Havoc on Halloween
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"You know, I knew I could count on you to get this excited about a book," Susan said to Remus, who was eagerly reading the back of the hard cover book she brought him.
He nodded absentmindedly in response to her statement, and continued to flip through the book's crisp pages. She smiled at his interest abound and sat down next to him on the couch. Lazily she relaxed into the large cushions and softly she put her head on Remus's shoulder, in attempt to read along with him. She could feel his shoulder tense and his eyes gaze at her, but she continued to read the pages in front of her, and he too began to relax. But Remus closed the book, and Susan lifted her head from his shoulder, meeting his ardent eyes. An intense chill ran down her spine as they made eye contact and very slowly Susan looked away from Remus, and sat straight on the couch.
Uncomfortably, Remus cleared his throat and stood up from the couch, taking the book with him. He placed the coveted book on a wooden shelf that lined the wall, and timidly looked at Susan, who followed his every move with her eyes.
"So," Susan said awkwardly, she sat at the edge of the couch contemplating whether or not she should get up. "Tomorrow is Halloween."
Remus nodded and returned to the couch. "That it is," he said calmly and apathetically.
"Would you like to go to the Three Broomsticks with me tomorrow, Remus?" Susan asked suddenly, her outburst laced with uncertainty and insecurity.
Slightly he pursed his lips, but they curved into a slight smile.
"Could we meet there early, like at eleven thirty? I have to meet with another student at two," Remus asked, looking at Susan who was fervently blushing beside him.
"Of course," she said happily, in fact Susan felt happier than she had in a long time, though she could not deny the little hint of jealousy she felt about the other student.
"So, what are your plans for today?" Lisa asked Susan, who was already dressed to go. She simply wore a pair of jeans, grey sweater, and a pair of brown leather boots.
"Well, at elven thirty I am meeting with professor Lupin at the Three Broomsticks, and then I don't know what I'm doing the rest of the time. Do you want to meet up?" Susan asked Lisa, who had several outfits spread across her bed, most of them including dresses.
"Of course, and you do realize we never celebrated your seventeenth birthday properly, right?" Lisa said grabbing a purple dress and slipping it on over her wool tights.
Susan laughed at her friend, who was imply that she get Susan drunk. "Lisa, I can't get drunk," she exclaimed, and ran her hand through her long, dark, brown hair.
Lisa rolled her eyes and looked at her self in the mirror, "we'll see."
"Alright, so want to meet me at the Three Broomsticks at one?" Susan asked, she fumble with a stick of eye liner then set it down, she never wore much make-up.
"Sounds good, how do you think I should do my hair? I'm meeting with Cedric."
Susan looked at her friends long, wavy, blond hair, and tilted her head to the side.
"Hmm, I would either keep it down, or braid it," Susan suggested, "especially if you're going to wear a sweater with that dress. I can do a loose braid for you, it's a very fall look."
Still looking in the mirror, Lisa nodded in agreement, and Susan quickly french braided her hair.
"Merlin's beard," Susan shouted as she glanced at her watch. "I have to go, but I'll see you at one!" She said to Lisa, as she ran out of her dorm.
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"Bloody hell, Remus, I am so sorry I am late," Susan said frantically, as she ran into the smokey little pub. She walked over to Remus, who sat at a table near a window, and she noticed that no students had filtrated the popular spot yet, she thought for a moment that was why Remus wanted to come earlier. Rumors were quite popular at Hogwarts.
"Please, don't worry Susan, it's fine," he said warmly to her, as she took of her coat and sat down in the chair across from him.
Susan smiled brightly at Remus, and looked out the window. The streets were starting to get busy and there was already a line outside of Honeydukes, which opened at noon.
"Have you ordered yet?" Susan asked Remus, who also was gazing out the window, enjoying the fall scene.
"No, I have not, but what would you like? I can go and order now," he offered kindly, waiting for Susan to fill her order.
She bit her lip and thought for a moment. "Just a regular Butter Beer sounds fantastic right now."
Remus nodded and went to order. Susan watch him walk towards that counter and could not help, but let her eyes travel along his body. Though he looked tired, wore shabby clothes, and had speckles of grey hair Susan thought he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
He came back with the drinks and smiled at Susan, she loved it when he did that. His smiled eclipsed his tired eyes and brought youth to his features.
"So, what did you get?" Susan asked Remus, who was taking a sip of his drink, which looked like a butter beer.
"Butter beer with ginger, would you like to try it?" He asked, kindly offering his drink to Susan.
She smiled, but shook her head. "No thank you, but it sounds lovely."
"It is," he said taking another drink. They sat in silence for awhile just enjoying each others company, their drinks, and the homey atmosphere of the pub. Remus gazed at Susan who was playing with the handle of her mug and started conversation.
"So, how are your other classes going?" He asked sincerely interested.
She looked at him and pursed her lips. "Well, they're all lovely except for potions. Professor Snape hates me."
Remus ran a hand through his hair and raised an eyebrow. "Has he ever said anything to you?"
