Chapter Nine: Burst Bubble

Connie stands, dazed and disoriented. Rubbing her head, she takes in the rubble around her feet. Where did it come from?

Looking up, she can see a balcony high up the astronomy tower with a big chunk missing from it. Oh.

She also notices that there's a weird tint to everything she's seeing. She appears to be surrounded by an some kind of pink sphere.

Or they, rather. There's someone else in the bubble with her— the boy who jumped on her, screaming. He must have been trying to warn her her of the falling rubble, trying to get her to safety. Looks like he succeeded, one way or other. "Did you do this?" she asks.

"Uh," the boy says, looking around and tapping the side of the sphere experimentally. "I guess?"

Connie nods. "Thanks," she says. And then, looking closer at the boy, she suddenly recognises him. His wide face, big smile, yellow-and-black tie. "Wait— aren't you Steven? Steven Quartz Universe?"

He smiles. "Yep! N-nice to meet you! Connie, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Connie says. She's surprised he knows her name.

She knows his name, of course. She knew it before she even got to Hogwarts. It came up time and time again in her books, though she hadn't understood the context until she'd started actively researching recent magical history. Steven Universe had been directly implicated in the fall of She Who Must Not Be Named. He's the only person to ever have survived the Killing Curse, and he did it as a baby. Nobody knows how he did it. Just that somehow, the curse's power rebounded, killing the Dark Lord, and ending the War.

Connie has overheard her year mates talking about Steven a lot. Seems that he's been the subject of a great deal of speculation and rumour over the past decade. On the night he'd survived the impossible, his mother had perished, and the boy had seemingly disappeared into thin air. His mothers' closest friends had sworn that he was safe, but otherwise shared nothing, hiding him entirely from the magical world so desperate for information. People had wondered a lot about the boy. What was being kept from them, and why? Surely he must have a great deal of power— what would he do with it? Would he become a great wizard, to rival the ranks of Hecate, Merlin and Dumbledore? Or would he turned his magic to darkness, and follow in the footsteps of the one he'd defeated?

Now he'd finally shown up at Hogwarts, in the flesh, and people seemed to be pretty disappointed by what they'd found.

At least, judging by what the other Slytherin girls said. This was the person who apparently had some amazing magical power? This clumsy, chubby kid? The one who couldn't cast the simplest of spells and kept nearly blowing up his cauldron? Who was sorted into Hufflepuff?

But those girls are all massive jerks, and Connie doesn't really care what they say. So she says, "Thanks for saving me."

"No problem!" says Steven.

A pause. They stand there, still inside the bubble.

"So, can you make it go away?"

"Uhh." Steven grimaces. "I kind of… made it by accident, so… I don't know."

Ah. Accidental magic. Connie can't blame him. It happens to all magical kids, usually in small ways— but in times of high emotions and stress, the results can get more dramatic. That kind of magic can be leagues more powerful than any planned spell, but also far more uncontrollable. That's the only reason her parents had agreed to send her to Hogwarts in the first place: the older she got without learning to channel her magic, the bigger risk there was that it would escape from her and cause massive damage.

Not that Steven had caused any damage. In fact, she's pretty sure that his bubble might have just saved her life. It's just that getting stuck inside a bubble is massively inconvenient. "So, how do we get out?"

Steven squeezes his eyes shut and grunts, clearly trying to dispel the bubble though force of will. It doesn't do anything. Unperturbed he says, "We could try a spell. What's the one for making things blow up? Expolsi?"

"Wait!" Connie says, before he can reach for his wand. "Have you ever used that spell before?"

"Er… no."

"Then maybe we shouldn't use it in such small quarters."

"Oh. Good point." He taps his chin thoughtfully. "I know! Let's go find a teacher! I bet they can get us out!

"Good idea," Connie says. It's certainly one with less possiblity getting them both burn to a crisp. Together, the two of them begin to roll the bubble up towards the castle.

