest, then I will help her get ready sooner." Horatio chuckled. "Look at that. Not seven years in and we are getting this Division back into shape." Hazel smiled at her boss. "That's the idea. So, do you want to show those two Healers what we do here for practice?" Horatio smiled as the other two sighed. "Sure thing. Let's go O1. O2, you are coming as well." Dora groaned. "There goes my hope for one easy day back on the job."

"Oh, wow! Look at all the flowers!" Perenelle laughed merrily as she stored away the rope she used as a portkey. The boys' eyes took in the massive field of flowers that stretched as far as the eye could see, the only things breaking the view being some ancient looking trees and a small but comfortable looking two story house just down the path. The immortal witch ushered them down the path. "Yes, it's quite the achievement. A lot of the flowers are from all across Europe, but we do have a few from all over the world. After a few centuries on one continent, there is nothing like stretching your feet and seeing another. We were just planning a trip down to Oceania. We hear there are some lovely flowers and interesting Magical Creatures in the Indonesian jungles. Who knows, Nicholas might even uncover some new Alchemical ingredients." Hazel followed behind the group, her eyes taking in the magic that seemed to emanate from the ground itself. Over the flower fields, her eyes were able to perceive the traces of fairies flying about. Dora chuckled to herself. "Just make sure you two are ready to encounter some weird and dangerous creatures. Hazel and I got surprised by some nasty ones on a mission down there." Perenell hummed to herself and smiled. "Sounds fun." Dora sighed. "You sound like my fiancée."

As Teddy and Harry bombarded an amused Perenelle with questions, Hazel spotted Nicholas sitting down just under the shade of one of the old trees. Nova landed on her shoulder and shrilled in question with Hazel nodding in response. "I will ask him. Why don't you go and watch over the rest? If you think it would be safe, see if you can play with the fairies. I doubt they have had the honor of your presence." A merry shrill filled her ears as Nova took flight, with Hazel following the soft path of short green grass that led to the wooden bench under the tree. The bench itself looked almost to have been a tree or two whose branches were grown into the familiar form. The old man closed his book and placed it aside as he waved her over. "Welcome to our home, Lady Peverell. Please, join me." Hazel nodded and sat besides the old immortal, her eyes looking over a young looking field of flowers. The old man smiled at her. "Do they look familiar?" Hazel nodded. "The flowers from The Isle of the Blessed." Nicholas leaned back with a satisfied look on his face. "Indeed. They started to grow under our care and the fairies around made sure they were pollinated. We started growing the seeds in the field about two years ago."

Taking in the fresh and familiar scent, Hazel exhaled. "I thought you might manage to breed them. You recognized them, after all." Nicholas shrugged. "I am an immortal. I have seen quite a lot of the world." Hazel eyed him out of the corner of her eye. "Indeed. Though I find it interesting that you also recognized my Family's Magic. The latest the Isle was active was just after the Fall of Camelot, while the Hallows were made in the twelfth century. Both incidents happened in the British Isles, before your first publication in France." Nicholas hummed. "What can I say? Keeping the Philosopher's Stone secret became much more difficult in the heyday of Alchemy." Hazel leaned back. "Keeping the stone a secret? Or finding an adequate explanation as to why you never seemed to age. Which is it, white mage?" The old man's blue eyes searched her face. "What do you know of the name?" Hazel shrugged. "Just what I read. One of the last to visit the Isle of the Blessed was a man dressed in white robes, his once jet black hair turned white, yet his eyes never once dulled in their sharpness or kindness. He was known for his love of flowers, his rivalry with a witch that loved to dress in black was legendary, though his legend was built more around his connection to magic, a young king and the Old Religion that saw his birth. Am I wrong… Merlin?"

The Immortal began to laugh. "Morgana owes me a nice bottle of elven wine. I told her you would figure it out." The stiffness in his body all but melted away as he raised his foot to rest it on his knee. "I am glad that you did figure it out, actually. It gets dreadfully boring not having anyone to talk to about the old days. My wife and I can only have conversations so many times before it gets … well … repetitive." Hazel smiled at him. "I can imagine. Though I think my son and Harry will be better conversationalists. My curiosity is entirely utilitarian, I am afraid." The old mage gave her an understanding look. "I was like that in my youth as well. Every spell, potion and incantation I learned I did so to keep my friends safe. Not an easy thing to do over a thousand years ago." Hazel shrugged her shoulders. "I had to scavenge for survival for two years in a world where magic was dying and the land was covered in a never ending winter." Merlin's look turned sad. "A most unfortunate fate. One I hear you have been working hard to prevent from being repeated here." Hazel nodded, as Nova's shrill drew her attention. The bird dove into the field of flowers and shot back out, a small group of fairies chasing after her. "I actually did bring something with me. Since you have been around so long, I thought you were better suited to deal with this little problem of mine."

Pulling out a jar of glass, she handed it to Merlin, who gazed into it. "What's in the ice?" Hazel hummed to herself. "Phoenix ashes. Didn't feel like broadcasting the best way to capture a phoenix to the other handlers of the world." Merlin nodded. "True enough. Especially with how valuable phoenix feathers are." He held the glass jar in his hand as the ice began to melt, before his magic turned the water into vapor. A snap of his fingers and flame ignited within the ashes. The fire burned until a soft shrill escaped from the jar, before Merlin vanished the glass, leaving an ash covered phoenix chick struggling to wake up in his palm. "Hello Fawkes. Sorry about your former owner. Are you willing to spend some time with me and my wife here? The magic in the area should help restore you." The chick shrilled and the man smiled. "Perfect. Don't worry, I will have your nest placed by the chimney as soon as I get back in the house." As Nicholas held the chick to his chest, Nova came over and landed on Hazel's shoulder. The man chuckled. "It's good to see you too, old girl. I see you found your family once more." The bird responded happily, before proceeding to peck Hazel on the head. "Oww. Ok, I get it! We will be walking back now." Nova took flight as both Hazel and Merlin stood up.

"Must admit, seeing her with you is quite comforting. That poor Caladrius spent centuries waiting for a Peverell to reclaim the Family Magic." Hazel eyes followed said bird as it circled around the house. "I can imagine. I went through a lot of trouble researching what she was after she bonded with my son. If it wasn't for Helga Hufflepuff's notes on the variety of magical birds that we found in Salazar's repository, I might never have gotten a bloody clue. I mean, who in their right mind calls an Augurey a phoenix? The Caladrius' reclusive nature certainly didn't help matters, but it's definitely closer to a phoenix in the way it's magic behaves when compared to the Augurey. The Sanctuary at Ballycotton was sure that Nova was a real Irish Phoenix too, but their research papers kept getting denied for "ignoring centuries of magical documentation."" Merlin laughed. "Nothing new about those misconceptions, my dear. There are plenty of errors like that in the ancient texts that are taken as gospel. They still believe my father was an incubus, despite the original text being quite clear that my mother was simply visited by one. Do you have any idea how many women attempted to sleep with me, thinking I guaranteed a good time for them in bed?" Hazel chuckled at that. "I am guessing your wife's legendary jealousy comes from having to deal with all those women?" Merlin nodded. "Bloody right, that is." As the two entered the house and joined the rest, Hazel noticed Morgana looking between them before sighing, "Damn. I lost another bet. That's five in a row now."

Hazel sat next to Dora and kissed her cheek. "Oh, I think that's fine. Finding someone capable of being your soulmate is the greater success. Wouldn't you agree, Le Fay? Or is it Emrys?" The woman scrunched her nose. "Please. I prefer my title more than my husband's true name. I spent years hearing every bloody Fae from the Hebridean Isles to the Cliffs of Dover singing the praises of the great Emrys. When he finally told me it was him, I smacked him on the head as hard as I could. Would have gone for a mace if I had been near an armory." Merlin kissed his wife on the cheek. "I will happily take all the lumps you give me dear, as long as I deserve them." He turned to the two confused boys before raising a finger to his lips. "My wife and I can tell you some amazing stories, as long as you promise to keep some of them a secret. It's not every day we entertain guests whom we can be honest with." The boys nodded as Merlin began to tell them of the first time he met his wife and her half brother, as Hazel went to aid Morgana in the kitchen. The Immortal Witch smiled at Hazel as she stirred her pot of stew. "Thank you, for giving Aithusa's name a chance to mean something good again. It's been a long time since my old friend's name was spoken with anything other than fear." Hazel nodded. "And thank you for helping my fiancée and I grow closer."

Morgana eyed the medallion on Hazel's chest. "I take it the Promise Token was broken?" Hazel nodded as she pulled out the utensils. "It did. Woodland elves are caring for it as our home is being built." The dark haired immortal hummed to herself. "Getting the trust of the Woodland Elves is not an easy thing. You are a fine student of the Old Religion. Have you taken to practicing the old rites?" Hazel sighed, shaking her head. "I know of the Triple Goddess and the rituals for the festival days of the year, but I haven't practiced them. As someone who cursed my fate for so long… giving anything back to the divine would seem a bit hypocritical of me." Morgana chuckled. "Merlin was the same way. He spent years fighting the High Priests and Priestesses of the Old Religion who sought to avenge the loss of their faith's eminence in the courts. He couldn't bring himself to pray to the Goddess." Morgana's voice grew softer, even mournful. "After a while… neither could I. We are grateful for the life we have lived, but the things we did. The blood we spilled." Hazel searched Morgana's face. "Perhaps it should be less about practicing the rights… and more about living one's life in a way that honors what has come before. A way that honors the price we paid to be where we are now." Morgana turned to her and smiled softly. "Not even a half a century under your belt and still you give good advice."

Using a bit of wandless magic to levitate the served plates, Hazel stared out the window, her eyes on the fields of flowers. "In the end… does it matter how long a life is lived? A century, a millennium or just a decade. I think… I think what matters is that a life is able to live and experience what the world is like, to find worth within itself. As someone who hated my life for years… it's a hard thing to find fulfillment. But once you do… Death stops being either a fear or an escape. It just is." Morgana closed the lid of her pot. "You, my dear, are going to be a favorite of mine if you keep that up. Do consider giving us an invite to your home one day. I am sure Merlin could use another blank canvas for his flowers." Hazel looked towards the living room where the two boys were listening intently to the oldest living wizard. "I am sure my boys would love that. Teddy's love of Herbology might be nothing more than a hobby now, but I am not against my son helping to set up a garden with the Mage of Flowers." Morgana laughed softly. "There was a time my husband hated that name." As everyone gathered at the table, Hazel watched the two immortals. After over a millennium together it was hard to believe they still loved each other, but the way they held hands and how their eyes lingered on each other was all too real. She had been honest with Morgana. Hazel had no intention to live forever, despite what her body might say about that. If she could manage a century or two with Dora by her side and love her the entire time… that would be more than enough for her.

Chapter 68: Commitments to a Better Life

"Lady Peverell." Hazel nodded as she walked up the path. "Headmistress." Waving thanks at Hagrid for escorting her, the two women made their way through the Castle's main entrance. "I hope this isn't an imposition." McGonagall shook her head. "Not at all. The first few weeks of school aren't as rough on us as they once were. Not to mention that the small changes the Board implemented have done wonders for the staff. While our future Potions Master is completing their Mastery with the DoM, Healer Proudfoot has been most welcomed by Poppy. Even with the current free elective of Healing being offered to NEWT students, both are getting plenty of rest. Not to mention the implementation of the Co-Heads system. Our latest staff meeting since the start of term was the first one where everyone looked like they were not falling asleep." Hazel chuckled. "While I enjoy waking up early, nothing beats getting a good long rest. Speaking of changes, how are you and Pomona adjusting to the wards? I imagine the feeling is a bit strange?"

McGonagall nodded as they started walking up the stairs, a few students bowing their heads at them as they passed by, before the children returned to their merry conversation. McGonagall touched her chest softly. "It is an odd sensation. I can see why the old Headmasters moved away from it, though the benefits, at least in my eyes, outweigh the oddness of the feeling. To have almost a second, vague consciousness whispering in the back of my mind, to see through eyes of stone and even canvas. It can be quite disorienting. Still, I can accurately sense how all the students are doing. As the first years arrived under a heavy storm, a few felt a bit off and I sent them to the Hospital Wing. They were all suffering mild hypothermia and were on their way to getting a cold." Hazel sighed. "Remind me to ask my contacts on ways to apply a protective ward to the boats to keep the occupants safe and dry. We can also ask the Merfolk if they would mind if the school activated a weather control ward temporarily over the lake on the times the boats are being used. I am sure we can come up with a good offer to them to help protect their village as we did with the Centaurs. How are they doing, by the way?"

The old Scotswoman smiled. "You should ask Hagrid. From what I hear and feel, they have been doing a number on the remaining Acromantula. The Forest has been looking much healthier as well. Aside from a few fairies, young Miss Lovegood found a Dryad in one of the nearby trees. Wilhelmina was beside herself from the moment she saw the ancient Fae." Hazel nodded as they approached the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. The portrait bowed her head to them, and allowed them to enter. "He should be on the sixth floor, third door on the right." Hazel thanked McGonagall for the escort and went up the stairs of the Boys Dorms, before knocking on the door. She opened it after being told to enter. Looking at the four posters covered in red curtains made a few memories surface but she pushed them down as she sat next to Harry, before wrapping her arm around his shoulders. "How are you?" Harry shrugged. "It's weird. At first I felt panicked but the more I thought about it, the more it just felt right. It's just… I feel guilty because of that." Hazel nodded. "Can I see it?" Whipping out his Willow wand, he whispered the spell. "Expecto Patronum." Hazel watched as a small dragon took form, before it curled up quietly at her feet. She rested her head on Harry's.

"My first patronus was a cat, though it could have been something else before I mastered the spell. I called her Whiskers." Harry made a face and Hazel chuckled. "That was my Godmother's animagus name. She loved torturing McGonagall with it as she left lots of pranks and traps for her around the Castle, though she got along great with Mrs. Norris. When I first did the spell successfully I was thinking of her. Of our life together. When that dream died… I had trouble casting the Patronus for a while. It always reminded me of what I had lost. Then, when Teddy was four and was crying a bit because I arrived home a bit hurt, I used the Patronus charm to calm him down, first time in five years since I had last cast that spell. Only there wasn't a cute cat purring into my son's side, but a small skeletal dragon. Left me stunned for a while, though I think that might have been the reason for Teddy's obsession with magical creatures." Harry smiled. "I can definitely see that." His smile faltered. "Did you find out what it meant for a Patronus to change?" Hazel nodded. "It meant a change in the person, a shift away from the source of what made them happy before. In my case, it was Teddy. My love and passion for protecting him connected well with my inherent violence and ill temper."

Harry thought for a second. "But Teddy and I aren't ill tempered." Hazel rubbed his hair. "For now. Wait till you have a kid waking you up at two in the morning. As I told you, Patroni can run in families. Your doe was your connection to Lily and James. They meant something more to you then… now…" Harry leaned into her. "Now it's different. I don't love them any less, at least I don't think I do. But you, Teddy and Dora…" Hazel kissed his hair. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, Harry. There is a good chance your Patronus will change again. I doubt Teddy's will remain the same forever either. And that is a good thing, Harry. You need to grow into the person you want to be. You seem to have stepped out of The Potters' shadow. One day, you will step out of mine." Harry nodded and replied softly. "I guess so. I just hope you don't mind if I take my time with that?" Hazel kissed his hair and rubbed his back. "Take as long as you need. I am here for you and Teddy, always. Now, what's been going on with my son and his girlfriend. Any visits to a broom closet yet or is that only you and Susan for now?"

Harry playfully shoved her away. "Mom! We haven't done anything!" Hazel smiled at him. "I can hear the "yet" at the end of that sentence, Harry." The young Gryfindor blushed. "Ok, so… maybe it's going that way. But I promise, we aren't pushing each other and we will be safe." Hazel hummed. "I feel I should warn you that McGonagall has a better feel for what's happening in the castle than Dumbledore ever had. While I don't know if the wards will tell her you two are being… intimate, I would advise you two to save that for a place that means more to you two. If that is Hogwarts, then I need to teach you some very strong wards if you want some privacy, so long as you are both safe and your duties to yourself and the Prefects don't suffer." Harry blush softened. "Thank you… I think we would both appreciate that." Hazel raised her leg onto her knee. "Good, now about Teddy." Harry smiled. "Trust me, they are being discreet. No closets, no kisses out in the open and only a few times holding hands." Hazel sighed. "I thought so. I might have scared them too much." Harry shook his head. "You didn't. I asked and they just don't feel like sharing that with the rest of us. Trust me, they are both happy."

