Euphoria

Euphoria

Everyone knows the story of how Voldemort was defeated by Harry Potter, the Savior of the Wizarding World.

Or so they think.

Actually, a lot of the back-story was removed; the events that led to the final confrontation were completely ignored. The contributions of other, extremely brave people were consistently ignored in the following media frenzy surrounding the Boy Who Lived. But now, I'm here to clear things up, and to tell you what others left out. This is my story, the story of Susan Bones...

Like many other people in my generation, my life was drastically affected by Lord Voldemort, the bane of the wizarding world. When I was just only a few months old, Voldemort killed my Uncle Edgar, along with his wife and children. Years later, Death Eaters killed my beloved grandmother. I grew up with that shadow hanging over my head, vowing to myself that someday, my family would be avenged.

But I don't wish to depress you quite yet, so let me fill you in on my life a bit.

I wish that I could tell you I was beautiful. I wish that I could say that I have long, raven-black hair, flawless porcelain skin, and stunning forest-green eyes, just like some of the heroines in my favorite novels. I'd at least settle for being pretty in some way.

But I don't look remotely like Alanna or Mellissandra or Deirdre or any of those people I loved to read about. Instead of being slim and willowy, I am actually quite plump. My hair's a pretty ordinary shade as well, a rather nondescript mousy brown. Even my eyes are brown as well. My friends are too kind to me; they say I look cherubic, and I have rosy cheeks. I never see anything like that when I look in the mirror. But I've gotten used to my appearance. Someday, I may even like it. Who knows?

I, by all standards, was and still am, a bookworm. My dorm room was littered with novels of all sizes, and if you came looking for me, chances are that you would find me in the library with my nose in a book. The Sorting Hat never even thought of putting me in Ravenclaw. That's mostly likely because I read the wrong types of books. I never liked the Classics. I hated Cicero, and I found Dickens to be boring. My true passion was romance novels. Yes, I was an idealistic sap; I admit it. In my seventh year, I devoured those books, and became filled with romantic notions about true love, and Prince Charming, and cherishing someone for the rest of my life.

Every single one of my friends, Terry Boot, Colin Creevy, Mandy Brocklehurst, Justin, and Laura Madley thought that I was insane to love them as I did. But I laughed at them, and kept reading. Little did I know that I would live a love story of my own, but it didn't go quite as I expected it to. It all began one typical evening in September...

My heart beat with excitement. My handsome, dark-haired lover had come to take me away to his castle and make me his duchess! "Come with me my darling, I love you," he whispered seductively in my ear, and then kissed my cheek lingeringly. I sighed, reveling in the feeling, then the kiss suddenly seemed to become much less swoon-worthy. Was he...licking my cheek? Why did his tongue feel so rough, like a cat's...?"

I snapped out of my daydream, only to find my tabby cat, William Wallace, licking my cheek roughly. "All right, I'll feed you," I sighed rooting in the drawers of my desk to find a can of his special cat food. "Why did you have to wake me? It was such a good dream too!" I scolded him, only to have him purr in reply as he gobbled his meal.

I decided to put off studying for a while, since I only seemed to waste my time daydreaming. I grabbed a novel and made myself comfortable on my bed, ready to start a few good hours worth of reading.

Then, I checked my watch. The hands spun, and eventually pointed to the words, "You're Late." "Where do I have to go?" I wondered. "Oh shit! Dinner!" With that, I dashed out of my dorm and headed towards the Hall.

I sighed as I sat down at the Ravenclaw table, next to my friends, dropping my newest novel, The Passionate Greek, on the table with a loud 'thud'.

"Oh God, not now!" I moaned. Colin and Terry were at it again, enthusiastically snogging right in the middle of the Hall. I mean, I'm happy that they're together, but I simply didn't appreciate it when my two best friends had a go at each other at all times, right in front of my face, because it: A) lowered my already poor self-esteem (I'd never had a boyfriend in my life!) and B) enhanced the joys of PMS. Lovely.

Terry looked up and detached himself from Colin's face (finally!). Just when I thought he was sincerely concerned about me, he opened his mouth,

"Hey Suse, is it that time of the month again?"

Gah! I could have killed him!

And as if it wasn't enough the whole table turned around and looked at me! EVERYONE!

I could feel my face grow hot, Merlin, it was so embarrassing!

Taking a deep breath, I flung my book at Terry's, praying it would leave a dent in his face...not likely. But I could always hope, right?

Then I stormed out of the Great hall.

I was never going to sit at the Ravenclaw table again! Ever!

I'd get back at Terry, eventually, er, maybe--oh who was I kidding! The worse thing I'd ever done is copy off of Colin's homework, and even then I almost keeled over with the fear that I'd be caught!

It's pathetic, I know, but true.

Sigh.

As I walked to my next class, I vaguely noticed something shift in my path.

I knew I should have paid more attention, but I was still reliving the morning's horrors, remembering the catcalls and sneers that had come my way, reliving all the shame...wait; I'm getting off topic here. I'm such a drama queen.