Begin, being the opportune word. They don't get very far. Hogwarts is up on a top of a hill. Connie had never thought of it being a particularly steep hill, but that was before she caught stuck inside a human hamster-ball. They push their way up, and then the nature of physics pushes them back down. She really wishes she was good enough at wingardium leviosa to levitate something so big and heavy.

"I guess we'll have to wander around the grounds until we run into somebody," Steven says.

"Yeah. I guess," says Connie. It's not exactly how she wanted to spend her afternoon, but there's not much of an alternative.

There's not a lot of people around. It's ages until they notice somebody, and even then, it's just a pair of students. They speed towards them as fast as they can. Connie recognises the boy, brown skinned and lanky. He's an older Slytherin, often found lurking around the common room. She's not sure which year, exactly, because he's always scowling and she's never even attempted speaking to him. He just screamed 'unfriendly'. Which is why it's surprising to see him hanging out with a Gryffindor girl.

The rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin is legendary. Hardly a day goes by without students sniping insults— or sometimes spells—- at each other in the corridors. Yet here's these two, out for a walk together, no issues at all.

Steven seems to know them both quite well, and enthusiastically introduces them as Lars and Sadie. They can't introduce themselves because no sound can travel in or out of the bubble. Connie gives them a little wave as they set about the task of breaking the barrier. (Or Sadie does, at least. Lars seems to be entertaining himself by licking the bubble, for some reason, and making really goofy faces.)

"We met on the train to Hogwarts. They gave me donuts, and now I hang out with them between classes sometimes," Steven explains, as Sadie aims a bright red spell at the sphere. It bounces off harmlessly. Connie's amazed. She didn't think anyone their age would hang out with a firstie, let alone one from a different House.

Sadie— and even Lars— try three more spells. They smoke and smart and slam the bubble backwards, but none of them work. Finally, in her frustration, Sadie just grabs of a giant tree branch from the ground, rushes at the bubble, slamming it with all her might. The branch snaps. After that the two depart, after making vigorous gestures towards the castle.

"I think they're going to get some teachers," says Connie.

"That's nice of them. Just wish we didn't have to wait," says Steven. Then his eyes light up. "Maybe we don't have to! We can go find a teacher ourselves!"

"We tried that, remember? We can't get up the hill."

"But we can go down the hill." Steven points past the lake, towards the forbidden forest. At the edge of it there's a small cabin. "To Hagird!"

"Hagrid?" Connie echoes. "The groundskeeper?"

"He teaches Care of Magical Creatures too," says Steven. "He's really nice! He has a dog and a pumpkin patch and he invited me over for tea the other day."

"Oh," says Connie. She's seen Hagrid around, of course— on the first night crossing the lake, and at every meal in the great hall. She's a little ashamed to admit that she's… well, not scared of him, but intimidated. The man is huge, heads taller than anyone else she's ever seen, with hair and a beard like a mass of wires, and a truly intimidating dog.

Steven says he's friendly, though, and at this point, Connie isn't feeling picky. They start to make a windy, careful way down towards the groundskeeper's cabin. They're about halfway there when Hagrid emerges, huge sack swung over his shoulder. Steven starts waving and hollering, and even though Hagrid can't hear them, he still spots the odd bubble rolling its way towards him. He cocks his head at the sight, but returns with a friendly wave of his own.

"He sees us!" says Steven, who picks up speed. Connie speeds up too, because she doesn't have much choice. They go from walking speed, to jogging, then gravity's got a hold of them, and they're at full running speed, being turned over and over and over—

They hit a rock in the path. The bubble bounces, gets knocked away. The two fall down, slammed against the sphere's side. They try to struggle to their feet, but the bubble's still moving— not down the path towards Hagrid, but straight towards the lake.

"Stop! Stop!" Connie yells, trying to roll herself the other way.

"I can't!"

The ball rolls, bounces, spins. It reaches the end of the hell, to the flatter plain leading towards the lake, but it doesn't matter— it has too much momentum now, and it just keeps going, over the grass, over the sand, into the water, splash.

