Bones to Bones

It always amazed Susan how quickly the students at Hogwarts could adapt to shocking events. Even while the monster of Slytherin was on the loose a few years ago, classes and exams kept up. Classes continued even when the murderous Sirius Black was prowling the hallways, and the professors kept teaching even after the death of Cedric. All things considered, it didn't really surprise her that it didn't take long for the normal routine of school to reassert itself after Harry's interview. Oh, the interview was still the leading topic of conversation at mealtimes, but it somehow seemed more distant than it had originally.

Even Aunt Amelia wasn't totally sure what to make of the interview. In her letters, she had said that much of what Potter said fit with what she knew, but there were still too many questions for her to say one way or the other if his story was true or not.. Susan's mother didn't say much at all in her letters, just assurances that her father was doing all right, though they sounded a bit hollow to Susan.

There was one big change in Susan's routine. Susan had decided that she'd pushed Umbridge about as far as she dared. She didn't know what would happen if there was another confrontation, so whenever she felt there was a risk of running into the foul Defense teacher, she did her best to make sure she had company. It was a small defense, but it seemed to be working. Every time Umbridge saw Susan, her foul, paunchy face had contempt and anger written all over it, so she was grateful there were always people around.

Surprisingly, Susan was glad that it was their O.W.L. year, at least when it came to Defense against the Dark Arts. It meant that her grade wouldn't be determined by Umbridge, but instead by how well she did on the standardized test. Of course, that left the problem of learning the material for the test. She wasn't too worried about the practical exam, as the DA meetings were honing everyone's skills to a fine edge. The written test could be rather more troublesome; apart from being foul, bullying and deceitful, Umbridge was a remarkably bad teacher, and the textbook she'd assigned for the class was hardly any better. Susan had decided to check out the textbooks that Professors Quirrell, Lupin and Moody had used for the O.W.L. students, hoping that she could learn enough by studying them to get by.

The rapidly approaching exams though were beginning to take a toll on everyone. One spring afternoon, Susan and Hannah were working on fertilizing a venomous tenticula when Hannah accidentally used dragon dung instead of augurey droppings. A simple enough mistake, but Susan wasn't prepared for Hannah's outburst. "I'm too stupid for this! I'll never get it! I'll end up selling pumpkin juice at Quidditch games! I just know it!" cried Hannah.

"Hannah!" hissed Susan, "could you calm down?" However, Hannah had already thrown her head into the crook of her elbow, sobbing onto the table. Helplessly, Susan tried to calm Hannah, but she'd finally lost it. Soon Professor Sprout came over and asked Susan to take Hannah up to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, didn't seem in the least bit surprised to have a hysterical student on her hands, and took only a moment to bring out a calming draft for Hannah.

"Miss Bones, please take Miss Abbott up to your dormitory and have her lie down. She'll be fine, but needs some rest," instructed the school nurse. After Susan situated Hannah in bed, she sat back in her own chair rubbing her face. These last few weeks before the school year ended were looking like they were going to be very, very trying. Susan didn't find out until the next evening how trying they would truly be.

They were in the Room of Requirement for another DA meeting. Harry had finally decided that they were ready to work on the Patronus spell. Susan had been looking forward to this from the very first day. Unfortunately though, she was having trouble with the spell. She'd done well on the previous spells they'd practiced, but there was something about this one that just didn't quite work for her.

"Come on, come on, happy memory," she muttered under her breath. "Yeah, curled up in my fluffy armchair at home, a cup of hot cocoa and a good book!" She concentrated on her memory, and then cried "Expecto Patronum!" Nothing. Not even the little wisp of silver smoke that some others were getting. She couldn't understand, there was nothing in life that made her feel more content than the memory she was focusing on, why couldn't she do it?

Looking around the room, she noticed in annoyance that Cho Chang didn't seem to have any trouble. She had a stupid looking bird floating around the room. Hermione Granger seemed to have produced one as well, but Susan couldn't quite see what it was on the floor. She was about to try again, when the entire room suddenly went silent, and a house elf was trying to tell Harry something. Susan was too far away to make out what the hysterical creature was saying, but there was no mistaking what Harry said.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!" yelled Harry.

