| For a minute, I was stone-cold sober; I pulled you closer to my chest |
| We've come so far, my dear; Look how we've grown |

"Uncoe Frank and Aunt Alice...they're still alive, hehe. It was hard telling uncle Frank mum is... that doesn't matter. I found it cute knowing uncle Frank grew a soft spot for her.. grew a soft spot for her laugh...." ~Antares "Taylor" Sirius Black

Year: 1971, London, Britain
Setting: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Date: Still continuing the day

• • • • • • • • • •

Susan was glad when the bell rung and knew their ten minute break was about to happen. She was pretty much irked by the constant debate and slick comments Potter, Black, Snape and Evans threw at each other the rest of class but she still got her notes down.

She expected to get good grades this school year - she had no choice. Evelyn would choke her; possibly worse.

The Longbottom's had a clean reputation to keep. The bloodline was in the Sacred Twenty-Eight; the Wizarding families that were still "truly pure-blooded" by and after the 1930s. Around the time of the 1920s, a rise of Half-Blood births were over flooding the baby records in the Ministry. And with Auror's cheating habits never dying around the late 1950s, Susan would be one of the few babies continuing the baby boom of Half-Blood's. Susan never understood why Evelyn and Alfie cared about what people thought of them.

Susan didn't know much about her family, as she was normally hidden or kept away, but everyone made a huge deal about their legacy. A legacy they had to uphold.

Frank walked out the class, letting out another huff, "Distractions they are. They don't have to showboat it," He complained, walking out the school and around a couple of older years.

Frank caught up with her and made his legs move as fast as hers, "Need to get away?" He guessed and Susan nodded. Reñe appeared beside them with her delighted smile and Ravenclaw uniform shining brightly, "Where we heading?" She asked them. Susan's head snapped towards her before she walked faster. Reñe weirded her out.

Not only that but she reads minds.

"Anne wants to get away from everyone. We're heading with her. How has your day been going?" asked Frank, shooing away a flock of birds before they flew past the dazed girl.

Susan found a good spot and sat on the bench, pulling out her drawing notebook and finishing her previous drawing. Her ears twitched with discomfort as a fly made its presence known close to her earlobe. She swayed it away, mumbling to herself about hating bugs.

Reñe sat down next to Frank, "It's been preposterous," She answered, holding her hand out for a worm to crawl on. Frank cocked his head, "How so?" He asked as Reñe looked down at the green grass underneath them, "I was listening to my peers conversations and they were all the same. They talked about nothing, Frank," She answered once more.

Frank frowned slightly thinking about what she meant. No conversation was about nothing. Every conversation had a topic or topics.

"I don't understand, Reñe....." And once again, Susan wondered what Frank saw in her.

Reñe urgently faced him, making the boy shoot his gaze shyly down at the grass, "They talked about nothing. They all vindicate about what galleons they have, how much their items cost, what they can afford, what their Pureblood status mean to them - they talked about nothing. Yesterday I listened to them and they talked about nothing. When I was waiting in line outside the Ravenclaw common room to answer our riddle, Frank, they talked about nothing. They name wands and swimming pools but they all say the same thing and nobody says anything different. And the museums, have you been to one? All abstract. My grandfather told me during his time they talked about things," Her voice trembled with every word, her pupils widening as she spoke. It was as if the girl was spooked from the conversations she listened to, or more so, how stolid human conversations can be.

Susan couldn't help that her brain was trying its best to figure out what Reñe meant but neither sibling could figure it out. Frank thought for a moment, "Do you talk to your peers, Reñe?" He asked her, still failing to meet her eyes. Reñe shrugged slightly, "My peers mark me as odd. They see me as anti-social," she answered nonchalantly.

Frank frowned, "Reñe, you're the friendliest person I've ever met. How could you possibly be anti-social? Are they picking on you?"

Reñe started to smile again as she gazed up at the sky, "Social to me means talking to you about things like this. Being with people is nice.... I'll rather not socialize with people I fear. It's hard for me to communicate with the human species," She kicked her legs and twisted her hair.