Hazel felt the truth of his words and sighed in relief. "Ok." Seeing the time on the clock by Harry's bedside, she looked over at Harry. "You should go get dinner. Before your housemates clear out the plates." Harry nodded and stood up. As they made their way down and arrived at the Great Hall, he looked back at her. "Will you join us?" Hazel looked into the Hall and saw a few people looking their way. She sighed. "Fine, fine. But only because I can hear the please in your tone." Harry hugged her before rushing off to sit at the table. Hazel made sure to pass by Teddy's side and hug him, kissing his cheek, before arriving at the Staff table. McGonagall and Pomona moved their chairs to the side and Hazel shook her head before conjuring a chair and sitting down with them, the elves placing a plate and glass of her usual apple juice on the table. Hearing about the Transfiguration class being a big hit with the younger years made her smile, as Hazel mentally added Cuella to her Christmas presents list. Though she would certainly be teasing Quetz about the hickey that was just barely visible on Cuella's neck. Hazel left the Great Hall as soon as dessert vanished from the tables, spending a few moments with Teddy and Harry before waving goodbye at them. She was happy to have taught at Hogwarts and to have made some acquaintances with the staff and the students. It certainly left her feeling better about what the Castle meant to her and what it might mean to the next generation.

Hazel froze slightly as the woman pulled her into a hug, one made a bit awkward with her being in her sixth month of pregnancy. Sighing to herself, she hugged the redhead back, before Amelia pulled her into Bones Manor. "I am so glad you are here. I have been going stir crazy. Do you have any idea what you have done?" Hazel blinked at her. "You mean cutting down on the types of jobs that Aurors were supposed to do?" Amelia grunted. "Exactly! My entire department is as stir crazy as I am! Guard duty, patrols and breaking up drunken brawls." Hazel smirked at her. "So you are complaining about how utterly functional society is currently?" Amelia raised her arms in exasperation. "Yes! When I agreed to the Coalition, I didn't think it would be this bloody successful." As they reached a small room with comfortable sofas and a window overlooking the grounds, Hazel waited for Amelia to sit down and order her drink, before she herself sat down. The redhead looked on at her glass of grape juice with a measure of distaste. "I can't even get a cup of coffee anymore! I blame you for this!" Hazel smirked as she drank her own apple juice, a quiet gesture of support for what she assumed was a somewhat hormonal Regent Bones. "I think you should blame yourself and Padfoot for that. You two were the ones that thought the rules you apply to the kids don't apply to you."

The glare she got from Amelia made Hazel somewhat regret her choice of words. "That better not mean that Susan-" Hazel cleared her throat. "Neither Susan nor Harry are at that stage of their relationship, though I am sure they would like to be. I had a talk with Harry a few months back about it and I saw Susan and asked her after the last Quidditch match for Hufflepuff. You don't have to worry about becoming a great aunt too soon." Hazel kept the just yet out of the conversation, as she doubted those two love birds would hold off on having children for too long. Then again, they were both relatively serious about their careers, so who knows when they would have kids. Regardless, her words helped deflate Amelia a little, enough for her to actually drink from her glass of juice. "I am sorry for snapping at you." Hazel chuckled. "Well, I believe I would be your only candidate. Augusta is wise enough to know what you are going through, not to mention that the Wizengamot keeps her quite busy. Julia, I am assuming, would rather not have her head bitten off after every inappropriate comment out of her mouth." Amelia smiled softly. "Yes, I imagine that she wouldn't. Then again, I think she is still a bit cross with me when I made you my Maid of Honor." Hazel grunted softly. She would have happily skipped the Black-Bones Wedding in August all together if Amelia hadn't done that particular sleight of hand.

The wedding took place within the chapel of Castle Black, which had been opened for the ceremony. Hazel had to admit that Amelia was a bombshell in her wedding dress, which had led to an interesting discussion with Nymphadora about the sort of formal wear they would be picking for their wedding. Both Amelia and Sirius went with a tasteful mix of traditional and non-magical styles, with Amelia being swarmed by the other ladies of the Coalition with how well she looked in her flowing white dress. There had been a decidedly mischievous look to Julia the entire time, but the agreement reached between her and Hazel to avoid any of her shenanigans on Amelia's big day held. The after wedding celebrations ended with the adults essentially leaving Hazel to babysit the kids with Dora, which was fine for her. Seeing Harry and Susan dancing together had made her smile. When Teddy took Astoria to the dance floor, Hazel had to admit that they looked great together, with both kids slowly breaking out of how uncomfortable the situation was and eventually enjoying the moment. The wedding ended well enough, the only casualty being an exceedingly drunk Sirius that Hazel had to practically stun in the morning with how much he was complaining about his hangover.

"Yes, well, where is that husband of yours?" Amelia waved her hand. "Dealing with Narcissa concerning the consolidation of the Malfoy properties. Lucius had apparently used a lot of his land as collateral for loans, none of which had a hope of being fulfilled if Voldemort never returned. Narcissa has wisely decided to parcel out the Malfoy properties and Sirius is helping her out with some Black family loans to keep the Malfoy family from having to sell too much." Hazel chuckled. "Such a shame. I am guessing these loans come with a lot of stipulations that can extend out for centuries." Amelia shook her head. "Just one century. Any more would have been cruel." Hazel kept her mouth shut. As the reason the Malfoy went extinct in her world, she was probably the last person to comment on that. Hazel finished her drink and placed it on the drink coaster in front of her. "I personally think that you making me your Maid of Honor was far crueler. Julia was insufferable for weeks." Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know what made her so mellow on the wedding day? I always thought it was odd but the two of you have been avoiding me for months."

Hazel sighed. "Let's just say it was some measure of a compromise that didn't necessarily violate any of our personal standards, though with Julia it's a miracle at all that she has some, and leave it at that." Amelia crossed her legs. "Hmmm. I will be sure to ask her then." Hazel sighed. She turned and looked over at the grounds, watching as snow started falling softly on the ground. Amelia wasn't wrong about Operations having been too effective in the last few months. The Isles had lost the majority of their illegal financiers and muscle with the deaths and imprisonment of the Death Eaters. While Julia was probably avoiding Amelia, she was also pulling the Traditional Houses into a more established and reasonable ideology, with Lord Nott's help. While Magical Great Britain was definitely going through some changes, the assertions of the fundamentals of what made a Traditionalist under the new leadership had focused more on the cultural aspect of their society, which the Coalition was all too happy to support. The proposal of two new courses concerning Magical and Non-Magical Cultures and Laws had been submitted to the Ministry and the ICW Education Department. If accredited, the two would hopefully start bridging the divide between the two worlds. Something the ICW was interested in getting done soon.

"... You there or do I need Julia to snap your attention away from your thoughts?" Hazel turned to look at Amelia and shrugged. "Just thinking that your rant had some merit, that was all." Amelia smiled. "Oh, good. For a second there I thought I was already experiencing the Black Madness. Even after I didn't take the Black Family name. I am curious, though, if you and Nymphadora have been working on your own wedding plans." Hazel glared at Amelia. "That is still over half a year away." The redhead chuckled. "And? That's how long it takes for a standard wedding to be planned, at least for the Magical Community. Besides, with things being quiet and no one having the capital to invest in anything illegal, you two must be awfully bored. I am sure that the plans are keeping you busy, when you are practicing baby making." Hazel blushed a little. "Fine, we have touched on a few things, but not a lot. Secondly, while Magical Britain is quiet, the rest isn't. MI5 has had us join a few missions to keep casualties down on both sides." Amelia looked thoughtful. "That will be our future, won't it? Cooperation and Integration with the Non-Magical Government agencies." Hazel waved her hand. "The alternative is a war. Be happy that the ICW is making sure that never happens again. For all our childrens' sake."

Dora sat at the back of the UN General Assembly chamber, beside Croaker, as the representatives of the United Nations began to sign the new proposal into international law, having been assigned to the Assembly as a guard for this historic occasion, in case of any attacks or threats aimed at impeding the signing of the International Agreement on the Peaceful Integration of Magical Races. After years of discussion in the ICW Assembly and negotiations with the more influential nations, the Agreement was finally brought to a vote in a confidential session of the UN's General Assembly. Her boss had gotten an invitation to watch the signing, as one of the driving forces behind the change. She smiled as Observer Badawi made his way towards them. "How were the final negotiations?" The Observer took the middle seat between Dora and Croaker. "We had some issues concerning the nations with strong religious inclinations, not to mention the more militaristic countries, but the way the law was written made it clear that any who opt out of signing end up forfeiting any of the aids our experts could provide in any potential crisis."

Croaker leaned forward. "What about the concern for the use of Magicals for military purposes? The ICW didn't go through this process to prevent a Nuclear War just to open a new Arms Race. That said, I can't see certain countries signing this into international law without complaining about not being able to use magicals for defensive research, development or combat." Badawi nodded. "We got the wording just right. While on the national level all Magicals belong to their native countries, any attempts to violate their rights places them under the ICW's jurisdiction. With the ICW being recognized as a sovereign nation with no territorial borders, we can and will defend our own no matter what government attempts to abuse their power. When the Statute falls, the ICW will also become a permanent member of the Security Council. As for using magic for military aims, we took cues from the Antarctic and Lunar treaties that prevent weaponizing or militarizing what essential amounts to a global resource. There was a concession in aiding all countries in resolving food shortages and helping with scientific research, but these are all going to be supervised by the ICW. Magic in all incarnations will be protected from those who would abuse it. You have our word on that."

Saul sighed in relief. "That's good. I am guessing the measures for the DoM and the Law Enforcement treaties passed as well?" Badawi chuckled. "Yes, they passed, though each nation can petition to access the information of their Department of Mysteries if it concerns an internal issue, like say the Dragon Reserves in Eastern Europe, the more dangerous and esoteric information like magics dealing with time, death and genetics are protected. The ICW laws will remain as the primary laws first, with non-conflicting laws passed by the magical and non-magical governments second." Dora hummed as she watched more UN dignitaries signing the document, before sweeping the chamber again, finding nothing of concern. The ICW Aurors had been stationed outside, but no one wanted any surprises. "What about Rogue States?" Badawi sighed. "Those are a lot more complicated. We have the authorization to evacuate Magicals out of any country that could potentially begin to act against them, but actually convincing the locals that leaving their homes is for their own good will be hard. Religious zealots, authoritarian regimes and tribalism still remain a clear danger to the world, regardless what side of the Statute of Secrecy they fall on." After the last signature was given, the document was sealed and taken away amid the Assembly's applause.

Dora looked over at Badawi. "I am guessing the ICW has a copy?" Badawi nodded. "It will be getting replicated and sent to every magical government associated with us. The moment the collapse happens, the documents become binding international law." As the chamber began to empty out, Dora walked besides the dark skinned Observer. "So, what's next for Operations? Our Battlemaster and my partner haven't been following the negotiations all that much, what with the former training our Field Medic and the latter finishing up the work on her family's new ancestral home. Oh, before I forget." Dora pulled out an envelope and handed it to Badawi. "It's still a few months off but you are cordially invited. Your assistance in keeping my fiancée out of trouble has been most appreciated." The man chuckled as he took the letter. "I will send a notice if the date isn't an issue, but thank you. I must admit, when I initially took my position in the British Wizengamot, I wasn't expecting to see so much work." Saul nodded. "For what I can remember, we were seen as the worst possible assignment, only surpassed in danger and difficulty by the Italian Assembly."

Badawi shuddered. "That is one assignment no one wanted. Having to deal with the chaos of the Ancient Assembly and the first generation magicals with less than understanding families made for some dangerous work, and that's without even talking about the Vatican. For Britain, we were expecting to see more of the isolationist and racism that gave rise to the Death Eaters. I had been warned that the movement was on the rise. Hearing about the restoration of the Operations Division and the changing political landscape, and then watching it unfold." The man touched his heart. "It has been a great honor, one I hope to continue to enjoy as your country's Observer." Croaker nodded as they reached the portkey departures point. After they each passed through security, Saul reached out and shook Badawi's hand. "It has been a privilege for us as well. Thank you for your service and we look forward to more. Safe travels, my friend." Badawi nodded at Croaker and kissed Dora on her knuckles. "Safe travels to you both, my friends." Dora watched as Badawi went to the portkey point directed towards Luxembourg, before turning to her boss. "So, what's your answer to our RSVP?" Saul cleared his throat. "I might be available." Dora smiled. "Oh good, we thought we had to send Augusta your way and drag you out of your office." Saul shuddered. "I am more than happy to avoid that. And seeing your fiancée squirm under the attention is always worth it." Dora hummed as the portkey began to activate. "I will let her know you said that."

OW May 1st 2004

"Have you given any thought to getting married?" Hazel, her hair a mix of black and white streaks, looked up from the pot of beef stew that she was preparing on the stove. "What brought this on, Andi?" Andromeda, who was peeling potatoes on the kitchen table, chuckled. "Just curious. It's been almost six years now since the war ended. You haven't exactly been on the news for a while and both Gringotts and the Ministry seem to have left you alone. You could finally let your hair down and look for someone to have a romantic relationship with." Hazel chuckled bitterly. "And what exactly am I going to tell them? Hello, my name is Hazel Potter. You know, mass murderer, assassin for hire and mother to a six year old. Interested in a serious romantic relationship? No, I am not going to kill you if you don't at least split the bill with me." Andromeda sighed. "When you put it that way, yeah it becomes difficult. But you're a metamorphmagus now. You could make yourself look like anyone else, or simply become a whole new person. With the money you have been saving up, you could look for a job with the muggles. Like a cook."

Hazel came up to the table and picked up the peeled potatoes before taking them up to the counter and dicing them. "I suppose that's true. But we both know cooks don't make all that much money, except for the high-end establishments. Not to mention it would mean getting Teddy into a school, since I couldn't work from home. What then? Sending him to a muggle school will get him spotted as a wizard all too quickly, wizarding tutors are too expensive and if the Ministry ever heard he was a Metamorphmagus, I would have to pull him out quickly before Child Services tries to kidnap him again. There is no scenario that ends well with me getting a normal job, Andi. Besides, sending Teddy to school and then pulling him out of it after he made friends just because his emotions got the better of him… it would be too cruel. Not to mention schools aren't always the best places to be, especially for outsiders." Andi perked up at that as she finished throwing the potato peels into the trash. "I don't think I ever heard you talk about your time in Primary." Hazel dropped the potatoes into the stew and started stirring it again, before looking over at the spice rack and pulling out the spices she was going to use.

"What was there to talk about? The Dursleys would starve and beat me whenever I did better than my cousin. The teachers didn't believe me when I said that all the bruises were from my guardians, not kids in the playground being rough. Even when I tried screwing with my grades, trying to catch anyone's attention by how obviously wrong or even disturbing my answers on my exams were, nothing happened." Andromeda frowned. "Did it occur to you that it might have been Dumbledore manipulating people to not investigate your conditions? That he wanted you in the Dursley residence?" Hazel nodded to herself. "In hindsight, sure. But can you really tell me that there aren't people who just don't care about others in the world? We see them all the time in Wizarding Britain. With the muggle population being ten times or more, how much worse do you think it is with them? You've seen the news. Terrorist attacks are on the rise all over the world, wars have broken out in the Middle East and the population is looking for the next group to harrass for being different. This is the worst time to be a wizard in the muggle world. Without Ministry support…"

Andromeda sighed but nodded. "Things could get worse. You are right. I still worry about you though, Hazel. You go out and come back with scars and bruises, with that blank look in your eyes that terrifies even Teddy. You can't keep being an assassin forever. You need to stop. For your sake." Hazel stepped away from the stove and looked at Andi. "And then what? You know I can't work in any job that requires an ID and a public record. What does that leave me? Working the streets as a prostitute? A drug dealer? There is no other job out there for me, Andi. Every restaurant, kitchen or even a private catering company is going to want references, and they will check. Keeping up any illusion or falsehood takes up too much work. What I am doing now is keeping people alive. The scumbags are filling out the mortuaries and I can bring enough food for all of us to eat healthily. I can also be here for Teddy, to make sure he has at least some semblance of a proper education. I am sorry, Andi, but as I told you a thousand times, my being an assassin is my only option." She turned back to the pot, stirring it again as she tried to hide her tears. "It's too late for me to stop anyways. No amount of good, honest work will wash the blood off my hands. No one in their right mind would want me as a wife. No one."

