Here it is, chapter one of Chamber of Secrets.
Susanna's birthday is mentioned, but not seen. Don't worry, there'll be a belated celebration a little later, for both her and Harry - it's what they deserve. Quick little warning that Petunia does comment about her weight, but Susanna doesn't take it to heart - in fact, the best thing that ever happened to her was coming back to Privet Drive have learned to advocate for herself. She still suffers a little bit from body dysmorphia, and measures herself/weighs to make sure nothing's changed, but that anxiety seen in the chapter before has slowly faded away. Also, Vernon's abusive, but that's not par from the course [the Dursley's are basically they're own warning, anyways].
Chamber of Secrets will see Susanna growing more used to being a witch. She adapted her first year, but she was still adjusting to the fact she has magical abilities. I'm excited for y'all to see how she handles everything having to do with the attacks on the muggle-borns, especially with the rise of certain students calling them "mudbloods."
As always, I only claim my OC. I hope you enjoy this update!
Swordseer: Don't worry, I didn't include Susanna's reaction to seeing a picture of Lily for a reason: I wanted the previous chapter to focus on other things, because I felt that realization of their similarities deserved more than just an "oh, we look the same, huh" existential crisis moment before the cousins went to the end of the year feast. It just didn't fit, no matter how I tried to write it. This chapter will instead touch on it, since it makes more sense here.
Ever since the cousins returned to Privet Drive, some kind of argument had broken out at least five times a day, usually beginning as soon as the sun had risen. That morning was no exception, an argument having broken out over breakfast. Vernon Dursley, it seemed, had been woken early by his nephew's owl hooting woefully down the hall.
"Third time this week!" He roared across the table at Harry. "If you can't control that owl, it'll have to go!"
"She's bored!" Harry tried to explain, yet again. "She's used to flying around outside. If I could just let her out at night -"
"Do I look stupid?" Mr. Dursley snarled, though the bits of fried egg dangling from his mustache did nothing for his case. "I know what'll happen if that owl's let out.
Whatever argument Harry was about to state was drowned out but his cousin Dudley's loud belch. His other cousin - more of a sister, really, Susanna wrinkled her nose, pushing away her plate of half-eaten egg whites and spinach.
"I want more bacon." Dudley declared, nearly banging his fists on the table. Susanna was suddenly reminded of Draco and his goblet only a few weeks earlier, when everyone first thought Slytherin had won the House Cup.
"There's more in the frying pan, sweetums." Susanna's mother set her misty eyes on the apple of her eye. "We must build you up while we've got the chance… I don't like the sound of that school food…"
"Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry when I was at Smeltings." Her father waved off his wife's concern. "Dudley gets enough, don't you, son?"
Petunia hummed, then nodded at her daughter, pleased. "No need to force yourself to eat more, Susanna. Madame Dulaine says you're still having some problems balancing, and that's in no small part due to your change in center."
Harry started to rise, only for Susanna to kick his shin, shaking her head. That was nothing. She'd heard worse before. Besides, she'd already checked her measurements - there was no big change that warranted concern.
Dudley sent a smug grin to both his twin sister and cousin. "Pass the frying pan."
"You've forgotten the magic word." Harry responded, irritated. Susanna groaned and looked up at the ceiling as Dudley gasped and fell from his chair, her mother screaming in the kitchen while her father jumped to his feet. "I meant 'please'!" Harry quickly corrected himself, but it was too late. "I didn't mean -"
"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT SAYING THE 'M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?" Vernon thundered.
"But I -"
"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY?!"
"Dad, he wasn't -" Susanna tried to interject, tone stern, but her father only roared all the louder.
"I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE MENTION OF YOUR ABNORMALITIES UNDER THIS ROOF!" Susanna mimicked her father as he shouted, crossing her eyes. Harry struggled to hold in his laughter.
"Alright, alright." Harry acquiesced, lips twitching into a smile as he caught his aunt Petunia attempting to help Dudley up off the floor. Mr. Dursley sat back down, watching his nephew from the corners of his eyes. The portly man spared a stern glance at his daughter, who met his gaze head-on.
Ever since the cousins returned to Privet Drive for the summer holidays, Susanna's father had been treating the duo as if they were bombs seconds from going off. Magical bombs. But while he and his wife and son might have been distraught at the fact the cousins had to return for the holidays, it was nothing compared to how Harry and Susanna felt. They missed Hogwarts so much - Harry told his cousin it was like having a constant stomach ache, while Susanna likened it to a full-body itch to which there was no relief. They missed the castle, the ghosts - Susanna particularly missed the secret passageways the Weasley twins and Lee had shown her the year before. Both cousins missed their classes, though Harry was happy to have been given a break from potions.
