The Keep

9. The Fall

Since there was no school for children under eleven, Tatiana tutored Hazel to her own curriculum. In that curriculum were History, Herbology, Potion, and Charm. Hazel only realized that she was reading far above her age when Hogwarts' classes turned to be far easier than she expected.

While Tatiana was just as academically strict as Evelynn, she gave so much more freedom for Hazel to pursuit her curiosities. Tatiana let Hazel read whatever book she wanted, even Abe Gillivray's Ectoplasm, a book about various uses of ectoplasm and how to harvest them from ghosts.

Tatiana was also always willing to answer whatever bizarre question Hazel asked. "No, ectoplasm is not ghost's pee. Ghosts don't pee or poo, because they don't have human's digestive system," was her answer when Hazel asked if the ghosts were peeing themselves scared as the result of being shocked. (It was one way to collect their Ectoplasm, a rude one.)

Tatiana has also allowed Hazel to fly around the estate as long as she stayed inside the concealment gate, which was barely a restriction. Ponderhead Place estate was not exactly a small area. It contained the whole width of Silverstream Forest and the seemingly edgeless moor surrounding it. 

Hazel was not really interested at flying, at first. The prospect of sitting on a hoovering broomstick on certain height from the land didn't seem so enticing to Hazel's mind. But on her first attempt to fly, Hazel knew that it was the best thing that ever happened in her life. Flying came so naturally to her, even though she has always been rubbish at PE classes.

Flying really helped Hazel to manage her stress. 

Hazel would dive into the thickness of Silverstream Forrest and maneuvered her way among the proud tall trees, disturbing ravens, owls, and other animals from their blissful peace. The feeling of the wind on her face and how it combed between her hair was truly liberating. Through flying, Hazel was able to push her anger to the back of her head.

And then, a letter came from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

While waiting for the Sorting Hat, Hazel was standing in dread, for fear of being placed in Slytherin House. Not because she held negative prejudice toward the House as most people do, but because she had three older cousins within the House, and none of them liked the idea of having Hazel as a cousin. While not all Slytherins are bad, all of her cousins, were.

Alas, the Sorting Hat shouted 'Ravenclaw!!' even before Hazel was properly seated on the stool. It surprised her and made her jump upward as if the bench was a coiled spring that propelled her body back as soon as she sat on it. Even Professor McGonagall clinched her face in shock (probably, maybe a bit).

Hazel's years at Hogwarts were filled with memories, good and bad. Over all, it was the most colorful years of her life (not that the rest of her life was something of worthy comparison).

Ravenclaw had its own share of loners, and put no judgment to those who preferred it. So, social-wise, it was easy for Hazel. As long as she didn't pass one of her cousins in hallways, Hazel's Hogwarts days were relatively peaceful.

But when fate told different, Hazel could end up being locked in Moaning Myrtle's lavatory for the day, or speaking in twisted tongue for days, or got drowned in the Black Lake while being jinxed with Petrificus Totalus.

Hazel was practically dying when one of the Merpeople freed her form the Grindylows, and returned her to the land. (No, she didn't see the Giant Squid. Maybe the Giant Squid was off on his stroll around the castle as Godric Gryffindor at the time.)

Mafalda Gillivray, Frederick Gillivray, Edmund Gillivray and Penelope Bulstrode were punished with detention. They had to help Professor Hagrid feed the Thestrals in the Forbidden Forest until the end of the school-year, probably to let them know how it feels when death was approaching.