Back at Hogwarts for her second year in the modern world, equipped with a brilliant group of friends and a boy who loves her dearly, Azalea Hogwarts, protector and shield of the school itself, could not be happier, despite the war raging on around h...
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Azalea walked through the snow in slight exhaustion, one arm linked with Hermione's and the other with Harry's. The protector didn't pay much attention to where they were heading, knowing the trail by heart now, though following the red coat of Katie Bell who strode a few feet ahead of them, speaking in a hushed whisper to her friend who Azalea did not know.
A scream broke their boring chatter and Azalea froze, up ahead, Katie Bell had fallen to the floor, dropping the thing in her hands as her friend stood in a panic, unsure what to do. "I warned her. I warned her not to touch it" the friend changed and Azalea progressed forward, gesturing for the golden trio to stay back. Katie Bell was thrown around against the snow like a rag doll, tossed around and into the air as if she was not a person at all. Suspended in the air, a scream caught in her throat and the second she was thrown back down into the snow, Azalea was at her side, eyes assessing her body.
She twitched uncontrollably as Azalea reached up to press her fingers to the girls temples, hissing in shock before muttering away to herself. As the snow continued to whip by, she squinted through the snow, watching as the half giant approached.
"Hagrid!" She called, her voice shockingly calm despite it all and it only scared the Golden trio more as the games keeper approached.
"Stay back"
"Hagrid, we must get her to Madam Pomfrey. Urgently. She will need to go to St.Mungos." Azalea informed in a hushed whisper and Hagrid nodded violently in shock and horror.
"Yes, yes" he nodded, lifting her carefully, delicately into his arms as if she was made of glass as he proceeded to half-run through the snow back towards the castle. Left sat alone in the snow, Azalea sighed for a minute, breathing carefully before she pulled herself to stand and approached the object Katie had dropped.
"This is cursed" she muttered lowly but the four stood around her were in too much of a shocked daze to even register what she had said. Using magic, Azalea quickly placed the necklace back in the wrappings. Certain that it was now safe, she gestured for the others to follow her back towards the castle. "Come on, we must get this to Dumbledore."
* * * | | |
Azalea assessed the necklace carefully where it lay on Professor McGonagall's desk. The golden trio stood awkwardly beside Katie's friend, uncertain why they were even present for this moment.
"And you're certain Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks?" Minerva questioned the friend.
"Like I said, she left to go to the loo and when she came back, she had the package....she said it was important that she deliver it." The girl informed.
"... Did she say to whom?" Azalea cut in.
"To Professor Dumbledore." With that, Azalea and McGonagall exchanged a glance, one that could not be read by the others in the room.
"Very well, thank you Leanne, you may go." She beckoned away and the girl scampered off in a saddened state. ".... Why is it, that when something happens... it is always you three... Four now."
"Believe me professor" Ron began. "I've been asking myself the same question for six years." Though, his retort was ignored as Severus Snape ghosted into the room like an oversized bat, sneering instantly at the sight of the three standing in the centre of the room. When he took a glance at the necklace, he frowned.
"What do you think?" Minerva wondered in worry.
"I think Miss Bell is lucky to be alive... and I believe we owe that the Miss Hogwarts here." The potions master informed and the brunette ignored the discussion, lost in thought.
"She was cursed. Wasn't she? I know Katie. Off the quidditch pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly." Harry vouched for her. "If she was delivering that to Professor Dumbledore, she wasn't doing it knowingly."
"Yes, she was cursed" McGonagall nodded along.
"It was Malfoy"
"Harry!" Azalea warned, frowning.
"That is a very serious accusation Potter." The transfiguration teacher demanded.
"Indeed." Snape turned and glanced across at Azalea. He knew for certain that the daughter of Hogwarts would not have told them anything they were not allowed to know. "Your evidence?"
"I just know."
"You just...know? Yet again, you astonish with your gifts Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the Chosen One." He hissed.
"Snape" he shot Azalea a glance, blinking rapidly at her for a long moment.
"I suggest you go back to your dormitories, all of you." McGonagall snapped. "Please stay, Miss Hogwarts, we have much to discuss." Harry sent his girlfriend a long look, to which she nodded before he left and vanished around the corner.
"We must bring this to Albus" Azalea sighed, running a hand along her face before staring deeply at Snape. They both knew what was happening, things that could not be discussed in front of the transfiguration teacher. And Malfoy was getting out of hand now. It was one thing to target Dumbledore, it was another to involve other students who could consequently be harmed in the crossfire. Now, all they could do was protect the students of Hogwarts as best they could and hope that no other lives were harmed.
