Bones to Bones

Bones to Bones

Chapter 4: Farewell

As she entered the Great Hall for breakfast on Monday morning, Susan looked down the length of the Hufflepuff table for familiar faces. Just because she didn't like crowds didn't mean that she wanted to eat alone either. She could have waited for Hannah, but she was being her usual slow self waking up this morning. Finally, Susan spotted Eloise Midgen sitting at the far end of the table and sat down next to the fourth year student.

"Good morning Eloise. I haven't had much of a chance to talk to you since we all got back, how was your summer?"

"Oh, hi Susan," Eloise said, looking up. "It was ok I guess. Still, I'm always glad to get back to school. I just feel better about myself here."

"Oh? What do you mean by that?"

"It's kind of silly really."

"Oh, come on, I'm sure it's not that bad," Susan pressed.

"Well, it's that during the school year, I can get some medicine from Madam Pomfrey," Eloise said, looking down at the table so that Susan couldn't see her face.

"Why not? Your folks aren't Muggles, so they should be able to get the cream anyway, right?"

"Well, they can. They just won't. My mother says that it's just vanity, and that being vain is evil," Eloise said, still not looking up.

"Oh." Susan wasn't quite sure what to say to that. It was obvious that there was more to the story than that, but she didn't know Eloise well enough to be comfortable pressing the issue any further.

"Well, I need to get back to the dorms, ok Susan?" Eloise said after an awkward moment. "I need to put the cream on, and I've been told that I shouldn't do it before breakfast, or it ruins the meal for everyone at the table." A small smile lit up her face as she continued, "I believe it too. You should have seen Colin Creevey last week in Herbology when we were gathering the pus. He was getting green enough that his face would match a Slytherin cloak."

With that, Eloise waved, and headed back up to the dorms, and Susan was left alone at the table. Idly picking at her eggs, she looked up and saw Harry and his friends at the Gryffindor table. They seemed to be looking at something in the morning newspaper. It was easy to notice that Harry just didn't look good, not at all. It could have been as simple as just being worn down by the piles of homework that all the fifth years had been assigned already, but Susan thought there was something more to it. "His eyes," she thought, "they just aren't right. What could have happened to him to give him that hollow look? What secrets have they seen? What does he know that none of the rest of us know? Do we really want to know what he does?"

Susan was startled out of her thoughts when a harsh voice invaded her consciousness, "He's not good enough for you, I hope you realize that?" Susan looked up in surprise, and noticed that Zacharias was settling into the seat across from her, glaring back at Harry at the same time. "You can do much better Susan. He's just a jumped up little showoff. He probably got Cedric killed after all."

Susan stared at Zacharias a moment. "It's nothing like that! If you must know, I was just wondering about what really happened last June, since we'll probably never know the real story."

"Ok, ok Susie."

Susan looked sharply at Zacharias. "No, not Susie. Sus-an. Sus-an, got it?"

"Hey, no reason to get testy about it! I don't mind if you call me Zach after all!"

"Whatever you say Zacharias."

A few moments later, Hannah sat down next to Susan, and the rest of the meal passed in silence. After Zacharias got up to get his things for class, Hannah leaned towards Susan and said, "I heard most of that exchange. You know, you were staring towards Potter pretty intently. Is there something you want to tell me?"

Susan rolled her eyes and said, "Just like I told Zacharias, I was wondering what was going on in his head, and what he had seen. Believe me, Harry is not my type."

"Just what is your type anyway?"

"I haven't quite figured that out yet. Not Potter, and absolutely not Zacharias. After that, I'm still up in the air."

That afternoon, after classes, Susan saw Ernie sitting by himself in the Library, reading. She'd been waiting for this opportunity since the party, so she went over and sat down opposite him. "Hi Ernie," she said, in a tentative voice.

"Hi Susan," he responded flatly.

"Listen, Ernie, I wanted to talk to you about the other night, ok?"

"What's there to talk about? I think you made your feelings abundantly clear after all."

Susan slowly breathed in and out, trying to gain control of her own emotions, which were swaying between a touch of anger, and guilt about the way she had hurt her friend. "I have a feeling I didn't make them as clear as you think, ok? We are all proud of you, and are glad you made prefect Ernie."

