Wow, it's been a while. My bad.
SwordSeer: Your questions about the Polyjuice Potion will be answered here. It's not exactly like in the book and movie, as I wanted to add my own stuff to the chapter, but it's also not completely different. I'm glad you liked seeing Harry and Susanna being a duo again, and I definitely agree with your assessment of Ron and Hermione. I love them both dearly, but Susanna really does have Harry's back in ways they don't always do. As for Snape, part of his punishing a Slytherin was because there was no denying it happened. Everyone heard Pansy. But at the same time, it is deeper - Susanna's similarity to Lily brings up complex emotions in everyone who knew her aunt, especially Snape and Petunia (stay tuned for Sirius and Remus when they meet her). And yes, Professor McGonagall definitely got flashbacks to Lily at the end of the chapter.
Okay, this chapter took an insane amount of time to write. I had to keep revising it every time I found a plot hole. I'm sure there's a few still there, but I just want to get on with the story. I'll continue editing it as I've been doing the other chapters, so if you catch anything please let me know.
As always, I only claim my OC. Let's get into it.
Professor McGonagall knocked on the door. It opened silently, and the Deputy Headmistresses ushered the two second years inside. "Wait here." She ordered, then left them on their own.
With nothing else to do, Susanna and Harry looked around. Of all the professors' offices she's seen, the Headmaster's was certainly the most ornate. It was large and circular, full of funny noises from a number of magical silver instruments. They stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and releasing puffs of smoke. Portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses lined the walls, all of them sleeping in their frames. There was an enormous, claw-footed desk under the back archway. On the shelf behind it sat a shabby wizard's hat - the Sorting Hat.
Susanna heard her cousin inhale sharply and she turned to look at him, brows furrowed in concern. He ignored her look and slowly walked around the desk, plucking the hat off the shelf. "Harry? What are you doing?"
She watched wide-eyed as her cousin placed the hat on his head, only his mouth exposed. After a few moments, the boy spoke. "Er, yes. Er, sorry to bother you. I wanted to ask -" He fell silent, Susanna assuming the Sorting Hat was responding as it began to move like it did during the Sorting Ceremony. Its words were anything but comforting, Harry's mouth dropping open in horror before he tugged it off his head. Susanna stepped forward as her cousin returned the hat to its resting spot. "You're wrong." He growled at it.
"Harry, what's the matter?"
"What isn't?" The boy asked in response. Susanna wanted to answer, but a strange gagging noise distracted both cousins. They turned towards the source, and the redhead's eyes widened in awe at the decrepit-looking bird standing on a golden perch. It resembled a partially plucked turkey, but while its feathers were dull, they were still as red as the flames flickering in Professor Dumbledore's fireplace. She'd seen a similar image in Asiatic Anti-Venoms, when the book was discussing the different stages of a -
"Phoenix." Susanna whispered to herself, walking closer to the dying bird. All at once it burst into flames, both cousins jumping at the abruptness. But while Harry panicked and bustled around looking for some water, Susanna only watched as the flames rolled into themselves to form a fireball, the phoenix letting out a final shriek. Then all that was left was a pile of ashes.
A door opened and Professor Dumbledore stepped out, extremely somber - Susanna supposed this was warranted, given there had been two more attacks.
"Professor." Her cousin gasped. "Your bird… we couldn't do anything… he just caught fire -"
The Headmaster smiled. "About time, too. He's been looking dreadful for days. I've been telling him to get a move on." The old man laughed at the stunned expression on Harry's face, then glanced at his redheaded cousin. "You don't seem surprised."
"It's a phoenix, right? They show their cycle in Asiatic Anti-Venoms." She responded.
Harry made a noise. "Phoenix?"
"They burst into flame when it's time for them to die, and are reborn from their own ashes. Right?"
Professor Dumbledore nodded at the girl, then gestured to the pile of ashes on the floor. "Watch." The cousins looked down to see a tiny, wrinkled baby bird poke its head up. "It's a shame you had to see Fawkes on a Burning Day." The old man sat behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, with wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, and -"
"Their tears have healing properties, right?" Susanna jumped in, then blushed a deep crimson. "Sorry."
Professor Dumbledore only laughed. "You are quite correct, Ms. Dursley. They also make for extremely faithful pets." He became somber once more, and Susanna realized that was all the distraction he'd allow the cousins before discussing Justin and Sir Nicholas.
But before they could get to the real reason Harry and Susanna had been brought to the Headmaster's office, the door burst open and Hagrid rushed in, a wild look in his eyes as the dead rooster still hung limply from one of his massive hands. "It wasn' Harry, Professor Dumbledore! I was talkin' ter him and Susanna seconds before that kid was found, he never had time, sir -" The Headmaster tried to say something, but Hagrid continued his rant, waving the rooster in his agitation. A feather landed on Susanna's arm and she blew it off. "It can't've bin him, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to -"
"Hagrid, I -"
"Yeh've got the wrong boy, sir, I know Harry never - I mean, Susanna is his cousin, he'd never -"
"Hagrid!" Professor Dumbledore finally managed to speak over the gamekeeper. "I do not think that Harry attacked those people."
"Oh." The rooster fell limply at Hagrid's side. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster." He stomped out, looking embarrassed, but the cousins beamed after him at his vehement defense of Harry.
"You don't think it was me, Professor?" Harry asked as the Headmaster cleared his desk of the remaining rooster feathers.
"No Harry, I don't. But I still want to talk to you. Both of you." Susanna gulped as the old man eyed the cousin, the tips of his long fingers pressing together. "I must ask you, Harry, whether or not there is anything you'd like to tell me." Professor Dumbledore gently asked.
