Look at that, I managed to update within 4 days.
This chapter stays pretty loyal to cannon, with a couple of changes. Susanna has a lot of really strong moments in this update, from her loyalty to Harry to her boldness when calling out someone/something for being wrong. I'm really liking all the developing she's been doing, and I'm hoping you are as well.
SwordSeer: For Chapter 23, I'm still firm in my stance Susanna held the brain cell - she's a loudmouth, yeah - but at least she's thinking beyond "the obvious" (she and Hermione are sharing the brain cell in this chapter). For Chapter 24, I'm glad that Susanna's Potions skills have been consistent! I definitely want Susanna to be more involved in the events of The Chamber of Secrets, especially since she missed out on all the fun towards the end of her first year. Time will only tell whether or not she hexes Lockhart.
As always, I only claim my OC.
Susanna was unable to fall asleep that night, too busy thinking about what the house-elf had done to Harry, all in the name of keeping him away from Hogwarts. Well, them, because Dobby had figured that if her cousin was grievously injured and sent away to heal, she would join him. Which other family member would sit by his side as he recovered?
And then of course, there was the most recent attack. They had to start making the Polyjuice Potion, Susanna could only imagine how they'd ramp up the more confident the one responsible became. She still firmly believed Draco wasn't the culprit, but someone else in Slytherin could be. While the others focused on the blonde git, she could search the Slytherin common room for any clues. As Harry snored beside her, the girl mentally reviewed the instructions she'd memorized after spending all of Friday night reading it over and over again.
At sunrise, Madam Pomfrey left her private rooms to attend to the hospital wing. Susanna sat as still as possible in her chair as the matron flitted around the still unconscious Harry. She then walked over to Colin's bed, checking on him as well before sighing sadly and blocking him from view with curtains.
Harry grumbled, and Susanna's attention returned to him. Her cousin's eyes fluttered open, and he slowly sat himself up, admiring his healed arm before looking around frantically.
"On your left." Susanna whispered. He relaxed, then stiffened nervously as Madam Pomfrey hustled over to him with a tray of breakfast. The matron made no indication that she could even sense Susanna's presence, which relaxed both cousins. Harry ate his porridge clumsily - having to use his left hand - while Madam Pomfrey bent and stretched his arms and fingers.
"All in order. When you've finished eating, you may change and leave." The matron announced, then left him to eat in peace. With her back turned to them, Harry slid the invisible Susanna a piece of toast lathered in butter and jam. She chewed as silently as possible.
As soon as the cousins were a corridor away from the hospital wing, Susanna threw off the cloak, bundling it up and handing it to her cousin. "Did you get any sleep last night?" Harry asked her, taking in the dark circles around her eyes, and the dazed look in her bottle green orbs.
"Does blinking count as sleeping? Then no."
"C'mon. I'm going to tell Ron and Hermione what happened, and you're going to sleep."
"There's no time for a nap. We have to get started on the potion."
Harry groaned. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
"To keep up with you."
The two cousins jogged to Gryffindor Tower, Susanna to change and wake Hermione, while Harry went to track down Ron and Harry to talk to Ron and Hermione. The other girls were just waking up, but her best friend was nowhere in sight, her bed already made with a note on top of it.
Visiting the Banshee.
Susanna frowned, her exhausted mind puzzling over Hermione's words before it finally clicked. She then hurried to change, throwing on a jumper over a faded tank top and a pair of joggers. She laced up her trainers, made sure she had her wand, and clicked her tongue twice. Hades purred as he emerged from under her bed, stretching out before strutting forward and nuzzling against the redhead's legs. Susanna picked him up and carried him out of the dormitory. As she walked down the stairs he clawed his way up to perch himself onto her shoulders - his latest trick - then leaped onto the couch the moment she reached the common room.
"Ron's not in bed, either?" Susanna asked, seeing that it was only her cousin waiting for her.
He shrugged. "Must be with Hermione. Where do you -"
"I found this on Hermione's bed." Susanna held up the note.
Harry frowned. "The Banshee?"
"Myrtle. Because she wails -"
"Like a banshee." He snorted. "That's clever."
Susanna shrugged, grinning. "It's Hermione."
The cousins hurried out of the Gryffindor common room, eager to meet their friends in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They ran into Percy as they passed the library, the prefect strolling out of it. In a much better mood than last they saw each other, the older Gryffindor beamed at Harry. "Oh, hello. Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has jus taken the lead for the House Cup - you earned fifty points!" Ah. That explained his pride. "You off to see Ron and Hermione? They left the common room only a little before I did." His smile began to fade. "I do hope you're keeping Ron from going into another girls' toilet…" Harry forced a laugh while Susanna smiled innocently.
"Of course. I'm Miss Responsible."