In ten months, their entire reality shifted into something unlike what they'd known, and to be removed from it so abruptly was more shocking than even the idea of magic.
Anything having to do with their other life had been locked in the cupboard under the stairs by Susanna's father the moment they walked through Number Four Privet Drive. Harry missed his broom, often telling his cousin how worried he was that he'd lose his spot on the Quidditch team because he hadn't been able to practice all summer. Susanna would remind him that it's not like he could fly around anyway, not without Muggles catching him. Logic won out, but he still pouted.
Susanna was most stressed about her homework. It too had been locked away by her father, before she could even think about sneaking it out. Would the Hogwarts staff even believe hers and Harry's explanation? If they both failed because her bloody father couldn't handle the "M" word, she'd lose it.
Poor Hedwig had been padlocked in her cage, Mr. Dursley's way of making sure she'd be unable to carry out the cousins' messages. Susanna tried to pick the lock, but to no avail. She'd have to try banging it off with a heavy rock, next. And if her father dared to go after Harry, she'd tell him exactly who was to blame, hang the consequences.
They missed their friends most of all, though. They hadn't heard from Ron or Hermione since the second week of break. The cousins wondered if perhaps the Dursleys had been intervening, with Susanna making it her summer's mission to track down the letters her parents had surely intercepted. Whenever she tried to call Hermione, her mother caught her in the act. Petunia was the one to answer whenever the phone rang, and if their friend ever did leave any messages, the cousins were none the wiser.
Now calm, Mr. Dursley cleared his throat. "Now, as we all know, today is a very important day." Harry and Susanna stared at each other with wide eyes, completely shocked. Did they actually remember - "This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career."
Harry slumped, and Susanna hadn't ever felt more stupid. Of course he wasn't acknowledging Harry's birthday, the rest of the Dursley's seeming to have erased the day from their minds. They hadn't even celebrated Susanna's, managing to make the Dursley twins' birthday all about Dudley. It had been the final straw, the red-haired girl finally removing the necklace her mother had gifted her the year before, shoving it into her cluttered bedside table.
Susanna shook her head angrily, vowing to properly celebrate her cousin's birthday as soon as they were free of her parents.
But of course her father would choose only to remember that tonight was the night a rich builder and his wife were coming to dinner. Mr. Dursley was the director of Grunnings, a drill-making company. He hoped to get a huge order from their guests. "I think we should run through the schedule one more time." Her father suggested. "We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia, you will be -"
"In the lounge," Susanna's mother started with a polite smile, "waiting to welcome them graciously to our home."
"Good, good. And Dudley?"
"I'll be waiting to open the door. May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?" He asked deeply, impersonating a butler.
"They'll love him!" Susanna rolled her eyes at his exclamation. It was more likely the Masons would see right through the ruse, they were all laying it on thick, she thought to herself.
"Susanna?" She glanced at her father, frowning impatiently as he waited for her response.
"I will be with mum, ready to offer them refreshments." Susanna answered with a joyless smile, sure her eyes looked dead. Regardless, her answer seemed to please her father, because he only nodded before gazing at his nephew.
"And you?"
"I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I don't exist." Harry replied tonelessly, Susanna smirking down at her half-eaten plate.
"Exactly." Her father grinned nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia and Susanna. Susanna will pour them drinks. At eight fifteen -"
"I'll announce dinner." Petunia interjected, her husband smiling.
"And Dudley, you'll say -"
"May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs. Mason?" Dudley offered his arm to an invisible woman.
"My perfect little gentleman!" Susanna rolled her eyes at her mother's sniffling.
"Susanna, you'll -"
"Help mum serve our guests."
"Yes, yes, good. And you?" Her father asked Harry viciously.
Harry exhaled slowly. "I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I don't exist." He repeated, somehow even more dully.
"Precisely. Now, we should aim to get in a few compliments at dinner. Petunia, any idea?"
Her mother cleared her throat. "Vernon tells me you're a wonderful golfer, Mr. Mason. Do tell me where you bought your dress, Mrs. Mason."
"Perfect. Dudley?"
"How about, 'We had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr. Mason, and I wrote about you.'"