Her cousin looked at Susanna, and while she gave him a look that hopefully read, "Tell Professor Dumbledore, he'll believe you", Harry shook his head. "No. There isn't anything, Professor."
Susanna began to correct him, but the Boy Who Lived glowered back. It was enough to keep her from opening her mouth, though the frown she sent him promised they'd be discussing his silence later.
"Hm." Professor Dumbledore hummed appraisingly before turning to the redheaded girl. "Susanna. Professor Snape reported last night's incident to me." Great. How much trouble was she about to be in? "My apologies for not calling upon you sooner."
"It's alright, Professor. I know I shouldn't have pushed -"
"Hogwarts does not condone the use of foul language. Ms. Parkinson was wrong to call you what she did. She has been further reprimanded, and all but five points you lost during the incident have been returned. I could not grant you the full amount, as you pushed Ms. Parkinson." Susanna nodded. "I hope you know that one's blood status does not determine their worth as a witch or wizard."
"I do, sir."
The old man smiled at the red-haired girl. "That being said, please refrain from acts of physical and magical violence in the future."
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore."
He sighed, sparing a final frown at Harry before nodding. "Very well. Off you two go."
Susanna felt his eyes on them as they hurried out of the Headmaster's office, barely sparing the still-embarrassed Hagrid hugs of appreciation.
The attack on Justin and Sir Nicholas catapulted the inhabitants of Hogwarts Castle from a collective anxiousness to full-blown panic. It was the ghost's petrified state that scared students the most - what were the extent of the horrors the culprit was capable of, if they could cause harm to someone already dead? As a result, most of the students were returning home for Christmas, which would have hampered the four Gryffindors' plans, if it weren't for the loyalty of Draco Malfoy's cronies.
"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left." Ron had said to the cousins and Hermione as they watched everyone flock to their Heads of Houses to book seats on the Hogwarts Express. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Parkinson."
Crabbe and Goyle always did whatever Draco said, so it was no surprise to Susanna that they'd be staying. Nor was she shocked to learn Pansy had also signed up to stay at the castle during the holidays, the girl never straying far from Draco's side.
"Pathetic, really." Hermione often commented to Susanna whenever they heard the Slytherin girl's high-pitched giggles at Draco's snide comments. The redhead fully agreed, but privately felt her best friend had no room to talk, given she still blushed around Lockhart.
Harry shared with his cousin that he was glad most of the students were leaving, and she couldn't blame him for wanting them all gone. People still skirted around the Boy Who lived in the corridors as though he was some sort of dangerous monster. They muttered, pointed, and hissed as he passed, only faltering when Susanna glowered their way, left hand wrapped tightly around her wand in warning.
Fred and George found it all terribly funny - no, ridiculous - that Harry was Slytherin's heir. They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry in the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through!"
Percy deeply disapproved of his younger brothers' behavior. "It is not a laughing matter." He announced coldly.
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy." Fred said as he and his brother ushered the four second year Gryffindors down a corridor. "Harry's in a hurry."
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant!" George chortled in agreement.
Ginny didn't find it amusing, either. "Oh, don't!" She'd wail in the common room every time Fred asked Harry who he planned to attack next, or when George pretended to ward the boy off with a large clove of garlic.
Beyond that, the twins took to pranking the students who had it out for Harry the most, including Susanna in their endeavors. Even Hermione couldn't help but laugh when Ernie Macmillan's skin turned bright purple and his hair a puke-green, all thanks to a few harmless charms. He was returned to his normal state fairly quickly, but Harry told his cousin that it was harder for him to listen to the boy's cruel words after that.
Much like Percy and Ginny, Draco had grown increasingly agitated by the twins' hallway commentary. "It's because he's bursting to say it's really him." Ron said knowingly as they ate their diner, the blonde boy fuming at his table. "You know he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."
Susanna rolled her eyes, still not convinced Draco was the culprit. If anything, the red-haired girl was hoping Pansy was the Heir of Slytherin. That way, she could get away with punching her in her stupid face.
"Not for long." Hermione said in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now."
"Not just any day." Susanna interjected, a wry grin on her lips. "Christmas Day. Evening, to be more precise."
"Why then?" Ron asked, head tilted like a confused puppy. Harry and Hermione were equally baffled.
Susanna hummed, stabbing at her salad. "It'll be a chaotic day, even with most of the students gone. Easy enough to separate Draco from the annoying bint, Tweedledum, and Tweedledee." Ron frowned as he mouthed the latter two names, Hermione whispering a quick explanation of the Muggle reference while Harry snickered. "Besides, I can't think of a better present for myself than messing with Parkinson." Susanna added, winking at her cousin and their friends as she took a bite of her salad, chewing smugly.
When term finally ended, the four Gryffindors all heaved sighs of relief. Susana felt lighter just looking at her cousin, Harry more relaxed than she'd seen him in a long time. They all basked in the relative peace of the near-empty castle, the cousins, Hermione, and the Weasleys all having run of Gryffindor Tower. They were able to play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice dueling in private. Only Percy did not engage with them, claiming it was all too childish - he also didn't hesitate to announce he'd only stayed at Hogwarts in the first place to fulfill his duty as prefect. The fifth year disappeared from the common room for long hours, only Ginny and Susanna knowing he was off canoodling with Penelope Clearwater.
On Christmas morning, Susanna was the first to wake up. She laid in bed, watching as snow began to fall while Hades purred on her chest. Eventually her cat got up, yawning and stretching before leaping from her bed. The redhead rolled over to face her bedside table, carefully opening the drawer to not wake up the still-sleeping Hermione. The phial was in its usual spot, clearly labeled so Susanna wouldn't mistakenly toss it during her annual "Christmas Holiday Cleaning". A few strands of Pansy's dark hair were inside, collected weeks prior; before the Dueling Club and the events that followed.
