Harry, Susan, and Amelia were all sat down at The Leaky cauldron, waiting for the rest of the others to arrive. The Patil twins and Hermione were back from traveling and today they were all going to but their school supplies for the coming year. Harry had been writing the occasional letter to Su over the summer and managed to arrange for her join them. Harry watched the fireplace flared to life and Su stepped out. As soon as she saw him, Su briskly walked over to them and sat down without saying a word.
Amelia noticed how Su staired at the table to avoid making eye contact with her. But said nothing.
"Hey Su." Harry greeted. Trying to get her to talk.
Su looked at. "Hi." She responded before quickly looking back down at the table.
The awkward silence didn't last long due to the arrival of the Greengrass family. Daphne was calm but friendly, while Astoria skipped over to them with a blinding smile.
Astoria greeted Susan and Harry with a quick hug. Both of them had grown quite close to her during the summer, with them visiting each other over the weeks, for magic lessons or just to hang out. Before Astoria could start what would have been a very one-sided conversation with Su, the Patil twins arrived with their parents. After that everyone quickly arrived one after the other.
"So..." Amelia began. "...Where should we go after Gringotts?"
"Let's get everyone's robes first. Most people go there last." Samantha spoke up.
The others agreed with her, except Hermione who pouted about not getting books first.
The group of witches and wizards made their way to the goblin bank to head to their vaults or to exchange money in Hermione's case. Then they headed to Madam Malkin's. The store was pretty quiet compared to the others, so the measurements for new school robes didn't take long. Astoria watched them with a pout, as she had to wait another year before going to Hogwarts.
Next was the Apothecary, as soon as they walked in one of the workers went around back and soon came back with multiple pouches and handed them to the soon to be second years. Cyrus tipped the worker before leading the group back outside.
"What just happened?" Hermione asked.
"I own the store, Miss Granger. I sent a letter yesterday to have the ingredients ready for us." Cyrus answered.
After that, it was a case of stocking up on quills, parchment, ink, and cauldrons. "So where to next?" Hannah asked.
Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Obviously all we need now are our books." Hermione responded as if she was talking to a toddler. She seemed oblivious to the scathing looks most of the group was now giving her.
"I actually want to get a few things from the Marauder's Den and Zonko's." Harry mentioned.
"Let's head there first." Liam Abbot responded quickly. Most of the group agreed and briskly walked to the Marauder's Den before Hermione could get in a word.
When they arrived they found that the store was packed, so Sirius and Remus didn't have much time to talk to them. The group bought a few things here and there including a book loaded with prank spells and their counters. This year at Hogwarts was going to be chaos! After buying a few thing's from Zonko's that only they could sell, they headed for Flourish and Blotts.
"How is their still a cue out of the door!?" Harry asked in shock. It might have been busy last year, but this was just ridiculous.
"Lockhart." Amelia answered. Speaking the name as if it was a curse. "He's been here all week and the Auror's have had to deal with scuffles between some of his fangirls, while watches on like it's all harmless fun! I swear he encourages them."
"But, what about his books?" Hermione argued. This was a major dilemma for the witch. A person of high authority disliking an author.
"As someone who was in the same year as him, I can say for certain that those books are bullshit." Amela responded in a steely tone that she usually used at work. He didn't even pass his defense O.W.L, let alone half of what he's claimed to have done."
Hermione looked at Amelia in shock, and would internally debate with herself for the rest of the trip. They managed to slip into the book store without anyone taking any notice of them, but it didn't stay that way.
"It's Harry Potter!" A voice calls out before someone suddenly grabbed Harry's arm and yanked him away from the bookshelf he was looking through. With a mixture of instinct and fear, Harry rammed his elbow into the stomach of whoever grabbed him, quickly escaping their grasp. By the time Harry had turned around and drew his wand on the assailant, most of the group had also trained their wands on them.
"It is rude to grab people Lockhart." Amelia spoke with a glare that could make a dementor recoil in fear.
"I-I-I was merely trying to take a photo with The-Boy-Who-Lived Amelia, nothing wrong with that. After all, who wouldn't want to see a photo of him with me!? Gilderoy Lockhart!" The author responded, regaining more of his confident persona the more he talked.
