Of Earth & Stars
Chapter 22: Help Me; Help You
November 1991
Madame Pomfrey walked into the private back room of her infirmary, finding Suri concentrating on her chores. The fourth year girl had her wand drawn, levitating metal basins into a large sink where a charmed sponge and dish towel scrubbed the basins. Down the assembly line Suri commandeered, all with easy flicks and swishes of her wand, the basins were dried and polished by another towel before neatly stacking onto a nearby storage shelf.
"That's it for today, Miss Rosier-Black," said Pomfrey with a tight smile. Students weren't allowed beyond the large, front room of the infirmary, but Suri, Pomfrey begrudgingly admitted days ago, had proven herself more than capable.
"Already?" Suri glanced up from her task to the clock on the wall, noticing it was already time for dinner. She directed the last of the metal basins to the shelf, where it softly clinked against the others. Pocketing her wand, Suri turned to Hogwarts's Matron. "Just a little over a week left, right?"
"Correct." Pomfrey frowned, watching Suri free her long, ink black hair from it's high ponytail. She imagined the horror of finding wayward strands of hair in her sterilized workspace. Biting back her reprimand, Madame Pomfrey reached into her apron and extracted a small leather pouch.
"Before you go, I want you to take this. I want you to sprinkle some of this around your pillow and drink the rest in your daily tea until it's gone."
Suri, juggling her book back on her shoulder, took the pouch Pomfrey offered and opened it. Inside, she found a mostly white powdery substance with flecks of purple, black and yellow. Bringing it up closer, Suri sniffed carefully. "Lavender and...rose hips? Thank you, but what's this for?"
"Jasmine," Pomfrey corrected. "Lavender, jasmine, valerian, and a couple other ingredients." Pomfrey smiled tightly, unable to mask her concern when she looked at the dark, half-moon smudges beneath Suri's eyes. "You look as though you haven't slept in ages, Miss Rosier-Black. I remember you mentioning having a nervous tendency so I thought this would help you. I can't have you making clumsy mistakes in my hospital due to lack of sleep."
Only Madam Pomfrey would voice her concern in the form of criticism.
"I'll be sure to use it." Suri pocketed the kind gift, her stomach sinking, guiltily. Even Madame Pomfrey, though she wouldn't say it, was worried about her. She was just one more person Suri was letting down. Ever since her unplanned trip into Sirius Black's mind, Suri began to have trouble going to sleep. When she did sleep, it was fitful. Occasionally, she still had nightmares of Marcus or of those first years following her mother's death, but those were less frequent now. Mostly, she woke in the middle of the night with the overwhelming feeling of helplessness and waking memories of her father's emaciated and once handsome face, more than half-crazed, in Azkaban. Whatever her father had endured for the past ten years had leached onto her. Suri was terrified of falling back into Sirius's mind when she knew she had no control over the situation.
"Madame, do you think…" Suri took a deep breath; she didn't really talk about her troubles. Nate knew, without Suri discussing them with him, that she still struggled with sleep. Girls in her dorm probably knew too, but no one mentioned it to her. "Will this stuff help me with night terrors?"
"This potion promotes restful sleep, so there's potential benefits to ease nightmares and night terrors." Pomfrey frowned. "Are you having nightmares?"
"I...yeah. It's not a big deal though. I'm probably just stressed," attempting a smile, Suri reached for her book bag and headed for the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."
As she left, Pomfrey called after her. "Perhaps you should ask Professor Snape for a potion. Anything I have in stock here is much too powerful for just one night of sleep. In fact, that powder comes highly recommended by him. Since then, I've kept it in stock for years."
"Knowing my luck, Snape would give me something to make me sleep forever," Suri mumbled darkly. Before Pomfrey could reprimand her morbid thoughts, Suri bade the Hogwarts Matron goodnight and hurried out, heading for the library.
On the way there, Suri quietly debated whether or not her loss of sleep and sanity was worth asking Snape for help. Not only for a potion but, Suri exhaled irritably, for help with her legilimency. She knew Snape was an incredibly skilled wizard, but their mutual dislike of each other might keep him from helping her.