Hazel kept stirring the boiling pot until she froze as thin arms wrapped around her from behind. "You are wrong Hazel. You are a good person. You have kept me and Teddy alive and healthy for five years, all on your own. Despite everything, despite the fact I would never have wished this burden upon you, you have done more than anyone could have asked for." Hazel's tears started running down her cheeks. "I would have traded my life so that your daughter could have been here with you, you know that right? You and Teddy would have been better off with her. The Ministry wouldn't be after you and Gringotts would never have frozen your accounts. You would have been safe." Andromeda shook her head. "For all that I loved my daughter, I doubt she would have done as well as you have. If there is anything that I regret is that I didn't push her more to think about the people around her. Remus was terribly irresponsible, while you, barely fifteen, were finally growing into your true self. At seventeen, you placed my grandson's future ahead of your own happiness. That's why I didn't fight you when you decided to blood adopt Teddy. You, Hazel, are the best mother he could have ever had. Don't ever think otherwise."

Andromeda made Hazel turn around and cleaned up Hazel's face with her long sleeve. "And I promise you. One day you will find the right partner. They will take your hands into their own and not care about the blood on them. They will care about the wonderful person underneath. A woman who truly understands what it means to have a family and care for them, despite the world turning its back on her. I might wish you to have a better life, but never think I want you to be any different. You are perfect just the way you are." Hazel closed her eyes and fought the sobs that wanted to escape her throat. "Mom? You ok?" Hazel cleared her face with water from the sink quickly and dried it with a towel before going to the little boy looking at them from behind the door frame. "Yes, Teddy. I am ok. Come on, dinner is almost ready. What do you want to drink with your stew?" Teddy's eyes searched hers for a second before he smiled. "Apple juice?" Hazel rubbed his hair before setting him down on the raised chair she had transfigured for him. She went to the fridge, putting any thoughts of work or marriage away. Those things didn't matter to her right now. Seeing the smile on Teddy's face as he and Andromeda enjoyed their home cooked meal? That was all that mattered.

NW July 3rd 1997

Dora fidgeted with the collar of her dress as she waited at the top of the altar within the Festivities Chamber of the partially completed Peverell Estate. She had to give it to her fiancée, the massive chamber felt like she was standing at a Cathedral, with high ceilings, rows of seats and enchanted stained glass windows that emulated sunlight. With their close friends and families being the only attendants, their wedding would be a smaller affair than the Black and Bones wedding. Dora was happy that Hazel had pushed for a smaller ceremony. She watched as Teddy entered the chamber from the main entrance, before rushing up to the podium, taking his place as the Best Man. "Everything ok?" Teddy nodded from his position next to her. "Mom had a bit of a moment when she looked in the mirror. She remembered a time when she and Grandma talked about her getting married. Grandma believed Mom would eventually find her one. Seeing herself in the dress made it all too real for her. Everything's fine now. Quetz and Julia are putting the finishing touches on her hair and cleaning her face." Dora sighed in relief. "It's a good thing she has never been one for makeup. Just warn me if she pulls a runner, I would have to hunt her down, though she above anyone else could literally vanish into thin air."

As she waited for her future wife to arrive, Dora ran her hand down the front of her dress. Despite the best efforts of her aunt and mother, she had refused to wear a traditional white wedding dress, though both were surprised she allowed her hair to reach her shoulders and stay it's natural brown. She had instead opted for a black dress with white trimmings and designs and no veil. Andromeda had relented after Dora threatened to show up wearing a tux, not that Hazel would have cared. Her fiancée's dress was a mystery no one outside of her seemed to know. The only people who apparently knew were the Flamels, who helped make it, and now Quetz, Julia and Teddy. Her eyes swept the room, seeing Harry and Susan talking excitedly beside Amelia, who was currently holding her son, Leo, in her arms, the little baby having fallen asleep after being introduced to everyone who hadn't had a chance to see him after his birth. Sirius stood by her side, his arm draped over Amelia's back and shoulders. The sight of the baby made Dora's heart swell with warmth, knowing that one day it would be her turn. She briefly wondered for a second who her first born might resemble more before her eyes landed on what she could only describe as her vision of perfection.

Wearing a gray dress with white flower designs that glittered in the light and holding a bouquet of similar looking white flowers, Hazel walked slowly towards her, the music suddenly starting behind her. To Dora, all sound had essentially stopped except for her beating heart. As her fiancée approached, she could see the same white flowers woven into Hazel's almost pure white hair, which had been tied and styled in beautiful braids, while the crystal medallion that Dora had given her a few years prior was sitting upon her exposed chest, a soft light beaming from within. When she stood before her, it took Dora a second to hear Croaker clearing his throat. The Director of the Department of Mysteries had been stunned by their request to officiate their wedding, but he accepted, after some very veiled threats about what could happen to him if they were forced to go with Fudge. Holding her fiancée's hands, Dora did everything in her power to remember her vows, with Hazel's own face betraying similar nerves. When Croaker declared them as married, Dora's mind misfired at the passion that ran down her entire being from the kiss Hazel gave her. She was sure she had a smile frozen in place on her face as everyone came to congratulate her. The Flamels came up to them, with Perenelle kissing Hazel's cheek, before she turned to Dora.

"It's been years since we tried our hand at dressmaking. The expression of awe on your face was a great pleasure to see." Nicholas chuckled. "Indeed. Weaving flowers into cloth has never been my strong suit, but my wife certainly knows how to do it beautifully. I am almost tempted to have a ceremony to renew our vows." The two immortal soulmates moved on and joined the others at the large table that sat within the expanded adjoining dining room. Dora was grateful for Hazel's dry streak with alcohol, as her new wife kept a close eye on how much she was drinking. The thought about calling Hazel her wife now made her squirm in her seat. Hazel leaned over and kissed Dora on the ear. "Sorry love, but keep those warm feelings in check. The wedding isn't over just yet." Dora nodded, kissing Hazel on her hand. As day turned to night, the invited guest went up and turned in for the night on the rooms that had been temporarily made for all of them, with Harry giving Susan a very heated kiss of goodnight. Hazel led Dora and her family down to the basement level, before opening a chamber with a massive ritual circle sitting at the center. Hazel spoke up. "Everyone is to stay out of the circle at all times. This isn't a game. People have died crossing this line. Only Teddy will be safe to enter once the ritual begins and that's just barely."

Those beautiful green eyes then turned towards Dora as they both crossed into the circle. Standing face to face, Hazel searched Dora's eyes. "Last chance." Dora shook her head. "I am with you to the end." Their lips met briefly before Hazel closed her eyes. At first the words from Hazel's mouth were the same ethereal tone she knew as Druidic, but eventually she heard her wife's voice echoing within her. Tonight a soul asks to be joined to the Magic that binds Peverell to Peverell, from birth till death. Let her love of our kin be judged. Let her character shine through the darkness of the Void. Let her soul shine eternal within the magic of our beloved family." Dora felt as if the floor vanished from beneath her before she tumbled onto the ground. Her fingers felt cold dirt beneath her and dead leaves crinkled as she stood up, a soft and cold breeze making her hair shift slightly. The sky above her head was now a sea of endless stars, with tall trees stretching out as far as her eyes could see. Feeling for a brief second as if she was back in the Forbidden Forest, Dora made her way through the trees, eventually hearing a noise in the distance. Once she reached its source, she recognized the noise as moving water. Before her ran a wide and fast moving river some twenty feet below her at the bottom of a gorge.

Seeing a glowing figure in white walking through the trees just beyond the other side of the river that looked vaguely like her wife, Dora was about to cast a spell to get across the river before she stopped. Hazel's words to Harry about the Peverells at the graveyard in Godric Hollow came to mind. You cannot cheat Death, you cannot refuse Death. Death alone decides our ultimate fate. Shaking her head, Dora lowered her hand and walked by the gorge's edge, going further and further up stream. The cliffside narrowed down until the ground now stood flush with the banks of the river, the water rushing by at a far less violent speed. Even now she could see the glowing white figure standing on the other side. Steading her heart, Dora waded into the river, feeling the water coming up higher and higher as she fought against the strength of the current. She eventually felt the river reach her chest before she heard a rumbling noise coming from upstream. Her heart froze as she watched a massive wall of water coming towards her. Seeing no way of escaping it, Dora took a deep breath plunged into the river, her hands digging into the river bed. She held on for dear life until the strength of the current overwhelmed her. The last thing she knew was the feeling of water rushing down her throat. Then there was a silence unlike any that she ever knew, as if the world itself had ceased to exist. "Hello, Nymphadora."

Dora's eyes snapped open as her eyes focused on a figure that looked remarkably like her wife, except for her silver eyes. Her voice echoed around and from within Dora's chest. "Why did you cross the river directly? You had quite a few options yet you chose that one. Why?" Dora took a few deep breaths. "What other path was available to me? Something told me you would have killed me if I tried to use magic to cross safely." The entity hummed to herself. "True, though it wouldn't have been a quick death. Still, you pressed on into the river head on, knowing that death was only a second away. You did not flee." Dora stared at the woman. "Because there is no hiding from you. You will be with me till the day that my life ends if you so choose. You can also end my life right here and now. All I can do, all anyone can do, is press on and live as I wish to live. Even if it means dying young, even if it means suffering, so long as it was by my choice, it was worth the struggle. I made the best possible choice with the options given to me and fought with all my strength. That is all anyone could do." Glowing silver eyes stared at Dora for a moment in silence until a smile took form on the entity's face.

"An answer worthy of the oldest Peverells. You now understand what it is to live. However, that may not be the end of your struggles. Not anymore." Soft fingers touched Dora's face and the expression of the entity turned serious. "Beyond this point you will be a part of something greater. A burden carried by millennia of Peverells willingly and unwillingly, one that has led to the deaths of many who simply failed to grasp the truths of this cold and cruel world. Your fiancée willingly carries the burden and it will be one that she will hesitate to share with you. Will you take your place by her side, to support her throughout her life, no matter how long, bitter and painful it might be, right to the end?" Dora nodded. "I do. And every step I take will be to make sure that our lives are filled with love, joy and belonging. No matter what happens in the future, I will be there to remind her that her life is worth living." The figure searched her eyes. "Sharing her burden will mean that upon death, you may not move on. You may be forced to endure as she has, a life drawing eternally closer to death. Will you still follow her down this path? Will you risk it all for her?"

Taking a deep breath, Dora nodded. "I will." The figure leaned forward. "Beware, Nymphadora. Beware and live. To have the family you both wish for, you must live long enough to carry them within you. When you can no longer live, I will be there for you. Then you and her will choose your fate. She has always chosen to endure for those she loves. Through pain unimaginable she chooses life. Will you do the same?" Dora clenched her fist. "For her? For as long as she wants me to." The figure smiled and her lips touched Dora's briefly. "So be it. Nymphadora… I welcome you now as a true member of this family. A Peverell in more than just name. Till we meet again, one day." Those lips melded with her own and the magic that lived within Dora's flesh flared. For a second Dora felt as if someone had burned her skin from the inside, before the feeling dissipated. Then another, more familiar sensation came from within her soul. She felt a young boy suddenly becoming aware of her, his love and relief washing through her like a balm. Then she felt another presence, a strong and almost all consuming desire. Any fear within Dora washed away as the feeling was mirrored within her own heart. Love. The love of her wife rushed through her and warmed her skin, awakening every nerve of her body. Lips found themselves pressed tightly against hers before she wrapped her arms around the woman she loved with every fiber of her being.

Glowing green eyes stared back at her and Dora could see a bit of her own purple eyes, now emitting their own light, reflecting off her wife's. Hazel smiled at her. "Hello, my love. How are you feeling?" Dora pressed her forehead against Hazel's, breathing in her scent. "Alive and whole." The light around them faded and Dora felt as two body's slammed into her. She laughed as she hugged Harry and Teddy, before hugging her parents. After Andromeda checked her over and gave her a clean bill of health, the four sat together for a few minutes talking about the ritual, with Dora noticing Harry's clear interest. Hazel rubbed his hair. "One day, Harry. When you are old enough to understand. When that time comes, if you are still interested, I will add you to the Family Magic. But no sooner." She watched as Hazel kissed her boys goodnight before closing their bedroom doors, her own parents having retreated to their bed for the night. Hazel and Dora slipped onto the bed of their new home, their clothes left behind on the ground. Hazel caressed Dora's face softly. "I love you, Nymphadora." Dora rubbed her nose with Hazel's. "And I love you, Hazel. Always." There was no more need for words between them that night.

Chapter 69: Finding a Home

"Edward Peverell of Hufflepuff House, graduating as Head Boy and with high marks in six of his eight NEWTs." Teddy blushed slightly as he took his graduate certificate from Headmistress McGonagall before getting a hug from his former Head of House, Deputy Headmistress Sprout. He bowed his head to the clapping audience, seeing a few familiar faces before taking his place next to Astoria, who playfully shoved him on the shoulder. He smiled at his girlfriend of four years, the Head Girl and Valedictorian of their graduating year group. As the Hogwarts Graduation settled down, he looked over at the guests, spotting his family, including Harry. While Harry didn't go on to become Head Boy, an honor that went to Theo Nott for his exceptional hard work, he did graduate in the top of his year group. Teddy's brother was currently apprenticed under the Warding Division of the Department of Mysteries, where he was working on rediscovering and developing ward schemes based on Druidic Script. While said skills remained classified and banned for commercial use, they could be applied to his home on a trial basis. Teddy knew that Harry was still planning to eventually go independent, but the contract with the DoM made sure that he was always on call for any emergencies or consultation. His fiancée of six months, Susan, had a similar contract with Operations as she trained under his Mom before starting up her company, with both her and Harry hoping to get a Mastery for their chosen careers.

As the students began to step down from the raised platform that had been established within the Quidditch pitch, he slowly made his way to the White Haired Witch who looked at him with a big smile and tears in her eyes. He hugged his mother warmly as she kissed his cheek. "I am so proud of you, Teddy." As he pulled back, he got pulled into another hug by Nymphadora, her hair its usual pink but currently left long and tied at the back of her head, before she ruffled his own partly long and messy black hair. "You did amazing, kid. Beating both our scores." Teddy blushed before he felt his arms getting wrapped around from either side of him and two lips kissing his cheeks. Astoria's loud "Oi!" was quickly followed by his two friends giggling at his sides. "The Lion in the Badgers Den did quite well indeed. Right, sister?" Teddy looked over at the source of the voice and saw the smirk on Hestia's face, as she pulled over her ear some loose locks of green hair. Her and Flora had both dyed a thin stretch of their brown hair green, something he and a few knew was their way of supporting their ancestors' house quietly. Her twin from his other side responded. "Indeed, though it's a shame he couldn't beat our scores."

Flora was shoved away from him, before Astoria yanked him away from Hestia. "Hey, I said no funny business." The two twins chuckled before going to Hazel's side, who congratulated them both on their exceptional scores. Teddy smiled as his Mom hugged them both softly. Ever since they agreed to be tutored under her directly as future Operatives, his Mom had been a lot more caring of their wellbeing. Like with Harry, Teddy knew that Hazel saw a bit of herself in them and wanted them both to have a better life, even as they sought to follow in her footsteps. Astoria's wandering hand over his chest drew his eyes back to her and he stared into those deep blue eyes before leaning down for a short kiss. Astoria whined as they parted. "You said I would be getting a reward if I beat you with my scores." Teddy chuckled and hugged her tightly against his body. "You will. Later. I don't think you want anyone else to interrupt our time of celebration." Astoria pouted. "Fine, but I am going to be monopolizing you for a bit so don't go making too many plans." Astoria's eyes wandered over to Hazel and Dora, spotting a familiar tanned blonde behind them, her arm wrapped around the waist of Professor Pech. "You wait here. I need to go see my future tutor!"