It was too much for Petunia, who burst into proud tears. Harry had to duck under the table so his aunt and uncle wouldn't catch him laughing, while Susanna barely managed to hold it in. Her father turned his gaze to her, and she sat up straight.
"What will you say, Susanna?" He asked.
Susanna paused, thinking deeply - she hadn't even considered her father would want her to be part of the conversation, but she supposed it'd seem odd to the Masons if her parents didn't acknowledge her. "Could you tell me about some of your buildings, Mr. Mason? I think I might want to go into design, and you seem the best person to talk to about it. Mrs. Mason, I love that shade of lipstick." Her father appraised her, and while the slight proud smile might've once made Susanna happy, all she felt was disgust. She no longer wanted - nor needed - his approval.
"And you, boy?"
Harry got up from under the table, cheeks flushed from laughter. "I'll be in my bedroom," he managed to get out with a straight face, "making no noise, and pretending that I don't exist."
"Too right, you will." Susanna's father growled back. "The Mason's don't know anything about you and it's going to stay that way. When dinner's over, you take Mrs. Mason back into the lounge for coffee, Petunia and Susanna, while I bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the News at Ten. We'll be shopping for a vacation home in Majorca this time tomorrow." Mr. Dursley clapped his hands together. "Right - I'm off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me. And you - you stay out of your aunt's way while she's cleaning." He snarled at Harry, who nodded.
"He can come with me to ballet. We'll be gone for hours." Susanna smiled innocently at her parents, who scoffed.
"And let the two of you wander around town unchecked, free to spread your strangeness? No, Harry stays here."
Susanna looked at her cousin apologetically before helping him clear the table washing the dishes under Petunia's ever-watchful eye. Then Susanna ran upstairs to grab her dance bag, taking a minute to pet and cuddle Hades, who'd taken to keeping Hedwig company rather than wandering around the house - though he did seem to enjoy sneaking up on Petunia and Dudley whenever he could.
"Alright, I'm ready." Susanna announced as soon as she reached the last step.
"Let's go. Bye, Petunia, Dudders." Her father called, gesturing for his daughter to open the door and follow him to the car. She turned to send Harry a smile, her cousin's shoulders slumped. "Susanna!" Vernon bellowed, and she hurried after him, wishing she could have brought Harry with her.
Ballet seemed to both go on forever, and end too early. Her mother had enrolled her in the summer program, which saw Susanna dancing from nine in the morning to four in the afternoon, with short breaks between to not overwork the students. She was at least able to dash to a nearby bakery and buy Harry a cupcake with money she made cat-sitting for Mrs. Figgs. She kept the treat well hidden, safely tucked away in her dance bag where her father and brother could never sniff it out. Susanna was quick to shove the duffle under her bed before her mother stormed into the room and whisked her away.
Unfortunately, she didn't have enough money left over to try and call Hermione in one of the many phone boxes around the studio. Between dancing and her father picking her up, Susanna had no time to try and use the one at the receptionist's desk.
The redhead grumbled to herself as she stood in the lounge, dressed in a too-pink ruffled dress. The fabric got caught on almost everything, but at least it brought a laugh out of Harry before he was shoved up the stairs and into their room.
"It's time. Quickly, they'll be here any moment -" Her father announced after sending one final warning to the retreating Harry. His words were caught off by the ringing of their bell. Vernon waddled to the door, shadowed by Dudley.
"Shoulders back. Head up. Remember your posture." Petunia whispered harshly to her daughter, breaking out into a smile just before Vernon and Dudley guided their guests into the lounge. "Welcome to our home, Mr. and Mrs. Mason. It's lovely to have you." Susanna watched in disgust as her mother exchanged a handshake with the man and air-kissed his wife, the two suitably charmed by her harpy of a mum. "This is our daughter, Susanna."
The redhead smiled pleasantly, ready to put on a show. "It's wonderful to meet you." She gave a slight curtsy, as though she was on stage. Mrs. Mason grinned back.
"My, Mrs. Dursley. Your daughter is quite graceful."
Petunia released a small sigh of relief before addressing the other woman. "It's all thanks to ballet, she's become quite the dancer."
"Ballet? Oh, how wonderful. Our niece dances at the Royal Ballet School, she's almost finished the program, hasn't she dear?" Mr. Mason made a noise of confirmation before returning to his conversation with Vernon. His wife seemed unbothered, turning back to the red-haired girl. "I could get you in contact with her, if you'd wish. You have the right build for it."