Suri remembered Dumbledore explaining that her grandmother had requested Suri receive tutoring specifically for her uncontrolled legilimency. Snape, supposedly being the best there was, was expected to help her. It was a surprise when Snape refused. Unwilling to work with someone who hated her so openly Suri promised she would learn on her own. And she did, sort of. Whatever theories she learned, apparently, had reached their limit. Now, Suri imagined Snape would rub her weakness in her face.
In the library, Suri passed handfuls of students from every house, pouring over textbooks and parchments, quietly studying alone or in quiet groups. Usually, Suri did her homework with Nate and Gemma in their Common Room, but between detention and Nate charming his way into Gemma's heart, Suri chose to work alone. With less energy because of fatigue, Suri almost preferred being on her own.
Making her way to the back of the library, unaware of the curious eyes that trailed after her, Suri noticed a slight, solitary figure standing in the sports section, flipping hopelessly through the book in his hands. Harry. Suri's heart sped up as she paused in the empty aisle next to his.
The last time Harry saw her, she was running away from the quidditch field. She remembered Harry's fearful expression when he saw her, and a wave shame crashed over her. It was the shame stopping her from being with her friends, from doing her best in her classes, and from feeling like anything mattered anymore.
Harry matters, she reminded herself, thinking of the sweet baby she once loved. Harry mattered and he was here at Hogwarts. Suri wouldn't lose him again. Taking a deep breath, Suri stepped around the books.
"Hey," Suri greeted, smiling kindly, ignoring the nerves that fluttered in her stomach.
Harry looked up, green eyes startled behind his round glasses, from the book in his hands.
Harry looked up and glanced about, checking to see if there was anyone else Suri greeted. Finding no one, he answered, "er, hello."
"Quidditch Through the Ages," Suri nodded at the book in Harry's hands. "I'm assuming Oliver Wood told you to pick this one up because you're…" Suri took another step closer to Harry and lowered her voice, her stormy eyes dancing with knowing. "You're their newest player, aren't you?"
Suri's humor faltered. He's so small, she thought with some sadness. She was aware that Harry was eleven and most boys his age were still little, and that she herself wasn't very tall either. But there was something about Harry's littleness that made her want to whisk him away to her home in Vienna and feed him vitamins and cookies until he grew five inches taller.
At the mention of being on Gryffindor's team, Harry took a step back. "I, er, I mean…" He looked around frantically, as if he'd rather be anywhere than here.
In spite of herself, Suri giggled, holding up her hands in surrender. "Gryffindor's secret stays with me, I promise."
"How did you know I'm on the team," Harry asked, his shoulders still scrunched up nervously. "Er, you're Suri, right? That girl from Slytherin."
"That's me." Harry's unsaid words hung between them. He must have been used to people coming up and striking conversation with him out of the blue. Harry was, after all, the boy who lived. Suri, on the other hand was the girl who hexed people when she didn't get her way. Smoothing over the awkward pause, Suri continued. "I remember seeing you and Oliver Wood about a month ago. You looked like you were going to practice. It's not very hard to put two and two together."
Harry nodded silently. Suri studied his young face and saw the tip of his scar obscured behind his jet-black hair. "What position are you?"
"Seeker."
"Wow, that's amazing," Suri encouraged, honesty impressed. Not only was Harry the youngest quidditch player at Hogwarts in over a century, he was playing what she considered to be the most difficult position.
"Your first game is this weekend against my house, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is," Harry frowned apologetically. "Should I be talking to you? Oliver said you're Slytherin's keeper."
"Oh, haven't you heard? I quit the team." Suri's smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Harry!" A couple aisles over, someone whisper-yelled for Harry and was immediately shushed.
"That's Ron," Harry supplied, and a couple seconds later Ron Weasley appeared.
"Harry—oh." Ron looked from Harry to Suri, assessing the situation. Then, recognition flashed in his eyes. "Suri! Fred and George are actually looking for you…something about paying a bet? They're in the library right now, actually." Ron hitched a thumb over his shoulder in the general direction where his brothers might be.
"Ugh," Suri scoffed, "and that's my cue to leave. I didn't even get to start on my essay." Suri gave the book in Harry's hand another dismissive look. "If you want my opinion, you aren't going to find what you're looking for in that book. Qudditch is best learned on the go."