Percy humphed and walked away, the cousins waiting until he was out of sight before continuing on to the bathroom. After pausing to check for Filch or any prefects, they quietly approached the door and opened it, hearing low murmurs as soon as they entered. "It's us." Harry announced, Susanna closing the door behind them.
There was a clunk, a splash, then a gasp within one of the larger stalls at the end of the bathroom. The door to it clicked and swung open, Hermione poking her head out. "Harry, Susanna! You gave us such a fright. Come in - how's your arm?"
"Fine." Harry grunted as he squeezed into the stall after his cousin. "Good of you to leave a note for Suze."
"I knew she'd figure it out." Hermione smiled at Susanna, frowning in concern when she yawned. "Did you get any sleep last night?"
"Couldn't. I'm alright. Splashed my face with cold water, so I'm as awake as it gets."
"Right." Ron narrowed his eyes. "Sure, mate."
"Shut up. How far did you get?" Susanna asked Hermione, nodding over to a small, old cauldron perched on the toilet. There was a crackling from under the rim, giving away the fire lit beneath it. Hermione's doing, definitely - portable, waterproof fires were one of her specialties.
"We've only just started." The other Muggle-born told her as Harry struggled to lock the stall.
Ron nodded. "Had to grab what we could first, didn't we? But we've decided this is the safest place to hide it -"
"We have something to tell you." Harry interrupted the red-haired boy. "There's been another attack. This time, on a student -"
"Colin." Ron cut him off, and the cousins blinked at him.
"We already know, we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going." Hermione said with a shaky voice, squeezing Susanna's hand when the other girl took hers, both of them equally terrified but keeping the fear to themselves.
After a few moments of silence, Hermione cleared her throat. "Here." Susanna dropped the brunette's hand to accept the large bottle of lacewing flies. "We need to stew them -"
"For twenty-one days, yeah." Susanna rolled her head around cracking her neck. "The Polyjuice Potion calls for three cups, right?"
"Yes. I've already added the potioning water, and made sure the heat was low, as per the instructions." Hermione nodded to the opened Most Potente Potions. "I've already measured them out. All we have to do is -"
"Stir it clockwise eight times every morning, and twelve times counterclockwise every evening." Susanna murmured back tiredly while gently pouring in the pre-measured lacewing.
"Exactly."
As the two girls dealt with the cauldron and its contents, Ron huffed. "I wish it would take so long to stew. The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better. D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin." The boy snarled.
If it even was Draco, Susanna scoffed to herself, stepping back so Hermione could take over.
"There's something else." Harry cleared his throat. "Dobby came to visit me last night, right before they found Colin." Ron and Hermione looked over at him, amazed, but Susanna only leaned back against the stall door, shutting her eyes as Harry told them what he'd learned - and hadn't - from Dobby.
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione asked once Harry had finished speaking.
"Professor Dumbledore confirmed it. He said the same thing to Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey." Susanna revealed without opening her eyes.
"This settles it!" Ron said triumphantly. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."
"Maybe it can make itself invisible." Hermione suggested. "Or maybe it can disguise itself - pretend to be a suit of armor or something - I've read about Chameleon Ghouls."
"You read too much, Hermione." Ron teased her.
Susanna snorted, opening her eyes blearily. "And yet we'd be nowhere without her, lazy." She joked, earning an appreciative nod from Hermione and an eye roll from the other redhead, who then turned back to Harry.
"So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm? You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."
The news of Colin Creevey's attack had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. Gone was any semblance of a peaceful atmosphere in Hogwarts castle. The air had become stale with rumor and suspicion. In the days following Colin's petrification the first years began moving around the corridors in tight-knit groups, afraid they'd be attacked if found on their own. The Muggle-borns were all the more terrified, their pure-blood and half-blood friends sticking close by in hopes the one responsible for the attacks would stay away, not wanting to risk hurting the ones they deemed "worthy" of attending Hogwarts.
Ginny was even more distraught than she was about Mrs. Norris, having sat next to Colin in Charms. Fred and George took to cheering her up in what might have been the most moronic way Susanna had ever witnessed; by taking turns covering themselves in boils and fur and jumping out at her from behind statues. They only stopped because Percy finally intimated his younger brothers with a combination of his apoplectic rage and threats of writing to their mum.
Hidden from the teacher, students traded talismans, amulets, and other protective devices. Neville had bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail. Seamus had pointed out he was in no danger, being a pure-blood, but his round face remained fearful.
"They went for Filch first." Neville remained Seamus. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."
Meanwhile, Susanna and Hermione were busy preparing the Polyjuice Potion. The lacewings had been stewed for twenty-one days and the fluxweed had been picked on the most recent full moon, so they could complete the first part of the instructions. Unfortunately they were still struggling with procuring the boomslang skin and bicorn horn without being caught by Professor Snape, which meant the potion was only half finished.
