A Sad Day Back (Ernie)

[susanbones]

Susan streamed into the Great Hall with the rest of Hogwarts students. Not noticing the screaming of happy students seeing their friends again, or the gold plats that adorned the tables, Susan took her regular seat at the Huffle puff table. She was quiet, not in her normal, chipper mood. How could she be? She didn't want to come back to school, but she knew that this is what her Aunt would want. Plus, she had to be there to help Harry if needed. Looking up, the House Banners looked as bright and colorful as the first day she saw them. Susan wondered if everybody could come together to fight the evil that was overcoming their world. It seemed that the Slytherins and Gryffindors would never put their issues aside long enough to even talk, let alone fight side by side. She had heard of that Cassandra girl who had made friends with several of the snakes last year, but she hadn't seen her talking to any of her supposed 'friends' from that house since early last term.

Susan watched as the Hufflepuff table filled up around her, and she smiled and waved like she was supposed to whenever someone did likewise. Neither Hannah nor Ernie had shown up yet, but she honestly didn't think Hannah would be on time. Susan propped her head up in her hands as her elbows rested on the table. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone except for her good friends, and she hoped they would show up soon.

[ernie]

He was always on time. Never was he late, such behavior was irresponsible, immature, and certainly out of line for a proper MacMillan such as himself. It was because of this that despite the current events in the lives of his friends that he had a feeling would effect their promptness to this school years welcoming feast, that he strode into the Great Hall alone. Normally he was with Hannah when he entered, as it had become tradition ever since they rode in the same boat across their lake the first year. This year though, he walked purposefully into the hall and toward the Hufflepuff table, rather surprised when he saw that Susan Bones was already there. Now, he was always on time, never late, but also never early. He had far to many demands on his attention to waste time being early. Susan though, he knew had lost a family member in the Diagon Alley attacks this summer, and it would have been perfectly acceptable for her to be tardy in attendance to the feast. Though instead, here she sat. Not only on time but a bit early.

He moved down the table and straight up to her, pulling out the chair beside her and taking a seat as if it had been any other year, after any other ordinary summer. He sat for a moment, settling himself before he looked over at her.
"Hello Susan" he started with, pausing for a moment as he carefully thought of what to say next. Normally he would have asked how she was, but in a time like this that seemed rather insensitive, and he prided himself in a certain level of sensitivity when it was called for. "You look as if you are handling things very well. I am proud of you."
Now, to most people, his words would have seemed odd and out of place, but to Ernie, it was the perfect thing to say. Of course it was a terrible thing she had just survived, and Susan looked well anyway, so why not express it. And, being her friend, he was proud that she was handling it so gracefully, so why not express that as well.

[susanbones]

Susan turned towards Ernie as she felt his weight beside her. He was one of her good friends,and he always said the right thing. That was the problem though, he always had the right thing to say. Unfortunately, Susan wanted someone to cry with her, cause a stir, or even yelling at an encroaching Slytherin. That was why she had Hannah to do those things with, but not Ernie. You would never catch him doing something wrong. " Thank you, Ernie. I'm still getting over the shock of it and all. She is an incredible witch." Realizing that she had just referred to her Aunt in the present, she bit her lip to keep herself from crying. " Have you spoken to Hannah? I've only seen her once this summer, and she was really distant."

Not really waiting for his response, Susan continued. Not that she wasn't worried about her best friend, but she was afraid to let this line of conversation continue. She really didn't won't the grief from the Slytherins if she began to cry. "How was your summer Ernie?" She looked over his shoulder at the students streaming in." Hmm, it seems like we are missing some people. You don't think that all of them stayed home?"

[ernie]

He focused in on her as she spoke, as it would have been rude to do other wise while they were talking about such an emotionally important subject. He knew that it would also still be very close to Susan's heart. He would not be surprised if she became upset at very little for the next few weeks at least. He did not know her Susan's aunt very well, but he knew that she was well respected and that she had worked at the ministry. A respectable position, and it meant that her death was not only a blow for the Bones' family, but also for the entire wizarding world.

He listened as she she spoke of her aunt, and nodded knowingly. Then replied quiet as she let the topic drift one one to another, taking a mental note of each of them to make sure that he gave them all an appropriate amount of attention when she was fully finished.

"It is never easy getting over the loss of a loved one. It takes a great deal of time to fully accept it. It may take a great deal of time. Though as I said, you seem to be handle it very well. You are much stronger than many of our less astute school mates probably gave you credit for. Now, as for Hannah, I did see her a few times over the summer, though I am afraid that I have not seen her since we returned back to school. As for my summer, for the most part it was rather lovely. I vacationed with my parents for most of July. We decided to go to Italy this year and Rome was simply fascinating. Finally, yes I think a few of our fellow students are missing and I would not be surprised if some of our parents insisted on their children staying home in the name of safety. After all, Death Eaters infiltrated the castle. It is no longer seen as safe territory to many."