The Gryffindor was careful about getting it. Unfortunately, she had to spend more time than she ever wanted watching the Slytherin. It was thanks to Professor Snape's sadistic tendencies that she'd been assigned the station adjacent to Pansy. Their last Potions lesson, Susanna managed to inch closer to the Slytherin girl as she worriedly ran her fingers through her hair, struggling with her cauldron of Strengthening Solution. Susanna got up under the guise of dropping one of her phials. She walked past Pansy, "accidentally" brushing their hands together, and was simultaneously shoved away by the disgusted girl. The redhead fell over, but not before managing to acquire a few strands of dark hair that had shedded during Pansy's frantic finger combing. It was worth the bruises and lost points for her "clumsiness".
Tired of lazing about - and needing to take her mind off the evening's plans - Susanna got out of bed, quietly padding to the bathroom to get ready for the day. She opted to remain in her blue flannel pajamas, slipping into her fluffy robe for extra warmth. Briefly pausing to watch the snow fall, Susanna picked up Hades, her sketchbook and pencils, then stepped out of the dormitory. Once in the common room the redhead settled in front of the crackling fireplace, and began to draw Hades as he curled up on the rug.
It would be another hour before Hermione came down, followed by an irritable Harry and Ron who were grumbling about their wake up call. Their tunes changed when they remembered that the common room's Christmas tree was surrounded by presents. The boys tugged the girls to the tree, Hades following his human when he realized she was moving too far away.
Hedwig swooped in from upstairs, two small packages in her beak. She dropped them on the ground between the two cousins, then nibbled Harry's ear affectionately. "Hello. Are you speaking to me again?" He asked, the owl hooting before turning towards Susanna and tilting her head, demanding attention from the girl as well. Hades meowed at Hedwig, who hooted back before taking flight once more.
The cousins opened their packages while Ron and Hermione watched with furrowed brows and pursed lips. Harry snorted when he realized he'd received a toothpick, Susanna rolling her eyes at the button she'd been sent. "I have such loving parents." She joked as she read the note from her parents, asking whether she'd be able to stay at Hogwarts for summer, too.
"Should I respond, 'We'd love to'?" Harry said as he showed Susanna his matching note.
"How awful." Hermione stared at their gifts with a mixture of sadness and anger, Ron's cheeks flushed redder than his hair as he read the Dursley's words out loud.
"It's more than we were expecting. They put bars on our windows, remember?" Susanna reminded her best friends. "Bet that was hard to explain to the neighbors." Seeing that her friends' faces were still skewed in anger, she huffed. "Yes, yes, it's awful. Bloody terrible. But -"
"We're used to it." Harry finished for her. "C'mon, we've got better gifts from people we actually like to open." With that, he tore off the wrapping paper on the package closest to him, which was a tin of treacle toffee made by Hagrid. The other three Gryffindors received the same gift, and all four decided to soften the treats by the fire before eating.
Ron had given Harry a book called Flying with the Cannons, which included interesting facts about the red-haired boy's favorite Quidditch team. He blushed as he handed Susanna her present, which was a slightly-worn copy of Quidditch Through the Ages. "Sorry it's so ratty. The copies in Flourish and Blotts were too … I mean the secondhand shop -" Susanna pulled him into a hug.
"Doesn't matter. Thank you."
He huffed and gently pushed her away. "Alright, geroff. Susie!" He whined as she ruffled his hair and went back to her spot between Harry and Hermione. She took a break from opening gifts to flick through the pages, grinning at the occasional coffee-or-tea stains and annotations from the previous owner. There was nothing for Ron to be ashamed of. Even if pages were missing, it was still a gift from her best friend.
"Here. Thought you might enjoy this." Hermione passed over a parcel when Susanna finally put down the book, the redheaded girl sending Ron another smile before opening the next gift. "At first I was going to get you Advanced Potion-Making, but of course you had to beat me to it." The bushy-haired girl watched her best friend tear apart the wrapping, the redhead smiling like the Cheshire Cat.
"I love it, thank you!" Susanna stared at the cover of the Book of Potions. "Did you know Zygmunt Budge is considered one of the most accomplished potioneers? He even created his own brews when he was a student at Hogwarts - oh, wow, I sound exactly like you!" She joked good naturedly, winking at Hermione when her best friend rolled her eyes. "This is fantastic. Thank you so much. Here," Susanna dove under the tree, handing over a present to the other Muggle-born, "I hope you like it."
Hermione carefully unwrapped the parcel, eyes wide as she looked at the book in her hands. Ron frowned as he read the title and author over her shoulder. "A Brief History Time, by Stephen Hawking. Who the bloody hell is Stephen Hawking?"
"Only the most renowned theoretical physicist and cosmologist of this century!" Hermione gasped at the red-haired boy, who looked even more confused. "Where did you get this?"
"London, after one of my ballet lessons." Susanna responded. "I thought you might need a break from all the magical books you've been reading. Can't forget about Muggle accomplishments, can we? Oof!" She laughed breathlessly when Hermione pulled her into a tight hug. "Glad you like it."
"Sweet, thanks, Susie!" Ron shouted, both girls looking over at him as he proudly held up the Chudley Cannons Jersey.
"I'm glad you like it. I tried to get you the full robe set, but it was sold out by the time I managed to get into the store."
"No, mate, this is perfect." The redheaded boy beamed at her before turning to Harry, the two boys exchanging their gifts.
