Chapter 3: Revelations and New Accommodations
November 1, 1994
Friday
Time: 5:15 p.m.
Harry and Susan almost reached the Great Hall when he stopped her. Susan gave him a questioning look.
Harry said, "We are no more welcomed by our own houses and the remaining houses are hostile with Durmstrang in Slytherin table and Beauxbatons in Ravenclaw's. I don't think we should go to Great Hall, at least tonight."
Susan grimaced at this, but an idea popped into her head. She replied with a smile, "I guess then we will have to head towards the kitchen then."
A large smile appeared on Harry's face. "Brilliant thinking Sue, I forgot about it!"
Susan hearing him turned a bit red. Harry, feeling a bit concerned, asked, "Sue, all right?" Susan nodded and said, "Yes everything is… alright, just you called me 'Sue'...for the first time..." she trailed off. Harry also turned a bit red.
Trying to change the subject, Harry said, "Yeah... let's go to the kitchen then." Susan nodded.
Harry and Susan, inside the kitchen, found the House Elves preparing dinner. Harry asked the nearest House Elf politely, "Can you prepare our dinner for tonight?" The house elf in question nodded enthusiastically, "Becky will prepare dinner for Master Harry and Miss Bonzey immediately" and then popped away.
Harry and Susan both giggled a bit at hearing Susan being called 'Bonzey'. They sat on the nearest table facing each other.
Harry decided that it was time to talk about importance matters.
"Susan, earlier you said that you...err... that you slept an entire night in a broom closet, did it become really that bad?"
Susan grimaced. She wanted to avoid that topic but knew that there was no escape this time. She collected herself and answered.
"Well...you know that after your name came out of the Goblet of Fire, at first I also thought that you may have entered in the death game intentionally."
Harry at first seemed to say something but Susan raised her hand and asked him to listen patiently.
"But it changed the moment I saw your face. You were shocked and deathly pale which made it pretty clear that you were innocent."
Their dinner arrived and they started eating.
Susan continued, "Then after going in the common room, I tried to reason with them. But they did not listen. Then Cedric came and told us the conversation that took place with the Champions and the doubts of the Headmaster. That enraged the entire house further."
Susan took a sip of her pumpkin juice and then continued, "I tried to talk to Hannah and show her my reasons. It resulted in a shouting match which attracted the Housemates. They declared me a traitor and literally threw me out of the common room with my belongings. Then I took shelter in one of the broom closets for the night...it was cold..." Susan shuddered a little.
Harry grabbed Susan's hands tentatively and said, "Sue...I did not know that you also had it endure such amount of abuse..."
Susan nodded and then with a shaky voice she said, "Do you know the worst part, Harry?" He shook his head.
"The worst part is that even Hannah, with whom I spent most of my childhood, considered me to be traitor and called me a... a scarlet woman for siding with you." Tears were threatening to come out from her eyes.
Harry rose from his seat and gently hugged Susan from the back. She accepted it and allowed him to comfort her. So much for being the House of Loyalty, out casting one of their own just for having different opinion he inwardly thought.
After some moments had passed, Susan remembered something Harry had said. "Harry?" She weakly asked, "What did you mean by 'you also'?"
Harry did a double take, "What?"
Susan clarified, "What did you mean by 'you also had it endure such abuse'?"
Now it was Harry's turn to be a bit uncomfortable but he knew he could tell her what had happened to him. Reluctantly he told her everything that had happened to him since his name came out.
He told her about Dumbledore's reluctance, Ron and Hermione's betrayal, being outcast, sleeping in a classroom, teachers' biasedness, being hexed at least 30 times and everything.
After he ended his ramblings, he saw that tears were freely flowing down her eyes. Susan brought him in a fierce hug, like that of Hermione's, filled with compassion, tenderness, care and...love.
Harry slowly let her go. They finished the rest of the dinner in silence. While they were having their dessert, Harry asked, "Where will you sleep tonight?" Susan frowned a bit and then replied, "I will go and check whether an empty classroom is available or not."
Harry hesitated a bit and then added in a nervous tone, "If... if you want you can move into the classroom where I am st-staying..." he blushed a bit.
Susan also turned a brilliant shade of red. They sat together in an awkward silence for some time.
Finally, Susan said, blushing heavily, "Okay."
Harry asked disbelievingly, "O-okay?"
Susan nodded shyly, "I know that you will not touch me in any unpleasant manner and will never do anything that will make me uncomfortable."
Harry's heart leaped at this. She trusted him. Then a grim realization came into his mind.
"Susan" Harry started, "The room in which I took shelter is relatively small...so I think that we will have to move into a larger room."
Susan thought for a while and then nodded.
Then an idea came into his head. "Dobby" Harry called.
A House Elf wearing a white pillowcase popped in. "Great Master Harry Potter Sir has called Dobby. Dobby bez honoured Sir" the house elf squeaked excitedly. Both Susan and Harry giggled a bit at Dobby's antics.
"Okay Dobby calm down. Susan and I are looking for a room where both of us can stay together. Do you know of such a room?"
Dobby nodded his at least half a dozen times. "There bez such a room House elves call 'Come and Go Room' but the wizards call it 'the Room of Requirement'. It changes into any form of room that one wants!"
"Wicked!" Harry said in an amazed state.
Dobby continued, "Yes Harry Potter Sir, the room bez located in the seventh floor near the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Come with me. Dobby will show you."
Harry and Susan were both awestruck at the wonder of the Room of Requirement. It changed into an entire suit with a fully furnished living room and two bedrooms with attached bathrooms. It was coloured with scarlet and buff yellow.
"Wow!" was the expression on both of their faces. They decided to call it a night and retired in their respective bedrooms for the night.
(A/N: Hello readers! Hope you all are enjoying this far in the story 'Harry Potter and the House of Pendragon'. Next chapter is going to be an important, look out for it. Constructive criticism and reviews are always welcome and appreciated. See you next time!)