Shifted: Book One

Chapter Thirty Six - Final Goodbyes

A couple months later, the students and professors of Hogwarts gathered outside on the courtyard as they prepared to send off the women of Beauxbatons and the men of Durmstrang. Everyone was actually very disappointed to see them leave, some had really grown to like some of the students, and some had made lifelong friends.

Hazel was with Harry, Ron and Hermione as they waved farewell. Viktor approached Hermione from behind whilst Harry and Ron were busy talking to Seamus and Dean. He whispered in her ear softly, something that made Hermione blush. She was handed a small piece of parchment and waved Viktor goodbye. She slipped the note under her sleeve and approached Hazel, who just waved goodbye to a girl from Beauxbatons.

"What did Viktor slip you, then?", Hazel winked and giggled quietly.

"He asked me to write to him", she said excitingly, clasping her hands together.

"How romantic", she joked, as she sarcastically waved her hand over her forehead, pretending to faint.

Hermione nudged her playfully and shushed her before Harry and Ron came back. They were about to head inside when one last student approached them.

"Thank you, all four of you, for everything you and your school have done", the french girl spoke, as they turned around facing Fleur DeLacour, with her sister beside her, clutched onto her arm.

She grabbed Hazel and Hermione and brought them in for a tight hug, gently stroking their hair and beaming with love.

"Au revoir!", she spoke softly.

She then approached Harry and Ron; she cupped their faces in her small and fragile hands and kissed either sides of their blossoming, rosy cheeks. Ron, in particular, blushed the most, his eyes lit up at her beautiful face and he softly caressed his cheeks after she left. Harry shoved Ron like a child, snapping him out of his little day dream, before Hazel and Hermione shared joyous laughs.

The four walked through the hallway just beside the courtyard, passing the pillars that held the ceiling up. Hundreds of "goodbyes" and "farewells" echoed the grounds as hugs and smiles were passed around. Hazel leaned against one of the pillars with Harry stood beside her, just brushing her arm, and Hermione and Ron opposite. They were soon gathered by the other Hogwarts students, making way for the girls in blue and boys in brown to walk past. Everyone cheered and applauded as the women of Beauxbatons walked pass, shortly followed by the men of Durmstrang, Viktor secretly winking at Hermione, giving her butterflies.

The Durmstrang boys were loaded onto their ship meanwhile the Beauxbaton girls whizzed away in their chariot, pulling them along with the, somewhat calm, wind.

The four Gryffindors slowly walked down the hallway.

"Everything's going to change now, isn't it?", Hazel said to herself, smiling, almost ever so slightly nervously.

Harry stopped and approached Hazel and softly rubbed his hand on her shoulder, locking eyes with her.

"Yes, but all for the better now that you're here, with us", he admitted, giving her a warming smile.

Her eyes twinkled with light and hope, and she gave Harry a smile back whilst they all continued to walk again.

"Promise you'll write this summer, all of you!", Hermione demanded with a joyous expression.

"I won't, you know I won't", Ron chuckled truthfully.

Hazel and Hermione both rolled their eyes.

"We both will, Hermione, I'll make sure of it", Hazel added before giving Ron cheeky grin, causing him to laugh and reach behind, shoving her gently.

"Harry will, won't you?", she said, bursting with thrill.

Harry's lips quivered and turned upward, almost laughing.

"Yeah, every week", he replied, sarcastically.

Hazel, Harry, Ron and Hermione walked to the end where they were greeted with a wide archway leading out onto a small ledge. The sky finally seemed to brighten up and the wind was soft, not too cold too.

"What a year, huh?", Ron joked whilst the other three chuckled lightly.

"Let's hope next year is slightly better", Harry added, shoving Ron playfully.

Hermione immediately looked past Harry to Hazel on the end.

"You will be joining us next year, won't you Hazel?", Hermione asked demandingly.

Hazel looked to Hermione for a moment, then to Ron, who peered his head round to her, then to Harry, who locked eyes with her. She took a small sigh, inhaling the fresh breeze that mixed with the comforting scent of Harry, Ron and Hermione; a mix of firewood, freshly mown grass and hardback books, and exhaled whilst turning away, admiring the view in front of her; mossy green hills that touched the aqua lake at the bottom, and was attached to the lightened sky that was delicately patched with ashy, translucent clouds.

"Of course I will, this is my home now", she smiled, as she took Harry's hand and clasped their fingers together.

She leaned into him as he rested his other arm around Hermione, who slightly leaned into Ron with his arm around her. The four stood there in silence as they watched the other students leave Hogwarts.

Hazel never imagined she would finally return home and see her family. Harry, Ron, Hermione, all these people she had met in the space of eight months had become her family, her true family. The castle, the walls, the surroundings that she had become so familiar with was her home, each tile, each brick was a part of her life. Hazel hoped next year wouldn't involve so much darkness, but for now, she focused on the rest of the summer she had and that she was going to spend with Ron and his family, who she was excited to meet.

She was home. And yet no one ever did find out the true meaning of how she got here. She didn't really belong in this world, but she knew she couldn't leave. She was attached to it, this place was hers. For the first time, she was home. Nothing compared to Hogwarts. Did she dare risk everything now and slip up? Admit the truth? Hazel couldn't risk it, besides, what they didn't know couldn't hurt them, right? No one could ever find out how Hazel returned home, she could never reveal the truth, that being she shifted.