Harry took a break from admiring his present from Ron to hand his cousin a small box. "Happy Christmas, Suze."
"You got me a broom, you didn't have to -"
"Just take it, would you?"
With a sigh, she accepted the gift. "Cheers. Happy Christmas, Freak." Susanna joked, setting a large parcel down in front of him. Removing the shrinking charm, it grew to the size of a small crate. The boy beamed as he ripped off the wrapping paper, nearly squeezing the air out of the redheaded girl's lungs as he hugged her. "Can't… breathe!"
"Thank you! This is wonderful." Harry let her go, he and Ron admiring the Quidditch Starter Kit.
Susanna winked. "Don't worry, I'm fairly certain the Bludgers haven't been cursed." Her cousin rolled his eyes, then nodded at her to open her gift. As soon as she had, it was the redhead's turn to hug Harry tight enough to suffocate him. "This is beautiful. Where did you find it?" Susanna asked, holding up the necklace. It was a silver chain, adorned with a dragon pendant the size of a Knut.
"One of the vendors in Diagon Alley was selling jewelry, an Irish witch. The woman said that dragons aren't evil, they're guardians. Sure, they're powerful, but they're also brave and protective. It reminded me of you." Harry explained, smiling softly. "I had Mr. and Mrs. Weasley check for any curses, so it's safe to wear."
Susanna laughed wetly, brushing away her tears before they could fall. "Now who's protective?" He snorted as she put it on, fingers rubbing the pendant.
Their last gifts were from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who sent all four of the Gryffindors hand-knitted sweaters and plum cakes. Susanna smiled as she read her card while petting Hades, the cat meowing for affection.
Dear Susanna,
First and foremost, Arthur and I would like to thank you for the care you've shown Ginny, both during the summer and at school. She writes often about how you've helped her adjust to life at Hogwarts. We'd also like to thank you for trying your hardest to keep Ron out of trouble -
At this, Susanna felt guilty. If they were caught brewing and using the Polyjuice Potion, she's sure expulsion would be the least of their worries. Nevertheless, she continued reading.
- though his father and I both know he can be a handful. We hope the sweater and cake find you well. Please don't hesitate to write.
Happy Christmas,
Arthur and Molly
Susanna carefully placed the card back in its envelope, reminding herself not to accidentally toss it later. She pulled the violet sweater over her head, humming happily at the soft fabric.
Soon enough, the Weasley twins and Lee were thundering downstairs, breaking the comfortable silence that had broken out as the four second year Gryffindors examined their presents in peace. It was only because of Oliver's insane training regimen that the exhausted Susanna was able to catch the box Fred hurled at her head.
"That's from all three of us, Susie-Wusie." He cooed, pinching her cheek before moving on to terrorize Ron. As was expected, the boys had gotten her some Dungbombs and Stink Pellets. They paused in their torment to aggressively hug the red-haired girl when they saw she'd gotten them each three of Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks. She was saved by Ginny's arrival, the quiet first year scurrying over to her side and blushing as she handed her a homemade Christmas card. Shaped like a folded Christmas tree, the star lit up when open. The message inside read;
Susanna,
Thank you for all your help. I'm glad my brothers stole dad's car and broke you out. My summer would have been boring without you.
Your friend,
Ginny
"Professor Flitwick showed me how to do it." The younger redhead whispered. "It's not much."
Susanna pulled her into a tight hug. "Nonsense, it's perfect. Thank you. Here, I've got something for you as well." The older redhead handed a small box to the younger, who delicately opened it to reveal a Quidditch charm bracelet. "Before you say anything, I made it myself in Transfiguration. I suppose Hermione gets some credit, she helped with the Golden Snitch. See? The wings flutter. Oh, no, don't cry -"
Ginny's arms were so tight around her neck, Susanna might as well have been getting strangled. Thankfully, the first let off as soon as she heard the older Gryffindor gasping for air. "Sorry!"
Susanna laughed, waving her off. "No. I'm glad you like it. Here." She helped Ginny put on the bracelet, making sure the clasp had closed. "Remember, put it on whatever hand you don't write with. It'll be less likely to get in your way during class, then." The younger redhead nodded like Susanna had given her the secrets of the universe, then eagerly showed off her gift to a half-awake Percy, the sixth year Gryffindor the last to join them. Susanna smiled at her vibrancy, having not seen Ginny that energetic since summer.
Susanna dug into her slice of flaming Christmas pudding with gusto, not even the growing nervousness about drinking the Polyjuice Potion preventing her from enjoying the feast. The redhead had realized halfway through her second helping of dinner that she didn't even hesitate to fill her plate again; her mother's voice was gone. It was replaced by her cousin's and their friends' encouraging her to eat more than a Galleon-sized portion of each food group. In fact, she only limited herself to one slice of pudding because she was getting full.
Catching Harry's grin as he noticed her eating, she rolled her eyes affectionately before the Great Hall was once more swept into a Christmas carol. As happened every other time before, Professor Dumbledore led the charge. Hagrid was practically roaring the words, having consumed copious amounts of eggnog. Susanna and Hermione giggled into their own goblets of water while Ron and Harry attempted to match the gamekeeper's volume.
When the song ended, conversations resumed. Half of the Gryffindor table burst into sniggers at Percy's prefect badge - now reading "Pin-head". The sixth year, oblivious to the change, asked why everyone was laughing. While the others waved him off, Fred winked over at Harry, Susanna, Ron, and a disapproving Hermione, sneakily slipping his wand back into his pocket.
They'd all barely finished their pudding - Ron and Harry on their third helping - when Hermione grabbed Susanna's wrist and ushered the boys out of the Great Hall, muttering about the time as she checked her watch.