"Then why did you do that to me?"

"I guess, well, you see, it's that, um, well..." Susan said, struggling to put how she felt into words. "It's just that the first few days, I felt like you were maybe sticking your badge into our faces a bit too much, like you were putting us down for just being normal students."

"Susan, I never..."

Susan held up her hand, cutting Ernie off. "I know, I know. I just felt that way. I think we've both made some mistakes here, all right?"

Ernie considered that a moment, and finally said, "Yeah, I think we have. Call it even, and just go on? Deal?" Ernie then put out his hand to Susan.

"Deal," said Susan, taking his hand and shaking it.

After that, the two of them settled into the piles of homework that awaited them. Susan shuddered slightly as she started to read the book for her Muggle Studies class, The Odessa Files. "I really do not want to read this, I think I'll ask if I can change to something else. I do wish someone would tell him that he's a touch out of date on Muggle Literature though."

Just before it was time for them to pack up and head for supper, Hannah walked into the Library and headed for their table. "Oh, so here is where you two are hiding. I just heard, the owl came back and they've got the stuff. The memorial will be tomorrow night at nine o'clock. They've decided to invite Cho as well, and gotten Professor Sprout's permission to let her into the common room."

"Cho? Did they invite Potter too?" Susan asked.

"No, a few talked about it, but it was decided that there are enough around who still don't trust him that it would be too likely to cause trouble," Hannah answered.

"Wait, they didn't even ask the council!" Ernie interjected.

"You know it's not a council decision. The Quidditch team is putting it together, and they made the decision," Hannah explained patiently.

"Let me guess, Zacharias was behind that decision, right?" Susan asked.

"Probably, but I'm not sure. Sounds like him though, doesn't it?"

"Well, ladies, if you don't mind, I need to run back to my room before supper, Justin and I will meet you down there, ok?"

"See you Ernie," Susan said.

After Ernie disappeared out the door, Hannah asked, "So, did you two get things sorted out?"

"I think so, though I'll have to be careful."

That night, all the discussion around the table focused on the new title of "Hogwarts High Inquisitor," and just what it portended for the school. After much discussion, the most that anyone could say was that they didn't have the slightest idea what it really meant. They did agree though, that it almost certainly wasn't going to be good.

The next morning, Susan was calmly brushing her hair out preparing to braid it, when Hannah screamed. Susan turned around, fumbling with her wand, but when she saw the cause of the disturbance she relaxed. There before her stood a plump gray bird with fluffy feathers that quite obviously didn't stand a chance of getting the bird off the ground.

"Dody! What are you doing here?" Susan said to the bird. "Don't worry Hannah, it's my Aunt Amelia's pet Diricawl."

"Pet Diricawl? I didn't think anyone had ever managed to tame one."

Susan smiled and explained, "Well, about one hundred years ago, my great grandfather took a trip and came back with one. We've never quite understood how he bonded with it, but we've had some around the family ever since. The hard part has been finding mates for them, but we've managed to keep the line going. Dody is the only one right now, but Auntie Em was saying she has a lead on a mate for her."

"Well, what is she doing here?"

Susan leaned down to get a closer look at the bird, when it stuck its leg out. There was a note attached to the leg. When Susan finished untying the note from Dody's leg, the bird disappeared in a puff of gray feathers.

"Weird, I didn't know Auntie Em had her trained to deliver messages," Susan said, as she opened the note.

Dear Susan,

I'm sorry to startle you by using Dody like this, but I felt this way would be safer. Thankfully, it is quite simple for her to find you, as you carry her feather in your wand. As I imagine you have heard by this point, Dolores Umbridge has taken steps to consolidate her control over Hogwarts. I may just simply be a paranoid old witch, but I wouldn't put it past her to try to read people's mail. From what you said in your last letter, it seems that she is taking a personal interest in you. I'm not sure if she is trying to gain some sort of influence over me, or if she just thinks that you will be more likely to help her if you think she is a friend of mine. Either way, I cannot tell you too strongly to be careful. Do not encourage her in her attempt to use you, but do not antagonize her either. I realize it will not be an easy road, but it will be safest for you.