Teddy watched as Astoria rushed to Quetz' side, with her talking excitedly with the DoM Crafter. The squeal from her made it clear what the Operations Quartermaster had decided. "Well done, little brother." Teddy turned and hugged Harry and then Susan, the both of them having rushed out to see their former graduating housemates for a moment. Teddy smiled at Harry. "Thanks, Harry. Has work finally slowed down for you?" Harry nodded. "Yeah. My boss is looking over my work on some properties out by Godric's Hollow, along with a Wardmaster. After they evaluate it, they can then start me on focusing on the more experimental wards." Susan rubbed Harry's chest, an engagement ring clear for anyone to see. "As long as those don't go blowing up in your face. I will be cross with you if you end up under Andromeda's care." Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "You are in there every week." Susan pointed at his mother. "Because Hazel and her boss are insane. I am not even going to be a full time Operative and I get thrown around like a ragdoll, and that's without magic being used." Teddy chuckled. "True, but Mom likes you. As her future daughter-in-law, she wants to make sure you can protect yourself and Harry." Susan sighed. "True enough." Harry leaned over and kissed Susan on her head as the group started making their way back to the Castle, with Astoria returning to his side and taking his hand into hers.

Seated among his family and the Greengrasses in one of the many round tables that dotted the Great Hall as was customary during the Graduation Dinner, Teddy listened in as Dora went over some of her not so appropriate escapades during her own graduation, her narration getting interrupted periodically by, what Teddy assumed was, a swift kick on the shin from his Mom. While it was embarrassing thinking that his own Mama could have done some similar stuff back in his old world, the sight of Astoria's face progressively getting redder and redder had him smiling, especially as she never touched the alcoholic drinks. His girlfriend looked to be dying of embarrassment when her mother added a few of her own embarrassing stories. Julia's gaze focused on him for a second and she smirked. "Though I have to say, none of those were anywhere close to the time I spent with your lovely ladies, Edward. I count that night as the best-'' Teddy blinked for a second before he noticed that Julia was still talking but he couldn't hear her. He looked over at his Mom and paled when he saw her eyes go red. "Don't ask about that… ever." Teddy nodded quickly as Astoria giggled, all the while Julia did her best to gesture at herself to get Hazel's attention, but his Mom just ignored her.

With the night arriving quickly, Teddy and Astoria excused themselves and said goodbye to their families for the time being, before returning to their own adjacent chambers. As Teddy finished packing away his dirty clothes in his old trunk, he felt soft hands wrap around his naked chest. "Sorry about my Mom. She doesn't have a filter when she drinks." Teddy chuckled as he turned around and hugged Astoria to him, noting she was wearing a robe. "It's fine. My Mom does a good job keeping people like her and Dora in check." Astoria giggled against his chest before looking up at his eyes. Teddy held her face and rubbed a thumb against her flushed cheeks. "We don't have to do this today." Astoria shook her head. "By tomorrow, we will be going home. Sure we will have a DoM apartment all to ourselves for the rest of the summer and maybe the year, but I want our last memory of Hogwarts to be special. And I want it to be with you. Only you." Teddy's heart melted from hearing her words. He grunted softly as she pushed him onto the bed before she straddled him, her robes becoming undone, but Teddy's eyes didn't get a good view in that moment as her mouth latched onto his. Neither would forget that night or the rough morning afterwards, but Teddy was beyond happy with his time at Hogwarts.

Dora felt her body freeze in place as soon as she crossed the invisible and nearly untraceable wards. It wasn't from a spell or any magic in the area, it was simply from the sheer weight of the presence that seemed to take her breath away. Like at the Flamel's home, the area they just entered was covered in flowers of every color under the sun, with vines and other plant matter growth running up stone ruins that looked to be as massive as those they had seen in the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. Yet, the ruins here felt… heavy. There was a weight to the area that she now knew was ambient magic. Hogwarts had it, though the Castle's wards concealed most of it and the land of Cornwall, devoid of any such ruins, felt heavier than those. Yet here, in a place straight out of their peoples' oldest tales, there was a magic that seemed to pulse with life. How many centuries, if not millennia of people visited such a place. In some ways it seemed almost impossible to deny the existence of something divine. This ancient temple on it's own seemed to be proof enough. Her thoughts snapped back to the moment when a soft hand took her own. Green eyes that glowed softly looked at her with concern. "You ok?"

Perenelle, whom Dora had trouble referring to her as Morgana, chuckled as she walked past them. "Don't be too hard on her. I am certain you yourself were stunned by the weight of millennia that the Isle of the Blessed is known for." Hazel looked at Morgana and then checked with Teddy, who shook his head. Her eyes searched the faces of the rest of the invited guests, seeing a similar face of awe on Harry, Susan and Astoria. She turned back to Perenelle. "Maybe it affects us differently? Back in our world, we were awed, sure, but not overwhelmed by the magic of the place. Then again, the magic of the world was dying, so we probably caught a fragment of what it once was. Spending a few days within the ward as I activated the Archway might have made us used to the pressure of the magic." Morgana rubbed her chin, looking closer to thirty now than when they last saw her, before her husband spoke up. "Perhaps. Then again, Mistress of Death, the magic that runs through your veins and young Edward's does feel heavier to us, though if that were all the young Dora shouldn't have been affected. It is quite vexing really, your Family Magic and how it interacts with others. I might remember meeting old Alexander and sensing the magic in him to a lesser degree, but the origins of said magic are a mystery to me as well."

With the other snapping out of their trance-like states, Hazel shook her head. "I think our Family Magic should remain that way. If we are indeed tied to a primordial power that seems to defy Nature and Fate, asking too many questions would seem all too dangerous." The much younger looking Merlin, though his hair was as white as Hazel's, nodded. "I agree. The Old Religion was a source of great knowledge and power over the world, including over life and death. Yet these Magics always carried a price. What price Alexander paid will never be known, but one can't deny that it was a heavy one. Considering how much the family struggled to endure just one generation afterwards." Teddy cleared his throat. "Can we get started?" Merlin looked at him and smiled. "Of course, of course. Follow us please. While most of the Isle is covered in flowers, there are enough sections that we can use for our purposes." The group moved forward, with Harry and Susan running their hands against the exposed stone walls, the former speaking up. "It's weird. The magic here feels like Hogwarts, except it's heavy but softer." Susan nodded beside him. "It feels alive yet so peaceful." Perenelle walked up to them and touched the walls. She smiled. "That's because you are feeling Fae Magic."

As if summoned by the words, several fairies, glowing with their magical light, appeared from the trees, circling them. Hazel's magic flared instinctually, which made them avoid her presence, before their eyes latched onto Merlin, who gave them a wave. The female creatures squealed in joy. "Emrys! Emrys has returned!" The group heard the name shouted across the grounds before another voice silenced them. "Oi! How is it that after a thousand years you all are still cosying up to my husband and completely ignoring the one whom you all named as Le Fay!" Harry, Susan, Astoria and Teddy laughed softly when the fairies did a complete turn around and started apologizing to her, before they all started staring at Hazel. Morgana sighed. "Everyone, stop staring. Yes, her magic is scary and if you anger her, she is just as scary with her temper. However, she is here with her family to honor your home and to leave behind plants that can help any weary traveler that happens upon this place. Times are changing and sanctuaries like these may become havens for the weary and persecuted. I am certain you can all agree to this, yes?" The fairies flew around excitedly, asking questions out of everyone but Hazel, who shook her head and went to work on the nearest open field.

Wanting to try something she read in the Kabbalah Mysticism texts, she pressed her hands onto the ground and concentrated. Instead of allowing her magic to warp the Earth itself as she normally would do with Transfiguration, Hazel tried saturating the soil, making sure to not use her Family Magic, before willing her magic to move the earth. Jagged but shallow ditches stretched out in the field in front of her, as Hazel pulled back her magic into herself. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and looked up at Merlin, his eyes appraising the plot of land. "Not bad. Kabbalah in origin?" Hazel nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow. "It's interesting, with the way one has to insert their magic into the physical surroundings to change them in a permanent form. Some Druidic texts cover something similar, with the magic used to weave trees into shelters." Merlin nodded. "I remember those days. It's a fine display of magic, though a lot more draining in an age where ambient magic has grown sparse, as you just discovered. A fine skill to know but not all that worthwhile in this day and age." Hazel stood up and Merlin took her bag from her hands. She watched as the fairies came to him and collected the seeds, before flying over the opened ground and placing the seeds within.

Turning to look back, Hazel smiled as she watched the younger members of the group taking each plot of land in pairs, with Morgana speaking with her wife. Dora was simply using charms to gouge out holes in the ground. "Is it still happening, the decline?" Merlin shook his head. "It hit a plateau sometime in the seventeenth century. I have some theories as to why, but I won't bother bringing it up. Unless another decline were to happen, I think we can leave it be for now. And before you ask, the DoMs of the world are researching it already." Hazel shrugged her shoulders, her eyes following her son's movements. She smiled a little when Astoria took advantage of him being bent over and jumped onto his back, before squealing as she straddled a massive wolf that took off at speed. The wolf proceeded to cut in front of Harry, with dirt and grass getting thrown into his face. Soon enough there were three animagi running around in their animal forms, with a laughing Astoria holding onto Teddy for dear life. Hazel sighed happily. "It's frustrating. My memories tend to focus on the worst parts of life, yet these moments… these are the moments that I feel are the best parts, the things I want to remember forever." Merlin gave her a knowing look. "Believe me, I know. The nightmares will come and go, but as long as you keep these moments in your heart, you have nothing to worry about."

Astoria pushed open the door to her new apartment and whistled. "Wow. You weren't kidding when you said these places were nice." Teddy came up from behind carrying a few cardboard boxes. "Yeah, I think Mom and Dora are having the hardest time leaving their Apartment because of how nice it is. That and we have lots of good memories there. I think they will be keeping it as long as they work in the Division." Astoria helped Teddy by lifting the upper box and setting it on the counter. "This was Nymphadora's apartment first, right?" Teddy nodded and gestured to the door on the wall. "We could change the wards to hide the door if you aren't comfortable with it being there." Astoria stared at the door and shook her head. "No, it's fine. As long as we can't hear each other, then I don't mind. It's actually a bit comforting, knowing they are just a knock away." Teddy blinked and looked over at Astoria. "You do know my Mom can literally walk through walls, right?" Astoria waved the comment away. "Yeah, I know. But she was ok with us moving in together so I doubt she would do something like that." Teddy smiled at Astoria and leaned in for a kiss. Astoria groaned as he pulled away from her. "You can't keep doing that!"

Teddy rushed out of the Apartment, leaving Astoria behind, her face turning into a soft smile before she started unpacking the first box. She looked at the closed door that led to Hazel and Dora's apartment, her mind going back to the Christmas of their seventh year, when she had been asked by the Peverell Matriarch to sit with her. She thought she was going to get another version of the shovel talk. She was so wrong. Seeing the memories of their former world as shown by a Pensive and hearing about what happened there… it had been quite the surprise. Yet, at the same time it felt like there was no other explanation that could have worked. Teddy's poor scores in History in their first few years at school together had always surprised her, especially when he still got the gist of the events right, it was only the dates and names of the people or events that he tended to get wrong. Hazel had summoned her to tell her the truth personally because she could see just how serious her relationship with Teddy was developing. Astoria had blushed up a storm when Hazel had asked her if they had been intimate, though it was more out of concern about what Astoria could get into accidentally.

Reading the book on Family Magic had been so confusing, but the references to the impact she could suffer because of her not understanding the way Teddy's magic could interact with her made a lot of sense. The few times they had kissed she had felt a touch of magic that she wasn't familiar with, yet it was just that, a touch. According to Hazel, that was the Family Magic becoming aware of her closeness to Teddy. It would only judge her if she decided to eventually marry Teddy, though carrying his child early could be dangerous in its own right, as the Family Magic would be both within her and be separate from her, placing her life in danger. The thought of marrying Teddy and having his children made Astoria blush. She couldn't deny it was appealing to her. A lot. His physical appearance was as good as she ever could have hoped, but it was the kindness and thoughtfulness of Teddy that really drew her to him. While she was at home, she always had to measure up to Daphne, which wasn't easy. Her sister's unquenchable thirst for knowledge was only matched by her independent streak. For Daphne, what mattered was to prove to herself that she could be the best witch possible, all on her own. That didn't mean that she wasn't looking for a partner, because she was, it was simply the fact that she wasn't faking it as her top priority. Or second and maybe not even her third one. With Teddy, however, Astoria didn't have to hide who she was, ever.

Taking a picture frame out of the box, she placed it on top of a nearby table. She smiled, looking at her mom and sister laughing together during the summer vacation at the Black Family Island. Their lives had changed so much over the last nine years. When her family started bonding with the other members of the Coalition, the tenseness in both her mother and sister had washed away. Daphne still had some of that, but it was only when she was in public. In private and among friends she was more relaxed. Astoria had thought about having a similar performance at school but decided against it. She decided to just be herself and to enjoy her time at Hogwarts. This caused a rift between her and the rest of the house, especially after she became good friends with Luna, but since her scores were always high, the older Ravenclaws had just ignored her. The younger ones, however, seemed to find her way a lot more appealing, resulting in a shift within her house. By the time she had been made Prefect, the House of the Eagles had felt a thousand times more welcoming. When the Head Girl badge appeared in her seventh year letter, she was stunned. Professor Flitwick explained to her that in all his years as a Head of House, he never saw such a positive change in the students. Some of it could be traced back to Professor Peverell's short tenure and the changes she and the Board brought to the school, but he assured Astoria that it was thanks to her that the changes were integrated into her House.

Placing a picture of her and her family and friends on the same table from after her graduation, she felt a familiar pair of hands wrap around her waist. The dual feeling of content joy and arousal was always welcomed by her. Astoria shivered slightly as Teddy kissed her neck. "You ok?" Astoria nodded. "Yeah. It's just… it's been an interesting road. Well, a little less interesting for me than for you, but still… we had some interesting years at school." Teddy nodded. "Yeah, though I hope you forgive me for saying that I preferred the quieter later years. Sure, nothing major happened, but just being able to relax was the best." Astoria turned around and wrapped her arms around Teddy's neck. "You didn't enjoy having your Mom at the school?" Teddy's eyes looked towards the apartment door that led into his Mom's apartment. "It was less about enjoying her company, because I did, and more about getting used to the change that was expected of us. The things we went through in our old world forced both of us to depend on each other. We don't regret it and I never will because I love my mother and she loves me, but aside from the dangers she had to protect us from, our time together at Hogwarts was for us to get ready to not see each other as much."

Astoria chuckled. "Well, with you taking that research program into the management and development of Magical Reserves, it will probably force you to spend longer periods of time away from here." Teddy nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it will. Still, it's what feels right for me. Though I hope you don't mind that I will be spending more time with Luna than with you, since she and I will be studying under the same researchers." Astoria pouted. "As long as you make time for me, then that's fine. Besides, Luna isn't interested in you. Unlike those other two." Teddy kissed Astoria's cheek. "You do know they are on the same floor here, right? Probably a few doors down the hall? Sure they will be heading home when they aren't dead tired and free to do so, but they are going to be our neighbors for quite a while." Astoria glared. "I better not be catching you in their apartment, Edward." Teddy cupped Astoria's face and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "I will never cheat on you, Story. I promise you that. Besides, what do you think my Mom would do to the twins if they ever did something like that to me?" Astoria shuddered. "Right, point taken." After blushing as Teddy gave her a longer kiss, the two brought in the remaining boxes before Teddy closed the door to the apartment. "Leafsby."

The young female elf appeared before him. "What can Leafsby do for Master Peverell?" Teddy kneeled down before Leafsby, seeing the elf blush. As much as the elves would complain, he agreed with his Mom in that there was no reason not to be polite with them and to speak to them as close to eye level as possible. "Are you sure you want to work with us too?" Leafsby nodded her head. "With both Mistresses living together now, Leafsby has less work. Lady Peverell still refuses to let Leafsby handle all the work in the kitchen. Leafsby wishes to be useful to the new family. Will Master Peverell allow Leafsby to care for him and his future lady?" Teddy chuckled. That sounded like his Mom alright. Even after being formally accepted as the Peverell House Elf, Leafsby remained the quintessential workaholic. Despite the orders his Mom added to make sure she wasn't overworking herself, the little elf always wanted more to do. "Very well, Leafsby. But please remember that I too will be working the kitchen like Mom, though I will be spending some time away at Reserves for overnight research. It will mostly be Astoria here." Leafsby nodded. "Leafsby understands. Leafsby will care for future Mistress Peverell in Master's absence."