"Hermione, I still had a few bites left -" Ron griped, and the bushy-haired girl shushed him.
"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into." She stated, as though running over a list of mundane errands. "For you two, that means Crabbe and Goyle." Hermione pointed to the boys.
Harry wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Fantastic."
"Susanna's already got Pansy's -"
"What? When?" Ron cut the bushy-haired girl off, turning to his fellow redhead.
Susanna offered him a coy grin, patting the left pocket of her cardigan. "Our last Potions lesson, when I 'tripped' by Parkinson and she shoved me. Remember? She'd been pulling at her hair, and some strands were stuck on her hand. I grabbed them as I fell."
Her fellow redhead stared at her in awe. "Bloody brilliant."
"Thank you, I thought it was clever." Susanna beamed with pride.
Hermione clears her throat, clearly eager to continue explaining the plan. "Yes, yes, excellent work, Anna. The main problem lies in making sure the people we're changing into can't burst in on us while we're interrogating Malfoy. But between Susanna and I, we've worked it all out." She chose to ignore Harry's and Ron's stupefied faces, while the other Muggle-born snorted inelegantly into her goblet of eggnog. "We've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught." Hermione continued, holding up two plump chocolate cakes. "You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."
Harry and Ron shared incredulous looks before staring at the girls. "Hermione, I don't think -"
"Susie, this could go seriously wrong -"
Susanna held up her hand, instantly silencing her cousin and best friend. "Look, it's the only plan we've got. The potion will be useless without Crabbe's and Goyle's hair. But if you're both too scared to trick two boys who are essentially as smart as the mountain troll from last year, Hermione and I'll handle this ourselves."
"Oh, alright, alright." Harry scowled at his cousin. "Wait, whose hair are you ripping out?" He turned to Hermione, who smiled brightly as she pulled a tiny phial out of her pocket, discreetly showing the other three Gryffindors the single hair inside.
"Remember Millicent Bulstrode wrestling with me at the Dueling Club? She left this on my robes when she was trying to strangle me! And she's gone home for Christmas, so I'll just have to tell Malfoy I decided to come back. He'll forget about it, anyway."
"Right." Ron blinked at the bushy-haired girl, a steely glint in her eyes not unlike the one Professor McGonagall sometimes had. "Wait, but what about Pansy?" He glanced over at his fellow redhead. "She's smarter than Crabbe and Goyle, there's no way she'll be tricked like them."
Susanna smirked. "I know, which is why I've found a more effective way of keeping her occupied." The red-haired girl nodded over to the Weasley twins and Lee. "They were more than eager to help, especially after the Dueling Club incident. No questions asked. Don't worry, Hermione, I made them swear not to harm her. They're just going to keep her as far away from the Slytherin common room as possible. Now, in regards to Draco, I made this, just cover our tracks. Remember what Hermione said earlier, about him forgetting?" She held up a wrapped ball of chocolate, no bigger than a Sickle. "It's fused with the Forgetfulness Potion, enough that he won't remember anything past dinner. Alright, I'm going to check on the potion. Hermione?"
"Right, the laundry." The brunette Muggle-born nodded to the two doom-ladened boys before scurrying off.
"See you soon." Susanna winked at Harry and Ron before standing up, patting Fred twice on the shoulder as she walked past him. Looking back briefly over her shoulder, she saw him nod and grin back, rallying his twin and their best friend to set the plan in motion. Pansy Parkinson had no idea what she was in for.
Happy Christmas, indeed.
Susanna finished stirring the cauldron, waving her hand in front of her face to dispel the thick black smoke filling the stall. Hermione coughed beside her, looking between Moste Potente Potions and the potion to make sure it looked the way it should.
The stall door shook behind them as someone knocked once and tapped twice. "Hermione? Suze?" Harry asked after completing the password, Hermione unlocking it. The boys were practically buried in their robes in their attempt to block out the slow-clearing smoke.
"Did you get them?" Hermione asked, breathless, as she and Susanna stepped out of the stall, the cauldron gloop-glooping behind them.
The Boy Who Lived held up a few strands of dark hair. "I've got Goyle's."
"Crabbe's." Ron grimaced.
Hermione nodded to a small sack in front of the opposite stall. "I sneaked those spare robes out of the laundry. I made sure to grab ones that looked like they'd fit Crabbe and Goyle. Susanna's done a fantastic job with potion, it looks exactly like it does in the book…" Despite the confident words, Hermione looked nervous. Susanna would've snarked at her about it if she didn't feel just as anxious. What if she forgot to add something? What if she stirred the wrong direction at the wrong time? Had anyone discovered the cauldron? These were the questions that constantly played in her mind, growing stronger the closer she and the others got to drinking the potion.
"Once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly an hour before we change into ourselves." Susanna informed them. "Hopefully that's more than enough time."
"Now what?" Ron whispered."
"According to the book, we separate it into four glasses and add the hairs." Hermione answered as she read from the splotched page of Moste Potente Potions.
"Wait! Let's change into our robes, first - we don't want to waste any time." Susanna was quick to remind them.
Hermione nodded in agreement. "Right. Okay." She got to work pulling out the Slytherin robes from the sack and handing them out.
Susanna was the first to finish putting on the Slytherin robes, well trained in the art of quick-changes thanks to her years as a ballerina. She'd already begun ladling the thick liquid into the four glasses when the others appeared in front of the cauldron's stall. The red-haired girl handed one to Hermione first, who shakily added Millicent Bulstrode's hair. The potion hissed like a boiling kettle before frothing madly. A breath later, it turned a sick sort of yellow.