At the start of the second week of December, Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting the names of the students who'd be remaining at Hogwarts for Christmas. The four Gryffindors all signed up, and Susanna had to admit the fact Draco was also remaining at school was suspicious at first. After all, he'd spent the previous year bragging about how "grand" Malfoy Manor was during the holidays.
Then she'd overheard him telling an ever-clingy Pansy Parkinson that his parents would be visiting his grandfather for the holidays, and felt Draco would have more fun at Hogwarts. Ron and Harry were quick to try and convince her that it was a cover, only giving up when Susanna counteracted with, "But don't you think he'd tell Pansy the truth? She hates Muggle-borns, too."
As it came closer to Thursday's double Potions lessons, Susanna came up with a plan. "We just need a diversion. One that isn't out of place, but lasts long enough for one of us to grab the rest of the ingredients in Professor Snape's office.
Ron and Harry looked at each other nervously, while Hermione hummed. "It could work." Susanna began to bounce on the balls of her feet excitedly, only to frown when the brunette eyed her and said, "I think I'd better do the stealing."
"But, Hermione -"
"Harry and Ron will be expelled if they get into any more trouble. I've got a clean record. Besides, we need you to handle the diversion. All you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so." Susanna began to smile once more. "Nothing extreme!" Hermione warned, but the redheaded girl only waved off her concerns.
"Shh. I'm plotting."
"Right. Like causing a diversion in Snape's class isn't as bad as stealing from him." Harry snarked, wincing when his cousin slapped him up the back of his head.
Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday's class was no different than the ones before it; twenty cauldrons steamed away between the wooden desks, which were covered in brass scales and jars of ingredients. Professor Snape prowled around the classroom like a panther, moving through the fumes and making waspish criticism about the Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins laughed in amusement.
Draco - Professor Snape's favorite student and godson - flicked puffer-fish eyes at Ron and Harry, who were unable to retaliate without immediately earning themselves a detention. Susanna felt one hit her forehead, and she glowered over at the blonde who smirked back. It faded when the red-haired girl began to smile at the Slytherin, making sure the expression was deranged and promising of retaliation. Indeed, when he became distracted in his effort to save Goyle's potion, Susanna threw a bat spleen straight at his head. It splattered against his hair and fell to the floor.
Draco glanced over at her quickly, wiping his hair and scowling. He recoiled when she winked, then returned to Goyle's mess of a Swelling Solution.
Susanna's looked exactly as it should - Professor Snape just huffed at it, which she took as a sign of his reluctant approval - but Harry's was much too thin, the boy focusing too much on trying to see Hermione's signal.
"Be glad your cousin is here, Potter." The Potions master warned the boy when he passed by, before moving on to bully Neville.
Hermione nodded as soon as the man's back was to them. Harry ducked under the table and within seconds he passed Susanna one of Fred's Filibuster Fireworks. Fizzing and sputtering, Susanna used her Chaser skills to throw it into Goyle's cauldron. The potion exploded, showering the whole class while Hermione disappeared into their professor's office. The redhead winced, her innocent classmates having not been spared from the diversion, some of their arms and legs the size of clubs. The sight of Draco's extremely bulbous nose - it had swelled to the size of a melon - the way Goyle's eyes had expanded to the size of dinner plates, and Pansy Parkinson's gigantic lips momentarily distracted her from her guilt.
"Silence! SILENCE!" Professor Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draught - when I find out who did this -" As he warned the class, Susanna quickly scooped up some nearby Swelling Solution, smearing it on Harry's hand and Ron's forearm, causing them - and her fingers - to swell as a result. It tingled, but wasn't at all painful, which made her feel slightly better about the whole affair. What an inconvenient thing, to have a conscience when you also enjoy pranking.
"What the bloody hell did you do that for?" Ron griped.
Susanna shrugged, leading them to Professor Snape's desk to drink the antidote. "To maintain our innocence."
After the various swellings had subsided and the affected students had returned to their seats - including Hermione, the front of her robes bulging - Professor Snape stalked over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the remains of the firework. The dungeon fell into a sudden hush. "If I ever find out who threw this, I shall make sure that person is expelled." He whispered, eyes drifting to Harry.
Ten long minutes of tense silence past as the class cleaned up. Once the bell rang, the four Gryffindors hurried out of the dungeon, sprinting for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"He knew it was me. I could tell." Harry paced as Hermione added the three measures of boomslang skin to the cauldron and Susanna crushed the bicorn horn into a fine powder.
"He only suspects it was you. He can't prove it." Susanna reassured her cousin. "Besides, it was my plan. I threw it. I wouldn't let you take the fall." She then added the powder into the cauldron and turned up the heat for twenty seconds, lowering it back when Hermione indicated the time had passed.
