feeding the mind

[Susan Isabella Bones]

It was a few days into the new year, which would be Susan's fifth. She wasn't sure, but Susan could have sworn that the first years were getting shorter every year. If she hadn't been so afraid that she might offend someone, or thought that the idea of it was quite rude, Susan would have measured them, and compared the measurements to the next year to come. This year, she had heard, would be much different than the other years, Dumbledore had made sure of that. Squibs were going to be entering the school. They were going to be in her classes, and in her house. Susan had never understood how it was meant to work, with them being unable to do magic and all, but then she thought that it might just be the non-practical classes they would take. Muggle studies, for one, and history of magic. In her own opinion, they were the least interesting classes, but that was just her own opinion, and she figured that the squibs probably had different interests than herself.

So far, she had yet to meet one of the squibs. She was aware that they were in her house, and most likely hanging around the common room, but they hadn't made a very large point of making themselves known. But then again, perhaps they didn't want to. And who could blame them! Half the magical part of the school, especially the pure blood, didn't even want them there. Susan honestly felt sorry for the squibs that had been sorted into Slytherin. If there was any house that they were going to be abused by, it was Slytherin house. Being a half blood (or in other words, someone who wasn't a pure blood), Susan, to an extent, knew how hard it was to be an outsider. The only difference was, she could do magic and they couldn't. When she got the chance, Susan decided to make a point to befriend at least one of the squibs. Maybe then they would begin to feel at home. Personally, Susan knew how bad it felt to feel lonely in such a large place.

On her way to the library, Susan thought about this. She subconsciously noticed that as she got further in her thoughts, she slowly began to slow down her pace. "Hurry up," she heard an older girl, whom she presumed belonged to Slytherin call out to her. Apparently she had been blocking the corridor. 'Oh, sorry...' Susan said, as polietly as possible, not wanting to extend the conflict any further. Ever since she had been a child, Susan had found herself being the one whom brought peace into the atmosphere, and who was always determined to prevent herself from getting into any sort of conflict at any cost. There had never really been any specific reason for this behaviour, other than the fact that it was in her nature. One person even described her to be one of the few kind, non-selfish people left in this world. Susan had been touched by this comment, but told them that she doubted this was true; after all, another of her famous qualities was modestness.

Shaking her head, Susan continued to wander through the corridors, trying to work out what the most direct path to the library was. After another seconds thought, her pace once again increased, and she was there in no time. Some of her friends had question her motives of going to the library at the beginning of the year - some even though that she might be meeting a special someone there - but she wasn't. The truth was, it had, once again been a difficult summer break, and Susan wanted a bit of refreshing of the subjects. That was all. Well that, and she was kind of hoping that she might meet a squib to befriend there - although Susan highly doubted that this would happen, so the main reason was study. In her arms, Susan held a text book for every subject, as well as a few blank books which she could take notes in if required. The fifteen year old quickly found an empty table, and sat down to begin her study, deciding to begin with the worst, history of magic. To be honest, Susan had been praying that she wouldn't fall asleep in that class this year (not that she had in the past).

[Leah Jessye Hayes]

Leah sighed loudly and pinched the bridge of her nose. How was one supposed to concentrate in such circumstances? She rested her head in her hand and blinked a few times. The words in front of her weren't making sense. They seemed to blend in with each other. It was like she was reading the same line over and over again and it still wasn't logically working. Leah groaned. It was like nothing was working for her anymore, and all because Dumbledore wanted to allow squibs to attend Hogwarts.

Why would someone allow the squibs to be immersed in a world of magic? They were non-magical. They couldn't perform any of the magical tasks that ordinary witches and wizards could. They were just about as useful as muggles to the magical community. They really shouldn't be allowed in the castle. What in the world would they do in Charms and Transfiguration? Wave pieces of wood and hope something comes off it? Or would Dumbledore allow them to bring in Kwikspell, so they could fit in? It seemed like a sort of thing Dumbledore would do, with his spiel on everyone is equal. He'd probably allow for the squibs to bring in Kwikspell.

Leah gritted her teeth. The squibs were just like everyone else. There was no way of actually telling them apart from the rest of the school kids. Dumbledore had made sure they fitted in quite well before allowing them into the school. The thought that she could potientially be sharing a dormitory with a squib made her sick to the stomach. She couldn't tell who was a squib and who wasn't. It was sickening to know that she wasn't all that different to a squib. It made her seem all the more closer to the muggle world, which in truth she wanted nothing to do with. Why would anyone voluntarily associate themselves with muggles and the non-magic world? They were the lowest form of people. They couldn't accept wizards into their world. Why should wizards allow them into their world? It was only fair.

