- Of Earth & Stars -

Chapter 33: Catalyst

August - September 1994

"That was incredible!" Willem declared as he, Carly, Suri and Nate wove their wave back to their tent after Ireland's amazing defeat. All around, both Ireland and Bulgaria lit up the night sky with campfires and charms, the grass wet with spilled ale and whiskey. In Ireland's camping territory, however, singing seemed to come from every corner. Leprechauns raced through the tents, encouraging inebriated witches and wizards into song and dance.

"I think I'm in love with Viktor Krum," Suri giggled, a pleasant buzz of intoxication coursing through her veins. "Ireland might be my team, but that boy can fly."

Nate threw an unsteady arm around her shoulders, flask in hand. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her. "Maybe we can arrange a way for you to get into his tent. You are trying to get over Oliver, aren't you?"

"Oh yes," Carly said gamely, also still drunk. "I'm sure he could use some cheering up, Suri. You're just the girl."

"Ah no thanks. I heard he's rather awkward when he's not flying, and I'm not into that." Suri deflected. While her tone remained light, she kept an eye on Nate who took another swig from his flask before settling his arm around her again. He had been drinking steadily through the game to the point where she now worried about him.

Nate laughed jovially in her ear. "Sweet Suri, it is my personal mission to see you have a good time this year. I'm worried about you being Head Girl, you know. You're always so anxious now, I'm afraid the power will make you too pure."

"That's not something you have to worry about, nitwit. It's impossible for me to be pure." Suri shrugged Nate's arm off her shoulders, avoiding eye contact. His comment stung. She knew she worried more than she needed to, but after her fourth year, it had gotten worse. After...Suri bit down on her tongue, willing away the dark thoughts as her buzz no longer lifted her.

The night went on, Suri and her friends joined the neighboring campers in cheering, though her heart was no longer in it. Eventually, it was Carley who suddenly paled, and Suri jumped at the opportunity to call it a night. Guiding her friend back to their tent, Suri fetched a bottle of water as Carley promptly ran to the toilet and threw up.

"I am never drinking again," Carly declared, tears streaming down her face between flushes.

"There, there," Suri said soothingly, pulling a hair-tie off her wrist to fasten into Carley's strawberry blonde hair. "You'll be downing firewhiskey when we return to Hogwarts." She'd seen this pattern before. Carley drank until she puked, had a wicked hangover the next morning, and in less than two weeks she was taking down shots like she wasn't a lightweight. Willem, Nate, and Suri often took turns babysitting her, meaning one of them had to stop drinking hours before everyone else. When Carley's vomiting ceased and she'd drunk half her bottle of water, Suri helped her friend into an over-sized T-shirt and into her cot.

"You're such a good friend, Suri," Carly mumbled when Suri tucked her in. "You're such a good mum."

"You're still so drunk," Suri laughed, leaving a fresh bottle of water and a rubbish bin by her friend's bed. Within seconds, Carley was lightly snoring. Suri left Carley's door half-open when she left, just in case Carley woke up and chose to puke in the toilet. Before going to her room, Suri noticed the doors closed, but lights on beneath Nate's and Willem's doors, telling her they had turned in for the night.

In her own room, Suri changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top before climbing into bed. Staring at the canopied ceiling of the tent, unable to sleep, Suri replayed the day in her head. Twirling her necklace between her fingers, she thought of Oliver and Lisbette, wondering if they were still together. She realized now how stupid it was for her to get so upset earlier. Laurel was right to hate her. Mr. Wood didn't seem like much of a fan, either. Sighing, Suri turned onto her side. Oliver Wood deserved someone simple and sweet—someone not like her. Closing her eyes, Suri forced away the thoughts by replaying the game. Ireland had won because they had the better chasers and keeper. Maybe in another life, one where she kept up with quidditch, it would be her name on the robes of some professional team. Twisting on her cot again, Suri reminded herself she had chosen healing; she was a damn good healer. This was her path now.

She wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep. So, when Nate shook her awake, Suri immediately shot out of bed, looking into her friend's suspiciously clear eyes.

"Nate—"

"You need to go, now. Take Willem and Carly and get into the woods." His urgency sounded incredibly sober. The terror and shadows cutting across his arrogant features felt real. Then she heard the screams outside their tent.

"What's going on?" Suri asked, needing no further prompting. She stepped into sneakers and reached for her wand, following Nate out of her room. Willem and Carly were already in the middle of the tent. Carly leaned against Willem, still fighting off the booze.

"Suri, I thought it was you at first," Carly said, visibly relaxing upon seeing her.

"You thought what was me?"

