"I can't do this," Susan thought to herself, as she reached the Gryffindor common room and slowly turned to walk back to her dormitory.
...
"Excuse me," a small voice sounded from behind Susan as she quietly ate her breakfast. It was a Monday and Susan had been awake since 10 the prior morning working on her studies in the depths of the library, and resorted to the Great Hall for coffee and toast.
She quickly finished a sentence from the Daily Prophet she had been trying to read for the past five minutes and turned to see Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"Hello," Susan said, slightly surprised to see the three friends in the Great Hall so early in the morning.
"What brings you three here so early?"
Ron and Harry gave Hermione hurried looks, "We need your help," Hermione said quickly, as she silently observed Susan's tired appearance.
Susan pursed her lips and grabbed her goblet of coffee from the table.
"What's the matter?" She asked slowly, taking a large gulp of the hot liquid.
"You see, they sentenced Buckbeak, Hagrid's hippogriff, to death," Hermione said with much distress.
Susan stared blankly at Hermione, unable to concentrate properly, but recognized the urgency in her voice–she really need to get some sleep.
"Right, what do you want me to do about it?"
Hermione glanced at Ron and Harry, "Well, we were hoping you would be able to talk to Dumbledore, or even the Ministry to fix this."
Susan shook her head slowly, "I'm sorry, but if there was a trial involved, the verdict is final. I barely have authority over myself, or any of you, let alone any Ministry departments."
Hermione's face fell into a frown.
"Then who are we supposed to go to, Susan?" Harry asked, a hint of frustration in his tone.
Ron nodded in agreement, "Yeah, this a right injustice!"
"Look, I will talk to Dumbledore, but that is about all I can do," Susan said, shrugging her shoulder.
"I wish there was something that could be done, but you have to understand that not everything is fair, especially when people like the Malfoys are involved."
"Thank you," Hermione said, and turned to walk away.
Ron and Harry muttered their gratitudes and followed Hermione, but stopped as she did.
"You know Susan, what ever is making you this distraught is an injustice as well. Please, fight for yourself if nothing else," Hermione added, then continued on her way.
Susan sat with her goblet of coffee in awe–what was Hermione talking about? Had Susan changed so much as to be coined distraught, she was far worse than she admitted to herself. Surely, preparation for exams was not easy, nor was planning what would happen after Hogwarts, but those two things were common amongst her peers and everyone else seemed to be doing fine. It was worrying about her mother and her relationship with Remus that was stressful, because those two were matters of the heart, not the mind.
...
"Lisa, wait for me!" Susan called after her friend, as she made her way to defense against the dark arts.
Lisa turned around, happy to see Susan; someone she had not spent much time with lately.
"Hello darling, your hair looks smashing today," she said jokingly.
Susan playfully shoved Lisa with her arm, "please, you know I've been up for almost thirty two hours now."
"Yes," Lisa said, then looked Susan up and down, "and it's definitely noticeable."
Susan sighed.
"Perfect, and we're going to his class," she mused sadly, as they walked down the long, dark dungeon corridor.
"I thought you were over him," Lisa inquired, and affectionately leaned into Susan.
"Well, I am, but still...," she said, looking at Lisa for some form of knowing.
"I understand," Lisa said kindly, as they approached the dungeon door.
Susan stretched her hand out to open the large, wooden door, but stopped when she noticed a note.
"What's this?" Susan asked, looking at a scribbled note on the face of the door.
"Classes cancelled? Well, Susan you can go get some sleep now!" Lisa stated jovially, as she excitedly skipped away from the classroom door.
"But, why would classes be cancelled?" Susan asked, as she hurried to catch up to Lisa.
Lisa shook her head. "Do you think I care? It's Monday and I am done with my classes!"
"Okay, well I need to go talk to Dumbledore," Susan said, as they approached the stairs to the main part of the castle.
Lisa smiled, "alright, I'm going to go and find Cedric. Cheerio!"
Susan waved, as Lisa sprinted up the stone stairs to find her boyfriend.
"Wait," Susan thought to herself as she mounted her foot onto the first step.
"It's the full moon," she remember, then proceed to race up the stairs to find Ron, Harry and Hermione.
...
"Hermione!" Susan shouted, when she saw the girl exit the transfiguration classroom.
She had been anxiously waiting in the hallway, anticipating the end of the class, which she knew ended promptly at four.
"Susan, hi!" Hermione said, and briskly rushed towards her, evading the groups of 3rd years who were rushing towards their dormitories.
"Hello," Susan greeted her, and quickly eyed their surroundings.
There were a couple groups of students around them, but she thought they would be relatively safe.
"I need to talk to you."
Hermione nodded, "Did you talk to Dumbledore?"
"No," Susan said quickly, "I didn't have to."
"Okay," Hermione said, seeming slightly annoyed.
"I didn't have to, because I know how you can fix this," Susan said quickly.
Hermione shook her head, and looked around to find Ron and Harry.
"Susan, it's too late," she said, as she waved at the two boys who had just exited the transfiguration classroom.
"What do you mean too late?"
Hermione sighed, "They execution is today at quarter after four."
Susan furrowed her eyebrows, "Oh."
Ron and Harry accompanied the two.
"What's going on?" Harry asked, looking curiously from Susan to Hermione, who both exhibited solemn faces.
"Nothing," Hermione said sadly, "we were just trying to figure out what we had talked about earlier."
"Well, should be at least go and support Hargid after it?" Ron suggested, as he gently patted his pet rat, Scabbers, on the head.
Hermione looked at Scabbers with disgusted, but nodded, "Sure, that is probably the best we can do now."
Susan crossed her arms securely across her chest, "Hermione, come with me please. Harry and Ron, we will meet you done at Hagrid's."
"Listen," Susan said as she and Hermione walked away from Ron and Harry, "I did not have to talk to Dumbledore, because I know what we would have told you."
"Okay," Hermione, said as she continued to follow Susan.
"Look, I know about your time-turner, and well, I know that if you deem this an important enough event and such an immense injustice that you should use it tonight," Susan said quickly, paranoid that someone would hear them.
Hermione opened her mouth, ready to protest, but instantly shut it, for no words came out.
"But, how would I be able to do this? I mean, I would need either yours or Harry and Ron's help," Hermione, asked.
"They can help you, Hermione. You just need to put the chain around the tree of you."
"Have you ever used a time-turner before?" She asked, questioning Susan's logic.
She nodded, as they headed outside into the main courtyard of the castle.
"Yes, and I know just how dangerous it can be to meddle with time, but sometimes you need to take a chance Hermione."
"And what has given you this sudden spark of hope, Susan? Merely ten hours ago you told us to give up," Hermione asked, genuinely curious.
Susan smiled, "Let's just say, I am trying this new thing where I'm not only fighting for myself, but for others."
"Good," Hermione said, as they descended that stairs that lead to the grassy hill on the east side of the castle.
Ron and Harry stood under the stone tunnel that began the pathway to Hagrid's hut. Hermione quickly joined her two friends, as they looked out across the green grass and at the quaint pumpkin patch that Hagrid grew each year. Yet, Susan stayed back and observed from behind–weary of what might become of the next twelve hours.
Right, so 1) I am so sorry, it has literally been over a year since I have updated (please forgive me). 2) This is a short chapter that is slightly off from the books, but I really wanted to update and it is a set up for a really good really exciting next update. 3) I hope people still have hope in me and this story and will continue reading it (even though I am going to be updating slowly). 4) Thank you to anyone that is reading this, I love you I love you I love you :)
I hope all is well, and everyone is having a wonderful fall/almost winter!
-teawithme