The lights dimmed slightly in the corner of the library that Leah was in. It was time to move into the main section of the library where the other students studied. Leah sealed her inkwell and pursed her lips, a slightly off-putting thought forming in her head. What if she accidentally sat down with a squib? How in the world would she get herself out of that situation? It would be on another whole level of awkward. She sighed, and continued to gather her things. If she remained sitting in the dark doing her homework all alone, people would only think of her as wierd, and the dreaded Slytherins would probably come and "solve" her loner problem.

Leah stood up and walked into the main section of the library. A few students had already staked a claim at a few of the tables. Leah smiled for the first time that evening. Being around other's who were just like her was comforting. The library was one of her favourite places, she could spend hours just reading, or even looking at the shelves for new and interesting books. If she kept going at her steady rate, she'd certainly read the entire stock of library books before Easter.

Leah eyed the tables. Most of the people there looked familiar, but no one she really spoke to or even knew the names of. It was obvious who the first years were of course; the small ones gathered around one table all whispering and giving each other wild-eyed expressions of sheer and utter terror. And fellow older Ravenclaws gathered around one table, not speaking to each other and studying silently. Leah made a beeline for that table before her eyes skimmed past a familiar face, a Hufflepuff in her own year, Susan Bones.

She quickly changed direction and stopped at Susan's table. Her books connected with the table and she placed the well of green ink on top, flashing Susan a big smile. It was slightly awkward, choosing to sit with Susan. They knew each other, being in the same year and sharing classes but Leah didn't really know her all that well. But it was an easy choice, it was either her, or the older Ravenclaws.
"Hey Susan, mind if I sit here?" she said smiling again, and gesturing to the seat next to her.

[Susan Isabella Bones]

Susan began to read through the text book. Was it just her, or could that book actually put someone to sleep. Somehow, she didn't think it was just her. How do those people even write these books without going insane? she thought. Either they had gone insane, or they wrote it over a very, very long period of time. There was simple no other explanation, she decided. It didn't take long before Susan's thoughts had moved away from the subject at hand, and onto something that the whole school were most likely thinking about: the squibs. Susan gave a quick look around the place, to try and see if there was anyone in the room who looked a little out of place, who might possibly be a squib. She figured that they'd look out of place, as they might not have learnt their way around the school yet. There was also a possibility that they'd choose they library to hang out, as it wasn't normally that heavily populated and she thought that they might want their space.

Susan wanted to try and help them. But unfortunately, she couldn't see anyone who stood out from the rest of the school. Dumbledore had obviously done a good job of helping them to blend in. Besides, personally, she'd never known everyone in her own year, and would never be able to notice any additions to it. And the squibs most likely had their own, squib friends, so it would be hard to spot them from the rest, as they wouldn't be loners either. She wondered whether she had already spoken to one. It was possible. Although, Susan hadn't really spoken to many outside of her own friendship group, so it was most likely that she hadn't. However, if they were there for good, she had plenty of time to talk to them. She hoped that they would know her intentions were good. She had never met one before, other than Filtch - and she was sure most squibs weren't like him, if they were, it wouldn't take long for her to be against them too - so the truth was she really knew nothing about them.

Suddenly, Susan had an idea. She quickly flipped the history of magic text book to the contents page. With her fingertip, she traced down the page, her eyes keenly looking for one word. It didn't take long for her to realise that there was nothing about squibs in the book, which was unfortunate. But she soon realised that it wouldn't have made sense for anything like that to be in the book; it was about magic, not lack of it. Still, Susan had to admit that she was a little disappointed. It would have been nice to find out a bit more about, you know, what to expect from them. Like, for example, did they hate witches and wizards? Were they jealous? Did their family hate them? Did they hate their family? A lot of magical people hated squibs, and didn't want anything to do with them, so did squibs feel the same way? Maybe it was the same as the wizarding world, some of them were against wizards, some of them were for wizards, and some of them were neutral. Or maybe not. Wizards were the ones who rejected them first, and it wasn't like the squibs chose to not have magic, so it might have even been that they were all against wizard kind. It was hard to tell. All Susan knew was she felt sorry for them.