"That makes sense," Harry closed the book in his hands. "Oliver wanted me to read this because I've never heard of quidditch before I got here."
"Ah, that makes sense then" Suri nodded, considering Harry thoughtfully. Then, lowering her voice, she beckoned Harry to come closer. "Before I go, I should tell you something about Slytherin's team."
Glancing back at Ron, Harry then took a step forward until he and Suri were less than a foot apart. It took all of Suri's impulse control to refrain from reaching out and adjusting the ill-fitting collar of his shirt or pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Watch out for Slytherin, Harry. You're going to be their main target. They'll aim the bludgers at you and they'll do whatever it takes to knock you from your broom. Make sure you give yourself some space. Always be aware of your surroundings during the game. George and Fred are good beaters, but they can't see everything."
"Thanks, Suri," Harry said, gulping nervously. Ron looked at Suri with suspicious, narrow eyes. Stepping back from Harry, Suri glanced around, as though the twins might appear at any moment. She hoped she could make it out of the library before they caught her; she didn't have the energy for their antics.
"I hope you kick Slytherin's arse this weekend. Don't forget to eat something before the game, too. You'll need all your strength. And Ron, it was good seeing you again. I hope it's not too long before we all chat again."
"Definitely," Ron answered a little too eagerly as Suri stealthily hurried away in case the Weasley twins were nearby. Quickly returning to her table, she packed her belongings and tiptoed toward the entrance. She was almost out when...
"Rosie!"
"Weasels," Suri groaned as she was flanked by a red-headed tornado also known as Fred and George Weasley.
"Where are you going so quickly?" George asked as the three of them stepped out of the library and into the main hallway.
"You know, you're kind of fast for someone so...little. You almost managed to leave without us seeing you!" Fred placed the palm of his hand on Suri's head. Even though she was a year older, the boys managed to be taller than her. Irritably, she smacked Fred's hand off of her.
"If you excuse me, I'm heading back to my Common Room to do homework and sleep." Suri walked around Fred and George, but in three quick strides they were in front of her. Suri's eyes flashed angrily. She didn't feel threatened by them. Even if they blocked her path, she still felt like she could get away if she really needed to, and the library wasn't very far behind them.
"Another long day of detention," George sympathized. "It's not easy being a delinquent."
Rolling her eyes, Suri exhaled slowly. "Will you just spit out what it is you want? I'm really not in the mood."
"You know what we want," said Fred, wiggling his eyebrows. "Do you remember our wager?"
"A certain bet placed on the Express," George inputted.
"About a certain person whose name rhymes with Larry Rotter," Fred continued. "And what would happen should a certain person who's in this conversation should lose said bet."
"Can't you weasels ever get to the point right away?" As annoying as they were, their energy was infectious. The more they smiled slyly, enjoying her anger, the more Suri found herself biting the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling as well. She had to admit, this banter was making her feel normal.
"Being frustrating is part of our charm," Fred grinned cheekily.
"It's time to pay up, Rosie. Potter's in Gryffindor, and we expect you to be a walking Gryffindor advertisement at our game against Slytherin this weekend. We expect to hear loud cheers from you."
Suri shuffled uncomfortably on her feet. "What if I just give you each a galleon and we call it even? Maybe two galleons each. That's enough for some butterbeer at Hogsmeade, right?"
"Tempting, Rosie, very tempting," Fred stroked his non-existent beard. He looked at George and George shook his head.
"Nope, a deal's a deal, and there's no going back. You said any game we wanted, and we want this one."
"It's not about the Slytherin-Gryffindor game. It's about the games themselves. I don't want to go to another quidditch match. I'm done with the sport."
This earned surprised looks from the twins. "You're done? Forever?"
"Yes. Maybe. I don't know. Just for a while, I'm done with quidditch." Maybe it was her tone or something in her expression, but both Fred and George took half-steps back, giving her a little more space to breathe.