Susan nodded. "Well, he's always had contempt for me, because I am a Gryffindor and well do well in his class, but recently he has been especially cold," Susan said solemnly.
"Like, what has he said to you?" Remus asked curiously.
"Well, yesterday in fact, as I was walking to your quarters he inquired me about you, he seemed suspicious and was jumping to wrong conclusions," Susan said, her cheeks turning bright red.
Remus smirked and nodded in understanding. "Well, you see Professor Snape and I don't get along too well. We were in the same year at Hogwarts and we were in rival houses, and my friends weren't the most welcoming of boys you'd ever meet. So, naturally he still is contemptuous towards me," Remus said, seeming almost bitter about his relationship with Snape.
"Oh, so you picked on him at school?" Susan asked hesitantly.
"No, I didn't, but my friends did. Snape I think it bitter, because I did not stop them. To this day I still feel bad about that. I wish I had."
"Well, you can always apologize now, although I don't know if he would accept it. I think he's very misunderstood," Susan said solemnly, and Remus nodded in agreement.
"You're right, but I shall try and make amends," he said hopefully.
Susan laughed to herself. "Maybe he just needs a girlfriend. You know someone to soften him up a bit."
Remus looked at Susan strangely, raising a comical eyebrow.
"Oh, please Remus don't give me that look. I know for a fact that there are plenty of Slytherin girls that would get off on that," Susan said quite serious.
For the first time Susan heard Remus whole heartily laugh, as if he were a kid again and someone had just gotten a chair pulled out from underneath them. She couldn't help, but smile at him as his eyes started to gleam with the pure joy of laughter.
A couple of stares were directed there way, but they did not notice. Well, at least not until Lisa showed up.
"What are you two laughing about?" She asked, she and Cedric were walking hand in hand, but Lisa held a small glass filled with an amber liquid in the other.
"Oh, nothing just something about a book," Susan lied, not wanting to explain the whole story to Lisa and Cedric.
"Hmm, well that sounds funny," Lisa said with no enthusiasm.
"You should have been here," Remus said smiling at the two.
"Right, well I came to stir things up a bit," Lisa said eyeing the glass in her hand.
"So, let the good times roll," she said placing it in front off Susan who stared at the glass, then Remus, then Lisa, whom smiled jovially.
"Is it one already?" Susan asked, and Lisa shook her head.
"Nope, it's barely twelve thirty, but we thought we'd come early. You see we made a reservation at Madam Puddifoot's at one thirty," Lisa explained, whilst Cedric pulled up two chairs for them to sit in.
"So, drink up my friend and happy birthday!" Lisa shouted, but Susan pushed the drink away, conscious of her teacher, who was sitting right across from her.
"Come on Susi! You promised, plus you're not officially seventeen until you've taken a shot," Lisa said persuasively, and Remus nodded.
"She's kind of right," he said adding to the peer pressure.
"Fine," she said stubbornly, "but just one."
Slowly she lifted the small shot glass and held it to her lips. In a quick, fluid motion she swallowed the warm, burning liquid and made a grotesque expression.
"Are you trying to kill me?" Susan asked Lisa, who could only laugh at her dear friend. Suddenly Susan began to feel light headed and blurry. But surely she was not drunk, or at least thats what she thought. One shot could not make you drunk, could it?
Sighing she laid her head on the table and Lisa stared at her pathetically.
"Susi, you're not drunk," she stated firmly.
"You don't know that. I may not handle alcohol well," she said slowly lifting her head, not feeling well.
"Well, back at the castle, in the kitchens, there are some tonics," Remus said, looking wearily at Susan.
"I'm going to go back to the castle," Susan said sitting up. "Thanks, Lisa," Susan said seriously, before giving her friend a big hug. She knew Lisa had good intentions.
"Bye, Cedric," she said lightly smiling and grabbing her red coat.
"I'll take her back to the castle," Remus said to Lisa, who looked worried, but she nodded.
"Thank you, professor."
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"Sorry, you have to see me like this," Susan said to Remus, who helped Susan walk back up to the castle.
"It's quite alright Susan, I have seen people way worse than you before," he said quickly grabbing her arm as she began to falter.
"I've never had a drink before," she said clutching his arm, trying to steady herself.
"Well, now you know what it's like, right?" Remus asked her jokingly.
She huffed. "Unfortunately."
"Well, we'll get you a tonic, dear," he said as the neared the castle.
"Thank you," she said looking up at him. Her face was pale, her hair was messy, and she looked like she hadn't slept in days.
Softly Remus pushed back the hair that fell in front of her eyes and carefully walked her to the kitchens.
"Please! Everyone stay back! I am HEAD BOY!!" Percy shouted as he tried to get through the packed crowd of Gryffindors. The stairway to the portrait of the Fat Lady was virtually clogged with students frantically moving about.
"Percy! Get up here now!" Susan shouted. She was at the portrait, which had been violently slashed open. She worriedly looked around her, fellow students inquired her about what happened, but she shook her head and ignored their questions.
