Hazel lead Harry, Ron and Hermione back to their common room that evening, the four sat in front of the crackling fire, heating the cold presence Umbridge had spread throughout the entire place.
"That foul, evil, old gargoyle", Hermione spoke, sitting herself down on the couch next to Ron.
Hazel sat on the floor, leaning against the front of the soft couch, beside Harry, who was in a deep gaze in the amber flames.
"We're not learning how to defend ourselves. We're not learning how to pass our OWLs-", Hermione added in distress whilst Ron softly patted her leg timidly.
"She's taking over the entire school", Hazel finished, rubbing her fingers over her scarred hand lightly.
Umbridge's torturous punishment was still stained on her fair skin, though it wasn't sore anymore.
Suddenly, the scarlet and golden flames shifted in the fire place, as a strange yet familiar face formed.
"Sirius!", Harry whispered loudly, as Sirius' face took form within the waving flames.
"Harry, I got your letter. You said you were worried about Umbridge, what's she doing? Training you to kill half-breeds?", he mocked, whispering too, for he couldn't allow himself to get caught.
"She's not letting us use magic at all", Harry informed with a glum expression.
Sirius's face grew concerned.
"Well, I'm not surprised The latest intelligence is that Fudge doesn't want you trained in combat", he suggested.
"Combat? What does he think, we're forming some sort of wizard army?", Ron said in a ridiculous manner, sitting himself up and leaning closer to the fire.
"That's exactly what he thinks", Sirius responded, now in a more serious tone.
"That Dumbledore is assembling his own forces to take on the Ministry. He's becoming more paranoid by the minute", he continued.
Hazel scoffed in disbelief.
"That's farcical! Why would he even believe we would start such a thing?", Hazel added, crossing her arms with impatience.
"The Minister is under great manipulation, Hazel. He's consumed with darkness and fear", Sirius replied.
"The others wouldn't want me telling you this, but things aren't going at all well with the Order", he continued with a disappointed, abstract face.
"Fudge is blocking the truth at every turn and these disappearances are just how it started before".
Sirius' face dropped, his tone deepened and a sense of concern slipped out.
"Voldemort is on the move", he warned.
"What can we do?", Harry asked with courage.
Sirius' eyes widened.
"Someone's coming! I'm sorry I can't be of more help", he said, as his face vanished within the flames of the fire.
The sharp rumble of the lightening and thunder quaked the grounds, as bright white streaks flashed from the clouds. Millions and millions of tiny raindrops splattered against the large window on the other side of the room; they raced down to the window ledge in such high speed. The four got up and slowly approached the window, looking out into the dark and miserable sky.
"He really is out there, isn't he?", Hermione said with concern, she bit her bottom lip in little fear.
"We've got to be able to defend ourselves", she suggested, folding her arms in confidence.
"And if Umbridge refuses to teach us?", Ron asked with a sense of doubt.
Silence consumed the room for a few seconds.
"We need someone who will", Hermione added.
She exhaled and dropped her shoulders. She briskly turned around as lightening struck again, looking at Hazel and Harry. They were going to be the ones to teach everyone.
"Us?", Hazel asked, shifting her body into a state of subtle surprise.
Hermione walked towards Hazel with a confident and trusting expression, she softly took ahold of Hazel's arm and reassured her.
"The two of you fought him, if you can't teach us, nobody can", she encouraged.
Harry brushed his arm and looked down to his feet rather timidly.
"I'm going to get some sleep, see you in the morning", Harry said before swiftly leaving the three in the toasty, dark room.
They watched him walk off in silence.
"Do you reckon he's afraid?", Ron asked quietly, his eyes growing in concern for his friend.
They all exchanged doubtful looks.
"I don't think so. I think he's just angry and tired, tired of this nightmare none of us can wake up from", Hazel suggested, biting the inside of her bottom lip.
That night, Hazel struggled to sleep. Most nights she often did, in fears that if she fell asleep, she'd wake up in her old reality; that was the one fear that dawned on her the most. But this night was different, she couldn't keep still. She felt agitated by the littlest of things; like the branches dancing with the stormy wind outside, or the quiet snoring of one of the girls in her dormitory, even the sound of her own breathing distracted her from falling asleep. Hazel laid in bed, looking up at the ceiling in almost complete darkness, wondering what her and Harry would do to help end this nightmare.
YOU ARE READING
Shifted: Book Two
Fanfiction"You know, Hazel, we can really do this", Harry said, turning his attention back onto Hazel's hopeful smile. "Even though we've got a fight ahead of us, we've got one thing that Voldemort doesn't have". - It's Hazel's second year in her desired rea...