Leafsby then vanished, followed by a soft shriek from Astoria. "Leafsby, I can do that myself!" Teddy shook his head. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Seeing the time, Teddy made a quick run to the grocery store, after a short stop at his Mom's apartment to confer with her about her chicken pasta recipe, before buying all the necessary fresh supplies, plus everything else they would need over the next week or two. Finding a note in the apartment saying that she had been called in by Quetz made him smile, as he started to work in the kitchen, much to Leafsby's dismay. He did notice that Astoria had changed the Apartment's colors to be more woodland inspired, with the walls a comfortable green and the furniture a darker oak and browns. After checking in with Quetz about how long he had before Astoria would be back, he spent a bit of it setting up the dining table and finishing dinner. The moment Astoria returned, her surprised "eep" made him smile. He could see just how much she enjoyed the meal by the way she groaned after the first bite. "You are going to spoil my palet worse than what Rigsby and Leafsby have already done." Teddy kissed the back of her hand. "It will be worth it."

After they were both shooed out of the kitchen by Leafsby, Teddy waited for Astoria to step out of the shower, since he had cleaned up just after finishing in the kitchen, before stripping down to his underwear. Astoria came out, her body covered in a soft blue robe, before she sat beside him, kissing him on the lips softly. "Thank you for this, Edward. It's been a great first day. I can't thank you enough." Teddy shook his head. "You never have to thank me for this, Story. You are worth all the hard work. I am just sorry that our jobs will keep us away from each other so much." Astoria rested her head against his. "True, but as long as we have moments like these I think the separation will be worth it. Though I am sorry I am not feeling energetic enough to break in the bed. The food coma from dinner and the long day of settling in has left me tired." Teddy kissed her forehead, before pulling her to bed, his arms wrapped around her. "That's fine, we will make the time for that later. For now, let's just rest. Goodnight, Story." Astoria yawned before she closed her eyes, her senses filled with Teddy's scent, her soul feeling beyond content. "Goodnight, Edward."

Standing atop the edge of one of the many skyscrapers of the London skyline, Hazel looked down at the moving rows of cars, her short bangs of white hair brushing against her forehead. A young feminine voice spoke up in her ear comm. "R3 and R4 in position at the back entrance." Dora joined in. "O2, in position at the front entrance." Hazel spoke into her wrist. "LA, what's the position of your forces?" A young man's voice replied. "Unit 1 is gathering behind O2 as we speak, while Unit 2 is two minutes away from R3 and R4's position. Trying not to be too obvious here, CM." Hazel kneeled down, letting the world fall away from her as she focused on sensing the magic around her as she buried the mixed feelings that surfaced upon hearing her new comm code. The moment Horatio cleared Flora and Hestia as field ready Recruits after a year of training, the bastard had surprised her by elevating her to Commander. She had complained vehemently, but neither he nor Croaker would hear it. Dora's support of the move sealed her fate despite the fact that Hazel didn't want to be incharge of the team. She wasn't a people person and the job, with the current changes to the Interactions between Government agencies, had only made the position all the more involved, with the way the world was changing.

A year after the signing of the Agreement between the UN and the ICW, the Magical governments of the world began a massive reorganization, the British Wizengamot among them. With the inevitable integration into the British Government, the Wizengamot had begun to alter it's form, to prepare for the moment the chamber would be connected to the British Parliament. After an agreement was reached with the two Houses of Parliament, the Wizengamot's structure was adjusted to include nine new seats. Six members were now to be elected from the general population, taking up posts that would eventually be reflected with their positions as the Magicals representatives in the House of Commons. Unlike the Parliaments own fluid structure of representative parties, the six would be proper representations of British Magical Society, two from the Neutrals, two Progressives and two Traditionalists, a gesture aimed at making sure that every aspect of the Magical population was represented. The other three were individuals who already held Seats in the Wizengamot as Heads of Houses, being elected by the Wizengamot itself to represent the three groups in the House of Lords. Hazel had to be present for the elections, shutting down the Neutrals recommendation of her as their candidate. Croaker's appointment of her as Commander almost felt like his way of telling her that she wasn't going to be getting away with keeping herself away from the responsibility of making the new arrangements work.

The other changes that came soon after was the fact Horatio and Croaker now had to meet with the members of the various Committees that handled both the Military and the Law Enforcement matters, passing them what information was pertinent in keeping them appraised of internal and external dangers to them and the general population, withholding only what the ICW described as information too dangerous for them to know, which was to be handled by the UN and ICW officials. This, of course, ment that Hazel spent much more time training Flora and Hestia in the use of curses and non-magical weapons, the former of which they demonstrated impressive control with, the latter requiring a lot more work, while also babysitting Quetz and Astoria, who were too eager to find new and volatile ways to apply Magic to every piece of gear on an Operative's body. Sensing the wards that protected the twentieth floor of the skyscraper from being used by the non-magical tenants, and the current build up of the forces just outside the building, Hazel stood up, letting her vision return to normal, before she spoke into the comm. "CM to all teams, beginning insertion and going dark. Move quickly into the building and prepare to take the twentieth floor on my mark. Don't get caught in an ambush. Everyone here knows their primary order. We all go home. Going dark until wardstone is offline."

Leaping off the edge, Hazel shifted into the form of a white dove as she dived down the floors, letting her sense of magic guide her. Seeing the warded windows, she reared up and allowed the magic of the Cloak to fill her before she rushed into the window, passing through it with no problem. Shifting back to her human form and keeping herself invisible, Hazel pulled her mask down and made her way through the structure. After noting several magicals on the floor, Hazel found her way to the wardstone. Wanting to test out a theory that had been floating around the Division courtesy of a discussion between Harry and Daphne concerning the way certain creatures could interact with the magic of the wardstones, Hazel conjured an Amphiptere. The small creature turned to her, it's leathery wings folded onto it's long and narrow body. "Would you wrap yourssself around the ssstone filled with magic and allow my magic to run through you?" The creature nodded, before it unfurled its wings, taking to air by the aid of magic. Seeing the creature successfully wrapped around the wardstone, Hazel sought out the connection her magic had to the conjured creature, before channeling her magic through it. She watched as the creature reared a little bit back before it unless a small but concentrated burst of magical flames.

Hazel sighed in relief as she vanished the creature, the wards collapsing around her, before she dug into her belt pouches and deployed a smaller version of the portable wardstone that Quetz had been working on. Rather than erecting new wards, this one traced the old ward perimeter and powered it, using the original ward boundary lines against their owners, without the need for Blood Magic. Stunning a guard that rounded the corner before she sealed the entrance to the wardroom, Hazel spoke into her comms. "CM to all teams. Commence assault. Ward has been substituted. Q1, if you are listening, you owe ten galleons to Q2's sibling." Hazel smiled as she heard the two Q's respond, after the assault teams checked in. Letting her senses sweep the floor, she felt a heavy concentration of magicals and non-magical heading for the stairs. "Assault teams, be advised. Hostiles are moving to your position. I recommend you keep them out of the stairwells." Dora responded. "Understood. Going glacial. Hope you guys brought your cold weather gear!" Hazel sighed, shaking her head. Seeing a bit of the main stairwell getting blasted by a snowstorm, Hazel directed her eyes to a group heading straight for her. Stepping out of the wardroom, Hazel prepared to drop her invisibility and drew her wand.

The moment the gaggle of criminals turned the corner and Hazel was certain there weren't anymore coming, she dropped her cloak and launched a spread of body piercing curses. The overpowered modified piercers had been a personal project of hers and Horatio, with them focusing on ways to avoid unwanted collateral damage. Using the natural biological magic of living creatures as a guide, the curses tore their way through armor, cloth, bone and flesh, over and over again, until they struck the far back wall, dissipating on impact. Hazel smirked as the rows of men dropped to the ground, a few paralized by the magic tearing through their spines. Not seeing her target amongst the downed criminals, she stunned the survivors before stepping over them, vanishing from view. As she made her way to the last big gathering of signatures in one of the central rooms, Hazel heard a call over the comm. "CM, R3 took a hit to the arm! She can't lift it and is losing blood quickly." Hazel clicked her tongue. "R4, activate R3's medical evac portkey. FM1 will help her. You are to keep up with the Unit." Hestia's voice trembled a little. "But…" Hazel sighed. "R4, I know it worries you. I know you want to be there for her. But your companions need you too. FM1 will fix her right up. So please… focus. Send her out for help, believe in yourself and push on." Seeing their location and still hearing Hestia fighting off a panic, Hazel amended her last command. "I will meet up with your force and relieve you in a few minutes. You can go to the Medical Wing after that."

"Ack… acknowledged." Hazel started dropping wards and conjurations in the path between her and the stairs. If anyone tried to flank her, they would be dealing with a nasty surprise. Taking down several more guards along the way, she reached the group of Magicals that were keeping the back unit from leaving the stairwell. "Fire in the hole!" The MI5 operatives pulled back as the criminals turned towards her. A sudden burst of bright orange flames engulfed the corridor, leading to the criminals screaming out in agony for as long as their throats didn't get filled up in flames, as Hazel sustained the Fiendfyre curse long enough until the corridor went silent. Transfiguring the floor to make sure it didn't collapse, not to mention to make it cooler in temperature, Hazel reached the door. "CM to R4 and Unit 2. Hallway is clear." The lead officer saluted her upon reaching her and started sending his forces to cover the hallway, as Hazel looked over at a clearly troubled Hestia. Placing her hand on Hestia's shoulder, Hazel spoke softly to her. "You can go check on your twin now. I will take it from here." Hestia shook her head as she straightened out her back. "I need to do this. For her and me." Hazel looked her in the eyes. "There is no shame in turning back now."

Hestia stared back at Hazel, the comflicting meyions clear enough to see on her face. "This… isn't about pride or shame. We swore to see this through. I will do my part. Until I can't do it anymore." Hazel raised her wrist. "FM1, status of R3." Watching Hestia's face, Penelope's voice came in loud and clear. "Enchanted bullet wound to the arm, designed to cause profuse bleeding and some necrosis. I removed the bullet and stored it away for research. I have stopped the bleeding, repaired the damage to the bones and muscle, and reversed the necrosis. R3 should be fine in a couple of days." Hazel frowned. "Have you checked with the injured officers?" A man's voice joined the call. "LMO here. We noticed something similar with our forces. Medics have extracted all the bullets that managed to miss the armor. We could use FM1's expertise in stopping and reversing the necrosis." Hazel looked towards the Unit leader, the man giving her a signal. Hazel replied to the Lead Medic. "You heard him, FM1. Go give our injured agents some support. We will try to end this now, before more friendly casualties pile up." As Hazel led Hestia and the MI5 agents down the corridors, smiling as she passed a few petrified morons that ran into her now dispelled conjurations, she heard Dora speak. "O2 to CM, Unit 1 has control of the forward stairwell. Moving into position."

As her team reached the door leading to the last major concentration of souls, Hazel pulled out a vial filled with dust as she scanned the structure of the chamber, dropped a pellet into it, and started to shake the resealed container. "Masks on, everyone." The Unit members and Hestia complied, as Hazel had them stand clear of the door, before she transfigured herself a small enough gap to toss the uncorked vial into the room, before sealing the gap back up, along with the rest of the vents and gaps in the walls and ceilings of the chamber. Hazel turned to Hestia. "Go check on R3." Hestia tilted her head, her face masked by the black hood and covering. "You sure?" Conjuring an enchanted window for them to look through, Hazel pointed towards it. "You tell me." Both the Unit leader and Hestia looked through the window, the former chuckling to himself. Within the chamber, the entire group of armed and wanded terrorists was seen collapsed across the various pieces of furniture and piled up on the floor in the more defensible positions. The Unit Leader pulled off his vizor before looking at Hazel. "That's one way of doing it. Why not do the same to the rest o f the floor in the first place, Commander?"

Hazel pointed at the ventilation shaft above their heads. "Too many chances of a leak impacting the civilians in the building if it was applied to the whole floor. With me in here, I was able to selectively isolate the room. Besides, R3 and R4 needed experience, as did your strike force." The Unit Leader nodded as Hazel sent Hestia to see her sister, calling out over the comms. "CM to all units. Main enemy force has been secured and the Priority Target has been disabled. Mission Accomplished." Dora sighed through the comm. "BM, can I get my maternity leave documents when I get back? This is taking too much out of me." Hazel was about to pass on an order to the lead agent when her partner's words registered. She sighed in relief. "Finally!" Dora's "I heard that!" didn't dampen Hazel's mood, even though she was certain to regret that statement when they made it back home. Her pregnant wife was getting out of the line of fire after months of her refusing to take it easy. She'd take her hormonal wife chewing her out for being over protective any day if it meant she stayed out of Operations until the baby was born.

Susan took a few deep breaths, which Harry, who was standing beside her, noticed. "Why are you stressing out over this? She's just eight months along. There is very little chance the baby will be born yet." Susan shuddered. "You don't remember when we went to my Aunt's place during Christmas?" Harry thought back and Susan felt some measure of vindication as he visibly shuddered. "Ok, yes, fine. Amelia was bloody terrifying when she was pregnant with Leo. I highly doubt Dora is going to be any worse." Susan raised an eyebrow. "Right, the only female currently pregnant who is directly descended from the Black Family. And before you start, we both know she has a little bit of the madness. We both saw how temperamental she was in the first few months of her pregnancy." Harry chuckled. "Pretty sure that was simply her getting stressed out by not being able to do, well, anything that her work required, with the exception of watching over the Carrows' training. Mom fuzing over everything around her probably didn't help either." Susan giggled a little. "Yeah, but it was sweet. The most terrifying woman in the world was behaving no different than an overeager house elf. Though I do hope you don't take after her."

Harry lifted up her hand and kissed it, their wedding bands clearly visible in the warm light of the Potter Manor foyer. Their wedding had been just a few months prior, celebrated within Potter Manor. Despite the best attempts by the press to make the wedding a massive spectacle, since this was the wedding of the Boy Who Lived, a title that Harry now hated twice as much as they kept calling him that even after now being of age, the wedding was a simple, quiet affair. He was mercilessly teased by both Neville, his best man, and Teddy, since he was literally tongue tied the moment Susan walked out wearing her traditional white wedding dress. He was eternally thankful for Hazel, who pulled him aside and helped to ground him, allowing the rest of the ceremony to go on without a hitch, ignoring the drunken mess Ron Weasley had been. Even now the two of them had just barely returned from their honeymoon in Australia, with Susan definitely enjoying the benefits of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Well, as much as she could when not spending too much time at the beach. Despite all of the spells and potions, she spent quite a few nights in cold water baths, easing the damage from the sun on her overly sensitive skin. Despite that, she and Harry loved their time alone down under, with their honeymoon being extended after they both received training from the Australian DoM, as a favor to Hazel and Dora.

Which was why Harry started feeling some nerves too, with both of them having spent far longer away from home than planned. Amelia had named Susan as Leo's godmother and Sirius had named Remus as the godfather, despite some concern from Hazel. With this child being Hazel and Dora's first, there were some discussions going around concerning who the two would ask to be the godparents. Harry had no problem being selected but Susan was stressed about having another life depending on her should something go wrong. The thought of that and one day having her own child only made her more determined to get her company off the ground. At the same time that she was training and preparing herself, Susan had also been scouting candidates who would be interested in working under her, most being wash outs from the Academy who weren't capable of handling the gruelling schedules and the expectations. Her security firm was already a far easier sell, with most recruits now going over some basic exercise routines. The real training would start as soon as Susan had her firm fully established, with a property to work out of. She was beyond happy that Harry hadn't been too interested in having another place to call home. The money she had been saving up for any apartment rentals was firmly going into her business.