Before Frank could ask what she meant, she was off and heading towards the direction of Hagrid's hut.

Susan and Frank both exchanged the same look they always gave each other after listening to Reñe talk.

Reñe was different. Susan lived in a dorm of four girls with different personalities and not one was like Reñe's. She attended classes with different wizards and witches and none of them was like Reñe. Every Professor Susan listened to was not like Reñe. Every snobby 'friend' her aunt and uncle had was not like Reñe. Reñe did weird her out; she was different. Susan didn't understand what Reñe meant by talking to people she feared. She didn't understand what Reñe meant when she asked them if they was happy. She didn't understand how Reñe read her mind. She didn't understand what Reñe meant when she said her peers talked about nothing.

She didn't understand Reñe at all.

~•~•~•~•~•~

"Your friend is odd......" She commented on Reñe as her and Frank struggled to find their way to Herbology, forgetting where it was located.

Frank's features arched in defense. One thing he did not tolerate was disrespect to his Reñe, "She's unique, Anne. She prefers walking in the rain and tasting it. She's sweet and wonderful. She's uniquely made. I love it," Frank bragged about Reñe's qualities like a little boy talking about his crush.

Susan looked around the empty Hogwarts halls impeding their class arrival and sighed, "She's definitely not anti-social. And what did she mean by fearing her peers? This is the second time she's mentioned that," She asked and Frank shrugged. He seemed to not have been bothered by Reñe's oddness and Susan guessed that was the trait of Reñe that made him fancy her.

How odd Reñe was made her brother fancy her. Frank was drawn to the outdoor creatures as a kid - his eyes glistened over the simplest form of a caterpillar. Susan was oblivious to it at first but has she figured it out? Her memory recalled what Reñe said on September 8th at breakfast when Frank's mood was slumped thanks to his work-stress:

"Why would I leave you alone? Everyone needs to be bothered once and a while. It's clear you're not used to getting bothered. When's the last time someone has bothered you? When's the last time you've been bothered about something important? When was the last time you've been asked about your opinion on an topic? About something real? About reality?" ~Reñe Li, 1971

Susan tried her best to not to go off on Reñe, her second voice keeping her from doing so. It was obvious that Reñe had no understanding of the real world.

Well, that's how Susan saw it or either Reñe was asking to get hit. She didn't know what it was about Reñe but she.... she was odd. She hums happily at insults and she tasted rain. Frank said she stares at the Moon for hours and she worshipped trees. She "stuffed her eyes with wonder."

But Susan heard her mention her grandfather more than once in one sentence while listening to them talk so it was plain as day he mostly had an affect on her.

Frank stopped walking, "Are we lost? Anne, are we lost? Please tell me we aren't lost? You get strikes for being lost!" He ran his hand through his hair, worrying about getting assigned detention.

Susan slapped her forehead. She was too busy chasing Frank for her drawing notebook and having fun with her brother to make it back in school on time.

She roamed the hall that led out of Hogwarts and near the West Wing as Frank tried his best to remember where the Herbology class for First Years was located.

While she walked calmly trying to find Herbology, her brother was behind her going through a midlife crisis, listing all the terrible outcomes this would have.

Susan looked around at the scenery. He had every right to freak out. They were lost and Susan didn't know what roamed around this huge castle while they were in class.

She refused to admit they were lost, however. Frank chewed on his bottom lip worriedly, whimpering thinking about all the punishments Professor Throne would send their way, "Who makes a castle like this?" Susan complained.

She leaned against the wall, close to accepting defeat when she soon fell through it, tumbling down a row of stone stairs. The stairs bounced off her back with every hit, giving the girl a bumpy ride of rubber.

Frank screamed her name, dashing through the wall and tripping down the stairs as well.

Both siblings bounced back up after the fall. It reminded her of when Evelyn tossed her down some stairs and got angry when the girl only bounced up, showing early signs of magic.