The brunette leaned over the cauldron, waving her wand over their potion while Susanna fixed the stray red hairs falling in front of her eyes. "Excellent. This has to brew for twenty-four hours. The last part won't take much time at all, and we can do it -"
"- right before drinking, yes, we remember." Ron cut her off. "See? I listen." He then turned to Harry. "Susie's right, Snape's got no proof. What can he do?"
"Knowing Snape, something foul." Harry winced as his imagination ran wild, the potion bubbling and frothing.
A week later, the four Gryffindors were walking across the entrance hall when they came across a small crowd gathering around the notice board. Seamus and Dean caught sight of them and beckoned for them to join in.
"They're starting a Dueling Club!" Seamus exclaimed. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days."
"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" Ron asked while reading the sign with interest, though his tone was thick with sarcasm. Susanna snorted, and he grinned over at her.
"It could be useful." Susanna said to her cousin and their two friends as they continued on their way to the Great Hall for dinner. "Shall we go?"
The other three were all in, so at eight o'clock they hurried back to the Great Hall. Gone were the long dining tables; instead, a large golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating above it. Most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, the students standing around excitedly with their wands in hand.
"I wonder who'll be teaching us, the notice didn't say." Hermione could barely be heard over their peers' excitement.
"I heard it might be Professor Flitwick. He used to be a dueling champion, so he's probably the most qualified." Susanna responded as the quartet edged closer to the stage.
"As long as it's not -" Harry fell silent, groaning with Susanna and Ron as none other than Lockhart strutted onto stage, dressed in deep plum robes. Professor Snape followed after him, wearing his usual black.
Lockhart waved an arm for silence. "Gather round! Gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!"
"Should we just leave? This is going to be a nightmare." Susanna whispered to her cousin and their friends. The boys nodded, but Hermione shook her head furiously, holding the redheaded girl in place.
"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I have myself done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works." Lockhart showed off his blinding smile to the crowd of students, preening as he was met with giggles and excited gasps.
"You'd think he'd already be doing that, since he's our Defense professor." Harry grumbled to the other three, Susanna and Ron snickering while Hermione angrily shushed him.
Lockhart then gestured to Professor Snape, who looked like he desired to be anywhere but there - Susanna found that to be perfectly reasonable. "Let me introduce you to my assistant, Professor Snape." The Potions master sneered at all the non-Slytherins, daring them to laugh at Lockhart's description. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself, and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never you fear!"
"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered so only Susanna and Harry could hear.
Lockhart and Professor Snape turned to face each other and bowed. At least, Lockhart did, twirling his hands dramatically. Snape merely jerked his head in irritation. The two professors raised their wands in front of them as though they were swords. "As you see, we are holding our wands in an accepted combative position." Lockhart announced to the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
Harry scoffed. "I wouldn't bet on it." He nodded over at Snape, who was baring his teeth.
"One…two…three!"
Both men swung their wands above their hands and pointed them at the other. Snape cried out, "Expelliarmus!" There was a flash of scarlet light, then Lockhart was blasted off of his feet and sent flying backwards into a wall. As he slid down it to sprawl on the floor, Susanna couldn't keep from laughing, doubling over and clutching her stomach while the boys folded over onto her, equally as hysterically.
"Oh, enough - do you think he's alright?" Hermione asked as she scolded them.
"Who cares?" Harry and Ron asked together, guffawing.
The three Gryffindors weren't alone. Quite a few students had broken into laughter as Lockhart's fans shrieked in worry. As she straightened, Susanna saw that many of the Slytherins were chortling and cheering for Professor Snape. Her eyes met Draco's, his normally pale cheeks flushed red from his exuberance. He tilted his head as he continued looking at her, and for a moment they just stared at each other, only stopping when Lockhart began to unsteadily get on his feet.
"Well, there you have it!" He tottered back onto the platform, hat gone and wavy blonde hair standing up like a balloon had been rubbed all over it. "That was a Disarming Charm. As you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Ms. Brown." He winked at Lavender as she handed him back his wand. "Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy. However, I felt it would be instructive to let them see." Professor Snape looked positively murderous, which Lockhart was quick to pick up on. "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me -"
Lockhart and the Potions master moved around the Great Hall, matching up partners. Lockhart put Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Padma with Susan Bones.
Susanna turned to Hermione and Ron to Harry, but Snape reached the four Gryffindors before Lockhart was able to pair them.
"Time to split up the dream teams, I think." He sneered. "Weasley, you can partner with Finnigan. Potter -" Harry moved over to the girls, but Professor Snape stopped him with a cold smile. "I don't think so. Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. Ms. Granger, you can partner Ms. Bulstrode." A large girl with a heavy jaw followed after Draco, staring at Hermione with narrowed eyes when the other girl offered her a weak smile. "Ms. Parkinson, you'll be with Ms. Dursley."
"Yes, Professor." Pansy drawled obediently as she hurried over to Susanna, lips twisted into a cruel smile. Susanna glowered back, her right hand clenching into a fist while her left held her wand tightly.