I still wish to hear your observations, not only concerning Potter, but also Umbridge. However, for those messages, use Dody. I will send her to your dorm room every Tuesday afternoon just before supper. Please take care that no one other than you or your roommate knows about this. From what you have said, she can be trusted. It would be good though if you continued to write ordinary messages to me using Agatha. If Umbridge doesn't think that you are writing me at all, she is liable to get suspicious. In those notes though, just talk about ordinary things. Talk about your parents, or classes, or boys.

My own investigation into the death of Cedric Diggory continues, but there is nothing new that I can tell you. I've had something troubling come up that I need to investigate, but it will need to be done very quietly, without Fudge noticing. That means it will take time.

I'll send Dody back this afternoon. If nothing else, just let me know that you understand why I've done this.

Love,

Aunt Amelia

p.s. I understand what you said about not wanting to study with the Muggles. I think you sell yourself short, but I'm glad to see that you have at least considered it.

"Well, that was interesting," Susan said. "She thinks that Madam Defrog will try intercepting our letters. Yeah, she's foul, but maybe Auntie Em is getting a touch paranoid these days."

"Oh well, look at it this way Susan, you'll be able to send the fastest letters in the school if she keeps sending the bird back."

Classes that day passed by in relatively calm fashion. No one ended up in the Hospital wing, no one was sentenced to Umbridge's office for detention, and no one got into a fight with Malfoy. After classes were over, Susan took the time to write a letter back to Aunt Amelia, so it would be ready for Dody's return.

Auntie Em,

I got the letter from Dody, and I understand that you want me to use her for our private conversations. I'll do it, though I can't say that I really understand why you would think that Professor Umbridge would intercept our letters.

Anyway, there just isn't a lot of news here. I think I got things patched up with Ernie. I did hear that Potter got into another argument of some sort with Professor Umbridge, but it really made no sense. He said something about You Know Who sticking out of the back of Professor Quirrell's head. It's enough to make me think that while Harry doesn't seem to be the attention seeking prat that some think he is, he may be losing his mind. I really don't know.

I best seal this up so it's ready for Dody.

Love,

Susan

After Susan had sent the letter off with Dody, she and Hannah left for supper. However, waiting for them just outside the Hufflepuff entrance was the Headmaster. When Professor Dumbledore looked down at her, she could see a small smile form at the corners of his mouth. When he spoke though, his face took on a serious expression. "Miss Bones, I cannot emphasize to you enough that you have undertaken a very dangerous course. I must urge you to be most cautious. However, feel free to tell your Aunt that Dody is welcome in my office at any time." With that, Professor turned and strode down the hallway, his exit as unexpected as his appearance.

Susan turned to Hannah and said, "Is there anything that goes on here that he doesn't know about?"

That evening, Susan joined Rose in their usual corner of the common room. Susan had already fallen into the habit of checking with her most evenings to make sure that she was keeping up with her homework.

"Rose, you know, most people in the other houses don't understand us. When they say that Hufflepuffs are hard working, they usually think that means that we are all going to end up moving dirt for a living, or something like that. No one likes to talk about the fact that our grades are usually nearly as good as the Ravenclaws, and sometimes even better. Working hard isn't just physical labor, but here in school, it is also about hitting the books. Ravenclaws may be clever, but they can get kind of lazy sometimes, so they don't do as well as people think they should."

"I see I've been replaced as your student Professor Bones," said a familiar chuckling voice.

"Yeah, and she's a much better student too, believe me," laughed Susan.

"Oh, I'm wounded!" said Justin, putting his hand on his chest and acting as if he'd been stabbed. When Rose looked at them in confusion, Justin explained. "You see, I fell way behind in second year, and so Susan here spent most of third year dragging me along to make sure I caught up with everyone. That's really how I got to know her. Before that, she was just a rumor, the mystery Hufflepuff!"

Rose giggled, but then asked, "Why did you fall behind?"

"Well, you see, I was sick a good part of second year," Justin said, in a tone that made it plain he didn't want to go any further into that discussion.

Susan sighed inwardly. She'd never heard Justin talk about what had happened to him, not really. Of course, he didn't remember those months in the Hospital Wing, but he still had to come to terms with being petrified for months. Maybe he had talked it out with his parents, or one of the Professors, or even Ernie, but somehow she doubted it from the way he reacted. Of course, she was in no position to complain about others not revealing their innermost pains.

