Shifted: Book One

Chapter Nine - The Night Before

By the time Hazel, Harry and Neville had made their way back to the Great Hall, dinner was being made; the hall's ceiling was gorgeously designed as the night sky with ashy clouds that looked like fog. The tables were all prepared with fine silver cutlery and thousands of plates and trays were filled with thousands of different treats.

They made their way into the hall, it wasn't too busy by the time they sat down, however Neville had other plans that didn't involve eating treats.

"I'd love to stay but I've got to study for herbology", Neville spoke softly.

He waved, and swiftly rushed back to the Gryffindor common room. Hazel had only just met Neville, but she had already grown to like him; yes, he was a sweet boy with a precious and heart-warming smile, he never failed to make one feel welcomed. But he's so much more than a nice boy. He's smart, and very hard-working, he's loyal and brave and fierce, even if he doesn't quite realise it. At times, Neville has been forgetful and clumsy, but everyone has little flaws like that, if they're even called flaws. Hazel acknowledged Neville and, to her, he was more than just another boy at Hogwarts, she felt like she had already found a lifelong friend.

Hazel and Harry sat down together, with other Gryffindor students around their table dotted around the place. They tucked into a delicious dinner, a classic dinner in fact; a couple scoops of golden roast potatoes, a perfectly cooked, crispy yorkshire pudding, two thin but tender slices of roast chicken and almost half the plate was full with green and orange vegetables that swum in a shallow pond of gravy.

The hall was quiet, but not too quiet that it became uncomfortable. That's the thing with Hogwarts, it was never uncomfortable, it was home.

Hazel and Harry began to eat their dinner when Harry asked a question.

"Can I ask you something, Hazel?", he asked.

Hazel felt nervous, what was Harry going to ask? What would her answer be? Hazel, knowing she didn't actually belong in this reality, had forgotten no one knew how she got to Hogwarts. Would they accuse her of being evil; of being part of some sinister force, sent here to bring darkness to Hogwarts? Her mind raced with a million unanswerable thoughts, before shutting them down and answering Harry's question.

"Of course, what is it?", she asked back, still nervous.

Harry looked down for a moment, slightly hitting the end of his fork against the table whilst rehearsing his question in his mind. He then looked up and made eye contact with Hazel, who's eyes were filled with uncertainty.

"How did you get here, to Hogwarts?", he asked.

Hazel's heart sunk, the dreaded question was asked. Her eyes became dry as she started to nervously bounce her leg up and down under the oak table. Hazel was uncertain with her response. She couldn't tell Harry the truth, it would completely ruin everything. But did Hazel have the time, the knowledge to make something up? However much time she had, she was running out of it quickly.

Hazel softly placed her hand on her leg to stop it from bouncing, and took a breath to take her nerves away. Harry's face suddenly turned to concern and guilt.

"You don't have to answer, Hazel, I don't want to overstep-", Harry began to speak, before being interrupted by Hazel.

"It's okay, it's just a long story," Hazel said, biting the inside of her bottom lip softly.

She felt terrible for not being entirely truthful to Harry, though it was true, it was a long story indeed. She looked down at her full plate, and back up with a meaningless smile.

"I know everyone's talking about me", she said, now looking at Harry, into his concerned eyes.

"They all think I'm a freak, or some bad person, even both!", she exclaimed.