"Also, detention doesn't end just because quidditch is happening, so even if I wanted to, Madame Pomfrey wouldn't let me off the hook." Before either Weasley could say anything, Suri held up a hand to stop them. Rumors about her randomly hexing people already circulated. She didn't want rumors about her being a sore loser going around, too. "But a bet is a bet, right?"
"That's the spirit!" Fred grinned.
"I will agree to wear a Gryffindor-themed scarf the entire day of the game. I will even throw in one of those ridiculous beanies with a pompom attached to it. Fair?"
"Fair!" The twins answered in unison. In spite of herself, Suri smiled.
"If I'm jinxed by my own house, that's on you." Suri took a step forward and tilted her chin upward, giving the twins her most arrogant glare. "Then, I'll come after you for payback."
If she was going to go down as someone who cursed people, why not use the rumors to her advantage?
"You do know that you're quite terrifying when you want to be," Fred mused, his tone implying he didn't believe her threat. "but I've come to believe you're not the type who wants to be scary."
"Don't test your theory, Fred."
"Naturally, we'd love to, but tonight won't be the night for that." George smiled and checked his bare wrist as if checking the time. "Unfortunately, Freddie and I must be off. We have other appointments. We'll bring you one scarf and one beanie with a gaudy pompom on Friday." Fred and George held out their hands for Suri to shake.
"Pleasure doing business with you." Fred smiled. Suri rolled her eyes; it was a love-hate relationship with those two.
When George shook her hand, he held on a second longer. "You know Rosie, I'll make this deal with you free of charge. You've always been too good for Slytherin. On the days you wear our Gryffindor gear, you're an honorary Gryffindor. So if anyone gives you a hard time, no matter who they are, you're one of us, and we'll come to defend your honor."
Fred gave his twin the quickest look—so quick that Suri missed it—before he smiled at Suri too. "Agreed."
Suri pulled her hand out of George's, more out of her desire to leave than any discomfort. "I'm a lucky girl. I'll let you go so you aren't late for your next appointment."
They parted ways, Suri back to the Slytherin Dungeons and the Weasleys to an undisclosed meeting with an undisclosed party. Smiling to herself, Suri realized the twins made her feel almost normal again.
X
Fred tucked away the Marauders' Map before rounding the corner of the hallway that led to the one-eyed witch statue. Thanks to the map, they knew the only person waiting for them was the person they needed to meet. Still, the twins kept their wands defensively drawn—one could never be too careful with a Slytherin. Especially before a big game.
Thanks to the charms that muffled their footsteps, they saw Nathaniel Avery before he saw them. But Nate was perceptive. After a pause, he moved from the shadows of the statue, revealing himself to the twins.
"What do you suppose is behind those doors?" Nate asked the twins by way of greeting. He nodded to the locked doors on their right-the ones Dumbledore explicitly told students to stay away from should they wish to not die a painful death.
"Why don't you find out, mate?" Fred answered. "If we hear screams, we'll make sure we get help."
"Funny," Nate sneered.
"So what's this all about, Avery?" Fred cut to the chase. "Isn't this late night rendezvous a bit cryptic?"
"Because what I'm about to tell you can't be overheard, and what I'm about to offer you can't be shared." Nate reached into his robes. Immediately Fred and George pointed their wands at his face.
Without flinching, Nate smiled calmly at the boys. "Relax, Weasels, I'm not going for my wand."
Nate held up one hand, and with the other, he extracted a satchel from his pockets. "Catch."
George caught the black bag with one hand. His eyebrows shot up when he heard the sound of coins slapping against his palm. Opening the bag, George exhaled when at least three dozen galleons gleamed up at him Fred reached over to take one and instantly the bag flew from George's hand into Nate's waiting palm. Nowhe had his wand out.
"As much as I enjoy the occasional charitable giving, these galleons aren't free. I need you to do something for me, and in return, these galleons are yours. I know your family could use the money."
"You're wasting your time, Avery," said George. "We aren't henchmen. Let's go, Fred." The twins turned to leave.
"Not even for a friend," Nate called back smoothly. "Not for Suri?"
George was the first to stop walking. Fred regarded his brother coolly, the two of them sharing a silent conversation.
Nate used this as an opportunity to egg them on. "I see the way you look at her, even if she doesn't. Don't pretend that you don't consider her a friend if not someone you fancy."