"Can think of several people." Amelia responded coldly. "One of them being the young well-connected wizard you have just tried to treat like a toy." Lockhart paled as he began to understand the possible backlash he could face. "From now on I would suggest you keep your hands to yourself." With that, the group lowered their wands and moved away, with Lockhart quickly returning to his fans.
Once they managed to get ahold of enough copies of the needed books, they headed back to the pub. Before Su could floo home, Harry gave her a communication mirror. "Stay in touch, alright?" He asked her softly.
"I will. Thank you Harry." Su responded before leaving.
That night.
Harry laid in his bed waiting for sleep to take him. but his mind wouldn't let him. "It's been a year. A year since it all began." All Harry's mind could do was repeat this fact over and over. How he had met his first friends, discovered his family's legacy, rediscovered his love of flying, a new home, a new family and learning magic. It had been amazing! Even though Harry had a lot of weight on his shoulders, he never felt freer.
"Harry."
Harry's eyes snapped open and he shot up in his bed. The voice was quiet. No louder than a whisper. "Su?" Harry called out. He looked around for the origin of the voice and saw a silhouette in his communication mirror. He couldn't see her face because of the poor lighting and there was some of her hair in her face.
"Harry, can I come over?" Su asked. Only because of Harry's history with Su could he detect the urgency in her voice.
"Yeah, let me get you past the wards." Harry answered.
"Ok. Call me when I can come through." Su responded before hanging up.
Harry got out of bed and leaving his room. Harry was fortunate to find Sirius in the hallway. No doubt preparing a prank.
"Oh, hey Pup." Sirius greeted casually as if he wasn't setting up some of his shop's noise-makers.
"Sirius, can you help me get a friend through the wards?" Harry asked, ignoring his Godfather's greeting.
"Bit late to start asleep over isn't it Pup?" Sirius responded with a confused expression.
"Sirius, this is important. Su never asks for anything." Harry emplores. Trying to get the older wizard to focus.
"Yeah I can but the alert ward will wake Amy as soon as they enter." Sirius answered with a focus he rarely showed. "It'll be simpler to let her know we're having company. Go wait in the lounge and we'll meet you there." Harry nodded and headed downstairs while Sirius went to wake Amelia.
It wasn't long after Harry entered that Sirius and Amelia joined him. Amelia lit the fireplace with a flick of her wand before looking to Harry. "Okay Harry, she can come through." Amelia told him.
Harry nodded and picked up his mirror from the seat next to him. "Su Li." He called. Su's face soon appeared in the mirror. "Okay, Su, you can come through. The address is Bones Mannor."
"Thank you." Su responded before ending the call. The fireplace soon emitted a green light and Su stumbled through with a trunk in each hand. She collapsed to her knees and used the trunks to support her upper body, while keeping her head down. The flames returned to normal and the only sound in the room was Su's heavy breathing.
Harry approached her carefully. "Su." He called out. Su looked up at Harry with tears welling in her brown eyes and a bruise on her left cheek. Harry had barely a second to gasp. Su had somehow moved from her crouched position on the floor to enveloping harry in a bone-crushing hug in the blink of an eye. "It's alright Su. It's alright." Harry attempted to soothe her as he rubbed her back.
Amelia silently watched while Harry calmed her down. Once she was only sniffling did she speak. "Miss Li." Su and Harry immediately turned their heads to look at her. We have a spare room you can use for the night, and we can discuss this is in the morning if that is what you want?"
"Can Harry stay with me?" Su pleaded. Amelia looked to Harry for an answer.
"I'll stay with you Su. I promise." Harry reassured the witch. Amelia Instructed a house-elf to take Su's thing to the guest room, before sending a Patronus to inform the DMLE night shit and leaving for bed with Sirius.
Harry lead Su to the guest room where her things were waiting for them. Neither of them needed to get changed as they were already in their sleepwear. They both climbed into the large two-person bed and curled into one another. "I'm sorry Su. I should have noticed." Harry said weakly. Su looked at him with a confused expression so Harry elaborated. "I didn't have the best childhood either. I should have seen the signs..."