Soon, she remembered where she was: a library. There must have been a book about this sort of thing somewhere. After all, it was a big place. Just as Susan was about to get up and look, she noticed a pile of books suddenly connect to her table. Susan looked up, hopeful that it might have been a squib holding them, but soon noticed that it wasn't. It was Leah Hayes, a Ravenclaw girl in her own year. 'Hey Leah. Yeah, go ahead' she said, returning the smile. In all honesty, Susan was surprised to see Leah approach her table. The two of them didn't normally talk, but they weren't exactly enemies either. After that, Susan didn't want to leave the table in fear of being seen as rude, so she stuck to her seat, and looked back down at her book. It was slightly awkward, but Susan was friendly enough to minimise that as much as possible. 'So' she began, looking up from her text book which she hadn't read an extra word of since Leah had come, 'how do you feel about the new members of our school?' she asked, referring to the squibs. With the amount they had been discussed lately, Susan presumed she knew who she was talking about.

[Leah Jessye Hayes]

Leah smiled, and took the seat besides Susan. Under normal circumstances her actions could be seen as rude, but Susan was a Hufflepuff, and by nature, Hufflepuffs were simply bound to be the politest of polites. Leah could only imagine her response to be kindly. And even if Susan wanted someone else to sit there, it was only a matter of moving a few seats. Nothing too effort taking or embarassing. leah slid the inkwell off her books and unscrewed the lid, her eyes on Susan, and lips pursed.

Their encounter was on an entirely new level of awkward. It was like there was some sort of unseen barrier between those for squibs and those against squibs. Surely Susan would be one of those for the squibs. The unseen divide was causing a tension that couldn't be described. Susan and Leah would never get along with each other if that topic arose in discussion. Leah would never learn to see it her way. Squibs were non-magical. End of story. Period. They were no more than muggles who know about magic. And that was how it was supposed to be. Her opinions themselves were causing the tension between the two.

It wasn't like they hadn't spoken before. Sure, they had uttered a few niceties to each other during classes. It wasn't a long deep and meaningful conversation between the very best of friends but it was like they hated each other either. Leah couldn't comprehend why they would have such a sudden awkwardness about conversation. It must really be down to the entrance of the squibs. Once again, their entrance could only have a negative effect on life in the castle.

Leah placed her opened inkwell on the desk beside her books and placed her quill inside. She opened the textbook up to her specific page and prepared to take notes. She glanced up at Susan. In a matter of seconds it seemed like Susan was bursting at the seams to run away from the table. Maybe to escape the awkward conversations about weather that was to follow, or to simply peruse the other books in the library. Leah cringed; was she really that obvious about her opinions? Could her secret negativity on muggles and squibs be read on from afar?

She looked away from Susan and turned to her book. The words once again seemed to blue into one. Her mind just didn't seemed to be functioning. The squibs entrance was seriously affecting her subconcious. She placed a hand to her temple and closed her eyes. Deep breaths, and just forgetting about them. It was nothing. It would be just like normal. She wouldn't even be able to tell they were in the castle. If she was lucky, she would never have to engage with one. They would stay away from the wizards, ashamed of what they were. Yes, that's what she would do if she were born a squib. Shy away from society. That was the way of life.

Susan broke the silence, with a seemingly conversational topic; the squibs. Leah winced a little. Just when she seemed to get her mind back on track to the important stuff, she was thrust right back into the tumultous thoughts of squibs. Oh how they must invade every square inch of her life. Leah removed her hand from her head and forced a thoroughly fake smile. It took a lot of effort, the weight of the world dragging the corners of her mouth downward.
"Oh the squibs... entering Hogwarts... well, I can't honestly say I'm too thrilled with the idea, it's not exactly the most logical of ideas, but I'm sure it'll be... an experience", she said sweetly, the smile still plastered on her face, slowly falling into a grimace. "What about you? What do you think about them entering the school?"

[Susan Isabella Bones]

The moments of silence that Susan spent with Leah were almost unbearable. As each second passed by, Susan became more and more anxious. She could feel Leah's eyes on her. Or at least, she thought she could - there was also a slight chance that it was only paranoia that she was feeling, which was just as likely for her. It was a strange feeling, but was apparently very common. It was more of an unconscious feeling than anything else, which would explain why it was so hard to describe. These things always are. To say that she felt uncomfortable would be an understatement. And that was saying something, especially for her. Susan never normally had trouble relaxing around people. At least, she hadn't for many years now. But that might have been partly due to her tendency to only talk to people outside of her friendship group if she had to. It wasn't like Susan was anti-social, rude, or any of that crap; she simply did not like confrontation. At all.