"You've got two minutes to explain everything before we walk out of here."
"I don't care if Gryffindor loses the game this weekend. I want you to do whatever it takes to get Marcus Flint out of the game. Injure him, kill him, I really don't care."
"Why can't you do it yourself," asked Fred. "Especially since you're not above throwing off a person's game with a jinx."
"Because I promised my best friend that I wouldn't hurt him." Nate clenched his jaw, hazel eyes flashing with anger in the moonlight. "Suri's been hurt enough as it is and I would never break my word to her."
The twins shared another look. Suddenly, the rumors that circulated this past month about Suri attacking Marcus and her declaration of being completely done with quidditch made sense. George paled when he pieced everything together.
"Marcus Flint hurt her," Fred stated grimly. Nate's silence confirmed everything.
"You've got yourself a deal," said George. Between him and Fred, George was the more compassionate twin. But there were some things in this world that couldn't be forgiven.
"Good." Nate threw the satchel of gold coins back at the boys. "None of this gets back to Suri. Now if you'll excuse me, as fun as this little meeting is, I'd rather not waste anymore time with you."
The twins remained in the third corridor for a while after Nate left.
"I'll kill Flint."
"Georgie," Fred started, finding it odd being the one cautioning his twin. "Is it really worth it? I mean, Rosie's a good sport about everything, but is she really a friend? She's in Slytherin after all."
"She's not like the rest of them," George insisted, momentarily unable to meet his brother's eyes, something that has never happened before. "She's…good."
"But would she return the favor?" Sure, Fred like a few of their friends, thought Suri was nice to look at fun to talk to when she wasn't in a foul mood, but he had no idea George actually felt something for her. Leave it to George to be sentimental about this.
"You know, I actually think she would."
Fred thought about it for a moment before finally, he nodded. "I think you're right, Georgie. I think she actually would." Fred took the galleons from George and shook them thoughtfully. Thinking about it a little more, he would gladly take Marcus Flint out of the game for free.
X
Suri ignored the incredulous looks from her housemates on Saturday morning. At breakfast, Fred and George brought her the beanie and scarf and to her horror, a stolen Gryffindor jersey with the name "WOOD" displayed on the back.
"You're joking," Suri's face was hot when she stared the twins down. "I am not wearing that."
"Maybe you shouldn't have lost a bet," Fred teased, thoroughly enjoying her embarrassment. Realizing the twins wouldn't leave her alone, Suri snatched the jersey, marched to the bathrooms outside the Great Hall, and returned wearing Oliver Wood's stolen jersey. She was mortified. The twins were gleeful. After that jersey went on, not even Nate would talk to her. Suri couldn't blame him, she didn't want to talk to herself.
"Do I want to know?" Gemma Farley raised a dark blonde eyebrow when Suri sat down across from her. Suri's friends, Willem and Carly, decked out in silver and green tried to keep the disdain off their faces. They failed miserably.
"I lost a bet with the Weasley Twins at the very beginning of the year. My pride hurts."
"They're a sneaky lot," Willem begrudgingly said. "Remember when they tricked me into a flu-inducing candy?"
"It kind of serves you right for trusting them." Carly added. Willem made an indignant face at her.
"My pride hurts for you," Gemma interjected sympathetically. "Anyway, are you going to the game? Nate wants us there."
"No," answered Suri. "I've got detention with Madame Pomfrey in ten minutes."
"That's right," Gemma frowned. "But that's over soon, isn't it?"
"In a few days. I should probably head to the infirmary now. Let me know how the game goes." Aside from unexpectedly telling the Weasley twins, Suri hadn't told anyone the thought of being near the quidditch pitch set her heart racing uncomfortably.
"Is that my jersey?"
Mortification flooded Suri all over again as she passed Gryffindor's team. Slowly, she turned to Oliver Wood and the rest of his team regarding her with shock. Only Fred and George snickered good naturedly.
"Sorry, Wood," said George, "we needed your jersey for a good cause."
