Shifted: Book One

Chapter Twenty Three - One Step Closer

December and January flew by, the second task was only hours away.

"They've taken something, perhaps valuable?", Harry suggested, whilst he sat in the library with Hazel, Hermione and Ron.

After Hazel had found the second clue she immediately told the others and the four headed to the library before the next morning to see if they could crack the code.

"Come seek us where our voices sound", Hazel repeated, hitting her chin against a thick book she had opened on the desk she was sat at.

"The Black Lake, that's obvious", Hermione suggested.

"An hour long you'll have to look", Harry added on, rubbing his tiresome eyes and slowly pacing the room.

"Again, obvious. Third mystery potentially problematic", Hermione said.

"Potentially problematic? When's the last time you held your breath underwater for an hour, Hermione?", Harry snapped back.

Hermione shot Harry an impatient look. Harry sat down beside Hazel who was almost asleep, resting her head against the book. Ron was sat at the opposite desk with a book open in front of him, though he wasn't reading anything. And Hermione continued to pace the room, slowly cracking the clue.

Hazel's eyes shot open and she lifted her head up.

"I can't do this, I can't", Hazel said in a panic.

Her breathing intensified as she reminisced back to the traumatic experience she went through with the sea when she was younger.

She was about six or seven, it was a surprisingly hot day in the south east of England. Her family took them to the beach to cool off during the summer holidays, it was just her mum, dad, Eleanor, their pet dog, Rex, and of course, herself. Her parents were always keeping an eye out when her sister and herself got close to the sea, just to be safe. The two sisters were busy playing with a frisbee with the water up to their shins. The small waves would crash beneath their feet and in between their toes, it was a perfectly normal day at the beach. All was fine until Hazel found an unused surf board lying on the shore after she was finished playing with Eleanor. Both her parents were arguing in the background, she never did find out what it was about. Eleanor was building a sandcastle just a little further away from them with Rex relaxed next to her. Hazel, being completely clueless to the dangers, took the surf board out into the sea and sat on it. At first, she wasn't scared at all, she was floating gently on the grey-ish blue waves and the beach was almost empty so the sea wasn't crowded. The wind was a bit choppy, but not enough to push her off the surfboard. She continued to paddle out further and further away until the waves became more chaotic. When she looked back to the beach, her parents were almost half the size as what they actually were. In a sudden change of weather, the wind gradually became stronger and stronger, making it harder for Hazel to balance on the board. She was trying to paddle her way back to shore but the waves were working against her. She screamed at the top of her lungs for her parents to come and save her, but they couldn't see where she was. She stood up on the board and yelled and waved one last time before slipping off the board and plummeting into the deep sea. Hazel can still remember what she felt that day; the stinging sensation of the salty water in her bloodshot eyes, the choking feeling tightening around her neck as she was running out of oxygen, the fear that she was going to lose her life. She remembered nothing else after that.

Hazel couldn't think straight and wanted to remove that memory from her mind. Her heart raced and her palms got sweaty. Harry, Ron and Hermione rushed to her, comforting her and reassuring her that she is okay. Harry's warm hand stroked Hazel's shoulder, slightly calming her down, whilst Ron patted her back gently.

"Look, Hazel, Harry, we can do this!", Hermione reassured.

"The four of us can figure this out", she added.

Ron stood back up and slightly backed away whilst the other three turned their heads to behind them, where a teacher revealed himself. Hazel hadn't met this teacher yet, and was intrigued to find out who he was.

"Hate to break up the scholars session-", he began to speak before looking at Hazel.

"I do apologise, I see we haven't met before, Jones", he said, his fake eye rolling around whilst his other, real eye, maintained eye contact with her.

"I'm Professor Alastor Moody", he finished.

"Anyway, Professor McGonagall would like to see you in her office", he said looking at Ron and Hermione.

The four stood up from their seats before being asked to stay put.

"Not you two, Potter and Jones, just Weasley and Granger", he said, as the two sat back down confused.

"But sir, the second task is only hours away and-", Hermione pleaded, desperate to stay and help the two champions.

"Exactly", Moody interrupted.

"Presumably Potter and Jones are better prepared by now and could do with a good night's sleep", he finished.

Hermione and Ron shared glances and left the room.

"Oh and Weasley, find your brother Fred, will you? He's been asked to see Professor McGonagall too", he added, before sending them on their way.

"Potter, Jones, Longbottom here will help you this evening", Moody said whilst he left and Neville entered the library.

"Hey Harry, Hazel", Neville stuttered.

Harry was tired, and slammed his head against the book on the desk. Hazel stood up and gave Neville a warm hug.

"Hey Neville, no need to help us, we can put the books away ourselves", she said, smiling.

"It's alright, really-", Neville said before approaching Harry. He studied the cover of the book beside Harry's rested head.

"You know, if you're interested in plants, you'll be better off with Garshark's guide to herbology", Neville suggested.

Harry looked up at Neville's excited face. He loved herbology! And he was great at understanding it too.

"Do you know there's a wizard in Nepal who's growing gravity-resistant trees-", Neville added before being cut off by Harry.

"Neville, no offence but I really don't care about plants", Harry said before lifting his head and shutting the heavy book before him.

Neville's face grew to disappointment. Hazel nudged Harry's shoulder and turned her attention to Neville, who seemed a bit upset now.

"Sounds great, Neville! We're kind of looking for something at the moment though", Hazel said gently.

Neville shrugged sheepishly and formed a little nervous smile.

"Sorry Neville, but if there's a Tibetan turnip that will help us breathe underwater for an hour, great. But otherwise-", Harry said whilst standing up and putting the book back in the shelf behind him.

Neville's eyes lit up.

"I don't know about turnips, but you could always use gillyweed", he suggested confidentially.

Hazel and Harry glanced at each other with confused expressions, then turned their attention to Neville, who explained everything.