"That screaming. I thought it was you." Carly looked embarrassed when Suri continued to stare uncomprehendingly. "You wake up shouting a lot, you have for as long as I've known you. It was okay until fourth year, then it was almost every night...we all learned to sleep through it. I'm sorry, I thought Mara told you a long time ago. She said she did."

"Mara never told me anything," Suri frowned, too angry to be embarrassed. Tucking this away for later, Suri opened the entrance of the tent and stepped out. All around people were screaming and feeling into the woods, abandoning campfires and tents without looking back. Ignoring her friends calling after her, Suri quickly hurried to look for the cause of fear.

Several years away, she spotted a group of people obscured by masks, laughing without remorse as they attacked. Some set tents on fire, others simply blasted them out of the way. Her stomach dropped when she saw two masked wizards pointing their wands at four bodies contorting into awful shapes above them. Two of them were children. Recognition struck Suri—it was Mr. Roberts, the camp manager and his family. His wife was being disgraced by being turned upside down, her nightgown flipping over her head, revealing her underwear.

"My God…" Willem muttered, coming up beside her. Nate and Carly followed suit.

"Get to the woods, now," Nate circled on his friends, urging them to go back.

Willem and Carly didn't need further explanation. Willem put an arm around Carly and joined the rest of the others running for safety. Only Suri hesitated. "You know something."

"Suri—"

"Nathaniel Evan Avery, I swear on my life if you don't—"

"We'll be fine. They're only after the muggles. Still, it's better that we hide before things get worse."

Nate left her no room to argue. Grabbing her wrist he started running into the woods where Carly and Willem had disappeared. Before they could get further, Suri stopped in her tracks, pulling her hand from his grasp. "This isn't right, Nate. Muggles can't defend themselves against us."

Nate swore irritably. "Now's not the time to to be a hero, Suri."

"Go without me!" Nate called after her as Suri turned on her heel running back to camp, to the Wood's tent. Between Oliver, Laurel, and their parents, Jameson and Lisbette should be fine, but Suri wouldn't leave without making sure. But if things got worse as Nate said, maybe they'd need help.

She saw Mrs. Wood, first. Mrs. Wood stood outside of her family's tent, eye wide with shock.

"Mrs. Wood!" Suri called, running to the older woman. "Where's everyone else?"

"My husband took Oliver to go help that poor muggle family. The rest of us are still here."

"It's not safe here," Suri prompted. "These people are after muggles. I can take you all somewhere safer."

"Protect us…" Mrs. Wood murmured a prayer, crossing herself religiously before disappearing into the tent. Suri heard her order everyone out. Both Laurel and Mrs. Wood had their wands drawn before them and stood in front of a pale Lisbette and angry Jameson. Laurel fixed her glare on Suri.

"Follow me," Suri said. With a nod from Mrs. Wood, the rest of them followed.

"How do you know so much?" Laurel hissed behind Suri as the family moved at a quick pace deeper into the dark trees.

"Lumos." Light burst from the tip of Suri's wand to light their path before she glanced back at Laurel. "Does it matter? I came back to check on you, didn't I?"

Laurel opened her mouth as if to retort, but thought better of it. Behind them, was Jameson and Mrs. Wood, wand also lit, holding Lisbette's hand in the rear of the group. The group eventually stopped at the bottom of a slight slope, protected by a thicket of trees. Laurel remained close to her husband, and Lisbette continued to hold Mrs. Wood's hand. Suri, keeping her wand drawn—Trace be damned—listening to the sounds all around them. She hoped her friends were okay—if Nate caught up to them, they would be. she hoped Oliver and his father were safe, too. Beside her, Lisbette wimpered, wiping tears from her baby blue eys,

"I hope my friends are alright. I hope Ollie is, too."

A mixture of pity and annoyance flared in Suri's chest. It just occurred to her that Lisbette had spent the night in the Wood's tent. Swallowing back her jealousy, Suri kept her eyes trained forward, thinking of Oliver. "Me too," she murmured.

Seconds became minutes as the group remained in tense silence until a loud boom, like the sound of a cannon pierced the night, echoing with frightful screams, follwoing a bright flash of ghostly green illuminating the entire forested area.

A tik worked in Jameson's jaw as balled his hands into fists. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure," Laurel answered her husband. Suri looked to , and saw the older woman had blanched as she stared past everyone and at the sky. Following her gaze, Suri's mouth opened at the large, green skull in the sky. Her father and Moons were right.

"Not again," Mrs. Wood whispered, fingers pressed to her lips. "Not again."

"What is it," asked Jameson frustration etched across his handsome face. Lisbette answered.

"That's the Dark Mark. It's the sign of You-Know-Who."

