I made it to the Ravenclaw common room after a quick stop to the kitchen. A tray of cakes rested in my hands after much forcing by the house elves. They wouldn't hear of me visiting without taking something. I placed the tray on an empty table before heading up to the dorm to grab some homework to finish. When I returned downstairs a few moments later the tray was empty.

I did a quick scan of the room but didn't see any sign of Susan. I set my things down on an empty table and pulled out my Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment and began my work. As I sat scribbling on parchment the room slowly cleared out. I finished Defense and moved on to Transfiguration and finished up with Potions. I finished all the assignments I had but there was still no sign of Susan. The common room was fairly empty at this point.

My mouth opened wide with a yawn and I leaned back in my chair. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to open my eyes every time I blinked. After a rather long blink I gave up on waiting for Susan and went up to bed.

When I woke up the next morning it was clear that Susan's bed had been slept in but she was nowhere to be seen. I quickly got dressed and raced down to the Great Hall hoping to see her at our table for breakfast. I was certainly disappointed when I saw that her spot at the table was empty. I immediately decided if I didn't spend time eating breakfast that I would have just enough time to check the library before Transfiguration.

I quickly grabbed a chocolate filled croissant from the Ravenclaw table and turned to leave. My eyes glanced subtly to the side at the staff table. Severus was watching me and I made an odd half wave, if the awkward flip of my wrist could be considered a wave, at him with the pastry in my hand before I vacated the dining hall.

I reached the library as I was shoving the last bite of croissant into my mouth. Even after a quick run through the bookcases I still didn't find Susan. My last hope was that she would be in Transfiguration. I bolted down the hall to the classroom.

It was still mostly empty since there was still quite a bit of time before class started. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Susan sitting in her normal spot at our desk. Her head was leaning in her hand and when I approached her I saw that her eyes were unfocused and glossy.

"Where have you been?" I asked making Susan jump in her seat.

"Nowhere, here, nowhere." She stumbled over her words.

I raised an eyebrow at her, a trait I had picked up from Severus that I hoped Susan wouldn't recognize.

"I lost track of time when I was in the library last night." She said. "I rushed back when I noticed that no one else was around and I heard Mrs. Norris meowing so I knew Filch would be along soon."

"You had that much homework?" I asked shocked that Susan would let herself get that far behind.

She shook her head. "I was just thinking. Mark has been acting strange lately. He behaves differently around me than he used to and he's been that way since after I stayed with him and his family over holiday. Do you think I should break up with him?"

She looked at me expecting me to make the decision for her. "Err, I think you need to not jump to conclusions. I'm sure his change in attitude is nothing but maybe tonight you and I should do something, just the two of us."

She seemed to perk up a bit. "Well what are we going to do then?"

"Well, it will have to be something to completely clear your mind of Mark for at least a few hours." I considered. "On school grounds of course…or perhaps not."

My lips spread with what I can only imagine was a devious grin.

"Ruby?" Susan said and leaned away from me a bit. "I don't like that face. Not at all."

"I think it is time for another trip to Hogsmeade." I whispered.

"No!" Susan said loudly causing the few students in the room to startle.

"Yes." I said. "It's just what we need. Also I need some things and this will be the perfect opportunity to get them."

"We are lucky we weren't caught last time." She said softly not to draw attention to our discussion. "Do you really think we are going to get away with it a second time? We are students and they'll know that and we will get in so much trouble."

Susan was right but the thought of a potential loophole popped into my head. "What if they don't know we are students?"

"We look like students..." She started to argue.

"But there are ways where we could not look like students." I interrupted.

Susan inhaled the rest of her words and stared at me.

"Aging potions." I said.

Her eyes practically popped out of her head. "And how are we going to have an aging potion ready by tonight?"

"I saw a bottle of the stuff during one of my detentions in the potions room ingredients cabinet." I said.

"Absolutely not!" She shouted again before she whispered, "We are not sneaking into Snape's classroom and stealing from his personal stores."

"If there was one there then there might be one in his private storeroom in the Tapestry Corridor." I considered. "We'd be less likely to be caught."

Susan's face drained of color. "I can't believe you're even suggesting this. Can you imagine the trouble we will be in if we are caught? If Snape finds out we are both out of this school in a heartbeat."

"He's not going to find out because we aren't going to get caught." I said.

"You're going to do this whether I come with or not, aren't you?" Susan asked.

I nodded my head. "It would be a lot easier with a look out."

Susan sighed dramatically. "I don't know what has gotten into you but I don't want you getting expelled. Fine, I'll come."

By this time the classroom had begun to fill up and McGonagall had entered the room. Susan and I faked like our conversation never happened.