"Face your partners!" Lockhart called as he jumped back onto the golden stage. "And bow!"
Pansy bowed at Susanna, making a face at her as she did. Susanna smiled pleasantly and curtsied mockingly.
"Ms. Dursley, a proper bow!" Lockhart called while Professor Snape glowered warningly at the Gryffindor. She rolled her eyes but did as asked, Pansy smirking. "Wands at the ready!" Lockhart shouted. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent - only to disarm them! We don't want any accidents!" Susanna briefly looked around the crowded Great Hall, only imagining the chaos that was about to ensue. Her attention returned to her opponent, who had a wicked gleam in her eyes. "One… two… three!"
"Flipendo!" Pansy sent the Knockback Jinx at Susanna, but she'd already expected the Parkinson girl wouldn't be following Lockhart's explicit instructions
"Expelliarmus!" Susanna called at the same time, the scarlet light beating the blue flash as Pansy went flying back, landing on her butt, wand rolling away. She grinned, once again reminded that without Hermione insisting they practiced the second year Charms curriculum in advance, she'd have been the one knocked off her feet.
"How dare you, you disgusting Mudblood!" Pansy shrieked as she jumped to her feet, loud enough that even Professor Snape couldn't deny the slur. Those dueling closest to the two girls paused, including Harry and Draco.
Susanna snapped, seeing red. The Slytherin girl only had a second to step back in fear before the redhead lunged forward, shoving her hard enough that Pansy was knocked clean off her feet. "You vile, miserable, ugly bit-"
"Ms. Dursley!" Professor Snape shouted, but Susanna stood with her back to him. "That is quite enough."
"Yeah. I thought so, too." The redhead growled.
Pansy scrambled onto her feet, looking up at her Head of House with all the innocence she could muster. "Sir, you saw that, didn't you? You saw her put her hands on me?"
"I did, Ms. Parkinson. Ms. Dursley, in a duel you never resort to physical violence. Ten points from Gryffindor."
Susanna gaped at him. "You're bloody joking."
The Potions master scowled down at the redhead. "That is no way to speak to -"
"What, a superior?"
"A professor, Ms. Dursley." The man snarled, and Pansy grinned cruelly at the Gryffindor.
"She called me a Mudblood. You heard her." Susanna insisted. "And instead of punishing her, you're punishing me for defending myself?"
Professor Snape merely raised his eyebrows in disagreement. "That was not what you were doing."
Susanna shook her head, eyes filling with tears. "This… I mean… Muggle-borns are being threatened. One's already been petrified. Members of your House have been calling us 'Mudblood' without so much as being spoken to as why that's beyond unacceptable. As a professor, you should be trying to protect us Muggle-borns, not turning a blind eye because you want to win the bleeding House cup!"
By then, the entire Great Hall was watching the show. Lockhart was only half-attempting to restart the dueling, much more interested in what was going on. Professor Snape hummed. "Quite a temper. Ten more points from Gryffindor, for your disrespect. Ms. Parkinson, ten points from Slytherin and a detention for the use of such an inappropriate word."
"Fantastic, that makes it all better." Susanna snarked. "Show's over!" She shouted at the rest of the students, ramming her shoulder into Pansy's as she stalked past. The redhead caught her cousin and their friends trying to walk over to her, but she only shook her head, disappearing in the crowd.
Any Gryffindor who wasn't at the Dueling Club knew to leave the red-haired girl be as soon as she stormed into the common room. She stalked up to her dorm, angrily undressing and changing into her comfy pajamas while Hades moved around her, purring worriedly at the human's obvious distress. It was only when she collapsed onto her bed that she began to cry, all the anger and terror at the situation - the very fear she hadn't spoken of out loud, not wanting to distress her cousin or friends further - pouring out. Hades mewled and leapt onto the bed to curl up beside her, staying with her even after the last of her tears were shed.
Eventually Susanna became irritated with how itchy her face felt from all the sobbing, so she stumbled into the bathroom to wash her face. She flinched at the cold water, then nearly jumped out of her skin when the door to the dorm burst open and Hermione came running into view, eyes wide as her whole body shook. "Anna! There you are, we - are you alright?" The brunette came closer, taking in the red splotches on the redhead's face, and how impossibly bright green her eyes had become.
"I'm fine. What happened? What's wrong?"
"It's Harry." Susanna froze. "He… there was a… Draco conjured a snake, and he… he spoke to it -"
"Again?" The redhead asked, and Hermione blinked at her. "What?"
"You mean Harry's… he's talked to snakes before?"
"Well, just one. A boa constrictor two Junes ago - whoa, what's the rush?" Susanna asked as Hermione grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the dorm. "Wait, is he not supposed to be able to talk to snakes?" She inquired as she was forced down the stairs.