"Harry." Su's soft voice stopped Harry from spiraling down into a guilt-ridden rant. "This is the worst it's ever gotten. I've tried to keep it hidden, but tomorrow I will tell you everything. For now, I just want to sleep, and feel safe."
A few seconds silence passed before Harry spoke. "Okay Su." He responded before plating a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight."
The next morning.
Susan wounded if she was still sleeping when she came downstairs and saw Su sat next to Harry for breakfast. "Su?" Susan gasps as she Su's black eye. "What happened!"
"I... I don't want to talk about it." Su responded shyly as she curled into Harry.
Susan looked between the two, unsure of what to say, when she saw Harry firmly shaking his head. She was about to open her mouth and argue but Amelia entered the room followed by Sirius.
"Morning Susan." Amelia greeted her.
"Morning Auntie. What's going on?"
"Miss Li mirror called Harry during the night asking to come over, and I allowed her to come through the floo. That's all I know right now Susan." Amelia answered before looking at Su. "I am going to have to take you to the DMLE to get this sorted out, and sooner or later you will have to tell me or someone else qualified what happened last night."
Later at the DMLE.
Harry and Su followed Amelia through the floo into her office. A healer soon came by and looked at Su's and applied some cream to help with the swelling, befroe Amelia took them to a room that was surprisingly comfortable. Amelia told them to wait there before leaving. They went and sat on a comfortable chair that was meant to only one person, but thanks to their small frames they managed to fit quite snugly. The walls were a cream colour and the floor was carpeted. The door opened and a dark-skinned woman with her hair in a ponytail. She sat down in the chair opposite them. "Miss Li, Mister Potter, my name is Connie Hammer, I am an Auror who specializes in cases involving children. Now, I am here to ask you a few questions Miss Li, Mister Potter I will need you to stay quiet while I speak to Miss Li. Okay?" Connie spoke to them softly, without sounding patronizing. After getting a nod from both Su and Harry, She took a piece of parchment and a self-inking quill out of her robes. "Now these first questions are some simple identity questions, basically telling us who you are, okay?" Su nodded. "Is your name Su Li?"
"Yes." Su answered in her signature quiet voice.
Connie wrote her answer on her parchment and continued with the other standard questions, date of birth, parents' names, and address. "Now Miss Li, can you tell me what happened last night?"
Su instantly tensed and Harry slipped his hand into hers and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. When she looked to him, he gave her a reassuring smile and gave her hand a light squeeze. "My farther was dinking. Usually, he just starts crying, but this time he got angry." Su took a shuddering breath and continues. "He started yelling. Yelling at my mother for not giving him a son, and for always taking bliss potions. Yelling at me for being a failure. I yelled back and then he hit me. He told me to go to my room and that he didn't want to see me. It was a few hours later I called Harry." After she finished, Su had tears welling in her eyes and looked on the verge of breaking down.
Connie managed to keep herself composed throughout, waited for Su to calm down before speaking again. "Dose you farther drink often Miss Li?"
"Yes."
"How often, would you say he drinks?"
"Every night."
"These Bliss potions, do they change to different colours of the rainbow and have reflective flakes?"
"Yes."
"Have either of your parents struck you before?"
"No."
The room fell into silence once more as Connie checked over the parchment. "Okay, that's everything. Thank you Miss Li, I understand this wasn't easy for you, but I can promise you it will get easier over time. Now, if you could both follow me back to Madam Bones' office, so you can floo back."
The trio left the room and Connie briskly lead them to Amelia's office. They were soon let and Harry and Su flooed back to Bones Mannor after a quick goodbye.
"How'd it go?" Amelia asked once it was just her and Connie.
"This seems to be the first case of physical abuse, but I doubt that it's first verbal wise. Her father shows signs of being an alcoholic and the mother is addicted to Bliss potions." Connie responded as she handed over her parchment from the interview.
Amalia nodded. "That is more than enough to search the house. I'd appreciate it if you managed to keep this to your usual level of discretion, if you could Auror Hammer."
"Of course Madam Bones."
So the secrets out. I'll do a little more on this before they're back at Hogwarts.