"Someone get the Head Master!" She shouted, but suddenly he appeared, seeming quite angry. Susan watched as he examined the painting, but focused her attention to Filch, the caretaker, who limply walked towards Dumbledore.
"Filch, please check every portrait in the castle and find the Fat Lady," Dumbledore demanded, and Filch nodded.
"Sir, she's right there!" He said instantly pointing her out. She was crouched down behind a hippopotamus, her face was distorted with horror.
"Fat Lady, what has happened to you?" Dumbledore asked compassionately.
"Sirius Black!" She cried. "He's in the castle, he tried to get into the Gryffindor Tower," She cried ever louder and ran away through the portraits that lined the castle wall.
"Susan, Percy, get everyone into the Great Hall, now!" Dumbledore demanded and walked away to find the rest of the teachers.
"Everyone to the Great Hall now!" Susan shouted and pushed the students down the stairs. Worried looks and whispers were exchanged and the air was suddenly filled with a grim suspicion.
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"Please everyone stay in your sleeping bags and go to sleep! Everything is fine!" Susan shouted across the Great Hall. Hundreds of student laid on the stone floor, wrapped in purple and gold sleeping bags. For the past hour Susan and Percy had been preaching unfounded lies to their classmates, as the Hogwarts staff searched the castle of the infamous, Sirius Black, who Susan did not know was gone or not.
Pacing the narrow rows of stone floor, Susan heard soft sniffles coming from the far corner of the room. Hurriedly, Susan followed the noise and approached a young girl cuddled into her sleeping bag, crying.
"Excuse me," Susan said softly to the girl, as she knelt beside her sleeping bag. The young girl looked up timidly at Susan with wide eyes.
"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Susan asked kindly, hoping her words were not drowned out by Percy's annoying hushing sounds.
The girl nodded and tried to suppress her sobs. Susan frowned at the poor girl, knowing that she was far near alright.
"Would you like to go sit outside the Great Hall with me for awhile?" Susan asked the girl, who she presumed was a first year.
Nodding quickly, the girl sat up and followed Susan outside of the Great Hall doors. Dim light, lit the castle foyer and professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, stood guard.
"Miss Thoits, what are you doing?" He inquired, as Susan and the girl emerged from the Great Hall.
"Just helping a student," Susan said simply, walking the young girl over towards a stone wall. Susan laid a spare sleeping bag across the ground and sat down with the girl beside her.
"You can lay down and sleep or you just sit and talk with me if you'd like," Susan said smiling warmly to the girl, who voluntarily sprawled out across the sleeping bag. Comfortingly, Susan rubbed the girls back, as she dozed off to sleep. Wether the young girl was scared of Black, or worried about him, or upset about something else, Susan sympathized with her, because Susan too felt scared.
"Miss Thoits, the head master said that all students must stay in the Great Hall, so I need to move her, alright?" Professor Flitwick said, before levitating the young girl back into the Great Hall.
Susan said nothing, but continued to sit still with her back pressed against the hard brick wall. Unjustified tears rolled down her flushed cheeks, she was scared. Usually Susan did not feel scared, or vulnerable for that matter, but when she did she would feel miserable. She would shake, get chills, even run a high fever in some cases, but today she just felt alone and helpless.
"Susan?" Remus asked worried, but she did not answer, instead she hugged her legs and cried relentlessly. Susan could hear the voices for other teachers coming back from their rounds, so Susan stood up and quickly headed towards her dorm. She successfully slipped past the head master through the castle's shadows, but she knew Remus was close behind her.
"Susan!" He said sternly, and she began to run. Being seventeen years younger than Remus she was faster, and she neared the Gryffindor tower before he could catch her.
Breathlessly, Susan stopped at the portrait of the Fat Lady, which Susan had forgotten, was not there anymore. Frustrated she let out defeated cry, and collapsed to the ground her tears coming back.
"Susan?" Remus asked hesitantly, he walked up the stairs to see Susan sitting against the wall with her head in her hands, sobbing.
"Susan, love, what's wrong?" Remus asked, deeply concerned, but again she wouldn't look up.
Sighing deeply, Remus sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. Instantly she grabbed onto him and relinquished her emotions. He gently rocked her and rubbed her back, whilst she slowly began to calm. Sniffling softly, she looked up at her professor, who she has successfully fallen in love with, then buried her head into the crevice of his neck. Holding her tight, he lightly kissed the top of her head, and Susan held onto him tighter, hoping that he'd kiss her again.
So, what did you think? Good, bad, ugly? I would love to know. Thank you to everyone that has been reviewing, I really appreciate it! Also, I have been popping these chapters out like babies, so there might be a bit of a pace change. Maybe one a week? Sound good? I hope you enjoyed the chapter...I mean Remus and Suasn are getting a little close, eh? Like usual, if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments just tell me! I loooooove feedback. The more I get the faster I update. Have a wonderful presidents day (if you live in America) and I'll be updating again soon!
love, teawithme