Now, had I been paying attention, I would have realized that the shifting object was Pansy Parkinson's foot. Then, I wouldn't have tumbled ungracefully to the ground like I did.

"Great, just bloody great!" I cursed as I picked myself up off the floor, rubbing my aching rear.

I could hear the other Slytherins laughing at my distress. Feeling my temper flare, I picked up my things and glared at them. "I don't know what the HELL you think you're laughing at, unless, of course, you've just looked at yourself in the mirror," I shouted. Hey, I may be meek and quiet, but there's a limit to how far I can be pushed!

Whoops. Bad move...really bad move!

I could hear the swish of wands being drawn, and I watched in horror as Pansy's pug-like features contorted into a scowl.

I would have been afraid, but I refused to give them that satisfaction! Well, that's not true. I was so terrified that I was literally shaking.

"What is that supposed to mean, Bones?" she hissed, pointing her wand between my eyes.

I snorted and, discreetly slid my wand into my hand.

"Its means you're an ugly cow, not to mention an idiot," I said, gathering up all my courage, "Can't you read between the lines? EXPELLIARMUS!"

I didn't stay and watch what happened next, as I didn't want to know what had happened.

I did hear them crash into a wall, making a pretty sickening crunch.

And I ran away. I'm such a coward. Good thing I'm not in Gryffindor, hm?

Well, at least the DA had worked wonders on my confidence, which was why I had the nerve to pull off that stunt back there. But now that the exhilaration had worn off, well, I was terrified! As I ran towards the Astronomy Tower, I prayed that I would not get ambushed and hexed by angry Slytherins on the way.

Relief, then anger washed over me as I entered Professor Sinistra's classroom.

The nerve of those bastards, what had I ever done to them? I listed them mentally, assessing their flaws.

Crabbe and Goyle didn't have a brain cell between the two of them.

Pansy was a whore.

Malfoy was the ringleader, but undoubtedly his father's spawn, nothing special there.

Baddock was a lap dog, a simple errand boy and a fool.

And Zabini. Ah, what was there to say about him really?

It puzzled me why he joined Malfoy's ranks. His family had come from a long line of Slytherins, but they weren't participants in the pureblood mania sweeping the wizarding world. They were actually known as the sole untainted part Slytherin. Why would Blaise Zabini risk his family reputation so?

I'd never know, and I'd decided I didn't care either, seeing as the sight of me invokes nothing more than pure ire and spite in Slytherins.

To hell with Voldemort and his ruddy Death Eaters.

Even though Zabini was Death Eater wannabe vermin, I admitted he did have a certain similarity to Darien, the main character, in one of my favorite novels, Desire's Climax.

Darien is this handsome dark haired assassin sent out to kill the Princess of a far away land, but then he falls deeply in love with her...

Sigh. It's so romantic.

Well, anyway, Zabini was definitely one of those tall, dark, handsome stranger types.

The type that have dark brown locks framing their aristocratic faces and their high cheek bones, blood read lips, and somber dark blue eyes that made you think of deep oceans and long nights...

I shook myself out of my lust-induced stupor; they're also the type you lay your trust in and regret it after they creep into your room and gut you in your sleep.

Vermin.

I narrowed my eyes at him as he entered the classroom 20 minutes late, with no valid excuse. He was a blatant rebel against authority.

And yet see all those airheads swoon.

I rolled my eyes and returned my attention back to Professor Sinistra, dipping my quill into my inkpot. I used dark blue ink, just like the color of Blai-Darien's eyes. Yes, Darien's. So I was a hopeless romantic. There was nothing wrong with that! Or so I thought...

I patiently waited for her to start teaching. "Today," Sinistra began, "you will start a project that take the next two months to finish. You will also be working with a partner that I will assign."

I frowned. The idea of working with someone I didn't know up to the wee hours of the night didn't exactly drive me wild.

Not at all.

"You will hand in a star map, documenting with the major constellations and names of their stars, and you must make the map yourselves," she said, looking pointedly at the Slytherins as she handed out the instructions. She then began calling out the names of our partners.

"Malfoy, Parkinson."

Figures.

We had to charm the map so that the stars would move in their proper patterns as well. I was rubbish at Charms! I sincerely hoped that I could be partnered with Hannah or Ernie. As annoying as they were, they at least paid attention to Flitwick in class.

"Baddock, Crabbe and Goyle."

Interesting how Sinistra thinks of Crabbe and Goyle as a single entity. Ah, she probably figures that they need as many brain cells as they can get.

"McMillan, Abbot."

Just my luck. Who was I supposed to be with now?

"Moon, Nott."

Poor Sandra Moon.

"Zabini, Bones."

Poor Bones, really.

Wait...BONES??

There was NO WAY I'd work with th-th-THAT!

"Professor, surely, there must be a mistake!" I protested.

Professor Sinistra gave me a cold look. "There is no mistake, Miss Bones," she said frostily. "Ten points from Hufflepuff."

I had already cost Hufflepuff ten points, and the school year had just begun! Yippee.

Ernie gave me a Look. He should really have it trademarked.

Blaise smirked.

I swallowed nervously.

What was I going to do?