It didn't take long before Susan found herself looking at Leah. You could call it a stare, but it wasn't an obvious stare, nor was it unfriendly. It was just curiosity more than anything. That, and she was trying to keep her mind of the book which she was so eager to look for. Every so often, when Susan thought that Leah was about to look in her direction, she would quickly move her eyes back to the history of magic book, which she was still rather determined not to read. But the awkwardness eventually got to her, which is why she spoke. Sure, it probably wasn't the most brilliant of conversations (especially if Leah was to be against the squibs, then it could get interesting - and that was a possibility, but not definite considering she wasn't in Slytherin), but it was the popular topic for most at the current time. And quite frankly, it was all Susan could come up with. She had never been known for her wit, after all.

Susan studied Leah, hoping and praying that they would be able to agree on this topic. Who knew, if they did agree, maybe she would be able to make a friend by the end of the conversation. But if not, she might be in trouble. Her eyes were watching Leah's lips, and she waited upon her response. Then, Susan blinked. It was a rather dramatic blink, but hopefully not to noticeable. Obviously, it had been a mistake to bring the topic up after all. Susan returned the smile. She could tell that Leah was trying to make this as painless as possible by her use of words. "Experience." She liked that, because it was true. It didn't necessarily mean a good or bad thing. It was more of a neutral word; maybe she could go from there. That was one way of avoiding almost certain conflict, which in truth, really wasn't needed.

'Yes, it will be an experience,' she said, trying to forget the rest of Leah's comments. 'Something different for anyone.' It wasn't like anything exciting ever happened at the school, Susan had decided, so it was the perfect chance for everyone to experience something different in the school - they could even make history! Then she was asked her opinion. Susan, with a friendly tone, replied as nicely as possible. 'Well, personally, I kind of feel sorry for them. I agree that they won't exactly fit in with the rest of us, but I think that it is a sweet idea, and a good oppotunity to meet people who are a bit different. But so far, I haven't really noticed they were even here... I think they've done a good job of blending in so far!' she laughed slightly, hoping it would help break the ice a bit more. At this stage, it was probably needed.

'Anyway, uh...' Susan searched her mind, desperate to change the conversation once more, before the whole squibs thing got further than it needed to be. 'What are you studying?' she asked, looking at the books Leah had brought with her, hoping to take both of their minds off of the squibs. Honestly, the last thing she needed was an argument.

[Leah Jessye Hayes]

Leah had dropped her head slightly after speaking. Maybe this was one of those moments where one must tell a white lie, but in all honesty Leah couldn't possibly lie that much. Susan, as a Hufflepuff would surely be all for the squibs; expressing her opinion could only result in an arguement or even a slight disagreement. That was something Leah didn't want at this stage. Even though her and Susan had never really spoken before, they weren't enemies and Leah really didn't want that to start now. Why did she have to open her big mouth?

Her blonde hair fell over her eyes, creating some sort of barrier between her eyes and Susan. It would be okay to take a peek at her reaction, without seeming too intrusive or whatever. She looked up, peering at Susan through her eyelashes, and hoping her reaction wasn't a bad one. She looked completely neutral, as if inside there was a war raging on. Leah quickly dropped her gaze again and stared at the book in front of her. Ancient Runes could be incredibly annoying at times. And this was one of those times. She just couldn't seem to keep her mind on track.

What if Susan took offence to her comments about squibs? They were pretty neutral but still on the same track thinking as the Slytherins. What if Susan put Leah in the same brand as the Slytherins? The worry started to settle in her mind now, and she could almost feel the perspiration collecting beneath her hairline from her sudden stress. She didn't have many friends at Hogwarts and Susan would have made a good friend, if it weren't for her own opinions. Leah let her eyes close slightly and sighed and awaited her reply. The silence was eerie.

When the reply came, it was just as tactful. Susan didn't disappoint fulfilling her Hufflepuff traits with ease. Of course she felt sorry for the squibs. Of course she thought it would be a delight to have them in the castle. At least she wasn't starting an arguement. That was a positive. She was trying; maybe they could be friends. Maybe they could overlook the squib thing. It couldn't be too hard. If they survived this conversation in one piece, then friends looked very possible at this stage.

Leah looked up again, a little more positivity in her now that the subject had changed. Even though this one was slightly less controversial and exciting.
"Oh it's Ancient Runes."she said gesturing towards the book as though it was of little importance. "I like the subject. It's different than the others. Less practical too. What about you? What subject are you studying for? Would you like help?"