"Let's go. Peverell Estate!" Susan tossed the powder into the Floo Terminal flames and stepped on through, waiting on the other side. She helped catch Harry when his feet stumbled out before they both looked towards the front of the house. Hazel, being the paranoid person that she was, kept the Floo, Portkey and Apparition arrival points of the Estate outside of the main structure at a seperate building that also served as the archway of the front gates. Susan sighed softly as she took in the sight before her of the grounds leading up to the front doors as the inner gate unlocked and opened on it's own. The Flamels had done a beautiful job interweaving flowers, trees and bushes, though the garden was currently flowerless thanks to the blankets of snow that covered every surface in view. The area just before the doors and even behind felt like it was right out of a fairytale, the grounds covered in the soft shade of trees and the pleasant aroma of flowers in the summer. Only the main path was opened to the sky, showing the façade of the building. Hazel had chosen to keep the structure as a two story building for now, even though the walls and foundations were designed for two more floors. The decision, however, meant that in the four short years since construction started, much of the first two floors and the basement was now completed. The outer stone walls of the structure were a mix of grey and white, giving the place an almost timeless feel.

As the two moved through the path, their boots crunching down on the thin layer of snow, Susan's eyes took in the surroundings, her senses picking up the wards and the magical creatures that now took refuge within the property. According to Teddy, the Woodland Elves had spread the word on the location of the new Peverell Estate and of the details of the agreement reached between them. The fairies soon followed, which drew the attention of Undines, who took residence in the fountains, creeks and ponds. With all three magical creatures gathering, and the natural growth of new and healthy trees in the area, there was even the presence of Dryads, though many of them would probably be taking refuge in the Solarium in the back of the property during the winter. Hazel had apparently taken the new tenants well, making it clear that the Peverells would honor the past agreements with the Fae in exchange for their aid. The wards were now not the only means of protection for the property as the Fae were more than eager to protect an estate that was both comfortable for them to live in and caring of their wellbeing. "Do you still have your Druidic texts?" Harry nodded and nudged her shoulder. "Thinking of doing something similar back home, Mrs. Potter?" Susan grabbed his arm and rubbed his chest with her free hand. "As if you yourself weren't thinking of it, Mr. Potter."

The moment they opened the door, they watched as Leafsby appeared. "The ladies of the house are in the family room with the rest of the family. They are eager to see you two." The two followed the elf through a home that defied the outer appearance, the walls covered in soft colors of cream and contrasted by beams of soft brown wood. As soon they entered the family room, they smiled. Teddy and Astoria were the first to come up and hug them. "How was Australia?" Harry hugged his brother. "Very pleasant at this time of year. Keeping in mind the seasons across the hemispheres is definitely a good idea when planning a honeymoon." Teddy pulled back and smiled. "I will keep that in mind when we start planning ours." Harry turned and smiled as Hazel and Dora stood up for him, the latter showing quite a large belly hidden under her robes. They both kissed his cheeks and welcomed him home, before Susan joined Dora at the sofa, asking her about how the pregnancy is going and gently touching Dora's baby bump. Harry pulled a slightly frazzled Hazel aside for a moment. "Everything ok?" Hazel shrugged. "You know how it is. I try to make her days comfortable and I either get a wonderful kiss or an angry retort, followed by an apology." Harry shook his head. "Not painting a great picture for me to get started on children, Mom."

Hazel smiled at him the same way she always did when he called her that. "Trust me, it's worth it. Years and years of dreadful sleep, but all the time together with those that you love, seeing them grow in surprising ways? There is nothing like it. The moodswings will pass soon enough." Harry smirked at her. "Do you think or hope?" Hazel punched his shoulder lightly. "Both, wiseguy. So, have you taken my advice? Have you come to a decision?" Harry looked at Susan who looked up at him. Seeing her husband and her Mother-in-law together, she nodded. Harry turned to Hazel and nodded as well. "I know it's not pleasant but we want to be part of the family. Truly part of it. For centuries the Potters and Peverells were one in the same. There is no reason to change that now, beyond just keeping our two families with different names. We are ready." Hazel searched his eyes and saw his determination, before sighing in resignation. "Fine. But not today. Today it's about everyone coming home for Yuletide." Harry smiled as he walked over with his mother to sit beside Teddy as Astoria and Susan eagerly asked a lot of questions from a somewhat flustered Dora. Hazel was right. This was the Yuletide and he and Susan were home. It could wait.

Chapter 70: A Better World

OW February 2007

Teddy shivered slightly as he gripped the heavy fur blanket around him, his mother just a few steps away from him. He watched as she added several more logs into the wood fired heater, before using her magic to set the wood ablaze, their last batch of lighter fluid having disappeared some time ago. Teddy's eyes stared at his mothers back and the hair that was now turned far whiter than he ever remembered on her. Even Grandma Andi, who was older than his mom, never had that much white hair. Grey hair definitely, but not white. Still, it was weird to Teddy. There was a part of him that was worried about the fact that his mom's hair was changing and yet he couldn't dislike it. It seemed to suit her more now than the more even mix of white and black he remembered from his younger years. His memories of those days were few and far between. He definitely remembered the warmth of the sun and his mom's near constant presence. The sun barely shined through the dark clouds now, with only the faintest change in light heralding the sunrise from the night, his mom having to spend long periods of time out hunting for what food she could find.

"That should do it." His mother turned towards him and sat down on the small bed roll on the floor, pulling a large fur blanket that she spent weeks sowing together and looked at him on his cot. She frowned. "Is it still too cold? Did the warming charm fail?" Teddy nodded softly and Hazel lifted up her blanket. "Come on, Teddy. You know you don't have to ask." Teddy, still wrapped in his blanket, joined his mom on the ground, who made sure to wrap as much of the two blankets around him. The cold was washed away the moment her forehead touched his, as magic filled his body once more. "Better?" Teddy nodded, feeling the warmth sufficing his body. Hazel hugged him, kissing his cheek. "If it gets too hot, don't be afraid to wake me up, ok?" Teddy nodded again and watched as his mom wandlessly turned out the lights of their tent, the only source of light now being the wood fired heater, the walls of the tent looking as if they were alive as shadows and orange light danced upon them. Teddy snuggled closer to his mom. "Do you think we will find it? This place you are looking for?" Hazel sighed but nodded. "If magic is failing everywhere, then the wards to keep it hidden should fail too. It will be a little scary though, crossing over the lake around it by foot."

Teddy looked his mom in the eyes. "And from there we can find a better place? One that isn't so cold?" Hazel's face turned sad. "If for some reason the means for us to find a better place isn't there, then I will look elsewhere. I promise you Teddy, I won't rest until we are free from this place. You will have a better world to grow up in, one where we don't have to struggle every day for food." Teddy and Hazel went silent for a little and Hazel noticed he wasn't falling asleep just yet. "What would you like to see after we cross over?" Teddy thought for a second. "No snow?" Hazel rubbed his hair and chuckled. "Well, it's going to snow a little bit if we stick to Britain. We could go south to avoid long winters but it will be harder for us to make a living there, unless I learn Spanish or Arabic. I think there were some English speaking islands in the Caribbean, some even belonging to the UK, though I don't think they would welcome someone with my skill sets there." Teddy giggled. "You could always cook food for a living. Your food is always tasty, even if it's just what you can find." Hazel sighed. "That's because I stocked up on spices before we left home. As for being a chef, sure I could do it. But the food won't be as good. Not cooking it for you and family makes a big difference."

Snuggling closer to his mom, Teddy asked her a question that was on his mind. "What about you, Mom?" What would you like to see on the other side?" His mom went still and silent for a bit and Teddy decided not to press. After a while, she answered. "I don't know. Right now, all I want is to get you across. To make sure you can eat healthily every day for the rest of your life and that you never have to worry about anything." Teddy saw a mischievous smile grow on her face. "Except finding a boy or a girl for you to get married with and having babies. I can't help you there, son, except in chasing away the wrong sort." Teddy chuckled at the thought. "I am only eight, mom. Besides, you will probably chase all of them away." Hazel kissed his hair. "True enough." Teddy looked at her eyes. "You mentioned babies. Don't you want to have a baby yourself?" Hazel rubbed his cheek, her face sad again. "I can't, Teddy. Unlike your Mama, I can't have children of my own." Teddy saw a few tears in her eyes and felt sorry he asked. "Would you like someone like Mama, though? Some to be with you and make you happy?" Hazel's eyes faded a little in color. "I don't know if that will ever happen, Teddy." He struggled a little before pressing his forehead against his mom's. "Will you at least try? For me and Grandma Andi?" Hazel sighed but pressed back into his touch. "I will try, Teddy. For you, once we are in a better world, I will try."

NW June 2011

Teddy stirred awake, an insistent itch on his nose forcing him out of a memory from so many years ago. As soon as he opened his eyes and realized it was a lock of hair from his wife, he sighed in content, his arms wrapping tightly around her. He felt her stir at his touch. "Is it morning yet?" Lifting his head up from the pillow to look at the window, Teddy did notice a thin ray of light leaking through the gap of the thick curtains. Astoria was a light sleeper in a lot of ways, which meant that she usually woke up first. "Seems like it." Astoria groaned and did her best to cover herself up in the blankets. Teddy rubbed her stomach and got a responding groan out of her, which only served to stir him up further. He allowed his hands to roam and explore his wife's body and soon enough the groans of protests turned into a far more enticing sound. "Ed…" Teddy smiled to himself as he peeled the blanket away from her before pressing his body into hers, with only the thin layers of their pajamas preventing him from making love to his wife. Her blue eyes started to shine brightly as her emotions started to echo inside of him.

From the moment she took the Peverell name and went through the bonding ritual, their feelings only grew deeper for each other. While he worked tirelessly at the new and still growing Magical Preserve in Wales, he could feel Astoria across the distance through the Peverell Family Magic. At first it was only a vague feeling of her checking on him, but the tease kept testing to see how vivid and overwhelming the feelings could become at a distance. Teddy would make many hasty apparitions back to the DoM to find his wife and drive himself and her to relief. The bond between them was as much of a blessing as the one that he had with his Mom. Though it could be a curse too. As Teddy was about to drive himself into Astoria and ease their mutual need, another presence entered their bond, followed by a sudden and constant scream of attention. Teddy sighed as his body dropped onto his wife, her face sporting a smile that was equal parts amusement as it was annoyance. "Looks like someone else woke up hungry." Teddy nodded as he pulled himself off Astoria and out of the bed, before making for the nursery just across from their bedroom door. He peered over the crib and watched as his almost six month old baby boy reachout with his hands towards him.

Taking little Andrew into his hands, Teddy checked his diaper before carrying him back to Astoria. His wife took the baby with a smile and pulled him to her chest before lifting up her shirt and letting him feed from her breast. She sighed in relief as Teddy wrapped his arm around her waist. "Do you have work today?" Teddy shook his head. "No work today, Story. But we do have to go see the family." Astoria smiled softly. "Do you think Hazel will mind if she and Dora can watch Andrew? I know their kids are a bit of a handful and I don't want to inconvenience them." Teddy kissed her on the cheek. "I am sure she would love to tend after her grandson for us, as long as we spend the night there." Astoria nodded. "Sure. It's been a while since we stayed at the Estate." Teddy lingered by Astoria's side as Andrew finished his breakfast before she stood up and walked out with the baby to the living room of their apartment. "Leafsby?" The Peverell family elf popped in. "Yes, Mistress Peverell?" Astoria shook her head as Teddy chuckled. Try as they might, neither Leafsby nor Dobby were willing to drop the titles for anyone in the family. Though Teddy knew his Mom had it the worst, being called Lady Peverell by the Elves and Lady Death by the other Fae, despite her clear protests on the matter. Her anger only seemed to fuel the Fae's interpretation of what her magical name was.

"Could you prepare our chambers in the Estate for us? My husband and I wish to spend a few days, if not weeks with the family." Leafsby practically glowed as she nodded excitedly. "Leafsby is getting the Heir and Heiress Wing ready for Master and Mistress and their child. Leafsby be telling the Lady and Mistress Peverell of your return!" Knowing what was coming, Teddy spoke up. "Could you help me prepare breakfast before you do that, Leafsby?" The young female elf turned to him and shook her head. "Master Peverell forgets. Master Peverell lost a bet with Leafsby about Mistress being mad the day he stayed too long at work. Leafsby cooks breakfast alone as the Mistress reminds Master that he must be home for dinner on time." Teddy sighed as Astoria giggled, before she cooed at their baby boy who seemed to be struggling with staying awake as Leafsby darted back and forward in the kitchen. "I told you she wouldn't forget. That's what you get for spending too much time with Luna. It's a good thing I know she's into witches and has Ginny to keep her company, or I would be jealous." Teddy nodded as he went to brush his teeth in the bathroom.

The new Magical Preserve in the vicinity of Gwydir Forest Park was a massive project being conducted between the DoM and the new Department of Magical Creatures. As the ICW prepared the world for the eventual collapse of the Statue of Secrecy, it and the local Governments began projects like the new Preserve to help educate and build the confidence of the non-magical population to coexist with magical creatures. The Preserve was especially important as it was being jointly managed by the Ministry, the Centaurs and the Fae. Thin swaths of woods were cut down and used to build paths and enclosures, with the new open spaces being prime ground for Leucrottas, Bicorns, Hippogriffs and Unicorns. The areas many abandoned mines were cleaned out, checked for dangerous toxins and repurposed, with Common Welsh Greens and some uncommon Welsh Red Dragons taking up residence, though keeping these two breeds from overwhelming the food supply in the region was an eternal nightmare, especially as mating season saw their numbers nearly double. The other Dragon Reserves in Britain were helping, especially now that Helga Hufflepuff's translation spell was successfully refined and improved, resulting in communication with the Dragons now being possible. Though telling the dragons not to breed was never an easy task.

Still, a lot of work was going into making the new Preserves as close to self-sustaining as possible, with the new wards being established around and within the wilderness, doing a better job of tracking and containing the magical creatures. The wards had been established by Harry, who had kept to his dream of being the newest British Wardmaster in decades. His work with the DoM allowed him to have a far better grasp in creating wards that were now far more specific in how they interacted with a variety of creatures. The new wards even allowed the Dragons to safely interact and migrate between the Preserves, with any creatures that deviated being checked on quickly by Teddy and his fellow Rangers before their camouflage spells faded. The work and cooperation of the Fae was of particular interest to the ICW, with Hazel begrudgingly being forced to mediate some discussions between them concerning protections and even representation. "Breakfast is ready!" Teddy snapped out of his thoughts as he finished brushing his teeth, before joining his wife at dinner table. Andrew was now comfortably sleeping on a small baby carrier besides his wife. "So, what woke you up in such a pensive mood?"

Teddy smiled at Astoria as he sat beside her. "A memory from the other world. It's twenty years today, you know." Astoria blinked at him for a second before she smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I forgot about that. What was the memory about?" Teddy dug into his meal first before answering. "Me and Mom talking about what sort of world we wanted to see on the other side. We were still a few days out from finding the Isle of the Blessed and it was cold as hell." Astoria chuckled. "You aren't a fan of the cold, even now." Teddy nodded but he leaned over and kissed Astoria's neck. "True, but your jacket certainly keeps me warm, especially when neither of us are in bed together." Astoria shuddered as his breath tickled her neck. "You keep this up and Andrew will be having a sibling soon." Teddy looked at her in her beautiful blue eyes. "Would that be unwelcomed?" Astoria blushed slightly. "No. Your Mom and Dora had the right idea. If they can keep Andrew company tonight… I certainly wouldn't be opposed to getting started. Quetz did tell me to take my time, since she wasn't looking to retire with Cuella anytime soon." Teddy looked over at Andrew and gently rubbed his cheek, getting a sleepy giggle in return. "Hear that, Andrew? You might be a big brother soon."