"Urgh, essence of Millicent Bulstrode." Ron grumbled, eyeing Hermione's glass. "Bet it tastes disgusting."
"Charming. Add yours, then." Susanna shot back, snorting as the other redhead whined under his breath. Harry took his with more grace, though he looked as equally nauseous as his best friend. Their glasses did the same as Hermione's; hissing loudly and frothing dangerously. Harry's - with Goyle's hair - turned the same shade as a khaki booger, while Ron's became a murky brown.
Susanna frowned at her glass, wincing as she added Pansy Parkinson's hair, and the substance turned tar-black, smelling of too-strong perfume and cherry cough syrup - Susanna's most dreaded medicine. "Everyone ready?" She asked her cousin and their two best friends, who only wrinkled their noses in response as they continued staring at their glasses. "Alright. Let's get this over with." Bottom's up."
All four Gryffindors pinched their noses as they drank their sludgy potion. As soon as she swallowed, Susanna felt sick, and hurried into the nearest stall, slamming it shut as she hunched over the toilet. Judging by the others' exclamations of "I'm going to be sick!" she wasn't alone. Somehow, she succeeded in keeping the Polyjuice Potion down, but not before swearing she'd never drink it again. Not even because of the taste, but because of how it made her feel.
At first, it felt like her inside were twisting together like little snakes, biting at her organs and forming a lump in her throat. What might've been thousands of fire ants crawled under her skin, her body bubbling like hot wax. Once it was over, Susanna found herself curled up by the toilet, staring at her fingers. They were paler than she was used to seeing, and slightly thicker. Not so different from her own, and yet it felt wrong. She struggled to leave the stall, stumbling towards the sinks in the center of the bathroom. Susanna nearly screamed when she saw her reflection. Pansy Parkinson was staring straight back at her.
"Is everyone alright?" She called, wincing when Pansy's shrill voice came out.
"Barely." Goyle's voice grunted out from Harry's stall, and Susanna jumped when Draco's tallest crony stepped out and faced her. Her disguised cousin looked just as shocked by her appearance as she was of him. "That's disturbing. Ron, Hermione?"
"Yeah." Crabbe's voice grunted out, and the plumper of the cronies stumbled out. Susanna couldn't help but snort at the pudding-bowl haircut her disguised best friend was no snorting. "Shut up, Susie. Parkinson. Bloody hell."
Susanna rolled her eyes, then frowned at Hermione's stall. "Hermione? We'd better get going."
Harry hummed behind her. "Right, we've still got to find out where the Slytherin common room is. I only hope we can find someone to follow -"
Ron was quick to cut him off. "You don't know how bizarre is is to see Goyle thinking -"
"The twins told me where it is, don't worry. Hermione, we need to go! Look, if this is about looking like Millicent Bulstrode, it's alright! At least she doesn't have Crabbe's haircut." Susanna pounded on the door, growing more anxious by the second. "Hermione?"
"I-I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me." Susanna frowned when she realized it wasn't Millicent's voice, but the bushy-haired girl's own. What the bloody hell happened?
"Hermione?" Harry asked this time.
"You three hurry up, you're wasting time!"
Harry and Susanna exchanged glances, then stared at an equally bewildered Ron. Despite the situation, the former red-haired boy couldn't keep his snarky comment to himself. "That looks more like Goyle. That's how he looks every time a teacher asks him a question."
Harry huffed while Susanna turned back to the door. "Hermione, are you okay? If something -"
"Just do what I say! Go! Do you have the -"
"Yes, I have Draco's candy. Harry's got his watch on. We'll meet you back here."
"Okay." Hermione's voice came out muffled. The boys hurried to the door, but Susanna lingered. "Go, Anna. I'll be fine."
"But -"
"Susie, we have to go!" Goyle hissed. Susanna inhaled shakily but listened, hurrying after her cousin and their best friend. With the coast clear, the trio set off, Susanna leading the charge. She struggled to remember how Pansy held herself when she walked, and nearly face-planted down the marble staircase when she held her nose up too high to see the next step.
Behind her, the boys were struggling, too. "Don't swing your arms like that." Susanna heard Harry tell Ron.
"Eh?"
"Crabbe holds them sort of stiff -"
"How's this?"
"Yeah, better."
"Wait, Goyle slouches more. Right, like that."
"Su-Parkinson, where do we go now?" Harry asked his cousin once they reached the landing by the Great Hall.
"The Slytherins always come up to breakfast from over there." Ron answered before Susanna even opened her mouth, the girl once again worried about Hermione. She knew this was a terrible plan. They should've just used Harry's invisibility cloak. "Right, Parkinson? Susie?" The other former redhead whispered.
"Hm? Oh, yeah." They cut across to the dungeons' entrance, Harry and Ron sounding like a herd of elephants stampeding as they rushed down the steps. "God, this place is a maze." Susanna groaned as she stared around the deserted labyrinthine passages. "I think we're supposed to go straight."
Ron blinked at her, shocked. "You think? I thought the twins told you?"
"Yes, but they didn't exactly draw me a map." Susanna sniped back. "Hang on, no, we want to turn left."
"Are you sure? We're coming on a quarter of an hour." Harry informed her worriedly, checking his watch.
"Left." Susanna nodded, exuding as much confidence as she could muster. They quickened their pace, turning another corner. A shadowy figure emerged from a side room, and Ron gasped excitedly.
"Ha! There's one of them now. Remind me to never let you be in charge of directions. Oi - what're you doing down here?"