"Anne, I think we're trapped. W-we-re going to die! I'm too young! I haven't grown an inch of hair! I haven't had my first snogg! I haven't looked my crush in the eyes! My voice hasn't deepen! This is unfair!" Frank began freaking out again, tearing at his hair and holding back his tears.

Susan placed both hands on her brother's shoulder, "Justice, you have to calm down. Nobody is going to die. You know I will always be there to protect you. You know I will never let you get harmed, okay?" She tried soothing her brother.

Frank closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath. The witch looked around at the pitch black room, "Justice, did you drop your wand?" Frank shook his head, still trying to catch his breath.

She searched herself for her wand, not liking being in the dark too much. Susan stood up immediately with it in her hand, "Lumos," She flicked her wand, then drew it back before flicking it a second time.

She did this about ten times, getting frustrated after every one, before Frank stopped her and helped her with the wrist movement. The end of Susan's wand illuminated and light appeared. Lumos was a charm and light-creation spell. It was used to illuminate the tip of the caster's wand; this light was fairly warm.

"Thanks, Justice," Susan whispered and walked around, "Why are you whispering?" he whispered back and Susan ran into some chest on the ground she didn't see, "Mother--because we don't know what's down here, boy!" she whispered-yelled and rubbed her leg.

Frank said nothing but followed behind her, sniffing every now and then. He didn't like their chances of not being punished or expelled, but killed.

"Do you believe we're trapped?" He asked her worriedly. Susan shook her head. Frank worrying was one of his traits, "Clap, Justice," Susan told him. Frank, clinging on to his sister's back, looked around the room expecting a monster to jump out and attack them.

Clapping would trigger it and as much as he loved Susan, he wasn't taking any chances.

"Anne, we should run back up those stairs and-" but the witch clapped herself. Igniting the room anew with such brilliance, the light rose with casual elegance.

Frank gasped, "What the-" Susan shushed him before doing the wrong wrist movement, "Nox," She chanted but it didn't work.

Susan sighed and looked at Frank for help. They both struggled with it but after a few more tries Frank got her to get the light to leave. It was all in the wrist movement. Nox was a spell that caused light at the end of the caster's wand to be extinguished. Susan wasn't particularly good at Charms; Frank was the master. He had more patience.

"I think we've found a secret passage. I heard there's a lot of those," She whispered and Frank folded his arms. He already talked to her once about eavesdropping on older years conversations.

She looked around the room and noticed there was a desk and a few cases. On the grey desk sat a notebook lying open, and a stack of papers sitting under a turtle-shaped paperweight. A bookshelf, bursting with books was in a corner, with yet another stack of parchments under a paperweight that was shaped to look like a tuft of grass.

And in the corner was Prewett's skateboard.

Picking up the parchment, Susan instantly regretted it. She looked at the name and felt her throat twitch. She gripped the parchment, getting the urge to tear, "Justice... this passage belongs to Professor Slughorn. I... I want to leave now..." Her voice sneered, tossing the parchment on the desk.

She hated bum-kissing adults.

~•~•~•~•~•~

"I've landed myself two weeks detention, got my skateboard taken, have to stay after class with Professor Binns and clean up, won't get my skateboard back until the end of the semester..." Prewett loudly exacerbated her situation as she complained while still in the area of passing professor's. Her voice sounded as if it was going to crack, her normal demeanor of carefree playfulness being replaced with this sulking vessel yearning for her most prized possession.

Frank chewed on his bottom lip listening to the girl in their circle close to crying. In the passage they found, Prewett's skateboard was in the corner. Even though his sister rushed them out, you couldn't miss it. "Anne...." His heart gripped his throat as he made eye contact with older sister.

Susan didn't care. She was tuning out Prewett and her loud cries. She wasn't here to pat anybody on the shoulder - she'd have her skateboard if she didn't skate the halls.