"Hannah?" Susan called out as Harry closed the door to Potter Manor behind her, conjuring a towel and cooling it to clean the sweat off his face before handing it to his grateful wife. He heard her best friend from youth answer. "We're in the Library." Harry raised an eyebrow at the "we" and checked the wards of the Manor, which were just as good as the ones in the Peverell Estate after he and Hazel went over each one in excruciating detail. They were both also connected to the Peverell Family Magic, which did give him a sense of whether there was any potential danger at all in the immediate area. Like the few attempts of the group calling themselves Neo Death Eaters who tried to get in his property, hoping that his death would sow chaos across the country. Too bad the wards were designed to capture the culprits alive and unharmed, minus some third degree burns on their flesh from their attempt at a Fiendfyre curse. While no ward could block a Fiendfyre curse, his Mom's unique relationship with it allowed them both to come up with a partial counter. The wards essentially created a path for the curse to follow through, before it was drawn into a magical dead zone and severed from the caster. The wards were undamaged, though partly drained from the exertion. That wardscheme alone earned him his Mastery, not to mention lots of calls for its implementation everywhere.

Finding only familiar magical signatures in the home, he helped to take his wife's weapons vest off her back and stored it in the weapons locker hidden in the closet just beside the entrance to the manor. Of all the students Hazel had tutored, she went the hardest on Susan with her training, even after graduation. Despite the fact Susan didn't want to be an Operative, Hazel made sure that nothing short of an Operative would take her down. His beautiful redhead took the training to heart and never allowed herself to complain too much, which only seemed to endear her more to Hazel. By the time they were married, Hazel had no trouble inviting her to join them in wielding the Family Magic, giving both of them till after the honeymoon to decide to take part in it. Harry and Susan had blushed their way through the morning after the ceremony, as the years worth of feelings they carried for each other overwhelmed them both. If it hadn't been for the contraceptive potion, they were absolutely certain to have conceived on that first night. Instead they waited till after Susan had established her company and had gotten their Security Officers trained and out in the field before they tried for a child. They were blessed with twins.

Making their way up to the second floor Library, Harry smiled as he heard the shouts of "Mom! Dad!" before they were both hugging their twin daughters as they rushed out of the library. Though identical in appearance, Liliana, the oldest by thirty minutes, always wore her deep burgundy hair cut short, while Anabelle had hers long but braided. Harry kissed his oldest girl on the cheek after lifting her up a little, before setting her down. The girls pulled them both by the hand into the Library, where Hannah sat next to Amelia. Susan went to the Aunt and kissed her on the cheek. "I thought we would be seeing you at the Peverell Estate?" Amelia, her hair a bit grayer now after a few years married to Sirius, chuckled. "True, but Sirius wanted to have a boys day out in the Alley. Pretty sure he is getting Leo a new broom for Hogwarts as this September is his first year." Harry sighed from his side of the Library. "Of course he did. It's a good thing the first year ban on brooms was lifted." Liliana and Anabelle came up to him and showed him two large pieces of parchments. "Look what we made, Dad!" Harry looked down and smiled at the beautifully intricate maps they made.

With both girls being almost nine years of age, they had been invited to see the Isle of the Blessed. The extended Peverell Family, after Hazel had been given access to the island by the Flamels, because calling them either Emrys or Le Fay always started an argument between the two immortal millennials, made visits to the site every year. They constantly checked the groves of fruits and vegetables, not to mention the stability of the wards and the Archway, before leaving a small offering of food for the fairies that cared for the ruins. The girls, having developed an interest in drawing, painting and even cartography, had drawn a very detailed map of the site, though Liliana went with an overview map, while Anabelle tried to show it from the front in a more three dimensional style. He pulled them both to him for a hug and kissed them both on their heads. "These are beautiful. Well done, you two." The girls smiled, though Anabelle fidgeted with her parchment. "Do you think you can help us copy these? We want to give them to Grandma Hazel." Looking over at Susan, who nodded at them, he pulled the girls to the other side of the Library, where they had an alchemically based copier. "Come on, I will show you how it's done. Just remember, they need to dry for a bit before lifting them." The girls cheered and rushed ahead of him.

Susan watched her husband follow the twins further into the library, before turning to her friend as she took a seat beside her at the table. "I hope they weren't any trouble for you today." Hannah waved the comment off. "Please. Your two girls are practically angels. You should hear the nightmare stories that Tracey says her cousin goes through when dealing with the Malfoys." Amelia lowered her cup of tea and sighed. "I am not surprised. Narcissa is the only thing keeping that family afloat. Draco has learned some self control but he spoils his sons rotten, with Pansy being no different." Hannah leaned back. "I am just glad they aren't my headache to deal with. Being a governess isn't all it's cracked up to be. At least Theo and Hermione have given us a break." Susan smiled. "Especially with the Peverell children?" Hannah pouted. "Now that's not fair. You know they are a delight to be around, even though they are restless balls of energy." Susan chuckled. "Good to know. With Leo going to Hogwarts soon and the Peverells going soon after, there was some debate as to who would get McGonagall to retire first." Amelia muttered to herself. "Of course she would." The three laughed softly before Amelia looked at her niece. "How was Hogwarts?"

Taking a sip of the tea after she thanked Dobby, Susan hummed to herself, though the sight of Dobby was always a bit melancholic for both Susan and Harry. Petersby lived long enough to hold the twins in his hands before the old elf passed on, leaving the family in mourning. Remembering the question and pushing away the less than pleasant thoughts, Susan lowered her cup to the table. "Doing quite well. According to Harry, the Wards are finally stabilized. McGonagall says the slight noise she was hearing from the wards is gone now. Apparently the previous Wardmaster missed some of the repeaters from the improvised ward scheme, which was causing the interference to build up over the years. Other than that, and a visit from the Neo Death Eaters that ended with the punks being sent to Blackrock Prison, there was nothing wrong. Though McGonagall swears that if the arrival of the next generation of Blacks, Potters and Peverells ends the last ten years of peace that she has had as Headmistress, she will seriously consider retirement. Pomona and Flitwick are all making the same threats. Though Hooch is keeping quiet. She doesn't want to give Julia any more headaches than she already has as the Board is trying to look for any new potential Professors to take over for them. Pomona, at least, has no excuse after Neville took over her job as Head of Herbology." Hannah chuckled. "True, but Neville is too soft to be intimidating as a future Deputy Headmaster. He's better suited as the Co-Head of Gryffindor."

Susan looked over at her friend. "You two are still ok?" Hannah nodded. "Yeah. Augusta is essentially having me vet all of Neville's girlfriends, but I don't mind. Out of all of us, I am the person who knows him best." Susan drank from her tea. The break up between Neville and Hannah had been a surprise, but the way they still cared for each other showed that they still remained the best of friends. Augusta had been disappointed but she knew better than to force Neville into a relationship that wouldn't work out. The two had the friendship and the trust needed in a life long partner, but not the passion. Passion was certainly not a problem for the current Lord and Lady Nott. Though Theo and Hermione enjoyed quite a long engagement, the two eventually married just last year, mostly to settle the nerves of the now retired elder of the Nott family. They were deeply committed to each other and their careers, with Hermione working her way through the Ministry's Departments, with plans to run for Minister for Magic soon, while Theodore Currently held the position of Chief Warlock in the Wizengamot after Augusta retired. The older Theodore Nott was known to boast of his family's achievements in politics, especially to his son, who was a few years away from being released on probation.

The union of Theodore and Hermione did bring with it its fair share of detractors from the Traditionalists, though Hermione's ability to deconstruct some of the assumptions and misinterpretations of Traditionalist values at the many social gatherings certainly made the more critical voices quiet down. With Amelia potentially retiring soon and Susan already having to handle many of the responsibilities of the Head of House Bones, the Wizengamot itself had changed much from the dawn of the Coalition. Susan looked over as Harry returned with the girls at his side, both of whom sat down to write messages on the back of their maps, happy that she found everything she could ever need in a husband with him. The two together kept both their families legacies intact and had been tutoring the girls in both traditions, the choice of who would inherit which being theirs alone. She was also glad for the family she had married into. The girls adored their Grandmother Hazel and wanted to give her a special gift for her today. Twenty years. It had been twenty years since their world changed for the better with the arrival of Hazel and Teddy Peverell from their hell on earth. Her warmer relationship with her Auntie Amelia and her loving relationship with Harry could all be traced back to her. Leaning over, Susan hugged Anabelle and kissed her on her head. She was the mother of two beautiful girls and married to a wonderful husband. There was no life she would have rather had than this one.

"That looks painful." Hestia chuckled at her sister's words as they watched two Candidates get knocked out onto the mats. "Definitely painful. Though to be fair, they tried to get one over on our Battlemaster." Flora chuckled back. "Indeed. Poor Candidates. Any idea when you will be taking over for Horatio, Boss? Before he ends up murdering a Candidate." Hazel looked at the Carrows beside her, as the three of them stood against the farthest edge of the Training Room Chamber in the Department of Mysteries. "You two know that for that to happen, Horatio would have to quit, right? Our beloved Battlemaster won't quit until he literally can't walk himself back into the facility." Hestia and Flora nodded before wincing as another Candidate got taken out by a swift kick to the head. Horatio's "Next!" was heard loud and clear. "Yeah, that's not happening any time soon. You sure he ain't taking anything to keep himself going, right?" Hazel chuckled. "Aside from some bottles of alcohol, no. The man's physical health and training will hold him up until his body just can't take it. Besides, you two are ones to talk. You only spent a year under his training regime before getting out on the field and two more before getting Operative certification, tying up with me and Dora's record."

The Carrows smiled at her with pride as Hazel's eyes looked back towards the Candidates. Twenty years ago today she had crossed over between the worlds. A few days later she had started down the same path as those Candidates were now doing their best to follow. In that time, the world had changed so much. Mostly for the better. The new and more inclusive Wizengamot was a lot more effective when it gathered, the elections of Representatives from the general population being quite the important factor in the new Assembly's composition, with the Minister for Magic post now having a set term limit of six years with a maximum of three terms. To the surprise of many, the first Werewolf was freely elected to the Assembly, a young man who had been saved by Operations during the raid on Fenrir Greyback's Pack. Ever since that night, the Werewolves knew things would be different for them after the Ministry went to a lot of trouble to not damage their reputations. Wishing to not be lost again in the sea of the rest of the Magical population, they banded together to form a multi pack representative body, with the head Alpha becoming a regular voice in the Assembly when the matter of Werewolf rights was necessary to address. Young Lucian took the position of Head Alpha recently, before being formally elected to the Wizengamot.

Seeing the Werewolves incorporated into Magical Society, the rest of the Enhanced Magicals followed through. The Vampires of Britain, which had gone over a century without a representative or leader, finally managed to establish a proper British Court. After some infighting that required Operations intervention and the Ministry's mediation, the Vampires got their own representative in the form of one young but surprisingly stubborn vampire called Seras. The Hags organized soon after into a proper coven with their own representative. The three factions successfully negotiated representation within the Wizengamot and obtained their own Seats, taking their place next to the Centaurs, Merfolk and a Fae seat that rotated in representative for the species that weren't as common or organized, something Hazel had begrudgingly been forced to play politics for. Three new Seats to the House of Lords were also introduced, two being for a Representative of the Enhanced Magicals and the Fae respectfully, while a third was for First Generation Magicals. These representatives, while not currently active in the House of Lords, had already been making overtures to them, reaching agreements with Parliament as they all waited for the inevitable.

The subject of magic was being slowly but surely introduced into the Non-Magical world. Movies, television and the growing scene of online entertainment saw a massive shift in popularity for the fantasy genre with the introduction of magic being at the heart of it. For the most part, the public was embracing it as expected, with a fondness for the fantasy and the wish fulfillment they all remembered as kids. The ICW hoped that within a few years, the presence of Magic in the world could be safely revealed, before the advances in surveillance technology outed them first. The thing that kept the ICW up at night was the rise in religious extremism and sectarian squabbles across the globe. Not twenty years since the end of the Cold War and the world was struggling to keep the peace. With Aurors, Operatives, Law Enforcement and Counter Terrorism forces banding together, terrorists attacks became far less frequent in the more developed countries. The major attacks that Hazel remembered happening just prior to the collapse of the Statute had been prevented worldwide. Unfortunately, the chaos that followed in the Middle East was only slightly lower in intensity as the UN struggled to negotiate with the local governments on a suitable way to end the violence. Even within developed countries, violence and disinformation were taking root. The ICW and the UN were doing what they could to stem the tide of the growing unrest.

Magical Britain was no different. Despite the massive strides in representation and inclusion, elements that thrived on violence were still manifesting. The Neo Death Eaters from her world had made an appearance in this one, but nowhere near as organized as their predecessors once were. Hazel smiled as she remembered hearing as to how all of the attacks being carried out had been thwarted. Potter and Bones Security had taken off with a bang, with Harry providing his services to anyone, his prices benefiting many in the form of agreeable payment plans. The Ministry would often subcontract him around the time that the newer members of society were introduced to the existence of Magic, this happening a few years in advance than it once was decades ago, giving parents and their children a chance to adapt to the change, with the wards established to protect the families, before the kids went of to Hogwarts. Susan's Responders were placed in charge of these wards and would contact her Security Officers or the Aurors depending on the circumstances. Gringotts had been angry that their monopoly on security forces had ended, threatening to start another goblin rebellion. Instead they were added to the Wizengamot just like the rest of the Magical races. The Goblins still complained about the loss of revenue and the release of their Dragons but they weren't threatening to rebel anymore. Magical Britain felt safe, truly safe, for the first time in decades.

"So, anyone of interest?" Hazel hummed as she looked over the trainees, her eyes latching onto a young blonde with short hair who showed to be a lot older and far more stubborn. As the Candidates started making laps, she was the only one that seemed to be keeping a serious face, her movements a lot more fluid than the others. Looking over the paperwork, Hazel found her name. "One so far. Lana Benikos. She went to work for Harry and Susan after she graduated Hogwarts and spent years with them as a Security Officer, before becoming one of the first Administrators. Susan says that her friend has grown bored with her line of work but isn't interested in being an Auror. She's the blonde that gave Horatio the left hook before he dropped her with a kick to the chest." Hestia looked her over. "I remember her. We initially evaluated her for you as a possible candidate. She didn't have the right motivation back then." Flora bit her lip as her eyes took in Beniko's physique. "She has certainly been working out since school. Think she'd be interested?" Hazel looked towards Flora. "You two know the rules. Hands off until she is a Recruit and no pulling rank on her if you're interested and she shows interest in return. Otherwise you two are to be professional with her at all times." The two straightened out and saluted her saying "Yes Ma'am!", making Hazel sigh after they giggled.

Their abrupt movement was enough to wake up their two pseudo familiars as they unwrapped themselves from around the Carrows' necks. "Have the two leggersss finissshing playing? Can we go eat with the nessst?" Hestia and Flora cooed at the two, promising them a nice meal after they turned in for the night. The two Amphiptere hissed back in agreement as Hazel smiled at them. The Parselmouths and her had gone through all of Salazar Slytherin's papers. Unlike her world's Tom, the one in this world left the Parselmagic Grimoires behind, though many were written by Salazar's less pleasant descendants. Seeing how much of the work dealt with controlling the snakes, and forcing them against their will, Hazel had sent out the Twins on their first summer as Recruits to India. With a letter of introduction from the Patils, the Twins were able to learn the Subcontinent's approach to Parselmagic, finding it to be less abusive towards the snakes. Together with Hazel, they tested the magic, first with conjured serpents, then with the non-magical variety of snakes, before finally introducing the two girls to a nest of Amphiptere. They were able to form Pseudo-Familiar bonds with several snakes, with them switching them out when the creatures grew bored of being with them. The two newest ones were the longest serving yet, holding out for two whole years. Their presence had allowed the Operations Division to be a lot more fluid with their teams, as Hazel was no longer needed to disable wardstones. At least most of the time.

Horatio walked up to them after cleaning his face with a towel. "You three believe me now how it was a bloody miracle we found you? I bet you those Candidates quit by the end of the week." Hazel handed him the papers she was holding. "Even Benikos?" Horatio looked over at the mentioned woman. "She might make it, though it's a toss up. She has the body for the job, but her personality is still a bit off from what we are looking for. I will ask Fawley to look her over." Hazel's eyes followed the blonde's movement. "What led to the change in evaluation from years ago?" Horatio sighed. "She was the victim of psychological domestic abuse from her lover. That's as far as we have gotten from her. We are hoping the psychological evaluation and treatment will help her out." Hazel sighed and rubbed her eyes, with the Carrows giving her a knowing look. "Auntie Peverell's instincts have been awoken." Flora continued after her sister. "Will we have another member of the family soon? What would her wife say?" Hazel looked towards the two. "Oi! I am not that bad! Now how about you two head on to the Estate and go say hi to Dora and the kids? They miss you and my son and his wife are planning to come over for the next week or so. I have to stay a bit longer for paperwork before I get back home." The two Slytherins smiled devilishly after the mention of Astoria, before they rushed out of the Training Room.