The figure wasn't a Slytherin at all - in fact, it was someone all three disguised Gryffindors were more than familiar with. An affronted Percy Weasley stared them down, nostrils flaring at his hidden brother's harsh words. "That is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?" The Gryffindor prefect inquired.
"Wh - oh, yeah." Susanna nearly buried her face in her hands at Ron's potential slip.
"Well, get off to your dormitories." Percy replied sternly. "It's not safe to go wandering around dark corridors these days."
"You are." Ron pointed out, unable to keep from badgering his brother, despite Harry shaking his head and Susanna glaring him into a much-too early grave.
"I," Percy straightened his back and puffed out his chest, "am a prefect. Nothing's about to attack me."
Susanna scoffed, but knew her words had to sound as unlike her as possible. "You're arrogant for a blood traitor!"
Percy scowled, and she swore he looked just like his mother. "That's going to cost you ten points from Slytherin, Parkinson. Us Gryffindors haven't forgotten what you called Susanna Dursley. You'd do well to remember that." If it didn't cost her revealing her true identity, Susanna would've hugged the older Weasley.
Alas, they were wasting precious time. Susanna was just about to find a way to get them away from Percy when a voice suddenly echoed behind them, calling their names. "Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, there you are!" Draco called, and Susanna immediately exhaled with relief. Harry and Ron did the same, looking just as pleased - for the first time - to see the pompous blonde. "Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this time?" He asked his two cronies, then frowned at Harry. "When did you start wearing glasses?"
Susanna and Ron were so used to seeing Harry wearing glasses that none of them noticed he hadn't taken them off. Harry was quick to remove them while his cousin and their best friend fretted internally at their grievous mistake. "Oh, they're for reading."
"Reading? I didn't know you could read." Draco then turned to Susanna, who smiled through her nervousness. "I thought I saw you running in the opposite direction."
"Oh, Draco, you must've been seeing things. Are you tired? You should get some rest." Susanna cooed back, feeling all nauseous inside at both her words and tone.
Still, they seemed to do the trick. Draco smiled charmingly back at her, but annoyance shone in his eyes. "Soon. I've been looking all over for you; I want to show you something really funny, first." He then glanced witheringly at Percy. "And what are you doing here, Weasley?" The blonde sneered.
Percy glared back, completely outraged. "You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect! I don't like your attitude!"
Draco sneered back, then motioned for who he thought were Crabbe and Goyle to follow. Susanna hurried to walk beside him, keeping as little space between them as possible without actually touching him - just as she'd always seen Pansy do. Much to her pleasure, she realized they were walking in the same direction she'd previously been leading her conspirators. Vindication. "That Peter Weasley -"
"Percy." Ron automatically corrected the blonde, Susanna shooting him a warning look.
"Whatever. I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he's up to. He thinks he's going to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed." He laughed meanly, unaware of the trio exchanging looks. Draco then paused in front of a bare, damp stone wall, exactly where the Weasley twins said she'd find it. "What's the new password again?" He turned to Pansy, and Susanna resisted gulping.
Bloody hell. She hadn't considered that. Stupid, stupid -
"Oh, yeah; pure-blood!" Draco exclaimed, and the stone door hidden in the wall opened. Susanna rolled her eyes at the obviousness of the password, then followed him inside, Harry and Ron right on her heels.
The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with stone walls and ceiling. Round, green lamps hung down on chains and a fire crackled under the elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them. There were only a few Slytherins scattered around in high-backed chairs, but they were either dozing or had their heads buried in books. Susanna couldn't help but be shocked - this wasn't what she pictured Slytherins doing in their downtime.
"Wait here." Draco told the trio, motioning them to a pair of empty chairs set back from the fire. Susanna glanced around again, confirming no one was looking their way. "I'll go and get it - my father's just sent it to me -" With that, the blonde ran in the direction of a staircase, while the Gryffindors did their best to look at home.
"Twenty minutes." Harry whispered to her, and Susanna nodded, fingers finding the chocolate.
A minute later, Draco came back, holding out a newspaper clipping from the Daily Prophet. He thrust it under Ron's nose. "That'll give you a laugh."
Susanna moved closer to Ron, reading over his shoulder. Harry - remembering Draco's earlier words - squinted confusedly at the page, just as Goyle did in class.
INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Gallons for bewitching a Muggle Car.
Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr. Weasley's resignation.
"Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute." Mr. Malfoy told our reporter. "He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."
Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them.
Susanna grinned at Mrs. Weasley's warning, but was quick to discreetly grab Ron's shaking elbow, offering what little comfort she could at the time. "Well?" Draco asked impatiently. "Don't you think it's funny?"
"Ha, ha." Harry muttered bleakly.
"Oh, terribly, Draco." Susanna giggled, hating herself for it.
Draco's smile was one of pride. "Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go join them. "You'd never know the Weasleys were purebloods, the way they behave. They're an embarrassment to the wizarding world." Susanna and Harry both nudged Ron when his knuckles cracked loudly, face contorted in fury. "What's up with you, Crabbe?" Draco snapped.
"Stomachache." Ron grunted.
Draco snickered. "Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me. You know, I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet, I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle-borns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in." The blonde began taking imaginary pictures, conducting a cruel impression of Colin. Regardless of its accuracy, Susanna wanted nothing more than to punch him out. "'Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?'" He dropped his hands and pouted when he realized he was met with tense silence. "What the matter with you three?"
Harry, Ron, and Susanna laughed too late, but it still seemed to satisfy Malfoy. He still stared a little harder at Susanna, who giggled nervously and tucked her hair behind her ears. "You're so right, Draco. That little Mudblood was far too desperate."