"Thank you." Susanna's smile was just a little more natural, though her internal glee built when she caught her mother looking as though she'd sucked on a particularly sour lemon, clearly remembering the snide comment she made that very morning. "Could I get either of you a drink?"
"Just water, dear."
"Water for me as well." Mrs. and Mrs. Mason responded, falling back into their conversations. Susanna passed Dudley on her way to the kitchen, and while she and her twin had said very little to one another since her return, they both exchanged eye rolls of boredom.
Once Susanna returned with the guests' drinks, she sat delicately in the chair beside her brother. The redhead only half-listened as the adults continued droning on. He didn't look it, but Susanna's father could be charming when he needed to be, and soon enough the Masons were eating out of the palm of his hand.
Soon enough, it was time for dinner. As she'd told her father that morning, Susanna served their guests with her mother, doing her best not to get any of the food on her obnoxiously fluffy dress. Petunia served her daughter only slightly more than what the redhead was usually given - an extra slice of roast pork loin, six wedges of potatoes instead of four - before turning to talk to Mrs. Mason about where she got her dress.
"Oh, all of my clothes are tailor made." Was the older woman's response. "I can give you the name of my seamstress, she's a lovely woman."
"Thank you, Mrs. Mason. Perhaps I will take Susanna with me, her wardrobe could use a good tailoring."
That's what she had Madam Malkin for, the redhead thought to herself before passing Mr. Mason the gravy. "Mr. Mason, I was wondering if you could tell me about some of your buildings? I've become quite fascinated with architecture, my father just bought me a wonderful book on the subject for my past birthday." The girl lied through her teeth, earning a pleased Cheshire grin from her father.
Mr. Mason smiled back. "How wonderful. Well, I think it's important that every building you design is both creative and belongs where you've constructed it. Could you imagine a metal skyscraper next to Big Ben?" Susanna shook her head. "Of course not. My buildings must be eye-catching, without being an eye-sore. Now, a skyscraper wouldn't look well beside Big Ben, but it would thrive in the financial district, as they have."
"I understand. Thank you, sir."
Vernon cleared his throat. "Mr. Mason, your explanation was quite fascinating. What do you think of One Canada Square, then? I personally find it rather droll."
Mr. Mason huffed. "Oh, I agree. Tall as it may be, the design is rather basic."
Susanna returned to her meal as the two men continued voicing their complaints, only half-listening when their conversation shifted to golfing. As her father was reaching the punchline of his favorite golfer joke, a sudden thumping and round of earsplitting yelps caused the diners to go silent. The redhead's eyes flicked upwards, frowning in concern. Was Harry okay? Dread filled her stomach, and she itched to run to check on him.
Vernon cleared his throat. "Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!"
"Would you like me to turn it off, father?" Susanna asked, already starting to rise.
"No, it's fine." Her dad smiled through gritted teeth, eyes going beady. "I'll take care of it. Forgive me, I'll only be a few moments."
"No matter, Vernon. Petunia, this pork is very tender. What's your secret?" Mr. Mason turned to Susanna's mother, who blushed through her response. Susanna was pulled into another conversation with Mrs. Mason about their favorite ballets - the redhead always preferred The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, while her father's guest had loved Giselle the moment she saw it performed.
Their conversation halted when they heard Vernon say, "Oh, Mr. Mason, tell Petunia that very funny story about those American plumbers. She's been dying to hear it!"
Mrs. Mason laughed, turning towards her husband. "Yes, please do, darling. I'm quite fond of it as well. You'll love it, Petunia." Susanna saw her mother smile pleasantly, though it didn't reach her tired eyes. It was clear Petunia was just as bored as her two children.
As Mr. Mason began his joke - the stiff humor going above Susanna's head - the redhead became distracted by her brother, who was nearly choking in his effort to stuff a whole slice of pork loin down his throat. "Dudley." The girl whispered harshly, though the adults were thankfully too distracted to be disgusted by the boy's lack of table etiquette.
Her twin glared back, but before he could comment, something thudded loudly in the kitchen. Petunia's and Mrs. Mason's screams caused Susanna to jump in alarm, nearly upending her glass of water. She and her twin were quick to follow the adults into the kitchen, where they found Harry standing beside the remains of Petunia's pudding.
"I'm so sorry, it's just our nephew. He went through quite the ordeal as a child, leaving him very disturbed - meeting strangers upsets him, so we kept the boy upstairs." Vernon was quick to try and smooth things over with the Masons, Susanna's mother guiding them back into the dining room. He urged Dudley to follow before glowering down at his nephew. "As soon as they leave, I will flay you. Within an inch of your life, boy, I will flay you." The man swore, before scowling at his daughter. Susanna shook with rage. "And you. Watch your cousin. Any more abnormalities, and you will share his punishment. Here, mop this mess up."