Hermione ignored her in favor of addressing the redheaded boy. "Ron, it wasn't Harry's first time!" Susanna frowned at the way her voice shook, choosing to walk over to where her cousin was seated. She perched herself on the arm of the chair.
"I know. He was just telling me -"
"About the boa constrictor." Susanna interrupted Ron, then laughed. "My brother and his friend looked so stupid, locked up in its cage. What's the matter - I bet loads of witches and wizards can do it." Harry nodded with her.
Ron shook his head, pale-faced. "No, not they can't. It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad."
"What's bad?" Susanna winced as Harry's voice filled with anger, and she placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin -"
"Why was the snake going to attack Justin?" Susanna asked with a frown, but Ron cut her off.
"Oh, that's what you said to it?"
Harry tilted his head in disbelief. "What d'you mean? You were there, you heard me -"
"I heard you speaking Parseltongue. Snake language. You could have been saying anything -"
"And you think Harry of all people would ask it to attack Justin? Are you mental?!" Susanna practically roared. Ron and Hermione both jumped.
Her cousin was the next to snap. "D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head? What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt."
"It matters," Hermione cleared her throat, staring at the aggravated cousins warily, "because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of the Slytherin House is a serpent."
Susanna inhaled sharply while Harry's mouth dropped open. Ron nodded at them. "Exactly. Now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-grandson or something."
"But I'm not." Harry responded, panicked.
"You'll find that hard to prove. He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be."
"It doesn't matter." Susanna shook her head, and the other three looked at her. "Whether he's his descendant or not, it doesn't matter." She vehemently denied.
"Susanna -"
"No." She interrupted Hermione, then looked down at her cousin. "Harry speaks Parseltongue, fine. He might be Slytherin's descendant, alright. But that doesn't make him the only one. That doesn't make him the Heir of Slytherin. You need to get over this right now, because I refuse to be the only one supporting Harry while the rest of the school turns against him. C'mon, Freak. Time for bed." She helped her cousin stand, glaring warningly at Ron and Hermione once more before leading Harry up the stairs.
Susanna woke the next morning to a blizzard, one which canceled their last Herbology class of the term. The raging snowstorm didn't keep Professor Sprout from fitting socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, to help the grow quickly and revive Colin and Mrs. Norris.
The redhead sat beside her cousin, reading a book by the fire while Harry stared into the flames in deep thought. Hermione and Ron were busy playing wizard chess, the red-haired boy absolutely destroying the brunette girl. While both had apologized to Harry for their judgment the night before, there was still tension amongst the four Gryffindors.
"For heaven's sake, Harry, go and find Justin if it's so important to you." Hermione groaned, Ron's bishops having wrestled her knight off his horse.
"I'll come with you. Sorry, honey." Susanna set down her book and gently placed Hades on the pillow, her cat meowing in offense before accepting a couple of scratches under his chin. The redhead then followed her cousin out of the portrait hole.
"Why'd you come with me?" He asked as they walked down the corridor, shivering from the cold. The castle was darker in the daytime than usual, the thick, swirling snow blocking any sort of sunlight from coming in through the windows.
Susanna waited until they passed the Transfiguration classroom - Professor McGonagall was yelling at a student who'd turned his friend into a badger - before answering. "I'm going to vouch for your character, if need be."
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me, I'm your family. It's my job." She bumped his shoulder friendly, and he bumped her back.
Some more silence fell, then Harry sighed. "Suze, I'm sorry." She paused, turning to him with a confused expression. "Last night… I was so focused on myself, I didn't even check in on you."
Susanna waved him off. "Oh, please, don't apologize. Your situation was more important -"
"Don't say that!" Harry growled. "I'm not more important than you. Alright?"
"Okay! Christ!" Susanna held up her hands in surrender. "Poor phrasing. I just meant that finding out talking to snakes is a rare ability after talking to a snake in front of almost the whole school is a lot to deal with on your own. It doesn't help that Ron entertained the idea you wanted to attack Justin, or how quickly Hermione jumped to the conclusion that you're Slytherin's descendant. Again, not that it truly matters, but I'm sure there's some sort of record out there that's kept tabs on the Slytherin family tree. It wouldn't just be you. Oof -" Harry threw his arms around his cousin and squeezed tightly, and Susanna momentarily struggled to breathe. "Yeah, yeah, I love you, Freak."
"I'll hex Parkinson the next time I see her, I swear it."
"No, don't bother, you'll just end up in trouble, and then who knows what the next person will accuse you of."
"Right." He nodded and released her, then sighed. "Okay. Now, Justin. Where do you think he'd be?"
"Maybe he's in his common room?"
"He could be in the library." Harry shrugged. "Check there first?"