"Wow, well...so I guess it's really true then, you aren't playing quidditch anymore." Oliver frowned, but he didn't seem to broken over it. With Suri not on the team it meant he was one step closer to winning the House Cup. Some small flame ignited in her, urging her to give Oliver a hard time.
"It's true. But I suppose that's good news for you." Suri said, arching an eyebrow. She glanced at Harry, passively noticing he'd hardly touched the food on his plate. Neither did Oliver, for that matter. Shrugging her shoulders, she pulled at the pilfered jersey she wore. "To top it off, I think I might even pull off red and gold better than you."
Nearby on-lookers oohed at Suri's reaction, amid some scoffs, as she walked away. Behind her, someone-likely a Weasley-said, "she really should have been in Gryffindor."
"Then I might have had to defend my role as keeper." There was no hint of malice in Oliver's statement; Suri could imagine his lips turning up in a quick, ironic smile. Suri's cheeks burned the entire way to the infirmary.
X
One of Suri's favorite things about Madame Pomfrey was the fact that she rarely asked questions. When Suri entered the Infirmary in Gryffindor colors, Pomfrey raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
It quickly became apparent that the entire student body of Hogwarts was at the game when cheers from the quidditch field reached the infirmary. Suri lazily waved her wand and clean hospital sheets folded themselves into neat squares. Madame Pomfrey busied herself with making sure her medicinal supplies were fully stocked. Pomfrey looked back at Suri, clearing her throat.
"Have you been using the powder?"
"Yes I have," Suri said. She'd done as Pomfrey instructed. She'd sprinkle some of the powder on and around her pillow and took the rest in her morning tea. She'd been doing this for the past three days.
"And," asked Pomfrey. Cheers erupted from the field. Someone must have caught the snitch. Suri hoped it was Harry.
"It's been helpful." Thinking about her sleep, Suri supposed there had been change. The medicine had taken some of the edge off of her bedtime anxieties. Suri had recently dreamed of Azkaban, and it was only a dream, not a visit with Sirius Black. She woke up covered in sweat, but fortunately, she was able to settle back into a dreamless sleep. Even as the potion seemed to work, Suri remained apprehensive in her cure. Maybe the powder was only a small bandage on a gaping wound. It was a matter of time before her emotions got the better of her and she visited her father again. Suri would rather she didn't see Sirius, but if she had to, she needed to be in control. As much as she hated it, she knew her uncontrolled legilimency would continue if she didn't address it. With a resigned sigh, Suri knew all solutions pointed to asking Snape for help.
Footsteps slapping against the stone floor of Hogwarts alerted Pomfrey and Suri. Then, a crush of silver and green rushed into the hospital wing. A few of Slytherin's quidditch players came in, one of them supporting a limping Marcus. Suri froze upon seeing him.
Marcus grimaced when he sat heavily on one of the beds. He had a hand pressed to his side. Marcus looked at Suri and sneered. Suri remained blank-faced.
"What's going on here," Madame Pomfrey launched into action, giving Suri the quickest glance. Usually, Suri reacted quickly to someone coming in, asking how she could help and making herself useful. Not this time.
"The match was rough," explained Slytherin's new keeper. He glanced at Suri nervously. "Marcus took a bludger to the side and it knocked him from his broom. He also fell kind of far."
"How did the game end?"
"We were down by some and then Potter caught the snitch." said the boy. Suri felt a quiet satisfaction knowing that not only had Harry caught the snitch in his first game ever, but perhaps Slytherin wouldn't find a better keeper than her. There was also satisfaction knowing that Marcus was injured, too.
"I'll never understand the fascination with quidditch," Pomfrey muttered, looking at Suri again.
Some part of Suri felt bad abandoning a patient. But a bigger, prouder part of herself didn't care. Expression blank, Suri raised her chin and walked out of the infirmary amidst the chaos. "I believe that's my time today, Madame Pomfrey. I'll see you tomorrow."
Pomfrey opened her mouth to chastise Suri, but thought better of it. It was strange that Suri would leave when there was a patient, usually the girl wanted to be as involved as possible. Pomfrey glanced at the clock, Suri was right, it was time for her to go. Before Pomfrey could officially dismiss her, Suri had left without looking back.