Susan blinked in shock. Run? Why? Then it hit her, that Harry must have reason to think that Umbridge was on to them. Susan was on the far side of the room from the door, so she found herself at the back of the crowd that was trying to force its way out. Finally, she made it out. She didn't see Hannah or the boys, they must of cleared out before her. It was a long way down to the common room, but the Library was fairly close. If she could just make it there without being caught, she'd be fine. She was jogging around the corner when suddenly her feet gave way under her and she slid into the wall, ramming her knee into the hard stone. Looking up, she saw Peeves the Poltergeist sticking out his tongue at her, as he floated off through the wall. The puddle of water she was sitting in made it clear what he had done.

Susan stood up, but the pain shooting through her leg made it clear that she wasn't going to be able to make good time. "Oh great," she thought, "well, if not speed, then stealth is my only chance." Taking out her wand, she tapped it absently on the stone wall before whispering "indistinctus." It was a simpler and less effective version of the disillusion spell that Aurors used and would make her harder to see so long as she stuck to the shadows. With a little bit of luck and care, Susan hoped that she would be able to sneak back to the Common room. She was about to limp off when she heard an all too familiar nasal voice cry out in glee.

"Trip Jinx Potter! Hey Professor!- PROFESSOR! I've got one!" Draco Malfoy crowed.

Susan flattened herself up against the wall, just around the corner from where she heard Malfoy. Her only chance was that Umbridge was approaching from a different direction. To her great relief, she heard Umbridge's voice from around the corner a moment later. Susan stood quietly, pressed up against the wall, trying to focus on her breathing to fight down the growing panic. They had Potter! She waited until she heard their voices drift off in the distance, and then slowly, painfully, Susan crept downstairs to the Hufflepuff common room. A few times she saw Slytherin students in the distance, evidently searching for other members of DA, but by staying in the shadows she was able to avoid them. Each step brought a fresh lance of pain up her leg, and her heart sounded like a bass drum in her ears, but finally, she made it down to the door to the Hufflepuff common room, and slipped in, pleasantly surprised that there weren't any "watchers" at the door.

"Susan! Where were you? Are you all right?" asked Hannah, as she surprised Susan with a hug.

"I just got delayed. I'm fine. But..." rasped Susan.

"But what?"

"They got Potter."

Susan didn't get any sleep that night. The constant pain in her knee would have made it difficult all by itself, but that was nothing compared to the knot that had formed in her stomach. They had Potter. What was going to happen to him? What was going to happen to the rest of them? All night long, her brain turned the possibilities over and over, keeping sleep far, far away. The night seemed like it would never end, but finally it did, and Susan listlessly walked downstairs. When she got to the common room, she was surprised to find that a crowd had gathered there. Glancing to the front of the room, she saw Professor Sprout there, her plump face gray, and looking like she hadn't slept either.

"May I have your attention?" said the Professor Sprout. "I have some announcements to make. As of this morning, Professor Dumbledore has been suspended from his position at Hogwarts." A tense murmur spread through the crowd at that announcement, which only intensified when Professor Sprout continued, "Further, he is now wanted by the Ministry of Magic on charges of sedition." Susan couldn't believe her ears. What could have happened? However, Professor Sprout didn't stop. "Finally, effective immediately, Professor Umbridge is now in charge of Hogwarts. She has also made a special request of Hufflepuff. She says that she trusts that she will receive the 'legendary loyalty of Hufflepuff' in her new regime." Professor Sprout didn't even bother to hide the distaste from her expression as she spat out the words. Looking around, she said in a lower, more determined tone, "the council meets tonight."

There was no other topic around the breakfast table that morning. Susan figured that the Weird Sisters could have held an impromptu concert in the Great Hall and no one would have paid attention. No one really seemed to know much about what had happened. It seemed clear that it all related to Harry's capture somehow, and that Fudge had been around as well. Susan wasn't quite sure what to make of the rumor that the former Head Boy, Percy Weasley, had been turned into a newt though.

After Herbology, Susan trudged down towards the Hufflepuff dormitory. She had decided to skip lunch and try to take a nap. She wasn't sure that her knotted stomach would accept food to begin with, and it promised to be a very late night tonight. Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm painfully and forced her to turn around.