I ripped a piece of parchment and scribbled on it. Meet by the One-eyed witch after classes. I quickly slid the paper over to Susan who read it and nodded her head.

Classes dragged on that day as I waited in nervous anticipation for the moment when I would meet Susan. I couldn't bear to look at Severus through the entirety of his class. I hoped he wouldn't hate me after today.

Finally Defense Against the Dark arts finished and I ran as quickly as I could up to my room to grab some spare robes from my trunk without any Hogwarts or Ravenclaw emblems on them. I shoved them into my bag and ran for the One-eyed witch statue.

Susan was already waiting glancing around nervously. I approached and stopped next to her side.

"I can't believe you're actually going to do this." She whispered. "Why?"

I shrugged. "You were right. We were lucky we didn't get reported last time and I don't want to risk it again."

"So it's safer to you to risk being caught by the worst professor to ever work at Hogwarts and be expelled for stealing." She said moving her hands to her hips.

"I told you, we aren't going to be caught." I assured her but was ultimately aware of how stupid my plan was now but I had made up my mind to go to Hogsmeade and there was no backing out.

The halls were thankfully mostly clear of students since most after class spent their time in the Library or common rooms working on homework and unwinding with friends. We finally made it to the Tapestry Corridor on the first floor and I made my way quickly to the cupboard door.

I thought it was stupid but I tried to open the door. It was locked as I knew it would be.

"Alohamora." I tried, the lock jiggled but nothing happened.

"Well, I guess that's it." Susan said. "We've done all we can do, we should go now."

I gave her a side glance. "Alohamora Duo." I said, the lock moved more but was ultimately ineffective.

"There's really nothing we can do now." Susan said slapping her hands at her sides in a defeated manner and turned to leave.

"Bombarda." I said.

There was the sound of splintering wood and the door opened slightly. I opened the door the rest of the way and took a step up and inside without looking at Susan who I was sure was seconds away from sprinting away. I scanned the shelves in search of the aging potion I needed.

I emerged a few moments later and shut the door as best I could.

"Well, where is it so we can go?" Susan asked looking on the verge of fainting.

"Err…" I started, I didn't know what to say to make my news any better. "There wasn't any in there."

Susan's mouth gaped open. "Then I guess we aren't going after all."

"Susan, I know there is a bottle in the classroom cupboard." I said.

"Absolutely not!" Susan shouted.

"We've already done this much." I said. "It would be a shame to give up now."

"We are not breaking into his classroom." She whispered urgently darting her eyes around the area. "This is where I draw the line, Ruby, it's not happening."

"I can't believe this is happening." Susan groaned quietly as we reached the potions classroom.

I opened the door to the classroom very slowly and very little. I scanned the room but saw no sign of Severus. I silently opened the door just enough to slide into the room. The room was deafeningly silent and my breathing had the sound effect of boulders crashing around the room. Susan followed me inside. I moved slowly carefully placing my feet on the stone floors to make as little noise as possible.

My sights were set on the cabinet in the corner of the room whose door was securely closed. I heard Susan inhale across the room near Severus' office door which was slightly open. I spun around quickly with a scolding look in my eyes. She made an apologetic face and pointed to the door.

"He's in there." She mouthed but no sound escaped her lips.

I nodded my head to show I understood her and continued on my way for the cupboard. I hoped that Severus would be kept busy with whatever it was he was doing in his office for a while. Every now and then the clinking sound of bottles escaped from his slightly ajar door.

After what seemed like ages I reached the ingredients cupboard. I placed my hand carefully on the doorknob and carefully turned it. I moved easily and I pulled slowly.

A loud creak sounded from the cupboard door. I froze and my chest exploded with fear. My eyes went to Susan who was unmoving with a look of horror upon her face. I lifted my hand that wasn't on the door and placed a finger silently on my lips. I tightened my jaw as I opened the door bit by bit. The creaking was deafening to me but Severus seemed to not hear anything and did not emerge from his office.

At last the door was open enough to cram myself through into the cupboard.

"Lumos." I whispered breathily setting my wand alight.

I knew exactly where the potion was and I set immediately to climbing the ladder to the fourth shelf on the far right. The ladder rungs squeaked as I climbed but I pushed myself not to halt at the noise. I grabbed quickly for the bottle and jumped from the step of the ladder with a soft scraping of my shoes against stone. I froze and listened for a moment.

"Nox." I whispered before emerging from the cupboard back into the classroom.

I threw caution to the wind and sprinted from the room with Susan following close behind. I shut the door quickly but quietly before running full speed for the stairs.