She shuffled closer to Susan, before realising her comment could be taken rudely. It didn't even look like Susan needed the help, Leah was just trying to be friendly. Helping with homework was her way of showing it; that's what the Ravenclaws did. But maybe she would think Leah was being rude, and suddenly the worry began to cloud her mind. For some reason, she really wanted Susan's friendship or even moreso, her approval. And it worried her, that she was ruining it, by opening her mouth.

[Susan Isabella Bones]

Susan desperatly hoped that her sudden change of topic did not appear to be rude to Leah. After she had said the words, she could see why it may seem so. She had barely given Leah a chance to respond to her comments. If she had wanted to, it may have caused her to become angry, and this was the last thing she wanted. A part of her was fearful that Leah would bite back at her, despite her efforts to be friendly, and question her views on the squibs. That she would not like Susan changing the topic, and would also question why she had done so. But most of all, that it would result in Leah becoming on of the very few enemies that she had. If Leah had not been a Ravenclaw, these fears would be far more apparent. But still, they were very evident. Susan watched Leah's expressions, looking out for any sign of anger or hatred. She did not see it. Instead, much to her surprise, but more so to her relief, she saw a much happier facial expression than she had before. Even a hint of happiness. Susan couldn't help but smile; maybe they could be friends after all.

Susan smiled as Leah expressed her liking for ancient runes. That was certainly a far more interesting subject than history of magic, which Susan was sure would one day put her to sleep. She agreed with Leah on this one. Ancient runes was such a fascinating subject, she found, and was even considering studying it for her sixth and seventh year despite it's difficulty. While history of magic was a subject she'd be dropping after her fifth year for sure. It was just one of those few subjects that she honestly couldn't care for. Susan didn't know whether it was the subject itself, or the professor teaching the subject (or even a bit of both, because neither were all that interesting), but it was definately her least favourite subject. Even worse than flying - and she had never been all that skilled in that area, either. Of course she was never one to complain about anything all that much, and therefore left both her fellow students and the porfessors oblivious to this dislike.

'Wow, you're right - that is a good subject' Susan told Leah, happily, 'I've always found ancient runes fascinating for some reason. Not that I don't like the practical stuff too, though, but ancient runes really is interesting. I don't think I'm brilliant at it, but I do like it. It's a shame more people don't choose to study it. They're really missing out!' Susan said, honestly. The words which Leah used, "less practical", helped Susan realise that it may well be a class all the squibs would be taking, as it didn't involve magic. That made her a little more excited about the subject, but she didn't mention it to Leah. They were getting along better now, and she didn't want to ruin the relationship. At the moment, it seemed like she was talking to a potential friend. And Leah would be far more likely to feel the same way if she didn't bring the topic of the squibs up again; she had already made that mistake once, and that was enough for her.

Then Leah asked her the inevitable: "what subject are you studying for?" Susan, when answering, tried to appear not to have a negative attitude about the subject, but more of a neutral one. While she didn't want to lie to Leah, she also didn't want it going around the school that she hated history of magic. 'Oh,' she said, looking down at her book, 'history of magic. You can help if you want, but I don't really have any homework, I'm just taking a few notes. I don't have a wonderful memory, and don't want to end up at the end of the year having no idea what to do for the exam. But thanks for the offer, I appreaciate it!' Susan smiled brightly. It really did seem like they were on the right track now. 'It was sweet of you. If you like, I can help you with your ancient runes homework. Although, you're probably much better at it than I am' she laughed. Susan thought that it was only polite to return the offer. She just hoped that it wouldn't seem rude to offer help with homework to a Ravenclaw, seeing as they were meant to be the ones with all the brains.

[Leah Jessye Hayes]

Leah Jessye Hayes, world famous worry wart. That's what her title should be. No matter what she said or did, the atmosphere still seemed tense. Anxiety built up inside of her rapidly, and it wasn't long before she would explode into a million tiny pieces. Susan wasn't reacting badly, that was a good sign, meaning they were still on equal if not great terms with each other, but it wouldn't be too long before the Hufflepuff would find Leah's obnoxiousness too much and run away screaming. The rejection would be that trigger to send her into explosion mode.

Her fingers found their way to her hair, which she twirled awaiting Susan's response. It came, and it was entirely a good one. Even Leah's over-scrutinizing mind could see that there wasn't a scrap of bad intentions in her answer. The mood of the room changed instantly, and all of the worries fled Leah's mind. They seemed so trivial in context, now that they had found common ground, especially in the most ordinary of places. The entire squib topic seemed so silly now. And the prospect of being friends seemed all that more possible.