It sinks. They sink with it.

Connie and Steven stare out, wide-eyed.

"Oops," says Steven.

Connie sits down. Hard.

They're falling, down, down, down. The water is turning darker, darker, every second, as the sunlight becomes nothing more than a rippling veil above. Below is a thick forest of weeds, reaching up like grasping hands— they're going to get lost in them, and then they won't be able to see the surface at all— they're going to keep sinking—

All she wanted to do— all she wanted to do— was have an afternoon reading a book. A chance to just read. To not be bothered, or troubled, to forget everything that was going on, to forget about the bullying and the harassment. That's all she wanted, and now, and now—

"It's okay," says Steven. "It's okay, we'll—"

"IT'S NOT OKAY!" Connie screams. The boy flinches. "You don't know what you're talking about! You got us trapped in a magic bubble, then you got us stuck at the bottom of the lake, and we're going to suffocate and starve down here, or get eaten by the squid, and nobody besides my parents are going to notice or care!" Connie gasps, her voice hoarse, tears running down her face. "I'm going to die without having made a single friend."

A warm pink light fills the bubble. Connie looks up. Steven's holding out something to her— a glow bracelet?

"We can be friends," he says. Despite everything, he's smiling. "I saw you in Diagon Alley. You dropped this, and I couldn't catch up with you. I've been trying to find a chance to give it back."

"My bracelet," Connie says. She reaches out and takes it. It feels like ice under her fingers. "It's cold!"

"There's a freezing charm on it."

"So it won't run out," Connie says. She stares at the light— a little dimmer than what a warm glow stick would usually produce, but still comforting. She slips it onto her wrist. "Thank you."

He sits down next to her. "Sorry I got you stuck down here."

"It's not your fault," Connie says. "And besides. It's kind of pretty."

And it is. Connie's often appreciated the view of the lake from the window in the Slytherin common room, and this is just like that, only all around her. She'd been so scared she hadn't taken time to appreciate it. Now she can. The way the water seems to stretch on all around them, calm and strange. The little shiny fish that flit through the weeds, the way those weeds wave gently in the current. It's magical.

The two children lean against one another, enjoying the scenery.

The bubble pops.

Water floods in, pressure slamming into them. Connie just barely manages to keep her mouth closed. She's beginning to panic when she feels a warm hand in hers— Steven's. He tugs on her arm, towards the surface, and they start to paddle upwards.

Then another hand reaches for her— this one green, long finger— grabs her ankle, and yanks.

Connie almost screams. She just barely manages to hold onto her mouthful of air, but can't stop herself from gaping. The thing grabbing at her is small, humanoid, but slimy green with a bulbous head. It's grinning at her with sharp, pointing teeth, and its grip is like iron, trying to pull her down. Grindylow, some part of her brain supplies.

She grasps for her wand. She grips the smooth wood, aims it at the creature. But then she goes short. She can't speak, can't say a single spell, and even if she could, she has no idea which one she could use-

And there are more. One, two, three, slithering out of the weeds, holding her down, trying to grab Steven too. They start to swim faster, but her wet robes are heavy, the grindylow's grip is strong. It's got her— she's not going to get away—

Steven swims back down, tries to push the thing off of her. It doesn't budge. Alarm flares through Connie— he has to leave, he's just going to die too! She kicks desperately, stamping on the monster's long fingers. She feels something snap. The grindylow makes a harsh screech and retreats, but there's another there in an instant, hungry for an easy meal. The two of them fight and kick, trying to get away, trying to get up, but Connie's lungs are burning, black spots are filling her vision—

Dimly, she sees something huge coming at them from above, and she doesn't even have enough energy left to be afraid.

The huge thing wraps a tentacle around the two children, then swipes the grindylow away with a wave of a second. Then it propels itself up, up, up. The tentacle bursts through the surface in an instant, pushing the humans up into the air. They spit, gasp, breathing in desperate gulps of fresh air. They're still gulping and gasping as the giant squid swims towards the shore, and gently deposits them on the sand.