Susan and I didn't stop running until we reached the third floor at the One-eyed witch statue.

"Dissendium!" I gasped and tapped the hump of the statue with my wand.

The witch's back opened up and I jumped in followed by Susan. Once the hump closed back up and she and I were in the safety of the darkness I leaned against the passage wall gasping to catch my breath.

"We." Susan puffed. "Are. Never. Doing. That. Again."

I didn't argue but the adrenaline rushing through my veins made me laugh maniacally.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked, disgust thick in her voice.

"I was so scared." I managed to say through my laughter. "What if we had been caught? Can you imagine the look on his face if he had found us?"

"I don't think it would have been funny." Susan said.

"Oh, of course it wouldn't have been." I said, calming down a bit. "It would have been horrible. I probably would have died. We made it though and oh my goodness my heart is pounding so hard!"

I slapped my hand on my chest over my heart and I could feel it as it tried pounding through my hand.

"Lumos." Susan said and the passage was illuminated by the light of her wand. "You are crazy."

"You are just as crazy for coming with." I told her. "But you haven't thought about Mark for a while have you."

I could see her face scrunch up with consideration. "Fair enough. Now what?"

"We walk." I said.

We walked the entire way to the passage into Honeydukes regaling tales of our experiences of what just happened. We laughed at each other's thoughts of expulsion and death and how Susan was sure Snape was going to hear us in his classroom and drain us of our blood to use in potions.

I stopped under the trap door. I looked down at the bottle in my hand.

"Well, I suppose this is it." I said as I removed the cork. "Cheers."

I tossed my head back as I took in a portion of the potion. I handed Susan the bottle. She studied me before reluctantly downing the rest of the bottle's contents.

She soon after doubled over with a groan of pain causing her to drop her wand and the two of us to be submerged in darkness again. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and fell to my knees. I clutched my midsection and concentrated on breathing steadily. The pain subsided and I felt as though static was running through my veins in place of blood. It was an odd sensation but not all together unpleasant.

I reached for my own wand and muttered Lumos. I was met with a round faced, portly version of Susan. Her blonde hair was graying at the roots and her curls were more frizz than anything.

"Oh." I clasped my hand over my mouth to stifle the laughter I felt rising.

"Shut up." Susan snapped.

"I didn't say anything." I defended myself.

"I'm huge!" She shrieked as she glanced herself over and wiggled her chubby fingers.

"No you're not." I argued. "You're just a bit…round."

"I don't want to hear it from you!" She shouted angrily.

"What did I do?" I asked.

"You're gorgeous!" She yelled. "Your wrinkles are perfectly placed and your hair is wonderful. You're like one of those hot football mums and I hate you!"

"You're not that bad." I offered. "You're just a bit frazzled, that's all."

I reached out a hand to smooth out her hair.

She slapped my hand away. "Just give me a robe."

"I, err…" I hesitated.

"What?" She snapped.

"I don't know if I have one that will…fit you." I said handing her one of the blank robes from my bag.

She yanked the robe from my hands and began to pull it on. I quickly muttered an expanding charm and hoped that would help. The robe was stretched to its limits but it fastened to my surprise and also to Susan's.

"See, it fits." She said breathing heavily from the exertion needed to fasten her robe. "Put yours on and let's go."

I slid the robe over my clothes and shoved our Ravenclaw robes into my bag after removing my small purse of money. We then climbed up the ladder into the basement of Honeydukes and from there we ventured into the shop.

We pretended to look about for a minute or two before leaving.

"What is it that you need exactly?" Susan asked.

"I'm not quite sure." I said. "I'm leaning towards books."

"Books for what?" She questioned.

"Something for Defense club." I said.

"Let's go in here first." Susan said taking a turn into Gladrags.

"Going to buy larger robes?" I teased.

She gave me a glare that, if looks could kill, would have made me burst into flames.

Once we entered she grabbed a hideous hat covered in purple tulle poofs. She placed it on her head and looked in the mirror. She let out a groan and used the back of her hand to lift the extra skin under her chin.

I took a glance in the mirror and what I saw made me do a double take.

"Oh," Was all I could manage to say.

"Yes, we know, you're gorgeous." Susan yapped.

"No, it's not that." I said placing a hand on my cheek to see if the reflection copied me. "I've seen this face before. I found old pictures of my father when he was growing up and I look exactly like Nan used to."

I ran my fingers down my face and through my hair. The reflection copied every movement.

"That's enough of that." Susan said and seized my hand pulling me from the shop. "Books you said. Let's go to Tomes and Scrolls."

