Back at Hogwarts for her second year in the modern world, equipped with a brilliant group of friends and a boy who loves her dearly, Azalea Hogwarts, protector and shield of the school itself, could not be happier, despite the war raging on around h...
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"Sir, exactly what was all that about?" Harry questioned as he half-jogged to keep up with the headmaster who held his knitting patterns carefully.
"You two are talented, famous and powerful. Everything that Horace values. Professor Slughorn is going to try to collect you two. You would be his crowning jewels. That's why he is returning to Hogwarts. And it is crucial he should return." Dumbledore informed them as they reached the centre of the village once more. "This is where I leave you two, Azalea, it is essential that you shall arrive before sunrise." He nodded and suddenly vanished, leaving a bemused Harry beside his girlfriend in the village.
"What is happening?" He chuckled as he turned to her, confusion written all over his face.
"Oh, well you know Dumbledore" she smiled softly, pulling him to sit beside her on the wall of the fountain, calm as they watched the twinkling stars and listened to the steady stream of the water. "We shall be heading to the Weasley house this evening, I hope you do not mind."
"But... what about Hedwig? And my trunk"
"It's all already there," her eyes twinkled mischievously and he couldn't help but just smile at her as he reached across to seal his lips on hers once more. "I'm sorry, I know it hurts you. I just,... I missed you so much."
"It's okay. It's worth it." She giggled, catching his hand in her own and holding on to it tightly, fingers locked together as they watched the stars dance above the small village.
"What have you done all summer? With Dumbledore?"
"We've been adventuring Harry" Azalea smiled. "Preparing things that must be prepared, recruiting those who are most valuable."
"It sounds brilliant" the boy sighed sadly and she turned to him quickly.
"What's wrong?"
"Why could I not have spent the summer with you? Adventuring?" His voice was noticeably sad and her smile dropped.
"I'm sorry Harry. I don't understand why Dumbledore does the things he does. But soon, we will be free to do as we please." She smiled secretively, knowingly. "Something tells me, we will not be finishing Hogwarts, Harry."
The pair of them sat in silence from then, watching the stars in the crisp night, her head ticked up against his shoulder and his hands softly fumbling with one of her brilliant chocolate coloured curls. In just a year, Azalea had become the most important thing in his life and he wasn't sure how he had ever survived without her. Only an immeasurable amount of time later, as the sky slowly lightened, did they make their move.
"Ready?"
"I suppose" Harry sulked as he took her arm, prepared for the uncomfortable sensation of apparation to take over once more. In an instant, they said goodbye to the adorable town of Budleigh Babberton and the Burrow appeared before them in the night, the house was just as pleasantly tall and crooked as Harry remembered and he took her hand, softly dragging her through to the front door. Despite not living there, Harry had no qualms about opening the door and waltzing on in. In the living room, they found their things, Merlin and Hedwig day side by side in their cages, tweeting and cooing away happily at one another.
"Ginny?" Harry questioned, seeing the back of a ginger head and she whipped around, a bright grin splitting across her cheeks as she stared at them. In the next moment, she hugged him tightly, the boy returning it uncomfortably as they heard footsteps on the stairs. Next, Ginny turned to shyly hug the short brunette. Since protecting her at the ministry, Azalea and Ginny's relationship had greatly improved.
"Harry! Zalie!" Hermione cheered, hugging them both tightly, forcing them together in a group hug. Next it was Rons turn and he reached down softly to hug Azalea, the girl smiling softly as she returned it. He was taller now and as he stepped back beside Hermione, a bright grin lit his cheeks.
"What a lovely surprise!" Molly cheered, squeezing them into one of her hugs that were verging on being uncomfortably tight though were just about gentle enough to be considered motherly. "Why didn't you let us know you were coming?!"
"I didn't know" Harry chuckled, glancing over at Azalea.
"Dumbledore" she explained in a single word and the mother Weasley laughed again.
"Ohhh that man. But; where would we be without him?" She patted their shoulders and stepped back. Azalea, in her silence, assessed the world around her, eyes landing on where Hermione and Ron stood beside one another, there was an uncomfortable tension between them they hadn't been there before and she couldn't help but grin at the sight.