"Ancient Runes is incredibly interesting. It's not excatly the most useful of subjects, but then again neither is Divination. It's a pity not that many people take the subject. It's not even that difficult"she said naturally, all the worry banished from her mind.
She placed her elbow on the book and rested her head on her hand so that she could see Susan better. Conversation was so much more genuine when eye contact was made.

Leah looked down at Susan's History of Magic book and smirked a little. History of Magic was definitely the world's most boring subject. Even her distaste for flying and Divination couldn't surpass her dislike for History of Magic. In fact, it was more of utter and pure loathing for the subject. If there was a subject more usless than Divination, then this was certainly it. It didn't even matter that the teacher was an ancient ghost, the subject would still put even the most focused of students to sleep. Surely every student would end up falling asleep in the exam at the end of the year, and fail miserably. Professor Binns wouldn't mind, it was probably a regular occurence during his teaching days.

"Ahh... History of Magic. The most boring subject in the history of Hogwarts. Are you taking notes on the Goblin revolution, because I've already taken a few from class, if you'd like them. Unfortunately I got bored and started writing music halfway through, so you'll have to look past that" she said grinning slightly.
Her musicianship wasn't something she really admitted to company, and something she felt she should keep to herself, but Susan felt like a true friend now, even though they had only just got onto proper conversation, and around the awkwardness.

Leah looked down at her own book. She had just come to a difficult phase in her book that she always got confused with. It was something she needed to improve on, according to her yearly exams which always featured the words. Maybe Susan was good at this particular section. It wasn't incredibly hard, in fact everyone else had grasped the concept quite well. Leah was just too adamant in her own thoughts to accept the way she was taught. It was a hit directly to her ego, but she needed the help, before she failed OWLs.
"Actually Susan, I would love the help, only after we go through your History of Magic. It might take a while though, I really can't get translating entire paragraphs. I always do it word by word, and it never makes any sense. Now on to History of Magic" she said with a huge smile on her face.
Friendship was definitely in the cards.

[Susan Isabella Bones]

Susan smiled as Leah spoke, adding in the occasional nod where she deemed it to be appropriate. Leah seemed much more relaxed now, Susan observed, from both her facial expressions, and the tone of her voice. In all, she seemed a lot happier to be sitting there, and the fear that she may suddenly begin to argue with her about the squibs had almost been diminished. The awkwardness of the conversation appeared to be long gone, and Susan became more certain, as each second passed, that they would be talking a bit more often in the near future, even outside of classes. As a result of Leah's changed behaviour, Susan also became more relaxed, and was able to breathe more easily. Her past regrets began to feel a little silly. She had been just about as nervous as she would imagine a young teenage girl, such as herself, although she had never had the feeling, would be just before they were about to go out on their first date with a handsome young male. In her own understanding, it was meant to be far easier to make conversation with someone who had the potential to be friendship material, not boyfriend material. Perhaps that idea was under-rated.

But the most important thing, in Susan's mind, was they they had discovered that they shared something in common. This, in the history of relationships, had always proved to be the perfect relationship starter. All the clique stereotypes were proof of that. You know, the ones where people thought that every person in a certain friendship group were into fashion, or people in another group loved books, or "look at those people, they're all depressed!", along with many, many more. Those stereotypes must have started somewhere, right? Of course, Susan never liked to place people into a box, but it was true to an extent, in some cases. 'Yeah, you're right - it's not! But I guess that if they realised that, more people would be in the class' she said, in response to Leah's comment of ancient runes not being that hard. 'But it is probably a good thing for us - it makes it easier to concentrate, as it's such a small class! Not that an awful lot of concentration is needed, but you know what I mean.. Still, it is sad that they miss out.'

Susan laughed. She was quite happy to hear that they also shared an opinion on history of magic, and was now more than happy to tell Leah that they had yet another thing in common. In her mind, as she didn't actually do so, Susan felt herself let out a large sigh of relief. Things really did seem to be going on the right track, and it was getting more promising by the minute. And it only got better: Leah was offering to give her notes she'd taken on the class when she took it. 'Yes, it is. I'm surprised I haven't fallen asleep yet!' she said, laughing slightly. 'Oh, yes, wow, would you? That would help a lot, thanks' she said, a little shocked. 'That's very generous of you!' Then she laughed. 'Oh, I'm not surprised! It's not the most interesting class. And I can look past that, thanks a lot' she said, struggling to remove the smile from her face. She hoped that Leah wouldn't think her a little strange to be so happy about some notes, but she didn't let it worry her, remembering how pointless it had proved to be in the past.