Once we entered the shop I inhaled deeply. I always liked the smell of pages and leather binding.

I walked from shelf to shelf not knowing even what I wanted besides some type of book. I immediately turned down the idea of buying Severus a potions book for his birthday because he more than likely already owned it. I also didn't think he would have much interest in maintaining his own slug garden.

I came to a halt when I saw a book with a black spine and red letters reading, Guide to Advanced Occlumency by Maxwell Barnett. I picked it up and as soon as it touched my fingers I knew that Severus would like it. Next to it was a book on Legilimency. I quickly grabbed for that book figuring that he should know both sides of the mind magic. I picked up a guide to beginners Occlumency as well.

I walked to the counter with my perfect gifts for Severus' birthday and put them down. The man behind the counter looked at the books and then up to me.

"Fascinating subject isn't it?" I inquired. "Occlumency. I like reading theories. I don't think I could ever practice though. The mind is a fearful thing to toy with, don't you think?"

He looked me over before ringing up my purchase. I handed him the money and he returned my change before putting my books in a bag for me.

We exited the shop and decided to head for the Three Broomsticks. I noticed Susan glancing at the bag containing the three books every now and then. I wondered if they made her nervous. The next time she looked at the bag swinging in my hand I swore I saw her chin suck itself up.

"Susan!" I shrieked in surprise. "Your face!"

"Yes," Susan groaned. "I know, Ruby, I'm fat. Ha ha ha! Now, stop it."

"No!" I said. "It's getting thin again. You're losing weight in front of my eyes."

I watched as the blonde returned to the roots of her hair erasing any evidence that it had been grey moments ago.

"The potion is wearing off!" I said. "We have to go."

"But what about the Broomsticks?" Susan asked. "I'm really thirsty. I think that potion gave me dry mouth."

"Well, we don't have time." I said. "We'll be caught for sure if we don't leave now."

"Alright." Susan said and changed directions for Honeydukes.

The enlarged robes were beginning to hang off of Susan's normal frame. I began urging her through the aisles of the shop to the trap door to the basement.

Once we were safely in the tunnel leading back to Hogwarts we changed out of the unmarked robes and put our Ravenclaw ones back on. We made nearly five minutes of the walk back to Hogwarts without either of us saying anything.

"Ruby," Susan said, her voice startling me in the darkness. "What are you going to do with those books?"

"I just think it's an interesting subject." I said.

"You're not going to try to learn them?" She asked.

"No." I answered.

"Ruby," She said after a moment of quiet. "There's a reason they don't teach Legilimency at Hogwarts. The mind is a complex thing and thoughts are meant to be secret unless you're willing to share them. I don't think anyone should have the ability to see another person's thoughts and memories. It's not right…"

"Susan, stop." I said stopping and facing her. "I said I'm not going to use the books. It's merely an area of interest. Purely academic."

I turned to walk down the tunnel again. I couldn't help but smile to myself after saying what I'd heard Slughorn say many times to justify looking into a bit of magic considered taboo. Purely academic.

When we finally exited through the hump of the One-eyed Witch the hallway was abandoned. It made it easier to re-enter the school when we didn't have to worry about anyone walking in on our emergence.

We quickly made our way to Ravenclaw commons and then up to our bedroom where I stashed my purchase in my trunk for wrapping later. I checked the mirror on the wall near my bedroom. The face staring back at me was once again my own and not my grandmother's. I ran my fingers over my hair to smooth it and wondered if that was what I was truly going to look like when I was older. We walked back down the stairs to the empty commons. I looked at the clock and saw that it was nearing the end of dinner-time.

"Are you hungry?" I asked Susan.

"No." Susan snorted. "I'm not."

"Susan, you can't not eat." I said grabbing her elbow. "We're going to supper.

She groaned but came mostly willing. We entered the Great Hall which was still full of chattering students. I fulfilled my usual habit of looking at the staff table. Severus sat at his spot next to Flitwick immersed in conversation.

Mine and Susan's usual place at the Ravenclaw table was open and we took our seats. I grabbed for a chicken leg and some mashed potatoes. Susan sat looking over the choices and let out an aggravated groan.

"Does no one eat salad in this place?" She asked.

I looked up at her from my plate and nearly as soon as the words left her mouth a bowl full of lettuce and assorted vegetables appeared on the table in front of her.

She jumped startled by the sudden appearance of the food. "What the…"

"The elves in the kitchen are very accommodating." I said lifting my goblet of pumpkin juice to my lips. "All you ever need to do is ask."

"I didn't know that." Susan said.

By the time I had finished my chicken and mash, Susan sat prodding the remainder of her salad with a sour look on her face.