Her cruel words finally satisfied him, Susanna's stomach tying itself in knots. "Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend." Draco ground out. "He's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn't go around with that jumped-up Granger Mudblood and his infuriating cousin. And people think he's Slytherin's heir!" The boy finished with a scoff, dropping down to the couch chair across from them. The trio leaned forward, the boys ready to hear him admit he was the heir, and Susanna wanting to be right that wasn't. "I wish I knew who it is." Malfoy said petulantly. "I could help them." His tone turned haughty, like he was trying to impress them.
If it wasn't for his gross admission, Susanna would've been more excited that she was right to doubt his involvement. "You must have some idea who's behind it all." She heard Harry insist.
"You know I have, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" Draco snapped back. "And father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it." He huffed, then leaned closer to the trio, smirking. "But I know one thing - last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this -"
"I hope it's Dursley." Susanna was quick to cut him off, not sure she could take more of his cruel words without revealing her true identity. "It's the least she deserves!"
Draco sneered at who he thought was Pansy. "It's your own fault for getting caught." Susanna pouted, crossing her arms and looking away from the blonde. "You'll make her pay. I'm sure you will." The boy said soothingly, but the Gryffindor heard the condescending tone, and wondered if Pansy had ever been able to pick up on it.
"D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?" Harry asked, wanting to change the subject after briefly staring at his cousin with worry.
"Oh, yeah, whoever it was got expelled." Draco was quick to answer him. "They're probably still in Azkaban."
"Azkaban?" Harry tilted his head in confusion, and Draco's eyebrows shot straight up to his hairline.
"Azkaban - the wizard prison, Goyle. Honestly, if you were any slower, you'd be going backward."
A genuine laugh escaped Susanna's mouth, and Draco's lips twitched at the attention. He then shifted restlessly in his chair. "Father says to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up on it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our manor last week?" The trio did their best to look concerned. "Yeah. Luckily, they didn't find much. Father's got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff. We've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor." Harry coughed, and they all looked at him. He waved away Draco's attention, but made sure Susanna saw him tapping his watch.
"Oh, Draco, I forgot - I saved you some chocolate." Susanna pulled the candy out from her cloak pocket and held her hand out to him. After a moment's hesitation, he took it. "It's from Paris."
"Excellent." He sent her a smug smile and unwrapped the chocolate, eating it in two bites. As he chewed, Susanna noticed Ron and Harry covering their heads, her eyes widening when she realized her cousin's scar was appearing and her best friend's roots were turning ginger. "Your hair…" Draco mumbled, pointing at Susanna. "Hmm, what was I…"
"You were just saying you were tired. You did eat a lot at dinner." Susanna urged Draco up, and he frowned at her some more.
"Don't remember -"
"It's alright. Go to bed. Happy Christmas."
"Yes, right…" Draco began stumbling away, disoriented, and the trio hurried towards the stone wall keeping them inside the Slytherin common room. Susanna managed to glance back just before the door closed, and was relieved to see the blonde disappearing in the dormitory staircase.
By the time they reached Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, the trio was back in their original states. Harry and Ron were shoeless, having left them outside the closet door near the great entrance where they'd hidden Crabbe and Goyle. Both had nearly broken their faces multiple times running in them as they shrank to their normal size. Susanna's robes were loose on her, but it was nothing like Harry's and Ron's, who'd had to hoist there's up.
"Well, it wasn't a complete waste of time." Ron panted as he closed the bathroom door behind them. "I know we still haven't found out who's doing the attacks, but I'm going to write Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoy's drawing room."
Susanna nodded, but was far more focused on the stall Hermione had gone to. It was still closed, and she knocked frantically on it after checking whether or not it remained locked. "Hermione? Come out, we've got so much to tell you -"
"Go away!" Hermione squeaked, and Susanna jumped.
"What's the matter? You must be back to normal by now, we are. Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?" Ron asked, jumping when Moaning Myrtle glided through the stall door, happier than ever.
"Ooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's awful -"
Susanna shooed her off, ignoring Moaning Myrtle's whining. "I will break down this door if I have to, Hermione. You're scaring me!" The lock instantly slid back and Hermione emerged, her robes pulled over her head as she sobbed. Susanna reached out for her, but the other girl shrieked. "Hermione?" The redhead whispered, and the brunette finally let her robes fall. Susanna's eyes widened, her hands covering her mouth in horror. Ron backed into the sink, and Harry leaned on a stall for support.
Hermione's face was covered in black fury. Her eyes were yellow, and long, pointed ears poked through her hair. "It was c-cat hair!" She howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion -"
"Isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations." Susanna finished breathlessly.
"Uh-oh." Ron muttered unhelpfully.
Harry cleared his throat while Susanna pulled her best friend into a hug, despite Hermione trying to shove her off. "It's okay. We'll take you to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions -"
"It's h-h-horrible!" Hermione wailed. "M-my face, if anyone sees -"
"Wait until they find out you've got a tail!" Moaning Myrtle guffawed heartily.
If she was able to, Susanna would've killed the ghost. All the redhead could do was glower meanly at the spirit until Moaning Myrtle dove into another toilet, giggling - not unlike Pansy - as she flushed herself.
No Pansy was injured in the making of this chapter. The twins and Lee just pretended to be Peeves, and the Poltergeist was so flattered by their impression he let them at it.
SwordSeer: As you can see, Draco is polite-nice to Pansy. I wouldn't say he likes her, but he definitely tolerates her. He's certainly kinder to her than Crabbe and Goyle because of it, but I think it's out of necessity - if he isn't, he's afraid she'll stop giving him the attention he canonically craves. Susanna definitely learns more about Draco from the Polyjuice Potion, as we'll see in later chapters.
