Harry Potter and the Lost Half-Bloods. *1*

Hazel

I dream about a kidnapped lady...how fun?

HAZEL:

"Hazel? You with us?" Susan Bones snapped her fingers in front of my face.

"Yeah!" I brought myself back to earth.

"Are you feeling alright?" Asked my other friend, Hannah Abbott.

"Just a bit queasy," I admitted. I wasn't about to explain to my friends the odd pain I was feeling in my stomach. It wasn't nausea, nor was it a cramp. The pain was more of a tugging feeling. It wasn't constant, but every so often a felt a downward tug in my gut. It all started just last night.

It didn't help that the train was about to depart from the station. I had awful motion sickness. Don't even get me started about boats.

"We don't blame you. A lot of Hufflepuffs aren't feeling particularly up to it. Especially after what happened with Ced-"

Zacharias Smith shot Ernie a look of warning. "Please, don't bring it up. We're already going to get enough rubbish from the prophet about Potter's claims. Don't you start."

The compartment closed to silence. Zacharias often had offensive remarks. He was a very opinionated person. Hufflepuffs are known for their patience, but Zacharias could even drive us mad. It'd take the smartest of Ravenclaws to figure out how on earth Zacharias got sorted into Hufflepuff. With his ego, you'd think he'd have been an automatic Gryffindor.

"Rumor has it there's going to be a bit of a ball this year." Ernie Macmillan changed the subject.

"Where'd you hear that?" I asked.

"Well, I heard it from Justin, who heard it from some Ravenclaw, who heard it from a Gryffindor prefect, who spoke to McGonagall and proposed the idea, and she said that she'd consider it!"

I chuckled. "So, you heard it from somebody who heard it from a chain of people, who may not even be reliable sources, that we may possibly be having a ball? Meaning, coming from McGonagall, that we probably aren't?"

Ernie shrugged. "I don't know. I thought it'd be a decent idea. Bring some light to a world that needs it." Again, the compartment closed to immediate silence.

The train shook as the whistle blew to life, spewing smoke throughout the station as the wheels roared to life. I looked out the window at the lines of families and friends, waving as the train slowly chugged away. I was disappointed as the train passed the crowd before I could spot my own parents in the crowd. I'd still be able to write to them of course, but it was always a disappointment when I couldn't get in the last wave.

"Who would you ask to the ball, Hazel?" Ernie questioned, rather obviously. Hannah and Susan giggled to themselves. Susan reckons he has a crush on me. When she proposed the idea to Hannah, she immediately agreed. They jumped at every change to bring hint at it.

"I dunno. Balls are a bit...old-fashioned. You know me, I like to stick with the times."

Justin scoffed.

"Excuse me, aren't you the girl I caught reading muggle Shakespeare in the library just last year?"

"What! Shakespeare is beautiful, and I'm a muggle-born! My mum's a teacher, she's got loads of books of that stuff at home! Every year she gives me a stack of books to take with me to Hogwarts, who am I to not read something my mum cared enough to provide me with?"

"Pfft, you're too kind Hazel." Ernie pointed out.

I ignored Hannah and Susan's giggles in response.

"I think I'd ask Frank." Hannah sighed to herself. "He's gorgeous."

Susan rolled her eyes.

"Frank? Frank Zhang? He's our sixth-year prefect, what chance would you have with him, Hannah?" Susan teased. Hannah sunk in her chair in defeat.

"What do you think about Frank, Hazel?" Hannah asked, just as I'd closed my eyes.

"What do I think? I think I'm going to sleep before my breakfast ends up on the floor. That wouldn't be a pleasant sight. Wake me up when we're at Hogwarts!"

Now, I'm not usually one to remember my dreams, but this dream was one I didn't think I'd be forgetting any time soon.

***

A beautiful woman was alone, or so it seemed. Her hands were bound in chains, gripping into the metal bars surrounding her. She emitted an aura of strong power, but it seemed all of that had been taken from her. She was trapped, weak, and running out of options.

"Please, let me go...I'm begging you." Her voice cracked. She had been screaming for so long, it was only a matter of time for her voice to give out.

"Join me." The voice of a cruel man whispered, but his image was not shown. It was as if this was being presented on a television, and he was offscreen. "Join me, and you can have the freedom you want. Join me, and can have anything you want."

"No." She stared at the floor. "I can't."

"Pity." The villain's snake-like voice spoke.
"Then I can't let you go."

His shadow was long and thin. The figure of his bony arm raised.

"No--no, please!"

"CRUCIO!"

A beam of light struck the woman, and she fell to the ground. Her voice broke in agony. The second the light vanished, she lay on the ground not making a sound. Her eyes were barely open.

Her eyes looked directly at me. She spoke two simple words: "H-Help me..."

And I was awake.

***

"Hazel, Hazel! Wake up! We're at our stop!" Hannah shook me awake with enthusiasm. Had I really been asleep the entire ride? I could feel myself shaking, sweating. I had to take a moment to catch my breath.

"Woah, you okay?" Hannah stepped back.

"N-Nightmare," I mumbled. I looked up. Only Hannah and Susan were in the compartment, which I was grateful for. The boys must've left to change into their robes. I didn't want them, or anyone to see me like this. It was slightly embarrassing.

"Hey, it's okay! We're at Hogwarts! You're safe here." Susan smiled warmly and held out her hand. I linked my right arm around hers, and Hannah linked hers around my left.

"I'm fine guys, really!" The tugging feeling in my gut was still there, but not as strong as it had been earlier. The uneasy feeling from the nightmare, however, was still as clear as ever.

"Let's go to Hogwarts!"