Suri barely listened as Lisbette gave a quick explanation to Jameson. Instead, she parted from the family, bounding up the slope, making sense of the confusion. She saw people starting to walk back to the campsite, overhearing several saying aurors and the Ministry had arrived and it was safe to go back.
Re-joining Oliver's family and Lisbette, Suri returned to the campsite with them. Their family's tent seemed to fair better than others, only having scorch marks on one side. Mr. Wood and Oliver were near their tent, both looking relieved upon seeing their family.

There was a rush of hugs when the family re-united. Suri planned on leaving once she knew Oliver was okay, but instead found herself returning his tight embrace, her earlier sadness forgotten.

"Suri, you must be freezing," Oliver said, pulling off his hoodie and handing it to her. Suri looked down at herself. She hadn't had time to grab a jacket when she'd left her tent, and now, without the adrenaline, she felt the chill of the night air on her bare arms and legs.

"Thank you," she said quietly, accepting Oliver's navy blue hoodie. On her, the sleeves bunched at her fingers, and the hoodie fell to her thighs.

"Are you hurt, Oliver," asked Lisbette, pulling on his arm and giving him a hug. Smiling awkwardly, Oliver gave her shoulder a quick pat, pulling out of her embrace.

"I'm fine," he answered, attention still on Suri. "How about you?"

"We're fine," Laurel answered, "Suri came to make sure we were safe...I'm glad she did."

"They were after muggles and muggle-born families," Mr. Wood confirmed, voice gruff. "Thank you, Suri, I appreciate it."

A brief smile touched Suri's lips as she shrugged a shoulder. "Of course. I wouldn't be okay with myself knowing that your family was in danger. Anyway, I should go find my friends; they're probably worried. Stay safe."

As though following Suri's cue, Lisbette exhaled audibly. "Me too, I ought to find my friends, too."

"Oliver, go with her," said Mr. Wood, Oliver nodded.

"I will, but I need to talk to Suri first."

Oliver quickly caught up with Suri who already walked away. "Wait!" Oliver stopped in front of her, his brown eyes searching. Suri did her best to ignore they way he looked at her. As though she mattered to him, as though she were more important than beautiful, Lisbette. She would never be as good as her, and that was enough to fuel her hatred.

"My tent isn't too far, and if anything happens..." Suri waved her wand, reminding him of her capability. "Besides, I think your squib needs more protection than I do."

"What does that mean?" Oliver took a step back, shocked. Suri shook her head, laughing bitterly.

"Oliver, she's all over you! And it's probably for the best. Your family likes her. She's tall and gorgeous and she seems sweet. She's…" better than me. "She's everything you deserve and more. And she's a squib. She needs you.

"Suri..."

"Oliver, please." Knowing she wasn't good enough was painful. "I'm glad you're safe, I knew you'd be. Take care of Lisbette, she's waiting." Suri raised her chin with arrogance she didn't feel before she left him staring after her.

X

The morning of her seventeenth birthday, Suri charmed her suitcases shut, just because she could. She was no longer bound by the Ministry's Trace. Now she could do magic freely. This would be helpful as she thought of ways to send letters to both Moons and her father.

She arrived on the Express half an hour before anyone else, as instructed. Leaving her belongings in a compartment, she then made her way to the back of the Express where a single train car had been fashioned into a conference room. In the room was a wooden rectangular table with chairs, enough for every prefect plus the Head Boy and Girl. Suri, also the first in the room, touched the badge pinned over her heart. She still felt like an impostor, wondering if Dumbledore had made a mistake in choosing her. The sound of the door opening interrupted her thoughts as a seventh year boy with brown hair and blue eyes walked into the room. His red and gold badge declared he was Head Boy. Suri narrowed her eyes.

"It's you." It was Bradley Price. They weren't friends, but they weren't enemies. His friends and most of Gryffindor looked down at her after her fight during her first year with Jessica Yates who had insulted her. Jessica claimed being so disturbed by Suri that she transferred to Beaubaxtons. Jessica's influence followed her to Beaubaxtons where she befriended one of Suri's childhood friends, ending their friendship as well.

"It's you," Bradley countered as he took a seat at the table, across from Suri. The pair studied each other carefully.

"So, in the past, we haven't really gotten along, but I can't say that I hate you," Bradley started carefully.

Leaning back in her seat, Suri arched a perfect eyebrow at him, tousling her dark waves. "Sure," she answered just as carefully.

"Maybe we ought to call the past years a truce. If we're going to have a good year and lead the Prefects or whatever, we need to be a team."

Suri considered his offer. Finally, she held out a hand to him. "I agree. I'm willing to call a truce to work with you. Unless you do something absolutely stupid. I will not hesitate to throw you under the Knight Bus."