Hazel sighed, before looking at her smirking Boss. "Not a word. If Gemma finds that we can help Lana and that she can be a member of the team, we will work a bit more on helping her out in every way we can. For now, just work on her like you would all the Candidates." Horatio nodded as he flipped through the papers as Hazel pulled out her pen. The two wrote down their evaluations and signed the documents before Horatio stood up and looked at the growing group of Candidates exhausted on the floor. He made his way towards them, his voice making Hazel wince. "All right, Candidates! This was day one and you'll look like you're about to cross over into Anwn. In a week I expect you all to do this in your bloody sleep!" Hazel shook her head as she watched them leave, many not looking all that happy. Still, Operations was an important job, even more so now in a time of peace. It was their job to watch for patterns and track any growing unrest, before preventing any terrorists and illegal organizations from taking root. Operations had gone through the trouble of clearing them out. They would make sure the bastards stayed gone. One way or another.

Dora walked quietly into the family room of the Estate, her steps silenced and made light, her scent masked and her appearance disillusioned. She closed her eyes and focused on the magic in the room, looking for an anomaly. Which wasn't easy. Every room of the entire Estate was saturated with magic from both the wards and the materials, making it the most secure structure in the world that wasn't a magically retrofitted nuclear bunker. The Estate was very much a physical representation of her wife's paranoia, though Dora couldn't deny just how beautiful their home came to be. For everything Hazel did to the home to make it unassailable, she spent just as long considering how to make it comfortable and beautiful. Still, Dora's ability to sense the ebbs and flows of magic around her had increased greatly since the first time Hazel taught her how to feel magic through her own. So she was able to feel the small but bright magic that hid just beneath the sofa, the being feeling calm and content in their safe hiding spot. Dora's grin grew as she silently closed the doors into the room, before drawing her wand, the soft feel of the grains of Elder rushing with the magic that was now very much her own. She bent down and tapped the sofa, levitating it quickly. The small ball of black fur stirred before it opened its eyes, bright green orbs scanning the room before landing right on her, seeing right through the disillusionment spell. Cursing in her head, Dora lunged forward, just barely catching the cat in her hands. "Gotcha!"

The cat protested for a few minutes, but it never sank it's claws into Dora's now visible hands, before it proceeded to purr as Dora rubbed it's back. "Time to change back, Isa. The others will be arriving soon and we still need to find your brother." The cat sighed, before it jumped out of her hands and shifted form, taking on the appearance of a little girl with black hair and green eyes, her arms crossed over her blue dress as she pouted. "It's not fair. You always find me first." Dora pulled the girl against her and hugged her. "To be fair, Isabelle, you enjoy nice and comfortable spots. Your brother likes to make things difficult for me and your Mom. Now help me find him before the others arrive. Leo will be here soon, followed by Liliana and Anabelle." Isabelle's face brightened, her hair turning a bright shade of blonde for a second. "Ok, ok! I am pretty sure he is hiding in the solarium. Check around the fountains and ponds." Dora bent down and kissed Isabelle on the head. "Thank you, sweety. Now go freshen up. You want to look your best before everyone gets here." Dora was about to comment that she shouldn't run up to her room in her cat form, but by the time she thought about saying the words it was too late, as Isa rushed up the stairs on four soft and soundless paws.

Dora sighed, though with a smile on her face, before she made her way through the house. Disillusioned again, she entered the solarium, feeling the cool temperature of the air. Unlike most greenhouses and solariums, Hazel had made sure this one had better temperature control, meaning it was comfortably warm in the winter but refreshingly cool in the summer. Sighing contently at the floral scent of the space, Dora once again sunk deep into the ambient magic, seeking the anomalies around her. Isa's brother had picked his spot well. The solarium was home to Fairies, Undine and a Dryad in the summer, meaning there were many anomalies to pick from. She walked by the large fountain at the center before she stopped and doubled back, her eyes fixed on a blue frog trying to blend in with the pond's coloration. Drawing her wand, she quickly froze the frog in place and bent down. "Time to come out of hiding, son." The frog shuddered as the spell around him dissipated before it burst out of the water, shifting form into that of a brown haired boy. Dora pulled him back and hugged him. "Gottcha! Nice try, Alex."

The boy turned his purple eyes towards her, his brown locks of hair sticking to his forehead. "Using your wand is cheating!" Dora smiled at him. "Really? Because it was an excellent hiding spot, one that left you with quite a few exits if I hadn't stopped you first. Now, your cousins will be here within the hour and your Mom will too. Do you want to see them covered in water?" Alex lowered his head and shook it. Kissing his hair, Dora wandlessly dried up his grey shirt and jeans. "Your sister is upstairs, freshening up. Why don't you go and join her? If you two behave, we have some freshly baked cookies and nice cold ice cream in the freezer." Alex's face lit up. "Yes! I'll be right down, Mama!" Dora released him and smiled as he, keeping his normal form, rushed out of the solarium and into the house. Taking one more calming breath of the flowers around her, she made sure the house's wards were set to a less dangerous level, before returning inside. After a few minutes checking that the room they would be receiving the family in was set, Dora made her way up to the front door. As she passed by the main foyer she paused and sighed. "Flora, Hestia. You can drop the disillusionment." The distant cousins of her wife appeared, both pouting at her. "But Mrs. Peverell! Ted and Astoria will be arriving soon!" The other, whom Dora was certain was Hestia, nodded. "We haven't seen either of them in months!"

Dora rubbed her eyes as she heard two loud squeals from behind and above her. "Aunties!" She smiled a little as both Carrows captured her two children in hugs, kissing them in the cheeks. She watched as the snakes wrapped around their necks poked out and hissed at them, with both of her children hissing back. She could technically understand what the snakes were saying, thanks to a translation spell Hazel had found when sweeping Hogwarts for any further hidden repositories, this particular one believed to be Helga Hufflepuff's since it was located between her Common Room and the Kitchens, but she chose not to do so now. In the years following Teddy's graduation, the publications out of the Department of Mysteries and Bathilda Bagshot did quite the number on the previously held beliefs of the general population. The highly revised version of "Hogwarts, A History" was a bitter pill to swallow for the Traditionalists and the Progressives, but the vast majority of the population took the findings as proof that there was still much to learn.

After she and Hazel found more hidden chambers in the Hogwarts walls, thanks to Headmistress McGonagall's growing relationship with Lady Hogwarts, more texts from the Founder's age were translated, including a completed copy of Helga Hufflepuff's Journal, which detailed much of the events following Salazar Slytherin's death. The Traditionalists were quite surprised to hear about Godric Gryffindor literally going on a revenge fueled warpath across the Scottish Highlands to recover the bodies of Salazar and his wife, but the man succeeded, with the revelation that they were brothers by oath doing much to bridge the gap between those who had taken the school rivalries of the two houses to ridiculous extremes. The reverence and respect the remaining three Founders showed the body of their fallen comrade and revelation of the close bonds of family between them did much to ease the tensions among formerly bitter Houses. Still, there were those that refused to accept the truth that the Journals, all accessible with restrictions by the DoM that was still engaged in translating the remaining texts from Helga's Repository, leading to the growing support for the Neo Death Eaters and their Revisionist look at the lives of Salazar Slytherin and Lord Voldemort.

The two rightful heirs to Salazar Slytherin lowered Doras children onto the ground before they rushed up to their mother. She kissed both after looking them over. "You two look great. We will be in the large family room next to the Dining Hall. If you want to surprise someone, go hide there." Their chorus of "ok!" ended quickly as they vanished behind the door, as Dora turned to the two Carrows. While they had yet to decide who would one day take up the mantle of Lady Slytherin, both were focusing on gaining as much strength politically and physically as possible, in the hopes that the eventual reveal would only strengthen the more calm Traditionalists and diminish the growing Neo Death Eater movement, though no one in law enforcement was optimistic, as the youths that composed the growing list of fanatics were unwilling to listen to reason, even if it was repeated by the Parseltongue speaking descendants of their idols. "I am guessing Hazel will be here soon." The two nodded and Flora spoke up. "We were watching Horatio run the candidates into the ground. She had to stay behind to cover some last minute paperwork." Dora smiled softly and started heading for the living room. "You two can carry on, just no spooking the babes!"

Receiving their response of "you got it, boss" in stereo, Dora walked into the family room and sat down, letting the feel of the wards wash over her as her two children giggled as they hid behind the curtains and sofas, waiting to catch the next unfortunate soul to enter. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, the light from the chandelier reflecting off it's many glass reflectors. Dora had never expected to ever find herself in such a large home and call it her own, yet she had done just that. And it was her home. Sure, their DoM apartment was still technically theirs and she and Hazel slept and lived in it during the more hectic work assignments, with the children joining them in their shared bedroom, but over the years, she found herself growing fonder of the larger house and it's grounds. The Alchemy lab in the basement became a favorite haunt of hers as she continued to practice the craft, with Morgana dropping by to check on her progress from time to time, the immortal witch and Dora debating the possible ways of improving the consistency of certain complicated mixtures. The areas that called to her the most, however, were the second floor bedrooms that surrounded the master bedroom and the small clearing out in the grounds. While the kids could have any room to themselves, Hazel had insisted that they share a room in their youths. Her wife had the right idea, as the bond that grew between them was beautiful to see.

Of her two children, Alexander was the more adventurous. More often than not, he could be found on the Estate's grounds, conversing and playing with the large variety of Fae that now called the area their home. As they helped to keep the family safe, Dora never minded their presence. Though she had been surprised when a certain Kelpie took up residence in the small stream out on the grounds. It took her a while to realize that the Kelpie from the Triwizard Tournament and her had developed a Familiar bond, something that had Teddy and Hazel in hysterics when they heard. A shapeshifting magical creature becoming the Familiar to a Metamorphmagus seemed all too appropriate. Since it was her Familiar, Dora had no problem letting Alex or Isabelle ride it so long as they stayed on the grounds. Though she liked the outdoors decently enough, her daughter was very different to her brother in temperament. Where Alex was boistrus and overly excited, Isabelle was calm and reserved. If she wasn't outside with her brother or playing with Dora, she was usually found in the library reading quietly. It always warmed Dora's heart when she would look in on her, only to find her and Hazel reading together in silent company. The two were really very much alike, though a few times, her first born would sit down in Dora's favorite place to read, a small bench that sat underneath a Hazel tree that had grown quite quickly since Dora and Hazel planted it in the grounds all those years ago.

Thoughts about Hazel always warmed Dora's heart as she reached up and touched the crystal medallion her wife had made for her. After acquiring a crystal from Morgana, Hazel had spent months practicing on other crystals of similar grain and structure, painstakingly learning how to carve a material that wasn't wood. After she was finally satisfied, Hazel proceeded to charge and craft the crystal into a Patronus Echo Medallion. Unlike hers where the dragon's wings were wrapped around a nest of two dragons, Hazel's design for Dora's had the dragon soaring in flight, joined together by another dragon, this one distinctly skeletal. Soaring in the air around them were four adolescent dragons, two flying the same as the older dragons, while the others had a more playful disposition, the entire scene rimmed by clouds. Hazel had given the Medallion to Dora a few months after Isa's birth. Dora was pretty certain that Alex had been conceived that night with the joy that she felt running through her veins. Though that wasn't to say they didn't have any rough patches. With Hazel elevated to Commander, Dora had often butted heads with her concerning the cold and calculated approach she used when planning missions. Sure, collateral was kept low, but there was no need for such a high kill count. Hazel always took her concerns to heart and did her best to accommodate them, though never at the expense of the team. Dora couldn't ask for more than that.

Where Hazel really shined, though, was exactly where Dora knew she would: as a mother. With a Primary School exclusively for children born with or knowing about magic still a couple of years away from being established under Tracey Davis' direction, much of the time for both Dora and Hazel when not on mission was spent with their children. Dora was beyond grateful for her wife. Those early years were not easy for her. The two back to back pregnancies were exhausting, and the sleepless nights were never easy. Hazel, having raised Teddy practically on her own, took charge of handling the babies in those early years as Dora recovered. Seeing the dedication and care her wife showed the children drove Dora on to do better as Alex and Isa deserved better from her. As the four grew together as a family, a pattern emerged. When the kids wanted to play, they always went to Dora first, before Hazel eventually joined in on the fun. When they needed help fixing something they broke, they always went to Hazel, who was willing to fix the toys and decorations with only a warning for the two not to hurt themselves. Despite being so different to each other, neither Alex nor Isa fought all that much. Sharing a room had allowed them to grow up understanding each other better. Though it always was great to see when it was Isabelle, not Alex, who was the more protective of the two when they played with the other kids. She really took after Hazel a lot, especially with how deeply she cared about her family.

Thoughts on the kids of the friends of the family seemed to draw them to the Estate's front door as the bell rang. Dora smiled as she felt both Susan and Astoria getting spooked by the Carrows as they each arrived, with Teddy carrying his son in his arms and Harry keeping the Twins back after she sent them both a silent warning. She chuckled to herself as she felt Susan retaliate in kind with a few hexes, leading to a short fight in the foyer. She dug deep into the Family Magic, feeling the presence she never dared to address again by name as it's attention was momentarily on the fight before shifting to her. It wasn't so much that Dora feared it. It was more that it was harder to call her anything but Hazel. As the years passed and her children were born, the entity visited her less and less. It was always there in the back of her mind, but never feeling out of place. This was made more unusual as Dora noticed that Hazel's green eyes were slowly becoming covered in flakes of silver. Had she been anyone else, she would have been worried. But after years with Hazel, she had nothing to fear. The entity said they were one in the same and Dora had to agree that in some way they were, the line becoming even more blurred now. No matter what, however, it didn't change how she felt about the woman she loved with all her soul.

Hazel's words from years ago rang true in her mind now. No matter what appearance she took or the words out of her mouth, beneath it all was the same person. A wonderful woman who loved her beyond words and who doted on their two bright and gifted children at every turn, but never to the point of spoiling them. Neither Isabelle nor Alex doubted either of their parents' love. Whenever work called, their grandmother, who had already retired from the DoM, or their many aunts or uncles, would look after them and both of them knew that their parents would return quickly. This wasn't a hard promise to keep. The changes to the world had led to a massive drop in organized magical crime, with each nations' Operatives or Aurors arresting the criminals before they could grow their businesses. In the last decade alone, almost all work had been in conjunction with the non-magical agencies, meaning the missions were completed quickly. With a training room in the basement that included a firing range, neither Dora nor her wife needed to be too far away from their children while keeping their skills up to Division guidelines. In time Dora and Hazel knew that this peaceful state of being would change. Their childrens' Hogwarts letters would be arriving soon. When that happened, the dynamic in their home would change again.

Soft and thin arms wrapped around her neck and over her chest from behind as familiar lips kissed Dora on her waving pink hair. She looked up and smiled as the Cloak that hid Hazel was pulled away, revealing those loving green eyes and her beautiful smile. "Hello Dora, I am home." Dora leaned her head back and her wife's lips captured her own before they pulled apart. "Welcome home, Hazel." Taking a seat beside Dora, Hazel pulled a somewhat unhappy Isa, who had been running after an excited Leo with his new broomstick, into her arms, before the girl squealed as she was tickled by her loving mother. Their first born looked up and smiled at her mom, hugging her back, before being dropped off. Alex came quickly of his own accord and jumped into his mom's arms, before Hazel kissed him on the cheek too, before Anabelle and Liliana pulled him away and showed Hazel their drawings. Hazel kissed both redheads on the cheek. "They are beautiful, girls. Thank you. I will have them in the Library later tonight." Dora leaned into her wife's side as the older children started playing together while the younger ones were held on the laps or arms of their family, the adults catching up after a long set of months being kept busy. Dora sighed to herself, her hand interwoven with Hazel's, as a thought passed silently between them both. They were home with their full family. Neither of them could be happier with the life they had built together.