Shifted: Book Two

Chapter Twenty Two - Lesson One

The next day after the Room of Requirement was discovered, Hazel and Harry rounded up their army and invited them in for their first lesson. Hazel gripped her wand firmly and tapped it against her leg. Hazel was still new to magic and she was among many talented witches and wizards who were so experienced with magic, she felt so behind, especially after Umbridge took away the ability for them to use actual magic in class.

"You alright, Hazel?", Harry asked as he watched the students prepare for their first lesson.

"Just nervous", Hazel replied with an anxious chuckle.

She looked into Harry's eyes; the shimmering pool of melted spring leaves infused with lime skins and pickle juice. Before she could get lost in those eyes, she swiftly snapped herself out of it.

"You'll be brilliant, Hazel. Trust me", Harry reassured, budging her childishly, in which Hazel returned.

"Okay, gather round everyone, please", Harry called out, herding up his army with Hermione and Ron beside him and Hazel.

"Our first task will be fairly simple, you'll be learning to use the Expelliarmus spell", Hazel informed before pointing to an inky, wooden figure, it's gaunt appearance impersonating a death eater.

Two lines formed, with Harry and Neville at the front. Neville pointed his wand, with trembling hands, at the figure and focused carefully. He was a bit hesitant, and looked to Harry for guidance. Harry nodded his head, and gestured welcomingly at the object. Neville looked back at his wand, then at the figure.

"Expelliarmus!", Neville called out, rather weakly and unsure, as he waved his wand a little too much.

Suddenly, his wand lit up a bright white light, and it jumped out of his hand, twirling and spinning through the line and dropping on the ground at the back of the room.

"I'm hopeless", Neville said, as disappointment grew on his face.

"You're just flourishing your wand too much. Try it like this", Harry encouraged, as he lifted his wand and pointed it at the wooden figure.

"Expelliarmus!".

The wooden figure's wand flew out of its hand as everyone lightly applauded Harry. Neville continued to look ashamed, but Hazel patted his back and encouraged him to try again next time. Neville joined the back of the line and Harry gave the wand back to the figure before stepping to the side, allowing the next pair through: Hazel and George.

"Okay George, just like Harry, you need to point your wand and move your hand steadily, don't go over the top", Hazel suggested, lifting his arm up and pressing firmly on his hand, tightening the grip on his wand.

George exhaled calmly.

"Expelliarmus!", he called out, watching the wand slightly tremble in the wooden palms before flying in the air and dropping to the ground dramatically.

"Great work, George! Although next time, just grip your wand a little firmer, that way the wand will be disarmed with a cleaner execution", she reassured constructively.

"Let's see you have a go then, Jones", George suggested, playfully pushing Hazel's shoulder.

Hazel cleared her throat and took her wand out. She gripped onto the wand securely and focused on the wand in the hand. Hazel felt confident. But for a quick few moments, her vision transformed. She envisioned herself back at the cemetery in front of Goyle, the death eater that aided in the murder of Cedric. Her hand lowered and began to tremble, and everyone around her noticed something seemed a bit off.

"Hazel?", Harry questioned softly.

Hazel resumed back to her reality, gripped onto her wand and casted her spell.

"Expelliarmus!", she said with certainty, as the wand swiftly left the hands of the fake death eater.

Another quiet round of applause echoed through the walls, but she silently stepped to the side, next to Harry.

"Hermione, would you mind briefly taking over for a moment?", Harry asked before tenderly pulling Hazel to the back of the room.

Hermione nodded and continued the lesson with Padma.

"Hazel, what did you see?", Harry asked with a worried look present in his eyes.

Hazel loosened her tie freely and gently rubbed her neck, inhaling and exhaling a couple times, slowly.

"I was back at the cemetery, with Goyle and- I just couldn't help but remember what he did to Cedric", Hazel began to explain, fighting back the tears that were so desperate to escape.

She took another deep breath and trembly exhaled. Harry took Hazel's scarred hand and comforted her.

"I wish I could take that memory away from you, but we have to do this, in vengeance for Cedric, and everyone else Voldemort has coldly murdered, and to protect everyone from his next plan", Harry reassured.

Hazel nodded, he was right.

They caved in for a comforting embrace for several seconds before pulling away. Hazel sorted her collar before Harry pulled it away from her neck.

"You have a mark on your neck, Hazel", Harry informed her.

Hazel felt the mark, it was faint, almost like she had been stamped with an unusual shape. She swiftly covered it with her finger and tightened her tie again, concealing it.

"It's just a bruise", she insisted, before resuming her role in the army.