Bradley smiled and shook her hand firmly. "Truce, Rosier-Black. To be honest, I'm looking forward to working with you. I like your style."

Professor Dumbledore smiled at them over his half-moon spectacles as he entered the room. "I like the teamwork I'm seeing," he said by way of greeting. "Seems like I made the right call after all."

"For now," Suri answered, still uncertain of herself as Dumbledore slid packets of documents to both her and Bradley. "There's still plenty of time for Bradley to botch it."

"What happened to the truce," Bradley fired back. When he saw the smirk on Suri's red lips, he rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Everyone knows if something goes wrong it's always the Slytherin, Rosier-Black."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, amused. "Every year, I like to meet with the Head Boy and Girl first before we meet the rest. There are some things I go over before they collaboratively work with the Prefects to set the tone for the remainder of the year. We'll continue check-ins throughout the school year to make sure things are running to plan. In those packets, you'll find a list of expectations to teach the new Prefects, and remind the old Prefects of."

Suri glanced through the packet; the expectations were easy enough. Bradley had been a Prefect for the past two years, so she figured she could rely on him, if necessary.

"There are some changes to this school year," Dumbledore started once Suri and Bradley looked up at him. "For one, quidditch is cancelled."

"Why," Suri asked, feigning innocence.

"And why do we need formal wear this year," Bradley asked.

"This year, we'll be holding a special tournament at Hogwarts. I won't be giving too much away now—I'll explain it all at the Feast tonight. However, Hogwarts will be packed this year as we host students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. As Head Girl and Head Boy it is imperative that you set examples of appropriate conduct at Hogwarts not only for our student body but for our guests. Between you Mr. Price, and you, Miss Rosier-Black, I have no concerns."

"A tournament," Suri processed the minimal information offered. "Do you know which students will be coming from the other schools?" At the thought of Beauxbatons, she thought of her childhood friends, and her choice to come to Hogwarts instead of Beauxbatons. She and Bradley shared a look. There was also Jessica to consider.

"Not yet," answered Dumbledore. "That is dependent on their Headmaster and Headmistress."
Dumbeldore continued on, explaining more expectations he had around plans for the arriving guests. "If there aren't any questions, I believe the Express will be departing soon. I trust both of you will do well with our Prefects. I'll see you again at the Welcome Feast."

As Professor Dumbledore headed out, Suri pushed back her chair and went after him. "Professor!"

"Yes, Miss Rosier-Black?" Dumbledore paused in the hallway as Suri closed the conference room door behind her.

"Professor…Are you sure choosing me wasn't a mistake? Won't parents or other students be upset? I mean…" It was still believed Sirius Black was a mass murder on the loose. Only Dumbledore, Remus, Harry, Nate, and potentially Harry's friends knew the truth. "Maybe it's best I'm not the welcoming face for Durmstrang and Beauxbatons."

"There's no mistake, Suri. Bradley was chosen for his charisma, nerve, and willingness to follow rules fairly. You were chosen for your poise, individuality, and authenticity to yourself, no matter the cost. You're meant to be here. And with two schools joining us, you are exactly the person I want to represent Hogwarts."

"I..." Suri swallowed back a surprising lump in her throat. "I hope I don't let you down, then."

"You haven't yet, Miss Rosier-Black." Dumbledore's baby blue eyes twinkled. "I believe a Happy Birthday is in order. I was intercepted by a very frantic blonde young woman with a parcel for you." Pulling out his wand, Dumbledore gave it a wave, and a parcel appeared in the air. Suri held out her hands it.

"Happy birthday, Suri." Dumbledore smiled, leaving her with her gift.

Back in the conference room, Bradley excused himself to use the restroom before the Prefect meeting, Suri opened her gift. In spite of everything, she smiled at the little cauldron cake nestled in thin parchment paper. On top, there was a flower drawn on with frosting. On the inside lid was a hand-written note:

This one is from all of us. Good luck in your seventh year. Happy Birthday! - The Wood (and Muir!) family.

P.s. Oliver wanted to send this to you on his own, but with the way you're avoiding him, I thought it'd be better if it came from me. You should know I did everything I could to see you two together, but I can't force people to fall in love, and people don't wait around forever. If it's not there, it's not there. - Laurel xx

Rolling her eyes, Suri dipped her finger into the frosting on top of her cake and brought it to her lips, enjoying the chocolate flavor. Laurel was too nosy for her own good.

Author's Note—

Please be patient with ya girl. I work 6 days a week, and re-editing chapters I've already written. :)

Drop a review, favorite, and/or a follow to let me know you're here! Thanks for reading; I'm so glad you're here!

X