Hazel woke up particularly earlier than usual the next morning, along with a few other fellow Gryffindor's who were also part of the army. The sound of nails being hit into bricks echoed through the walls of the entire school, and she would soon find out why. She threw on her Gryffindor robe and headed downstairs with Hermione for breakfast. As they headed down the moving staircase, they questioned the distracting noise they heard throughout the night and the following morning.
"The noise was constant, I'm surprised I got any sleep at all", Hazel stated, holding on to the stone banister as the stairs changed position, now moving right by a rather small painting.
"Someone has been up all night banging more signs into your walls. Merlin! It was dreadful!", the man in the painting spoke, as he sat down at an empty table with a small glass of brandy, playing cards were spread out everywhere.
Hazel and Hermione glanced at each other before hurrying downstairs to see what new rules had been put in place. By this time, the majority of the wall was plastered with framed signs. They noticed Filch walking in the opposite direction with his ladder, and assumed he had just finished putting the last one up. The sign read:
PROCLAMATION
EDUCATION DECREE
NO. 82
ALL STUDENTS WILL SUBMIT TO QUESTIONING ABOUT SUSPECTED ILLICIT ACTIVITIES
"This isn't ideal", Hermione added quietly.
Throughout the day, and the next several days too, Umbridge brought everyone up to her office, one by one, to question her suspicions.
"Let's quickly get something to eat, we need to warn the others", Hermione suggested, guiding Hazel into the hall to quickly grab a bite.
They eventually made their way to the Room of Requirement and, thankfully, everyone part of the army were yet to be spoken to.
"No matter what Umbridge asks, act as though this doesn't exist", Harry demanded in a serious tone.
"This is important, everyone. If anyone else finds out about this, we'll lose everything we've worked for", Hazel added.
Everyone's faces slightly dropped, for the class was usually optimistic and bright. To change the tune, Hazel brought their attention to their lesson.
"Right, let's see what you've got and what you've learnt from the past few days", she said with a smile.
Everyone formed into little groups and practiced spells and hand movements and body language in order to help with their combat and defence. Neville was still struggling a little, so Hazel comforted and helped him out.
"Now, focus on a fixed point and try again", Hazel redirected, as she demonstrated to Neville.
Neville repositioned his wand and focused on a spot ahead of him.
"Expelliarmus!", he casted, but still, nothing.
The disappointment stuck to him like glue, he felt so hopeless and weak, but Hazel wasn't going to let him feel that way.
"Keep trying, Neville! I believe in you, you've got to have some belief in yourself too", she encouraged Neville as she smiled and left him to practice.
She walked away and quickly stopped in her tracks as, just ahead of her, she noticed Harry helping Cho. Hazel wasn't easily jealous, but she understood that the two had some history last year, so the idea that Hazel was, perhaps just a second choice to Harry, lingered in her mind. She avoided the two and walked off in the opposite direction to see how Ginny was getting on.
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...
