Sorry for the delay in posting more of this.
All feedback gratefully received.
Red Fiona
Susan had managed to finish the essay, but she still wasn't going to the ball. She had told Harry that she would be going to the feast, and then leaving discreetly. It made Harry feel bad, because it was Christmas, and he felt that no one should be left on their own over the holidays.
Everyone else attended in full dress, a couple of the 7th years tried their luck and came in not quite exact dress but McGonagall sent them, with a whole hive of bees in their ears, back to their rooms to change.
Susan stood out like a sore thumb. She ate quickly, as though trying to avoid being noticed. No such luck. Malfoy saw her and sauntered over with Crabbe and Goyle.
"I don't believe my eyes, I think I can see the only person who would marry Weasley for the money."
"Go away Malfoy." Harry stood up for Susan. It wasn't her fault that she didn't have a dress robe.
"Make me."
The tension in the air grew. Harry was trying to decide whether hitting Malfoy would be worth the trouble it would put him in. He was about to decide yes when someone spoke.
"If he doesn't I might." It was someone Harry didn't recognise. The boy, or man rather, he looked a few years older than the 7th years, was tall and gaunt, with mid-brown hair and blue eyes. He looked like someone, but Harry couldn't place it.
But Susan reaction was the most astounded. "S..S..Simon? Is that you?"
"Who else is it going to be?"
"But I didn't think you could come."
"I didn't think so either, but we had a breakthrough this afternoon, and I thought I would use the time well." Simon picked Susan up and twirled her around. "Well, aren't you going to introduce everyone?"
Susan was still in shock over Simon's appearance did her best. "Well, um, this is Simon. He went to my old school. Known him since I was little. He's um, well, um, he's a friend." She was starting to blush.
"Simon, this is Harry, Hermionie and Ron. They go to school with me."
"And the idiot who's slouching off?"
"Malfoy, but he's not important. How did you get in here?"
"I've got Professor Dumbledore's permission. I explained that I wanted to make a flying visit, and he said it would be all right, so long as I behaved."
"You behave, never." Even while she said that, Susan hugged Simon tightly, as though she never wanted him to go ever again.
Harry felt as though he was seeing the blossoming of some new flower. Susan was at greater ease than he had ever seen her. Even with her workday robes on, she was dancing round the room, looking like she didn't have a care in the world.
But someone was missing. The chilling presence of their Potions teacher was lacking. If Snape really was up to something, now would have been the perfect time to do it, with everyone having fun in here, no one would notice a thing.
Ron and Hermionie came over to him. "What's wrong?"
"Snape."
"But he's not here. I bet he's skulking around the bushes upsetting people." It was a reasonable guess to make, that's what Snape had been doing last year.
"Precisely. He could be doing anything right now, and we wouldn't be able to stop him."
"Do you think it's safe to leave Susan on her own?" Hermionie had decided she didn't like the looks Malfoy was giving Susan, and she wasn't certain about Simon, there was something wrong about him.
"With Simon there, Malfoy's not going to disturb her, and I can't see anyone else trying anything with everyone there."
"True."
"So let's investigate."
All feedback gratefully received.
Red Fiona
Susan had managed to finish the essay, but she still wasn't going to the ball. She had told Harry that she would be going to the feast, and then leaving discreetly. It made Harry feel bad, because it was Christmas, and he felt that no one should be left on their own over the holidays.
Everyone else attended in full dress, a couple of the 7th years tried their luck and came in not quite exact dress but McGonagall sent them, with a whole hive of bees in their ears, back to their rooms to change.
Susan stood out like a sore thumb. She ate quickly, as though trying to avoid being noticed. No such luck. Malfoy saw her and sauntered over with Crabbe and Goyle.
"I don't believe my eyes, I think I can see the only person who would marry Weasley for the money."
"Go away Malfoy." Harry stood up for Susan. It wasn't her fault that she didn't have a dress robe.
"Make me."
The tension in the air grew. Harry was trying to decide whether hitting Malfoy would be worth the trouble it would put him in. He was about to decide yes when someone spoke.
"If he doesn't I might." It was someone Harry didn't recognise. The boy, or man rather, he looked a few years older than the 7th years, was tall and gaunt, with mid-brown hair and blue eyes. He looked like someone, but Harry couldn't place it.
But Susan reaction was the most astounded. "S..S..Simon? Is that you?"
"Who else is it going to be?"
"But I didn't think you could come."
"I didn't think so either, but we had a breakthrough this afternoon, and I thought I would use the time well." Simon picked Susan up and twirled her around. "Well, aren't you going to introduce everyone?"
Susan was still in shock over Simon's appearance did her best. "Well, um, this is Simon. He went to my old school. Known him since I was little. He's um, well, um, he's a friend." She was starting to blush.
"Simon, this is Harry, Hermionie and Ron. They go to school with me."
"And the idiot who's slouching off?"
"Malfoy, but he's not important. How did you get in here?"
"I've got Professor Dumbledore's permission. I explained that I wanted to make a flying visit, and he said it would be all right, so long as I behaved."
"You behave, never." Even while she said that, Susan hugged Simon tightly, as though she never wanted him to go ever again.
Harry felt as though he was seeing the blossoming of some new flower. Susan was at greater ease than he had ever seen her. Even with her workday robes on, she was dancing round the room, looking like she didn't have a care in the world.
But someone was missing. The chilling presence of their Potions teacher was lacking. If Snape really was up to something, now would have been the perfect time to do it, with everyone having fun in here, no one would notice a thing.
Ron and Hermionie came over to him. "What's wrong?"
"Snape."
"But he's not here. I bet he's skulking around the bushes upsetting people." It was a reasonable guess to make, that's what Snape had been doing last year.
"Precisely. He could be doing anything right now, and we wouldn't be able to stop him."
"Do you think it's safe to leave Susan on her own?" Hermionie had decided she didn't like the looks Malfoy was giving Susan, and she wasn't certain about Simon, there was something wrong about him.
"With Simon there, Malfoy's not going to disturb her, and I can't see anyone else trying anything with everyone there."
"True."
"So let's investigate."