"Justice, we don't owe her anything. Keep walking..." She muttered so only he could hear. The First Years, at times, travelled in packs to stay close to each other. It was a tactic to make it to their next classes without any troubles. Frank fumbled with his fingers, "I-I think it'll be nice. I don't like her either but we know where it is. I'd want her to tell where your drawing notebook is if it got confiscated and she saw... you know?" He chewed on his bottom lip even more when her face turned, his fingers now in a battle of ballet.

"This school is tripping, mans, thinking they can take what we own..." Prewett complained to Raven, the boy nodding in agreement as he latched onto Frank's robe with a pinch, "I'll steal it back for you if you want? It's probably in his office, the old man can't walk far," Raven suggested.

"It's not," Frank blurted out.

Raven grinned at his dorm mate, "Oiii, you know something we don't, Frankinnie?" He teasingly poked the boy and Frank swatted his hand away. He nervously glanced at Susan.

She did not look pleased.

"W-well... yes. My sister and I... we.. know where your skateboard is, Dol- Alice. Alice..." With every world, he felt the holes burning through the side of his head. The guilt was eating at him - he'll apologize to Susan later. Susan rubbed her temples. She'll fuss at Frank later.

Alice's eyes brightened as she threw her arms around Frank, silently crying as quiet thank you's escaped her lips. Susan watched in horror, reaching out her hand to pull her brother away, which he gratefully allowed, "Calm down, calm down. You're wonky, a bit," Frank forced a smile, trying to hide the nerves he had building.

She tittered as she wiped her tears, "My apologies, man. It's... I'm grateful. My skateboard is my world. You's two can help me takes it back! Pretty wicked, right?" She gleamed.

"Alice, you are a figment of my nightmare," Raven pinched her side and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Huh? Uh... hehe... Alice, give us time to discuss this," Frank stopped himself from agreeing with his dormitory mate and pulled Susan to the side.

"I'm sorry, Anne-" He started but Susan held her hand up, "You have a kind heart, Justice. Irking? Yes. Admirable? Very. I cannot listen to her dolphin laugh for the rest of my life, but you're right. If Prewett knew where my drawing notebook was... I'd want her assistance..." Susan said and Frank smiled, "Your heart is kinder, Anne," The two shook on it and walked back over to Prewett and Raven quarreling over her crying.

"If anything goes wrong, don't speak to us again, got it? People split up in situations like this and never speak again," Susan told the pair. Prewett giggled, believing Susan was joking.

Frank covered his ears but quickly dropped them as he didn't want to seem rude, "Yeah, hahaha! That was sooo hilarious! You can stop laughing now!" Frank exclaimed and Prewett's laughter started to die down. She fixed her tie and spinned around before stopping on her heels, "Thank you's! See ya soon!" She said before skipping off.

Raven cursed to himself, mumblimg something about being at the wrong place at the wrong time and sped walked away.

Susan and Frank both exchanged the same looks and Frank banged his head against her shoulder, "I so desperately do not want to be her friend. I know it sounds rude... I've never met somebody like her - and I've met a lot of people in my days," Frank groaned.

Susan rolled her eyes at him; he was being dramatic, "In your days? Boy, you're eleven not sixty years old. Come on," She grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hall.

Merlin his heart irked her.....

~...~...~...~...~...~

Potions is a core class and subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In this class, students learn the correct way to brew potions. They follow specific recipes and use various magical ingredients to create the potions, starting with simple ones and moving to more advanced ones as they progress in knowledge.

Susan silently stood next to Frank in Potions taught by Professor Slughorn as Frank was quietly thinking about Prewett's skateboard, dreading the moment they would steal it back. Reñe would be disappointed in him. Susan, on the other hand, was thinking about the far deeper side of the situation.

This would play in Prewett's favor. The newest generation of the Longbottom's helping her. The bragging... the pride... a vein popped in her head as her nails dug into the wooden table. Did she jump on Frank 'cause he knew where it was or did she take the chance to touch him? If it was another guy, let's say Raven, she would happily dance and keep her distance...