'So, you write music then? Thats really cool. What kind? I wish I could do that!' she said. It was another thing they didn't have in common, but it was still an intrest they shared all the same. Music had never been a talent of Susan's, by any stretch of the imagination. Although, she had never been brave enough to attempt it, other than singing which she failed at miserably.

She could have predicted the next thing Leah said, and smiled at the suggestion. 'Okay, if you say so' she said, 'I guess you know what you'll be dealing with if you've already done it, anyway' she shrugged. Susan thought that it should at least be a little less boring if she was doing it with someone else, and also a lot easier. So, she was thankful for the suggestion, and just hoped that neither of them would fall asleep in the process. 'Hopefully it will seem a little less dull if we go through it together! So lets give it a go. But don't spend too much time on it, as we've still got ancient runes to do!' she really wanted to push that point, as ancient runes was simply a much better subject. 'Oh, that's probably a good way to do it' she stated. 'But yes, lets get on with history of magic!' Susan shifted her chair a little closer to Leah's, and opened the book to the first page, so they would both be able to read it.

[Leah Jessye Hayes]

It suddenly felt like a big heavy cloud had been lifted from the room. Conversation was flowing. It wasn't like before, stuttering around the unknown, completely wary of what the other was saying. No, now it was more natural, like they had been friends forever. Like the beginings of their conversation had never happened. They shared common ground on more than one topic; the prospect of friends was no longer a prospect. They would certainly be spending a lot of time together, whether it be inclass or out. Leah was sure of that fact.

"I write music. It's more of an escape than anything else. I just write whenever the mood strikes me, and whatever I happen to be struck with"she said laughing.
It felt so odd to be sharing something so close to her heart to someone who was just a second ago, a stranger. Music was something she had felt very comfortable with. It was truly her escape. Whatever feelings she had at any moment could be summed up in a song of some sort. And that was the way she always felt about music. It was something very dear to her. Susan may not know how she felt, but music was a very universal thing. There could be some common ground there also.

Leah pulled herself nearer to the book they were reading. There was honestly not a single book in the history of existance that could match the boredom factor of the History of Magic book. The words seemed to be repeating themselves, in their tiny and faded text. It really was a wonder anyone ever managed to read anything from this book, time would be better spent listening in class, and that was saying something. Listening in History of Magic was like sleeping with your eyes open.

"Okay Goblins Revolution... this is even more boring than class."
She rolled her eyes at the book before poking her nose right to the page so she could read the words clearly. She started reading the first paragraph before realising how stupid she must look to anyone who happened to be glancing in that direction. And suddenly, like a hyena she lifted her head, broke out in the hugest and most idiotic grin and started laughing.

Leah didn't laugh very often, because of her laugh. It was high pitched, loud and embarassing. Very rarely did she laugh, often hiding behind a facade of absolute neutral-ness. Seeming emotionless allowed her to avoid laughter.

[Susan Isabella Bones]

Susan smiled. 'I wish I could do that,' she told her, 'it would be a handy talent. I've never been very good at music myself, but I always wished I was... so I guess I stuck to listening to it instead!' she laughed. 'And, if I do say myself, I'm pretty good at that!' It felt good to make jokes with Leah. Not long ago, the idea would have been unthinkable, and Susan would have feared that she would have seen a scowl in response, which was never good. But now, as she began to feel more comfortable about her company, she began to open up more and more, until finally, Susan was sure that they would be able to call each other friends. She had to wonder whether a friendship ever would have developed if it wasn't for the presence of the squibs. Would Leah have even chosen to sit with her if they hadn't been inside the school? If she had, would a conversation ever had started? It was a wonder. One that Susan didn't dare voice.

Susan listened intently as Leah read out loud. It was much easier to let the information sink in when someone else was reading it. It was also a lot easier on her eyes, as they did tewnd to get a little sore when reading such a boring book. But still, it did feel a little like the information was going in one ear and out the other. For Leah, Susan tried her hardest to concentrate. It was obvious that the girl was trying to help her, and Susan was desperate not to disappoint her. In a way, she was thankful that Leah had come, as she was actually getting her to do some work. Which, Susan was sure, may not have happened if she hadn've shown. Still, the words in the book did not sound any more interesting coming from the mouth of Leah than it did from Professor Binns. The fact was, it didn't matter who was giving the imformation, the subject was just plain boring. There was no other word for it. How she would survive the exam at the end of the year, Susan did not know.