"You're the boss, I'm just your muscles. Hey!" Susanna shoved Harry off after he aggressively ruffled her curls, the girl having flexed her arms to show off her strength.
"C'mon, Freak." The boy led his grumbling cousin to the library, moving through the high bookshelves. A group of Hufflepuff second years were sitting in the very back, but they didn't appear to be working. Instead, their heads were all close together, the badgers too absorbed in their discussion to sense the cousins were listening in. Still, to keep out of their line of sight, Susanna pulled Harry behind the Invisibility section, having to hide her laugh behind her hand. Her cousin rolled his eyes at her, then held a finger to his lips before tapping his ears.
"So, anyway," they heard a boy - Ernie Macmillan - say, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as his next victim, it's best he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was a Muggle-born. Justin actually told him he's been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?" Susanna fought the urge to pummel the idiotic boy with the largest book she could find.
"You definitely think it is Potter then, Ernie?" Hannah asked.
"Hannah, he's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue."
Of all the stupid, idiotic - bring up other examples of Dark wizards who were Parseltongues, you wanker, Susanna wanted to shout at Ernie.
"Remember what was written on the wall? Enemies of the Heir, Beware." Ernie continued after some murmuring. "Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of him while he was lying in the mud. Next thing we know - Creevey's been attacked."
"He always seemed so nice though." Hannah argued. "And, well, he's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. He can't be so bad, can he?"
Ernie lowered his voice, Harry and Susanna edging nearer so they could catch his every word. "No one knows how he survived the attack by You-Know-Who. I mean to say, he was only a baby when it happened. He should've been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard could have survived a curse like that. That's probably why You-Know-Who wanted to kill him in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with -"
"Oi, Macmillan! Yeah, you, you tosser!" Susanna snarled, stepping into view, Harry right on her heels. The Hufflepuffs - Ernie, Hannah, and Zacharias Smith - stared at her in shock, before becoming horrified when they saw her cousin right behind her.
"Suze." Harry shook his head at his cousin. "Hello." He turned to the Hufflepuffs. "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley." Susanna closed her eyes and exhaled at Harry's poor choice of words.
"What do you want with him?" Ernie asked in a quavering voice.
"I wanted to tell him what really happened with that snake in the Dueling Club."
Ernie bit his bottom lip, then took a deep breath. "We were all there. We saw what happened."
"Then you noticed that after I spoke to it, the snake backed off?" Harry asked.
"All I saw," Ernie trembled through his stubbornness, "was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake toward Justin."
"I didn't chase it at him!" Harry argued, voice shaking with anger. "It didn't even touch him!"
"It was a very near miss." Ernie shot back. "And in case you get any ideas, I might tell you that you can trace my family back through nine generations of witches and warlocks and my blood's as pure as anyone's, so -"
"I don't care what sort of blood you've got!" Harry said fiercely. "Why would I want to attack Muggle-borns?" He gestured to Susanna, who then gestured to herself.
Ernie humphed. "I've heard you hate those Muggles you live with."
"You mean my parents? Yeah, try living with them, it's impossible." Susanna growled, stepping forward. "You're ridiculous, you know that? If Harry hates Muggle-borns as much as you claim, wouldn't he have killed me a long time ago? No, wait, you probably think he's saving me for last, as cruel as he is." Susanna snapped her fingers, smiling sarcastically. "Hufflepuff House really got the pick of the litter with you, eh? At least Hannah's got her head on straight. I don't know much about Smith, you're eyeing Harry like he's about to rip you apart. You can tell Justin that Susanna Dursley vouches for her cousin, and seeing as how I know Harry best, he should take my word over yours. Don't let me catch you talking about him again. This is your only warning. Let's go, I don't want Macmillan's stupidity to rub off on us. Hermione'd be disappointed."
With that, Susanna gently pushed her cousin out of the library, turning her nose up at Madam Pince when the librarian glared reprovingly at them. They walked in a tense silence, Harry blundering up the corridor in fury while Susanna ran through every possible prank she could pull on Ernie.
Harry's sudden yelp shook her out of her devious potential plans, the redhead quick to catch her cousin before he could fall back. "Oh, hello, Hagrid." He greeted the large man.
Hagrid's face was nearly completely covered by a snow-covered balaclava, but there was no mistaking him for someone else, not with the way he filled most of the corridor. A dead rooster hung from one of his massive gloved hands. "Alrigh', Harry? Susanna?" He asked, pulling up the balaclava to address them. "Why aren't yeh in class?"
"Canceled. What are you doing here?" Harry retorted, joining his cousin in staring at the dead rooster.
"Second one killed this term." Hagrid explained, holding up the limp rooster. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop. Yes sure yeh two are alrigh'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered -"
"It's nothing." Harry was quick to say, Susanna staring at him in disbelief. If anyone else would be supporting him unconditionally, it'd be Hagrid, she thought to herself, but nevertheless took her cousin's lead.