Professor Slughorn clapped his hands and the noise in the class died down. They were about to learn about the Forgetfulness Potion. This potion causes an unknown degree of memory loss in the drinker. The recipe can be found in Magical Drafts and Potions. Its main ingredients include Lethe River Water, mistletoe berries, and Valerian sprigs. Susan took notes on what to do:

Part 1:

•Add 2 drops of Lethe River Water to your cauldron
•Gently heat for 20 seconds
•Add 2 Valerian sprigs to your cauldron
•Stir 3 times, clockwise
•Wave your wand
•Leave to brew and return in 45-60 minutes

Part 2:

•Add 2 measures of Standard Ingredient to the mortar
•Add 4 mistletoe berries to the mortar
•Crush into a medium-fine powder using the pestle
•Add 2 pinches of the crushed mixture to your cauldron
•Stir 5 times, anti-clockwise
•Wave your wand to complete the potion

The class got to work. Susan sighed out of relief once she was almost finished, glancing over at Frank steadily adding in his proper ingredients. A sudden clash hit the silence in the classroom. Susan's eyes landed on Black staring at his cauldron, the leaking potion heading in different directions around the classroom.

"Are you serious?" She asked.

"No, I'm silly," He bitterly replied as Professor Slughorn shook his head disapprovingly, turning around to mark his failure points.

Susan scoffed at his reply. She didn't expect him to hear that.

Frank was staring at his cauldron like he was in deep thought, "Anne, I really do need help over here," Susan continued to heat her cauldron, "What'd you mean, Justice?" She asked him. Frank continued staring, not responding.

"What's wrong? What don't you understand?" She didn't have the chance to continue before he gave her one big hug.

"Is everything alright Longbottom's?" Professor Slughorn asked, holding his chart board in view, but they didn't answer, "Justice... what's wrong?" she worriedly gave him a squeeze as Frank laid his head on her shoulder, sniffing quietly to himself.

Professor Slughorn went back to helping one of the students he "believed in," wasting no time on the two who showed no signs of going anywhere in life.

"Did I hurt you, Justice?" She whispered; he shook his head, "You did nothing wrong. You've been a loving sister. I wanted to get your attention to tell you that. I was over here thinking about how encouraging you've been since we've arrived here. I love you that's all," He assured her. She breathed out, smiling slightly to herself.

She loved him more than he could ever love her.

~•~•~•~•~•~

"Are you sure you're okay? I don't needs you bailing outs, dudes," Prewett asked them for the 100th time as she hopped over one of the other students and sped up with them.

One thing Susan couldn't stand was pest, and Alice was a big one.

Her patience was wearing thin, "Go to class. I don't like you nor your voice," Susan told her, clearly getting annoyed by the girl.

Prewett wasn't offended, seeing that as another joke, "You are a stolid person," Susan pushed her aside and grabbed Frank's hand, walking away from Prewett.

"Mark my words she wants to be friends with us because we're Longbottom's. Everybody loves our title. I don't trust that girl, Justice, and neither should you," Susan did not only find her annoying, she found her extra.

Frank nodded, keeping his sister's words in his mind. He turned around to look at his dormitory mate Raven. No, Raven wasn't like that. Frank was certain......

|Thank You For Reading|

Author's Note: You guys also got a little bit of Reñe in here. I got a lot of inspiration from Clarisse from Fahrenheit 451 and most credit goes to Ray Bradbury since that's where Reñe conversations are coming from. So, let me know what you think about Reñe. But aside from that, now the drawing that Susan was working on was her. It was supposed to be her shielding herself from everyone - that's what she wanted to do and that's what she was used to doing. Every drawing she does has its own meaning and every drawing she does has a story behind it. It wouldn't be classified as a Susan drawing if it didn't have meaning or a past or symbolizes something / someone. But anyways! Here is our girl Susan drawing:

Susan's drawing;

Continuing part 3: You can barely see her face and her hands are stressfully in her hair while it seems that she's surrounded by darkness. Susan drew herself and she couldn't help but stare at it because she couldn't believe that was what she was feeling. That's all and thank you for reading.

Question: What are your thoughts on Reñe?

|Love You All|