"Bones, Professor Umbridge wants to see you in her office. Now," said a harsh female voice that belonged to Millicent Bulstrode. "I said get moving," said Millicent, twisting Susan's arm again.

Susan pulled away, looking at Millicent. She looked a bit like a female version of Crabbe or Goyle. Susan knew that impression was misleading. Crabbe and Goyle were, in the end, "dumb muscle." Strong and mean, sure, but also very dense. They existed to take orders from Malfoy. Millicent was another story entirely. She'd seen Millicent in class enough to know that she was no fool, and that she knew one end of a wand from the other. Actually, if it ever came down to a duel, Susan wasn't entirely sure she could beat Millicent. The thing was though, that Millicent didn't push people around physically because she had no better ideas. She did it because she enjoyed it. Grimly, Susan started to reach towards her wand anyway.

"Now, now Susie." Susan winced as Millicent used that form of her name. "You don't want to do that. After all, you don't want to get in trouble do you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" snapped Susan.

"Oh, you see Susie, I'm a member of the Inquisitorial Squad. You cross us, and you get in deep trouble," smirked Millicent. "Now, be a good little girl and run off to see Professor Umbridge."

Susan's spirits plummeted as she thought about going to see Umbridge. Maybe she'd been seen after all, maybe Umbridge was about to get her revenge. Susan wasn't sure, but she was quite sure that she wasn't going to enjoy finding out in the least. Taking a deep breath, Susan started off towards Umbridge's office, her knee protesting each as she climbed each stair. Umbridge had the door to her office wide open, and a wide grin spread across her paunchy face when she saw Susan walking up.

"Ah! Miss Bones. I'm glad to see you," she said, in her most nauseatingly sweet voice. "There is someone here I thought you might want to see. I think she's over in the office next door that's normally empty."

Confused, Susan headed over to the empty office and knocked on the door. She froze when she heard the voice inside tell her to enter. Focusing on her breath she opened the door and walked in.

"Susan," said Aunt Amelia flatly.

"Hello Aunt Amelia, why are you here?"

"I'm here to investigate what happened here last night. It seems that Fudge has some sort of 'confession' that Dumbledore was plotting against him. I don't think Fudge really wants me here, but on something this big, he can't find a reason to keep me away. Now, what are you doing here Susan?"

"Um, Professor Umbridge told me to come to this room," Susan said nervously.

"I see. Now young lady, I have another question for you. What sort of idiocy have you gotten yourself involved with? Dumbledore's Army?" Aunt Amelia said in a deathly quiet voice.

"Well, it wasn't like that really, we just wanted to..."

"Just wanted to what? Get yourself expelled? Do you have any idea how much trouble you could have gotten into?"

"We just wanted to learn Defense! It's not like we'd ever learn anything from that old frog!" exclaimed Susan, her temper getting the best of her.

"So you form an illegal group? Susan, I told you to be careful around her!" said Aunt Amelia, her own face starting to redden. "Don't you understand? They have the names of all of you on a list. I know your handwriting, how could you sign something like that?"

"We had to learn to defend ourselves!"

"Susan, listen to me carefully. You are a student. A fifteen year old girl. Yes, there are evil wizards out there, but leave that to us. You know how I got this list? I had it handed to me by Fudge! He was going on the whole time about how I should try to help your parents 'rein you in', and that you keep 'unfortunate company.'"

"Wait a second, you told me to keep an eye on..." Susan said, before her aunt cut her off.

"Right now, I regret that more than anything. I trusted you not to do something foolish Susan. You have no idea how disappointed I am right now. I did manage to convince Umbridge not to try to threaten you into spying. I'm not going to tell your parents about this, but I will tell you this once young lady. You will lay low, do your homework and stay out of trouble. Is that clear?"

"Yes," Susan mumbled.

"What was that?" barked Aunt Amelia.

"Yes, I said," responded Susan, glaring at her aunt.

"Good, now I have some work to do on this investigation, so you should get going," said Aunt Amelia, turning back to some parchment on her desk.