"Hey, look at the time! We need to go get ready!" Justin said before he ran off to his room. Susan and Rose soon left as well, to prepare for the evening.

About an hour later, all of the Hufflepuffs were assembled in the common room. Susan was in her black and yellow council robes, standing alongside Hannah and Ernie. Looking around the room, she saw Justin sitting with Zacharias, and Rose sitting with the other first years. The only person who wasn't a Hufflepuff was Cho Chang, who was seated in the front row.

Hannah leaned over to Susan and said "I never did get what Cedric saw in her."

"What, you mean aside from the fact that she's smart, gorgeous and a good Quidditch Player?"

"Well, yeah, besides that."

"Well, there never was a chance of a couple of girls like us measuring up, especially not a mouse like me," sighed Susan.

Suddenly, the room went quiet, and the girls looked forward where Tim Summerby was stepping forward. He was standing before a spot in the wall that had been covered over with a black blanket. After a moment, he began to speak.

"Last year, Hufflepuff suffered a great loss. Most of you knew Cedric, and I'm sure all of you have heard about him. It's hard for me to put into words just what Cedric meant to all of us. Many in this school thought of him as the best Seeker that Hufflepuff has had in decades, or as our champion in the Triwizard tournament. Both of those statements are true, but they don't begin to tell us who Cedric really was. Cedric was my mentor, my role model, but most of all, my friend. In the years that I knew him, I got to know just how unique he really was. You could never ask for a better friend. He was true, he was loyal, he was all that a Hufflepuff is supposed to be. What's more, he was the very definition of those things. If someone wanted to ask me how a friend should act, I would have pointed them to Cedric. He was truly the best of us, and we wanted to be sure that he would be remembered rightly."

Tim turned around and with a wave of his wand, the blanket fell off the wall. There, mounted on the wall were a broom, a set of robes and a photograph. The broom was a brand new Firebolt, with very few signs of wear and tear. The robes were Cedric's Quidditch uniform. The photograph showed a grinning Cedric, with what appeared to be an egg cradled in one arm. He was standing next to a vaguely canine shaped pile of rocks, and it looked like his robes had been burnt.

After everyone had taken a moment to study the display on the wall, Tim began to speak again. "This display will be a memorial in the common room, hopefully until the last days of this castle. It will be a reminder of Cedric for years to come. I'm sure you recognize the robes, and the photograph. There is a story that goes with the broom though. Before coming to school last year, Cedric was determined to lead Hufflepuff to the Quidditch Cup. To do that, he decided he needed a new broom, a broom that could keep up with the ones ridden by the Gryffindor and Slytherin speakers. To that end, Cedric spent the summer working. Every odd job he could find, he took. He even worked for Muggles in the village near his house, using a pick and shovel if that was what was needed. Last year, he came to school with his new broom, prepared to lead us to glory. He never got to play Quidditch on it though. He never got to test himself against Potter or Malfoy, because something even better came along. He didn't complain, instead, he threw himself into the tournament, and we all know what happened. That is why the broom is here. We asked his parents if we could use it, and they agreed. The broom is a reminder, a reminder of Cedric's good nature. It is also a reminder of lost promise. We'll never know what would have become of Cedric, just like we'll never know how he would have done on his new broom. What we do know though, is that he would have done something great."

By this point, there wasn't a dry eye in the room, and Cho was sobbing into her handkerchief. Tim then turned to her and continued, "Cho, I'm sure that Cedric told you that Hufflepuff is not so much a house, as a family. That's the way we like to see ourselves, and that's how he saw things. We all want you to know today, that you are part of our family. Cedric brought you in, and made you one of us. Any time we can help you, just let us know."

When Tim stepped back, Susan was surprised to see Eloise step forward. She was even more surprised to hear Eloise begin to sing in a clear soprano voice.

He may be gone, but he's not far

I say to you, that he is near

He's in our hearts, he's by our side

A friend today, and 'til the end

A/N: There is a reason that Susan is uncomfortable with her Muggle Studies assignment. Anyone care to guess what it is? (My Fearless Beta picked it up right off the bat.)

The song can be sung to the tune "Puer Nobis"