X
Suri paced in front of Snape's office in the dungeons for over half an hour. She was just about to give up when Snape swept down the stone steps, anger radiating from him. He paused upon seeing Suri, his expression grew heavily guarded.
"What are you doing here?"
"I needed to talk to you, Professor," said Suri. Her stomach flipped with nerves. There was no point in small talk, so she cut to the point. "It seems that I, ah, might need your help with legilimency."
"I thought you could figure it out on your own," sneered Snape. Clearly he remembered her refusing his help. Suri frowned at the adult's grudge with her.
"Are you saying you won't help me?"
"There are many things I'd rather do than help you, Miss Rosier-Black. Especially if assisting you would be a waste of my time and resources."
"What did I do to make you think the worst of me?" Suri snapped at Snape. The question plagued her since year one. Everyone not in Slytherin knew Snape would always favor his students over anyone else, but Suri never experienced it. She vaguely remembered looking into Snape's memories and seeing her father, but he'd stopped her before she could see anything distinguishing.
Snape took in her Gryffindor colors, her dark, wavy hair and her grey-blue eyes. Pregnant silence fell so long between them that Suri began to suspect, even though Snape glared at her, he wasn't seeing her.
"You, Rosier-Black, act impulsively and without a care for consequences. You act more arrogantly than you deserve to be and you…" Snape took a step forward, then whatever he wanted to say died on his lips. His eyes blinked and Suri was Suri again.
Suri had no idea what spurred her on. She cocked her head to the side, raising her chin defiantly. "Are you sure you mean, me, Professor? Or my father, Sirius Black? Are you really letting your old grudge get in the way of whatever happened when you were my age?"
"Your mother was no saint," Snape spat. "The moment she threw her lot in with your father and the rest of them, she was as good as dead."
"Leave her out of it," Suri argued defensively, even as her mind reeled. "Leave my mother's memory out of your mouth." All her life she heard of how amazing and beautiful Tessa Rosier was. A handful of times she'd heard that Sirius Black dragged Tessa Rosier down. Never had she heard someone speak so venomously of her mother; it was shocking.
Suri shook her head. "Forget it. I should have never asked you. This was so pointless." Suri turned away from Snape, flinching when his office door banged open.
"Miss Rosier-Black," Snape called back. Suri walked back down the stairs and waited in the hallway, refusing to go into his office. Finally, Snape walked out, carrying two large books with him and briskly thrust them at Suri.
"If you lose those or damage those books you will have detention for the rest of your time at Hogwarts. If you can comprehend these books, I'll consider assisting you if you find you're not able to figure it out on your own. However, I have more important matters than making sure you're capable of reading a book. And I will be taking five points from Slytherin for your impudent tone with me."
Suri looked down at the books, reading the covers. The Mystery of Occlumency and Legillimency and A Deeper Look Into the Forgotten: Legillimency Through the Ages. Finally, Professor Snape's expression remained a a mask, hiding whatever he thought or felt about her.
"Then for both of us, I'll make sure I don't need your help beyond this."
Author's Note:
Hello! I'm so glad you're here! Thanks for reading! While you've made it this far, I'm going to do a quick Q and A!
Q1. How old was Sirius when Suri was born?
- A1: 17! Suri was born September 1, 1977 (the first day of his and Tessa's seventh year). Sirius Black's birthday is November 3rd (cannon) and Tessa's was December 18th (cannon only to Thorns), so they were just short of 18.
Q2: I don't like that Suri's called "Rosier-Black", it's like calling Draco "Black-Malfoy", etc.
- A2: Thank you for sharing your opinion! Suri Ariel Rosier-Black is rather long! However, there's purpose in her being named Rosier-Black. Back in Thorns, Sirius and Tessa were never married. Had they been married, Suri would have just been "Suri Ariel Black". However, Tessa being the independent spirit she was, thought it was important that Suri also had Tessa's family name, hence "Rosier-Black".
Q3: Are you still posting chapters? Please don't tell me this is abandoned!
- A3: TBH, I did abandon the story for a little while...but I'm back! I'm determined to finish this story and I'm dreaming of another project for you all as well. Stay tuned. :)
Reviews are love.
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