As Harry began to clean up what would have been a wonderful dessert, Susanna itched to ask him just what had happened. Her mother's presence put a stopper in her curiosity, Petunia fixing everyone but the two cousins a bowl of ice cream. She narrowed her eyes at her daughter as the girl picked up a rag and leaned over the sink to wipe the windows, green-and-pink cream staining her ridiculous dress.
"Susanna, this is Harry's mess to clean up. Your dress is ruined!" Petunia scolded the girl, but had to hurry away before the ice cream melted.
"Oh, no, what a nightmare." The redhead scoffed, happily collecting more of the ruined dessert to pat it on the ruffled skirt.
Another scream had the cousins sliding into the dining room from the kitchen, watching an owl circle around the Masons before soaring out the open window, dropping a letter on Mr. Mason's head on its way. The box of mints in Petunia's hands fell to the floor as Mrs. Mason screamed like a banshee, the woman running from the house as she called the Dursleys "mad lunatics, hiding a boy and letting in those winged beasts!"
A furious Mr. Mason - Susanna hadn't ever seen a man that purple with rage, even her own father - rose and scowled at Vernon and Petunia. "My wife is mortally afraid of birds, did you know? I'm sure you did - was this all a joke, then?" He scoffed before hurting after his wife, grabbing their coats on his way out.
Vernon Dursley shook as he turned to the cousins, his burning eyes on his frozen nephew. The letter Mr. Mason had dropped was in his thick hands, opened. The manic gleam in his eyes made the cousins gulp. "Read it." He ordered viciously, holding out the unfolded note. "Go on - read it!"
Susanna's eyes widened in fear as she read, Harry shivering beside her.
Dear Mr. Potter,
We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your place of residence this evening at twelve minutes past nine.
As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C).
We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy.
Enjoy your holidays!
Yours sincerely,
Mafalda Hopkirk
IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE
Ministry of Magic
The cousins looked up from the letter, back at the disgustingly pleased Vernon. In a way, Susanna understood his anger. This was an important dinner, and it had been ruined. He lost the deal. But her father was a cruel man, her mother just as terrible, her twin unwilling to follow his own path in life. Vernon Dursley didn't deserve a summer vacation home in Majorca, not after the abuse Harry had suffered at his hands.
"You didn't tell us you weren't allowed to use magic outside school." Her father spoke through his grin. "Forgot to mention it… must have slipped both your minds, I daresay. Well, I've got news for you." He bore down on the terrified cousins like a great bulldog, baring his teeth at them as Susanna quickly stepped in front of Harry. "I'm locking you up. You're never going back to that school, never! And if you try and magic yourself out - they'll expel you!"
"Dad, no -" Susanna tried, shoving Harry back, but her father only gripped her bicep harshly, shaking the redhead.
"I told you, didn't I? You were to share his punishment, were something else to happen."
"You can't do this!" Susanna screamed back as Vernon began to drag her and Harry up to their bedroom. "What will you tell people when they ask for us? Hagrid will come, Professor Dumbledore will send people -"
"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT SAYING THAT NAME IN THIS HOUSE?!" Her dad roared as he threw the cousins into their bedroom. Harry was quick to catch Susanna before she could topple over into the dresser. "No one will come for you. We'll write a letter, explaining your lack of return." The man said, mostly to himself. "Yes, that will work. It will."
With that, the man stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. A few moments later the cousins heard a click. They rushed to the door, twisting and shaking the knob, but it wouldn't budge. They'd been locked in from the outside, confined to their bedroom.
"I'm sorry." Harry apologized, the cousins sitting on Susanna's bed. "This is all my fault."
"Stop it!" Susanna whispered harshly, patting the cold cloth wrapped around her bruised arm. Hades was curled up in her lap, the black cat doing his best to comfort his human. She'd just gotten out of the shower, scratchy dress traded for worn pajamas. While she wanted to immediately check on her cousin and ask what had happened, the redhead was too shaken to do anything but get herself cleaned up. It was only when her mind became clearer that the girl got out of the shower and returned to Harry. "It's not your fault. I just don't understand - what happened? I know you didn't use magic on the pudding, it makes no sense -"
"There was this creature." Harry began shakily, wiping away his scared tears. "Named Dobby. A house-elf."