Much to Susan's surprise, not long after Leah had started reading, she stopped, and began laughing. In all honesty, that was the last thing Susan had expected her to do. Especially as she had been reading the book so well. Perhaps, Susan thought, it had been a bad idea to let her do the reading. Still, Susan wasn't complaining. Listening to someone laugh was far more interesting that listening to the goblin revolution. And much more fun, too. Susan decided Leah had a very unique laugh, and it caught her attention automatically. Susan also thought that it probably caught the attention of many others in the library, as it was also quite loud. Slowly, Susan felt a smile coming up on her face, which soon turned into a rather large grin, until finally, she joined Leah in the laughing. It was just one of those things, Susan thought, that was quickly contagious. One of the hardest things to do was keep a straight face while someone was laughing in front of you; even when you didn't know what they were laughing about.

Her laugh wasn't quite as loud as Leah's was, and sounded a bit like a chuckle, like the muggles thought witches laughed like, only less evil. Although it wasn't all that strange, Susan often felt a little self-conscious when laughing most of the time, believing that all eyes would be on her. She didn't like attention, and therefore tried not to put it upon herself. However, this time, as Leah had already made her feel extremely relaxed, Susan did not have a care in the world while she laughed, and actually enjoyed the experience quite a bit. Then, after a few good minutes, Susan finally caught her breath, and stopped. 'I haven't laughed like that in ages!' she finally said to Leah, once then had both calmed down. 'But I have to admit, that was fun. And, given the chance, I'd probably do it again.' She smiled, wondering just how soon that chance might be. To be honest, she really didn't know the answer, but hoped that it would be sooner rather than later. The longer she could put off history of magic, the better.

[Leah Jessye Hayes]

The laughter was contagious. Once Susan had joined in, it became almost near impossible to stop. Just when Leah was about to calm down and focus on the task at hand like a true Ravenclaw, she would randomly burst into a fit of equally as loud giggles and then the laughter started all over again. The Ravenclaws who were once so hushed and focused on their work were now staring at Leah with livid looks of murderous rage apparent on their faces. Leah was going to get it real bad back in the Common Room. But Leah didn't care. It felt so good to be laughing, especially with a friend. She wasn't used to this sort of carefree happiness, nor the company.

Leah had always been a bit of an isolated person, often opting to sit by herself and write music or just study rather than attending the parties or hang out with friends. She was a sociable person and knew exactly how to interact with people, but she just didn't feel compelled to do anything of the sort, and would rather lock herself away in her shell; an introvert at heart. It was this reason that people tended to shy away from her, because in all honesty she was a strange character. Her mood swings were intruiging, and her opinions were very confusing to understand. If anyone were to find out about her true opinion on the squibs, her transformation as an outcast would be complete. Not even the nice Hufflepuff sitting beside her would be understanding of it. And she couldn't find solace with the Slytherins. No, that would be like torture, minus the mercy rule.

They eventually managed to calm down to a certain point where Susan was able to speak normally again. And Leah, herself calmed down, the loud laughter dying down to the dull sound of a few giggles and heavy breathing. She tried to respond and another fit of giggles flew out. She didn't even know why she was laughing anymore, just that it was impossible to stop. At times like these, laughter was difficult to come by, especially when you spend majority of your time alone. Leah nodded, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip and her face flushed slightly red.

A few more deep breaths and Leah was alright. She felt so alive, and so different. She couldn't honestly remember a time where she had laughed that hard. Where she had actually laughed, with genuine laughter. It was a miracle in it's own sense. She definitely wanted to do that again. If friendship meant this, then why had she avoided it all these years? She was truly an idiot.
"Yeah, we have to do that again sometime. I haven't ever laughed like that before, I don't think... It feels so strange. I like it!"

Her eyes were alight with excitement, and she was eager for this blossoming friendship with Susan. Her cheeks had even gained some colour to them. It was like an entirely new Leah. Not the one who sat around moping by herself studying for subjects she was already brilliant at.
"You know Susan, we have almost every class together, I'm sure the teacher wouldn't mind the laughter!"she said brightly, hoping Susan would get the hint. If Susan decided to sit next to her, it would eliminate the ideas of sitting next to another Ravenclaw who would only take notes and study. Class would become something different, something exciting.