"It's just the weather." Susanna told Hagrid with as convincing a tone as she was capable. "Sorry, we better get going, we've got Transfiguration next and our books are still in our dorms." The two cousins left quickly, waving goodbye to a bewildered Hagrid. "I'd ask you how you're feeling," She started to say to Harry as he stomped his way down a particularly cold corridor, "but it's pretty obvious. Macmillan's thick, don't listen to him."
"Yeah, easier said than -" Harry tripped over air, falling into Susanna as he tried to straighten.
"Are you alright?" Susanna asked, eyes narrowing when she realized his gaze had fallen to the floor. She followed his gaze, letting out a choked scream. Harry hadn't tripped over air.
Justin Finch-Fletchley was laying on the floor, rigid as a statue. Shock had been frozen on his face, his eyes staring unseeingly at the ceiling. And next to him - most mysteriously - Sir Nicholas was floating, no longer pearly-white and transparent. Instead, he was black and smoky, floating horizontally. His head hung from his neck, face as shocked as Justin's. A line of spiders scuttled as quickly as they could away from the bodies.
Susanna took a step back, dragging her shaking cousin with her. His breathing was shallow and fast, the redheaded girl no less terrified than him; the blood pounded in her ears and she felt light-headed. Run, they needed to run, before Harry was accused… but they couldn't just leave them there -
"Why, it's potty wee Potter and derpy Dursley!" Peeves cackled, knocking Harry's glasses askew, and Susanna's stomach dropped. "What're you two up to? Why're you lurking -" The Poltergeist stopped, upside down as he'd been mid-somersault, finally spotting the petrified ghost and Hufflepuff boy. Susanna pulled Harry behind her as Peeves flipped the right way up, filling his lungs with air before screaming, "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"
There were several crashes as door after door flew open along the corridor, students and professors flooding out. Susanna pulled Harry back against the wall as everyone gathered confusingly around the two bodies. Professor McGonagall came running, flocked by her class - one boy still had black and white striped hair - and set off a loud band with her wand. "Back to your classes, all of you!" She ordered.
No sooner had the scene cleared than Ernie arrived, panting. "Caught in the act!" He screeched at Harry, pointing his finger shakily. Susanna growled and stepped forward, but fortunately for the Hufflepuff, Professor McGonagall moved in front of her.
"That will do, Macmillan!" She scolded the boy sharply, and Susanna gave him the bird behind her Head of House's back. "Ms. Dursley!" Professor McGonagall barked, knowing her student all too well, and the girl huffed.
Peeves was still bobbing overheard, only he had begun to grin wickedly, surveying the scene. He loved chaos more than Professor Snape loved taking points from Gryffindor. A few lingering professors bent over Justin and Sir Nicholas to examine them, and Peeves took that as his cue to begin singing.
"Oh, Potter, you rotter, or what have you done,
You're killing off students, you think it's good fun -"
"That's enough, Peeves!" Professor McGonagall barked. The poltergeist zoomed away, floating backwards so he could stick his tongue out at Harry.
Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra - the Astronomy teacher - levitated Justin off the ground, escorting his petrified form to the hospital wing. The professor were at a loss for what to do about Sir Nicholas. In the end, Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air and ordered Ernie to waft the frozen ghost up the stairs. Susanna glared at the stout boy as he fanned Sir Nicholas away, then turned to Professor McGonagall.
"This way, Potter." The woman commanded.
"Professor, I swear didn't -"
"Harry's innocent, I was with him the whole time -"
"This is out of my hands." Professor McGonagall interrupted the panicking cousins.
Susanna stubbornly crossed her arms. "Fine. But I'm going with Harry. I refuse to let him get in trouble for something he didn't do."
"Very well." The professor's lips twitched into a small smile, before she cleared her throat and began marching them around the corner, only stopping when they reached a large, crudely carved stone gargoyle. "Lemon drop!" The Deputy Headmistress said, and suddenly the statue sprung to life, hopping aside as the wall behind him split apart. The cousins watched in amazement as a spiral staircase was revealed, the steps moving smoothly upward like an escalator. As Harry and Susanna stepped on behind Professor McGonagall, the wall closed behind them. They rose up in circles, and the redhead might've gotten dizzy if she hadn't spent years spotting her turns.
Finally, they reached the top of the staircase, and were met with a gleaming oak door. It boasted a brass knocker the shape of a griffin.
They'd been taken to see Professor Dumbledore.
I always disliked how Ron pretty much accused Harry of trying to get the snake to attack Justin, and how he and Hermione agreed that it must mean he's Salazar Slytherin's descendant, so I thought it'd only be appropriate if Susanna called them out on it (don't worry, the tension won't linger!).
Also; at some point, Susanna will be punching Pansy. I'm not going to say when, only that it's going to happen.