"House-elf?" Susanna asked, head tilted.
Her cousin nodded. "Yeah. They're slaves, bound to serve one wizard house - one wizard family - forever." The redhead shook her head in disgust. "He came to warn me… well, warn us… against going back to Hogwarts. There's a plot. The school's in terrible danger, as are we, if we return. He couldn't tell me who was planning it, only that it's not Voldemort."
"Harry -"
"He's the one who's been stopping our letters, not your parents." Her cousin announced breathlessly before nodding over to two wads of envelopes sitting on their shared desk. "Dobby had nothing to do with the phone calls, though, that was all your mother." Susanna nodded. "Not that it matters, anymore. We're done for."
Susanna chewed on her bottom lip before diving under her bed, startling her cousin and Hades, who mewled angrily before leaping onto the redhead's pillow to claw at it spitefully. "Sorry, Hades!" The girl apologized as she emerged with the boxed cupcake, some of its frosting melted but nonetheless still in one piece. "This was a horrible birthday, but at least we can celebrate it together, right?" The redhead whispered, holding the cupcake out to her cousin, who became teary-eyed once more. "You might want to savor that, since we're about to be starved for the foreseeable future." She frowned as Harry tried to pass her a bite. "No, I'm full. Mother actually had to feed me during dinner, Mrs. Mason was paying too much attention to me." The girl sighed. "Poor woman, she was actually pretty nice."
"Still, we didn't celebrate your birthday." Harry tried.
"No." Susanna shook her head. "I bought it for you. Please just eat it, don't -"
Harry quickly ripped off a piece and shoved it in her mouth, actually managing a quick laugh. The redhead narrowed her eyes but chewed and swallowed all the same.
As her cousin slowly ate his cupcake, Susanna reached over for her letters, reading them with tear-blurred vision. Ron's were full of jokes and curses, the other redhead going from bitter to worried the more he was ignored. Hermione's were full of terror and apologies, asking when would be the best time to call Susanna, to avoid her cruel mother. Hagrid had written to her on her birthday, asking after the two cousins as well.
When he'd finished eating his cupcake, Harry went through his letters as well, Susanna giving him privacy by finishing up her nightly routine. Teeth brushed, she crawled into bed and cuddled with Hades as she waited for Harry to do the same. "Goodnight, Harry. Happy birthday." She whispered to her cousin as he turned off the lights.
"Thank you." Harry managed to murmur, and Susanna listened for his quiet snores. When she was sure he'd slipped into a deep sleep, the girl quietly climbed out of bed and padded over to their desk. She was careful when opening the top drawer, shifting around the contents inside before pulling out a thick, leatherbound book and holding it up in the moonlight. Pulling out the chair, she sat down and stared at the moving photo on the cover. James and Lily Potter smiled up at her, helping baby Harry wave at his cousin. She sniffled quietly as she took in the happy little family.
This had been a part of Susanna's nightly routine, too. Every evening since returning from Hogwarts, she stayed up going through the photo album Hagrid had gifted Harry. By now, Harry's parents' faces were imprinted on her mind, each and every detail memorized.
Still, she was surprised every time she looked at Lily Potter. Especially when it came to one particular photo, taken in her late aunt's first year. Susanna's hair was a shade lighter, and her face more freckled, but other than that they were identical. It was like looking in a mirror, and as Lily aged, Susanna wondered if it would stay that way. Was this another reason why her mother favored Dudley? Her twin looked like the perfect mix of Petunia and Vernon, after all, while she was a near-perfect copy of Petunia's "freak sister".
"Aunt Lily." Susanna murmured under her breath, listening to her cousin's heavy breathing. All Harry did was roll over to get more comfortable. "Uncle James. It's me again." She whispered as she watched the couple dance in front of a fountain, smiling at the camera. "Today was Harry's birthday, as you know. I'd hope you do." The girl joked dryly. "And it was terrible. It's been terrible since we left Hogwarts, but now everything's so much worse. I'm not even sure why I'm asking this of you, you're only a photograph, but…" Susanna paused to wipe away her tears with her left palm, "I hope you're watching over him. Wherever you are. Please, send help. Get him… us… out of here." She smiled, the expression a reflection of Lily's. "Your love saved him, aunt Lily. You're the reason I'm not alone, so you saved me too. I guess I'm asking you to do it again." The redhead sighed. "If you can even hear me."
Lily and James only smiled back, dancing as though they hadn't a care in the world.