Her face burning, Susan started back down the hallway. Passing Umbridge's office, she looked in and saw a foul smile spread across Umbridge's face. "I trust you had a pleasant visit Susan?"

Susan was still seething when she ran into Hannah and the boys outside the Library.

"Where have you been?" asked Hannah.

"Getting yelled at by Aunt Amelia," said Susan hollowly.

The other three all winced hearing that. After a few awkward moments, the conversation turned to the events of the night before. "What I want to know," said Susan, "is how Umbridge found out?"

"Edgecombe," said Justin bitterly. "Word is that she tipped Umbridge off. The good news is that Granger must have put a really good hex on the parchment. She's sitting up in the hospital wing with her face peeling off."

"It's not that bad," said a quiet voice. They spun around to see that Cho Chang had come up behind them. "I wouldn't call it good news that she has those marks all over her face though."

"Why not?" spat Susan. "If she's a traitor, she deserves what she got!"

"Deserves? What makes you think that she deserves to be sitting in the hospital wing with 'sneak' written across her face!" said Cho, her voice rising and her face reddening.

"Oh, so that's what Granger did? Well, if someone breaks their word, that sounds like a really good punishment to me!" yelled Susan.

"You don't know what it was like for her! Her mother was putting pressure on her to help Umbridge!" retorted Cho.

"You think that excuses her?"

"Listen, maybe she shouldn't have done it, but she's not a bad person!" yelled Cho, getting right into Susan's face.

"I'm sure you don't think so. I would have thought that you would understand loyalty after the time you spent with Cedric. I guess not. Going around chasing after Potter, and now this! It's pretty clear that you never deserved to be in the same school as Cedric, much less go out with him!" screamed Susan.

In an instant, the hallway turned as quiet as a tomb. Hannah, Ernie and Justin just looked at Susan in shock, while all the color drained from Cho's face. Without warning, Susan felt her head rock backwards as Cho slapped her. "You... you absolute..." Whatever Cho was trying to say never got out, as she suddenly turned and fled down the hallway sobbing. Susan reached up and was surprised to feel blood trickling down her cheek. Cho must have brought her nails into play when she slapped Susan.

"That was really uncalled for," said Hannah quietly.

"What? It's true, you've seen her after Potter, and now standing up for that traitor?" Susan turned and stormed off down the hallway, not even noticing a firework dragon flying down the hallway.

Later that night, Susan was standing in a circular room, just off of the common room. Eleven people including herself stood in a circle, all wearing black robes with yellow trim, their hoods pulled up so that no one could see the faces of the others. Outside the circle stood one other person, in similar robes watching the proceedings.

One of the robed figures stepped forward, and chanted in a slow, clear voice.

"When the strength of others fails."

"We are Hufflepuff!" chanted the rest of the group.

"When the toil is weary and hard."

"We are Hufflepuff!"

"When justice seems distant."

"We are Hufflepuff!"

"When all others are treacherous."

"We are Hufflepuff!"

The woman who had been standing outside the circle stepped forward and began to speak. "I call the Council to order, for we have much to discuss. Professor Umbridge has asked Hufflepuff to give her our loyalty as the rightful head of Hogwarts."

The figure who had led the chanting stepped forward. "The Council has had the issue brought before it. What does the Keeper of the House Honor say?"

Susan reached up, and pulled back her hood, wincing slightly as the cloth rubbed against the still raw cuts on her cheek, forcing her thoughts into the formal mode of speech the Council required. "Hufflepuff has no greater gift to give than that of our loyalty. Yet, we have never held that one needs to prove that they are worthy of that gift before we give it to them. It is given freely to those who ask for it. Yet, there is one exception. We do not hold that one must earn that gift. However, we have long held that it is possible for one to show that they are truly unworthy of it. It is the judgment of the Keeper of the House Honor that Professor Umbridge has shown such. She is unworthy."

The leader then said, "Is that the opinion of the council?" Looking around, Susan saw all the assembled members of the council nodding in agreement. Tim Summerby then turned to the woman who was standing with them and said, "You have heard our judgment."

"Very well. We will show her the respect due her status as a Professor. We will not support her empire building. Inform the house," said Professor Sprout.