Connie lays on her back, staring up at the evening sky, too overwhelmed to move.

Steven, though, climbs to his feet almost immediately. He gives the giant squid a pat on its tentacle. "You saved us," he says. "Thank you!"

The tentacle pats him on the head in return, then retreats into the water.

There's yelling in the distance, growing louder, louder. It takes all of Connie's will to focus on it. Finally, it resolves into words; "Steven! Steven! Miss Maheswaran! Are you okay!"

She makes herself sit up. The teachers have arrived— Professor Jones, Professor Magpantay, even Headmistress Abeni— and they've buried Steven beneath a mound of desperate hugs. Off to the side of them is the groundskeeper Hagrid, who comes to her and offers a massive hand. Connie takes it, and lets him pull her to his feet.

"I was so scared when I say yeh two fall inta the lake. Glad to see yeh got out alrigh'," he says with a warm smile.

"Thanks," says Connie. She nods towards the cuddle pile. "Did you get them?"

"Sure did. Rushed soon as ah told 'em. Thought Pearl was gonna have a heart attack," says Hagrid.

Professor Magpantay straightens. Looking a little reproachful, she says, "Well, the lake is very dangerous. You two could have been very badly hurt. Are you sure you're alright?"

"We're fine! These weird monster things tried to catch us—"

"Grindylows," says Connie. "You were incredible! You came back for me, pushed them off!"

Steven giggles. "But you kicked them off! You were so cool!" he says. "And then the giant squid came and carried us to safety!"

Professor Jones is smiling an especially wide smile. "Cooooool dude. Did you have fun? Y'know, before?"

"Yes, how did it go Steven?" Professor Magpantay says, now smiling a strange smile of her own.

Steven shuffles his feet. "Guuuyyyysss."

The Headmistress puts a hand on the teachers' shoulders, silencing them. She surveys the two students and pulls out her wand. She waves it without a word, and suddenly the two of them are bone dry. Connie feels at her hair and her cloak, amazed at the sudden dryness. And the warmth. She hadn't realized it, but she'd been shivering heavily. Professor Abeni says, "I'm glad you're both safe."

It's late afternoon by the, and they have no time to dawdle. After stopping by the bottom of the astronomy tower to retrieve her bag and books, the group makes their way to the Great Hall for supper. The smell of hot sausages is overwhelming. Connie's stomach is growling, and she just wants to grab her food as fast as she can, then collapse into her bed for a long night sleep.

"Oh, yum," says a voice behind her. She looks— it's Steven, who's followed her right to the Slytherin table."

Connie looks at him. "Uh, Steven," she says. "Hufflepuff table is over there."

"I know," he says. "Can I sit with you?"

Connie blinks. "Uh…."

She's never seen students sit at another house's table at meals. Visit, share conversations, indulge in the occasional food fight… but sit there? For the whole thing?

But she's never heard anyone say there's a rule against it. And Steven's clearly friends with a bunch of the teachers. In fact, Professor Jones, Magpantay and Abeni seem to be watching them right now from the head table, and all of them are grinning, even the headmistress. Connie glances along the Slytherin table, filled with strangers and bullies. Then she feels the comforting weight of the glow bracelet on her hand, and says, "Sure, why not?"

She sits down, and Steven sits next to her. The Slytherins blink at him in surprise, but no one tells him to leave. Maybe they're too taken aback. Maybe they're still too impressed by the infamous survivor of the killing curse to say no to him, even if he is some clumsy Puff kid. Steven pulls over a big serving bowl and asks Connie, "Want some soup?"

Connie beams at him. "Yes, please!"

After all, there are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and escaping a hoard of hungry grindylows is one of them.

oOoOo

Author's Note: Woot, we're back baby! After all those Stevonnie episodes, I've been itching for writing some more Steven and Connie interaction, because those two are 3