"Why don't you just eat some chicken?" I asked her.

"Because, Ruby, unlike you I want to take care of my body and salad is good for you." She said jabbing her fork into a tomato and shoving it into her mouth.

"Alright, but chicken isn't bad for you." I said. "Plus chicken is tasty."

"So is this salad." She lifted a piece of lettuce to her mouth and made an overzealous mmm sound.

"You know what I could really go for?" I asked out loud to no one in particular. "A nice bit of chocolate cake."

As soon as I finished my thought a piece of chocolate mousse cake sat on the table in front of me. I picked up a fork and cut into the piece of cake. Susan stared daggers at me as I lifted the dessert to my mouth.

I closed my lips around the fork and let out an exaggerated moan accompanied by an eye roll.

"That is good." I said once I swallowed the bite of cake.

"I hate you." Susan said simply and got up leaving her half eaten salad.

I laughed and got up from my seat to follow her into the corridors.

"I was joking." I pleaded.

But it was no use. Susan refused to speak to me the rest of the night.

The next morning it seemed Susan had forgotten she was angry with me as well as forgotten her new diet. I watched as she filled her plate with eggs and toast.

"Good to see you're eating again." I said. "I'm sorry I teased you yesterday."

"It's alright." She said and a smile beamed on her face. "Mark said he'd like me even if I did get fat, so what does it really matter?"

"Good, he should like you no matter what." I said. "So I take it that means he's finished acting strange?"

"No, he's still acting strange." Susan said swallowing a large bite of toast. "But Valentine's Day is only a few weeks away and this will be the first time I've had a boyfriend and I don't want to ruin it."

"Because having a Valentine is much more important than having a relationship that both parties are happy with." I said sarcastically.

"You wouldn't understand." Susan said lifting eggs to her mouth. "You've never had a boyfriend."

My eyes casually flicked to the staff table. The sight of Severus made my tummy bubble and I no longer felt hungry. I'd never kept a secret from Susan much less something this big. Severus smirked at something Flitwick had said and my anxiety about secret keeping melted.

"What are you smiling at?" Susan asked as she turned to look in the same direction as me.

"Nothing!" I blurted making her snap her head back to look at me. "I'm just laughing at how ridiculous you are for staying with someone merely for Valentine's Day gifts."

"It's not just because of Valentine's Day." Susan sighed. "I also really like him."

"There," I encouraged. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

After breakfast we made our way to the Charms classroom for lessons. By the end of class I had successfully used a containment charm to make a mouse unable to leave a sheet of paper on my desk. Susan had spent most of the class chasing her mouse around the classroom but was eventually able to contain him.

We said our good-byes and I headed down to potions where we began brewing Alihotsy Draughts. They needed a full seventy-two hours to cure before finishing them. We all hovered over caudrons with masks on since even breathing in the fumes of the potion can cause hysteria.

I finished my potion to the point of curing when it was a lovely grass green color. I placed a lid on my cauldron to keep in the fumes and began to clean up my area. The bell chimed and everyone began flooding from the room.

"Miss Winston," Severus called from his desk. "A word."

After everyone left I walked over to him.

"There is an aging potion missing from my cupboard." He said looking at me.

My heart leapt.

"Oh?" I said trying to hide any indication I had anything to do with its disappearance. "That's strange."

He looked up from his paperwork. "You have an age spot on your cheek."

I flung my hand up to cover it. "Wait, I didn't have any age spots!"

A smile spread across his face and he laughed a bit. I was relieved that he wasn't angry with me.

"Detention, Miss Winston." I said in my best imitation of Severus. "Tomorrow."

Severus raised an eyebrow at me.

"But tomorrow is Saturday." I whined in my own voice.

"Ruby." Severus said.

I put a finger up to silence him before continuing my imitation of him. "Tomorrow, 5 o'clock P.M. at the Whomping Willow. Perhaps a lack of dinner will teach you not to take things that aren't yours."

"Ruby," He said. "What are you doing?"

"What am I doing?" I asked. "You're the one who just gave me detention. Tomorrow. Even though it is a Saturday and perhaps no supper will teach me a lesson."

I turned to head for the door.

"Ruby." Severus said.

"I have to go." I said turning around and continuing to walk backwards. "I have Herbology and since I have detention now I need to do homework tonight instead of tomorrow."

"Ruby." Severus objected and stood up from his desk.

"5 o'clock sharp." I said. "Don't be late."

"Ruby." He said again.

I opened the door and slipped out into the hall which was still empty. I stuck my head into the door way.

"By the Whomping Willow." I said to him and shut the door.